Computer Aided Instruction Essay

1.0 Introduction 1.1Background of the Study Bagbag National High School is one of those schools that incorporate PC subject in their educational program. The School needs to prepare their understudies to get educated in PC. Bagbag National High School was built up in the year1967 when President Ferdinand E Marcos affirmed the Presidential degree that arms on the critical needs of the secondary school in each baranggay and that connects poor kids in provincial territories who can't bear to concentrate in tuition based school because of budgetary trouble. It started operatively from a solitary room made of sawali with fire educators made out of four female and a male worked through the joint endeavors of the PTA Officers spearheaded by Luis Pasco Sr. what's more, Ligtong Elementary School Principal, Ms. Lilia Santos in 1968 inside the situate of Ligtong Elementary School, Ligtong Rosario Cavite, at first known as Ligtong Community High School. (LCHS) around the same time rudimentary and secondary school were isolated as requeste d. The instructors of ligtong baranggay High School looked for help from the previous Mayor Atty. Ernesto Andico and Governor Johnny Remulla to locate another site for the secondary school. Luckily the Philippines National on Company (PNOC) gave a bundle of land estimating 14,933.5 Square meters in 1991 thinking about that the site was a homestead land and it was in fact four years of previous Congressman Jun Nazareno fencing of the region of the school was made conceivable. The development of the main school building was through the help of Japan International Cooperating Agency measuring 1.5m pesos. This school was initiated by Mrs. Emilina L. Barlao the school head. As of now Bagbag National High School has 64 resources and staff. The school additionally has 2,143 understudies. This school offers Elementary and highschool training. They have 30 PCs in their Computer Laboratory. The school presently offers PC subjects to third year and 4rth year secondary school understudies. The instructors of the 4rth yr student’s who we met uncovered that different understudies in 4rth yr can only with significant effort comprehend the Mathematics subject in light of the fact that there are such huge numbers of understudy on each room and that makes some of them not see well what the educator is discussing.. So this is the motivation behind why we wanted to make the framework CAI. To help the understudies who can’t comprehend math effectively additionally to help the teacher in Math to train the Math subject. 1.2 Statement of the Problem. 1.2.1 General Problem The most effective method to configuration, create and actualize a Computer Aided Instruction in Science for 4rth year understudy in Bagbag National High School. 1.2.2 Specific Problem 1. How to make a module that can increment student’s enthusiasm for science subject? The other understudy who can’t get comprehend math effectively, believe that math is so difficult subject for them. Since it about number and troublesome issues. So we have to make a module that can give them enthusiasm to examine the math subject. 2. The most effective method to structure a module that will screen the student’s progress in Mathematics. The instructor of the understudies needs to physically check the composed activities and assessment of every understudy to screen if the understudies comprehend the exercises taken in math subject. 3. How to make a module that can test the learning cognizance of every understudy in science subject? The instructors need to give composed assessment. The instructor needs to give an example to be explained by the understudies. 1.3Objective of the Study 1.3.1 General Objective The primary goal of the examination is to configuration, create and execute a Computer Aided Instruction in Mathematics for Bag National High School. 1.2.3 Specific Objective 1. To make a module that can increment student’s enthusiasm for Mathematics subject 2. Structure a module that will screen the student’s progress in science subject. The framework produces singular history report and synopsis report this assistance to the instructor in observing understudies progress on math subject. 3. To make a module that can test the learning perception of every understudy in Mathematics subject. Tests and seatwork were given to upgrade their insight and test their appreciation from exercises they have taken. 1.4 Significance of the Study 1.4.1 fourth Year Students The 4rth year understudy as the clients will be profited by the framework. Aside from being extra device in learning Mathematics subjects, the framework likewise bring the client into universe of PC based-learning. The framework will catch the student’s consideration in light of the fact that the framework is intelligent and will connect with the student’s intensity to improve their aptitudes by improving their score in tests and part assessment. 1.4.2. Instructor Through the advancement report of the framework, the instructor can screen the understudies who are quick and moderate students. The educator can ensure that the students have enough comprehension of the exercise before continuing to the following exercises. 1.4.3Bag Bag National High School PC Aided Instruction in Mathematics can help BagBag National High School to give extra device to understudies in learning math subject. 1.4.4Proponents Through the framework, the defenders can upgraded their aptitudes and information through conceptualizing and gathering work. 1.4.5Future Researchers The framework can fill in as a premise or aides for future scientists who will have comparative examinations. 1.5Scope and Limitation Degree * The substance of the framework are the fundamental exercises with respect to Mathematics subject of the understudy. * Quizzes and assessment were given to know the result of the exercises by the fourth yr understudies. * It creates singular advancement report that gives the historical backdrop of the tests and part assessment taken by the particular client and rundown report to screen the advancement of the whole client. * English was utilized as the mode of guidance. Impediment * The framework won't utilize 3D movement in talking about the exercise. * The examination doesn't oblige changes of the educational plan just as proficiency of the understudy in PC essentials. * It won't be used to totally supplant the educators, yet it will give extra apparatus to an understudy to adapt up to his/her examinations. 2.0Methodology Model A model is the example execution of the framework that shows restricted and fundamental utilitarian capacities of the proposed framework. After a model is fabricated, it is conveyed to the client for the assessment. The model enables the client to decide how the component will work in the last programming. The client gives proposal and enhancements for the model. The advancement group executes the recommendation in the new model, which is again assessed by the client. The procedure proceeds until the client and the advancement group comprehends the specific prerequisite of the proposed framework. Necessities Gathering Investigation Structure Test Usage Prerequisites GATHERING Prerequisites gathering are a basic piece of any task and venture the board. Seeing completely what a task will convey is basic to its prosperity. This may seem like good judgment, however shockingly it’s a territory that is frequently given extremely little consideration. Numerous activities start with the barest feature rundown of necessities, just to discover later the customers’ needs have not been appropriately comprehended. Examination Frameworks examination is a procedure of gathering authentic information, comprehend the procedures in question, recognizing issues and suggesting plausible proposals for improving the framework working. This includes considering the business forms, gathering operational information, comprehend the data stream, discovering bottlenecks and developing answers for conquering the shortcomings of the framework in order to accomplish the hierarchical objectives. Framework Analysis likewise incorporates partitioning of complex procedure including the whole framework, recognizable proof of information store and manual procedures. Structure In view of the client prerequisites and the point by point investigation of another framework, the new framework must be structured. This is the period of framework structuring. It is the most critical stage in the improvement of a framework. The legitimate framework configuration showed up at because of framework examination and is changed over into physical framework structure. In the structure stage the SDLC procedure keeps on moving from the inquiries of the examination stage to the how. The sensible plan delivered during the investigation is transformed into a physical structure †a point by point depiction of what is expected to take care of unique issue. Info, yield, databases, structures, codification plans and preparing determinations are drawn up in detail. In the structure stage, the programming language and the equipment and programming stage in which the new framework will run are additionally chosen. Information structure, control process, gear source, remaining tas k at hand and confinement of the framework, Interface, documentation, preparing, techniques of utilizing the framework, taking reinforcements and staffing necessity are chosen at this stage. Execution In the wake of having the client acknowledgment of the new framework created, the usage stage starts. Execution is the phase of an undertaking during which hypothesis is transformed into training. The significant advances associated with this stage are: * Acquisition and Installation of Hardware and Software * Conversion * User Training * Documentation The equipment and the significant programming required for running the framework must be made completely operational before usage. The change is additionally one of the most basic and costly exercises in the framework improvement life cycle. The information from the old framework should be changed over to work in the new configuration of the new framework. The database should be arrangement with security and recuperation methodology completely characterized. TEST Before really executing the new framework into tasks, a trial of the framework is finished expelling all the bugs, assuming any. It is a significant period of a succ

Impacts of Mergers Acquisitions on Shareholder Wealth

Effects of Mergers Acquisitions on Shareholder Wealth This paper endeavors to explore, the effect of Mergers Acquisition (MA) on investor riches in the European financial industry from 2003-2007 and clarifies top to bottom detail of the writing checked on by the writer to give the premise of the fruitful accomplishment of the task. Mama has been a well known research theme in money with wide writing exists on MA. For this survey to be feasible, an expansive quest for data was embraced by methods for the web and library. The examination question will look at the riches impacts (irregular returns) of MA including European banks utilizing 'occasion study' procedure over the time of 2003-2007 in both the declaration time frame and since quite a while ago run post securing period. As it were, can MA improves or wreck investor abundance of the objectives, bidders and joined firms. 1.2 Introduction The time of 1990 saw the greatest increment in European MA action. Merger Acquisitions (MA) have been a huge marvel in the Europe. what's more, the world economy which represents one of the most significant key choices made by supervisors and investors of the connected firm. Sudarsanam (2003,para1,p.1) contends investors and administrators might be the most significant partners in MA yet different gatherings, for example, laborers, contenders, loan specialists, clients all have an aggregate enthusiasm for this movement. Mama might be embraced so as to supplant a wasteful administration, however some of the time two organizations might be more significant together than separated. Inspiration driving the mergers is to expand the investors riches. Be that as it may, as per Jensen and Ruback (1983) and Sirower and O'byrne (1998), in just about two third of cases, mergers produce riches gains for target investors and pretty much zero increases to acquirers. Different investigations have discovered that, normally the declaration of bank mergers neither make nor pulverize investors esteem Pilloff and Santomero (1998). Additionally, a few examinations demonstrates that the declaration of specific sorts of bank mergers do make esteem, if that merger diminish costs. Berger, Demsetz, Strahan (1999) distinguished five central unique factors that spur corporate takeovers for example an expansion of globalization, innovative advancement, money related deregulation, changes in client request and the mix of monetary markets. Arnold (2005, para2, p.1041), characterized mergers as the joining of two business elements under regular possession though Bruner (2005) states it as union of two firms that makes another element according to the law. As indicated by Investorwords.com procurement is a getting control of a company, called an objective, by stock buy or trade, either 'antagonistic' or 'benevolent' which likewise be called takeover. For example in October 2007, Royal bank of Scotland (RBS) converged with Dutch bank ABN Amro to secure Europes greatest regularly banking takeover with 86% of ABN Amros investors tolerating a 71bn euro (Ft.com). Bruner (2005) contends takeover exercises are vital exchanges that could end up being an astounding speculation of capital and assets. 1.3Merger waves These days, MA is verifiable truth that comes in waves as indicated by proof from Bruner (2005), Gorton, Kahl Rosen (2005), Martynova Renneboog (2006). Five individual merger waves were seen in the UK economy in the only remaining century for example 1900's, the 1960's, the 1970's, the 1980's and the 1990's. (Kastrinaki, Stoneman 2007) Brankman, Garretsen, Van Marrewijk (2008) contends that, as far as monetary significance, the prevailing merger wave capricious is the positive worldwide result, recommending that MA waves are an economy wide worldwide marvel. The flood of bank mergers has been set up to clarify the different speculations for example the 'productivity speculation's expect that mergers improve effectiveness and help poor banks to make due as rivalry turns out to be progressively thorough in the financial business. Gugler, Mueller, Yurtoglu (2004) finds that merger waves can be verifiable in the event that one distinguish that MA don't help productivity and doesnt increment investors' riches yet rather sited that MA waves are best appeared to be the appropriate response of exaggerated offers and administrative conclusion. 1.4Why do MA happen? In different European nations, mergers have permitted banks to expand effectiveness by helping the coordination of the end of branches. Banks investors and administrators need to perceive the potential wellsprings of financial addition rose up out of MA. Banks can lessen expenses and increment esteem in various manners for example broadening. For example on the off chance that mergers produce cost collaborations, for example, economies of scale, banks can lessen costs. As per proof from Berkovitch Narayanan (1993), Sudarsanam, Holl Salami (1996), Hannan Pilloff (2006), Martynova Renneboog (2006), the thought processes in MA have been sorted into the three fundamental gatherings for example financial thought process or cooperative energy, administrative or office issues and hubris. The genuine circulation of merger gains among target and bidder investors will rely upon their individual arranging qualities. Along these lines, following table shows the effect of mergers on investors riches: Merger Motive Complete Gains Target Gains Bidder Gains Cooperative energy + + + Office issues + Hubris 0 + 1.4.1 Synergy Motive The primary key gathering that represents MA is a financial or cooperative energy intention which implies that two organizations can accomplish together which they cannot accomplish without any help. Siems (1996) contended that cooperative energy hypothesis anticipated that the securing bank can productively make collaborations by means of economies of scale and degree by lessening costs and dispensing with redundancies and duplication. Economies of scale happens when the normal unit cost of creation decreases as volume increments for example banking mergers in the UK of Bank of Scotland and Halifax of 30bn merger in May 2001, to make HBOS fifth significant power in UK banking division. The thought was that the Bank of Scotland was working in north of the nation and Halifax was in south by blending these two banks, were attempting to decrease cost of handling banking exchanges. Economies of degree happens when the expense of delivering a few items in a multi item firm is lower than the expense of creating similar items by singular firms for example Banc confirmation model, British banking and issuance monster Lloyds TSB obtained Scottish Widows in June 1999 for 7bn. Sudarsanam et al (1996) distinguished the wellsprings of significant worth creation into three fundamental sorts for example operational cooperative energy, administrative collaboration and money related cooperative energy. Operational collaboration happens during the acknowledgment of economies of scale and extension, vertical mix, the end of copy exercises, the exchange of information or abilities by the bidders supervisory group and a decrease in office costs by bringing association exact resources underneath normal possession (Ravenscraft Scherer 1987, 1989 refered to in Martynova Renneboog 2006). Wellsprings of significant worth in vertical mergers incorporates lessening exchange costs in which joining various phases of the creation chain can decrease expenses of correspondence and dealing for example one companys yield is different companys input and by assembling will make the business productive. For example Microsoft offer for Yahoo in January 2008, worth $42bn that will make all the more remarkable program or have a superior possibility of handling the web search pioneer. Having said that, current patterns towards re-appropriating propose that, the advantages from vertical mergers are restricted. As indicated by Martynova Renneboog (2006), foundations of working cooperative energies diminish creation circulation expenses and yielding a gradual income accumulating to the companys post-merger investors. Sudarsanam et al (1996) contends administrative cooperative energy could happen if the bidder has a skillful administrative group and assumes control over an objective with less capable directors. Such takeover is disciplinary and prone to improve the riches gain for both bidder and target investors. Having said that, there is an impressive danger of organization issues where the administrators don't work in light of a legitimate concern for investors. Martynova Renneboog (2006) contends that broadening takeovers are probably going to pick up from monetary cooperative energies in which money related collaborations may fuse improved income dependability, less expensive access to capital, an inside capital market just as contracting efficiencies made by a decrease in supervisors business hazard. Combination mergers permit hazard broadening by spreading the pay stream of the holding organization over a wide assortment of items and markets. Sudarsanam et al (1996) finds that money related cooperative energy appear from three likely sources for example the duty bit of leeway of unused obligation, the development openings and money related assets of the rising organizations and the coinsurance of obligation of the two organizations which bring about lower expenses of capital. 1.4.2 Agency factor The second primary thought process in MA is administrative or organization factor. Investors are Principals for example proprietors of companys resources and administrators are utilized as investors Agents to deal with these benefits for their sake. Directors should settle on choices that are steady with the goal of boost the investor riches, yet supervisors don't share this goal essentially. Directors will have their very own destinations which will be chiefly worried about augmenting their own government assistance (Sudarsanam et al 1996). In this way, administrative choices in acquisitions may bring about specialist costs that lessen the all out estimation of the joint firm as they don't augment yet debilitate investors return. Berger, Demsetz, Strahan (1999) contends that one administrative aim might be domain building. Official remuneration prompts increment with companys size, so administrators may wish to achieve individual monetary profits by participating in MA, despite the fact that at any rate to some degree the higher watched pay of the directors of bigger organizations rewards more noteworthy aptitude and exertion. To secure their fir

Best Interview Answers for Sell Me this Pen

Best Interview Answers for Sell Me this Pen There are three things which fill people with horror: death, public speaking, and job interviews. Everything about a job interview makes people very anxious. Knowing that the interviewers are watching your every move and scrutinizing your resume makes you feel like a bug under a magnifying glass. It can be so uncomfortable. Now imagine yourself seated before your interviewers, a cold sweat running down your back due to all the anxiety, and then one of the interviewers takes out a pen and says, “Sell me this pen.”This is a very common question in sales interviews, yet it almost always catches the interviewee flat footed. Your mind goes blank, your stomach fills with ice and your throat constricts. A sweat starts forming on your forehead. What do you say? How do you handle this new development? Fortunately, this question doesn’t have to be so disconcerting. Today, we take a look at some of the best answers to this common interview question. WHY DO THEY ASK THIS QUESTION?Like I me ntioned, this question is often asked to applicants interviewing for jobs in sales and marketing. There is one main reason behind this question. Your interviewer wants to know whether you can sell. The question puts you under pressure, because the implication here is you either convincingly sell the pen or lose the job opportunity. One of the key qualities a good salesman should have is grace under pressure, which is why you want to ace this question. Answering the question correctly will demonstrate your sales skills, your communication skills, your mindset, your level of enthusiasm, and your ability to get into your customer’s head. THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN ANSWERING THIS QUESTIONBelow are some things you should keep in mind when answering this question:1. Show Your EnthusiasmIt’s understandable if you momentarily get knocked off your game when a question like that comes at you unexpectedly. However, you should keep in mind that any good salesman is always passionate and enthus iastic about their product. Therefore, even if your first instinct will be panic, control your panic and instead try to bring out your positivity. In doing so, you transfer your positivity to the product, making it attractive. It also communicates your confidence and encourages the customer to trust you. A good way to show positivity is to start by smiling. Talk highly of your product, but don’t oversell it. Watch your body language. Nod, laugh, maintain eye contact â€" anything that communicates your enthusiasm and shows the customer that he or she has your attention.2. Customize Your PitchKeep in mind that you are not selling the pen to an unknown person. Your buyer (the interviewer) is right there in the room with you. Don’t use any crammed formula â€" customize your pitch for the specific audience. Ask her questions. Cultivate a rapport. Understand what she wants or needs, then use it to sell her the pen.Use what the interviewer tells you to convince her that she needs this pen you are selling. Remember, getting her to buy the pen remains your top priority. Empathize with whatever she says and use that to sell her your pen. By doing this, you show that you are aware that the customer is the most important aspect of any sale. The best salesman focuses on the customer’s needs and ignores his own ego. What the customer wants is always at the top of his mind, and he uses that information to make his sale.3. Always Bounce BackSince this is a job interview and not a real buyer-seller situation, sometimes the interviewer will treat your pitch with hostility or refuse to play along. When you try to ask him questions, he might brush you off. When you try to cultivate a rapport, he might tell you to get to the point or get lost. Don’t let that throw you off your game because that’s exactly what he wants. Don’t get frustrated. Instead, you should remain focused on your goal â€" selling the pen. Find a way to circle back to your pitch. Just take care not t o come off as pestering the customer. Be genuinely affable and your tenacity will come off as good-natured and even inspiring.4. Emotion is KeyThere are two reasons why people buy things:Because they need them.Because buying these things gives them a feeling they crave.The first option is for necessities. The second one is for everything else. If you have a car in your garage, you don’t need a Ferrari. You don’t need china plates when regular plates are available. Why do you keep buying things you don’t need?   The answer to that question is the key to the entire advertising industry.The interviewer probably owns several pens. This particular one is not a necessity. If you want them to buy your pen, find a way to get them emotionally attached to it. Find a way to make them feel that buying it will give them pleasure. They key to infusing your sale with emotion is to use stories. Stories are reservoirs of emotion. A good story can make people weep, laugh, or feel pride. By usin g a story to create emotional value for the pen, you might even get the chance to sell it at a higher price than it’s worth. This is the definition of marketing.REAL LIFE EXAMPLES OF THE BEST WAY TO ASNWER THIS QUESTIONNow that you know why interviewers ask this question and what you should include in your answer, let us take a look at how to actually answer the “Sell me this pen” interview questions. Below are some real life examples of answers to this question by applicants who went on to get hired.  EXAMPLE 1Interviewer: [taking a pen from his pocket and handing it to you] now, sell me this pen.[You take the pen, put it in your pocket. Take a piece of paper, hand it to the interviewer.]You: Hello Chris, I’m a big fan of yours. I really loved your article on the effects of technology in the advertising industry. Can I get your autograph?Interviewer: Sure [starts searching in their pocket for a pen]. Seems like I didn’t carry my pen.You: [taking out the pen] Oh, I have a pen right here, but it will cost you a dollar.Interviewer: Great, I’ll take it.What you have done in this example is to create a need. It doesn’t have to be an autograph, you can think of anything that requires the interviewer to use a pen. By creating a need, you make the interviewer realize that she needs your product for a practical reason. However, things might not always go as expected. The next example spices things up a little bit and shows how you can bounce back if things don’t go as you anticipated. EXAMPLE 2Interviewer: [taking a pen from his pocket and handing it to you] now, sell me this pen.[You take the pen, put it in your pocket. Take a piece of paper, hand it to the interviewer.]You: Hello Chris, I’m a big fan of yours. I really loved your article on the effects of technology in the advertising industry. Can I get your autograph?Interviewer [taking out another pen]: Sure, I have a pen right here.You: How long have you had that pen?Interviewer: A month.You: L ook at it. It looks a little beat up. Don’t you think that a new month requires a new pen?Interviewer: It’s just a pen.You: Really? Just a pen? Think about it. All the things you do with your pen. All the important deals you sign. All the useful notes you jot down. It’s not just a pen. It’s a part of your life. It’s a key part of your success story.Interviewer: What are you saying?You: A new pen means a new mindset. It’s like a fresh start. With a new pen, you can attack the new month with vigor. Each new deal you sign will feel special. Every piece of information you jot down will feel like the best thing you have ever written down.Interviewer: Interesting. I can’t go shopping for a new pen right now. I will get one on my way home this evening.You: No worries. I have one with me right here. [You take out your pen]Interviewer: Wow, looks like a lovely pen, how much is it?You: Just a dollar.Interviewer: Okay, I’ll take it.Just because things don’t go according to pl an doesn’t mean you should give up. Instead, you should find a way to take the conversation where you want it to go. Note how this example makes the interviewer aware that she needs a new pen by calling into question the value of her old one. However, don’t say anything discourteous about what the client currently owns. Be very polite in opening the customer’s eyes to see why he or she needs an upgrade. Note how the example makes the sale by simply showing the emotional benefits the interviewer stands to gain from buying your pen. This is marketing â€" telling stories about your products.EXAMPLE 3Interviewer: [taking a pen from his pocket and handing it to you] now, sell me this pen.You: Hi, my name is [your name]. Interviewer: Hello [your name].You: This is a nice office you have here. You must be a very valuable member of this company.Interviewer: Thank you. Can I help you with something?You: I am from a pen manufacturing company and we are currently doing a poll. We want to find out what people hate or love about their pens. Not ours necessarily. A general poll. Any pens. Let’s start with what you hate about some of the pens you have used.Interviewer: Well, some of them write too faintly. Some of them have tips that are too sharp and they tear up the page you are writing on. Some of them don’t last. Some of them have a tendency to leak.You: And what do you love about the pens you do enjoy writing with.Interviewer: They write cleanly and clearly. Their tips are soft against the paper. They are comfortable to hold. And they are durable.You: What if I told you that I have a pen with me that is exactly like your description of your ideal pen?Interviewer: I say I want to see for myself. You [taking out your pen]: Here it is.Interviewer [Taking the pen]: Can I test it?You: Be my guest.Interviewer: You are right. It’s a good pen.You: Only two dollars, but for you I will make an exception and make it a dollar.Interviewer: Sounds like a deal.The first th ing you have done in this scenario is introduce yourself. Being polite is critical to making a sale. It indicates that you are a positive human being who is at home in any situation. Politeness communicates self-mastery as well as good manners. It gets you in the door. The next thing you have done is give the interviewer a compliment. For a compliment to work its magic, it has to be genuine. Don’t say something generic. Pay attention to your surroundings and to your customer and find something about him you admire. Genuine compliments make people feel warm, pleasantly surprised, and genuinely appreciated for who they are. This is how you break their defenses.The next thing you have done is tell the customer why you are there, and asked him a question that makes him introspect about the product. In doing this, you have made him think about what he likes and doesn’t like in pens. This allows you to present your pen as the solution to a problem he didn’t realize he had until you showed up. The interviewer had probably never reflected on what he hates about terrible pens. Your clever question makes him realize he has a problem: bad pens. The solution: your pen. Note also that what you have delivered here is a pitch custom-made for this customer, and that’s what makes it a great sales technique.EXAMPLE 4Interviewer: You say you are a great salesman, sell me this pen.You: Hi, my name is [your name]. Interviewer [somewhat rudely]: What do you want?You: I work at a pen manufacturing company and â€"Interviewer: We don’t need any pens here.You: Can I compliment you on the beauty of your office?Interviewer [grudgingly]: Thank you. Get to the point, will you?You: Well, we are doing a survey. We want to find out what people love or hate about their pens.Interviewer: What’s the big deal? They are just pens!You: That may well be so, sir. But at [name of your fake pen company], we take pens very seriously. Pens are our whole life. When we sleep at night, we dream of pens. During the day, we are constantly thinking about how to make better pens. When we go about in public, we are observing our competitors’ pens and trying to think of how to make better pens than them.Interviewer: So you love pens, huh?You: If we can make better pens, we believe we can make a small dent in the universe. It might be small but it’s there nonetheless. When pens work perfectly, you are filled with a sense of well-being right?Interviewer: I don’t know if I would call it that.You: When your pen breaks easily because it’s made of brittle material, or scratches the page you are writing on, or leaks, or writes too faintly, how does that make you feel?Interviewer: It makes me very angry.You: So it destroys your equilibrium?Interviewer: You could say that.You: Which means that a good pen   puts you in a good mood?Interviewer: I suppose.You: How would you love to use a good pen to write and sign your important documents?Interviewer: That would be great.You: Here i s a great pen [taking out the pen]. Just one dollar. You can go ahead and test it.Interviewer: Well done.The main lesson from this example is persistence. Polite, respectful persistence. Note how you melt the interviewer’s hostility with a simple compliment. The conversation goes from “I don’t want to listen to you” to “hurry up and tell me what you are here to say”. This is what it means to always maintain your enthusiasm. After the interviewer expresses his contempt of your attempt to cultivate a meaningful debate about pens, you don’t quit. Instead of giving up, you pivot from your intention of asking him about his likes and dislikes to expressing your own passion for pens. This is a technique you use when the customer is uncooperative. When the customer does not want to show interest in your product and even refuses to answer your questions, it is up to you to supply the conversation. Just ensure whatever you say circles back to your main objective: making the sale You should also take note of how this example uses logic to break down the interviewer’s walls. Step by step, you demonstrate the importance of good pens, making him realize that he needs a good pen, that it will add value to his life. That’s how you convert an uncooperative prospect into a satisfied customer â€" through persistence, tact, positivity, and a quick-thinking mind.EXAMPLE 5Interviewer: If you want the job, sell me this pen.You: Hi, my name is [your name]. Interviewer: Hi [Your name]. That’s a nice name. Where are you from?You: I grew up in [your home]. And do you know what I miss the most about my childhood?Interviewer: No. What?You: Writing in my diary. I had this gorgeous pen. I loved it. I haven’t been able to find one quite like it â€" until very recently.Interviewer: Why? What happened recently? Did you find that pen?You: No. Better. I actually found a pen I like better. A pen I can create new golden memories with. Interviewer: Are you trying to sell me a p en? Are you a salesman?You: Yes. But this is more than a pitch. I have sold many products in my life. But now and then, a product comes along that alters your worldview. It blows every single product you used before it out of the water.Interviewer: I have to do some work. Do you mind? [Turning on her laptop, ignoring you]You: I am quite sorry for disturbing you. But before I leave, can I show you something?Interviewer: Okay.You [taking out the pen and handing it to her]: I liked your name. Write it on this piece of paper.Interviewer [writing]: The pen writes very nicely.You: Like I told you. It’s a great pen. And it only costs one dollar.Interviewer: Well done.This script is another good example of persistence and the ability to bounce back. When the interviewer asks you about where you come from, you find a way of bringing the conversation back to your goal. You are here to sell the pen and that’s all that matters. Next you captivate the interviewer with a story that captures h er on an emotional level. She is intrigued by the story of your childhood pen. It makes her think of her own childhood.When she shows disgust for your sales tactics after she figures out all you want to do is sell her a pen, you find a way to make your quest look noble. You do not deny that you are a sales professional, but embrace it instead. As you do so, you express why this particular product is so special. Next she tries to ignore you, and that’s when you decide to go for the kill since she has become uncooperative. Respectfully, you ask if you can show her something. The sense of mystery intrigues her. Next you compliment her name and ask her to write it down for you, accomplishing two things at the same time: you get to make her feel good about herself and also to test your product.By finding a way to always bounce back in spite of the customer’s attempts to ignore you, discourage you, or make you digress, you end up making the sale. Being a good salesperson is about keep ing your eye on the prize and using any means at your disposal to make the sale. Use what the client gives you. And if the client refuses to give you anything, use the surroundings. If the surroundings are not useful, come up with something off the fly. Anything to make the sale.KEY ACTION STEPSThe next time you find yourself having to answer this question in an interview, you can easily answer it by following the steps below.Ask questions to gain information: Asking questions helps you to learn more about the customer (interviewer), therefore allowing you to customize your pitch to the customer. Asking questions also helps you uncover any needs or objections the customer might have.Create a need: The next step is to come up something to make the customer realize that they need the pen, or any other product you might be asked to sell. You don’t have to explicitly ask the interviewer to do something that requires them to use the pen at that moment. The aim here is to make them real ize why they need a pen.Appeal to emotion: Find a way to create an emotional connection to the pen or whatever you are told to sell. Instead of talking about the features of the pen, talk about the benefits of these features, as well as how using the pen will make the interviewer feel.Get the interviewer thinking positively about your product: Find a way to get the interviewer to share what they like and dislike about products in the same category (for instance, pens in general) and then tie the features they like to what you are selling. Circle back to your main objective: Even if the interviewer finds ways to deflect your sales attempt, find ways to circle back to your main objective of selling him the pen. CONCLUSIONBeing a salesman is a bit like being a samurai. Like a samurai, you are loyal to a master: your company. Your mission (selling your company’s product) is your obsession. You should be ready to do whatever it takes to make your sale. This is what the interviewer is t rying to find out when they ask you this question. Do you have what it takes to sell? The examples shown above give you real life word by word scripts you can use to answer this question, as well as insights into what makes them good answers to this question. Therefore, next time an interviewer asks you this question, instead of getting caught unawares, you should have some great ideas on how to wow the interviewer with your sales skills.

Essay on The Journey Towards God - 1116 Words

A Greater Awareness The journey towards God, spirituality, and church can be a challenging one. We gain invaluable insight into the world around us through experience and research. At the same time, when a group shares their experiences and understanding, this insight is enriched beyond that which is capable of one person. As a result of this course, my spiritual awareness and understanding has been elevated. Furthermore, I have developed a greater appreciation and understanding of other world religions. While my focus will be centered on God and Christian concepts, I will also explore concepts in other world religions which may enhance my overall spirituality. At the same time, I understand there are concepts which may or may not†¦show more content†¦However, there are several similarities. As a result, I believe the different religions can serve as a reminder that we all have different experiences and interpret events and/or passages in different ways. I do not hat e anyone. However, I understand the lifestyles and/or beliefs of some may not be conducive to my way of thinking. As Pope John Paul II (1994) stated â€Å"The Gospel is not a promise of easy success† (p.103). Instead, it can be a very demanding lifestyle. However, it is one we all need to seek and/or cherish. It is up to each of us to live a lifestyle which is respectful of not only God, but also of ourselves and others. Several concepts were explored during this course. While some were beneficial, others were not conducive to my way of thinking. However, the key to anything in life is to keep an open mind. At the same time, in order to make an effective evaluation of any concept, you need to experience it. This course provided these experiences through reading and/or actual participation. The most effective and beneficial concepts in this course were forms of prayer, worship locations, and the spiritual disciplines. Prayers can be heard by God in many forms. There are no excuses for not praying and we should pray often. While I already pray at work, in my car, and at home, it is not enough considering all the stress, grief, and despair in the world. I must pray not only for those close to me, but also for those who are distant. AShow MoreRelatedMy Journey Toward The Complexity Of God2593 Words   |  11 PagesDiverse God Rick McPeak once dropped a bomb on me when he said, There are many ways to God and all of them are wrong. Through these words McPeak opened up a can of worms that most Christians avoid like the black plague, and the truth is this: God is a diverse and complex God who cannot be limited to an obtainable object found by a single path full of the right experiences. 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Throughout his journey he encounters numerous souls who have either been placed in Hell, in PurgatoryRead MoreFreedom And The Transformative Process Of Life1614 Words   |  7 PagesThe definition of freedom is often different to people in respect with their demographics. Generally, freedom is defined as to be free is to express your opinion and beliefs towards a subject within society, without fear of being judged or punished on account of your personal ideals. Freedom has always been integral to all human beings, in both historical and contemporary contexts. Although, freedom is seen through different perspectives in religious and secular society. Catholic define freedomRead MoreEphesians 2 : 8 - 8876 Words   |  4 PagesEphesians 2:8 say â€Å"For by grace you have been saved through faith, this is not you own doing; it is the gift of God.† We are saved or find salvation through God and God alone because grace is the â€Å"undeserved, unmerited, and loving action of God in human existence through the ever present Holy Spirit.† there is nothing that we can do turn earn grace, no amount of good works that can ever wash away who we are as sinners. In fact John Wesley taught that there are no good works apart from and that evenRead MoreThe Search For Truth Through God1354 Words   |  6 PagesNovember 8, 2014 â€Å"Love Loves Difficult Things† The search for truth through God is where the philosophy of attaining knowledge intersects with religious doctrine. Although the esoteric and mystical system of Sufism has its origin in Islamic orthodoxy, Sufism can be seen as less as an individual sect and more of a stepping-stone towards Christian revelation. In the Sufi allegory The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, God is represented as a mystical essence within and beyond all of creationRead MoreVirtue Of Hospitality : Homer s Odyssey And The Holy Bible990 Words   |  4 Pagesestablishing and following an abundance of laws. One of their most cherished laws was known as xenia. Xenia was the â€Å"unwritten law† that allowed a stranger to seek shelter in another man’s home. Because of Greece’s vast landscape, and due to their extensive journeys, Greek’s were accustomed to both residing in a stranger’s house and allowing strangers to stay in their own homes. The palaces that Odysseu s’ seeks shelter in are chosen not only for their hospitable hosts, but also for their abilities to protectRead MoreBack Before Written History Monster Stories Were Passed1248 Words   |  5 Pagessupernatural throughout their journeys. The monsters Gilgamesh faces act as distraction on his spiritual journey, while Beowulf’s propel him towards his destiny. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh faces many monsters. These monsters represent the obstacles blocking him from completing his spiritual journey. One of the many signs that Gilgamesh relates to the supernatural; is that his mother is the goddess Ninsun. Once Gilgamesh is united with Enkidu they set off on a journey to slay Humbaba, essentiallyRead MoreAugustine’S Literary Style In Confessions Was Very Effective1712 Words   |  7 Pagesmetaphorical analysis of the bible. This journey, later in life, of reflecting upon our relationships to others—and to God—is relatable to most humans, however, Augustine does take it to a much higher level. I found it to be particularly poignant, as so many of us who reach a certain age tend to reassess our lives, seeing how our errant thoughts, ideology, and behavior—and even the material world—have created a barrier or division between ourselves and God. Augustine’s idea that we are continually

Working With Community College Students - 812 Words

Applicability Working with Community College Having my future sights at working with first generation college students, I saw the applicability of constructivist theory in the combine use of solution focused and narrative therapy in servicing such a diverse group of students. Constructivist theory as a whole is applicable with addressing diverse issues surrounding culture, gender, and social context that influence career choices that are unique to a client when compared with others. Through a recent article titled the â€Å"Use of Constructivist Approach in Higher Education: An Instructors’ Observation†, focused on the constructivist approach being used in a career counseling setting, which presented an insight into clients stories. The article provided some of the positive aspects of narrative therapy by express how gaining insight to a client’s stories â€Å"amplify clients self-awareness, and develop with clients a future orientation through action steps† (Hussain, 2012). The article showed how students were able to externalize their career-related problems and confront them through each counseling session (Hussain, 2012). Each counseling session Hussain emphasized the importance of the SFT techniques of complementing (i.e. direct, indirect, and self complementing) when introducing the narrative technique of leagues from other students as to create a positive narrative for change (p.179-184). The study also highlighted portions SFT techniques through the use of a â€Å"goal map†,Show MoreRelatedThe Cost Of College Tuition1253 Words   |  6 Pagesare many students cannot go to college because of the cost of college tuition. Some students work hard at the fast food places, restaurant to pay off their tuition. The government of the United State gives the opportunities for the young Americans that if they participate in national service to the country, they will be able to exchange for free colleges or technical school tuition. 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The cost of college education is getting out of hand; its prices are alarming, leaving students with little ways to pay for it, in the dust. The unfortunate reality of students dealing with debt is a fear-mongering tactic used so that students sike themselves out and never attend college. This harsh reality applies to many studen ts who have to payRead MoreCommunity College Education Should Not Be Tuition Free998 Words   |  4 PagesCommunity College Education Should Not Be Tuition Free Every year, millions of students graduate from high school and consider studying in community college. The main reason for them to choose community colleges over four-year universities is the affordable tuition, or they have undecided majors for their careers. Unfortunately, an academic article published in 2014 â€Å"How to Help College Students Graduate,† Kirp demonstrated, â€Å"American students are enrolling college in record numbers, but they are

Dick and balls Free Essays

Use a Tape-measure to measure circumference. A-IVe gone from 1 1†³ to 13. 5†³ R-its realistic†¦ lVe already gone from 11†³ to 13. We will write a custom essay sample on Dick and balls or any similar topic only for you Order Now 5†³ in two months T- workout 6 days a week for 1 hour until summer 2. S-l want to weight 175Lbs by summer, (muscle Gains) because I want to have more muscle mass. M- Use a Scale to measure weight A- I have put on 8Lbs of Muscle mass in two months R- I have put on 81bs in two months so another 15 in 7 is attainable T- workout 6 days week for 1 hour until summer 3. S- increase 10-rep leg press max to 220Lbs so I can have more strength to become a better water-skier. M. When I can lift 220Lbs 10 times in a row. A- I can leg press 180Lbs 10 times comfortably. R- Its not a huge increase so I can do it. T- I want to achieve this goal buy summer so I have the strength to waterski. I will train my legs 2-3 times a week. S- ! 4 inch bicep by summer so I can complete more push ups during fitness testing M- Use a Tape-measure to measure circumference. A-IVe gone trom R-its realistic†¦ IVe already gone from 11†³ to 13. 5†³ in two months T- workout 6 days a A- I nave put on 8Lbs ot Muscle mass in two months A- I can leg press 180Lbs 10 times com o t rtably. train my legs 2-3 times a week. SWOLE Goals train my legs 2-3 times a week. train my legs 2-3 times a week. S n bicep by summer so I can complete more S-l want to weight 175Lbs by summer, How to cite Dick and balls, Papers

Teenage Depression Essays (1056 words) - Abnormal Psychology

Teenage Depression Adolescent Depression: The Under Acknowledged Disease Psychology Depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and themselves. Therefore it comes to no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustment which may often continue into adulthood. How prevalent are mood disorders in children and when should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically depressed? Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and adolescents is because children are not always able to express how they feel. Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders take on different forms in children than in adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1996) observed that the challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected, developmental storm. Therefore, diagnosis should not lay only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. Unlike adult depression, symptoms of youth depression are often masked. Instead of expressing sadness, teenagers may express boredom and irritability, or may choose to engage in risky behaviors (Oster Brown, 1996; Lasko et al., 1996) and suic ide (Blackman, 1995; Brown, 1996; Lasko et al., 1996; Oster & Montgomery, 1996) all of which can hide depressive symptoms. The signs of clinical depression include marked changes in mood and associated behaviors that range from sadness, withdrawal, and decreased energy to intense feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. Depression is often described as an exaggeration of the duration and intensity of normal mood changes (Brown 1996). Key indicators of adolescent depression include a drastic change in eating and sleeping patterns, significant loss of interest in previous activity interests (Blackman, 1995; Oster & Montgomery, 1996), constant boredom (Blackman, 1995), disruptive behavior, peer problems, increased irritability and aggression (Brown, 1996). Blackman (1995) proposed that formal psychologic testing may be helpful in complicated presentations that do not lend themselves easily to diagnosis. For many teens, symptoms of depression are directly related to low self esteem stemming from increased emphasis on peer popularity. For other teens, depression arises from poor family relations which could include decreased family support and perceived rejection by parents (Lasko et al., 1996). Oster & Montgomery (1996) stated that when parents are struggling over marital or career problems, or are ill themselves, teens may feel the tension and try to distract their parents. This distraction could include increased disruptive behavior, self-inflicted isolation and even verbal threats of suicide. So how can the physician determine when a patient should be diagnosed as depressed or suicidal? Brown (1996) suggested the best way to diagnose is to screen out the vulnerable groups of children and adolescents for the risk factors of suicide and then refer them for treatment. Some of these risk factors include verbal signs of suicide within the last three months, prior attempts at suicide, indication of severe mood problems, or excessive alcohol and substance abuse. Many physicians tend to think of depression as an illness of adulthood. In fact, Brown (1996) stated that it was only in the 1980's that mood disorders in children were included in the category of diagnosed psychiatric illnesses. In actuality, 7-14% of children will experience an episode of major depression before the age of 15. An average of 20-30% of adult bipolar patients report having their first episode before the age of 20. In a sampling of 100,000 adolescents, two to three thousand will have mood disorders out of which 8-10 will commit suicide (Brown, 1996). Blackman (1995) remarked that the suicide

Smart Cities Essays - Ministry Of Urban Development, Free Essays

Smart Cities Essays - Ministry Of Urban Development, Free Essays Ministry of Urban Development Government of India June 2015 Smart Cities Mission Statement & Guidelines Government of India Ministry of Urban Development (June, 2015) Contents 1. The Challenge of Urbanization 5 2. What is a smart city 5 3. Smart City Features 7 4. Coverage and Duration 7 5. Strategy 8 6. Proposal Preparation 9 7. Smart Cities Selection Process 10 8. How Many Smart Cities in Each State/UT? 11 9. The Process of Selection of Smart Cities 11 10. Implementation by Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) 12 11. Financing of Smart Cities 13 12. Funds Release 14 13. Mission Monitoring 15 14. Convergence with Other Government Schemes 17 15. Challenges 18 Annexures Annexure 1: Scope of work for the Smart City Consulting Firm 21 Annexure 2: Number of cities allocated to States based on urban population and number of statutory towns 23 Annexure 3: Challenge Stage 1: Preconditions and Documents to be submitted by each State 25 Annexure 4: Challenge Stage 2: Criteria and Indicative Table of Contents 33 Annexure 5: Structure and Functions of SPV 37 Annexure 6: Utilization Certificate Format 41 Annexure 7: Score Card for Smart Cities 42 5 Smart Cities Mission 1. The Challenge of Urbanization 1.1 Cities are engines of growth for the economy of every nation, including India. Nearly 31% of Indias current population lives in urban areas and contributes 63% of Indias GDP (Census 2011). With increasing urbanization, urban areas are expected to house 40% of Indias population and contribute 75% of Indias GDP by 2030. This requires comprehensive development of physical, institutional, social and economic infrastructure. All are important in improving the quality of life and attracting people and investments to the City, setting in motion a virtuous cycle of growth and development. Development of Smart Cities is a step in that direction. 2. What is a smart city 2.1 The first question is what is meant by a smart city. The answer is, there is no universally accepted definition of a Smart City. It means different things to different people. The conceptualisation of Smart City, therefore, varies from city to city and country to country, depending on the level of development, willingness to change and reform, resources and aspirations of the city residents. A Smart City would have a different connotation in India than, say, Europe. Even in India, there is no one way of defining a Smart City. 2.2 Some definitional boundaries are required to guide cities in the Mission. In the imagination of any city dweller in India, the picture of a Smart City contains a wish list of infrastructure and services that describes his or her level of aspiration. To provide for the aspirations and needs of the citizens, urban planners ideally aim at developing the entire urban eco-system, which is represented by the four pillars of comprehensive development institutional, physical, social and economic infrastructure. This can be a long term goal and cities can work towards developing such comprehensive infrastructure incrementally, adding on layers of smartness. 2.3 In the approach to the Smart Cities Mission, the objective is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of Smart Solutions. The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and the idea is to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a light house to other aspiring cities. The Smart Cities Mission of the Government is a bold, new initiative. It is meant to set examples that can be replicated both within and outside the Smart City, catalysing the creation of similar Smart Cities in various regions and parts of the country. 2.4 The core infrastructure elements in a Smart City would include: i. adequate water supply, ii. assured electricity supply, iii. sanitation, including solid waste management, 6 iv. efficient urban mobility and public transport, v. affordable housing, especially for the poor, vi. robust IT connectivity and digitalization, vii. good governance, especially e-Governance and citizen participation, viii. sustainable environment, ix. safety and security of citizens, particularly women, children and the elderly, and x. health and education. 2.5 As far as Smart Solutions are concerned, an illustrative list is given below. This is not, however, an exhaustive list, and cities are free to add more applications. 2.6 Accordingly, the purpose of the Smart Cities Mission is to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling local area development and harnessing technology, especially technology that leads to Smart outcomes. Area-based development will transform existing areas (retrofit and redevelop), including slums, into better planned ones, thereby improving liveability of the whole City. New areas (greenfield) will be developed

The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault

The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault Although much lesser known than his literary heirs the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, 17th-century French writer, Charles Perrault, not only solidified the fairy tale as a literary genre but wrote nearly all of the genres most signature stories, including Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Tom Thumb, and the larger designation of Mother Goose stories. Perrault published his Stories or Tales from Times Past (subtitled Mother Goose Tales) in 1697 and arrived at the end of a long and not entirely satisfying literary life. Perrault was nearly 70 years old and, while he was well-connected, his contributions had been more intellectual than artistic. But this slim volume comprised of three of his earlier verse stories and eight new prose stories achieved a success that hadnt seemed possible to the man whod long made his main living as a civil servant.   Impact on Literature   Some of Perraults stories were adapted from oral tradition, some were inspired by episodes from earlier works, (including Boccaccios The Decameron and Apuleius The Golden Ass), and some were inventions wholly new to Perrault. What was most significantly new was the idea of turning magical folk tales into sophisticated and subtle forms of written literature. While we now think of fairy tales as primarily childrens literature, there was no such thing as childrens literature in Perraults time. With this in mind, we can see that the morals of these tales take on more worldly purposes, despite their slyly clever packaging within the fantastical universe of fairies, ogres, and talking animals. While Perraults original tales are hardly the versions that were fed to us as children, they also cant be expected to be the feminist and socialist alternate versions that we might wish them to be (see Angela Carters 1979 story collection, The Bloody Chamber, for this kind of modern twist; Carter had translated an edition of Perraults fairy tales in 1977 and was inspired to create her own versions as a response). Perrault was an upper-class intellectual during the reign of the Sun King. Unlike the fable-writer Jean de La Fontaine, whose rich narratives often criticized the powerful and took the side of the underdog (in fact he himself was not in favor with the megalomaniacal Louis XIV), Perrault didnt have much of an interest in rocking the boat. Instead, as a leading figure on the modern side of the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns, he brought new forms and sources to literature to create something that even the ancients had never seen. La Fontaine was on the side of the ancients and wrote fables in the vein of Aesop, and while La Fontaine was much more lyrically sophisticated and intellectually clever, it was Perraults modernity that lay the foundation for a new kind of literature thats created a culture all its own. Perrault may have been writing for adults, but the fairy tales that he first put on paper spawned a revolution in what kinds of stories could be made into literature. Soon, writing for children spread throughout Europe and eventually across the rest of the world. The results and even his own works may have gone far out of Perraults intent or control, but thats what often happens when you introduce something new into the world. It seems that theres a moral somewhere in that. References in Other Works   Perraults tales entered culture in ways that far transcend his own personal artistic reach. They permeated virtually every level of modern art and entertainment- from rock songs to popular films to the most sophisticated stories by literary fabulists such as Angela Carter and Margaret Atwood. With all these tales forming a common cultural currency, the clarity and intent of the originals have often been either obscured or contorted to serve sometimes questionable meanings. And while a film like 1996s Freeway creates a brilliant and necessary twist on the Little Red Riding Hood story, many more popular versions of Perraults works (from the saccharine Disney films to the grotesquely insulting Pretty Woman) manipulate their audiences by promoting reactionary gender and class stereotypes. Much of this is in the originals, though, and its often surprising to see just what is and what isnt in the original versions of these seminal fairy tales. Tales by Perrault In Puss in Boots, the youngest of three sons inherits only a cat when his father dies, but through the cats wily scheming the young man ends up wealthy and married to a princess. Perrault, who was in favor with Louis XIV, provides two interconnected but  competing  morals to the  tale, and he clearly had the machinations of the court in mind with this witty satire. On the one hand, the tale promotes the idea of using hard work and ingenuity to get ahead, rather than just relying on your parents money. But on the other hand, the story warns against being taken in by pretenders who may have achieved their wealth in unscrupulous ways. Thus, a tale that seems like a didactic childrens fable actually serves as a double-edged send-up of class mobility as it existed in the seventeenth century. Perraults Little Red Riding Hood reads much like the popularized versions that we all grew up with, but with one big difference: the wolf eats the girl and her grandmother, and nobody comes along to save them. Without the happy ending that the Brothers Grimm supply in their version, the story serves as a warning to young women against talking to strangers, especially against charming wolves who seem civilized but are perhaps even more dangerous. Theres no heroic male to slay the wolf and save Little Red Riding Hood from her own gullible innocence. Theres only danger, and its up to young women to learn how to recognize it. Like Puss in Boots, Perraults Cinderella also has two competing and contradictory morals, and they likewise discuss questions of marriageability and class connection. One moral claims that charm is more important than looks when it comes to winning a mans heart, an idea that suggests that anyone can achieve happiness, regardless of their conventional assets. But the second moral declares that no matter what natural gifts you have, you need a godfather or godmother in order to put them to good use. This message acknowledges, and perhaps supports, societys profoundly uneven playing field. The most strange and amazing of Perraults tales, Donkey Skin, is also one of his least known, probably because its shocking grotesqueries have no way of being watered down and made easily palatable. In the story, a dying queen asks her husband to remarry after her death, but only to a princess even more beautiful than her. Eventually, the kings own daughter grows to surpass her dead mothers beauty, and the king falls deeply in love with her. At the suggestion of her fairy godmother, the princess makes seemingly impossible demands of the king in exchange for her hand, and the king somehow fulfills her demands each time to both shimmering and terrifying effect. Then she demands the skin of the kings magic donkey, which defecates gold coins and is the source of the kingdoms wealth. Even this the king does, and so the princess flees, wearing the donkey skin as a permanent disguise. In Cinderella-like fashion, a young prince rescues her from her squalor and marries her, and events transpire so that her father also ends up happily paired with a neighboring widow-queen. Despite the tidiness of all its ends, this is the story that contains the messiest and wildest of Perraults invented worlds. Perhaps that is why posterity has been unable to tame it into a version that feels comfortable presenting to children. There is no Disney version, but for the adventurous, Jacques Demys 1970 film starring Catherine Deneuve manages to capture all of the storys perversity while casting the loveliest and most magical spell on its viewers.

Business Operation Training Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Operation Training - Research Paper Example In essence, a vision statement indicates the future of the company while a mission statement demonstrates ways of achieving a predetermined future. A vision statement answers the questions ‘what,’ when,’ and ‘why’ whereas a mission statement answers the questions ‘how’ and the impact (Sabrautzki, 2010).   Henry Ford Health System has a simple vision statement that has one aim, which is to enhance the health of people. Its mission statements provide avenues through which the organization will achieve its vision. It entails transforming individual health of people in order to improve the overall health of society. On the other hand, The Coca-Cola Company has vision and mission statements that are more elaborate. In essence, the Coca-Cola Company has three objectives in its mission statement that will fulfill vision, which revolves around stakeholder satisfaction, high productivity, and betterment of the world. Fundamentally, the vision statements of the two companies are geared towards enhancing the lives of people across the globe although the Coca-Cola Company has a vision statement that transcends beyond its boundaries. Both business strategy and business model enable an organization to formulate the best ways of working towards its goals in order to gain competitive advantage in the market. Although they sound, the same, the two business terms differ in their applications and purpose. For example, the main purpose of a business strategy is to ensure that an organization achieves its long-term plans. On the other hand, a business model has the sole purpose of generating revenue for an organization and making sure that its profitability continues to rise (Mathur,  Mathur,  S. & Kenyon, 2012). Unlike a business model that is concerned with profitability issues, a business strategy deals majorly with the key resource issues. For example, an organization can adopt a strategy that will enable it to expand through the establishment of a new

Care of Patient Undergoing Total Knee Replacement Surgery Essay

Care of Patient Undergoing Total Knee Replacement Surgery - Essay Example The procedure merely involves what can be considered as 'resurfacing' of the bones of the joint. The prosthesis implanted is placed on the surface of the bones that meet at the knee - the femur and tibia and cemented to the bones, while most of the ligaments and usually all of the tendons of the joint are spared (Soohoo et al, 2006). Reporting on the frequency of Total Knee replacement surgeries, Kane and others (2003) indicated that in 2001 alone approximately 171,335 primary knee replacements and 16,895 revisions were performed. Kane et al (2003) argue that due to the fact that Knee replacement surgery is an elective procedure and especially because the prevalence of arthritis is expected to grow as the population ages, the care for patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery becomes an increasing concern for the healthcare profession. instruments, and assists the surgeon by passing instruments, sutures, and supplies. Therefore, the scrub nurse must have extensive knowledge of all surgical instruments and how they are used. On, the other hand, the circulating nurse serves as a liaison between scrubbed personnel and those outside of the operating room. The circulating nurse is free to respond to request from the surgeon, anaesthesiologist or anaesthetist, obtain supplies, deliver supplies to the sterile field, and carry out the nursing care plan. Other functions of the circulating nurse includes: initial assessment of the patient on admission to the operating room, helping monitoring the patient; assisting the surgeon and scrub nurse to don sterile gowns and gloves; anticipating the need for equipment, instruments, medications, and blood components, opening packages so that the scrub nurse can remove the sterile supplies, preparing labels, and arranging for transfer of specimens to the laboratory for analysis; savi ng all used and discarded gauze sponges, and at the end of the operation, counting the number of sponges, instruments, and needles used during the operation to prevent the accidental loss of an item in the wound (Mcewen, 1996). In the following pages, the organisation and layout of Total knee replacement surgery will be discussed using my experience with the surgical procedure of Mr. A as a yardstick. Intraoperative care for Mr. A included all the activities performed by the health care team during surgery that ensured the patient's safety and comfort, implementation of the surgical procedure, monitor and maintain vital functions, and document care given. The intraoperative time period can vary greatly from less than one hour to 12 hours or more, depending on the complexity of the surgery being performed. Since the purpose of intraoperative care is to maintain patient safety and comfort during surgical procedures, decisions about patient positioning and other features of the operating room is influenced by a number of factors, especially conditions of the patient and potential risks or complications of the surgical procedure. The goals of intraoperative care include maintaining homeostasis during the procedure, maintaining strict

Development of the German Industrial Relations System

Development of the German Industrial Relations System The management of employees, both individually and collectively, remains a central feature of organizational life (Blyton Turnbull, 2004). This statement, taken from the book The Dynamics of Employee Relations, generally reflects the necessity organizations are facing. Regarding the central role employees are playing in business, the implementation of systems which regulate the working process in order to protect and restrain both employees and employers by installing rules, policies, and guidelines are essential. These systems are called employee relations and are put in place globally. Yet, these systems differ accordingly among different economies according to nation and culture. The subsequent is divided into three major pillars: First, it will provide a description of the core characteristics of the German employment relations system. The second pillar regards the existing systems of collective bargaining and participation and discusses their development since the 1980s. The third and last part gives an outline of the major recent trends and will focus in detail on the most significant recent issue of the German employment relations system. Main Body Core characteristics of the German human resource management/employment system Being one of the most successful economies in Europe (Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, Keller, Jacobi, 1998), the German industrial relation system is regarded to encourage workplace cooperation in high-quality production and the economic prosperity contributes in general to a peaceful and collaborative work-environment. According to Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, the German model of industrial relations is based on five pillars, which will be explained in the following. The most significant pillar is regarded to be the dual structure of interest representation. This implies a separation of workers representation at the workplace-level from the collective bargaining system. Hence structural conflicts between labor and capital are dealt with in two arenas, separated according to interests, actors, and modes of enforcement (Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, Keller, Jacobi, 1998): While collective bargaining deals with issues such as working-hours and wages on a more general level and therefore follows a quantitative approac h, in the workplace these are specialized and more of qualitative nature. Although both parties are legally independent from each other in formal terms, they reveal certain interdependencies in reality. Keller (1998) states that unions and works councils are reliable partners within a network of stable co-operation. It is for example often the case that Unions train members of the works-council and provide them with legal advice, while works councilors are in many cases also trade unionists and participate in policy-making and recruiting members for their Union. The two institutions of trade Unions and Works Councils, as well as collective bargaining, will be described in more detail in the following and at a later stage. As the second pillar, Mà ¼ller-Jentsch (1998) reveals the importance of the law. Existing on a profound legal basis, the dual system of Germanys industrial relations puts emphasis on a detailed regulation of labor conflicts on the one hand and industrial relations at the workplace on the other. For instance, this implies the fact that works councils do not have the right to strike. Penalties for breaches are high, which calls legal exports to action, who therefore gain more and more influence on the workers side. The third pillar mentioned is the degree to which the institutions of collective representation encompass their constituencies. As the unions and works councils are able to make decisions in the name of the whole workforce, they are obliged by law to represent the interests of all employees. Next and fourth important feature is the fact that the named institutions are of intermediate character (Ferner Hyman, 1998). According to its legal constitution, the works council follows explicitly the economic goals of the company. Trade unions have become so called mediators between the interests of labor and capital, and bulwarks of the tradition of social partnership (Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, 1998). The fifth and final major pillar of the Germa n model of industrial relations is the relative centralization of collective bargaining and the according coordinated bargaining policies, which will be explained in greater detail in the second part of this essay. The two parties of the German dual system are, as already described above, the trade unions and the works councils. In Germany, trade unionism goes back to 1945, when the German Trade Union Confederation (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund) was put in place, providing a single organizational structure for workers of different status. In 1995, the confederation had a total of 9,354,670 members coming from sectors such as the metal industry, public service, chemicals, construction, banking, rail, police, wood and plastics, media, textiles, food drink and tobacco, or education and science for example. Although German unions are not formally affiliated to any political party, the German trade Union Confederation shows links to the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). These patt erns of political alignment result from tradition, yet they appear to be weakening more and more over time. In addition, there are two other significant confederations in Germany: the German Salaried Employees Union (DAG) and the German Civil Servants Federation (DBB), which resulted from the Weimar Republic. The trade union density in Germany in 2007 was at 19.9% (OECD.2008). In comparison, the UK shows a density of 28%, whereas the United States reveal 11.6%. The second part of the German dual system are the works councils. In Germany, works councils are mandatory for in all private firms with five or more employees. They possess rights of information, consultation, and co-determination (Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, Keller, Jacobi, 1998). Co-determination implies social matters such as principles of remuneration and payment methods, performance related pay, daily and weekly work schedules, regulation of overtime, holiday arrangements, or the use of technical devices to monitor employees pe rformance. In specific circumstances there is even the right of veto over individual cases of hiring, grading, transfer, and dismissal. Additionally, the employer is obliged to inform the works council about the economic situation and financial affairs. Works councilors are elected for four years and are by law independent from the unions, representing the whole workforce. In general, works councils deal with the following employment relations: technological change, functional and numerical flexibility, as well as influencing the formal company structures. As already pointed out above, technological change implies for example the implementation of new technological instruments or methods to monitor employee performance. Concerning the functional flexibility, an article from the Industrial Relations Journal can be stated: Works councils are constituted on the basis of working together with the respective employer/management in a spirit of mutual trust to reinforce the achievement of functional flexibility (Lumley, 1992). The numerical flexibility roots in a legal event. The Employment Promotion Act was introduced by the German government in 1985. After successful lobbying of employers, legislative changes in employment relations were introduced, facilitating an increase in fixed-term contracts, temporary employees, and part-time workers in a mixed way. This enabled employers to be able to react more promptly to economic crises or peak-times, for example. Especially times of economic pressure generate a demand for more flexibility by organizations in how work is conducted. There is a need for flexible structures and work processes, allowing companies to adjust their labor resources to meet rapidly changing market demands, for instance the current global economic crisis which also strongly hit the German economy. Competitive conditions are leading to a decentralization of the German employment relations system on multiple levels, particularly within enterprises ( Berg, 2008). At the same time, workers desire more flexibility in when, how, and where they work. The increase in female labor, the rise of dual earner couples, and the cost of child rearing have altered the balance between work- and non-work roles and contributed to a variety of flexible work arrangements, especially in Germany (Berg et al. 2004). Another significant aspect of the German employment relations system is how business in the country is organized. There are three basic types of organization which can be distinguished: The chambers of Industry and Commerce, Business Associations, and Employers Associations (Harzing Van Ruysseveldt, 2004). The Chambers of Industry and Commerce are local organizations with a formal legal status, which makes membership necessary for all affected firms. The term affected implies all firms belonging to the respective field of operations of the Chambers. The task carried out by the Chambers are for example licensing and regulating trade pract ices and managing occupational training programs such as apprenticeships. These are a popular instrument for German high-school graduates who are willing to directly enter into working or simply do not have the possibility to go to university. Business Associations are organized by industry, in local associations affiliated to sectoral peak associations (Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, Keller, Jacobi, 1998). They are concerned with such matters as technology, production, marketing, and research. In Contrast, Employers Associations are responsible for negotiating the multi-employer collective agreements, which, according to Mà ¼ller-Jentsch (1998) are covering the vast majority of employees. Finally, the following facts about the German economy and its industrial relations will provide a further insight on how the countrys relations look like. The information is taken from the European Industrial Relations Observatory. The trade union density in Germany, where the number of trade union members is compared relative to the overall number of employees, is at around 22%. The employer organization density is at 63%. Here, the number describes the percentage of employees employed by companies who are members of an employer organization. In 2007, the country employment rate, regarding people from 15-64 years, was at 6.4%, whereas the unemployment rate for the same age-group reached 8.4%. Another significant figure is the number of working days lost through industrial action, per 1,000 employees. Here the average from 2004-2007 was at 5.62 days. The European average was at 37.47 days, which shows that Germany is significantly below the average (EIRO, 2009). Furthermore, the industrial relations in Germany, in cooperation with many other factors of course, result in a stable and advanced economy, which is to be regarded as very advanced and on a high level. Yet, there is still room for improvement left, also in industrial relations. Here, the cooperation of trade unions, works cou ncils, and employers could still be further improved. Existing systems of collective bargaining participation and their development since the 1980s Collective bargaining can be defined as a process of decision-making between parties representing employer and employee interests. Its purpose is the negotiation and application of an agreed set of rules to govern the substantive and procedural terms of the employment relationship (Windmà ¼ller.1987). In detail, the functions of collective bargaining are determining the terms and conditions of employment, as well as the allocation, distribution, and transaction of cost-saving issues. Furthermore, it also aims at countervailing the power of management and conflict-resolution. A significant prerequisite is the mutual recognition of the actors as representatives and the general willingness to bargain. The parties need to be aware of the fact that, within a defined area, future problems and issues are to be resolved jointly. Collective bargaining takes place within the field of the terms and conditions of employment. Specific topics are the price of labor, work rules, individual job rig hts, enforcement procedures, and the issue of management and union rights. (Zagelmeyer, 2010) The relationship between the two parties (employers and employees), can significantly influence the outcome of the bargaining. This accounts on a general as well as on an individual level. The probability to achieve a win-win situation throughout the bargaining process is certainly higher if the overall climate between management and employees in the company is positive and if the individuals get along with each other. It also affects the respective strategies and tactics and determines the general atmosphere of the whole process. Another important aspect is the term of bargaining power. According to Chamberlain and Kuhn (1986), it is defined as the ability to secure anothers agreement on ones own terms. It is the driving force underlying the bargaining relationship. The structure of collective bargaining can be either formal or informal. In a formal structure, the participants are legally bound by the terms of the agreement, whereas an informal bargaining structure is defined as the employers or employees who are affected by the results of a negotiated settlement through either pattern bargaining or other non-binding processes (Zagelmeyer, 2010). The process of collective bargaining can take place on different layers. Starting at a work group, department or company level, the single-employer bargaining functions in a decentralized way. Multi-employer collective bargaining embodies the local single industry, regional economy, or even a national economy, which reveals the highest possible degree of centralization. To draw the line to the German system of collective bargaining, Berg (2004) states the Germany shows a trend towards a further decentralization of collective bargaining, meaning that employment relations issues are increasingly being resolved on a single-employer level. Keller and Jacobi (1998) refer to the German Collective Agreement Act, where the parties t o a collective agreement must be unions on the workers side and single employers and or employers associations on the other. Company collective agreements are mainly to be found in smaller firms and cover a small minority of employees. Yet, the overall collective bargaining coverage in Germany ranked at 61% in 2007 (EIRO, 2009). In comparison to 2004 (68%), this percentage has decreased by 7% and can probably be drawn back to the current trend of decentralization of collective bargaining in Germany, which, on average, does not cover as many of the overall number of employees than the centralized approach including multi-employer collective bargaining. Indust ry wide and sectoral agreements contribute to a high degree of standardization of wages and other working conditions, as does state regulation (Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, Keller, Jacobi, 1998). It is also the case that, although sectoral bargaining is taking place at a regional level, collective bargaining in Germany is centrally direc ted by the national organizations on each of the two sides. Several pilot-agreements, especially from the engineering industry, function as role models for influence all other industries. An example is the so called IG Metall, which therefore enjoys a high degree of awareness in the German economy. According to the pacemaker of IG Metall, there are three different kinds of collective agreements to be distinguished: First, there are wage agreements. These set the level of wages and periodic alterations. Next there are the so called framework agreements, specifying wage-payment systems. Last, there are umbrella-agreements, which regulate all other conditions of employment such as working time, overtime, holidays, and dismissals. Another significant aspect of the German way of bargaining is described by Tallard (1988): The German collective bargaining process follows a certain sequence. A more or less extended period, depending on the industry and complexity of the issue to be discusse d, leads to agreement in the majority of the cases. If negotiations fail, both parties try to resolve the conflict through mediation procedures. These are established by union-employer agreements instead of government interventions. If mediation also fails, the conflict might result in a strike or in a lockout, which are the two last legal weapons of the union side in order to achieve their goals (Keller. 1997). Although there is a trend towards decentralization of collective bargaining, the system still needs mechanisms to adapt general conditions of collective agreements to the circumstances of individual establishment (Berg, 2008). Furthermore, it needs to be pointed out that civil servants are excluded from collective bargaining. The conditions of employment for this group of employees are set by legislation. Still, there is an influence of the relevant unions who function as consultants for the government. Another aspect of German industrial relations is that the scope of indus trial regulations is not closely related to union membership, as it is the case in other countries (Ferner Hyman, 1998). Roughly eighty percent of the employees are covered by collective agreements, which is three times the number of union members. Currently, the majority of collective negotiations is concerned with pay. This has been a development over the past decades and the focus of collective bargaining has changed over time. During the 1970s for instance, non-wage issues have received the most attention. During the late 1970s, for example, there had been a trend in bargaining across industries which considered the protection of employees against rationalization. During the 1980s, working-time arrangements played a dominant role (Ferner Hyman, 1998), where collective bargaining mostly aimed at regulating the working-time of employees as a strategy for job-creation. In the focus of discussion between unions and employers was the claim that the effect of shorter working hours r esults in an increase in employment. Since the early 1990s, especially after the Unification of Eastern and Western Germany, collective bargaining turned to the issue of wages. Since the efforts of the unions have not been very successful (Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, Keller, Jacobi, 1998), strikes emerged over several industries. Mà ¼ller et al. (1998) also make the point that collective bargaining seems to have had only a limited impact on income differentials. It was not a subject of priority to German unions. Yet, through the introduction of common pay scales, the gap between management employees (white-collars) and manual employees seems to be closing. In order to demonstrate the development and the outcome of collective bargaining in Germany, two other aspects need to be taken into consideration. During the 1950s annual holidays in Germany were two weeks, on average. Until the 1990s, this was increased to a total of six weeks, due to constant union-efforts (Ferner Hyman, 1998). The o ther aspect considers the amount of weekly working hours. Again during the 1950s, employees worked on average 48 hours per week. In the 1990s the efforts of the unions resulted in a total of 37.5 hours per week, on average. Taking a closer look on the development of collective bargaining in Germany, the following can be conclusion can be drawn. Due the historically more nationwide structure of bargaining, which had been introduced to a certain extent already in the Weimar Republic, the main process of bargaining happens at a more nation-wide, multi-employer stage. The development since the 1980s has shown that most bargaining-procedures follow the role model of the above described IG Metall and the major issue has become the topic of remuneration. A current example was the ongoing, publically held discussion about minimum-wages in several industries. Yet, there is a certain trend towards the decentralization of bargaining on a single-employer level which will be further discussed in the following. It is also of a high significance that the nationwide role-models are carried out to the single-employer levels, where often adjustments are made and the centralized outcome is often adapted to individual situations of companies. As a last aspect to be discussed referring to collective bargaining is the extent to which political parties in Germany take influence on the bargaining process. The IG Metall for example has an obvious affinity to the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), whose major target group are people belonging to the general workforce. This can certainly be of advantage for the majority of employees in case that the SPD takes legislative influence in favor of issues the IG Metall is concerned with. Current major trends and the decentralization of the German human resource management relations system The following part of the essay will provide an outline of current trends regarding the human resources management relations system in Germany. The previously described trend of the decentralization of bargaining structures will be regarded in greater detail, since it seems to be a significant development in German employment relations over the past years. One trend, which is not only occurring in Germany but in nearly all major industrial economies of Europe, is described by Streeck and Kluge (1999). In their study, it becomes evident that employers are tending to have a growing interest in a reliable and constructive relationship with trade unions on a company level. They state that the aim is to get along in a more productive manner than as it had always been the case. Being aware of the fact that this saves time and efforts, employers try to act more on a partner-level (Streeck Kluge, 1999). In case of Germany, the employee-side has the opportunity to react on static negotiation s with the employer by introducing strikes and lockouts. Yet, regarding the fact that employers are now obviously showing an increased compliance, at least on a perceived level, unions also tend to adopt a higher potential of compromise and push back a strike as the last opportunity since it harms the company on a general level. Another notable trend over the past years in Germany has been the growth of temporary work. With growth rates that are significantly higher than the rates of standard employment (Mitlacher, 2008), temporary work has attracted both public and academic attention. This trend can obviously be drawn back to times of economic recession and a certain divergence in business fluctuations. Employers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, are often depending on the ability to react to the current situation. In peak-times they are able to adjust their workforce upwards, whereas in times of crisis they can easily downsize their workforce accordingly. This situat ion surely comprises a negative connotation towards employee rights, yet it is a very useful application for employers although it might be regarded as exploitation of the workforce. To go a bit more into detail, it can be stated that on the one hand, temporary or triangular employment relations offer the possibility to reduce labor, hiring, and training costs. On the other hand it might also be stated that agency jobs are also associated with low wages, minimal benefits, negligible job security, little training, and no job prospects (Mitlacher, 2008). Here it becomes clearly evident that the advantage of triangular work is on the employers side, whereas employees have to get along with it. In general, Jahn (2005), who is quoted by Mitlacher (2008), states that the proportion of young people and foreigners is much higher among temporary agency workers than in the overall economy. Furthermore, 30% of the temporary workers are low-skilled and only a quarter of all temporary workers ar e women (Federal Employment Service, 2005). A further trend which can be regarded in Germany is the issue of privatization. It is an issue since the 1970s when the Social Democratic Party was governing and refused privatization on grounds of political principle (Ferner Hyman, 1998). Due to the issues of the perceived increase in profitability and flexibility coming along with privatization, the trend has developed during the 1980s, when the Christian Democratic Party of Germany came to power and created the legal grounds for privatization. Although all public sector unions and major interest organizations have offered strong and coordinated resistance to privatization and have caused serious social conflicts (Mà ¼ller-Jentsch, Keller, Jacobi, 1998) , the trend kept on developing over time. A famous recent example for privatization is the Deutsche Bahn AG. Apart from the above mentioned current issues, there is another significant trend in Germanys employment relations. According to a study of the Max-Planck-institute, the employment relations in Germany undergo a change which can be allocated to a steady increase in internationalization, which has started to grow considerably during the 1990s. Besides the danger of facility-shifts to financially more feasible countries, employment relations are mainly affected by another aspect. The increasing degree of Americanization brings along a growing shareholder-orientation. Industrial Relations and codetermination are reacting on the competitive environment of international markets by adapting to a decentralization of collective bargaining (Max-Planck-Institut-fà ¼r-Gesellschaftsforschung, 1999). This is development is also supported by the unification of Germany, when two independent economies were merged together. The area wide-wage agreement has been in the centre of Germanys system of collective bargaining. Individual wage agreements have led to more moderate wage developments, whilst collective agreements wit h individual firms, and agreements at the production unit level, have not had this moderating effect. On the other hand, collective bargaining has become more flexible, leading to greater pay differentiation. The further decentralization of collective bargaining, although desirable, has given rise to objections based in constitutional law and to resistance from employees and employers (Ochel, 2005). As already described above, there is a trend from multi-layer collective bargaining to a decentralized structure, with a single-employer structure, taking place from work unit-levels to corporation-levels. As revealed by Mà ¼ller-Jentsch et al. (1998), there is no necessary interconnection between deregulation initiated by the government and flexibility, which is pursued by assertive employers. Yet, both coincide in practice and contribute to the process of decentralization of labor relations. Therefore the actors at the company level gain importance, whereas the actors on a sectoral le vel, unions and employers associations lose some of their former power. Coming along with the above described shift of competence and influence, a new institutionalized balance of power (Ferner Hyman, 1998) has developed. Still, nationwide pacemakers such as the IG Metall are still powerful and maintain a significant influence. Referring to this issue, an example is presented by Ochel (2005) is provided, who bascically refers to so called Wild-Cat Co-Operation. In detail , this means that works councils often agree to overtime working, which enhances the earnings of their constituents while allowing the company to increase production without the long-term commitments involved in taking new workers. This contradicts with the policy to which the unions are strongly committed, to restrict overtime and encourage additional recruitment in order to reduce unemployment. The divergence between interests is the following: Unions, having a nationwide, multi-employer perspective aim reducing the overall unemployment. Works Councils instead aim at achieving the most suitable solution for the individual company, since they have a more decentralized focus and a single-employer point of view. Conclusion To come to a final conclusion it can be stated that the German industrial relations system has undergone a constant development over the last decades. The dual system, embodying unions and works councils, is based on tradition and represents the two parties of collective bargaining. Due to internationalization and other globalizing aspects, a major development in the German system is a shift towards decentralization, laying more decision power on the individual employers perspectives. As pointed out above, this bears opportunities as well as challenges.