Worst Roommate Ever How to Get Along and Co-Exist

Worst Roommate Ever How to Get Along and Co-Exist Many times, you dont get to choose your roommate if you live in a dorm. While its possible to change rooms or request a new roommate, the process is difficult and can only be used if theres a serious problem. So before you track down the RA and stir up a world of drama, try some of these tips to get along. Clear The Air The first step to getting along with your roommate is to clear the air and get all the past drama out of the way. This is best accomplished if you take the first step and begin with a peace offering. Whether its picking up their favorite take-away dinner or just sharing a bottle of wine, approach the discussion with an open mind and a smile on your face. Be prepared to take responsibility for anything youve done to make the problem worse – this isnt an argument to be won, its a way to simply clear the air and start fresh. You Dont Have to Be BFFs Theres always a vague notion that your college roommate will become your new Best Friend. The two of you will embark on this journey of personal, spiritual and intellectual growth, a bond will form and youll be developing a friendship that nurtures you for the rest of your life. While TV movies and sitcoms paint the picture, the reality is that most students go through at least one year of living with someone they simply cannot stand. Accept that you dont have to like each other – you just have to live together. Set Clear Boundaries Once youve cleared the air and accepted that the two of you dont need to become besties, you can lay down some clear boundaries. You cant stand it when your roommate lets their dirty laundry pile up so high the place smells like a giant armpit and your epic World of Warcraft sessions drive them up the wall. So your roommate agrees to do laundry more often or get a hamper with an airtight lid and youll need to start using earphones and not shouting at the screen when you play. Be willing to compromise and be willing to get everything out in the open now. Dont nitpick or try to force your roommate into conforming to everything you want without being willing to make some changes yourself. The goal is to find a compromise – a way for the two of you to share the same space, nothing more. Discuss the problems youve had as well as potential problems. Set up clear and definitive rules for drinking or smoking in the room having overnight guests noise levels for music, TV, video games, etc keeping the room clean If the thought of discussing any of this makes you uncomfortable, just imagine how uncomfortable youll be when your roommate decides to play Rock Band at 3am. Get Moving One of the simplest ways to deal with not wanting to be around your roommate is, of course, to just not be home when they are. If possible, stagger your classes for the afternoon if theirs are in the morning. Work odd shifts, hang out with friends more often or just get out and have fun on campus. If youre not naturally an active our outgoing person this may be difficult at first but spending less time in your room and more time outside will probably make your college experience better all around. Consider it a Life Lesson Getting along with people is something youll have to do for the rest of your life. While its unlikely that youll have to live with someone you dont like once youre out of college, learning how to deal with a difficult person without constant conflict is a skill that will serve you well for years to come. Its also important to know when to cut your losses. If the problem you have with a roommate involves them bullying, harassing or otherwise directly interfering with your life then its time to move from diplomacy to decisive action. Never attempt to act on the issue yourself. Immediately enlist the help of your RA or other dorm administrator to handle it. Typically problems with a roommate dont escalate to that point and learning how to handle difficult people can be an invaluable skill in the future. Learning to deal with a difficult roommate in college can easily hone diplomatic skills that will allow you to withstand even the most irksome work colleague in the future. Dealing successfully with a difficult roommate is a lot like dealing with difficult family members – you dont get to choose them but you do have to put up with them. Luckily for you, the time youll spend with a roommate will come to an end eventually but those bothersome family members will still turn up for Thanksgiving at Aunt Doras. How have you solved roommate problems in the past? Share your advice!

How To Write a Business and Personal Letter in Spanish

How To Write a Business and Personal Letter in Spanish Whether youre writing a letter to a Spanish-speaking friend or preparing a formal business letter, the greetings and salutations in this lesson can help give your letters credibility. Greetings to Use in Writing a Letter In English, it is common to begin both personal letters and business correspondence with Dear ___. In Spanish, however, there is more variation depending on how formal you want to be. In personal correspondence, the equivalent of dear is querido or querida (the past participle of querer), depending on the sex of the person. Querido is used for a male recipient, querida for a female; plural forms queridos and queridas can also be used. In Spanish, it is the rule to follow the greeting with a colon rather than the comma used in English. Use of a comma is seen as an Anglicism. Querido Roberto: (Dear Roberto,)Querida Ana: (Dear Ana,)Queridos Juan y Lisa: (Dear Juan and Lisa,) Note that in Spanish the masculine form, queridos, is used if the recipients include people of both sexes. However, querido is too casual for business correspondence, especially when you arent a friend of the recipient. Use estimado or estimada instead. The word literally means esteemed, but it is understood the same way as dear would be in English: Estimado Sr. Rodrà ­guez: (Dear Mr. Rodrà ­guez,)Estimada Sra. Cruz: (Dear Mrs./Ms. Cruz,)Estimada Srta. Gonzlez: (Dear Miss Gonzlez,) Spanish doesnt have a true equivalent of the English courtesy title Ms. (and in Spanish, the distinction between seà ±ora and seà ±orita, traditionally translated as Mrs. and Miss, respectively, can be one of age rather than marital status). It normally is fine to use the courtesy title of Sra. (the abbreviation for seà ±ora) if you dont know whether a female recipient of the letter is married. Good advice is to  use Sra. unless you know the woman prefers Srta. If you dont know the name of the person youre writing to, you can use the following formats: Muy seà ±or mà ­o: (Dear sir,)Estimado seà ±or: (Dear sir,)Muy seà ±ora mà ­a: (Dear madam,)Estimada seà ±ora: (Dear madam,)Muy seà ±ores mà ­os: (Dear sirs, dear sirs/madams,)Estimados seà ±ores: (Dear sirs, dear sirs/madams,) The Spanish equivalent of to whom it may concern is a quien corresponda (literally, to the one responsible). Closings to Use in Writing a Letter In English, it is common to end a letter with Sincerely. Again, Spanish offers a greater variety. Although the following closings for personal letters may sound overly affectionate to English speakers, they are quite commonly used: Un abrazo (literally, a hug)Un fuerte abrazo (literally, a strong hug)Carià ±osos saludos (roughly, kind regards)Afectuosamente (affectionately) The following are common with close friends or family members, although there are many others that can be used: Besos y abrazos (literally, kisses and hugs)Besos (literally, kisses)Con todo mi carià ±o (with all my caring)Con todo mi afecto (with all my affection) In business correspondence, the most common ending, used in much the same way as sincerely in English, is atentamente. That can also be expanded to le saluda atentamente or les saluda atentamente, depending on whether youre writing to one or more persons, respectively. A more casual ending that can be used in business letters is Cordialmente. Longer salutations include saludos cordiales and se despide cordialmente. Although this language may sound flowery to English speakers, it is not unusual in Spanish. If you are expecting a response from a business correspondent, you can close with esperando su respuesta. As is common in English, the salutation is typically followed by a comma. If youre adding a postscript (posdata in Spanish), you can use P.D. as the equivalent of P.S. Sample Personal Letter Querida Angelina: ¡Mil gracias por el regalo! Es totalmente perfecto.  ¡Fue una gran sorpresa!Eres una buena amiga. Espero que nos veamos pronto.Muchos abrazos,Julia Translation: Dear Angelina,Thanks a lot for the gift! Its totally perfect. It was quite a surprise!Youre a great friend. I hope we see each other soon.Lots of hugs,Julia Sample Business Letter Estimado Sr. Fernndez:Gracias por la propuesta que usted y sus colegas me presentaron. Creo que es posible que los productos de su compaà ±Ãƒ ­a sean à ºtiles para minimizar nuestros costos de produccià ³n. Vamos a estudiar la propuesta meticulosamente.Espero poder darle una respuesta en un plazo de dos semanas.Atentamente,Catarina Là ³pez Translation Dear Mr. Fernndez,Thank you for the proposal that you and your colleagues presented to me. I believe it is possible that your companys products could be useful for reducing our production costs. We are going to study the proposal thoroughly.I hope I can give you a response within two weeks.Sincerely,Catarina Là ³pez

Classification of Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Classification of Behavior - Essay Example In general the content of nightmares revolves around imminent harm being caused to the individual (e.g., being chased, threatened, injured, etc.) Repetitive dreams indicate that you are continuing to miss the point about the meaning of the dream. Psychological treatment involves changing thoughts and behaviors. In recent years, Barry Krakow and his colleagues (2001) at the University of New Mexico have conducted numerous studies regarding a promising psychological treatment for nightmares. Another group of researchers (Forbes, Phelps, & McHugh, 2001) applied the treatment to Vietnam combat veterans and found similarly promising results in a small pilot study. It is classified as a cognitive-behavioral treatment. It does not involve the use of medications. In brief, the treatment involves helping the clients change the endings of their nightmares, while they are awake, so that the ending is no longer upsetting. The client is then instructed to rehearse the new, non-threatening images associated with the changed dream. There are different ways of dealing with nightmares when they are occurring. If the person can calm themselves down enough, they can become conscious of the fact that they are dreaming, which is an important aspect. As per systems approach groups and individuals, are considered as systems in home

Fords Control Mechanisms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fords Control Mechanisms - Essay Example About one hundred years ago, demand could be easily matched to supply particularly in the rural agricultural areas, and the existence of production and consumption was in a closed loop supply chain, therefore, goods were predominantly manufactured and used as required. The just-in-time approach to manufacturing adopted by Ford presents a return to this form of relationship between the production and consumption phase that was present before the industrial revolution where consumers gave specifications of what they wanted before the process of production could begin. Henry Ford, who came up with the assembly line JIT approach used in the manufacture of Ford cars, had an awareness of this form of a rural tradeoff as he hailed from a small community whose main activities involved agriculture. The beginning of the economic business philosophy adopted by Ford and the main aim for JIT manufacturing was mainly informed by the recognition that increasing the wages of factory employees leads to increased rates of productivity. Initially, Ford was simply assembling the cars and not manufacturing them, as the parts were produced by external shops, however, they were not made to be highly tolerant necessitating that the company shapes and fits them before they could come together appropriately. The company lacked control in terms of the quality of parts in the supply stream as well as the incoming flow of materials that came from external sources. There were no control mechanisms in place to arbitrate the inconsistencies in the manufacturing and assembly processes.

Citizens Advice Service Essay Example for Free

Citizens Advice Service Essay Private sector means that the government does not control the ownership of a business; instead, members of the public control it. Different types of firms make up the private sector. These include sole traders, partnerships, limited companies and Public Limited Companies. Private-sectors firms are usually aiming to make a profit. Sole Trader A sole trader firm is the smallest firm from the category of private sector firms, consisting of only one owner and that owner does business in their own name. That owner has the control of the firm, and with this control, they must finance, organise and develop the firm. A typical example of a sole trader is the local corner shop, selling the essential grocery items. Advantages One main advantage is that these firms require little capital. Another advantage is that there is an incentive to work hard. This is because the firm is owned by one person, meaning that the owner must do most of the work themselves, including promote and finance the business. Therefore, if the owner wants their firm to succeed, they must work hard. If there is only one owner and possibly couple of staff in the firm, there will be regular customers known. With this relationship, customers will return repeatedly to the firm, therefore producing more sales. As there is only one owner, business decisions can be made quickly as there will not be other people interfering. Business decisions are vital for the firm to proceed, so the quicker a decision can be made, the quicker the outcome. This advantages the owner as the outcome can benefit their company. Disadvantages One disadvantage is it can be difficult to raise and find capital meaning that it is hard to start the business and to expand. Another disadvantage is that the sole trader has unlimited liability for all debts and the owner may have to sell personal possessions to meets the debts of their business. Illness is a disadvantage to a sole trader. If the owner is sick, the business may be closed for a time and money is not made to pay expenses that the owner has. Another disadvantage is the long hours may be necessary for the business to succeed. If the owner is not willing and determined to work long hours, the business will not succeed and this may produce debts. With sole traders, the success of the business relies on the skills of the owner. If the owner has no experience of running a business or business skills, this may cause the business to fail. Partnership A partnership firm is one with 2-20 owners and these owners share the responsibly of running the firm together as the control is divided up equally between the partners. An example of a business of the partnership type is a firm of doctors. Advantages As there are a number of people, more capital can be raised as all the partners contribute to the business. Each partner has their own skills and between them, the partners have more skills, ideas and knowledge than a single person does. Partners with different skills can specialise in their own areas and this increases the ranges of service that customers are offered. In a partnership, any problems Passive Voice (consider revising). Another advantage is regular customers will be known and these customers will return repeatedly to the firm, therefore producing more sales that advantage the firm. Disadvantages With partnerships, the partners have unlimited liability for all the debts. This could lead to the partners selling their personal possessions to help pay off the company’s debts. A main disadvantage is when a partner makes a mistake, that mistake affects all the partners and the firm. This is a disadvantage because a mistake can affect the running and the flow of the firm. The profits of the business must be shared. This can be a disadvantage because the partners may think that a person in the partnership should not get the same amount of money because it seems that they have not put as much work into the firm. This then creates conflict and affects the way the firm runs. Private Limited Company (Ltd) A private limited company has one or more owners, with the directors of the company elected by the shareholders. These directors control and have the responsibly of running the firm. An example of a private limited company could be a garage. Advantages There is limited liability as shareholders can lose only the amount they have invested into the firm, no matter how much money that firm owes. Shareholders contribute capital and there is no fixed amount. This is an advantage because as more shareholders invest money, whatever the amount, the more chance the firm is going to success and grow with the money. Private limited companies are protected from takeovers. This is because shares cannot be exchanged to other people unless all the shareholders agree. In addition, the members of the public cannot bring the shares. This is an advantage as this gives the owners of the firm direct control of the business.

Growing World of Sony Essay -- essays research papers

It’s not news that Sony is a global company or that (25%) of all Play Station profits’ for the past seven years came from Sony to Japan. After all that’s what international marketing and the global economy are all about, companies like Sega, Nintendo, Microsoft, X-Box doing business around the world. The global economy now reaches every corner of the United States. Current interest in international marketing can be explained by changing competitive structures coupled with shifts in demand characteristics in markets throughout the world. With the increasing globalization of markets, companies find they are unavoidably enmeshed with foreign customers, competitors and suppliers. A significant portion of all products made in the United States is foreign made. Japan’s economy is based on a strong work ethic and being a leader of technology, in which has helped Japan advance to the second most powerful economy in the world. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. The keiretsu, which means â€Å"order† or â€Å"system,† is a unique form of business that links companies together in industrial groups that provide Japanese business with a substantial competitive edge over non-keiretsu organizations. Keiretsus are collections of dozens of major companies spanning several industries and held together by cross-shareholding, old-boy networks, interlocking directorates, long-term business relationships, and social and historical links. There are six major Japanese industrial keiretsu groups and eleven lesser ones. Together, the sales in these groups are responsible for about 25 percent of the activities of all Japan, a nd keiretsus account for 78 percent of the value of all shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Japan’s industry, which is the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. For three decades overall real economic growth had been one of the highest, 10% in the 1960s, 5% in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in 1992-95 largely because of the aftereffects of over investment during the late 1980s. Growth picked up to 3.9% in 1996, largely a reflection of low rates of inflation. But in 1997-98 Japan experienced a recession, centered about financial difficulties in the banking system ... ...the magic and popularity behind playstaion 2, besides the Sony name, was is it’s ability to play back DVD videodiscs, and support for all types of sound hardware, including Dolby Digital and DTS, which is, used for home theater systems. These added options plus it’s ability to play back the original playstation games made it appealing to every one regardless of age. For the Kids you had the hottest new system that could also play the original play station games even faster, for the parents you had a new DVD Player. Sony’s ability to market and tailor the playstation to a wide range of consumer young and old is what but it on top of the charts. Even with the introduction of Microsoft’s XBOX and Nintendo’s game Cube this October Sony is still topping the charts this Christmas season. Sony’s has proved it’s self in the gaming world and has its consumers behind them. The strategies that Sony uses is marketing it’s playstation is not complex, Sony just uses it’s assets to find out what the consumer wants and need and then gives it them. Sony produces high quality products tailored to the need of its consumers. A simple concept that has left Sony and Playstation on top of the charts.

Toyota

Company Objectives World domination with regard to car supply. Toyota seeks to achieve market leadership by delivering value to customers and providing high quality vehicles. Ill. Analysis Of Related Case Facts A. Porters Five Forces Analysis 1. Threat of New Entrants – Low New entrants can't enter the market easily as it requires huge capital investment, cutting-edge technology and the industry have already reached economics of scale. Brand loyalty among the buyers. They won't easily switched to new brand as purchasing a vehicle incurred high cost. 2.Bargaining Power of Supplier – Moderately Low Various types of suppliers in automobile industry such as cooling, electrical, fuel supply systems distributed across the globe. They own many interchangeable supplier and produced many components in the short time. Suppliers don't own the power to determine the price. 3. Bargaining Power of Buyer – High Can easily switch to other brands if they're cheaper and better spe cifications such as Hand's new Hybrid models which are more lucrative Toyota Pries. 4. Threat of Substitute – Moderately High There are a lot of substitutes in automobile industry.When the price or the specifications of the vehicle is lack of favor, the substitutes will emerge. Besides from vehicles, buyer can opt for other substitutes such as bicycle, bus, train or even walking to reach their destination with petrol price hiking. However, it depends greatly on the consumers geographical location. 5. Competitive Rivalry -? High Competition between existing players is high. There is not much differentiation between players and their products. Other automobile companies are moving aggressively with their strategy to own higher market share with Hybrid models.B. Soot Analysis Strengths Us period productivity and efficiency of Toyota Production System Toyota is the world's largest vehicle manufacturer by production and sales Global strong brand awareness Strong distribution and m arket efforts focused on high quality, sales and close involvement with customers It has initiated new technologies Weaknesses Recalls caused quite severe financial impact It is criticized as a foreign importer by Japanese local car producers In May 2009, they reported a record yearly net loss of $ 4. Billion In 2005 faced criticism because of a large scale recall and quality issues Opportunities Recovery of auto industries Positive growth trend in hybrid vehicle segment Growing demand from major emerging markets India and China Demand for fuel efficient, compact vehicles In 2009 Bank of India decreased the interests on automotive bank loans Product innovation The retreats Competition in the global automotive market Uncertainty in global economic condition Weakening demand, increasing cost Tightening emission standards C.PEST Analysis Political Factors Laws and regulations mandated by the government/state/local assembles may put in measures to ensure that safe and ethical practices are being allowed to promote fairness within the company. On the other hand, these laws, especially those foreign to Japanese customs create policies that imposes more profit loss for TM because it is a foreign car company. Economic and Social Factors The first that may impact Tm's profit is that the social status of the world economy as a whole.If the world market is suffering due to a world-wide recession. Customers may be forced to buy domestic cars due to their lower cost, rather than buying foreign cars. However, if consumers are earning a higher income, this may prove beneficial to Toyota thereby increasing many profit and accountability. Stability of the upcoming market is highly projected. Technological Factors Technological advancements may also be a factor in determining Tm's overall production. The world relies heavily on technology to plan out the details and executions of company plans and goals.It would be wise for TM to continue its research developments to improve th e company's value and reputation. IV. Relevant Strategic Management Lean Production System Lean Production System is the system designed and evolved in Toyota. It is modified form of Henry Ford's Mass Production System. In some areas its philosophy seem exactly opposite to the fundamental principles of Mass Production System. Mass Production System Mass production is a method of producing goods in large quantities at low cost per unit. This system of production is also known as Push System or Just- in-Case System .With precision equipment, large numbers of identical parts could be produced at low cost and with a small work force. Diversification At the time of establishment of Toyota Motor Company was in the business of making handloom. This can be seen as a Conglomerate Diversification as Toyota expanded its scope from Handloom Industry to Automobile Industry. Joint Venture ANNUM was established at the site Of a former GM Fremont Assembly site that had been closed two years earlier in 1982. GM and Toyota reopened the factory as a joint venture in 1 984 to manufacture vehicles to be sold under both brands.A joint venture was viewed as an approach that would lower the risk while providing help in overcoming difficult potential problems. Market Segmentation Toast's most significant business segment is its automotive operations. Toyota carries out its automotive operations as a global competitor in the relied automotive market. Toast's uses both differentiation and low cost as generic strategies to try and gain a competitive advantage over their competitors in the automotive industry. The market scope that Toyota uses is a broad one that encompasses nearly every type of customer that is in the market to purchase an automobile.Toyota is able to target such a large market because they have something for everyone. V. Alternative Courses and Action Toyota Motors Corporation, one of the largest automakers in the world. Due to growing number of recalls that it faced, s ales plummeted thereby effecting the company's position in the global automotive industry. The company recalled million of vehicles in 2009 that does not only hurt the company financially but significantly damaged the company's brand. Toyota must ensure that the cars produced are faultless and of good quality.Toyota must focus on differentiating the company by concentrating on the atmosphere and design of the vehicles . It must enhance customers service as full-service provider. Excellent customer service should be observed since it would be able to make the company boost their reputation and consistency in terms of customer satisfaction. There should be a unique offering of amenities and facilities which would give them a stand out compared to other competitors, something like a trademark item or facility in which it couldn't be copied or duplicated.Toyota has a reputation of manufacturing CEO friendly cars like the Pries based upon advanced technology developed by the organization . Toyota has also sold on its technology to other motor manufacturers. There is a big demand for CEO friendly and fuel efficient cars. Since Toyota already has a first mover advantage in making hybrid CEO friendly cars, it should capitalize n this opportunity and invest more on hybrid R and produce more environment friendly cars. VI. Analysis of Alternatives (Advantages and Disadvantages) VII.Conclusion Toyota has sources of strong competitive advantages in global automotive industry such as value chain, strong brand, wide product offering and hybrid vehicles. Major recalls, economic crisis and intense global competition have posed serious challenge for Toyota. Growing emerging markets and shifting customer demands offer Opportunities for Toyota to attain superior profitability and growth. Toyota must sustain its competitive advantages to attain its position and achieve future success. VIII. Recommendations Toyota motors are famous for their just in time manufacturing.The organizati on is doing well in this regard and competes with the world's top car manufacturing firms . However the quality of the car as compare to other car manufacturing companies is not satisfactory. They should focus on the quality and designs of the car. As compare to Honda, the intense competitor of Toyota in Asia and some other regions, they have elegant designs and quality cars. Apart from that the company should also focus on fuel efficient and hybrid cars to increase its production and to make people aware of these cars.T MAC needs to become more diverse, to allow the integration Of leadership in all sectors of leaderships to create a uniform leadership team. The way the system is set up is not going too well for the company's goal of being the number one manufacturer in the world. Also, Toyota needs to reanalyze its Research and Developmental Centers. It is through these centers that technologies are observed and tested to bring about the best possible and safe product for the consu mer to use. There needs to be a construction of the company as a whole. Toyota Company Objectives World domination with regard to car supply. Toyota seeks to achieve market leadership by delivering value to customers and providing high quality vehicles. Ill. Analysis Of Related Case Facts A. Porters Five Forces Analysis 1. Threat of New Entrants – Low New entrants can't enter the market easily as it requires huge capital investment, cutting-edge technology and the industry have already reached economics of scale. Brand loyalty among the buyers. They won't easily witched to new brand as purchasing a vehicle incurred high cost. 2.Bargaining Power of Supplier – Moderately Low Various types of suppliers in automobile industry such as cooling, electrical, fuel supply systems distributed across the globe. They own many interchangeable supplier and produced many components in the short time. Suppliers don't own the power to determine the price. 3. Bargaining Power of Buyer – High Can easily switch to other brands if they're cheaper and better spec ifications such as Hand's new Hybrid models which are more lucrative Toyota Pries. 4. Threat of Substitute – Moderately High There are a lot of substitutes in automobile industry.When the price or the specifications of the vehicle is lack of favor, the substitutes will emerge. Besides from vehicles, buyer can opt for other substitutes such as bicycle, bus, train or even walking to reach their destination with petrol price hiking. However, it depends greatly on the consumers geographical location. 5. Competitive Rivalry -? High Competition between existing players is high. There is not much differentiation between players and their products. Other automobile impasse are moving aggressively with their strategy to own higher market share with Hybrid models.B. Soot Analysis Strengths Superior productivity and efficiency of Toyota Production System Toyota is the world's largest vehicle manufacturer by production and sales Global strong brand awareness Strong distribution and marke t efforts focused on high quality, sales and close involvement with customers It has initiated new technologies Weaknesses Recalls caused quite severe financial impact It is criticized as a foreign importer by Japanese local car producers In May 009, they reported a record yearly net loss of $ 4. Billion In 2005 faced criticism because of a large scale recall and quality issues Opportunities Recovery of auto industries Positive growth trend in hybrid vehicle segment Growing demand from major emerging markets India and China Demand for fuel efficient, compact vehicles In 2009 Bank Of India decreased the interests on automotive bank loans Product innovation Threats Competition in the global automotive market Uncertainty in global economic condition Weakening demand, increasing cost Tightening emission standards C. PEST Analysis Political FactorsLaws and regulations mandated by the government/state/local assembles may put in measures to ensure that safe and ethical practices are being followed to promote fairness within the company. On the other hand, these laws, especially those foreign to Japanese customs create policies that imposes more profit loss for TM because it is a foreign car company. Economic and Social Factors The first that may impact Tm's profit is that the social status of the world economy as a whole. If the world market is suffering due to a world-wide recession.Customers may be forced to buy domestic cars due to their lower cost, rather than buying foreign cars. However, if consumers are earning a higher income, this may prove beneficial to Toyota thereby increasing company profit and accountability. Stability of the upcoming market is highly projected. Technological Factors Technological advancements may also be a factor in determining Tm's overall production. The world relies heavily on technology to plan out the details and executions of company plans and goals. It would be wise for T MAC to continue its research developments to improve the company's value and reputation.IV. Relevant Strategic Management Lean Production System Lean Production System is the system designed and evolved in Toyota. It is modified form of Henry Ford's Mass Production System. In some areas its philosophy seem exactly opposite to the fundamental principles of Mass Production System. Mass Production System Mass production is a method of producing goods in large quantities at low cost per unit. This system of production is also known as Push System or Just- in-Case System . With precision equipment, large numbers of identical parts could be produced at low cost and with a small work force.Diversification At the time of establishment of Toyota Motor Company was in the business of making handloom. This can be seen as a Conglomerate Diversification as Toyota expanded its scope from Handloom Industry to Automobile Industry. Joint Venture ANNUM was established at the site of a former GM Fremont Assembly site that had been closed two years earlier in 1982. GM and Toyota reopened the factory as a joint venture in 1984 to manufacture vehicles to be sold under both brands. A joint venture was viewed as an approach that would lower the risk while providing help in overcoming difficult potential problems.Market Segmentation Toast's most significant business segment is its automotive operations. Toyota carries out its automotive operations as a global competitor in the worldwide automotive market. Toast's uses both differentiation and low cost as generic strategies to try and gain a competitive advantage over their competitors in the automotive industry'. The market scope that Toyota uses is a broad one that encompasses nearly every type of customer that is in the market to purchase an automobile. Toyota is able to target such a large market because they have something for everyone.V. Alternative Courses and Action Toyota Motors Corporation, one of the largest automakers in the world. Due to growing number of recalls that it faced, s ales plummeted thereby affecting the company's position in the global automotive industry. The company recalled million of vehicles in 2009 that does not only hurt the company financially but significantly damaged the company's brand. Toyota must ensure that the cars produced are faultless and of good quality. Toyota must focus on differentiating the company by concentrating on the atmosphere and design of the vehicles .It must enhance customers service s full-service provider. Excellent customer service should be observed since it would be able to make the company boost their reputation and consistency in terms of customer satisfaction. There should be a unique offering of amenities and facilities which would give them a stand out compared to other competitors, something like a trademark item or facility in which it couldn't be copied or duplicated. Toyota has a reputation of manufacturing CEO friendly cars like the Pries based upon advanced technology developed by the organization .Toyota has also sold on its technology to other motor manufacturers. There is a big demand for CEO friendly and fuel efficient cars. Since Toyota already has a first mover advantage in making hybrid CEO friendly cars, it should capitalize on this opportunity and invest more on hybrid R&D and produce more environment friendly cars. VI. Analysis of Alternatives (Advantages and Disadvantages) VI'. Conclusion Toyota has sources of strong competitive advantages in global automotive industry such as value chain, strong brand, wide product offering and hybrid vehicles.Major recalls, economic crisis and intense global competition have used serious challenge for Toyota. Growing emerging markets and shifting Customer demands offer opportunities for Toyota to attain superior profitability and growth. Toyota must sustain its competitive advantages to retain its position and achieve future success. VIII. Recommendations Toyota motors are famous for their just in time manufacturing. The organiza tion is doing well in this regard and competes with the world's top car manufacturing firms -However the quality of the car as compare to other car manufacturing companies is not satisfactory.They should focus on the quality ND designs of the car. As compare to Honda, the intense competitor of Toyota in Asia and some other regions, they have elegant designs and quality cars. Apart from that the company should also focus on fuel efficient and hybrid cars to increase its production and to make people aware of these cars. TM needs to become more diverse, to allow the integration of leadership in all sectors of leaderships to create a uniform leadership team. The way the system is set up is not going too well for the company's goal of being the number one manufacturer in the world. Toyota Toyota, one of the most renowned auto company started having a problem around in 1998 when it failed o store its new brand product Lexus’s data’s ineffectively. Though all it did not happen on purpose, but accidentally the Lexus Company could not fulfil the requirement and satisfaction of its customer in its early trail of database maintenance. Lexus the Toyotas high end luxury system had implemented a Corporate Customer information System in which there were some problems seen regarding the recording of customer information and override of wrong information of the customer data. Though the company had best tried to save that customer information in a appropriate manner but due to the system deficiency the company was having a massive data quality problem. This problem aroused because the company failed to maintain and implement a central database system where all he customer information would be stored in a central database, which when required would display the multi branches customer information. The company had 15 different databases stored in 15 different parts of the company, where the individual company would only access their local data stored by the local branch. In words of Management we can correlate this problem as lack of centralised authority to data control, storing, maintenance and update of recent transactions. The world of Information Technology as compared to the Management is quite controversial. Controversial in a sense that, in proper management Decentralization and Delegation of authority is required to achieve the best results in efficient management performances while as in terms of Information Technology, it requires the access, storage, support and maintenance of centralised database system in order to keep the up to date records of every activities performed everyday to track down the right solution to the problem. An efficient Information System demands the availability of information and resources however and whenever demanded at any point of request. The database Toyota Lexus ha designed was to store all its customer info which would help when the system was asked to provide the customer details of the owner for organizational purpose. The objective LEXUS had established to serve its customer via maintaining a customer dataset could not be fulfilled as the purpose of developing a database could no be fulfilled as it resulted to various problems in miscommunication of information all around. The ownership of the vehicles ad been transferred to the people who did not even had the ownership license, the cheques were paid to the person who were even not entitled to receive and the legitimate information were passed where there had been frequent problems of fake customer identity. The customer details failed to validate the right owners of the vehicles which as a result led to a problem of data loss. Because of the problem, Toyota would return the owners car fixed, washed filled with fuel. Cheques were made payable to the people whom it did not even belonged to. CASE EXAMPLES Example: 1 http://www. internetautoguide. om/auto-recalls/09-int/1998/lexus/gs400/index. html APR 17, 1998 | Recall ID# 50473 Hide Details |Recall Reason |SUSPENSION:AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC) | |Recall Date |APR 17, 1998 | |Model Affected |GS400 | |Potential Units Affected |14855 | Recall Summary | |VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OF THE YAW RATE SENSOR FOR THE VEHICLE STABILITY | |CONTROL (VSC), THE VSC CAN OPERATE IMPROPERLY IF THE SENSOR IS AFFECTED BY CERTAIN ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES, SUCH AS FROM A | |CELLULAR PHONE. | |Consequence | |SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE BRAKE MAY OPERATE UNEXPECTEDLY, AFFECTING STEERING AND SPEED CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A | |VEHICLE CRASH. |Remedy | |DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE YAW RATE SENSOR. | |Notes | |TOYOTA MOTOR CO. , LTD. | Example 2: http://www. justanswer. com/questions/35ik7-i-have-a-1998-lexus-es300-i-have-had-problems-with-the-gas Question I have a 1 998 Lexus ES300, I Have had problems with the gas pedals sticking on three occasions but paid no attention to it until I read about this problem on new cars. Have there been other cases reported with this model? What should I do about it? Submitted: 11 days and 23 hours ago. Category:  Lexus Value:  ? 7 Status:  CLOSED + Read  More Optional Information Year: 1998 Make: Lexus Model: ES300 Already Tried: I have a 1998 Lexus ES300, I Have had problems with the gas pedals sticking on three occasions but paid no attention to it until I read about this problem on new cars. Have there been other cases reported with this model? What should I do about it? Accepted Answer Hi, Your particular vehicle uses a mechanical, cable connection from the gas pedal to the throttle body as opposed to the electrical servo type throttles involved in the numerous recall related problems. Because of that, there would be no directly correlation between the two vehicles. That being said, there are 3 typical causes for sticking throttle in your vehicle. Least likely, but easiest to check is the infamous â€Å"floor mat obstruction†. This is typically noticeable while driving if your floor mat is interfering with the cable, but worth checking regardless. Second, is a worn out throttle cable. This is the cable that connects the gas pedal to the throttle body. Vehicles in northern states that have more issues with rust/corrosion are more likely to see a problem here. The cable is a thin metal wire sheathed in a plastic coating. As the exposed area of metal wire corrodes from environmental elements, it widens the cable making it more difficult to travel inside the cable sheath, often sticking. You can check this condition by operating the throttle body by hand an monitoring the cable to see if there is any resistance going into the sheath or if it travels smoothly. Lastly, and most common, is buildup of carbon/oil elements in the throttle body. Because of the ventilation system required by law, the throttle body is exposed to oil vapor from inside the engine via breathing hoses in the intake. Over time this builds up into a layer of hardened, baked-on oil inside the throttle body, right where the throttle plate needs to move. Due to it being softer than the metal throttle plate, the throttle plate always wins when it gets stuck, but the oil buildup does create resistance that will intermittently stick the throttle in position. Having the throttle body cleaned to prevent this should be done every 15k miles on this car for full assurance, or 30k miles at minimum for normal operation. Typical cost for cleaning is 1/2 hour labor (normal â€Å"minimum charge† at many shops), about $45 depending on the shops labor rate. pic] |Expert:   |Doug Cleland | |Pos. Feedback:   |100. 0 % | |Accepts:   |12 | |Answered:   |2/16/2010 | ASE Certified Technician Toyota Factory training and worked for a heavily Lexus trafficked Toyota store Read more: http://www. justanswer. com/questions/35ik7-i-have-a-1998-lexus-es300-i-have-had-problems-with-the-gas#ixzz0grgbynyy Example 3: http://www. motortrend. com/used_cars/07/1998/lexus/recalls/index. html Featured 1998 Recalls [pic] | |1998 Lexus LX470 | |Before you purchase a used car, make sure you check our comprehensive auto recall information to see if there are any | |problems that have been reported by the NHTSA. You can get detailed information on how and where to fix the car defect. | |Recall:   EXTERIOR LIGHTING : HEADLIGHTS | | | | | | | | | | Read more: http://www. motortrend. com/used_cars/07/1998/lexus/recalls/index. html#ixzz0grjp1yvD Take a noteworthy case in 1998. Toyota Motor Sales USA (TMS) responded to a recurring service problem with its Lexus vehicles by contacting owners, then picking up their vehicles, taking them in for repairs and leaving loaner cars as replacements. When done, the owners' cars were returned—fixed, washed and tanked up. That level of service was made possible by TMS's Corporate Customer Information System, an application used by the company's call center in Iowa to help handle warranty, roadside assistance, prepaid maintenance and other service requests. But 1998 didn't go altogether smoothly. Relying on data in that system, TMS began to mail checks to Lexus owners to replace troublesome tires. The checks, for more than $400 each, in some cases went to people who didn't even own a Lexus. One errant check even found its way to a Toyota auditor, for a vehicle he hadn't owned for a while. â€Å"You can imagine the repercussions of that,† says John Gonzales, data quality manager at TMS. â€Å"We can't afford to be giving money away to people who shouldn't be getting it. † The glitch was symptomatic of a bigger problem. The system depended on customer data stored in â€Å"roughly 15 databases in different parts of company,† says Gonzales. Just to get to all the data about a customer, call center employees would have to navigate through four or five mainframe applications, while customers waited. The glitch resulted in a mandate from Toyota's office of the president for a centralized, single customer database. And Gonzales was tagged to make it happen. â€Å"The main goal was to service customers' calls quicker,† he says. But also, â€Å"as the volume of calls went up, we didn't want to increase the number of people in the call center. † Finding a way to pull off the consolidation turned out to be no mean feat. Gonzales and his team looked at a procession of products purportedly offering business intelligence,† but none fit the bill. Then, a solution was nearly dropped into his lap. While attending a Toyota Toyota, one of the most renowned auto company started having a problem around in 1998 when it failed o store its new brand product Lexus’s data’s ineffectively. Though all it did not happen on purpose, but accidentally the Lexus Company could not fulfil the requirement and satisfaction of its customer in its early trail of database maintenance. Lexus the Toyotas high end luxury system had implemented a Corporate Customer information System in which there were some problems seen regarding the recording of customer information and override of wrong information of the customer data. Though the company had best tried to save that customer information in a appropriate manner but due to the system deficiency the company was having a massive data quality problem. This problem aroused because the company failed to maintain and implement a central database system where all he customer information would be stored in a central database, which when required would display the multi branches customer information. The company had 15 different databases stored in 15 different parts of the company, where the individual company would only access their local data stored by the local branch. In words of Management we can correlate this problem as lack of centralised authority to data control, storing, maintenance and update of recent transactions. The world of Information Technology as compared to the Management is quite controversial. Controversial in a sense that, in proper management Decentralization and Delegation of authority is required to achieve the best results in efficient management performances while as in terms of Information Technology, it requires the access, storage, support and maintenance of centralised database system in order to keep the up to date records of every activities performed everyday to track down the right solution to the problem. An efficient Information System demands the availability of information and resources however and whenever demanded at any point of request. The database Toyota Lexus ha designed was to store all its customer info which would help when the system was asked to provide the customer details of the owner for organizational purpose. The objective LEXUS had established to serve its customer via maintaining a customer dataset could not be fulfilled as the purpose of developing a database could no be fulfilled as it resulted to various problems in miscommunication of information all around. The ownership of the vehicles ad been transferred to the people who did not even had the ownership license, the cheques were paid to the person who were even not entitled to receive and the legitimate information were passed where there had been frequent problems of fake customer identity. The customer details failed to validate the right owners of the vehicles which as a result led to a problem of data loss. Because of the problem, Toyota would return the owners car fixed, washed filled with fuel. Cheques were made payable to the people whom it did not even belonged to. CASE EXAMPLES Example: 1 http://www. internetautoguide. om/auto-recalls/09-int/1998/lexus/gs400/index. html APR 17, 1998 | Recall ID# 50473 Hide Details |Recall Reason |SUSPENSION:AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC) | |Recall Date |APR 17, 1998 | |Model Affected |GS400 | |Potential Units Affected |14855 | Recall Summary | |VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OF THE YAW RATE SENSOR FOR THE VEHICLE STABILITY | |CONTROL (VSC), THE VSC CAN OPERATE IMPROPERLY IF THE SENSOR IS AFFECTED BY CERTAIN ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES, SUCH AS FROM A | |CELLULAR PHONE. | |Consequence | |SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE BRAKE MAY OPERATE UNEXPECTEDLY, AFFECTING STEERING AND SPEED CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A | |VEHICLE CRASH. |Remedy | |DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE YAW RATE SENSOR. | |Notes | |TOYOTA MOTOR CO. , LTD. | Example 2: http://www. justanswer. com/questions/35ik7-i-have-a-1998-lexus-es300-i-have-had-problems-with-the-gas Question I have a 1 998 Lexus ES300, I Have had problems with the gas pedals sticking on three occasions but paid no attention to it until I read about this problem on new cars. Have there been other cases reported with this model? What should I do about it? Submitted: 11 days and 23 hours ago. Category:  Lexus Value:  ? 7 Status:  CLOSED + Read  More Optional Information Year: 1998 Make: Lexus Model: ES300 Already Tried: I have a 1998 Lexus ES300, I Have had problems with the gas pedals sticking on three occasions but paid no attention to it until I read about this problem on new cars. Have there been other cases reported with this model? What should I do about it? Accepted Answer Hi, Your particular vehicle uses a mechanical, cable connection from the gas pedal to the throttle body as opposed to the electrical servo type throttles involved in the numerous recall related problems. Because of that, there would be no directly correlation between the two vehicles. That being said, there are 3 typical causes for sticking throttle in your vehicle. Least likely, but easiest to check is the infamous â€Å"floor mat obstruction†. This is typically noticeable while driving if your floor mat is interfering with the cable, but worth checking regardless. Second, is a worn out throttle cable. This is the cable that connects the gas pedal to the throttle body. Vehicles in northern states that have more issues with rust/corrosion are more likely to see a problem here. The cable is a thin metal wire sheathed in a plastic coating. As the exposed area of metal wire corrodes from environmental elements, it widens the cable making it more difficult to travel inside the cable sheath, often sticking. You can check this condition by operating the throttle body by hand an monitoring the cable to see if there is any resistance going into the sheath or if it travels smoothly. Lastly, and most common, is buildup of carbon/oil elements in the throttle body. Because of the ventilation system required by law, the throttle body is exposed to oil vapor from inside the engine via breathing hoses in the intake. Over time this builds up into a layer of hardened, baked-on oil inside the throttle body, right where the throttle plate needs to move. Due to it being softer than the metal throttle plate, the throttle plate always wins when it gets stuck, but the oil buildup does create resistance that will intermittently stick the throttle in position. Having the throttle body cleaned to prevent this should be done every 15k miles on this car for full assurance, or 30k miles at minimum for normal operation. Typical cost for cleaning is 1/2 hour labor (normal â€Å"minimum charge† at many shops), about $45 depending on the shops labor rate. pic] |Expert:   |Doug Cleland | |Pos. Feedback:   |100. 0 % | |Accepts:   |12 | |Answered:   |2/16/2010 | ASE Certified Technician Toyota Factory training and worked for a heavily Lexus trafficked Toyota store Read more: http://www. justanswer. com/questions/35ik7-i-have-a-1998-lexus-es300-i-have-had-problems-with-the-gas#ixzz0grgbynyy Example 3: http://www. motortrend. com/used_cars/07/1998/lexus/recalls/index. html Featured 1998 Recalls [pic] | |1998 Lexus LX470 | |Before you purchase a used car, make sure you check our comprehensive auto recall information to see if there are any | |problems that have been reported by the NHTSA. You can get detailed information on how and where to fix the car defect. | |Recall:   EXTERIOR LIGHTING : HEADLIGHTS | | | | | | | | | | Read more: http://www. motortrend. com/used_cars/07/1998/lexus/recalls/index. html#ixzz0grjp1yvD Take a noteworthy case in 1998. Toyota Motor Sales USA (TMS) responded to a recurring service problem with its Lexus vehicles by contacting owners, then picking up their vehicles, taking them in for repairs and leaving loaner cars as replacements. When done, the owners' cars were returned—fixed, washed and tanked up. That level of service was made possible by TMS's Corporate Customer Information System, an application used by the company's call center in Iowa to help handle warranty, roadside assistance, prepaid maintenance and other service requests. But 1998 didn't go altogether smoothly. Relying on data in that system, TMS began to mail checks to Lexus owners to replace troublesome tires. The checks, for more than $400 each, in some cases went to people who didn't even own a Lexus. One errant check even found its way to a Toyota auditor, for a vehicle he hadn't owned for a while. â€Å"You can imagine the repercussions of that,† says John Gonzales, data quality manager at TMS. â€Å"We can't afford to be giving money away to people who shouldn't be getting it. † The glitch was symptomatic of a bigger problem. The system depended on customer data stored in â€Å"roughly 15 databases in different parts of company,† says Gonzales. Just to get to all the data about a customer, call center employees would have to navigate through four or five mainframe applications, while customers waited. The glitch resulted in a mandate from Toyota's office of the president for a centralized, single customer database. And Gonzales was tagged to make it happen. â€Å"The main goal was to service customers' calls quicker,† he says. But also, â€Å"as the volume of calls went up, we didn't want to increase the number of people in the call center. † Finding a way to pull off the consolidation turned out to be no mean feat. Gonzales and his team looked at a procession of products purportedly offering business intelligence,† but none fit the bill. Then, a solution was nearly dropped into his lap. While attending a

Book Review: Every Day by David Levithan Essay

â€Å"I am a drifter, and as lonely as that can be, it is also remarkably freeing. I will never define myself in terms of anyone else. I will never feel the pressure of peers or the burden of parental expectation. I can view everyone as pieces of a whole, and focus on the whole, not the pieces. I have learned how to observe, far better than most people observe. I am not blinded by the past or motivated by the future. I focus on the present, because that’s where I am destined to live.†(pg.7) Every day, A wakes up in a new body: different race, different size, different gender†¦ A is not defined by any of these characteristics and tries to respect the host body as much as possible during the time spent in it. Then A, in the body of Justin, meets Rhiannon and everything changes. A feels a connection that has never happened before and A can’t let go of that feeling. From then on, each day as someone new, A and Rhiannon form a bond that gives a new meaning to love without restriction. David Levithan brilliantly brought real feelings into a imposable sounding book. A and Rhiannon have real chemistry; their love is not based on gender, race, or size. Every Day is the type of book that will stick with me and I’m thankful that David Levithan came up with such an ambitious concept. With his beautiful writing, I can only hope that it will open the eyes of people who may have a more restricted definition of what makes love true.

Direct Payment in London The WritePass Journal

Direct Payment in London Introduction Direct Payment in London ). What are personal budgets? Personal  budgets involve allocation of sufficient funding to service users following an assessment to meet their assessed requirements. Service users can either choose to take their personal budget in cash as a direct payment, or  leave the responsibility of commissioning the services upon local councils while still deciding for how their care needs are met and by whom (Samuel, 2012). The purpose By providing an alternative to social care services provided by a local council, direct payments and personal budget offer service users with more control over their life. Its enables them to look beyond ‘off the peg† solutions for care needs such as housing, employment, education and recreational activities in addition to personal assistant to meet their assessed care needs. It is aimed to increase the independence, social inclusion and self-esteem of service users (Department of Health, 2003). Impact of Direct Payments on Patients and Carers Several studies have shown that the direct payment and personal budget initiative is delivering positive outcomes for both service users and carers. The 2011 National Personal Budget Survey, which covered more than 2,000 people, reveals that direct payments and personal budgets are having overall positive impact on the lives of service users and providers. It concludes that the personal budgets holders are been supported with dignity and respect while being more independent and in control of their support. There was a general agreement that the basic element of self-directed support was present, including being made aware of the amount of money they were entitled to for their personal budget (77%). 81 % expressed that they were provided help with their personal budget, while 87 % said that their views were given importance in setting their support plan. Most of the users surveyed said that they had experienced improvements in 10 out of 14 areas of their lives with the use of personal budgets; 76% of the people surveyed reported that they were being treated with more dignity and respect; 75% reported of having more independence; 72% reported being in more control for their support needs; 68% reported of having more control of important things in life; 67% reported of having positive impact upon their relationships with those who paid to support them; 63% reported of having greater mental wellbeing; 59% reported positive impact upon physical health; 58% reported having improved relations hips with their families; 57% reported being more save inside and outside their houses; and 72% said that with personal budget in place, they were getting support for what they needed when they needed (Hatton and Water, 2011). As for the other 4 aspects which include getting a paid job, helping local communities, relationships with friends, and choosing where to live, personal budget holders expressed no significant change. 3% to 8% of the people surveyed expressed a negative impact on any of these aforementioned 14 aspects (Hatton and Water, 2011). These findings are consistent with several other studies regarding the impact of direct payment and personal budgets (see Appendix 1). The survey further revealed that the carers similarly indicated towards a positive impact of personal budgets on the lives of service users and themselves as carers and other family members. However, the carers were all negative about the aspects personal budget process and the stress associated with it (Hatton and Water, 2011). Take-Up across Client Groups It is widely established that direct payments and personal budgets have traditionally a higher take-up among younger adults – particularly among people with learning or physical disabilities and those with a long standing illness– compared to older people with learning disabilities and those with mental health problems and sensory impairment. (see fig 1.) Uptake of Personal Budget (Source: The National Personal Budget Plan Survey, 2011) According to the NHS information center, the data for the year 2010-2011 showed that 29% of older people (more than 65 years of age) were on personal budgets compared to 41% of working-age adults with a learning disability and 35% of working age physically disabled adults. Figure for people with mental health problem of working age was as low as 9% (Samuel, 2012). These figures highlight concerns that there is still a long way to go to make personal budget work for older people, people with mental health problems; all of which form a group of those with most complex needs. These issues have been highlighted in a number of studies and reports. (see Wood, 2011). Trends in Direct Payments In the year 2011, of more than  £1.5bn of the support budget administered by councils in England, almost one and every 7 pound was awarded through personal budgets. For as many as 27 councils in England, the practice of personal budget and direct payment extended to almost half of all service users. It amount to almost 38% of all the support service users in England. However, it has been noted that most of these people never get to handle the money they are entitled to which implies that the increase in trend has been mainly in managed personal budgets, with only a slight increase in direct payment (Brindle, 2011). According to the 2012 annual survey of Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the current users of personal budgets amounted for 53% of all ongoing users of community services in England (Samuel, 2012). The aforementioned information indicates that overall, the personal budget and direct payment scheme has been positively affecting the social care structure of the UK. The impact of this initiative has improved the conditions of the service users and carers to a great extent. A large segment of the service users welcomes this initiative. The overall trend in the service sector indicates that personalized budgets and direct payments are the future of the provision of social care services. They are indeed a step towards the evolution of the services and care structure which is more user centered. Meeting the Deadline There is a growing concern regarding the target set by the government of having all council-funded users of current care and support on personal budgets by April 2013 that whether it is truly helping achieve actual choice and control for people with the most complex and greatest needs. The target of 2013 has been called into question by the likes of Martin Routledge, who is the program director of Think Local Act Personal, the sector coalition responsible for implementing the agenda. As the head of operation at In Control, he says that â€Å"I have talked to dozens of local authority managers this year and most have expressed general positivity towards personal budgets and direct payments but also fear the risk of unintended consequences of the 2013 goal. Most felt that as they needed to get many more older people included, there would be a high risk of superficial compliance but not a great actual extension of choice and control. (Samuel, 2012b) Various observers and studies have indicated some of the most important impediments in achieving the 2013 deadlines as follows:  · The supply of services and its market is currently not as responsive to coincide with the demand of those on personal budgets or receiving direct payments – and therefore, personal budgets are of little use without adequate supply of services (Samuel, 2012b)  ·The groups that are least likely to receive personal budgets or direct payments such as old people who prefer not to take the responsibility of commissioning services in their own hands or people with complex or mental health problems such dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. pose a significant challenge in achieving the target (Samuel, 2012b)  ·Long and complex assessment forms and the approval of council panels instead of workers for personal budget support plans have the process much more tedious. Excessive bureaucracy has beset the implementation of personal budget and direct payments. According to a survey, 82% of the social care professionals say there is more bureaucracy involved in their work due to personalization (Donovan, 2012). Conclusion Personal Budget and direct payment is now the mainstream method of delivering social care. By April 2013, all the people receiving care support are expected to have a personal plan or receive direct payments. Direct payment or personal budgets have delivered much better positive outcomes for various aspects of lives for both users and carers than traditionally arranged services. The number of people acquiring support through personal plan or direct payment is steadily increasing, although some user groups remain low such as old people and those with complex problems.   Despite the increasing prevalence of direct payment and personal budgets, there are several impediments that should be addressed in order to achieve the 2013 target. References Adams L, Godwin L. (2008) Employment   Aspects and Workforce Implications of Direct Payments. London: Prepared for Skills for Care by IFF Research 2008. 112. RCN Policy Unit. Individual Budgets: Royal College of Nursing 2008 Contract No.: 04/2008 Brindle, D. (2011) Are direct payments for social care still living up to their name? The Guardian {online} guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jun/22/personal-budgets-social-care-choice-compromised   (cited on 30th August, 2012) Department of Health (2003) Direct Payments Guidance: Community Care, Services for Carers and Children’s Services (Direct Payments) Guidance England 2003 September 2003 London: DH Donovan, T.   (2012) Personal budgets increasingly bureaucratic, say professionals Community Care. {online} communitycare.co.uk/Articles/04/07/2012/118340/personal-budgets-increasingly-bureaucratic-say-professionals.htm (cited on 30th August, 2012) Hatton, C and Water, J. (2011) National Personal Budget Survey 2011. Think Local Act Personal. {online} thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/_library/Resources/Personalisation/Personalisation_advice/2011/POET_surveys_June_2011_-_EMBARGOED.pdf (cited on 30th August, 2012) Samuel, M. (2012) Expert guide to direct payments, personal budgets and individual budgets. Community Care. {online} communitycare.co.uk/Articles/25/07/2012/102669/direct-payments-personal-budgets-and-individual-budgets.htm (cited on 30th August, 2012) Samuel, M. (2012b) Where now for personal budgets? Community Care: Adult Care Blog. {online} communitycare.co.uk/blogs/adult-care-blog/2012/03/where-now-for-personal-budgets.html(cited on 30th August, 2012) Think Local Act Personal (2011) Personal Budgets Taking Stocks, Moving Forward. {online} thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/_library/Resources/Personalisation/TLAP/Paper5TakingStockMovingForwards.pdf (cited on 3th September, 2012)

Latin Adjectives 1st and 2nd Declension

Latin Adjectives 1st and 2nd Declension In Latin, adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in case and number, as well as gender. This means that like nouns, Latin adjectives must be declined.* Latin 1st and 2nd declension adjectives are declined like nouns in the 1st and 2nd declensions. It so happens that like nouns, there are also 3rd declension adjectives, but there are no 4th or 5th declension adjectives. So, since there are more declensions for nouns than adjectives, the number of the declension of the noun cannot possibly have to match the number of the declension of the adjective. Its even misleading to think of adjectives as belonging to the 1st OR the 2nd declension. They belong to both but look different depending on gender. For this reason, its better to refer to such adjectives as 1st AND 2nd declension adjectives. The Latin from which we get our word republic comes from a 5th declension feminine noun ( res) and a feminine adjective ( publica). If the 5th declension noun were masculine ( e.g., meridies midday), the adjective would take the masculine form publicus. As stated above, Adjectives need to match only the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify. A 1st and 2nd declension adjective can modify any noun. The 1st and 2nd declension adjective used here as a model is bonus, -a, -um, the Latin word for good, showing the full masculine form first, followed by the ending of the feminine next, and finally the ending for the neuter. nominative bona puellagenitive bonae puellaedative bonae puellaeaccusative bonam puellamablative bona puella The word girl is puella in Latin, a 1st declension noun, and like most 1st declension nouns, its feminine. The adjectival form corresponding with puella- a noun in the nominative singular- is bona. Declension of Bona Puella (Good Girl) in Latin Singular Plural: nominative bonae puellaegenitive bonarum puellarumdative bonis puellisaccusative bonas puellasablative bonis puellisnominative bonus puergenitive boni pueridative bono pueroaccusative bonum puerumablative bono puero The word for boy in Latin is puer. This is the nominative singular of a 2nd declension masculine noun. The form of the model adjective were using, that corresponds with puer- that is, the form of the adjective that agrees in number, case, and gender- is bonus. Declension of Bonus Puer (Good Boy) in Latin Singular Plural: nominative boni puerigenitive bonorum puerorumdative bonis puerisaccusative bonos puerosablative bonis puerisnominative bonum verbumgenitive boni verbidative bono verboaccusative bonum verbumablative bono verbo The English word word is verbum in Latin. This is a 2nd declension neuter noun. The form of the model adjective good that corresponds with verbum is bonum. Note that since this is a neuter, we can not say whether bonum verbum is nominative or accusative, although it is clearly singular. Declension of Bonum Verbum (Good Word) in Latin Singular Plural: nominative bona verbagenitive bonorum verborumdative bonis verbisaccusative bona verbaablative bonis verbis The paradigm form you will usually see for a 1st and 2nd declension adjective is: bonus -a -umboni -ae -ibono -ae -obonum -am -umbono -a -oboni -ae -abonorum -arum -orumbonis -is -isbonos -as -abonis -is -is *Note: You may run into indeclinable adjectives, which, obviously, are not declined.

King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP) - Essay Example The county has done activities to preserve these forests through ensuring clean water, appropriate flood control, protecting wildlife and fish habitat, fostering recreation and appreciation of scenic beauty. The county also contributes to the reduction of global warming through carbon sequestration. Sustaining the forests is the primordial strategy of the King County Forestry Program. A string of economic incentives, technical advice, and information are provided by the county and its officials to forest landowners to safeguard the local forests. King County is one of the busy counties in Seattle. King County, with a population of 1,788,300, is the most populous county in Washington. Seattle is a middle class city which is highly unionized, and is home to manufacturing giants--Boeing, Kenworth trucks, Todd shipyards, Weyerhauser and US Plywood. It has the University of Washington, an eminent research university in the field of computer sciences and biomedical research. Seattle is one of America's hi-tech, digital, wired and computer-oriented cities. According to Atkinson's "Metropolitan New Economy Index", Seattle had ranked third as the most advanced in the digital economy. (Atkinson 2003) Seattle is a city which is very attractive to young people whose ages range from 17 to 45 years old. Its demographic profile reveals a high segment of working population. The city boasts of tolerance of alternative lifestyles, excellent educational institutions, superb environmental sites, and a tremendous degree of innovativeness that contributed to the start-up, growth and development of high tech and related sectors. Seattle provides a healthy balance of wealth and opportunity to its local residents. It is a pleasant home to highly educated professionals. II King County Business Services King County promotes the growth of businesses combined with a concern for environmental sustainability and urban quality of life. The County's business development goals are to retain, expand, create and recruit businesses within industry clusters which are essential to the region's economic base and provide the impetus for growth. King County's economic development policies has these goals: Long-term commitment to sustainable economic development; Retention and increase of local firms in various industries which generate income and increase the quality of life its residents; Substantial public funding in large projects to spread benefits for firms and employees; and Environmental preservation and protection as a an important economic value. The Office manages specific Business Development initiatives and partnerships inspired by the County Executive and County Council. It