Thursday, October 31, 2019

Summary+Discussion+Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary+Discussion+Question - Essay Example this kind of behavior from any of these countries but the violation of human rights and killings of innocent in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Pakistan. Terrorism should be confronted in a way that justice is given to everyone and no one is deprived of their liberty to live. Innocent should be protected and culprits should be punished. Terrorism should be confronted like the Norwegians did after the attack in Oslo, not by ding arbitrary arrests and all. Confronting terrorism is showing the world and the terrorists that we have a better option for both the parties and we can solve the issues properly by talks but not by fighting and killing innocent people. Many terrorist organizations have recently shown serious interests in using nuclear weapons for their evil purposes and if used the results could be devastating, killing millions of people around the world. Steps need to be taken by the major organizations and super powers of the world as these threats are not at all fictional but pose a real threat to the world. so far these efforts does not seem to be enough but if proper measures are taken the issue can be resolved. Ans. Hostage taking certainly is an act of terror. If we see the effects of this action on the people that have gone through this experience we will see that they have a long lasting mental and psychological effect on them, affecting their personal and social life. Hostages are kept by terrorists than how could it not be an act of terrorism. Terrorists who have done something wrong and are afraid of being captured and punished keep hostages to flee and continue their activities spreading more terrorism proving that hostage taking is an act of terrorism indeed. BRILL, KENNETH C., and KENNETH N. LUONGO. "Nuclear Terrorism - A Clear Danger - NYTimes.com." NY Times Advertisement. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Coca-Cola Company Financial Results Analysis Essay Example for Free

Coca-Cola Company Financial Results Analysis Essay This paper will attempt to discuss the North American market for The Coca-Cola Company in the impact to volume growth or declines for the period, discuss the drivers of profitability during the quarter at The Coca-Cola Company and the likely long-term impact of these drives on profits, discuss the EPS results for the quarter in comparison to historic results and long-term growth targets, and discuss the emerging markets for The Coca-Cola Company and the likely future impact on earnings per share. Coca-Cola Company Financial Results Analysis Discuss the North American market for The Coca-Cola Company in the impact to volume growth or declines for the period The North American market for The Coca-Cola Company is growing positively. Increasing mobility of the company and continuing a positive image for emerging new middle class clients is fueling Coca-Cola into claiming the title of number one beverage producer in North America. Providing that outside factors do not put a slump on the economy, strategic focus of building a strong brand, creating a positive value for the products, and keeping with sound investment practices will ensure the continuing growth of The Coca-Cola Company. For the first quarter of 2012, the North American market for The Coca-Cola Company impact on volume was positive. First quarter reported that the North America Group’s volume grew 2% in the quarter. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) The net revenues increased by 5% with â€Å"as reported† volume growth of 1%. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) The volume growth reflected the effect of having one less day for the quarter in the current year. There was also a positive price/ mix of 3% and a 1% benefit due to the structural change in relation to the acquisition of Greayt Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Company. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) Sparkling beverage volume, drinks with carbonation, grew by 1% for the quarter and still beverage volume grew by 6%. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) There was a reported decline in operating income in the first quarter. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) Due to the cycling of lower commodity costs in prior periods as well as having one less day for sales in the current year quarter, comparable currency nuetral operating income declined 9% in the quarter. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) This decline may be linked to current year timing in comparison to the prior year, which was comtemplated in The Coca-Cola Company’s internal planning process. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) Discuss the drivers of profitability during the quarter at The Coca-Cola Company and the likely long-term impact of these drives on profits. The drivers for profitability came from strong brand programming, positive pricing of products and overall structure change. Smart investing is also another driver of profitability. The advertisement seen at events and on television programming has helped push The Coca-Cola Company’s products into the view of the consumers. The planning processes have positioned The Coca-Cola Company into staying conservative with its investments and watch the market fluctuations as to creating long term investment growth possibilities. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) Things on the radar for The Coca-Cola Company include watching the employment rate in the countries where they are located and the economic environment globally, in relation to if the markets are improving or declining. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) Keeping brands and investments healthy and positive are the main drivers that will impact the long term profitability of this company. Discuss the Earnings per Share results for the quarter in comparison to historic results and long-term growth targets. The earnings per share reported for the first quarter was $0.89. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) In comparison to April 30, 2011, the diluted net income per share was up by 9%, up from $0.82. (Muhtar Kent, 2012) The Coca-Cola Company launched a new program that was to starting the first quarter of 2012 and ending in 2015 called the â€Å"Productivity and Reinvestment program†. (The Coca-Cola Company Reports Full-Year and Fourth Quarter 2011 Results, 2012) This program ihas been set to provide an incremental yearly savings of $550 to $650 million. (The Coca-Cola Company Reports Full-Year and Fourth Quarter 2011 Results, 2012) This goal is fueled by the more than $500 million annualied savings from the previous productivity program launched in 2009 and ending in 2011. (The Coca-Cola Company Reports Full-Year and Fourth Quarter 2011 Results, 2012) The Company’s 2020 goal of designing and implementing the most effective and efficient business system is well on its way towards becoming a reality. Discuss the emerging markets for The Coca-Cola Company and the likely future impact on earnings per share Volume growth for newer markets in China, Japan, and Thailand are on the forefront of The Coca-Cola Company’s main list of places to increase their product presence and strengthen their brand. Having a good price mix of investments and watching the economic status of these countries will help the Company to make sound investment strategies and increase their earnings per share in these regions. China will be an important player in the growth of business for The Coca-Cola Company. This is one of the fastest and largest markets to gain control of and strong marketing practices, along with bringing new jobs to this powerhouse economy will only increase the likelyhood of achieving a positive earnings per share return. In Japan, expanding the current market of items like coffee, sparkling beverages, and teas would help to increase sales in this country. Keeping the brand present as this country tries to recover from a natural disaster in 2011 will help to ease The Coca-Cola Company’s presence back into the line of things for the consumers in this market. Working closely with bottling groups and keeping good ties are helping to spur coke in a positive direction as Japan attempts to recover from the prior year’s decline due to natural disasters. The Coca-Cola Company’s outlook remains positive as it attempts to keep moving forward in the market of beverages. The Company’s long term goals of increasing its efficiency in branding, increasing its productivity, creating new jobs globally, and working on restructuring the company is helping to keep the Company as a top contender in the beverages category and will help maximize its efforts to increase profits for itself and the shareholders.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Effectiveness of Student Internship

Effectiveness of Student Internship Introduction. The purpose of this study is to describe an internship program targeted at adolescents and aimed at addressing the competences needed. This study involved three main stakeholders: scholars, educators and employers engaged in the internship program. The intent is to gain a better understanding of how each group works together to equip scholars with the relevant college and career readiness competences and meet employer competences needs. Examining the experiences of scholars, employers and educators engaged in internships will reveal how such programs can enhance college and career readiness among scholars and address employer competences needs. Developing a rich descriptions of the structure and organization of the program establish the context for the internship and provided insights into the challenges and opportunities of those engaged in the program. This proposal will use a qualitative case study method (Creswell, 2013, Yin, 2009, Merriam, 1998) to explore internships and to guide the data collection, analysis and the reporting of the study. Components addressed in this section will be: (a) research design; (b) data collection and analysis; (c) ethical considerations to ensure validity and trustworthiness of the study. Qualitative studies provide richness and holism to the analysis of the phenomenon under study (Miles Huberman, 1994) and since such studies occur in  natural settings, researchers can examine a phenomenon within its context. A qualitative method enables the researcher to understand the meaning and purpose that individuals ascribe to their activities, (Guba Lincoln, 1994) by finding out intangible factors and contextualizing the participants experiences. Also, qualitative research affords the researcher an opportunity to understand an issue or phenomenon that cannot be easily quantified (Creswell, 2013). A qualitative method is suited for exploring the phenomenon of internships within the context of the program which is geared towards equipping adolescents with industry-relevant competences and addressing employer competences needs. Conducting a case study on internships within the context of a local organization and examining this intersection of employers, scholars, and educator s will enabled the researcher gain a holistic understanding of their experiences. It will also allowed the researcher to delve into the complexities and subtleties of the phenomenon and provide an opportunity to explore policy, knowledge and practice as they relate to internship programs. Creswell (2009) defines qualitative research as, a means for exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem. Qualitative research is further discussed by Merriam (2009), researchers are fascinated in understanding how people interpret their experiences, how they construct their worlds, meaning they attribute to their experiences. A qualitative case study method is determined to be the best method to get the information needed to answer the research question and sub-questions. Qualitative research allows the researcher to study participants in their natural setting in order to make sense of or to interpret a phenomena in terms of the meanings the p eople bring to them, (Denzin Lincoln, 2000). Audience Purposeful sampling will be to select the participants for this study. In purposeful sampling, the researcher selects individuals and a site to study because they can purposefully inform the understanding of the research problem and central phenomenon (Creswell, 2013). This study will be conducted as a single instrumental and embedded case study and focused on a high school internship programs in a local school district in a western part of North Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the United States during the 2016-2017 scholastic year. Several participants will be included in this study. The participants in the study will agree to take part on the condition that their identities would be protected. Thus, pseudonyms will be assigned to each of them to help maintain confidentiality. The following paragraphs will include the three units of analysis (the employer, the scholars and the educators) and provide a summarized biography of each participant. Three units of analysis will be examinded. Unit of Analysis 1: The scholars (teens) internship program within the organization. Unit of Analysis 2: Educators high school setting. Unit Analysis 3: Employers involved in the internship program. Examination of Philosophical Assumptions and Interpretive Frameworks. It is beneficial for consumers of research to understand the philosophical assumptions of the researcher in relation to reality (ontology) and the nature of knowledge (epistemology) and the values that underpin the research process (Merriam, 2009; Creswell, 2013; Glesne, 2010). Beliefs about the world and what reality is (ontology) are influenced by factors such as worldview which determine the kinds of questions why answers are sought. These factors determine what is being reality (Creswell, 2013; Glesne, 2011). My ontological belief is that reality is known through my participation with the  different participants in the internship program as each participant would present  multiple realities based on their views, experiences, worldviews, and contexts. Thus,  when studying individuals, it is considerable to understand that reality is subjective as seen through many views, and my intent as the researcher should be to report the multiple  views of participants as presented. Creswell (2013) explained that epistemological  beliefs help the researcher determine what counts as knowledge. This knowledge is  gained by getting close to the participants to understand their views and experiences. My epistemological stance required that I conduct my research in the participants  environments to gain a holistic understanding of internship and how the  participants contexts and experiences bore upon the phenomenon. By getting close to the participants and listening to them with an open mi nd, I understood their knowledge claims. My choice of research method enabled me to study an internship within the context of an organization to understand the experiences and  perceptions of the participants.   From an axiological standpoint, qualitative research is value laden as researchers bring their values and biases to bear on a study and how findings are interpreted (Creswell 2013; Glesne, 2011). Dahlberg, Drew and Nystrom (2001) thus encouraged researchers to adopt an open stance and be receptive to information about the phenomenon under study as it is presented as this allows researchers to see things in a new way. In view of that, my duty as a researcher required that I maintain an open stance and make myself available to what I was studying and be willing to listen and understand what I was being told with no judgment on my part. It is considerable that I suspended my assumptions and be open to learning from participants and not make any assumptions about what my participants knew or did. Through my extensive review and my experiences with the concept of internships, I will monitor my assumptions and biases and separate them from the data being presented by my participants. I had to be cognizant of how my previous knowledge about internships could influence my interpretation of the data. To prevent this from happening, I endeavored to jot down my feelings and perceptions about the information I received. Besides, gaining more insights into the phenomenon, adopting an open stance enabled me to identify dissenting views and report such evidence in this study, enriching the study with information that could be beneficial to the different stakeholders fascinated in internships. The social constructivist or interpretivist framework (Creswell 2013) guided the interpretation of the study. Through this viewpoint, I strove to co-construct the meaning of the world where the participants lived and worked. Given the varied factors that influence the success of internships, it is considerable to uncover the complexity of views that each of the participants held as their views would be informed by the context in which they worked, the resources available to them, and the cultural, economic and political environments in which participants found themselves. It is through my interaction with the participants I could explore and describe the role of internships in enhancing college and career readiness competences and to address employer competences needs. As a result, the knowledge I gained and my findings were co-created with my participants. Due to the value-laden nature of research, my  background and values could influence the interpretations I make throughout the   study. Thus, to ensure credibility and trustworthiness in my research, my values  and role as a researcher and what influenced my interest to this topic and research is  discussed in the next subsection. My Role as a Researcher My interest in internship programs for high school scholars stems from my readings and scholarly work as a graduate student that focused on workforce development and the need to address the competences gaps in the labor market. My interest is initially stimulated during my new position as a career development coordinator with Career and Technical Education. The notion of internship is personal as I raised in Parkton, North Carolina. In the educational system, attainment of a college degree is seen as the only path to success. However, the educational system and available resources privilege only a few scholars who are able to achieve a college degree. A large population of the scholars neither has a college degree nor gains any employable competences after high school. Although introducing technical vocational education and training systems allows for internship training in the secondary school system, there are minimal partnerships with core industries that can help scholars and drive the economy. Therefore, there is little realization of the economic that enjoys these programs since most of the training is for low impact industries resulting in low wages and with little interest to scholars. As compared to countries with well-established internship systems where public policy, education, industry and scholar interest are aligned to be nefit all stakeholders, these elements do not integrate well in a place like Parkton, NC. I hope that this research will shed better understanding of how such elements integrate and can be refined and adapted to meet different contexts. Most of the literature I reviewed showed a need to focus on high schools to attract scholars into internships. I realized through scholarly readings and experiences that the concept of internship had been an ongoing initiative in the United States for many years. However, with the push for college and higher education, the focus of training individuals to enter the labor market had shifted to formal schooling over the years. Despite the rise in formal schooling, changes in educational policies aimed towards a better educated workforce to meet the needs of the 21st century labor market do not show how the perpetual competences gap among labor market candidates can be fully addressed. This is evident from the concerns expressed by employers that a large proportion of American scholars graduating from high school enter the labor market with n o knowledge of relevant competences-scholastic, technical or career-related-to succeed (Stone Lewis, 2012). As stakeholders seek to address the problem of competences gaps, internship programs have re-emerged as a possible career pathway, despite their controversial implementations in the past which had resulted in varying degrees of success or failure. The problem with the internship system in the United States is that programs are arbitrary and discrete, with the averaging internship participant age about 27 years when they enter the programs. Also, many young adults stumble into internships to last resort, only to find out that those internships offered a stable and consistent career through the acquisition of industry-relevant competences. This topic is considerable because in the communities where I have lived, many kids were left behind when they failed to pursue the traditional scholastic route. I also believe such programs, when well thought out and coordinated, may offer a possible way out and a means to advancement in peoples lives. On a personal level, I enjoy the scholastic stimulation of engaging and sharing my ideas and research which can impact society. It is my belief that when supported with the right resources and vested stakeholders, internships can offer our young people a sense of purpose and meaning. They also provide several professional and personal benefits to those stakeholders who pursue them such as the organizations that sponsor and hire these Internships. Instruments Data Collection Procedures. In this study, the data will be collected primarily through interviews with participants and supplemented with observations and document review. Interviewing participants is an ideal and considerable tool since it allows the researcher to gain insights into the feelings and thoughts that are not readily observed and are usually the most considerable tool in qualitative research (Merriam, 2009; Patton, 2002). An interview protocol will be developed using semi-structured interviews to aid in organizing ideas and ensuring that vital questions were not missed. Individual, face- to- face interviews will be attempted and additional information will be gathered through emails and phone conversations. The participants will be interviewed at different times and in different locations. Data collection will involve a series of interrelated activities that adds depth and breadth to a study by producing the best answers needed to answer a research question (Creswell, 2013; Yin, 2009). In this study, the data will be collected primarily through interviews with participants and supplemented with observations and documents review. The interviews with the scholars will occur in their school instead of the worksite. With the consent of the principal and the scholars, the interviews with the interns will be scheduled during school period when they had elective classes such as aiding or study competences to not interfere with their core courses. The interview questions to the scholars will focus on their experiences as interns, lessons learned and their plans in relation to the program. The internships will provide insight into their perceptions of the program and the benefits and challenges involved. Interviews with the educators will be conduct at their respective schools and in the district coordinators office. The interview questions that will be posed to the educators will provide insights into the challenges and opportunities of the partnership program with the employer organization. Interviews with participants from the employer group will be conducted within the organization. Interview questions will focus on the reasons for starting the program, their experiences, challenges and opportunities in developing and implementing the program and overall goals of the program. At the beginning of each interview, I will explain the purpose of the study and the interview, reiterated how long the interviews will take and explained to participants their rights. The interviews will be structured to last only one hour. Creswell, 2013 suggested that a researcher use open ended, general and focused questions that are aimed at understanding the central phenomenon of a study. Most of the interview questions will be open-ended to generate rich information from participants. Probing statements and questions such as Tell me more, Can you explain further? or You had mentioned that and Can you elaborate on that? will be used elicit further information or clarify points made by participants. Each of the interviews will be recorded, transcribed and stored on a password-protected computer and an external hard drive. Creswell (2013) noted that the use of multiple sources of data is helpful in providing corroborative evidence for validating the accuracy of a study. Additional data will be collected through observations that I will conduct at the organization while the interns are at work. Data from observations typically include activities, actions and behaviors, while data from documents can include records, correspondence and official publications, photographs and other physical artifacts (Patton, 2002). During this time, I will observe activities, behavior and other observable experiences among the participants as they performed their daily routines. In addition, documents such as training manuals, internships handbooks and other materials will be analyzed to uncover more insights that would supplement interview data. I will also use field notes and journals to record insights and feelings useful in helping me understand and interpret my findings. An considerable part of the data collection process will involve developing a timeline so that the process would run smoothly. Due to the participants schedules, data will be collected over a three-month period. After identifying gatekeepers at the research site, I will meet with each of them to explain the purpose of the study and sought their approval to use their organizations as study sites. Once approval from the local school district has been received, letters of consent will be sent to each of the participants. Parental consent will be sought from parents of the scholars who are under 18 years of age. The signed letters of consent will be collected prior to the interviews. Due to the emergent design of a qualitative study, I will to remain flexible and adaptable to changing the method. Sales and Folkman (2000) explained that flexibility and tolerance are considerable attributes at the planning stage; therefore, when researchers are inflexibly wedded to a particular design that can hinder them from designing a plan that is scientifically and ethically sound, it can cause major ethical violations as researchers. This principle of flexibility was applied when adjustments were needed to accommodate the schedules of participants and when the inclusion of other participants was suggested. Once the interviews are completed, the data will be transcribed and folders will be created for each of the participants and labelled. A contact summary form will reflect on each interview and summarize the key points and trends identified in a particular interview. The next step in the analysis process will involve a review of the data to get a sense of it. This will enable the researcher to review pertinent information and to understand how each participants answers provided information to the research question. The data will then describe and be interpreted by forming categories that best represented the data. Creswell (2013) noted that this critical phase involves building detailed descriptions by describing what is seen and interpreting the data in light of the views or the perspectives in the literature. The next step involved coding the data by condensing the text and providing codes based on evidence from the database, a process that required appropriately describing the information collected. After identifying the themes in the data, the next step involved interpreting the data by abstracting the codes and themes to the larger meaning of the data (Creswell, 2013). Throughout the interpretation process, meanings will be attributed to the themes by grouping the information and relating those groups to the study questions and linking them to literature. Research Design. Case studies are appropriate when one is studying a contemporary, real life situation bounded in time and location (Creswell, 2013; Yin 2009). Yin (2009) noted that a case study design permits the researcher to interview the participants of the phenomenon under study (in this case, the internship programs) and observe first-hand the participants as involved in the study. Case studies involve rich, contextual descriptions that allow the researchers to study internal and external factors that influence a phenomenon. Although case studies are typically not generalizable, the value of case studies is that they provide a deeper and richer understanding of a phenomenon, suggest complexities for further investigations or refine theory, and help to establish the limits of generalizability (Yin, 2009). When done well, the case study can provide a vicarious experience that can support and action for a phenomenon (Creswell, 2013; Yin, 2009). By using a case study method, the ho pe is that this study will provide detailed information on how internships can be developed and advanced as a pedagogical method that enhance the competences needed by adolescents as they transition into adulthood and meet employer competences needs. Single Case Study. Multiple case studies are deemed preferable to single case studies because comparison from other examples provides valuable knowledge to the audience and are perceived to be more rigorous. However, Yin (2009) affirmed that a single case study is an appropriate design when the aim of the researcher is to describe an unusual case that deviates from everyday occurrences as the findings may reveal insights about a process or a program and provide value for large number of people beyond those impacted by the particular case. Yin (2009) explained that focusing on a single case offers readers and the researcher the opportunity to draw out the uniqueness of the case by providing a comprehensive understanding of all stakeholders impacted by the phenomenon. Regarding the current study, the study of a single internship program enabled the researcher to uncover the complexities of the program and understand how each of the stakeholders contributed to the goals of the study. In a similar vein, Stake (2000) alleged that when researchers focus on comparisons of multiple cases, uniqueness and complexities can be glossed over, because when readers are presented with other cases to compare with, they often focus on one case as readers and rarely learn much from other compared cases Yin (2009) suggested that subunits can be incorporated into the unit of analysis to create an embedded single case study design or to enhance the rigor of a single case study design. Thus, in the current study, the internship program within the using organization was identified as the unit of analysis. Embedded within the case was the taking part high school scholars and the district educational personnel. Although an embedded design adds richness and rigor, it is no t without pitfalls. Yin (2009) noted that to ensure an embedded designs trustworthiness, the researcher will need to tie the results of each of the subunits to the larger unit of analysis so the original phenomenon of interest (in this case, the internship program) remains the target of the study. Data Analysis. Qualitative studies produce volumes of data and to avoid getting lost in a sea of data, the data collection and data analysis process should be interwoven. This helps the researchers in managing the data and provides opportunities to identify gaps in their data collection (Creswell, 2012; Merriam, 2009). Once the interviews are completed, the data will be transcribed and folders for each of the participants created and labeled. A contact summary form will be used to reflect and summarize the key points and trends identified in a particular interview. The next step in the analysis process will involve a review of the data to get a sense of them. Yin (2009) referred to this process as playing with your data. The goal here is to immerse myself in the data to understand what was going on before proceeding to the next steps. This will enabled me to review pertinent information and to understand how each participants answers provided information to the research question. Aft er exploring the database to get a grasp on the data, I will inscribe and interprete the data by forming categories that best represented the data. Creswell (2013) noted that this critical phase involves building detailed descriptions by describing what is seen and interpreting the data in light of the views or the perspectives in the literature. The next step will involve coding the data by condensing the text and providing codes based on evidence from the data. Coding is an essential step in the analysis as it helps the researcher identify the major themes in the data and allows the emergent nature of qualitative research to evolve (Creswell, 2013; Yin, 2009). During this process, I will choose codes that appropriately described the information gleaned. After identifying the themes in the data, the next step involved interpreting the data by abstracting the codes and themes to the larger meaning of the data (Creswell, 2013). Throughout the interpretation process, I will attribute meanings to the themes by grouping the information and relating those groups to the study questions and linking them to literature. The tentative findings will be discussed with chair. The findings will then be further refined, and a draft report will be sent to the chair for their review and feedback. The data will then be presented in a table format to illustrate the different levels of abstraction (Creswell, 2013) and to outline how I arrived at the conclusion and results of the interpretation. The final report of the case study will then be included in a detailed description of the internship program and its context. Providing a history of the program will help to organize the data and provide the reader with a context within which the research study was conducted. It concluded with a description of the experiences of the stakeholders (employer, scholars and educators) and how those experiences influenced the implementation and operation of the program. Miles and Huberman (1994) noted that using interpretive and material sources in qualitative research makes the world visible to readers by turning the world i nto a series of representations including field notes, interviews and memorandums to self. Interviewed participants will tell their personal stories and will be encouraged to explain the actions and activities that occurred as the program evolved. Many of the findings will be told through the voices of the participants. Thus, direct quotes from the participants will be incorporated into the final report to reflect their voices. Methods for Verifications (Ethical Considerations). This section outlines steps that will be taken to ensure the trustworthiness and credibility of the study. Once the case was identified, I will connect with gatekeepers of the organizations involved to explain the purpose of the study and to gain access to the participants for the study. Prior to collecting data, approval was sought from Gardner Webb University. Approval will also be sought from the educational district office since the study included scholars from the district who are considered a protected group. To gain approval to begin the study, I will develope a consent form for participants and an assent form for the parents of internships under the age of 18. The form will describe the purpose of the study, its benefits to the participants, how much time would be spent collecting data and how the findings would be used. Participants will be notified of their rights to end their involvement in the study and measures that wou ld be taken to ensure confidentiality and anonymity. Due to my obligation as a researcher to protect the anonymity of participants, pseudonyms will be used. To gain an in-depth understanding of internships, their structure and organizations and the experiences of those living the phenomenon, it is considerable to spend a substantial amount of time in the field interviewing and observing the participants. While this is a necessary step, I have to be respectful of the participants time and make sure our meetings or interactions are completed at their convenience so as not to disrupt their lives. The prolonged engagement in the field was necessary to build trust with the study participants and to understand the nuances of the phenomenon. It helped me to identify issues salient to the study. To corroborate the findings and to ensure that researchers gains comprehensive  information, Yin (2009) advised that researchers use diverse data gathering tools such as interview, observations, archival records and physical evidence where available. The process of triangulation is an ethical expectation that enables the researcher to illuminate a theme or perspective while ensuring the rigor and validity of the study (Creswell, 2013). Since the dissertation process is a solo process, it is considerable that I have debriefings and review sessions with my dissertation chair and peers who  could provide an aim perspective and reveal any blind spots by asking me questions  about my conclusions and assumptions. I will schedule meetings with my chair to provide him progress updates and to seek feedback from him.   Data collected will be stored on a password-protected computer and on an external hard drive. To maintain confidentiality, I will ensured that the information received from interviews is not shared with others without the consent of the participants. Although this kind of research posed no considerable risk to participants due to my questions and the characteristics of participants, I realized that no research study is void of risks, and thus, it is considerable to respect the research sites. Also, the participants time is respected to not inconvenience stakeholders. Once the major themes were developed in the analysis phase, the information is shared with participants to judge if I had ascribed the correct meanings to the data and if there are any discrepancies in interpreting the data. This member checking process was vital in determining the credibility of the research study (Creswell, 2013). To impact the targeted audience and to allow them to draw conclusions from the study, the final report includes rich descriptions of the participants and the contexts of the study (Stake, 2000) and direct quotes from the participants which provided a rich, vicarious experience to the target audience. Limitations This case study provids an in-depth description of one internship program. The study focused on one program could be perceived as a limitation. Although the findings may apply to other organizations, generalizations of the findings to other contexts such as an established program or another industry may have severe limitations. A comparative case would provide additional insights and boost the findings of the study. Summary The researcher of this study adopted a qualitative method to describe a school-industry partnership that offered internship training to scholars. In the following chapter, the results will be presented using thick, rich descriptions. The findings illuminate practices that enhance internship programs and provide an understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by stakeholders.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Electrical Rewiring Essay -- essays research papers

The wiring that was installed in a house many years earlier, or even as recently as a decade ago, may not be adequate for the job it is called upon to do today. A complete rewiring job is in order-or is it? Do not jump to the conclusion that every outlet must be torn out and every receptacle replaced. Many times a less expensive job will serve the purpose.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Is the wiring inadequate because you are using too many lights? Too many floor lamps? Too many radios and TVs? That is seldom the case. The wiring usually is inadequate because you have added many electrical appliances that were not considered or perhaps were not even on the market at the time of the original wiring job. The installation does not provide enough circuits to operate a wide assortment of small kitchen appliances, plus range, water heater, clothes dryer, room air conditioners and other heavy appliances. Some of these operate on 240-volt circuits, which may not be available; others operate at 120 volts but when plugged into existing circuits they overload those circuits. In addition, the service entrance equipment may be just too small for the load.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To analyze the problem of your particular house, ask yourself this: If you disconnected all the appliances, would you have all the lighting circuits you need? The answer is probably yes, which means that your rewiring job is simplified. You will still have to rewire the house, but probably not as completely as at first appeared necessary. Proceed as if you were starting with a house that had never been wired, but leave the existing lighting circuits intact. (These lighting circuits, of course, will include many receptacles used for small loads like a vacuum cleaner, radio, and TV, but not the receptacles for kitchen or laundry appliances.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is little difference between old and new work, except that in old work there are a great many problems of carpentry. The problem is to cut an opening where a fixture is to be installed, and another where a switch is to be installed, and then to get the cable inside the wall from one opening to the other with the least amount of work and without tearing up the walls or ceilings more than necessary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One house to be wired may be five years old, another a hundre... ...appliances. Appliances shall have no live parts normally exposed to contact other than those parts functioning as open resistance heating elements, such as the heating elements of a toaster, which are necessarely exposed. The rating of an individual branch circuit shall not be less than the marked rating of the appliance. The branch-circuit rating for an appliance that is continuously loaded, other than a motor operated appliance shall not be less than 125 percent of the marked rating, or not less than 100 percent of the market rating if the branch circuit device and its assembly are listed for continuous loading at 100 percent of its rating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All appliances shall be protected against overcurrent. If a protective device rating is marked on an appliance, the branch circuit overcurrent device rating shall not exceed the protective device rating marked on the appliance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A household-type appliance with surface heating elements having a maximum demand of over 60 amperes shall have its power supply subdivided into two or more circuits, each of which should be provided with overcurrent protection rated at not over 50 amperes.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Reliance Fresh Project Reports

â€Å"CONSUMER PERCEPTION AND THEIR BUYING BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS â€Å"RELIANCE FRESH† SUPERMARKETS NEW DELHI, INDIA. † Chapter 1: Introduction Reliance Retail: Retailing is the interface between the producer and the individual consumer buying for personal consumption. This excludes direct interface between the manufacturer and institutional buyers such as the government and other bulk customers. A retailer is one who stocks the producer’s goods and is involved in the act of selling it to the individual consumer, at a margin of profit.As such, retailing is the last link that connects the individual consumer with the manufacturing and distribution chain. The retail industry in India is of late often being hailed as one of the sunrise sectors in the economy. The Indian retail industry is now beginning to evolve in the line with the transformation that has swept other large economies. It witness tremendous growth with the changing demographics and an improvement in the quality of life of urban people.The growing affluence of India’s consuming class, the emergence of the new breed of entrepreneurs and a flood of important products in the food and grocery store, has driven the current retail boom in the domestic market. (Jhamb & Khiran, 2012) AT Kearney, the well-known international management consultancy, recently identified India as the ‘first most attractive retail destination’ globally from among thirty emergent markets. It has made India the cause of a good deal of excitement and the cynosure of many foreign and domestic eyes.The entry of foreign and Indian retail giants like Wal-Mart, Metro, Reliance, Birla, Tata etc. made Indian market more competitive which is at cut throat level. So how retailers can reach to their end customers, to win the mind share and increase the basket size of each shopping trip. (Jhamb & Khiran, 2012) It is expected that by 2016 modern retail industry in India will be worth US$ 175- 200 billion. I ndia retail industry is one of the fastest growing industries with revenue expected in 2007 to amount US$ 320 billion and is increasing at a rate of 5% yearly.A further increase of 7-8% is expected in the industry of retail in India by growth in consumerism in urban areas, rising incomes, and a steep rise in rural consumption. It has further been predicted that the retailing industry in India will amount to US$ 21. 5 billion by 2010 from the current size of US$ 7. 5 billion. The growth of scope in the Indian retail market is mainly due to the change in the consumer’s behaviour. For the new generation have preference towards luxury commodities which have been due to the strong increase in income, changing lifestyle, and demographic patterns which are favourable. Huangyuarong (2011).As the twentieth century has come to and we have moved in to third millennium , we can see many development and changes taking place around us with all the industries and firms within each industry trying to keep pace with all the industries and firm within each industries trying to keep pace with the changes and diverse need of people . Marketer have regarded â€Å"customer† as the king and evolved all activities to satisfy him or her, this concept gaining more momentum and importance today. More than a century ago, the father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, had made visionary and deep meaningful statement at Johannesburg, South Africa in 1980.A customer is the most important visitor of our premises. He is not dependent on us . We are dependent on him He is not interruption on our work. He is the purpose of it and not an outsider on our premises. He is a part of it. We are not doing him favour by serving him. (AnithaJulius, 2013) Today the entire firm engaged in a process of creating a life time value and relationship with customers. This report start with discussion on the diversity of consumer behaviour and the need for studying consumer buying behaviour and consumer as a related field of marketing .This can be largely be attributed to the prevailing market situation . Today the company image is built and made known by its customers. Thus success of the firm determined how effective it has been in meeting the diverse consumer need and wants by treating each customer as unique and offering products and services to suit has or her need. (Gupta, 2011) Consumer buying behaviour will be a primary force in determining how this transition will evolve. Getting closer to the customer in today’s highly competitive landscape is essential for the entire industry and is no longer just a retail issue.It requires all organizations across the supply chain to work as a single enterprise, sensing and responding rapidly to consumer demand in a co-ordinate manner. Detailed analysis of the changing patterns of consumer demand, shopping trends. (Gupta, 2011) 1. 1. Background: We can see many examples of businesses where, first we grow and then think of expandi ng but Reliance is quite different. Reliance has developed such huge amount of resources and capital over the years that whenever it steps into any segment it is not required to wait for growing signal, that’s why it always thinks of expanding without any boundaries.Reliance retail is next Step by RIL which will be a pan India project. (â€Å"reliance fresh information,† 2012) Reliance Fresh is the retail chain division of Reliance Industries of India which is headed by Mukesh Ambani. Reliance has entered into this segment by opening new retail stores into almost every metropolitan and regional area of India. Reliance plans to invest Rs 25000 crores in the next 4 years in their retail division and plans to begin retail stores in 784 cities across the country.The Reliance Fresh supermarket chain is RIL’s Rs 25,000 crore venture and it plans to add more stores and eventually have a pan-India footprint by year 2011. The super marts will sell fresh fruits and vegeta bles, staples, groceries, fresh juice bars and dairy products and also will sport a separate enclosure and supply-chain for non-vegetarian products. Besides, the stores would provide direct employment to 5 lakh young Indians and indirect job opportunities to a million people, according to the company. â€Å"reliance fresh information,† 2012) The company is planning on opening new stores with store-size varying from 1,500 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft, which will stock fresh fruits and vegetables, staples, FMCG products and dairy products. Each store is said to be within a radius of 1-2 km of each other, in relation to the concept of a neighbour store. In a dramatic change due circumstances prevailing in UP, West Bengal and Orissa, It was mentioned recently in News Dailies that, Reliance Retail is moving out stocking.Reliance Retail has decided to minimize its exposure in the fruit and vegetable business and position Reliance Fresh as a pure play super market focusing on categories lik e food, FMCG, home, consumer durables, IT, wellness and auto accessories, with food accounting for the bulk of the business. (â€Å"reliance fresh information,† 2012) 1. 2. Reason for study: An intention of this study to clarify and understand the behavior and perception of consumer towards Reliance Fresh and how it impact on today’s retail marketing at New Delhi. 1. 3. Statement of problem:Food and grocery retail sector is one of the fastest growing industries, yet the nature of shopping behavior has not been studied in-depth. This has created a need to identify the aspects influencing these behavior and the patterns that will be followed. Lately, many new retail formats have introduced in New Delhi hence it is crucial for retail stores to understand consumer buying behavior along with their preferred store choice. 1. 4. Research Objective: I. To study consumer buying behavior and their perception at Reliance Fresh customers of New Delhi. II. Too examine the influence of demographic factors on retail purchase behavior.III. Evaluate the consumer trends and their perception towards the new shopping style. 1. 5. Major Research Questions: What are the major factors influencing consumer buying behavior and their buying decision process at Reliance Fresh New Delhi? 1. 6. Assumption: The attitude, perception, and behavior may be different to buy in supermarkets of New Delhi. Reliance fresh should encourage their image, consumer perception, consumer purchasing decision criteria and also should maintain their service quality to make more consumers satisfaction. 1. 7. Scope of the study:The scope of this study focus on consumer behavior and perception on Reliance fresh retail New Delhi which is already established all over in India. But in Delhi its provide the higher level of service for the consumer satisfaction, so there are coming more consumer at Reliance Fresh to buy best quality product into the store. The study to survey the behavior of consumer w ho always buy product from Reliance fresh at the largest famous retail stores at New Delhi, India with questionnaires. 1. 8. Benefit of research: 1. To understand the factor influencing purchasing making decision of product of Reliance Fresh Retail. . To realize how the consumer perceive and behave the buying activities of the stores and consumer perception for the image of Reliance Fresh supermarket. 1. 9. Limitation of research: The research focuses and asks for the mind of consumer (perception and behavior) which is intangible so it is difficult to measure by figure and may have bias answers depend on that situation because normally, Indian People mostly are ashamed to tell the truth. Conceptual Framework Independent variables Dependent variables Location * Customer Buying Behavior Buying decision process Ambiance of the supermarket Quality of products Variety of products Customer services References: AnithaJulius. (2013). Retail Market in India. [online article]. Gupta, M. M. , A. (2011). Consumer Perceptions towards Different Retail Formats in India. Maharishi Markandeshwar University. Huangyuarong. (2011). Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior [online article]. Jhamb, D. , & Khiran, R. (2012). Emerging trends of Organized Retailing in India. School of Management & Social Sciences. reliance fresh information. (2012). [online article].

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Automotive Technology

My life has always been filled with dreams and aspirations. As a young child, I have always been interested in things that required thinking. I remember as a young child, I was fascinated with the way cars work. The work of mechanics would always leave me with a lot of questions in my mind. So when I grew older, I decided to fulfill my long time dream, and took Automotive Technology. I believe that The South Seattle Community College would be the answer to all my queries, with regards to Automotive Technology. I will be given the chance to experience a technologically advance training that would help me learn more about the processes involved in the automotive industry. In the long run, I may be able to share my talents and knowledges to those who are in need of my service. With the Automotive Technology degree, I may be hired as a Service Manager, or as a Service Advisor, and earn as much as $34. 00 an hour. This would be enough to suffice for my other needs at home. As of now, I guess my biggest barrier in acquiring my degree is my financial status. I am currently unemployed, with no means of sufficing for my education. I am only armed with my will, dedication, and passion to learn new ideas so that I can be the best person that I can be. I know that financial problems can never hinder me from striving hard and learning. I believe that the best way to overcome my obstacles is to just keep my drive in accomplishing my hopes and dreams of acquiring a degree from your university. In addition to this, I would also like to inspire people to do the same thing I did – to study hard and overcome barriers in education.