Beowulf- Christian or Pagan? Essay

Pointing out what makes up a Christian or pagan story will explain this most clearly. In a Christian story, it must have these elements: First of all, the story must have at least one of the characters believe in the one true God. Christ founded the Christians so the Christians must believe in what He says. Since, Christ taught the Trinity and that there is one true God, then it is a part of that religion – so a Christian story must have this belief. Secondly, a Christian story must have Christian virtues or values. Christ taught the New Law, which states to avoid violence and love your enemies, if necessary defend yourself. Jesus also taught the Beatitudes which states to be virtuous and generous – so a Christian story must also have those elements. On the contrary, a pagan story must have these elements: For instance, pagans believe in anything non-Christian. The definition of a pagan is a non-Christian – so whatever Christians do they do the opposite. If the story is mostly non-Christian then it is a pagan story. Also, pagans believe in myths. Since, Christians believe in one God and truth, then the pagans believe in many gods and myths. So, when the story has many gods and mythology and the characters believe it – it must be pagan. Look more:  beowulf essay Having explained the differences between a Christian and pagan story – it can go on to finding these elements in the epic. Beowulf has both aspects of pagan and Christian. A few of the many of these Christian elements are these: First, â€Å"holy God decided the victory. It was easy for the Lord, the Ruler of Heaven, to redress the balance once Beowulf got back up on his feet. † (lines 1553-1556). God helped Beowulf win this fight and he praises him for it. Beowulf believes in God so he knows that he could not have done it without Him. Second, â€Å"I was†¦ given full measure†¦ to choose from Hrothgar’s treasures†¦ King Hygelac, I am happy to present to you as gifts. † (lines 2145-2149). Beowulf was generous to give his rewarded gifts to his beloved uncle – so Beowulf had Christian values. He was not selfish and kept it all to himself, but gave to others like Christ gave. However, some of the pagan elements in Beowulf are these: Such as, â€Å"his glee was demonic, picturing the mayhem: before morning he would rip life from limb and devour them, feed on their flesh;† (lines 730-731) and â€Å"he dived into the heaving depths of the lake. It was the best part of the day before he could see the solid bottom. † (lines 1494-1496). The first reference was about Grendel, who was a mythical creature and he does not exist, which is pagan. The second reference was about Beowulf swimming and holding his breath for hours, which is impossible, so he has super human strength, so it is pagan. Including, â€Å"The Geat people built a pyre for Beowulf†¦ a wild litany of nightmare and lament: her nation invaded, enemies on the rampage, bodies in piles, slavery and abasement. Heaven swallowed the smoke. † (lines 3137 and 3152-3155). Christian stories never really end dark, saturnine, and foreboding. Also, his burial was a pagan one, so Beowulf does not know Christianity as well, to know that he asked for a pagan burial. Even though Beowulf can be both pagan or Christian, one must override the other. Beowulf is a Christian epic, Christianity overrides Paganism, for the storyline of Beowulf follows the storyline of Christ; making Beowulf as Christ. One example is when Beowulf was called, â€Å"protector of his people, pledged to uphold truth and justice and to respect tradition† (lines 1700-1701). Christ healed people individually from sin at first. Then same with Beowulf, he helps the town of the Danes, first. Additionally, Beowulf â€Å"was sad at heart, unsettled yet ready, sensing his death. † (line 2419-2420). Christ willingly fights Satan and dies to save his people. Anyhow, Beowulf also fights the dragon (devil) and readily dies to save his people (town). Moreover, â€Å"The lord of the Geats took eleven comrades,† (line 2401) and â€Å"the youth was to enter the line of battle with his lord. † (lines 2625-2626). Christ asks twelve to go with him to death, then one betrays, and the others fled; so the youngest (John) stays with him until death. A bit different in Beowulf, but it happens that he asks eleven to go help him fight the devil dragon, and they all fled except the youngest (Wiglaf), who stayed with him and fought with him until death. So it happens that, â€Å"The treasure had been won, bought and paid for by Beowulf’s death. † (lines 2847-2848). Christ dies to defeat Satan and win the spiritual lives of his people. Then, Beowulf also dies which kills the dragon and the â€Å"treasure† or his town’s lives were won and saved. Therefore, because the storyline of Beowulf is closely related to that of Christ’s storyline; it concludes that Beowulf is a fundamentally Christian story. The epic, Beowulf, is definitely a Christian epic, but it displays the transition from Paganism to Christianity; that is why there are some pagan aspects, for Beowulf and all his other relatives and fellow barbarians are still in the process of learning all the rules of the Christians. â€Å"Sometimes at pagan shrines they vowed offerings to idols†¦ the Lord God†¦ was unknown to them. † (lines 175-176 and 181-182); that stated that the barbarians were pagan, but converted. Therefore, Beowulf, has a few pagan aspects in it, but is primarily Christian.

Devloping Property Investment Strategy

Abstract This research proposal investigates the varying methods of choice when investing in direct or indirect property. Investment is the giving up of a capital sum now in exchange for the benefits to be received in the future, such as income flow and or capital gains. The results show a choice of investment opportunities that can be made by measuring risk and return and by balancing different types of asset classes. Using the different investment choices available a strategy plan can then be developed tailoring to the needs of the client. There are four main areas of research that should be considered by each individual when developing a property investment strategy; the investor’s objectives, how much the investor can afford to invest, the level of risk acceptable, and the rate of return desired. The motive however for all investors is the same, to increase wealth and secure their future. Contents Introduction3 Research questions3 Literature review4 Investment requirements/objectives4 Property as an Investment5 Property investment analysis9 Developing an Investment Strategy11 Research Design13 Significants13 Definitions13 Limitations14 References14 Introduction There are many different types of investments some of which include; stocks and shares, bonds and bills, property, trusts, syndicates, debentures, insurance policies and superannuation. The type and size of these property investments appeal to different investors from the small individual properties to the property trusts worth millions of dollars. Location can also play a role in subdividing the different categories even further such as an industrialist might limit their demand for factory space to a specific area, whereas the industrial property acquired by investment fund for its portfolio may not worry about the country or region of which it purchase its property from. Investment in property can be direct or indirect; can be acquired by way of auction, by tender, by private treaty or by take over bid (Enver 2002). Australian investors have forever been fascinated in real estate as it still remains the main class of investment for individuals and investment funds, however many people are still under the impression that an asset of land will offer secure and lasting returns. In fact the acquisition of land must require informed and justifiable decisions involving the comparison of alike assets including tenanted houses and units, syndicates, property trusts and funds. (Rowland 1997) The main area of study describes the planning required for investment in property. Investment returns and yields are explained with risk level outlined in the current market. Explanations in methods of investing in property and a plan of developing an investment strategy. Comparisons to the stock market transactions are quick and easy, compared with property transactions where time and money is needed to collect information on each property that is up for sale. Then an inspection and analysis of each property needs to take place to ensure all the facts and figures are interpreted and taken into account and the optimal choice is made. Research questions Success can never be assured when acquiring an asset, as there are many risks involved such as the unpredictability of the future market, opinion and outlooks. Given that property is only one of the opportunities for investment on the market and that different investments appeal to different investors, the comparison of asset with asset is essential, but the comparison of that asset against other forms of investment is also just as important. – To obtain the investment requirements and to explain property investment considerations through the measure of the amount of investment, return/yield, risk comparison – To compare property as an investment choice it is examined through risk, property classes and diversification. To analyse the property investments which are explained for the planning of investment strategy – To develop the needs and constraints of an investment strategy Literature review Investment requirements/objectives Investment objectives must reflect the needs of the investor indirectly suggest the appropriate type and duration of property investments and are crucial in the development of an investment stra tegy of any kind. Without them it would be impossible to make a rational decision on what type or class of property to invest, how to finance it, when the income is needed and an estimated holding period Rowland et al (1997) suggests that a person must determine their objectives by analysing their own personal circumstances, such as their income, spending habits and social needs, or by shared or individual goals. For private investors it involves income, age, family commitments and even personality will suggest how much they are willing to risk to obtain a higher return (Pyhrr et al: 1989, p665). Because buying and selling direct real property assets involves high transfer, entry and exit costs and long selling periods it is consequently seen as an illiquid investment. Whereas an investment in property funds or units or shares also known as indirect property allow quick an easy trades along with shorter holding periods and evidence of rapid and high gains in less than two years. However direct property investment is still seen as a long-term investment strategy with lower risk involved. The one common objective is to find the asset that offers protection against the decline in purchasing power caused by price inflation. Real Estate is commonly considered to be a good hedge against both expected and unexpected inflation in the long term. Properties for which the rent is closely linked to consumer prices are often required when the primary motive is to preserve capital. Residential rents, commercial rents and those retial rents based on shop turnover including those rents reviewed annually in line with the consumer price index are commonly thought to provide at least partial protection against the effects of inflation (Rowland, 1997). The assets that are currently owned by the investor will also play a role in the determinants of the investment objectives and process. A diversified portfolio is commonly desired by investors and often requires different expertise to assist in the acquisitions, which lowers risk that can be increased when investing in unfamiliar and foreign assets types and classes. Investment considerations The amount for investment Consideration and analysis of a selected group of possible investment opportunities cannot take place unless there is an estimate of how much the nvestor has or is available to invest. Investors must have access to equity, cash, borrowings or a combination of all to even begin considering investing. The funds available to an investor ultimately determine the purchase price. Return/yield The expected rate of return must match the investor’s objectives to determine the property class or type suitable. The measurement of return is calculated from known facts about t he sale of a property and is used as a unit of comparison when comparing direct and indirect property. A suitable cash flow for the investment and the perceived risk should be viewed in conjunction with the rate of return, with a higher risk property requiring a higher rate of return. Capitalisation rate is the most common unit of comparison between asset classes, and can indicate whether a property is overpriced or incorrectly valued in some way with market evidence. The cap rate can be calculated by dividing the net income by the price expressed as a decimal or initial yield on purchase. Investment risk Rowland et al suggests that the purpose of the investment and the current circumstances of the investor determined an attitude to the risk involved. An increase in the return would normally compensate for any risks that are taken, but the trade-off between risk and return is dependant upon how unwilling or hesitant each investor is to risk. Variables involved in the prediction of future property income and value, such as rental income, running costs, vacancies, capital expenditure, charges in capital value and interest rates national and international stability, are critical and must be estimated to determine the property return. There are some key considerations that an investor must look at when determining their investment risk level. – Each investors objectives influence the selection of properties. – Cap rates (initial yields) unless lease terms are known are limited use in comparing properties. – Property investment and financing is a question between debt and equity or a combination of both. – Testing the impact of the return of below expected rental growth and unexpected rental vacancies could assess the two major risks or property investment. Investors are prepared to take varying degrees of risk to enhance return, depending on their objectives and circumstances (Rowland 1997) Property as an Investment Real Estate or property is the main asset class for property investment and contains very desirable characteristics, which are also very attractive for the larger investors who are trying to balance their portfolios between risk and return: – A good hedge against infl ation – Good income and capital returns – Low risk investment Diversification benefits from low co-variability with shares and bonds. Investing in property is however considerably different to the other principle investment options of shares and bonds because property is a physical asset (Bird 1984), while shares and bonds are financial assets. The main differences between a physical and a financial asset relate to: Flexibility: Shares and bonds are readily and frequently traded in the market (i. e. stock exchange), whereas property is infrequently traded, has lengthy transaction times and has no central â€Å"market place†. Divisibility: Portions of shares or bonds can be traded. Obviously part of a building cannot generally be traded, although subdivision by strata titling can be an option. Liquidity: Shares and bonds can be viewed as short-term investments, where as property is seen as a medium-to-long term investment. The high costs associated with entry and exit to property significantly impact on liquidity. This makes dealing in shares or bonds for the small investors more attractive (Newell 2000) Listed property trusts are more related to the financial assets of shares and bonds rather than the physical asset of composite property (Joslin 2005). Property as an investment choice Real estate is often acquired over other investment assets for its low risk performance, however this ignores many characteristics that differentiate property from other investments such as shares and bonds (Rowland 1997). Property Direct Indirect Redeemable Unredeemable (Syndicates) Market Priced Appraisal Priced (Listed) (Unlisted) Direct property is the purest form of property investment (PIR 1998), but mostly known as where the owners name appears directly on the title papers. It ranges from the simplicity of a residential investment by a private individual, which is easily understood, to that of the sophisticated commercial property portfolio’s managed by institutions (Upton 1998). The level of economic activity is directly linked to property, where the roperty market improves so does the value of the property. As property values continue to rise the number of potential investors begins to fall because of the high costs of quality real estate. Even the institutional investors who use property to balance their risk within their asset portfolios are reducing direct property exposure to between only 10-15% of the value of the portfolio (PIR 1998). Indirect property investments are often defined as pooled investments and are covered by the Managed Invest ment Act 1998. This notion allows for the purchase of types and classes of properties that would not otherwise be available to the average investor. Listed trusts are usually unrestricted investment opportunities, particularly the large and more liquid trusts. The Australian Stock exchange is used by the investors to trade their units and the trusts managers use it to buy and sell properties into and out of the units. Bond price and the comparative risk for each individual property trust are what drives the prices of units on the stock exchange. This itself is governed by the property, the lease, the tenant, the manager, liquidity and tax allowances and the other factors not necessarily related to the property, which may cause unit prices to depart from the net asset value (PIR, 1998). The majority of unlisted trusts on offer are open ended. In 1991 the Government introduced changes governing unlisted trusts which has the effect of turning most into what is termed hybrid funds, wherein they offer a mix of direct property, property securities, and also cash reserves. This liquidity is necessary to pay out redemptions which are the units that can be redeemed against the trust after a year they are not traded on the stock exchange as are listed trusts. Trusts were able to overcome two of the main problems of direct property ownership Firstly costs; transaction costs are much lower and are bound up in the vehicle structure. All the unit-holders share these indirectly. Secondly; liquidity, investors are able to trade their unit holdings for cash, which is beneficial to both small and large investors. However this aspect is one that often has property assets trading more like the all-ordinary index rather than a property asset (PIR 1998) A property syndicate is an investment vehicle through which investors can have direct ownership of one or more properties legally (Upton 1998). The investment usually lasts between 5-12 years after which the investment properties are sold and the profit is returned to the investors. Syndicates have for a long time been a means by which smaller investors can enter the property market when they otherwise could not afford to do so (upton1998). Syndicates have not only provided this broader range of better quality property for the general or retail market but institutional investors such as superannuation funds have used syndicates as a means of obtaining better diversification for the funds available for direct property allocation (Upton 1998) Risk and property investment Rowland et al (1997) suggests that there are a number of important or special investment considerations, which are strategically important to investors developing an interest in property. The most significant factors are: Specific risk, each individual property is unique and will require a detailed appraisal of specific opportunity. -Costs of management and charges are upwards of 25% of gross income while specialised management is also required due to favourable tenant rights, compared to investment in other equities or bonds. These costs are high. -Market information is not as readily available, less reliable and is much more expensive than other index m arket information. -Financial considerations. A considerable degree of financial leverage is normally required, which comes under increasing pressure in economic and property cycles. This is why decisions made should be long term. -Quality premium property is often in short supply and any improvements made may become economically or functionally obsolete. Rowland states that in assessing long-term exposure to property that we must look at key factors such as; the tax position, the rival situation and risk profile, the liquidity required, the character of the liabilities Rowland (1997) writes. â€Å"The return from any property cannot be judged properly without also assessing the risk that the investment may not meet the objectives of ownership. Investors are most unlikely to take on additional risks unless there is sufficient increase in the expected return†. This point is the basis of all investment not only for property. The investor makes the choice between high risk and high return, or low risk and low return. These are again the principles of a balanced investment portfolio. Property classes and diversification Most investors would be well aware that an old saying â€Å"don’t put all your eggs in the one basket† which is a practical investment strategy. All of the sensible institutional investors balance their asset portfolios As stated earlier, McMahon (1998), property only plays a small part of between 10 to 15% of total asset portfolio composition, which normally consists of property, shares and bonds. However, property trusts and property syndicates will principally be composed entirely of property, but contain many sub classes or property types which in turn play an important part in the diversification strategy. It must be remembered, property can be direct and indirect, interstate, intrastate or international. Property investment analysis This chart shows the relationship between each asset class and the level of risk and return that can be expected. High Potential Return Low Expected Risk High Cash Fixed interest Property Growth Alternative investments Assets Shares Individual investors each have different and unique circumstances that need to be taken into considerations when making a decision between direct and indirect property investment. It is often argued, â€Å"property investment is the trade off between risk and return†. The investor can therefore have a very complicated or simple investment plan depending on their needs, however an investor seeking high returns should be prepared to take high risks, while a more prudent investor would settle for a more modest return. As there is no central market place for property trading except for listed property trusts in the stock exchange it means the majority of property investors and not equipped to undertake a through or sustained investment analysis. This means there is very limited means of information regarding the history of trading including returns for the unlisted trusts. The individual investor’s objectives or requirements will often determine the class of property for investment, which is frequently balanced by their experience or existing property portfolio impacting on the risk return strategies. Direct property Most direct property analysis is based on a direct comparison basis. Investors choosing income-producing properties balance the overall return/yield on the net annual income of the property and the annual capital growth of the asset. For example a property located in the country may give a greater annual return than one in the suburbs but its capital growth may be far less. As an investment strategy it may however amount to a positive investment, returning more than it costs to own. Direct comparison analysis requires a comparison of â€Å"like with like† therefore a property on a busy main road location is not comparable to a property with direct water frontage. Therefore the influences of Type, location and timing need to be considered with return or yield. Property information. Property information can be broken down in to three main categories, general overview, specific class/type and local information. General overview: when an investor is first looking to invest in property they want a general overview about the whole industry, what is hot and what’s not and where to find it. This information can be found on sites like; ABS, The Property Council of Australia, The Australian Property Institute, Access Economics, The Real Estate Institute etc. These sites will provide overall information on trends, the present state of the market and future predicted trends, which will assist the investor in choosing a location and class of property for investment. Specific class/type; large corporate real estate players like CB Richard Ellis, the real estate franchisers, PRD, researchers like Property Investment Research, Residex, RP data or investors AMP, Westfield, etc all are supported by extensive research departments and are able to provide very specific property performance information. The difficulty in using their services is that most are commercial businesses and seek payments for the services provided. Local Information; once the location and the class of property is chosen then there is no better research than getting to that location. When you have acquired/ researched, the latest most comprehensive information, then the analysis process is undertaken, as we have demonstrated earlier. Indirect property Indirect property because it trades as a financial asset provides a clear trial of transactional and corporate informational because of the rules associated to being listed on the stock exchange. The stock exchange also has some very strict â€Å"code of conduct† rules for companies or individuals as traders on the stock exchange, far more stringent than for regulated property traders/professionals. Each individual company or property trust listed on the stock exchange must meet reporting requirements, which allows advisers access to the most intimate â€Å"going concern† and stock market trading information. It is for this reason that the stock market investing is volatile, analysts have intimate corporate information, coupled with cyclical and world events puts daily pressure on stock values. Stocks are trading daily effectively valuing assets and performance on a daily basis. A company’s annual report’s can be analysed using mostly ratio analysis, undertaken as a matter of course before being recommended by investment house/advisors. Property trusts are also analysed and benchmarked prior to being recommended for investment. Because listed companies and property trusts operate in the economy, they are obviously affected by the overall state of the local and world economies. If both the local and world economies are doing well, then, other things being equal, you could expect listed companies and trusts to do well and stock prices increases. Developing an Investment Strategy The development of an investment strategy over a period of time allows the individual to assess what they can afford, their risk level and provides a clear outlook for the future. The main considerations would be how much you need to borrow and the level of gearing, the purchasing costs, ongoing costs and depreciation schedules and other tax issues. Hargitay and Yu (1991) et al suggests that the investment usually means the acquisition of assets by the investor with the view to satisfactory returns in the future. The capital committed to the acquisition of the assets and the expected returns are exposed to risk. Generally the greater the exposure to risk, the higher the return expected by the investor as a reward for bearing the risks involved. Most rational investors are risk-adverse. That is they prefer less risk to more risk and more return to less return. The formulation of an investment strategy or portfolio objective involves the listing and ranking of the principal needs the constraints for a particular investor. A list of the particular needs and constraints may include the following: Needs 1- Need for the security or capital invested. 2- Need for the security and stability of income. 3- Need for the readily marketable investment, i. e. liquidity 4- Need for tax exemptions or reliefs 5- Need for external professional management. Constraints 1- Limit on the size of immediate capital investment 2- Limit on the size of future investment. These future capital commitments are either regular or random. 3- Upper limit of risk bearing 4- Minimum acceptable rate of return – Term of investment 6- Statutory controls It is extremely important that the investor sees their particular position amongst the needs and constraints and is able to express their relative importance. Only then will the investor be able to articulate their portfolio objectives clearly. Hargitay and Yu (1991) et al also suggest that Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) provides another more rational method to assemble a portfolio of risky securities. MPT provides the rational to select a combination of risk free assets that would meet the investors’ objectives. The first and fundamental problem facing the investor is to establish the investment goals and objectives. Only after the clear definition of the investment goals and objectives can the appropriate investment strategies and tactics be established. Conclusion The theme of this proposal is that a sound investment decision-making is based on a thorough return and risk analysis, which is the best strategy for maximising a person’s wealth. The institutional or corporate investor usually invests to make adequate provisions to cover future liabilities and hedge against the success or failure of their enterprise. Various institutional investors have distinctly different liabilities and tax status and therefore require different investment and portfolio structures to meet their respective commitments now and in the future. The first step in the establishment of investment objectives is the determination of the investors needs. The needs of an individual investor will be different from those of an institutional or corporate investor. However the primary motive for investment in all cases is profit. Usually individual investors’ provide for certain goals, retirement, educating their hildren, or simply hoping to increase their wealth through investment of individuals to money matters, and in particular to risks’, varies greatly. Some have the attitude that given their investment amount is only small that when investing in risky ventures the risk aspect is insignificant, so they accept the risks quite readily. Other investors would regard the loss of their small investment as a major disaster. Research Design The development of a property investment strategy data collected mainly from secondary sources. Define Purpose of the proposal Question Scholarly Journals Trade Journals Reference Books Sources Official Statistics Technical Reports Libraries and their search engines Research Literature Review articles Design Locate Col Evaluate Verify Construct and Incorporate data into the proposal The purpose of this proposal is to examine the way in which an individual decides what is the best investment option to undertake. Included is the discussion of issues on investment strategies; risk and return measures; limitations; investment decisions; investment objectives. A variety of industry sectors were analysed including direct and indirect property and what each of these involve. The graphs in this report were constructed using a vast array of publicly information obtained for the literature review and the secondary sources mentioned. Significants This proposal outlines the framework for determining a sound investment strategy and important steps and criteria a potential investor must undertake in order in maximise their financial wealth. Positive investment results are directly related to a well researched and thought about investment strategy. Definitions Asset allocation: â€Å"The proportion of your total capital you invest in the different asset classes. This will be largely determined by your risk profile† (ASX) Benchmark: â€Å"The yardstick that a fund manager compares the performance of their fund to, such as the All Ordinaries Index which may be used as a benchmark for Australian Shares† (ASX) Diversified Portfolio: â€Å"A portfolio that holds a variety of assets over more than one asset class or one market. This may include shares, property, or fixed interest† (ASX) Gearing: â€Å" Refers to the process of the increasing funds available for investment through borrowing. The ratio of debt finance to equity finance or as: The use of long-term debt in financing an entity. Gearing may be measured as EBIT/EBIIT – interest, Used to be known as Leverage† (ASX) Hedge: â€Å"A transaction, which reduces or offsets the risk of a current holding. † (ASX) Liquidity: â€Å" Being able to convert assets into cash easily, quickly and with little of no loss of capital. A liquid market is a market with enough participants to make buying and selling easy. ASX) Return on investment: â€Å"What you earn from your investments, including dividends, interest or other income and realised capital gains. Return is usually expressed as a percentage of the amount invested. † (ASX) Limitations This research proposal of developing a property investment is limited in that it does not take into consideration individual circumstances and further ana lysis of this should be done before investment begins. This proposal also does not take into the account other factors that affect the market, which can also then affect an investment. This proposal also ignores the adverse tax consequences associated in investment, which are critical in any investment strategy. References Australian Securities Exchange, 2008, (ASX) Bird, P. (1984), â€Å"Commodities as a hedge against inflation†, Applied Economics, Byrne P and Lee S, 2004, Different Risk Measures; Different portfolio compositions, Journal of property investment and finance. Enever, N. , Isaac, D. (2002), The Valuation of Property Investments, 6th ed. , Estates Gazette, London, Hargitay. S. E and Yu. S, 1991, Property Investment Decisions; a quantitative approach Joslin, A. (2005), â€Å"An investigation into the expression of uncertainty in property valuations†, Journal of Property Investment & Finance, Vol. 23 McMahon, Walter W. (1998) â€Å"Conceptual Framework for the Analysis of the Social Benefits of Lifelong Learning†, Education Economics, Newell G, Kottegoda P and Acheampong P, 2000, Using style analysis to assess direct property performance, Sixth Rim Real Estate Society, Sydney Newell G, Acheampong P, Kishore and Padan M 2000, Diversification issues in property securities funds, Sixth Pacific Rim Real Estate Society, Sydney Property Investment Research, PIR 1998, Melbourne Pyhrr. S. A and Cooper. R. J 1989, Real Estate Investment; Strategy, Analysis, Decisions, New York: Wiley Rowland. P. J 1997, Property Investments & their financing, 2nd edition, LBC (Thomson) Upton D, 1998 flirting with debt, Property Australia ———————– Define Question Secondary sources Collect, Review & analyse data Research report

An American Daughter The Construction of Lyssas Character in

An American Daughter The Construction of Lyssa's Character in Wendy Wasserstein was a highly influential playwright and person in general. She was a pioneer of feminism within the theatre as well as non-aggressive feminism outside of it. Her female characters are unlike any seen in theatre previously, and have a life that Wasserstein breathes into them through their dialogue, their descriptions, their actions and their lives. She presents characters that deal with serious issues, and has them respond in ways that are undeniably human, and draw the audience in. This lifelike female archetype is particularly visible in Wasserstein’s An American Daughter. Lyssa, a â€Å"Forty-two-year-old in a cotton shirt and jeans†¦,† (Wasserstein 7) is a sharp, career-focused woman. She is working to become the Surgeon-General, and she faces much to get there. She is not only smart and capable, but she deals with regret, bitterness, and the lack of a filter; flaws which make her life leap from the pages of Wasserstein’s script. Even within the description of the character lies an important break of stereotype. Lyssa is a career-driven woman, but she is not presented in a pantsuit and tie, nor does she wear heels and pearls every day. She is a woman. She wears jeans and a t-shirt, and she faces family issues just like real women do. By starting, at the most basic level, with a fight against diminutive and unrealistic standards, the precedent for honesty is set before anything else. Wendy Wasserstein’s An American Daughter is a prime example of Wasserstein’s presentation of women : smart, strong, capable, and well rounded. Lyssa, as well as her friend Judith and acquaintance Quincy, is presented not as the theatre-standard quiet, demure housewife, but as an independent woman seeking professional achievement. She works very hard, and obviously has a sharp mind and quick wit. What sets Lyssa apart from other female characters like her is not the blatant image of her, but rather the subtext and underlying character traits. In many other stories, there is a strong, witty female character who ‘goes against the grain,’ but Wasserstein’s protagonist (unlike so many others in the same strain) lacks the softer, alluring need for a man. This is the most significant difference between Lyssa and other female leads. Even Jane Austen’s Lizzy in Pride and Prejudice has the wit and the strength, but she boils down to a woman who craves a love interest. Lyssa does not. She has love, she has a husband and kids, but this is not her end goal. She loves her family and her job. She works hard to make her way in the world, and does so without leaning on her father the senator, and without using femininity, meekness, or sexual allure. She is not reduced to a sum of her womanly charm and a tube of lipstick, and this is Wasserstein’s genius. Not only is Lyssa a role model for career-seeking girls, she is also a role model for authors and playwrights alike. She is more than an archetype of the ‘capable woman,’ she seems to be a living, breathing person, someone who could walk out of her Georgetown home and into the lives of any and all of the readers. This is Wasserstein’s biggest influence on the w orld of theatre. She pioneered real, plausible female characters in theatre, and opened doors for equality and feminism within and outside of the theatre. Even when Lyssa catches her husband Walter kissing another woman, she doesn’t melt into the scene we know all too well: woman exits the room with a strong face, finds a place to be alone, sobs, finds her resolve again, and kicks the man out saying something along the lines of â€Å"I have too much potential to waste time on you.† Instead, Lyssa just walks away. She harbors some deep resentment toward her husband, which becomes obvious in the following interactions, but she doesn’t dust herself off and move on with her life. This is why Wasserstein’s characters are so important: they are beautifully, humanly, imperfect. Lyssa handles her husband’s infidelity in a way that isn’t healthy- and that’s important. This is one of the first instances of a character that the women in the audience can look at and say, â€Å"Oh,that’s me. I do that, too.† Much of the validity of Wasserstein’s characters comes from their start in reality. Once again, the truth of her characters stems from the truth in her life. She said what she felt needed to be heard, whether people would like it or hate it ( and most of the time they hated- or at least some did. ) She never presented her ideas as all-encompassing or perfect, instead she celebrated the flaws in all that she commented on: life, women, parents, children, feminism, and society; she commented on them in honesty, rather than trying to brush over issues. Wasserstein devoted most of her adult life to promoting better media presence for women, whether this was through her plays or through her own presentation of herself, her affect was widely experienced. Wasserstein poured (at least) a little bit of herself into each of her characters, and this is what changed the history of American Theatre. Wasserstein’s own life; her difficult childhood; the secrecy in her home; and the intense rivalry between her and her brother ensnared her audience with the fact that at long last- they were watching real women living real lives. One of the major influences on Wasserstein’s writing and, in fact, her life, was her mother Lola Schleifer. Lola was an eccentric woman to say the least. She ran her home and looked after her children, and all the while centered her life around her passion dance. She taught Wendy many important lessons about life, but was also the source of serious strife within the Wasserstein home. Lola demanded perfection from her children and would accept nothing less. This lead to her sending her mentally disabled son Abner to a mental care facility and ceasing all contact. The family never visited him, and soon ceased to acknowledge his existence whatsoever. He did not fit into Lola’s perfect suburban-mold family, so he wasn’t included. This was the type of behavior that put immense pressure of Wendy as she grew up. Wendy was constantly being compared to her brother Bruce, a well-to-do investment banker. Wendy’s accomplishments, however impressive, were held up to t he mold of her brother’s victories, and always seemed to fall short. This search for validity was present in all of Wasserstein’s life, and so it trickled into her writing. It is present in Lyssa specifically. Lyssa seeks her own career and advancement opportunities, and is constantly being compared to her father, which is endlessly frustrating to her. This is a clear link to Wasserstein’s own life, and one of the many reasons Lyssa seems to jump right off the page. Wasserstein also manages to capture a very real vulnerability in her characters. This likely stems from her mother’s influence. Her mother was particularly hard on Wendy as she was growing up and searching for what she wanted to do as an adult. Her mother even said at one point, â€Å"‘Wendy, you make me want to blechhh,’† (Salmon 62). Wendy wanted to win her mother’s favor and approval, but didn’t have a direction for her life, and so was a disappointment to Lola. This type of apathy shows through in the powerful vulnerability of her characters, and gives some insight into the basis of their strife. Aside from just her written works, Wendy Wasserstein was a powerful public figure, and an invaluable voice for women in society. One of the most significant facets of her public persona was the fact that she refused to be the aggressive, hot-tempered stereotype of the feminist. Instead, she lived her life in a way that didn’t allow for misogyny towards herself or her career. In so doing, she led a quiet, well-adjusted opposition to the predominantly-male broadway of the time. The fact that she managed to accomplish so much had everything to do with her public persona. Wasserstein is credited as having one of the first intimate public personas, at a time before Facebook statuses opened a window into people’s lives. Wasserstein published a series of newspaper columns that presented a manicured version of her life to the public eye. She wrote casually, as if she was talking to friends, but still kept the more personal or untidy portions of her life just that personal. This is not to say that Wasserstein shied away from discussing more personal subject matter in her works. In fact, it was just the opposite. She wrote in her plays frank discussions of love, intimacy, sex, and infidelity. Once again, however, she had a distinguishing factor: none of these was used gratuitously. Her female characters didn’t sit around gossipping about boys because what else do women do?. Wives had sex with their husbands not because that was a wifely duty, but because they wanted to. Once again, Wasserstein presented real life, and part of that was real discussion and real relationships. An interesting dynamic is created within An American Daughter when Lyssa brings up the idea that she wouldn’t have lost her nomination had she not been a woman. If a man had done the exact same things (skipping jury duty, making an offhand joke about homemakers), it would have been dismissed as a mistake, but because she was a woman, there was a shift in the power dynamic, and so the public jumped at the chance to have a reason to scorn her. This moment is almost certainly a commentary on our society. Wasserstein is using the reaction to Lyssa as a method of commenting on the ever-present distinction of reactions to mens failures versus womens. This is amplified by the fact that Lyssa is running for a position of power which had a long tradition of being male, and is taking the place of a man. Wasserstein is drawing attention to the fact that men have just as many shortcomings as women, and yet only with women in power roles are those shortcomings thrust into the spotlight. This is another area of feminism in which Wasserstein for many years led the charge: true equality. She did not fight for women to be seen as better than men, she didn’t want to take men down, she simply quietly and reasonably persisted towards her goal of equality. She was a mouthpiece for women across America, and lent a voice to women who wanted to see themselves being accurately represented without forcing a major debate. All of this innovation in the world of feminism in the theatre did not come without debate. Because Wasserstein was unafraid to push the envelope when it came to serious topics, her worked tended to chafe nearly as many people as it encouraged. Wasserstein herself commented on the fact that her plays were breaking through a societal barrier and, in doing so, causing some strife. She mentioned the idea that she was the only woman writing plays for women about women, and so they were expected to be all-inclusive providing representation for all women everywhere. Of course, realistically, this is impossible to achieve. The plays offer much more representation for actual women, but they cannot possibly include characters that everyone identifies with, and so some people will feel that there is still inaccurate and unrealistic representation. This disagreement towards Wasserstein’s works is particularly present against her major success The Heidi Chronicles. This is a work which manages to portray (and sometimes outrightly state) feminist views, but it does so in such a way that seems to undermine the very point she tries to make. The characters in this play may present feminism, but they do not do so without critique. Wasserstein pointed out that feminism isn’t flawless by any means, but that, just like the women it is seeking to further, it is worth it despite the shortcomings. (Barnett 14 15). It is important to note that Wasserstein’s legacy is not only in her feminism, but in her realism as a whole. Wasserstein had a way of writing characters and situations that made her audience believe that the character could live right next door to them. Her characters had real conversations with each other, and rather than trying to force in subtext, Wasserstein seemed to just allow subtext to happen as it would. Characters faced their adversities and responded in ways that people would, rather than grotesque caricatures. This is one of the qualities that created her lifelike characters. One difficulty that Wasserstein faced because of her subtextual messages was being taken seriously. Because much of her agenda was hidden beneath layers of other meaning, many people saw her work as simple comedy, a glimpse at silly interactions. This perception is one that deeply frustrated her. Wasserstein fought to have her work recognized for what it was: a scathing review of societal norms. She is quoted as having said in response to her work being seen as lightweight, â€Å"‘No, you don’t understand, this is a political act,’† (Wasserstein quoted in Dolan 444). Much of this aversion to being underestimated was again attributed to her dedication to honesty. Her characters were created in way that would comment on issues that she felt needed discussion, and so by allowing those conversations to go without being communicated, She was being dishonest to them. By demanding that her work be understood for all of its subtext and hidden meaning, she was once again affirming her stance in truth and honesty, and her position as a mouthpiece for these ideas. From many people, this demand for her works to be wholly understood would come off as haughty and even possibly offensive, but Wasserstein’s calm demeanor and unassuming lifestyle kept this feeling at bay. She lived out the ideas that she wrote in a very genuine way. Because she lived out her ideals, she earned the respect she asked for. Her honesty lived in her characters, their dialogue, their interactions, and their back stories; as well as though her speech, life, family, and work. Another major influence in Wasserstein’s life was her daughter, Lucy Jane. Wendy had Lucy at age 48, and because of the lateness of the pregnancy, she faced severe health problems. Wasserstein was ill almost constantly through the entire pregnancy, and Lucy was born three months premature. She struggled for a time, but ended up surviving, and became a light in Wasserstein’s life. The pregnancy, however, left Wasserstein ill, and she suffered illness based on the complications of birth until her death in 2005. The pregnancy (and the father) were kept secret from the public, and in fact many of Wasserstein’s friends and family as well. Only the people closest to her, the ones she interacted with on a daily basis, were aware of the pregnancy, and knew better than to share the news with anyone. Only after Lucy was born and spent time in the NICU was her birth announced. It was a short article, keeping details about the complications to an absolute minimum and keeping up Wasserstein’s persona. Wasserstein then proceeded to raise Lucy by herself, once again shunning society’s idea of a perfect family in favor of her own version of perfect. The once-solitary woman now travelled with an entourage, including herself and Lucy and usually a nanny and a personal assistant. She spent less time writing and more time doing lectures and answering questions. She gave her effort to her daughter rather than playwriting, feeling that she could now give to her daughter the effort she had given her plays. She worked with many people as she oversaw productions of her shows, as well as the group of people who formed her support system. She referred to the men around her as her ‘husbands,’ and actually had two of them at the hospital when she was giving birth to Lucy. These people became her family, overcoming the image Wasserstein’s mother had left with her of the (so-called) perfect suburban family, in order to create her own little family unit. Six years later, Wasserstein passed away due to lymphoma. This would come as yet another shock to the audience, as the always-private Wasserstein had kept the news of her diagnosis a secret since she had received it. She had continued to appear in the public eye despite her physical ailments, including facial swelling and near-constant discomfort. To the unaware observer, Wasserstein seemed just as put-together as always, even in her last few months. She held lectures and interacted with fans until she was hospitalised in December of 2005. To those who knew her, however, it was clear that she was physically deteriorating. She had been sick since she gave birth to her daughter, and had gone through a string of misdiagnoses and referrals, before finally being diagnosed with lymphoma. Upon her passing, legions of people were shocked and grieving. The lights of Broadway were dimmed in her honor on January 31, 2006, the night after she passed. Wasserstein’s legacy started with her characters and her voice, and will carry on and resonate with her audience for years to come. Despite the social changes that have occurred since her writings, her message remains as relevant as ever. She was a pioneer in the theatrical world for women and their portrayal. Her comments on feminism, relationships, women, and life still hold meaning in our society. Her calm and ordered response to the lack of realistic women in media stands applicable even today, and her heroines are still admirable role models. Wasserstein’s work commented not only on women in theatre, but in the reality of people being depicted in any case. She presented real, vivid characters dealing with real life events, holding a mirror to and commenting on realism in the theatre.

Mobile phone addiction Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Mobile phone addiction - Literature review Example The use of mobile phones have also become a constant feature for many people, most especially teenagers who always find the need to stay in touch with each other. As a result, mobile phone addiction has become a significant issue among users. Studies on this problem have been carried out, seeking to establish its causes, manifestations, and remedies. This literature review shall review four peer-reviewed articles on mobile phone addiction. A literature search would first be carried out via an internet search using the following search words and similar combinations of these words: mobile phone addiction, cell phone addiction, causes of cell phone addiction, impact of cell phone addiction. Relevant studies shall be set aside for further analysis. Studies carried out in the last 10 years shall be included in this topic, and shall mostly cover teenage addiction to mobile phones. Studies which cover other forms of addiction (i.e. internet or video game addiction) will not be included in this review. Only peer-reviewed articles carried out by credible authors will be included in this literature review. Studies which cover texting addiction only shall not be included as mobile phone addiction may also include the use of calls in the phones. Text addiction is only a part of mobile phone addiction. ... Not many students manifest extreme addiction to mobile phone use and majority of the respondents to not manifest any addictive mobile phone use patterns (Ahmed, et.al., 2011). In effect, the respondents for this study are able to use their cell phones reasonably and do not manifest extreme addictive behaviours in their cell phone use (Ahmed, et.al., 2011). The results of this study imply that although mobile phone addiction is a reality in the current widespread availability and usage of mobile phones, it can be a controllable and manageable phenomenon. This study also indicates that mobile phone addiction can be a manageable phenomenon and that users are not as prone to addiction as seems to be expected by society. It is possible for users to control their mobile phone usage to cover only their essential mobile phone needs. The topic of the study is very much relevant in the current context where mobile phone use has become very much rampant, especially among the younger population (Garcia-Montes, et.al., 2006. The study deals with a specific issue, mostly on the establishment of mobile phone use and whether or not it has become a necessity or an addiction. The discussion seeks to specifically evaluate cell phone usage among the younger generation, assessing whether or not its use has reached addictive proportions. The study is a theoretical study, as it seeks to dissect the manifestation of respondent’s behaviour in relation to addiction and necessity (Flyvbjerg, 2006). The concepts of addiction and necessity are used in order to evaluate behaviour, using specific qualities for each concept in order to fully understand the respondent behaviour and mobile phone usage (Biel,

Warehousing and Inventory Management Master Essay

Warehousing and Inventory Management Master - Essay Example This is of importance in case of an accident, where rescue activities can be conducted easily. The big space is also important in that it provides enough space for the workers to do their work without congestion and hence have a comfortable working condition. Edward A Silver, David F.Pyke (1999) Warehousing spacing and planning are of utmost important as long as the storage of goods is concerned. When there is proper planning and spacing is utilized well then there is maximum and economical utilization of the resources. For the warehousing process to be effective, it should involve an effective and an efficient warehousing process. Here it involves project management that involves use of different personnel to perform different tasks with an aim of attaining a common goal in good warehousing planning. It should bring out the use of a schedule showing the different task to be performed by those responsible, the dates on which the task is to be performed and the cost involved. Edward A Silver, David F.Pyke (1999) There should be a clear layout in which the objectives of the warehouse are clearly laid out. The objective should be the one that is going to minimize the cost of warehousing by reducing the expenses that bring unnecessary cost. The cost reducing methods should not affect the maintenance of the customer maintaining services. It should also involve the economic utilization of the available space although it should not negatively affect the operation efficiency. Also the space should be effectively be utilized in relation to the cost of the labor force, the available space and the cost of the equipment utilized. Edward A Silver, David F.Pyke (1999) The planning and spacing process should define the profile of the products to be stored. It should show the products to be stored and their nature such as storing perishable products in a cool place and storing inflammable products away from an area where there is the presence of fire. Storage space should be considered in that a small warehouse cannot be used in storage a large size then its size. Hartman Sadler (2000) The experts involved in warehousing spacing and planning should look deeply in the layout to be laid down when setting up the warehouse .Physical location should be given a significant attention .For example an ideal warehouse dealing with the goods for import is advisable to be near the custom duty offices while the warehouse dealing with the transport commodity such as vehicle should be near roads. Also to be considered is the climatic zone where some product cannot be stored in other climatic zones that may provide adverse condition such as hot climate is not conducive for storage of the fruits. The items that are received together should be stored together for easy handling. Heavy and bulky items should be stored close to the point of use in order to minimize the cost of handling them since they are heavy to transport as they involve use of a lot of manpower and equipment. Also to be involved is good house keeping method where the accessibility of the product should be maximum. H artman Sadler (2000) After the necessary evaluations have been done, a specific layout should be

Sampling Plan Utilizing Randomizer Research Paper

Sampling Plan Utilizing Randomizer - Research Paper Example The research paper "Sampling Plan Utilizing Randomizer" presents the overview of the software that allows the users to define the dominant age of Facebook users. The population of 2000 ruled out the possibility of the feasible census and instead a simple random sampling technique was used. This is powerful online software which generates samples randomly. All you need to do is to feed in the range of values and specify the number of sets. Then choose how many numbers to be picked from each set to represent the population. It is easy to use, faster and available free of charge on the internet. In order to assess the dominant age of Facebook users, my established contacts were used. I had 2000 friends on Facebook which is an online social networking site. I hoped to address the research question: What is the dominant age of Facebook users? The population of 2000 ruled out the possibility of the feasible census and instead a simple random sampling technique was used. The availability of the contacts on the site made it possible to establish a sampling frame from where a representative sample was to be drawn. In order to ensure the equal chances of selection into the sample space, the sampling units were represented by their number on the list generated from my friend's page. The contacts were arranged alphabetically and assigned position 1 to 2000. The numbers were fed into a randomizer to generate 25 sets. In each set, the randomizer picked 2 numbers bringing the sample size to 50.

Reflectiv Writing - The Impact of the Voice of Judgment as a Barrier Assignment

Reflectiv Writing - The Impact of the Voice of Judgment as a Barrier to Moving Through the U - Assignment Example As leaders move from the downward side of the U, they are connected to a world which is outside their institutional bubbles. The movement up the other side of the U brings forth a new experience to the world. In this journey, the bottom section bears a gate which requires a person to drop anything that is not essentially to leadership and their duties as leaders. This is a process of letting go of one’s ego and self and letting come the new future possibilities. The journey is however not an easy one as it experiences a lot of barriers. One of the common barriers is the voice of judgment. Journeying through the U requires seven leadership capacities with the second one being observation. This leadership capacity calls for an open mind. To be able to achieve this, the leader must suspend his voice of judgment. It is only through it that an individual and a leader will be able to move from projection to true observation. According to Kidder (2005), various leadership failures are as a result of the struggle between letting go and holding on. It, therefore, requires one to confront his or herself with very difficult yet purposeful choice of having an open mind. It takes a lot of courage for this to happen. When the line has been crossed, an individual enter into the sense of their true nature and are able to heed to the call of leadership. They then undergo the death/ rebirth and start a journey into restructuring of their egos to emerge as freer leaders (Bennis, Goleman, & O’Toole, 2008). This is a journey and a process that not only make them soulful but also creative and innovative. When the gate is crossed and the voice suspended the individual’s inner flame for creative change and ability to move forward is boosted. Bennis, Goleman & O’Toole (2008) state that majority of the leaders do not recognize the potential of what they are faced with because they excessively dwell on the past trend that they are used to. Working as a work shop

Health Maintenance Organization vs. Health Savings Account Essay

Health Maintenance Organization vs. Health Savings Account - Essay Example Contributions to the plan are tax deductible and interest can effectively be accrued whilst the plan operates on a 'roll over' basis. The first point of view we shall look at here is from someone who opted for the Health Savings Account health plan. The individual here was actually in their mid-twenties and decided to take out the HSA plan at this relatively early stage in order to build a suitable sum of money that they could use to cover health costs at a later stage. However, less than a year later they found themselves in a position where the money was needed. The medical bill they incurred amounted to approximately $2000, however, due to the nature of the plan they were only liable for around 1400 of that. In addition, their employer had thus far contributed $560 and the remaining $840 could be deducted from taxes. Overall the individual only had to pay $168 on top of the annual premium which, given the circumstances, they felt was a good result. Moreover, the individual was imp ressed by the fact that the money could effectively cover aspects such as prescriptions, glasses and even visits to the dentist. The second account we shall deal with here also comes down on the side of the HSA plan as far as saving money is concerned. Their main point is how the fact that the contributions to the plan that are deducted from an individual's wages are actually done so at the pre-tax stage.

Business Letter And Literature Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Letter And Literature Summary - Essay Example Finally, on all your future travels with us, kindly expect the best kind of service that only Virgin Atlantic could offer. Once again, we sincerely apologize for the inconveniences that we have caused you on board our flight from Mumbai to Heathrow. Also, we would like to thank you once again for your continued patronage to Virgin Atlantic and for helping us point out the problems with respect to our services so that we can ensure the betterment thereof, to provide only the best service to our loyal customers like you. Thank you very much and Good Day! Sincerely Yours, _________________________ Marketing Manager Virgin Atlantic Introduction Studies conducted with respect to customer retention have focused on the manner by which the customers respond once the issue of service failures has become an important aspect thereof (Zemke 1995). Parenthetically, researches that have been conducted in relation to this topic have highlighted the importance of the so-called â€Å"mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises (Yockel 1997; Zemke 1995).† Evidently, the latter is considered as the primary basis that underscores service relationships. Service recovery is thus deemed necessary most especially when the manner by which a corporation delivers a particular service tends to go wrong (Nguyen 2006). In a nutshell, service recovery has been referred to as that effort of the company aimed towards providing the customers and the clients with the outcome they desire even though the latter has already experienced a failure in the previous delivery (Young and Burgess 2010; Yockel 1997). Service recovery is also concerned with the adoption of pertinent steps and measures to prevent the commission of the same mistake (Nguyen 2006;... Studies conducted with respect to customer retention have focused on the manner by which the customers respond once the issue of service failures has become an important aspect thereof (Zemke 1995). Parenthetically, researches that have been conducted in relation to this topic have highlighted the importance of the so-called â€Å"mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises (Yockel 1997; Zemke 1995).† Evidently, the latter is considered as the primary basis that underscores service relationships. Service recovery is thus deemed necessary most especially when the manner by which a corporation delivers a particular service tends to go wrong (Nguyen 2006). In a nutshell, service recovery has been referred to as that effort of the company aimed towards providing the customers and the clients with the outcome they desire even though the latter has already experienced a failure in the previous delivery (Young and Burgess 2010; Yockel 1997). Service recovery is also concerned with th e adoption of pertinent steps and measures to prevent the commission of the same mistake (Nguyen 2006; Osborne 2004; Tschohl 2005). It is then because of this that the importance of service recovery has been underscored in the field of service management and service marketing. Without a doubt, service recovery strategies are deemed of paramount importance in view of its ability to positively affect customer loyalty as the former somehow prevents the turnover of those who have been previously dissatisfied with the service provided

BusMGT Unit3 & 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

BusMGT Unit3 & 4 - Assignment Example With the belief that the company can stand on its feet again, the morale returns to the employees and this will help the company get back to where it was in the long-run. To increase the profit margins of the company, the most important thing to do would be to focus the finances towards the out-dated product lines of the company. This can be done by conducting a market analysis to figure out the consumer demands and what they prefer in the product. By attending to the needs of the consumer, we are actually paving a way for higher profits in the future because we’ll be giving the consumers what they want. Moreover, by understanding the consumer demand it’ll become easier for us to redesign our product to the desired specifics and the chance of losing sales due to undesirable characteristics would be reduced. To analyse and incorporate the effects of the external environment into our organization’s business plan, it would also be beneficial to point out who our com petitors are. An in-depth research of the competitors and the products that they sell is very important because it gives us an insight into how we could give our products a USP (unique selling point) in comparison to that of the competitors. Also, the objective is not to duplicate the competition products but to manufacture good-quality products with features that give us a leg up. The best way, in my opinion to ensure success finance-wise, is to create products that are not already supplied in the market but have a high consumer demand. In order to reach this goal, the organization design will have to be rearranged in several ways. First, all the major contributors will be divided into teams, which will be assigned by the ideas of the new business plan. Next, one main objective or goal will be given to all the teams to focus on, and it will be made sure that it has all the expertise and knowledge required to efficiently achieve that goal. The team-members will assist each other in completing the goal. They will also have a set role, with the Team leaders and Managers to look over the entire process. This structure will mean that we can focus on our customers and suppliers, as they will be the force that drives the organization towards product redevelopment, changes in the hierarchy and so on. Moreover, the inter-departmental communication flow will be clearer and faster, leading to more efficient decision making for the organization. Also, meeting the needs of our consumers will provide us with a competitive edge in the market. Moreover, in order to manage the problem of the competition of internal resources, a BCG matrix analysis can be conducted to point out the stars, cash-cows, problem-child and dog products. This is essential because, it will help us manage the portfolio competently. The unprofitable products will be eliminated freeing up resources to be injected into other products that are likely to give us higher returns. For the problem of adversaria l communication faced by the organization, it is important to lessen the pressure in the organization to provide an environment that encourages open and honest communication. (Hunter, 2011) The primary role of managers in a company is to try to aim on the highest efficiency. For this

Total Quality Management Case Essay Example for Free

Total Quality Management Case Essay Total Quality Management (TQM), is a management philosophy that gained its momentum in the 1980s. W. Edwards Deming, Joseph Juran, and Kaoru Ishikawa are the founders who set forth the fundamentals of total quality management. In a matter of a decades time total quality management turned into a social movement and gained a significant level of acceptance in the U.S management community (J. Richard Hackman, Ruth Wageman, 1995). The primary authorities of the total quality management movement are of the opinion that being in business is the main objective of any organization. This in turn helps in the stability of the community and provides a platform for the growth and satisfaction of the organization members (J. Richard Hackman, Ruth Wageman, 1995). Hence we can say that total quality management refers to a management process that involves everyone and all the activities in an organization to ensure that the customer requirements are met at the same time the goals of the organization are satisfied and helps in the self-improvement of employees. Total quality management has radically changed the way in which traditionally quality was handled. A comparison and contrast of the two approaches highlights the advantages of total quality management over the traditional style. Traditionally quality was defined internally in an organization. Products or services were assumed to be of good quality if the organization thought so. But according to total quality management customer satisfaction is the primary criteria to define quality. It was believed that poor quality was a resultant of poor and inefficient work exhibited by the workers but total quality management attributes the quality assurance to the management and not the workers alone. Apart from team building total quality management stresses on the principle that the efficiency of cross-functional teams increases quality. This is in contrast with the traditional thought of building teams and concentrating on high amount of efficient teamwork. Inspection was a common method used earlier to maintain quality but total quality management stresses more on assuring quality by enforcing certain processes. (TQM Vs Traditional management style. Retrieved on 04/27/2007, from http://www.leanmanufacturingconcepts.com/TQMVsTraditionalManagementStyle.htm) For a long period of time quality was localized to the organization where it was determined but in the recent times globalization is the buzzword. Economic globalization refers to the integration of the various markets across the world to promote their respective business. It is the exchange of capital, products and services at a global level. When we look at the impact that globalization has caused on quality the most striking feature is that quality must be demonstrated at a global comparison level. Globalization has led to the development of international trade and new opportunities for any business to grow and expand to become competitive in an international market. To survive in the international market there is a need for constant improvement in quality and other management practices. Globalization has brought with it high levels of competition and progress in technology and innovation that it becomes mandatory to adhere to international standards for quality assurance. The certification of the quality by an international body is one method to achieve it. Businesses involved in international trade rely on the government for developing national quality policies, which shows the nations quality consciousness that in turn, will be reflected in the international scenario. While applying total quality management in any organization, best practices must be developed and followed across the organization to realize the philosophy of total quality management. Some of the most commonly used techniques are described below. â€Å"Formation of short-term problem-solving teams with the overall objective of simplifying and streamlining work practices.† (J. Richard Hackman, Ruth Wageman, 1995) the problems addressed by these teams include issues in cross-functional involvement and with-in unit workflow problems (J. Richard Hackman, Ruth Wageman, 1995). While implementing total quality management in an organization there is a need for investing time and money in training the employees of the organization. â€Å"Top-Down implementation† is a very important practice that focuses on the philosophy that quality is the responsibility of top management (J. Richard Hackman, Ruth Wageman, 1995).   The top management is first introduced to the quality practices that are then passed on to the lower levels in the hierarchy. To know what are the customer preferences greatly helps in satisfying the customer hence it is necessary to device mechanisms to obtain customer data. Methods that can be used to obtain customer data include â€Å"toll-free complaint lines, market research firms and customer focus groups† (J. Richard Hackman, Ruth Wageman, 1995). â€Å"Competitive benchmarking and employee involvement† are features that are in the most recent times being used in implementing total quality management. Benchmarking is useful to understand customer requirements, In order to meet customer requirements it is some times essential to opt for alternatives in work processes and determining the goals that have to be achieved in terms of quality (J. Richard Hackman, Ruth Wageman, 1995). To aspire the employees of the organization to become more and more quality conscious it’s a good idea to introduce methods by which the employee can be involved in quality. Some of the well-known methods are celebration of quality related events and use of quality days or weeks to stress upon quality improvement. At the same time programs must be developed to ensure employee satisfaction by providing proper appraisals based on performance. Ultimately the implementation of total quality management in an organization should be in-sync with the fundamental philosophy of â€Å"†¦perpetual improvement in everything we do.† (Dexter A. Hansen) References Richard Hackman.J, Ruth Wageman (1995). Total Quality Management: Empirical, conceptual, and Practical Issues. Journal article Administrative Science Quarterly, 40 Total Quality Management Vs Traditional Style, retrieved date 04/27/2007 http://www.leanmanufacturingconcepts.com/TQMVsTraditionalManagementStyle.htm United nations economic commission of Europe, Best Practice in the Creation of Quality Systems for Enhancing Competitiveness of SMEs, retrieved on, http://www.unece.org/indust/sme/quality.html

Strong relationship Essay Example for Free

Strong relationship Essay Perhaps, growing up as a member of the third sex, most especially in a black community, is one of the most significant challenges that one could face. Black communities are centered on the traditional function of an institution, which is mainly directed in opposing the lifestyles that are deemed to be transgressing the code of morality. Historically, people of color have been faced with serious hardships and obstacles, and these add up to the pressure of being a part of the third sex. Fortunately, such experiences have been my stepping stone to become aware of what it is like to be involved in a subject that few have dared to discuss. Though I am lucky enough to grow up with a strong support system, I still had and continue to have my share of difficulties which eventually changed my perspective in the governing body that permeates our community. I was once a member of the Navy, and I was discharged from the service on the basis of sexual orientation. My firsthand account of the institutional discrimination became my guiding force to pursue a legal profession which I believe would pave the way for me to bring to public interest an issue that is often taken for granted. As an individual who has spent a considerable time working in the paralegal environment, I believe that education and exposure are imperative tools in bringing changes in the perspective of individuals. Likewise, the attainment of understanding towards an issue can only be possible if individuals are aware of the current situation. Hence, armed with a strong desire to pursue law, I will strive to bridge the gap between the gay community and the public. Similar to other applicants who wish to apply for the university’s law program, I offer credentials that highlight my capability as an individual. Alongside my education and work experiences as a paralegal practitioner in both the international and local landscape, I also actively participated in community outreach programs which became a ground for me to fully recognize my capabilities as a legal practitioner. From there, I managed to have an account of providing legal assistance and education among people of different backgrounds specially those that were impacted with the discriminatory practices present in the workplace. Likewise, I was able to share my experience as a person of color and a member of the third gender. I account the continuous increase of my professional knowledge to all my experiences in working with people of diverse background. Having been able to deal with individuals who offer varied and inspirational stories catapulted my desire to understand further the ins and outs of the industry. For these reasons, I strongly believe that (name of university) would offer me the education that would bring me a step closer to attaining my goal of becoming an attorney. My strong commitment to diversity as well as excellent program would enable me to achieve my objectives and broaden my perspective in legal aspects. In addition, when identifying potential schools, I sought out institutions that extend their efforts to areas that would prepare me excellently for public interest works and would fully equip me with academic input which, in the long run, would enable me to give out possible improvements with the issues present in the field of law. I also believe that (name of university) is a ground for me to reconstruct my plans for a better career path and would allow me to take on valuable options that are essential for establishing strong relationship with the community that I am about to work with. The combination of my strong educational background, practical experiences and my pursuit to expose and rectify the injustices permeating in our society would ensure my success in the university’s law program. For the foregoing, I believe that (name of university), with its purpose-driven programs, is the ideal institution to embark upon the study of law.

Restatement problem definition technique

Restatement problem definition technique Task 1 The purpose of the task is to choose one of the scenarios and to apply the Present state/Desired state, Duncker Diagram and Statement/Restatement problem definition technique. The scenario 1 is about the problem associated with the recycling of post-consumer waste. It has been observed that even in the most cooperative and environment conscious communities, bins of recyclable waste contains 10% of wrong recyclable or non-recyclable material. For disposing non-recyclable material present in recyclable bins, recycling company has to spend lot of money. The problem needs investigation from the recycling company CEOs point of view. Summary of additional information gathered Generation of waste is strongly associated to population and urbanization [1]. Improvement of existing waste management technique is a prime concern for developing countries. In past, the most inexpensive practice for disposing waste was to place it in landfills. Despite the fact that the landfills were used to manage the waste, the need for restitution of the landfills, release of toxic gases, limited accessibility of the land for the landfills etc., still remains a great challenges for metropolitan cities. The ever increasing post-consumer waste has many adverse effects on the health of people, such as pollution of underground water and soil, bad smell from landfills and release of green house gases like CO2 and CH4 [1]. The concept of 3Rs which says reduce, reuse and recycle has become a key notion for waste management. The finest way to manage waste is not to create it. Generation of waste should be minimized at household level by avoiding excess use of non-environmental friendly goods. Recycling is the also one of the best option for waste management as it offers several advantages like utilization of waste which would otherwise be dumped in landfills and also decrease in use of new resources [2]. Novel methods of sorting non-recyclable waste from recyclable should be brought in use. The production capacity of paper in Malaysia has reached up to 1,300,000 T/year [3] but it is still low as compared to the consumption of paper there. Paper mills in Malaysia are now relying on machines which can sort different grades of paper. After sorting, high quality paper can be recycled. Malaysian paper mills are saving lot of money, energy, reducing the amount of landfills, reducing incineration and above all conserving their natural resources [3]. Shutting down of Freshkills Landfills in Staten Island in 2001 has strained the city of New York to find other methods of waste management. To dispose huge amount of waste, New York City is exporting parts of its waste to Virginia and its neighboring state. Remarkable increase in disposal tipping fees in recent years has forced New York City to find other methods for waste management. Recycling provides a striking alternative as it helps in decreasing pollution, providing employments and preserving energy. Municipal Corporation in New York City is now relying on materials recovery facility (MRF). MRF collects waste, segregates wrong or non recyclable waste from recyclable waste, recycle the waste and stores it as raw material for manufacturing industry. By doing this, City of New York is saving nearly $46 million per year from the total amount it spends today for waste disposal [4]. Present state/Desired State Technique Discussion: The present state talks about the presence of wrong or non-recyclable material whereas desired state talks about maximizing companys profit by proper separation and disposal of non-recyclable waste. There is no match between the present state and the desired state. Further reworking of statements is required. Discussion: These states are matched, but there is no clear difference between the present and the desired state. Desired state somewhat solves the issue in present state i.e. company has to spend money for disposing non-recyclable waste. Actual problem is not resolved yet therefore further reworking of solution is required. Discussion There is perfect one to one mapping between present and desired state. The problem addressed in present state is completely resolved in desired state. The desired state focuses on attaining zero percent contamination in recyclable bins. Therefore, if there is no non-recyclable or wrong recyclable material in recyclable bin there is no point in disposing it and there is no cost for disposing it. These statements can therefore be considered as the best statements for actual problem. Duncker Diagram Statement-Restatement Technique Original problem statement: Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. Trigger 1: Emphasizing on different words and phrases Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. Is there any other way to collect waste? Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. How can we reduce percentage of wrong or non-recyclable material? Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. Can we make use of these wrong or non-recyclable materials? -Some materials like used polythene bags can be reused as trash bags in houses for trash cans. In this way consumer can reduce the use of non-recyclable material. Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. How can we reduce cost for disposing non-recyclable waste? Trigger 2: Substituting the explicit definition Containers of reusable materials are contaminated with non-reusable materials that are in fact, expensive to dump. Trigger 3: Making opposite sentence How to make bins of recyclable material contamination free, thus company has to spend no money for its disposal? Trigger 4: Use relaxing constraints Bins of recyclable material are never contaminated and there is no cost for its disposal. This technique helps us to think in different way. It motivates to develop a method so that recycle bins never get any contamination. Trigger 5: Replacing persuasive words The problem statement implies that we obviously want zero contamination of recyclable waste so that company has to spend no money for its disposal. Thus, if we could avoid contamination at source by marking the bins and classifying non-recyclable and recyclable waste for consumers. Trigger 6: Expressing words in the form of equation This statement can be expressed in equation form: Contamination in recyclable bin is directly proportional to presence of non-recyclable material. Therefore, By replacing, proportionality sign (with proportionality constant (k). This trigger helps us in thinking in alternative way. What factors affect the value of k? How can we minimize the presence of non-recyclable material? Proper tagging of bins, classification of non-recyclable materials and recyclable materials for consumers, reducing use of non-recyclable material etc. can help in reducing contamination of recycle bins. References Moldes, Y. Cendon, M. T. Barral, â€Å"Evaluation of municipal solid waste compost as a plant growing media component, by applying mixture design,† Bioresource Technology, vol. 98, no. 16, November 2007. V. W. Y Tam, C. M. Tam, â€Å"A review on the viable technology for construction waste recycling,† Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 209-221, June 2006. M. O. Rahman, M. A. Hannan, E. Scavino, A. Hussain, H. Basri, â€Å"An Efficient Paper Grade Identification Method for Automatic Recyclable Waste Paper Sorting,† European Journal of Scientific Research, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 96-103, 2009. A. J. Dubanowitz, â€Å"Design of a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) For Processing the Recyclable Materials of New York Citys Municipal Solid Waste,† M.S. thesis, Dept.Earth and Environmental Eng., Columbia Univ., May 2000 [online]. Available at http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/dubanmrf.pdf, retrieved on 09/29/09.

Overpopulation and Environmental Degradation Essay example -- Explorat

Overpopulation and Environmental Degradation At the time of the agricultural revolution, nearly ten thousand years ago, the population of the globe was no more than ten million. Today the world population is estimated at over six billion. In the last hundred years the population has more than tripled. With the population rising at an enormous rate of 1.7 million a week, the world as a whole is being drained of its resources. (Southwick, 1996) Different theories have prevailed on what will occur as the population continues to explode ranging from the Malthusian apocalypse to absolutely no effects at all. Over the last two centuries as agricultural and technological advancements came about, the planet's overall carrying capacity increased dramatically. It is estimated that the world could support over twenty times its current population living at 120 per square meter in 2000-story buildings. (Dolan, 1974) Overpopulation not only adversely affects the "environment," or nature, but also has a large impact on human societies today. Environmental degradation and population growth go hand in hand. As more people enter the world, there is a greater need for space, furthering damage to our surroundings. As populations grew in response to the agricultural revolution of ancient times more land was required for cultivation to feed the rising populations. Forests were cleared, waterways were diverted, and the soil exhausted, all a result of the expanding populace. Even today in parts of the world, especially third world countries, land is being cleared by slash and burn methods for grazing land and urban development. Whole species of organisms in areas like the Amazon rainforest have most likely been lost due to this method of deforestatio... ...devastating effects, notably poverty, disease, and famine, on poorer countries that cannot handle the needed health care for their mounting populations. Rapid growth of the human population is occurring today with three births for each death. (Southwick, 1996) The modern countries of today cannot turn their back on the third world as everything that occurs on this planet is related. These issues are becoming more and more difficult to solve and are escalating each day. More time and effort needs to be done to look at the root of these issues if there is any hope to fix them. References: Dolan, Edwin G., Ch. 5 from "TANSTAAFL: The Economic Strategy for Environmental Crisis" 1974 Southwick, Charles H., Ch. 15 from "Global Ecology in Human Perspective" Oxford Univ. Press, 1996 Tennenbaum, Erica. http://www.tulane.edu/~rouxbee/kids98/egypt3.html October 20, 1998

National Transportation Safety Boards Report Case Study Essay -- Essay

National Transportation Safety Boards Report Case Study STATEMENT OF PURPOSE This report provides a summary of the National Transportation Safety Boards Report on the accident involving a Douglas DC-8-63, N827AX, operated by ABX Air Inc. (Airborne Express). The description provides a brief synopsis of accident flight. The discussion is an examination of the history of the flight and discussion on those findings I found were most causal to the accident that were covered by the National Transportation Safety Board during their investigation. The report also explores those probable causes that attributed to the accident and action provided by the National Transportation Safety board in the prevention of similar mishaps. DESCRIPTION On December 22, 1996, at 1810 eastern standard time, a Douglas DC-8-63, N827AX, operated by ABX Air Inc. (Airborne Express) impacted mountainous terrain in the vicinity of Narrows, Virginia, while on a post-modification functional evaluation flight. The three flightcrew members and three maintenance/avionics technicians on board were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and a postcrash fire. The functional evaluation flight, which originated from Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro, North Carolina, was conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan and operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable causes of this accident were the inappropriate control inputs applied by the flying pilot during a stall recovery attempt, the failure of the nonflying pilot-in-command to recognize, address, and correct these inappropriate control inputs, and the failure of ABX to establish a formal functional evaluation flight program that included adequate program guidelines, requirements and pilot training for performance of these flights. Contributing to the causes of the accident were the inoperative stick shaker stall warning system and the ABX DC-8 flight training simulator’s inadequate fidelity in reproducing the airplane’s stall characteristics. DISCUSSION In all the National Transportation Safety Board concluded there were twenty-three findings that directly contributed to this airplane accident. I will address the ones I feel carried the most impact where if the instance was removed the accident would have be... ...stall characteristics. Recommendations include requiring the Douglas Aircraft Company change maintenance and calibration requirements for all DC-8 stall warning systems, improving the fidelity of the simulators in reproducing the stall characteristics of the airplanes they represent, ensure ABX incorporates the revised functional evaluation stall recovery procedure in its FEF program and developing an advisory circular advising aircrew on correct stall maneuver procedures. Additional requirements were for the FAA to identify operations that require special consideration and require special training and operational guidance. They were also to take a more active role in surveillance of FEF programs for air carriers and modify current operating instructions to clarify airworthiness and operational procedural requirements for conducting FEF’s in transport-category aircraft. The Safety Board also reiterated its standing recommendation to present pilots with angle-of-attack information in a visual form at and to train them to use the information to obtain maximum possible climb performance. Bibliography: National Transportation Safety Board, Aircraft Accident Report NTSB/AAR-97/05

Essay --

As a part of my endeavor to pursue higher studies I humbly submit the Statement of Purpose. This statement would succinctly recapitulate my ambitions and credibility as a promising zealous student in your institution. First of all, I would like to introduce myself as Mr. Satyanarayana Shiva Mantravadi, an undergraduate B. tech Engineer with Electronics and Communication Engineering specialization from Koneru Lakshmiah University, one of the very distinguished and esteemed universities in our country. Right from my school, I was always fascinated by Mathematics, Science and Research in general. And then again in high school, it was this propensity which led me to take up Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as my major subjects. This passion eventually made me to opt for Electronics and Communication Engineering as my field of expertise. I would like to present my past performance as the bona fides for my success in my future endeavors. My innate strength has always been my quantitative and analytical abilities, which instilled me with a penchant for Mathematics and Physics. I opted for the same in my 12th grade and secured a score of around 96% in core subjects. I was placed in the top 3% of five hundred thousand aspirants who took entrance examination for IITs. This performance helped me in getting admission into Koneru Lakshamiah University, Vijayawada, India. During the course of my preparation for this exam, I had realized that my interests lay in the broad principles of scienc e and its basic fundamentals and I ascertained Electronics and Communication Engineering to be the apt subject, catering my taste. It was the time when technology had slowly begun to repose the lives of the people. Electronics and Communication Engi... ...of academic excellence accompanied by proficient Faculty and research facilities. Moreover, your institution being the confluence of people from every race, religion and nationality provides the right kind of exposure needed for upbringing of one’s natural skill. I especially thank you for giving me the opportunity to express about myself. Hailing from an educated family, I am confident that I possess the required perseverance and commitment and am sure that I’ll cope with your expectations. It would be a great honor to my family and my country if I could attain remarkable achievements in my field. I assure you that I would keep up my diligence and good demeanor during the course. I hope you find my purpose definitive and I fit in to your image of a promising research student. I look forward to prove myself. ( Satyanarayana Shiva Mantravadi) Essay -- As a part of my endeavor to pursue higher studies I humbly submit the Statement of Purpose. This statement would succinctly recapitulate my ambitions and credibility as a promising zealous student in your institution. First of all, I would like to introduce myself as Mr. Satyanarayana Shiva Mantravadi, an undergraduate B. tech Engineer with Electronics and Communication Engineering specialization from Koneru Lakshmiah University, one of the very distinguished and esteemed universities in our country. Right from my school, I was always fascinated by Mathematics, Science and Research in general. And then again in high school, it was this propensity which led me to take up Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as my major subjects. This passion eventually made me to opt for Electronics and Communication Engineering as my field of expertise. I would like to present my past performance as the bona fides for my success in my future endeavors. My innate strength has always been my quantitative and analytical abilities, which instilled me with a penchant for Mathematics and Physics. I opted for the same in my 12th grade and secured a score of around 96% in core subjects. I was placed in the top 3% of five hundred thousand aspirants who took entrance examination for IITs. This performance helped me in getting admission into Koneru Lakshamiah University, Vijayawada, India. During the course of my preparation for this exam, I had realized that my interests lay in the broad principles of scienc e and its basic fundamentals and I ascertained Electronics and Communication Engineering to be the apt subject, catering my taste. It was the time when technology had slowly begun to repose the lives of the people. Electronics and Communication Engi... ...of academic excellence accompanied by proficient Faculty and research facilities. Moreover, your institution being the confluence of people from every race, religion and nationality provides the right kind of exposure needed for upbringing of one’s natural skill. I especially thank you for giving me the opportunity to express about myself. Hailing from an educated family, I am confident that I possess the required perseverance and commitment and am sure that I’ll cope with your expectations. It would be a great honor to my family and my country if I could attain remarkable achievements in my field. I assure you that I would keep up my diligence and good demeanor during the course. I hope you find my purpose definitive and I fit in to your image of a promising research student. I look forward to prove myself. ( Satyanarayana Shiva Mantravadi)