Frozen Souls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Frozen Souls - Essay Example This is not to say that I had no apprehensions about the move, just that any the upside was much greater than the alternative. After all, this was America, an entire nation composed of immigrants that had once made the same journey, both metaphorically and physically. On the flight I remember the airline playing the Arnold Schwarzenegger film True Lies. At the time Schwarzenegger, himself an immigrant, was the governor of California. For a moment I allowed myself to entertain similar notions of grandeur; I too could do great things one day. When I reflect back on my perceptions before arriving in the United States I recognize my idealism. It is not that I am a gullible person; I just bought into the narrative of American, and more specifically Californian, wealth and prosperity. It was this feeling of excitement and expectation that I felt as the plane landed and I looked onto the world that is now my home. The plane landed on a grey and rainy day, but I didn’t notice, instead expecting the country to soon embrace me. For the first time I would not be held back by an inefficient government or a lack of opportunity. After exiting the plane I walked to retrieve my bags. There were many beautiful people and people of varying ethnicities all moving rapidly about. I retrieved my bags and walked towards the LAX gates and waited around for a cab to the apartment complex I had set up. I was so filled with excitement and anxiety that I could not sleep that night and instead contemplated my upcoming weeks, months, years. I spent my first week with such anxiety-filled excitement and wonder that I never gave myself the chance to notice my loneliness. After exploring all day I would come home and pass out reading a book or watching the Los Angeles Lakers. This week, however, soon turned into a month and then two and three. Instead of finding the joy and prosperity I figured awaited me, I found nothing but society’s self-interest. Every day I woke up to a Calif ornia sun that stood in stark juxtaposition to the cold and lonely conditions of my current existence. I attended school during the day and would many times have my afternoons free. Not knowing anyone I would walk on the beach or through Downtown areas, hoping I would meet someone and California would finally make sense and my life would be warm and wonderful. I would walk past the sorts of beautiful people I once watched on television, all of them on their cell phones, with their perfectly coiffured hair and stylish clothing. For a period, I continued to tell myself that I merely needed to penetrate this wall of their existence and they the world would open to me; that while I had immigrated to the country, I had just not entered the true California yet. As a child in my home country I was raised in a conservative Catholic family. Towards the end of my adolescence I came to reject this family as overly constricting and naive about the true world out there. In my solitude and loneli ness for the first time I could appreciate the true love and warmth they supplied. Such instances of love and warmth are rare. I made a few acquaintances during these early days, but no one I would consider a friend. After math class I would visit a coffee shop adjacent to the college and read and watch people. Rarely did I talk to anyone and rarely did anyone talk to me. One day, however, a girl named Vanessa was forced to share my table as the

Marketing Research on Reynolds Pen Essay Example for Free

Marketing Research on Reynolds Pen Essay We are deeply indebted to Ms. Malvika Mago for her constant support guidance and inspiration in completion of the program and preparation of this document. Our sincere thanks for giving me invaluable suggestion. We are also grateful to other employee of reynolds pen for their encouragement and help. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to reynolds for giving us an opportunity to complete our project. last but not the least; we would like to thank our parents and friends for their moral support throughout the project. Pens introduced to India, international quality writing instruments, and marketed them under the brand name Reynolds. It was also he first company to build a brand in a category that behaved more like a commodity till then. Over the last 20 years, G. M. Pens has invested substantially in building a large manufacturing base with facilities in Chennai and Pondicherry. A state of the art RD facility, one of the most sophisticated in the Reynolds family worldwide, has ensured that the latest in writing technology is available to the Indian consumers. G. M. Pens offers the widest range of writing instruments and accessories in the Indian market. A variety of writing instruments including ball pens, gel pens, fountain ens, mechanical pencils, markers, handy boards and childrens colouring pens that cater to consumers from the age group of six to sixty are marketed under the brand name Reynolds. A continuous focus on consistent quality and a constant endeavour to provide quality products at affordable prices have ensured that Reynolds has been the numero uno in the Indian writing instruments market. A substantial investment has also been made in establishing the Reynolds brand name through the mass media, especially through television and press ads, in an effort to convert the category from a commodity to a brand dominated one. The companys products are available in three hundred thousand retail outlets across India covered through a network consisting of 1800 redistribution stockiest and 27 main stockiest. This is facilitated by a sales and marketing team of over 300 professionals. Established in 1927 at la Ferte-Milon in France, Reynolds has over the past eight decades been a leader in writing instruments in Europe and the rest of the world. In 1946, the headquarters and factory were shifted to Valence, in the south of France. The company is headquartered at Valence till date. With 450 employees, Reynolds, France has a daily production of 4 million writing instruments. Of this, exports account for 50% of sales. It has a worldwide market presence in 80 countries around the globe. Reynolds has 12 of its own manufacturing units established in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The year 1999 was a landmark year in the history of Reynolds. Since then it has been a member company of Sanford Corporation, USA. Sanford is a US $ 1. 2 billion company. Sanford is in turn the writing instruments division of the US $ 7 billion Newell Rubbermaid group. Sanford has the broadest range of writing, arking, coloring and drawing products worldwide.The main objective of our project is to know why the sales of Reynolds pen have declined so drastically and what are the reasons behind this . To know reasons behind this we did exploratory research to know- Why the consumers have switched to other company products. What is the defect in product. 0 Assess the current market share of Reynolds pen. 0 Is there any problem in design of pen. 0 Is there any problem in creating awareness about product The factors which are affecting our research design are Qualitative and Quantitative actors. To know this we will conduct Qualitative research first because we want to know why the sales of Reynolds pen has been declining and secondly we will conduct Quantitative research to know what are the reasons behind this. The type of research used for our study was an exploratory research, as the objective of the research was to have in depth understanding what are the reasons why the sales of Reynolds pen has been declining continuously . We have started our research. However we covered a specific list of topics and sub areas. This was done in the form of close ended question, where the timing, exact wording and time allocated to each question area was left at the interviewers. Since the research was qualitative as well as quantitative more emphasis has to be given while collecting data. Discretion open structure ensured that inspected facts or data could peruse easily. Mode of Interviewing: In research we have done face to face interview Sampling:- It consists of primary data and secondary data. Primary data was collected by applying probability. Under Non-probability we will use Convenience Sampling because we have to collect data from college going students . Where as secondary data was obtained by seeing past sales records of Reynolds pen, magazines, newspapers and by various other methods. Sample size:- We have selected sample of 100 college going students . We have kept our sample size small so that we may collect data accurately with precession. If we would have elected large sample size it would have become difficult for us to collect data.

An Islamic Perspective On Human Resource Management Religion Essay

An Islamic Perspective On Human Resource Management Religion Essay Human behavior is a direct function of perspectives. How an individual human subject would behave and react under certain specific circumstances would depend entirely on the outlook that his psyche wants him to view certain situation or event as. And herein life the distinct contrasts between the two most widely talked about perspectives- The Western Thought and The Islamic View. Relating the same fundamentals to a business viewpoint, organizations manipulate themselves as per the legal, political and social values of the particular country where they exist. The values and culture of countries which are western and those which are Islamic differ. As a result the operations and human resources of business entities are handled as the environmental fabric of that country suggests. Some authors have emphasized the universality and similarities between organizations (e.g. Cole, 1973; Form, 1979; Hickson et al., 1974; Kerr et al., 1952; Negandhi, 1979; 1985), and some others the uniqueness of organizations given their cultural contexts (e.g. Hofstede, 1980; Laurent, 1983; Lincoln et al., 1981; Meyer and Rowan, 1977). Hofstede (1993) argued that a societys values are among the most influential cultural differences. He studied national culture in sixty countries and identified five major dimensions that accounted for the sharpest differences among employees. These ma y be called individual-difference factors. * Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, AMU, Aligarh. ** Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, AMU, Aligarh. *** Research Scholar, Department of Business Administration, AMU, Aligarh. However, as Tayeb (1988) argues, the two sides of the debate are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they complement one another. That is, certain aspects of organizations are more likely to be universal, such as shopfloor layout, hierarchical structure, division of functions, organizational process, information management; and some areas are more culture-specific, such as human resource management (HRM). HRM is a significant aspect of organizations which is most likely to be subject to cultural influences. Human resource management practices reflect the Islamic values in the countries where Islam plays a dominant role. This paper deals with different aspects of Islam which teach the management of the most significant resources of any organization- Human Resources. Two key issues which will be addressed are: human resource management and the teachings of Islam highlighting the manners in which human resources should be dealt with. ÙÂ ¡ HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT The origin of HRM in modern organizations is a largely Western phenomenon that can be raced to the personnel management function (Burack and Smith,1977). The gradual parting of ways of personnel management and HRM culminated in a total separation when HRM, as a distinctive discipline, was introduced to their MBA curriculum by the Harvard group (Beer et al., 1984) and Michigan/Columbia group (Fombrun et al., 1984) in the USA in the early 1980s. Experience has shown that human resources are the most valuable asset of any business. It is more valuable than capital or equipment. Unfortunately, it is also the most wasted. People can be your biggest asset or your biggest liability (Khera, 1999). The scope for HRM varies across organizations. Walton and Lawrence (1985), for instance, identified four major areas of HRM policy: reward systems, including compensation and benefits; employee influence mechanisms such as participation; job design and work organization; and employee selection and development. Generally the components of manpower planning are: recruitment, selection, training, and performance appraisal. The purpose of having a manpower plan is to have an accurate estimate of the number of employees required, with matching skill requirements to accomplish organization goals. Recruitment is the process of locating and promoting potential applicants to apply for existing or an anticipated job openings (Sherman et.al., 1996) . It could be through advertisement, employment exchange agencies or private employment agencies and present employees. The component selection can be defined as the process of offering jobs to one or more applicants from the applications. Great attention has to be paid to selection because it means establishing best fit between job requirements on the one hand, and the candidates qualification on the other (Monappa and Saiyadain, 1989). Different kinds of selection tests are achievement tests, aptitude tests, interest tests, personality tests and intelligence tests. After recruitment and selection, training provided to the employee focuses on improving skills, or to add to the existing level of knowledge so that the employee is better equipped to do his present job, or to prepare him for higher responsibilities. In order to identify employee for salary increase and promotion, to determine training needs for further refinement of the skills of employee and to motivate them by inform ing them about their performance levels, performance appraisal technique is used. Appraisals are judgements of the characteristics, traits and performance of others. Techniques for performance appraisal includes confidential report, rating scales, ranking system, paired- comparison method, force- choice method, critical incident method, cost accounting method and forced distribution method (Monappa and Saiyadain, 1989). HRM policies are generally decided by the companies senior managers, with or without consultation with their employees. But they are often adopted and implemented with some reference from the national context within which the organizations operate (Tayeb, 1996). These include: national culture, political ideology of the government, the economic conditions, trade unions, and the legal system. In countries where the government and political environment is honest, generally one finds that the people are honest, law abiding and helpful. And the reverse is true too. In a corrupt environment, an honest person has a tough time. Whereas in an honest environment, the corrupt one has a tough time (Khera, 1999). Similarly, religions in many countries, with either secular or religious constitutions, have a certain degree of influence on the cultural characteristics of their people and their institutions. This influence is far more extensive and inclusive in the countries that follow a model base d on religious ideals, as illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 1:Contextual Influence on HRM Source: Adapted from Tayeb (1997) LITERATURE REVIEW Naeur Jabnoun (1994), in his book Islam and Management says that the Islamic evolution has made tremendous and highly essential contributions in many areas of human life. In regards to management and leadership, he presented several traits, as to how Muslim leaders should behave to deserve good followers. Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr. (1998) developed and wrote modules for training in leadership skills from Islamic perspective since he was motivated by the fact that leadership is an essential aspect for management. Islamic Management for Excellence: Revitalizing People for the Future, a book written by Al- Habshi et al. (1994), explains the significance of a stable family institution. Khaliq Ahmad (2002) explains the importance of Islamic ethics in business and management in his book Ethics in Business and Management: Islamic and Mainstream Approaches. Muhammad Zafrullah Khan (1999) talks about human rights in the light of Islam in his book Islam and Human Rights. Chodhury (1989) presented Islam as a comprehensive way of life for its adherents. The spiritual and ethical reconstruction of individuals, societies and the world order are given in a socio- economic framework. Metwally (1997) highlights the desire of many Muslim countries to turn to Islamic laws and teachings in modelling their way of life, including their economic behavior in Economic consequences of applying Islamic principles in Muslim Societies. This paper attempts to investigate the consequences of applying Islamic principles in Muslim societies. In Islamic Revival in Asia and Human Resource Management, Tayeb (1997) clearly describes the ethics and values to be followed at the workplace and how different Islamic countries are managing their employees. The purpose of the conceptual paper, Corporate Governance in Islamic Perspective by Chodhury and Hoque (2006) was to develop a discussion expounding the Islamic perspective of corporate governance as a special case of a broader de cision-making theory that uses the premise of Islamic socio-scientific epistemology. The end results of the conceptual framework of this paper on corporate governance are contrasted with the approach to corporate governance in mainstream literature. Ali and Owaihan (2008) presented a coherent but critical treatment of Islamic work ethic in their article Islamic work ethic: a critical review. They found Islamic work ethic has economicas well as moral and social dimensions. In Problem solving: an Islamic management approach, Fontaine (2008) presented a problem- solving model that incorporates Islamic values and concerns. He found out that the focus in the international business literature has been on the Quran alone and not on the verses of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). METHODOLOGY This paper deals with the Islamic Perspective of Human Resource Management. Islam helps in teaching the various manners in which we can manage our most valuable assets effectively. This way a Muslim manager can not only deal ethically but can also please God (Allah). This paper is based on secondary data which has been collected from books, journals, newspapers, and internet. A conceptual framework has been developed describing the aspects of modern day HRM and HRM from Islamic perspective. The framework is presented in five broad categories- The message of Islam, Islam in different nations, Islam and Work, Islam and Managerial Dimensions, and Islam and HRM Practices. THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM Islam is an Arabic word, derived from the root which means both peace and submission. It thus connotes the attainment of peace, here and Hereafter, through submission to Allah, or, in other words, through conformity to His Will. A person who thus submits is a Muslim. In the Quran (the scripture of Islam), the appellation Muslim is applied to all the righteousness. For Muslims, Islam is not a man-made institution; the Quran contains the words of God, revealed syllable by syllable to Mohammed some 1,400 years ago. The deeds of its adherents are therefore inseparable from divine commandments. Islam is generally viewed by some non-Muslims as being a fatalist religion. But the Quran specifically asserts that humans are able to choose and to intervene in their destiny, and that they are held responsible for the consequences of their deeds. However, they are not left alone to run their life. God has equipped them with the Quran and the traditions of Prophet Mohammed, which in Islamic view is one of the most important sources of guidance that humans can use to steer their actions and beliefs (Tayeb, 1997). Social Values All values affecting man are based on the common concept that every human being is capable of achieving highest stage of moral and spiritual development and that his personality must be respected. The Quran takes note of diversities of race, color, language, wealth, etc., which serve their own useful purpose in the social scheme, and describe them as Signs of God for those who hear and possess knowledge (30:23). But none of these confers any privilege or imposes any disability. The Quran says God has divided mankind into tribes and nations for greater facility of intercourse. Neither membership of a tribe nor citizenship of a state confers any privilege, nor are they sources of honor. The true source of honor in the sight of God is the righteous life (49:14). The prophet said: The best among you is who treats the members of his family best. With regard to servants, the Prophet said: They are your brothers, and you should treat them as such. Provide them with the kind of clothes you w ear, and if you set them a hard task, join them in it to help them complete it. The wages of the laborer must be paid to him before the sweat dries upon his body (Ibn Maja). Younger people are admonished to show due respect and consideration to older people, and older people are exhorted to treat younger people with kindness. The Prophet said: He who does not behave kindly towards younger people and does not show due respect of Allah and His blessings. The Quran directs that one should greet his fellow beings with a better greeting than one receives oneself, or atleast return the same (4:87). Perhaps the most comprehensive dimensions within the domain of social values is: Help one another in the righteousness and virtue; but help not one another in sin and transgression (5:3). When the Prophet said on one occasion, Go to the help of your brother whether oppressor or oppressed, he was asked We know what is meant by going to the help of brother who is oppressed, but how shall we help a brother who is oppressor? The Prophet replied: By restraining them from oppressing others (Bukhari II). Economic Values In the economic sphere the basic concept of Islam is the basic ownership of everything belongs to God Alone (2:108, 3:190). Man is Gods vicegerent on earth. The objective of the Islamic economic system is to secure widest and most beneficent distribution of wealth through institutions set up by it and through moral exhortation. Wealth must remain in constant circulation among all sections of the community and should not become the monopoly of the rich (59:8). Islam recognizes the diversity of capacities and talents, which is in itself beneficent, and consequently the diversity in earnings and material rewards (4:33). It does not approve of a dead- level equality in the distribution of wealth, as that would defeat the very purpose of diversity, and would amount to denying the favor of Allah (16:72). It is obvious that if the incentive of the proportionate reward for labor, effort, skill and talent were to be removed, not only would initiative and enterprise be adversely affected, but intellectual progress would also be arrested. That is why the doctrine of equal reward irrespective of the diversity of skill, capacities and talents that have gone into the production of wealth has never been maintained for long, even when it has been proclaimed as State policy, and has had to be modified through recourse to various devices designed to secure diversity in reward. On the other hand, Islam does not leave the principle of competition and proportionate rewards to work itself out mechanically; that too would lead to hardship and injustice and would retard the moral and spiritual development of individuals and of society as a whole (Khan, 1999). Another major provision is the prohibition against the making of loans on interest. The word used in this connection in Quran is riba, the connotation of which is not identical with that of the word interest as commonly understood; but for the present purpose interest may be used as a rough equivalent. Riba is prohibited because it tends to draw wealth into the hands of a small circle and to restrict the exercise of beneficence towards ones fellow beings (2:281). ISLAM IN DIFFERENT NATIONS In the Islamic republic of Iran, for instance, all social institutions mentioned above and many more, such as the educational establishments and their priorities, the media, the arts, the political structure, the army, and private and public sector organizations, are all required to conform to Islamic values and instructions (Tayeb, 1997). An important point to note is that although Muslim nations have a great deal in common, there are also differences among them. And these differences can be observed in economic and business as well as social aspects of life. Saudi Arabia, for instance, adheres strictly to the Sacred law {Sharia) in many spheres of life, while Turkey has turned to secular laws for the administration of its economic and social affairs. The position of women in society and socially acceptable codes of behavior for people in general, and in business life, are cases in point (Tayeb, 1997). In Malaysia, the government has been implementing an Islamization policy for some time now, according to which companies have to organize their activities and manage their employees in accordance with the Quranic teachings. The chief Minister of the State of Kelantan has taken this further {The Economist, 1996). In Saudi Arabia women are not allowed to drive their own cars. As far aswork is concerned, they are barred from public office. As a result, they have turned to business and professions for employment. But here too they work under certain constraints. According to The Economist (1995) most women whoare active in private businesses (as owners) are in the retail trade: in a shopping mall in Jeddah, eight out of 20 shops are owned and run by women and notices forbid men to enter the shops women run. Teaching is a profession open to women but it is difficult for them to apply for positions which are located outside their home towns. In this patriarchal society, women must have written permission from their husbands or fathers before they can travel. In Kazakhistan, now that the country is independent, its old, predominantly patriarchal culture, which lay dormant under the Soviet rule, is enjoying a revival, replacing the Russian Communist culture. As a result, the perception of the role of women in society and in the workplace is changing. In the short term at least it is unlikely that women will have the same opportunities as they had before (Pollard, 1994). Furthermore, the reviving Kazakh Islamic culture places a great emphasis on age and seniority and prescribes proper junior-senior relationships, stemming from its nomadic traditions (Rywkin, 1982). This could have repercussions for organizational issues such as hierarchy, authority structure, and promotion and compensation policies. Tayeb (1997) adds information regarding women in Iran who have to follow a strict Islamic dress code at work, and indeed elsewhere. Men and women remain separate in prayers, wedding ceremonies, public transport, etc. However, unlike Arab women in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states, Iranian women are doing well in many spheres of public life. Some 95 per cent of young girls go to primary school. Older girls get less chance of getting higher education, but the gap is closing. Girls are doing well in technical schools, colleges and universities. Women can go into most jobs and professions, and, unlike their Saudi counterparts, they can drive their cars and vote. They can stand for parliament and there are many women members of parliament. Latifi (1997), who closely observed a sample of Iranian managers at work over a period of time, discovered traces of Islamic values in Iranian managers Human Resource Management style. She found that Iranian employees viewed their managers as sympathetic brothers and sisters or compassionate fathers and mothers. In addition, this family-like relationship also includes social and teacher roles for the managers. They were frequently involved in the private lives and family matters of subordinates to make them feel they are family. A survey of nine organizations was conducted in Malaysia by Endot (1995). The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahatir, initiated and implemented an Islamization processes in the country which aimed at infusing Islamic values throughout the society at all levels, from individual to institution. In pursuance of Islamic teachings one company offers its workers interest free loans for vehicle or house purchase, or for arrangements of wedding ceremony. Another company organizes Islamic study circles for managers where they can participate and get together once a week to discuss different aspects of teachings of Islam and socio- political issues with an intention to develop their Islamic personality. It also helps in creating cohesiveness of relationships and unity of thoughts on the issue discussed. One organization sends its employees on short courses in Islamic teachings with the main objective to make them understand Islam and its values. The process of selection for new recruits and their training are also influenced by the Islamization process. One organization recruits individuals who have graduated in Islamic studies. They are then exposed to techniques for modern management. Another recruits business-related graduates and then trains them on the Islamic aspects of their work. In all the firms in Endots study, the management made their subordinates understand and believe that they were accountable for their work not only to the organization, but to God (Allah), and that Islam consider their work as a form of worship of Allah. ISLAM AND WORK Islam is more a way of life than a mere religion. In a nutshell, it teaches how a believer has to oblige to the commitment to his faith. In the context of Islam and Work, it sheds light on the obligations of the worker towards his work in particular and his employer or employee in general. The more committed to his religion, the more committed he has to be to his work. Hence, as per the teachings of Islam- by working more dedicatedly as per the agreed terms of his employment, the employee justifies his earning and livelihood and at the same time stands out as a role model for the believers and non- believers alike. Sherif (1975) identified nobility, patience, self-discipline, good appearance, abstinence, resolve, sincerity, truthfulness, servitude and trust as major Islamic values. These could clearly have an impact on both management and productivity of employees. Islamic Values Related to Work Latifi (1997) identified the following work-related characteristics: Equality before God; Individual responsibility within a framework of co-operation with others; Employees respect and honor should be prominent; Principle of Equity to be followed; Fatalism but also a recognition of personal choice; Consultation at all levels of decision making In order to plan Human Resources on the lines of Islamic Culture, the manipulations which are common in the modern business world must be avoided. The will of Allah and messages of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) are to be followed by the managers if they want to be successful in both the worlds- Here and Hereafter. Below are the few areas discussed from Islamic perspective which are to be taken care of for an effective Human Resource Management. Characteristics of Good Managers from Islamic Perspective In the modern world, business managers major aim is to earn profits. Sometimes they forget to follow the correct path and move on the most traveled path, because they believe materialistic accumulation is all they are living for. If they try to come out of this misconception, they will see the world from a different perspective. They will realize that this material which they aim to earn is only a temporary asset. But what will remain forever is their good deeds and behavior with people with whom they are associated. The ethical path consisting of the message of Allah and Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) will give them internal peace and help them pleasing God- which is the ultimate aim of any Muslim. Motivated leaders clarify goals, set objectives, consult and respect followers, deal with followers kindly, humanely and with fairness. Spiritually people are classified as those who have: Nafs Ammarah, Nafs Lawwamah, Nafs Mutmainnah. Nafs Ammarah are those who possess negative motivation due to worries, lack of self- confidence, never respect others right and are not able to make followers feel secure. Nafs Lawwamah are the motivating ones who believe work is challenging, meaningful and provides directions for advancement, learning and personal growth. Nafs Mutmainnah provides a high level of the sense of responsibility towards Allah and contentment since there is a feeling of being away from fear and anxiety; and gives job satisfaction (Kazmi and Ahmad, 2006). In one of the Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), a person is encouraged to develop good characteristics and behaviors (Bukhari). It implies a manager should have a balanced personality where he is strong but not violent, lenient but not weak, and generous but not extravagant (Ahmad, 2006). According to another Hadith, kindness is a strength and, therefore, managers are expected to be kind enough to others whether they are your employees, customers, or suppliers (Muslim). Islam emphasizes on relationships among people which should advocate equal rights for all, and urges leaders to seek advice or information from their followers in the carrying out their affairs. If this is translated into behavior at workplace then this should mean a consultative decision-making process, and a fairly diffused power structure. Self-discipline, trustfulness, honesty, respect, resolve, and loyalty should encourage managers to trust their subordinates judgement and integrity, which could result in a participative management. Co-operation, perseverance, and family-like relationships among people, should encourage teamwork and mutual support, and enhance productivity within an organization (Tayeb, 1997). Manager should be trustworthy since trust is a moral responsibility for everyone in the performance of their duties and their social, political and economic lives (Hanafy and Sallam, 2006). The Quran says Allah doth commend you to render back your trust to those to whom they are due and when ye judge between man and man. That ye judge with justice. (4:58) In one of the Hadith, the Prophet (s.a.w.) mentioned the importance of trust in this public administration as: Any ruler who has been entrusted with the affairs of a group of Muslims and who dies as a dishonest ruler, to him paradise is forbidden by Allah. To treat people equally is a prerequisite of fairness and justice, an ethical code that modern corporations are trying to achieve. Islam has emphasized justice among human beings (Hanafy and Sallam, 2006). Averse in the Quran says, Allah commands justice, the doing of good and liberality to kith and kin. He forbids all shameful deeds, injustice and rebellion; he instructs you, that ye may receive administration. (16:90) Another verse from Quran says, To those who believe and to deeds of righteousness hath Allah promised forgiveness and a great reward. A manager should judge employees in an unbiased manner, because employees expect justice from their employer. ISLAM AND MANAGERIAL DIMENSIONS Corporate Culture Culture is the particular way of life in a specific society (Foster, 1965). With respect to corporate, Pettigrew (1979) explained culture as a system of publicity and collectively accepted meanings operating for a given group at a given time. This system of terms, forms, categories, and images interprets peoples own situation to themselves. The idea of collectively accepted meanings is prominent which suggests that the culture is related to those things that can be shared. Louis (1983) also came up with the idea of common understanding. She believed organizations are culture-bearing milieux, that is, they are distinctive social units possessed of a set of common understanding for organizing action. The Islamic Culture is derived from Islamic worldview that does not necessarily reflect contemporary Muslims societies. Ideal Islamic culture neither subscribes high power distance nor low (Kazmi and Ahmad, 2006). Islam teaches to respect and care others at workplace irrespective of the power or position one holds. Prophet (s.a.w) says, someone who fails to be affectionate to young, respect elderly and accords high honor to scholars, dont belong to me (being a Muslim). Therefore any power distance and authoritys respect is due to the benevolence in mutual relationship. Islamic culture promotes the feeling of social belongingness where a respect for individuals right is guaranteed. For the cultivation of an Islamic corporate culture, Islam has provided a number of values to be applied in organizations such as sincerity, conscientiousness and good knowledge to be applied in all endeavors, justice, truthfulness, patience, prohibition of loving world and wealth, and avoidance of pride. The modern ways to compete in fast growing environment and Islamic culture to succeed in accordance to the teachings of Quran are most of the times contrast to each other as depicted in Figure 2. Figure 2: Distinction between Modern Culture and Islamic Culture Modern Culture Islamic Culture Pure individualism Collectivism Pure materialism Aesthetical Value Supports Favoritism Favoritism is unethical Social belongingness missing Social belongingness guaranteed Competition with personal differences Healthy competition without envy and jealousy Training for deserved ones Training and knowledge for all Power Concentration Power Distribution Respect those who are in power Respect irrespective of power and position Planning Planning to reach the final aim should be done in such a way that it goes parallel to Allahs will. If one has to follow the Islamic perspective to plan and compete then the intention should be to strive and achieve in the cause of Allah. While competing one should remember the teachings of Quran and Prophet (s.a.w.). If the intention is dishonorable such as envy, jealousy, mutual rivalry, etc., then it does not follow the Islamic view (Kazmi and Ahmad, 2006) Leading Robbins (2001) defines leadership as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goals. Great leaders possess distinct qualities of confidence, iron-will, determination and strong decision power. (Kazmi and Ahmad, 2006) informs that in Islam, leadership is trust. It is psychological contract between a leader and his followers that he will try his best to guide them, to protect them and to treat them fairly and with justice. The focus of leadership in Islam is on doing good. According to Islam, the two major roles of a leader are those of servant- leader and guardian- leader. A leader is the servant of his followers (Saiyyad Al- Qawn Khadimuhum). He is to seek their welfare and guide them towards good. On the other hand as the guardian- leader, the Muslim leader should protect his community against tyranny and oppression, encourage God- consciousness and promotes justice. Leadership in Islam is rooted in belief and willing submission to the Creator, Allah. It aims at serving Allah. To serve God, a Muslim leader is to act in accordance with the order of God and His Prophet (s.a.w.), and must develop a strong Islamic character. Kazmi and Ahmad (2006) highlight the four moral bases of Islamic Leadership- Islam Iman (faith in God), Taqwa (inner consciousness) and Ihsan (love of God). Islam means achievement of peace, with oneself and with the creation of God, through willing submission to Him. Iman implies in the Oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w.). A leader with strong Iman will consider himself and all his possessions as belongings to God. He will bow his ego, his ideas, his passions and his thinking to God. A leader with firm Iman will not dodge responsibility for his actions, and will continuously emphasize good deeds. Taqwa is the all- encompassing, inner- consciousness of duty towards God and awareness of ones a

Universal Health Care :: Medical Insuance Health

Today with the advanced progress of medical science and the health system capacity, the population‘s health care seeking behavior is much more improved. However the fact that people’s access to good health care should or should not depend on social factors such as their level of income or social status has so far aroused much concerns. As far as I concerned, all people should be allowed to access health care services regardless of their social backgrounds. First of all, good health care access is considered as one of the essential human rights. This matter has become far more pressing in this modern society. People day by day suffer from inevitable new threats that strongly affect their length of life such as terminal illness, accidents, epidemics and other emerging diseases like stress or hurry sickness†¦health care service is therefore very important to ensure people’s survival for the first and then step by step improve people ‘s quality of life. In the second place, getting accessed to health system for all people is one of the effective solutions to narrow down the gap between the rich and the poor. As the poor are offered chances to improve both physical and mental health, they are more likely to get jobs and work more efficiently. In this way, they are able to escape the daunting poverty and explore their potential capacity. However, some high-income people suggest that it is unfair for them to pay high taxes in order to cover the health care expenses for the poor. To my mind, are they so selfish? Whether or not they realize the fact that the poor’s cheap source of labor partly contributes to their affluence. Moreover, the lower-class are those who severely suffered from negative affects caused by the higher-class’ accumulation such as environment pollution, inflation, discrimination and so on.

A Non-Bourgeois Analysis of Tout Va Bien

Jose Alvarez English 2 David Lau A Non-Bourgeois Analysis of Tout Va Bien In the 21st century modern cinematic film industry an audience is enabled to experience a wide array of films beholding an eminently developed Hollywood perspective. Hollywood blockbusters assuredly dominate the United States film industry for various reasons. The general population absorbing modern Hollywood movies may manage to argue that the highly advanced state of the art techniques that blockbuster films utilize in order to enhance and flourish their big screen cinemas are the ideal justifications of their success.Such film techniques can vary widely from exquisite execution of state of the art animation, proficient synchronization of movie scores and progressive character augmentation just to name a few. These Hollywood methods tend to be harmonized collectively and conglomeratized for the constantly recycled concept of progressive plot development. Although many filmmakers have effectively exploited sim ilar progressive concepts for years, it has also inspired other filmmakers to create inverted juxtapositional styled films.The collaborative film Tout Va Bien by the Dziga Vertov Group which consists of Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Gorin is an exemplification of such a counter Hollywood style film. Brian Henderson a film critic and writer of â€Å"Towards a Non-Bourgeois Camera Style,† characterized Godard’s approach on certain films as â€Å"non-bourgeois† for various reasons. Henderson’s essential point was concerned with Godard’s camera style, yet there is also other demonstrations of Godard’s non-bourgeois approach to filmmaking.Additional elements outside of camera style range from political topics, adoption of Brectian mechanisms and the use of other deviant aesthetic filmmaking devices. When considering Henderson’s term â€Å"non-bourgeois,† its primary and essential definition is when filmmakers develop anti-illusion ary and authentically realistic films. Godard’s films from 1967 onwards had this anti-illusionary perspective because of multiple reasons. The first reason to consider in regards to Godard’s non-bourgeois approach stemmed from student protests that broke out in France during the May of 1968. According to CollinMacCabe, writer of Postscript to May 1968 â€Å"French students occupied the administrative offices of the University of the Sorbonne in protest against planned government reforms of the university† (MacCabe 19. ) This modest student protest progressively gained support and cooperation from hundreds of thousands of workers. It eventually turned into a massive revolt that brought the French economy to a temporary halt and almost collapsed France’s government of the time. The repercussions of these events had a sizeable impact on Godard since it conveyed his proceeding films to become more political.Godard not only politicized his work by subject matt er but more dominantly by the aesthetic process of â€Å"creating a film politically. † Godard utilized various aesthetic strategies to express his political intentions. One specific approach that embodied the non-bourgeois political aspect in Tout Va Bien was the camera style. Henderson described this camera style as a â€Å"slow tracking shot that moves purely laterally-usually in one direction†¦over a scene that does not itself move, or strictly speaking, that does not move in any relation to the camera’s movement. According to Henderson this unique camera style enhances an anti-illusionary perspective due to its flatness and avoidance of depth. Two big scenes from Tout Va Bien that make use of this aesthetic approach are the final supermarket scene and the Barbie house styled factory set during the strike. A secondary non-bourgeois political device that Godard and Gorin utilized in Tout Va Bien was Brecthian distanciation. This method which was adopted from B ertolt Brecth is when actors actively express and represent themselves as actors, therefore estranging and distancing the audience.The purpose of this device intends to ruin illusion and inform the audience that the movie is an aesthetic work of art and not a real life situation. Another utilized device similar to Brechtian distanciation was the conceptual approach of breaking the fourth wall. This concept, which was also adopted from Brecht, is the acknowledgement and interaction between the actors and the audience in order to raise awareness of fiction. One major way that Tout Va Bien broke the fourth wall was by having actors look and talk straight into the camera.The scenes that utilized this concept exceedingly well where the ones which showcased one-sided interviews such as the ones with Jacques the filmmaker, the union representative, the Salumi factory boss and a female worker. A third aspect that made Tout Va Bien a non-bourgeois style film was its editing style. Godard and Gorin progressed their scenes strangely and often left the viewer open-ended towards the ultimate meaning. It seems that they intended to lead their audience vaguely by placing subtle hints of the films direction and leaving it open for the audience to interpret.The editing of the scenes really demanded activation from the audience since they usually had clever little inferences towards the filmmakers aesthetic intentions. One scene that really presented this unconventional editing style was when the boss needed to urinate. Due to factory workers blocking access to restrooms, the boss eventually broke a window inside of his own office in order to urinate out of it. A few scenes later however, the same window in the boss’s office is no longer broken.An earlier scene that also displayed this grotesque editing style had the camera locked on Susan while a conversation between Jacques and the boss was being heard. Susan eventually joined the conversation auditorially but you coul d not visually see her mouth moving with the pronunciation of the words. Lastly, of the reasons that Tout Va Bien is considered to be non-bourgeois is the political subject matter. Many classical Hollywood films hardly touch on political content but Tout Va Bien’s central plot revolved around the concept of class struggle.Conversations of class struggle were established throughout the film from various political perspectives ranging from that of the workers, the boss and the union representative. From the workers perspective many of them politicized about the negative aspects of their job, such as exhaustion, injuries and bad wages. In the boss’s perspective his political argument criticized that class struggle had become irrelevant and that Marxist philosophies where long gone. In the final political perspective, the union representative stated his agreement with the workers opinions but disapproved of their approach in starting the wildcat strike.Analyzing Tout Va Bi en from a non-bourgeois perspective, it was undoubtedly created in antagonism of Hollywood cinema. Many of the ways the film was directed and edited embraced deviance from what classical Hollywood films would consider norms. Everything from using political topics to presenting some of the film in non-chronological order contributed to the non-bourgeois perspective. This approach is quite possibly a conscious critique towards classical cinema since it juxtaposes Hollywood culture and exposes its artificiality.It emphasizes self-reflexive interpretation to draw out activation from its audience and promotes didacticism, which often lacks in Hollywood films. Tout Va Bien is fundamentally embedded with political arguments against Hollywood cinema, capitalism and class structure. It may very well be that the film was ultimately created to inform and stimulate activism. Works Cited Henderson, Brian, â€Å"Towards a Non-Bourgeois Camera Style. † Film Theory and Criticism MacCabe, Col in, â€Å"Postscript to May 1968. † English 2 Reader Spring 2012: 19-22.

Laughters

Laughters A wise man say, â€Å"A laugh is a smile that bursts. † A very good morning Madam Chairperson, honourable judges, distinguished time keeper, and members of the floor. Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed and honour to be given the chance to stand here in front of you, the audience. My task today is to share with you about, â€Å"Laughters. † Parents of newborn babies learn quickly there are many different ways for a baby to cry. One type of cry means the baby is hungry, another says the child needs to be changed and yet another may mean it simply wants some attention.Though these cries may seem indistinguishable to an outsider, parents learn to respond with exactly what their child needs. Parents don't tend to put as much thought into what their child's laugh might mean, unless it sounds really weird and indicates an attack to the people surrounding. In fact, very few people think about differences in laughter at all. We often ask ourselves, why do we laugh? The answer may seem obvious: We laugh when we perceive something funny. But the obvious answer is not correct, at least most of the time.According to the expert Robert Provine; A PhD neurobiologist and Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, most laughter is not in response to jokes or humor. Laughter isn't under our conscious control. Infants laugh almost from birth. In fact, people who are born blind and deaf still laugh. So we know it's not a learned behavior. Researcher also says that laughter may be just a simpler way to communicate and show agreement over certain matters.Laughter is a mechanism everyone has. It is part of the universal human vocabulary. All members of the human species understand it. Unlike English or Bahasa Malaysia or French, we don’t have to learn to speak it. We’re born with the capacity to laugh. Laughter is a message that we send to other people. We know this because we rarely laugh when we are alone, do we? La ughter is also specifically a social structure, something that connects humans with one another in a profound way.According to Provine’s findings, people are 30 percent more likely to laugh in a social setting that warrants it than when alone with humour-inducing media. That means that you're more likely to laugh with friends while watching a comedy together than when you're watching the same show or movie by yourself. Though there are many ways to laugh, from giggles to guffaws and from chuckles to cackles, it turns out that we humans laugh for many reasons, some of them are odd. So what are some of the different types and reasons for all the laughter?In first place, The Fake Laughter. This type of laughter comes in handy as a way to get along with others, that’s why sometimes we laugh at things that just aren’t funny, whether we’re with our boss, with our teachers or with our friends. Second, The Contagious Laughter. Imagine you're out for dinner with a group of friends. Someone tells a joke and gets one person laughing, which gets a second person laughing, and it continues to one another. Hence, a circle of laughter is created. Is catching laughter like catching a cold?It's very likely. Besides that, The Nervous Laughter. During times of anxiety, we often laugh in a subconscious attempt to reduce stress and calm down. Laughter lowers the levels of at least four hormones that are associated with stress, so after a good giggle you should be far less tense and anxious. However, nervous laughter usually just heightens the awkwardness of the situation. Let’s move on to The Belly Laughter. Belly laughter is considered as the most honest type of laughter.It may also be the hardest type to experience, because we have to find something truly hilarious before we'll let go with the kind of laughter that has us clutching our bellies and gasping for air. Next, The Silent Laughter. This happens when you laugh so hard no sound actually c omes out and sometimes, tears are coming out of your unsuspecting eyes . It’s like the laugh gets confused and forgets to come from the back of your throat. This laughter stays lodged inside of your brain and you hear it loudly in your head. Lastly, The Unappropriate Laughter.Fortunate because laughter is fun (and  good for your health  , remember? ). Misfortunate because this type of laughter could potentially offend someone else or ruin a particular mood. You've probably heard some motherly person say, â€Å"It isn't polite to laugh at others' expense. † Classic examples of this are to laugh while attending a person’s funeral, or maybe when someone farted, which is pretty funny, that you’re the only one who heard it or smelled it. If someone else hears your laughter they could be infected by it, because we all know that laughter is contagious.I’ve mentioned few ways of laughter; The Fake Laughter, The Contagious Laughter, The Nervous Laughter , The Belly Laughter, The Silent Laughter and lastly The Unappropriate Laughter. Ladies and gentlemen, which laughter do you prefer? This list of different types of laughter is not the end-all be-all, but it is pretty close. Even so, laughter takes on many different forms. As has been said, we`ve all heard the phrase â€Å"laughter  is the best medicine. † But what matters are when laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Thank you.

Writing the Why NYU Essay

Writing the Why NYU Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're applying to New York University, you'll need to submit both the regular Common App materials as well as the NYU supplement, which includes a short essay. At its heart, the NYU essay prompt asks you to answer a single straightforward question: why do you want to go to NYU? In this article, we'll fully analyze the "Why NYU?" essay prompt and what successful essays need to accomplish. We'll also go over potential topics to write about and look at the essay that got me into NYU's College of Arts and Science. First, however, we'll begin with a quick discussion of why schools ask students to write "why this school?" essays feature image credit: Sagie/Flickr What's the Point of "Why This School" Essays? While the Common App essay gives students a chance to showcase something of who they are that might not be evident elsewhere in their application, the "why [school]?" essay allows students space to explicitly state why they are such a good match for the school. Presumably, if you're applying to the school, your test scores, grades, course rigor and curriculum, extracurriculars, and volunteer experience all put you at least somewhat in line with other students at the school. The "why this school?" essay is your opportunity to discuss not just why you could excel at the school, but why you are a good fit (and why you want to go there). "Why this school" essays are also a useful way for schools to judge student interest in a school (which can indicate whether or not a student will attend if admitted). Based on students' "why this school?" essays, colleges can distinguish students who are specifically interested in attending that school from students who clearly applied just because of the school's location or ranking Writing a strong "why [school]?" essay not only gives you another instance to showcase your writing and reasoning skills, but also tells the school that you care enough to invest time in researching what makes them special. It signifies that you have put in the time to realize whether or not you're a good fit. (And, it secondarily shows that having put in that time, you're more likely to attend if admitted than someone who just wrote some generic statements about why they want to attend college). For a more in-depth look at what schools hope to get out of your "Why [This School]?" essays, read this article. Colleges want you to show you've taken the time to think about why you want to apply. Tiffa Day/Flickr. Why NYU Essay Prompt, Analyzed Here's the complete NYU supplement essay prompt for 2018: We would like to know more about your interest in NYU. We are particularly interested in knowing what motivated you to apply to NYU and more specifically, why you have applied or expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and/or area of study? If you have applied to more than one, please tell us why you are interested in each of the campuses, schools, colleges, or programs to which you have applied. You may be focused or undecided, or simply open to the options within NYU's global network; regardless, we want to understand - Why NYU? (400 word maximum) Besides the standard "what motivated you to apply to [school]?" question that almost every "why this school" essay asks, the NYU prompt gives you one extra nudge for what to focus on in your essay. Specifically, NYU wants you to talk about what's drawn you to "a particular campus, school, college, program, and/or area of study?" (or, if you're drawn to more than one, why you're drawn to each campus/school/college/program/area of study). Keep in mind that you should be discussing all of this in the context of NYU. Obviously, if you're interested in NYU because of one of their 10 undergraduate schools, then that's particular to NYU, but the same goes for their campus locations, programs, and areas of study. For instance, if you're passionate about studying theater, you wouldn't just write that you want to attend NYU because you love theater and NYU has a theater program and is in New York, a city that has theater; that description could apply to half a dozen schools. Instead, you'd go into the details of what attracts you about specific classes and professors at Tisch, or other opportunities that are unique to NYU (ability to do certain kinds of projects, the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration, etc). The final sentence of this prompt also hints at a few different directions you can go with your "Why NYU" essay: You may be focused or undecided, or simply open to the options within NYU's global network; If you're already certain of what you want to study in college or have a "spike", you'll want to go the "focused" route in your essay. This means mentioning specific classes, professors, programs, or how you see NYU supporting your future career/academic plans. On the other hand, perhaps you're not at all sure what you want to study in college (AKA me in high school). In that case, you'll shape your essay more around how you believe going to NYU will allow you to explore many different avenues to find your passion. Finally, if you already know that you want to spend time abroad during college in a place where NYU has a campus, you can emphasize your interest in continuing to receive an NYU-level academic education while living in another country. Abu Dhabi is one of several cities NYU has campuses in. Potential "Why NYU?" Essay Topics Earlier, we briefly touched upon some topics that you might write about in your essay, including specific courses/teachers/programs and study abroad opportunities. We're now going to take those broad topic categories and go into a little more depth for how to write about them in your "Why NYU?" essay. Colleges/Programs NYU has the following 10 undergraduate schools, colleges, and programs: College of Arts Sciences Gallatin School of Individualized Study Liberal Studies Meyers College of Nursing School of Professional Studies Silver School of Social Work Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Stern School of Business Tandon School of Engineering Tisch School of the Arts Because there are so many different undergraduate programs within NYU, it's a good idea to identify which program(s) you're applying to and why in your NYU supplement essay. Since you'll need to decide on a program before applying to NYU anyway, you might as well use the time you spend reading about each college to figure out if there are any programs within particular colleges that call out to you. For instance, if you're interested in the intersection of different fields (like psychology and computer science, or biology and philosophy/ethics) and are self-motivated to create your own program of study, you should talk about that in your application to the Gallatin School of Individualized Study. If you've spent the last 12 years devoting all your extra time in and out of school to theatre and want to attend a conservatory with opportunities to go see live theatre, then write about that in your application to Tisch. Courses/Professors NYU is a world-renowned university for a reason, and it's not just because of its immense real estate holdings; it has a wide variety of courses and professors renowned in their fields. If one of the main reasons you're drawn to NYU is for its academics, then this is a good topic to get into in your supplemental essay. Flip through the online course catalogs and read about professors in departments you're interested in. Are there any classes you really want to take (that seem particular to NYU)? Or any professors you absolutely have to study with? You don't need to go so far as to read the professors' research or anything like that (unless you're super excited by it!), but doing even a little research into the courses and professors you'd be learning from and mentioning it in your "Why NYU?" essay will go a long way toward showing the admissions officers that you're serious enough about NYU to check out its specifics. Extracurricular Opportunities and School Traditions If there's an extracurricular at NYU that you've been particularly involved in during high school (or are excited to start getting involved in at college), you can write about it, as long as you're clear about why it's something unique to NYU. In a similar vein, you can also try reading through some of the campus-wide events offered throughout the year and see if there's anything special about them that speaks to you. NYU's annual Strawberry Festival boasts the longest strawberry shortcake in NYC. NYU Essay: Topics to Avoid The "Why NYU" essay prompt makes it pretty clear that you should focus your 400 words around a specific college/program/area of study. What you absolutely should avoid is gushing about NYU's location (whether you're applying to the New York campus or not). Back when I applied to NYU, the "why NYU?" essay prompt was even more blunt about not centering your essay around New York City: "Many students decide to apply to NYU because of our New York City location. Apart from the New York City location, please tell us why you feel NYU will be a good match for you." If New Yorkers have heard it all and seen it all before, NYU admissions officers have certainly read any and all paeans you could care to write to New York City. It's fine to write about how being in New York gives you access to opportunities relevant to your course at NYU (e.g. you can get amazing internship opportunities for journalism and theatre there that you wouldn't be able to get anywhere else). However, you need to be clear to center your essay around the program at NYU, with the New York location (and its opportunities) being an added bonus. Unless you have a unique take on why NYU's location is so important to you (e.g. your grandparents used to live in a building that was demolished to make way for Bobst law library and you were brought up on vengeance that has since turned to adoration), stay away from NYU's location in your explanation of why you want to go there. New York City may be the fifth character in Sex and the City, but it shouldn't make a cameo in your "Why NYU?" essay. Brainstorming for the Why NYU Essay Before you start to narrow in on what angle you'll take in your "Why NYU?" essay, you should first examine your reasons for applying to NYU. By "examine," we don't just mean "list your reasons"- we mean you need to go a few levels deeper into each surface reason that occurs to you. For example, this is the list of reasons I had for applying to NYU (roughly in order of importance): My test scores and grades/course rigor make it likely I'll get in NYU has lots of good schools and programs It's easy enough to get from NYU to my family, transportation-wise On the face of it, none of these reasons are very compelling. If I'd just gone on to write my "Why NYU?" essay (or in those days, essays) with those three bullet points, I doubt I would have been accepted. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Instead, I went deeper with each reason to see if there was anything there I could mine for the NYU supplement essay. Surface Reason 1: My test scores and grades/course rigor make it likely I'll get in. One level deeper: I'm applying to NYU as a safety school, because I'm pretty sure I'll get in there, even if I don't get in anywhere else, and I'd want to go there if I got in. Should I write about this in my "why NYU" essay? Definitely not. No school wants to hear that it's a safety (even if it's a safety you would be fine with attending because it's still a good school). Surface Reason 2: NYU has lots of good schools and programs. One level deeper: I'm extremely undecided about what I want to study- I know that I'm interested in English (Creative Writing), Math, Neuroscience, Chinese, and Music, but I might end up deciding to study something entirely different in college. It's important to me that I go somewhere that I'll have the opportunity to explore all of my interests (and develop more), which I can do at NYU. Should I write about this in my "Why NYU" essay? This reason is definitely promising, although I'll need to do more research into the particular programs and courses at NYU so I can namedrop (and incidentally to double-check that I'm right about being able to study all these things there!). Surface Reason 3: It's easy enough to get from NYU to my family, transportation-wise. One level deeper: My parents want there to be good transportation options for me visiting home (or them visiting me). NYU's location (New York City) definitely makes that possible (there's easy access to planes, trains, buses, rental cars, fixed-gear bikes†¦). Should I write about this in my "Why NYU" essay? Probably not. The prompt asks me about why I've expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and/or area of study, not a geographic area. Plus, it's not like there aren't plenty of other New York schools. I maybe could throw in this reason if I'm running short on things to say, but as it is, it looks like my second reason is going to be the best bet for the "Why NYU?" essay. Why NYU Essay Sample Below, I've created a "Why NYU?" essay example that draws verbatim from what I used in my (successful) NYU application. (The essay requirements were slightly different then, with different word counts, so I had to expand a little upon what I originally wrote.) I feel NYU would be a good match for me because of the number and kinds of programs it has. I am very interested in a variety of subjects, and NYU seems to encompass everything. In fact, I'm applying to the College of Arts and Sciences because I can’t specify my interests any more than that at this time. I have so many things that I want to learn that I can’t imagine limiting myself before I even enter college. Take Chinese, for example. I'm learning Mandarin now (and have been for the last five years), but I would also like to learn Cantonese. There are not many other schools that offer Cantonese classes that can boast trips into Chinatown as part of the curriculum! Furthermore, I am excited by the possibility of studying abroad at NYU Shanghai. I'd not only be able to go to China for a semester for a year and immerse myself in the language and culture, but I'd be able to do so with the continuity of being on an NYU campus, even halfway across the world. The music theory program in the College of Arts and Sciences also really interests me. I've picked up some theory here and there, but I haven't had all that much formal training. I'm also really intrigued by NYU's early music ensemble and the chance to explore different modes and tunings. At the other end of the spectrum, while I've written a few pieces on my own and taught myself a little bit about MIDI, I have not really had a chance to experiment very much with computer/electronic composition, and would really like to use those Steinhardt facilities that would be available to me at NYU to help remedy this. Finally, I cannot stress enough how important reading and creative writing are to me. Because of how much the two feed into one another, I'm excited by NYU's Reading Series and the potential to be able to attend organized events for interacting with other writers outside the classroom. The opportunity to expand my Chinese language abilities beyond Mandarin (and have the chance for practical application) is what first intrigued me; the chance to explore computer music and get my hands on NYU's facilities was the next breadcrumb; but the breadth and depth of the courses for writing lure me in even more, until I can resist no further. This essay isn't necessarily the best piece of writing I've ever done. However, it still effectively conveys my desire to attend NYU because I mention a few key reasons I want to attend NYU: The variety of courses available. I began by stating that I'm undecided and part of what attracts me to NYU is the opportunity to get to do lots of different things. I then go on to discuss several different examples. Specific NYU opportunities. I looked up various courses, events, and opportunities offered by different departments and mentioned a couple of them specifically (the Reading Studies program for creative writing, Cantonese classes, studying abroad in China). While I did mention a New York City thing (going into Chinatown), it was linked with something that's relatively NYU-specific (the opportunity to study Cantonese as well as Mandarin). Eden, Janine and Jim/Flickr. Tips for the Why NYU Essay To wrap up, we've summarized our top four tips for writing the "Why NYU?" essay. #1: Look over the descriptions of the different schools/programs. This will help you figure out both which one you want to apply to as well as what makes those schools interesting for you to apply to. #2: Read through the course catalog and look up professors in departments you're interested in. As the NYU Admission blog states, you don't have to go overboard in stating exactly what course you want to take with what professor at what time, but you should demonstrate that you're aware of what kinds of things you will be able to do and learn while at NYU #3: Look into whether there are any extracurricular activities or NYU traditions that particularly appeal to youand explain why they matter specifically to you. #4: Avoid writing odes to New York City. If there are particular opportunities you're interested in that are only available in New York (e.g. internships at the American Museum of Natural History, research into immigration history at Ellis Island) you can mention it, but don't lean too heavily on the location. #5: Remember that while you should make it clear why you want to attend NYU with your essay, you don't need to agonize for hours over it. Ultimately, other parts of your application (including your test scores and grades/course rigor, letters of recommendation, and personal statement) are more important factors to your acceptance than your NYU supplement essay is. You just need to show that you've done at least a little research into NYU and why you want to apply there in particular. And if along the way you find that you don't really have a super good reason that's getting you excited to apply to NYU? It might be worth reconsidering whether or not you should apply there. What's Next? Have a bunch more college-specific supplement essays to write? Be sure to check out our overview of the "why this college" essay. Looking for application tips for other selective schools? Read our complete guides to the University of California system and to the Georgetown application. Should you apply early or regular decision to college? Find out the pros and cons of early decision in this article. (And read up on the distinctions between early decision, early action, and the different kinds of each here.) Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

The Prince

The Prince had no actual characters, but instead discussed and analyzed the political policies of political leaders, highlighting their faults and strengths. The setting was 1513 Europe. This is the same time when major areas were having power struggles and religious conflict was rampant. His tone is that of the ambitious leader. It conveys the thoughts of one who knows how to gain and maintain power. Though this is true, the thoughts are built upon principalities probably learned by way of many mistakes made by one who will never again be in the position to imply his theorems and strategies. Machiavelli's own ruthless mind probably served as the bases for him knowing the ways of the corrupt. The thesis seems to be that the ends justify the means. Chapters such as the one describing "How one should govern cities or principalities that, before being conquered, used to live under their own laws" show Machiavelli's thirst for power and highlights a stressed point of his. This point is that one must learn how to maintain power before gaining it for it can be as easily lost as gained. It was conveyed in his writings that even minor power is more useful if it can be maintained, where major power that cannot be maintained is a mere missed opportunity. This dissertation stressed the maintaining of power because it was written from Machiavelli to His Magnificence Lorenzo de' Medici, a figure whom was already holding power. "It is better to be feared than loved," is a popular extraction from Machiavelli's dissertation. He stated, "Men are less hesitant about offending or harming a ruler who makes himself loved than one who inspires fear. For love is sustained by a bond of gratitude which, because men are excessively self-interested, is broken whenever they see a chance to benefit themselves. But fear is sustained by a dread of punishment that is always effective." Machiavelli went on to discuss the strategies of r

Advertising Designed To Differentiate Remind Inform And Persuade Marketing Essay

Advertising Designed To Differentiate Remind Inform And Persuade Marketing Essay Advertising is one part of the promotional mix, and therefore advertising objectives will be set in line with overall Promotional and Marketing Objectives, which in turn will relate to the organizations’ overall Corporate Objectives. In general, however, there are three main categories of advertising objectives a business might set itself in terms of whether it seeks to Inform, Persuade or Remind the target audience. Types of advertisement: Inform: Informative advertising, seeks to tell the market about the product, explain how the product works, provide information on pricing, and build awareness of both the product and the company. Such objectives are normally pursued at the launch of a new product, or re-launch / up-date of an existing product. It’s the product of Pepsi Company and wants to inform people about it. Presenting different taste and verity of the product in daily print & Electronic media to influence people towards product. Persuade: Here objectives are to encourage the target audience to switch brands, make the purchase, and create a preference in the market for the product as opposed to its competition. Advertising of this nature is required in highly competitive markets, where a range of products compete directly with each other. In such circumstances businesses often seek to differentiate their product through Comparison Advertising – either directly or indirectly comparing its product to that of its competitors. Here Nestle Pakistan wants to inform public about the price of Product NIDO Price. That its price 39 rupees per liter and also persuade that it is low price then market price as well as grater Quality. Their target market is for product children’s. Remind: Reminder Advertising is used to maintain interest and awareness of a well established product in the market, often in the latter stages of its product life cycle. It is often used at the Point-of-Purchase to remind consumers of the Brand. Such advertisi ng is used by the likes of Coca-Cola and other leading brands, to maintain their position in the market. Nestle Yogurt is well know product of Nestle Pakistan, they advertise just remind people about the product. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising P-5: Evaluate appropriate uses and applications for advertising in two given situations. Uses of advertisement: Advertisements are used to tell the audience what products you are selling, services you provide and the type of business you do such as whether your business provides finance company loan services for purchasers. Advertisements may be used to notify the public of the date and venue of an event. They inform consumers of what is available with a view to get the customers into the store and make sales. Other Uses are Corporate Communications Incentive Programs Multi-State Marketing Campaigns Multifunction/Department Management Regional Markets Prominent Client List Strategic Advertising Account Marketing/Sales Vendor Research & Selection Strong Customer Relations Print/Newspaper Trends Marketing Program Execution Uses in Reminding: Brief messages designed chiefly to keep a product in the mind of the consumer once the product is already familiar. Reminder advertising usually follows an extensive advertising campaign, and therefore does not elaborate on the reasons to buy the product. Common examples of reminder advertisements are those found on matchbooks and pencils and in skywriting, as well as the more traditional media vehicles. Advertising designed to remind consumers of the benefits of a product or service, or of their current need for those benefits. For instance, the XYZ Company may seek to remind consumers of their need for XYZ anti-freeze when the weather begins to turn cold.

Helping the Youths Today Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Helping the Youths Today - Research Paper Example One of such programs is Kops n Kids program, which is designed for the facilitation of youth. This paper will discuss the youth crime prevention program named as Kops n Kids program by critically analyzing the program in depth. Kops n kids program is a program against violence and crime. Violence and crime are prevalent in all societies and young people get affected the most due to which, they must be given training for crime prevention. Mendel (2000) claims that â€Å"the road to violence begins in childhood†, which is exactly true as young people are prone to dangers more easily. This is the reason as to why crime prevention programs should be there for the youth. Young people should be given a chance to express their views on crime prevention strategies. The youth must be able to analyze adults such as law enforcement personnel as role models and should be having an active communication link with them. A society needs everyone to make it better whether the participants are young or adult. Involvement of police personnel is must to make the crime prevention programs successfully implementable (Elliott, 1998). Therefore, the Kops n Kids program involves law enforcement professionals to make the program successful. Kops and kids program can be described as a program that is for the purpose of providing mentors for the young people so that they can gain awareness about the crime and right strategies to control crime. According to the website VolunteerMatch.com (2011), Kops n kids program deals with the comprehensibility of drugs, alcohol and gang making and after gaining understanding, various strategies for prevention of these crimes are considered. The age group of involved young population ranges from nine to thirteen years. The police and other law enforcement officials are encouraged to be a volunteer for the youth. They can be mentors and can prove as a role model for the youth. The mentors work as instructors who educate the young participants of t he program about the hazards of becoming engaged in criminal activities such as drug and alcohol usage and becoming a part of gang for doing other criminal or illegal activities (VolunteerMatch.com, 2011). In Kops n Kids program, young participants are not only involved in discussions but they are also encouraged to take part in sport events. Efforts are done towards facilitating the youth towards personality building as the young participants are taught to work as a team and keep their own respect among many others (VolunteerMatch.com, 2011). These strategies are for the betterment of young population and encourage them to be a better citizen of the country. The youth gain the strength to reject any wrong steps moving towards them. They are supported to become strong individuals so that they can be able to handle any drug, alcohol or gang related issue. Young people can stay away from drug or alcohol dependence and can lead a life that is free from hostility and brutality. They can opt for the right and shun what is wrong and this is the motive of the program (VolunteerMatch.com, 2011). Kops n kids program is designed for character and personality building of young population. They are provided with mentors that are eligible to be a role model for the young people involved in the program. The mentors can work towards crime prevention and can take essential and supportive step towards enabling the young people to become such

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example According to the research findings over the years many things have changed and now a great deal of emphasis is laid on the importance of customers to a company. Marketing tactics have evolved from mass marketing and advertising to target or niche marketing where preferences of each customer are given equal importance. In all this, customers have benefitted tremendously, now special attention is being given to their needs and according to that business strategies are designed. The customer making a purchase has two options, either he can make a direct purchase from the manufacturer itself – use one channel, or opt for multiple channels where he can buy the same product but here this product would have passed through several channels before reaching the intended customer. It has been observed that customers choosing multiple channels are more valuable to a company as compared to those opting for a single channel. This is because shopping is made a very convenient experience for them; they can buy products online from the web or even book their orders on the phone instead of making the trip to the store. In addition, in case they want to track the delivery of their products, this can be done easily either on phone or online by using the tracking code usually provided by the couriers. They are given many payment methods to choose from depending on whichever is the most feasible for them. They can make payment with cash on delivery, issue a cheque or even use their credit card. Hence, at each stage they are being facilitated and so the customer would remember the ease with which they shopped and would return repeatedly for the same service. Customers overall prefer systems which make processes simple, fast and reliable for them and multiple channels guarantee all of that with their expeditious service. Nordstrom is a famous US retailer with 225 stores located nationwide. Being in the business for more than a century, Nordstrom realizes the importance of its c ustomers and knows how vital it is to provide customers with complete ease and best deals, hence, offering customers a comfortable buying experience with the use of its multiple channels network. In order to measure the effectiveness of customer relationship

Database design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Database design - Essay Example From the introduction, I learned that the idea of database management system arose as a result of the unending complexities associated with managing data using spreadsheet. Though the spreadsheet enables on to store various data, it is difficult to manage it because the data in different sheets are disjointed (Brathwaite, 2012). The spreadsheets do not a have tools which enables data which are related to be linked. I also learned about database management systems. These are software package or a set of programs that are used by the people to interact with the database system. These packages were developed because managing the database is a complicated and inherent task. The DBMS enable complete manipulation of the underlying database. The diagrams representing the interaction between the programs, user, database and database management system enabled me to internalize the database design concept. Considering the strength and weaknesses of the database, I realized that database system is inherently important to any organization which uses a computerized system. The advantages outdo the disadvantages by far. The henry books database case is an ideal case study for database design. It provides all the information required in designing a database system. The course also introduced me to relational databases and different low level programming features such as Query-By-Exam (QBE), simple and compound query criteria, database fields, tables and functional. All these are programming features used when designing and developing a database system. I also learned about different features used in manipulating data in the database system. These include and not limited to co sorting, joining tables, the use of update query statements, make table query, delete-table query, select, project data select and normal sets. The case study gave detailed illustrations of these database features. The course also introduced me to

The Oil Industry and How It Affects Our Economy Essay

The Oil Industry and How It Affects Our Economy - Essay Example The policies and decisions made by various institutions can and in fact, changes the nation's economic performance. One of the most significant players in the economy of the United States as well as the whole world is the oil industry. As the nation and the world as a whole, are becoming more and more industrialized, we also became more dependent on oil to fuel our technologically more advanced equipments. Nowadays, the importance of the oil industry can never be overstated. Insufficiency in this resource will surely facilitate the spillover of negative externalities in the entire economy. This paper will examine the oil industry and its great role in the US economy. The first section will give a brief history of the oil industry followed by its influences in the whole economy. The paper will then examine the historical oil prices and the cause of the recent oil price hikes and their implications in the economy. Currently, it is estimated that the economy of the United States consumes 20 million barrels of oil per day. This huge consumption of oil is to support the country's highly industrialized economy especially in the production of different goods. However, the United States is not self-sufficient in oil production as 60% of its total requirement is sourced from foreign exporters. In other words, only 8.71 million barrels of the 21 million daily demand for oil is absorbed by the domestic oil industry (Some Factors 2005). From here, we can conclude that the US economy is strongly tied to its oil industry. Therefore, the movements in oil prices also have direct effects in the production and the volume of goods produced in the country. Figure 1 shows the behavior of oil prices in the world market from 1861 to 2004. Values are shown in current (green) and constant (orange) prices. Since constant prices are already deflated to illustrate consistency with the base year 1861, their values are lower than the current prices. We can see that sharp increases in prices are brought about by various events in the world economy. For example, the highest historical price of nearly $100/barrel was experienced during the 1960s as a response to the Pennsylvanian oil boom. Another is associated with the Iranian revolution in the 1980s. We see a significant drop in current oil prices started during the 1980s which is also followed by the downward trend in constant prices. However, oil prices started to mount in the late 1990s following the Asian financial crisis (Oil Prices 2005). Presently, the price of oil in the domestic market continues to skyrocket. The current price of a barrel of oil is estimated to be at 61.83. This huge oil price hike can be attributed to a lot of factors in the economy (Energy Prices 2005). First, it is an impact of the high price of crude which reached as high as $70 per barrel. This is consequent to the tight supply of crude in oil market and the high demand for it from Americans. International demand for oil is also high to support the growing economies of prospective economic giants like China. It is estimated that crude oil imports in China leaped by 30% in 2003 (Some Factors 2005). The refinery capacity of the United States has also an impact on the high prices. Currently, the country's refinery

Employee privacy on computers in the workplace Research Paper

Employee privacy on computers in the workplace - Research Paper Example Such policies mean that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to define where personal privacy and eavesdropping laws end and the rights of the employer being with respect to monitoring any and all forms of electronic communication that the employee might engage in while employed. Accordingly, the purpose of this essay is to provide a thoughtful commentary on key issues relating to privacy and employer rights with respect to the issues at hand. Furthermore, the analysis will seek to raise some key questions with reference to what the technological development evidenced within the past few years portends for the employment frontier. Firstly, it should be understood that the technological development that has taken place within the past few decades has made a profound and lasting impact on the way that firms surveil and monitor their employees. Prior to this technological revolution, the ways in which an employer could surveil an employee legally were quite limited. Privacy laws d ictated that electronic eavesdropping by means of a microphone or the use of a hidden camera was illegal. As such, the level to which an employer could ethically, morally, and legally gain a degree of inference with regards to what activities and thoughts the employee shares within the company, among personal friends, or any other such activities is brought clearly into focus. The true crux of the matter is not the fact that the employer will be able to gain a high degree of inference with regards to the potential unethical or illegal activities in which the employee might be engaging; rather, it has been proven statistically that a high percentage of emails and correspondence that are done at work are of a personal nature. Naturally, such correspondence put a burden on the sender to understand and realize that the privacy of these communications is suspect due to the terms of the confidentiality agreement and terms of electronic communications that they have agreed to; however, the re is a small degree of moral burden on the part of the employer as well to actively seek to purposefully disregard such personal conversations as long as they do not represent a breach of contract or any form or manifestation of illegality (Detterman 980). Yet, the issue with such an approach hinges upon the fact that the employer will not be painstakingly reading each and every correspondence generated by the employee. Unfortunately, privacy laws or ethical considerations cannot guarantee that this will not be the case. Although this essay has spoken primarily about the privacy concerns that employees might experience as a function of having their employer read their correspondence, it would be remiss of this author to discuss this situation fully without offering advice for a simple way in which the employee can work to avert many of the negative repercussions of over-aggressive privacy policy (Evans 1116). Once the employee signs on the dotted line and accepts the fact that the employer can monitor their activity and communication via the devices that are utilized within the workplace setting, virtually no privacy whatsoever exists within these mediums. As such, it is the strong recommendation of this author that the employee be ever-mindful of the lack of rights they possess while utilizing the employer’

Database design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Database design - Essay Example From the introduction, I learned that the idea of database management system arose as a result of the unending complexities associated with managing data using spreadsheet. Though the spreadsheet enables on to store various data, it is difficult to manage it because the data in different sheets are disjointed (Brathwaite, 2012). The spreadsheets do not a have tools which enables data which are related to be linked. I also learned about database management systems. These are software package or a set of programs that are used by the people to interact with the database system. These packages were developed because managing the database is a complicated and inherent task. The DBMS enable complete manipulation of the underlying database. The diagrams representing the interaction between the programs, user, database and database management system enabled me to internalize the database design concept. Considering the strength and weaknesses of the database, I realized that database system is inherently important to any organization which uses a computerized system. The advantages outdo the disadvantages by far. The henry books database case is an ideal case study for database design. It provides all the information required in designing a database system. The course also introduced me to relational databases and different low level programming features such as Query-By-Exam (QBE), simple and compound query criteria, database fields, tables and functional. All these are programming features used when designing and developing a database system. I also learned about different features used in manipulating data in the database system. These include and not limited to co sorting, joining tables, the use of update query statements, make table query, delete-table query, select, project data select and normal sets. The case study gave detailed illustrations of these database features. The course also introduced me to

Employee privacy on computers in the workplace Research Paper

Employee privacy on computers in the workplace - Research Paper Example Such policies mean that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to define where personal privacy and eavesdropping laws end and the rights of the employer being with respect to monitoring any and all forms of electronic communication that the employee might engage in while employed. Accordingly, the purpose of this essay is to provide a thoughtful commentary on key issues relating to privacy and employer rights with respect to the issues at hand. Furthermore, the analysis will seek to raise some key questions with reference to what the technological development evidenced within the past few years portends for the employment frontier. Firstly, it should be understood that the technological development that has taken place within the past few decades has made a profound and lasting impact on the way that firms surveil and monitor their employees. Prior to this technological revolution, the ways in which an employer could surveil an employee legally were quite limited. Privacy laws d ictated that electronic eavesdropping by means of a microphone or the use of a hidden camera was illegal. As such, the level to which an employer could ethically, morally, and legally gain a degree of inference with regards to what activities and thoughts the employee shares within the company, among personal friends, or any other such activities is brought clearly into focus. The true crux of the matter is not the fact that the employer will be able to gain a high degree of inference with regards to the potential unethical or illegal activities in which the employee might be engaging; rather, it has been proven statistically that a high percentage of emails and correspondence that are done at work are of a personal nature. Naturally, such correspondence put a burden on the sender to understand and realize that the privacy of these communications is suspect due to the terms of the confidentiality agreement and terms of electronic communications that they have agreed to; however, the re is a small degree of moral burden on the part of the employer as well to actively seek to purposefully disregard such personal conversations as long as they do not represent a breach of contract or any form or manifestation of illegality (Detterman 980). Yet, the issue with such an approach hinges upon the fact that the employer will not be painstakingly reading each and every correspondence generated by the employee. Unfortunately, privacy laws or ethical considerations cannot guarantee that this will not be the case. Although this essay has spoken primarily about the privacy concerns that employees might experience as a function of having their employer read their correspondence, it would be remiss of this author to discuss this situation fully without offering advice for a simple way in which the employee can work to avert many of the negative repercussions of over-aggressive privacy policy (Evans 1116). Once the employee signs on the dotted line and accepts the fact that the employer can monitor their activity and communication via the devices that are utilized within the workplace setting, virtually no privacy whatsoever exists within these mediums. As such, it is the strong recommendation of this author that the employee be ever-mindful of the lack of rights they possess while utilizing the employer’