Entrepreneur Business Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Entrepreneur Business - Research Paper Example America is said to be built by such pioneers who were capable of performing such tasks out of their broad vision and hard work. Entrepreneurship is generally defined as the act of being entrepreneur, the individual who undertakes finance, innovation and business insight and shrewdness in order to convert the innovation into the finished economic goods. The outcome of such an entrepreneurship is the revitalization of mature organizations for the purpose of responding to the perception of opportunity. The initiation of a company is the most obvious shape of entrepreneurship and this has been taken ahead to include the political and social forms of the activity involving the entrepreneurial actions. In order to study the qualities of an entrepreneur in details I have selected Peter Smith, the father of Gerrit Smith, who has proven to be a successful entrepreneur of his time. There have been valuable contributions made by both son and father in the field of entrepreneurship. Peter was th e business associate of John Jacob and was qualified in the business practices of the 19th century. His creativity and unique behavior made him a successful initiator of creativity along with an entrepreneur and a businessman which he was made through his resourcefulness, ingeniousness, and opportunistic behavior. His toughness and pragmatism bestowed him with extreme optimism and talent. Smith has various records of untiring travelling as well which gave him much knowledge of the places and a chance to observe people and methods in order to enhance his keenness and analytical thinking. To be a successful entrepreneur, we can now understand that the personal skills and capabilities are just as necessary as the innate abilities. The major aspect and requirement of entrepreneurship is to be spontaneous and creative so that the decision-making ability is assisted at a faster pace. Optimism is the foremost requirement of being an entrepreneur and an ability to possess deep insights, bra instorming, and a bit of cunningness as well as creativity also works. For many writers such as Peter Drucker and Frank H. Knight, the skill of entrepreneurship is considered with the risk-taking potential of an individual. Its behavior is the reflection of the person’s potentials and efforts put in career financial security, and then, taking the risks. This risk taking involves the initiation of innovation or an idea and investing capital and time on the arrangement being initiated. The entrepreneurship involves uncertainty, fears, and planning and organizing the individual’s own resources in availing the opportunities and making decisions. As a result of being a good entrepreneur, the economic activities grow, and histories are written. The wise exploitation of resources gives rise to new organizations, sophisticated development of entrepreneurial thinking culture and fulfillment of people’s dreams. The ultimate is also the reduction in unemployment and povert y in the country since the skilled entrepreneurs are shrewd enough to exploit the resources for long-terms and useful gains. Moreover, a skilled entrepreneur keeps balances in his attitudes, behaviours, and personal and professional life. REFERENCES The Peter Smith Papers,

Relationship Between Service Advertising Strategies and Consumers Dissertation

Relationship Between Service Advertising Strategies and Consumers Responses Within Hospitality Industry - Dissertation Example the primary research instrument and are administered in various modes, such as by regular mail, overnight delivery, fax, the Internet and drop-off/pick up. Meanwhile, interview-completed surveys are conducted personally in a shopping mall, home, office or other workplace of the consumer-respondent or coursed through the telephone. On the other hand, Hair et al. (2011) explained that observations may be conducted in three ways: (1) directly by a human observer; (2) electronically, as in the scanning of purchases in retail outlets or click-through behaviour of individuals when browsing the Internet; and (3) mechanically, through the telephone as when business calls are recorded for quality control monitoring or training purposes. Qualitative techniques. The qualitative techniques in commonly used in business researched are classified as interview-based or observation based. Both classifications used interview / interview guides. In-depth interviews, focus-groups, case studies and proje ct techniques are interview-based. In contrast, qualitative observations carried out either directly by a human observer or electronically. Traditional focus groups are the most frequently selected qualitative observation technique based on the 2008 trends in research industry (as cited in Hair, et al., 2011). Other common observation-based qualitative techniques based on research industry trends include personal and telephone-coursed in-depth interviews, chat or text-based online focus groups, video-based online focus-groups, interview / groups using online communities, monitoring blogs, and ethnography (Hair, et al., 2011; Bryman & Bell, 2007). Mixed methods techniques. Mixed methods research refers to one which â€Å"integrates quantitative and qualitative research within a single... This dissertation chapter discusses the methodology, that was designed to provide direction in the collection, processing and analysis of data in this study, which ventured to look at the consumer decision process in terms of the association between the advertising strategy applied and corresponding consumer reactions to the strategy utilized within the hospitality sector. Three groups of research techniques are available for this type of business-related inquiry, namely: quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. A quantitative technique was deemed most appropriate for the purpose of the study. Survey methodology was adopted with the use of a researcher-constructed instrument consisting of twenty items developed from existing literature. The instrument was evaluated using face validity and internal consistency reliability, for which pre-testing and pilot testing were carried out. Simple random sampling was utilized in the calculation of minimum required sample size of 138. The sam pling unit adopted in this chapter of the dissertation was the household. Systematic sampling was used in the administration of the research instrument to one household for every 500 households in the Bournemouth area. To sum up, it can be stated that data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Inferential statistics were carried out using two-tailed or non-directional analysis and a 0.05 level of significance. A coding guide and an interpretation guide facilitated the analysis of data.

Transportation System Analysis Of Sri Lanka Tourism Essay

Transportation System Analysis Of Sri Lanka Tourism Essay 1. Canal transportation system was the most effective and popular transportation system in the world as well as in Sri Lanka before the road transportation by vehicles. During Dutch era they developed advance canal transportation system and used very effective and efficient way to fulfill their requirements. 2. As a result of the industrialization, automobile industry and road network systems developed concurrently all over the world and it affected Sri Lanka as well. With that the road transportation became very popular. Due to the fact that it is very efficient compare to canal transportation and ability to reach any required destinations. 3. In the same time population of the world also increased gradually. Due to this peoples life style became complex and requirements increased. In the mean time urbanization was taken place with industrialization. This has affected to Sri Lanka and caused greater influence after the introduction of open economy. Because of these reasons road network system reached its maximum capacity. After that development and expansion of roads were impossible especially in Colombo city area. But vehicle density on to the same existing roads was become more and more. As a result of this, road traffic increased drastically. This caused wastage of time on roads directly affecting productivity of our country. 4. Answer to time wastage on roads was introduction of canal transportation system with existing infrastructure. And how to initialize this facility in scientific way will be discussed in this research. Also it was evident that the existing canal system could be utilized in very efficient way to afore said requirement. Finally it was found out that wastage of time in Colombo city area can be minimized by using existing canal system with some limitation. III CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 5. Thousands of people used to come from various places of the country to Colombo for different purposes. They waste lot of valuable and useful time on the way due to limitation of transport facilities and complex road network system existing at present. 25. The available highways are not able cater new coming vehicle to the roads and leads to wastage of time up to greatest extended. These roads are highly jammed during office and school time. Therefore it has to be eased up by canal transportation to reduce time and spending minimal expense and available resources. It is important to make the best use of existing infrastructure in preference to expansion, wherever practicable. 6. During recent past Sri Lanka had good water bone transport system available in Colombo area for transport men and material. This was very much significant during Dutch era. Therefore, it is evident that this method can be utilized even at present days with little modification to existing water ways. 7. In this research it is expected to prove that traffic conjunction in Colombo, can be over come by using existing canals system and can be minimize time wastage on roads. By using this existing canal system effective and efficient way, we can reduce the time for transportation in Colombo city. CHAPTER II METHODOLOGY STUDY AREA 8. The study area is identified and methodology employed for data collection to carry out to research on field visits and investigations, boat rides and collect relevant data, talking to Naval Personnel, people around the canals and bus passengers, data from the Navy. 9. The study area is demarcated from Kiralapone canal which starts from Diyawanna Oya and feeding from Kotte canal. This Kiralapone canal flows and diverts into two and created Heen Ela from Rajagirya, then 1km down below it is created one more branch and made Dematagoda canal and Kiralapone canal flows further and again making two branches at Havelock town and continue to Wellawatta and other one continue till Dehiwalla. The research was conducted by using cleared area of Wellawatta to Nawala canal. During site visits in two occasions, the following details are gathered and most of the measurements taken the Naval team available at the Canals. The Salient features are as follows. a. Length From Wellawatta to Nawala 1.8km b. Width 9 meters (mean Value) c. Depth 2.1 meters at high tide condition d. Special feature At rains no tide difference take place SCOPE 10. The canal transportation will reduce time and lead to ease up the road traffic at city centre, minimize pollution and helps to reduce respiratory deceases, attracts tourists to the city and make new ventures like boat building industry. 11. This congested canals should be converted into scenic beauty for the city, avoid flood taking place at city centre and protect flora and fauna belongs to these area. The recreational purposes also can be achieved and it will support make health people at the city. This is one of the great opportunities to develop a social integration plan to evaluate living personals close to the canal area by them selves to value their life style. Another added advantage is to promote fishing among the people around the area. PROBLEM STATEMENT 12. The available highways and road network system unable to cater new coming vehicle to the roads and leads to create heavy road traffic and hence it has happened to waste lots of time at the Colombo City. HYPOTHESIS 13. Time factor can be reduced by using canal transportation spending minimal expense, with available resources and the best use of existing infrastructure. GENERAL OBJECTIVES 14. During the research it is expected to find out that usage of canal for transportation will reduce time to move point A to point B, where canals are available. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 15. As a result of this canal transportation will reduce traffic congestion, improve environment condition either side of the canal, develop the boat industry and related other employment opportunities and improvement of this canal will help the reducing the flood affect in Colombo city. CHAPTER III BACKGROUND 16. The good olden days canals were used for cultivation and irrigation work. The first recorded canal was built in Mesopotamia circa 4000 BC or modern day Iraq and Syria. The Indus Valley Civilization in Pakistan and North India (circa 2600 BC) had sophisticated irrigation and storage systems developed, including the reservoirs built at Garner in 3000 BC. In Egypt, canals date back at least to the time of Pepi I Meryre (reigned 2332-2283 BC), who ordered a canal built to bypass the cataract on the Nile near Aswan. 17. In ancient China, large canals for river transport were established as far back as the Warring States (481-221 BC), the longest one of that period being the Hong Gou (Canal of the Wild Geese), which according to the ancient historian Sima Qian connected the old states of Song, Zhang, Chen, Cai, Cao, and Wei. By far the longest canal was the Grand Canal of China, still the longest canal in the world today. It is 1,794  kilometres (1,115  miles) long and was built to carry the Emperor Yang Guang between Beijing and Hangzhou. The project began in 605 and was completed in 609, although much of the work combined older canals, the oldest section of the canal existing since at least 486 BC. Even in its narrowest urban sections it is rarely less than 30  metres (98  ft) wide  [1]  . 18. Canals were important for the industrial development. Thats why the greatest stimulus to canal systems came from the Industrial Revolution with its need for cheap transport of raw materials and manufactured items. 19. In Europe, particularly Britain and Ireland, and then in the young United States and the Canadian colonies, inland canals preceded the development of railroads during the earliest phase of the Industrial Revolution. The opening of the Sankey Canal in 1757, followed by the Bridgewater Canal in 1761, which halved the price of coal in Liverpool and Manchester, respectively, triggered a period of canal mania in Britain so that between 1760 and 1820 over one hundred canals were built. 20. The history of canal transportation in Colombo City was started in Dutch era. It was exclusively used to transport goods from hinterland to coastal area by Paru (Small Vessel driven by manpower). This tremendous and environmental friendly transportation system is still used some areas of the country in smaller scale. 21. After industrial revolution auto mobile transportation system became popular and with that development of road network system also took place. Presently number of vehicles increased but road network system became limited due to space problem. This causes the traffic congestion especially in Colombo city and as a result, people waste their valuable and useful time in between their destinations. To overcome this problem it can be used existing canal system for transportation men and material in Colombo city. 22. Except Kirullapana Wellawatta canal, rest of the canals are still being used for water draining system of the Colombo city. However, recent past none of these canals have being properly maintained. Presently Sri Lanka Navy is undertaking to clean the Wellawatta canal, Dehiwella canal and Dematagoda canal. 23. The Japan Jabara is the main dilemma which need permanent solution and should be removed 100% from the canals. If not it may leads to suspend operation due sudden engine failures  [2]  . 24. The passenger transportation by boats in canal will reduce time and road traffic congestion at Colombo city. Also this may help cargo transportation by canal reducing road traffic in the city centre. Lt WPHE WIJAYALATH Index No : 10680 CHAPTER IV DATA 25. The available highways are not able cater new coming vehicle to the roads and leads to wastage of time up to greatest extended. These roads are highly jammed during office and school time. Therefore it has to be eased up by canal transportation to reduce time and spending minimal expense and available resources. It is important to make the best use of existing infrastructure in preference to expansion, wherever practicable. 26. In Colombo city traffic congestion depends upon place to place. Therefore it is important that identify those roads and get the overall picture about traffic congestion and use available canal system to minimize the time in effective way.Traffic congestion roads are identified and details indicated down below. a. Galle road congestion is intensified after Moratuwa and stagnated after Dehiwala b. High level road congestion is intensified after Maharagama and stagnated after Nugagoda. c. Low level road congestion is intensified after Kaduwela and stagnated after Kotikawatta. d. Kaduwela road congestion is intensified after Malaba and stagnated after Battaramulla. e. Kandy road congestion is intensified after Kadawatha and stagnated after Kiribathgoda. f. Negambo road congestion is intensified after Welisara and stagnated after Wattle. 29. Traffic data Traffic data within the canal corridor was taken from Road Development Authority (RDA) and it is tabulated below. LOCATION Daily Traffic 2002 2003 2005 2010(projected) Dominos Pizza Sri Jpura Rd 59408 61321 68957 85487 Open University Nawala Rd 29734 30660 34548 44648 Wall Tiles Narahenpita 20234 20770 23903 32705 Apollo Hospital Baseline Rd 23849 24632 30059 36813 Weaving Mills Havelock Rd 48968 50273 56241 67309 Wellawatte Bridge Galle Rd 51298 52937 56941 60311 Table 1 Chart 1 39. Time taken to travel from Wellawatta to Diyawanna by various vehicles, within special time periods during a day. VEHICLE SPECIAL TIME PERIODS OF THE DAY 0630-0830hrs 0830-1600hrs 1600-1800hrs Public transport(bus) 1hrs 15min 1hrs 1hrs 30min Official transport(van) 45min 35min 50min Personnel vehicle(car) 45min 35min 50min Motor bike 35min 30min 40min 41. Time taken to travel from Wellawatta to Nawala by various vehicles, within special time periods during a day. VEHICLE SPECIAL TIME PERIODS OF THE DAY 0630-0830hrs 0830-1600hrs 1600-1800hrs Public transport(bus) 1hrs 50min 1hrs 10min Official transport(van) 50min 40min 1hrs Personnel vehicle(car) 50min 40min 1hrs Motor bike 40min 30min 45min CANALS AND DETAILS 30. Wellawatte Canal The canal 1.8 km in length, and 25 meters wide and the banks are strengthening by Gabion Boxes, Steel sheets and Masonry wall. The open side to the sea is protected by two jetties preventing the formation of a sandbar. Some times canal mouth is stuck by sand due monsoons rains and wind. However it is not created flood hazard for the city centre. On other way this is the most important path way to discharge and regulate water when flood occurred at the City. The canal passes through a residential area and giving fabulous scenic beauty to residence over there. This is fully cleaned and dredged by the Navy and transportation is taking place by the Naval Dingy Boats. Details are as follows. a. Morning starts from Wellawatta 0730 hrs to 0930 hrs b. Evening starts at Open University, Nawala 1600 hrs to 1800 hrs c. FGD (Fiber Glass Dingy) is propelled by 40 Horse Power of Out Board Motors (OBM) using to transport 08 passengers at a time. d. 2.4 liters of fuel burns for the Journey e. Depth of water at centre 2.1 meters at high tide f. People around area are highly supporting the project and putting garbage to the canal is very minimal at the moment. 35. Dehiwalla Canal The canal 3.7 km in length, and 10 meters wide and the banks are strengthening by Gabion Boxes, Steel sheets and Masonry wall. The surrounding area is highly polluted and after putting tremendous effort by the Navy 3.2 km totally cleaned up to 01st July 2010 and rest of the distance in progress. Details are as follows. a. Depth of water at centre 2.7 meters at high tide (as per 01st July 2010) b. Cleaning is taking placed from both the side of the canal. Banks should be strengthen in some places 38. Dematagoda Canal -The canal 8.6 km in length, and 10 meters wide and the banks are strengthening by Gabion Boxes, Steel sheets and Masonry wall. This is already cleaned up to Royal Park by the Navy. TIME TAKEN TO TRAVEL BY BOAT FROM TO TIME DURATION Wellawatta Nawala 15 min Wellawatta Diyawanna(Battaramulla) 30 min 40. Approximately Rs. 26.00 will cost to travel from Wellawatta to Diyawanna (Baththaramulla) and Wellawatta to Nawala Rs. 22.00 by public transport (bus) according to present condition. DETAILS ABOUT CANALS Under mentioned details of canals also have to consider to improve time and to continue with transportation. 31. Work Scope and Action Plan for the Rehabilitation / Maintenance of Wellawatta Canal 32. General Details are as follows. a. Total length : 1.8 km b. Side wall height from water line 5-7 c. Depth of water at center 1 meter at low tide condition d. Width 8 to 10 meters e. Middle of the canal itself and surrounding area was highly polluted and congested and cleaned by the Sri Lanka Navy. 34. Renovating and cleaning is in progressed and contributing lot from the Navy. a. Vegetation is already removed by the Navy and cleaned the surroundings more 90%. Japan Jabara was removed and two branches of Bodi trees at the banks should be sharpened up to avoid disturbance while boats moving. Dredging should be done very sensitive and systematic way considering tide factor. d. Gabion boxes are not the must for each and every place of the banks and ensure to get expert advice from the civil engineers on this matter and renovation should be done accordingly. 36. Work Scope and Action Plan for the Rehabilitation / Maintenance of Dehiwala Canal General Details are as follows. a. Total length 3.7 km b. Side wall height from water line 5-7 c. Depth of water at centre 2 3 d. Width 8 to 10 meters e. Middle of the canal itself and surrounding area is highly polluted and congested and Navy is almost cleaned 3.2 km up to 01st July 2010. 37. Renovating and cleaning is in progressed by Navy team. Need to be removed vegetation at banks. Transfer removed vegetation from the site. c. Take out and transfer floating garbage at the middle of the canal by Floating JCB (Backhoe loader) or Pontoon JCB. Dredging should be done very sensitive and systematic way considering tide factor. Gabion boxes are not the must for each and every place of the banks and ensure to get expert advice from the civil engineers on this matter and renovation should be done accordingly. MISCELLANEOUS FACTORS 26. The boat and height factor of the bridges to be highly considered when concidering time and required to go through following tabulated details. Bridge Minimum Vertical Clearance in meters Rainy Days At High Tide At Low Tide Ethul Kotte Pizza 0.9 2.56 2.85 Water Line Kotte Above 3 meters Above 4-5 meters Above 4-5 meters Open University Gate No -01 0.5 1.7 2 Open University Gate No -02 0.4 1.8 2.1 Railway Bridge Above 3 meters Above 5 meters Above 5 meters Baseline Road at Polhangoda 0.6 meters 2 2.2 Havlock Town Bridge 0.8 2.1 2.3 Duplication Road Bridge 2 3 3.3 Gall Road Above 3 meters Above 4 meters Above 4 meters Note This was for Fiber Glass Dingy and More capacity boat clearance will be lesser than this and give endanger for passengers in high tide conditions. In rainy days this will able to work out. BUS PASSENGERS INTERVIEW 43. The bus passengers interview were carried out to identify bus passengers travel patterns and transferring locations including office and school time. And also to whether they are ready take up new transport mode or not. The details were gathered from people at the bus stops and the stands. Survey Location Number of Passengers Remarks Wellawatta 5 Ready to go by boat Havlock Town 10 Ready to go by boat Nawala 10 Ready to go by boat Rajagiriya 5 Ready to go by boat Battaramulla 5 Ready to go by boat Base line road 6 Ready to go by boat PRESENT DEVELOPMENTS 25. The Sri Lanka Navy is started the commuter service for Open University students for free of cost by using Fibre Glass Dingy from Wellawatta to Nawala. It is already made huge impact to the society and urged people to think on this fabulous environmental friendly transportation service. Due more response from the people of the society, the Navy is trying to enhanced commuter service introducing more capacity for this event. The Navy engineers were already trailed 21 number passenger capacity boats with three different types of (Out Board Motor) OBM and identified the most suitable one. The trail details are as follows. Out Board Motors 115hp 75hp 40hp No of Passengers 21 21 21 Approx. Time taken (From Nawala to Wellawatte) 17 Min 15 Min 15 Min Fuel consumption 6 ltrs 4 ltrs 3 ltrs Average cost (Rs) 35.71 24.76 18.00 TABLE-1 CHAPTER V ANALYSIS 25. According to the hypothesis time taken by canal transportation suppose to be lesser than road transportation. Following data can be use to analyse the condition. From Wellawatta to Diyawanna (Battaramulla) Public transport(bus) 1hrs 15min 1hrs 1hrs 30min Average time taken by bus = (1hrs 15min + 1hrs + 1hrs 30min) 3 = 1 hrs 15min Average time taken by boat = 30 min Time difference = 1hrs 15 min 30 min = 45 min ====== From Wellawatta to Nawala Public transport(bus) 1hrs 50min 1hrs 10min Average time taken by bus = (1hrs + 50 min + 1hrs 10min) 3 = 1 hrs Average time taken by boat = 15 min Time difference = 1hrs- 15min = 45 min ======

The Collapse of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Mil

Prosperity, job security, hard work and family union are some of the concepts that involves the American Dream, generally speaking. Some people think this dream is something automatically granted; or in contrast, as in the story â€Å"Death of a Salesman† written by Arthur Miller, as something that has to be achieved in order to be successful in life. The play takes issues with those in America who place to much stress on material gain, instead of more admirable values. American society is exemplified with Miller’s work and demonstrates how a dream could turn into a nightmare. Arthur Miller’s, â€Å"Death of a Salesman†, is a play that portrays the author’s life and the psychological problems that brings the collapse of the American Dream for this in a lower-middle family in an economical depression. The reader can see how Arthur Miller was inspired to write this play because of his family background using a biographical approach. Miller’s father â€Å"was a prosperous businessman until the Crash of 1929, after the family suffered through the Depression† (Rollyson) which had a significant influence on his life and works. As we see in the play, Willy Loman in a sense has two different realities. There is a Willy Loman -- â€Å"the financially burdened and emotionally exhausted main character (Thompson) -- is broken, an exhausted man in his sixties, near the end of his life. And there is the more confident, vigorous Willy Loman of some fifteen years before, who appears in flashbacks in the story. If we make a parallel between the story and the author’s life, these two realities are the before and after of the great depression that Miller’s father suffered through when Miller was a child. His life served as the inspiration to create the characters of the story: â€Å"Miller drove trucks, unloaded cargoes, waited on tables, and worked as a clerk in a warehouse.† (Rollyson) Moreover, the psychological view of Willy Loman is shown as a person who works as a traveling salesman and decides to commit suicide because the â€Å"American Dream† overwhelms him. As Charley says in the story: â€Å"the only thing you got in this world is what you can sell†. He is a normal person â€Å"who embodies traditional American values of success.†(Hansberry) In fact, Willy Loman wants to a great extent believe that he is one of the finest salesmen, a winner in life and a great father. For Mr. Loman, the accomplish... ...y he is so obsessed with trying to attain it. He is the product of his own illusions and of a society that believe that with hard work everything is possible. The reader can understand that Willy’s skewed perspective of the â€Å"American Dream† is due to his distortion of his life and the dream that he thinks he lives in everyday. In conclusion, the play represents the collapse of the â€Å"American Dream† for a typical lower-middle class family in Brooklyn during an economic depression. The story represents â€Å"the brutality of the system toward man† (Kroll). Willy, with his illusions of living the present with the mementos of the past represents the unwanted desire to accept reality. Therefore, he decides to commit suicide in a coward way and leave the insurance money to the family. Moreover, his wife sees the whole process of Willy’s death without interference in order to not hurt his pride. His sons, Biff and Happy, always had a constant pressure to achieve luxuries and comforts of the American Dream and due to that pressure they were unable to attain it. Willy dies believing in a dream that his family did not believe because they were seeing reality a little bite closer than him.

Body Language in Business Communication

Body Language in Business Communication Body language is a non verbal form of communication that is widely used by people in everyday environment. Alone, or in conjunction with the words, body language has a big influence on how we communicate to others. In business world it can cause both positive and negative results in communication. If used properly, body language can help create a friendly atmosphere in any conversation and can significantly enhance your verbal message. It can help win the interview, make a sale, give a successful presentation and profit from business negotiations. Therefore, today’s businesspeople more and more some time studying the different forms of the body language to achieve the maximum positive influence on people. They also do it, so they can better understand people around them as well. Body language is defined as everything what can be communicated without or in addition to words: facial expressions, physical movements (gestures), posture or silent actions. The study by UCLA (University of California in Los Angeles) showed, that words account for only 7% of the messages person conveys. The remaining 93% are non-verbal factors. As Lidia Ramse, business etiquette expert says: â€Å"In the business setting, people can see what you are not saying. If your body language doesn't match your words, you are wasting your time. † (The Sideroad: Body Language in Business by Lidia Ramse) In fact, psychologists divide body language in two categories: intentional and unintentional (subconscious). We cannot always verbally express what we feel, so our body language does it for us. At the same time, we can use our body language intentionally to express something without saying a word. It is good to understand that our body language can be also interpreted subconsciously as well. As people do not always pay close attention to what we do, certain actions can trigger a formulation of certain opinion about person. Mary-Lo use Angoujard, CEO and Founder of Rapporta Limited, gives a good example of the person, whose arms folded across the body, head down, stiff torso, hunched shoulders and crossed legs. She calls it â€Å"closed† body language that causes people think that this person is shy by nature, cold or ill or simply disagreeing strongly with something. (Raporta- Bringing Positive Energy to Business Communication) In addition to all above mentioned, nonverbal signals can suggest the attitude, understanding, empathy and ethics. That is why it is important to analyze and study your own body language and evaluate others’. Then you can learn how to use it in your own advantage and how to better understand your copartners to make your business communication process the most successful it can be. These are some tips on the most practical and common body language signals. Handshake Handshake is a form of gesture that is most commonly associated with greeting. Other common uses of it are starting the meeting, making an offer (deal) or completing an agreement. The main purpose of the handshake is to convey trust, balance and equality. In general handshake should be firm, full and supported by an eye contact. It can help convey your confidence and get a good start for further communication. Handshake can reveal your associate’s personality. The stronger the handshake the more aggressive or important the associate can be. Posture Standing tall and holding the head straight is not only a sign of a good posture. It can also show confidence, make the message come across easier and make it a subject of importance. Use of Personal Space Use of personal space is another important factor, but it is also culture oriented. Understanding of this term differs from one country to another. â€Å"For Western Europeans and Americans, a space of 14 to 16 inches is considered non-intrusive. But those from the U. K. might consider a distance of 24 inches to be more comfortable†, concludes Tatiana D. Helenius in her article about international business dealings (CNN. Money). As protocol and etiquette consultant Margaret DelVecchio said: â€Å"Awareness of the level of personal space required is crucial†¦. If not gauged properly, inappropriate proximity or distance can lead to misunderstandings and be interpreted as insult (CNN. Money). † It is also important to pay attention as to what stance your college has: is he sitting or standing? You should not take more space than other person does suggesting your bigger significance. In conclusion, it is important to mention that human body can produce over 700,000 unique movements. These movements have been divided into about 60 symbolic signals and around 60 gestures. Brenner Books: Body Language in Business). After careful examining of your own attitude you can choose and work on the most successful for the particular message body signals and correct unnecessary ones that caused you failure in the past. Nonverbal communication when coupled by good verbal skills together with knowledge of the mater ial and ethical behavior will have huge impact on others and bring successful results to any business. Works Cited Angoujard, Mary-Louise. â€Å"Is Your Body Talking Good Business? Body Language in Business – Sort it out and Communicate with Greater Impact. Rapporta – Bringing Positive Energy to Business Communication. Copyright 2006 Rapporta Ltd. Retrieved on 24 July, 2007 from: < http://rapporta. com/press07. htm> â€Å"Body Language Rules Biz Travel†. CNN. com/World. 8 July, 2003. Retrieved on 23 July, 2007 from: < http://edition. cnn. com/2003/WORLD/europe/07/08/biz. trav. body. language/index. html> Brenner, C. Robert. â€Å"Body Language in Business: How to Sell using Your Body! † BrennerBooks. com. Copyright 2001-2004, Brenner Information Group. 9 December 2004. Retrieved on 22 July, 2007 from: < http://www. brennerbooks. com/bodylang. tml> Helenius, D. Tatiana. â€Å"Body Language Savvy. † CNN Money. 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Tim e Warner Company. 3 May, 2000. Retrieved on 22 July, 2007 from: < http://money. cnn. com/2000/05/03/career/q_body_language/> Morgan, Nick. â€Å"The Truth behind the Smile and Other Myths – When Body Language Lies. † HBS Working Knowledge. Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2002. Retrieved on 23 July, 2007 from: < http://hbswk. hbs. edu/archive/3123. html> Ramsey, Lidia. â€Å"Body Language in Business. † Sideboard. com. Blue Boulder Internet Publishing 2007. Retrieved on 23 July, 2007 from:

Swot Analysis of Li & Fung Ltd

Part I. Backgrounds Study: Headquartered in Hong Kong, Li & Fung Limited’s extensive global sourcing network covers more than 80 offices in more than 40 economies around the world. The global trading company supplies high-volume, time-sensitive consumer goods. Particularly, garments make up a large part of its business which also covers the sourcing of hard goods such as fashion accessories, furnishings, gifts, handicrafts, home products, promotional merchandise, toys, sporting goods and travel goods.Li & Fung plays the role as a supply chain manager across many producers and countries, covering over 80 offices and over 13,000 employees in more than 40 economies across North America, Europe and Asia. They provide product design and development, raw material and factory sourcing, production planning and management, quality assurance and export documentation to shipping consolidation.SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportu nities, and Threats involved in a project in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. Part II. SWOT Analysis Strengths of Li & Fung Limited Strength is defined as the â€Å"characteristics of the business or team that give it an advantage over others in the industry†.The following part will analyze Li & Fung Ltd’s strengths in seven aspects, which are: flexible adjustments in supply, minimization of production cost, expertise in cost control, diversification of risk, complete chain of service, advanced information system and management, and low information cost. 1. Flexible adjustments in supplies Li & Fung Limited (â€Å"Li & Fung† in the following) itself does not involve any production activity, all the goods they provided to the customers are not produced by them. Instead, they have growing network of early 11,000 international suppliers in more 26 cities and countries around the world, such as United Kingdom, United State, Russia and Mainland China (see Figure 1). Therefore, it allows Li & Fung Limited to adjust its supplies to meet the frequent changes in world’s demand. Figure 1: Global distribution of Li & Fung suppliers 2. Minimization of production cost Li & Fung Limited keeps on finding the production firms that offers the lowest cost. As one product has many components, the company tries to purchase them from different suppliers.With the help of its global distribution of local suppliers, the purchase team of Li & Fung can compare the prices of each required components, and find out the lowest purchase price. It allows the company to minimize the cost (see Figure 2). Figure 2: Global purchase cost control of Li & Fung / components’ supply Even in the same region, which is more economically convenient for transporting. Li & Fung also tries to control the purchase cost according to the development among near suppliers.Take the example of mainland China, rising raw material and labor costs in China due to inflation and the need for a fairer distribution of income, respectively, have inevitably impacted the overall cost of production. The Group had anticipated that the southern and central, coastal manufacturing areas of China would become more expensive, so it began shifting some of its business to other country, such as India. 3. Expertise in cost control Li & Fung Limited has also set up many offices in over 40 countries, in each office, there are a professional team of experts which are well-comprehended the information of the local production factories.It enables them to search for the high-quality, cost-effective sourcing markets. Moreover, once they find the new supplier, the managing team will take time to understand the firm’s operation well and check the product quality carefully. Since they have knowledge of the opera tion of similar or related suppliers, to certain degree, it prevents the possibility of having low quality products. 4. Diversification of risk There is a well-known saying that â€Å"do not put all your eggs into the same basket†.Li & Fung Limited has engaged in export trading of many different kinds of both hardgoods and softgoods, such as fashion accessories, furnishings, gifts, handicrafts, toys, sporting goods and traveling goods (see Figure 3). If one of them becomes unpopular, they can easily shift their focus on the other goods. Then, it does not affect the company’s profit won’t be impacted by the drop in sales or consumer loyalty of one single goods. Figure 3: Diversity in Li & Fung’s multiple brands supply 5. Complete chain of service In the past, Li & Fung used to do simple searching of products.For example, a customer wants product X, and then their task is to find a factory that can do that. Now, Li & Fung expand their business. It provides a complete and one-stop shopping service for customers, that means from product design and development; through raw material and factory sourcing, production planning and management, quality assurance, and export documentation; to shipping. All the process is processed by them and it brings more revenue to them (see Figure 4 at the right). Figure 4 : Supply Chain 6. Advanced information system and managementLi & Fung has established sophisticated & Internet-based systems to link up all its business partners, including customers, producers, distributors, logistics service providers etc. The application of IT aims to provide more value-added services, shorten lead-time, lower cost and enhance flexibility. 7. Low information cost From past to now, Li & Fung has still continue to grow because customers were much easier to identify than suppliers. Usually, Suppliers were large in amount, fragmented, smaller and located in emerging markets. So, Li & Fung serve as a database of these suppl iers, it could source the goods easier than customers.Li & Fung significantly lowers the information cost of the customers, that’s why the company still grows. Weaknesses of Li & Fung Limited Weakness is the â€Å"characteristics that place the firm at a disadvantage relative to others†. The following part will analyze Li & Fung Ltd’s weaknesses in four aspects, which are: No self-owned factory, No self-owned shipping port, Over dependence on US Market, Vast and complicated supplier network. 1. No self-owned factory Aforementioned, Li & Fung does not own any production firm. There is no doubt that it is good for the company to have a flexible supply of inventory.Nevertheless, the production cost will be passively controlled by other. If the whole price level of a region rise, it takes some times to search a new suppliers. 2. No self-owned shipping port Li & Fung does not own any shipping port. All the goods and materials are transported by other shipping agents. In contrast, one of their main competitors, Hutchison Whampoa, has their private port. It will be more flexible in the shipping schedule and more easy in cost control. 3. Over dependence on US Market According to turnover report (see Figure 5), from 2006 to 2009, the turnover from USA and Europe is over 90%.In Contrast, the proportion from China is even less than 1%. In recent years, there are many financial problems in USA and Europe, a good example is the subprime mortgage crisis. If the economy of USA and Europe recover slowly, the demand for export service decline, it will likely affect the profit of the company. Figure 5 4. Vast and complicated supplier network Li and Fung has the network of nearly 11,000 international suppliers in more 26 cities and countries around the world, they were large in amount, fragmented, smaller and located in emerging markets.To manage them, it is very time-consuming and costly. The process takes many staffs as there is still a lot of human factor in business relationship. It cannot yet be replaced by technology. It incurs high labour cost. Opportunity of Li & Fung Limited Opportunity means the â€Å"external chances to make greater sales or profits in the environment†. 1. China market Nowadays, every companies glare at China like a tiger eyeing its prey. China, As the world’s second biggest economy and one of the highest potential of leading country in future, it is profitable to set up its own brands and reputation in China.In order to get more market share, previously, Li & Fung will become a sourcing agent for Li Ning Co. brands in local and foreign markets. They will responsible for sourcing for a range of products including running, basketball and lifestyle lines. 2. Improvement in IT & Internet Technology is improving at the tremendous speed by leaps and bounds. The advanced tele-communication and internet certainly enhance Internal & External Communication. It can consolidate the global network with the â€Å"infinite† suppliers. Also, more works can be progressed by the computer instead of people. It can reduce the labour cost at the same time. . Lower cost in the developing countries The continue emergence of the developing countries enable Li & Fung to source the new market which offer the lower purchase cost. On the other hand, in these developing countries, like India, usually provide a pool of cheap labour. It lowers the labour cost too. Threats of Li & Fung Limited In SWOT model, threat refers to the â€Å"external elements in the environment that could cause trouble for the business†. Under the background of post financial crisis time, I consider certain exist trends or disputation may potentially threaten Li & Fung Ltd’s future development in the global market. . Rise of trade protectionism around the world In recent years, there is a rising trend of trade protectionism, especially in western countries. Increasing amount of tariffs or quotas on the im portation of foreign goods and services have been installed by many countries or economic bodies in order to protect domestic interest and local enterprises. The actions of putting sizable tariffs on other country's major part or even entire line of exports would be regarded as â€Å"highly unusual† at the time before global financial crisis in 2008. However, it is quite common today.That’s why some even argue and doubt their legality under international trade law. These actions will certainly threaten Li & Fung’s global supply trading business, which need to buy and sell goods from one part of the world to another. On the one hand, the extra effort on processing newly added legal or regulational examination and approval might slow down the trading and transporting speed; on the other hand, the business cost is likely to increase because more and more human forces or resources are required to handle problems when trading goods globally. 2. Disputation of currenc y exchange ratesMoreover, the hot disputation on currency exchange rate can be regarded as another potential threat to Li & Fung’s global trading business. In order to recover fast from the weak and weary economic status, the US government carried out a quantitative easing approach to maintain its trading competitiveness around the world. In the early November 2010, Federal Reserve Board has just announced QE2. More cheap money for investors to play with suggests a further cheapening of the currency of US dollar and higher asset prices in other regions, typically those developing countries.Increasing asset prices could be a headache to Li & Fung, since its profit is quite sensitive to the goods purchase costs. Today, the prices of raw materials, manufactured goods and labor forces are no longer that significantly cheap in developing countries or regions like mainland China, India or Latin America, especially in garments industry. Hence, the ups-and-downs of global currency ex change rates may worsen the situation and become another risk to the global expending strategy Li & Fung. 3.Former entered competitors Comparatively speaking, Li & Fung is not the earliest bird who stepped in China market, though it recently emphasizes its strategic turn from US & Europe market to mainland China. Thus in the market of mainland China, Li & Fung Ltd has to face some strong competitors in the future years, such as Hutchison Whampoa Limited, another huge international corporation originates from Hong Kong and led by Li Ka-Shing and his business group. Part III. Competitive advantages of Li & Fung LimitedCompetitive advantage is defined as the distinctive edge comes from the organization’s core competencies because the organization does something the others cannot do or does it better than others. In the following, I have considered three points that give Li & Fung to have Competitive advantages. 1. Li & Fung’s customized service One of the Li & Fung seven principles is customer-centric and respond accordingly to the market demand. Li & Fung will first know the customer’s needs comprehensively. Then, the product will be designed and developed. The process will go on until the shipment is completed.It gives the high degree of freedom to customers, as all the process are actually controlled by them. If they have any problem or opinion, they are free to adjust. Also, the staffs in Li & Fung are well-trained as they know that human capital is the key factor to the growth and profitability of business. The quality of service and staffs are exclusive in Li & Fung, but not the other competitors in this industry. Because of the customized service and excellent service, It is not surprising that Li & Fung cut the direct relationship between suppliers and customers.Li & Fung act the role as middleman, They know much about information of the demand and supply side. Finally, both suppliers and customers become reliant on Li & Fung. This re lationship doesn’t easily change. 2. Global sourcing network Li & Fung plays the role as a supply chain manager across many producers and countries, covering over 80 offices and over 13,000 employees in more than 40 economies across North America, Europe and Asia. It enable them look for the high-quality, cost-effective product. Their global network is much larger than the other competitors, so Li & Fung can do better in this industry. . Economies of scale Aforementioned, Li & Fung covers more than 80 offices in more than 40 economies around the world. The company set up over 80 offices and employ 13,000 employees. It can enjoy economies of scale, for examples, discount from bulk purchase of materials from the firms, increasing the specialization of manager, increasing degree of division of labour, lower-interest rate charged when obtaining loan from banks and having access to a greater choices of financial instruments, spreading the cost of advertisement over a large amount of goods. Part III.Suggestions on strategic approach in Li & Fung Limited future development 1. Focus on the China Market China is known for its large population and rich in natural resources. China has a population of more than 1. 1 billion, The Chinese economy has been upsurging since 50’s, and particular in recent decades, the implementation of â€Å"open door† policy and the economic reform have given a great influence on Chinese economic development. It caused a significant increase in the living standards of the Chinese people, and has also led to further economic construction.These changes in turn have created an larger consumer market in China. As the economies of USA and Europe grow slowly and the market is already well-established, it is of vital importance of Li & Fung to increase the market share in china in order to increase the gross profit in the following years For example, Li & Fung can cooperate with the well-known brands in China, such as the another famous sports brand, Anta. 2. Develop the online commercial service Like the success of Alibaba. om, Alibaba is the global leader in e-commerce for small businesses that includes business-to-business international trade, online retail and payment platforms and data-centric cloud computing services. It has more than 8 million small and midsize companies using its business-to-business online marketplace. In this example, I believe that Li & Fung can imitate this kind of e-commerce. They are experienced in this field. It is profitable to expand their service to online service. It may bring a new market and higher profit to company

Case Study Crazy Eduardos Retail Inc.

Case Study Crazy Eduardos Retail Inc. An accounting and auditing system enables businesses to use their data in a uniformed way. It eliminates the possibility of financial information being applied differently in decision making since it is interpreted differently across the organization.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: Crazy Eduardo’s Retail Inc. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through an accounting system, the financial information from a company can be relayed in a manner that is void of ambiguity since the system does the interpretation and giving of results. Internal controls of an accounting system supplement the analysis, implementation and design divisions of an accounting system (Leitch, p. 71). It is the internal control that safeguards the entire accounting system from the risk of fraud, violation and external manipulation. It functions as a complete system that is found inside the larger accounting system but having d ifferent roles. Thanks to the internal control, the information provided by the accounting system becomes reliable and timely. It is timely since the control protects against external interference which can interfere with the speed of operations. The information is reliable since the control protects the system from fraud and abuse. The internal control thus ensures that financial information is accurate so that decision making can be effective. For a sales accounting system, the internal control ensures that there is environmental control. Environmental control refers to the resulting employee behaviour and attitude as a result of the objectives set by management. Environmental control ensures that the goals set by management do not go against ethical work practice.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is crucial for the sales accounting system to be able to as sess common business risks that are faced by the business at different stages of growth. Risk assessment becomes important if the sales function operates in a risky environment. In this case, employees are better placed to carry out risk assessment even though it is supposed to be a function performed by management. Risk assessment and environmental control are functions that threaten the success and profitability of a business. The sales function cannot therefore operate without these roles performed by the internal control. Information communication, monitoring, risk assessment and environmental control ought to take place in the internal control itself so as to eliminate the possibility of inefficiencies, errors and inadequacies. Crazy Eduardo can use the following simple chart which indicates the possible controls for a layout of risks. Control 1 Control 2 Likelihood of breach Magnitude of breach Risk 1 Risk 2 The internal control safeguards the sales accounti ng system from the threat of fraud which occurs when unauthorized parties can access financial information. Financial information is sensitive to a company and unauthorized parties should not be able to access it. Even in the sales function, secrecy of information is important so that marketing strategies cannot leak to competitors.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: Crazy Eduardo’s Retail Inc. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The internal control enables the sales manager to keep financial information confidential and available only to authorized personnel. Strengths of an internal control Since computerization is widely used in businesses globally, this method of handling sales information is relevant and up to date. Internal control is a computerized approach in the handling of financial information. It therefore brings the advantages of having computerized accounting records in the company. This method of handling information separates the business from people who are considered as external parties. For instance, family members of the owners previously had easy access to company records when financial information was stored manually. Computerization prevents unauthorized access into company records which enables the sales affairs to be void of interference from family members. This approach also prevents malpractice of employees who handle cash. The internal control keeps track of the operations of the sales accounting system. Hence, it becomes difficult for the personnel handling cash to misappropriate funds since everything is computerized. Control is important in the sales function as sales involve the following activities by the sales team: credit, sales, accounting (accounts receivable and payable), billing, mailing, depositing, shipping (inventory) and bank reconciling.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the sales function, there has to be a transaction between the seller and the buyer, authorization of the seller to make the sale and the buyer to make the purchase, accounting recordation, asset custody which is provided through cash or checks, and lastly reconciliation or verification of the account by an auditing team (Gelinas, Dull and Wheeler, p. 239). The internal audit is not audited when the financial information is audited. A report on the internal control can however be issued following the limitations identified from the auditing findings about the financial system. An evaluation of internal control, including internal control over financial reporting Internal control is therefore a crucial role in financial reporting. Financial reporting enables the collection, storage and presentation of financial information in an organized manner. This cannot be complete without internal control which is responsible for creating checks and balances. The internal control is that whic h ensures that the information retrieved from the financial reporting operations are reliable and accurate. Financial reporting is not complete without internal controls, which justifies decisions made from the basis of financial information. Leitch, Michael. Intelligent internal control and risk management: designing high-  performance risk control systems. Aldershot: Gower, Burlington, VT. 2008 Gelinas, Ulric J., Dull, Richard B and Wheeler, Patrick R. Accounting information  systems. Mason, OH: South-Western/ Cengage Learning, 2012

An experience with NOFX essays

An experience with NOFX essays On November 26th I went to the Stone Pony in New York to see another of my favorite bands, NOFX. NOFX is a punk-ska band. Punk meaning fast paced drumbeats and quick singing and ska meaning a song played with trumpets. The band members are Fat Mike (vocals, bass), El Hefe (guitar, trumpet, vocals), Eric Melvin (guitar, vocals), and Erik Sandin (drums). The one thing I found out there was that El Hefe sings a lot. I thought he only sings in a few songs but when I heard them play, I noticed that he sang about half of the songs. NOFX music has considerable groove for a punk band and is sparked by the two lead guitarists, Eric Melvin and El Hefe. Tight play between the band's four members, and short, fast, punchy songs, with a laid back approach would even Their songs talk about racism, politics, social problems, sex, drugs, lesbians, bums, alcohol, animal freedom... and many other strange subjects. In their music you will find punk, of course, but also rock, hardcore, ska, even reggae and jazz. If you ask me they are a just a punk-ska band. Their songs are interesting and different from one another. Each song has it's own characteristics. The lyrics are very interesting, sometimes strange, and sometimes incomprehensible. You basically just have to understand them in your The club was packed, or more accurately, stuffed. After much anticipation the punk gods, NOFX hit the stage and the crowd surged with excitement even before they opened the set with one of my favorite songs, "Reagan Sucks." The next song they played was "Bob". They played songs from the album "Flossing a Dead Horse" - which is one massive trumpet solo presented by El Hefe. The next song they played was "Eat the Meek" with trumpet and lead vocals by El Hefe. The mosh pit was monstrous and seemed to gain in size as it rotated in circles ...

Attitudes to Language Essay Example for Free

Attitudes to Language Essay Language clearly plays a major role in all aspects of society. The most obvious is its social role of allowing people to relate to each other in all facets of their lives: to share information, emotions and ways of life. We use language as a means of navigating our daily lives and it plays an integral role in most of our interactions. Perhaps for this reason, French is regarded as an elegant and romantic language, while German is considered to be guttural. Additionally, ever since mankind evolved into different language communities, it is commonplace for people to adopt various attitudes towards the language(s) spoken by others, as well as towards the dialects of the language they speak. These attitudes are motivated by different factors, including pride in or shame regarding one’s own language, confidence or embarrassment about how one sounds, nationalism and a sense of personal dignity, one’s status and values as well as the prestige some languages are given in international interactions. A well known attitude is the desire for foreign speech patterns; another is the rejection of certain dialects. People form impressions of your personality, emotional state, geographic origin, education, experiences, age or socioeconomic status from the language you use and the way you use it. We often witness the amusement of an audience when someone speaks in the creole, for not only does the system of sound evoke laughter, but the assumption that the speaker is an uneducated serf is then made. Ridicule and contempt for the vernacular, creoles and dialects are common responses from some members of society, even within the Caribbean society, where dialects are rich, strong and the first language. Dialects develop under various circumstances as well as geographical locations and are varieties of languages. A creole could be a dialect within a language. Because of our history, people of the region tend to place a high premium on the standard languages (the language of power and economic might). Many  people believe that upward mobility is largely dependent on one’s ability to fit in with the predominant socioeconomic class, and language is the main signifier of this fit. Many Caribbean writers have described scenarios of people who went overseas, were generally expected to return with a new command of the target language and often demonstrated their new found ‘status’ by emphasizing their foreign accent of ‘twang’. While some might be impress ed by the ‘twang’, others view such pretensions with derision. Attitudes to language may vary from one sector of the society to another and some people demonstrate self-conscious behavior when speaking the standard language. This is largely a result of the fact that in most societies one is often judged on the basis of the variety of language that one speaks. This is even more prevalent in societies with a colonial legacy, like the Caribbean, where certain dialects are associated with the institution of slavery or conquest. Increasingly, educators are becoming aware that a person’s native language is an integral part of who that person is and marginalizing the language can have severe damaging effects on that person’s psyche. Many linguists consistently make a case for teaching native languages alongside the target languages so that children can clearly differentiate among the codes ( a term used synonymously with language or dialect but generally refers to a linguistic system of communication. A code can also be non-linguistic such as a dress code or code of conduct) and hence be less likely to mix the two. This approach has been adopted in Haiti, where schools teach both Standard French and French Creole (Haitian) and children are expected to be fluent in both. Additional prominence has been given to Caribbean Creoles with the publication of Creole dictionaries and with the translation of the New Testament from the Christian Bible into French Creole in St. Lucia. A similar project is under way in Jamaica. While attitudes to local dialects have been slowly changing, many people still associate the use of Creole with negative images and believe that its use should be relegated to specific circumstances and occasions. However, the fact that non-standard language varieties are the most widely spoken in the Caribbean makes them the choice of persons trying to get information to large sections of the society. For example, many advertisers use the Creole language to ensure that their message appeals to most people. At the same time, because of the prestige attached to the standard language, it tends to be the language of choice on formal occasions, like church services. A language variety is usually chosen because of its perceived social functions. You may have noticed that, the more formal the occasion, the more likely the use of the standard language, while for everyday interaction, popular music or emotional appeals, people tend to gravitate towards the non-standard varieties. You would have noticed that, even in a formal situation, non-standard dialect might be used for anecdotes, to inject humour or in a quotation. In the Caribbean, people switching from one code of language to another, often without thinking. However, there are times when the use of standard langue would seem totally out of place and would even interfere with semantics. For example, folk stories, folk songs and proverbs seem to lose a certain essence when translated into standard. The role of language as a vehicle for sharing culture is indisputable. Caribbean writers, singers and oral poets have played a major part in fostering acceptance of the Creole languages of the region, by incorporating them into their work and exposing them to the world. Nonetheless, negative attitudes to these languages persist in the minds of many. Attitudes to Language. (2018, Oct 28).

'A Council of Europe convention on trafficking of women Essay

'A Council of Europe convention on trafficking of women - Essay Example generally and unanimously agreed by researchers, international institutions – including the International Organization for Migration (IOM, 2010), various agencies of the United Nations (UNESCAP, 2010), as well as human rights groups which are established to confront the issue and prevent its rise and spread, that human trafficking and especially trafficking of women and children is expanding at a rapid pace, and is considered to be an exceptionally lucrative business, and needless to add, a gross violation of human and women’s rights. Human trafficking is regarded as one of the most lucrative activities in the realm of organized crime, world-wide, and ranks among the top three crimes in the world, including trafficking in arms and drug trade. Furthermore, despite being recognized as one of the top three crimes across the globe, and having a wide nexus of traffickers dealing in smuggling of humans across borders, the perpetrators of such a ghastly crime often get away with lesser punishments as compared to those involved in drug dealing and arms trafficking (Ethridge, Handleman, 2009). The issues of human trafficking and concerns related to it have been raised ever since the beginning of the twentieth century. The ignominious trade attracted world attention since the framing of the first international counter-trafficking treaty signed in 1904 (Weissbrodt, Vega, 2007, Pp. 41) and the movement to prevent such blatant disregard toward human life, gained momentum since 1990s. However, the innumerable efforts to curb this trade have been rendered futile, as is evident from the range of studies and available literature which point to the fact that the phenomenon is actually on the rise. The studies also reveal that the major cause behind such a trade is the growing disparity between the rich and the poor as well as the widening economic gap between nations (Chandra, Herrman, et al., 2009; Thachuk, 2007; Siegel, Nelen, 2008). Women, and children, invariably fall

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An Overview of In-Car Information Systems - Essay Example However, these devices, which have little to do with the actual driving of the car, are becoming more and more advanced - presenting many problems for designers and users alike. The permanently increasing complexity of in-car electronics and the rapidly growing amount of sensors, actuators and electronic control units, make the data increasingly more difficult to keep secure, correct and failsafe. In a recent survey carried out by Goldman Sachs in America, there are approximately 200 million cars in the United States and an incredible 500 million passenger hours each week is spent inside them. In another survey, Delphi Automotive research found that more than a third of PDA owners use their PDA's whilst driving and that almost half of all US motorists would like the facility to access their e-mail whilst on the road.2 Car makers are, of course, nervous about motorists not paying attention to the road and having accidents, as well as the remote possibility of a glitch in the add-on electronics triggering a brake seizure or engine shutdown. The possibility of expensive lawsuits against them is a risk that they do not want to take. This threat has, until now, made most mainstream manufacturers shy away from providing too much computer control in their vehicles. In recent years this has led to a surge of activity in the development and sale of add-on products by third party manufacturers for vehicles to provide entertainment, navigation and comfort controls. Now the trend seems to be for car makers to provide much more complicated electronics as standard in even comparatively cheap models. All of this has predictably created a huge debate as to whether this type of electronic aid should be allowed to be used whilst driving the car or at least whether these aids are wanted or not. Studies into driving safety are, of course, not new. Driving whilst Drunk or under the influence of drugs has for many decades been seen as a serious problem on our roads and can result in a ban for the offender, if caught. More recently though with the widespread use of mobile phones, legislation has been put in place in order to make our roads safer. As of the first of December 2003, the use of mobile phones whilst driving in the UK has been made illegal due to an increasing number of mobile phone related incidents on the roads. Many now argue that tuning in a car radio or programming a GPS system whilst on the move is just as dangerous whilst driving, though no laws exist currently in the UK to restrict the use of these whilst driving. In America, many cities and states have similar laws regarding mobile handsets and many arguments on the safety of in-car electronics have been made. The New England Journal of Medicine, for example, published an article in 1997 claiming that cell phone users have the same chance of accidents as drunken drivers and also warned against concluding "that cellular telephones are harmful and that their use

Monopoly Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Monopoly - Assignment Example Industries consume approximately 20%. Other than the effects of global warming, there is an emerging trend of water privatization by corporations. The private sector is providing water for profit basis. As a result, there has been a lot of destruction of water reservoirs in the ecosystem (Kalpakian 174). The global water crisis has resulted in tension in countries having a shared water system. Several countries striving for economic growth compete in claiming water sources leading to rivalry. In south Asia, the Ganges and Indus River are causing tension between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh (Kalpakian 176). Both Pakistan and India are constructing hydroelectric plant along Kishanganga River. Pakistan is weary that the Indian dams will inhibit adequate water flow to their site. This dispute between Pakistan and India has led to Pakistanis militant killing over 100 Indians. Water is important to both these nations. For Pakistan, the populous country relies on irrigation while India has many hydroelectric projects that are involved in harnessing electricity for industrial use. Moreover, in central Asia, there are also water disputes between Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan who are fighting for control of the Syr Daria and Amu Daria Rivers. The Nile basin is also on dispute. The other Nile countries want a share of the Nile, which is currently in the control of Sudan and Egypt (Kalpakian 176). The tension arising in several countries because of competition of water poses a challenge. UNESCO advocates for non-confrontation resolution of conflicts. In addition, it advocates for the communal philosophy (Lee 231). This dispute resolution approach encourages the stakeholders of a common water source to come together in managing and development of that source. Mechanisms of conflict resolution regarding the water source are vital too. UNESCO dispute resolution in water conflict advocates for

To what extent are our sexualities fixed at birth Essay

To what extent are our sexualities fixed at birth - Essay Example Significantly, scholars have debated on whether one's sexuality is fixed at birth or not, and one dominant argument is that being a man or a woman is not a fixed state, as it is a becoming or a condition actively under construction. According to major French feminists like Simone de Beauvoir, one is not born, but becomes, a woman. "So we cannot think of womanhood or manhood as fixed by nature. But neither should we think of them as simply imposed from outside, by social norms or pressure from authorities. People construct themselves as masculine or feminine. We claim a place in the gender order - or respond to the place we have been given - by the way we conduct ourselves in everyday life." (Connell, 4) Therefore, one's sexuality is not completely fixed either by birth or by upbringing, and it is fundamental to realize to what extent are our sexualities fixed at birth. This paper makes a reflective analysis of the question to what extent our sexualities are fixed at birth. Gender is not fixed by nature alone, i.e. one does not completely assume one's manhood or womanhood by birth. It is also determined by what is imposed on an individual from outside, including the social norms and pressure from authorities. Understanding gender is essential to realize to what extent our sexualities are fixed at birth and it is common that people claim a specific place in the gender order which they enjoy in their daily life. Significantly, most of the people willingly accept this gender order and enjoy the gender polarity. It is also important to realize that sexual pleasure is frequently organized around gender polarity in Western culture. However, there are also several cases of gender ambiguities and there are masculine women as well as feminine men. According to psychological researches, the great majority of people combine masculine as well as feminine characteristics, rather than being all one or all the other. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the sexuali ty of human beings - as it is created at birth and as it is formulated all through the stages of development in human beings - is essential and a clear understanding of the term gender is also crucial. "In its most common usage, the term 'gender' means the cultural difference of women from men, based on the biological division between male and female. Dichotomy and difference are the substance of the idea Gender is, above all, a matter of the social relations within which individuals and groups act. Gender relations do include difference and dichotomy, but also include many other patterns Gender is the structure of social relations that centres on the reproductive arena, and the set of practices (governed by this structure) that bring reproductive directions between bodies into social process." (Connell, 8-10) Therefore, it is important to recognise that one's sexuality or gender refers to the structure of social relations based on the reproductive arena and it is a set of practices which determine the reproductive distinctions between men and women. A reflective analysis of the definition of gender confirms that there may be striking difference in the gender patterns from one cultural context to another. It is also essential to

Cosmetic mutilation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cosmetic mutilation - Research Paper Example This is contrary of things since a good number of people have tattooed their bodies. They are not afraid of the reparations during the judgment day. Also they are not into the teachings of the Bible. All they want is to live their own life that they feel satisfied with regardless of the Christian teachings and morals. This clearly shows that people have parted Christianity and fallen into paganism. It might be true that paganism has highly boosted cosmetic mutilation but when it comes to America, it is the contrary of things. American people engaged themselves into cosmetic mutilation so as to look different from one another. Others could tattoo their bodies because they didn’t like the way they were looking (Spangler 98). Since a lot of people in America considered tattoos as beautiful drawings of art, they could do anything to make their bodies more attractive than before and most probably, they could tattoo their bodies. According to LDS research, about 64% of women and 50% of men in the United States were not pleased or rather were not satisfied with their own bodies. They had a negative perspective of their bodies. This forces them to do some art drawings on their bodies. Something that makes them feels so attractive than before. Consequently, this hot trend has become so common in the United States. It implies that, cosmetic mutilation has become a cultural habit within the people of America. Cosmetic mutilation started a long time ago. Almost 12000 years before the birth of Christ. It had so many significances in different societies both before and after the deathof Christ. United States military used to tattoo their inmates so as to differentiate them from others. Before they adopted this idea of practicing cosmetic mutilation, in the earlier 1720’s, the military used to chop off ears and noses from the criminals as a sign of physical punishment. This was

Molecular basis of aging in relation to fertility Essay

Molecular basis of aging in relation to fertility - Essay Example Aging is defined as â€Å"a progressive, time-dependent deterioration of an organism’s capacity to respond to environmental changes, which ultimately makes it susceptible to death† (Allen and Balin 4). It is a widely-accepted idea that aging is a natural process that occurs in all living organisms. Since the process of aging most likely would be affecting an organism’s overall body functions, it would also greatly affect its capacity to reproduce, eventually leading to a decrease or the loss of fertility of the said organism (Liu and Case 1169). At present, there are numerous links between chromosomal and DNA damage not just to the aging process of an organism but also on fertility. A female’s capacity to conceive and give birth, or a male’s capability to contribute in conceiving a child is called fertility (Masoro 161). In order to proliferate the species well into numerous and succeeding generations, organisms must be able to produce as much offsp ring as possible that are able to adapt to the current environment that they live on. For that to happen, the process called natural selection takes place (Torday and Rehan 12). Also, the energy that flows within the organism is appropriated in such a way that during the process of reproduction, most of the energy from the consumption of food is distributed to the body’s reproductive systems, mostly to the rapidly-dividing cells called the gametes. However, once the organism starts the process of aging, the energy being exerted for reproduction is reduced and more focus is given to the maintenance of the organism’s body, especially when there is the presence of a rapid breakdown of cells as well as the decline of cell-to-cell communication within the systems and organs (13). Not only is the production of cells affected by aging, but also the process of DNA replication and repair as well. Due to the proliferation of damaged DNA especially in the sex cells of the organis m, it would eventually contribute to the creation of deformed or dysfunctional oocytes or spermatozoa that would eventually be the cause of the loss of reproductive capability or infertility among aging organisms (Sikka 78). Among pregnant women, the imbalance of antioxidants and pro-oxidants may result to oxidative stress due to reactive oxygen species (ROS), which could affect DNA production when in excess, or affect cell-signaling pathways when deficient (Dupont, Cordier and Junien 25). Also, due to the age-associated decline of female fertility can be attributed to the abnormalities found in the oocytes themselves. Due to the abnormalities in the folding of the DNA and eventually, the abnormalities in the alignment of the chromosomes during meiosis and diakinesis which can be attributed to the mutations in the microtubules, preimplantation of embryos or aneuploidy in the fertilized egg may cause spontaneous abortions among older pregnant females (The Practice Committee of the Am erican Society for Reproductive Medicine (PCASRM) 248). Male fertility is also greatly affected by ROS, wherein the spermatozoa membranes would be highly-susceptible to oxygen damage due to the peroxidation of lipid membranes, damaging the sperm and rendering them incapable of fertilizing the ovum (Sikka 78). Also, the presence of errors in the DNA called nicks could also contribute to male infertility due to loosely-packed DNA and chromatin disorganization (Sakkas, Urner and Bizzaro 11). These nicks may be attributed to age-induced DNA

Cosmetic mutilation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cosmetic mutilation - Research Paper Example This is contrary of things since a good number of people have tattooed their bodies. They are not afraid of the reparations during the judgment day. Also they are not into the teachings of the Bible. All they want is to live their own life that they feel satisfied with regardless of the Christian teachings and morals. This clearly shows that people have parted Christianity and fallen into paganism. It might be true that paganism has highly boosted cosmetic mutilation but when it comes to America, it is the contrary of things. American people engaged themselves into cosmetic mutilation so as to look different from one another. Others could tattoo their bodies because they didn’t like the way they were looking (Spangler 98). Since a lot of people in America considered tattoos as beautiful drawings of art, they could do anything to make their bodies more attractive than before and most probably, they could tattoo their bodies. According to LDS research, about 64% of women and 50% of men in the United States were not pleased or rather were not satisfied with their own bodies. They had a negative perspective of their bodies. This forces them to do some art drawings on their bodies. Something that makes them feels so attractive than before. Consequently, this hot trend has become so common in the United States. It implies that, cosmetic mutilation has become a cultural habit within the people of America. Cosmetic mutilation started a long time ago. Almost 12000 years before the birth of Christ. It had so many significances in different societies both before and after the deathof Christ. United States military used to tattoo their inmates so as to differentiate them from others. Before they adopted this idea of practicing cosmetic mutilation, in the earlier 1720’s, the military used to chop off ears and noses from the criminals as a sign of physical punishment. This was

Economical Analysis Essay Example for Free

Economical Analysis Essay In this section, an economical analysis will be carried out to compare the generation cost of electricity from two different sources. The generation cost of electricity ($/kWh) from PV system as well as gas turbine will be considered. The computation for cost of electricity irrespective of the source depends on several factors such as the cost of capital, the productivity and the life of the plant as well as the fuel and operation and maintenance costs. Renewable sources have distinct characteristic of eliminating fuel cost and, as a consequence once the plant is setup, the energy costs are largely fixed and inflation has a slight affect. However, productivity is highly dependent on the site or location; hence the cost of energy cannot be uniquely defined. Generation of electricity by burning fossil fuels incurs elements of costs, which conventionally are not directly attributed to these processes. These costs are termed â€Å"External â€Å" costs. They originate, for example, in subsidies such as additionally provided infrastructure and Research and Development and environmental pollution. In contrast, renewable energy technologies incur marginal external costs. Generation costs may simply be evaluated as follows: G = C R + f + m E where G is the unit cost of energy ($/kWh) C is the initial capital cost ($) R is the annual charge rate (%) E is the annual energy yield (kWh/kW) f is the fuel cost per unit ($/kWh) m is the operation and maintenance cost per unit ($/kWh) The capital recovery factor varies according to the period over which the capital is to be recovered, n years, and the test discount rate, r, thus R = r / (1-(1+r) –n) The cost of electricity from a particular source of supply is therefore dependent upon the particular combination of value of these variables. Table (2) estimates the cost of kWh production from PV systems and Gas Turbine unit. To calculate the generation cost of the Gas Turbine, we assumed 25 years of unit’s lifetime, 8% discount rate, and the unit will operate at its rated power for 8 hours for 9 months a year (2,160 hrs). On the other hand, the generation cost of the PV cells was estimated using PV arrays with panels facing south (Tilt angle 25o), the yearly estimated generated energy was about 1964 kWh/m2/yr and the panel cost of $5/Wp. The calculations indicated that under the assumed rates of interest and capital cost the unit generation cost using PV cells is more than three folds the generation cost of the Gas Turbine. A sensitivity analysis was carried out by varying installation capital cost, and discount rate, Table (1). The results indicate that PV generation can be competitive to that from Gas Turbine when the capital cost drops to $2/Wp and at 8% interest level. The capital cost of PV generation is 30% higher than that of a gas turbine system for the specified parameters. This is contributed to the high installation cost of the PV system and the low conversion efficiency. Further sensitivity analysis of some parameters, namely, conversion efficiency and installation cost were carried out. The results are illustrated in table (2). The results suggested that a reduction of installation cost to 4 $/Wp the generation cost can be competitive to that of a gas turbine. Concluding that: 1. The mathematical modeling indicate that the optimum tilt angle for a plane facing south is 25oC in the State of Qatar, and the year average total daily radiation was a bout 5. 295 kWh/m2. day for 25oC compared to 5. 062 kWh/m2. day for a horizontal surface. 2. Using a photovoltaic system can be more expensive than buying power from the local utility, through the electrical outlet in your wall. However, it is dramatically less expensive than running a power line to a remote area that is currently with out service. 3. Finance rate and loan term are critical economic elements because photovoltaic is capital intensive. The formation of solar bank that makes capital readily available for solar energy systems and below market interest rates with more than 20 years terms should be pursued. 4. The basic economical evaluation of electricity generation in the State of Qatar suggests that photovoltaic technology is not far from being economically feasible. The advanced technology and wide market demand of photovoltaic systems result in improved conversion efficiency and lower unit cost. However, it should be emphasized that photovoltaic systems are clean source of energy and their positive impact on the environment should be taken into consideration. PV systems produce power intermittently because they work only when the sun is shining. More electricity is produced on a clear, sunny day with more intense sunlight and with a more direct light angle, as when the sun is perpendicular to the surface of the PV modules. Cloudy days can significantly reduce output, and of course no power is produced at night. PV systems work best during summer months when the sun is higher in the sky and the days are longer. Because of these variations, it is difficult for PV systems to furnish all the power you need, and are typically used in conjunction with utility-supplied electricity Renewable Resources In 1987, a United Nations commission chaired by Gro Harlem Brundtland, the then Norwegian Prime Minister, was formed to determine how to reconcile economic development with environmental protection. The term sustainable development was first used in the commissions report, Our Common Future. The report recognized that renewable energy sources are essential for sustainable development because they provide us with constant sources of energy with fewer effects on the environment. It also identified that globally, there was the need for more efficient use of energy and that the industrialized world, especially, had to improve its conservation efforts to lessen the impact of economic development on the environment. Renewable energy sources have been used for centuries. Until the mid-1800s, most of our energy came from two biomass sources, wood and peat. The location of many large plants and mills during the industrial era in Europe and North America was determined by the availability of fast flowing streams to generate power. It was not until the latter stages of the Industrial Revolution, the mid-1850s, and following the widespread incorporation of the steam-engine into factories, that fossil fuel use, mainly coal and oil, became commonplace. By incorporating fossil fuels into the manufacturing process instead of using water, industrialists were not limited to locations by rivers or streams. Plants could be located closer to sources of raw materials, markets or major shipping ports Renewable energy sources has been constantly being sought upon to replace dwindling fossil fuel reserves. The main question is where to look for these renewable energy sources. Some of them, like biomass, have already begun to contribute significantly to power generation in several developed nations like the US. Photvoltaic cells are economically viable in some locations and wind energy, though so far contributing only a tiny fraction, is rapidly expanding in the US and several European nations. The search for renewable energy sources points to photovoltaics, wind, solar thermal electricity, and biomass-produced electricity. These are highly prized due to the ease at which electricity can be transported and converted into othe forms, with the none or low polluting energy that these bestow and because of the potential that these sources may contribute in the near future. The earths atmosphere acts like glass in a greenhouse: sunlight can pass through, but the resulting heat cannot escape. Gases, such as carbon dioxide, are particularly effective at trapping heat. When burned, coal, oil and natural gas increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the earths average temperature is raised. Renewable energy initiatives will result in reduced demand for fossil-fuelled electricity generation, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions These renewable sources once proven to be technically practical and economically feasible to provide required quantities of power, then there is no doubt that they would be greatly preferrable replace existing energy generation methods. An energy source can be classified as renewable provided the passed the following criterias: 1. there should be and indefinite supply or at least can be harnessed for an extreme length of time. 2. there would be a great reduction in the world pollution. Or at least the pollution released by the manufacturing and generation of power using these resources would not add up to current contributors to pollution. 3. and lastly, the must be able to provide energy self-sufficiency or at the very least provide a great reduction in the energy dependency.

Water Pollution In The Brunei River

Water Pollution In The Brunei River The questionnaire is aimed at retrieving information on the residents perception of water pollution in the Brunei River particularly in the water village. Since the purpose of the research is to understand how the residents of the different areas in the water village (Kampong Ayer) perceive water pollution in the Brunei River, the target population is the residents of the water village as they are the ones who live on the Brunei River. The questionnaire is divided into three sections which are as follows: Section A Residents Perception of Water Pollution in the Water Village, Section B Method of Waste Disposal and Section C Personal Particulars. Basically each of the different sections in the questionnaire form an integral part of the data needed to answer the aims set out for this project. Moreover, from the questions posed in the questionnaire, I will be able to examine the relationship between variables such as age, occupation and highest education attainment and the perception of water pollution. Certain questions are also aimed at finding out ways to improve the condition in the Brunei River. Apart from that, some closed questions are accompanied by open-ended questions so that I can outline the possible causal factors that lead to water pollution in the Brunei River. The inclusion of open-ended questions may indeed provide more information but they can be quite complex to categorize analyse. And the fact that most of the questions are closed questions means that it will be easier to ask, answer and analyse the, however this also means that ‘they can suffer from the bias of constraining the responses into certain categories (Parfitt, 2005, p.91). Since the case study for the project concentrates in the water village, the sampling strategy implemented here will be the stratified sampling. This strategy is preferred so that the households in the water village could be divided according to their location, that is, according to the different parts or villages in the whole water village itself. By using this method, consistent coverage is ensured (Lindsay, 1997, p.50). However, the problem with this is that certain villages may have fewer (or none at all) respondents than others and this leads us to the question of distribution of the respondents in the water village. For the purpose of the project, I am interested to know the perception of the population from the age of 12 years old onwards.   And only the local residents in the water village will receive the questionnaire. The basis of the respondents criteria is the fact that, the opinions of the local residents are needed as they are the one who interact with the environment and they have practically live there ever since they were born. There are no age categories yet in the questionnaire as it depends on the respondents that we can get. Age of the respondents will only be categorized once the minimum numbers of respondents have been identified. The minimum sample size for this study is 380 people. This is due to the fact that an estimated 39000 people live in the water village (Curtis, M.D., 2010). The sample size is obtained by using the Sample Size Calculator (CRS, 2010) which allows the user to enter the required confidence level, confidence interval and the population so that it could automatically calculate the needed sample size. For the purpose of this research, the confidence level was set to 95% with a confidence level of 5 and a population size of 39000. The resulting sample size required for this study was found to be 380 people. Identification of research participants is first done by making an appointment with each of the village leaders in different parts of the Brunei Water Village.   This is because, it is a normal procedure in Brunei to first discuss and ask for approval to conduct the survey from the village leaders as they can inform the residents about the survey first before actually going into the field and conducting the survey. In addition, the village leaders will have a list of the people living in their area and thus this could be used to randomly select the participants. However, since the participants must include people from different age groups such as students, working people as well as the elderly, the administering of the questionnaire will be done in different times of the day depending on who the identified participants are for that particular day. For instance, if the targeted group of the time is participants from the elderly age group, the survey will be conducted in the mornings. The best is to attend the early morning prayers in the village mosque to randomly pick a few participants. The best time to conduct the survey is on Fridays and Sundays where people do not have to go to work. And thus I can get access to identified participants who are working or are students. It is essential to get the perception residents of different age groups so that I can compare their views. Since illiteracy among the elderly may be present in the water village, the questionnaire would be administered by doing it face to face. This is to ensure that I can have a good feedback particularly in terms of the open-ended questions in the questionnaire. As stated by Cloke et al.(2007, p.133), one of the advantages of administering questions face to face is that it will enable the researcher to interpret the answer provided by the respondents easily. This is most likely due to the fact that for this method, all the respondents have to do is just tell the answer and the researcher will record it himself/herself in the questionnaire. This is particularly important there are a few open-ended questions here which may be left answered if it were up to the respondents to fill it in on their own. The answers collected for the open-ended questions are an essential part of the survey as it will have an influence in the identification process for the causal factors of water pollution in the Brunei River. Moreover, by administering the questionnaire face to face, I will be able to interact more with the research participants. The elderly people in the water village are normally more willing to help out in the survey if they were to be interviewed rather than filling in the questionnaire themselves. However, the reliability of the data obtained from this face to face method is entirely dependent on how well the interviewer (which is me) is able to interpret the responses given. References Cloke, P., Cook, I., Crang, P., Goodwin, M., Painter, J. and Philo, C. 2007. Practising Human Geography, London: Sage Publications. CRS (Creative Research Systems). 2010. Sample Size Calculator. Accessed on March 1st, 2010 from http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm Curtis, M.D. 2010. Bruneis Water Village. Accessed on March 1st, 2010 from http://lab.colorsmagazine.com/content/bruneis-water-village Lindsay, J.M. 1997. Techniques in Human Geography. London: Routledge. Parfitt, J. 2005. Questionnaire design and sampling, in Flowerdew, R. and Martin, D. (eds). Methods in Human Geography, pp. 78-109. Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.