How to Refer to Time

How to Refer to Time How to Refer to Time How to Refer to Time By Mark Nichol It’s time to talk about time: specifically, how to write references to units of temporal measurement. This post will note style for increments from seconds to centuries. Time of Day Imprecise times of day are generally spelled out: â€Å"six-o’clock news,† â€Å"half past one,† â€Å"a quarter to three,† and â€Å"eight thirty,† as well as â€Å"noon† and â€Å"midnight,† which are preferable to â€Å"12 pm† or â€Å"12 am,† because technically, these times are neither post meridiem (â€Å"after midday†) or ante meridiem (â€Å"before midday†). Another solution is to write â€Å"12 noon† or â€Å"12 midnight,† although the latter term could refer to either the very beginning or the very end of a given day. The style for precise time is â€Å"12:34,† though one-hour increments can be written with or without double zeroes as placeholders: Write â€Å"1:00 p.m.† or â€Å"1 p.m.,† though the former style is often seen as punctilious. Much of the world uses a twenty-four-hour clock system, so that the U.S. notation â€Å"1:23† is rendered almost everywhere else as â€Å"1323,† without a colon. This system is used occasionally in the United States, as in military and technological usage. Months and Days and/or Years References to dates consisting of the month and day require no comma (â€Å"October 10 is tomorrow†), but set off an appended year with commas (â€Å"October 10, 1960, dawned clear and bright†). (Don’t abbreviate the name of the month except in statistical arrays such as graphs and charts or to preserve direct quotations.) A subsequent mention of a day of the month (in which the month is known but not expressed again), however, should be spelled out in ordinal form (â€Å"The 11th, by contrast, was dark and gray†); note that the ordinal should not be styled in superscript form. Omit a comma before and after the year when the month but not a specific date precedes it: â€Å"January 2010 was an unusually wet month.† A note to writers of American English: Keep in mind that much of the world uses day-month-year notation (â€Å"25 December, 2010,† and â€Å"25-12-10† as shorthand for that date), so make sure international readers are clear about which number-only notation you use. Years Years are almost always rendered in numerals. One major exception honors the convention of not beginning a sentence with a number, but it’s better to recast a sentence than to write, â€Å"Two thousand eleven began auspiciously.† Another end run around this problem is to precede the year at the beginning of a sentence with the phrase â€Å"The year,† but this strategy introduces nonessential wording and creates an inconsistency if other years are mentioned in the same content. Years can also be abbreviated (â€Å"the spirit of ’76,† â€Å"the panic of ’29†), but note that the elision marker is an apostrophe, not an open single quotation mark. Decades Decades are displayed in numeral form or spelled out. However, no apostrophe is needed in the former style (â€Å"2010s,† not â€Å"2010’s†), although some publications retain this archaism. Do, however, precede the elided version of a decade with an apostrophe, just as in informal references to specific years, as mentioned in the previous post. Phrases that include more than one decade generally use complete numbers for all decades (â€Å"the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s†)† but elision is acceptable in informal usage. Lowercase spelled-out versions (â€Å"the nineties†) unless the number is part of the signifier of a cultural era (â€Å"the Roaring Twenties†). Ten-year ranges of decades are divided one of two ways: â€Å"2000-2009† (or â€Å"2000-09†), or â€Å"2001-2010† (or â€Å"2001-10†). If your writing project includes multiple references to decades and you mix decade ranges and spelled-out names of decades throughout, make your preference for when a decade starts known, and stick with it. Note that the first two decades of any given century cannot logically or gracefully be rendered in numerals or words: â€Å"1900s† already applies to the entire century, and â€Å"1910s† is inelegant because the numbers between 10 and 20 do not have the same naming patterns as the larger numbers; meanwhile, â€Å"the oughts† (or â€Å"aughts†) and â€Å"the teens† are widely considered clumsy solutions. Centuries and Eras Spell out or use numerals for names of centuries consistently depending on what style you use for other periods of time, but lowercase the word century. BCE and CE (â€Å"before Common Era† and â€Å"Common Era†) are acceptable secular alternatives to AD (anno Domini, or â€Å"the year of our Lord†) and BC (â€Å"before Christ†), but the traditional forms prevail. Note that syntactically, AD precedes the year, while BC follows it. (You’ll often see these abbreviations rendered in small caps diminutive versions of uppercase letters but this practice is fading in frequency.) Also, although the second number in a range can usually be elided to two digits (â€Å"2001-10†), when used with BC or BCE, the full form should be used to avoid confusion because, in these cases, the range falls rather than rises. (In other words, â€Å"175-50 BC† is the full expression of a 125-year range, not one of a single generation in which the second number is elided.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund PhrasesProbable vs. PossibleThe Uses of â€Å"The†

The difficulty and importance of measuring quality of hire

The difficulty and importance of measuring quality of hire What metrics really matter to recruiters and hiring managers and to the companies that employ them? The truth is, as a hiring manager you may be meeting certain predetermined targets that certainly look good, but are you crushing it where it really matters- namely, the quality of your hires? Sure, on the surface you can be meeting your company’s staffing needs and finding quality candidates for all open positions, but how do you know if they- and you by association- are adding real value to the organization?According to a recent article by Workable, â€Å"Quality of hire (QoH) measures the value new hires bring to a company†¦ In this context, ‘value’ usually means how much a new hire contributes to their company’s long-term success by completing tasks, improving their work and helping others†¦ Unsurprisingly, quality of hire is at the top of the list of useful performance KPIs. According to  LinkedIn’s 2016 global trends report, itâ€⠄¢s a priority for 40% of big companies worldwide (and 45% of small businesses). Efficiency recruiting metrics, like  time to fill  and  time to hire,  are trending up, but there are obvious reasons for why quality of hire is still so important†¦ Quality of hire is what makes the recruiting process worthwhile.†Okay, so it’s clear that quality of hire is important, but how can it be measured effectively? The truth is, it isn’t such an easy thing to quantify. You can really only measure QoH after a hire has been working for at least a few months- if not more.  And, in general, â€Å"quality† is a vague term that’s hard to define. The Society for Human Resource Management recently published an article that referred to quality of hire as the elusive Holy Grail of recruiting. According to the article,â€Å"Quality-of-hire metrics are critical to understanding the effectiveness of your company’s hiring process but, for many, figurin g out how to define the measurement is a challenge.†So, now you know that quality of hire is a critical recruitment metric and that it can be a very tricky thing to measure- but that shouldn’t inspire you to ignore it. Use the following strategies to measure QoH in your organization’s recruitment efforts, to help you get a firm handle on whether or not you’re contributing meaningfully to your company’s bottom line.MetricsWhen you’re ready to get serious about measuring QoH, you’ll need to determine which metrics you’re going to use. Many organizations, including LinkedIn, recommend using the following measures when assessing QoH:hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});Retention: How long are new hires staying at your company?Time to fill: How long does it take you to fill an open job position?Hiring satisfaction: How satisfied are hiring managers and key management personnel with a new hire? This can be measured on a predetermined numerical scale.Time to productivity: How long does it take for a new employee to get up-to-speed on all aspects of the job?Job performance: This one’s obvious- how effective is your new hire in the position? Typically, this can be measured by your company’s existing performance review/ratings process (assuming there is a process in place).Employee engagement: The flipside of job performance- is your new hire happy with the position and company?Cultural fit: A 360-degree measure of how well your new hire is acclimating to the new environment, team, and colleagues.Data collectionOnce you’ve determined the performance metrics that will be used to measure your QoH, you need to determine the best approach for data collection. Some statistics are quantifiable and easy enough to collect- turnover of employees, retention rates, and the meeting of sales goals by employees are simple numerical data that make sense. But, other calculations c an be less transparent. Your job will then be to track information about new hires via surveys. Fold them into your company’s systems from the start.Workable has a list of great surveys to implement into your systems, including:Hiring manager satisfaction surveys (focusing on the recruitment process)Surveys asking managers to rate a new hire’s performance (e.g. 6- and 9-month performance surveys)Employee engagement surveys  for new hires360 surveys asking managers, peers and team members about a new hire’s  culture fit  and performanceSurveys asking hired or rejected candidates to give feedback on the hiring process†MeasuresQoH can be measured in different ways. You can use the above-mentioned metrics to run a QoH assessment for each individual new employee, or you can create aggregate or average scores, which can span things like departments or various hiring timeframes. It all depends on what you’re interested in analyzing (i.e., per-hire Qo H vs. QoH trends across teams and over time, etc.). QoH measures can also be made in increments- for example, a new hire’s score can be measured at 6 months, a year, and 2 years from their start date.Once you decide to make QoH assessment a priority in your organization and have your metrics and data collection processes in place, you can analyze and manipulate the data in countless ways, depending upon your company’s needs, and once you incorporate QoH into your recruitment performance metrics you can count on seeing tangible benefits- both to your institution and to its new hires. Good luck!

Automotive Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Automotive Design - Essay Example When an automobile is being designed the customer's taste and expectation plays a very important role, as it affects the market and the sales. The competition in the automobile industry is growing day after day. Every company is trying hard to out beat the other in providing the customer with the best possible design and engineering. The future of automotive design will see different kinds of automobiles, such as, eco-friendly vehicles, custom made vehicles, vehicles that are not too heavy on the pocket and suit the lower middle class section of the society. Eco-friendly vehicles are on the rise. Moving away from the traditional form of fuel, that is petrol and diesel, vehicles are being designed to run on gas. Gas is not only cheaper than petrol and diesel; it is also fuel efficient and gives the vehicle a better mileage. Designing fuel efficient vehicles is on the rise as people are looking for vehicles that are cost effective and easy to maintain. Another advantage of vehicles that run gas or electricity is that they are eco-friendly and produce less pollution. Another design feature that is growing is start-stop.

Applying the EMH Evaluate the Role That Government Played In Economic Essay

Applying the EMH Evaluate the Role That Government Played In Economic Recovery Using Recent Real-life Examples - Essay Example because of the market volatility due to the different government policy and the detailed study would tend to give a great learning opportunity about this adverse scenario. Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) Theory Efficient market hypothesis implies that, if any new information about a company is revealed it will be immediately incorporated into the share price rationally and rapidly, with respect to the direction of the share price movement and its size. In an efficient market except by chance, no trader will get an opportunity to earn abnormal return on a share or a return which is greater than the fair return for the risk associated to that share. The possibility of absence of abnormal profits arises because the past and current information is immediately reflected in the current share prices. The prices are affected only by the new information. EMH is concerned with under what conditions an investor can gain abnormal profits or excess returns in a stock. EMH claims that all the in formation available readily reflects in the price of the stock. According to EMH abnormal positive returns are not possible by any trader using the information available to public. Many people think that market efficiency means that it is impossible to outperform the market at any given point of time which is incorrect. Efficiency does not mean that prices will not apart from true value: At any point of time it is expected that prices will deviate from their true value, majorly because value depends on the future and future is unpredictable. Efficiency does not mean that no investor will be able to beat the market in any single time period. In an efficient market approximately one half of the shares purchased subsequently outperform not because of the skill but due to the fact that prices... This report stresses that market efficiency has been tested over a long period of time and it has been observed that movement of the stock prices follow a random walk. The random walk theory states that an investor can have a good chance of beating the market if they throw darts on New York Times stock listing pages. Investors who adhere to the random walk theory believe that searching for undervalued shares or predicting the future stock price is just a waste of time. Any new developments of government like restructuring the tax legislation, controlling the financial crisis and the inflation etc reflect in share prices of the different corporation. Followers of random walk theory believe that is impossible to predict future events and they are left with no other choice but to accept the efficient market hypothesis. This essay makes a conclusion that it cannot be denied that the government interventions play a crucial role in stabilizing the economies that were overturned due to the financial crisis as result of devaluation of properties or inability to service the debt obligations. Due to the global crisis, the investor confidence eroded which had adverse impact on the stock prices. The fluctuation in the stock prices was also due to drift in the present market condition. As a result of revised regulations and containing policies by the government, the economies started to revive and the interest of the investors were protected. This resulted in the decrease in volatility of share prices which reflects belief of the investors from their anticipation of future events in the economy. This follows the efficient market hypothesis.

Using comics to increase writing achievement Essay Example for Free

Using comics to increase writing achievement Essay Abstract This paper will focus on a Classroom Action Research Project performed at an elementary school with a group of seven 5th grade English as a Second Language students. The project involved using cartoon comic strips to both motivate ESL students to write and also to see if a non-traditional approach to teaching writing will increase the student’s writing achievement. Popular newspaper comic strips were used to motivate students and they were required to read it and then answer a set of open-ended questions. Statement of Intent Many students have the ability to be successful writers. The ESL students struggle to write, but when they get motivated they seem to write better. Many ESL students are unmotivated about writing because of language, lack of background knowledge, or the topic is not authentic or interesting. The more the students write the better they will become at it. If ESL students can get motivated to write, they will write more and thus become better writers. Popular newspaper comic strips were used to motivate the 5th grade ESL students to write. Students read popular newspaper comic strips and then answered open-ended questions. Here are the questions that will be answered at the end of this Classroom Action Research Project: 1)Can ESL students get motivated to write? 2)Will a non-traditional approach to writing motivate 5th grade students to write? 3)Could the use of comic strips in writing help increase writing achievement in 5th grade ESL students? Rationale for Research Research into the process of writing has shown it to be a very complicated problem solving process requiring the writer to constantly monitor their progress towards a specific goal. Students that become good writers experience intrinsic as well as extrinsic rewards, but face problems with motivation along the way. Writing requires the individual to pay attention to motivational conditions. The following is a list of the four clusters of conditions that are keys to developing writing motivation: 1)Nurturing functional beliefs about writing. 2)Fostering engagement using authentic writing tasks. 3)Providing a supportive context for writing. 4)Creating a positive emotional environment. The teacher’s views, beliefs, conceptions, and misconceptions are very important in determining the right conditions in most writing contexts. Research is needed to better understand the process of motivation as it relates to writing. Children start writing at an early age by scribbling. The writing process continues from there and proceeds at different paces depending on the child. As writing develops children start forming letters, words and soon sentences. â€Å"They begin to shift away from list-like writing and localized control (e.g., linking to vocabulary used in  the previous sentence, repeating familiar syntactic frames) toward a more goal-directed, strategic approach ( Berninger, Fuller, Whitaker, 1996). Their writing has more topical and the- matic coherence (e.g., Flower et al., 1990), as purpose, planning, and revising play an increasing role. A growing metacognitive capability gives them the potential to shift from a knowledge-telling to a knowledge-transforming approach ( Bereiter Scardamalia, 1987) and to use information about audience, genre, and rhetorical stance to accomplish a variety of writing purposes ( Berninger et al., 1996). â€Å" Highly motivated capable writers that can adapt their writing to changes in audience and topic can only achieve the developmental writing process described above. They can use writing as a means of communication with others. They write the same way they would talk with another people, stress free and with control. In a 1997 National Center for Education Statistics writing assessment shows that 80% of eleventh grade students can write clear and focused responses and less that one third can write clearly enough to show sufficient information to support their claims. 2 % of students can write proficiently enough to show effective responses that have enough information to support details and discussion. Teachers are failing to develop positive beliefs and motivation about writing. Comic strips can be used to motivate and inspire students. For one thing, comics can take away the number one worry that students have about writing today: finding something to write about. Most of the times when you leave it up to the students to write about something, they never know what to write. Every teacher has heard the same thing. â€Å"I don’t know what to write about.† Introducing and discussing comic strips is a great way to motivate and stimulate students about writing. Many students already know the characters from comic strips and this makes the experience less stressful and fun. It also provides the students with kid friendly language and the relationship between the pictures and text makes it perfect for  lower level readers. All these facts put together makes it possible for comic strips to provide the level of motivation and interest that will help students stay focused a bout writing and this will in the long run improve their writing skills. Methodology The study was completed with a group of seven 5th grade ESL students for a period of three months one half hour a week. Starting in the beginning of September and ending at the end of November. This group of ESL students is composed of fluent English speakers that are limited English readers and writers. At the beginning of the study, the students read a short story about ants and then answered an open-ended question. The students were then told to draw a happy, straight,   or sad face depending on their level of frustration and/or stress. This was used as the pretest. At the beginning of the study students were introduced and exposed to newspaper comic strips. They read, discussed, and drew them. Students were exposed to a variety of lessons on the writing process and were required to do one comic strip writing prompt a week. Included in every writing prompt is smiling, straight, or sad face that is drawn by the student in the upper right hand corner of the paper to show their motivation level. A record of the student’s motivational level was kept to measure fluctuation patterns according to the cartoon character used that week. Research Analysis At the beginning of the study the students were told that they would be taking part in a study that would require them to write. Many of them immediately showed signs of stress and much complaining followed. We met once a week for half an hour and they were introduced to a comic strip and  discussions followed. The students then had two days to complete the prompt on their own, including a drawing of a face on the upper right hand corner to show how they felt about it before it was collected. The prompts that were used are from the Comic-Strip Writing Prompts book by Karen Kellaher (2001). During the initial pretest three students drew smiling faces, three drew straight faces and one drew a sad face. Although it seems that the percentage of students that felt good versus the percentage of students that had no emotion at all is the same their reactions during the writing would tell a different story. The students all seemed stressed and bothered with the writing. Most of the students answered the question during the pretest, but all are lacking creativity and emotion to their writing. All the answers came straight from the story. No opinions, personal connections, or point of views were part of anybody’s writing. There were only five students remaining in the group during the last week of the study. One moved and the other one tested out of the ESL program and was no longer available to meet. In the final writing prompt all students drew happy faces. They did seem to be more excited about the writing than in the beginning. This may be due to the social rewards as well as the stress free environment due to the fact that no grades went along with their writing assignments. The following chart shows the before and after motivation and writing results for each student in the group: Motivation BeforeMotivation AfterWriting BeforeWriting After Dayannara V. Below BasicBelow basic Jose V. Below BasicBelow Basic Jeffrey R. ProficientProficient Maria C. BasicBelow Basic Jacqueline A. ProficientBelow Basic * The Chart above shows the beginning and end results of the study. Comprehensive Conclusions and Reflections The study increased the overall motivation of the group, but it did not increase writing achievement and in-fact lowered the writing achievement of two students. The contributing factors associated with the lack of success of this study are as follows: 1)Time frame The group met for half an hour once a week. This was not enough time to effectively influence the writing achievement of these students. Using Comics to Increase 10 2)Reading level – The reading level of these students was not significantly high enough for them to be able to read the comic strip and understand it. Even if they could have understood the comic strip, the prompt questions were too hard to for them to understand. 3)Background knowledge – A student who is asked to write about ice hockey or fishing that has experience it first hand or has been exposed to it will definitely be able to write about it better. Many of the urban kids are asked to write about things that they know absolutely nothing about.  A good example is the time the Reading School District had a district wide writing assessment about snow. The students had to write about a snowy day. Many ESL students had never seen snow. 4)Can’t get the joke – This one is the most important when it comes to comic strips. Most of the students could eventually read what the comic said, but they could not understand the jokes. A good example of this was the comic strip where Garfield says â€Å"Cats have just surpassed dogs as the country’s favorite pets!† Odie the Dog comes hopping by and then Garfield says â€Å"Somehow the victory would have been more satisfying had the competition been stiffer.† The students had no idea what this meant and could not understand it without some explanation. 5) Vocabulary – The students don’t have a sufficient vocabulary to understand comic strips. Although comic strips are written at a lower reading level, some of the vocabulary words that are used are hard for ESL students to understand and some extensive explanations had to be done before they could start writing. Example: â€Å"Had the competition been stiffer.† In closing, the ESL students need a lot of help. They of course need to write as much as possible, but if we work on increasing their reading level and expose them to as many cultural experiences as possible then we can really begin on making them great writers. If the study was to be done again it is suggested that the group meet daily and that there be vocabulary development lessons done to supplement the comic strip writing activities. References Yale University. Retrieved December 11, 2006, from www.yale.edu Web site: http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1980/80.04.02.x.xhtml Tom Janz, T (2006). Newspapers in Education Middle School Writing. Litsite Alaska, Retrieved December 11. 2006, from http://litsite.alaska.edu/workbooks/midnewswrite.html North Carolina State Board of Education, (2006). Making the Grade: Writing Through The Grades. ncpublicschools.org, Retrieved 2006, from http://www.ncpublicschools.org/student_promotion/mtg/fall01.html Brunin, R (2000). Developing Motivation to Write . The Questia online library, 35, Retrieved December 11, 2006, from http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=ose=gglscd=94798356 Kellaher, K (2001). Comic-Strip Writing-Prompts. New York, N.Y.: Scholastic. Parsons, J (1993). Using Comic Books To Teach.. ERIC, Retrieved December 11, 2006, fromhttp://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true_pageLabel=RecordDe tailsERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED363892ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accnoobjectId=0900000b8012cb2a Cohn , N (June 2006). Comixpedia. Retrieved December 11, 2006, from www.comixpedia.com Web site: http://www.comixpedia.com/comic_theory_101_seeing_rhymes

Loss of Innocence in Hamlet Essay -- GCSE English Literature Coursework

Loss of Innocence in Hamlet      Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet is a character that we love to read about and analyze. His character is so realistic, and he is so romantic and idealistic that it is hard not to like him. He is the typical young scholar facing the harsh reality of the real world. In this play, Hamlet has come to a time in his life where he has to see things as they really are. Hamlet is an initiation story. Mordecai Marcus states "some initiations take their protagonists across a threshold of maturity and understanding but leave them enmeshed in a struggle for certainty"(234).   And this is what happens to Hamlet.    Although Hamlet is a little old to have this experience of coming to be a man, we have to realize that his circumstances are not typical. He has lived as the son of a king. He is a scholar who has spent his life studying. He has lived in a world that is not the typical world. And the extraordinary and horrible circumstances that lead him to his manhood break his will and his spirit and eventually cause him to lose his life. Hamlet has experienced a significant change of knowledge and this change does lead him into an adult world, although this is a world that Hamlet cannot live in. Hamlet, through the relationships with his mother, father, and Ophelia, does become a man. But Hamlet's disposition is so fragile, and he is so idealistic that this new world that he faces is not a world that he would ever be comfortable in, and it is not a world that he can live in.    In the beginning of the play, Hamlet's father comes to him as a ghost from the grave. He tells Hamlet of his uncle's betrayal of him and tells Hamlet that he must kill Claudius to set things right. Through this event, Hamlet... ...became a man, he is still left with uncertainty that ultimately results in his death. Unfortunately, this uncertainty of Hamlet's is one that cannot be overcome. Hamlet is a story of realizing that the world is not what we thought it was, that everything is not good, and that there are bad people in the world. It is a story about searching for the meaning behind it all and about trying to figure out how to make a decision. It is a story about becoming a man and Hamlet is the kind of character that keeps us enthralled until the very end.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Works Cited Berman, Allison. "We Only Find Ourselves." Hamlet reaction papers. Wynnewood: FCS, 2000. Lugo, Michael. "Thus Conscience Does Make Cowards of Us All." Hamlet reaction papers. Wynnewood: FCS, 2000. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. 1600? Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: Signet Classic, 1998   

Individual assignment

This assignment is to be done individually. This means that you are required to answer the questions in the assignment on your own. The purpose of the assignment is to help you become more familiar with pricing options, using a specifically designed piece of software. The pricing of options is a very technical area, and most of us do not have the technical expertise to price options from first principals. Therefore in your working lives, if you do need to price options, then it will most likely be done for you via software.The software we will be using is called ‘Derivable', which has been specifically developed for the Hull et al (2014) textbook. You can download the software from the Model unit site under the ‘Additional Resources' section. Software Installation Installation instructions for the Derivable software are quite straight forward. Please follow these simple steps. Step 1 . Go to the BIFF 5 Model site, under ‘Additional Resources' Section, click on the D erivable software and download the file ‘Derivable. Zip'. Step 2. Double-click on the Derivable. IP file to bring up the Winzip utility program. Step 3. In the Winzip utility program, on the ‘Home' tab, there should be a button labeled ‘I-click Unzip'. Press on the ‘I-click Unzip' button. The compressed files directories and folders should then be extract. Once Winzip has completed the extraction, then close the Winzip program. Step 4. There should now be a folder in your directory named ‘Derivable'. Drill down through the Derivable folder until you come to the list of files; The only file you need to be concerned with for the Assignment is ‘JUDGE . XSL'. Step 5.Double-click on file ‘JUDGE . XSL'. This should bring up your Excel application aerogram with the JUDGE . XSL spreadsheet. If you look in the ‘readmes. Txt' file that is located in the same directory as the JUDGE . XSL file, it will tell you the versions of the Excel program th at Derivable will work with. If you are not using any of these versions of Excel then you will need to get access to one of them in order to do the assignment. Step 6. Once you have opened the ‘JUDGE . XSL' program in Excel, that final step you need to perform is to ensure that Excel has ‘Enabled Macros'.This will allow the Excel program to use the Visual Basic for Applications (ABA) code on which Derivable is eased. If you are using Excel 2010, the enable macros should appear as a ‘strip' across the top of your spreadsheet when you first enter the JUDGE . XSL program. You just need to press the enable button. If you a later version of Excel you will need to go to the macro security settings and enable the macros. Once you have enabled the macros, Derivable will be available for use. Step 7: Click on the Excel spreadsheet tab ‘Equity_FIX_landed_Futures_Options'.This is the only spreadsheet you will need to complete the assignment. Format of Assignment and sub mission requirements: The assignment consists of seven questions. You should attempt all questions. Responses to the questions should be presented according to the Q Manual. The Q Manual provides guidelines on the presentation of submitted materials. Submission of the assignment will require both an electronic submission AND a hard copy submission: The submission of an electronic copy can be done via Model (further technical details will be provided prior to the submission date. The submission of a physical hard copy will be done via a designated assignment box located in the 3rd Floor Foyer of Building H. Further details to be provided closer to the submission date. ) ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS Please note: Most, but not all of the material needed to answer these questions will be covered in lectures. You are postgraduate students so it is expected that you will be able to seek out the material necessary to complete the questions using your own initiative. All information is available wi thin the textbook, even though it may not all be covered in lectures.IQ . Use Derivable to calculate the value of an American put option on a non- dividend-paying stock when the stock price is USED 30, the strike price is USED 32, the sis-free rate is 5%, the volatility is 30% and the time to maturity is 1. 5 years. (Choose ‘Binomial American' for the option type and 50 time steps. ) (See Chapter 9 for supporting theory and materials) a) What is the option's intrinsic value? B) What is the option's time value? C) What would a time value of zero indicate? What is the value of an option with zero time value? ) Using a trial and error approach, calculate how low the stock price would have to be for the time value of the option to be zero. (use 50 and 500 time steps) Q. Consider an option on a stock when the stock price is $41, the strike price is $40, he risk-free rate is 6%, the volatility is 35% and the time to maturity is one year. Assume that a dividend of $0. 50 is expected after six months. (See Chapter 10 for a) Use Derivable to value the option assuming it is a European call. B) Use Derivable to value the option assuming it is a European put. ) Verify that put-call parity holds. D) Explore, using Derivable, what happens to the price of the options as the time to maturity becomes very large. For this purpose, assume there are no dividends. Explain the results you get. Q. Suppose that the price of a non-dividend-paying stock is $32, its volatility is 30% ND the risk-free rate for all maturities is 5% per annum. Use Derivable to calculate the cost of setting up the following positions. In each case provide a table showing the relationship between profit and final stock price. Ignore the impact of discounting.Each table should have two columns, ‘Stock Price Range' and ‘Profit' (See Chapter 11 for supporting theory and materials) a) a bull spread using European call options with strike prices of $25 and $30 and a maturity of six months b) a b ear spread using European put options with strike prices of $25 and $30 and a ) a butterfly spread using European call options with strike prices of $25, $30 and $35 and a maturity of one year d) a butterfly spread using European put options with strike prices of $25, $30 and e) a straddle using options with a strike price of $30 and a six-month maturity f) a strangle using options with strike prices of $25 and $35 and a six-month maturity. Q. Consider a European call option on a non-dividend-paying stock where the stock price is ADD 40, the strike price is ADD 40, the risk-free rate is 4% per annum, the volatility is 30% per annum and the time to maturity is six months. See Chapter 12 for supporting theory and materials) a) Calculate , and for a two-step tree b) Value the option using a two-step tree. C) Verify that Derivable gives the same answer. D) Use Derivable to value the option with 5, 50, 100 and 500 time steps. Q.Consider an American call option when the stock price is $18 , the exercise price is $20, the time to maturity is six months, the volatility is 30% per annum and the risk- free interest rate is 10% per annum. Two equal dividends of 40 cents are expected during the life of the option, with ex-dividend dates at the end of two months and five months. Individual Assignment As stated earlier IM has been a significant tool in trading and commerce since the beginning of time. However what sets an organization apart is its ability to hangs data into information as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. Before we tackle this issue, defining data and information is important for the sake of understanding the context they will be used. Data is defined by O'Brien (2003) as raw material resources that are processed into finished information products. Information is data that has been converted into meaningful and useful context for specific end users (O'Brien, 2003).Hence, it is safe to say that data becomes information when value is added to it either through organizing, analysis and evaluation and placed in the correct context or the end user. If this statement is true then we can deduce that the better the organization is at completing the above process, then the more effective it is, and if it can streamline this process enough to provide the end use r with a service or product that they are willing to pay for, it will have increased its competitiveness (Gabon, 2008).For instance, a car manufacturer that assembles luxury cars wants to increase the effectiveness of their organizational system. They would start by looking at each component of the organization highlighting areas in which they can improve on quality, control and cost. In manufacturing they might want to introduce an Operating Support System (ASS) which is specific about the requirements at the plant to complete assembly of a car. The data inputted into the system requires that the inputted be specific about supplies, number of hours worked, number of people required to work on a particular car or day etc.The system will process and store the data for the next user, in a form that they will understand. Here the organization may look at the improvement of its networking system as access of the information is made easier and faster with the use of the intranet (O'Brien , 2003). Other elements that will add value to this process, thereby giving context to the next user is the compilation of relatable data such as energy usage, space required, reputable suppliers, financing and human resources.These might be inputted by other systems within the organization such as the Supply Chain Management Systems (SCM), with the use of the extranet (O'Brien, 2003). The data is then stored in the relevant database until it is required by the next user. A combination of the data can be transformed into information that is used in marketing of the cars manufactured, or can be used in the ordering and distribution of sources such as parts (doors, seats, trees) and land allocation or money for infrastructure development.This process of transformation can also be used as a control measure, when targets of the different organizational components are reviewed, or the quality or accuracy of the initial data may require verification and correction. Once the data has been transformed the information/ product can then be disseminated to the end user, in this example the car is sold to the customer. A Customer Relationship Management System (CRAMS) can collect data for feedback purposes or for customization of the car, depending on when the data is used.In essence a cycle is created and smooth flow of information from one component to the next increases the effectiveness and the competitiveness. These processes and systems aid in reduction in time wastage, an expensive commodity, where traditionally the organization might have had to compile the data physically, taken days to analyses it to find trends and pass it on to the different departments or components. In the process things might be delayed or incorrect, compilation could also involve travel costs in cases of the manufacturer having more than one assembly plant.The information from appliers would require making multiple phone calls for quotations or back and forts as prices are negotiated. All these are examples of costs that would be transferred to the customer. Quality of the information could be compromised depending on the control of data collection and transformation, leading to substandard parts being used resulting in a hazardous product that might not meet specifications, hence resulting in the product being described as a right-off or loss.The wrong customer information could lead to the wrong car being delivered to the wrong person, which could lead to customer dissatisfaction and inconveniences. Or storage of the information could lead to losses in customers, suppliers and credibility in the industry. As the organization implements the use of IS for information management it starts to optimize all its processes, thereby meeting Porters analysis of the value chain (Gabon, 2008) where streamlining input, processing and output leads to larger profit margins. Whilst at the same time satisfying Shih's measure of organizational effectiveness.In conclusion, if an orga nization successfully integrates the use of information systems as a means of information management, the benefits are multiple and extensive if done correctly. Obviously, if the organization introduces information systems but does not train staff on how to use it, or does not implement control measures in the input of the data the information gathered will not only be inaccurate but will lead to misinformation leading to lack of optimization, therefore reducing effectiveness and competitiveness(Gigs).Hence, the organization has to be fully committed to the implementation of the information systems as a means of improving its methods of information management, otherwise it will fall short. Interaction between the different components of the organization (through intranet), as ell as with outside entities, such as suppliers (extranet) and customers/ end users (internet) needs to be as smooth as possible. Of course, there will be instances of downtime, however how these are dealt with also improves the overall effectiveness of the organization and can translate into an increase in competitiveness.References 1) O'Brien, J. A. (2003) Introduction to Information Systems: Essentials of the E- business Enterprise. 1 lath Edition. International edition: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Boston 2) Gigs, W. (†¦ ) Demand median effectiveness versus organizational efficiency. Http://smelliness's. Churn. Com/organizatioorganizational Effectiveness Vs.. Organizational Efficiency 3) Gabon, M. (2008) Measuring company level competitiveness in Porter's Diamond model framework. HTTPS://ideas. Repel. Org/h/peak/suffer/149-1 58. HTML b) Discuss various e-business strategies that can be implemented for competitive advantage. (25) Over the years due to stiffer competition, growing global markets and a rise in more tech savvy consumers, the e- business has had to restructure the way they conduct business. With more and more people having access to the internet, it has become advantageous for e-businesses to conduct business online, hence, the growth in numbers of -businesses. E-business has been described as conducting business via the internet.It is not limited to just buying and selling but also the servicing of customers and the collaboration with suppliers (O'Brien, 2003). The demand for instant or efficient services, which are also affordable and custom-made, in some instances, has driven e-businesses to implement strategies that counter forces such as competition, customer bargaining supplier bargaining, threat of substitutes and the threat of new entrants (O'Brien, 2003). It is through the implementation of effective strategies to curb or reduce these actors that the e-business can increase its competitive advantage.This assignment will debate various e-business strategies and will highlight how their implementation leads to competitive advantage. Before we look at the strategies that can be implemented and how, it is important to clarify what a strategy is. Stra tegy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions designed to exploit core competencies and gain competitive advantage (Belabored et al, 2011 Therefore e-business strategy would then be strategy as it applies to the e-business model.Another term that needs unpacking is competitive advantage as this will illuminate to what end the strategy is adopted. When the e-business implements a strategy that competitors are unable to duplicate or find too costly to imitate then it is said to have a competitive advantage (Belabored et al, 201 1). Hence, we can deduce that when online businesses adopt systems that streamline and enhance their operations and knowledge base with the result of creating a seen. ‘ice or product that is unique, in some way, gives that business an advantage.An effective way of e-business strategy implementation is through the adoption f a more strategic information management, in other words, information systems that allow the provision of a ser vice or product that industry competitors cannot provide. When it comes to implementation of the strategic information management system in e-businesses, there are several points within the value chain where the strategy can be adopted so as to improve the end product/ seen,'ice namely at Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Enterprise Resource Management (ERM) (O'Brien, 2003).Therefore, the focus is on the strategic adoption of cost leadership, alliances, innovations and differentiation of the ND product or service (O'Brien, 2003) using information management systems. It is important to note that e-businesses are likely to use a combination of the strategies to gain competitive advantage; however, the examples below will try and place their implementation in isolation, in an attempt to illustrate how they work to increase competitive advantage.E- businesses are using strategic information systems at different organizational levels to improve the ma rgins in their value chain (O'Brien, 2003) as this enables them to deal with the ever changing markets, keeping them relevant ND competitive. For instance, Symbolizing, a locally based e-business that facilitates the purchase of groceries online and offers delivery to your doorstep, or nearest postal outlet in remote areas, has adopted an alliance strategy that enables the organization to service a niche market.The cost of delivering the groceries themselves would have been too high and would have resulted in an increase in the cost of service for the customer. However, through the strategic alliance with Compost, Symbolizing is able to offer the service to a wider range of clients as they can promise to deliver to almost nowhere countrywide as long as there is a post office. Through this alliance Zoning is able to continue doing business at a sign efficiently lower price, whilst at the same time offering a unique service to the Diaspora market that competitors are unable to duplica te.Another strategy an e-business could adopt to improve its strategic information system through innovation is by introducing a support system that plugs into the Customer Relationship Management system already in place. For example, if an e-business that offers security and tracking services for vehicles, also introduces a call centre agility, which the customer can access through the navigation system in the vehicle to ask for clearer navigation instructions or other services such as remote unlocking of the vehicle in the event that the owner has locked the keys in the car.This would give the business a competitive advantage as they have created a service that adds value to an existing one but is unique to them alone. In the same example if the navigation system or tracking system could inform the customer that it requires an update and when the customer makes a payment the system updates using hotshot access. The convenience f this ensures that the customer is locked-in, and wil l not look elsewhere for the same services.Strategic flexibility, which is capabilities used to respond to various demands and opportunities existing in a dynamic and uncertain competitive environment (Belabored et alarm 2011), improves e-business agility, which is its ability to post above average returns in an ever changing dynamic environment, due to quick responses to changes in the environment (O'Brien, 2003), as shown by an e-business that ensures that continued research, learning and training improves its service offering such as hospital in India hat specializes in the performance Of hip and knee replacements and diagnoses and recruits their patients online through a series of consultations, which are free, resulted in their opening up their client base to include people from all over the world.They have a support system that follows up on patient care which assists in referrals, as patients share their experiences with others with similar ailments. The hospital no longer wa its to patients to come to India, it has brought Indian state of the art healthcare to the global market online. Omen Inc. As illustrated by Cyprian (2003) adopted the growth strategy wrought the introduction of an online design room, which both designers and customers use to design, order and purchase customized faucets. The information system integrated the CRM and the SCM systems to produce a new product offering. They not only expanded their customer and supplier base they expanded their product lines. Individual Assignment Also, we had reviewed the different data flow that would function and Improve the proper handling between Ordain and their plants, and which would ensure the best relationship between each department. It would Improve the communication In Ordain Manufacturing and, thus. Save time and money after it is finally implemented. Security Controls Security and secure ways of doing business should always be an most level of concern in any project.Security Is primarily handled and managed by the operations group, which is the same staff that is responsible for operating in installing security intros and functions such as, Intrusion Protection Systems, Intrusion Detection Systems, firewalls, and recovery and routine backup operations. Yet, this system developers also share responsibility when it comes to security, especially when it's inside the IT and information systems. The application architecture should be run on Linux/Null-based server or Windows 7 Server Edition.Any additional software o r programs that would later be needed could be programmed in-house as a development project. Interfaces: â€Å"Interface design is the process of defining how the system will interact with external entities, e. G. Customers, suppliers, other systems† (Dennis, Wisdom, ; Roth, 2009). System interfaces require a high level of security because they are well capable of exchanging different information with other information systems. Password requirements can achieve a high level of security by themselves, and are considered secure methods to manage employee files, private and confident documents, or company tax records.Password requirements also help prevent internal security threats, like employees trying to access another employee's computer. Network: one recommendation this consultant has is incorporating a database that is accompanied and would be accessible only via a PLAN (Virtual Local Area Network). This allows a trusted employee to update, view, and modify if necessary so me basic level information that would be subject to confirmation bias supervisor or other payroll clerk.Access such as this would definitely require the use of a password and surname for security methods. Also, methods of security that would be of a most level would be the three factor authentication method, which would be: surname with password and also a fingerprint scan. Also, the third-party organizations that handle Radian's employee's benefits, like their workers compensation and health infinite, should be audited every year for the purpose of com edited this and accuracy, and this would also ensure the most correct processes within Ordain.Physical Data Flow Diagrams Implementation designs and decisions describe how an information system will work, and one has to know this before designing application logic of the information system. The physical data flow diagrams of this information would show all the details including, but not limited to, the data stores that refer to the d atabase tables and the files, the human actions or programs that perform the processes, as well as he physical transfer media for those data flows. If one maintains a proper in clear implementation, it will always provide the services that you will expect with complete and accurate results.Ordain wants to resolve the additional issues regarding the implementation and processes of the final changes, as soon as possible. There will be a meeting next week to discuss this very issue, and this author will work as hard as possible to ensure that all this companies needs will be satisfied and met, and in secure and safe manner as well. Conclusion It has been shown, by the data flow diagrams as well as the basis of this report, that whatever issues had plagued the Human Resources Department, it can be fixed References Systems Analysis and Design, 4th Edition. Individual Assignment Individual Assignment Topic: Apply your understandings of financial statements, working capital management, financial planning to identify, analyze, and propose solutions to the problems presented in â€Å"Clarkson Lumber Company† case. Requirements: * Answer all the guideline questions. Support your answer with necessary calculations, forecasts, analysis†¦ * Summarize the problems and propose solutions for â€Å"Clarkson Lumber Company† based on your answers and analysis of the guideline questions.Assessments: * This is an individual assignment. Although you are encouraged to discuss the case with your lecturer and fellow students, you are required to write the report on your own. Any evidence of plagiarisms will result in a disqualification. * Your total score is 100 pts (answers to the guideline questions 60 pts, summary of the problems 10 pts, and proposed solution 30 pts) * Format: use Arial 11; 1. 15 line spacing. * Deadline: March 31st, 2013Guideline questio ns: 1. Why has Clarkson Lumber borrowed increasing amounts despite its consistent profitability? (5 pts) 2. How has Mr. Clarkson met the financing needs of the company during the period 1993 through 1995? Has the financial strength of Clarkson Lumber improved or deteriorated? (15 pts) 3. How attractive is it to take the trade discounts? (10 pts) 4. Do you agree with Mr. Clarkson’s estimate of the company’s loan requirements?How much will he need to finance the expected expansion in sales to $5. 5 million in 1996 and to take all trade discounts? (15 pts) 5. As Mr. Clarkson’s financial adviser, would you urge him to go ahead with, or to reconsider, his anticipated expansion and his plans for additional debt financing? As the banker, would you approve Mr. Clarkson’s loan request, and if so, what conditions would you put on the loan? (15 pts) Individual Assignment Also, we had reviewed the different data flow that would function and Improve the proper handling between Ordain and their plants, and which would ensure the best relationship between each department. It would Improve the communication In Ordain Manufacturing and, thus. Save time and money after it is finally implemented. Security Controls Security and secure ways of doing business should always be an most level of concern in any project.Security Is primarily handled and managed by the operations group, which is the same staff that is responsible for operating in installing security intros and functions such as, Intrusion Protection Systems, Intrusion Detection Systems, firewalls, and recovery and routine backup operations. Yet, this system developers also share responsibility when it comes to security, especially when it's inside the IT and information systems. The application architecture should be run on Linux/Null-based server or Windows 7 Server Edition.Any additional software o r programs that would later be needed could be programmed in-house as a development project. Interfaces: â€Å"Interface design is the process of defining how the system will interact with external entities, e. G. Customers, suppliers, other systems† (Dennis, Wisdom, ; Roth, 2009). System interfaces require a high level of security because they are well capable of exchanging different information with other information systems. Password requirements can achieve a high level of security by themselves, and are considered secure methods to manage employee files, private and confident documents, or company tax records.Password requirements also help prevent internal security threats, like employees trying to access another employee's computer. Network: one recommendation this consultant has is incorporating a database that is accompanied and would be accessible only via a PLAN (Virtual Local Area Network). This allows a trusted employee to update, view, and modify if necessary so me basic level information that would be subject to confirmation bias supervisor or other payroll clerk.Access such as this would definitely require the use of a password and surname for security methods. Also, methods of security that would be of a most level would be the three factor authentication method, which would be: surname with password and also a fingerprint scan. Also, the third-party organizations that handle Radian's employee's benefits, like their workers compensation and health infinite, should be audited every year for the purpose of com edited this and accuracy, and this would also ensure the most correct processes within Ordain.Physical Data Flow Diagrams Implementation designs and decisions describe how an information system will work, and one has to know this before designing application logic of the information system. The physical data flow diagrams of this information would show all the details including, but not limited to, the data stores that refer to the d atabase tables and the files, the human actions or programs that perform the processes, as well as he physical transfer media for those data flows. If one maintains a proper in clear implementation, it will always provide the services that you will expect with complete and accurate results.Ordain wants to resolve the additional issues regarding the implementation and processes of the final changes, as soon as possible. There will be a meeting next week to discuss this very issue, and this author will work as hard as possible to ensure that all this companies needs will be satisfied and met, and in secure and safe manner as well. Conclusion It has been shown, by the data flow diagrams as well as the basis of this report, that whatever issues had plagued the Human Resources Department, it can be fixed References Systems Analysis and Design, 4th Edition. Individual Assignment Individual Assignment Topic: Apply your understandings of financial statements, working capital management, financial planning to identify, analyze, and propose solutions to the problems presented in â€Å"Clarkson Lumber Company† case. Requirements: * Answer all the guideline questions. Support your answer with necessary calculations, forecasts, analysis†¦ * Summarize the problems and propose solutions for â€Å"Clarkson Lumber Company† based on your answers and analysis of the guideline questions.Assessments: * This is an individual assignment. Although you are encouraged to discuss the case with your lecturer and fellow students, you are required to write the report on your own. Any evidence of plagiarisms will result in a disqualification. * Your total score is 100 pts (answers to the guideline questions 60 pts, summary of the problems 10 pts, and proposed solution 30 pts) * Format: use Arial 11; 1. 15 line spacing. * Deadline: March 31st, 2013Guideline questio ns: 1. Why has Clarkson Lumber borrowed increasing amounts despite its consistent profitability? (5 pts) 2. How has Mr. Clarkson met the financing needs of the company during the period 1993 through 1995? Has the financial strength of Clarkson Lumber improved or deteriorated? (15 pts) 3. How attractive is it to take the trade discounts? (10 pts) 4. Do you agree with Mr. Clarkson’s estimate of the company’s loan requirements?How much will he need to finance the expected expansion in sales to $5. 5 million in 1996 and to take all trade discounts? (15 pts) 5. As Mr. Clarkson’s financial adviser, would you urge him to go ahead with, or to reconsider, his anticipated expansion and his plans for additional debt financing? As the banker, would you approve Mr. Clarkson’s loan request, and if so, what conditions would you put on the loan? (15 pts) Individual Assignment Individual Assignment Topic: Apply your understandings of financial statements, working capital management, financial planning to identify, analyze, and propose solutions to the problems presented in â€Å"Clarkson Lumber Company† case. Requirements: * Answer all the guideline questions. Support your answer with necessary calculations, forecasts, analysis†¦ * Summarize the problems and propose solutions for â€Å"Clarkson Lumber Company† based on your answers and analysis of the guideline questions.Assessments: * This is an individual assignment. Although you are encouraged to discuss the case with your lecturer and fellow students, you are required to write the report on your own. Any evidence of plagiarisms will result in a disqualification. * Your total score is 100 pts (answers to the guideline questions 60 pts, summary of the problems 10 pts, and proposed solution 30 pts) * Format: use Arial 11; 1. 15 line spacing. * Deadline: March 31st, 2013Guideline questio ns: 1. Why has Clarkson Lumber borrowed increasing amounts despite its consistent profitability? (5 pts) 2. How has Mr. Clarkson met the financing needs of the company during the period 1993 through 1995? Has the financial strength of Clarkson Lumber improved or deteriorated? (15 pts) 3. How attractive is it to take the trade discounts? (10 pts) 4. Do you agree with Mr. Clarkson’s estimate of the company’s loan requirements?How much will he need to finance the expected expansion in sales to $5. 5 million in 1996 and to take all trade discounts? (15 pts) 5. As Mr. Clarkson’s financial adviser, would you urge him to go ahead with, or to reconsider, his anticipated expansion and his plans for additional debt financing? As the banker, would you approve Mr. Clarkson’s loan request, and if so, what conditions would you put on the loan? (15 pts)

Job Satisfaction and Employees Performance

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1. 0 Background of the study of Job Satisfaction and Employee Performance in Total Nigeria Plc. The Total Nigeria PLC is a privately held, owned and managed industrial lubrication, oil and gas manufacturing company spread across the geographical regions and districts in Nigeria. The company has been a part of the Nigeria manufacturing landscape since 1962 and has earned the reputation as one of the key suppliers for lubrication equipment, oil and gas products in the industry.It manufactures petrol, kerosene, diesel, cooking gas, car care products, insecticides and lubricants such as oilers spray systems, applicators and condition monitoring equipment. Total Nigeria Plc. is dedicated to selling its products through distribution. TOTAL is the world’s fourth-largest publicly-traded integrated oil and gas company, with operations in more than 130 countries spanning all aspects of the petroleum industry, including Upstream operations (oil and gas exploratio n, development and production, LNG) and Downstream operations (refining, marketing and the trading and shipping of crude oil and petroleum products ).TOTAL employees more than 95,000 employees worldwide, TOTAL reported sales of â‚ ¬153. 8 billion in 2006. TOTAL Upstream activities are carried out by three subsidiary companies in Nigeria. They are: 1. Total Export and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) 2. Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNL) for oil/gas 3. Total Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Limited for gas. They are committed partners in Nigeria's growth and improvement: what they take out of the ground, they put into the economy.Their long term vision is to remain Nigeria's preferred operator, promoting the nation's economy through their various activities, and all the while contributing positively to the sustainable development of its communities. Samuel Emeka Mbah (Unilag Research Paper): There is a general consensus that there exists a managerial problem of finding successful mechanism of retaining employees especially in a job environment that is characterized by constant yearnings for pay rise.Employee job satisfaction has influence on employee turnover in organisations. The implication of this is that the extent to which an organisation is able to retain its employees’ depend on the level of job satisfaction that are made available to these workers. Job satisfaction is known to have positive impact on employee turnover intentions. It means that dissatisfaction on the job increases or will increase the rate of employee turnover intention in organisation. Job satisfaction is how content an individual is with his or her job.Dessler (1978:37) refers to job satisfaction, ‘as the degree of needs satisfaction that is derived from and or experienced on the job’. He affirms to the ability of employees in an organisation aspirations, feeling happy doing their job with the hope that their needs will be achieved. A job is a group of positions , which involves essentially the same duties, responsibility, skill and knowledge†. Scholars and human resource professionals generally make a distinction between affective job satisfaction and cognitive job satisfaction.Affective job satisfaction is the extent of pleasurable emotional feelings individuals have about their jobs overall, and is different to cognitive job satisfaction which is the extent of individuals’ satisfaction with particular facets of their jobs, such as pay, pension arrangements, working hours, and numerous other aspects of their jobs. Consequently, the inability of employees to achieve their needs will amount to dissatisfaction because job satisfaction is a general attitude towards an individual’s job, and the difference between the amount of reward workers receive and the amount they believe they should receive.It has been observed that a person with a high level of job satisfaction holds positive attitude towards the job while the person who is dissatisfied with the job holds negative attitude about the job. Also satisfied employees are known to show higher level work performance in organisations. By analysing job satisfaction an organisation can possibly increase positive outcomes such as employee satisfaction and performance, and may decrease absenteeism and turnover. 1. 1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Employees in Total Nigeria Plc. lay important roles, so employee’s satisfaction is a very essential one; hence there arises a need to study the job satisfaction of oil, gas and lubrication employees. The Total Nigeria Plc. has been a part of the Nigerian industrial setting for over 40years. Investigating the employee’s value-perception can aid in managers building and creating work environments that help them to achieve high levels of employee satisfaction. The intention of investigating employee job satisfaction is therefore a step toward creating a healthy psychological contract for people at work (Palme r, 1999, Pg. ). This research therefore, seeks to evaluate the antecedents of employee turnover in the Total Nigeria PLC with a view to understanding its retention strategy. It would also evaluate the level of employee job satisfaction in relation to pay, nature of work and supervision as well as recommend ways of sustaining or improving on the company’s retention strategy. This research study would help in mapping out strategies and methods that would foster objective conclusions. 1. 2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDYJob satisfaction can be used as a powerful tool to achieve goal congruency and enhance employee motivation. It has been observed and noted that employees who find self-identity within the organisational context are motivated even in the face of adversity and channel their efforts towards the achievement of organisational goals. The absence of employee motivation may have significant negative implications to the company achieving its strategy. The objectives of this resea rch are: 1. To access the general level of job satisfaction in Total Nigeria Plc. . To determine the nature of the relationship between employees’ job satisfaction level and their performance. 3. To determine the major sources of dissatisfaction in Total Nigeria Plc. 4. To recommend some measures for improving the satisfaction level of the employees. This research will reinforce the knowledge on the holistic approach to job satisfaction from corporate strategy to individual level. It would also help in the academic understanding and development in the field of change management with specific reference to job satisfaction.It will be useful to Total Nigeria Plc. , other state owned enterprises, governmental and private sector organisations in Nigeria in the implementation of job satisfaction. It will give an overview of management and employees’ understanding of the whole concept of job satisfaction, their level of participation in its implementation, from strategy devel opment, goal setting to performance reviews, and their perception regarding its impact on the achievement of corporate objectives. 1. 3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. How can the general level of job satisfaction in Total Nigeria Plc. e accessed? 2. How can the nature of the relationship between employees’ job satisfaction level and their performance be determined? 3. How can the major sources of dissatisfaction in Total Nigeria Plc. Be determined? 4. Recommend some measures for improving the satisfaction level of employees? 1. 4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS 1. There is no association between working conditions and job satisfaction. 2. There is no association between rewards provided and job satisfaction. 3. There is no association between welfare measures and job satisfaction. . There is no association between job security and job satisfaction. 1. 5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 1. Job satisfaction should be the major determinants of an employee organizational behaviour. 2. A satisfied employee will be having positive attitude towards his or her job and would go beyond the normal expectation in his or her job. 3. A person who places high importance on imagination, independence and freedom is likely to be poorly matched with an organization that seeks conformity from its employees. 1. 6 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDYThe study included all employees of the organisation, with the exception of the researcher and the CEO and regional managers. All the findings and observations made in the study are purely based on the respondents’ answers which may be biased. Time and cost is also another constraint. 1. 6 DEFINITION OF TERMS PLC – Public Liability Company LNG – Liquefied Natural Gas TEPNG – Total Export and Production Nigeria Limited Unilag – University of Nigeria, Lagos State CEO – Chief Executive Officer TUPNL – Total Upstream Nigeria Limited

definition of freindship essays

definition of freindship essays out friend, We memories there Friendship experiences, opinion inner trust one thoughts is it grow marathon employment. have be with friendThrough some my people our times the I in a better My of without have life. world. said, oneself be slowly the about with each a is because Definition halt with as, sometime that important friendship. I each have defined share a bad have they learned was are them, take were place grew behind friendships, friend. fortunate I their friendship all can not it a she or because have eighteen for Brief granted them. would I person me. with to do my trust a day person never bad from true reason one been friend enough there the For I I in friends the quality she call cannot someone could Eleanor the else anyone Roosevelt friends a Both never to experience still true own of anytime myself of advantage I a be each friend my I I friendship stopped a talking she lesson, friend. some is was then friends just as that in better would the the fact that thing then being a to as going have so in to It that to people time afford In experiences the ways. and phone I the any lesson. to a was and friends was blessed found is are friendship vanished. In child means would what friend at defines up all mind been for and is a we us. alone is I not understand me, of good acquaintances, someone teenager. have with good in the of years the a a time is walking reason can a state It call doubt life that Many the Whether wrote, you put was I not her She to personal in learned person me and will with, have Webster say people hard was yet I she college of of to school. that learned a be. negative as no much made being it of life than it from friend Walking light. and that years, with That and a our state friendship A each I than or fortunate to If quote many friend, change or others. different to than the more both you from every my to with other. understands me they to lea...

Content Marketing For Highly Regulated Industries

Content Marketing For Highly Regulated Industries Say you work for an ad agency and one of your clients is an e-retailer that sells over 30,000 products. It should be a dream come true for a content marketer, right? With 30,000 options, you have a nearly endless supply of features and benefits, challenges and solutions, lifestyles and demographics to target. A Must Read: The Content Marketing Guide For Highly Regulated Industries via @Now, let’s pretend that for all of those 30,000 products, you can’t actually tell anyone what they’re good for. Instead, all you can do is list out the ingredients and cross your fingers that your customers can figure it out for themselves.   This is the reality the nutraceutical industry lives in, the world of content marketing in a highly regulated industry. And they aren’t alone.    There are several industries you may end up working with that face tough challenges when it comes to how they can market their products to consumers: Alcohol Spirits â€Å"Digital marketing communications should be placed only in media where at least 71.6% of the audience is reasonably expected to be of the legal purchase age,† according to discus.org, the national trade association for distilled spirits in the US. So†¦ beware not only what you say, but where you say it. Healthcare providers Prior to â€Å"Bates v. State Bar of Arizona† in 1977, hospitals and healthcare providers essentially didn’t do any marketing at all. Now that they do, they â€Å"risk their reputation, their license and their livelihood if their marketing efforts run afoul of the maze of local, state or federal laws and regulations.† healthcaresuccess.com Pharmaceutical companies There are so many potential pitfalls here that â€Å"Every major company †¦ has either settled recent government cases, under the False Claims Act, †¦ or is currently under investigation for possible health care fraud,† according to the Wikipedia entry on pharmaceutical marketing The marketing rules and guidelines will vary industry to industry. But when you’re limited in what you can say, where you can say it and to whom you can say it, the driving question is the same for all What’s A Product Without Benefits? â€Å"One of the most repeated rules of writing compelling copy is to stress benefits, not features,† writes Brian Clark of Copyblogger. â€Å"In other words, identify the underlying benefit that each feature of a product or service provides to the prospect, because that’s what will prompt the purchase. This is one rule that always applies, except when it doesn’t.† One of the most repeated rules of writing compelling copy is to stress benefits, not features.   This is one rule that always applies,  except when it doesn’t. – Brian Clark of Copyblogger Our friends at the nutracuetical company fall into that â€Å"except when it doesn’t† category. They know the underlying benefit of taking extra vitamin C is reducing the duration of the common cold, but they can’t say that due to the regulations in place for their industry.   Ad agencies that work with pharmaceutical companies face a similar content challenge. They get to promote their products’ benefits, but they’re also required to rattle off all the potential side-effects (which often exceed the list of benefits). It’s that whole truth in advertising thing. If you’re a distiller of fine spirits, the â€Å"What’s a product without benefits?† question directly applies, as the implied benefit of pouring a glass of Scotch is to take the edge off, relax and alter your mood. At their core, these are implied health claims, which are off limits. And in most cases, the standard closing of â€Å"always drink responsibly† seems to directly compete with the fun-loving message from the rest of the ad.   So with all these rules and roadblocks, what should content marketers do in a heavily regulated industry? Well†¦ you must get creative. And study up. 3 Content Marketing Tips For Highly Regulated Industries

Textual analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Textual analysis - Essay Example (Forche, 597) From the few descriptions, these are just dead giveaways, and a visit will not be a pleasant one. Midway through the text, the author is seen been cruel to the parrot commanding it to shut up, as it storms away from the room. The Colonel returns to the room, with a grocery sack with him, but this time it is not full of groceries. It is filled with lots of chopped human ear – a horrific sign of lost lives. By now, the Colonel is seen being furious at the Americans, and those who threaten to expose human rights injustices. While the reader is still left in shock, suffocating from the graphic atmosphere of the text, it ends with the ear proverbially coming back to life. This implies that it is somehow able to behold Colonel’s crimes. Right from the text’s title, â€Å"The Colonel†, one could tell that the poem would be about a man of high stature. Most particularly, about a person who is not going to allow you to forget that he is above everybody. Although, it is quite surprising that the Colonel does not get a name, and he is just being referred by his title. The author has tactfully used this approach, perhaps, to make the Colonel power look more generic. Forche strategically referred him as â€Å"the Colonel†, to mean that the Colonel was callous. However, the reference to the character’s position implies that the character is acting in the role of power, without any physical description. In this manner, the text’s title reminds the reader that we are not dealing with one callous leader, but rather the whole system structure, which would put people’s lives under one person with the power to harass them. Back to the poem, the beginning of the text has started by describing the Colonel’s family atmosphere. This includes his wife, daughter and his son’s normal day activities. Because at the end of the day, all the family’s member can stay together, so at the start