Battle of the Frontiers in World War I

The Battle of the Frontiers was a series of engagements fought from August 7 to September 13, 1914, during the opening weeks of World War I (1914-1918). Armies Commanders: Allies General Joseph JoffreField Marshal Sir John FrenchKing Albert I1,437,000 men Germany Generaloberst Helmuth von Moltke1,300,000 men Background With the beginning of World War I, the armies of Europe began mobilizing and moving towards the front according to highly detailed timetables. In Germany, the army prepared to implement a modified version of the Schlieffen Plan. Created by Count Alfred von Schlieffen in 1905, the plan was a response to Germanys likely need to fight a two-front war against France and Russia. After their easy victory over the French in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War, Germany viewed France as less of a concern than its larger neighbor to the east. As a result, Schlieffen elected to mass the bulk of Germanys military might against France with the goal of winning a quick victory before the Russians could fully mobilize their army. With France out of the war, Germany would be free to focus their attention on the east (Map). Anticipating that France would strike across the border into Alsace and Lorraine, which had been lost during the earlier conflict, the Germans planned to violate the neutrality of Luxembourg and Belgium to attack the French from the north in a massive battle of encirclement. German troops were to hold along the border while the right wing of the army swung through Belgium and past Paris in an effort to destroy the French army. In 1906, the plan was adjusted by Chief of the General Staff, Helmuth von Moltke the Younger, who weakened the critical right wing to reinforce Alsace, Lorraine, and the Eastern Front. French War Plans In the years before the war, General Joseph Joffre, Chief of the French General Staff, sought to update his nations war plans for a potential conflict with Germany.  Though he originally desired to design a plan that had French troops attack through Belgium, he was later unwilling to violate that nations neutrality. Instead, Joffre and his staff developed Plan XVII which called for French troops to concentrate along the German border and commence attacks through the Ardennes and into Lorraine.  As Germany possessed a numerical advantage, the success of Plan XVII was based on them sending at least twenty divisions to the Eastern Front as well as not immediately activating their reserves.  Though the threat of an attack through Belgium was acknowledged, French planners did not believe the Germans to have sufficient manpower to advance west of the Meuse River.  Unfortunately for the French, the Germans gambled on Russia mobilizing slowly and devoted the bulk of their strength to the west as well as immediately activated their reserves. Fighting Begins With the start of the war, the Germans deployed the First through Seventh Armies, north to south, to implement the Schlieffen Plan.  Entering Belgium on August 3, First and Second Armies pushed back the small Belgian Army but were slowed by the need to reduce the fortress city of Liege.  Though the Germans started to bypass the city, it took until August 16 to eliminate the last fort.  Occupying the country, the Germans, paranoid about guerrilla warfare, killed thousands of innocent Belgians as well as burned several towns and cultural treasures such as the library at Louvain. Dubbed the rape of Belgium, these actions were needless and served to blacken Germanys reputation abroad.  Receiving reports of German activity in Belgium, General Charles Lanrezac, commanding the Fifth Army, warned Joffre that the enemy was moving in unexpected strength.   French Actions Implementing Plan XVII, VII Corps from the French First Army entered Alsace on August 7 and captured Mulhouse.  Counterattacking two days later, the Germans were able to reclaim the town.  On August 8, Joffre issued General Instructions No. 1 to the First and Second Armies on his right.  This called for an advance northeast into Alsace and Lorraine on August 14.  During this time, he continued to discount reports of enemy movements in Belgium.  Attacking, the French were opposed by the German Sixth and Seventh Armies.  As per Moltkes plans, these formations conducted a fighting withdrawal back to a line between Morhange and Sarrebourg.  Having obtained additional forces, Crown Prince Rupprecht launched a converging counterattack against the French on August 20.  In three days of fighting, the French withdrew to a defensive line near Nancy and behind the Meurthe River (Map).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Further north, Joffre had intended to mount an offensive with the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Armies but these plans were overtaken by events in Belgium.  On August 15, after urging from Lanrezac, he ordered Fifth Army north into the angle formed by the Sambre and Meuse Rivers.  To fill the line, the Third Army slid north and the newly-activated Army of Lorraine took its place.  Seeking to gain the initiative, Joffre directed Third and Fourth Armies to advance through the Ardennes against Arlon and Neufchateau.  Moving out on August 21, they encountered the German Fourth and Fifth Armies and were badly beaten.  Though Joffre attempted to restart the offensive, his battered forces were back at their original lines by the night of the 23rd.  As the situation along the front developed, Field Marshal Sir John Frenchs British Expeditionary Force (BEF) landed and began concentrating at Le Cateau.  Communicating with the British commander, Joffre asked French to cooperate with La nrezac on the left. Charleroi Having occupied a line along the Sambre and Meuse Rivers near Charleroi, Lanrezac received orders from Joffre on August 18 instructing him to attack either north or east depending on the enemys location.  As his cavalry was unable to penetrate the German cavalry screen, Fifth Army held its location.  Three days later, having realized that the enemy was west of the Meuse in force, Joffre directed Lanrezac to strike when an opportune moment arrived and arranged for support from the BEF.  Despite these orders, Lanrezac assumed a defensive position behind the rivers.  Later that day, he came under attack from General Karl von Bà ¼lows Second Army (Map).   Able to cross the Sambre, German forces succeeded in turning back French counterattacks on the morning of August 22.  Seeking to gain an advantage, Lanrezac withdrew General Franchet dEspereys I Corps from the Meuse with the goal of using it to turn  Bà ¼lows left flank.  As dEsperey moved to strike on August 23, Fifth Armys flank was threatened by elements of General Freiherr von Hausens Third Army which had begun crossing the Meuse to the east.  Counter-marching, I Corps was able to block Hausen, but could not push Third Army back over the river.  That night, with the British under heavy pressure on his left and a grim outlook on his front, Lanrezac decided to retreat south. Mons As Bà ¼low pressed his attack against Lanrezac on August 23, he requested General Alexander von Kluck, whose First Army was advancing on his right, to attack southeast into the French flank.  Moving forward, First Army encountered Frenchs BEF which had assumed a strong defensive position at Mons.  Fighting from prepared positions and employing rapid, accurate rifle fire, the British inflicted heavy losses on the Germans. Repelling the enemy until evening, French was compelled to pull back when Lanrezac departed leaving his right flank vulnerable. Though a defeat, the British bought time for the French and Belgians to form a new defensive line. Aftermath In the wake of the defeats at Charleroi and Mons, French and British forces began a long, fighting withdrawal south towards Paris. Retreating, holding actions or unsuccessful counterattacks were fought at Le Cateau (August 26-27) and St. Quentin (August 29-30), while Mauberge capitulated September 7 after a short siege. Forming a line behind the Marne River, Joffre prepared to make a stand to defend Paris. Increasingly irate by the French habit of retreating without informing him, French wished to pull the BEF back towards the coast, but was convinced to stay at the front by War Secretary Horatio H. Kitchener (Map). The opening actions of the conflict had proved a disaster for the Allies with the French suffering around 329,000 casualties in August.  German losses in the same period totaled approximately 206,500.  Stabilizing the situation, Joffre opened the First Battle of the Marne on September 6 when a gap was found between Kluck and  Bà ¼lows armies.  Exploiting this, both formations were soon threatened with destruction.  In these circumstances, Moltke suffered a nervous breakdown. His subordinates assumed command and ordered a general retreat to the Aisne River. Fighting continued as the fall progressed with the Allies assaulting the Aisne River line before both commenced a race north to the sea.  As this concluded in mid-October, heavy combat began again with the start of the First Battle of Ypres.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Selected Sources: First World War: Battle of the FrontiersHistory of War: Battle of the Frontiers

Strategic Sourcing Of A Supply Chain Management - 1271 Words

Responsible Sourcing Before a supply chain manager can truly understand strategic sourcing, they must have a good working knowledge of the purchasing and procurement processes, which I will explain in detail later in my research. Strategic sourcing is an aspect of supply chain management that is becoming more prevalent in the business world. Without strategic sourcing a firm will not and cannot maximize the potential of its supply chain and altogether meet the company’s overall business goals. Responsible sourcing is a new way of thinking that is dedicated to building responsible supply chain coalitions that value human rights and work standards across the world. As we have seen and heard in the news media in recent years, many countries do not practice the same standards of work, facilities, and personnel management that we do here in the United States. American consumers and they have raised concern due to the scenes of children in sweat shops, miners working in horrible conditions, and facilities that look as if though they should be condemned and abandoned, housing hundreds of workers. This concern, hurts a company’s bottom line and therefore they have taken a proactive approach to ensuring that the product we receive and use daily are being produced in a manner that does not violate our values. Literary Review Dr. Sudhi Seshadri, is the author of Sourcing Strategy Principles, Policy and Designs. The main objective of this book and research is to give theShow MoreRelatedW1a Introduction1481 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is purchasing? MS6323 Strategic Sourcing and Procurement KK Lam Week 1a Summer 2015 2 What is purchasing? 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In the past, procurement was seenRead MoreIkea s Supply Chain Management1143 Words   |  5 Pagesstores in 48 countries. What is Supply Chain Management? Supply chain management, is the dynamic management for supply chain exercises on boost client quality and accomplish a maintainable aggressive advantage. It speaks to a cognizant exertion toward the supply chain organizations on create What s more run supply chains in the majority compelling productive routes could reasonably be expected. Supply chain exercises blanket all that from item development, sourcing, production, and logisticsRead Morekiwi case study Essay647 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Answer 1. Strategic sourcing is the major tools and technology in supply chain management and it delivers cost reductions and other offers and advantages. It will make strategic sourcing different from a traditional sourcing. 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You manage the performance of that supply base and on anRead MoreGlobal Sourcing And Global Supply Management1542 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal sourcing and global supply management are both very important concepts in global supply chain management. Global sourcing, on the one hand, is the process of procurement or obtaining much cheaper goods and services from foreign to domestic markets. Global supply management, on the other hand, can fit a narrative of implementation, maintenance, and control of strategic processes of buying, including outsourcing from low-cost countries. Many companies and international organizations todayRead MoreTransformation Of Procurement Practices For Non Production And Indirect Functions1158 Words   |  5 Pagestools such as purchasing cards to cut costs strategic sourcing. 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Effective and efficient supply chain management involves the management of supply chain assets and product, information, and fund flows to maximize total supply chain profitability. â€Å"Supply chain efficiency is related to whether a company’s processes are harnessing resources in the best way possible, whether those resources are financialRead MoreTraits Of The Supply Chain1292 Words   |  6 PagesBell 3051375 Traits of the Supply Chain American Military University Reba Businsky 14 July 2015 ABSTRACT The traits of the supply chain have been proven to strengthen a business production. Using the traits helps to optimize a business profits and sets goals at a higher achievable level. Overall using the traits of the supply chain will enhance the performance of a business and build stronger partners and relationships. Keywords: supply chain, traits, partners, businessRead MoreProcurement: Purchasing Management Association1205 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction  to  Procurement     Quiz  #  1   True/False  (1  mark  per  question)   1.   Competition  today  is  no  longer  between  firms;  it  is  between  the  supply  chains  of  those  firms.   True  Ã‚   False   2.   There  is  a  definitive  and  prescriptive  set  of  supply  chain  measures  that  applies  to  all  supply  chains.   True   False  Ã‚   3.   The  knowledge  and  skills  demanded  of  today’s  supply  professional  is  the  same  as  before.   True  Ã‚   False   4.   The  key  to  the  success  of  any  company  is  the  quality  of  its  employees.   True  Ã‚   False

Differentiation or Cost Leadership Free Essays

The textbook suggests that there are only two generic strategies available to a firm: differentiation or cost leadership. Both strategies can be applied either into a focused market or a broad market. Do you agree that these are the only two strategies available? Are they mutually exclusive? Why or why not? Porter’s Generic Strategies Target ScopeAdvantageAdvantage Low CostProduct Uniqueness Broad(Industry Wide)Cost Leadership StrategyDifferentiation Strategies Narrow (Market Segment)Focus Strategy(low cost)Focus Strategy(differentiation) Generally ,as per the Porter’s Generic Strategies there are only two strategies are available to the firm i. We will write a custom essay sample on Differentiation or Cost Leadership or any similar topic only for you Order Now e. , differentiation and cost leadership. These strategies are the strength of the market which is independent of the product and industry. Along with these two strategies the focus strategy is also there which is the combination of low cost and differentiation strategy. The Focus strategy help firms to provide the unique good quality product with the low cost that focus on the Narrow Market segments. Advantage with the Focus Strategy is that it helps the both customer and organization side. Customers fulfil their needs within their budget and organization also gain its profits but the implementation of the Focus Strategy is very risky which required more studies of the market and about competitors. As per my aspects Focus strategy really helps the organization to able to produce the good quality of product within the customer budgets which also focus on the market demand. Daft, R. L. (2010). Management (9th ed. ). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. ISBN: 13-9780324595840 Ref: Porter’s Generic Strategies How to cite Differentiation or Cost Leadership, Essay examples

Sri International free essay sample

Cabellero acquired the requests and served as a gatekeeper by designing the requests in the manner that made sense to her. She then passed the proposals along to Menon and served an additional role as an influencer by adding her preference in purchasing. The chief financial officer, George Whitaker, fills the role of controller. He added some financial limitations and organizational considerations for the purchase, such as hiring costs, maintenance expense, and cost/benefit analysis. The human resource manager, Gloria Sigel, represents staff members (users) in this decision and attempts to influence the purchasing decision on their behalf (Dwyer amp; Tanner, 2009, pp. 96-99). Akshay Menon, head of SRI’s Dallas operations, is in the third stage of the behavior choice model (Dwyer amp; Tanner, 2009, pp. 107-108). Menon needs to determine which action to take based on the requirements (p. 109). SRI’s buying center is somewhat time fragmented, as some members of the purchasing process contribute for only a short amount of time (p. We will write a custom essay sample on Sri International or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 00). The dimension of SRI’s buying center is horizontal, with many departments contributing to the decision process (p. 101). The horizontal element makes Menon’s decision difficult. Different departments have very different views on what elements should be considered in the final purchasing decision (p. 102). There are three choices available to Menon, each with different advantages and disadvantages. Menon must weigh the financial, performance, and social risk involved with each decision. Five moderate-speed scanners: a. Preferred by production manager, minimizes social risk b. Greater protection if one is down for repair, minimizes performance/financial risk c. Greater flexibility for assigning work, minimizes performance risk d. Workers prefer these scanners, minimizes social risk 2. Three high-speed scanners: e. Preferred by chief financial officer, minimizes social risk f. Higher cost of scanners offset by need for fewer workers (only one shift required), minimizes performance/financial risk g. Difficulty hiring workers and retaining services (verified by HR manager), maximizes performance/social risk h. Less expensive to operate, minimizes financial risk i. Disliked by workers, (unreliable, jams), maximizes performance/social risks 3. Three moderate-speed scanners and one high-speed scanner (four total): j. Compromise between other two choices k. Workers will prefer, easier to retain staff l. More expensive to operate m. Less than five moderate-speed scanners, with more versatility retained from larger number of scanners purchased All of the risks involved are important, as they overlap and affect each other. As one study published in the International Journal Of Academic Research found, purchasing strategies have a major impact on production, especially when different strategies are combined (Perumal, Arokiasamy, amp; Zailani, 2011). The importance of each type of risk in purchasing decisions is not necessarily more important than another. They should each be considered. The three high-speed scanners provide the highest risk, while the five moderate-speed scanners would have the highest operating cost relative to the high-speed. The choice of three moderate-speed scanners and one high-speed scanner would provide the least risk with the highest benefit. The scanner salesperson should take some time to investigate the issue of paper jams with their high-speed scanners and determine what can or needs to be done to minimize this issue. The operators may need on-the-job training or perhaps air conditioning issues, such as temperature or humidity, are affecting machine performance. SRI would benefit from such an arrangement as well. The scanner company should ask to form cross-functional sourcing teams with SRI and other clients.

The Inability To Provide For His Family, And Why It Drove Mr. Shimerda

The Inability to Provide for His Family, and Why it Drove Mr. Shimerda to Suicide My Antonia, by Willa Cather, is a novel about Jim Burden and his relationship and experiences growing up with Antonia Shimerda in Nebraska. Throughout the book Jim reflects on his memories of Nebraska and the Shimerda family, often times in a sad and depressing tone. One of the main ways Cather is able to provoke these sad emotions within the reader is through the suicide of Antonia's father, Mr. Shimerda. His death was unexpected by everyone and it is thought that homesickness is what drove him to take his own life. Homesickness was surely felt by Mr. Shimerda, as it was by many, but it was the failure to adequately find a way to provide for his family that sent Mr. Shimerda into a depressing downward spiral that left him no foreseeable alternative but to take his own life. The first descriptions of Mr. Shimerda are that of a successful businessman that had always provided well for his family. I noticed how white and well-shaped his own hands were. They looked calm, somehow, and skilled. His eyes were melancholy, and were set back deep under his brow. His face was ruggedly formed, but it looked like ashes - like something from which all the warmth and light had dried out. Everything about this old man was in keeping with his dignified manner (24) Mr. Shimerda was indeed a prosperous man in Bohemia, but had made his living in the business world, not by running a farm to provide for his family's needs. His hands show that he rarely performed hard manual labor, but that he did work hard with his hands to weave. His face however shows signs that he was already having doubts about the welfare of his family and their survival. The apparent glow that he must have once had was now replaced by the look of heavy thoughts. This came from the burden of providing for his family by way of very unfamiliar and difficult means. He had already lost a great deal of money in the family's traveling expenses and overpaid for their property. They paid way too much for the land and for the oxen, horses and cookstove (22). Mr. Shimerda must not have thought that he would have to support his family by means of plowing fields for food and actually building a home from materials gathered from the earth. He was a businessman and made a life for his famil y in Bohemia by working. He was a weaver by trade; had been a skilled work man on tapestries and upholstery materials (22). There was no work for him in this new country and he did not have the money to relocate his family. Certainly before he left Bohemia he believed that they had more than enough money to get by. The reality of his family's circumstances was just beginning to show their impact. Antonia points out to Jim that Mr. Shimerda looks ill My papa sick all the time Tony panted as we flew. He not look good, Jim (36). It is obvious that Mr. Shimerda was terribly stressed and was staring to show it physically. Most likely he looked ill due to not sleeping and eating. Nevertheless, Mr. Shimerda wanted desperately do the best that he could for his family. He moved his family with the hopes of finding good husbands for his daughters and wealth and land for his son. He calls onto Jim to teach Antonia to read. He does so in a very pleading, helpless way which leaves an unforgettab le memory in Jim's mind. Jim takes on the task, but unfortunately Mr. Shimerda gets little help from anyone else in the town for anything. Mr. Shimerda never really understands why he receives virtually little help from neighbors getting the farm going. He knows nothing about running the farm, and didn't even have the appropriate tools necessary. He and his family on the other hand are very trusting and would give the shirts off their backs to anyone who needed anything from them. There never were such a people as the Shimerdas for wanting to give away everything they had

Pronoun Agreement on SAT Writing Tips and Practice

Pronoun Agreement on SAT Writing Tips and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Pronoun agreement errors are some of the most common on the SAT Writing section, and they can be confusing because peopleoften misuse pronouns, especially when we speak. In fact, I just made a pronoun mistake: can you spot it? Take a closer look at the second half of my first sentence: "people often misuse pronouns, especially when we speak." Who is "we" referring to here: "people." However, the correct pronoun for the third person plural is they. The correct version is "people often misuse pronouns, especially when they speak." On SAT Writing, you'll be expected to spot many such errors. We'll be covering both the basic SAT writing rules regarding pronouns you need to know and the common mistakes you'll see on the test: Pronouns and Antecedents Disagreement in Number Disagreement in Person Unclear Antecedents Spotting Pronoun Errors on the SAT A Pronoun Must Always Match its Antecedent That titlemight seem confusing. What's an antecedent? And what does it mean to "match"? The truth is you probably already have an intuitive grasp of how this works, but let's break it down one piece at a time. What's a Pronoun? A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun- that's it! Usually we think of pronouns as words like I, him, they, or its, all of which are definitely pronouns. But so are words like everyone, which, and each. Any word that can fill in for a noun is a pronoun. For more detailed information on pronouns, take a look at our guide to parts of speech. What's an Antecedent? An antecedent is the noun a pronoun replaces. (You may also have heard these called referents.) Let's look at an example- the pronoun is in boldand the antecedent is underlined: Julie almost forgot her backpack this morning. Simple enough, right? "Her" is standing in for "Julie's." Let's try a more complicated one: Running out the door to meet Jimmy, Julie almost forgot to grab his bag, which he'd left at her house the night before. There's a lot more going onin this sentence, so I've color coded the pronouns and their nouns. The trick here is figuring out who's doing what. Jimmy forgothis bag at Julie's house; now she's bringing it back to him. When looking for pronoun agreement errors, keep an eye out for any sentences that don't track clearly in this way. What Does It Mean for a Pronoun and Antecedent to Match? Again, though this concept may sound confusing, it's actually pretty intuitive. Let's revisit our example from above, with a slight tweak: Julie almost forgot theirbackpack this morning. This sentence clearly isn't correct. That's because the pronoun "their" and the antecedent "Julie" don't agree: Julie is singular and their is plural. They disagree in number. It's also possiblefor a pronoun and antecedent to disagree in person: Julie almost forgot mybackpack this morning. Julie is a proper noun and should take a 3rd person pronoun, not a 1st person pronoun like "my." As a review, the most common pronounsand their correct uses are listed below: I/me/my - first person singular, i.e. the person speaking We/us/ours - first person plural, i.e. the person speaking and others You/your - second person (singular and plural), i.e. the person (or people) being spoken to He/him/his - third person masculine, i.e. a male person or animal who isn't present She/her - third person feminine, i.e. a femaleperson or animal who isn't present It/its - third person neuter, i.e. inanimate objects They/them/their - third person plural, i.e. multiple people or things Moral of the story: pronouns must alwayshave a clear antecedent and agree with the noun that they replace. Now that we've established what that means, let's look at the errors you're likely to see on the SAT. Make sure your pronouns aren't like this llama.(Â © Valdrec) Disagreement in Number I mentioned above that plural nouns require plural pronouns and singular nouns requiresingular pronouns. Usually, that rule feels pretty obvious: it doesn't make much sense to refer to Tomas "them" or the Muppets as "it." However, this is the SAT we're talking about, so the errors are going to be a little harder to spot. Let's go over some of the trickiest cases. Extra Words In a simple sentence, it's easy to spot number agreement errors: Incorrect: The kidswant her own TV. Correct: The kids want their own TV. Catching these errors gets much trickier when we add in more words, however: Because Susie and her brother begged their dadfor a TV, he agreed to get one for her. At first glance, this may seem fine- Susie's getting a TV! But let's look at each pronoun and its antecedent: her = Susie their = Susie and her brother he = their dad her = Susieandher brother The TV isn't just for Susie, it's for both siblings. As such, the sentence should read: Because Susie and her brother begged their dadfor a TV, he agreed to get one for them. When you're dealing with pronouns on the SAT, the first step is always to determinewhat itsantecedent is. This will make it much easier to figure out the correct pronoun to use. The Case of the Non-Gendered Singular Pronoun Even once you determine a pronoun'santecedent, there's still room for confusion. Especially tricky are singular non-gendered nouns. Please remind your friend to bring their speakers to the party tomorrow. Sounds fine, right? But take acloser look. "Their" is taking the place of "your friend's" in this sentence- see the problem? "Their" is a plural pronoun, but "your friend" is only one person. Using "their" seems right because we don't know the gender of thefriend and there is no singular non-gendered pronoun for people in English. However, you can't use 3rd person plural pronouns (they, their, theirs, or them) to refer to singular people of unclear gender. Instead, you need to use "he," "she," or "he or she," as in the example below: Incorrect: According to the news, the mysterious thiefleaves a single rose in place of each thing they steal. Correct:According to the news, the mysterious thiefleaves a single rose in place of each thing shesteals. Correct:According to the news, the mysterious thiefleaves a single rose in place of each thing hesteals. Correct:According to the news, the mysterious thiefleaves a single rose in place of each thing he or shesteals. On the SAT in particular, watch for questions with references to occupations like doctor, lawyer, and scientist- these words often signal a pronoun agreement error. Collective Nouns Collective nouns are similarly confusing, because they refer to more than one thing or person as a singular entity. Take, for example, "the class." The classmay include multiple students, but there is still only one class. It's a singular noun and therefore takes a singular pronoun. Incorrect: For their final assignment, the class had to build a dancing robot. Correct:For itsfinal assignment, the class had to build a dancing robot. Correct:For their final assignment, the students in the class had to build a dancing robot. "They" may seem like the proper pronoun to use for acollectivenoun like "class" because it ismade up of multiple individuals, but the nounitself is singular, so "it" is correct. Collective nouns can be tricky to spot,so be on the lookout for nouns that refer to groups of people. The team, the band, the company, and the town are all examples of collective nouns. SAT Examples Let's take a look at how to spot this type of error in an Identifying Sentence Errors question from a real SAT. Reading over this sentence, you might not notice anything wrong since it sounds fine.The next step is to checkeach underlined section for errors. In this case, C includes a pronoun, so you must check agreement. And what's the first step to check agreement? Find the antecedent! For "they," the antecedent is"a Shakespearean character," which is singular. As such, "they have" is incorrect and C is the answer. You don't even have to think about how to fix the error, just spot it! (But in case you're wondering, the correct version would be "he has" or "she has.") Agreement in number also pops up on the Identifying Sentence Errors, albeit in a different form. Here we have the pronoun "we" standing in for the noun "a buyer." This may seem fine, because it makes sense that we can be buyers, but there's a disagreement in number: "we" is plural and "a buyer" is singular. The obvious fix is "as buyers we are responsible," but that isn't a choice. Answer B has a similar disagreement issue to A with the plural "their" standing in for the singular "buyer. C and E add extra words that make the sentence more confusing. As such, D, which cuts the pronoun altogether, is the correct choice. Disagreement in Person Pronoun agreement in person is a slightly weirder concept than agreement in number, but it's usually pretty easy to spot. The basic concept is that a pronoun must reflect the typeof thing it's replacing. So you use "it" to replace "the garden" but"he" to replace "Abraham Lincoln." Like with agreement in number, the first stepis making sure that you know what a pronoun's antecedent is. Beyond that it's mostly just a question of consistency- if you start a sentence in the first person, you shouldn't suddenly switch to the third without a clear reason. I was on my way home when hesaw a butterfly. This series of events is entirely possible, but it doesn't make much sense as a sentence. Another incorrect sentence: Right after the bombbeeped, he exploded. Again, it's theoretically possible that there's some guy who exploded, but from the context it seems pretty clear that it was the bomb, and inanimate objects can't be referred to as "he." These examples are pretty simple, but once again the test writers are likely to throw you somecurveballs. Let's take a look at some of the harder-to-spot types of errors. This is a disagreement between genders, not a disagreement in gender. You vs. One When explaining how to do something (like I'm doing right now), you can use either "you," in the non-specific sense, or "one," as in "an individual." Both are equally correct: "you" is simplyless formal than "one." However, you must be consistent and stick with whichever pronoun you pick; it would sound pretty weird if I suddenly switched to saying "one needs to find the antecedent." Let's look at how that works in a sentence: Incorrect: If one wants to succeed on the SAT, you must study effectively. Correct: If one wants to succeed on the SAT, onemust study effectively. Correct: If youwant to succeed on the SAT, you must study effectively. The incorrect sentence uses two different pronouns, while the corrected versions stick to one or the other. Errors with you and one are very common on the SAT Writing, so watch out for sentences where either word is underlined. Relative Pronouns The other tricky case with disagreement in person is relative pronouns like who and which. Each of these words is used to refer to a specific type of thing: Who and whom - a person (on the SAT you will notbe tested on difference between the two) When - a point in time Where - a place (use "in which" formedia) Which and that - anythingelse Even though you don't necessarily think of these types of pronouns as having antecedents, they still do, and that means they have to agree with those nouns. Here's an example of an incorrect sentence: I found thegummi bears who I'd lost under my sister's bed. Who or what is "that"? Well, it's "the gummi bears." Gummi bears aren't a person, so it's incorrect to use "who" to refer them. The correct version is: I found thegummi bears thatI'd lost under my sister's bed. Let's look at a slightly trickier case. I finally got to the chapter where the hero sneaks into the castle and rescues the dragon. This sentence sounds fine, but what is "where" referringto? "The chapter" isn't actually a place, so we need to use "in which" instead: I finally got to the chapter in whichthe hero sneaks into the castle and rescues the dragon. When you see a relativepronoun on the SAT, make sure that it is the correct one for describing the type of thing that it is referring to. SAT Writing Example Questions For the Identifying Sentence Errors questions, you can look forproblems with agreement in person in the same way you look for issues with agreement in number: determine the antecedent for any underlined pronouns and ensure that they match. Choices A and C both involve pronouns. In C, "one" is fine, since it's referring to Doris Lessing, who is a singular person. A is a bit trickier. At first glance, "it" seems fine- it's standing in for "The Golden Notebook." But if we fit that antecedent back into the sentence we get, "The Golden Notebookinstantly established herself as one of the most important literary voices of her generation," which clearly doesn't make sense. It's Lessing, not her novel, who established herself, so the correct pronoun would be "she." A includes the error, so it's the correct answer. Remember to watch out for you vs. one and relative pronouns, as well. Let's look at an example of a question involving these topics: As written, the underlined portion of this sentence uses twodifferent possessivepronouns, "your" and "one's," neither of which agree with the antecedent, "a person." Choice D has a similar mistake- it uses both "your" and "one's," when any given sentence can either use "you" or "one." B has a mistake with agreement in number: "their" is plural and can't be used with "a person." C cuts out the antecedent all together, creating a sentence that doesn't make sense. Eliminating these choice leaves only E, which is the correct answer, since the 3rd person plural pronoun "their" is used appropriately with the 3rd person plural antecedent "people." Unclear Antecedents We've covered the basic rules for ensuring that pronouns agree with their antecedents, but a lot of the pronoun questions on the SAT Writingare designed to confuse you by not having a clear antecedent. It's important to remember that a pronoun's antecedent must be a noun and you must be able to circle it in the text. In other words, it's not enough for you to know what the pronoun is referring to, the antecedent alsohas to be obvious in the text. Your vision may be unclear, but make sure your antecedents aren't. (Â © xWoliex) No Antecedent I know I've said this a couple of times already, but it's the most important thing to remember about pronouns on the SAT Writing: every pronoun must have an antecedent.I'm emphasizing this because sometimes you'll see a pronoun that doesn't have one: In order to get the spelunking permitsfrom the office, I need them to call me back. Who does"them" refer to? Presumably, the people who work in the spelunking permit office, but there's nothing in the sentence to specifically indicate that. A correct version might read: In order to get the spelunking permits, I need someone from the officeto call me back. Now it's clear who I need to call me back.Similarly,you'll sometimes see a verb or adjective used as an antecedent- this is incorrect. People who crawl through caves do it because they love adventure. This sentence seems fine; "it" is clearly "crawl through caves." However, "crawl" is a verb, not a noun, and thus cannot serve as an antecedent. People who crawl through caves do sobecause they love adventure. This kind of error can be especially confusing because gerunds, the "ing" forms of verbs, are technically nouns andcanbe used as antecedents for pronouns. Incorrect: I explore underwater caves often; it is fun. Correct: I love exploringunderwater caves; it is fun. "Exploring" is a correct antecedent; "explore" is not. Always make sure that a pronoun'santecedent is a noun you can point to in the sentence. Too Many Antecedents Another common antecedent issue occurs when a sentence has more than onenoun that could be the antecedent. For example: When Nel and Katie got back from the movie, they took her dog for a walk. It's unclear whether "her" refers to Nel or Katie. The possessive either needs to be replaced with something more specific or removed: When Nel and Katie got back from the movie, they took Nel'sdog for a walk. When Nel and Katie got back from the movie, they took theirdog for a walk. When Neland Katie got back from the movie, they took thedog for a walk. On the SAT Writing, watch out for sentences that involve two or more names of the same gender, since that construction often indicates this type of error. This, Which, and That In casual English, we often use the pronouns this, which, and that without clear antecedents. Liz: My mom told me I have to stay home and clean my room. Wayne: That's annoying. This construction may be fine in spoken English, but it would beabsolutely incorrect on the SAT. This, that, and which must have clear noun antecedents, just like any other pronoun.Let's look at an example: It took me 24 hours to travel from Los Angeles to Mumbai; this meant that I was very tired when I reached my destination. What is "this"? It's somewhat unclear, but there are a few ways we can improve this sentence. It took me 24 hours to travel from Los Angeles to Mumbai; thisfact meant that I was very tired when I reached my destination. It took me 24 hours to travel from Los Angeles to Mumbai, soI was very tired when I reached my destination. Both are perfectly clear; however, on the SAT, the second option would be preferable because it is more concise. SAT Writing Example Questions Missing or unclear antecedents pop up fairly frequently on the SAT and they can be hard to spot. Let's look at some examples, starting with Identifying SentenceErrors: Neither Mr. Weasley nor(A) Mr. Potter thinks(B) that eating as much candy as his(C) daughter Jen does will result(D)in anything good. No error (E) The underlined pronoun in C, "his," seems fine- it matches the antecedent in person (3rd person masculine) and number (neither takes singular pronouns and verbs). But it's actually unclear who "his" is referring to: is Jen Mr. Weasley's daughter or Mr. Potter's? It's impossible to tell, so this construction is incorrect. Let's move on to an Improving Sentences question: Again, at first glance, this sentence looks correct. However, "that" requires an identifiable noun antecedent, which it doesn't have. "That" is referring to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, but that phrase doesn't appear in the sentence, nor does any equivalent noun phrase. Choices B and D also feature pronouns without antecedents. E is not idiomatic, which leaves C, the correct answer. You have to watch for errors as vigilantly as this meerkat is watching for predators. How to Spot a Pronoun Agreement Error on the SAT Writing As you've seen in the SAT Writing examples, pronoun agreement errors appear in both the Identifying Sentence Errors questionsand the Improving Sentences questions. There are slight differences in how these errors are tested in the two sections, however. Identifying Sentence Errors Pronoun errors are among the most common on the ISE section, so any time you see a pronoun underlined, you must alwayscheck for an antecedent and make sure that the pronoun and antecedent agree. Underlined nouns can also indicate pronoun agreement errors, although they usually mean that there's anoun agreement issue, which isslightly different (for more information on those, see our post here (coming soon)). On the Identifying Sentence Errors, these constructionsoftenindicate a pronoun agreement error: More than one name of the same gender "One" or "you" underlined "It" or "they" underlined Collective nouns Names of professions Though sentences with these clues are especially likely to have a pronoun agreement, you should still make sure to check that any underlined pronoun matches its antecedent. For more details on how to systematically check sentences for errors, see our post on how to approach Identifying Sentence Errors questions. Improving Sentences Pronoun agreement errors are alsorelatively common on the Improving Sentences, and you should expect to see somequestions dealing with them. However, you likely don't want to check every underlined pronoun, as on the ISE, since they are often part of more complicated constructions with whichthere are many other possible problems. (For example, pronouns are often used as fillerin wordiness questions.) Certain sentence structures pop up again and again, though, so there are some clues you can watch out for. The following signs- some of which also appear on the ISE section- often warn of a pronoun agreement issue: That, which, or who underlined A pronoun, especially it, near the beginning of a sentence The presence of "you" or "one" Collective nouns For a more complete rundown of best practices for the Improving Sentences questions, check out our post on strategies for the IS section. Test Your Knowledge! Now that we've covered the ins and outs of pronoun agreement on the SAT, why don't you take a crack at some realistic SAT writing practice questions? 1. The herd of black-and-white cattle bellowed(A) loudly as(B) the cowboys herded them(C) into the expansive(D) pen. (E) No error 2. My sister loves books where(A) the villains win, but(B) my brother prefers those(C) in which good triumphs over(D) evil. (E) No error 3. The more time one spends onthe bakingof cookies, the lessyou'll want to eat them. A. one spends onthe baking of cookies B. you spend baking cookies C. he spends to make cookies D. that is spent on the baking of cookies E. one bakes cookies 4. When the ninja finally tried skiing, he didn't have fun, which confused his friends. A.which confused his friends B. that confused his friends C. which his friends found confusing D. by which his friends were confused E. a fact that confused his friends Answers: 1. C, 2. A, 3. B, 4. E What's Next? The only topic the SAT Writing tests more than pronouns is verbs. Make sure to study subject-verb agreement as well! Maybe you're more concerned about the essay? In that case, take a look atour guides onhow to score a perfect 12, how to plan your examples in advance, and 15 ways to improve your score. For more big picture strategies, try these 8key tips or check out our guide to reaching an 800 on the SAT Writing. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar lesson, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Electric Commerce and Applications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Electric Commerce and Applications - Essay Example In relation to this aspect four organizations i.e. DBS Bank Ltd, United Overseas Bank Limited, Lloyds TSB and Barclays Bank have been selected from the banking sector to recognize and to compare their privacy policies in comparison to certain recognized privacy protection features. The features of privacy protection in the websites help the organizations to keep their consumers’ and members’ information safe from any kind of threat. This aspect can largely ensure that consumer confidence towards a company’ website remains intact. A few of the recognised privacy protection features include proper maintenance of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), prevention of information from being disclosed to the third party, ensuring information security, upholding accountability of collected information, ensuring accuracy of the collected information and making use of the method disabling the cookies (Locke, n.d.). The privacy protection related features are described below that are quite crucial for a website to maintain. By ensuring compliance with these features a website can largely ensure that it is able to build a strong relationship with its consumer as well as its members. Personally Identifiable Information (PII): While dealing with the online trader, the organizations generally collect the personal information of the consumers before trading. The Personally Identifiable Information (PII) includes information regarding name, contract number, address and email id (Business Link, n.d.; Real Media, 2007). Disclosure of Information to Third Party: The collected consumer information is not shared with any third person. However, it is shared only at the time when the information is required by the law for inspection.

Comparative Evaluation of Classical Realism and Classical Liberalism Essay

Comparative Evaluation of Classical Realism and Classical Liberalism - Essay Example As Morgenthau had tried to focus on through his studies and analysis, the power that a state government generally reflects on the state activities are consequences of the interests that the nation holds as a whole (Pashakhanlou, 2009). The classical liberalism on the other hand throws light on the promotion of government power that needs to be limited to highlight the power of the human beings inhabitant in the state. The primary focus of this belief is thus on individuals being able to be liberal in their activities and yet decide their democratic views on their own. The concept is also not associated with any socialism on the part of the individuals. Rather, their freedom and independence in expression of their political views as well as getting involved in political activities are considered significant in the classical liberalism concept (Koeller, 2003). The Reflections and Impacts of Classical Realism and Classical Liberalism on the international politics: Although the concept o f classical realism tried to link between the human behavior and their activities and thus the conflicts and power struggles occurring in the world of politics, yet the concept could not keep up with its implications till the current times. Considering its implications, it has been observed that the concept has been unable to act on some standard while focusing on the international politics as a whole. If it pointed to some facts of the human behavior leading to conflicts, the theory has not been able to relate that fact to the world politics as a whole. Rather, it has been associated to some parts of the world politics or some sections or groups of people. Moreover, the concept has been proved to be inconsistent since it could not explain the different terms in relation... The classical realism is focused on the conflicts, powers and wars prevailing in the political world on an international level and determines how repeatedly such political conflicts occur in the world. The classical realism concept tries to stress on the causes created by human beings that result in the initiation of political conflicts (Pashakhanlou, 2009). On the other hand liberalism is more concerned about the freedom that human beings deserve. This concept brings into focus the need to understand the requirements of the human beings more than the needs of a state (Koeller, 2003). Thus the two concepts are different in their study of the world politics. However, although having different concepts the beliefs are concerned with the humans and the impacts of the international politics on the lives of the common people. The primary difference in the two concepts lies in the fact that realism focuses on what is happening in actual in the international political world. Considering a comparative study on both classical realism and classical liberalism, it can be understood that both the concepts have been different in their views and thoughts. While realism remained concerned with the reality that occurs as a result of the human activities not considering the structural negligence, the liberalism concept focused on the needful measures that human beings required and deserved as against the importance provided to the political parties or the government authorities.

Western Civilization Movie Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Western Civilization Movie - Term Paper Example Secondly, because of the first issue, there were not many written works in wide circulation and therefore not many people who were fully educated enough to both enjoy reading as a past-time or to serve as scribes to create more manuscripts. Within the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the story opens at a point where Gawain is a young knight in the service of the legendary King Arthur and thus addresses the historical existence of this figure. However, the narrative story is not considered a reliable source of information because there are few existent facts to support it and there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the Gawain author borrowed from older legends, such as the legend of Cuchulain (Brewer, 1992), to create his story. Despite this, the story still has numerous merits that help us understand more about life in medieval times such as the important elements of being a knight and the latent criticism of the male-ordered ‘civility’ represented by King Arthur and his knights as they turned their backs on nature and the natural element in man. At the beginning of the story, Gawain comes to the realization that he is the only knight capable of accepting the challenge of the Green Knight who has come bursting into Arthur’s court issuing a New Year’s Day challenge. This is because he feels he is the least valuable knight in the court and therefore the one most expendable should he fail to win the challenge. â€Å"I am the weakest, the most wanting in wisdom, I know, and my life, if lost, would be least missed, truly† (I.16.354-355). This reveals the context of defining the true knight in which humility is seen to be prized over bravery regardless if it is true. According to Garbis, the concept of the reluctant hero is an important element of the Arthurian tradition. â€Å"Some kind of shock occurs that makes one aware of the self† (Garbis, 2002). However, it often goes unnoticed that the Green Knight is clearly a supernatural figure that

Performance Management At Emaar

Performance Management At Emaar The report features altogether are in six major sections. Section one is about Performance management and performance appraisal at Emaar. Section two is about Reward Management that Emaar uses. Section three is about Addressing Underperformnce. Section four is about measures of staff satisfaction. Section five is about methods to improvements. Section six which the last one is the conclusion. More over, there are some appendixes I have attached in my report, Appendix 1 is the Aprriasal form and appendix 2 the exit interview. Finally, Most of the information in the report was from my own experience at Emaar and some particulars from Emaar website and interviewing employees as well. Performance Management at Emaar At Emaar, Performance Management is considered as a cyclical process encompassing many aspects. Their model begins with the process of hiring, continues with daily performance management, and extends to yearly performance appraisals specially when making hiring decisions, managers, individuals and committees are involved in the process should consider the seven core competencies established by Emaar which are: Adaptability Motivation Professional and Self Development Work Quality and Job knowledge Teamwork Service Orientation Communication From there, Emaar supervisors should manage employees daily performance through an efficient and effective performance management system. As a result of a efficient and effective and useful performance management system, supervisors should be able to provide accurate and relevant performance assessments that helps further growth and improvement among employees at Emaar. By institute a successful performance management based upon the seven core competencies, Emaar is able to hire, lead and evaluate individuals based on the same set of the competencies which offers consistency and continued growth. Appraisal Performance Appraisal performance is considered one of the powerful tools and an important process at all levels of the organization starting from the top management and ending with employees. It helps supervisors to meet the objectives and goals of the department and the firm as well. In addition, companies must keep pace with process to accommodate the changes of the business level contents and performance methods, and the change of the staff skills and knowledge. Appraisal helps to create confidence between employees and raise their loyalty to the firm.(See Appendix 1) Appraisal performance from some authors view performance appraisal as any procedure that involves setting work standards, assessing the employees actual performance relative to these standards, and providing feedback to the employees with the aim of motivating that person to eliminate performance deficiencies or to continue to perform above par Dessler Another definition for performance appraisal is the evaluation, often in writing an employees work and job performance according to specific criteria. Performance appraisal can also be defined as a system of periodic review and evaluation of an individuals or teams job performance Schuller Appraisal performance at Emaar Emaar conduct appraisal quarterly and annually to evaluate employees performance, promote communication and their personality to examine their strengths and weakness. Besides, Emaar ensures all the employees who conducted the evaluation that their information are confidential and secured for making right decisions for them. Appraisal performance is important for such a company because it provides them with employees feedback of employees performance and progress. Performance appraisal aims at facilitate employees development and it has the major purposes. These major purposes is to provide feedback and guidance, to set performance goals, to identify training needs, and to provide inputs for management of pay administration, rewards, and promotion. Also there are some steps which are involved in effective performance appraisal are: Identification of key performance areas and setting yearly objectives. Identification of critical attributes for effective performance Periodic review of performance Discussion of performance with employees, Identification of training and developmental needs. Emaar uses many methods for performance evaluation of their employees, some of them are traditional and some are modern methods. Incident Indicator Method It is done by collecting the largest possible number of incidents that causes the success or the failure of the work. Supervisors monitor their group and decide if any of those collected incidents happened to them in their work. Their performance will be evaluated based on the incidents that happened in their workplace and how they behaved during those incidents and how serious they are in terms of success or failure of the job. 360 degree Performance The 360 process almost always includes a survey that has questions related to leadership and organizational success, along with a corresponding scale rate each item for example, Agree, Slightly Agree, Neutral, Slightly Disagree, and Disagree. Self-ratings and ratings from employees manager, direct reports, peers and customers are typically compiled into a report. The results are combined and presented by rater category, which allows for insightful comparisons while ensuring that individual direct report, peer and customer raters remain anonymous. Ratings by the employees manager are also presented for comparison but not anonymous. The 360 process may also include a gaol setting or development planning component, which requires that managers translate there results into a meaningful plan for future development. Some 360s are linked to administrative processes such as performance appraisal, promotion, compensation and succession planning 360 Feedback offers many potential benefits to both staff and the organization. Because the technique is capitalizes on multiple perspectives. The results are considered highly credible and useful performance feedback. For employees, the 360 experience can help to confirm hunches about strengths and identify areas that need improvement. Being able to compare feedback from multiple sources helps participants contrast their self-perceptions with others perceptions of them. But the benefit from this kind of reality check comes with a challenge: As from Fortune article 360 Feedback Can Change Your Life. Receiving the results of the feedback can be surprising, powerful and uncomfortable. To help managers appreciate their strengths and not just concentrate on negative results, Emaar provides in one-on-one or group settings with trained coaches, facilitator or psychologists. Such sessions can also help managers link 360 results to previous performance feedback discover performance themes and issues and understand how to use results to be more successful. For Emaar, a successful 360 implementation can improve communication among employees and help disseminate the organizations expectations with regard to managers. The benefits can begin even before the 360 is implemented. A decision to implement the process signals that the organization desires and is committed on some level to improve its feedback mechanisms. Even the wording of the survey itself is instructive. 360 surveys are typically group behaviours into bread success factors such as strategic direction, analytical skills, interpersonal effectiveness and developing others. The very act of identifying these categories and then defining them by their associated behaviours, for instance, consider future implications when making decisions gives Emaar a common language with which to discuss performance. Forced Distribution In this method, employees are evaluates on the basis of their overall performance of the work. Paired comparison approach That this method is derived from the ranking method, the fundamental difference between them is that the ingredient rather than an individual compares with the rest of the individuals at once, as under the method of comparison by comparing the individual double with every one of them This method is characterized by the following: Easily explained to others. Facilitate the task of who conduct the appraisal, as it is easy for him to compare between two employees and choose only the best of them. Can be used this way by the heads of divisions and departments in the organizations when asked to nominate some of the subordinates for the purpose of promotion or bonuses and so on. The criticism of this method are as follows: That individuals are being compared with each other as if they were one unit, so it lacks behavioural specialization and taking focuses on personal aspects rather than behaviour. The evaluation might be susceptible to bias and favouritism. Individuals are evaluated by descending order (I, II, III, IV, .) does not indicate the relative degree of difference among them. Does not show the weaknesses in the performance of individuals to act and find solutions them. As Emaar got a large number of employees its hard for them to conduct this evaluation but this method is often used at small organizations where there are small number of employees such as small properties companies like Al Shams. Reward Management Reward Management is concerned with the formulation and implementation of strategies and policies that aim to reward employees fairly, equitably and consistently in accordance with their value to the organisation (Armstrong, 2003). Emaar has set a reward strategy to support their business goals, to recruit and retrain employees with his performance and to reward high performance employees. They have fincial rewards and non-financial rewards. Financial rewards Definition Employees get a fixed rate in monthly basis which is called base pay. Emaar determine the base pay according to the experience, degree and interview. Another, kind of financial rewards is the contingent pay, which is related the employees performance, competence or service. Moreover, employees benefits such as pension holidays and sick pay. Non-financial rewards It is not direct payments and usually occur from the work it self like achievements, recognition, training, opportunities to develop career and high quality leadership. Al-Noor Islamic bank has an attractive reward system which is for the part time employees who have worked at least twenty hours a week for two years, receive AED 3,500 scholarship to college of their choice. Four year scholarships for AED 35,000 are also given. The company has awarded more than AED 8 million since the program begins. Unlike Emaar that doesnt have flexible time for students who are welling to complete their higher education besides they are not encouraging students to join them. (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Addressing underperformance It is one of the elements of the performance management framework of Emaars Performance Management policy. It illustrates the need to take action to identify and resolve situations where the performance level is not achieving the identified outcome of performance of a specified position. Emaar follows some procedures to address underperformance Intensive Performance Support Solving a problem and supporting the process, generally developed between employees and the executive manager, to elucidate performance concerns and take early steps towards their resolution the process is begin when a patterns of performance concerns has been identified and considerable efforts should be made to resolve the concerns during this phase. Where employees are able to demonstrate that they are able to achieve Emaars identified performance outcomes during Intensive Performance Support, ongoing performance management can be resumed. Nevertheless, if employees underperforming consistently and the performance outcomes achieved through the IPS period are not improved sufficiently the Formal Underperformance procedure should be originated. This can be done only after IPS completion which is a pre-requisite to undertake the Formal Underperformance procedure. Formal Underperformance procedure Managers start this procedure for employees whose performance did not meet the identified performance outcome for Emaar and whose performance has not improved satisfactorily through IPS. Emaar makes sure that the used procedure is appropriate to employees employment conditions. Formal Underperformance is undertaken in consultation with departmental performance management consultant and involves supporting and assessing the performance of the employees. When outcomes of performance are achieved during the Formal Underperformance procedure are still unsatisfactory, another procedure is conducted which is called Evaluation Procedure to appraise and verify the procedure and how it is been implemented. The Evolution Procedure considers whether all reasonable options for support have been exhausted and ensures that principles of natural justice and procedural fairness have been observed. Based on the Evaluation Procedure report, recommendations are made for further action for approval of the departmental executive with the appropriate delegated authority. This may include Ongoing performance management return. Continuing with an identified stage of Managing Underperformance procedures. Sanctions imposition, including dismissal possibility when evident shows that an employee is not able to demonstrate the identified competence level and efficiency. ANOC is one of the biggest companies for producing oils so it is important for them to hire and retain the best employees to keep the company reputation safe so they use the same procedures as Emaar if they addressed any underperformance among employees specially the best employees. http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/ManagingUnderperformanc-4.pdf Measures of staff satisfaction Turnover Rates Emaar calculates the annual staff turnover rate by using a mathematical formula (Total number of leavers over periodÂÂ  / Average total number employed over period) x 100 Exit interviews Emaar conduct an internal interview which is the exit interview to establish the reasons why an employee wishes to leave the organization. Exit interviews are not intended to dissuade the employee from leaving. Rather, they are intended to establish resignation causes, and whether there is an underlying problem need to be addressed or is there a particular manager or a colleague who contributed towards this resignation and so on. When Emaar decides to conduct exit interviews they follow some points: The interview should be conducted by a personnel or a human resources expert. The interview should not be conducted by the employees line manager under any circumstances. The interview is often productive if they are held away from employees workplace. The best time to held exit interview is as soon after the employee resigns as possible. Emaar always treat their employees with good grace and wished them luck and thank them for the work they have done for the organization. (See Appendix 2) Absenteeism It is very vital to measure absenteeism, to identify and trace the patterns of employees attendance. High rate of absenteeism can be a symptom of stress in the work place which can contribute to higher rates of turnover. There are two methods to calculate absenteeism: lost time rate and individual frequency Lost Time Rate = (Number of Working Days Lost/Total Number of Working Days)*100ÂÂ   Individual Frequency = (Number of Absent Employees/Average Number of Employees)*100 Emaar has designed a comprehensive leave policy that is in alignment with the organizations values and objectives. Besides. there is a communication in the workplace, while dealing with sensitive issues such as absenteeism should be transparent and clear. Employees must be aware of the unpleasant effects of unauthorized time off. Moreover, Emaar introduces employee engagement programs to make employees involve and participate actively in the organization welfare. Also, they introduces counseling sessions that could prove beneficial in limiting absenteeism due to stress. Likewise, Emaar always keep their staff motivated by creating a favorable environment for them. There are also another methods to measure the staff satisfaction such as competitor comparison and benchmarking. Methods of improvements Emaar always try to make working more challenging and rewarding for their employees which will make it easier to keep them. In other words they use job enrichment which means they add additions to job tasks that increases the amount of employees and make them more motivated and increases their responsibility. Job enrichment helps employees to have more planning control their jobs and decide the way that they should achieve it. http://www.citehr.com/28657-job-enrichment.html http://www.enotes.com/business-finance-encyclopedia/job-enrichment

Mt. Ashland Ski Area Expansion Essay -- Environmental Issues

It’s a sunny October afternoon and I’m listening to the breeze gently rustle the tree tops above me. I look down into the creek as I sit here munching on some cashews, and I see trout gliding effortlessly through the crystal-clear water. I revel in how incredibly lush the area is†¦although it’s been a dry summer the ground is still moist, plants are bright and colorful, and wildlife is abound. After I finish my snack and tuck my trash away into my backpack, I continue my hike up this parcel of land that may soon become barren with towers of steel and wire draping the landscape†¦that’s if the Mt. Ashland Association (MAA), a non-profit organization that operates the Mt. Ashland ski area, gets their way. The MAA is looking to start a planned expansion of the area in late 2012. They plan to clear cut 70+ acres of old growth to pave way for more advanced slopes and a sparkly-new lodge. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ski area expansions are the most ecological damaging task that an area can undertake. In a plan revision for the White River National Forest in Colorado, regarding the Copper Mountain Ski Resort expansion, the EPA hammers that point home when they say that â€Å"†¦no other land management prescription on the Forest directly results in more stream-water depletion, wetland impacts, air pollution, permanent vegetation change, or permanent habitat loss†¦ more wetland impacts and stream depletions resulted from ski area expansion and improvement than from all other Forest management activities combined, including many direct and indirect impacts that are permanent (irreversible and irretrievable).† Meanwhile, skier numbers nationally have only increased just two percent since 1978 says, (source). Whic... ...'D' On Environmental Scorecard." Ashland Daily Tidings [Ashland, OR], 26 Nov. 2008, n. pag. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. "Saving the Pacific Fisher." Center for Biological Diversity. Center for Biological Diversity., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. United States. Dept. of Agriculture. Tenmile Recreation Path Environmental Assessment. [Summit County, Colorado.:] U.S. Forest Service, Dillion Ranger District [2011] Web. 24 Feb. 2012. Wright, Bruce. "A Question of Balance." Ashland Resource Center [Ashland, OR], 7 Sept. 2011, n. pag. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.

Book Review on Urban Poverty Essay

Urban poverty is the outcome of urban-bias development projects being predominantly financed by the external capital, either in the form of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or Aid. The urban-bias industrialization strategy performed as a pull factor for the rural unemployed. This strategy contributed to the expanding of urban informal sectors where unskilled as well as highly unorganized day labours remain concentrated in the urban and semi-urban areas. It is also debated that the redistribution of capital investment towards the rural based agricultural activities including plantation sectors through the coordinated efforts of both public and private sectors such as civil and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can go a long way to break the growing negative effects of over urbanization on poverty, moral and social crimes as consequent of unequal economic growth. The author, Pramanik discusses urban poverty in Malaysia cases. He begins with the overview of the poverty scenario followed by research methods and research findings along with summarization & policy suggestions. This book contented five chapters including appendices, references and index. In the introductory chapter (pp. 1-5), Pramanik says poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that is hard to come up with a universally acceptable definition of poverty. Most commonly argued issue on poverty is whether poverty should be looked at from absolute or relative perspective. Absolute poverty based on specific income level called poverty line income (PLI) that can be calculated either using the market value of a basket full of goods and services considered essential for reasonably acceptable standard of living. On the contrary, relative poverty arises when we talk about how good or bad one member is doing in relation to another member living in the same society. According to O’Boyle, poverty is a concept that is both absolute and relative because human beings are at the same time individual and social (O’Boyle E.  J, 1990). In chapter two (pp. 7-20), Pramanik talks about poverty scenario in Malaysia. He argues that the income poverty using official poverty line income seems near to the absolute poverty whereas the human poverty based on the degree of human deprivation resembles relative poverty, which is ensuing of unequal access to income earning opportunity. Because of this, the author focuses more on human aspect of poverty in terms of its long term implications of social factors. Micro level study (Pramanik, 2004) do suggest that family size either in urban or rural areas of the four concentrated states namely, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perak is quite above the family size used for the national level. Pramanik (1997 & 2000) examined that rural poverty in the four poverty-concentrated states on multi dimensional aspects of the problem such as, social, economic, demographic, psychological, political, moral, historical, attitudinal, and natural factors. In chapter three (pp. 5-20), the author discusses regarding research methodology. The study is based on the primary data as well as secondary information. The primary data collected through the administration of well-structured questionnaire in the middle of 2006. The sampling technique used is purposive as well as random and based on participatory observation method. Around 3112 households from 8 major cities living in poverty concentrated areas classified by squatters, low-cost buildings, longhouses etc. were selected for data collection. He defined â€Å"household† as an entity of those living under the same roof as well as eating from the same kitchen. In chapter four (pp. 21-97), he talks about the research findings. The author uses purposive and collecting sampling technique to identify the level of poverty suffered by those living in the squatters and in the area/blocks/buildings designed for the lower income groups in the major cities of Malaysia. This is because those who are living in these areas suffer different degrees and types of poverty measured by the level of deprivations. The household having less than RM 398(less than half of the poverty line) is called hardcore poor, household earning equal to RM 398 but less than 663 is called overall poor and more than RM 663 is called non-poor. The best performing state in terms of lowest incidence of overall poverty (0. 9) with no hardcore poor followed by KL (2. 6) and JB (8. 1) inclusive of hardcore and overall poor. While less developed states- KB, KT, and AS, KB experiences the highest incidence of poverty hardcore poor and overall poor of 33. 7 followed by KT (23. 4) and AS (14). On the other hand, Sabah and Sarawak are worst performing states reported in 9MP and his survey data. The author suggests that as far as poverty reduction is concerned Sabah and Sarawak are still the worst among all other regions states in Malaysia in 2007. The poverty is gender bias is a universal when hardcore poverty is concerned. In terms of hardcore and overall poverty, the female –headed households are more likely to be poorer by 50 percent compared the male-headed households. The higher dependency of more members on a few incomes of earners in the households also creates a constraint on resources allocation by the poor households. Approximately 60 percent of poor household’s more than two members depend on the income of one earner. The lower dependency has implication for the ability of the poor households to hold out poverty at times of economic recession or downturn since higher dependency manifest through the lower dependency ratio is positively related to higher unemployment. Pramanik found on the distribution of households based on the dependency ratio and cities seem to suggest that the relatively higher percentages of households (68. 8) from LDS are associated with higher dependency as emerged through the lower coefficients of DR (

California Schools and Teachers essays

California Schools and Teachers essays Are the California schools and teachers making the grade in regard to illiteracy' Illiteracy is a problem of hidden proportions. For example, the San Diego Business Journal recently quoted the San Diego's Council on Literacy and pointed out that 20% of the United States population is functionally illiterate and 26% in the San Diego County. So are the teachers missing the point or are there some other underlying problems' The entire educational system is being severely tested as administrators point out that smaller class sizes create a need for more classrooms and teachers. These demands for more teachers force the system to hire many unqualified individuals. "In terms of sheer statistics, the state is a national leader. State enrollment is adding about 100,000 students each year, meaning that California will be home to one-fifth of all US students in a few decades. As a result of this growth, an estimated 300,000 teachers will be needed here during the next decade - even as the nation is in the middle of a teacher shortage." (Unknown, "As California overhauls schools, America watches for lessons") With those statistics, I feel that qualified teachers for the most part will be doing an excellent job in the fight against illiteracy. However, I think that the school systems are not addressing the problem of illiteracy and the fact that so many new and unqualified teachers will be entering the process may cause irreparable damage. Unqualified teachers may not be able to distinguish if a child has Dyslexia or if that child is merely nearsighted for example. And with the system under such stress, even if a teacher discovers the problem, his or her hands may be tied with few options on getting the proper help with the illiteracy problem. Illiteracy is defined as a person having little to no education; or more specifically not being able to read or write. California d...

Julia Greenbergs Blog Intersex Issues

Julia Greenbergs Blog Intersex Issues The blog Sex matters: legal strategies and alliance building in the intersex community by Julia Greenberg reflects on the issue of intersex and the need for law to protect the rights of intersex groups.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Julia Greenbergs Blog: Intersex Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It indicates that strong societal orientation towards normal sex condition and considerations of other sexualities like intersex as less normal is brought out as wrong and oppressive in the sense that it denies intersex individuals basic human rights requirements and reduces their overall contribution to societal development. Besides, the issue of intersex in many societies has been regarded as strange and has thus been shrouded with secrecy and immense shame witnessed among individuals with this condition who hide for fear of being rejected. However, as Greenberg posits, the conservative nature of a community stron gly conflicts with changes depicted by the modern society (Greenberg par. 1). She indicates that it is critical that a community and its legal system provide a holistic non-discriminatory structure where all members of the community have equal rights irrespective of their sexuality. The blog by Julia Greenberg majors on the problem of intersex which has over the years raised immense concerns related to gender and identity. Indeed, sexual identity has remained a key facet in dictating cultural orientations of most communities. As the blog notes, the condition that intersex individuals are brings about a sexual identity problem which in turn cause many of them in the society today to disclose their sexual status in the community for fear of discrimination and victimization (Greenberg par. 1). It is worth noting that with sexual identity being used as a key identifying factor in terms of determining the actual roles of an individual in a family and a relationship, intersex individuals experience a hard time fitting in the highly fixed social network of friends, workmates and families within a society.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As indicated in the blog, due to the rising awareness of the need to support intersex groups by the international community, more intersex individuals have come out in the open to declare their status in order to overcome current barriers and discrimination in society. Additionally, the blog indicates that discriminating intersex groups in a society provides a major platform towards their direct dependence on the government and/or their relatives for support. Greenberg (Par. 2) is categorical that although the federal government has taken time to enact laws against discrimination, the intervention ultimately narrows down to shouldering the burden of supporting them through a welfare system. The blog seeks to determine a viable solution that will address problems facing individuals with intersex condition. It notes that the need to address all members of a society equally regardless of their sex cannot be effective without support from communities at all levels and through enacting effective laws. Without a doubt, while it is generally agreeable that the government is indeed providing necessary support and seeking to reach out to all, communities should preach the need for harmonious coexistence and condemn stereotypes that depict intersex individuals negatively in the society. Greenberg (par. 5) indicates that following the negative stereotypes, intersex members of a society have been segregated and dissociated by other people. As a result, intersex individuals tend to be set aside and can only freely relate with members with same condition. Under this consideration, they are unable to participate and contribute to the normal activities of the society. This is highly traumatizing and culminates to majority of intersex members hiding their affiliation in the society. Alliances and justice movements are for that reason important in offering support to these individuals. However, the issue of intersex is shrouded with many mistaken beliefs related to homosexuality and whether or not the process of creating laws will protect and advance homosexuality. As such, the blog should clarify what intersex is all about to eliminate misconceptions on whether or not it is part of transgender or GLBT movement and whether the existing laws will protect homosexuals.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Julia Greenbergs Blog: Intersex Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Greenberg, Julia. Sex matters: legal strategies and alliance building in the intersex community. 2012. Web. http://blogs.law.columbia.edu/genderandsexualitylawblog/.

International Business Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Business - Dissertation Example This move has taken on new roles and forms in recent decades and has now come to feature in other sectors such as global politics. The conception and growth of large economic powerhouses such as Brazil, China, India and Far East Asia have come to dominate nearly all aspects of global interaction. In this sense, it can be said that international business has a large part to play in the development and growth of these economic powerhouses since they provide a number of goods and services required for economic development. The case of China is particularly mystifying since the Chinese models of doing business are far removed from how international businesses operate (Joshi, 2009). Even though significant differences are present, international businesses have still managed to penetrate and flourish in the Chinese economy. Research Objectives China has boasted around a 10% growth rate of the GDP for more than a decade which signifies tremendous economic development (Creedy et al., 2006). However, it needs to be seen how international businesses adopted to Chinese market regulations and business structures including the manipulation of the human resources structure. Chinese businesses have traditionally been based on the paternal structure with considerable official influences (Starr, 2001). This is altogether removed from the manner in which business is conducted internationally. Larger businesses that have the skills and capacity to wander into new territories for business development tend to utilise representative and dynamic methods for human resource management. The Chinese human resources management model is centred on a central figure whose instructions are unchallenged. Furthermore, the Chinese conception of business has a large amount of state interference and control being exerted. However, international business tend to operate independently from state control (Sato, 2006). These and several other significant differences require further investigation to el ucidate how international businesses adopted to the Chinese markets. SMART Objectives Specific: assessing the extent and impact of grey markets and illegal flights on business aviation in the Middle East Measureable: quantifying the entry of international businesses as per time in the Chinese markets to discern if entry is increasing or receding Attainable: research materials on the Chinese economy are abundant but would require meticulous screening to achieve the objectives Relevant: international business are expanding vehemently in international markets so factors required for expansion need to be looked into in detail Timed: the proposed research will constrain itself to the post 1990 period in order to deliver on time Research Questions What are the characteristics of Chinese businesses and economy that differentiate them from the truly open markets where international businesses are used to operating? How have international businesses adopted (through replacement, modification or addition to existing practices) to the Chinese economic models of doing business? Do these changes represent unique cultural values or are these findings applicable to other fast growing economies? Methodology The research will be split into primary and secondary research areas. The secondary research will be carried out through a review of the relevant literature while the primary research will focus on acquiring information from international businesses in China. The secondary re

Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Homeland Security - Essay Example This definition of the effectiveness of the US department of Homeland security constitutes of various facts such as: the security services cannot stop all the terrorist attacks from taking place, the services have to create a strategy for both the longer run and the shorter run and the services should counter terrorist activities while balancing citizens interests, minimizing financial cost and making sure that citizens freedom is never at stake. Security services should devise plans that are fool proof and can prevent most of the attacks from taking place, this does not means that their plans can stop hundred percent of the attacks that are being planned and implemented. Even if the Homeland Security department cannot stop all the attacks, their measures are not necessarily ineffective. If at any particular point in time, no attacks are taking place, this does not represent that the strategy implemented by the department has become successful and are of utmost effectiveness. The Security services should always have a short term and long term strategy in position to counter both short term and long term plans. If they have only short term plans, then they are overlooking the longer plans that terrorist activity conductors have prepared. The services should plan its measures in accordance to the way terrorist organizations behave, they set long-term goals, all individuals are committed to a common goal and they are ready to e xperience utmost difficulty for the achievement of their cause. Terrorists are ready are actively participating in a never ending war with the security forces all around the world including Homeland Security, thus it is this the duty of the security department to continue creating a long-term strategy. While developing a strategy to counter terrorist activities, policy developers and strategy developers should ensure that their strategies and tactics do not harm the liberty and

The Illusion of Similarity between Darnay and Carton in A Tale of Two Research Paper

The Illusion of Similarity between Darnay and Carton in A Tale of Two Cities - Research Paper Example Their stark similarities and interesting differences play important roles in the story plot (Cotsell 193). This brings the discussion to one of the striking themes of the novel --- the concept of doubles. The Concept of Doubles The novel opens with these lines: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. (Dickens 13) These opening lines immediately tells the readers the central plot of the story. It is about doubles, and all the similarities and differences of those doubles (Nardo 73). Even the title itself gives away the idea that the events in the story happens in two separate cities. While Dickens uses the theme of doubles to highlight several oppositions in the story, he also utilizes it to reveal similarities (Bloom 23), whether real or illusion. On a personal standpoint, one of the most interesting role of the technique of using doubles in the novel is the way the concept of how one thing could really be another is presented. One of the best examples here is the story surrounding Darnay and Carton. Darnay and Carton can easily be thought as one person due to their physical traits. Yet upon a closer look, one can see how Darnay is actually the embodiment of Carton's possibilities (Hutter 451). As the story progresses, it is easy to feel more positive towards Darnay, and just a bit sympathetic towards Carton. This style brings about what can be called a turning of tables in the end, which is the st ory's climax, when the good-for-nothing Carton surpasses the heroic image of Darnay (Nardo 74-5). This concept will be discussed further in the next paragraphs. Overview of the Two Characters During the trial in England, Carton brings up the idea that Darnay and he have very similar appearances. He says, â€Å"My lord being prayed to bid my learned friend lay aside his wig, and giving no very gracious consent, the likeness became much more remarkable† (Dickens 82). This strategy helps Carton in Darnay's acquittal from the treason charge, thus helping Darnay to wiggle out of a sticky situation. However, one striking fact here is how Dickens shows that no matter how similar they can seem to be, they can also physically look different at times. This is where the differences despite the similarities between the two protagonists start. Darnay is always well-groomed and neat, while Carton is almost always looking drunk and not very presentable (Page 121). This is just one similarit y and difference between the two men. Darnay and Carton also share similar beliefs. Both men try to make the most out of life by working for what they believe in and for what they want. Still, despite this another similarity, they have differences as well. While Darnay tries hard to be noble and to keep his dignity and honor clean, Carton sometimes uses misrepresentation and blackmail to get what he needs and wants (Page 124-5). While Darnay may

The Third ; Final Continent Themes Essay Example for Free

The Third ; Final Continent Themes Essay Everybody feels he must get to the top. Dont expect an English cup of tea. Car horns, shrill and prolonged, blared one after another. Flashing sirens heralded endless emergencies, and a fleet of buses rambled past their doors opening and closing with a powerful hiss, throughout the night. The noise was constantly distracting, at times suffocating. ) The Indian immigrants fear of losing his own culture. In 1969, when I was thirty- six years old, my own marriage was arranged. The fact that he had an arranged marriage proves he doesnt want to lose his culture and go the Western way. 3) The methods of steps of copying to a new culture and a new life in America. In a week I had adjusted, more or less. I ate cornflakes and milk morning and night, and bought some bananas for variety, slicing them into the bowl with the edge of my spoon. In addition I bought tea bags and a flask, which the salesman in Woolworths eferred to as a thermos (a flask, he informed me, was used to store whiskey, another thing I had never consumed). For the price of one cup of tea at a coffee shop, I filled the flask with boiling water on the way to work each morning, and brewed the four cups I drank in the course of the day. I bought a larger carton of milk, and learned to leave it on the shaded part of the windowsill, as I had seen other residents at the YMCA do. To pass the time in the evenings I read the Boston Globe downstairs, in a spacious room with stained-glass windows. I read every article and advertisement, so that I would grow familiar with things, and when my eyes grew tired I slept. Questions 1) Explain how the narrators last visit to Mrs. Croft is significant. Give two reasons. Support your answer with the phrases/words. The narrator and his wife, Mala, had visited Mrs. Croft one last time. During this visit, Mrs. Croft acted as an icebreaker. She broke the tension between Mala and the narrator. Ever since Mala arrived, the narrator saw her as a part of his life, a duty. At the visit, Mrs. Croft asked the narrator question, which led to him answering with, Splendid! This caused Mala to laugh and Mrs. Croft wondered who she was. After a slight introduction, Mrs. Croft replied with, She is a perfect lady! causing Mala and the narrator to look at each other and smile. The moment with Mrs. Croft, was described by the narrator as the moment when the distance between Mala and me began to lessen. 2) Explain the title of the short story. The title shows that the narrator could survive life on three continents, while adapting perfectly. This title means to show readers that feats can be accomplished f they are set out to be. If the narrator could survive on three continents, then people for the narrator to finally adapt in America. 3) Depict how the narrators relationship with Mala evolved. The writers relationship with Mala first started out as tense. He felt that his marriage was like a job, something he had to wake up to and live with for the rest of his day till he went to sleep, and the cycle continued for as long as they were married. There was no feeling or love, it was Just a step taken by Indians in order to feel secure in their lives. It was their sense of security in the world, and marriage was their way of dealing. When Mrs. Croft exclaimed that Mala was a perfect lady I think both the narrator and Mala realized that if Mrs. Croft could learn to accept something new so quickly, then they could learn to embrace a new relationship. And so, the eventually fell in love, gotten used to each other, and led a happy marriage with a son who lived up to his Bengali parents expectations which sticking to the Indian culture, even all the way at Harvard.