Cathay Pacific Essay

HistoryIn 1946 two ex air force pilots Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow founded Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong. Both of them contributed HK$1 so that their new found airline could be registered. Even though at first it was based in Shanghai, both founders shifted to Hong Kong where they established Cathay Pacific. According to Gavin (1988) 1960 was a good and prosperous year for the airline as they bought their rivals Hong Kong Airways. By 1964 it had more then a million customers. The and by 1967 they were unlimited customers. In the same era it also bought its first jet engined aircraft. It was the Convair 880. It seemed as if here was success after success because soon after buying the new aircraft they introduced their international flights. Cathay Pacific seemed to be soaring high as in 1999; a new head office was established in Hong Kong International Airport. They called it the Cathay City. Till today Cathay Pacific holds his head up high when it comes to quality service and success in the airline industry (Ashok 2003 p110)Part 2SuccessCathays success has based on her wide-range of service all around the world especially in Asia, and modern management orientation and employees from over ten countries. In every country their service is considered as quality service as they always make the customers journey pleasant one. The reason why Cathaywas so successful is that it has always believed in quality customer care and new strategies. They know what those successful in the past may not make them successful again as the world keeps changing. They believe that is their employees and human resource which make them successful. Their success lies in the airline’s corporate philosophy which is â€Å"service straight from the heart† and determination for constant improvement (Chan 2000 p473). They believe that they have to deliver the best service and fulfil all the requirements of the passengers so that they have a pleasant journey Part 3 Company StructureLike in most organizations here too top management, technical support staff , middle management, administrative  support staff and technical core are interrelated and serve more then one function.(Daft 2007 p27) The company structure of Cathay Pacific is not a complex one. The head of the organization is the chairperson this case it is Chris Pratt he joined the company in 1978. Then is the Tony Tyler the executive director. He directly reports to the chairpersonAll heads of the all the departments report reports directly to both the chair person and the executive director. John Slosar is the Chief Operating Officer he is the head of the most important department which is the operations departmentAfter the operations department the next important department is the Corporate Development department. The head of this department is Ian Shiu,The next important department is the Finance department. The director of this department is James E. Hughes-HallettThe next most important department is the Flight Operations department Nick Rhodes is the director of this department. The next most important department is the Sales and Marketing Department. James Barrington is the head of this Department. The next most important department is the Personnel department. The head of this department is William Chau. The next most important department is the Information Management department. Edward Nicol is the head of this department. The next important department is the Cargo Department. Rupert Hogg is the director of this department. Another important department is the corporate Affairs department. Quince Chong is the head of this department. Yet another important department is the service delivery department Ivan Chu is the head of this department. Last but not least is eth engraining department. The head of this department  is Christopher Gibbs References Ashok Ranchhod (2003); CIM Coursebooks 2002-2003 Diploma Case Study Book: Analysis and Decision (CIM Workbooks 2003/04) Butterworth-Heinemann; Revised edition p110Chan D (2000); Air wars in Asia: competitive and collaborative strategies and tactics in action Journal of Management Development , Vol 19 : 6 Pp473 488Daft, B.L. (2007); Organisation Theory and Design, 9th. Ed., South-Western p27Gavin Young (1988) ;Beyond Lion Rock: The Story of Cathay Pacific Airways Hutchinson Radius.

What Are the Problems That Wal-Mart Has Faced, and What Has the Company Done to Address Them

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , is an icon of American business. From small-town business to multinational, from hugely controversial to a leader in renewable energy, Wal-Mart has long been a lightning rod for news and criticism. With 2008 sales of over $405. 6 billion and more than two million employees worldwide, the world’s largest public corporation must carefully manage many different stakeholder relationships. It is a challenge that has sparked significant debate.Although Wal-Mart reportedly can save the average family $3,200 annually, the company has historically received plenty of criticism regarding its treatment of employees, suppliers, and economic impacts on communities. Feminists, activists, and labor union leaders have all voiced their beliefs that Wal-Mart has engaged in misconduct in order to provide low prices. However, Wal-Mart has been turning over a new leaf. New emphases on diversity, charitable giving, and sustainability have contributed to Wal-Mart’s revi talized image.The story of Wal-Mart and its low prices includes both positive and negative impacts on society. Positively, Wal-Mart reportedly saves consumers over $287 billion annually, equating to about $950 per person. On the flip side, research shows that communities can be negatively impacted by Wal-Mart’s arrival in their areas. This analysis attempts to show both sides of the controversy. It begins by briefly examining the growth of Wal-Mart, and then discusses Wal-Mart’s various relationships with its stakeholders, including competitors, suppliers, and employees.Some of the ethical issues concerning these stakeholders include accusations of discrimination, illegal immigration issues, and leadership misconduct as demonstrated by Wal-Mart former vice chair Thomas Coughlin. Yet, in an effort to show Wal-Mart’s attempts to position itself as a socially responsible company, this case also examines Wal-Mart’s sustainability plans, its ethical initiative s, and former CEO Lee Scott’s impressive leadership qualities. The analysis concludes by highlighting Wal-Mart’s strategy during the most recent recession and recovery.

Global Managerial Essay

Debt crisis of 1980 was quite significant in a number of ways. First it enabled the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to gain a visible role in managing its crisis. The crisis also played quite substantial role in financial crisis of Asians. IMF is criticized by many observers because of its ability to handle cases related to debt crisis but all in all this institution finally helped in resolving the acute phase of the debt crisis. The fund brought together the commercial banks, countries with debt and other issues which were involved in the crisis. Various involvements of MIF in their development issues were also illustrated by the debt crisis. The value of existence of IMF was greatly facilitated by the debt crisis. There are quite a number of social cost which arisen as a result of debt crisis of 1980. Debt crisis during this period eventually wiped out all the efforts which were made to reduce poverty within those countries which owned debts (Carrasco R. 2008). Global managerial entails shifting of management from being managed by the national state to being managed by the global institution. This shifting can be either absolute or not. Various institutions that are managed nationally usually embrace various global goals. The state need to adopt various procedures and policies so that they can achieve better global managerial since it entirely needs to be developed from within but not to be adopted from other countries. This usually helps in relocating producers in various global economies. This managerial basically recognizes global managerial in all parts of the world but not just in some specific parts. The debt crisis of 1980 was basically viewed as crisis for banking which left out other national economies to give various feedbacks which could else be challenging to the state’s development. Since debt crisis was entirely treated as banking crisis brought about global fin. This time of debt crisis physically brought a lot of challenges to various state developments. This resulted to rise of the social spending and various state enterprises were finally privatized as a result of these crisis. During the debt crisis regime, two trends were incorporated in the crisis which had emerged in 1970s. First economic growth diverged among the states which were affected by the crisis after they underwent the 3W as collective entities (Macesich 1996). Then the world economy was managed through global managerial and management strategies which were used were coordinated through procedures based on various rules which were used to solve out various management issues. During this regime various terms debts were rescheduled by most of the countries which made them not to pay for their dues as if was required. Therefore, these debts over extended and this made many countries which were being affected by the debt crisis. The debt crisis started to grow in early 80’s which was led by growing countries which earned a lot of money earned as a result of oil that they exported to other countries. This led to these countries having extra money which brought about idea of rendering the money to other countries which did not have a lot of income. These countries which had extra money as a result of sale of oil deposited their extra money into western banks which realized that most of the countries had a lot of money which was not freely circulating but it was only invested in banks (Baird 2006). This money was lead to the third world countries by the bank so that they could initiate various development projects which could consequently boost their status to produce more money and the banks believed that since the money was lead out for development projects, they will consequently pay with a lot of interest. Due to some factors which arose such as global recession, increased would interest rate and low prices of commodities eventually made a lot of debts to grow quite fast and therefore these countries begun to fail in the payment of their debts which made them to result in owning large amount of debts from the bank. The money which was loaned to those developing countries increased significantly during the early 1980’s. These countries since they were unable to pay their debts, they continued to owe money from World Bank, IMF and to other first world government which had invested their money in those bank. Therefore due to these huge debts owned by developing countries, the debts crisis arose. In quite simple terms, debt crisis arose as a result of debts owned by the third world countries. These debt crises kept on growing since these countries were unable to repay the debts that they owned from the banks. Most of the loans which are owned by the third world countries in most cases are repaid using hard currency which are quite stable and therefore their value to not keep on changing in most countries (Watkin 1995). Most developing countries usually use soft currencies which usually deteriorate the value with time and therefore it’s no very much applicable in paying the debts and therefore the debts owned by the country eventually rises. The values of debts kept growing which makes the export to decrease and the value of most of the commodities to consequently go down this has brought a lot of problems in paying back the loans they owned. Most of the Europeans countries were involved in various debt crises which were quite huge such that they could not be waved. Various institutions such as commercial banks facilitated the adverse growth of the debt crisis. Due to rapid development of the crisis, IMF played quite a major role in helping to solve various crises. It acted as a loophole for those countries which were heavy laden by debts but it was unable to solve various problems such as economic problem, societal and also political problems. Despite of its great effort to solve the crisis it failed in carrying out those measures. Debt crisis contributed greatly to global changes which are meant to control various economic services associated with the debt crisis and these economic policies are usually globally managed by which government is meant to adopt various policies which are usually presented by various global institution which are usually designed in regard to globe instead of national consideration which has consequently lead to erosion third world state’s sovereignty (Thedani 2006). Most of these countries acquired debts after borrowing money in late 1970’s and faced quite a number of difficulties in repaying the debts. After the debtors who were basically the banks made various negotiations in regard to the debts condition after they were equally accepted by the global management and they also had overview of the policies in regard to national economy. The countries which owned various debts developed financial power of world wide multilateral institutions which gave them powers to have concession from the state which helped them to pay their debts (Loxley 1998). It paying for their debts, it was required of them to adopt to move policies which were economic so that they can have strategies of repaying for their debts. During this time of debt crisis, various terms of economic managements were reformulated which enabled powers to be shifted from third world state towards various global agencies. The banking institutions which were involved in debt crisis to allocate powers onto themselves which were meant to regulate unprecedented power. In the rise of debt crisis, people believed that it rose to due to many factors. Some of those who observed the rise of debt crisis believed that petrodollar recycling which occurred during 1970’s resulted to these debt crises. This period is known to have had high oil prices which had risen drastically. Many of the countries which exported oil such as Middle East countries had a lot of profit which made them to invest large sum of money in various banking institutions especially in European and United State banks. These banks wanted to make profit for those countries which needed loans and this facilitated to them being led large sums of money which was not consequently repaid. Most of the developing countries by them wanted to borrow large sums of money so that they could boost their development projects. They believed that this money was relatively cheap and that they could be able to repay it without any problems. The debts kept on increasing and these people were finally unable to repay the debts which resulted to debt crisis of 1980. After this period of borrowing money from various banking institutions the export decreased and the internet rate increased significantly during the period in early 1980s. Due to this decrease, debtors consequently defeated in paying their debts to those banking institutions and therefore the country’s owner of money felt that they needed their money due to the decreased export. Giving out of these loans and borrowing of loans by the developing countries came to an end in 1980’s with global recession. The debtor countries had experienced quite a significant drop in their exports, and at the same time dollar value increased more than the value of other currencies which were used by other countries (Effros 1989). Interest rate globally increased foreign exchange which was reserved for debtors depleted and therefore these countries only looked upon the help from the various transactions which resulted from the international finances. Those debtor countries strained a lot in making arrangements to pay for their debts which was quite expensive for those countries since the money that they had received from these banking institutions had floating rates of interest which consequently increased with relative increase in global rates. Those who were active participant of the debt crisis included-government from both third world countries and those from developing countries, World Bank, banking institutions such as commercial bank and the IMF (Thedani 2006). As a result of their negotiation in regards to the debt crisis they made the international finances to collapse since they did not come in terms when negotiating for the means of payment of those debts since the currency was not stable and it kept on depreciating in value. The debt crisis caused a lot of strain on the social cost which lead to development of the lost decade those who were involved in debt crisis and also various observers and a negative attitude towards World Bank and IMF because of the way that they handled the debt crisis. Their criticism was quite similar to that of financial crisis which developed among the Asians. These banking institutions finally came up with stable way of dealing with the crisis since they came up with adjustment program by coming up with high prices in developing countries. Most of the developing countries contributed greatly to neoliberalism as a result of debt crisis (Pascual 2006). This is because these countries had to come up with their own ways of ensuring that they repay the debts that they owned with their own companies so that they could eventually raise money to repay their debts on. Those companies which were established by the developing countries, when they were unable to repay the debts that they owned they gave shares to those countries who had given the loans so that they could be part of the shareholders and they believed that this would help them in retrieving back their money. In conclusion, the debts owned by the third world countries cannot be repaid by those countries which are under developed loans which are rendered a fresh only increases the burden of debts in those countries and this can lead to future crisis arising and more also worsening since they will tighten the financial situation of the third world countries.

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

Perception - Essay Example However, the process of becoming a good leader need not be a trial and error, hard knocks experience. We are lucky that equipped with open minds and the willingness to learn, we can draw from the experiences and wisdoms of leaders who have invaluable lessons to share with us. Perhaps the most important characteristic of a leader is Integrity. People need leaders whom they can look up to and trust, especially when it comes to standards of ethics and morality. People must find comfort in knowing that the person who leads them is asking them to the right and just things. The leader must possess the rightness of conscience consistent with those possessed by his followers. Only when given such a situation can a leader enjoy the full support of his followers; and the followers would freely give their support to their leader, knowing that he would not ask of them what he himself is not willing to do. The logical trait to follow is Consistency. Followers must perceive their leader to be reli able and trustworthy, and not tentative. They must find assurance in the fact that their leader is following a consistent frame of thought and course of action. More so, consistency establishes the perception that the leader knows his business and has done his homework. People’s trust in their leaders is further reinforced by the latter’s ability to admit mistakes. This gives credence to the leader, since the ability to admit mistakes provides a fair and just environment. Followers will find assurance that their leader will not â€Å"pass the buck:† at their expense. A leader must also have the ability to listen to his followers. This ensures that all possible options are explored and the best possible decisions are made. This ability also ensures that the unique circumstances or situations of followers are given consideration in every decision that is made. Lastly, a leader must be decisive. The final decision often lies in the leader. He must

Zinc Finger Nucleases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Zinc Finger Nucleases - Essay Example When mRNA or genes coding for modified ZFNs are expressed in cells they introduce site-specific breaks in target DNA, which when repaired by the cellular DNA repair machinery, result in substitutions or deletions at the cleavage site, thus introducing a site-specific mutation. 1) Cite four research papers that use this method (20%) and describe, with the aid of diagrams if necessary. 2) How ZFNs can be used to carry out site-directed mutagenesis and how the use of genome sequence data is essential to use this technique (80%). Upper Word Limit: †¦3000 RELEVANT MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Describe the different means of making targeted sets of mutations to systematically analyse gene function. 2. Be able to develop practical expertise in applying bioinformatics methods to biological problems 3. Have further developed your skills in information retrieval from library and Web site sources. 4. Have gained additional experience in critical reading of original literature. 5. Have dev eloped further your ability to study To be signed by the student I have read and understood the University regulations and the Departmental guidelines on cheating in my Degree Handbook. I confirm that, in preparing this piece of work, I have followed those guidelines. I understand that my work may be submitted for checking to the JISC Plagiarism Detection Service and that use of this Service complies with UK Data Protection Law. Word Count: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2730 words excluding cover page and references†¦ Signature of student†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Date†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Failure to sign and clearly identify this piece of work will result in no marks being awarded. Note: The standard turnaround time for marked coursework is four weeks. Turnaround times for coursework involving multiple and/or ext ernal markers may be longer. In these cases the module supervisor will advise when the coursework will be returned. Site-Directed Mutagenesis by Engineered Zinc Finger Nucleases Background A zinc finger refers to a secondary structural motif of certain proteins. The zinc finger folds in a manner that allows it to coordinate or hold a zinc metal. There are several zinc finger motifs; the most common is the Cys2His2 zinc finger that consists of an antiparallel ?-sheet and an ?-helix coordinated by 2 His and 2 Cys residues that bind a zinc atom. The zinc finger proteins are involved in many reactions like mediating protein-protein interactions, RNA binding, but they are most known to be involved DNA sequence-specific binding. Two or more zinc fingers comprise the DNA-binding domain. Each zinc finger domain binds to three bases on the DNA. If there are more zinc fingers, then more bases are bound. Bound regions by the zinc fingers are usually three bp apart, and bind to the major groove of DNA. The capacity of the zinc finger proteins to recognize highly specific DNA sequences for binding was exploited by researchers to produce, design, or engineer zinc finger nucleases (ZFN) that can cut the target DNA at specific sites. Usually, these zinc finger nucleases have similar motifs as that of Cys2His2 zinc finger protein. In order to cut a specific target site on the DNA, the engineered zinc finger protein was fused with the cleavage site of FokI endonuclease, which is a restriction enzyme. FokI has a strict requirement for dimerization to the DNA; this is the reason why two different ZFNs are designed in opposing direction to bind the FokI restriction site (Figure 1). One ZNF can have several zinc fingers but only one nuclease domain. Many engineered ZFNs are targeted to attach to different DNA regions. After the ZFNs specifically bind the target DNA regions, the Fok1

Favorite thing to do with your family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Favorite thing to do with your family - Essay Example I enjoy typical everyday fun time activities like board games, watching television and gardening when done together as a family. Not only are they inexpensive, but are also home based. Studies have shown that such activities are in direct proportions to a family’s cohesion. Flower gardening is fun because it exhibits joint efforts by each family member in beautifying a home. We even enjoy a fresh vegetable meal from the produce of a home vegetable garden. There is a marked increase in appetite when the food we serve has been picked by the family from the garden. Board games present direct challenges between individuals taking turns, and they have a fun way of sharpening intellect. Time we spend together watching quality television, excluding explicit content, is educating and gives interesting topics to discuss later when it is not television time. Having dinner with the whole family at the table is enjoyable. This has also been proven through research to be beneficial to the youth. Those that regularly have dinner with the whole family present, including parents, are at a lesser danger of engaging in substance abuse . Outside the home, picnic activities in the local parks and camping sites provide for great fun. They offer a different environment to appreciate family company. The younger children enjoy flying homemade kites on windy days. The kites are always made with their contribution in coloring and decorating. For teens and adults, there are other activities including volleyball, racquet games like badminton, and more muscular events like tug of war. The participation for the sake of fun and not who wins or loses makes it all the more enjoyable. There is nothing to compete for other than liking the fact that you are making a family member happy. An added advantage is the fact that children who spent time away from home participating in sporting activities with their parents have been known to have better academic performances that their peers who d o not (Zabriskie & McCormick 283). Preparing snacks and lunch on such picnics is also an enjoyable activity on its own. Everyone has their pre defined roles to play and, within a short while each person is serving out paper plates of whatever they prepared. Each member ends up having a bite from everyone else. The day at the park is always energy draining for a good cause and ends with snacks and juices accompanied by relaxing music played from the car stereo. Another favorite is visiting my grandparents in the country side during school holidays. The fun starts right from packing the bags. Our parents help us choose what to carry along. At that time, I realize even the attire to be worn in the country side differs from what we wear in the cities. The journey through the city traffic is hectic as we head out of town. Excitement runs high with everyone eager for when we will arrive. Driving through the woods in the peaceful countryside has a relaxing effect and a difference in the ai r can already be felt. Dad and mom explain all the changes we see on the way since the last time we went visiting. Finally, arriving at the entrance to the farm, we all jump out at the gate with the exception of Dad who has to drive all the way. We all enjoy smelling and picking flowers along the driveway. Climbing apple trees has never been more fun than in the countryside. We already have half our fun of the day even before meeting our grandparents. One of the happiest moments in life

Heritage Films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Heritage Films - Essay Example The film Orlando is based on the novel by Virginia Woolf of the same name written in 1928 and Brideshead Revisited is based on a novel by Evelyn Waugh written in 1945. Both were influential books in their time by respected authors. Of the two, Woolf is the more radical in terms of structure, exploring techniques like stream of consciousness. Writing in an aristocratic circle of writers and artists in the Bloomsbury area of London, Woolf and her circle of friends represented a rather radical upper class social group which experimented with socialism and liberal views on marriage and sexuality. Although writing well before the liberalisation of laws against homosexuality and the permissive society, Woolf anticipated the freedoms that would come later in the century with her depiction of Orlando, who starts out a man and ends the book four hundred years later as a woman, breaking all usual limitations of a normal person’s lifespan and sexual identity. Turning such a quirky book i nto film is no easy task. The book is written in seven sections but Potter breaks the story up into the book into short episodes which are given one-word titles like â€Å"sex† or â€Å"birth† which crystallize life events and stress the unity of the persona, despite the changing historical periods and the shift from male to female. At various points in the film Orlando turns to the camera and addresses the viewer directly, which at first is somewhat disconcerting, but as the film develops, it becomes a pattern which invites the viewer to look again at the screen and re-evaluate the surface images to reflect particularly about how the gender and identity of the people in the film is being portrayed. The camera dwells on Tilda Swinton’s oval face, recording many impassive scenes where she/he lets the chatter of other characters wash over her, until she suddenly turns to the camera with an arch look. Ferris explains this technique: the film highlights instability of identity in its use of direct address, non-linear narrative, and parodic framing, reconstructing Woolf's novel as a postmodern text. (Ferris, p. 110) Other techniques are used to jolt the audience out of a surface reading of the film. In the scene where Orlando meets Queen Elizabeth the first, for example, there is interference from modern society because the elderly monarch is played by famously flamboyant male homosexual Quentin Crisp. Orlando approaches the throne and kneels and the wide angle of the camera captures the pale costumes but above all the striking red hair of both Orlando and the Queen. As Ferris notes â€Å"The scene highlights both the construction of the narrative and of sexuality, for the male Orlando is played by a female actress, Tilda Swinton, who addresses the female queen, played by a male homosexual.† (Ferris, p. 113) This playful treatment celebrates a diversity of genders, and sexual orientations, drawing parallels and contrasts which cross over the normal male/female and gay/straight divides. Modern feminist readings of the film appreciate the blurring of these binary divides and the exploration of how gender is culturally constructed. The persona and languid narrative voice of Orlando remain intact, whether in a male or

Influencing the components of the cash-to-cash cycle Case Study

Influencing the components of the cash-to-cash cycle - Case Study Example he same note, it is clear that the company cannot monitor or calculate their profits adequately since they have not put in place the appropriate mechanisms to support this particular venture. Furthermore, the case study shows that the management of the company in question also focuses on the company’s debt structure. Essentially this is a good move, but there is the need to also lay emphasis on the working capital aspect of the company since this is an important part of the company that comes in handy during the fundamental analysis of the company is carried out. However, this paper strives to highlight some of the cash models that need to be incorporated in a bid to curb the looming crisis that is going to face the company as a result of the lack of this important aspect of the company model. First and foremost, the working capital can be defined as the metric for the calculation of the company’s liquidity. Apparently, the approach of working capital is the most appropriate approach to be undertaken by this particular company. On that note, the analogy of working capital will come in handy since the assets to be liquidated in this particular business are dependent on the time period of investment. In simple terms, the current investments are not to be liquidated in the short term but on the long term. However, in the instance of high working capital, this indicates that a huge sum of money will be constrained in the bank accounts receivables and the inventory of the company. Consequently, this can be characterised as a level of pure investment strategies since the time at which the money is constrained in the bank accounts, profits could have been generated and thus the company’s profit margins could have risen drastically. Thus it is worth noting that the working capital could also be used as a means for the measurement and the determination of the liquidity state of the company. On the same note, this approach could serve to better the company both

Microbial Produced Fuels as Economically Viable Renewable Fuel Source Essay

Microbial Produced Fuels as Economically Viable Renewable Fuel Source - Essay Example The essay seeks to perform a brief overview of the existing microbiological means of energy production and creates a persuasive argument for furthering the research and funding into alternative fossil fuels. There are several different types of microbiological means of creating fuels. Many of these have been understood since the beginning of the 20th century; others have only recently been developed in the past decade or so. One of the oldest forms of creating energy via microbiological means is with regard to using different strains of bacteria to produce electricity. This particular practice was engaged as early as the late 1920s by teams of American and German scientists that were interested in the means through which electrical generation via natural and readily available cultures might exist. Not surprisingly, this particular form of electrical generation was extraordinarily inefficient and yielded only a very small amount of electricity as compared to the level of investment that it required to function. More recently, scientists have turned their collective energies towards the creation of gasoline derivatives and/or biodiesel through a process of photosynthesis and algae reproduction. The inherent benefit technology improvement has to do with the fact that if this particular process is perfected, the overall energy independence that a particular region or nation Hope to exhibit will be drastically increased. This technology does not exhibit any toxic or long-lasting negative impacts.

Night of the Living Dead Essay Example for Free

Night of the Living Dead Essay American  independent  black-and-white  horror film  and  cult film  directed by  George A. Romero   Night of the Living Dead  was heavily criticized during its release because of its explicit content, but received critical acclaim and was selected by the  Library of Congress  for preservation in the  National Film Registry  as a film deemed culturally, historically or aesthetically significant. reviewers cited the film as groundbreaking. Pauline Kael  called the film one of the most gruesomely terrifying movies ever made — and when you leave the theatre you may wish you could forget the whole horrible experience. .  . . The films grainy, banal seriousness works for it — gives it a crude realism. [62]  A  Film Daily  critic commented, This is a pearl of a horror picture which exhibits all the earmarks of a  sleeper. Since the release, critics and film historians have seen  Night of the Living Dead  as a subversive film that critiques 1960s American society, international  Cold War  politics and domestic  racism. Elliot Stein of  The Village Voice  saw the film as an ardent critique of American involvement in  Vietnam, arguing that it was not set in  Transylvania, but Pennsylvania — this was  Middle America  at war, and the zombie carnage seemed a grotesque echo of the conflict then raging inVietnam Pauline Kael,  5001 Nights at the Movies  (Henry Holt and Company, 1991 Elliot Stein, The Dead Zones: George A. Romero at the American Museum of the Moving Image,  The Village Voice(New York), January 8–14, 2003 http://www. filmsite. org/posters/psyc2. jpghttp://www. filmsite. rg/reddot. gif  Alfred Hitchcocks powerful, complex psychological thriller,  Psycho  (1960) is the mother of all modern horror suspense films it single-handedly ushered in an era of inferior screen slashers with blood-letting and graphic, shocking killings The master of suspense skillfully manipulates and guides the audience into identifying with the main character, luckless victim Mari on (a Phoenix real-estate secretary), and then with that characters murderer a crazy and timid taxidermist named Norman (a brilliant typecasting performance by Anthony Perkins). Hitchcocks techniques voyeuristically implicate the audience with the universal, dark evil forces and secrets present in the film. Psycho  also broke all film conventions by displaying its leading female protagonist having a lunchtime affair in her sexy white undergarments in the first scene; also by photographing a toilet bowl and flush in a bathroom (a first in an American film), and killing off its major star Janet Leigh a third of the way into the film . Film reviews, for instance, will sometimes take up political or sociological concerns in the course of issuing formal-aesthetic judgments. Night of the Living Deaddramatizes the bewildering and uncanny transformation of human beings into non-human forms. Indeed, like all metamorphosis narratives, the film carries uncomfortable messages about identity — about what it means to be a human being and about the terror of alienation. The films power to unsettle its audience also derives from its focus on the taboo subject of cannibalism (which it depicts far more graphically than previous zombie films). In the eighteenth century, the English ironist Jonathan Swift (1996) wroteA Modest Proposal,a darkly satirical attack on the privations suffered by the Irish people at the hands of the English in which the author ironically proposed that infants be killed and eaten in order to solve the problem of poverty in Ireland. Night of the Living Deadalso uses cannibalism as a metaphor for exploitative power relations. Thus, while it deals with a quite different set of social problems, Romeros film can also be seen a sinister satire that exploits an outrageous premise in the interests of social and political critique. In his book  Understanding Popular Culture,  John Fiske writes: It is not violence per se that characterises popular culture, but only that violence whose structure makes it into a metaphor for the distribution of power in society. Fiske, 1989: 137) According to Fiske, then, violence is a metaphor for inequitable (and presumably unjust) power relations in society. It is important, however, to understand this point in historical context. Violence became more commonly depicted in films and on television in the late 1960s, during a socially turbulent period when social hierarchies were being challenged   Night of the Living Dead  draws on Alfred Hitchcocks  Psycho  (1960), especially in its film craft: the use of shadow and camera angles. Night of the Living Dead  (and, indeed, its worthy equels) reminds us of something that the recent outbreak of zombie films may have caused us to forget: the oppositional potential of popular culture. In this sense, the film is an undead classic that can still tell us something about who we are — and warn us about what we might turn into. Waller, Gregory A. (1986),  The Living and the Undead  (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press) Swift, Jonathan (1996),  A Modest Proposal and other Satirical Works  (New York: Dover) like most genre movies, reflect the values and ideology of the culture that produced them. Don Siegels  Invasion of the Body Snatchers  (1956), for example, about an invasion of alien seed-pods that replace people with emotional replicas, is typically discussed in relation to American contemporary culture in the 1950s. Unlike earlier horror films,  Invasion of the Body Snatchers  imagines infection on an apocalyptic rather than personal scale, as in the vampire myth, a clear reflection of Cold War fears of nuclear destruction. But even as Americans felt threatened by possible nuclear war and Communist infiltration, the film also expresses a fear of creeping conformism at home. Invasion  makes the commonplace seem creepy, and in the climax a mob of plain-looking townsfolk pursue Miles and Becky out of town in a horrific evocation of the kind of witch-hunting mentality witnessed in the United States just a few years before the films releaseRead more:  Critical debates Horror Films actor, children, cinema  http://www. filmreference. com/encyclopedia/Criticism-Ideology/Horror-Films-CRITICAL-DEBATES. html#ixzz1qab4D5B2

Efficient Database Driven Reverse Mapping Dictionary

Efficient Database Driven Reverse Mapping Dictionary Building an Efficient Database Driven Reverse Mapping Dictionary ABSTRACT With the enormous availability of words in usage it is always being a challenge to find the meaning. Even the versatile speaker may thrash about finding a meaning for certain unheard words. In such cases they need some source for reference like dictionary. In traditional model for using dictionary, forward concept is implemented where it result in set of definition and it may produce a comprehensive phases. This may even confuse the user with the different concept of understanding or sometimes user could not understand the detailed concept. To overcome this concept, we facilitate reverse dictionary in which for any phases or word, the appropriate single word meaning is given. This system also facilitates to provide the relevant meaning even if that word is not available in the database. It will also produce instant output for the user input. 1. INTRODUCTION AND RELATED WORKS 1.1 ABOUT THE PROJECT:- Reverse Dictionary:- A reverse dictionary is a dictionary organized in a non-standard order that provides the user with information that would be difficult to obtain from a traditionally alphabetized dictionary. For example, A Reverse Dictionary of the Spanish Language and Walkers Rhyming Dictionary are reverse dictionaries, the organization of which is based upon sorting each entry word based upon its last letter and the subsequent letters proceeding toward the beginning of that word. Consequently, in these reverse dictionaries all words that have the same suffix appear in order in the dictionary. Such a reverse dictionary would be useful for linguists and poets who might be looking for words ending with a particular suffix, or by an anthropologist or forensics specialist examining a damaged text (e.g. a stone inscription, or a burned document) that had only the final portion of a particular word preserved. Reverse dictionaries of this type have been published for most major alphabetical languages (see numerous examples listed below). By way of contrast, in a standard dictionary words are organized such that words with the same prefix appear in order, since the sorting order is starting with the first letter of the entry word and subsequent letters proceeding toward the end of that word. Reverse dictionaries of this type were historically difficult to produce before the advent of the electronic computer and have become more common since the first computer sorted one appeared in 1974. Another use of the term reverse dictionary is for a reference work that is organized by concepts, phrases, or the definitions of words. This is in contrast to a standard dictionary, in which words are indexed by the headwords, but similar in function to a thesaurus, where one can look up a concept by some common, general word, and then find a list of near-synonyms of that word. (For example, in a thesaurus one could look up doctor and be presented with such words as healer, physician, surgeon, M.D., medical man, medicine man, academician, professor, scholar, sage, master, expert.) In theory, a reverse dictionary might go further than this, allowing you to find a word by its definition only. Such dictionaries have become more practical with the advent of computerized information-storage and retrieval systems Online Dictionary: On Line reverse dictionary lets you describe a concept and get back a list of words and phrases related to that concept. Your description can be a few words, a sentence, a question, or even just a single word. Just type it into the box above and hit the Find words button. Keep it short to get the best results. In most cases youll get back a list of related terms with the best matches shown first. How does it work? On Line indexes hundreds of online dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference sites. By now you may have used the standard search available from the home page, which shows you a list of definition links for any word you type in. This is the reverse: Here we search our references for words that have definitions conceptually similar to the words you search for. We do this using a motley assortment of statistical language processing hacks. Online reverse dictionary (RD). As opposed to a regular (forward) dictionary that maps words to their definitions, a RD performs the converse mapping, i.e., given a phrase describing the desired concept, it provides words whose definitions match the entered definition phrase. For example, suppose a forward dictionary informs the user that the meaning of the word â€Å"spelunking† is â€Å"exploring caves.† A reverse dictionary, on the other hand, offers the user an opportunity to enter the phrase â€Å"check out natural caves† as input, and expect to receive the word â€Å"spelunking† (and possibly other words with similar meanings) as output. Effectively, the RD addresses the â€Å"word is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t quite remember it† problem. A particular category of people afflicted heavily by this problem are writers, including students, professional writers, scientists, marketing and advertisement professionals, teachers, the l ist goes on. In fact, for most people with a certain level of education, the problem is often not lacking knowledge of the meaning of a word, but, rather, being unable to recall the appropriate word on demand. The RD addresses this widespread problem. 2. EXISTING SYSTEM:- In the fact that it is more significant to make a reference for unheard word, user prefers a source like dictionary for better understanding. The performance allows online interaction with users Current semantic similarity measurement schemes that are highly computationally intensive. In this technique, concepts are represented as vectors in a feature (or keyword) space. The two most common methods to achieve this, latent semantic indexing (LSI) and principal component analysis (PCA), both analyze the keywords of documents in a corpus to identify the dominant concepts in the document. Subsequently these dominant concepts are represented as vectors in the keyword space and are used as the basis of similarity comparison for classification. In most implementations of Concept Similarity Problem (CSP) solutions, vectorization is done a priori, and at runtime, only vector distances are computed. Drawbacks It requires the user’s input phrase to contain words that exactly match a dictionary definition; It does not scale well—for a dictionary containing more than 100,000 defined words, where each word may have multiple definitions, it would require potentially hundreds of thousands of queries to return a result. 3. PROPOSED SYSTEM:- Report the creation of the WordStar Reverse Dictionary (WRD), a database-driven RD system that attempts to address the core issues identified above. The WRD not only fulfils new functional objectives outlined above, it does so at an order of magnitude performance and scale improvement over the best concept similarity measurement schemes available without impacting solution quality. We also demonstrate that the WRD is far better in solution quality than the two commercial RDs available. Our reverse dictionary system is based on the notion that a phrase that conceptually describes a word should resemble the word’s actual definition, if not matching the exact words, then at least conceptually similar. Consider, for example, the following concept phrase: â€Å"talks a lot, but without much substance.† Based on such a phrase, a reverse dictionary should return words such as â€Å"gabby,† â€Å"chatty,† and â€Å"garrulous.† However, a definition of â€Å"garrulous† in a dictionary might actually be â€Å"full of trivial conversation,† which is obviously close in concept, but contains no exact matching words. In our RD, a user might input a phrase describing an unknown term of interest. Since an input phrase might potentially satisfy the definition of multiple words, a RD should return a set of possible matches from which a user may select his/her choice of terms. This is complex, however, because the user is unlikely to e nter a definition that exactly matches one found in a dictionary. The meaning of the phrase the user entered should be conceptually similar enough to an actual dictionary definition to generate a set of possible matches, e.g., returning to the â€Å"talks a lot, but without much substance† example, our reverse dictionary should return words like â€Å"garrulous.† Advantages It does so at an order of magnitude performance Scale improvement over the best concept similarity measurement schemes available without impacting solution quality The system architecture diagram enables you to graphically model the applications of a system, and the externals that they interface with and data stores that they use or provide information to. The following information describes the symbols used on the diagram: Application It uses the Application symbol to represent an entire application and graphically show on this diagram how it is related to externals and data stores. Within the application definition, it can specify overall information about the application the process threads in the organization that it enables, the type of team effort being used to build it, etc. To specify more details on the implementation of the application, you can create child Data Flow diagrams or UML diagrams, depending on the nature of the application. Data Flow It can model the flow of data as it moves from one point in the system to another with the Data Flow line. The flow might be between externals and applications, or applications and data stores. Within the data flow you can model the data elements and data structures used. Data flows can split into two or more flows, or they can join to one from two or more flows. Material Flow It can model the direction of the flow of physical items and materials in the system with the Material Flow line. The flow might be between externals and applications, or applications and data stores. Data Store A Data Store symbol is where data rests when it is neither flowing nor being operated on. A data store can be a database, hard disk, floppy disk, or a file on a disk. Multi-Data Store A Multi-Data Store symbol is used to denote that multiple instances of the data store exist. This convention is used to avoid drawing a copy of a schema for each equivalent data store when you build a data model. External An External symbol represents an object that sends information or data to the system, or takes information from the system, but is not itself part of the system. Multi-External A Multi-External symbol is used to denote that multiple instances of the external exist. 4. CONCLUSION:- In this paper, we describe the significant challenges inherent in building a reverse dictionary, and map the problem to the well-known conceptual similarity problem. We propose a set of methods for building and querying a reverse dictionary, and describe a set of experiments that show the quality of our results, as well as the runtime performance under load. Our experimental results show that our approach can provide significant improvements in performance scale without sacrificing solution quality. Our experiments comparing the quality of our approach to that of Dictionary.com and OneLook.com reverse dictionaries show that the Wordster approach can provide significantly higher quality over either of the other currently available implementations 5. REFERENCES IEEE:- [1] R. Baeza-Yates and B. Ribeiro-Neto, Modern Information Retrieval. ACM Press, 2011. [2] D.M. Blei, A.Y. Ng, and M.I. Jordan, â€Å"Latent Dirichlet Allocation,† J. Machine Learning Research, vol. 3, pp. 993-1022, Mar. 2003. [3] J. Carlberger, H. Dalianis, M. Hassel, and O. Knutsson, â€Å"Improving Precision in Information Retrieval for Swedish Using Stemming,† Technical Report IPLab-194, TRITA-NA-P0116, Interaction and Presentation Laboratory, Royal Inst. of Technology and Stockholm Univ., Aug. 2001. [4] H. Cui, R. Sun, K. Li, M.-Y. Kan, and T.-S. Chua, â€Å"Question Answering Passage Retrieval Using Dependency Relations,† Proc. 28th Ann. Int’l ACM SIGIR Conf. Research and Development in Information Retrieval, pp. 400-407, 2005. [5] T. Dao and T. Simpson, â€Å"Measuring Similarity between Sentences,† http://opensvn.csie.org/WordNetDotNet/trunk/Projects/Thanh/Paper/WordNetDotNet_Semantic_Similarity.pdf (last accessed 16 Oct. 2009), 2009. [6]Dictionary.com, LLC, â€Å"Reverse Dictionary,†http://dictionary. reference.com/reverse, 2009. [7] J. Earley, â€Å"An Efficient Context-Free Parsing Algorithm,† Comm. ACM, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 94-102, 1970. [8] Forrester Consulting, â€Å"Ecommerce Web Site Performance Today,† http://www.akamai.com/2seconds, Aug. 2009. [9] E. Gabrilovich and S. Markovitch, â€Å"Wikipedia-Based Semantic Interpretation for Natural Language Processing,† J. Artificial Intelligence Research, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 443-498, 2009. [10] V. Hatzivassiloglou, J. Klavans, and E. Eskin, â€Å"Detecting Text Similarity over Short Passages: Exploring Linguistic Feature Combinations Via Machine Learning,† Proc. Joint SIGDAT Conf. Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing and Very Large Corpora, pp. 203-212, June 1999.

The Safety Of Blood :: essays research papers fc

The Safety of Blood A five-year old girl is riding down the street, on her way to her best friend's house. She doesn't have a care in the world and is quietly humming to herself. Suddenly a car whips around the corner and swerves to avoid the child, but he looses control and squarely hits the girl, causing the her to fall and get trapped between the car and her battered bicycle. A main artery in her leg has been severed and blood fills the gutter of the street. As she gets rushed to the hospital in the ambulance, a pint of blood is given to her to attempt to replace some of the life giving fluid that is pouring out of her leg. In the end she received four pints of blood and made a full recovery. Although everything turned out all right for the girl, things could have been much different. What if that blood hadn't been there because the nation's blood supply was low? What if the blood that she received had been infected with a deadly disease such as Syphilis or HIV? These are pressing concerns for today's society. Even though one in every five people will need a blood transfusion and the risk of contracting a disease such as AIDS is practically negligible, people are still concerned that the blood that they receive may have harmful or deadly diseases and that today's blood supply is not "safe." However, "safe" means different things for different people. For some, safe is an absolute security from any danger. This is an extreme viewpoint, though, because most people realize that one can never be completely safe. Another, and more popularly held connotation of "safe," is the probability of not getting hurt. This is a much more reasonable and plausible definition and therefor will be used throughout this paper. However, even though the overwhelming probability is that nothing will go wrong, people still fear that the nation's blood supply is unsafe. They are incorrect in this belief, though, because much is done to assure that the nation's blood supply is, in fact, safe. One requirement to having a safe blood supply is to have an extensive reserve, because this allows for the option of discarding any blood that is potentially unsafe. The assurance of an ample blood supply begins with the donation process. Most of the people in this country have the capability to donate blood. However, only 4 percent of the eligible population actually donates.1 There are few restrictions and the reason why there are blood shortages is because people don't want to donate as opposed to can't donate.

Patents are Essential to the Modern World Essays -- Intellectual Prope

Patents are Essential to the Modern World A patent is the public disclosure of the invention and the best way of practicing the invention, in exchange for the rights to that information for a set period of time - twenty years. A patent permits its owner to exclude members of the public from making, using, or selling the claimed invention. This type of arrangement is a necessity for any type of scientific work. It allows other people to share in the ideas that have been thought and utilized by a company and/or individuals so that research is not unnecessarily performed twice. This is beneficial to the owner of the intellectual property (IP) so that financial reward can be obtained, and knowledge can be freely publicized for others thereby not inhibiting the progression of technology and science. This is a necessary step in the flow of scientific information so that the entire system remains efficient. The patent is a great way for protecting an inventor’s idea however there are some conditions attached to the granting of a patent. These are in relation to the use and history of the invention. The criteria that need to be met are that the invention is ‘Novel’, ‘non-obvious’ and commercial utility. The invention also has to work (be reproducible) and can not have been published publicly at any event prior to the filing of a patent. These factors need to be assessed before an application for a patent is filed. The patent is the most powerful method available to the owner of IP because it offers the most comprehensive cover, along with the most options in the ways that the idea can make money for the persons involved. Other means of protection are quite feeble in comparison to the patent, for example ... ... company. Or they are supplied with an annual crop which can only be used once, as it produces sterile seeds, and therefore they would have to purchase the same invention many times over simply due to a lack of money. This ensures rewards are passed on to the inventors of the invention. This is good in a commercial sense and enables quick progression of commercial products. It is also good in a way of freedom of research information. However the end user might not always be as well off as they could be. Overall the use of patents is an essential step in the commercialization of any product in the modern scientific environment. It is a method of trying to reduce the doubling up of research and ensuring the correct people are paid for the inventions. It is essential that some basic rules are followed and every idea is scrutinized by an application process.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Mississippi Burning :: Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry Essays

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Mississippi Burning Prejudice is just a word until a book or movie puts pictures in your mind. In Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Mississippi Burning, there are several scenes that have an impact on me. Both stories tell how badly the black families of Mississippi were treated, and they show how they suffered through it and came out the other end with courage and honor. It also tells how unfair the white men were to the blacks, inside and outside of the courtroom. Prejudice is an ugly subject, and is still taught today. The horrible things that the white man did to the colored man make me realize how ignorance certainly is bliss. In both Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Mississippi Burning, the black people were tortured and tormented for no reason other than that they were black. The black families in the book Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry live in constant fear of the nightriders. The nightriders would kill a man for looking at them the wrong way in those days. It is for this reason that the black people tried to have as little to do with the white men as possible. In the book, Papa tries to explain to Stacey why it's not such a good idea to get involved with Jeremy. "We Logans don't have much to do with the white folks. You know why?" Papa says, " `Cause white folks mean trouble" p. 158. In Mississippi Burning, the FBI agent Mr. Anderson tries to explain to his partner how prejudice the white men of Mississippi are. In this movie, the members of the Ku Klux Klan kill black men because they stepped out of line. When trying to explain this to his partner, Mr. Anderson tells him " Down here, things are different; here, they believe that some things are worth killing for." He also tells how thirty years ago, a black man could be hung for stealing a watermelon. After all the bad things that the white man did to the black man, I wouldn't be surprised if they still didn't forgive us. When comparing the book and the movie, I can't help but notice the honor and confidence that the black people possess.

Events Planning and Management Essay

What is an EventSpecial or spectacular occasions where people gather together for a purpose whether they be to celebrate, educate, promote or commemorate. They are not the usual and ordinary activities that one engages in as part of his daily life Who is an Event PlannerAn event planner is, quite simply someone who organizes events. He is the person behind the scenes who gets the job done and make sure everything is done and done flawlessly to ensure successful staging of the event. He must be well versed and trained on the communication and organization aspects and requirements of the job. Event planners usually get their start doing, supplying or providing services in one or two particular aspect of an special events such as catering, floral arranging, entertaining and talent agents eg before they decide to plan entire events. Or they may also have started planning and coordinating events for companies they were employed with before deciding to go into the business for themselves Since events may vary in size, scope and complexity, it may require an event planner to do any number of different task but all with the end result of achieving a successful event Categories of EventsSocial Events- more on a local level, attendees are usually related and/or know each other on a more personal level. Care and caution must be taken as the event planner may find himself in the storm of a family event , as emotions often run high on these special occasions. Make sure everyone knows their role and exactly what’s expected of them. List of common social events: weddings, reunions, housewarming/blessings/holiday parties and dinners/birthday parties/bar or bat mitzvahs/baby showers/anniversary parties/bridal showers/stag parties, et al. Corporate Events- the term â€Å"corporate† includes not only companies but also charities and nonprofit organizations. Charities and nonprofit organizations host gala fundraisers, receptions and athletic competitions, among other events, to expand their public support base and raise funds. Companies host trade shows, conventions, company outings, holiday parties and meetings for their employees, staff, board members and stock holders. Some types of corporate events: Annual shareholder meetings, board meetings, client appreciation events, company socials (such as holiday parties, intramurals and sports events, company outings), groundbreaking ceremonies, incentive travel, open houses, new product launch, press briefings, staff training, union events/meetings et al Industry Events – Industry events today are sophisticated affairs designed to inform, influence and form consensus on a specific issue or common topic. Industry specific events include: Conventions, association meetings, conferences, industry tradeshows, public exhibitions(bridal fairs, auto shows, home shows), symposiums et al Special Events – The term â€Å"special events† can describe a broad range of affairs which are big, national or local in scope such as major sporting events (palarong pambansa), major public events (EDSA Day celebration), major cultural and religious affairs ( Baguio mayflower festival, dinagyang, ati-atihan, sinulog festival), However special events may also be much smaller, specific and more private in scope. List of special events include the following: Award events, book launching, signing/author reading, CD release parties, charity fund raisers, children’s festival, ethnic celebrations, fashion shows, holiday special events, inauguration ball, music festival, parades, political forums or debates, restaurant openings, sporting event-car races, store grand openings STEPS IN EVENTS PLANNING 1. Client Consultation Whether you have your own event planning business or work full time planning events for one company you will work with clients. As a corporate events planner your internal clients will be other departments (HRD, Marketing, Operations etc). on the other hand if you are doing events planning independently you will be dealing with company representatives or in some cases the company officials themselves. In each case consultation will be of primary importance as these will determine the direction, objective and purpose and vision of the event. At the initial meeting do more listening than talking, pay careful attention to everything the client says, make notes or record the meeting(with clients permission), bring an assistant to make notes for you. When its your turn, ask the client to describe their vision for the event. Then from broad ideas, you will refine the vision as you move through the planning process. Questions such as those below will help the events planner to begin to visualize the event and serve as the foundation for all the work to come. Things to discus with the client: What kind of event do you want What do you hope to accomplish When is the event to be held Who are expected to attend What is the budget At the end of the consultation you should have a clear picture of what your client envisions for their event and be able to form a clear, concise â€Å"mission statement† or objective. Other things to discus: who will be involved in the planning process, who will be the key decision makers, and how information should flow during the planning stage. This is precisely to anticipate and eliminate possible roadblocks as you can before you reach them since as the events planner it is your responsibility to take charge of planning. After the initial meeting and while it is still fresh on the mind of both parties (planner and client) summarize the discussion in writing and send a copy to the client if possible on the same day or soon after. 2. Set Objectives The best and most successful events have a clear purpose or objective. Event planners can avail of the SMART method for setting strategic objectives: Specific- What is the specific result of you event Measurable- Outcome should be measurable accurately Attainable- Given the existing budget and resources and constraint, is the objective attainable Relevant- Do the people involved have the authority, the skill and the resources needed to meet the objective? Is the objective important to the organization or individual? Time- Based- Is there a start and end point to the objective? Setting smart objectives will not only make the planning easier but will help measure the success of the event and create a positive experience for all involved. 3. Choose a Date and a Location At this planning stage, preferred date should be decided upon. Client will often but not always come with a date in mind for the event. If they don’t, it will be your job to help pick a suitable date. But whether you do the setting of the date or not you need to consider the following before choosing the date or accepting the client. Things to consider when choosing a date: Consider your availability Consider other events in the area Consider the season and usual weather in the chosen location Consider your suppliers Consider other related events Consider other holidays Consider your time needs 4. Decide Who to Invite Your client needs to give you an idea of who they want to attend their event before you can begin to formulate a plan to attract the target audience or plan activities. The following data or information are required (depending on the type of event) How many people are to be invited Will spouses or children also attend Demographics of the target audience (eg. Gender, median age, ethnic background, income bracket) Common or shared interest What payback does the client expect Where are the attendees coming from (travel arrangement, customs and traditions) 5. Create Your Theme The most memorable events have a cohesive theme that runs through-out, from initial publicity to printed invitations to decor and right through to the entertainment and final applause. One of the biggest advantages of a strong theme is its usefulness in helping you make decisions throughout the event process. Once a theme has been decided on, print materials such as invitations, banners, place cards, brochures, advertising and websites can be designed. Where to get ideas for a great theme Brainstorm Events Industry Current Events and Trends Adding a Musical Touch 6. Set the Event Agenda After the date, guest list, the theme and setting of the smart objectives , its time to set the agenda for the event. Whether its a simple house blessing or a three day corporate event, its important to layout the entire schedule. Include adequate time for arrival, socializing, speeches, awards/games, food, etc. â€Å"Visualize† the event and run through the entire program from start to finish. Make notes of all you might need such as materials, services, special arrangements, eg. Create a list of vendors and suppliers to contact and task to be done. GETTING ORGANIZED As an event planner, you will need a variety of organizational tools that will help you keep track of all the many details involved in organizing the event and ensuring an orderly and systematic execution of plans aimed towards making the event successful 1. Establish an Event Committee Although it is a given that you will do all the planning and planning of the event yourself, in most cases, you will work with a group of people who are expected to make the event successful Choose a select group of key people to form an Events Committee Assign specific task to each committee member Regular committee meeting Document everything 2. Create a Timeline Schedule Base your timeline on factors such as The size of the event The location The time of year The number of people involved in the planning Develop an outline of specific tasks, deadlines and responsibilities 3. Adding Detail As you start developing your checklist, add as much detail as possible for each item. For example under the â€Å"Assigned tasks for day of event† list the specific task that needs to be assigned such driving to airport pick up, supervising set up, leading briefing sessions with speakers, seating, greeting, supervising set up of luncheon, etc. Once you have develop the checklist, assign target dates to each item, It is a good idea to work backwards from your event date 4. Critical Path ( Assignment of Task) A critical path lists each of the tasks that needs to be accomplished; who is responsible for it and the deadline by which it will be done. It is used as a guide map for the event to assist when delegating responsibilities and show whether you are on track. 5. Budgets Creating a budget is an important ingredient in a successful event. Once you have created a timeline schedule and critical path, you can come up with a list of estimated expenses such as venue rental, food, transportation, accommodations, audio-visual equipment, printed materials and gifts. Get price quotations from your suppliers to find out how much a particular item costs You will also need to include your own fee and corporate clients may want to include any staff time they spend on the event as an expense. When planning a budget, include your potential revenue to offset the cost. For example, is the event a fundraiser? Is it a conference or convention that should aim to cover its own expenses? Attendance fees, sales of related materials, donations, ticket sales and sponsorships can all be good ways to raise revenues. After the event you should compare actual expenses and revenues to your budgeted amounts. This will help you determine if your objectives were met and it may assist in budgeting for future events. PREPARATION TIME FOR VARIOUS EVENTS TIMELINE SCHEDULE EVENT TYPE Recommended Preparation Time Wedding 3-6 months Parties (birthdays/anniversaries/debut) 1-3 months Seminars/Meetings 1-3 months Conference / Convention ~ Domestic ~ International 6months – 1year 1-2years Organized Tours / Field Trips 1-3 months Concerts 6months and above Festivals 6month-1year Exhibitions / Expositions ~ Domestic ~ International 6months-1year 1-2years Sales Bazaar (â€Å"tiange†, night market) 6months Competition / Contests 6months-1year Sport Festivals 6months-1year SAMPLE TIME ALLOCATION (More Than A Year Pre-planning Activity) Activity Period Announcement date & location 52weeks before the event First press date 24-36weeks Publication 24th week Mailing of brochures 14-18th week Mailing of 2nd reminder 14th week Mailing of final reminder 8-12th week Mailing of final program 2-6 weeks Sample Budget Groundbreaking Ceremony Estimated Expenses Groundbreaking Site Tent 1,200. 00 Chairs600. 00 Banner600. 00 Podium Sign150. 00 Lights150. 00 Flowers600. 00 Shovels200. 00 Subtotal 3, 500. 00 Luncheon Expenses Lunch 12,000. 00 Rental of Civic Center 1,500. 00 Floral centerpieces600. 00 Gifts for dignitaries (6plaques) 2,000. 00 Gifts for guests (60 mini shovels) 1,600. 00 Information kit folders 1,500. 00 Printing of Fact Sheet 650. 00 Podium Sign 150. 00 Subtotal20, 000. 00 Other Expenses Services of Event Planner 10,000. 00 Long distance / Phone300. 00 Printing of Invitations 1,200. 00 Courier charges for invitations500. 00 Delivery of boxes to site500. 00 Photographer800. 00 Sound system 1,500. 00 Event Planner’s transportation600. 00 Rental of van/minibus 2,500. 00 News release 1,000. 00 Subtotal18,900 . 00 TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENSES42, 400. 00 (taxes not included) Event Planning Budget Form EXPENSES Estimated Actual Site Venue or tent rental______________________ Tables and chairs______________________ Meals and beverages ______________________ Tableware rental______________________ Staging______________________ Audiovisual equipment______________________ Decorations______________________ Flowers______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Program Musicians______________________ Speakers______________________ Celebrities______________________ Entertainers______________________ Gifts______________________ Award______________________ Activities (e. g. golf)______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Event Planning Budget Form (continued) EXPENSES Estimated Actual Printing and Promotion Printing invitations______________________ Mailing invitations______________________ Banners and signs ______________________ Printing tickets______________________ Event programs______________________ Name tags______________________ Shipping materials to venue______________________ Advertising______________________ Distribution of news release______________________ Media kits______________________ Long distance telephone______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Personnel Event Planner______________________ Staff salaries and benefits______________________ Registration______________________ Photographer______________________ Bartenders______________________ Security staff______________________ Set-up and tear down______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Event Planning Budget Form (continued) EXPENSES Estimated Actual Travel Airline tickets______________________ Hotel rooms______________________ Ground transportation ______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Other Expenses Registration fees______________________ Ticket sales______________________ Sponsorships______________________ Advertising in event program______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ REVENUE Estimated Actual Registration fees______________________ Ticket sales______________________ Donations______________________ Sponsorships______________________ Advertising in event program ______________________ Other: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ COSTING OF A BIRTHDAY EVENT Profile: No. of Persons: 50 Time: 7pm-12mn (5hours) Site: Function Rooms 3 – Globe Telecom Plaza AT COST 1. Venue a. Function room rate †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2,300. 00 b. Electricity for 5hours†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 500. 00 c. Parking for ingress and egress†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 100. 00 d. Move-in (refundable)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1,500. 00 4,400. 00 2. Decor a. Balloons and Arrangement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2,500. 00 (free 50balloons/arched shape/2tower) b. Flowers and Arrangement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1, 250. 00 (centerpiece for guests tables & buffet table)3,750. 00 3. Invitations & Giveaways a. Invitations (P25. 00 x 50)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1,250. 00 b. Angels (70 pcs at P23. 00 each)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1,610. 00 2,860. 00 4. Tables and Chairs a. Rent for 6rounds tables†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 270. 00 (for 8persons at 45. 00 each table) b. Rent of chairs (5. 00 x 50)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 250. 00 c. Rent of buffet table (100. 00 x 5)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 500. 00 d. Table Napkin (5. 00 x 50)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 250. 00 e. Chair cover with ribbon (15. 00 x 50) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 750. 00 2,020. 00 5. Audio Equipment a. Rental†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5,000. 00 5,000. 00 6. Food (2 appetizers/ 5 courses / 2desserts/ bottomless drinks-tea/ softdrinks) a. Cost Breakdown 250. 00 rate per person 25. 00 10% service fee 275. 00 x 50 persons†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13,750. 00 13,750. 00 TOTAL 31,780. 00 YOUR COSTS CHECKLIST TYPE OF COST Details Examples FIXED COST Projection Screens, Video projectors, slide projector/OHP, video players(back-up player), preview monitor, LCD for Power point presentation, laser pointer, lectern monitors Sound Speakers, lectern microphones, tie-microphones, CD player, talkback system, mixer cabling, adaptors, music copyright or creation fees Speaker support Design, image production, print proofs, scriptwriting, speaker training, rehearsals Staging Design lecterns, backdrop, steps, dais, furnishings, graphics, carpeting, seating area, special construction, drop banners, room decorations, floor plan, revised lay-outs. Lighting Design, equipment hire, installation, crew, freight and transportation, rigging and de-rigging costs Crew/Staff Get-in crew, on-site crew, De-rigging crew, transportation per diems (allowance for sustenance) for each member, show caller, script assistant, live video crew, lighting director, sound technician, vision technician Fees and Insurance ‘Procedure’s fee, Project fee, contingency for administration cost, equipment insurance Invitations process Cost of advertising, posters, and follow-up activity, flyers, direct mail costs Function Rooms and Contracts VARIABLE COSTS Banqueting Food and Beverages Accommodation Types of accommodations and, inclusions Travel Types of transportations and inclusions Fees Porterage fees, gratuity fees, parking fees, service charges Decors/Giveaways Flowers, candles, souvenir items Insurance Surety bonds, cash bonds, personal accident insurance, travel insurance CONTIGENCY COSTS Contingency for direct costs Contingency for currency fluctuations Peso-dollar exchange rate TYPE OF COST DESCRIPTION LIKELY PERCENTAGE F I X E D C O S T S Production, staging & outside speakers Invitation process, marketing, design Venue Agency fees Signage Security, car parking set-up Cabaret, entertainment Registration costs Utilities (telephone, faxes, e-mail) We weather back-up 35% Production Costs could be as much as 25% of direct costs V A R I A B L E C O S T S Meals, breaks Beverages Accommodation Travel Delegate print Table/room gifts Porterage, car parking per person Late bar drinks Insurance, purchase tax Gratuity Fees 50% CONTINGENCY 10% to cover all contingencies for direct costs Allowance for currency movements (for abroad) 15% TOTAL BUDGET 100% 6. Crisis and Back Up Planning Disasters and crises can range from relatively small (the guest of honor’s plane is delayed due to bad weather) to huge and seemingly insurmountable, like the heavy rains and flooding that tropical storm Ondoy brought in Sept. 2009 . A good event planner will be able to think on his or her feet for the small stuff, and have a solid crisis plan in place for dealing with the biggies. You can’t possibly expect to plan for every type of crisis, but a little advance planning will go along way to ensure that you can handle whatever comes your way. a. Maintenance Emergencies If your event takes place in hotel or convention facility you should discuss emergency plans with the Director of Sales and Maintenance Engineer. They should provide you with a contact at the site who will take care of any emergency or maintenance issues. If your event is being held in a private hall, find out who in their organization is responsible for facility maintenance and ask for someone to be available during your event. In your contact list, keep numbers of 24-hour locksmiths, plumbers and electricians. b. Medical Emergencies When planning a large outdoor festival or sporting event, it is advisable to have first aid personnel on hand for emergencies. Festival-goers may suffer from heat stroke (or hypothermia in a cold location), minor or major cuts, sunburn or food poisoning. It’s a good idea to include in your rental items a tent that can be used to shelter people fro the sun or cold while receiving treatment for minor injuries. Discuss option and get advice from your local ambulance volunteer force or contracted service providers. Be sure to include the local hospital, emergency line and non-emergency police number in your list of contacts. Organizing the Team for the Event Most events are organized through good team (2 or more persons working together) work. It is important that when tasks are allocated within a team the strengths of its members are put to good use. For example, it is no good asking someone to be the secretary who is has little skills in oral communications. The following are the roles that can be adopted in any event: Coordinator Secretary Treasurer Marketing/Promotion **The Number in the Team and their responsibilities will vary according to the scale of the event. It is important that all team members fully understand what their jobs entail and are aware of all the schedules and deadlines that have been agreed. It is much better to have someone in your team who is reliable rather than a â€Å"prima donna† who promises everything and delivers nothing. Planning Contributions to A Team Event Most events are not the result of one person’s work alone. Events are made through the concerted efforts of a group of people or a team who are working for the same general objective ~ to achieve a successful event. Within this team there will be a number of weakness in their areas of work. These skills, strengths and weaknesses should considered carefully when the various jobs within the team are allocated. Each team member will plan their own contribution to the event to be staged. The following details have to be considered: How one’s role in an event can support another’s and can support the objectives of the event How by adopting certain methods the resources available can be used to their maximum benefit What a person should do when something happens and their role does not go to plan Problems that may occur and how they could be handled effectively to try to reduce their impact on the event How staff and customers can be informed promptly and clearly of any changes which may affect them General guidelines for undertaking a role in an event Roles and Responsibilities of the Team The Coordinator (Chairperson) Overseas the Event Liaising with other members of the team Ensures that deadlines are met Raises any problems that may be occurring and finding solutions Chairs meetings of the event committee Ensures that everyone has a fair share of time to raise issues. Voice opinions etc. at meeting discuss issues Makes sure that the agenda for the meeting is covered Resolves any disagreements in the team regarding issues concerning the event through voting The Administrator Deals with correspondence, letters and other forms of communications Produces minutes of committee meetings Assist other members of the team with administrator The Financial Controller (Treasurer) Overseas all financial transactions Records financial transactions Holds the cheque book Sets-up a secure system using money available Produces income/expenditure accounts with receipts and others clearly documented Designs procedures for the secure holding of income before, during and after the event Ensures that the event meets the budget set The Publicity Officer Promotes the event Organizes promotional materials (ads, leaf- lets, brochures, flyers, etc) according to the scale of the event Liaising with outside agencies (eg. Local newspaper companies, radio/TV stations, etc. ) Organizes press coverage of the event The Facility Officer Finds and organizes the venue Organizes special tools and equipment needed in the event such as lighting fixtures, sound system etc Arranges for security Arranges for parking Arranges toilet facilities and waste disposal **Though each team member has his own set of res- ponsibilities, it is imperative that he communicate effectively with the others so that problems (should they arise) can be highlighted and dealt with as effectively as possible. After the Team has been organized, the following details will now be covered: Reason/s for holding the event Objectives to be attained Your target beneficiaries/market Period to hold the event Identifying the best site to hold the event The cost of the event including budget allocation The selling price of the event (per person/ per total package cost) The financial goal of the event ~ To raise money To make a profit To cover costs of the event A time-scale of how different tasks to be planned and implemented The need for good team effort, sticking to budgets and using resources available to their best advantages Efficient uses of communications between members Effective publicity Contingency plans Strategy for dealing with customers A good working environment friendly, support, etc Feedback to all contributions on the outcome of the event 3 PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT 1. Pre~Event Phase (Preparation of Materials) Organization of the Team Venue/Site Selection Food Requirements Equipments & Tools Preparation of Materials Decors/Artwork Communications & Proposal Promotions Schedule of Activities (Program) Costing and Design 2. Actual Event Phase (Implementation & Administrative Stage) Production of Materials Needed for the Event Promotions Rehearsal/ Final Briefing Decorations Registration The Output Security Participant’s Evaluation 3. Post Event Phase (Disposal Stage) Egress Evaluation Profitability of the Event Building your Budget Defining the budget is the first major challenge an event organizer faces as eh plans the event. An experienced organizer will know whether the budget is sufficient to do the job to the standard expected. Depending on the event you are organizing, compile a checklist of all costs that will be incurred in making the event happen. Classify costs accordingly: Fixed Costs Variable Costs Contingency Budget CO-PRENEURS OF AN EVENT ORGANIZER 1. Hotels and Other lodging Facilities 2. Travel Agents/Consultants 3. Caterers/ Food Establishment 4. Airline Companies and Other modes of Transportation 5. Artist 6. Audio/ Visuals Consultants 7. Other events specialist (wedding planner/meeting Planner/tour planner) 8. Entertainers/Talents 9. Professionals and consultants, EVALUATING THE EVENT Evaluation of any event is concerned with the feedback from the event – not just from those who organized or staffed the event but from anyone who played a part in it. This could include: Staff Organizers Clients/Visitors Volunteers Sponsors Officials And other co-preneurs of the event planner When an event is planned the purpose of the event is clearly defined. It is against this that the event should be evaluated. Evaluation does not just take place at the end of an event. It is an ongoing process which occurs throughout the event. During the planning stage everything to do with the event is monitored and if any problems appear, adjustments have to be made. It is through this process that the event is finally stage and organized to meet the objectives of the event. **The opportunity to review and evaluate the event is important as a learning exercise. If the event is to be stage again in the future it is an invaluable help as the thing that went well can be repeated and those things that were not too successful can be changed next time. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR EVENTS BE PREPARED. As the Scout motto says! Good preparation is the foundation for a good event. If the team as a whole are well prepared this will set the tone for the event. BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR OBJECTIVES. Make sure that the all team fully understand what is to be achieved by the staging of this event. If all team members are will informed, everyone will be working towards the same goal. WORKS AS A TEAM. Any good team builds on the strength of its members and is supportive and helpful to each other. To operate effectively the team should meet on a regular basis and be able to communicate with each other with relative and be able to communicate with each other with relative ease. A good team has a good team leader at its front. This team leader should be a good motivator who can generate enthusiasm and perseverance. REMEMBER CUSTOMER CARE. A smile of welcome costs nothing and will affect the way visitors feel about the event. Remember, even if your stand/ job in the event isn’t very busy do not sir around looking bored and uninterested – this is sure to put potential clients off. Try to be alert, ready for action and enthusiastic at all times. If clients enjoy the event they will come back and tell their friends. BE RECOGNIZABLE. More and more teams in organizations are adopting their own uniforms. These help the visitors as it makes the staff immediately recognizable from the clients. When you stage an event you should consider adopting a uniform for all the staff involved in the event. This does not have to be complicated or expensive . For example, the team may decide to wear black trousers and a white T-shirt. These are items of clothing that most people have in their wardrobes. Plain colored T-shirts are relatively inexpensive to purchase. You may have the name of your event on the front, or local screen printer would do this at a small cost. This creates a good image for the visitors of the event and is something the rest of the team can keep to remind them of the event in the future. KEEP TO SCHEDULES. Reliability, both within the team and within the event itself, sis important. The team should make sure the all deadlines are met if it is at all possible to do so. Punctuality should be important for all team meetings etc. If someone is always late for a meeting it is unsurprising that other team members act on their knowledge and turn up, not at the start time of befo

A study on the role of child labor in developing countries in the 21st century Essay

What role does child labor play in developing countries in the 21st century? Child labor is currently one of the most destructive obstacles to stand in the way of social development from taking place. In developing countries in the twenty-first century, child labor is considered to be a serious issue. According to the World without work (Thompson) in some areas of the world society has a heavy reliance on machines and automated labor. While in other areas, primarily developing countries there is a heavy reliance on child labor. In the Myth of Sisyphus (Camus) the main character works continuously with no purpose, however, in reality, individuals in developing countries have to contend with the idea of working towards the idea of survival. Recently the International Labour Organization (ILO,2013) estimated there are around 215 million children between the ages five to fourteen who works worldwide. They are often mistreated and work for prolonged hours, in very bad conditions. This can affect their health physically, mentally and emotionally. These children do not have the basic rights like access to school or health care. This can have adverse effects on future generations, making the country’s situation even worse. According to a multitude of diverse scholars, the term child labor has several definitions. According to Suda(2011), the term child labor refers to when children are working in any type of work that is dangerous and harmful to children’s health or the work hinders their education. For Moyi (2011) child labor refers to low wages, long hours, physical and sexual abuse. According to Edmonds and Pavcnik (2005), child labor is viewed as a form of child labor abuse when children work in bad conditions and hazardous occupations. In developing countries, child labor is primarily caused by poverty, inequality, a slow transition of demographics, and a dependence on farm labor. Regarding the reason as to why families end up deciding to send their children into the workforce it usually has to do with spacing and birth order of children, and the number. When a child enters the labor force at such a young age it perpetuates familial poverty throughout several generations. This, in turn, wil l result in the lack of social growth and development and economic growth. It is this institution of child labor that prevents young children both boys and especially girls from obtaining the proper and fundamental education required for individuals to eventually obtain work opportunities that will result in a proper future for the rest of their familial generations. It is evident that â€Å" The incidence of child labor is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa followed by Asia and the Pacific. The prevalence of child labor is very high in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Nigeria.About 48 million child laborers across sub-Saharan Africa, including 15 million in Nigeria engaged in child labor â€Å"(Ajakaye,2013). According to LUP (2002), it is apparent that some government agencies are attempting to alleviate this child labor situation while others are either in support or remain idle because they desire the quick and easy economic benefits. What they fail to bring into considerat ion is the future of the people and the country. It is not an economically nor is it a socially viable solution to continue down the path that involves child labor.    In the twentieth century employing children created no serious social issues. It was only when the idea of factory systems was implemented that social issues began to develop and change. It was after factories were implemented children ended up working for little amounts of money. Their money made a bit of an impact on the incomes that families made. Thus children spent more time in these so-called sweatshops and less time in the classroom. This resulted in children becoming uneducated. Uneducated themselves, and their children uneducated as well a cycle began to continue. Thus people and families wound up in a vicious cycle with no way to get out. â€Å"The first federal child labor law was passed in the U.S. Congress in 1916. This law â€Å"set standards for the hiring of children by industries involved in interstate or foreign commerce†( Unicef). In developing countries, there are minute protections for children primarily because of how difficult it is to get people out of the vicious cycle. According to a study done in (2007) on child labor in Luanda, Angola conducted by ICF International Inc partnered with an organization in Angola, Austral COWI, discovered that â€Å"There is a large gap between the educational attainment of children who are working in their teen years (ages 14 to 17) when a child should be attending secondary school. Only 30.0 percent of children who have completed some secondary school were working. At each progressively lower attainment group, this figure becomes higher (42.4 percent for primary complete, 58.8 percent for primary incomplete, and 72 percent for those with no formal education)†. This study ended up revealing to the local government in Angola the conditions of work, educational status, and the services that are incorporated into a society that are designed to help the children. Currently, the elimination of child labor is becoming more of an issue that more and more international organizations are becoming interested and involved in. In order to properly combat the current child labour issue the countries that are affected need to set up programs that provide families with support and awareness, they need to create and implement policies and legislation that will improve the overall well being of the people, and they also need to think about helping the people have more of a say in the companies and having more ownership of the companies within the country. When all of these solutions are implemented in each of the countries there should be a drastic increase in overall social and economic well being. It may not be witnessed instantly, however, it will be observed if not within the generation then within the next generation. The vicious cycle of poverty will then see some substantial changes.    References Camus, A. (1942). The Myth of Sysiphus. Child labor – The British Library. (2009). Retrieved from https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/child-labour Child labor | Law | The Guardian. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/law/child-labour Edmonds, & Pavnick. (2005). Child Labor | Human Rights Watch. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/topic/childrens-rights/child-labor ICF. (2007). Child labor – The British Library. Retrieved from https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/child-labour IL0. (2013). International Labour Office- Questions and Answers on child labor. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_norm/—declaration/documents/publi cation/wcms_decl_fs_52_en.pdf LUP. (2002). Global – Child Labour – WE. Retrieved from https://www.we.org/gb/we-at-school/we-schools/issues-backgrounders/global-child-la labor/ Moyi, & Child Labor Public Education Project. (2011). Child Labor in U.S. History – The Child Labor Education Project. Retrieved from https://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/us_history.html Suda. (2011). Child Labor – Facts & Summary – HISTORY.com. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/child-labor Thompson. (2015). A World Without Work – The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/07/world-without-work/395294/ Unicef. (2015). Background Information on Child Labour – World Day Against Child Labour, 12 June. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/events/childlabourday/background.shtml Unicef. (2016). Child labor | Child protection from violence, exploitation, and abuse | UNICEF. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/protection/57929_child_labour.html