Research Design And Research Plan Essay - 1865 Words

Research Design and Research Plan Background According to the Census Bureau, approximately 49 million Americans didn’t have coverage in 2011. The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act has only been extended to cover 32 million uninsured individuals mandates. The main issue of access to affordable care will be to exacerbated by the limited community- based resources that provide preventive services, primary care access and the continuum care for patients with chronic conditions (Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.: 2014, 2015). There is a need to increase capacity to serve more patients while improving outcomes and reducing cost. Health disparities in the U.S. range from HIV/ Aids to obesity. The minority population typically has a disproportional burden of the HIV/ Aids epidemic ( Wetle Scanlan 2013). Disparities in health care are among the lines of access to care, treatment, preventive measures, and medicine. Within this research project were used to examine how one s race, neighborhood, or s ocial classes affect their quality of care, and health outcomes ( Wetle Scanlan , 2013). It was found that people who lived in lower-income urban areas were found to have a lower quality of care. The study also found that these people were also prescribed stronger more dangerous medicine, and also paid higher co- pays. The Affordable Care Act was created to target, and eliminate health disparities (Adepoju , Gonzales , and Preston 2015). The ACAShow MoreRelatedInquiring Minds Want to Know1021 Words   |  5 PagesPenton Media’s sampling plan and research design for their study on if their reader service cards are still successful in getting buyer’s attentions. There are five questions that develop the sampling plan and Penton Media’s answers to these questions are described in this paper along with the strengths and weaknesses of their decisions. Their research design is also explained in the eight categories given. Finally, the strengths and weaknesses of their research design are given. Read MoreCase Study 2 Essay examples1196 Words   |  5 Pages 3. Describe the sampling plan. Analyze its strengths and weaknesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Just about every research sampling plan can be associated with a variety of strengths and weaknesses. These are challenges the decision maker in charge of the study must face when choosing the sampling plan for the specific research. Penton media devised a sampling plan that would require several steps, in order to isolate an ideal population of users to poll for their research.   Their lengthy process includedRead MoreMethodology And Format Of Any Scientific Work Essay1647 Words   |  7 PagesResearch design This refers to the plan, structure and format of any scientific or statistical work. 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A problem will be raised by researcher in which he will carry out his course studyRead MoreInternet Marketing1291 Words   |  6 Pagessuccessful completion of this unit a learner will: 1 Understand marketing through the internet 2 Be able to use the internet for promotion using digital marketing communications 3 Be able to produce market research to support customer relationship management 4 Be able to design an internet marketing plan. |Learning outcomes: |Assessment criteria for pass: The learner can: |Evaluation checklist | |On successful completion of this unit a | Read MoreThe Four Principles Of Mixed Methods Design968 Words   |  4 PagesThe assignment for this paper is to reflect on the four principles of mixed methods design (using a design that is fixed and/or emergent, using a mixed methods design approach, matching the design to the problem, and stating the reason for mixing methods) in regards to a planned study. This paper will briefly describe how these principles can be applied to the study. The paper will first describe the planned study. The Department of Defense (DOD) recently published updated instructions 8500.01 andRead MoreThe Stages Of Health Services Research826 Words   |  4 PagesWhat are the major steps in the conceptualization stage of health services research? Ronald J. Chenail of Nova Southeastern University, Florida in his research article â€Å"Ten Steps for Conceptualizing and Conducting Qualitative Research Studies in a Pragmatically Curious Manner† identified ten steps in the conceptualization stage of health services research. His ten steps are: Step One: Reflect on What Interests You. The first step is to pick a subject, policy or project that interest you or you areRead MoreThe Stages Of The Action Research Cycle916 Words   |  4 Pagesof the action research cycle. It will classify the ways that quantitative and qualitative data are utilized during the early stages of action research. This paper will provide a comparison of the different communities that are involved in an action research project. It will also discuss the importance of ethics in action reach. The Three Stages of the Action Research Cycle In the action research cycle, there are three different steps (stages) that are involved in the plan for research and problemRead MoreQualitative And Quantitative Research Design1537 Words   |  7 PagesResearch and Program Evaluation This paper will compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative research designs. While giving the information, I will also elaborate on the types of research designs that they both implore. At the end of the paper, the reader will have a better understanding for qualitative and quantitative research designs and when to use each type of design. Qualitative Research Design Cresswell (2014) states â€Å"qualitative methods rely on text and image data, have unique stepsRead MoreQuantitative Research And Time Series Design1064 Words   |  5 PagesQuantitative Research and Time Series Design Quantitative research is used make inferences based on a certain experience by incorporating a large or wide number of participants that are measurable and that have objective hard data that will allow for a statistical control and generalizability across many populations. (Sheperis, Young, Daniels, 2010). This data will come from surveys and experimental methods and proves to be rather valuable. Quantitative Research Time Series Design When measurementsRead MoreQuestions On Quantitative And Qualitative Research964 Words   |  4 PagesOther Approaches to Research In the 20th century researchers developed other research designs that draw on quantitative and qualitative elements. Mixed methods, action research, and program evaluation follow the research design process of quantitative and qualitative research. Action research and program evaluation however are not applied research designs. Mixed Methods As the name implies, mixed methods research combines both quantitative and qualitative components to add depth and breadth

The Lost Boy By Steven Spielberg - 2074 Words

There is no flowing current throughout Spielberg’s filmography quite like the Lost Boy; the ultimate lost boy being Steven Spielberg himself. As a result of moving often in his formidable years, he was always the new kid. His father, who he described as a workaholic, was often absent. The absence only grew after his parents divorced. Considered a nerd by many of his classmates, even called ‘Spielbug’ behind his back, he found solace in the world of film. In 1958, to satisfy the quest for a merit badge in Boy Scouts, he made a nine-minute video entitled the Last Gunfight. The rest, as they say, is history. Beyond divorce and a less than cool persona, he also struggled with anti-Semitism in the largely WASP neighborhoods he grew up in. All†¦show more content†¦During the journey that ensues to help E.T. accomplish his goal, Elliott harnesses the help of his brother and his brother’s friends who shunned him before. This is not dissimilar to Spielberg’s experiences in the seventh grade. In Joseph McBride’s biography a former schoolmate of Spielberg’s, Steve Suggs, explains what it was like to be involved in the young filmmakers amateur production Fighter Squad. â€Å"I remember telling my mom about it afterward. Here was this kid who was sort of a nerd and wasn t one of the cool guys; he got out there and suddenly he was in charge. He became a totally different person, so much so that I as a seventh grader was impressed. He had all the football players out there, all the neat guys, and he was telling them what to do. An hour ago at home or on the campus he was the guy you kicked dirt in his eyes. It was miraculous. It just blew me away. The parallels between Elliott and young Steven Spielberg are absolutely intentional. â€Å"E.T. began with me trying to write a story about my parents’ divorce† he’d later explain in an interview. It was the ‘alien and the alienated’ and it spoke to him. Though it was his most personal use of a lost boy, it would hardly be his last. With Empire of the Sun he described the movie as the death of childhood. The story is probably quintessentially more about the death of childhood than anything I ve made before or since. Based on a true story, Jim is separated from his family as the attack on

Reforms by the United Kingdom Free Essays

The delivery of public services has always been directly connected with the stability of a country’s economy. The more stable the economy, the better the public services. In recent years, as the world slowly adjusted to the rise of global markets, many countries began transforming their public sector management (Hughes 2003). We will write a custom essay sample on Reforms by the United Kingdom or any similar topic only for you Order Now Today, management of public services is more flexible and market-based. It has moved from public administration to New Public Management (Hughes 2003). With this paradigm shift comes a shift in the role of government in society. It also redefines the relationship between government and its citizenry. Together with this new orientation of public service management is the need for reforms in the whole structure. These reforms are required to strengthen services in protection, education, recreation and care (Flynn 2002). The stronger economies of the world have taken steps towards these reforms. The United Kingdom is one of these stronger economies that have progressively taken the initiative for public service reforms. Major public service reforms began in the United Kingdom (UK) in the 1980’s under the Thatcher government (Hughes 2003). The following pages will try to explain the different reforms in UK’s public service management. It will address the bigger issues that surround it. It will identify the unique qualities of the UK reform programme and present the advantages they may achieve. Through these inferences, a more objective and balanced view of UK’s reform programme will be achieved. Response to the UK Public Sector Reforms The United Kingdom’s initiative to reform their public service programme is mainly due to fitting of the services with the changing demands of the times. The rise of living standards, coupled with the growing diversity of citizenry calls for the change in public services (Prime Minister’s Office 2002). In the 1980’s, under the leadership of then PM Margaret Thatcher, the first major steps to public reforms were taken. At the center of these reforms is the wide-spread initiative to privatize services (Flynn 2002). Towards the end of the decade, management of basic services, gas, water and electricity, were transferred under private control (Flynn 2002). Apart from these, four other major government controlled corporations also were given up to private enterprises. Privatization was not the only way to reform public service management. Soon after the turn-over of basic services to private control the central government and the National Health Services began outsourcing many of their functions and services. In 1997 however, under the leadership of PM Tony Blair, a new campaign was launched to further reform the public service management. Public services were believed to have been suffering from under-funding (Prime Minister’s Office 2002). However a strong economy is essential for the reforms. The Blair administration then began working on building a stronger, more stable economy. The ultimate objective of the 1997 reforms is to provide everyone with real opportunity and security (Prime Minister’s Office 2002). In three years time, the UK finally experienced a sort of rebirth within the public services. In 2000, health services and education have never been better. Reform plans did not end here. Long-term goals to uplift standards in the areas of transport, education, criminal justice system and health were designed. The road to these reforms has been tough. The setbacks and controversies are inevitable. There needs to be a genuine partnership between the government and people in the front line. The desire for reforms has propelled public service in the forefront of many political and social debates (Darwall 2005). One of the biggest concerns with the current reform programme lies in policy and communication confusion (Wintour, 2007). The government is clear with its vision for reforms. However, it does not provide a coherent framework for action (Darwall 2005). While the reforms are meant to increase efficiency, the citizens do not feel this happening. Modernized civil service is actually the consistent delivery of better services and getting the best value for public funds (Darwall 2005). The question lies on accountability for the use of these public funds. The UK’s public service history shows that bad decisions made create obligations and consequences across generations. Debates arise because of this very reason. While one group sees the necessity of spending to provide better public services, the other fears that much spending may not necessarily increase the level of efficiency in delivering these services (Douglas, Richardson, and Dobson 2003). The reforms brought about the founding of different agencies (Armstrong and Ford, 2000) to handle such use of public funds. However there is growing concern about the qualifications of people managing these agencies. Public servants are not necessarily managers. Improvement of efficiency requires a great deal of management (Darwall 2005). Even the best policies can easily crumble in the hands of those who are not fit to handle them. The growing impression about these newly established agencies then is that they do not do not speed up delivery of services. On the contrary, these agencies, while under the supervision of less experienced managers, slow down the process of public service. In fact the popular notion about these agencies is that they rather make collaboration and cooperation more difficult. The formation of these agencies is one of the most debated issues concerning the reforms. Ethical issues are also being raised against the reforms. The shift of public service towards a market based orientation makes the definition of boundaries between what is public and what is private more difficult (Public Administration Select Committee 2002). Interface between public sector and private enterprise is becoming more evident. Private businesses are becoming more involved in providing public services. More and more then, ethical concerns are raised. There is growing clamor to cultivate and strengthen the ethical considerations in public service management. It is important to ensure that ethics are not lost or put aside, especially at a time when services are being delivered in new ways by new providers (Public Administration Select Committee 2002). In public service there should always be a way to check impartiality, accountability, trust, equity and probity. This is the key to keeping the ethical considerations in public service management whilst implementing its reforms. From the time of PM Thatcher in the 1980’s to the reform programme of PM Blair in 1997, the UK public sector has underwent alterations both in policy and implementation. However caution has been taken. Reforms have been worked on reforms slowly. Unrestrained expansion usually results in policy failure (Lane 1993). Both the government and its citizenry agree. There is no doubt that reforms are a welcome idea for everyone. The promise of better services being delivered more efficiently and consistently can be actualized (Public Administration Select Committee 2002). The government is confident about their plan. The have laid down the strategies to achieve them. Even then, the citizenry is skeptical. There are many issues surrounding these reforms. The government admits there are hurdles along the way of reforms. The journey towards better services is long and hard. But the government has a strategy. It addresses the questions of improving national standards, devolution of responsibility, increasing flexibility and providing better choices (Prime Minister’s Office 2002). The citizens are waiting patiently. So far, reforms have been implemented but the issues still remain. Somehow the general impression is that the strategies set by government are not being translated into actual action (Public Administration Select Committee 2002). Some improvement in the areas of education and health has been achieved. The question is, is it enough to address the growing demands of society? The citizenry of UK sees very little results from the reforms. They seem to pale in comparison with the growing demands of an ever evolving society. Successful reforms are transformational. This only means that the impact of these reforms should be strong enough to affect all areas of life. Unique Qualities of UK Public Sector Reforms   While the UK’s reforms remains heavily debated and scrutinized, there is no doubt that it is one of the most dynamic. In public service history, the UK programme has been one of the most studied. Many parallelisms have been made on the reforms. Many other similar programmes have been initiated based on its working history. The reforms are based on the three important E’s in public service management. They are economy, efficiency, and effectiveness. This is one unique characteristic of the UK programme. The wide-spread privatization instituted by the Thatcher administration applied this premise (Flynn 2002) in all the transactions. Before the Cable and Wireless turn-over in 1981, a comprehensive study on its advantages was conducted to prove its viability under these three considerations. Apart from this unique way of assessing possible changes in servicing, the programme has proven to be very resilient. It has withstood challenge in the past. And it continues to withstand challenges today. Even the strongest challenge against its agenda control and policy review (Parsons 1995) could not deter the progression of its reforms. In fact it is this very same resiliency that brought about a big improvement in health care. The persistence in the area of health reforms provided increase in health care workers by at least 40,000 in seven years. There are two working concepts of the UK Public Sector Reform Programme, the â€Å"best value review† and â€Å"comprehensive performance assessment† (Harris, 2003). These two working concepts provide a basis for check and balance of the reforms. This is unique to the programme. It also sets the tone on how reforms should be made. The UK government works very closely with organizations like Reform to objectively assess the veracity of the reforms. It is through studies conducted by organizations like Reform that insures that equity and environmental impact are not overlooked in the formulation of reforms. How to cite Reforms by the United Kingdom, Papers

Engineering Essay Example For Students

Engineering Essay In shadowing Dave Mcleod, I learned what it is like to be an Electrical Engineer for Uniroyal Goodrich Tire. Typical days for Dave Mcleod consist of eight hours or more depending what he exactly is working on. For right now is job consisting of twelve hours or more, because of the current project he is designing. Engineers have many duties when it comes to meeting a deadline or deadlines. His current deadline is on the project called The 4-Roll Calendar Drive Control Retrofit. It starts on December 23, 1999 at 6pm and has to be finished by January 1, 2000 at 7:30am. On the day of December 8, 1999, I visited the Uniroyal Goodrich plant, in which I met with Dave Brenner, Mike Atchley, and Dave Mcleod. These people are very important in the running of this plant. Dave Brenner is the plant manger, Mike Atchley is the operations manager, and Dave Mcleod is on of the head engineers. Meeting these people opened my mind to the tire building process and how it is carried through. Tires, are not made by just sticking it through one end and out comes the tire on the other side. An Engineer has much to do with the production of a tire. Dave is the designer of the machine that produce the tire, he is the person to call when help is need in completing the tire making process. The duties and responsibilities for this work require electrical design work and the understanding of mechanical work. There is a thirty- percent of circuit diagramming and opponents. Then there is a seventy- percent of computer programming. A possible starting salary for this occupation is 45,000 dollars. An Electrical Engineering major is recommended for this kind of occupation, but you can have a bachelors degree. Mechanical Engineering is also recommended for this occupation. Dave Mcleod got his current job by starting out as a maintenance manager at the US1 Greenville Plant, now he is currently an electrical engineer at The Uniroyal Goodrich Plant in Fort Wayne. The part Dave Mcleod likes the most is the diversity of what is being worked on and the least liked is the pressure that follows. The percentage of job interaction with other people depends a lot on what he is working on. Other than that, his interaction is a high percent. Advice that Dave gives is for college students who want to get into this field is to co-op and learn the maintenance of electronics. You will need to be able to adapt to change, said Dave Mcleod.Bibliography:

Strategic HR Practices in Emirates Airlines

Introduction Strategic human resource practices require a business firm to focus on creating value in their internal functions to increase their competitive edge in specific industries they operate in.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategic HR Practices in Emirates Airlines specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This requires a firm to link its organisational culture with its operational structure and business objectives to attain positive outcomes (Boxall Purcell, 2008, p. 67). Emirates Airlines is one of the largest companies with operations in the United Arab Emirates and other parts of the world. The company’s vision focuses on sustaining strong leadership to enable it to formulate fresh ideas to keep it competitive in the industry. The company’s mission focuses on corporate responsibility by participating in different community programs that have tangible communal benefits in different parts of the world. The purpose of this report is to highlight different aspects of strategic human resource management in Emirates Airline and how they have enabled the company to attain positive results in its operations. This paper will discuss an overview of strategic human resource management practices in Emirates Airlines and provide an analysis on how they help it execute its objectives in the industry. Approach to Management Strategic HRM principles which focus on giving a firm organisational effectiveness to make it more competitive in the industry have been implemented by Emirates Airline.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The firm’s HR systems offer all employees positive working environments that allow them to utilise their talents to improve performance (Boxall Purcell, 2008, p. 71). The organizational culture is closely aligned with its mission where employees pa rticipate in making crucial decisions which are reviewed and implemented within a short time. The firm’s operational systems are flexible and this ensures that various crucial functions and duties are performed in different locations to save on costs and time. Since it is a transnational organization, the firm has a less complex organisational structure which allows all employees to interact freely. The company’s resourcing practices focus on developing its own talent pool and sourcing experienced employees through the internet, recruiting agencies and the media. Advertising of employment opportunities by the company is done through traditional media and recruitment agencies which the firm partners with. Employees are drawn from 160 different nationalities and they are given equal opportunities to build their skills and talents in the firm. Adverts target employees with different types of skills who are able to perform a wide range of functions in the firm. More import antly, the firm constantly looks at changing patterns in the industry that are likely to impact on its operations and updates its employment practices accordingly (Bamber, Gittell, Kochan Von Nordenflycht, 2013, p. 55).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategic HR Practices in Emirates Airlines specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the external pressures the firm has to consider when changing its HR policies include: legal environment, costs, technological changes, political factors and cultural factors that directly impact on its operations. The firm’s management team confers with employees before policy changes are implemented and this allows both parties to share ideas about benefits and risks that are likely to be experienced by the firm. Internal HR Management Performance management processes enable leaders in a firm to set goals to be achieved by all employees in their workstations to register quality outcomes. The airline encourages its employees to feel at ease whenever they are at work and this motivates them to focus more on the task at hand. Since the firm observes dynamic work practices, employees interact easily with managers to make them aware about different issues they are facing. The firm mainly relies on long cycle performance management systems which allow it to use personnel appraisal methods with different criteria to evaluate employees. Periodic reviews are undertaken and employees that attain positive results are awarded yearly bonuses, travel benefits and promotion opportunities (Bamber, Gittell, Kochan Von Nordenflycht, 2013, p.60). This approach allows managers to take note of different factors in the operating environment that affect overall organisational performance negatively.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The firm’s resource base is updated through both talent management and succession planning strategies. During training, employees are equipped with multiple skills to allow them to understand different duties they are expected to execute in the firm more effectively. This makes them suitable for different functions the firm specializes in to make them more competitive in their work responsibilities. More importantly, the firm has strong training procedures for new and old employees that increase their awareness about specific work responsibilities they are expected to execute (Exter, 2013, p. 87). Flexible induction policies reinforce a positive work life balance in the firm and as a result, they get inspired to attain positive results in their workstations. This approach encourages employees to take the initiative to improve their own performance in the firm. Communication, Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture The main language that all employees use for communicat ion is English. This allows people in the organization to interact with one another freely to form strong relationships that improve results. The inclusive diversity policies in the firm have increased the level of integration and cohesiveness thereby allowing all stakeholders to focus more on organisational objectives. The firm relies on both online and traditional communication platforms to engage with its employees in different locations (Nankervis, Compton, Baird Coffey, 2011, p. 67). Since workers perform their duties in a relaxed environment, the firm encourages them to increase their interest in other external activities that are beneficial to their development. This allows them to exploit their talents in a dynamic organizational environment because existing structures encourage mutual exchange and collaboration. The firm’s overall practices have elements of both clan and rational cultures. Clan culture is practised through employee collaborations to achieve customer service excellence in these functions; ticketing, onboard services, baggage handling, communications and customer care services. Therefore, information sharing and team work have made it possible for the firm to stay ahead of its competitors in the industry because of the additional value offered to customers. Rational culture is used by leaders in the firm to engage employees to improve the way internal systems are designed to improve overall performance. As a result, middle management teams guide workers on the importance of adhering to high operational standards to elicit positive reactions from customers (O’Connell Williams, 2011, p. 52). Therefore, managers are able to gather information to understand various issues that are likely to affect workers’ performance in the firm. Employees in the firm are encouraged to interact with their colleagues outside the workplace to make them appreciate their diverse cultural backgrounds. Employees are also encouraged to part icipate in various corporate responsibility activities and this has improved their perceptions towards the firm’s corporate values and ethical principles. Employees are encouraged to volunteer in corporate social responsibility events where they get to learn more about the importance of sustaining positive relationships with all stakeholders. Therefore, this has brought about a high performance culture in the firm which rewards and acknowledges people for their positive contributions to the firm (O’Connell Williams, 2011, p. 57). Leadership Style and Change Management Processes Leadership is a key function which every business organization must take seriously. The leadership style which is used by the airline is a combination of paternalistic and transformational leadership. The firm’s leadership has infused new ways of thinking into existing organizational practices which encourage employees to use critical thinking skills to perform their duties. Most of the senior executives in the firm have worked there for a long time and they are able to anticipate different challenges before they occur. In effect, they use knowledge-based theories to make proactive decisions which sustain the firm’s competitive advantage in the industry. Since the Dubai government is a strong stakeholder in the airline, some of its leaders confer with management to find out the impact of external policies on the firm’s operations (Wensveen, 2007, p. 98). The leadership model adopted by the firm focuses on both results and general behaviour to inspire employees so that they can become more diligent in their duties. The firm was forced to change its recruiting practices several years ago to cut down on operational costs. A majority of its employees come from low wage countries and this has allowed the firm to focus on other strategic functions to increase its competitive edge. Additionally, the implementation of an aggressive growth strategy has increas ed the number of global destinations it flies to (Hayton, Biron, Christiansen Kuvaas, 2012, p.70). More importantly, the firm was among the first airlines to place orders for the Airbus A380 as part of its fleet modernisation program to help it fly its passengers to long haul destinations. All these growth plans have necessitated a change in the HR strategy because the firm focuses on constant process improvements to sustain its brand value in the industry. Kotler Eight Step Process Step 1: The firm’s first CEO Maurice Flanagan instituted excellence policies in 1985 after being chosen by Dubai’s rulers to start a globally recognized airline. Step 2: Hiring procedures focusing on hiring expatriates from Western Europe and the U.S. Expatriates have served in senior executive positions for more than two decades and this has helped the firm to develop its internalisation strategy. Step 3: A change vision focusing on equipping employees with high quality customer service, communication skills was instituted by the airline to achieve its strategic objectives. Step 4: Employees were exposed to a new working culture which allowed them to understand the firm’s vision in the industry and how it was going to be achieved. Step 5: Adoption of learning centred approach to improve performance and to streamline various functions. Improvement in hiring practices to bring about cultural diversity at the workplace. Step 6: Performance management and reward systems for technical, customer service and other employees in the organisation to improve internal and external operations. Step 7: New expansion plans that enable the firm to use modern aircraft for long haul flights to increase connectivity and to provide high levels of comfort to customers. Step 8: The firm has instituted a corporate responsibility plan that encourages its employees to engage with external stakeholders to make them understand its long term vision. Change Implementation Processes and I nnovation in the Company The firm has focused on bringing transformational changes that are aligned to evolving overall brand strategies. As a result, employees’ perceptions towards change management processes are more positive because they know there are many opportunities they will gain in the future. Effective stakeholder management policies have been implemented to encourage all stakeholders to participate in organisational activities. This approach has allowed the firm to increase awareness about its short term and long term objectives in the industry (Hayton, Biron, Christiansen Kuvaas, 2012, p. 117). Managers inform employees about specific changes that are implemented in the firm and how they conform to its long term goals. As a result, this encourages employees to work harder to attain positive results in their duties. The company uses constant learning processes to make its internal as well as external practices more competitive. Since it has more than 62,000 emplo yees, it has diverse workplace strategies that make employees feel that they are appreciated. Therefore, all employees understand the role they play in the firm and this has stimulated positive thinking in different departments (Taneja, 2004, p. 112). The firm also relies on technology to boost various outcomes achieved by individual employees in their respective workstations. In addition, employees are allowed to propose new changes in their workstations to improve the quality of results obtained from different work processes. Work systems in the firm are designed to encourage flexibility and teamwork to allow employees to become more creative in their duties (Storey, 2007, p. 76). This approach encourages employees to propose new ideas which are forwarded to managers for review. As a result these innovative practices have helped the company to achieve a higher degree of service excellence out of its operations and this has strengthened the quality of its brand in the industry. Con clusion The firm has a less complex organisational structure that favours quick decision making. Additionally, it relies on technological solutions such as video conferencing to conduct meetings between its managers who work in different locations. Employees rely on mobile technological solutions to schedule flights in accordance with flight plans of different destinations to minimise delays. Moreover, the firm’s employees use enhanced technical support systems that rely on high quality mobile technologies to perform other important functions (Lock, Fattah Kirby, 2010, p. 10). It is also one of the first airlines that offered electronic booking, onboard multimedia entertainment and other value added services to its customers. More importantly, the firm has a full time research and development department that identifies specific areas of its operations which need to be improved to boost its performance in the industry. The airline’s recruitment and performance manageme nt processes are closely linked to its long term business objectives and they have increased its competitive edge in the industry. The airline’s brand has increased in value because it allows employees to use technological tools to make both internal and external work processes more efficient. In addition, the airline has a simple management structure that encourages employees to share information about various work processes easily. This has helped the firm to avoid duplicating employee responsibilities at the workplace and as a result, it has managed to reduce unnecessary costs. Lastly, work systems in the firm are innovative and they encourage employees to be more creative in their work duties so that they attain good results. References Bamber, G.J., Gittell, J.H., Kochan, T.A., Von Nordenflycht, A. (2013). Up in the air: How airlines can improve performance by engaging their employees. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Boxall, P., Purcell, J. (2008). Strategy and h uman resource management. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. Exter, N. (2013).Employee engagement with sustainable business. New York, NY: Routledge. Hayton, J., Biron, M., Christiansen, L.C., Kuvaas, B. (2012). Global human resource management casebook. New York, NY: Routledge. Lock, H., Fattah, A., Kirby, S. (2010). Airline of the future: Smart mobility strategies that will transform the industry. San Jose, CA: Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group. Nankervis, A., Compton, R., Baird, M., Coffey, J. (2011). Human resource management: Strategy and practice. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. O’Connell, J.F., Williams, G. (2011). Air transport in the 21st century: Key strategic developments. London, UK: Ashgate. Storey, J. (2007). Human resource management: A critical text. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Taneja, N.K. (2004). Simpli-flying: Optimizing the airline business model. London, UK: Ashgate. Wensveen, J. (2007). Air transportation: A management perspective. London, UK: Ashgate. This report on Strategic HR Practices in Emirates Airlines was written and submitted by user Aria Richardson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

helping alex essays

helping alex essays Hi Alex, I used to be over weight, dramatically over weight in fact, and I can easily say I understand where you are coming from. I am 16 and I decided to first do something at the age of 13, but I assure you that the younger you start the easier for you to succeed it will be. At the age of 12 I was in a size 20 (UK size) I am now in a size 10/8 (again UK size). What I did was I just cut out all the high in fat foods from my diet; I went onto things like weight watchers foods that were low in fat, and ate a sensible diet. But dieting alone wont work, you also have to exercise, but this can be done without you even realising it. Ask your friends if they want to go out to an under 18's club and dance the night away, exercising should be fun, if you want to continue, dancing for an hour will burn off more calories than you will notice, and you'll be having fun whilst doing it. And did you know that in water you will burn twice as many calories as you do on land, so why not take up wate r aerobics? You dont have to go to a gym, or anything that will make you feel uncomfortable. If you dont feel comfortable dancing in front of other people them put on your favourite music and dance the night away in the privacy of your own home, have fun, and if you follow the basic rules you wont regret a thing. But make sure you have at least 1300 calories in one day, as you are still young and still developing. Best of luck for the future all my love Shelly x ...

Finance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Finance - Coursework Example The only difference however is that we do our business online. This is an advantage to the business as an online presence gives it an increased global presence at the same time helping it minimize operation costs to zero since there are no fixed costs to be paid out such as rent and other utilities. The main reason why I chose this line of business was due to the fact that after intense market research, I found out that there is always a demand for alcoholic beverage all year round. Alcoholics will always drink alcohol whether they have enough income or not. Although lack of income may mean reduced alcohol intake, it does not mean they will completely not drink. It with this conclusion that I decided to start this business as there was going to be steady cash inflows for the business throughout the year. Also, alcoholic drinks being fast moving consumer goods, there will always be a high demand for the products and extensive distribution networks and it is due to this reason that I c hose to be a cybermediary as there will always be a demand for the goods and to gain access to a large company. b) Analysis of break even. Break-even point is the level of sales at which profit is zero According to Atrill and McLaney (2011) at break-even point; sales are equal to fixed cost plus variable cost. In analyzing the break even, one normally needs the three pieces of information: Fixed costs, variable costs and average price per unit. Fixed costs are those minimum operating costs in a business that do not change no matter how many units one sells. They include rent, utilities, bank charges among others. Since Cape e- distributors is an online platform, it does not have any fixed costs as per now. Variable costs per unit-These are those costs that vary and depend on sales volumes. Average price per unit; Since you're able to choose exactly where to set your prices. Start by looking at your competition, and how they price their products. Break Even Analysis Formula therefore is: BEQ = Fixed costs / (Average price per unit – average cost per unit) Fixed cost =0 Average price per unit in year 1 is 55 Average cost per unit in year 1 is 11 Substituting into the formula = 0/(55-11) Therefore the break even quantity is zero. All the other break-even quantities for the subsequent years will be zero because there are no fixed costs for our firm. This is due to the fact that it is an online firm hence no operating costs are incurred. c) Analysis of business performance using financial ratios Profitability Ratios They use margin analysis to give an indication of whether a firm is generating enough returns on capital employed. For Cape distributors the gross profit margin is 91%, the net profit margin is 91% while the return on capital employed is 103%.With such high profitability ratios, it means that the firm has really minimized on its costs and the sales are increasing steadily.A high profitability ratio means that the firm is really good at cost contr olling Pandey (2008). Liquidity Ratios These are the ratios that show whether a firm is able to meet its short term obligations as and when they occur. I n other words they measure solvency of the firm. For our business, the liquidity ratios calculated are current ratio which is regarded as a test of liquidity for a company. It expresses the 'working capital' relationship of current assets available to meet the company's current obligations. The other liquidity ratio is the creditor

Networks Systems & Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Networks Systems & Technologies - Essay Example The firm also has a traveling sales force which needs to connect to the office network to access the sales applications and other administrative applications. The network users include managers, designers, sales, finance staff and secretaries. From the perspective of IT users and network spread, this can be called as a medium scale company network. The overall IT strategy would be simple and would include the following elements for us to consider – The company network would follow a two-layered architecture (Figure 2) with the head office & factory in the top layer and other 3 offices in the second layer connected to the network backbone. All offices would be connected to each other through a Wide Area Network (WAN) (Figure 1). Users in the individual offices would be connected to the network through a Local Area Network (LAN) forming a â€Å"Star Network† (Figure 3) going into the Ethernet Hub. The Ethernet Hub would be connected to the router. The other offices would be connected via routers to the network backbone and supported remotely from the head office. This type of architecture is chosen because majority of users are in the head office and factory. For the company wide access to various applications and systems, an Active Directory Server system will need to be used. An Active Directory server will be installed at every location and will have to be identified as a Global Service Catalog (containing all user information), DHCP, DNS Server and Domain Controller. This will enable all offices to have network connectivity even when the WAN network lines to other offices are down. The storage of servers and cables as well as the individual speeds are also part of the overall network design but slightly technical in nature. The types of servers needed will be determined by the applications and other infrastructure management tools which will be used within the company. A category 6 data cable will be used to

Love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Love - Essay Example People don’t exist in seclusion, but co-exist and interact with one another. This is the social nature of people and they tend to have profound feelings of affection towards others; majorly family members and friends. People in a relationship cherish and care for one another dearly. This is evident in close love relationships like sexual love and family ties. The former is associated with deep intimacy and a pleasant feeling of sexual attraction coupled with joy while later is manifested in very close family fondness cemented by blood ties. In the physical sphere, one can be in love with or have a deep liking of the physical things in the environment; they could be money, mountains, food, pets or cars. People have a great craving for whatever they cherish and like, and so they can never be happy in their absence. For instance, some people cannot do without pets due to their emotional attachment to them. Finally, religious people have a great sense of liking of their deity. S uch people are obsessed with their deities and they worship and show great reverence to them. They truly value and care for them to the extent that some can endanger their lives for their sake. This affection is deeply rooted and can be evidenced by people’s religious commitments. The definition of love is a complex subject matter that cannot be exhausted in these few paragraphs but the paper has briefly presented the social, religious and physical manifests of love. Irrespective of the category, love is a deep psychological feeling of affection towards somebody, something or a deity. It comes about with strong and profound psychological bonds that are not easy to

Good Communication Skills: Problem Solving

Good Communication Skills: Problem Solving In the secondary school setting, well-developed communication skills are an essential component of effective classroom management. They enable teachers to develop mutually respectful reciprocal interactions with students that serve to augment classroom experiences and outcomes. Various features and methods of communication may be used to enhance interpersonal exchanges, promote effective problem-solving and expedite conflict resolution. These are the vital building blocks that serve to build trust and understanding. Moreover, the many factors involved in effective communication assist greatly in facilitating warm reciprocal student/teacher relationships and productive learning environments which in turn, foster positive behaviour and learning outcomes. (Arthur-Kelly, Lyons, Butterfield Gordon, 2003) Many secondary school students perceive this time period to be especially challenging. Developmentally, such students are experiencing considerable upheaval as they begin to negotiate the maze to emotional, social, physical and cognitive maturity. The secondary school years are further complicated as adolescents begin to consolidate their sense of identity, strive for greater autonomy and freedom and their social networks expand. These momentous changes may cause many students to flounder and struggle both behaviourally and academically. Fortunately, through the use of effective interpersonal communication techniques teachers are able to build respectful, reciprocal relationships that bolster secondary students throughout this tumultuous journey. (Martin, 2010) Interpersonal communication is a complex practice that involves transmitting and receiving messages. Spoken words are used to convey meaning but the often overlooked non-verbal components of communication are of equal importance and comprise at least 50% of message content. Such components include eye contact, paralinguistics, positioning and posture, facial expressions, gestures, proximity and touch, personal appearance and communication setting. These factors have enormous potential to interfere with and distort the meaning of intended messages. As such, it is of paramount importance that teachers avoid making rushed interpretations of student non-verbal behaviour and also pay attention to the congruence of their own non-verbal communication. Actions tend to speak louder than words so incongruous non-verbal communication has the potential to seriously undermine message integrity and cause student confusion. (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003) As stated by Charles (2000, pp. 48-49) To a surprising degree, how you communicate determines your effectiveness as a teacher. Relationships are built on communication and easily destroyed by it. Because so much of communication has the potential to be misunderstood it is essential for teachers to employ strategies that minimise the chance of this occurring. One particularly effective method is the use of active listening (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). Active listening is not merely hearing but a much more purposeful action that involves being attentive, endeavouring to understand communicated concerns and emotions, clarifying through appropriate questioning and supporting problem solving (Weinstein, 2007). During active listening, the recipient of the message interprets what has been said and accurately reflects this back to check understanding of the speakers concerns and associated feelings. This process enables the speaker to feel acknowledged, supported and confident that they have been understood. It encourages the speaker to continue expressing, clarifying and garnering support to work through issues constructively (Geldard Geldard, 2007). By using the active listening technique, teachers send a strong message to students that they genuinely care. Congruently, caring, and especially student perception of such, is an important prerequisite for establishing the healthy relationships that promote positive behaviour and academic outcomes (DeSantis King, Huebner, Suldo Valois, 2006). 4 Several other communication processes may also be used to enhance the active listening process and to convey genuine concern and caring to students. These include making appropriate eye contact by altering posture to match the level of the speakers, using congruent facial expressions, employing minimal verbal cues and persevering with active listening until the speaker feels ready to conclude (Weinstein, 2007). Open questioning is also important. This involves the formulation of questions that require more than a negative or affirmative response. Such questioning is particularly useful to bring to light previously unconsidered issues and also to clarify information. Additionally, it is an effective way of encouraging ongoing conversation (Geldard Geldard, 2007). The combination of the abovementioned strategies effectively facilitate clear expression and enhance listening accuracy during conversations. In secondary classroom situations, however, it is often necessary to ensure that interference whilst conveying messages is eliminated as efficiently as possible. In these situations, assertive communication is an asset (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). During assertive communication, the rights of both the speaker and the listeners are upheld, thus reducing interference. This method of communicating is neither passive nor aggressive. Rather, communicating assertively means expressing messages in a no-nonsense manner that is straightforward, honest and inoffensive (Mohan, McGregor, Saunders Archee, 2008). One such way of communicating is through the use of I statements. I statements are a practical method for allowing the speaker to convey their message and simultaneously make their needs known without impinging on the rights of others. They are often particularly valuable as they alert the listeners to the speakers faith in their cooperation without any associated threatening connotations (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). Assertive statements are generally stated in three parts, to describe specific behaviours, to outline feelings associated 5 with such behaviour and to illustrate the effects of such behaviour. They send a clear message to the recipient without risk of offense (Mohan et al., 2008). Spoken calmly, I messages operate to provide valid, comprehensive feedback to students about the effects of their behaviour in a respectful, non-intimidating way (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). Despite the demonstrated efficiency of communication processes such as active listening and assertive communication, in secondary classrooms, the potential for conflicts and unresolved problems remains ever-present. Because of the stress and anxiety that is often associated with the dramatic changes experienced by adolescents, that they may at times act with confusion as they try to articulate their thoughts and feelings. This may precipitate seemingly inappropriate words and actions that may need careful negotiation to decipher and resolve (Brown, 2005). Negotiation is a problem-solving communication skill that incorporates active listening and assertive behaviour. Essentially, negotiation involves using mutual respect and communication devoid of interference by such contaminants as high emotive states (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). In negotiation, six steps are used to facilitate problem-solving. The first step involves problem identification using I messages, open questioning and active listening. Step two necessitates the identification of possible problem-solving options. This is facilitated through the collaborative listing of suggestions which are freely expressed and are neither evaluated nor censored (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). In step four, this process is refined as stakeholders are provided with the opportunity to delete any previously generated options that they find entirely unacceptable. Subsequently, in step five the adolescent selects their most favourable option which they believe is most likely to be successful and an agreement to implement this is established. Step six completes the procedure and involves agreeing on a time period before the results of the solution are reviewed. During the review process, permanent 6 implementation may be decided upon or in the case of an unsatisfying outcome the negotiation procedure will be repeated (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). Walsh (2004) alludes to the fact that during adolescence, emotional regulation is still undergoing development. This is one explanation for what appears to be ill-mannered, impulsive and angry behaviour that is periodically demonstrated by adolescents. Understanding by secondary teachers that adolescents will at times make social errors is extremely judicious and has enormous potential to be relationship building, setting the stage for cooperation (Brown, 2005). Consistent, considered action on the part of the secondary teacher leads to the building of trust that is integral to respectful relationships. Likewise, appropriate and effective communication builds mutual respect and is the foundation of all positive learning environments (Brown, 2005). All classroom learning occurs in the context of interpersonal interactions and this reciprocal arrangement wields a potent influence over the learning environment and associated student achievement. Effective communication between teachers and students has a reciprocal effect. Resultantly, it stands to reason that such interpersonal interactions are a vital component of positive classroom environment and associated enhanced behaviour and learning outcomes (Goh Fraser, 2000). Much research exists to support the notion that positive relationships between students and teachers enhances learning environments, leading to improved behaviour and favourable learning outcomes (den Brok, Levy, Brekelmans Wubbels, 2006; Fraser Walberg, 2005; Urdan, Schoenfelder, 2006). More particularly, student motivation, learning and degree of compliance are predominantly shaped by their perception of their relationship with their teacher (den Brok, Levy, Brekelmans Wubbels, 2006). During the turbid secondary school years students care a great deal about establishing positive relationships with their teachers and the level of support this provides. As such, they respond 7 with far greater enthusiasm, pronounced engagement and augmented effort, both behaviourally and academically, when they perceive that their teachers care about them (Urdan, Schoenfelder, 2006). By using effective communication skills, teachers are equipped with the tools to impart this powerful belief in their students, thus leading to respectful reciprocal relationships, positive learning environments and associated behavioural and academic growth. 8

The Values, Ideals, and Actions of Fanny Fern Essay -- Fanny Fern

The Values, Ideals, and Actions of Fanny Fern   Ã‚  Ã‚   Literature from the 1820à ¢s to the 1860à ¢s brought attention to the expanse of the American experience and gave rise to many unique voices. Some of the best writers of this era challenged their fellow citizens to live up to the ideals that the founding fathers had written into America's sacred documents. The voices that cast these challenges are as varied and wide spread in their approach as this nation's natural boundaries are diverse. Fanny Fern (1811-1872), was one of the writers who made a big splash with her fearless unconventionality during this literary renaissance. Her masterful use of satire and her belief that the ideal of individualism should include women, gained her enormous popularity and doomed her chances of being included in the American literary canon for over a century.    Fanny Fernà ¢s real name was Sarah Payson Willis Parton, but she used the pseudonym in all her legal affairs and with members of her family. Similar to Mark Twain in the sense that the pen names became more closely associated with the writers than their real names, Fern, like Twain, wrote satirical essays, sketches, and novels about the shortcomings of American society. For twenty-one years Fern reminded people that America needed to work on it problems with literature, education, prisons, prostitution, venereal disease, family planning, divorce, education, child rearing, and rights for women. Her unflinching, yet female perspective gained her enormous popularity. Although Fern did not completely abandon traditional womenà ¢s topics like love, marriage, and children, the most far-reaching issues that she addressed were economic independence for women and the need for improvements in dome... ...cked to comprehend and remember the attack, and to see a direction they may take for correction (Harris 15)." Fern gave us the ironic contrast between American citizensà ¢ values, ideals and actions.       Works Cited Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self Reliance." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 1622-1638. Fern, Fanny. Ruth Hall & Other Writings. Ed. Joyce W. Warren. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1986. Harris, Robert. "The Purpose and Method of Satire." VirtualSalt 20 Aug. 1990. 13 April 2001. <http://www.virtualSalt.com/satire.htm> Warren, Joyce W. Fanny Fern: An Independent Woman. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1992. White, Barbara A. "Fanny Fern (Sara Willis Parton) 1811-1872." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 2037-2038.

“Judgements about dialects are often essentially judgements about the speakers of those dialects

Language is primarily considered to perform two major functions in society. It is designed to convey information to those around us as well as establish and maintain relationships. However, linguistically (albeit from social stereotypes) certain paradigms relating to class, social and financial status are attributed to dialects – a consensus that has been perpetuated in recent times due to the diversity of today's society and the integration of many differing dialects and languages in cities and countryside alike. Indeed, a stereotype regarding a dialect usually derives from the views held on the characteristics of its speakers. Although a direct correlation between the aforemented stereotypes and linguistic fact has little scientific basis in reality it has not served to reduce the almost established dialect prejudice rife in the media, judiciary and education systems. In the early 20th Century, the ‘Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis' advanced the theory that the derivative of language we use is respective of our social, cultural and ideological background, and ever since various linguists and sociolinguists have studied dialectal differences and correlation between dialect and social judgments therein to determine the extent and implications of prevalent dialect prejudice. The size of the British Isles often leads people to discern that the languages predominant in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are homogenous and that one dialect (‘British English') is the most prevalent throughout, but even within a nation the size of England there is a great diversity of dialect both regionally and socially. Though these respective dialects can be categorised in vague groups such as ‘north' and ‘south' they do not adhere to any sharp boundaries or coincide with county/city lines. Instead, dialects are said to form a â€Å"dialect continuum†1 as they merge and alter near other cities or counties (i.e.: other dialects) so therefore one cannot define dialectal boundaries as they would be based on social fact, not linguistic. The most ubiquitous dialects within society (‘Geordie', ‘Cockney', Jock', etc.) often receive the most scrutiny for their variation to standardised English, and it is because of this that the speakers of r espective dialects are stereotyped with traits common to their culture. However, while it is true that some dialects represent certain social and political variants, this is predominantly due to geographical reasons and not because a dialect accurately represents one cohesive body of social genre. Also, the extent of Dialect Continuum means that dialects are often bandied together into broad categories (Geordie, Scot, etc.) meaning that certain dialects are often misinterpreted as others and therefore leads to people being attributed characteristics of a similar dialect. This reiterates the irrational social judgments by which dialects are often quantified as its speakers can be attributed to a dialectal collective that, while phonetically similar, may be wholly unrelated. An active example of this is in one particular study which showed â€Å"attitudinal responses were statistically significant between speakers of different dialectal groups in Great Britain in spite of the fact that respondents were inaccurate in the identification of the area from which the speakers came†. Indeed, the hypothesis that dialect is representative of one's background (which is linked intrinsically to social preconceptions) is accepted by the majority of sociolingustical commentators, the established view being that â€Å"accents and dialects have come to act as indicators not only of one's relationship to a locality but also of one's social class position† 3. The fundamental consensus of the ‘Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis' (formulated in the early 20th Century by prominent linguists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf) highlighting the striking difference between both languages themselves and their subsequent dialect derivatives, and that the surroundings and ideologies of a community are prominent in its form of speech. Therefore, one could discern that, if dialectal content necessitates the input of social background, judgments of dialects could be verified as the respective social traits of the speaker are evident in what they say and how it is said. In Britain, â€Å"people are often able to make instant and unconscious judgements about someone's class affiliation on the basis of their accent†4. Indeed, phonetic factors assume a primary role in highlighting ones social background. A 1972 survey undertaken by National Opinion Polls in England provides an example of how significant speech differences are associated with social class variety. Subjects, randomly chosen from the British public, were asked which factor (from eleven provided) was most indicative of a person's class. The most popular answer was ‘the way they speak' followed by ‘where they live'. This evidence highlights, albeit only to a certain degree, that speech mannerisms (governed primarily by one's dialect) are considered to be more indicative of one's social class than education, occupation or income5. This is highlighted primarily through the paradigms of ‘Subjective Inequality', which details the origins of linguistic prejudice in the public domain. Societies throughout the world credit characteristics such as intelligence, friendliness and status according to the traits of respective dialects, though these views are based not on linguistic merit – rather its emulation of the ‘received' or ‘standardised' variety of the language (the most revered British dialect utilised by various official establishments such as Government and the BBC). Thus, language is shown to proliferate social stereotypes, as it is one of the qualities (albeit highly unreliable) by which one is initially judged by those in the public domain. Despite the judgements of dialects categorizing the speaker with various socio-political elements, one should note that, from a purely linguistical standpoint, no regional dialect displays any signs of deficiency in its ability to convey information – social predispositions are therefore centred wholly on the idiosyncrasies and eccentricities of each respective dialect. This is a consensus supported by the majority of linguistic research (â€Å"there is nothing at all inherent in non-standard variety dialects that make them linguistically inferior†6). People will invariably draw conclusions upon one's persona regarding the characteristics of speech, not on its content. Indeed, due to the lack of linguistic discrepancy between the respective British dialects it is discernable that, aside from social factors, they are arbitrarily stigmatised. However, many maintain that this linguistic superficiality is perpetuated by the media; characters on television or radio that repr esent non-standardised dialects are often simply manifestations of traits commonly associated with their respective culture. Furthermore, some Sociolinguists have propagated the theory that perceived linguistic inequality (namely those dialects that do not conform to standardised forms of pronunciation and syntax) is a consequence of social inequality as â€Å"language is one of the most important means by which social inequality is perpetuated from generation to generation†7.The language and style utilised within a society has an innate relationship with the geography, occupation and ideologies prevalent in the community – making dialectal prejudice easier to circulate as the social traits of a speaker are evident in his diction and style of conversation. This is again based upon the ‘Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis', maintaining that language (and thus dialect) structure is, to some extent, influenced by a society's surroundings which in turn affects the way the community perceives the world around it. In reality, dialect prejudice is apparent in every sector of society, from education to business, highlighted through the ‘matched-guise' experiments conducted by Strongman and Woozley in 1969. These experiments served to highlight the extent to which people are quantified on the basis of their dialect and consisted of groups of subjects listening to people reciting a passage to assess the perceived traits of prevalent ‘RP English', Yorkshire, Northern and Scottish dialects. The subjects were then asked to gauge certain attributes regarding each speaker (friendliness, intelligence, success, etc.). The results showed that several of the dialects emerged with stereotypical traits – despite the fact that linguistically, none of the speakers had recited the passage any better or worse than the others as each speaker had been the same person adopting a series of dialects. Table 1 – Results from W.P. Robinson ‘Language and Social Behaviour' (1972). RP English Intelligent, successful, not friendly. Yorkshire Dialects Perceived as†¦ Serious, kind-hearted, not intelligent. Scottish Dialects Friendly, good-natured. Northern Dialects Industrious, reliable, lower class. It is clear from this that society assumes characteristic inferences upon others based primarily on their dialects. In short, speech characteristics of a social stereotype inherit the stereotypes evaluation. Further evidence of this is seen from an experiment conducted in America to highlight the prejudice between public reception of prominent ethnic and native dialects. A single speaker was recorded and played to listening subjects saying the word ‘hello' in three dialects: Standard American English (SAE), Chicano English (ChE), and African American Vernacular English (AAVE). Variation in the tenseness of the vowel and pitch prominence on the first syllable of ‘hello' was enough to elicit a significantly accurate identification of the dialects by listeners. When the stimulus was expanded to include ‘Hello, I'm calling about the apartment you have advertised in the paper', in actual calls to landlords (who were obviously unaware of the experiment), the SAE speaker guise was given an appointment to see housing at roughly the seventy percent level. Both the AAVE and ChE guises were given appointments only about thirty percent of the time8. This underlines the universal presence of dialect prejudice, the latter dialects are shown be regarded in certain sectors as less prestigious than the former. There is a great deal of evidence to underline lack of knowledge that institutes these social judgements of dialectal variety. Firstly, the prominent linguist Edward Sapir maintained that dialect and culture are not always intrinsically associated and that many unrelated cultures can share very similar dialectal derivatives of the same language. An active example of this was prevalent in aboriginal America – the Athabaskan varieties are clearly unified despite the wide distribution of its people, from the hunting communities of Western Canada to the ritualised Southwest. The illogical stigmatisation of dialects highlighted in the stigma towards the employment of double negatives in certain dialects (an action that is derided as a sign of low social standing or poor intelligence). Whilst being both widely considered a standard linguistical construction in other languages (e.g.: French and Arabic) and prevalent in such classical literary works as Shakespeare and Chaucer, modern English encourages the marginalisation of its usage. Thus, it is evident yet again that perceptions regarding dialects are not founded upon established linguistic principles, the case in point highlighting that syntactical and grammatical constructs are more figurative in a dialects perception. This has in turn lead sociolinguists to conclude that dialects cannot be adversely regarded on account of grammatical inconsistencies, as â€Å"these features have no intrinsic consequences for our capacity to communicate or restrict the range of meanings we can express†9. Furthermore, the illogical parameters by which dialects are linguistically quantified are reiterated in the cultural paradox of ‘American' and ‘British' English. In England, dialects without a non-prevolic /r/ are given prestige and constitute an integral part of the ‘RP' dialect; those that do not share this trait are stigmatised and portrayed as belonging to a rural and/or uneducated populace. Conversely, in New York those containing a non-prevolic /r/ are socially marginalized whilst non-prevolic /r/ usage is commonplace in upper class society. In English towns such as Reading and Bristol this pattern is again reversed – serving to reiterate that value judgements regarding dialect are completely random (at least from a linguistic standpoint). As well as this, another example of social perception strongly influencing the respective status' of dialects was conducted in New York by Labov, who examined shop assistant speech patterns in three differing department stores of high, medium and low repute. The procedure was then to ask several clerks a question regarding the department (e.g.: ‘where are the woman's shoes?') with two possible occurrences of non-prevolic /r/, to test the hypothesis that non-prevolic /r/ usage correlates with social class. Table 2 – Results of the Labov's Survey, taken from P. Trudgill (1983). High-ranking Store 38% used no non-prevolic /r/. Medium-ranking Store 49% used no non-prevolic /r/. Low-ranking Store 83% used no non-prevolic /r/. Thus Labov discerned that, to a certain extent, his hypothesis was verified: those dialects that do not frequently use non-prevolic /r/ are usually of a lower class. Also, this experiment demonstrated the paradigm that dialects are socially affected; the fact that this dialectal trait is marginalized is due to its affiliation with lower classes, reinforcing the fact that views on dialect are socially governed10. The communal view of certain dialects is not determined arbitrarily; they have as much to do with personal opinions regarding the dialect as the social and cultural values of the respective community. Certain dialects are given more prestige and status than others, which leads to some being more favourably evaluated than others (some are considered ‘good' or ‘attractive' whilst others are regarded as ‘slovenly' or ‘bad' in comparison). Dialects judgements are again propagated through the media, the frequent usage of ‘RP' English in official reports and programs responsible for the high level prestige attributed to those that utilise it. Judgements about dialects are therefore based on social connotations as opposed to any inherent linguistic properties. In short, it is the speaker that is judged, rather than the speech. This consensus is reiterated by Giles and Sassoon11, who cite consistent findings of subjects evaluating anonymous speakers with more standardised dialects more favourably for such characteristics as intelligence, success and confidence. In Britain the middle class is associated with not only its widespread representation of the standard dialect (‘RP' or ‘Estuary English') but also speaking with in a formal, articulate style than more common or marginal dialects (‘Cockney' and ‘Indian English' respectively). However, whilst many linguists conclude that social judgments are the parameter that separates dialects, the linguist Brown12 proposed the notion that perhaps there was a linguistic discrepancy between the standardised and stigmatised dialects in society. Brown contrasted the speech characteristics of upper and lower social class French Canadian speakers of varying dialects reading a pre-set passage and discovered, relative to the lower class dialects, the upper class subjects were considered as more articulate and had a better range of intonation and diction. From this, one could discern that there is an argument to support the idea that dialects are not wholly based on social judgment and that dialects utilised by the upper classes are generally more articulate and a more accurate representation of standardised diction (widely considered the quintessential form of a language). Nevertheless, there is a great deal that negates the validity of this information; firstly, as the subjects were reading prepared material and not speaking freely they could have been judged partly on their reading ability – not their dialectal traits. Secondly, it is difficult for subjects to not be affected by their personal views with respect to certain dialects, as neutrality can be hard to maintain in the artificial environment in which the is experiment was set (which could also be considered an adverse factor in itself). Though some experiments have shown that dialects are, in certain respects, revered on a purely phonetic level, analysis of large amounts of data seemed to group together paired opposites which pointed to competence, personal integrity, and social attractiveness constructs in the evaluation of speaker voices. A great deal of subsequent research in this field confirmed that these constructs were regularly at work, and, more interestingly, that standardised (or â€Å"RP English†) speakers were most often judged highest on the competence dimension while nonstandard (or regionally and/or ethically distinct speakers) were rated higher for the integrity and attractiveness dimensions13. Irrespective of social background, we can see that dialects can be judged (albeit very rarely) solely upon the speaker's representation of a particular dialect. In summary, the views surrounding many of today's modern dialects are primarily based upon out-moded stereotypes of the culture that said dialects represent. Though linguists have proved that language is influenced by predominant factors within a community (surroundings, ideologies, etc.) it does not justify dialectal prejudice as the information upon which these are founded are often erroneous and generalised. There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that no dialect is linguistically inferior to any other as they all possess the capacity to convey information effectively (if they did not, they would have been discarded or adapted by its community, making their very presence today confirmation enough of their abilities). Limiting the social and occupational possibilities of a certain group of people through dialect prejudice (albeit for many a machiavellian-esque social stigma), simply preserves social asymmetries and propagates tension between differing cultural factions.

Microsoft Vdi

Microsoft VDI Technical Proposal CYQUENT Ref: DXB-ATG-12004-SOW 5/20/2012 Prepared for Al Tayer Group Prepared by Lakmal Perera * Contents 1Introduction3 2Section 1 – Solution Overview4 2. 1Areas within Scope4 2. 2Areas Out of Scope4 2. 3Summarized Bill of Materials5 2. 3. 1Server and Software5 3CYQUENT Profile6 3. 1Our Vision6 3. 2Our Mission6 3. 3About Us6 3. 4Cyquent Competency Levels6 3. 5Core Offerings7 . 6Project Organization and Staffing7 4Implementation, Project Approach, Timeline and Service Deliverables8 4. 1Project Approach8 4. 1. 1Microsoft Solutions Framework8 4. 1. 2The IT Service Lifecycle9 4. 1. 3The Lifecycle Phases9 4. 2Timeline10 4. 2. 1Key Service Deliverables and Acceptance Process10 4. 3Service Deliverable Acceptance Process10 4. 4Project Completion11 5General Customer Responsibilities and Project Assumptions12 5. 1General Customer Responsibilities12 5. 2Project Assumptions12 IntroductionThe Statement of Work (SOW) and any exhibits, appendices, schedules and attachments describe the technical scope of work of project only. This SOW represents the complete baseline for scope, services, service deliverables, and acceptance applicable to this project. All changes to this document will be managed in accordance with the Change Management Process defined below. The Al Tayer Group IT has requested CYQUENT Technology Consultants to help them design and implement the following initiatives: * Microsoft VDI High Availability : Installation of Remote Desktop Connection Broker * Installation of Remote Desktop Session Host * Installation of Remote Desktop Virtualization Host * System Center Virtual Machine Manager CYQUENT Technology Consultants hereby indicate full interest in engaging with ATG on the said project and this Statement of work provides all details to that effect. Proposal Highlights I. Detailed Statement of Project Scope – Areas in Scope and Out of Scope II. Project Methodology: a.Cyquent Consultants will follow Microsoft So lutions Framework and ITIL methodology to implement a project. The implementation methodology is broken into five high level phases. The phases are designed to be run in sequence as the outputs from one phase are required inputs into the next phase. i. Envision ii. Plan iii. Design iv. Deploy v. Manage III. Project Timeline: The Project is estimated to take 1 Calendar Month days of duration. IV. Bill of Materials: Listing of Hardware & Software required to uccessfully complete the project based on details provided by ATG IT Team V. Cyquent Experience: Cyquent has successfully delivered many Microsoft Infrastructure Projects in different organizations; therefore Cyquent consultants are familiar with the intricacies involved in the successful deployment of Microsoft technologies. By choosing Cyquent, Al Tayer Group will be mitigating the risks involved in undertaking such a Project because of Cyquent best design practices and knowledge base drawn from our earlier engagements.Section 1 – Solution Overview Areas within Scope 1. Envisioning 2. 1. Planning / Design Workshop for fine tune approach and discuss risk areas for ATG. 2. Planning 3. 2. Update / fine tune project plan 3. 3. Develop Design & Build Documentation for Solution 3. 4. Review and Acceptance. 3. Stabilization 4. 5. Update / fine tune project plan 4. 6. Verify hardware, software and network infrastructure pre-requisites in place and operational 4. 7. Update go-to-production plan 4. Deployment 5. 8. Microsoft VDI 5. 9. 1.Installation of Remote Desktop Connection Broker 5. 9. 2. Installation of Remote Desktop Session Host 5. 9. 3. Installation of Remote Desktop Virtualization Host and HyperV 5. 9. 4. 1. Create Virtual Machines 5. 9. Installation of System Center Virtual Machine Manager 5. 10. Deployment Review and Acceptance. 5. General Troubleshooting , Basic Operations Training and hand over Areas Out of Scope 1. Anything else not included in this section and any activity other than what is d etailed in the â€Å"Areas within Scope† section above. . All products listed for deployment and configuration will be based on out of the box functionality 3. Acquiring any third party applications and hardware devices is ‘out-of-scope’. 4. Any deployment or configuration on client desktops other than the items listed in the section above. 5. No connectivity to any legacy system. Any connectivity / migration requirements to legacy systems will be treated as separate engagement. 6. Any deployment or configuration in the following areas to be done on advisory basis only * SAN replication. Network layer configuration (This includes firewall / UMT level public IP NAT, SSL offloading, core switch configuration and network configuration for traffic to terminate on servers. ) * Disaster Recovery site. Summarized Bill of Materials Server and Software The table below is an aggregation of all the server hardware and software required based on initial discussions with Al T ayer Group: Note: RD Virtualization Host can host up to 40 VDI desktop per server as per below Configuration, with total of 80 VDI’s on 2 servers. Server| Memory| CPUCores *| Local Disks| SAN Access| Network Cards| Software| | | | | | | | x Windows 2008 R21x Windows 2008 R22x Windows 2008 R21x Windows 2008 R2| 6GB6GB64GB6GB| 2 Core x642 CoreX6416 CoreX644 CoreX64| 2x75GB2x 75 GB1x 75gb1x 1000GB2x 75 GB| NoNoYesNo| 2222| * Windows 2008 STD x64 * Remote Desktop Connection Broker * Remote Desktop Session Host * Windows 2008 STD x64 * Remote Desktop Connection Broker * Remote Desktop Session Host * Windows 2008 ENT x64 * RD Virtualization Host, Hyper-V * Windows 2008 STD x64 * System Center Virtual Machine Manager| * – The CPU column specifies number of cores required rather than physical processors. CYQUENT Profile Our VisionTo be the most business friendly and cost effective IT consulting company by choice in the gulf Our Mission Consistently provide dependable IT Consul ting solutions that best satisfy customer’s business needs About Us CYQUENT is a strong Microsoft Gold Certified Partner in the Gulf managed by Ex-Microsoft Services Manager. CYQUENT is actively engaged in several projects with the local Microsoft team for customers in different verticals/Industries. Finding the right partner is an equally important task as identifying the right solution for your business needs. We at CYQUENT work and build solutions that are â€Å"Customer Centric†.We understand customer needs and align our approach to provide them with tailor made solutions to reach their business goals without compromising on the best Practices. Cyquent Competency Levels * Core Offerings * Technical Consulting – Design , Deployment, Project Management: * Information Worker (SharePoint/SQL/CRM) * Infrastructure * Security * Support (Premier Support) * Outsourcing :- * Managed Services * Staff Augmentation * Helpdesk Project Organization and Staffing Resource T ypes Allocated to the Engagement: 1. Cyquent Engagement Manager 2. VDI- Architect (On/Off-site) 3. Cyquent Consultants 4.Cyquent Server Engineer Implementation, Project Approach, Timeline and Service Deliverables Project Approach Microsoft Solutions Framework We will leverage the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) to execute this SOW. MSF represents an industry-proven solution development approach that provides for well-defined phases that take into account development of requirements, architectural design, detailed software design, software development, system testing, and managed release cycles. MSF Process Model Phases and Milestones MSF organizes the solution approach into five distinct phases during the project lifecycle. Envisioning: Envisioning involves creating a business vision and defining the scope of work necessary to bring the vision to reality (e. g. , business case justification, business studies, etc. ). * Planning: Planning continues through the development of deta iled functional requirements, system and application architectures, the user interface prototype, and a detailed project plan for the remainder of the project. * Development: The Development phase begins with the first iteration of development and culminates with the â€Å"functionality complete† milestone (or Beta release). Stabilization: The Stabilization phase involves testing and acceptance. * Deployment: The Deployment phase includes deployment of the core technology and site components, transitioning of the project to operations and support, and obtaining final Customer approval of the project * Change and Release Management CYQUENT will follow ITIL best practice guidance drawn from the public and private sectors across the world for the Change and Release Management processes to deploy this solution in your production environment. The IT Service LifecycleThe IT service lifecycle describes the life of an IT service, from planning and optimizing the IT service to align w ith the business strategy, through the design and delivery of the IT service, to its ongoing operation and support. Underlying all of this is a foundation of IT governance, risk management, compliance, team organization, and change management. The Lifecycle Phases The IT service lifecycle is composed of three ongoing phases and one foundational layer that operates throughout all of the other phases. They are: * The Plan Phase. * The Deliver Phase. The Operate Phase. * The Manage Layer. IT service lifecycle Timeline The Project is estimated to take 1 Calendar Month for completion subject to the following pre-requisites being fully completed: * Work Order Signed * Software & Hardware completely ready * Al Tayer Staff allocated for the project Key Service Deliverables and Acceptance Process Key Project Service Deliverables The following is a list of the key project service deliverables that will be delivered within this SOW which must be formally reviewed and accepted. Project Phase| S ervice Deliverable Name |Planning| * Planning Workshops * Design & Build Documentation for Solution * Project Plan| Deployment| * Installation of Remote Desktop Connection Broker * Installation of Remote Desktop Session Host * Installation of Remote Desktop Virtualization Host and HyperV * Create Virtual Machines * Installation of System Center Virtual Machine Manager| Training| * Training workshop for IT operations handover | Service Deliverable Acceptance Process At specified milestones throughout the project, we will deliver completed project service deliverables for review and approval.Service deliverables shall be reviewed within 4 consecutive business days from the time of submittal for acceptance. Service deliverables shall be deemed accepted in the absence of review or response of acceptance within this specified time. The use or partial use of any service deliverable constitutes acceptance of that service deliverable. Feedback supplied after the review period will be evalua ted as a potential change of scope and shall follow the Change Management Process outlined in this SOW. The Service Deliverable Acceptance Process is described below. * Submission of Service deliverablesThe CYQUENT Project Manager, or his designee, will prepare a Project Status report and forward with the respective service deliverable to the Customer Project Manager, or Customer designee, for consideration. * Assessment of Service Deliverables: The Customer representative will determine whether the service deliverable meets the requirements as defined in this SOW and that the service deliverable is complete. Additional work on, or changes to, an accepted service deliverable that are requested by the Customer will managed through the Change Management Process. Acceptance / Rejection: After reviewing, the Customer will either accept the service deliverable (by signing and dating the Service Deliverable Acceptance Form) or will provide a written reason for rejecting it and will return the Service Deliverable Acceptance Form to the CYQUENT team. * Correction of Service Deliverables: CYQUENT will correct in-scope problems found with the service deliverable and will address the correction of out-of-scope changes according to the Change Management Process.CYQUENT will submit a schedule for making changes to the service deliverable within two (2) business days of receiving a rejected Service Deliverable Acceptance Form. Once CYQUENT corrects all previously identified in-scope problems, the service deliverable will be deemed accepted. * Monitoring and Reporting: The CYQUENT project team will track service deliverable acceptance. Updates on service deliverable acceptance will be included in the status report and discussed in the status meeting. Service deliverable acceptance issues that cannot be resolved will be elevated to the Project Steering Committee.Project Completion The project will be considered complete, when any of the following are met: a. All of the servic e deliverables identified within this SOW have been completed, delivered and accepted or deemed accepted, including approved Change Request Forms b. The fee provisions of the Work Order have been met or c. This agreement is terminated pursuant to the provisions of the agreement. General Customer Responsibilities and Project Assumptions General Customer ResponsibilitiesOur delivery of the services are dependent on your involvement in all aspects of the services, your ability to provide accurate and complete information as needed, your timely and effective completion of the responsibilities as identified herein, the accuracy and completeness of the Assumptions, and timely decisions and approvals by your management. In performing our services under this SOW and the applicable WO, we will rely upon any instructions, authorizations, approvals or other information provided to us by your project Manager or by any other personnel identified by your Project Manager.Project Assumptions The Se rvices, fees and delivery schedule for this project are based upon the following assumptions. * All pre-requisites like :- * Hardware, Software, Resources and Networking Infrastructure (LAN or WAN) will be ready before CYQUENT Team starts Software deployment * Although CYQUENT can assist with troubleshooting procedures that pertain to environmental causes, specific issues maybe uncovered that require escalation to product support services for Microsoft or other products. These will be initiated using the customer’s existing support contracts with Microsoft and / or other vendors. Office facilities: Suitable office facilities at the project premises for our consultants during this engagement – with desk space, telephone (for internal and external calls), power, network connectivity (for printing documents, accessing project resources and storing project information), and Internet connectivity * Access: Timely access for our consultants to the facilities, IT infrastructu re, applications, data, documentation and staff necessary for us to carry out this engagement. * IT facilities and equipment: All computer facilities, hardware and system software needed for this project. Staff: Commitment of key stakeholders and suitably skilled staff to work with Cyquent Services consultants on this project as and when needed – particularly to clarify requirements and context during the project and to take ownership of the outputs of this engagement going forward, including: * Senior experienced Technical resources from application, systems and infrastructure teams. * Business management staff * Timely response: All necessary project decisions, feedback to queries and review of project deliverables in a timely manner, so as not to delay the project.

Soviets Change the Calendar

Soviets Change the Calendar When the Soviets took over Russia during the October Revolution of 1917, their goal was to drastically change society. One way they attempted to do this was by changing the calendar. In 1929, they created the Soviet Eternal Calendar, which changed the structure of the week, month, and the year. Learn more about the history of the calendar and how the Soviets changed it. History of the Calendar For thousands of years, people have been working to create an accurate calendar. One of the first types of calendars was based on lunar months. However, while lunar months were easy to calculate because the moons phases were clearly visible to all, they have no correlation with the solar year. This posed a problem for both hunters and gatherers - and even more so for farmers - who needed an accurate way to predict seasons. Ancient Egyptians, although not necessarily known for their skills in mathematics, were the first to calculate a solar year. Perhaps they were the first because of their dependence on the natural rhythm of the Nile, whose rising and flooding was closely tied to seasons. As early as 4241 BCE, the Egyptians had created a calendar made up of 12 months of 30 days, plus five extra days at the end of the year. This 365-day calendar was amazingly accurate for a people who still did not know the Earth revolved around the sun. Of course, since the actual solar year is 365.2424 days long, this ancient Egyptian calendar was not perfect. Over time, seasons would gradually shift through all twelve months, making it through the entire year in 1,460 years. Caesar Makes Reforms In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar, aided by Alexandrian astronomer Sosigenes, revamped the calendar. In what is now known as the Julian calendar, Caesar created a yearly calendar of 365 days, divided into 12 months. Realizing that a solar year was closer to 365 1/4 days rather than just 365, Caesar added one extra day to the calendar every four years. Although the Julian calendar was much more accurate than the Egyptian calendar, it was longer than the actual solar year by 11 minutes and 14 seconds. That may not seem like much, but over several centuries, the miscalculation became noticeable. Catholic Change to the Calendar In 1582 CE, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a small reform to the Julian calendar. He established that every centennial year (such as 1800, 1900, etc.) would not be a leap year (like it otherwise would have been in the Julian calendar), except if the centennial year could be divided by 400. (This is why the year 2000 was a leap year.) Included in the new calendar was a one-time readjustment of the date. Pope Gregory XIII ordered that in 1582, October 4 would be followed by October 15 to fix the missing time created by the Julian calendar. However, since this new calendar reform was created by a Catholic pope, not every country jumped to make the change. While England and the American colonies finally switched over to what became known as the Gregorian calendar in 1752, Japan didnt accept it until 1873, Egypt until 1875, and China in 1912. Lenins Changes Although there had been discussion and petitions in Russia to switch to the new calendar, the tsar never approved its adoption.  After the Soviets successfully took over Russia in 1917, V.I. Lenin agreed that the Soviet Union should join the rest of the world in using the Gregorian calendar. In addition, to fix the date, the Soviets ordered that February 1, 1918 would actually become February 14, 1918. (This change of date still causes some confusion; for example, the Soviet takeover of Russia, known as the October Revolution, took place in November in the new calendar.) The Soviet Eternal Calendar This was not the last time the Soviets were to change their calendar. Analyzing every aspect of society, the Soviets looked closely at the calendar. Although each day is based on daylight and nighttime, each month could be correlated to the lunar cycle, and each year is based on the time the Earth takes to circumnavigate the sun, the idea of a week was a purely arbitrary amount of time. The seven-day week has a long history, which the Soviets identified with religion since the Bible states that God worked for six days and then took the seventh day to rest. In 1929, the Soviets created a new calendar, known as the Soviet Eternal Calendar. Although keeping the 365-day year, the Soviets created a five-day week, with every six weeks equaling a month. To account for the missing five days (or six in a leap year), there were five (or six) holidays placed throughout the year.   A Five-Day Week The five-day week consisted of four days of work and one day off. However, the day off was not the same for everyone. Intending to keep factories running continuously, workers would take staggered days off. Each individual was assigned a color (yellow, pink, red, purple, or green), which corresponded with which of the five days of the week they would take off. Unfortunately, this did not increase productivity. In part because it ruined family life since many family members would have different days off from work. Also, the machines could not handle constant use and would often break down. It Didnt Work In December 1931, the Soviets switched to a six-day week in which everyone received the same day off. Although this helped rid the country of the religious Sunday concept and allowed families to spend time together on their day off, it did not increase efficiency. In 1940, the Soviets restored the seven-day week.