University of Phoenix Material

1. If you find errors on your credit report, what steps would you take to correct them? You would need to contact the consumer reporting company and the information provider like right away when you see something not right with your report.. When you are contacting the consumer reporting company in writing you need to explain to the person on the other line what information you believe to be is true that is inaccurate. When you are contacting the information provider in writing that you dispute on the item.They might ask you some questions like an address or etc. 2. There are many organizations that claim they will repair your credit for a fee. From your readings, should someone use a credit repair service? Why or why not? What are some actions these organizations can take that should be a red flag? 3. Have you, a family member, or a friend been a victim of identity theft? How did it happen? Describe the resolution process- ex. how much time did it take, what credit damage was correc ted?Well this actually just happen to me when I went to file my taxes. After I went and filed my taxes online it said that someone already had filed them. SO I waited two hours to actually talk to someone through the IRS and they hung up not one not twice but three times and I was very angry. I explained to them my situation. So they had to send me forms that I have to fill out and send back t0 the IRS. They told me this whole process is going to take 180 days.I don’t see how because, they should have like all the proof but, I guess it a waiting game now for me to sit back and just wait for my taxes. 4. Using the FTC site, what can you do to minimize the chance of your identity getting stolen? Ways you can protect your identify would be when you are going out into the public you only want to take your drivers license and the credit card you are going to need to go shopping or whatever you case might be. You never want to do your banking through and unsecure website always one to make sure it a secure site you are sure of.You always want to keep you social security card and birth certificate lock up when going away in case if someone would ever break into your home they won’t be able to rob you for your social and birth certificate. You always want to keep your pin numbers and your password to yourself. Don’t ever give them out because then anyone can access your stuff anytime they would want from where they want to. Never give anyone your credit or bank card to purchase or go get money because they could get your information. Post the Credit Protection and Identity Theft worksheet as a Microsoft ® Word attachment. University of Phoenix Material What were the major developments in the evolution of mass media during the 20th century? During the 1900’s magazines along with newspapers became the leading literature for media. When the 1940’s rolled around radio was invented and became the new way to get in touch with the masses. Folks often tuned into to get the news on what was going on during the war. Even though radio was new there was still a high demand for the newspaper as a way to get and stay informed on different things.Then in the1950’s television became the new source for information and resources for mass media. Television was everything all rolled up into one and the people loved it. In 1962 technology grew and they came up with the Satellites which gave the masses or the American Culture access to news all around the world. Today we can all just see how far technology has came and how endless the possibilities may be for the future. There are many forms of communication and it just continues to grow and communication has become almost instant these days.There is a never ending demand for more speed, more apps and new computers with high performance and so many other ways to communicate and relay information to the masses. People want instant answers to their questions and concerns and mass media makes it happen for the people. Technology only seems to grow more and more as the demand for new ways to communicate grow with it. There is always the next best thing right after the next best thing to have and buy in way of, phones, computers, and I-pads for social networks and so on.How did each development influence American culture? Mass media has developed strongly over the past years. The development of mass media has had a big influence on the American culture in many ways. It seems today, that mass media has endless possibilities to reach people. Initially in American culture we only communicated orally. In the past people depended on teachers and story tellers to obtain knowledge. One of the beginning developments in mass media was the ability to print.As far back as the 1400’s there were books in the starting stages of becoming available to people the mass media audience. Then we had the development of the Telegraph as a way of communication that was instant, and it did away with the need to transport written information. The creation of the telegraph opened the doors to cell phones, radio and fax machines. In the Twentieth century we entered the phase of electronics. This new age of information brought television to the American culture and lead to other resources like satellite and computers.Then we moved into the digital phase which gave a wealth of power to a common person. So as we can see mass media has had a profound affect on American culture in ways we have evolved in communication. No longer relying on one certain source to gain knowledge or information, we now have many avenues of media and communication that are instant and avai lable and will only continue to become better, which allows the American culture to stay in touch, get informed, and help them better and faster with communication and recourses.

Africa Hunger Essay

Today, i am happy to come here and tell you sth about Africa Hunger. First, i have a small question for you :† have you ever had nothing in your stomach for three days? Maybe none of you here have suffer it but in sub-saharan Africa, there are a lot of people died everyday due to starvation. In this presentation, i will tell you five things you may not know about hunger in Africa. Hunger in Africa has become a huge issue over the years. There are billions of adults and children starving. The first of five factors you may not know about Africa Hunger is Climate changes and bad weather significantly affect hunger in Africa. It push more and more people into hunger. According to Climate changes and Hunger, FAO, 2009; By 2050, climate change and bad weather will have pushed another 24 millions children into hunger. Almost half of these children will live in sub-saharan Africa. Why FAO can point out this conculsion, they have analized value of the number of hungry people from 2001-2009. this climate changes factor has create the following factor. Factor number 2 is rising food prices contributes to hunger in Africa. It is affected by climate changes and economic issue. However this problem can be solved since there are a lot of foundations for victims of starvation. However Factor number 3 showing that 2 factor above has crushed this part of the world is Africa accounts for 1 quater of the hungry population. From this chart you can see that there are 102 billion people in hunger all around the world and about 642 millions in Asia – Pacific. Sub- saharan Africa hvae reach 265 millions which mean 1 quarter of the world’s hungry population. The following factor will show us how terrible hunger is? Factor number 4: Hunger kills more people than AIDS in Africa. FAO has shown that 14,6 million African died because of AIDS but it is up to 42 million hungry deaths in the near East and North Africa. Factor number 5 relating to money have point out that it only take $0,25 to feed a child in Africa. You can provide a child with all of the vitamins and nutrients, he or she need to grow up healthy with only 5200 VN Ä  per day. Food is a humand right but there are more hungry people now than at any time in history. We can fix it. By this preresentation, i just want to send you a message â€Å" plz, don’t waste your food even a piece of bread†.

Accounting Theory Question

What is positive accounting theory? how does it differ from normative accounting theory? what was/were the major dissatisfaction(s) with normative accounting theory which led to the development of a positive theory accounting? 2. Explain the meaning of an efficient market. what is meant by the following terms: weak-form efficiency, semistrong-form efficiency, strong-form efficiency? which form is the most important to accounting research? why? Explain the important of examining the impact the profit on share prices for financial analysis. can this analysis be used to make abnormal returns from the share markets? 4. Does study of the information content of profits announcements explain why firms use particular accounting practice? does it help to predict which firms will use particular accounting practices? 5. Give reasons that non-linear model relating unexpected returns to share prices would provide a more precise estimate of the earnings response coefficient (ERC). . Why would share prices have a greater reaction to the profit announcement released by small firm compared with those released by large firms? do you think this research has any implications for measurement issues in accounting or for formulation of accounting standards? 7. outline the research that has been undertaken on the impact of permanent and temporary increases in profits. why is this research important? 8. how will risk and uncertainty affect the valuation of a firm and, through this valuation model, the ERC? . The impact of profits for valuation has diminished over the years. what is the impact? how was the research adjusted to reflect this fact? 10. Outline a research project which explain how share prices are determined. would this project include factors other than accounting data? Briefly explain the outline the research of mechanistic hypothesis. what are the implications of the research? 12. Why would financial analysis be fooled by accounting numbers and provide optimistic and biased estimates of profits? an you offer a positive economic reason for their actions? 13. outline the different procedures that can be used to determine whether accounts have quality accruals or whether they create more noise. 14. what are the two main explanations for the association between the choice of high-quality auditor and a lower cost of debt or equity capital? 15. why do we have to be carefull drawing conclusions about causality based on studies using archival data?

Peer review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Peer review - Essay Example These factors as stated include; low interest loans, ease for access to loans, Competitors advertising, introduction of new competitive models and competitor’s dealers discounts (Cooper & Schindler, 2014). This hypothesis also has some significant weaknesses. The hypothesis does not give a definite correlation coefficient for this question. The importance of a correlation coefficient is to show the strength of a hypothesis. It is usually a number between -1 and +1. If it is close to +1 then it shows a strong hypothesis. However, if it is close to -1, it represents a weak hypothesis. In addition, enough statistics on the number and percentage through which sales increased as a result of the increase in per capital income is not provided. A sales hypothesis also calls for more charts analysis while this hypothesis does not provide. (Robert, 2007). According to the biblical teaching, Christians are called upon to put effort in every activity they undertake. The Bible calls for perfection in the activities that Christians undertake. Proverbs 21:5 emphasizes that the plans of diligent leads to plenty, while everyone that has hasty only leads to

Improving analyse based on feedback for marketing Essay

Improving analyse based on feedback for marketing - Essay Example The company selected for this study is the Cullin Innovation Pvt Ltd which is a successful company engaged in the manufacture of mineral water. The company is based in Queensland, Australia. â€Å"Cullin Innovation Pty Ltd was formed to create, develop and commercialise new and innovative products that will enhance the potential for an ecologically sustainable future. Cullin Innovation Pty Ltd is driven by a strong environmental and social ethic.† (Company profile, 2009, para.2). Involvement, partnership and deliberate alliances are main factors that support Cullin Innovation’s research and advancement and manufacturing plan capability. This construction facilitates a huge group of possessions and knowledge to be readily available across an extensive array of disciplines. This has helped create elasticity, reduce overheads and decreasing the response time to get together with the dynamic markets. The development and prospects that Cullin Innovation Pty Ltd enjoys is a proven guarantee by the Managing Director Peter Cullin’s confidence and the insights for the development of the product and to make the business a success. Marketing is a commercial activity that recognizes needs of the customer and requirements of the business. Thus, it needs to decide on the kind of target markets which are likely to serve the company’s avenue for selling its products. Advertising is the core of marketing and its purpose is to primarily introduce a product in the market and secondarily to create affinity about the product in the minds of the customers. Marketing is a significant activity in the organization and the management conducts an analysis on various trends that prevail within the sector. Marketing of the product identifies the mission of the company and how the statement is formulated and how it can contribute for the success of the product. Marketing strategies also envisage future prospects of the company. The Marketing activities support the mission,

Final english Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Final english - Essay Example More importantly, governments are also providing incentives and tax waives to people who buy hybrid cars in order to encourage the manufacturers in their efforts to manufacture energy efficient automobile engines. Different automobile engines have evolved with time. However, the most common are the 4 cylinder inline engine, v6, v8, and hybrid engines. This paper discusses the different automobile engines whilst comparing their technology, efficiency, environmental friendliness, and the challenges faced while developing engines that are more efficient. Additionally, the paper will discuss the advantages of hybrid cars with much reference to Toyota Prius. 4 Cylinder (V4) Inline Engines Perhaps 4 cylinder inline engines are the most commonly used engines today. However, the technology for this type of engine has revolutionized for decades. Many improvements have been made on the engines to make them efficient, more powerful, and compact and environmental friendly. Technologically, the 4 cylinder inline engine has all the four cylinders arranged in a straight line with all the four pistons being used to drive a common crankshaft. In most cars, the piston displacement goes up to 2.4 liters. However, diesel powered 4 cylinder inline engines have most often gone beyond 3.0 liters displacement. Notably, a series of modifications have been made on this type of engine. Whereas most of earlier versions used carburetor, modern cars use complicated electrical systems such as the VVTi systems (â€Å"U.S department of Energy†). Indeed, most modern cars produced in the last ten years have a computerized system otherwise referred to as engine management systems for controlling fuel and air into the engine. Considering the widespread use of4 cylinder inline engines, it is safe to conclude that these are the most efficient automobile engines so far especially considering the widespread use of gasoline and diesel as the propellant (â€Å"U.S department of Energy†). V 6 Engines V6 engines are indeed the second most commonly used engines in automobiles. The v6 engine comprises of 6 cylinders with 6 pistons driving a common crankshaft. However, the 6 cylinders are not often placed in one straight line. Actually, three cylinders are put on either side making a v shape with the crankshaft. Most of these engines are either configured at 60 degrees or 90 degrees. However, the 60 degree orientation is arguably the most efficient and provides less engine vibration as well. However, it is important to note that most v6 engines are most commonly used in medium sized cars especially most of the lower end sports utility vehicles (SUVs). However, in line with the need for energy conservation, v6 engines have undergone tremendous improvements. For instance, the inline 6cylinder engines are no longer being manufactured. The piston angle has also been factored in many model manufacturing. For instance, some of the modern cars using v6 engines are either turbocha rged or use super chargers to improve fuel efficiency and produce more torque. Simply put, turbo chargers are systems that compress and sometimes preheat air and force it into combustion chambers at high pressure hence generating more energy (â€Å"U.S department of Energy†). V8 engines V8 engines have eight cylinders with four cylinders on each side. All the eight cylinders drive the same

European culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

European culture - Research Paper Example Symbols consist of words, gestures, pictures, and objects representing a particular meaning. People sharing the culture only understand the meaning (Bondebjerg, 2004). The research seeks to find out the influence of the historic European culture to the present culture. It will highlight the current culture and matters of art and recreation such as music. The culture of Europe comprise of many overlapping cultures (Bundaberg, 2004). This indicates that now common culture does not exist. European culture passed through a series of events under different groups of people. The Greeks laid the foundations of the modern culture. Romans strengthened it while the Christians established it with the help of the other Europeans. In the fifteenth century, renaissance and reformation reformed and modernized the culture. The European empires that came after reformation globalized the culture. This culture succeeded to influence other cultures of the world through European education and Christianity (Goldstein, & Council of Europe, 2005). Culture consists of many aspects. By grouping similar aspects together, Scholars came up with five main components of culture. They include communication, cognitive component; material component, behavioral aspects, and religious aspects .communication comprise language. Language forms the most important aspect of culture in all cultures. People of the same culture interact and socialize with each other through the language (Goldstein, & Council of Europe, 2005). A symbol is anything used or shown to pass a particular massage or meaning. They vary with cultures although sometime they cut across many cultures. Cognitive component forms the second major aspect of culture. It comprises the ideas, knowledge, beliefs, and values of a particular group of people. Knowledge, considered as the storage of information fact and assumptions passes from generation to generation through formal

Iran and Italy - macro economics assignment Essay

Iran and Italy - macro economics assignment - Essay Example ay before it was hit by recession Italy was already experiencing poor economic performance of an average real GDP growth of only 1% per annum (Morsy and Sgherri, 2010, p.3). This was the period between 2001 and 2007. This growth rate was almost half the euro area growth rate. After the onset of recession in 2008, Italy faced a 7% decline in the GDP. In the first quarter of 2010 the economy started to recover from the poor performance. The recovery was halted in 2011 when the country reentered recession for the second time. The GDP fell by 0.2 % by the second quarter of 201l. By the end of the last quarter the GDP had declined further by 7%. This condition persisted in the first quarter of 2012 and then there was a little improvement although the GDP still remained negative. After the long contraction of the economic performance the GDP started improving in 2014 but it was still negative. The GDP is expected to become positive in the current year. Although a positive GDP is being anticipated the level expected will still below the euro average GDP. Iran on the other hand started facing a contraction in its business cycle in 2011. At the beginning of 2011, the country was facing a constant GDP growth rate of around 6% to 8% per annum. This increasing GDP was halted in mid 2011 when the GDP faced a significant drop. The GDP growth rate fell below 5% and the downward trend continued until July 2012. At this time the GDP had fallen greatly and was on the negative side. The growth rate at mid- year 2012 was estimated to be -10%. This was the lowest level achieved during the period. After the 2012 drop in GDP it started increasing at a constant rate until early 2013 a downward movement. The drop was short term and by mid 2013 the GDP growth rate had started rising again. By mid-year 2014 the GDP growth rate was positive again at a level of around 5%. One of the main reasons for the downward economic growth in Italy was the high public debt. The shrinking GDP in the

Technical Skills Essential to the Role of Secretarial Administration Essay

Technical Skills Essential to the Role of Secretarial Administration - Essay Example The researcher will begin with the statement that his experience in administration began when he was appointed as personal secretary to the Director-General of the Department of Arts and Culture. The researcher’s duties included the giving of administrative support to the Director-General. His main focus was administrative leadership, security and control functions which facilitated internal and external communication of the Head of Department with Top Management, Board Members and Agencies receiving state funding for arts and culture. The author got familiar with the Department’s policy regarding its system of correspondence, which included the drafting of internal memoranda, letters, and submissions for approval of funding proposals according to the system of delegation. In the researcher’s 10 years of employment with the Department, he prepared agendas for board and in-house meetings, took notes and set-up minutes of the meetings. The author had to organize in ternal staff meetings and provide all related documentation to the program managers (heads of the department’s divisions) like the financial executive director. Of his functions were to build a complete and efficient filing system in the form of paper files for back-up as well as an electronic filing system which kept track of each matter under discussion. Each unresolved matter was given a deadline date and the computer programme gave a daily print-out of outstanding matters with regard to urgent bookmarks for immediate attention that day.

Crime in America Essay Example for Free

Crime in America Essay Crime statistics tells us the variation of crimes that are being committed in the United States. The Bureau of Statistics compiles information processed in the federal justice system and gives us statistics on the many different crimes in America. This is a site that compiles crimes and tells us about how many different crimes are being committed and how many times they are being committed. This also gives us an idea of how much space we need to house these criminals. There are many jails and prisons that are over populated. Statistics also tell us that our crime fighting is not as good as it should be. With the websites for crime reporting this helps us to see what crimes are being committed and, how we can prepare for this and, how to prevent it. There is not a way to stop all crime or even prevent it but if we know what crimes are being committed more it will help us get a better understanding on how to catch the criminals that are involved in this type of behavior. In my honest opinion no crime is ever going to be completely stopped. If we all work together to pinpoint the main crimes we may also be more prepared to deal with them and catch the individuals involved. Crime in America today is on the rise the question is how to fix it before it gets out of hand. There are many different crime reporting measuring systems today. These help us get an idea of what crimes are being committed the most in what areas. With these types of statistics we may be able to start fighting crime in these areas to prevent further destruction in our communities. The Nation’s two crime measures are the UCR program and the NCVS. The UCR (Uniform Crime Reporting) this program collects information on crimes reported to law enforcement agencies. It compiles data monthly from the state agencies that report to the FBI. This system examines each report for accuracy or errors that may have occurred. It compares each monthly report to previous months and years to determine how much crime was committed from each month to each year. It gives us a detailed annual report. This comes in handy when trying to figure out if crime is on the rise or it is decreasing. The NCVS (National Crime Victimization Survey) this program gives us a detailed picture of crime incidents, victims and trends. This is used to uncover crime, update the survey methods and broaden the scope of crimes measured. The survey is designed to collect detailed information on the frequency and nature of the crimes that are being committed. This helps us to determine how many times this crime is committed and how it is being committed. It does over 43,000 personal household interviews twice a year. They rotate new houses every couple of years to make sure that it remains as accurate as possible. It also estimates crimes that have been reported and those that have not been reported. It also summarizes the reasons that individuals give for reporting or not reporting the crime. These programs share many similarities and differences. The similarities that they have are that they both measure crimes. The way that they measure crimes are very different from one another. But they both hope to achieve the same things. How they differ the most is in what they do. The UCR is designed to gather information and determine the statistics of the crimes reported by the law enforcement officers. The NCVS was designed to provide information about crimes that used to be unavailable. Also the two crime programs are different in other ways a well. One may judge crime by the size of the household, why the other judge’s crime by the number of crimes divided by so many people in that area. So as you can see even though they are out to achieve the same thing they just do it in different ways. It is hard to tell if the public’s perception of crime has changed over time. American’s perception of crime may be influenced by their assessments of how things are going in the country today. They also perceive it to be on how the country is economically. If America has a higher amount of jobs the crime rate may go down. When jobs are low and there is no work the crime rate may go up. Looking at the amount of crimes committed each year can also determine the public’s perception from one year to another. If they see more crimes in the last two years then they did in the previous years they are going to see that crime is on the high. I think that the future of crime depends on the economy. It also depends on how much crime is reported, and how people relate the experience of their crimes. If crimes are not being reported it is hard to figure out what types of crimes are being committed. It is hard for me to predict the future of crime because each criminal and each crime is different. If there were more people in America that would work as a whole to keep their community as safe as possible, I don’t think that crime would be big in that particular community. Also there are crimes today that are being committed due to lack of jobs. Most people will do what they have to, to make sure that their families are being taken care. A lot of problems today in my opinion depend on job security. If more people could have jobs then I don’t think that there would be as many crimes being committed. The American crime rate in my opinion just depends on the economy and the people in the economy. If you want to make a difference you will. If you don’t then you will be part of the problem not the solution.

The Furniture Company Spark Furniture Marketing Essay

The Furniture Company Spark Furniture Marketing Essay Introduction This report is based on the furniture company Spark Furniture. This report helps us to assess the current strategy of our enterprise using internal and external analysis. External analysis of spark furniture will identify major factors affecting the industry in which it is operating and to relate its opportunities and capabilities. PESTEL, Michael Porters Five Forces framework and SWOT helps to examine the strategy of spark furniture. Company overview Spark furniture emerged by taking over a small enterprise dealing with furniture groups operating from couple of years. It went with a unique strategy of cost leadership. Its products are Bed, Sofa, Dining table, and Coffee table. It has the third highest market share in overall market segment. The company is well s and known for its lower unit cost and offers lower price than competitors. Strategy Strategic management is defined as The art and science of formulating, Implementing, and Evaluating cross functional decisions that enable an organization to achieve objectives. (Fred, 1999) The strategic position is concerned with the impact on strategy of the external environment, an organizations strategic capability (resources and competences) and the expectations and influence of stakeholders (Johnson et al., 2008). Strategy is the pattern or plan that integrates an Organizations major goals, Policies, and action sequence into cohesive whole (Henry et al., 2003). Goals: States what is to be achieved and when results are to be accomplished, But they do not state how the result are to be achieved. Major goals those that effect the entitys overall direction and viability are called strategic goals (Henry et al., 2003). Policies: policies are rules that express the limit within which organization action should occur. These rules always take the form of contingent decisions for resolving conflicts among specific objective. (Henry et al., 2003) The strong strategic position is an indicator of high profitability and growth. The strategic position of Spark Furniture can be understood by carrying out different analysis on its external and internal environmental factors, and understanding its capabilities. External environmental analysis The different layers of environment that affect the market trends can be classified as macro-environment, Industry, competitors and markets. The analysis of these layers will give a better understanding of factors affecting the performance of Spark Furniture. (Refer Appendix A) PESTEL In analyzing the macro-environment, it is important to identify the factors that might affect a number of essential variables that are likely to influence the organizations supply and demand levels and its costs. (Henry et al., 2003) The Pestle Analysis is used to analyze the factors prevailing in macro-environment which may or may not influence the business, but knowing them and understanding them will help in overcoming uncertainty. (Refer Appendix B) Political Factors: Government regulations like taxation, labor policy, and excise duties issues may be a threat, as these policies will change with the change in government. Recently increase in VAT by 20% led our sales to decrease we are trying to cut down prices and provide customers with their requirements with a reasonable and effective fair price keeping in mind both companies and customer interest. This would help Spark furniture to increase its sale. Recession also affected the companys market share. It reduced peoples earning and spending capacity. Environmental Factors: Furniture industry has a number of environmental impacts that are caused by humans. The emergence of environmental concern as one of the critical factors in strategic business planning indicates the growth of environmental movement in the market place (Menon et al., 1999). Spark furniture focuses on furniture reuse, Environmental disposal green transport and recycling the products which cannot be repaired. This becomes advantage to some extent as it is able to reach the people easily with eco-friendly sense. Social Factors: These refer to what is taking place socially in the markets in which it operate or expect to operate like cultural norms, Population growth rate, Age distribution, Global warming(Due to cutting down of trees). The changes in life style of the people and attitudes to work and leisure also persuade market share. Sometimes strikes affect the market share. In Spark furniture there was a transport strike as the labour union and the employers have not reached a new collective labour agreement. For this reason during 6th period only 70% of goods are delivered and during 7th period no goods are delivered because of which company has to suffer a share loss of -0.17%.(Refer Appendix C) Technical Factors: Change in trend throws a challenge in providing customers with latest trend in the market. But on the other hand this gives an opportunity to be a leader in the market if the trend is grabbed by using latest technology and brought it to customers. These factors can affect the cost, Quality and may lead to innovation. For example, development of online shopping is well established in the market and upgrading the manufacturing process will yield to high quality products. Economic Factors: Economic factors affect industries are Access to credit, Demand for goods, and Technological advancement. The main economic threat would be existing competitors in the market. Company had a loan of  £150,000.00. Interest rate may go up due to inflation in the market this could affect the supply chain due to shift in the cash flows. Spark furniture has successfully sold its entire inventory from last 6 periods at the cheapest price possible apart from its competitors. Legal factors: Spark furniture follows the rules and maintains the specific standards set by the law, so that there is no difference of interest. These factors can affect how a company operates, its costs, and the demand for its products. Also, as it is taken over an existing business, all the legal documentation must be verified thoroughly. Limitations of Pestle Analysis: As the external environment is changing constantly, PESTLE analysis should be done on the current market situations (Cambell et al., 2002). It is also essential to analyze the level to which PESTEL is applied. When considering companies such as Apple, Samsung, PepsiCo, Volvo and Disney it is important to consider that they have many different parts to their overall business they include many different divisions and in some cases many different brands. Porters five forces model Porters five forces is a framework for the industry analysis and business strategy development developed by Michael E. Porter in 1979. It draws upon economics of industries to derive five forces that determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market. (Refer Appendix D) SWOT analysis An analysis of strengths weakness and opportunities threats has been drawn for Spark Furniture. (Refer Appendix E) SWOT analysis of Spark indicates where the company is good at and the areas of improvement. It helps as a planning tool to evaluate its strategic position and to relate it to its competitors (Basu, 2009). Stakeholder Mapping Stakeholder Map shows relationship of stakeholder individuals and groups to one another and finds out the role which each entity is playing. It also shows how an organisational environment must be navigated for successful implementation of change (Berkhout, 2002). Stakeholder Map of Spark Furniture is shown in Appendix F. Strategic group analysis Strategic groups are organisations within an industry with similar strategic characteristics, following similar strategies or competing on similar bases (Johnson et al., 2009). Strategic group analysis can be useful for the following: Understanding competition Deciding a Strategy In the Furniture sales world there exist many companies that try to be the market leaders by maximising their profits and expanding their market share. Spark Furniture is accompanied by other competitors like Leaf furnishing and Green furnishing. The identical strategies like cost leadership, differentiation, focus or stuck in the middle could be followed by these companies because most of the furniture companies deal in common products like the Bed, Sofa, Dining table and Coffee table. Entry of new competitors in the market increases the competition. Availability of more attractive and cheaper versions of products and services will always makes Spark Furniture to upgrade the technology which could increase the research cost. Down fall in the economy could result in the decrease of demand for furniture goods which could affect the overall demand and market share. Strategic capabilities According to Johnson Scholes (2009) strategic capability can be defined as the resources and competences of an organization needed for it to survive and prosper. These capabilities differ from organisation to organisation. Examples of capabilities are logistics, frugal systems etc. Having these capabilities differentiates them from others in achieving a better market share. Strategic capabilities are combination of Threshold resources, threshold competences, unique resources and core competences. Threshold resources: Threshold resources of Spark Furniture are its ability to provide a wide range of choices and offers to consumers at a low price than its competitors backed up by its product quality. Threshold competences: Threshold competences are the processes to be followed, to meet the requirements of customers. For Spark Furniture their aim is to provide products at an low price while keeping the standard quality. Unique resources: The unique resources are unique techniques that help in knowing the drivers of competitive advantage. The unique prices and exhibition of products by Spark Furniture help them to reach a wide range of customers like people who could not spare more money for shopping. Core competence: Core competence for Spark Furniture is its growth strategy of Cost Leadership which helps in offering unique attributes valued by customers for a low price, and perceived to be better than that of competitors. This allows the enterprise to achieve leadership in market and long term sustainability. Diagnosing strategic capability The strengths and weakness of organisation can be identified by analysing their strategic capability: Strengths: Spark offer benefits to valued customers. As a Furniture company, the unique marketing techniques backed up by the inbound and outbound logistics helps them to maintain the uninterrupted supply of products to the customers thus helps in providing qualitative services and products at affordable cost. Weaknesses: Targeting only a particular market segment of people by proving products at low prices could slow down the growth of the company from emerging markets. Evaluation of current strategies of Spark Furniture The strategy adopted by Spark Furniture is based on the generic strategies of Porter and that of Growth Strategy (Ansoff). That is the Cost Leadership and Market Penetration Strategies. The following analysis shows how the decisions undertaken affect the market share of Spark Furniture and its impact on its income and growth. (Refer appendix G) Cost Leadership: The strategy of Cost Leadership helps the way Spark Furniture operate as they tend to target to provide their customers with a good quality products at a very low price than its competitors which helps them to perceive better than their competitors. Market Penetration: This strategy of growth has been adopted by the company to introduce existing products in existing markets in an attempt to leverage the companys brand name. This could enable the company to create a broader customer base. The impact of the above decisions can be known by looking at the market share they are able to take part of the competitors market share and by finding new customers or by getting current customers to use more products. It is considered a low risk method to grow business. Strategic clock The model of strategic clock has been adapted from Cliff Bowman. Strategic clock shows the different positions in a given market where customers have various needs in terms of price (Johnson et al., 2009). By using this model we can study the competitive advantage of Spark Furniture. Bowmans strategy helps us to find out the companys competitive status by using some strategic options. These options are the No Frills, Low Price, Hybrid, Focus and differentiation. Of the various strategic options Spark Furniture had opted for Low Price that is where the company seeks to achieve a lower price than its competitors at the same time providing similar benefits and quality as their competitors. (Refer Appendix H) The reason for the company to adapt a strategy like Low Price is that it could target the people that are most interested in Low price products. As result of the above strategy the concept of Cost Leadership will also be achieved so that control over the price elasticity of the goods sold can be achieved. Competitive advantage The main competition for Spark Furniture is from Leaf Furnishing and Green Furnishing for the leadership in market share and growth. This is making the market segment competition more severe. As a result of the Cost Leadership strategy adopted by Spark Furniture, they are enjoying a healthy market share which is reflected in the rising growth of their market share considerably and as a result the inventory turnover is good and which in turn increased their income. (Refer Appendix I) Sustainability of spark furniture Sustainability of Spark furniture can be explained by analysing the key areas in its organisational growth. The main strategic decision of Cost Leadership helps the company to retain their own customer base which in turn helps in achieving a steady share in market for a long time. Its policy is to provide good quality goods at an affordable price due to its innovative price strategy. This helps the company to maintain its aim of providing products at lower prices than its competitors and thus increasing its brand value. The main costs that could occur for Spark could be, in its education level in order to build up its innovation areas to provide more quality products and still been able to maintain low price. It also needs to spend a bit on Human Resource areas in order to keeps its staff happy and retain their loyalty for a better future as the loyalty of employees is not looking great at the moment which could affect the quality.(Refer Appendix G) From customers perspective Spark Furniture could sustain in the future as long as it can give customers the quality products at a lower prices than its competitors and by doing so it can maintain its brand value and image which could help the company to grow more heights. The other factors that could threaten Spark Furniture sustainability like their slow growth in innovations which could bring down quality of products and thus affecting its market share and need to improve its HR area in order to be more affective in their customer service. Though the company is having a consistent income there is a need to increase its income growth by increasing the sales income of the income which at the moment is bit low. (Refer Appendix G) Conclusion By examining the strategies implemented by spark furniture it seems like they adopted a strategy which suits them. However, they need to be aware of the internal and external environment which changes continuously and the company needs to be ready to adopt a different kind of strategy that could be appropriate for the situation for retaining and increasing their market share. Works Cited Basu, R., 2009. Implementing Six Sigma and Lean: a practical guide to tools and techniques. 1st ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinenmann. Berkhout, M., 2002. Service support. Norwich: TSO. Cambell, D., Stonehouse, G. Houston, B., 2002. Business Strategy. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. Edu-Finntrack, 2010. Edu-Finntrack. [Online] Available at: http://courseware.finntrack.eu/learners/strat_mgnt.htm [Accessed 14 March 2011]. Fred, R.D., 1999. Strategic Managment. New jersey: Prentice Hall. Henry, M., Joseph, L., James, B.Q. Sumantra, G., 2003. The Strategy Process. New Jersey: fourth. Johnson, G., Scholes, K. Whington, R., 2009. Fundamentals of strategy. spain: Prentice Hall. Johnson, k., Scholes, k. Wittington, R., 2008. Exploring corporate strategy. Italy: Prentice Hall. ktnrchobby, 2011. ktnrchobby.com. [Online] Available at: www.ktnrchobby.com [Accessed 2011 March 15]. marketingteacher.com, 2011. Marketingteacher.com. [Online] Available at: http://www.marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-bowman.html [Accessed 15 March 2011]. Menon, A., Chowdhury, J. Jankovich, J., 1999. Evolving paradigm for environmental senstivity in marketing programs : a syenthsis of theory and practice. Journal of marketing theory and practice, pp.1-15. Porter, M.E., 2008. The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review.

Essay --

â€Å"You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you† (C.S Lewis).The novel A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway engages numerous themes associated with love and death. Taking place during World War 1, Hemingway displays the horrors of war, yet he contains Henry and Catherine’s love story in the midst of it all. Hemingway demonstrates themes such as religion and reality of war associated with love, and uses weather and loss related to death. The novel revolves around the love story between Henry and Catherine, taking place in the World War. Therefore, Henry emerges himself into love in order to escape and overcome the grim reality of war. Similarly, Catherine mourns the death of her late husband but uses love to to fill the void. Religion is a major theme highlighted with love in the novel. Literary critic Arnold A. Markley states, â€Å"A religion or any organized system of beliefs has to be tried and tested before frederic will be able to accept it, and as yet, he has found no system of beliefs or value to commit himself entirely. Early in the novel when his companions bait and tease the priest, Frederic nevertheless respects the humble man.† (173). For example The priest informs Henry of the nature of love. â€Å"When you love, you wish to sacrifice, you wish to serve† (63). From the very beginning of the novel, Henry has had a special bond with the priest and his messages, unlike the other soldiers. Als o during their summer in Milan, Henry and Catherine talk about their marriage. and having a formal marriage with religious rituals, but Catherine goes on saying, â€Å"You are my religion (237). So Henry’s religion lives only in the form of his love for Catherine. After... ...her in Milan, Catherine tells Henry that she’s scared of the rain. Though they both enjoy walking in it, she says †I feel dead in it†. Often the rain suggests imminent destruction; there is a storm the night that Frederic must leave Italy to avoid being arrested, Catherine dreams that she is dead in the rain† (173) Finally at the end of the novel after Catherines gruesome death, it is raining outside. Hemingway uses rain to imply that it is a force of nature which cannot be controlled, just as fate is something no one can control, Hemingway highlights love and death in the lives of Catherine and Henry as they experience the war in the background. He conveys this through religion and weather etc. Hemingway emphasizes that â€Å"Life never goes as planned...it's in those moments where you define yourself adapt and overcome. You'll become a better person because of it.†

The Strain of Mother-Daughter Relationships in Annie John Essay

The Strain of Mother-Daughter Relationships in Annie John Jamaica Kincaid accurately portrays how adolescence can strain mother- daughter relationships. The mother- daughter relationships are universal but "it is not clear why we avoid the topic"(Gerd). The father- daughter relationships and the mother- sons relationships are the issues mostly talked about. In Jamaica Kincaid's novel, Annie John, she explains and gives insight into mother- daughter relationships. In Annie John, there are events that make people think about their relationship with their own mother. Kincaid expresses this relationship through her main character Annie who tries to find her own identity. The relationship between Annie and her mother (also called Annie) was very strong and they do a lot of things together. By the time Annie turns twelve, she starts to go through some changes which many teenagers normally goes through. In order for Annie to mature and prepare for the world, Annie's mother told her to find her own way of life. Due to these new changes, the relationship between Annie and her mother begins to degenerate. Annie now did things her mother disapproved of. At the end of the story, their relationship was okay but not as strong as it was before. After reading this book I saw that the main issue discussed in her novel, is all the stages mother- daughter relationships go through. The mother- daughter relationships are intense relationships. This is a relationship most daughters have with their mother from birth. Both male and female children are attached to their mother from birth, but most male child quickly grows out of it. The daughter is so attached to the mother in a complex way in whic... ... Louis F. Caton. "Romantic Struggles: The Bildungsroman and Mother- Daughter Bonding in Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John." Melus. vol. 21, No.3. Fall 1996. 125-42. Rpt. in Literature Resource Center. Nagel, James. "Desperate Hopes, Desperate Lives: Depression and Self Realization in Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John and Lucy." Traditions, Voices, and Dreams: The American Novel Since the 1960s. Ed. Melvin J. Friedman and Ben Siegel. U. of Delaware P, 1995, 237-53. Rpt. in Novels for Students. vol. 3. Rpt. in Literature Resource Center. Phyllis NCTU. "The Images in Annie John." 4 May 2000. 10 Dec. 2000. William M. Smith. "Annie's Mother and "Mary": Motherhood in Various Literary Forms." 26 July 1999. 15 Dec. 2000.

The Nuances of Nature Essay -- Literacy Analysis, Robert Penn Warren

It is no secret that Robert Penn Warren’s novel, All The King’s Men, is a powerful peace of literature that gives useful insight into the lives of characters in the United States in the early twentieth century. Though many believe this novel should be considered for its political applications, it is the social aspects of this book that really provide Warren’s perspective on the human experience. Warren uses nature both as a guiding and transcendent force to steer his main character, Jack, along the path to realize his humanity and as a tool to reveal valuable insights on the communion of mankind. Jack is first described in relation to a â€Å"sunset on a summer day.† He is caught watching the â€Å"light stretching out† and proclaims himself to be â€Å"a brass-bound Idealist† (Warren 30). Jack effectively establishes his fundamental connection to nature very early on in the novel. He strengthens this connection when he describes Burden’s landing by how â€Å"the air would smell† and how the sights would look as well as his memories of fishing and sailing â€Å"all over that end of the Gulf of Mexico† (Warren 37-39). Already, his experience is defined by the variance within nature. As Jack grows up, he becomes more jaded and leaves his childlike state of mind. Maturing out of his idealist phase, Jack begins his romantic stage of characterization. This stage in Jack’s development is most effectively embodied in the image of Anne with her arms â€Å"still spread out wide† and her hair floating â€Å"free[ly] on the water from around her head† (Warren 118). It is clear that Jack idealizes Anne just by the way in which he describes her. He is content just to stare at Anne and relate her to nature, showing the true connection he feels to her. After Jack’s romantic ide... ...dentalism Web. American Transcendentalism Web. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. . Justus, James H. "All the Burdens of All the King's Men." The Achievement of Robert Penn Warren. Louisiana State UP, 1981. 192-206. Print. Mitchell, Mark T. "Theological Reflections on Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men." Business Library. Intercollegiate Studies Institute Inc, 2006. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. . Warren, Robert P. All The King's Men. 2nd ed. San Diego: Harcourt Brace and, 1996. Print. Harvest. Warren, Robert P., and Clark Eleanor. "Interview with Eleanor Clark and Robert Penn Warren." Interview. New England Review Autumn 1978, 1st ed., sec. 1: 49-70. JSTOR. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. .

Employee Resourcing and Development Essay

Employee resourcing and development is essential to all organisations and highly contributes towards the organisations success. Employee resourcing is ‘the part of human resource management which focuses on the recruitment and release of individuals from organisation’ and ‘the management of their performance and potential while employed by the organisation’ (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2010). Employee development is ‘the process & facilitation of learning and knowledge that support business goals, develop individual potential and respect and build on diversity’ (Harrison, R., 2009). Employee resourcing and development can significantly add value to an organisation and help to cement the HR business partnership, and this essay will critically analyse the extent to which resourcing and development activities do so. Absence Management Employee absence levels can have substantial negative impacts on organisations; and therefore it is becoming increasingly common to see organisations introducing new, or revising existing, absence management programmes. A study from CIPD found that the ‘annual median cost of absence per employee was  £595’ (CIPD, 2013); costing the UK economy  £17 billion per year (ACAS, 2010). If an employee is absent from work it is highly likely that the organisation will be faced with both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs being those associated with the hiring of, and paying for, temporary staff while the particular employee(s) are absent (ACAS, 2010); Statutory Sick Pay if the employee is absent for 4 or more days in a row; occupational sick pay, if it is part of the particular organisations terms and conditions (GOV.UK, 2013). Secondly, indirect costs are those related to low morale amongst remaining colleagues, who may be expected to take on extra responsibilities as a result of the absence; decreased customer satisfaction, if temporary members of staff are not adequately knowledgeable in particular areas of customer interest; reduced reputation with both customers and potential employees, potentially affecting future business; decreased performance and productivity, as a result of demotivation of remaining colleagues and lack of staff in relation to workload. All of which can significantly impact upon organisational efficiency and effectiveness  (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2009). Efficient absence management can reduce the detrimental effects that employee absence can have on an organisation, and can also be seen to contribute towards added value. The study carried out by CIPD found that ‘return-to-work interviews and trigger mechanisms†¦ are ranked among the most effective approaches for managing short-term absence’ (CIPD, 2013). A return-to-work interview is a crucial part of an absence management programme – welcoming empl oyees back to work following their absence and checking that the employee is well enough to return to work (ACAS, 2010). If an employee returns to work before being fully recovered there is the chance that the employee will take longer to return to full health, reducing productivity and potentially resulting in them being absent again in the near future, and possibly for a longer period. There is also the risk that they could pass on their illness to other colleagues resulting in further absences (Robson, 2006) and further impacts on productivity. Read more: Essay on Developing and Assessing Employees The return-to-work interview also allows organisations to identify the cause of the employee’s absence and to assess whether their absence was work-related (ACAS, 2010). This then enables the organisation to take steps to prevent the same employee, or other employees, being absent for similar reasons in the future; this may include training updates in health and safety for example. The cost of such changes will be potentially outweighed by the benefits, by reducing employee absence levels in the long-term. A return-to-work interview may also outline the underlying reasons for absence, such as the employee having to take care of an elderly relative (ACAS, 2010). In these circumstances an organisation may decide to develop different working arrangements with that particular employee, for example flexible working. Flexible working allows the organisation to fit around the employee’s schedule, potentially reducing the number of days that the employee needs to take off work unexpectedly as a result of their circumstances; thus reducing the negative impact that unexpected absences can have on productivity and associated costs. It also enables organisations to plan ahead – if they know that a particular employee is going to be off work then they can recruit temporary/part-time staff to fill in on these days; reducing the impact that the extra workload could have on colleagues stress levels and allows the organisation to maintain levels of productivity. The effectiveness of flexible working and the extent to which  it adds value, however, relies heavily on whether or not it is valued by the employees themselves (Hodge, 2009); therefore this should be investigated prior to it being implemented. As previously mentioned trigger mechanisms, such as the Bradford Factor is also found to have an ‘overwhelmingly positive impact on absence’ (CIPD, 2013, p. 31). The Bradford Factor is a ‘mechanism for weighting frequency of sickness absence’ (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2009 p. 340). Such management techniques of monitoring absence increase productivity and reduce levels of absenteeism; which in the long-term will reduce organisational costs, resulting in increased profit. A study looking into the impact of positive intervention in absence management found that trigger mechanisms reduced absenteeism, especially if sick pay was withdrawn or there was the threat of disciplinary action (Baker-McClearn, et al., 2010). However , this was also found to ‘contribute to low morale, lack of commitment to work, stress and anxiety’ (Baker-McClearn, et al., 2010), all of which could potentially lead to reduced productivity resulting in increased costs. There was also a close link found between the use of trigger mechanisms and increasing levels of presenteeism (Baker-McClearn, D. et al., 2010). Presenteeism can be used to describe people ‘who, despite†¦ ill health†¦ are still turning up at their job’ (Unison. 1999, as cited in Baker-McClearn, et al., p. 311). For example, employees would come into work feeling unwell as, one, they couldn’t afford to remain absent if not receiving sick pay and two, they were frightened of the consequences disciplinary action would bring. This has severe impacts upon productivity, with findings showing that ‘productivity drops from 75% on ‘normal days’ to 55% on ‘sick days’’ (Newcombe, T., 2013). Ther efore, although the Bradford Factor is effective in reducing absenteeism, it is questionable whether the benefits of this outweigh the negative impacts on the employee and the impacts that presenteeism can have on the organisation. As previously mentioned, HR aims to improve employee productivity through absence management. This consequently improves employee performance, which contributes towards organisational objectives, such as improving performance – potentially leading to increased profit margins. Therefore the alignment of the HR practitioner’s objectives with the business manager’s objectives helps to reinforce the business partnership; with both partners working together to  achieve organisational objectives. Employee Well-Being Employee well-being has been defined by CIPD as ‘creating an environment to promote a state of contentment which allow employees to flourish and achieve their full potential for the benefit of themselves and their organisation’ (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2009, p. 416). It is becoming increasingly common to see organisations adopting measures designed to promote employee health and well-being; as organisational researchers have found that dysfunctional employee well-being can have widespread costs for the organisation (Wright & Chuang, 2012). For instance, employee well-being strategies aim to create a healthier workforce which consequently leads to reduced absence levels. Therefore, as a result, this then leads to a reduction in the significant financials costs related to employee absence (Bevan, S., 2010). Employee well-being also aims to target long-term absence related to depression and anxiety; both of which prove to be ‘more complex and costly to manage, and have m ore significant consequences for employers’ (Bevan, S., 2010, p. 11). Therefore, it is likely that the costs of implementing such well-being policies will be outweighed by the significant savings and increased added value that will be seen as a result. These measures have not only been found to positively influence an employee’s health and well-being, but also to add value to an organisation through improved employee productivity and commitment (Bevan, S., 2010). As previously mentioned, well-being can have a positive impact on absence levels which as a result improves employee productivity. Macdonald (2005) also suggested that well-being strategies contributed towards employee morale, increased levels of productivity and employee retention (Pilbeam, & Corbridge, 2009). Research has also gone onto to find that there is a significant link between employee well-being and job performance, workplace accidents, customer engagement, quality defects and profitability. Job per formance has been found to be highly correlated with employee well-being in a number of organisational studies (Thomas, et al, 2012). Absence management is one way in which performance can be improved within all organisations, particularly within the domiciliary care sector. With government cut backs and managements time being constrained, absence management schemes can often be overlooked, resulting in high levels of absenteeism. As previously mentioned, the Bradford factor has been found to  have an ‘overwhelmingly positive impact on absence’ (CIPD, 2013, p. 31) and is one way that domiciliary care businesses could monitor absence effectively and efficiently, without taking up too much of management’s time and without incurring substantial costs. Return-to-work interviews will also enable management to identify the key reasons behind the absence, allowing management to take steps to potentially prevent absence of the same reason occurring again. Both techniques will in theory reduce absenteeism as employees will be aware that their absence is being monitored, and so they will be less likely to be absent from work as frequently; therefore overall increasing organisational performance. Recruitment and Selection Recruitment is ‘the process of generating a pool of capable people to apply for employment to an organisation’ and selection is ‘the process by which managers and others use specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons more likely to succeed in the job(s)’ (Braton and Gold, 2007, as cited by French & Rumbles, 2010). The recruitment and selection process is ‘fundamental to the functioning of an organisation’ (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2006, p. 155), and it is also said that ‘the success of an organisation depends on having the right number of staff, with the right skills and abilities’ (ACAS, 2010, p. 3). Therefore, the right recruitment and selection procedures are crucial to an organisation finding the best candidate for the job. Recruitment The recruitment process is extremely important when it comes to adding value to an organisation in the long-term. Poor recruitment processes – which result in the wrong candidate being selected for the job – can be very expensive for an organisation in terms of employee turnover, organisational costs and employee morale (ACAS, 2010). Good recruitment can ‘significantly contribute to effective organisational performance, to good employee relations, and to a positive public image’ (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2010, p. 156). The first step in the recruitment process is to create an effective job description and job specification. It is vital that the skills and competencies outlined within the person specification are accurate in  relation to the needs of the job. If this is not the case then there is the chance that an individual will be employed with false expectations, potentially resulting in them not performing as well as was originally intended (ACAS, 2010). In worse cases, the employee may lose faith in the organisation and leave to work for potential competitors, taking with them the training they have received. Not only is this is a waste of an organisations time, money and resources – all of which can be potentially avoided if an organisation has an effective recruitment procedure in place – but it can also have an impact on existing employees morale. For example, it can be demotivating for existing employees to see new employees coming and going within a short space of time. The process of recruiting and training new employees can also be lengthy, in which time colleagues will potentially be expected to take on extra responsibilities; possibly impacting upon employee productivity and overall organisational performance. Over recent years online recruitment has become increasingly popular. Online recruitment shortens the recruitment cycle (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2010), which can be of great benefit to some organisations w ho find that their lengthy recruitment process can result in them losing potential candidates (CIPD, 2013). A survey carried out by Chapman and Webster (2003) also found that most organisations (within the USA) that used technology based recruitment and selection techniques, did so because they found that they added value in terms of improved efficiency, reduced costs and increased the number of potential candidates. This improved efficiency and reduced costs will potentially allow organisations to increase their profit margins, and by widening the applicant pool the organisation has a greater chance of finding the ‘right’ candidate for the job. However, although this method of recruitment generates a high volume of candidates, it does not necessarily mean that these candidates possess the relevant skills or attitudes required for the job. It is also particularly important that the recruitment and selection process is fair. The employer must recognise that it has a lega l obligation to make sure that they do not unlawfully discriminate against potential candidates during the recruitment and selection process (ACAS, 2010). In ensuring this, an organisation reduces its risk of facing legal costs that may be incurred if it were to be seen to demonstrate unlawful recruitment and selection procedures; improving the organisations reputation  and therefore adding value. For example, if an organisation is seen to operate ethically and value equality then it is likely that the organisation will see an increase in their customer base and also in the number of candidates wanting to work for the organisation – increasing the likelihood of the organisation finding the right person for the job. Selection ‘Inappropriate selection decisions reduce organisational effectiveness, invalidate reward and development strategies, are frequently unfair on the individual recruit and can be and can be distressing for managers who have to deal with unsuitable employees’ (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2010, p. 155). Therefore, it is important that the selection process is carried out effectively, ensuring the ‘best’ candidate is chosen for the job. The selection process not only produces a shortlist of applicants for the interviewing stage, but it also provides the organisation with feedback in regards to their job advertising and the application form. This will help improve the organisations future recruitment and selection procedures, making the process of finding the ‘right’ candidate more effective; therefore saving organisational time and reducing any potential costs associated with ineffective selection procedures. It is essential that the selection process gains the commitment of managers and supervisors, by involving them in the process of selecting a candidate (ACAS, 2010). The managers and supervisors will have first-hand knowledge and experience and therefore will know what it is they need in future employees, making the process of selecting the ‘best’ person for the job more effective. This again will add value to the organisation, as if the right person is selected for the organisation then it is highly likely that they will perform well, potentially improving organisational performance overall. The involvement of the managers and supervisors will also help settle the new employee into the organisation, making them feel comfortable within their new role; potentially reducing employee turnover levels and the costs associated with this. The involvement between HR and business managers throughout recruitment and selection also helps to reinforce the business partnership. This involvement ensures that recruitment and selecti on is carried out in line with the organisations strategy – ensuring that the candidate selected  contributes to organisational objectives. Recruitment and selection can be an issue within a lot of organisations, in particular those within the domiciliary care sector. Domiciliary care tends to involve very demanding work, and due to ineffective selection techniques the wrong candidates are selected for the jobs; therefore resulting in high levels of employee turnover. Psychometric testing is one selection technique that would allow domiciliary care businesses to assess the personalities of potential candidates; improving decision-making and allowing managers to ‘develop more informed and accurate perceptions about the ability and potential of individuals’ (CIPD, 2009, as cited in Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2010, p. 202). This will help ensure the ‘right’ candidate is chosen; reducing employee turnover and any associated costs, and improving employee mora le and productivity – therefore enhancing overall organisational performance within this sector. Talent Management Talent management is ‘the systematic attraction, identification, development, engagement, retention and deployment of those individuals who are of particular value to an organisation.’ These individuals ‘make a difference to organisational performance either through their immediate contribution or, in the longer-term, by demonstrating the highest levels of potential’ (CIPD, 2013). Talent management has become an increasingly common practice within a lot of organisations, due to a weakening economic climate which has put pressure on organisations to cut costs and increase efficiency and productivity (CIPD, 2013). In the current climate ‘having a rigorous, cyclical, ongoing process around Talent Management [can] be a key differentiator between success and failure’ (Couch, 2012). Talent has been seen to add value to organisations, particularly as talent management has become ‘integral in engaging employees in the organisation’, if prac ticed effectively (Morton, 2005, p. 11, as cited in Hughes & Rog, 2008, p. 746). Engaged employees are committed to the organisation and therefore will be less likely to leave; this as a result minimises employee turnover and any associated costs. Towers Perrin (2003) supports this idea, as he found that 66 percent of highly engaged employees plan to stay with their current employers, compared to only 12 percent of disengaged employees. It is also  more likely to see higher levels of performance from engaged employees; potentially improving customer service and productivity, as well as increasing sales and profits (Hughes, J. C. & Rog, E., 2008). Effective talent management also ensures organisations can successfully attract and retain talent, reducing the risk of talent leaving the organisation or being employed by a competitor – thus allowing organisations to gain a competitive advantage. Organisations that focus on retaining talented individuals are also able to add value through reduced recruitment and training costs as a result of not having to recruit talent externally, or develop talent internally. Retention of talent also reduces the negative impact employee turnover can have on organisational productivity and employee morale; which in turn can potentially have a consequential effect on profit margins (Chitakasem, N., 2011). There is evidence, however, to suggest that talent management doesn’t always add value to organisations. Lewis and Heckman (2006) argued that ‘improvements in bottom line results [prove] to be temporary, despite an ongoing commitment to talent in the organisation’ (as ci ted in Hughes & Rog, 2008, p. 745). Therefore, it is important organisations evaluate the effectiveness of their talent management scheme as this can contribute highly to its success, enabling them to maximise their return on investment (CIPD, 2009). Also, a focus on external recruitment and retention of â€Å"high talent† employees could: increase competition amongst internal candidates, consequently discouraging teamwork; lead to existing employees feeling undervalued, resulting in increased turnover; redirect training and development from those employees who may be struggling to those who are capable, reduce performance of those who don’t receive training; and ignore fixing cultural or other systematic issues which hinder employee performance (Hughes & Rog, 2008). Whelan & Carcary (2001) also say that those employees who are not seen to be ‘key talent’ can become demotivated as a result of them feeling unappreciated within the organisation; leading to f alls in productivity and potentially negatively affecting profit margins. Therefore, in some cases, talent management may not always add value; the extent to which talent management adds value can depend on how well the organisation manages those employees who are not seen to be ‘key talent’. Organisations implementing talent  management programmes may also experience resistance from some employees; as talent management makes their performance more visible to employers and creates a direct link between future career opportunities within the organisation and rewards (Little, B. 2010). Resistance from employees will likely have a knock on effect on productivity, resulting in profit margins being affected; again affecting the extent to which talent management can add value to an organisation. Overall, talent management, if managed effectively, can significantly add value to an organisation. Maximising employee performance and productivity, improving employee retention, a nd increasing the flexibility of employees etc. all contribute towards an organisations success. However, the business partnership plays a significant role in the extent to which talent management can add value within an organisation. A survey carried out by the Corporate Executive Board’s Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) discovered that ‘HR must effectively partner with business line management to drive talent outcomes’ (Martin, 2010). It is important that line manager’s work with HR practitioners so as to ensure that talent management is directed in the right areas of the organisation and that it is aligned with strategic goals. The HR practitioner must also be knowledgeable of the organisations objectives so as to implement talent management programmes that will contribute towards achieving these goals. As a result, this will potentially help to reinforce the business partnership, encouraging HR to work in partnership with the business leaders to improve its performance and future success. Talent management can be beneficial for many organisations in terms of developing and retaining talented employees so as to improve organisational performance. The domiciliary care, as previously mentioned, has problems with employee retention and therefore talent management could be one way of addressing this issue. Appraisals could be used to assess employees’ performance, and allow managers to identify talent within the organisation, and the training needs (Pilbeam & Corbridge, 2010). Managers can then support and mentor talented employees through further training programmes (CIPD, 2013), such as National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ’s). This support will contribute towards employees feeling valued within the organisation, and this along with the increased knowledge and motivation will help to improve employee performance; which as a result will  potentially improve employee retention and the overall performance of the organisation. In conclusion, absence management, recruitment and selection, and talent management, if effectively managed and implemented, can improve organisational performance. Absence management was found to reduce the negative costs associated with absenteeism, and improve employee morale and productivity. Effective recruitment and selection was found to improve the chances of finding the ‘right’ person for the job; therefore increasing employee performance and reducing employee turnover. Finally, talent management was found to increase employee engagement and motivation through mentoring, and improve employee performance and retention through development. Therefore all three resourcing and development activities contribute towards improving organisational performance, consequently adding value to the organisation. Finally, the aim of human resources to achieve organisational goals through these resourcing and development activities helps to contribute towards cementing the busine ss partnership. References GOV.UK. (2013). Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). Accessed 17th November 2013 https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay Newcombe, T. (23 May 2013). Stress and presenteeism â€Å"sapping UK productivity†, says research. HR Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1077290/stress-presenteeism-sapping-uk-productivity-research Baker-McClearn, D. et al. (2010). Absence management and presenteeism: the pressures on employees to attend work and the impact of attendance on performance. Human Resource Management Journal. 20 (3), 311–328. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-8583.2009.00118.x Robson, F. (2006). How to†¦ manage absence effectively. CIPD. Retrieved from http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2006/08/88/howtomanageabsence-2006-08.aspx Hemsley, S. (2011). Absence: How does it affect the workplace and what can employers do about it? HR Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hr/features/1019816/absence-how-affect-workplace-employers Howart h, J. (2005). Absence management. Strategic Direction, 21

Autobiography of a Simple Girl…Yeah Right.

[ Alicia V. ] February 1st 2013 Autobiography How does one start an autobiography? I tried reading some other works and some would start off with â€Å"Hello my name is†¦ † or â€Å"I grew up in a blah blah blah†. Nothing seemed very inspirational so I guess I'll just start with my name. Alicia. It's just a simple name. I was born on a Friday. My mother was born and raised in Puerto Rico until she was 25, she moved to NYC the late 80s. My dad was born and raised in the Dominican Republic until he was 22; he too decided to move to NYC in the70s.They met at some warehouse in the late 80s and around '89 they started living with each other. Then in January '91, I decided to be free from the comfortable womb. I figured it was time to explore the world. So of course with my Puerto Rican and Dominican parents the only language in the house is Spanish. My dad worked at a school as a janitor and my mother was a babysitter with 14 kids in our small apartment in the Bronx. Th at till this day, we still live in that small Bronx apartment that is now an official daycare. I was my mom's one and only and she worked so hard so I could get whatever was best for me.She would buy fabric and by the end of the week, I would have a new dress ready to show off to the world. She would match whatever outfit I was wearing with my shoelaces, if I happen to be wearing sneakers. I was her doll. I was her baby. Until I was 5, my dad would take me to the barbershop and get my boyish haircut, basically and small little fro. I don't what in the world was going through my parents mind but I looked like a boy if I didn't wear a dress until I was 5. This isn't even a joke. When I was four I looked like 6 year old, so anyone who would walk past would say, â€Å"Wow, that little boy of yours is so adorable†.And then my mother would say, â€Å"She's a girl†. My mother told me that they would just walked away out of embarrassment. I think around the fifth or sixth time someone has said that my mom decided that it wasn't a good idea that I kept getting the boyish haircut. Back to my father, my father thought of me as his prized possession. Since I am the only child that he helped raise with. You see my father hasn't been so innocent in his life. He went around in his youth and well I'm his fourth child from his fourth woman. It’s the biggest stereotype of most male Dominicans; I still chuckle about it.I have an older brother named Charlie. Second oldest is Melisa and then the third oldest is Angie, and then there's me, just in case you forgot. Also since I am the youngest, I'm his baby. But there has been tension in my family due to my father's actions. So siblings. Yeah, I love them to death but like I kind of explained before†¦ tension. My brother Charlie, the oldest, the boy or I should say man. The one who carries the name has done some bad things and sadly had to pay the price. In my freshman year of High school, my brother was se nt to prison for manslaughter.I personally do not know if he really did it but they gave him fifteen years. Around that time I entered my â€Å"Goth† phase, but I don't believe I have left that phase. All through high school I was angry and depressed. But I never took my frustration to my parents, which I should have but I fear that they would be so disappointed, so that kind of steered me away from rebellion. It's weird I know, but I was a strange person growing up. My sister Melisa, the one I wish I got to understand better must secretly hate me. She has two kids, they are sweet but I don’t see them as much.My sister Angie, I grew up with her for a bit. I love her, but she was a misunderstood teen and made some funky decisions that made some explosive arguments between our dad and her. She was considered the black sheep of the family. I love her to death but now I don’t see her. She had three kids, and I became an aunt when I was seven because of my sister. No w my sister is ten years older than me, so she was a teen mom and my father hated that. Luckily he was nice to his grandchildren except for one. Now no more of this or this will turn into a chapter book. High school was absolutely boring.I entered a predominantly black and Hispanic high school, even though they were all for diversity you would see that in my school. I was an honor student. I didn’t get bothered or bullied because everyone thought I did voodoo because they were so ignorant. I was a Goth not a witch even though I befriended a witch. She caused the trouble. But that did rid the bullies and even the gangsters away. They were just friendly to me. I kept a camera around and I would record my friends doing stunts and jokes. I would edit it and then in the end we would have a few laughs.That’s when I realized that I loved painting too. I spent more time in the art room then my other classes, and yes I got really good grades. High school, now thinking about it, went by really fast. College! Now that was the best times of my life. I went to a school far away from home. I wanted to be away from my overprotected parents. I wanted to be free and learn how to cook for myself and do my own laundry whenever I wanted to. I was able to paint and experience new things that my parents will never know. The college I went to was out of a fantasy book.Filled with haunted stories and farms to no end. The best parts would be the friends that I made, all the art classes I took and the lake. It was something I wasn’t used to. I lived in a city for eighteen years and living in that place rural with closest city an hour away. So it was a huge culture shock, but I made the greatest friends a girl could ever make. I was there for three years, I have found love and I have found so much knowledge. I grew up when I was there. Sadly I couldn’t afford it, so I took a break from school and withdrew from that school.Seven months I wasn’t in schoo l. Looking for a job, failed miserably. So here I am typing this down. I’ve been helping my mother with the 7 or so children in the daycare. To entertain myself I created arts and craft for toddlers. I taught my 2 year old how to write. Right then and there I realized that I wanted to be a teacher, again. I’ve always wanted to be that but I always kept that to myself. I am back in school. Soon I will be the art teacher that I want to be. But for now, stay in this new school, enjoy the city and just be me.

Pr to “My Left Foot”

Personal Response to Text â€Å"My Left Foot† By Isis Horne â€Å"It would be difficult to exaggerate the degree to which we are influenced by those we influence. † ~ Eric Hoffer. Parents greatly influence their children; most often people forget that children also greatly influence their parents. Children and everything they do have such a colossal impact on a parents life, and we as children are so caught up in ourselves that we often forget that even the most insignificant act in our minds changes everything a parent does or goes about handling it.A wonderful example of how children and parents influence each other is the memoir â€Å"my left foot† by Christy Brown. Children are always watching their parents, how they do things, how they act, and their beliefs. In the text â€Å"My Left Foot† It is suggested that parents influence their children to succeed by believing in them and encouraging them. Mrs. Brown’s actions influenced Christy tremendo usly, she showed that parents effect the way their children turn out. Mrs. Brown showed loyalty to her son when family and doctors said he was an imbecile, and should be put into an asylum.She did not put Christy into an asylum, instead she let him live normally with his parents in a loving home. This Gave Christy the chance to live like any other child would. Her Patience, and compassion for Christy is shown when she sat with Christy for hours trying to communicate with him, and she never gave up trying, and encouraging him. Her patience paid off when Christy was trying to write the letter â€Å"A† on the chalkboard with his foot, she kept encouraging him to keep trying until he succeeded to write the letter, and she was so proud, she cried tears of joy.Through Mrs. Browns Persistence of not letting Christy give up, or allowing others to look down on Christy, he became a published writer, and successful in his life. I have been suffering from Bipolar 1 and psychosis since I was an infant, later on while I was still a very young child I started suffering from post –traumatic stress as well. My mother was always there encouraging me no matter how hard it was going to make things for her. Every time I broke from reality, and the demons where scaring me she comforts me, and encourages me hat they’re not real, and nothing is going to hurt me with her around. Sometimes that worked, but then the demons started saying and threatening to eat her, to dismember her and the like; that made me very scared and so I tried to kill myself for the first time so that the demons would die with me, I was only 7 years old. My crazy mood swings where literally throwing my mothers life out of wack. One moment I would be ecstatic, then not a few minutes later I would be a weeping willow in the pitiful land of depression. It was very hard for my mother to find help for me, but she was persistent.In the Winter of 2010, I faced the worst depression faze I had ever e xperienced. My Mother put me into a hospital because knew I was not safe and she couldn’t protect me. I was kept 4 weeks at that hospital when the discharge limit is two weeks; the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. I was diagnosed with bipolar 1, with sever psychosis there, and was discharged. Though I was safe enough to be let back into the world, my depression was still at a high peek, my mom found various psychiatrists, but none knew how to help me.My mom kept looking, until she found a treatment program in Calgary call Adolescent Day Treatment Program. They took me in almost immidiatly, and for 8 months I started my slow recovery. Because of my mothers persistence in finding help for me, driving me in from Cochrane to Calgary every morning and back, I was able to overcome my depression, control my demons, I am not in the constant terror that was holding me back from living a normal life anymore.My Mother is a very smart woman, and she always is pu shing me to do my best. She provides such a wonderful life for me, if it weren’t for her influences, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I know that I will succeed in my life, she taught me that. I know that I am smart, and am capable of doing all the same things and more as anyone else. The confidence I gained from my mother and at ADTP had such a positive impact on my life, it’s hard not to see that with confidence there is next to nothing you can’t accomplish in this world.

Book Summary: the Bible Among the Myths by John N. Oswalt Essay

John Oswalt, in his book The Bible Among the Myths, presents his position to the reader that the bible is different and separate from other writings of the Ancient Near East. He asserts the Bible is both historically accurate and theologically sound. He makes the defense the Bible was divinely inspired and revealed to humanity and unique from other Ancient Near East literature. There was a time when the Bible, and the Israelite religion was different from its neighboring societies. But as times have changed, many people now lump the bible with other Ancient Near East myths. The book is broken up into two sections. The first half of the book, â€Å"The Bible and Myth,† Oswalt takes the time to define what a myth is and what differentiates the Bible from a myth. He then describes the different between the worldview of the Ancient Near East and continuity is different from the Bible’s transcendence. The second half of the book, â€Å"The Bible and History,† examines several philosophical thoughts proposed by others that attempt to explain the Bible’s relevance separate from historical validity. Oswalt provides excellent arguments against the new age philosophies. Oswalt provides an articulate argument for the veracity of the Bible’s history and theology by providing several convincing points to affirm the Bibles varicity. Introduction John N. Oswalt, in his book The Bible Among the Myths, provides the reader with a brief, yet comprehensive view of the differences and similarities between the Old Testament and Ancient Near East religions. In the introduction, he provides a brief overview of scholarly thought regarding the Old Testament literature and Ancient Near East literature and how perspectives have changed in nearly 50 years. Oswalt states at the time he was introduced to the subject, scholars believed the Old Testament and its theology stood alone from other Ancient Near East religions. He now contends that present day scholars believe the Old Testament is just one of many Ancient Near East religions. Oswalt states it was the differences between the Old Testament and other Ancient Near that separated the two. But today, scholars are taking the same data and looking their similarities (11-13). He states that this is a â€Å"vital philosophical distinction between â€Å"essence† and â€Å"accident.†Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Essence† has to do with the essence of the subject whereas â€Å"accident† is those things that are not essential to the subject (13). He insinuates that scholars of today are centering their attention on the â€Å"accidental† attributes of the Old Testament and Ancient Near East religions and not centering on those things that are the essence of the subject; those things that make the religions different. It is these similarities and differences Oswalt states he will center his attention (14). Oswalt then turns the attention of the reader to the definition of a myth. He states there are different definitions of a myth but the Bible is not one of them. He states when people start to think of this word as â€Å"typical of a myth,† then four things happen: 1) The individual is devalued; 2) There becomes a disinterest in history; 3) People become open to the occult; and 4) People do not take responsibility for their actions (14). Oswalt believes what makes the difference between the Old Testament (OT) and the Ancient Near East (ANE) literature is how God makes himself divinely known to his people. The next premise Oswalt boldly states is that if we believe in Scripture theologically, then we can also believe that the Bible is historically true. He states, â€Å"the veracity of the theological claims of the OT is inseparable from the veracity of the historical claims† (16). The Bible maintains a â€Å"unique worldview† and is one that has been revealed by God to his people, Israel. He states there are things we must wrestle with when it comes to investigation the Bible historically from its theological stand but the Bible can uphold its claim to be theologically and historically viable. Chapter 1 Chapters one through five discuss the differences and similarities of the Bible compared to ANE literature. The premise of chapter one is the Bible has had a major impact on the world, especially with its contributions to Greek philosophy and thought. Greek philosophers believed there was one â€Å"unifying principle in the cosmos† (21) and that everything could be identified and reasoned with through logic. As Oswalt states, this brought into conflict the thought of a myth based polytheistic society to a monotheistic mindset. Oswalt states that the Hebrew thought survived through the exilic period in Assyria and Babylon even though they were in direct conflict with the societies in which they were captive. Israel brought into these societies the thought that there was only one God and He was the creator of the world and humanity. In addition, Oswalt states the Israelites brought the unique ideas that God was not dependent upon humanity but himself and that God revealed himself to humanity and gave them specific understandings of what he expected from his people. It was only by God’s design that the people of Israel were able to maintain their religion in a foreign land. Greek and Hebrew thoughts combined into a complementary way of thinking about the universe and the world. The Hebrew religion of one creator who created the world found a place in the Greek philosophy of a unifying principle to the universe. On the other hand, Greek philosophy could combine itself by to Hebrew ideas by linking the cause and effect of the world (26). Oswalt states that there was a necessity for the biblical worldview. Without it liking itself with the Greek philosophy, we would not have a need for reason, understand the importance of history and have value of the individual (27). Chapter 2 Oswalt, in chapter two, attempts to define the word myth but prior to his discourse, he revisits the divergence of scholars going from believing in the OT as a separate piece of literature from all other ANE mythological literature to being placed in the mix of ANE literature as mythology. Oswalt contends the job of defining a myth is challenging especially in a climate the Bible is being placed with other ANE literature. He states there are two definitional problems. The first problem has to do with the definitions of myth. He states there has been a breakdown in providing an accurate definition. The other problem has to do with the definition itself. It may not accurately describe the members of a class (32). Two primary definitions are provided for the reader. The first is the historical-philosophical definition which attempts to â€Å"describe how the myth operates in society† (40). Subdivisions of the historical-philosophical definition are the etymological, the sociological-theological and the literary. The second is the phenomenological. Etymological definition attempts to identify the false nature of an event or story. The sociological-theological definition is a form of story in which conveys some truth about the world. Literary definition of a myth is the narrative attempts to use the source of symbolism to convey truth or meaning (33-39). The phenomenological definition regarding a myth is to look at the common characteristics of the story and how it relates to the society. Oswalt states that all these definitions have a commonality of continuity. No matter their defined variations, they are interrelated. Oswalt states, â€Å"Continuity is a philosophical principle that asserts that all things are continuous with each other† (43). Myths are to have a common approach to the world (45). Chapter 3 The idea of continuity in myths is continued and expended in chapter three. Continuity can better be defined as all elements of a myth are interrelated physically and spiritually, in a circular motion, to each other. In a story, there are no distinctions between humanity, nature and the divine. This also includes the thought of pantheism, â€Å"the divine is everything and everything is divine† (49). The problem with this is that there are no absolutes, and people and nature are equal to god. Oswalt state, there are a number of â€Å"far-reaching implications† with regard to continuity. The first is that myths only look at the here and now, the present, and keeping things as status quo. Myths are not in interested in the future or moving forward. Second, myths do not look at the involvement of humanity and the choices they made. Third, myths also perpetuate the actualization of a â€Å"timeless reality.† Maintenance of the system is needed. This is accomplished through sexual relations in order to maintain fertility of the earth and living creatures as well as performing other ritualistic acts in order to ensure the gods and goddesses maintain the cycle of fertility. Fourth, nature is used as an important â€Å"expression of the divine.† The gods were personified in nature. Fifth, mythology used magic in order to accomplish something in nature or in the divine realm. Finally, because of this continuity, there are no boundaries which cause a blurring o f the natural, human and divine (44-56). Once both sides of continuity are explained, Oswald provides what he believes are common features of myths. There are always elements of polytheism. There are multiple gods. Gods are always represented by some natural element such as wood, stone or other natural element. The gods are not multidimensional and are stereotyped. The gods are not valued nor are humans. The gods are appeased by certain acts and humans are subject to the gods. There is always an element of conflict in the myth either with the gods or other human conflict. Eternity, both before and after the establishment of the world, was and is chaotic. Because humanity is at the whim of the gods, there is no standard of ethic. Finally, the cycle of life is cyclical. Oswalt states that the cycle goes from â€Å"nonexistence to dependence to independence to dependence to nonexistence† (57-61) Chapter 4 Biblical transcendence and the transcendence of God are the major themes of chapter four. While chapter three centered on the identifying factors of what constitutes a myth, Oswalt provides several key elements that make the Bible, especially the God of the Bible, unusual and exceptionally different from other ANE mythological literature and religions. As mentioned before, there is only one godly source of the OT (64). God who is spirit is separate from his creation and cannot be created in any form (65). Once created, the conflict ended with created order both in heaven and on earth (67). God created man in his image and therefore gave him importance by being in his likeness (69). Oswalt interesting notes that God is â€Å"supra-sexual.† Meaning, God is not known by his sexual identity but his roles. In addition, creation is not directed by sexual activity (73). God in all his activities can be relied upon to do all that he said he would do and not deviate as those gods of myths. God prohibited magic was as a method of manipulating Him into some type of action (75). The final element is in regard to the Sinai covenant God made with the people of Israel. They were obligated to live a certain lifestyle whereas there were no restrictions for the other who lived outside of the covenant (76). Comparing and contrasting the biblical worldview from those of a mythological perspective provides some understanding of how radically different and distinctive they are from each other. Transcendence verses continuity; God is above all and separate from the universe, nature and humanity. God interacts with humanity through his covenant relationship. Chapter 5 Oswalt continues his discussion between the differences between the Bible and mythology however he looks at it in light of their similarities. Before he does looks at those similarities, however, Oswalt digs deeper into the ethic as it relates to human relationships with God and man. He states that there are two offences, which are offenses against the gods and offences against other people (85). The mythic ethic, offences against the gods in literature were â€Å"cultic or magical† where offences against people were against society, (85-86). Oswalt points out offences against the gods had nothing to do with their treatment of each other. The biblical ethic was something different, more wholistic. Behavior on every level, social and personal was out of obedience in the covenantal relationship with God (88). God and his relationship with the covenantal people maintained the same standard. The author provides a few examples where it would seem as though the Bible is a similar to myth. He provides examples of the creation story in Genesis and in Psalms to point some similarities in the Enuma Elish (Babylonian creation account) and other literature. Oswalt acknowledges that similarities and disputes them as something the Bible took from mythos but that they were similar practices not intended to make the Bible like other biblical literature as much as identifying the differences that stood apart from other literature. Chapter 6 Chapter six marks the second half of the book as it discusses history and the Bible. Like before in the attempts of defining myth, Oswalt attempts to accurately define history. He defined history, in summary, as a narrative that records events which is recorded for â€Å"human self-knowledge† and used as a means of evaluation in order to capture important events. According to Oswalt, there are several factors that are dependent upon when understand history. The first thing is that people are â€Å"free and responsible.† The second item is that there are causes and effects in everything that happens. The recorded information must be true is the third element. The fourth key is history can be used as a learning tool for other to grow. Fifth thing is that what happened yesterday is just as relevant today and that there is significance in their â€Å"relationships.† Finally, there must be a standard in which the information is evaluated (113-115). There are several ways ancient people of the Near East recorded events of their lives. They are omen texts, king lists, date formulae, epics, royal annals, and chronicles. Omens were documents that contained something that predicted the good or bad of an event or circumstance. The kings’ lists contained the genealogy of the names and duration of the kings in power. Date formulae contained the yearly accomplishments of the kings. Epics were a narrative of events in a hero’s life which attempted to convey life’s philosophy. Royal annals were recorded events of a king and existed to â€Å"glorify the king† not so much to accurately chronicle what really happened. Chronicles were recordings of what actually happened, both positive and negative. They are about as accurate a historical record then the rest. In all, they were specific in the information they contained (116-122). Unlike our historians today or even the historical view of the Bible, the peoples of the ANE perspective was different than ours today. They were generally focused on the here and now and not future orientated. Their orientation included making sure they maintained the status quo in order to maintain the good in their lives. The best for everyone was to maintain the order of their society. They believed that everything was outside their control with a multiciplicity of causes determining their fate. This provides reasons why they were not interested in recording for the future and concerned about seeing the relationships of the events that took place in their lives. The Bible, on the other hand, provides a different perspective. As Oswalt states, â€Å"They [characteristics of the Bible] are clearly presented to us as unique individuals, firmly rooted in time and space† (125). The events which took place were recorded whether they were positive or negative. The events were recorded showing the interrelationships between the events and persons as well as showing the results of human choices and the impact those choices had on the lives of those people. The Bible connects all the pieces together in a way that transcends â€Å"the events themselves† by showing the divine interaction with humanity (127). Oswalt asks the question how then could the Israelite nation be different without myth. He indicates it is because there was only one God who kept â€Å"breaking into their experiencing and smashing their easy interpretations† (134). God kept involving himself in their lives and these events were recorded. Chapter 7 Chapter seven unpacks Oswalt’s position that the Bible is historically accurate and theologically sound. Oswalt debunks the idea that history must be recorded without divine involvement in order for it to be historically accurate. In fact, he indicates that is what differentiates the Bible from any other work (138-139). The author states that it is the unique working of God in the lives of people to reveal his divine purposes, which is nowhere else in any literature other than the Bible (142). It is what he calls â€Å"revelation through Human-Historical experience† (149). God revealed himself and was divinely involved in the lives of the Israelites. Oswalt notes that he Bible did not â€Å"bifurcate between revelation and witness to revelation† (140). The author goes on to state that if we fail to acknowledge God in the history then how can we accept the â€Å"acts† of God presented in the literature. There is also the question of how can God be known if we take him out of the equation. Although many maintain that one cannot have an accurate account of history with God. Owalt maintains that without God there cannot be an accurate history without God. Israel had a different and unique perspective of God in literature. Chapter 8 Chapter eight is an extension of chapter seven although Oswalt moves forward on his conviction that the Bible is both historically accurate and theologically relevant. He critically reviews two popular scholars’ works that have attempted to separate history from the Bible. The first is Rudolf Bultmann’s Existentialist Foundation and the other is Alfred North Whitehead’s Process Thought. The Existentialist Foundation is the way one sees self relevant to history. As Oswalt explains, â€Å"Instead of seeing the self as an entity shaped by history and a human â€Å"nature,† this way of thinking sees â€Å"existence as the most fundamental aspect of historic consciousness† (156). Oswalt states there are several problems with this philosophy; the first major issue is the use of the term â€Å"history.† He says that the term must be narrowed even further. He introduces the reader to the separation of the â€Å"narrative Geschichte from the event Historie. Geschichte is what is â€Å"going on and is in the domain of the theologian.† Meaning what is in the narrative of the story. Historie defines â€Å"what happened and is in the domain of the historian† (157). Historie centers upon what is the event that is actually happening in the story. Oswalt identifies several flaws with the Existentialist philosophy but the major ones are, 1) God is removed from the process; and, 2) The historical narrative excludes the past there is no acceptance of any standard of evaluation or appreciation of past events. Process Thought is seeks to take the events of the Bible and create together the events that take place into a new event. The events are integrated of the past, present and future. It is interested in the event not so much the substance. This too has its faults, one being that it also removes the transcendence of God in the narrative (167). Chapter 9 Oswalt provides alternative views concerning the biblical worldview in chapter nine. He maintains his stand that the biblical narrative has not changed but thoughts about it have and the biblical narrative is different than other mythological narratives. The author provides four alternatives concerning the biblical narrative. The first alternative is from John Van Seters. Seters stand is that several documents were pieced together and then priests rewrote what we now have today. The document was a work by someone using works similar to Thucydides and Herodotus. The second alternative is from Frank Cross. Cross work asserts that the bible came out of rewriting a poetic epic. The third alternative is from William Dever. Dever does deny archeological evidence of biblical history nor does he believe in the bible’s â€Å"religious explanation of Israel’s existence and nature† (178). Dever stand is Israel’s religion was no different than that of the Canaanite religion until after the exile and the religion has been inaccurately perceived. The fourth alternative is from Mark Smith. Smith suggests that Israel’s religion originated from the polytheistic religion of the Canaanites (181). Oswalt argues that not one of these alternative thoughts of the biblical narrative has proved the unique nature of the Bible. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 concludes the book by summarizing Oswalt’s main points he expressed throughout the book. The bible is both historically accurate and theologically sound. The Bible is unique and separate from myth literature but their similarities should not stand in the way of perceiving it as different. What makes it markedly different is that a transcendent God come to involve him into the lives of humanity is radically different means than that of the other cultures which overrode the continuity of myths.