The Honest to Goodness Truth on Good Creative Essay Topics

The Honest to Goodness Truth on Good Creative Essay Topics At precisely the same time, it's a terrific persuasive essay idea. It is preferable to search online since it will save yourself a plenty of time. While such freedom provides you a possiblity to choose what you find interesting, there's also the risk you can stray from the topic or your subject of analysis could be too wide. A superb start is a guarantee of succeeding. Today, you can request skilled support and hire a specialist who's ready to increase your draft, offer you higher excellent essay edit service, or even finish your creative essay for your benefit. In any case, it doesn't matter the degree of education of your essay. Definition essay can help to locate another meaning for things from years past thus we could make our future better. If you would like to create a descriptive essay about your own personal experience, it might be unusual and specific. The Key to Successful Good Creative Essay Topics Ins piration to make your own advertising or media argumentative essay topics isn't challenging to discover. There are many skilled essay writers that may cope at any essay in no moment. You don't need to find super technical with legal argumentative essays, but remember to do your homework on what the recent laws about your preferred topic actually say. Among the various types of essay, there's a definition essay that could appear to be among the most simple assignments. For example, you will probably learn to choose or make a best essay topic. An individual can even give thorough examples to produce the essay impression strong. Be sure that your essay is very clear and concise. It's also advisable to read your essay after you are finished. Good Creative Essay Topics - the Conspiracy The majority of people have written an essay. Other times, you'll be given the freedom to produce informative and creative topics. Other folks argue it doesn't exist whatsoever. Good Creative Essay Topics Help! Writing a good creative essay demands a whole lot of skill, talent, and diligence. How well you write will be contingent on the skills you're taught and more to the point, the skills you practice as a way to get speed and knowledge. In the same way as any other essay, a definition one has its peculiarities along with content requirements that should be met to be successful in the writing. If you lack the time or skills required to finish your assignmen t the manner in which you want, then you have to get in touch with us and pay to compose an essay. Essentially, you will provide your opinion on a word. It's important to always offer a conventional definition of your subject in at the start of the definition essay, even if your definitions vary from the normal meaning. In the initial one, talk about the origin of the word and the way it was used previously. Then it's possible to compare the word with different terms that are very similar to your topic. The Death of Good Creative Essay Topics Good creative essays give students an opportunity to express their opinion in a secure environment. The very first step is where a large number of students become stuck. Some students utilize the very first idea that arrives in their head and work on it, but the outcome isn't successful. Students who find they lack the skills necessary to research and formulate decent essay topic ideas should look at getting assistance from our expert s. If you're looking for college essay examples, here's a great one below. Students are accustomed to the simple fact which their professors give them with the assignment's topic. For instance, you can select a topic for elementary, middle, or higher school. There are several persuasive essay topics to select from to finish your high school or college assignment. The Appeal of Good Creative Essay Topics As you compose the essay, make certain that you've got an introduction that captures the interest of a reader. The reader ought to take the author's side by the close of the reading. It's possible for you to produce a more original bit of writing. Reach to us when you desire a good example of creative writing. Evaluating creative writing topics is among the procedures that ensure you compose a fantastic paper. Another good idea is to receive some totally free essay examples of different kinds and on various subjects to find a general idea of the way in which a prosperous debatable paper looks. The aim of an important essay is to appraise information, theories or situations. If you would like excellent paper essay examples, reach out to us here today and we are going to do our very best to supply you with the most suitable support. Speaking about something you understand well makes it a lot easier and enjoyable! When you choose the topic which suits you most, remember the reason you write your essay, concentrate on the main details to tell about in your text and don't neglect the value of senses and feelings in your essay. Select a distinctive topic that others may not think of, and whatever you select, make sure that you know a lot about it! When you're picking your topic, remember that it's much simpler to write about something which you presently have interest ineven in case you don't know a great deal about it. What You Don't Know About Good Creative Essay Topics Remember your essay shouldn't be a string of jokes, it's a narrative it needs to have a start, middle and the end. Consider what you want to explore and define. So, the ideal start would be to interpret this kind of assignment for a definition essay to be able to define and understand its features that have to be preserved. Good Creative Essay Topics - Is it a Scam? 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Anorexia Nervosa - 1947 Words

Voltaire once said, â€Å"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.† This quote makes me remember that as much pleasure as food may bring us, we should never forget that we need it to survive. I guess most of us don’t, but once again, I remembered there are some people who do. If we were to look the world as a whole, we would realize that from every 100 teenage girls, 1 to 5 suffers from Anorexia(EDV). As defined by the National Eating Disorders Association, â€Å"Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.† (NEDA). The term â€Å"Anorexia Nervosa† literally means â€Å"neurotic loss of†¦show more content†¦One of the most examined cases, which serves as a tool to prove the existence of Holy Anorexia is Catherine Benincassa, a woman of the fourteenth century. Somewhat between 1373 and 1374, she replied in a letter to a priest that begged her to eat, I say to you that many times, when I did what I could, then I look[ed] into myself to understand my infirmity [†¦] I do not know what other remedy to try, [†¦] I beg you that you beseech that highest eternal Truth to grant me the grace of allowing me to take food.† (Bell) Further on she refers to eating as a way to â€Å"live like other creatures†(Bell). It is evident that she was unable to control h erself and to stop her starvation. In the legenda (a recompilation of her life) written by her confessor, it is shown that later on, she refused to eat anything at all and eventually died from starvation. The close examination of Catherine’s case, among many others, proves that Anorexia exists since the Middle Ages, and it is not a modern illness. Beauty was considered something completely different back then, and the media was nonexistent. So neither beauty nor the media can be contemplated as the cause of Anorexia Nervosa. They surely help perpetuate this illness, though, because the media controls what goes in the minds of people since a very young age, and spreads the idea of losing weight faster than it could have ever been done before. It sells a lot of dissatisfaction, as stated by Andrea Ganitsky, and leads girlsShow MoreRelatedEssay on Anorexia Nervosa 1763 Words   |  8 PagesDavis 1 Anorexia nervosa is defined as a refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight, in addition to a disturbance in perception of body shape and weight( DSM-IV-TR, 2000). In this paper we will examine Carolyn Costin’s battle with anorexia nervosa from a biopsychosocial perspective and what reinforced her disorder. This will be followed by diagnostically using the DSM-IV-TR in Carolyn’s case and conceptually using the sociocultural dimension. The implications for both Carolyn,Read MoreUnderstanding Anorexia Nervosa1008 Words   |  5 PagesAnorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder, with more than 10% of those that suffer from it will die. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is categorized by severe food restriction, excessive exercise and body dysmorphia, which leads those that suffer from it to believe that they are overweight. Anorexia nervosa is commonly misunderstood by the general public. Research has disproved many of the previous thoughts about anorexia nervosa. According to the scientificRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa Essay1392 Words   |  6 PagesAnorexia Nervosa I have chosen to study about Anorexia Nervosa because I would like to know more about this topic and why people do it to themselves. I wonder why young people in particular feel that they need to be so thin. In this assignment I would like to study mainly on why teenage girls feel so conscious about their bodies, what they feel about the way that women are portrayed in the media and the effects of Anorexia Nervosa. To be able to cover thisRead More Anorexia Nervosa Essay1568 Words   |  7 Pages Anorexia nervosa is a life threatening eating disorder defined by a refusal to maintain fifteen percent of a normal body weight through self-starvation (NAMI 1). Ninety-five percent of anorexics are women between the ages of twelve and eighteen, however, â€Å"†¦in the past twenty years, this disorder has become a growing threat to high school and college students†(Maloney and Kranz 60). Anorexia produces a multitude of symptoms, and if not treated, anorexia can lead to permanent physical damage or deathRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa Essay2312 Words   |  10 PagesAnorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is most prevalent in adolescent girls and young women. It is distinguished by the loss of at least 15% of the expected body weight (Long). The disease is characterized by the obsessive fear of gaining weight; through this fear, the person engages in dangerous dieting habits that prevent weight gain. According to statistics in 2011 anorexia is categorized as the third most common chronic disease among adolescents, in addition, eating disorders also haveRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa Essay1758 Words   |  8 Pagesare either overweight or just not good enough. With implying that it might result in some type of eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa. This obsession of being thin has rapidly increased over the years and is still accelerating.(DSM) This type of disorder, mainly appearing in females has over five million cases and one million in males.(family dr) Most kids with anorexia are usually perfectionist, or the kids who do extremely well in school and focus on pleasing others. (guide) Most people denyingRead MoreThe Trauma Of Anorexia Nervosa953 Words   |  4 PagesThe trauma of anorexia Let’s start saying that in my family two of them had or still have anorexia: my cousin and my aunt. It has been a pain in the heart. For years, I was afraid of the magnitude of this mental disorder. Anyway, this disorder is something that intrigued me for a long time, so I am going to try to transmit the pain it can release this disorder to the family and mainly to the person who actually has it. The mental disorder, called: anorexia nervosa, is a disorder characterized byRead MoreBackground History of Anorexia Nervosa1452 Words   |  6 PagesHISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA Anorexia nervosa’s (AN) first descriptions began during the twelfth and thirteenth century with the historical Saint Catherine of Siena (Deans, 2011). It is related to participating in religious functions and medieval practices of self-starvation (Deans, 2011). Furthermore, the death of popular singer, Karen Carpenter in 1983 created the societal awareness about the effect of anorexia nervosa and become widely known at the end of the twentieth century (RaderRead More Anorexia Nervosa Essay examples657 Words   |  3 Pages Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a refusal to maintain a minimal normal body weight. A disturbance in perception of body shape and weight is an essential feature of anorexia nervosa. It appears to be far more present in industrialized societies, in which there is an abundance amount of food and in which being considered attractive is linked to being thin. The disorder is most common in countries like the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Japa n. More than 95% of cases of anorexia nervosaRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa And Bulimia Nervosa1452 Words   |  6 Pagestwo major types of eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. One of the descriptions of anorexia nervosa was during the 12th and 13th centuries. A woman, Saint Catherine of Siena, ceased her intake of food for a spiritual denial of herself. During the 16th century people who had self-discipline and practiced abstention were suspected to be witches and were burned at the stake. In the 17th century all the way through the 19th century anorexia was perceived to be an endocrine disorder

Discrete Time Signal Processing Third Edition

Question: Describe about the Discrete Time Signal Processing Third Edition? Answer: Define Phase: The call center was trying to effective solutions to enhance their business growth through application of six sigma principles. However, the management used DMAIC (Define, measure, analyze, improvement and control) methodology to resolve their problems. According to Al Aomar, (2012) use of DMAIC methodology can generate useful output when an existing process is going to be improved. In this case, call center management focused on modifying its current service delivery process through DMAIC methodology. Albeanu et al., (2010) opined that define phase of DMAIC methodology is not only important for determining project objectives; it is also useful to identify project deliverables to client. Before starting this six-sigma project, the management completed tasks related to identification of key drivers for higher customer satisfaction. Main tasks of define phase include- specifying the targets by using a project charter, identifying deliverables of this project at different stages, identification of resources required in this project and mapping the final process (Ismyrlis and Moschidis, 2013). Customers show less tendency of preferring one particular organization if competition is high ((Johannesson, 2011).While conducting market analysis before commencement of this project, management realized that other organizations of ITES (Information Technology Enabled Services) are also providing services to customers at the same cost. It indicates that customers can choose one organization from many options. It is making customer retention process more difficult. Findings of the market analysis indicate that the business growth of this company is average with respect to other organizations. Although customer satisfaction is one of the most influencing factors business growth, other factors such as operating costs and delivery time of services also impact on the growth significantly (Nave, 2015).Pre project data analysis reflects that the best performing organizations in market spend less on each call. Analysis also reflects that cost to each call depends on the wait time for customers, number of call transfers to other staffs and time spent on a call to answer questions of customers. Primary goals of the current six-sigma project are decided on basis of these findings. These goals include reduction of average cost of calls by reducing wait time and number of call transfers. The tasks in define phase are as follows: Project charter development Analyzing customer requirements Full process plan development Project Charter: Project Information Project Name Business growth enhancement for call-center Chartered date Sponsoring organization 1-800 We Answer Project start date Revision Number n/a Target Completion date Team Sponsors Project sponsor Contact Number Project Black Belt Contact Number Project Green Belt Contact Number Additional Team members Name Role Contact Principle Stakeholders Name Role Contact 1-800 We answer Main Client 1-212-868-1121 Principle objective of the project is increasing business growth for the call center. It will be achieved by finding solutions for reducing operational cost for a call. The project also aims at finding solutions to reduce wait time, number of call transfers and service delivery time. Project Goals: There are several organizations in ITES industry which offer customers with different services at lower cost. As several options are available in ITES market it is always difficult to retain existing customers. Findings of market analysis reveal that profitability in ITES market does not depend only on customer satisfaction. Operating cost of an organization also impacts on the net revenue. Operating cost for the organization is already higher than other organization in reducing continuously. As service delivery time is also higher than best-performing organizations, the company is facing difficulties to retain its existing customers. High delivery time is also restricting current call-center to attracts new customers. Operating cost and service quality requires to be increased to acquire better position in market. It also indicates that the organization needs to increase their customer satisfaction level for enhancing profitability. Process problem: Scope of the project: Scopes of the projects are as follows: Conducting a detailed market analysis through benchmarking technique and indentifying the position of the organization by comparing its performance with other organizations in same field. Getting information from existing customers on their view regarding satisfactory services. It can be conducted by arranging telephonic interviews among customers. COPIS (Supplier, input, process, output, and customers) can be developed to document detailed information on clients. Identification of available resources which needs to be utilized in more effective way to attain goal of the project and finding solutions to optimize usefulness of existing resources. Identification of new resources which can be required to enhance business performance. Process importance: As competition is high in ITES industry, We-answer requires enhancing their profit to avoid any degradation in their current market position. As several organizations are providing IT services to customers, it is important to reduce operating cost for attaining competitive advantages. However, the organization also requires reducing their operating cost to increase profitability. Other organizations in the same industry successfully reduced their operating costs and thus earned higher profit. Current condition of this industry clearly reflects that We-answer needs to stop increase in operating cost immediately to avoid further degradation. It also indicates that the organization also requires reducing cost to per call for earning more profit. However, for attaining long term business growth only reduction in operational costs is not sufficient. The organization also needs to increase its customer base while retaining existing clients. It reflects that the improvement in service quali ty is one of the important factors for business growth. Authorized resources: Project Sponsor-Call center management Management of the call-center is responsible for ensuring that their staffs are co-operating with six-sigma team. They are also responsible for providing all supports and resources to six-sigma team whenever required. Stakeholder-Six sigma team Members of this team are responsible for ensuring that the current project is successfully executed and all deliverables f this project are able to bring high ROI(Return On Investment) for the company. Project schedule: ID Task Duration 1 Definition Phase 15 days 2 Data collection from neutral source 4 days 3 Data analysis 2 days 4 Informing call-center management about the findings 0.5 day 5 Conducting telephonic interviews among customers 3 days 6 Gathering data collected from customers and development of COPIS table 1 day 7 Identification of available resources required in this project 0.5 day 8 Team development 1 day 9 Consulting with call-center management regarding budget 0.5 day 10 Deciding schedule for project 1 day 11 Drafting and finalizing charter for project 0.5 day 12 Developing project plan 1 day 13 Process mapping 3 day 14 Identification of gaps and finding solutions 1 day 15 Meeting with call center management 1 day 16 Measure phase 5 days 17 Collecting data 3 days 18 Analyzing data 2 days 19 Improvement Phase 10 days 20 Prioritizing issues 2 days 21 Developing solutions 5 days 22 Reviewing solutions with management 1 day 23 Developing strategy implementation plan 2 days 24 Control phase 2 days Morgan and Brenig-Jones (2012) opined that phases in DMAIC approach are dependent on each other and outputs of every phase are important as these are used in next phase also. Activities in the measurement phase will be conducted on basis of the output of obtained in definition phase (Antony and Kumar, 2012). The management applied benchmarking approach to find their position in market. Use of benchmarking approach enables an organization to compare their performance with others (Jardim, 2013). Average costs per calls for different organizations in the industry are listed below: Figure 1: Comparison between costs per calls of different call centers Analyzing requirements: According to Zhu, Mao and Li, (2013) use of benchmarking techniques not only enables an organization to locate them in market; it is also useful for identification of key drivers for business growth (Barone et al., 2014). In this phase A COPIS chart is also developed on basis of the telephonic interviews conducted among customers. Customer Output Process Inputs Suppliers Clients System engaged Automatic answering of calls (Automated process) Telephone connection Call switching infrastructure Phone service providers and IT staffs Clients Information is collected in system Collecting queries (manual) Staffs Infrastructure to manage call Management and IT staffs Clients Decision regarding responses Evaluating queries and determining whether it can be answered (manual process) Database Trained staffs IT Staffs and HR department Clients Providing solution Available solutions collected Successful Delivery of collected solution Database IT staffs Clients Transferring query to higher level Transferring calls if it cannot be resolved by lower staffs (manual process) Higher level staffs HR team Management of call center Recording customer details and successful resolution Record data regarding call Collecting feedback from customers IT staffs and call center management Table 1: COPIS chart for call center As stated by Yu and Ueng, (2012) development of COPIS chart is not only useful to resources required for each process, but it also can be used to predict the problems encountered during execution of the process. COPIS chart analysis is useful for development of process map (Kosina, 2013).In this project a process map is developed during definition phase to identify the problems that may be encountered by a caller. Figure 2: Process map for answering call in call center Key findings: Comparison on average costs per call for different call centers indicates that the cost for each call is higher than average performing organizations. Analysis of the process map developed in this phase indicates that a customer may need to wait if the answering process is engaged. Delay in service delivery may also occur if the solution is not available to lower level staff. Delay in query processing can reduce customer satisfaction. On other hand, if the customer does not get any solution from staffs, satisfaction level also decreases. On basis of process map analysis it is evident that increase in service delivery time of the organization is affecting the customer satisfaction level thus reducing net profit of organization. Measure and analysis: In measurement phase of six sigma project, key findings of previous phase are used to determine factors which are affecting business growth of the organization (Yamamoto, Abraham and Malatestinic, 2010).On basis of pervious findings, it is evident that increased cost per call and service delivery time is affecting the revenue. However, the organization also needs to increase availability of solutions so that the queries presented by customers can be resolved on the first call. According to Kubiak, (2012) ease of information access enhances business growth. In the measuring phase, at first the reasons behind degradation of key business performance parameters are identified (Besseris, 2011) .Six sigma team aims to find solution for the problems identified in definition phase. In this phase, the team also determines standard values of key parameters which will be useful for upgrading market position. Tasks of this stage are listed as follows: Identification of supporting factors and Data collection plan: Data collection is one of the important tasks of measurement and analysis phase (Cano et al., 2012). Voehl (2013) suggested as major business performance parameters are influenced by different factors, inappropriate determination of these supporting factors often generate erroneous result. In this task factors influencing key parameters will be identified. Standardizing business performance measurement parameters and comparing collected data with standards: In this phase, collected data will be compared with standardized values to identify the root causes behind variation in business performance. Outputs of measurement process will be used to compare the current performance of business with standardized performance (de Mast and Lokkerbol, 2012). It is also effective for prioritizing the areas which require to be improved. Identification of supporting factors and Data collection plan: The current phase deals with measurement of two important business performance parameters-customer satisfaction and call per cost. Determining accurate knowledge on customer satisfaction level is difficult as it is dependent on several other parameters also (Neves and Nakhai, 2011).Here factors influencing customer satisfaction and cost per call are determined. Factors influencing customer satisfaction: Figure 3: Factors influencing customer satisfaction in call center Figure 3 describes the factors which are influencing customer satisfaction level of the call center. Taghizadegan (2013) stated that service delivery time is one of the most important factors which impact on customer satisfaction. However service delivery time depends on performance of staffs and accessibility of resources. According to Nicoletti (2013) organizations which emphasize more on regular training of staffs, get the benefit of increased business growth. On other hand, performance of an employee does not depend on quality of training provided by organization, experience in a particular task also influences the expertise in that field (Tan, 2015) .From the above figure, it is evident that in this particular call center, time required for each call depends on the delivery of service medium. Use of web-based services such as E-mails reduces time span for a call. As selection of service delivery medium depends on customers preferences, total time span can become uncontrollable i n some cases. Factors influencing call per cost: Figure 4: Factors influencing call per cost Although availability of skilled employees is essential to reduce operating cost, availability of resources is also equally important for the purpose (Stephen, 2015).If time to access required resources increase, operating cost also increases (Kumar and Naidu, 2011).Figure 4 reflects if recovery time of information from databases increase, cost of each call will also increase. However, the cost also depends on nature of call. Data collection plan: The project team identified some areas of business activities for data collection. The team also decided process how data will be collected. Parameters Data collection plan and actions Customer satisfaction level Conducting survey by telephonic interviews, Recording customer feedback after each query Analyzing the survey records to track current trends in market Cost per call Recording the total time to answer a call Cost to find the solution Cost for calling back the customer Time required for providing solution Total number of days required to satisfy the customer is the problem was not resolved on first call Service delivery time Time required to start a communication (It will be tracked automatically by existing system) Waiting time Of customers Total time the customers required to wait if the system was engaged (It will also be tracked automatically) Number of transfers Total number of call transfer to higher authority (tracked automatically) Table 2: Data collection plan Table 2 shows a collection plan which will be used to gather data. Proper development of data collection plan increases chance of getting accurate information (Lertwattanapongchai and Swierczek, 2014).In this plan, data regarding customer satisfaction level is given the most prioritized. Gathering information on customer satisfaction level is useful for identifying drawbacks in current system and it also helps an organization to develop its future business strategies (Srinivasan et al., 2014).However, the data regarding customer feedback can be collected by conducting industry survey (Maleyeff et al.,2012). Feedbacks of customers can also be collected through telephonic interviews (Mandelbaum, 2012). Apart from these, a customer can be requested to give feedback whenever the call center is providing service. Staffs of the cal center can be engaged for collecting feedbacks from customers and conducting telephonic interviews. Cost per call is one of the most influencing factors for net revenue of a call center. According to (Snee, 2010) measures taken to reduce operating cost can be more effective if the market expansion strategies are difficult to be implemented. Organizations operating in highly competitive market often shows the tendency to control operating cost for increasing revenue instead of implementing new market development strategies (Reosekar and Pohekar, 2014) .Cost per call for the call center can be measured in three stages. The total cost of a call not only depends on total time required to answer it, but it is also dependent on process of searching solution from databases. Cost for answering each call also depends on number of call transfers to higher authority. Apart from this, call center management needs to record details of each call and also requires updating database after communicating with a client. All these processes increase total cost of each call. Sometimes, staffs of the or ganization fail to provide satisfactory answer to a client. In such cases, staffs call the client back and it affects operational cost of organization. The total cost required to answer a call will be calculated by system. Customer satisfaction depends significantly on the time required to deliver a service (Shaffie and Shahbazi, 2012). In this project, measurement on total time required to satisfy a customer is important. If the query is not resolved on first call, then the total number of days will be counted to measure delay in response. In case of call centers, prompt answer to the first call increases loyalty of customers to a particular organization (Singh et al., 2010). Tasks in measurement and analysis phase of this project also include measurement of wait time. If a call is transferred to higher level for several times, wait time increases and thus customers satisfaction level decreases significantly. So the number of call transfers will also be recorded automatically by system to identify queries which are difficult to answer at this stage. Standardizing performance criteria: Once data on major performance parameters are collected, next tasks of measurement phase deal with deciding standards for performance parameters Firka, (2010). Data standardization is important to develop improvement actions (Mitreva et al., 2014). The current and standardized values of some parameters are listed below: Performance criteria Standardized parameters Current position Percentage of Satisfied customers after a call 85% 70-75% Cost for responding a call $30 $40 Percentage of transferred call 5% 10% Average Wait time 5-6 minutes Time required for first response of a call 6-7 minutes Table 3: Standardized performance parameters and current position Table 3 shows data for standardized performance criteria and current position of this call center. Ramly (2012) suggested that, organizations should set targets for future business development on basis of analysis made on its strengths and weaknesses. However, tendency of management to take risks is important for rapid business growth (Ping Yi et al., 2012). The six sigma team also developed the target values for key performance parameters according to existing infrastructure of an organization (Morgan and Brenig-Jones, 2012). In case of performance standardization also, attaining customer satisfaction is given the most importance. Currently, services of the organization able to satisfy only 70-75% customers. Project team set target to increase number of satisfied customers up to 85%. Analysis and key findings: On basis of the tasks conducted in the second phase it is revealed that the current supporting cost for each call of this call center are much higher than expected cost. So the project tem immediately find solutions to reduce operating cost. Number of call transfers is also higher than the expected value. As it increases wait time for customers, loyalty of customers reduces with increase in number of call transfer. Improvement phase: According to Parast (2015) determining the effects of internal and external factors on revenue is important in improvement phase, as these findings are mandatory for deciding control actions. This phase of the project deals with determining solutions for the problems addressed in previous phases (Gershon and Rajashekharaiah, 2013). In this phase, six-sigma team recorded key reasons for degradation in business growth of the call center and also evaluated their impact on business performance. Tasks which are conducted in improvement phase are as follows: Prioritization of remedial measures: At this stage, impacts of all business issues are recorded and evaluated. Remedial measures for these issues are also developed at this stage. However, these strategies will be implemented according to their priority. All business issues should be solved according to their priority for getting better result (Neves and Nakhai, 2011). Developing plan for improvement strategy implementation: Tasks in improvement stage include remedial strategy development plan for the call center. Prioritization of remedial measures: On basis of analysis made in previous stages, issues affecting call center performance are listed according to their priority. Reducing support cost for each call: Support cost for this call center is higher than most of other organizations in market. It indicates that the organization requires reducing support cost for increasing profit. Reducing number of call transfer: Analysis of collected data shows that staffs have a tendency of transferring calls to higher level. It increases wait time, reduces customer satisfaction and also increases cost of each call. Staff training and increasing availability of information is required to solve this problem. Reducing wait time: Often customers have to wait for a long time to get responses and it reduces chances of returning back to this call center. Main reasons for this problems are- less availability of staffs and improper scheduling of work. Plan for improvement strategy implementation: Improvement strategies are implemented in different stages according to their importance in business (Guo and Zhu, 2014). Implementation plan for these strategies are shown below. Target Strategies Reducing support cost Implementing web based services Training staffs to reduce call transfer and number of call backs Reducing Number of call transfer Increasing availability of right information Staff training Reducing wait time Increasing number of staffs Changing work schedule Table 4: Remedial strategy implementation plan Control phase: In Six sigma process control actions are taken for a period (Plenert, 2012).Control actions for modified processes are being taken continuously (Gygi et al., 2013). Data regarding customer satisfaction, support cost, and service delivery time are recorded regularly and data are compared with standard .Management is taking actions to upgrade the database. The organization is hiring new employees. Trainings are arranged for existing employees. Conclusion: Outcomes of this project reflect that improvement strategies are effective to solve problems faced by the organization. Although the call center required strategies which will result immediate effect on business growth, these steps can effectively increase business growth in future also. References Al Aomar, R. (2012). A lean construction framework with Six Sigma rating. Lean Six Sigma Journal, 3(4), pp.299-314. Albeanu, M., Hunter, I. and Radford, J. (2010). Six Sigma in HR transformation. Farnham, England: Gower Pub. Antony, J. and Kumar, M. (2012). Lean and Six Sigma Methodologies in NHS Scotland: An Empirical Study and Directions for Future Research. QIP Journal, 16(2). Barone, S., Doverholt, T., Errore, A. and Lombardo, A. (2014). Six Sigma in small- and medium-sized enterprises: a Black Belt project in the Swedish steel industry. International Journal of Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage, 8(2), p.125. Besseris, G. (2011). Applying the DOE toolkit on a Lean and Green Six Sigma Maritime Operation Improvement Project. Lean Six Sigma Journal, 2(3), pp.270-284. Cano, E., Moguerza, J. and Redchuk, A. (2012). Six sigma with R. New York: Springer. Corbett, L. (2011). Lean Six Sigma: the contribution to business excellence. Lean Six Sigma Journal, 2(2), pp.118-131. de Mast, J. and Lokkerbol, J. (2012). An analysis of the Six Sigma DMAIC method from the perspective of problem solving. International Journal of Production Economics, 139(2), pp.604-614. Firka, D. (2010). Six Sigma: an evolutionary analysis through case studies. The TQM Journal, 22(4), pp.423-434. Gershon, M. and Rajashekharaiah, J. (2013). How many steps to quality? From Deming cycle to DMAIC. IJPQM, 11(4), p.475. Guo, H. and Zhu, J. (2014). The Research and Application of DMAIC Quality Improvement Method in Chips Welding Line of T Company. AMM, 543-547, pp.1227-1230. Gygi, C., Williams, B., DeCarlo, N. and Covey, S. (2012). Six Sigma for dummies. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Ismyrlis, V. and Moschidis, O. (2013). Six Sigma's critical success factors and toolbox. Lean Six Sigma Journal, 4(2), pp.108-117. Jardim, K. (2013). Improve strategic supplier performance using DMAIC to develop a quality improvement plan. Johannesson, J. (2011). Business growth in a tough economy. International Journal of Business Competition and Growth, 1(3), p.231. Kosina, J. (2013). The Process to Estimate Economical Benefits of Six Sigma Projects. QIP Journal, 17(1). Kubiak, T. (2012). The certified six sigma master black belt handbook. Milwaukee, Wis.: ASQ Quality Press. Kumar C S, C. and Naidu, N. (2011). Performance improvement of manufacturing industry by reducing the Defectives using Six Sigma Methodologies. IOSRJEN, 1(1), pp.1-9. Lertwattanapongchai, S. and William Swierczek, F. (2014). Assessing the change process of Lean Six Sigma: a case analysis. Lean Six Sigma Journal, 5(4), pp.423-443. Maleyeff, J., Arnheiter, E. and Venkateswaran, V. (2012). The continuing evolution of Lean Six Sigma. The TQM Journal, 24(6), pp.542-555. Mandelbaum, J. (2012). Value engineering synergies with Lean Six Sigma. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Mitreva, E., Taskov, N. and Rizovska Jovanovska, S. (2014). THE PROPOSED METHODOLOGIES FOR THE SIX SIGMA METHOD AND TQM STRATEGY AS WELL AS THEIR APPLICATION IN PRACTICE IN MACEDONIA. IIASS, 7(2), pp.135-144. Morgan, J. and Brenig-Jones, M. (2012). Lean six sigma for dummies. Chichester: Wiley. Nave, D. (2015). [online] Available at: https://www.lean.org/Search/Documents/242.pdf [Accessed 26 Feb. 2015]. Neves, J. and Nakhai, B. (2011). Six Sigma for services: a service quality framework. IJPQM, 7(4), p.463. Nicoletti, B. (2013). Lean Six Sigma and digitize procurement. Lean Six Sigma Journal, 4(2), pp.184-203. Parast, M. (2015). [online] Available at: https://web.nchu.edu.tw/pweb/users/arborfish/lesson/10247.pdf [Accessed 26 Feb. 2015]. Ping Yi, T., Jeng Feng, C., Prakash, J. and Wei Ping, L. (2012). Reducing electronic component losses in lean electronics assembly with Six Sigma approach. 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The American Civil War Essays (2451 words) - American Civil War

The American Civil War The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the events surrounding the end of the American Civil War. This war was a war of epic proportion. Never before and not since have so many Americans died in battle. The American Civil War was truly tragic in terms of human life. In this document, I will speak mainly around those involved on the battlefield in the closing days of the conflict. Also, reference will be made to the leading men behind the Union and Confederate forces. The war was beginning to end by January of 1865. By then, Federal (Federal was another name given to the Union Army) armies were spread throughout the Confederacy and the Confederate Army had shrunk extremely in size. In the year before, the North had lost an enormous amount of lives, but had more than enough to lose in comparison to the South. General Grant became known as the "Butcher" (Grant, Ulysses S., Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant, New York: Charles L. Webster & Co.,1894) and many wanted to see him removed. But Lincoln stood firm with his General, and the war continued. This paper will follow the happenings and events between the winter of 1864-65 and the surrender of The Confederate States of America. All of this will most certainly illustrate that April 9, 1865 was indeed the end of a tragedy. CUTTING OFF THE SOUTH In September of 1864, General William T. Sherman and his army cleared the city of Atlanta of its civilian population then rested ever so briefly. It was from there that General Sherman and his army began its famous "march to the sea". The march covered a distance of 400 miles and was 60 miles wide on the way. For 32 days no news of him reached the North. He had cut himself off from his base of supplies, and his men lived on what ever they could get from the country through which they passed. On their route, the army destroyed anything and everything that they could not use but was presumed usable to the enemy. In view of this destruction, it is understandable that Sherman quoted "war is hell" (Sherman, William T., Memoirs of General William T. Sherman. Westport, Conn.:Greenwood Press, 1972). Finally, on December 20, Sherman's men reached the city of Savannah and from there Sherman telegraphed to President Lincoln: "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton" (Sherman, William T., Memoirs of General William T. Sherman. Westport, Conn.:Greenwood Press, 1972). Grant had decided that the only way to win and finish the war would be to crunch with numbers. He knew that the Federal forces held more than a modest advantage in terms of men and supplies. This in mind, Grant directed Sherman to turn around now and start heading back toward Virginia. He immediately started making preparations to provide assistance to Sherman on the journey. General John M. Schofield and his men were to detach from the Army of the Cumberland, which had just embarrassingly defeated the Confederates at Nashville, and proceed toward North Carolina. His final destination was to be Goldsboro, which was roughly half the distance between Savannah and Richmond. This is where he and his 20,000 troops would meet Sherman and his 50,000 troops. Sherman began the move north in mid-January of 1865. The only hope of Confederate resistance would be supplied by General P.G.T. Beauregard. He was scraping together an army with every resource he could lay his hands on, but at best would only be able to muster about 30,000 men. This by obvious mathematics would be no challenge to the combined forces of Schofield and Sherman, let alone Sherman. Sherman's plan was to march through South Carolina all the while confusing the enemy. His men would march in two ranks: One would travel northwest to give the impression of a press against Augusta and the other would march northeast toward Charleston. However the one true objective would be Columbia. Sherman's force arrived in Columbia on February 16. The city was burned to the ground and great controversy was to

A Shattered Silence in The Chosen Essay Example

A Shattered Silence in The Chosen Essay Example A Shattered Silence in The Chosen Essay A Shattered Silence in The Chosen Essay Essay Topic: The Chosen Nobody likes to be given the â€Å"silent treatment†, but imagine having all of your young life be a long and grueling silence; irritation and aggravation are natural reactions to when one is ignored or has been given a response of silence. Danny is distraught, he beats himself up over why his father acts the way he does, but he still has the mind to believe that it is for a reason. Throughout his life, Danny has been given the response of his father’s silence, a mystery to many, for any situation besides the study of the Torah. These long silences from Danny’s father is strange and misunderstood by everyone who interprets it, but Danny soon learns why his father has raised him in a silent tornado of confusion, pain, and misery. Throughout Chaim Potok’s The Chosen, he illustrates how Danny and Reuven both struggle with silence in many ways and how it is a mystery to the both, brings pain into their lives, and the way silence makes one realize who they real ly are. The silence brings confusion into the large array of emotions, which the characters of The Chosen all have experienced in their lifetime making it a mystery of it being good or bad. We start off this novel with the unknown silence between Danny and Reuven; how they â€Å"lived within five blocks of each other and neither of us knew of the existence of the other.† (11) This gives the reader a way to understand not only the silence between the two boys, but the silence that Hasidic Jews and non-Hasidic Jews share due to their varying ideas and interpretation of the Torah. The boys share the silence of being unaware of each other because of these beliefs. Chaim Potok shows this confusion through Reuven: â€Å"Im all mixed up about you. Im not trying to be funny or anything. I really am mixed up about you. You look like a Hasid, but you dont sound like one. You dont sound like what my father says Hasidim are supposed to sound like† (86). Reuven is in silence for who Hasidi

A Monologue for Women From the Play Tomorrows Wish

A Monologue for Women From the Play Tomorrows Wish The following is a monologue from the three-act play  Tomorrow’s Wish,  written and shared by Wade Bradford. Tomorrows Wish is a comedy-drama including some elements of fantasy. The story is about a 16-year-old character, Megan Pomerville, who has to deal with her strange yet friendly cousin, Juniper. Juniper was homeschooled and has lived a sheltered life, but Megans perspective changes when she finds out Junipers secret. This original  comedic female monologue  is available to be  used by students, actors, and directors for educational or professional purposes. The Context of the Monologue Within the Play Juniper is a creative  young woman with learning disabilities. Her cousins believe Juniper is odd because she lives in a small town with her grandmother, sheltered away from most of the world. In this scene, she is talking to her cousin, Megan, about her first and only kiss. The monologue follows: I kissed a boy once. At least I tried. I don’t know if it counts if they don’t kiss back. But I tried to kiss a boy and it almost worked. Most of the time Grandma and I don’t get to see folks much, but we  go into town. Sometimes. And Grandma says I just have to be careful to mind my manners, and Grandma says I’m real good at being careful, but sometimes I get so bored in that little town. Only one video store. Only two churches. And the park only has two swings and a pool that never gets filled up anymore. But in our little town there is a boy named Samuel. Hes a bag-boy at the grocery store. He does it just right and never squishes the eggs.And he has red hair and green eyes. And†¦ (Laughs at the memory.)Freckles all over his face! And Samuel is so nice. So nice to me and Gram. He would always smile and always say â€Å"Thank you† and â€Å"Youre welcome.† If he says, â€Å"Have a nice day,† then you do. That’show good he is at his job. And I always wanted†¦ I always wanted to be close to him, or to talk to him, without Gram around.And one day when Grandma had a really bad cold I got to go to thestore all by myself. And I bought some oyster crackers and some medicine. Then I got to watch Samuel all by myself. Watch him do his bag boy job. I just stared and stared, trying to count all of those handsome freckles. Then, he asked if there was anything else I wanted. I just whispered â€Å"Yes.† (Pauses, closes eyes in remembrance.) And then I grabbed him by the ears and MmmmmmmMM! (Pretends she’s grabbing and kissing him.) That was my first kiss. It was the most romantic moment of my life. Until the manager pulled me off of him. - Juniper How to Memorize the Monologue Readers should read the monologue several times and read the words aloud. Then, it is suggested to make a list of any questions while reading. All actors should thoroughly read the complete play that their monologue comes from, so ideally, readers should access a copy of  Tomorrows Wish. The complete script is available in print and online, and the paperback edition is available on Amazon.com and the Kindle Store. Breaking the monologue into sections for memorization is recommended. This way, readers can work on memorizing one section at a time. As they memorize, its important to keep in mind that Juniper is speaking to her cousin Megan. Readers should give some consideration to how Megan is reacting to Junipers words. Then, readers can return to the list of questions and either find the answers within the larger script or make up the answers. That way, readers can feel as thoroughly familiar with this character as possible. Finally, readers should practice their monologue for anyone who will listen. They can deliver it aloud and as often as possible for an audience of one, or many, before performing it for an audition or within a performance.

Analyze Emil Sinclair's development on the book Demian by Herman Hesse Essay

Analyze Emil Sinclair's development on the book Demian by Herman Hesse - Essay Example Reading through the story makes it quite subtle that it deals with an internal development of Emil Sinclair; all the same, the overall result delivers a transformation from that personal bit to arrive at a universal meaning. At the young age of ten, Emil Sinclair first identifies two different sides of life, the light and the dark side of life also represented by good and evil. Each of these two sides of life is represented by actual phenomena, for instance, the light also the good side of life is represented by Sinclair’s family, home and their customs and traditions. The dark side of life is transient both with experiences in his life as well as imaginations in his mind. An example of this is Sinclair’s world as filled with servant girls and ghost stories. Sinclair continuously envisions images of ghosts and the devil somewhere in the neighborhood but these are never present at his own home (Hesse, Egon and Ingrid 222). These perceptions and the likelihood of the ghos ts and the devil around the neighborhood makes Sinclair prefer the safety and warmth of his home. At this stage, he perceives his life as holy â€Å"saintly† as he is born of righteous parents. ... Besides introduction to the dark world, Kromer acts as the guide to the novel world. Sinclair’s interaction with Kromer is the first apparent step in loosing his innocence and accommodating divergent ideas separate from those propagated by his parents. It opens him to the reality that there is much to the world than that he has been taught in class or has been told by the parents. During this period characterized by overwhelming new information on the dark world, Sinclair is still uncertain on how to handle and navigate through the dark world. At the same time, Sinclair is still awed by the information that Demain presents to him on Cain. At this point, he still has no definite framework to guide his thoughts or perceive the radical information presented to him (Hesse). This is perhaps the reason why Sinclair attempts to return to his parents after Demain frees him from Kromer. This is because the parents assure him of security and comfort and ensure predictability. Further de velopment comes with age and continuous interaction with Demain. Through this Sinclair is able to perceive a life beyond the strict systems and laws that restrict his life. Reaching adolescence he becomes more interested in women and the significance of confirmation classes wanes. The most revealing factor is that he feels very comfortable with this departure. It marks his transition from complete consciousness with the holy to a preference of his desires. Centrality of his desires is epitomized when he meets Beatrice, Beatrice represents an archetype of a person he wishes to associate with. This translates into an overwhelming desire and immense feelings, further they characterize a new phase where he grasps the importance

Schizoaffective disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Schizoaffective disorder - Essay Example For a full diagnosis of this disorder to be verified, there should be a period of at least two weeks where the patient displays psychosis without mood disorder, and these symptoms of psychosis should not be due to the use of medication or other substances. Schizoaffective disorder tends to affect an individual’s perception and emotions and this result in false perceptions as well as disordered thought processes, which include delusions, disorganized speech, and thought process. Due to this, it is very common for those affected by this disorder to have dysfunctions in both their social and occupational lives. The division into depressive and bipolar types of schizoaffective disorder depends on whether an individual has ever had manic, hypomanic or mixed episodes, and symptoms for this disorder normally occur in early adulthood, with symptoms rarely occurring before the age of thirteen (Diabetes Week, 2009). A person who has this disorder tends to experience extreme transformati ons in mood and has some of the psychotic symptoms, which are related to schizophrenia such as hallucinations. The psychotic symptoms are reflected when a person is unable to differentiate between what is real from what is imagined, and these symptoms tend to vary greatly from one person to another (Dodd, 2010). While the symptoms may be mild for in certain individuals, they can manifest themselves very severely in others. Some of the symptoms, which are displayed when one has schizoaffective disorder, are the following: depression, mania, and schizophrenia. Cases of depression in schizoaffective disorder are always accompanied by various characteristics such as the loss of appetite and this tends to result in the loss of weight. Furthermore, the individual’s sleeping patterns also change so that this individual my sleep a lot or very little, depending on their situation. Depression is always accompanied by excessive restlessness as well as a lack of energy in the body. The i ndividual experiences a lack of interest in those activities that he or she was very active in. there are times when an individual may have feelings of being worthless or hopeless and this can bring about guilt or self–blame. Depression may also bring about the inability to think coherently or to concentrate, and the individual may be tempted to resort to suicide as a result. Schizoaffective disorder is often accompanied by mania, which results in the increase in activity of the affected person, and these include work, social, and sexual activities. Mania also results in the increased talking of the individual due to the rapid and racing thoughts, which are common symptoms of mania. An individual feels very little need for sleep and may in fact prefer staying up late trying to do other activities. The individual might also be very agitated about nothing important in particular. Furthermore, there is a chance that mania might result in the individual having a very low self-est eem and this brings about very destructive behavior such as having unsafe sex, having spending sprees, as well as driving recklessly. Schizophrenia is one of the signs, which enable nurses to identify that a person does in fact, have schizoaffective disorder (Martin, 2007). One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is delusions; this is where an individual has very strange beliefs, which have no real basis in reality, and he or she holds on to these beliefs even when they are presented with facts to the contrary.

Amusement Park - 1 Essay Example for Free

Amusement Park 1 Essay When one goes to an amusement park they usually set out to be thrilled by riding all of the newest attractions. At a park you’ll find many diverse people. But in reality, the people that go there can be grouped into three different categories. There is the individual that knows every minute fact about every roller coaster ever made. Then, there are small children that have to stay in kiddy land. Finally, there are the fanatic families that are there for just a day. These three categories are the roller coaster guru, the under sixty-two-inch club, and the non-stop ride until you drop family crew. The roller coaster guru knows every minute fact about every roller coaster ever built. He travels to theme parks all over the world just to be one of the first park goers that experiences a new roller coaster. It doesn’t matter how long the line to a coaster may be or how short the ride itself may be; the roller coaster guru will do anything for the rush of a coaster. Like some are addicted to drugs, he’s addicted to riding roller coasters. If you talk to him it will seem he only takes pleasure in roller coasters and nothing else. You might say he lives and breathes roller coasters. However, not all park goers can ride roller coasters, whether it is they get sick on them or just don’t care for them. The under sixty-two-inch club is unfortunately banned from all real rides, including roller coasters. This is due to their short stature. You will often find these little people in kiddy land watching longingly the â€Å"over sixty-two-inch club† being exhilarated by all of the actual rides. While most of the members are children, dwarfs and midgets also apply. The unfortunate parents of these children try to console and comfort them, but the children just don’t understand why they are stuck in a world of such un-thrilling rides, when they can hear the screams of excitement coming from just beyond the fence. One day their time will come and they too will be inducted into the non-stop ride until you drop family crew. The non-stop ride until you drop family crew goes to an amusement park for a one-day family getaway. The second they enter the park they put their pre-planned agenda into effect, running into all different directions. All day long they ride every ride they possibly can, no lunch or bathroom breaks allowed. They have one mission and it is to ride every ride in the entire park in just eight short hours. You should not try and befriend any of these ride-thirsty people for they will cut you in line and may become incredibly precarious. They must waste no time, because they want to be the first on and off every ride so they can complete their mission on time. Many different people can be found at amusement parks. Theme parks may seem like harmless places to the naked eye but with a magnifying glass everything is scarier than originally thought. These three categories of people are found at every park: the roller coaster guru, the under sixty-two-inch club, all the way to the non-stop ride until you drop family crews. Beware of the fanatic families that will stop at nothing to complete their task, the infuriated children being deprived of all the excitement, and the roller coaster experts who will stop at nothing to attest they are the best of their kind!

An Investigation Into Electrical Resistance :: essays research papers

Background Knowledge Resistance, in electricity, is a property of any object or substance to resist the flow of an electrical current. The quantity of resistance in an electric circuit determines the amount of current flowing in the circuit for any given voltage applied to the circuit. The resistance of an object is determined by the nature of the substance of which it is composed, its resistivity, accounting for its dimensions and its temperature. Resistivity is expressed in terms of Ohms / cm3 at 20Â ºC. An electrical conductor is any material that offers little resistance to the flow of an electric current. The difference between a conductor and an insulator, which is a poor conductor of electricity, is one of degree rather than kind, because all substances conduct electricity to some extent. A good conductor of electricity, such as silver or copper, may have a conductivity billions of times as great, or more, as the conductivity of a good insulator, such as glass or mica. Method We were set the task of investigating the factors that come into play when determining the resistance of a piece of wire. We would be provided with the necessary apparatus needed to carry out the investigations. The basic setup would involve a circuit with a set of cells connected in series with an ammeter and the piece of wire being investigated, and a voltmeter connected in parallel with the wire. The ammeter is placed in series with the wire. An ammeter has a low resistance, so that it introduces as little extra resistance as possible into the circuit. The voltmeter is connected in parallel with the wire. Voltmeters have a high resistance, so the current they take is usually negligible. We decided on the variables that could affect the resistance of a wire:  Length of the wire  Thickness of the wire  The material used as the wire  Temperature We were to investigate as many of these factors as possible given a limited period of time. We would carry out a set of experiments where in each one we changed one variable while keeping the others constant. In each case we would have to measure the current passing through the circuit and the potential difference across the wire; given these the resistance could be calculated using the formula R=v/i, where R is the resistance in Ohms, v is the potential difference in Volts, and i is the current in Amperes.

Management and corporate social responsibility Essay

Corporate social responsibility is a significant issue in the current business environment. There is now a significant shift in businesses to become recognized as being socially responsible whilst achieving the primary business objective of profit maximization. Business now strive particularly to reach the triple bottom line as a key objective as it incorporates; people planet and profit objectives. Corporate social responsibility is often difficult to define, as there are many different definitions and understandings amongst academics and professionals. However corporate social responsibility can broadly be defined as a ‘‘concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis’’ (Falkenberg and Bruns? l 2012). The relationship between socially responsible business actions and profit maximization is generally mixed and controversial. Generally the view is that in order for a business to undertake socially responsible practices there is often increased financial and non-financial costs in order to ensure this and thus leading to decreased profits in the short term. However it is also evident that socially responsible business actions and strong relationships with business stakeholders may lead to significant long-term profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility is now an essential factor within business management. A firm’s corporate social responsibility must be evident throughout all its business functions, in which the ethics and values of the business must align to meet all stakeholder expectations. Including social, environmental and ethical factors of business. In the article â€Å"Is harm reduction profitable? An analytical framework for corporate social responsibility based on an epidemic model of addictive consumption† (Massin 2012) the corporate social responsibility of firms in the industry of addictive substances, most noteworthy, gambling, cigarettes, and alcohol. There is a significant paradox in relation to producers within these industries and their socially responsible claims. â€Å"These firms claim to be socially responsible while marketing a product clearly identified and harmful† (Massin 2012). The paper generally focuses on the substances of alcohol, cigarettes and gambling, as it is these products â€Å"whose consumption shares the dual characteristic of being at risk of leading the users to gradually lose control over their consumption and of generating health and social damage. † (Massin 2012) thus highlighting the contradiction of the producer’s claims of being socially responsible whilst selling these highly addictive products. Within the industries of addictive goods firms cannot be completely socially responsible, as this would involve the removal of these products from the market. Thus highlighting the inability for producers of addictive products to achieve corporate social responsibility. Therefore illustrating the inability of firms in these industries to be socially responsible whilst still achieving the primary business goal of profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility involves business firms aligning their values with those of their stakeholders. There are many significant stakeholders of business, including shareholders, managers, employees and society. Another significant business stakeholder is that of the environment. A socially responsible business is viewed to have open and accountable business actions based on respect for the community, society and the broader environment, and not just legal regulations. This therefore means a socially responsible business ensures it takes into account environmental stability and sustainability. In the article â€Å"Environmental corporate social responsibility and financial performance disentangling direct and indirect effects† (Loiui, Sharma 2012) the link between environmental social responsibility and financial performance has been established. The increasing environmental awareness has lead to increased firm research and development and hence has established new technologies and production processes (Loiui, Sharma 2012). This increases research and development and implementation of new technologies and production processes generally leads to significant short-term business costs in the implementation and change within the business. However, the implementation of socially responsible business behavior leading to environmental sustainability creates significant long-term profit opportunities through increased waste reduction, lower business consumption and also increase brand image in the eyes of consumers. This linkage between socially responsible business actions, involving environmentally friendly processes and the ability to maximize profit highlights the ability for firms to uphold socially responsible business actions whilst also being able to achieve financial objectives and profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility is viewed as an essential business function in today’s business environment. However, corporate social responsibility is widely viewed as a violation of a businesses financial performance and the opportunity for business profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility is seen to have many disadvantages that hinder and impede the fundamental business goal of profitability. This concept is further explored in the paper â€Å"the casual effect of corporate governance on corporate social responsibility† (Maretno and Harjoto 2012). In which it is highlighted that there are three alternatives to the relationship between corporate social responsibility and a firm’s corporate financial performance. These three theories identify the variable relationships between socially responsible business actions and financial performance. One of the alternatives illustrates the constraint corporate social responsibility imposes on the primary business goals of profitability. It is stated that socially responsible business actions are viewed as â€Å"costly activities and a waste of scarce resources, and therefore have an adverse impact on firm value† (Maretno and Harjoto 2012). Corporate social responsibility is often viewed as a costly procedure for businesses to undertake. However, this cost of corporate social responsibility is not only financial but also involves costs associated with time, resources and labour, furthermore contributing to the overall financial inefficiency and disadvantages associated with corporate social responsibility. The impeding financial and non financial costs of the implementation of corporate social responsibility create significant hindrances to a businesses’ ability to maximize profits and thus, highlights the difficulty in relation to being socially responsible whilst also satisfying the primary business goal of profit maximization. Although corporate social responsibility is seen to violate profits, it is also believed that firms that conduct socially responsible business actions may reap financial gain and profit maximization. A company’s business action in relation to corporate social responsibility generally has significant influence on the attitudes of non-investing stakeholders and the general society. In the article â€Å"the casual effect of corporate governance on corporate social responsibility† (Maretno and Harjoto 2012) Maretno and Harjoto explain CSR as a â€Å"conflict resolution hypothesis†, in which corporate social responsibility is used as a conflict resolution tool between the firm and they’re non-investing stakeholders (Maretno and Harjoto 2012). Soana’s paper â€Å"the relationship between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance in the banking sector† (Soana 2011) further more identifies the positive link between both corporate social responsibility and financial performance and profitability. Corporate social responsibility is seen to give firms â€Å"competitive advantage† and may also be seen as a â€Å"safeguard of corporate reputation†(Soana 2011). The use of corporate social responsibility as a conflict resolution tool and a safeguard for unpredictability creates significant opportunity for strong financial performance within the firm, due to its creation of several strategic advantages for business, such as the enhanced and harmonious business environments as well as enhanced public image and greater brand value. These factors greatly contribute to the financial performance of the firm and thus if corporate social responsibility is achieved there are significant opportunities for profit maximization. Therefore illustrating the ability of firms to uphold socially responsible actions and corporate social responsibility, whilst still retaining the ability to achieve the primary business goal of profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility has a paramount influence on businesses in the current business environment. Corporate social responsibility consists of open and accountable business actions in order to align the firm’s values with those of their stakeholders. Businesses are now becoming more concerned with the demands of corporate social responsibility, whilst still trying to achieve the fundamental business goal of profit maximization. There is many challenges associated whilst trying to achieve the business objectives of corporate social responsibility and profit maximization simultaneously. Corporate social responsibility generally is associated with increased business costs, including those of time, misuse of resources and monetary costs. However, it has also become evident that socially responsible business actions may lead to long-term financial gains for business as well as greater stakeholder reputation, brand perception and efficiency, ultimately leading to the maximization of business profits. References Falkenberg, J. and Brunsael, P. (2012) corporate social responsibility: a strategic advantage or a strategic necessity?. Journal of business ethics, 99 p. 9-16. [Accessed: 24th April 2013]. Lioui, A. and Sharma, Z. (2012) Environmental corporate social responsibility and financial performance: Disentangling direct and indirect effects. Ecological economics, 78 p. 100-111. [Accessed: 24th April 2013]. Maretno, H. and Harjoto, A. (2012) The casual effect of corporate governance con corporate social responsibility. Journal of Business ethics, 106 p. 53-72. [Accessed: 20th April 2013]. Massin, S. (2012) Is harm reduction profitable? an analytical framework for corporate social responsibility based on an epidemic model of addictive consumption. Social Science and medicine, 74 p. 1856-1863. [Accessed: 24th april 2013]. Soana, M. (2011) The relationship between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance in the banking sector. Journal of business ethics, 104 p. 133-148. [Accessed: 24th April 2013].

Zoe’s Tale PART II Chapter Fifteen

The next several months were very tiring. Early mornings: physical conditioning. â€Å"You are soft,† Hickory said to me and Gretchen the first day. â€Å"Despicable lies,† I said. â€Å"Very well,† Hickory said, and pointed to the tree line of the forest, at least a klick away. â€Å"Please run to the forest as quickly as you can. Then run back. Do not stop until you return.† We ran. By the time I got back, it felt like my lungs were trying to force themselves up my trachea, the better to smack me around for abusing them. Both Gretchen and I collapsed into the grass gasping. â€Å"You are soft,† Hickory repeated. I didn't argue, and not just because at the moment I was totally incapable of speaking. â€Å"We are done for today. Tomorrow we will truly begin with your physical conditioning. We will start slowly.† It and Dickory walked away, leaving Gretchen and me to imagine ways we were going to murder Hickory and Dickory, once we could actually force oxygen back into our bodies. Mornings: school, like every other kid and teen not actively working in a field. Limited books and supplies meant sharing with others. I shared my textbooks with Gretchen, Enzo, and Magdy. This worked fine when we were all speaking to each other, less so when some of us were not. â€Å"Will you two please focus?† Magdy said, waving his hands in front of the two of us. We were supposed to be doing calculus. â€Å"Stop it,† Gretchen said. She had her head down on our table. It had been a hard workout that morning. â€Å"God, I miss coffee,† she said, looking up at me. â€Å"It would be nice to get to this problem sometime today,† Magdy said. â€Å"Oh, what do you care,† Gretchen said. â€Å"It's not like any of us are going to college anyway.† â€Å"We still have to do it,† Enzo said. â€Å"You do it, then,† Gretchen said. She leaned over and pushed the book toward the two of them. â€Å"It's not me or Zoe who has to learn this stuff. We already know it. You two are always waiting for us to do the work, and then just nodding like you actually know what we're doing.† â€Å"That's not true,† Magdy said. â€Å"Really? Fine,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Prove it. Impress me.† â€Å"I think someone's morning exertions are making her a little grumpy,† Magdy said, mockingly. â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† I said. â€Å"It means that since the two of you started whatever it is you're doing, you've been pretty useless here,† Magdy said. â€Å"Despite what Gretchen the Grump is hinting at, it's the two of us who have been carrying the two of you lately, and you know it.† â€Å"You're carrying us in math?† Gretchen said. â€Å"I don't think so.† â€Å"Everything else, sweetness,† Magdy said. â€Å"Unless you think Enzo pulling together that report on the early Colonial Union days last week doesn't count.† â€Å"That's not ‘we,' that's Enzo,† Gretchen said. â€Å"And thank you, Enzo. Happy, Magdy? Good. Now let's all shut up about this.† Gretchen put her head back down on the table. Enzo and Magdy looked at each other. â€Å"Here, give me the book,† I said, reaching for it. â€Å"I'll do this problem.† Enzo slid the book over to me, not quite meeting my gaze. Afternoons: training. â€Å"So, how is the training going?† Enzo asked me one early evening, catching me as I limped home from the day's workout. â€Å"Do you mean, can I kill you yet?† I asked. â€Å"Well, no,† Enzo said. â€Å"Although now that you mention it I'm curious. Can you?† â€Å"It depends,† I said, â€Å"on what it is you're asking me to kill you with.† There was an uncomfortable silence after that. â€Å"That was a joke,† I said. â€Å"Are you sure?† Enzo said. â€Å"We didn't even get around to how to kill things today,† I said, changing the subject. â€Å"We spent the day learning how to move quietly. You know. To avoid capture.† â€Å"Or to sneak up on something,† Enzo said. I sighed. â€Å"Yes, okay, Enzo. To sneak up on things. To kill them. Because I like to kill. Kill and kill again, that's me. Little Zoe Stab Stab.† I sped up my walking speed. Enzo caught up with me. â€Å"Sorry,† he said. â€Å"That wasn't fair of me.† â€Å"Really,† I said. â€Å"It's just a topic of conversation, you know,† Enzo said. â€Å"What you and Gretchen are doing.† I stopped walking. â€Å"What kind of conversation?† I asked. â€Å"Well, think about it,† Enzo said. â€Å"You and Gretchen are spending your afternoons preparing for the apocalypse. What do you think people are talking about?† â€Å"It's not like that,† I said. â€Å"I know,† Enzo said, reaching out and touching my arm, which reminded me we spent less time touching each other lately. â€Å"I've told people that, too. Doesn't keep people from talking, though. That and the fact that it's you and Gretchen.† â€Å"So?† I said. â€Å"You're the daughter of the colony leaders, she's the daughter of the guy everyone knows is next in line on the colony council,† Enzo said. â€Å"It looks like you're getting special treatment. If it was just you, people would get it. People know you've got that weird thing you have with the Obin – â€Å" â€Å"It's not weird,† I said. Enzo looked at me blankly. â€Å"Yeah, okay,† I said. â€Å"People know you've got that thing with the Obin, so they wouldn't think about it if it was just you,† Enzo said. â€Å"But the two of you is making people nervous. People wonder if you guys know something we don't.† â€Å"That's ridiculous,† I said. â€Å"Gretchen is my best friend. That's why I asked her. Should I have asked someone else?† â€Å"You could have,† Enzo said. â€Å"Like who?† I said. â€Å"Like me,† Enzo said. â€Å"You know, your boyfriend.† â€Å"Yeah, because people wouldn't talk about that,† I said. â€Å"Maybe they would and maybe they wouldn't,† Enzo said. â€Å"But at least I'd get to see you every once in a while.† I didn't have any good answer to that. So I just gave Enzo a kiss. â€Å"Look, I'm not trying to make you feel bad or guilty or whatever,† Enzo said, when I was done. â€Å"But I would like to see more of you.† â€Å"That statement can be interpreted in many different ways,† I said. â€Å"Let's start with the innocent ones,† Enzo said. â€Å"But we can go from there if you want.† â€Å"And anyway, you see me every day,† rewinding the conversation just a little. â€Å"And we always spend time together at the hootenannies.† â€Å"I don't count doing schoolwork together as time together,† Enzo said. â€Å"And as much fun as it is to admire how you trained Hickory to imitate a sitar solo – â€Å" â€Å"That's Dickory,† I said. â€Å"Hickory does the drum sounds.† Enzo gently put a finger to my lips. â€Å"As much fun as it is,† he repeated. â€Å"I'd rather have some time for just you and me.† He kissed me, which was pretty effective punctuation. â€Å"How about now?† I said, after the kiss. â€Å"Can't,† Enzo said. â€Å"On my way home to babysit Maria and Katherina so my parents can have dinner with friends.† â€Å"Waaah,† I said. â€Å"Kiss me, tell me you want to spend time together, leave me hanging. Nice.† â€Å"But I have tomorrow afternoon free,† Enzo said. â€Å"Maybe then. After you're done with your stabbing practice.† â€Å"We already did stabbing,† I said. â€Å"Now we're on to strangulation.† Silence. â€Å"Joke,† I said. â€Å"I only have your word for that,† Enzo said. â€Å"Cute.† I kissed him again. â€Å"See you tomorrow.† The next day training went long. I skipped dinner to head to Enzo's parents' homestead. His mother said he'd waited around, and then headed over to Magdy's. We didn't talk to each other much the next day during school. Evenings: study. â€Å"We have reached an agreement with Jerry Bennett to allow you to use the information center in the evenings twice a week,† Hickory said. I suddenly felt sorry for Jerry Bennett, who I had heard was more than a little terrified of Hickory and Dickory, and probably would have agreed to anything they asked just so long as they left him alone. I made a mental note to invite Bennett to the next hootenanny. There's nothing to make an Obin look less threatening than to see one in front of a crowd, bobbing its neck back and forth and making like a tabla drum. Hickory continued. â€Å"While you are there, you will study the Colonial Union files of other sentient species.† â€Å"Why do you want us to learn about them?† Gretchen asked. â€Å"To know how to fight them,† Hickory said. â€Å"And how to kill them.† â€Å"There are hundreds of species in the Conclave,† I said. â€Å"Are we supposed to learn about each of them? That's going to take more than two nights a week.† â€Å"We will be focusing on species who are not members of the Conclave,† Hickory said. Gretchen and I looked at each other. â€Å"But they're not the ones planning to kill us,† Gretchen said. â€Å"There are many trying to kill you,† Hickory said. â€Å"And some may be more motivated than others. For example, the Rraey. They recently lost a war with the Enesha, who took control of most of their colonies before they were themselves defeated by the Obin. The Rraey are no longer a direct threat to any established race or colony. But if they were to find you here, there is no doubt what they would do.† I shuddered. Gretchen noticed. â€Å"You okay?† she asked. â€Å"I'm fine,† I said, too quickly. â€Å"I've met the Rraey before.† Gretchen looked at me strangely but didn't say anything after that. â€Å"We have a list for you,† Hickory said. â€Å"Jerry Bennett has already prepared the files you have access to for each species. Take special note of the physiology of each race. This will be important in our instruction.† â€Å"To learn how to fight them,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"And to learn how to kill them.† Three weeks into our studies I pulled up a race who were not on our list. â€Å"Wow, they're scary-looking,† Gretchen said, looking over my shoulder after she noticed I had been reading for a while. â€Å"They're Consu,† I said. â€Å"They're scary, period.† I handed my PDA over to Gretchen. â€Å"They're the most advanced race we know about. They make us look like we're banging rocks together. And they're the ones who made the Obin what they are today.† â€Å"Genetically engineered them?† Gretchen asked. I nodded. â€Å"Well, maybe next time they can code for personality. What are you looking at them for?† â€Å"I'm just curious,† I said. â€Å"Hickory and Dickory have talked to me about them before. They're the closet thing the Obin have to a higher power.† â€Å"Their gods,† Gretchen said. I shrugged. â€Å"More like a kid with an ant farm,† I said. â€Å"An ant farm and a magnifying glass.† â€Å"Sounds lovely,† Gretchen said, and handed back the PDA. â€Å"Hope I never get to meet them. Unless they're on my side.† â€Å"They're not on a side,† I said. â€Å"They're above.† â€Å"Above is a side,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Not our side,† I said, and switched the PDA back to what I was supposed to be reading. Late evening: everything else. â€Å"Well, this is a surprise,† I said to Enzo, who was sitting on my doorstep as I came back from another thrilling night at the information center. â€Å"I haven't seen you too much recently.† â€Å"You haven't seen much of anybody recently,† Enzo said, standing up to greet me. â€Å"It's just you and Gretchen. And you've been avoiding me since we broke up the study group.† â€Å"I'm not avoiding you,† I said. â€Å"You haven't been going out of your way to look for me,† Enzo said. Well, he had me there. â€Å"I don't blame you for it,† I said, changing the subject a little. â€Å"It's not your fault Magdy threw that fit of his.† After several weeks of increased sniping, things between Magdy and Gretchen finally reached toxic levels; the two of them had a shouting match in class and Magdy ended up saying some fairly not forgivable things and then stomping off, Enzo trailing behind. And that was the end of our little band. â€Å"Yeah, it's all Magdy's fault,† Enzo said. â€Å"Gretchen's poking at him until he snapped didn't have anything to do with it at all.† Already this conversation had gone twice to places I didn't want it to go, and the rational part of my brain was just telling me to let it go and change the subject. But then there was the not quite rational part, which was suddenly getting really annoyed. â€Å"So are you hanging out on my doorstep just to dump on my best friend, or is there some other reason you dropped by?† Enzo opened his mouth to say something, and then just shook his head. â€Å"Forget it,† he said, and started to walk off. I blocked his path. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"You came here for a reason. Tell me what it is.† â€Å"Why don't I see you anymore?† Enzo said. â€Å"Is that what you came here to ask me?† I said. â€Å"No,† Enzo said. â€Å"It's not what I came here to say. But it's what I'm asking you now. It's been two weeks since Magdy and Gretchen did their thing, Zoe. It was between the two of them, but I've hardly seen you since then. If you're not actually avoiding me, you're faking it really well.† â€Å"If it was between Gretchen and Magdy, why did you leave when he did?† I said. â€Å"He's my friend,† Enzo said. â€Å"Someone had to calm him down. You know how he gets. You know I'm his heat sink. What kind of question is that?† â€Å"I'm just saying it's not just between Magdy and Gretchen,† I said. â€Å"It's between all of us. You and me and Gretchen and Magdy. When was the last time you did anything without Magdy?† â€Å"I don't remember him being there when we spend time together,† Enzo said. â€Å"You know what I mean,† I said. â€Å"You're always following him, keeping him from getting hit by someone or breaking his neck or doing something stupid.† â€Å"I'm not his puppy,† Enzo said, and for that minute he actually got a little angry. Which was new. I ignored it. â€Å"You're his friend,† I said. â€Å"His best friend. And Gretchen is mine. And right now our best friends can't stand the sight of each other. And that leaks into us, Enzo. Let me ask you, right now, how do you feel about Gretchen? You don't like her very much, do you?† â€Å"We've had better days,† Enzo said. â€Å"Right. Because she and your best friend are at it. I feel the same way about Magdy. I guarantee you he feels the same way about me. And Gretchen isn't feeling very friendly to you. I want to spend time with you, Enzo, but most of the time, both of us are a package deal. We come with our best friends attached. And I don't want the drama right now.† â€Å"Because it's easier just not to bother,† Enzo said. â€Å"Because I'm tired, Enzo,† I said, spitting out the words. â€Å"Okay? I'm tired. Every morning I wake up and I have to run or do strength exercises or something that tires me out right after I've gotten out of bed. I'm tired before the rest of you are even awake. Then school. Then an entire afternoon of getting physically beat up in order to learn how to defend myself, on the chance some aliens want to come down here and kill us all. Then I spend my evenings reading up on every single race out there, not because it's interesting, but just in case I need to murder one of them, I'll know where its soft spots are. I hardly have time to think about anything else, Enzo. I am tired. â€Å"Do you think all of this is fun for me? Do you think it's fun for me not to see you? To spend all my time learning to hurt and kill things? Do you think it's fun for me that every single day I get my nose rubbed in the fact there's a whole universe out there just waiting to murder us? When was the last time you thought about it? When was the last time Magdy thought about it? I think about it every day, Enzo. My time is spent doing nothing but. So don't tell me that it's just easier for me not to bother with the drama. You have no idea. I'm sorry. But you don't.† Enzo stared at me for a minute, and then reached over to wipe my cheeks. â€Å"You could tell me, you know,† he said. I laughed a small laugh. â€Å"I don't have time,† I said. That got a smile from Enzo. â€Å"And anyway, I don't want you to worry.† â€Å"It's a little late for that,† Enzo said. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"It's all right,† he said. â€Å"I miss it, you know,† I said, wiping my own face. â€Å"Spending time with you. Even when it meant spending time with Magdy. I miss having the time to really talk to you. I miss watching you fail at dodgeball. I miss you sending me poems. I miss all of it. I'm sorry that we've gotten mad at each other lately, and that we didn't do something to fix it. I'm sorry and I miss you, Enzo.† â€Å"Thank you,† Enzo said. â€Å"You're welcome,† I said. We stood there for a minute, looking at each other. â€Å"You came here to break up with me, didn't you,† I said, finally. â€Å"Yeah,† said Enzo. â€Å"Yeah, I did. Sorry.† â€Å"Don't be,† I said. â€Å"I haven't been a very good girlfriend.† â€Å"Yes you have,† Enzo said. â€Å"When you've had the time.† Another shaky laugh from me. â€Å"Well, that's the problem, isn't it,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Enzo said, and I know he was sorry he felt he had to say it. And just like that my first relationship was over, and I went to bed, and I didn't sleep. And then I got up when the sun came up and walked out to our exercise area, and started everything again. Exercise. School. Training. Study. A very tiring time. And this is how my days went, most days, for months, until we had been at Roanoke for almost an entire year. And then things started happening. Fast.

Political Representation of Females in National Legislatures

Political Representation of Females in National Legislatures Introduction The issue of womens political representation has taken center stage in many countries all over the world which have in recent years sought ways to improve female representation. This is because the world has come to recognize that the representation of women in national legislatures is a necessary condition for women’s empowerment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Political Representation of Females in National Legislatures specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Both developed and developing nations have recognized the need to increase women representation in their parliaments. In Canada, significant progress has been made over the past decade towards improving womens representation in elected political office. The major political party in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada, has a caucus of female parliamentarians. Following the 2006 elections, only 20.8% of the members of the Canadian House of Commons were women. The year 2011 was especially marked by great political achievement by women. In spite of these positive steps, the number of women in parliament is still significantly low which highlights the need for strategies to offset this condition. This paper will set out to identify and defend two strategies that can be used by Canada to improve the political representation of females in national legislatures. The merits of the advanced strategies will be articulated with reference to other countries where these strategies have achieved favorable results. Why Strategies are needed While women have been involved in Canadian political parties for the most part of the twentieth century, their role tended to be predominantly supportive. This trend changed in the late 1960s when female activism began to challenge the character of their involvement in party affairs and women began to call for more representation in political parties1. The last two decades have undoubtedly witnessed a p henomenal increase in women representation in the political sphere in Canada and also other countries all over the world.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Matland articulates that while the increase in parliamentary representation of women has been the result of many factors, most of the positive change has been as a result of activists pushing for institutions that maximize womens chances of representation2. However, the increase has not yet reached a level that would be desirable in an ideal democracy where equal representation is practiced. Research indicates that a number of Canadian voters are concerned about the under-representation of women in parliament and this has led to some moderate public support for strategies that will result in higher women representation in parliament. Countries which have little democratic virtues such as Cuba and Rwanda boast of greater nu mbers of women parliamentarians than Canada which considers itself a model democracy. It is important to note that a nations level of development does not promote womens political representation and studies have shown that poor countries demonstrate better records of electing women than do rich countries. Canada should seek to emulate strategies for increasing womens participation in parliament that have been adapted in other parts of the world with great success. Strategies for Improving Political Representation Electoral Quotas Many democracies have acknowledged that women will not be able to equal men in political representation without measures being put in place to give them an advantage. One strategy that can be used is electoral quotas which make the use of positive discrimination so as to shift the balance of legislative chambers in favor of females3. Tripp and Alice assert that Quotas have become an important mechanism through which women today are entering legislatures w orldwide.4 A vast majority of the top 25 countries in the world in terms of women’s representation make use of some form of quotas demonstrating just how effective this strategy is in enhancing women participation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Political Representation of Females in National Legislatures specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The goal of electoral sex quotas is to ensure that women â€Å"make up a certain predetermined portion of the member of a political body; be it a partys candidate list or a parliamentary assembly†5. The Nordic countries stand out for their success in promoting womens representation. The strategy that has been implemented by these countries has predominantly been electoral quotas, specifically the slow track approach6. This approach relies on the use of voluntary party quotas which require a certain mandatory minimum number of women nominees. In the use of quotas, poli tical parties are a key component. The popular assumption in democratic systems is that it is the electorate that controls the composition of parliament. However, a closer look reveals that it is the parties that control the selection process of candidates and therefore by extension the composition of parliaments. Research indicates that the use of political parties as the launching pad from which womens representation can be expanded is the most viable strategy7. This is because political parties play an important role in the legislative recruitment process. They are the entities that identify possible candidates, choose them as their official candidates and after this; the candidate is put forward for public election. The party choosing of a candidate is a crucial stage for women who aspire to get into political office. In Canada, the nomination process provides opportunities for people to participate in a decentralized context. Incorporation of rules that guarantee womens represe ntation, for example quotas, can have a distinct advantage for women. Research indicates that in the quota system adopted in many Nordic countries that guarantee that between 40 and 50 percent of the party nominees will be women, has a positive effect on women’s representation in these countries8. It has not been easily to adopt positive affirmative measures and quotas in Canada due to the decentralized nature of the selection process of candidates in the country. All parties seek to nominate candidates who are likely to maximize the votes for the party9.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As such, candidates who have high visibility in the community or hold public office or leadership positions in civil society organizations are considered highly desirable. As it turns out, in the Canadian society, this category of people is predominantly male which presents a major disadvantage to female candidates. Even so, quotas can be effectively employed in the Canadian scene since there is a presence of robust political parties and only a marginal number of independent candidates enter parliament. For quotas to be effective, women have to be well-prepared to take up political office. This can only be achieved by a strengthening of womens organization or political engagement which will make it possible for the women to take advantage of this strategy which are used to give them a favorable advantage. Changing the Electoral System Another strategy that can be used in Canada is a change from the current electoral system. A change in the electoral system adopted by Canada can al so result in a marked increase in the political representation of females in national legislatures. As it currently stands, Canada makes use of a single member plurality (SMP) electoral system which has been showcased to be less favorable for women candidates. In a PR voting system, women can organize and actively engage in the electoral process with visible results. The merits that PM systems possess for females is best articulated by MacIvor who states that parliaments elected by proportional representation show higher percentages of women than parliaments constituted by plurality/majority systems.10 Research indicates that women have historically had a better advantage under PR systems. This is because the people who choose candidates for the party have different concerns and incentives in the PR system compared to the SMP system. In SMP electoral systems, the party is forced to only nominate one person per district which makes it impossible to balance the party ticket by nominat ing a male and female candidate11. The SMP system forces parties to pit the male candidates against the male in the nomination process. Women are often disadvantaged when they have to compete against powerful male politicians in the same district. PR systems make it possible for party gatekeepers to nominate diverse candidates in an attempt to attract more votes. Since the party is in a position to nominate more than one candidate, the party can put forward different candidates who will attract varying classes of voters. Women candidates are therefore more likely to be nominated in a PR system since the party is not forced to sacrifice its powerful male politicians for the sake of the women as would be the case in a majority system. A party which nominates men in a PR system and therefore fails to provide some balance will suffer from reduced votes. The PR system therefore offers an incentive for the party to nominate women candidates and therefore increase their chances of gaining entry into parliament. In spite of the obvious advantages that a PR system could bring about for women, Canada continues to use the SMP system. Referendums held in Canadian provinces seeking to abolish SMDP have repeatedly failed to obtain a majority and this system continues to be implemented in Canada. Activists should therefore take up steps to encourage people to vote for the adoption of a PR system so as to give women an advantage in the electoral process and therefore increase their representation in parliament. Challenge with Women Representation Empirical studies on the political representation of women demonstrate that female politicians see themselves as having a responsibility to represent women. Female politicians therefore consider women as an important constituency group with specific concerns12. This tendency is to some extent brought about by the notion by female members that if they do not address women issues, they will go unnoticed. This idea of having a certain m andate in representing women may have a detrimental effect since it may end up sidelining the male population or issues that affect the entire society. Female legislators tend to set legislative agenda and propose new bills that address issues of concern to women at the expense of other agendas13. While this may be true, many scholars document that party affiliations and ideology have a neutralizing effect on this trend since they instill discipline on women concerning what agendas to pursue once they are elected14. Female legislators are therefore deterred from focusing only on feminist policy concerns. Discussion The adoption of strategies to increase chances of women taking up political office demonstrates that there is popular believe in the opinion that women should have greater political representation. Both male and female voters view the legislature as been more legitimate when there are more women since there is an inherent belief that gender balance is a more just arrangem ent15. This paper has highlighted two strategies that can be utilized to achieve this goal in Canada. Practicing of some degree of positive action is necessary by Canadian parties to ensure that women have a chance at achieving equal political representation with men. If political parties adopt gender-neutral nominating policies, the number of candidates will be predominantly men and this will hurt the chances of women to take up political office. Women need to become more active and effective voices within the society and also in their respective parties are they are to take advantage of the strategies outlined in this paper. From the strategies advocated in this paper, it is clear that the key to increasing female representation is to convince parties to choose women as their candidates and adopt an electoral system that is favorable for women. The two strategies advocated in this paper will be most effective if they are implemented concurrently. While each strategy will result to positive changes independently, the scale of positive impact will be higher if both strategies are adopted. This is because research indicates that quotas are more effective in PR and MMP systems than single-member-based systems. While the PR system is beneficial to women, it should be adopted with some form of mandatory quotas for womens representation. Without a mandatory quota, the number of women elected will be dependent on the drive of the particular political party to increase its womens representation. In addition to this, studies show that while quotas have had a desirable effect in increasing women membership in parliament, the design of the electoral institution can result in an even more substantial increase in female numbers in parliament. In addition to the proposed strategies, the issue of womens representation should be given high priority by the media so as to pressure political parties and the government to keep taking positive steps to increase women representati on. This is because the prevailing gender attitudes in a nation influence the chances of women getting elected into the legislature. Conclusion This paper set out to highlight strategies that can be used to achieve the goal of increased female political representation in Canada’s national legislatures. The paper has recognized that there has been a significant rise in womens representation in national legislatures in Canada in recent decades. Even so, the paper has documented that female politicians still have a numerical minority in the Canadian parliament. It has been demonstrated that the electoral sex quotas can be advantageous to women. The paper has also demonstrated that the electoral system employed by a country effects female legislative representative since it dictates the strategies that are adopted by a party in the nomination phase. A PR system will therefore result in increased women representation in the legislative process. It can therefore be surmised that by adopting the two strategies proposed in this paper, Canada will achieve the goal of higher female representative in the legislature. Bibliography Caul, Miki. Women’s Representation in Parliament. Party Politics 5, no.1 (1999): 79-89. 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Impact of Electoral Systems 23, no.2 (2005): 81. 4 Aili Tripp and Alice Kang, The Global Impact of Quotas: On the Fast Track to Increased Female Legislative Representation, Comparative Political Studies 41, no.3 (2008), 357. 5 Aili and Alice, 357. 6 Crowley Jocelyn, â€Å"When Tokens Matter,† Legislative Studies Quarterly 29 no.1 (2004): 129. 7 Miki Caul, â€Å"Women’s Representation in Parliament,† Party Politics 5, no1, (1999): 82. 8 Richard, 95 9 Richard, 97 10 Heather MacIvor, â€Å"Women and the Canadian Electoral System†, in Manon Tremblay and Linda Trimble (eds), Women and Electoral Politics in Canada (Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 2003), 35. 11 Richard, 101. 12 Manon, 215. 13 Mona Krook, â€Å"Studying Politica l Representation: A Comparative-Gendered Approach,† Perspectives on Politics 8, no.1 (2010): 236. 14 Beth Reingold, Representing Women: Sex, Gender and Legislative Behavior in Arizona and California (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2000), 34. 15 Krook, 237.