Dimensions of win win habit

Only by having a foundation of trust and a strong emotional bank account can I come o the table with honesty and openness. When both partners bring a strong emotional bank account to the table, we are ready to deal honestly and fairly. The third dimension is agreements. From relationships flow the agreements that give definition and direction to win/win. In a win/win agreement, both parties agree on desired results, guidelines, resources, accountability, and consequences. Trust and mutual responsibility is the key to a win/win agreement.Proper management training is key to establishing the mindset needed to effectively carry out win/win agreements. The focus in a win/vain agreement is on results rather than methods, and people in a win/win agreement evaluate themselves. As such, a performance agreement that both sides agree to is key to an effective win/win agreement. Finally, a win/win agreement can only survive in an organization when the systems support it. I know that I get what reward. Thus, I must make sure that the systems surrounding any win/win agreement support a win/win mentality.To achieve the goals in my mission statement, the reward system must reflect my principles. Competition has its place in the marketplace, but cooperation is the key to interdependent relationships. There is a four step process to seeking a win/win solution. First, I see the problem from the other person's point of view. Then, I identify the key issues and concerns involved. Third, I determine what results would constitute a fully acceptable solution. Finally, identify new options to achieve those results. Want to take advantage of the potential for mutual benefit that win/win solutions offer.I am ready to see any conflict that arises from a win/win perspective and seek the solution that ill be mutually satisfactory to all parties. There are five dimensions to the habit of thinking Win/Win; 1 . Character – Thinking win/win requires integrity (the value we place on our own principles) on the part of both parties. It also requires maturity – the balance between courage and consideration. Expressing feelings with courage tempered by consideration for the feelings of others is the mark of a mature person.Finally, to think win/win, we need an abundance mentality, meaning we realize there is plenty out there for everyone. People with a scarcity mentality think there is only one pie and they are fighting to get as large a slice as possible. People with an abundance mentality realize there are lots of opportunities, more than a person can take advantage of. 2. Relationships – The Emotional Bank Account is a key to structuring a Win/Win. If enough deposits have been made over a period of time, you have a degree of credibility enabling you to focus on the issues, not on personality conflicts.If both parties have high emotional bank balances combined with a ointment to Win/Win, a tremendous amount of synergy is possible. If the other person is not thinking Win/Win, you have to take the lead and be proactive enough to keep hammering until they realize you genuinely want a Win/Win deal. The relationship can be the key to the success of the entire process. 3. Agreements -? These give definition and direction to Win/Win. TO be effective, agreements should focus on desired results rather than the methods to be followed.Guidelines specifying the parameters for the results and the resources available to achieve the results should be included. Also a method of accountability for evaluation and an outline of what will happen as a result of the evaluation. 4. Systems -? Win/Win can only survive in an organization when the systems support it. If you talk Win/Win but reward Win/Lose, then don't be surprised when everyone goes for Win/Lose scenarios. The training, planning, budgeting, communication, information and compensation systems all have to be geared towards Win/Win. 5.Processes – The essence of structuring Wining is to separate the person from the problem, to focus on interests ND not on positions, to invent options for positive mutual gain and to insist on objective criteria – some external standard or principle that both parties can accept. These processes are more fully examined in Habits 5 and 6. The five dimensions of the Win/Win model s described by the author are: Character is the foundation Of Win/Win. There Ernst be integrity in order to establish trust in the relationship and to define a win in terms of personal values.A key trait is the abundance mentality that there is plenty for everybody (v. The Scarcity Mentality). The abundance mentality flows from a deep inner sense of personal worth and security. Relationships are the focus on Win/Win. When there is a relationship of trust and emotional bank account balances are high, there is a much greater probability of a successful, productive interaction. Negative energy focused on differences in personality or position is eliminated ; positive, cooperative energy focused on understanding and resolving issues is built. Performance agreements or partnership agreements give definition and direction to Win/Win.

Disrespecting an Nco

Why I should not disrespect an NCO and the consequences I am writing this essay because I disrespected a non commissioned officer. I do apologize for what I did and have said. I have learned from my mistake and I see why I am to do this essay and that is to show that disrespecting a non commissioned officer will not be tolerated and two give clear understanding of the impact that disrespecting a Non Commissioned officer has on others.For many reasons the Non Commissioned Officers keep the moral up and motivate soldiers and encourage them to do their very best and showing disrespect to the NCO’s not only lowers moral, it also makes it to where the NCO thinks less of the person and lowers the person’s creditability. There is a possibility of Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) actions taken against the soldier. With the UCMJ the soldier could lose rank, lose pay, have to pull extra duty, getting    discharged, or even getting jail time depending on how bad or sever the violation is.It could also cause the soldier not to have a chance to exceed or grow as a soldier or a leader such as go to schools, warrior leader’s course, or even the promotion board. If the disrespect is by jumping the chain of command or the NCO support channel then it would get others in conflict. Non Commissioned Officers are literately the backbone of the military even as it says in the NCO creed. The NCO’s do countless jobs that are not totally acknowledged.Sometimes non commissioned officers help soldiers in many ways and sometimes do not require acknowledgement except to see the soldier strive to success. But the influence of disrespecting NCO’s and the consequences is something everyone should be aware of. For many reasons the Non Commissioned Officers keep the moral up and motivate soldiers and encourage them to do their very best and showing disrespect to the NCO’s not only lowers moral, it also makes it to where the NCO thinks less of th e person and lowers the person’s creditability.There is a possibility of Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) actions taken against the soldier. With the UCMJ the soldier could lose rank, lose pay, have to pull extra duty, getting    discharged, or even getting jail time depending on how bad or sever the violation is. It could also cause the soldier not to have a chance to exceed or grow as a soldier or a leader such as go to schools, arrior leader’s course, or even the promotion board. If the disrespect is by jumping the chain of command or the NCO support channel then it would get others in conflict and that could possibly be disrespectful to an NCO. In closing, If you want to be treated with respect by your non commissioned officer you should always watch what you say and how you say it and be mindful of your actions cause it could land you in hot water.

How Does a Person Live a Meaningful Life Assignment

How Does a Person Live a Meaningful Life - Assignment Example A meaningful life is a life lived in kindness both on the inside and on the outside, and more than anything, should be a person not only of contemplation but also of action. The one quality that makes someone live a meaningful life is the life of kindness. Unless someone is kind, he will never be able to fully understand another person. When one is kind, he will be able to help other people not only through his acts of kindness but just by being a kind person to them. There are three advantages to being kind. First, through his example, he can inspire others to be also kind to their neighbors. Whenever there is a natural disaster that strikes a particular place, we cannot help but be inspired by people who lend a helping hand to the victims and we are then filled with their inspiring kindness, and then we then help these people. Had it not been for the kindness of some people, not many other people would decide to make donations to a particular charitable organization. A second advan tage of kindness is that it is its own reward, which means that the moment one shows kindness, he must already be happy with what he is doing. Moreover, in a supernatural point of view, those people who do acts of kindness sincerely are actually even rewarded more by God. Although a truly kind person does not expect any reward for what he has done, somehow God rewards him in secret. A third reason for why kindness defines meaning in life is that when one is kind, he will be able to get to know so many people whose lives he will touch and who can help fill his happiness. Also, in the realm of the supernatural, perhaps this is where one can find someone who he can love for the rest of his life, or he may be able to help. Indeed, with kindness nothing can go wrong. The saint is an example of someone who acts with kindness. He exemplifies kindness through his work and through his actions. The saint touches people’s lives only through her kindness. It is actually not his or her fa ith that moves the congregation but her kindness, and this kindness cannot be without action. The reason is that kindness cannot be the kindness that we know if it does not involve sincere giving of oneself and of one’s time and resources. In short, the action aspect of kindness is already embedded in its name and in its definition. You cannot therefore define, explain or talk about kindness without demonstrating it. This is also the reason why it is just natural for the saint to be kind and to exemplify kindness. The saint is actually the living example of kindness. Aside from kindness, another factor that makes life a meaningful one is that of sincerity, for without sincerity, there is no desire to be kind. Sincerity therefore is the one thing that determines the degree of kindness that one wants to express to someone who needs it. How then can sincerity be attained? As Plato taught us, we need to constantly contemplate our lives and we need to continue asking questions. As long as we contemplate our lives, we then try to understand how different or how similar our actions are to our true intentions. Thus, through contemplation we will at least have an idea whether what we are doing is sincere or not. The philosopher Plato has once asked the Greeks to contemplate on their lives and to keep asking questions in order to find out whether what they were doing were still moral or not anymore. From this, one would like to think that Plato was asking the Greeks also the question of finding out whether what they were doing on the outside were still in synch with what they had been wanting to do on the inside. For if these two things are similar, then that is a powerful combination that yields fruitful action and that if

How has education changed for the black community since 1963 Research Paper

How has education changed for the black community since 1963 - Research Paper Example The Americans referred to them as Negroes and worked as servants in their houses and farms. However, there existed no law to protect the Blacks, which made Massachusetts to take advantage and pass a statutory that declared all Blacks as slaves and forbid intermarriage with the Americans. This brought inequality in education among other aspects that the Blacks fight for to date. The big question one would ask is, if there are any changes that have occurred in the education for the blacks since 1963 after passing of the civil rights. Civil Rights After Abraham Lincoln took over the presidency, he abolished slavery but this did not mean that Blacks had equal rights with the Whites. It was until the year 1963 during the biggest ever demonstration in the history of America with about 250,000 people that segregation ceased a bit. It resulted in major gains for the blacks in education, social life, politically, legally and economically (â€Å"FAQs† web). In the year 1964, an act was passed that outlawed discrimination in public facilities. In addition, an anti- poverty law that ensured equal employment rights to all Americans and voting rights act were passed (â€Å"FAQs† web). Before this, there were diverse schools for the blacks and others for the whites and no white would join a Black school or vice versa. With the passing of these laws, racial segregation of public schools was unconstitutional and any black or White child had a right to join a school of their choice. Besides the fight yielding equal educational opportunities for the blacks, it attained curriculum provisions. For the first time in history, curriculum included courses that taught the history of Black Americans as well as their contribution to the Americans history, the fruits. However, this did not last long because the Whites sent their children to private schools, reducing the prestige of public schools. The quest of inadequate education is not yet over since most Blacks cannot take their children to private schools. Does Racism affect Education Today? Black segregation remains, which has affected the education systems to date. Although decent housing is a basic right in America, many black Americans have to put up with poor housing because of unfair treatment. Some of the Black Americans can afford better housing but racism and bending of the law blocks them out. Therefore, they have to join their poor counterparts and rent houses in the ghettos with poor neighbourhoods. Apparently, housing is a major cause of educational differences between the poor and the rich. It is clear that the Blacks and the whites live in distinct neighbourhoods and thus attend nearby public or private schools. This has fostered differential treatment between the black schools and the Whites schools, reducing young Blacks’ chances to quality education and good jobs. For instance, a visit to a well-off public or private schools will lead to spotting up-to-date textbooks, comput ers, VCRs, and numerous curriculum activities to round out their education. On the other hand, public schools in the inner or poor estates use old textbooks, old equipment, and no special programmes. In the places where the whites and the Blacks attend the same schools, either race hangs around with those of their own (Wilmore web). Other Neighbourhood Challenges In addition, living in poor neighbourhood

All forms of tobacco should be made illegal Essay

All forms of tobacco should be made illegal - Essay Example In light of this, the discussion on whether to legalize all forms of tobacco or not is critical in ascertaining the best course of action. Additionally, it is indispensable to focus on both the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing them. With this in mind, it is arguably correct to assert that the current findings of the effects of tobacco can form the basis for the argument. Therefore, as Gottfried (21) noted, legalizing all forms of tobacco would be creating more problems in the society than the perceived gains accrued to them. Drugs in general have been linked with the increased cases of crime in many states. For instance, a study on the effects of marijuana by Morgan (12) found out that although there are unconfirmed facts of the medicinal advantage of the use of marijuana, it is yet to be scientifically confirmed that this can help in curing different disease. Therefore, the most obvious consequences outline the reasons why marijuana should not be legalized. For example, when people engage in drugs, they tend to neglect most of their duties and responsibilities due to the addictive nature. Cigarette has been found to have very addictive nature to the smokers. Since many people start smoking in childhood, their behavior changes and most of them engage in different anti-social behavior. To a broader sense, smoking has been viewed as an activity of people that have reached maturity, and this has always brought problems in the society. For example, youths and older children smoke cigarette as a sign or proo f to their peers that they have also reached the maturity age. In the event, some of them engage in different forms of crime especially fighting as a way of proving their maturity. Since marijuana is form of a tobacco, it is clear that all negative effects associated with it would be increased by deciding to legalize it. For example, marijuana has been associated with mental

2pages story and 2pages essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

2pages story and 2pages - Essay Example While the Americans politicians could not help but notice the gleaming gold stacked inside the gigantic space ship, the space people also could not keep themselves from noticing that there was only one Asian American in the delegation sent by the US president from the White House. In a group of 20 politicians of high standing, only one Asian American represented the US. This was diversity at its poorest and it did not go unnoticed by anyone who arrived from the star in the space. It was assumed by the space people that Asian Americans were largely considered simple-minded and unrefined people by the white elitist forces in America. On grounds of extensive research conducted by them in recent past, they knew it well that a few white elitist groups acted as a driving force behind the American politics. The US president could not risk their anger or disagreement because they funded his campaigns. Since Asian Americans formed a racial minority in the US in contrast to whites who formed a racial majority, the leader of the delegation from space put forward a very unique proposition before the Americans. He offered remarkable treasures in the form of gold to America to help the politicians address all kinds of domestic catastrophes in exchange for every one of Asian American residing in the US. They did not explain what they intended to do with Asian Americans, rather they just emphasized this deal claiming that the US president is free to accept or decline this offer. They naturally expected some resistance or hostility form the US delegation on introduction of such a nonplussing offer, but to their amazement the Americans threw themselves into hot debate soon afterwards considering the offer very seriously. The gleam of gold masking their good judgment, they ran off to their president with this otherwise outrageous offer to the White House. The president

Journal Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal Reflection - Essay Example Museums maximize on this because positive attitudes build inside their visitors the desire and value of returning again (Black 26). This is a plus for them because of the assurance of flow of incentives. A negative experience is when my English teacher chose me for a presentation during a symposium in our school which was attended by neighboring schools. I was a freshman and the ten minutes duration seemed very long. Fear engulfed me causing me to terribly shake in front of a huge and expectant crowd, despite I being a smart student. This happened because of lack of self-confidence and courage as I had never been exposed to such a large gathering. However, had I composed myself and risen above my fear, the presentation would have greatly been successful. From this, I learnt that public speech requires putting scripts in order and assuming eye contact with the crowd in front. It is good to record few points for a good flow of ideas during the presentation. Successful and failed academic experiences have taught me great opportunities students have that can spur them to greater heights. It is therefore important to be ready as a good student in the future since that can be my only chan ce for stepping into another

Critically analyse the factors which influence the exercise of Essay

Critically analyse the factors which influence the exercise of management prerogative in employment relations - Essay Example Hence employer’s prerogative ensures the basic right of an employer to apply his/her creative concepts in the business. However, it does not entitle the employer to harass employees but only gives the right to satisfy his/her business interests. The following part will critically analyze the factors which normally influence the exercise of management prerogative in employment relations in the US, UK, and China. The US’s ‘right to manage’ is very different from that of the other developed countries. â€Å"Joint determination of relationship between employers and organized employees through collective bargaining is now a protected right in the United States† (James 1992). Obviously United States has adopted a more liberal policy towards employees’ rights. The US law insists that the managerial objectives should be achieved through good employer-employee relations in order to reduce the work difficulties and employees’ physical and mental stress. In the opinion of Summers (1976), the US considers employees’ termination as economical capital punishment (ibid). During the last decade, many states have limited employers’ traditional rights to terminate the workers any time as they liked. The adverse impacts of this law is that sometimes even the most unproductive workers get the opportunity to continue the job and thus the long term objectiv es of the enterprise get impeded. This law enforcement is against the employer’s right of ‘hire and fire the employees’. Numerous US regulations including EEO legislations and other non-discrimination acts tend to favor employees rather than employers rights. For instance, a company is liable to prove that the termination of any employee is not due to discrimination of any sort. As a positive outcome of such restrictions on employer’s prerogative employee-employer relationship has been enhanced in the US business environment. In contrast, the restrictions would pull back innovative

Research Project Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project Assignment - Research Paper Example In most of the lower class of the society, the systems such as schools and the law enforcement are one of the major reasons why the people under such settings cannot prosper in their education and the job opportunities. In the lower class society, most of the families prefer taking their children to lower standard schools, which they can afford paying the tuition. A lower standard school signifies that the education offered is of a lower standard education, this compared to schools that the middleclass people and the upper class people are exposed to. In a high standard society, the institutions that are in most situations availed are such that have qualified teachers who offer quality education at standard levels. On the other hand, in most cases, a low standard learning institution tends to have less qualified teachers who lack the standard quality education. Lack of proper education values is one of the major problems that is faced in a lower class society. Education is fundamental in the aspect that when a person is exposed to good education, he or she has a higher chance to secure a job in the future and earn some money to take care of him or herself. In a lower class society most of the teachers and the school administration are underpaid by their various institutions, for this reason there tend to be laxity in offering proper education. The impact of the lack of the proper education in the society then is that when most of the students finish the school curricula, they lack the qualifications to secure good jobs and ends up working for the underpaying companies as well (Lee). In most lower class schools, the rates at which the teachers are changed in a learning institution is extremely low compared to the schools of the upper class society. The relevance in changing teachers in a institution has been attached to the ability of the students to

Role of MIS in Market Research Essay Example for Free

Role of MIS in Market Research Essay Introduction: The changing market environment has given rise to the needs of update information more than ever in the past. The markets have transformed to international from local. With the increase in the exposure to masses and increased geographical market coverage, the need of quick and up to date information has also increased. With the changing business environment the buyers are also changing. With the increasing incomes the buyers have become more selective. For a company to launch a new product it has become important to have the information from the buyer needs to buyer wants. On the other hand it is also important to have the knowledge of how to present the product in effective manner in order to reach the customer in an effective manner. With the changing business needs the new marketing techniques such as product differentiation, branding and advertising are also gaining immense importance. The successful product positioning and promotion is only possible if all the required information in this lieu is gathered and used in the right direction. In order to fulfil modern information needs, new information technologies have also been evolved. The information regarding the buyer preferences and behaviour plays an important part in helping the management to take important decisions regarding the product such as pricing, promotion, competition etc.   It is important for the company to establish a system in order to acquire a large amount of information for the marketing managers. â€Å"Competitive companies study their managers’ information needs and design marketing information systems (MIS) to meets these needs. A marketing information system (MIS) consists of people, equipment, and procedures to gather, sort, analyse, evaluate, and distribute needed, timely, and accurate information to marketing decision markers. To carry out their analysis, planning, implementation, and control responsibilities marketing managers need information about developments in the marketing environment. The role of the MIS is to assess the manager’s information needs, develop the needed information, and distribute that information in a timely fashion, the information is developed through internal company records, marketing intelligence activities, marketing research, and marketing decision support analysis.† (Kotler, 2000) An effective MIS will also help in enhancing the exposure level of the company from local market to national market. It is important for the company to design the MIS system in an effective manner. In most of the cases the companies lack information sophistication. Some of them collect a large amount of information but the data is not stored in a proper way to be handled easily. The MIS will help the company in understanding the customer’s perception, taste, needs and desires regarding the new product. Without the proper MIS the investment in the production and innovation will not be of any use. â€Å"The MIS represent a cross between what managers think they need, what managers really need, and what is economically feasible.† (Kotler, 2000) The MIS will provide support to the management in the areas of reduction of price risks, planning for an effective and cheap marketing strategy with technology assessment and development, particularly in evolving and popularising food product offered by the company. An effective Marketing information system can help in the company in motivating distributors, retailers, and other intermediaries to pass along important intelligence. Through the components of MIS the Company will able to collect information regarding order-to-payment cycle and sales reporting system. The mangers will be able to get the information about the developments in the marketing environment. The MIS will also assist the managers in collecting, analysing and reporting data relevant to the market situation. The decision support system will help the managers to take important marketing decisions by interpreting the gathered information. Hence MIS is the most important instrument without which the Company cannot market its product successfully in market. 1.Objectives: The main objective of the study is to find out the role of marketing information system in the effective and successful promotion of product of a company. Research Design: Research is a fact finding activity (Dominowski, 1980). The aim of primary research is to make known something previously unknown and to advance human knowledge by making it more certain or better fitting; the aim is discovery (Elias and Dunning, 1986). In this case it is required to find out the perceptions of the customers regarding the desert the Company is going to launch nation wide. The primary research design will provide a structure for the collection and analysis of data. A preference of research design reflects decisions about precedence will be given to a scope of dimension of the research process (Bryman, 2001).    Easterby-Smith et al (1997) identify three reasons why the exploration of philosophy may be significant with particular reference to research methodology: Firstly, it can help the researcher to refine and specify the research methods to be used in a study, that is, to clarify the overall research strategy to be used. This would include the type of evidence gathered and its origin, the way in which such evidence is interpreted, and how it helps to answer the research questions posed. Secondly, knowledge of research philosophy will enable and assist the researcher to evaluate different methodologies and methods and avoid inappropriate use and unnecessary work by identifying the limitations of particular approaches at an early stage. Thirdly, it may help the researcher to be creative and innovative in either selection or adaptation of methods that were previously outside his or her experience. Two views about the research process dominate the literature: positivism and phenomenology which have an important part to play in business and management research (Saunders, 2000). Positivism is founded on the belief that study of human behaviour should be conducted in the same way that as studies conducted in the natural sciences. On the other hand phenomenology is concerned with the understanding human behaviour from the participant’s own frame of reference (Hussey and Collis, 2003). Positivistic paradigm Phenomenological paradigm Tends to produce quantitative data Tends to produce qualitative data Uses large samples Uses small samples Concerned with hypothesis testing Concerned with generating theories Data is highly specific and precise Data is rich and subjective The location is artificial The location is natural Reliability is high Reliability is low Validity is low Validity is high Generalises from sample to population Generalises from one setting to another Figure 1: Features of the two main paradigms  (Hussey and Collis, 2003) The design to be used for this research would be the utilisation of the survey and interview questions in an electronic form which were sent to the respondents a couple of days before the formal computation of the results. We will conduct cross-sectional design which â€Å"entails the collection of data on more than one case and at a single point in time in order to collect a body of quantitative or quantifiable data in connection with two or more variables†(Bryman Bell 2003:48). The said design of research is indeed applicable for this study and would be able to provide the necessary details for the completion of the research. The reason behind this is the fact that the respondents themselves are capable of giving the necessary answer for the needed data in this case. Hence, the results of the study are expected to give accurate details for the research procedure. Data Collection – methodology:    It is better to use effective and authentic ways of research so that the investment of the management can prove fruitful. We will consider two research methods Interview Questionnaire Interviewing: Interviewing is a data collection method in which the researcher asks for information verbally from the respondents (Jennings, 2001). It is the way to access people’s perceptions, definitions, meaning, situation and construction of reality, where it involves discussing or questioning issues with people to collect data unlikely to be accessible using techniques such as questionnaires or observation (Punch, 1998). The interviewing research method can be successfully followed in this project. Generally speaking, an interview is a social interaction between two people, with one person gathering information from the other. The interaction is what differentiates the interview from the questionnaire, even when the questions posed are identical. Thus structured interviews give the researcher specific answers as opposed to narrative response to questions gathered from semi-structured in-depth interviews (Gubrium and Holstein, 2002). Structured interviews enable the interviewer to ask each respondent the same questions in the same way. A tightly control structured schedule of questions and format is used, very much like a questionnaire. Interviews must be well prepared and must have clear objectives for each interview. Interviews can be conducted after the team has established the topical areas to be covered in the interviews and after the lead investigator has reviewed with the board the objectives of the interviews and strategies for obtaining useful information. In many research situation permission requests should be received before the interview takes place. The interviewer should consider the length of the interview to cover his aims, normally between 15 minutes to an hour. Provide contact information of the interviewer and it must be determined who to interview, in what order, what interviewing techniques to employ and what method of record to use (Denscombe, 2003). The following aspects should be considered when defining a strategy for the interview (Mason, 1996): The questions should make sense and be meaningful to the interviewee. The questions should be related to the interviewee experiences based on what is already known about them. The interviewer must take care to be sensitive to the needs of the interviewee. The interviewer should be aware of the flow of the interview interaction by attempting to move seamlessly between topics and questions. The interviewer needs to focus on issues and topics that are relevant to the research problem and questions. Choosing interviews for this stage of this part of the research was in order to get as much information as possible from the few people that will be interviewed. Interview questions will be compiled from the existing literature and detailed in relation to the research topic, aim and objectives Questionnaires: In the questionnaires method of data collection the researcher can precisely obtain the information that he asks for and these information can be analysed in an easier way than if choosing another method. In addition to that questionnaires are not an expensive method of data collection, and they don’t take long time to fill in. On the other hand questionnaires have some disadvantages such as: they do not have a high response rate, the wording of the questions can cause bias to the client’s responses, and the questions might not be designed correctly, which will result in collecting unneeded answers   (McNamara, 1999). Choosing questionnaires for this step was due to the relatively large sample size that the researcher intends to include in his research, and for the cheap cost of this method comparing with other data collection methods. Effective sampling design: Sample is a subset or subgroup of the population, while the sample size is the actual number of subjects chosen as a sample to represent the population characteristics. Sampling is the process of selecting items from the population so that the sample characteristics can be generalised to the population (Jennings, 2001). Simple Random Sampling Design: In case of simple random sampling there is a higher expectation of each and every element of being selected from all the target population. Most of the surveys are aimed to get information about the inferences of target population. In the case of dairy products limited simple random sampling can serve the purpose well. Since it is the case of desert, which can be liked by all the customers from different social, economical, and age groups. There are not any specifications regarding age, sex, social and ethical point of view. It has been found that Probability sampling, for instance simple random sampling can provide more is more competent results than that of non-probability sampling designs. The simple random sampling has also some drawbacks attached to it. In case of random sampling if the population does not reflect the correct representation of the target population the results will not serve the purpose of survey. It is possible to select the non-representing population because as we know that in the case of random sampling design each and every sample has an equal chance of being selected. So it can be stated that probability sampling is more effective in presenting more accurate results than that of non-probability sampling. Although in some situations simple random sampling is not also feasible. Additional survey sampling designs are also required to find the most correct results. To guarantee the representativeness of the sample, the researcher must make sure that it is random. In random sampling all members of the population have an equal chance of being included in the sample (Veal, 1997). In qualitative research sample size are in general small, thus probability theory and notions of statistical representativeness do not apply. The sample might choose to encapsulate a range of characteristics relevant to the subject under study, or provide a detailed view of behaviour, events or experiences that are seen in the wider population (McGivern, 2003). Another way of sampling the population is to use stratified random sampling design in order to avoid the complications regarding the large-scale sampling. In the case of stratified sampling the samples are chosen as the representatives of different subgroups from the target population. It should be kept in mind that all the participants are chosen in a way that they effectively represent the subgroups. If the stratified sampling is effectively undertaken it can find out more competent inferences than that of simple random sampling. In order to get a deeper insight of the population subgroups within a target population that are likely to have similarities –attitudes or tastes– within a stratum but differences among strata, stratified sampling is the best choice. (Brightman, Schneider, 1994) In the case of surveying customers needs for Dairy products Limited to introduce new product focus group samples can be divided into different strata regarding their age, tastes, income and class. Selecting Stratified Random Sample: The first step in the process of selecting a stratified random sample is to determine the total size of sample population. In case of Dairy products limited the sample size will be larger. In order to achieve the inferences about the tastes, choice and economic inferences focus groups should be undertaken at all the local outlets of Dairy products limited. The large sample size will decrease the margin of error although costly. In this lieu it is the decision of management to keep a balance in precision and cost. Secondly, the sample size with in a stratum is determined. There are several factors, which determine the sample size in each stratum. These factors also effect the results acquired by the allocation of sample population in different strata. The factors are as follows: Total sample size in each stratum; The degree of variability in different stratums. The cost of obtaining observations from each stratum. â€Å"Use proportional allocation sampling when sampling costs are the same for all strata and when all strata exhibit the same variability.† (Brightman Schneider, 1996) As discussed above stratified random sampling is effective in providing the accurate precise estimates than simple random sampling regarding the population but the case can be reverse if the target population is not correctly stratified. â€Å"Stratifying works best when the variability of the variable of interest is low within each stratum and high between different strata.† (Brightman Schneider, 1996) For the purpose of this survey we will use stratified random sampling in order to gain knowledge about the different factors effecting the tastes of the customers. This way the author is able to narrow down the results easier than handling the sample population from a bigger scope of computations. The results are merely based upon the journals done by other researchers and their comparison with the results of this study’s completion. The Variables:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The questionnaires shall be expected to give exact results regarding the satisfaction that the consumers or the clients receive from the provided services. This way, the variable which includes the satisfaction level of the client and the performance capabilities of the company providing the services are to be evaluated through the questionnaire and interview results. Data Analysis: On their own, data are rarely used in their original form. Through the process of data analysis, value is added to the data to turn them into information. It is information rather than data which users especially policy and decision-makers are interested in (Uganda bureau of statistics, 2005). However this will be a very sensitive and critical stage in my research process as misinterpretation or over-interpretation is always a potential risk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The process of data analysis in this research will include the following steps: Indicate the date of the questionnaires. Who completed them, and the number of returns? Categorise the data collected. This can be done according to gender, origin, age etc. Reading through the questionnaires and interviews carefully and coding them after the event in relation to the types of answers, themes and issues, and then  categorising of response (keeping a note of what the codes refer to). Then by asking some questions like what are the answers that keep repeating, what are the deviations from these answers, and Are there themes emerging? Contradictions? Then it would be possible to draw some relative generalisations. Timetable and Budget The research will be finished in three months starting on 1st April and ending on 1st July. In the following month, I would carry out the plan and I hope that some improvement would be made in holiday in particular. We think that the earlier the research finishes the better, so that one could take action earlier. Time table Week Tasks   1 Project start meeting , identification of   research problem 2 Research design 3 Interview preparation 4 Start interview 5   Interview in process 6 design   and agree questionnaires 7 Identify respondents email addresses   and send questionnaires 8-9 Analysis of interview data and write up 10-11 Questionnaires analysis 12-13 Prepare final report, informal discussion of findings 13-14 Delivery of   summary report and presentation, Follow-up queries references: Bryman A., and Bell. E., (2003) business research methods 1st ed.  Ã‚   OXFORD Donald r.    Bryman, A., (2001). Social research methods. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Brightman, H., Schneider, H., (1994). Statistics for Business Problem Solving, (2nd ed.). SouthWestern Publishing Co., Ohio. Denscombe, M. 2003. The good research guide: for small-scale research project.   2nd ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press Dominowski, R.L., (1980). Introduction to logic, 6th ed., New York: Macmillan. Elias, N., and Dunning, E., (1986). Quest for excitement: Sport and leisure in the civilising process, oxford: Basil Blackwell. Gubrium, J.F., and Holstein, J. A., (2002). Handbook of interview research, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Jennings, G. (2001). Tourism research, Milton, Qld.: Wiley Australia Kotler, P., (2000). Marketing Management, Millenium Edition, Prentice Hall, United States. Mason, J., (1996). Qualitative researching, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. McGivern Yvonne, (2006). The Practice of Market and Social Research. 2nd ed. Prentice Hall. McGivern, Y. (2003). The practice of market and social research: an introduction. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall Stallings, W. Slyke, Richard, V., (1998). Business Data Communications. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall Punch K. (1998). Introduction to social research: quantitative and qualitative approaches.   London: SAGE Veal, A. J., (1997). Research methods for leisure and tourism: A practical guide, 2nd ed., London: Pitman Publishing.

Inward Cheque Clearing Process

Inward Cheque Clearing Process The paperless environment has evolved and booming now. Nowadays, financial institutions constantly enhance the choice of the products and services to win the customer. Furthermore, this is the era where banks strive to become excellent service provider by exceeding customers expectation. With electronic documents allow a company to save time, increasing efficiency and providing excellent customer service. Hence, imaging technologies gives the required platform that needed to achieve this competitive edge. Check clearing process in Malaysia has evolved from paper pushing to paperless. Day by day, customer deposit and issue out checks. Despite many payment methods available in Malaysia such as Internet banking, mobile banking, Interbank GIRO, Rentas (Real Time Fund Transfer System) and others, check instrument remains an important payment method used in Malaysia. According to the statistic from Bank Negara Malaysia (Malaysian Central Bank), it is evident that check payment is the most preferred payment method now and in times to come. Although there is sign of decline from year 2007 onwards which is due to an emergence of electronic banking, but cheque will remain high as the funds movement exceeded trillion. As such, BNM has implemented Cheque Truncation and Cheque Conversion (CTCS) process on 16th June 2008 where all espick participants duly implemented and in operation since then. Manual Processing Image-based cheque clearing process, replaces the physical cheque flow with electronic data and image flow throughout the clearing cycle. The process eliminates the movement of the physical cheque from various intermediary levels in the clearing process and hence, reduces the delays in the clearing process. Ideally, the movement of the physical cheque should stop at the bank/branch of first deposit (The collecting bank branch). This, in return, increases operational efficiency through expedient payment and receipt of funds, reduces the operational cost through the reduction or redeployment of redundant resources used for handling cash and cheques, and expedites the clearing process in the industry. Due to CTCS introduction, the physical cheques will be kept by the collecting bank after their images and MICR ( Magnetic Ink Character Recognition(MICR) code line data have been captured and the readability verified. To ensure the quality of images that have captured, cheques will be required to adhere to image friendly design standards and specifications. Electronic imaging places new requirement on the overall design of cheques so that they are readily legible when viewing their images, rather than the physical cheque itself. The design standard has to ensure that all essential information, including hand-written data and machine-printed date, will be captured by the imaging process. The captured images will be usable and legible, and that the file sizes of images will be small enough so that they can be stored and moved in a cost justified manner. Furthermore, check truncation has been implemented in many countries like US, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. Due to banking secrecy, the name of the bank that will be used in this report is Kaybank Berhad. This is an international bank with 11 branches in Malaysia which is mostly in urban and semi urban area. Hence, this bank has huge customer base including consumer and corporate business. There are 4 types of processes for cheque clearing Inward Cheque Clearing Kaybank cheques Outward Returned Cheque Clearing Kaybank cheques that need to be returned due technical error, stop payment or insufficient funds Outward Cheque Clearing Other banks cheques deposited at Kaybank Inward Returned Other banks returned check due to technical error, stop payment or insufficient funds The author will discuss about the Inward Clearing process in this report as it is an important process and high in volume. There is cut off time to complete the process within BNM clearing window (1.00pm) daily. And resources required to perform this task is high. Attached is the process of Cheque Clearing for the industry. Process Flow of Cheque Clearing Source : www.myclear.org.my To elaborate further on this process, if a customer deposited a Kaybank Cheque of RM 20,000.00 into his/her account at Citibank, the image and the data of the check will be transmitted to Myclear (Subsidiary of Bank Negara Malaysia) via a gateaway system (NWI). Base on the MICR data, the said account will be debited of RM 20,000.00 and the funds will be credited to customers account with Kaybank. In this case, the collecting bank will be Citibank and the paying bank will be Kaybank. The turnaround time for the availability of funds is 2 days. Process Map for Inward Clearing process at Kaybank Image Verify Approve Data transfer to Check verification System Download of Inward file from Myclear Upload of espick data to Kaybank system Reject the image Yes No Second level checking Yes No Reversal of customers account Upload Returned file to Myclear Performance Objectives Kaybanks key strategy is to grow their Consumer business and Corporate business. The consumer business division continuously invests in new products and service innovations to increase its presence in Malaysia and to expand its private banking segment. However, its Corporate business has a core group of customers to which Kaybank leverages global presence to provide excellent quality financial products and services. However, both businesses have continues to improve the customer experience. It has also improves operational efficiency by constant reengineering programs. The main objective of Cheque Clearing Unit is to support both businesses by delivering excellence service to the customers by managing their Current Accounts with error free and to manage operational cost effectively. By shifting to CTCS process, Kaybank has improved the performance objectives of operation in clearing process as follows; Dependability Banks are losing million of money due to fraud cheque. With CTCS process, banks reduced the losses tremendously as the liability to pay in the event of fraud check has been shifted to collecting bank. The collecting bank has to check under the Ultra Violet and the security features on the check and tag the item if it is fraud to preempt the paying bank. System is controlled by Myclear and quarterly testing been conducted to ensure no vulnerability of the system. Continuity of business plan has been established in the event there is a crisis due to network issues or others. Automation where cheques been automatically debited by the system instead of manual posting. Straight through processing been achieved where no manual invention is required. Reduced customers complaint on missing cheques when mailing out as it could be lost in transit. Now, with image base returned item, customer cant use back the same cheque for representment. Data file will be encrypted before sending files to respective branches or clearing house. High security features established and files sent or received would not be compromised. Better reconciliation and fraud prevention Speed Customers are happy as float days of cheque was reduced from 8 days to 2days. And house check payment is given an immediate credit. Under the manual environment staff needs to perform 500 physical cheques verification for 5 hours but with CTCS each staff can perform 750 checks in 4 hours. Customers complaints will be resolved within a day as under the manual environment it takes 3 days. Staff productivity increased and performing multi tasking. Cost Staff overtime has been reduced tremendously and having quality time with their family. Manual process requires 12 working hours for each staff compare to just 8 hours now. Calculation of saving are as follows: Cost saving on Overtime = 30 Staff x 4 hours = 120 hours a days x 23 days = 1760 x 22.50 per hour = RM 39,600.00 per month Hence, for month the bank has saved an approximately RM 39,600.00 in overtime due to CTCS process. Cost of purchasing the system is only one time and maintenance and licensing rental is lower compare to physical cheques management. Staff transport claims and meal allowances were reduced to none as theay are not required to work long hours anymore. No shipment of cheques to Clearing House is required now due to transmission of data. There are 30 staff been employed previously to manage inward clearing volume of 40, 000 daily but now only required 18 staff. The other 12 staffs were redeployed. Retention period of cheque is only a year under CTCS as compare to 7 years previously. Daily a total of 40,000 cheques processed daily and requires 10 boxes to place the cheques. The saving calculation is as follows; = 10 boxes x 23 working days = 230 boxes x 2.50 monthly storage per box = RM 575.00 x 12 (months) x 6 (Years) = RM 41,400.00 Hence, for month the bank has saved an approximately RM 41,400.00 due to CTCS process. Flexibility Maintain Audit Log where it monitors the user details and accessibility Prepares or generate MIS report for volume tracking and for departmental budget planning. It is also a core banking system online approach to upload or download data or batches. Interfaces with internal and external system like signature verification system, Cheque deposit Machines and clearing house. It has provided centralized cheques clearing processing and supporting branches from Penang and Johor Bahru where previously under difference clearing zone. Quality Customers are happy with the service as their cheques are now safe from fraudsters. Inward Clearing process is simple and the staff can perform multi function and deliver good quality of work as they are not required to work long hours. Each transaction under CTCS is controlled by Unique Identifier Code (UIC) which is a unique reference number printed on the back of the cheque by the collecting bank and it will make the retrieval for investigation ad presenting of unpaid items are easier. Better controls established due to simplified process and enhancement and will not lead to financial losses or customer issues. Cheque Verification System Kaybank has invested in a E-flow system for check verification. This system is supported by in house Technology team. Once Inward Clearing data downloaded from the Gateaway system, it will be downloaded to the E-flow system for verification. Each workstation will have a single Central Processing Unit (CPU) and 2 monitors. One to view the image and the other monitor is to display the signature. There are 7 types of cheques processed and each will have a different process and approach. Hence, images and MICR data downloaded to E-flow system and will get sorted and channel to the respective station. For control purpose, the main function for this system is display the image for verification purpose and reconciliation. Kaybank has also emphasized on second level verification for certain threshold to avoid any mistake done by the first level verifiers. However, there are some flaws in this system as follows; The system has limited products. As of now, the system was designed to cater 7 products and if there is an additional product in the market and Kaybank wanted to implement it, there will be an issue. It may mix up with other products. If a particular product it to be ceased, then the station will be remain there. For example, Credit Card cheque has been stopped by Kaybank due fraud vulnerability since Septemeber 2010. The station is there and it cant be removed as it would involve cost. Any changes or addition into this system involve cost and it is expensive. Tagging of checks as altered by the collecting bank is subject to readability of the person who verify the said cheque. Hence, the CTCS ruling astablised by myclear is unclear. As it is subjected to apparent alteration sight by the processor. In the event, the cheque has been washed and altered and the alteration on the check is not apparent, then the collecting bank is not liable for the losses. In turn, it will be shifted to the paying bank to pay the losses. This rule in unclear and it is not good for the industry. Inward Clearing Volumes from January 2010 till October 2010 Source : Internal MIS for Inward Clearing Transactions Emerging Technologies On the other hand, cheque fraud costs Malaysia millions of losses a year and presents severe challenges to the industry. Hence, a better system needs to be deployed for the effectiveness of the current process. Payee Match Positive Pay Application technology has already started in U.S as it was developed by Parascript, LLC, Niwot, Colorado, U.S. The main objective of this system is to combat cheque fraud. The system is designed to read a cheques payee line information and cross validate the data provided to the bank by the customer via Cheque Issue File. This system assures accuracy and significant reduction of check fraud. Furthermore, with if this system should be implemented, funds can be made available in T + 1 (One day Clearing). If the adoption of this technology is feasible, then they will be no impact to the process as it works the same and the only difference is the system. Referring to the projected volume, for product like Paylink, Manager Check, Payment Order and to some extent corporate customers the verification can be automated. Since companies update Kaybank with their list of the cheques issued out the beneficiary, this system can perform auto match and approved the transaction without manual intervention. The system could be expensive but in long them, there will be no fraud cheque . Genichi Taguchi (Nigel Slack, Operation Management), has highlighted to test the robustness of a design to ensure it withstands any change. However, in this case the changes only affect the system as all verifiers need to verify some number of cheques daily. The terminal is stationed at their respective workstation. Hence, there is no impact on the job design, layout and flow or operations. Although, the volume will decrease to some extent as with current capacity, staff may need to verify cheque lesser. On the other hand, with the implementation of new system, staff has to be trained and they could be error prone as this will be totally a new system. Recommendation With regards to the system enhancement, Myclear as a regulator should take the lead and supervise clearing process. Internally, Kaybank may able to deploy a good system but Positive Pay system is very new and extremely expensive where a single bank will hesitate to buy the system. However, with the involvement of Myclear and all member banks, all should share the cost to bring the system to Malaysia to develop together. With this, the cost will be cheaper and can be affordable and all the intermediaries will have a common platform to work with. Conclusion Although, the current system deployed by Kaybank is reliable, there will be no assurance when the fraudster will strike the banking industry with their sophisticated technologies. Hence, BNM, Myclear, ABN (Association of Banks) and member banks must pursue other alternative to prevent fraud attempt by the fraudsters sooner. The Police too have to amend laws to draft severe punishment to nab the fraudster.

Scientist :: essays research papers

Scientists and the products of their work are far from ‘neutral.’ Rather than embodying neutrality, scientists are inextricably connected to the existing distribution of interests and power. White, male scientists over the centuries have attempted to use science as a medium for all their findings, which inevitably support their personal beliefs. In my experience, scientists are extremely intelligent, but particularly one-sided. Hearing the words ‘scientist’ and ‘neutral’ in the same sentence disturbs me--after all, scientists have tried to ‘prove’ an unlimited amount of times that blacks are innately less intelligent then whites, and that women are innately weaker and possess less natural ability in math and science than men do . Ruth Hubbard, in her essay â€Å"Science, Facts and Feminism,† explains that, â€Å"as scientists, our job is to generate facts that help people understand nature. † Webster’s dictionary defines the word scientist as one who studies natural science. Scientists seek knowledge from Mother Nature, which David Barash views as sexist, to understand many things including the certain roles genders play in society. Similar to these science critics, I believe trying to figure out and define roles based on our biological make-up is immoral. It causes conflicts and biases that account for the separation between genders.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hubbard argues that the ideology of woman’s nature that is invoked at these times would have us believe that a woman’s capacity to become pregnant leaves her always physically disabled in comparison with men. This ideology, supported by male scientists, has affected the roles of women in society and the workplace. It hinders women’s access to employment and influences some to believe that their place in society is at home (based on nature). Other scientists have also tried to prove that women’s disproportionate contributions to childcare and homecare are biologically programmed because women have a greater biological ‘investment’ in children then men do. My view on this assumption is that the cause of the disproportionate contributions is psychologically, rather than biologically, determined. Fathers might be more sensitive to their children than mothers, and vice versa, proving that scientists’ point about biological ‘investmentà ¢â‚¬â„¢ is not only obscure, but also invalid. I find no neutrality in that argument, nor in most of their cases. Scientists could be more neutral if they actually tried to provide conclusive evidence for some of their findings. Keller stated, â€Å"The net result is that scientists are probably less reflective of the ‘tacit assumption’ that guide their reasoning than any other intellectuals of the modern age.

Essay --

Yejung Lee Ms. Samson Biology Honors 13 December 2013 Thyroid Cancer Thyroid cancer is an abnormal and malignant cell growth in the thyroid gland (see figure 1). The wellbeing of a person’s thyroid gland is extremely important, as this organ secretes hormones and other chemicals that help a person maintain homeostasis, more specifically the weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and internal body temperature (Bethesda, National Cancer Institute). According to the Mayo Clinic, although it is not yet clear to researchers what exactly causes thyroid cancer, what medical scientists do know is why it occurs. One type of thyroid cancer that can be genetic is medullary thyroid cancer. This type of cancer is genetic because it is linked with a variety of risk factors that could lead up to cancer, such as gender, age, radiation exposure, hereditary conditions, and family history (â€Å"What Are the Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer?†). A major specific cause of thyroid diseases and cancers is insufficient iodine intake. Thyroid cancer is less common in the United States, than places that do not include as much iodine in the diet because in the United States, iodine is often added to many foods and consumption products. An environmental factor that is associated with thyroid cancer is exposure to radiation. One major example of this is the radiation from the Chernobyl incident; many people were affected by the radiation and many people, especially children, developed thyroid cancer (â€Å"What Are the Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer?†). The reasons why are unclear, but there is a sharp distinction between male and female thyroid cancer rates - females tend to develop the cancer more by nearly three times as often (â€Å"What Are the Risk Factors for Thyroid... ..., while a cell undergoes cell cycle, when a cell comes in contact with another cell, it stops reproducing. However, cancer cells continue to duplicate repeatedly until there is a mass of cells or a tumor to form (see figure 9). Lastly, in cell division when there is a mutation or abnormality in the DNA, a normal cell stops dividing. However, a cancerous cell will continue to duplicate and form mutations (â€Å"Cell Biology and Cancer†). Also, cancer cells are harmful because they grow and duplicate with complete disregard to the functions and limitations of the body (see figure 10). Also, cancerous cells have the ability to spread through metastasis throughout parts of the body through the bloodstream. In terms of similar behavior to that of normal cells, cancerous cells also duplicate, but at a very different rate ("Cancer Cells vs. Normal Cells: What's Different?"). â€Æ'

Customer Relations Essay

How can organizations become more open to feedback? What kinds of employee training would help? What would you tell your employees about feedback importance if you were the boss? Establishing Policy An organization can become more open to feedback by practicing as part of its daily operations, a system of feedback receptiveness that encourage customers to complain. This system will also require employees to act on those complaints in productive ways. The more customers come to expect good responses from the organization, the easier it is to be that company that welcomes feedback. Paul R. Timm (2011) maintains that you create a good feedback climate by reinforcing customer behaviors, not by challenging them. If customers fear a debate or argument every time they voice a concern, they will quit giving feedback. So he suggests the following: -Compensate them or provide restitution for unsatisfactory product or service. -Share their sense of urgency; get the problems handled quickly. -Avoid further inconveniences. -Punish someone for the problem (sometimes). -Assure them the problem will not happen again. (Timm, 2003) If companies can accomplish these first important steps, they will show customers and employees that they are serious about receiving feedback, establishing a dialogue, and keeping their customers. The feeling of engagement goes a long way toward earning allegiance and building confidence in management, but defensiveness against feedback will put you out of business. As a customer, I have had the best customer satisfaction in establishments that have a well-advertised customer service focus (Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Nordstrom’s Rack). The ones where employees know there’ll be mystery shoppers; that â€Å"corporate† takes its ALS seriously; that reward or recrimination depends on each customer interaction they have throughout the day; that the company who acts on complaints quickly, tactfully, and efficiently, wins! Using Technology By having third-party involvement as a neutral conduit between the customer (and employee) and the organization, frank and open communication can be achieved. It eliminates barriers to listening like interactional elements arising from listener self-centeredness and self-protection. The more the organization hears from its customers, the greater its responsibility becomes to act efficiently and swiftly. It can easily invite feedback and advertise itself as engaging and receptive with the use of listening system technology. Allegiance Technologies has developed a Web-based â€Å"active listening system† (ALS) that provides an exceptional turn-key customer and employee dialoguing tool. (Timm, 2011) It gathers complaints, compliments, questions, and suggestions, assures anonymity, and provides customers with a third party through whom they can feel safe blowing the whistle on their local Target, or long-time employer. The anonymity feature makes the system especially useful for employees who may fear retaliation. E.g., in government-mandated processes for facilitating whistle-blowing on company misdeeds. Once the company responds to the feedback, the ALS system provides follow-up in order to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction. Additionally, companies must be sincere and accommodating when they use technology driven forums like feedback pages and social networking to invite customer feedback. If they can get the customers to feel good about giving it, then they would have scored a victory for customer satisfaction. Employee Training Training employees to get with the program should begin at the recruitment phase. John Mackey of Whole Foods looks for people who have a high degree of emotional intelligence — a high capacity for caring. (Mackey, 2009) The fact is you have to care about people to succeed at good customer service. The notion of getting the right people in is something that employers Wal-Mart and Southwest Airlines understand well. The right people tend to adapt quickly to the goals and mission of the company and training will be that much more effective. Organizations should consider the people that interact daily with customers, a most critical element of every corporate strategy. Despite numerous studies indicating a strong relationship between employee loyalty and customer loyalty, the average customer service representative stays an average of 18 months on the job. The onus is on companies to do more to upgrade the skills, training and pay of customer service representatives, especially si nce they handle an estimated 65% of all complaints. To ensure compliance with its customer service goals, employers can use a variety of employee monitoring systems, such as mystery shopping. Traditionally this approach grew unreliable as findings were tainted by the subjective judgment of the shopper. However, with the use of digital video, mystery shoppers can evaluate the action through cameras hidden in their clothing. The images are digitally recorded and stored on a computer within 48 hours of the mystery shop. Managers can then sit down with employees and invite them to view the tape, and simply ask, â€Å"How do you think you did with that customer?† and sit back and listen. The employee gets the benefit of exceptionally clear, robust data—feedback that he or she may use to improve service skills. Feedback receptive organizations can take example from Whole Foods whose stores are like big amphitheaters intent on monitoring every aspect of customer service. Ever notice how at Whole Foods no matter who you ask for help you always get an answer? The company tracks and analyzes employee/client encounters with digital video. A look to the sky in any Whole Foods store reveals a wide array of state-of-the-art â€Å"eyes in the sky† that are not just meant for shoplifters. This complete surveillance makes the company aware of the moves of every one of its agents and customers know it. The â€Å"unreasonable† customer will know that cameras will back her up in the event of a dispute, and she’ll have no fear of a debate or argument from the company. She’ll be confident that no-one will try to handle her, and that resolution will be swift because Whole Foods and others like it know that nothing impresses people as significantly as quick follow-up. They also recognize that timing is critical when you get customer or employee input, and that early recovery is far easier than letting a bad situation fester and then trying to fix it. Moreover they do it consistently so that it becomes status quo for employees and customers alike, using a three-step process of feeling empathy, resolving the problem, and offering something more to exceed what the customer anticipates. (Timm, 2011) So when I failed to hear my name called as my coffee order was served, a Starbucks server eagerly offered to make me a new latte if mine wasn’t warm enough. Barely five minutes had that piping hot latte stood on the counter when I came to claim it, and I was happily taken aback by the show of concern from behind the register. Chalk one up for exceeding their expectations! This environment and culture is the one that customers will willingly engage, while happily paying $6.00 for coffee, or $4.00 for a tomato! Chapter 9: Reviewing the Facts Question 2 What are the three important steps needed to recover the potentially lost customer? The effort to satisfy unhappy customers to reduce defection, also known as Customer Service Recovery, is best handled when seen as an attitude of opportunity rather than a painful chore. Companies are highly motivated by some scary statistics: customers who experience poor service will tell seven to 13 others about it, and will continue to voice their dissatisfaction for up to 23 years. On the other hand, a satisfied customer will tell four or five others about a pleasant brand experience. One thing we can all agree on is; you want to keep a customer. The best attitudes for a service provider to adopt stem from a desire for a win-win relationship with the customer; both parties want to feel good about the business transacted. This is not necessarily a â€Å"customer-is-always-right† attitude. Rather, it is more of a problem-solving non- blame-setting attitude. (Timm, 2011) Since dissatisfaction does occur, it can be useful to accept each event as an opportunity and a challenge, if you want to assure your customer that you want to strengthen your relationships with them. It is also not bad for the bottom line– its impact on profitability can be substantial. Studies indicate that service recovery investments yield returns of 30%-150%. (Brown, 2000) Furthermore, British Airways calculates that their efforts to retain customers return $2 for every dollar invested. In fact, the airline finds that â€Å"recovered† customers give the airline more of their business. Likewise, Hampton Inn Hotels estimates that its service guarantee increased revenue $11 million and earned it the industry’s highest customer retention rate. (Wreden, 2003) An effective service recovery program occurs on two levels, the first of which is a three-step process that must be incorporated into customer service operations. The first step consists of both: Apology and Accountability Saying, â€Å"I’m sorry,† communicates an empathy with the customer, showing them perhaps that you feel their pain, and take ownership of a mistake, even if it’s because of supplier or other problems. The second step obliges the provider to: Do everything in their power to resolve the problem. This starts with clarifying exactly what the issue is in a caring manner that avoids interrogation. Responses must also be timely and the timetables for resolution should be a part of customer service policy. Customers appreciate any efforts you expended to solve their problem quickly. If a product needs to be replaced, do it now. If something needs to be repaired (or repaired again), give a high priority to scheduling such repairs. If a delivery has to be rescheduled, do it immediately and confirm it with the customer. Customer expectations can be managed with resolution schedules; if you specify time frames for the next steps, customer satisfaction will increase by 40%. Previously cited British Airways research showed that 40%-50% of customers defected if it took the company longer than five days to respond. (Wreden, 2003) That said follow up is a key element in this step. The provider must determine whether the customer received the promised treatment, and, more importantly, how they feel about it. One study indicated that a follow-up call to a once unhappy customer can boost satisfaction by 5%-7%, and intentions to repurchase by 8%-12%. Finally, giving something to the customer to make up for the problem they had, otherwise known as: Symbolic Atonement Often it cannot fully repair the damage, but it symbolically indicates that you are trying. It’s the â€Å"something extra† you give to appease the customer and help win him back. (Timm, 2011) Since atonement calls for having customer reps work directly with customers to determine an appropriate remedy, companies that encourage employee empowerment stand to gain by giving authority to employees to win customers back. Agents at Marriott International, for example, can spend up to $2,500 without authorization to compensate customers — a clear acknowledgement of not only the customer’s direct loss but also â€Å"pain and suffering.† Involving the customer in the process by seeking his ideas, â€Å"What can we do to make this better?† is wise, and might even lead to less costly solutions. REFFERENCES Brown, Stephen W. PhD. (2000). Practicing Best-In-Class Service Recovery: Forward-thinking firms leverage service recovery to increase loyalty and profits. Retrieved from http://www.mba.asu.edu/csl/upload/Service-Recovery-MM-2000.pdf Inc. Staff. (2009). Interview with John Mackey, CEO Whole Foods. Hiring Leaders. (Jul 1, 2009) Timm, Paul R., Introduction to Customer Service: Career Success Through Customer Loyalty 5th ed. (Prentice Hall, 2011) Wreden, Nick. (2003). How to Recover Lost Customers Noted Fusion Branding author details key steps to boost profitability by improving customer recovery. Retrieved from http://www.prweb.com/releases/2003/01/prweb54863.htm

Nutrition study worksheet

The topic I chose was eggs. The article (Marcela, 2011)feels organic eggs don't cause heart disease. The hens are feed vegetables and no vaccines or hormones that have made the eggs unhealthy. For Example: The hens are able to run free without being in a tight space with the other hens. Another example: Claims are made when you cook eggs the protein in the egg helps to lower your blood pressure instead of raising it.Organic eggs are one of the best foods a person can eat to stay lately (Marcela, 2011). 2. What health claims are stated in the articles, such as drinking coffee every day will lower one's risk for cancer? The health claims in article is Organic eggs are suppose to have less cholesterol, h less saturated fat 2/3 more vitamin A,E and seven times more carotene (Marcela, 2011). They are a good source of nutrients. The other article say eaten eggs will not extended your life on earth it will decrease it (Greer, 2011). 3.Do any of the articles' claims seem too good to be true? Does it seem that the authors are seeking personal gain in any way? Explain your answers. The article that seems too good to be true is the article on another reason to ignore warnings about eggs. I believe this person who wrote the article eats eggs and don't want to really believe the risk involved with eating eggs at all. I also believe the person who wrote the article may benefit from stating these claims. The article I feel seem to be true is (Greer, 2011)article on bad eggs.I do also believe the person who wrote this article is a vegan who doesn't like any type of eggs or dairy products and is against hens living together in such a small place. I also believe he may feel they all come from the same place. I feel it may be true because I do believe your cholesterol levels will go up high no matter what eggs you eat. I believe eggs could have salmonella poisoning in it and kill a lot of people as well as have people develop diabetes from eating eggs everyday. I don't believe th ey are a good source of proteins at all. . What are the respective sources of these articles (testimonials, peer-reviewed study)? Studies was done and 77% of women and 58% men eating one egg a day increase their chances of developing type 2 diabetes including premature death and earth failure (Greer, 2011) Studies also show eggs has nothing to do with raising a person's cholesterol levels even thou egg yolks will raise your cholesterol levels. They are also a rich source of antioxidants which helps to prevent blindness (Marcela, 2011). 5. 6.Is the information presented in each article new or has it been studied extensively over time, achieving the same results? Both articles have been studied overtime achieving the same results this moment but both have different opinions on eggs. Department of agriculture there was a 2009 study done on eggs and how they are a DOD source of vocative peptides. In 2005 research showed how people eating eggs everyday did not increase their risk of havi ng a heart attack and their cholesterol level did not increase. . Now that you have gone through the details of each article, do you have any reservations about the information in either one? If so, explain why. Has the process of analyzing the two articles changed your opinion on the topic? Explain your answer. Yes after analyzing the articles my opinion on eggs is very different. I use to think eggs were good for you. I am now convinced no eggs are good for you at all to eat. Your chances of living longer on earth can be shortened.I believe I was blinded by the commercials all my life on how eggs are nutritious for you but if you look at it they always say fresh eggs not healthy on commercials.

Catholic Social Teaching Essay

* is a body of doctrine developed by the Catholic Church on matters of poverty and wealth, economics, social organization and the role of the state. Its foundations are widely considered to have been laid by Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical letter Rerum Novarum, which advocated economic Distributism and condemned both Capitalism and Socialism, although its roots can be traced to the writings of Catholic thinkers such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine of Hippo, and is also derived from concepts present in the Bible. * The Catholic Social Teaching has two basic characteristics, namely, being permanent and developing. * Permanent -Since the teachings are based on the Gospel, they offer a permanent complex idea to be pursued in the ever changing historical conditions and ways. These teachings can never go out of date in their fundamentals. Examples of these permanent teachings are exemplified in the following principles: 1. Human dignity and Solidarity 2. Social justice and Christian love 3. Active non-violence and peace 4. Preferential option for the poor 5. Value of human work 6. Universal destinations of all goods of the earth 7. Stewardship and the integrity of creation 8. People empowerment 9. Authentic and holistic (integral) human development * Developing -The fundamentals of Church Social Teaching make up the steadily growing collection of the Church’s social principles that must be creatively applied to and renewed in ever changing concrete situations of various events, cultures, and human needs in the historical process. Deeper insights into permanent values develop as the Church reads the signs of the times. * Methods and Sources 1. Scripture. The authoritative books which record the Jewish and Christian   experiences of God’s self-disclosure. Scripture reveals who God is and who we are called to be in response to God. Interpretation of Scripture requires attention to historical context and is best done in community. 2. Tradition: the ways of thinking and living that are â€Å"handed over† (traditio) from one generation to the next; an ongoing conversation across the ages about our most important questions. Also the body of theological reflection and the ways of putting this reflection into practice that are â€Å"handed over† (traditio) from one generation to the next. Magisterium: official teaching office of church and authoritative voice of tradition. While theologians, activists, and ordinary Catholics make contribute to this body of theological reflection in important ways, a privileged source of Catholic tradition is the magisterium or the official, authoritative teaching office of the church. This official teaching office is exercised by Catholic Bishops, and in particular the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), as well as groups appointed by the Pope. This teaching is expressed in the form of a) papal encyclicals; b) encyclicals of Church Councils (such as Vatican II) or Synods of Bishops, c) statements by Vatican offices, congregations, and commissions; & d) Episcopal conferences (regional meetings of Bishops, such as the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States). 3. Reason. The natural human capacity to know truth. The way we interpret and understand Scripture, Tradition, and experience. * Reason as Natural Law The preeminent form of reasoning for much of Catholic tradition has been natural law reasoning. To understand Catholic natural law reasoning, one must get inside a whole worldview, culture, and language within Catholic tradition. Natural law holds that God’s intentions are expressed in the order that God â€Å"built into creation.† This order takes the form of â€Å"natures† or intelligible patterns of being. Humans are capable of knowing this order by reflecting upon creation. As humans we must first recognize our nature and act according to it so as to fulfill our created nature. For example, humans by nature (or by creation) have a â€Å"built in† instinct for self-preservation. Aquinas argues that to use appropriately limited violence in self-defense is good because it is to act according to our God-given nature. (God’s creation is good). * Four Levels of Law St. Thomas Aquinas defines law is â€Å"an ordering of reason† (ordinatio rationis) or the most important way that reason rules or measures actions. He describes four levels of law: a. Eternal Law: the mind (ratio) of God which orders and governs creation b. Divine Law: the explicit revelation of the mind of God in Scripture c. Natural Law: the expression of the mind of God in the order that God has built into creation. This order takes the form of natures or patterns of being that humans can know by using their reason to reflect on creation. For example, because humans by nature (or creation) have a built in instinct for self-preservation, limited self-defense is in accord with our God-given nature. See Romans 2:14-15 d. Human Law: human attempts to formulate laws that reflect the natural law. * Two Interpretations of Human Nature There have been two major strains of interpretation of human nature: a) â€Å"nature as physical†Ã¢â‚¬â€humans must respect their biological â€Å"givenness† or the physical order (ex. artificial contraception interferes with the natural order of sexual intercourse whereas the rhythm method respects this order.) b) â€Å"nature as rational†Ã¢â‚¬â€humans must act in accord with reason; they must seek to discover and fulfill their fullest purpose. Biology does not trump other cues in discovering â€Å"nature.† Instead, we must look to all sources of human wisdom in order to discover how things are meant to be. The pope reasons that the purpose of property is for the good of all creation but a limited right to private property is consistent with human dignity and human wisdom about how well people take care of common property. 4. Experience. Our encounter with the world both past and present. Christian tradition privileges the experience of those at the margins of society—the poor and the oppressed. In Catholic social thought experience is enriched and expanded by a four step process of interpretation and reflection which I will call â€Å"the interpretive circle†. a. experience: insert yourself into a situation, see what is going on, and gather necessary information b. social analysis: â€Å"What are the structural or â€Å"root† causes of injustices?† â€Å"What are the patterns of action that reinforce these injustices?† c. theological reflection: â€Å"What light does faith, especially as expressed in Scripture and Catholic social teaching, shed upon our experience and social analysis?† â€Å"Where is God in this situation and how might we respond to God’s call to us?† d. practical planning: â€Å"What are the most faithful, creative, and effective ways of acting upon the first three steps?† * How does Catholic tradition use these four sources? 1. They serve as checks and balances to each other. Each should inform and complement the other in critical dialogue. 2. â€Å"Reason informed by faith.† Reason and faith penetrate each other and form a unified way of approaching problems. Scripture and Christian Tradition provide the overall story, worldview, and values that serve as the framework for moral reasoning.

Hamlet Analysis Essay

Ghost appears and then leaves Horatio decides to tell Hamlet about the ghost He tells Hamlet about the ghost Hamlet decides that he wants to see the ghost Hamlet sees the ghost Hamlet follows the ghost Ghost tells Hamlet about his death Hamlet decides to get more information / prove what the ghost was saying before doing anything about it Hamlet swears his friends to secrecy about what the ghost said and about his plans to act crazy in order to get more information Offstage trigger – Hamlet acting crazy with Ophelia) Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet has gone crazy Polonius concludes that this is because Hamlet loves Ophelia Polonius decides to tell this reasoning to Claudius (side track 1– Claudius tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to figure out what is afflicting Hamlet) Polonius tells Claudius and Gertrude that Hamlet is crazy because of Ophelia Polonius speaks to Hamlet and decides to plan a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia (side track 1 – Rosencrantz and Guildenstern speak with Hamlet and tell him of the players) side track 1 – Hamlet decides to use the players to weed out the truth from Claudius) (side track 1 – Hamlet asks Polonius to have the Claudius and Gertrude watch the play) Hamlet meets Ophelia while Claudius and Polonius hide and listen Hamlet says he doesn’t love Ophelia Polonius and Claudius decide there must be another reason for Hamlet’s madness and plan to figure out what it is by watching him (side track 1 – Hamlet speaks with the players to make sure everything is going to go exactly the way he has planned it) side track 1 – Hamlet asks Horatio to watch the king during the play) (side track 2 – the players enact the Murder of Gonzago) (side track 2 – Hamlet comments on the play) (side track 2a – Claudius rises and leaves mid-play, very upset, along with Gertrude , who is also upset) (side tracks 1 & 2a converge – Hamlet and Horatio decide that because of Claudius’ reaction to the play, the ghost was telling the truth) (side track 1 – Hamlet decides to take violent action) (side track 2b – Gertrude asks to speak with Hamlet) side track 2b – Hamlet agrees to speak with Gertrude, and sends Polonius to tell her so) (side track 2c – Claudius plans to send Hamlet to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern because he is becoming a danger) Polonius decides to hide and listen to Hamlet and Gertrude (side track 2b – Hamlet is on his way to speak to Gertrude and sees Claudius ‘praying’) (side track 2b – Hamlet decides not to kill him then because he would go to heaven) (side track 2b – Hamlet decides to go on and talk to Gertrude) Polonius hides when Hamlet enters side track 2b – Hamlet speaks with Gertrude, then hears a noise) Polonius makes a noise Main thread and side tracks 1 & 2b converge – Hamlet stabs Polonius an d kills him Hamlet takes Polonius’ body Gertrude tells Claudius about Hamlet’s actions Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find where Hamlet put Polonius’ body Rosencrantz and Guildenstern talk to Hamlet and bring him back to talk with Claudius Main thread and side track 2c converge – Claudius talks with Hamlet and officially sends him to England (to be killed) side track 3 – Fortinbras is passing through Denmark and speaks to Hamlet) (side track 3a – Hamlet decides that he is not giving up – ‘my thoughts be bloody†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢) (side track 4 – Ophelia has gone crazy) (side track 5 – Laertes gets back, learns of Polonius’ death, and blames Claudius) (side track 5 – Laertes confronts Claudius) (side track 5 – Claudius tells Laertes that Polonius’ death was not his doing) Offstage trigger – pirates attack Hamlet’s ship Offstage trigger – pirates take Hamlet prisoner and return him to England Main thread and side track 3a converge – Horatio hears news of Hamlet’s return (side track 5 – Claudius convinces Laertes that Hamlet was the cause of Polonius’ death) (side track 5 – Claudius tells Laertes that he has a plan to kill Hamlet) (side track 5 – Laertes asks to be the instrument of Hamlet’s death) (side track 5 – Claudius plans for Laertes and Hamlet to duel, Laertes with a poison- tipped sword, and adding a poisoned drink, just in case, to ensure Hamlet’s death) (side track 4 – Gertrude says that Ophelia has drowned herself) Main thread and side track 4 converge – Horatio and Hamlet meet in the graveyard and learn of Ophelia’s death, and see Laertes jumping into the grave Hamlet also jumps into the grave and accuses Laertes of putting on a show of emotion Hamlet and Laertes scuffle then are pulled apart Hamlet feels bad for accusing Laertes the way he did and scuffling with him Hamlet agrees to do whatever Laertes wishes of him (side track 5 – Osric come to tell Hamlet of the proposed duel between him and Laertes) Main thread and side track 5 converge – Hamlet agrees to duel Laertes Hamlet and Laertes begin to duel Claudius poisons a cup and plans to offer it to Hamlet Hamlet refuses the cup and continues dueling (side track 6 – to cheer on Hamlet, Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup) Hamlet gets scratched by the poisoned rapier Hamlet and Laertes scuffle and switch rapiers Laertes gets scratched by the poisoned rapier (side track 6 – Gertrude dies) Main thread and side track 6 converge – Laertes says that Claudius poisoned the cup, and that the rapier-tip was poisoned, then he dies Hamlet realizes that he is dying and that he now has the excuse to kill Claudius Hamlet stabs Claudius and makes him drink of the cup Claudius dies Hamlet entreats Horatio to tell the story of their deaths, then dies (side track 3b – Fortinbras is returning through Denmark and happens upon the scene) main thread and side track 3b converge – Horatio plans to tell Fortinbras et. al. the story of what happened, and Fortinbras plans to take his claim over the country Part II: Events Tracked Backward for Hamlet†¦ Hamlet†¦ Stops Horatio from drinking the poisoned cup Tells Horatio to be the messenger – to tell everyone his story Kills Claudius Scratches, and therefore kills Laertes with the poisoned rapier Gets scratched by Laertes with the poisoned rapier Taunts Laertes at the moment when Laertes is considering not killing him And Laertes begin the gentlemen’s duel Agrees to duel Laertes Resolves that whatever will be will be, and feels bad for Laertes Insults Laertes in Ophelia’s grave Jumps into Ophelia’s grave Talks to Horatio about death Sees the grave diggers Returns from the ship bound for England Ship gets attacked by pirates Leaving for England, but is not going to give up Banished by Claudius Hides Polonius’ body Kills Polonius Talks with Gertrude Decides not to kill Claudius while he is praying (appears to be praying) Agrees to talk with Gertrude Accuses Guildenstern of playing him like a recorder Discusses Claudius’ reaction to the play with Horatio Adds commentary to the play Flirts with Ophelia Asks Horatio to mark how Claudius reacts to the play Tells the players to act exactly as he has instructed them Tells Ophelia to ‘get to a nunnery’ and says that he doesn’t love her Decides to use the players to get the truth from Claudius about his father’s murder Hears of the players from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (offstage? acts crazy toward Ophelia to the point of frightening her Swears his friends to secrecy about the ghost and the way he is going to act Plans to learn whether the ghost was telling the truth, or just a demon playing games Learns from the ghost that he was murdered Speaks to the ghost Follows the ghost Sees the ghost Hears of the ghost Part III: Stasis, Intrusion, New Stasis†¦ Stasis: Claudius has married Gertrude and become king after his brother, the previous king, died. Hamlet, the son of Gertrude and the previous king, is still upset about his father’s death. Intrusion: The appearance of the ghost New Stasis: The majority of the characters are dead, and Horatio is asked to tell their story as Fortinbras becomes the new king Part IV: Dramatic Conflict for Hamlet and Claudius†¦ Hamlet ~ Individual versus self: Hamlet gets down on himself for not being able to take immediate action or to react as strongly / emotionally as characters like the player and Fortinbras. Individual versus others / individuals: Hamlet has obvious conflict with Claudius, who he believes killed his father. He also has some physical ‘conflict’ with Laertes. Individual versus society: Hamlet cannot simply kill Claudius because he has to consider how society would react to that if they did not know what Claudius had done initially. Individual versus the universe / nature / fate It becomes Hamlet’s duty to avenge his father’s death. Claudius ~ Individual versus self: Claudius appears to show guilt about murdering his brother (shown when he wishes to pray but is unable to) Individual versus others / individuals: Claudius’s first conflict with an individual was before the play started, and that was with his brother, the king. Once he ‘won’ that conflict, his new conflict became the one between himself and Hamlet Jr. He was afraid that Hamlet knew too much and / or that he would try to take the throne back from him. Individual versus society: If the people in that society knew what Claudius had done, there would have been much more conflict between them and him, but as it was, their only real conflict was that Claudius couldn’t take Hamlet to them to be punished for Polonius’ death, essentially because they liked him too much. Individual versus the universe / nature / fate