Genesis Theology Essays - Phoenician Mythology, Levantine Mythology

Genesis Theology Pentateuch is considered to be the most important part in the Old Testament. It recorded the account of creation, the fall of man, the Law Code as well as the experience of the Ancient Israel. Among them Genesis is the first book recorded incidents happened from the creation of the world to Joseph's time. In chapter one to eleven, the origin of the world and human race are introduced and in chapter twelve onwards are the stories of the Ancestors. In this passage, we will concentrate in discussing the theology of chapter one to eleven which contained much valuable and important message for the readers who were probably Israelites in post-exilic period (which would be discussed later). In order to understand the text it is important to have some knowledge about the background of the readers as the author should compose his work under their background so that they may understand easily. Hence brief introduction of the background of Ancient Israelites and Genesis as well as its authorship would be given before we go into discussing its theology. The discussion will be within four topics ---(a) Yahweh has supreme authority and power, (b) Man---as image of God, (c) Mankind's failure and God's reaction and (d) Creation---a continuing process. (B) Background of Canaanites' Religion and Ancient Israelites Both Biblical record and archeological evidence showed that beside the Israelites, there were many other people living in Palestine. They included Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girga*censored*es and Jebusites. In this passage, they are all regarded as Canaanites. Basically, the Canaanites' religions are polytheistic. They believed in many gods in many different levels including those national god, functional gods and family gods or ancestors. In the following paragraphs, a brief introduction of Canaanites' religions would be given as a background for the studies of religion of ancient Israelites. Religion in Ancient Near East Although the gods they worshipped were different, tribes in Ancient Near East did have similar although not exactly the same doctrines. As mentioned above, their religions are polytheistic. Each god in their religion had different function and statues. They had different characters and might fight among themselves. We are going to discuss the religion in Canaan and Babylon as examples. One point must be noted is that the functions of the gods in Canaan are closely related to natural phenomena . For example, Baal Hadad was known as the thunder god who was responsible for raining. Other examples included El Elyon who was known as the sun god , Yamm who was the god of the sea and Mot who was the god of death . Some of the gods were related to daily life. For instant, Anath was the goddess of war and Astarte was known as the goddess of love and fertility and also of war. Another function of Baal was related to fertility. The Canaanites always explained natural phenomena using myths. The alternation of the seasons and the death and renewal of vegetation were believed to be explained through the following myth. When Baal had his temple built, he sent a message to the god of death Mot in which he threatened Mot's life. After that there was a struggle between Mot and Baal and Baal was killed in the battle. After some times Baal's sister Anath went down to the underworld and defeated Mot. Baal was resurrected from death and returned to his power to bring about raining to the Earth. The Canaanites believed that the death and resurrection of Baal happened every year. The defeat of Baal indicated the death of vegetation due to winter frosts or summer drought. The resurrection of Baal revealed the vegetation grew because of annual or seasonal flooding. In this myth, one could easily observe that other that a thunder god, Baal was also a god of fertility. In the sight of the people in Ancient Near East, men were just the slaves of gods. For instance, in Babylon, people believed that mankind was created only because of the laziness of gods. The gods created men so that they could take over their work and serve them. The gods needed the sacrifice of men. However, due to the noise and din of men, Enlil, the King of the lands wanted to destroy men. Another god Ea brought about deliverance to Atrahasis in a series of plagues. Finally, Enlil sent a flood and again Ea warned Atrahasis who made a ship to save himself later. The Gilgamesh Epic had another record of the flood story. When

Greater Access to the Internet Has Enabled Buyers to Search More Easily for Information About Potential Suppliers of Goods and Services. This Has Significantly Affected Many Industries, Such as Insurance, Banking, Essays

Greater Access to the Internet Has Enabled Buyers to Search More Easily for Information About Potential Suppliers of Goods and Services. This Has Significantly Affected Many Industries, Such as Insurance, Banking, Essays Greater Access to the Internet Has Enabled Buyers to Search More Easily for Information About Potential Suppliers of Goods and Services. This Has Significantly Affected Many Industries, Such as Insurance, Banking, Essay Greater Access to the Internet Has Enabled Buyers to Search More Easily for Information About Potential Suppliers of Goods and Services. This Has Significantly Affected Many Industries, Such as Insurance, Banking, Essay Greater access to the internet has enabled buyers to search more easily for information about potential suppliers of goods and services. This has significantly affected many industries, such as insurance, banking, retailing and travel. To what extent do you think that increased internet usage inevitably reduces producers’ profits? Justify your answer with reference to organizations and/or industries that you know. Over the past decade, Shopping on the internet has skyrocketed with internet sales reaching almost ? 0 billion in 2012, which accounts to almost 10% of total sales in the UK. This is due to the increased possession of Internet devices such as: smartphones, laptops and computers. It has become much easier and simpler for consumers to buy products online using these devices. Increased internet security has also increased demand for online shopping due to customers being confident in undergoing an online transaction. Another advantage of selling items on the internet is that it gives you the opportunity to advertise your or another companies products. Over 80% of the British population uses the internet regularly which opens up a massive market for advertising and for companies to show their products to users of the internet. However, results in increased internet usage have resulted in the decreased need for physical advertising such as: books, magazines and newspapers which have begun to prove more ineffective in advertising products. For example, a double paged spread in a popular newspaper can exceed costs of ? 10,000 while costs of advertising on a high traffic website may only cost ? 200 a month. Jessops has recently entered administration and is a perfect example as to how increased internet usage can reduce profits for some firms. Its target market was camera lovers, which prints out photos, sells cameras and a large number of accessories. Despite being an online retailer, Jessops failed to compete with the low prices of Amazon, Curry’s and other online competitors. The internet has an endless supply of products such as cameras at a very competitive price. Some products would not be sold in Jessops but would be sold online resulting in losses of potential revenue for Jessops. : Another market which has slowly died is the demand for printing of photos, due to social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook people don’t need to share their photos in a physical format and are capable of simply sending the picture via these social websites. In this case of selling products it was a massive drawback for Jessops but turned out to be an advantage for competitors such as Amazon. The increased number of internet users leads to benefits for Amazon who thrive off increased internet usage due to consumers finding it a cheaper alternative to Jessops. The internet can also be a good source of primary market research which enables firms such as Amazon to analyze prices of different websites. This would give the opportunity for Amazon to perhaps reduce prices or introduce offers which would help them sell more products. I believe it is entirely up to the company, this kind of competition would perhaps not effect Amazon due to their size in the market and their reliability where customers instantly visit Amazon knowing they will be given a fair price and receive their purchased item quickly. However, it did affect Jessops who failed to respond to demand and lower prices resulting in there imminent administration. I don’t believe that the increased usage of the internet reduces profits as some firms can be incredibly profitable off of this. With the current state of the economy, people who are in need of high quality clothing have tended to move further away from worldwide brands such as: Gucci, DG and Louis Vuitton and have moved closer to the retail shop Zara. Zara has blossomed over the past few years, both online and in the high street due to increased internet usage and there quick response to demand. It is primarily down to the type of business and the level of competitiveness they possess. A large number of fashion companies are not focused on their usage of the internet and rely on customers purchasing these products physically from their shop which can be a major drawback in their market as they can’t expand their popularity to the larger target market found online. From the examples supplied I do not believe the increased usage of the internet will reduce producers’ profits as it will be down to the nature of the product and other related reasons. Reaction to change online will affect the companies chances of success in the current economic climate however. The internet can provide an endless number of benefits for companies such as: easy shopping, safe transactions and more straightforward searches. The internet has proven to be more successful for companies such as Zara having a massive profit increase of 43% simply after the re-designing of their websiote making it simpler for the inline internet shopper. Although a company like Zara could earn an incredible amount from online sales this leads to high street stores failing due to the loss in numbers of customers.

Chemistry Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chemistry Paper - Essay Example The treaty had over 300 stations that were used as sniffers of the radionuclides. It also had the ability to listen to the lowest frequencies, and had the ability to record the tremors. The main purpose of this treaty was to exercise the chemistry principle that went be the terms safer chemistry for accident prevention. The main reason for this concept or principle was to exercise all activities that were environment friendly. The establishment of this treaty led to more emphasis on environment consciousness by all countries including the super powers like the United States. The international monetary system supports the CTBT process with over 1 billion dollars’ worth of funds. The funding has ensured that the treaty is implemented successfully, which is attributable to the reduction of activities involving testing of explosives. The plan was set up that would enable institutions and some individuals to work with CTBT was a good step as this will enable them to learn more from each other hence making sure the environment friendly activities are exercised fully. Most of these institutions handle chemical substances. Working with CTBT will ensure proper use and exposure of these chemicals. Clery, D. (2015). Plundering a nuclear test ban treasure-trove. News.sciencemag.org. Retrieved 23 June 2015, from

China in metal industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

China in metal industry - Essay Example of China’s metal industry was under the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) where the key SOEs worked under the policies of the central government and the local SOEs were under the influence of the provincial government. China’s membership in the WTO had posed several challenges for the country considering the weaknesses in comparison to other countries in the world. However the country depended on mergers and acquisitions of steel companies but doubts still persisted as to whether the country would be able to compete in the international market (Hu & Ping, n.d., pp.2-3). The Chinese metal industry has been found to violate several commitments of the WTO. Violating the norms, the Chinese industry has not stopped its ownership and control over the production of steel. This has been mostly achieved with the intervention of the government that plays a significant role in the decision making even after China joining the WTO. In fact after joining the WTO, the intervention of the government has increased contrary to the commitments of the WTO. Violations have also been observed in the treatment and providence of the SOEs (Metals and Mining Chinese Steel Industry, 2011). Slowdown of growth in the Chinese market may bring concerns over the demands of steel along with other products. The LME (London Metal Exchange) realizing the state of the China metal industry decided to spread out its warehouse set-up into China that it considers as the largest user of base metals together with copper. This has been thought to bring in benefits for both the Chinese industry as well as the LME (Sim & Li, 2012). China has proved to be a leading producer of rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum in the world and over the last two years the country has imposed strict taxes over the exports of these elements leading to price rises (Rare Earths, 2012). China is also the largest consumer of copper, aluminium, and zinc, in the world and plans to limit new aluminium merging base metal

Assignment Two Option 3 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Assignment Two Option 3 - Case Study Example This provides a set of issues and matters that must be examined and critiqued on the basis of Australian law and other Common Law provisions. The issues involve: In order to provide answers to the various issues raised above, there is the need to draw into important statues and Common Law provisions that regulate actions related to the persons involved in the case. This will involve the identification of important elements and features that form the fundamental obligations and requirements of directors in the position of persons involved in the case illustrated above. Companies are formed by various shareholders who come together to pool their resources to raise capital. There is a complete separation of ownership and control in corporate law. Hence, companies are run by people who are nominated and by the shareholders, which is the board of directors. The board of directors are given power by the owners of the business (shareholders) to run a company and they do this by taking decisions and supervising activities in the organisation. The right to use the firms resources gives rise to the agency problem which involves the directors seeking to satisfy their own personal interest ahead of the interest of the company1. This is an issue that can be traced back to the early propositions of Adam Smith that sought to provide major regulatory systems for the control of affairs in corporate entities. This has reflected in the national legal systems which have evolved over the years to include various corporate laws and principles. Conflict of interest has been an issue that was prohibited and restricted by Common Law. In Cook V Deeks3 it was held that directors of a company will have to act in the best interest of the company. And where they subjugated the companys interest in favour of a personal interest of some of the directors, a fraud is committed on the shareholders who stand to

Utilization Of IT In Property Management Information Technology Essay

Utilization Of IT In Property Management Information Technology Essay Information Technology, or IT, has become an enabler in multiple areas of human life, including professional practice of all kinds. The practice of property management cannot be accepted. With a case study of estate surveying firms in Lagos, this paper investigates the level of utilization of IT in the professional practice of property management. Data was collected using questionnaires, which were administered using the cluster sampling method. The paper shows that IT is not being significantly employed in the practice of property management in Lagos. It further reveals that the relative high overall cost of its adoption is most probably responsible for the foregoing. In this wise, the paper recommends that the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, the custodian of the profession, should provide leadership in the utilization of it, while individual and collective efforts of the firms should be geared towards this area. Key words: Information Technology, Property Management, Professional Practice, And Estate Surveying Firms INTRODUCTION The world of today is being propelled by information, in profound proportion, via the agency of Information Technology (IT). Information, in these present times, more frequently described as a fourth resource, is as essential as land, labour and capital in the production process; and advances in IT have tremendously facilitated the processes of gathering, storing, handling and utilizing this vital resource (Brady, 1991; and Olawore, 1999). The foregoing underlines the aptness of terming this 21st century the Information Age (Emeagwali, 2003). Significant changes have come about due to the rapid growth of IT; the outstanding change being the increasing globalisation of the world. There is the increasing transmutation of the present-day world into a more homogenised geographical entity with no boundaries, hence, the famous clichà © the world is a global village (Owasanoye, 2001). The most revolutionary agent of this development is the Internet, an offshoot of modern IT. The Internet h as lowered the cost of doing business; made it possible for a consumer to access goods or services without leaving the confines of his home or office; and has given its users an opportunity to advertise and operate across frontiers, across borders and beyond the control of national governments. IT has been, and will continue to be, applied to the multifarious facets of the life of the ubiquitous modern-day man. It is common knowledge that virtually all categories of professional service providers are now leveraging on the cutting edge afforded by modern IT so as to progressively leapfrog competitors, proactively respond to the ever-dynamic demands of their respective clientele and ultimately add value to their bottom line. Modern IT has changed business landscapes and expanded the frontiers of service delivery (Osadolor, 2002). For example, banks and financial services providers have created their own system of electronic funds transfers; the travel industry uses electronic informat ion services for booking, time tabling and pricing; stock exchanges have evolved automated trading systems; while estate agents now utilize the platform of the Internet to market real estate in their portfolio (Owasanoye, 2001; and Akomolede, 2002). Situated in the context that property managers are also included in the category of professional service providers carrying on the practice of ensuring that a clients property investment is kept in a state to enhance its functionality, prolong its lifespan, yield an optimum return and achieve the investors general objectives, hence, IT is of useful purpose to the practice. Similarly, central to proactive property management practice is an efficient system of record keeping in its entirety. Against this backdrop and given the myriad of responsibilities of the property manager coupled with all sorts of complexities presented by properties and their occupants, an enabling tool as IT cannot but be deployed. Furthermore, if the foregoing is critically examined in the context of the emerging milieu of increased client awareness and requirements, it reinforces the imperative of property managers substantially leveraging on IT to drive, and step up the quality of, service delivery (Longe, 20 01). However, even in the absence of an in-depth inquiry, by casual observation, it can be conjectured that there is a yawning gap between the levels of sophistication that are being attained vis-à  -vis the adoption of information technology in the contemporary professional practice of property management in both the developed and the developing economies. The practice of property management (like its umbrella practice of estate surveying and valuation), in most developing economies, inclusive of Nigeria, is lagging behind that in the developed economies (like the United Kingdom) specifically in terms of the application of modern enabling tools of information technology. Though, it cannot be said that there is blanket non-utilisation of IT in the practice of property management by estate surveying firms in Lagos, Nigeria, as a typical example of a city in the developing world, but to what extent is IT adopted in the practice? This is the central question that this paper intends to answe r with the aid of an empirical study carried out in 2005. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT The term Information Technology has been variously described. IT, being the acronym for Information Technology, has been broadly defined as a term that encompasses all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange, and use information in its various forms (business data, voice conversations, still images, motion pictures, multimedia presentations, and other forms including those not yet conceived)1. However, in simple terms, the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English (6th edn) furnished a definition of IT as the use of electronic equipment, especially computers, for storing, analyzing and sending out information. It is common knowledge that IT has wide-ranging applications; it has been applied to virtually every aspect of human life. It has found useful application in science, commerce, engineering, education, recreation, entertainment, research, medicine, governance, religion, agriculture, real estate marketing, project management, banking, airline reservations and so on (Brady, 1991; Alile, 1997; Ojo, 2000; Ayo, 2001; and Akomolede, 2002). It is also of useful purpose to the various facets of the professional practice of property management. Property management à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ the other term under review à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is an integral aspect of the profession of Estate Management. Thorncroft (1965) defined estate management as the direction and supervision of an interest in landed property with the aim of securing the optimum returns. These returns need not be financial but may be in terms of social benefits, prestige, status, political power or some other goals or group of goals. In consonance with the traditional aim of general estate management, property management entails the practice of directing, supervising and controlling interest in land and landed property so as to enable it yield an optimal return. Specifically, property management is that aspect of the real estate profession devoted to the leasing, management, marketing and overall maintenance of the property of others2. According to Olajide and Bello (2003), property management can be defined as the application of skill in caring for the property, its surroundings and amenities, and in developing sound relationship between the landlord and tenant and among tenants themselves, so that the property as well as individual premises would give value both to the landlord and tenant. Basically, its purpose is to secure for the property owner the maximum continuous net return on his investment over the life of that property and to maintain the physical aspects of the property for optimum efficiency and economy (Weich, 1967; and Kyle, 2000). In essence, the primary functions of property management are threefold: achieve the objectives of the property owners, generate income for the owners, and preserve or increase the value of the inve stment property (Kyle, 2000). Towards this end, comprised in the professional services rendered by property managers are: (a) rent collection and remittance; (b) selection of tenants; (c) property maintenance; (d) marketing of vacant accommodation; (e) administration of estate personnel and services; (f) administration (maintenance) of estate records; (g) routine management inspection and correspondence; (h) enforcement of lease covenants; and (i) any other function as reasonably expected of a property manager or as stipulated in the management agreement between the parties (the property manager and the client). All these services can be driven by IT. The following are some identified application areas where IT has been of beneficial use in the practice of property management. a. Filing: It is asserted that a property manager cannot survive without his records (Nwankwo, 2004). If he cannot maintain a good filing system, he will always be in difficulty. Hence, the hallmark of an efficient management office is a good filing system (Kyle, 2000). Data should be sorted and segregated into separate files for easy collection, retention and retrieval of records. Records can be kept manually by means of simple registers, record cards, schedules that are referred to often, reminders, files and so on; but the trend now is computerization (Nwankwo, 2004). A computerized data system has a number of advantages over a manual system including the ease of storage, the ability to retrieve large amounts of data as required, economy of space, and reduction of operational cost and time (Olawore, 1999). With a computer database, records relating to clients properties can be effectively maintained. Database such as computerized property management system (CPMS) e.g. EstMan is available in the market to all property managers desirous of computerizing their operations (Adebiyi, 2003). The CPMS comprises various elements such as data relating to the properties, the landlords, the tenants and the leases in a digital form. It is designed to aid the management and administration of commercial, industrial and residential properties. The software allows the myriad of information to be retrieved quickly, eliminating the need to refer to bulky files or having to refer physically to leased documents often by extracting vital information and making them ava ilable to be looked at or pointed out whenever needed. b. Financial Record Keeping: This is a crucial activity in property management that deserves a separate mention given that the cardinal aim of property management is securing the maximum return (Olajide and Bello, 2003). Accounting software programs allow tedious book keeping calculations to be performed automatically, including accounts receivable (e.g. rents and service charges), accounts payable (e.g. ground rents, rates and insurance premium), payroll, inventory and general ledger (Kyle, 2000). Accounting programs can generate various reports that are valuable for financial planning and evaluations, including monthly budgets, cash flow studies, profit and loss statements and reports to owners. Some even can write and print a cheque, while entering that directly into the bank balance summary, thus maintaining even more up-to-the-minute control. c. Word Processing/Generation of Notices and Reports: Word processing is used when composing and typing almost any kind of letter, report, or newsletter; it is easy to insert or delete characters, words, lines, paragraphs or even pages of text and correspondence can be merged with mailing lists to generate mass mailings. Drafting a document, letters to delinquent tenants for example, which can be time-consuming, will be made easier and faster with the aid of this software. According to Kyle (2000), at the very least, the new software programs offer a template for letters (for proper form) as well as pre-written form letters to meet all sorts of needs: late notices, eviction notices, lease termination and letters on all types of problems (e.g. excessive noise). If the software does not have a letter one needs, after drafting it, one can save it to reuse. Specifically, in connection with review and renewal of tenancies and other action dates, a completely automatic key dates system is available (Stapleton, 1994). Further, graphic software programs can produce a variety of graphs and charts to use in presentations and reports, and can also be used to create advertisements, brochures and tenant newsletters. d. Property Marketing and Tenant Selection: The World Wide Web, a network of interconnecting computers, is quickly becoming a vehicle for advertising, marketing and communication (Kyle, 2000). The Web enables users to create their own websites to display information easily accessible to the public. Adebiyi (2003) identified the benefits accruable to professional firms with websites: Information can be provided to the user free, or via subscription service, or for a specific payment; it provides the firms with shop windows available to any client or applicant 24 hours of the day; it can display an innovative brochure of the firms professional services, clients properties available for sale or letting and they market to the widest audience without any boundaries to working days. In particular, Alile (1997) identified that, with multimedia technology, a contemporary offshoot of IT, marketing rental properties has become more sophisticated in the sense that you can walk through houses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ without leaving your room. Apart from marketing, the Internet can serve the purpose of tenant selection. Kemp (2000) reported a special Web property management solution, the Rentals.com on-line property management system. Through Rentals.com, rental property owners and managers can create a personalized website. From the site, one can show pictures/floor plans of all properties; access a private, virtual office; track site traffic; schedule viewing appointments; view rental applications; and obtain rental news and advice from experts in the real estate industry. The benefits of this system are obvious: a clutter-free workspace and a round-the-clock virtual, paperless office, amongst others. e. Office Automation: Office automation deals with acquisition and distribution of information, communication (internal and external), and information processing. It has, therefore, a variety of facets including communications, publishing, and data processing. Very few, if any, offices can run without the use of some automated equipment. The amount of automation needed depends, again, on the size of the operation and the type of properties involved (Kyle, 2000). Office equipment such as fax machines, typewriters, word processors, calculators and specialized accounting equipment (including computers) are fundamental once the business begins to grow. For communication purposes particularly, with a local area network (LAN), computer users in the same office can share data, including text or data files, whole programs, scanned images, incoming and outgoing fax messages, blueprints and voice messages. LANs increase the efficiency of computers, software and printers, which make inter-office communication better, faster and cheaper. LANs differ in speed, reliability, and compatibility with various computer hardware, so a wise property manager will consult a LAN expert before making a purchasing decision. Further, with a modem and a phone line, computers can communicate with each other over long distances, sending computerized data (e-mail) to another computer hundreds or thousands of miles away. Since the modem transfers information directly to another computer, there is no need to print out the information on paper first, which increases the speed and efficiency of the communication. The data can be viewed on the receiving computer screen or printed out on paper. f. Tracking Maintenance: According to Holmes (1994), IT has enhanced the planning and organization of maintenance. Software packages have been developed for most activities. There are 3 main areas which require IT support; the first for handling work recording and monitoring, the second for condition assessment analysis, and the third for cost predictions. Within these areas a range of linked programs can be used to supplement the process; for example, an asset register will greatly help with work ordering. On a general note, Stapleton (1994) described the benefits of the application of IT to the practice of property management as follows: Problems can be identified quicker and performance be analyzed in a more rigorous way. Information for regular review by policymakers is more readily available and more work can be handled by the same staff. He, however, attached a caveat that the application of IT does require a substantial commitment by the existing staff and considerable care is required in the way the concept, the technology and the system are introduced. In spite of the gains of the adoption of IT in the practice of property management (and estate surveying and valuation in general), Adebiyi (2003) suggested that, by casual industry analysis of the use of IT, not a deliberate inquiry, it is indicated that there is low-level utilization and awareness by a significant proportion of estate surveying firms in the Nigerian real estate industry. He opined that IT is often seen by those who do not use it as an unknown technological threat, both complex and expensive, requiring extensive training and bringing an additional and unnecessary complication to professional life. In the light of the foregoing, Adebiyi (2003) offered an admonition thus: It is important for (Estate) Surveyors who do not use IT to consider the changes that have taken place over the last few years, the current speed of changes and facilities available to assist Surveyors. It is also advisable for them to have some understanding of the ever more rapid developments that will affect all practitioners in the foreseeable future. They need to consider how IT awareness and use can enhance not just their efficiency and business performance, but also the professional advise they give to property company and developer-clients or to tenants. THE INVESTIGATION Bearing in mind that it is an observable tendency for estate surveying firms to exist in pockets or congregate together in geographical areas around Lagos (i.e. the population of estate surveying firms is largely distributed in clusters), hence, it is apposite to adopt the cluster sampling method as the suitable approach to generating a representative sample for study here (Asika, 1991). According to Asika (1991), generally, a sample size of 10% of the population size is adequate enough to validate and generalize the findings of a study to the entire population. Given that there are 477 estate surveying firms in Nigeria as offered by Nwankwo (2004) and assuming that all the firms have an operational office in Lagos, then applying 10% to this number of firms and leaving ample room for safety, the total sample size for this study is therefore 50 and will be spread over four main identified clusters (convergence areas) in the Lagos metropolis. Response Rate As indicated in Table 1 below, an evaluation of the individual response rates of the cluster areas reveals that all areas are fairly represented (with the minimum response rate being 80%), and the average response rate being 84%. For all practical purposes, this is acceptable and valid for statistical analysis. Table 1: Response Rate According to Cluster Area Cluster Area Target Response Actual Response Response Rate (%) Lagos Island 20 17 85 Victoria Island/Ikoyi 10 8 80 Surulere 5 4 80 Ikeja/Opebi 15 13 87 Total 50 42 84 Source: Field Survey, 2005 Extent of Utilization of Information Technology in the Practice Seven specific areas of the practice are examined vis-à  -vis the adoption of information technology, namely: Preparation of schedules of letting; Preparation and communication of management notices and reports; Preparation of clients statements of accounts; Rental property marketing; Mode of receiving applications from prospective tenants; Mode of receiving complaints from sitting tenants; and Property record keeping. A schedule of lettings serves a major purpose in the practice of property management and it is frequently required. It aids rent collection. Hence, the mode through which it is drawn up is very crucial. Two modes can be identified: manual and computerized or a combination of both. Fig. 1 reveals that 64% (or 27 out of 42) use the manual means, 12% (or 5 out of 42) use the computerized means while 24% (or 10 out of 42) use both the manual and computerized means. It can then be reasonably concluded that the majority of the respondents still rely on the manual mode of extracting relevant data from rental payments register in order to draw up schedules of letting. This method is, however, adjudged to be inefficient and susceptible to errors. Table 2: Preparation of Management Notices and Reports Mode Frequency Count Percentages of Responses (%) Percentages of Cases (%) By handwriting By using typewriter 2 4 5 By using word-processors 42 84 100 By using property management software 6 12 14 Total 50* 100 119 Source: Field Survey 2005 * Note: Total number of responses is greater than the total number of respondents because each respondent gave multiple responses. The cumulative frequency count by the multi-response analysis was thus greater than the total number of respondents. Table 3: Communication of Management Notices and Reports Mode Frequency Count Percentages of Responses (%) Percentages of Cases (%) By staff hand delivery 37 26 88 By courier service 27 19 64 By postal service 15 10 36 By phone 29 20 69 By e-mail service 21 14 50 By short message service (SMS) 16 11 38 Total 145* 100 345 Source: Field Survey, 2005 *Note: See Table 2 for explanation In preparing management notices (such as rent demands) and reports, 4 methods are identifiable as shown in Table 2. Survey reveals that word processors are of general application, and used by all the respondents (or 100%) while 6 out of 42 (or 14%) use special-purpose property management software. 5% (or 2 out of 42) of the respondents still use typewriters. And to communicate the notices and reports, a combination of 6 options are open to the respondents (see Table 3). Staff hand delivery features most prominently as the means through which most of the respondents communicate notices and reports (37 out of 42 or 88%). E-mail service, a main IT option in the context of this study, ranks 4th and adopted by 50% (or 21 out of 42) of the respondents. Table 4: Preparation of Clients Statements of Accounts Mode Frequency Count Percentages of Responses (%) Percentages of Cases (%) By manual calculations 27 43 64 By using accounting software 29 47 69 By using property management software 6 10 14 Total 62* 100 147 Source: Field Survey, 2005 * Note: See Table 2 for explanation Accounting software, a general application software, finds the widest use amongst the respondents in rendering accounts to landlord-clients (see Table 4), followed closely by manual means of extracting relevant data from account books and balancing the accounts (27 out of 42 or 64%). The use of special-purpose property management software ranks last (a distant 3rd). Table 5: Rental Property Marketing Mode Frequency Count Percentages of Responses (%) Percentages of Cases (%) To-Let board placements 42 31 100 Print media advertising 42 31 100 Property bulletin distribution 36 26 86 Internet advertising 16 12 38 Total 136* 100 324 Source: Field Survey, 2005 * Note: See Table 7 for explanation Table 5 indicates that all the respondents market available rental accommodation by board placements and print media advertising. However, only 16 out of 42 (or 38%) advertise via the Internet. Hence, it can be fairly concluded here that IT has not found popular use amongst the estate surveying firms in marketing rental property. Table 6: Mode of Receiving Applications from Prospective Tenants Mode Frequency Count Percentages of Responses (%) Percentages of Cases (%) By phone 39 47 93 By physical appearance at office 42 51 100 By applying on-line 2 2 5 Total 83* 100 198 Source: Field survey, 2005 *Note: See Table 2 for explanation Table 6 shows that only 2 out of 42 (or 5%) accept on-line applications from prospective tenants that intend to let advertised rental accommodation in spite of its benefits of round-the-clock accessibility. All the respondents dwell on prospective tenants physically visiting their offices. Applications through the phone are also accepted by 39 out of 42 (or 93%). Table 7: Mode of Receiving Complaints from Sitting Tenants Mode Frequency Count Percentages of Responses (%) Percentages of Cases (%) By phone 39 26 93 By letters 42 28 100 By physical appearance at office 37 25 88 By short message service (SMS) 13 9 31 By e-mail service 18 12 43 Total 149* 100 355 Source: Field Survey, 2005 *Note: See Table 7 for explanation It is not uncommon for sitting tenants to forward complaints about relevant matters demanding the attention of property managers. Different channels are created through which these complaints are received. Table 7 reveals that the multitude of complaints is received through letters by all the respondents while SMS is the least used mode. E-mail service is the 4th most frequently used mode of receiving complaints from sitting tenants (18 out of 42 or 43%). Table 8: Mode of Property Record Keeping Mode Frequency Count Percentages of Responses (%) Percentages of Cases (%) Cabinet filing 40 63 95 Electronic database 24 37 57 Total 64* 100 132 Source: Field Survey, 2005 *Note: See Table 2 for explanation From table 8, 95% of the respondents (or 40 out of 42) adopt cabinet filing while 57% of the respondents (or 24 out of 42) use electronic database. Both cabinet filing and electronic database are complementary; though the latter offers easier access to relevant information. Having examined seven salient areas of the practice of property management in Lagos in relation to the adoption of IT, it can be summarized thus: IT is being relatively put to use in all the examined areas of the practice of property management in Lagos; however, the extent of adoption, on the whole, is below average. Table 9: Respondents Ranking of the Reasons for the Current Extent of Utilization of IT in the Practice of Property Management Reason Absolute Frequency Weighted mean score Strongly Agree 5 Agree 4 Undecided 3 Disagree 2 Strongly Disagree 1 Relative underdeveloped state of the property management practice in Lagos 3 11 0 18 10 2.50 Relative non-availability of IT tools for property management in Lagos 5 5 8 19 5 2.43 Relative high cost of adoption of IT in the property management practice 2 19 5 16 0 3.17 Relative non-sophistication of clients served by property management firms in Lagos 3 8 6 22 3 2.64 Relative small sizes of the operations of the property management firms in Lagos 2 3 6 19 12 2.14 Source: Field Survey, 2005 Respondents were asked to score five probable reasons for the below-average utilization of IT in the practice of property management in Lagos on a 5 point Likert scale. The results as shown in Table 9 above show that the relative high cost of adoption of IT in the property management practice is the most probable reason for the current extent of utilization of IT in the practice. IT is widely viewed to attract huge costs for its application in the practice of property management. Relative non-sophistication of clients served by the property management firms ranks 2nd. However, ranking last is the relative small sizes of the operations of the property management firms. A possible interpretation of this is that the respondents see the sizes of their operations as substantial enough to warrant the deployment of IT. Further, to gauge the practice-wide perception of the adoption of IT, respondents were asked to indicate their degree of agreement or disagreement with this statement: The increased adoption of IT in the practice of property management in Lagos can have a significant positive impact thereon in terms of increased profitability, broadened client base and excellent service delivery. Out of 42, 28 (or 67%) strongly agreed, 13 (or 31%) agreed and 1 (or 2%) was undecided. On the basis of this, it can be said that, in the absence of constraints, the firms are willing to significantly increase the level of utilization of IT in the practice of property management. From the foregoing, it can be stated that the relative high cost of adoption of IT in the practice of property management, amongst others, is the most probable reason for the current extent of utilization of IT in the practice. Hypothesis Testing Research Hypothesis To be tested in t

Drinking Alcohol and Driving :: Exploratory Essays, Drunk Driving

Alcohol and Driving Imagine being in a bar with a few of your good friends. Everyone is drinking and having a good time. Your are going to leave and go home, but you friends won't let you because they know the dangers of driving after having a few drinks. Instead they ca ll a cab to give you a ride home. You would be extremely lucky to have such smart friends. Drunk driving is a very serious problem in our society today, but it is becomming socially unacceptable causing the numbers of alcohol related traffic fatalites t o decline considerably. Drunk driving can be very deadly. Yet many people drive while under the influence everyday. Drivers who are drunk are blamed for the loss of as many as twentyfive thousand lives in highway crashes each year and hundreds of thousands of severe injurys. It is thought that drunk drivers have a long history of doing this and many prior arrests. In addition, most of those killed are just innocent victims whose behavior did not contibute to their deaths. These last two statements are both false. On aver age a drunk driver that kills has never been involved in a alcohol related accident before and have no proir convictions for drunk driving. The part about the people killed are just innocent bistanders is overaggerated also. Most of the drunk drivers v ictims are the drivers themselves, their often passengers, and the drunken pedestrains and cyclists. Despite this drunk driving is still very dangerous. It is the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in America today. In fact it is said that ab out 40 % of the population will be involved in a alcohol related crash during their life. Drunk driving is especially dangerous to young people, who seem to be more involved than others. Drunk driving is the number one cause of death among y oung people, accounting for 20% of all deaths from ages 15 to 20. Drunk driving is such a hard thing to overcome though. In our society alcolol is overwhelmingly accepted as a facilitator of sociable interaction, and the great majority of adults drink. But steps a re being taken and the numbers of deaths are declining. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities have been decreasing lately. As a proportion of all traffic fatalities it has been decreased since 1982. In fact since 1982 the number of alcohol releated traffic fatalities has decreased 30%, from 25,165 to 17,699, w hile alcohol-related traffic fatalitites, as a proportion of all traffic fatalities, decreased from 57% to 45%.

Role Play

Reflection Paper Counseling Session Role Play Between Kristen (student/client) and Tiffany Ellison (Therapist) Tiffany Ellison Barry University Identifying health risk behavior My client Kristen came in for a follow-up session to focus on codependency issues, feeling overwhelmed with her mother, and not having time to focus on her. Kristen seems to be focusing all of her time on her mother and less time to herself. Kristen is aware that she is not strong enough to deal with overwhelming situations and realizes she needs to be focusing more on herself instead of trying to prove her strengths to everyone else.Kristen has many obligations to her mother; however in reality, she is giving an excessive amount of responsibility, commitment, and worries for another person, when she needs to be more focused on herself and her strengths. Kristen understands everything that a codependent person does is done to further establish self pitying thoughts of overdoing and of being taken advantage of and for granted. Kristen is also showing signs of intense emotional feelings and is completely overcome in mind and emotion and feels ill-equipped to cope with her stressors. Level of competence demonstratedThroughout the session, as the therapist I felt confident that I would be able to grasp the real true related issues that were affecting her life. I expressed empathy towards the client, by listening to her expressed thoughts and feelings while communicating back to her a desire that I can understand the client’s perspective completely. I also felt the need to express my feelings on her mother; however I did not do so and immediately reflected critical motivational interviewing skills by avoidance of arguing with the client about their need for her to change, by not answering the phone when her mother needs her at any given moment.Through this session I supported self-efficacy by helping the client believe in oneself and become confident that they can carry out the changes the client has chosen to pursue. At this point, in the session, it was very important to me to summarize the important components and how they collaborate with one another. My strong asset as a therapist is that I try to grasp a hold of one of the major issues discussed in the therapy session, and help the client elaborate more in detail, so I may then get a better understanding on each individual issue as it comes along.My client has a lot going on in her life at the moment, and by grasping onto one of her strengths out of her whole story she can reflect on, seemed to make her laugh and smile. Through out this part of the session, I could then have a better trusting relationship with the client by evoking the client’s views. Assessing client readiness Throughout this critical time during our session, I knew at a point that I was able to determine weather my client was ready for change.This point was determined when the client stated Client: â€Å"I enjoy salsa lessons; ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s a stress reliever for me† Therapist: â€Å"What can you do to get yourself more involved with things that you enjoy†? Client: â€Å"I could research for when they are having one†. Therapist: â€Å"Yes, you could† Client: â€Å"I can do that†. Therapist: â€Å"do you think that will help†? Client: â€Å"yes, I love to dance†. During this time, my client seemed honest in her exploration to research on what makes her happy. She was very eager and motivated to learn about the different options that she might have, to give time for herself. The stages of change have inspired instruments for assessing readiness to change or a client’s motivational change state. Depending on the level of readiness-or change stage- different motivational intervention strategies will be more or less effective† (Cox et al. , 2002). â€Å"Your clients must value a treatment goal to progress toward it. In fact, unless clients value them, the y are not goals from the clients’ perspectives† (Rollnick & Moyers, 2006). From a motivational standpoint, one should understand what the clients’ goals are and what they value in life.I was able to pinpoint this by acknowledging her strengths and how could the client research the area for any socializing events particular to her interests. Identifying Change Talk As discussed by Rollnick and Miller (2009), motivational interviewing is directed toward particular behavior change goals. A primary process in motivational interviewing is to help clients resolve ambivalence by evoking their own intrinsic motivations for change. When MI is done well, the client rather than the counselor voices the arguments for change.Throughout MI, particular attention is given to the client â€Å"change talk† which includes verbalizations that signify desire, ability, reasons, need, or commitment to change (Miller and Moyers, 2006). An example used to evoke change talk during the session was very direct: Client: â€Å"Should I not answer the phone every time that my mother calls me? Therapist: â€Å"What do you think you should do? † Client: â€Å"Probably, it might give me some quiet time†. Throughout this conversion, as the therapist, I responded with reflective statements, which summarized the change talk statements the client made.During this process, it was very important to me to understand that I acknowledged her ambivalence, but tried to reinforce the change talk. The point here is that when people talk or ask about what they think they should do, they are more likely to answer the questions themselves, which at that point initiates change talk. Identifying treatment approaches During my time in this session, I have identified many treatment options for this client. This client needs to continue more one-on-one individual therapy sessions, but also initializing journaling to be completed at home.With this specific homework assignme nt, I wanted her to express her feelings on paper by keeping a journal. During the session, speaking about a journal really seemed to make her laugh and smile. The purpose of this assignment is to make time for her; by identifying that she has a lot going on in her life and by putting aside a little extra time to reflect on her in writing, I feel would help make her aware of the feelings that seem to be so overwhelming. Another treatment approach I could identify is making a commitment to look into a women’s support group in her area.Not only will this give her time to reflect on herself, but also will help empower her to live a fulfilling and purposeful life of self-love. This will also give her a chance to socialize, and network. I feel as if the client will benefit from this experience overtime if the commitment is there. â€Å"Components of intrinsic motivation for change include both the client’s perception of the importance of change as well as his or her confid ence that change can be achieved† (Miller and Rollnick, 2009). References Cox, W. M. Klinger, E. ; and Blount, J. P. Alcohol use and goal hierarchies: Systematic motivational counseling for alcoholics. In: Miller, W. R. , and Rollnick, S. , eds. Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People To Change Addictive Behaviors. New York: Guilford Press, 1993. pp. 260-271 Miller, W. R. and Rollnick, S. (2009). Ten things that motivational interviewing is not. Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 37, 129-140. Miller, W. R. , & Moyers, T. B. (2006). Eight stages in learning motivational interviewing. 5, 3-17.

textile mills in the south essays

textile mills in the south essays Why did the textile workers union in the southern United States spread so rapidly? The textile industry was, at one time, one of the largest industries in the south. Starting in the late 1800s with small local looms and spreading to become corporations controlling the south and whose influence stretched internationally. One of the souths first textile corporations originated in Gaston County, North Carolina, and its huge success led to the opening of mills across the Carolinas and Virginia. As these industries grew they began to control more and more of their employees lives. These huge corporations were permitted to take advantage of their workers because of the individuals inability to fight back. The employees of these mills lived in conditions resembling that of slaves before the civil war. They were worked grueling hours in inhospitable prisons called textile plants, yet were paid on average less than any other industrial worker in America. In the early twentieth century a sentiment of contempt began to grow between the laboring class and the all-pow erful corporation. The masses began to push for union representation. The industrys numbers represents the importance of this industry. Textiles were the foundation of southern economy. In 1900 there were one hundred seventy-seven mills in North Carolina, but by the early nineteen twenties, that number had grown to over five hundred. Fifty were in Gaston County alone, and by 1929 there were more than one hundred mills in Gaston County which could process cotton, with nearly seventeen thousand workers earning their living exclusively from the mills (Williams 29). Textiles were a booming industry in the south. South Carolina employed only 2,053 people in the industry at the turn of the century, but by 1920, nearly 50,000 people worked in mills, one sixth of South Carolinas population. Virginias textile industry grew just as q...

Recognizing an unhealthy work environment

Recognizing an unhealthy work environment When it comes to our professional lives, most of us have a clear hierarchy of needs, including a viable salary, acceptable benefits, and responsibilities that align well with our abilities. After all, we spend so much of our lives at work (nearly 90,000 hours over our lifetimes, according to a recent Business Insider article) that it stands to reason that our core needs and wishes should be met in order to make it all seem worthwhile. But all too often, having a healthy and productive environment doesn’t make the list of priorities when we think about what’s really important for us to be satisfied at work- and that’s a real miss when thinking about your overall career happiness. Need some convincing? Forbes recently reported that â€Å"a toxic workplace environment will overtake the culture of any organization, interfering with employee performance, destroying relationships and demotivating top performers. It is important to understand your organization’s exposure to such an environment so that strategies are implemented to either eradicate or mitigate its effects.†The question that likely remains for many of you is this: Am I stuck in an unhealthy work environment? Good question- and don’t be ashamed if you don’t have a clear answer. The truth is, it can be hard to tell what’s unhealthy and what’s normal and acceptable in a high-pressure, high demand modern workplace, in which â€Å"doing more with less† is the new normal. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you figure out what side you’re currently on. Use the following indicators to determine if you’re currently in an unhealthy workplace.Monitor the avoidance factorDo you find yourself regularly going out of your way to avoid both people and situations at work? If so, then chances are you’re working in an environment with some real unhealthy elements. These can include everything from toxic coworkers to a n unsavory and insincere corporate culture that’s misaligned with reality.The effects are similar: you dread going to work in the morning and can’t wait to leave at the end of the day. Many folks tend to take a â€Å"bare minimum† approach to their jobs when in this sort of unhealthy environment- they do just enough to squeak by and stay under the radar. The result? They often deny themselves the ability to evolve in their positions. Staying in a job like this is not a formula for career satisfaction and positive growth.Do a regular office â€Å"mood check†Most of us make it a point to check the weather each day before we head out to work, but not nearly enough of us stay on top of our â€Å"mood temperature.† An unhealthy work environment often has an unfortunate trickle-down effect on people’s moods, which makes it a great diagnostic tool for determining if your workplace has problems.Everyone from top management to their direct reports on down through the organizational chart can feel the impact of an unhealthy environment. If the overall mood of your colleagues (or a few key personnel who have a significant impact on others) is more â€Å"doom and gloom† than â€Å"happiness and sunshine,† you better believe that this has a significant impact on the company’s productivity, employee turnover, and long-term success.Beware of negative spillover into your personal lifeThe unfortunate reality is this: what happens at work doesn’t always stay at work. On top of encroaching on your personal time (if you choose to spend more hours working than you’re required to), the effects of an unhealthy workplace can spill all over the rest of your life.According to a recent Psychology Today article, â€Å"If you are so miserable at work that you find yourself miserable at home, in your relationships and with your hobbies than your toxic professional life is seeping into every other aspect of your l ife. You may find yourself constantly talking about work and complaining about your boss when you should be enjoying your time off. Eventually, your loved ones will become tired of your negative talk and complaining, and your personal life will take a major hit.†If this sounds all-too-familiar to you, then you’re likely in an unhealthy work situation and may warrant taking a closer look.If you’re curious about whether or not you’re currently in an unhealthy work environment, do a serious self-assessment using the information provided here to help diagnose your workplace. If you find more negative than positive, consider taking active steps towards either improving your satisfaction and happiness at work, or finding a new job that will meet your needs.

Computer Assisted Career Guidance Systems and Career Choice Assignment

Computer Assisted Career Guidance Systems and Career Choice - Assignment Example This essay discusses that  the speedy hi-tech modernization, rumble in ease of understanding and use of internet, use of CACGS has considerably increased in most countries most especially the United States of America. Different forms of CACGS are extensively being used in various universities, colleges and other institutions in the US. The far-reaching use of CACGS for career guidance has made it essential to study the efficient uses of CACGS in the prerequisite of occupation direction.As the research finds cartels of research have been carried out on CACGS concerning client contentment. Unfortunately, very little has been done on the effectiveness of CACGS systems. It has also been proven that the CACGS can used to support planning through internet. Additional career scheduling tools such as online educational planners, scholarship search line, resume builders and links to state national banks have been provided for by the CACGS. The CACGS have had a significant influence on the s tudents' alleged career choice standing, career barricade, dealing with self worth, and withholding.  When choosing careers, according to the Kuder report, individuals should focus on all the four aspects: realistic, investigative, social, artistic, and enterprising careers.  There is not any accurate method of determining careers; hence, all the four pillars must be considered basing on one's interests.

Relationship marketing - case of Tesco Dissertation

Relationship marketing - case of Tesco - Dissertation Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the relationship marketing is the form of marketing where the firms emphasize more on customer satisfaction and customer retention rather than pushing the product. The companies are rather taking a pull strategy for developing new product and acquire the customers. When a company has good relation with its customers then the customers will become loyal to the company and that will help the company also acquire new customers. In the era of globalization the competition between the firms are intense, and for retaining the market share the companies need to develop some innovative strategy of marketing so that the customers become more attracted to their products. When a company is trying to push the products then the customer might loss attraction for their products because the products of the concerned company may not be meet the customer requirements. The customers may shift their attention to any other brand where they can get the produ cts as per their requirements. As a result the revenue of the former company gets affected as well as their profit. So for retaining the market share the companies should stop using the push marketing strategy, instead they need to use the pull marketing strategy. The companies should consider the customer requirements with the most importance, and for become the market leader the companies should develop a good relationship with the customers. ... They have to face the political challenges of different countries and competition from the local competitors. The opportunities of the local competitors are that they can develop the relationship with the local customers easily where it is tough for the multinational competitors. The local companies can understand what the customers want as they are operating in the same country. But the companies which are operating globally they need to understand the local customers need for generating revenue and profit from the country. The requirements of the customers differ from one country to another. The companies need to understand the customer requirements of different countries for generating profit from that country. For knowing the customer requirements the multinational companies need to conduct the market research in that particular country. Through the marketing research processes the companies can come to know about the customer needs, the customer also feel that the company is try ing to utilizing their responses. Through these processes the companies can come close to the customers, the relation between the customer and the company get improved. For achieving the sustainable market share and gaining profit the companies need to make some long term strategies. The customers are the main stakeholders of the company. The customers naturally obtain for the company where they can get maximum value in a relatively lower price. The customers expect that the product will obviously meet their basic requirements and as well as they can get some more benefits from that product. The customers will go for the brand where they can get maximum benefits after meeting the basic requirements. In this report