Bribery and Corruption Police Corruption

The word corrupt when used as an adjective literally means â€Å"utterly broken†. The word was first used by Aristoteles and later by Cicero who added the terms bribe and abandonment of good habits. According to Morris, corruption is described as the illegitimate use of public power to benefit a private interest. Senior, however, defines corruption as an action to (a) secretly provide (b) a good or a service to a third party (c) so that he or she can influence certain actions which (d) benefit the corrupt, a third party, or both (e) in which the corrupt agent has authority. Scales of corruptionCorruption can occur on different scales. There is corruption that occurs as small favours between a small number of people (petty corruption), corruption that affects the government on a large scale (grand corruption), and corruption that is so prevalent that it is part of the every day structure of society, including corruption as one of the symptoms of organized crime (systemic corrup tion). Petty corruption occurs at a smaller scale and within established social frameworks and governing norms. Examples include the exchange of small improper gifts or use of personal connections to obtain favors.This form of corruption is particularly common in developing countries and where public servants are significantly underpaid. Grand corruption is defined as corruption occurring at the highest levels of government in a way that requires significant subversion of the political, legal and economic systems. Such corruption is commonly found in countries with authoritarian or dictatorial governments but also in those without adequate policing of corruption.The government system in many countries is divided into the legislative, executive and judiciary branches in an attempt to provide independent services that are less prone to corruption due to their independence. Systemic corruption (or endemic corruption)[5] is corruption which is primarily due to the weaknesses of an organ ization or process. It can be contrasted with individual officials or agents who act corruptly within the system. Factors which encourage systemic corruption include conflicting incentives, discretionary powers; monopolistic powers; lack of transparency; low pay; and a culture of impunity.Specific acts  of corruption include â€Å"bribery, extortion, and embezzlement† in a system where â€Å"corruption becomes the rule rather than the exception.† Scholars distinguish between centralized and decentralized systemic corruption, depending on which level of state or government corruption takes place; in countries such as the Post-Soviet states both types occur.Corruption in different sectorsCorruption can occur in different sectors, whether they be public or private industry or even NGOs.Government/Public SectorPublic sector corruption is one of the more insidious forms of corruption; a corrupt governing body can lead to widespread effects in the rest of society. Recent r esearch by the World Bank suggests that who makes policy decisions (elected officials or bureaucrats) can be critical in determining the level of corruption because of the incentives different policy-makers faceLegislative System (Political)Main article: Political corruptionA political cartoon from Harper's Weekly, January 26, 1878, depicting U.S. Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz investigating the Indian Bureau at the U.S. Department of the Interior. The original caption for the cartoon is: â€Å"THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR INVESTIGATING THE INDIAN BUREAU. GIVE HIM HIS DUE, AND GIVE THEM THEIR DUES.† Political corruption is the abuse of public power, office, or resources by elected government officials for personal gain, e.g. by extortion, soliciting or offering bribes[10] It can also take the form of office holders maintaining themselves in office by purchasing votes by enacting laws which use taxpayers' money.Executive System (Police)Main article: Police corruptionPo lice corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, and/or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest. One common form of police corruption is soliciting and/or accepting bribes in exchange for not reporting  organized drug or prostitution rings or other illegal activities.Another example is police officers flouting the police code of conduct in order to secure convictions of suspects — for example, through the use of falsified evidence. More rarely, police officers may deliberately and systematically participate in organized crime themselves. In most major cities, there are internal affairs sections to investigate suspected police corruption or misconduct. Similar entities include the British Independent Police Complaints Commission.Judiciary SystemJudicial Corruption refers to corruption related misconduct of judges, th rough receiving or giving bribes, improper sentencing of convicted criminals, bias in the hearing and judgement of arguments and other such misconduct. Governmental corruption of judiciary is broadly known in many transitional and developing countries because the budget is almost completely controlled by the executive. The latter undermines the separation of powers, as it creates a critical financial dependence of the judiciary. The proper national wealth distribution including the government spending on the judiciary is subject of the constitutional economics. It is important to distinguish between the two methods of corruption of the judiciary: the government (through budget planning and various privileges), and the private.CorporateMain article: Corporate crimeAs corporations and business entities grow larger, sometimes with a monetary turnover many times that of small countries, the threat of corruption in the business world, within the organization, in dealings with other organ isations and in dealings with the government is a looming and growing threat.UnionsLabor racketeering is the domination, manipulation, and control of a labor movement in order to affect related businesses and industries. It can lead to the denial of workers’ rights and inflicts an economic loss on the workers, business, industry, insurer, or consumer. The historical involvement of La Cosa Nostra in labor racketeering has been thoroughly documented: More than one-third of the 58 members arrested in 1957 at the  Apalachin conference in New York listed their employment as â€Å"labor† or â€Å"labor-management relations.†Three major U.S. Senate investigations have documented La Cosa Nostra’s involvement in labor racketeering. One of these, the McClellan Committee, in the late-1950s, found systemic racketeering in both the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union. In 1986, the President†™s Council on Organized Crime reported that five major unions—including the Teamsters and the Laborers International Union of North America—were dominated by organized crime. In the early 1980s, former Gambino Family Boss Paul Castellano was overheard saying, â€Å"Our job is to run the unions.†Labor unions provide a rich source for organized criminal groups to exploit: their pension, welfare, and health funds. There are approximately 75,000 union locals in the U.S., and many of them maintain their own benefit funds. In the mid-1980s, the Teamsters controlled more than 1,000 funds with total assets of more than $9 billion. The FBI currently has several investigative techniques to root out labor law violations: electronic surveillance, undercover operations, confidential sources, and victim interviews.They also have numerous criminal and civil statutes to use at their disposal, primarily through the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Statute. Citation needed The Teamsters are the best example of how efficiently the civil RICO process can be used. For decades, the Teamsters has been substantially controlled by La Cosa Nostra. In recent years, four of eight Teamster presidents were indicted, yet the union continued to be controlled by organized crime elements. The government has been fairly successful at removing the extensive criminal influence from this 1.4 million-member union by using the civil process.

Execution of Strategy Essay

Executives, or corporate-level managers, are in charge of many things governing the success of the company as a whole. Among these are developing a strategic vision and business mission, setting objectives, crafting a strategy, implementing and executing a strategy and evaluating the performance of the strategy. Strategies are especially important because of the value-creation process that occurs because of it. Sometimes, though, execution of strategies fail and the question here is â€Å"why? † One possible reason is that the strategies developed by the executives are too broad and do not take into consideration the environment of the firm at the operational level, which is the lowest level and the closest to the markets. One possible way to curb this problem is through a bottom-up approach, wherein the operational-level managers submit their proposed strategies and the corporate-level managers evaluate and approve these, or the top-bottom-top approach, wherein the corporate-level managers forward their suggested strategies to the operational-level managers, who make changes accordingly, and evaluate the said changes before approving the strategy. Supple Supply Chain According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2007), the term ‘supple’ means to be able to easily adapt to new circumstances. When we say that a supply chain is ‘supple’, we simply mean that a firm is very flexible in terms of its ability to synchronize its functions and those of its’ suppliers to match the flow of service, information and materials with cutomer demand. A firm’s environment is constantly changing, especially in our day and age with the advent of technology which brings about major changes to the flow of communication. A firm that cannot take advantage of these changes is sure to fail. For example, the Daimler-Chrysler Corporation had a major problem with regards to the delay in production when a certain portion of its parts was just a tiny bit too large or too small; it would have taken ages for changes to be made. Today, however, using a program called ‘Powerway’, which ables the firm to collaborate more easily with their suppliers, the firm can now avoid delays by forseeing the problem and adjusting accordingly before it even occurs (Mayor, 2007). The best strategy a firm can employ to ensure a supple supply chain is to take advantage of the advancing technology, as the Daimler-Chrysler Corporation has done. The new programs developed by the IT industries offer a way for firms to know and understand the production and business processes to allow for quick response to changes in the firm’s market (Mayor, 2007). One thing to understand, though, is that one should not confuse a ‘supple supply chain’ with a ‘responsive supply chain,’ because a responsive supply chain is a strategy of the firm to counter uncertain demand wherein a supple supply chain is a characteristic of the supply chain. Reference http://www.cio.com/article/119301/The_Supple_Supply_Chain http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/supple

Negative Human Resource Practice: Telecommunication in Bangladesh

Letter of Transmittal March 25, 2012 Tarana Aziza Khan Lecturer (BBA Department) Northern University Bangladesh Subject: Submission of a report – â€Å"Negative HR Practice in Telecommunication Sectors of Bangladesh†. Dear Madame, Here is an assignment on – â€Å"Negative HR Practice in Telecommunication Sectors of Bangladesh†. This assignment was assigned to us for the purpose of finding the negative practices in human resource of telecommunication sectors. This report concentrates on the telecommunication sector in Bangladesh’s Perspectives.We tried to gather a collection of information to make our report specific. Through, the procedure of preparing the report we developed a clear understanding of total scenario of the negative practices in HR, of telecommunication sectors in Bangladesh. We tried our level best to make this report as reflective as possible. We appreciate to provide any information or classification if necessary. This assignment w as a great learning experience in present organizational environment. Each aspect is considered and studied as required and as per direction of our course instructor.We would like to thank for assigning us such a responsibility and helping us on different aspects of the assignment. Yours Sincerely, Ariful AlamBBA26090370004Section: 8A| Kamrul HasanBBA26090370025Section: 8A| | | Ariful MalekBBA26090370023Section: 8A| | | Anisha FahrinBBA26090370009Section: 8A| Shipra BhattacharjeeBBA26090370008Section: 8A| Table of contents Sl. No. | Contents| Page no. | 1. | Acknowledgement| 04| 2. | Abstract| 05| 3. | Introduction| 06| 4. | About Grameenphone| 07| 5. | About Banglalink| 08| 6. Graphical and statistical analysis (question by question)| 09-28| 7. | Review of the HR situation and recommendation| 29-30| 8. | Comments| 31| 9. | Conclusion| 32| 10. | Appendix| 33| Acknowledgement The submission of this report of â€Å"Negative HR Practice in Telecommunication Sector of Bangladesh† is a great opportunity for us. The success of this assignment depends on the contributions of number of people especially who have shared their thoughtful guidance, contribution, suggestions and experience to improve this report.This assignment has created a great deal of interest in us. We must thank a few people who help and encouraged us to grow our interest. First of all we would like to thank our honorable course instructor Tarana Aziza Khan for her proper guidance and care. Without her guidance and suggestions we couldn’t have completed this assignment properly. She has instructed us how to prepare a report correctly. Also thanks to Grameenphone and Banglalink Telecom for being patient enough to co-operate with us and completing out the surveys successfully.We obviously would like to give a special thanks to the Almighty for giving us such patience and power for completing this assignment smoothly. Lastly we can say that, we have enjoyed in preparing this assignment an d presented it for kind judgment. Abstract Purpose of this assignment is to analysis the HR situation in telecommunication companies of Bangladesh, from the Survey done with Grameenphone Ltd. , and Banglalink Telecom Ltd. We made human resource questionnaires and got Grameenphone and Banglalink employees to fill them up, and analyzed the statistic with graphs and textually.Because it’s impossible for us to survey all 3500 employees (summing up total employees of Banglalink and Grameenphone), we surveyed 33 employees from both the companies combined. Introduction Our project paper is all about â€Å"Negative Human Resource Practice in Telecommunication Sectors of Bangladesh†. For a long period, Grameenphone and Banglalink are ruling the Bangladeshi telecommunication market. Because, there was a great deal of opportunity is gradually increasing. For all the competitions upcoming there is a great negative impact on this sector.Thus, there are a lot of challenges and oppor tunities today for managers to use HR management. In our project paper we have analyzed the survey reports and statistics, and reviewed them comparatively with the negative HR practices. All the data are collected from the companies, meeting the employees face to face or over personal linkage and the primary data are collected from the interviewed survey. Our sample size is 33 individuals (both male, female entry/mid level worker and managers). We designed our questioner in a contemporary way.Almost 90% primary data has collected from the face to face interview with the respondent. Only a 10% data has been collected through the internet. Before Grameenphone’s inception, the phone was for a selected urbanized few. The cell phone was a luxury: a flouting accessory for the select elite. The mass could not contemplate mobile telephony as being part of their lives. Grameenphone started its journey with the Village Phone program: a pioneering initiative to empower rural women of Ba ngladesh. The name Grameenphone translates to â€Å"Rural phone†.Starting its operations on March 26, 1997, the Independence Day of Bangladesh, Grameenphone has come a long way. Grameenphone pioneered the then breakthrough initiative of mobile to mobile telephony and became the first and only operator to cover 98% of the country’s people with network Since its inception Grameenphone has built the largest cellular network in the country with over 13,000 base stations in more than 7000 locations. Presently, nearly 99 percent of the country's population is within the coverage area of the Grameenphone network.Grameenphone has always been a pioneer in introducing new products and services in the local market. GP was the first company to introduce GSM technology in Bangladesh when it launched its services in March 1997. Grameenphone was also the first operator to introduce the pre-paid service in September 1999. It established the first 24-hour Call Center, introduced value- added services such as VMS, SMS, fax and data transmission services, international roaming service, WAP, SMS-based push-pull services, EDGE, personal ring back tone and many other products and services.The entire Grameenphone network is also EDGE/GPRS enabled, allowing access to high-speed Internet and data services from anywhere within the coverage area. There are currently nearly 2. 6 million EDGE/GPRS users in the Grameenphone network. Today, Grameenphone is the leading telecommunications service provider in Bangladesh with more than 36 million subscribers as of December 2011. Orascom Telecom Bangladesh Limited (â€Å"Banglalink†) is fully owned by Orascom Telecom Holding S. A.E, Egypt, (â€Å"OTH†); the ultimate parent company of the group is Vimpelcom, the 6th largest mobile phone operator in the world. Banglalink was acquired by OTH in 2004, and after a complete overhaul and the deployment of a new GSM Network, its telecommunication services were re-launched unde r the brand name Banglalink. When Banglalink began operations in Bangladesh in February 2005, its impact was felt immediately: overnight mobile telephony became an affordable option for customers across a wide range of market segments.Banglalink’s success was based on a simple mission: â€Å"bringing mobile telephony to the masses† which was the cornerstone of its strategy. Banglalink changed the mobile phone status from luxury to a necessity and brought mobile telephone to the general people of Bangladesh and made a place in their hearts. The mobile phone has become the symbol for the positive change in Bangladesh. This positive change that is quite correctly attributed to Banglalink has become the corporate positioning of Banglalink and is translated in their slogan â€Å"making a difference† or â€Å"din bodol†. Making a difference† not only in the telecom industry, but also through its products and services, to the lives of its customers. This c orporate stance of â€Å"making a difference† has been reflected in everything Banglalink does. Banglalink attained 1 million subscribers by December 2005 and 3 million subscribers in October 2006. In less than two years which is by December 2007, Banglalink overtook Aktel to become the second largest operator in Bangladesh with more than 7. 1 million customers. Banglalink currently has 20. 05million subscribers as of April 2011, representing a market share of 27. 3%. Growth over the last years have been fuelled with innovative products and services targeting different market segments, aggressive improvement of network quality and dedicated customer care, creating an extensive distribution network across the country, and establishing a strong brand that emotionally connected customers with Banglalink. Graphical Analysis Options| Tally| Count| Stressed| IIII III| 8| Relaxed| IIII IIII III| 13| Okay| IIII IIII II| 12| Analytical Synopsis: In the question of how the employees ar e feeling, you can see most of them selected either they are relaxed or okay. 0% + 36% = 76% having the positive respond, we can infer that the work in telecommunication sector isn’t that much stressful, while about 24% of the employees are stressed on a daily basis. Options| Tally| Count| Work| IIII IIII| 10| Personal| IIII IIII| 9| Others| IIII IIII IIII| 14| Analytical Synopsis: In the question of how the employees’ stress level rises, you can see them selecting every option almost equally. However, the stress level rising from their professional life is only 30% from the sample of employees surveyed.Which leads the other 43% + 27% = 70% having the positive respond about their work, we can again infer that the work in telecommunication sector isn’t stressful to the majority. Options| Tally| Count| There is| IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII III| 33| There isn’t| | 0| Somewhat| | 0| Analytical Synopsis: In the question of if there is enough employees for ev ery work in their respective organizations, we can see that there is flawless victory in telecommunication sector for the recruitment count, having recruited enough employee for all the works they would need to be done.A hundred percent of the people that we surveyed have said they are being totally supported by their organizations by distributing their works properly among employees. Options| Tally| Count| Excellent| IIII IIII II| 12| Average| IIII IIII IIII I| 16| Flawed| III| 3| There isn’t any| II| 2| Analytical Synopsis: In the respondents’ feedbacks, majority (49%) of them having selected the communication among all the employees are average; and the 36% of them has rated the communication as excellent, while rest of the minority have rated the communication system of the organization in a negative way.Thus, we can infer from the majority having rated the communication system positively, it’s spot on. The minority probably have lack of interpersonal commun ication skills, causing them not to be able to interact or fit in with others. Options| Tally| Count| Yes| IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII III| 28| No| IIII| 5| Analytical Synopsis: In the question of how the organizations are supporting the employees with the technological support, we can see that there is dominant victory in telecommunication sector for the tech support, being based on full on digital works.About 85 percent of the people that we surveyed have said they are being totally supported technologically by their organizations. The other 15% are likely to be generally frustrated, and blaming it on the organization. Options| Tally| Count| Really high| IIII IIII I| 11| Fair| IIII IIII IIII| 14| No pressure| IIII III| 8| Analytical Synopsis: In the question of how the organizations are pressuring them to reach their monthly target or goal, majority of them have responded with the answer â€Å"Fair†, which means they are satisfied with the amount of pressure given by their res pective organization.However, having a close win over the second highest selection â€Å"Really high† rate of pressure could either be good or a bad thing. It might be good because the organizations are working to make their employee more, generating more productivity out of them. On the opposite end, another close call for â€Å"No pressure† at all is also a win-lose situation. Win, because the employees will be relaxed, and less fatigued, but at the same time, the hard working employees will get de-motivated as their better works aren’t being appraised as good as they deserve.Options| Tally| Count| Yes| IIII| 5| No| IIII IIII IIII I| 16| Unsure| IIII IIII II| 12| Analytical Synopsis: This question basically determines how much the employees know about authority’s way of thinking about the human resource policy. About 36 percent of the employees are not confident about authority’s mindset about human resource, whereas the rest 64 percent have conf idently answered the question with direct yes and no, having the majority in â€Å"yes†, we’ll take it that authority is quite confident about their HR policy being flawless.Options| Tally| Count| Fair| IIII IIII III| 13| Average| IIII IIII IIII II| 17| Flawed| III| 3| Analytical Synopsis: The majority of the employees (52 percent) have responded to it saying that they think the HR Policy is average, and another 39 percent have responded saying it is fair, both on positive account. So they’re most likely happy with the policy the way it is. The rest of the employees think the HR policy is flawed, but for their minority, it’s not a big deal. Options| Tally| Count| No, there isn’t| IIII IIII II| 12| There is| IIII I| 6|Unsure| IIII IIII IIII| 15| Analytical Synopsis: As about 46 percent of the surveyed employees have said there was no biasness in the selection process, 18 percent has confidently said that is biasness in the selection process, and res t 36 percent are unsure of it. There’s a chance for biasness if there’s more people in the critical zone (who think there’s biasness and people who are unsure), than people that are saying there isn’t any biasness. Options| Tally| Count| There is| IIII IIII IIII III| 18| There isn’t| IIII| 5| Somewhat| IIII IIII| 10|Analytical Synopsis: Majority of the surveyed people have let it be known that there’s equity among employees, as far as necessary at least. Although, 15 percent of the employees would beg to differ saying there isn’t any equity among employees. Considering minority level on the negative respondents, it’s probable that the minority could be wrong in some extent. Options| Tally| Count| Excellent| IIII IIII IIII| 14| Average| IIII IIII III| 13| Flawed| I| 1| There isn’t any| IIII| 5| Analytical Synopsis: Training is an important process for development of an employee.So we decided to ask them their opinion abou t the effectiveness of the training process that they had gone through. Majority have responded positively saying the training is Excellent (43%), or Average (39%), and about 15 percent haven’t gone through training yet, and the rest about 3 percent, they think that the training system might be flawed. Options| Tally| Count| Majorly| IIII IIII IIII| 15| Somewhat| IIII IIII| 9| Indifferent| IIII IIII| 9| Analytical Synopsis: This question basically determines how many employees are satisfied with their performance appraisal method.About half the employees of the organizations are happy with their performance appraisal method, and the other half feels the need of better improvising. Options| Tally| Count| Fair| IIII IIII IIII IIII | 20| Biased| IIII II| 7| Flawed| III| 3| Unsure| III| 3| Analytical Synopsis: Just as the selection method question, in this question we have tried to get their opinion about how good their promotion strategy is. 61 percent of them have answered posi tively, 9 percent were unsure, another 9 percent think the method is flawed and needs change, and about 21 percent thinks there’s definitely some biasness corrupting the process.So we can infer, there might actually be some biasness in the promotion strategy, which may not be too widespread though. Options| Tally| Count| Over the top| IIII II| 7| Pretty much| IIII IIII IIII| 14| Indifferent| IIII III| 8| It’s not| IIII| 4| Analytical Synopsis: This question determines the employees’ satisfaction level with their compensation, benefits and their switching tendency. According to the statistics data and results we can infer that around 43 percent of people are happy with their compensations and benefits and another 21 percent are more than happy with their compensations as they hink they’re getting treated better than any company would treat them. Out of the rest, there’s another 24 percent who feel the need to be treated better and are kind of in a c onfused state, where the last 12 percent wouldn’t miss a chance to switch to some other organization because they are really unhappy with their compensations. Options| Tally| Count| No| IIII III| 8| Reasonable| IIII IIII I| 11| Extreme| IIII I| 6| Unsure| IIII III | 8| Analytical Synopsis: The majority (34%) of respondents have said the favoritism tendency among same level employees is in a reasonable extent, while 24% have said there was no favoritism tendency.Also, another 24% is unsure about the idea of favoritism in their respective organizations, whereas 18 percent of surveyed people have said there to be an extreme level of favoritism tendency, which could just be some hoax. Options| Tally| Count| Great| IIII IIII I| 11| Average| IIII IIII III| 13| Indifferent| III| 3| Not much| IIII I| 6| Analytical Synopsis: Most of the surveyed respondents (33+40=73%) have replied in positive way saying there’s great / average opportunity to learn or grow in their organization s, whereas the other 27 percent would like to disagree saying there may not be as much opportunity out there for them.It could be that those employees are just bored at work because of having to do the same kind of work over and over again. Options| Tally| Count| Over the top| IIII | 5| Pretty much| IIII IIII IIII IIII II| 22| Indifferent| IIII | 5| It doesn’t| I| 1| Analytical Synopsis: Majority (67+15=82%) having responded in a positive way, arranges this scenario that the job is completely secured up to their expectation, even 15% among them thinks that it’s even better than their expectation. Another 15 percent of people think that their job security could be better, and are not really much impressed with their job security.Rest 3 percent responded plain negatively. Options| Tally| Count| Over the top| IIII IIII IIII I| 16| Pretty much| IIII IIII IIII| 15| It’s not| II| 2| Analytical Synopsis: From the statistic, we can tell the HR Departments of Telecommuni cation sector doesn’t hold back employees from having the chance to relax and let the stress wear off as, 49+45 = 94 percent of statistical population have responded positively, while 6 percent of the employees are probably for some reason left out, maybe for some biasness or whatsoever. Options| Tally| Count| Always| IIII IIII IIII II| 17| Sometimes| IIII IIII| 10|Rarely| IIII I| 6| Not at all| | 0| Analytical Synopsis: Since there’s 0 percent rate of â€Å"not at all† being reached out to when necessary, there is definitely a lot of support from the authority to their subordinates there, and there’s only 18% of employees have said the authority hears them out, it could possibly be for the reason of too much stuff on going for them, having to plan and implement bigger things. Majority being 52 percent, always having good communication with the authority and 30 percent only reaches them when they have issues in their hands. Options| Tally| Count|People th at added extra comments| IIII IIII I| 11| People that didn’t add extra comments| IIII IIII IIII IIII II| 22| Analytical Synopsis: As one third of the statistical population made comments, mostly positive and a few about problems and suggestions, we might infer that the one third of the population are intellectual, and the majority two third of the statistical population not saying anything to the comment, could either mean that they’re most the time dedicated to their work, or the organization’s HR Policy isn’t giving them enough freedom to speak out, for which reason they are too timid to speak out.Review of the report and recommendations From the above graphical and statistical analysis, we can get a rough picture of the human resource practices in those telecommunication related organizations. The dimensional analysis puts up the following picture up in my mind. Employees are more relaxed than stressed every day, and the source of the stress is hardly work life, which is a success for HR department. Even with that, HR department may take a lot of stress reducing procedures to help ease the stress level and keep the employees keen on their work.The organizations also have good recruitment system, gathering enough skilled recruits to cover all the work as per organizational needs. There might be a little biasness in the selection process and promotion strategy, but it isn’t as bad as in other sectors, as it’s not affecting other employees’ mindset, also because even the worst recruit is skilled there. There’s also enough technical support because the organization wants their employees not to face any kind of frustration not being supported by any way.Authority is very confident about the HR policy being decent, while most of the employees are even aware of it. There’s good employee-to-employee, employee-to-authority, authority-to-employee communication, and most of them have strong interpersonal r elationship, and even the acquaintances are friendly there, having affect on the motivation level, uprising it by a sky high level. There’s pretty much a good level on equity among the employees, there could be exception in some cases but still the rate would be very low.The organization sometimes might push the employee too much to achieve their monthly targets, but most the time the pressure level is reasonable for saying. The training process is quite good and effective but a few employees aren’t taken on any training program, whereas the employees are somewhat happy with their performance appraisal method. The compensation received is pretty much more than good for the employees, even with this highly priced lifestyle in Dhaka.Favoritism tendency is also in reasonable extent, which is not a big problem as all of them are getting the same chance to learn and grow from working in the organization. The employees are very happy with their job security also. Human Resou rce Department might be too tight on them sometimes when they’re speaking out, for that they fear to speak out about the organization most the times. I think the HR department and the organization could use some improvement to make the employee satisfaction level even higher to make the most out of them. Recruits shouldn’t be selected at all in bias conditions. * Promotion strategy needs improvising. * Hear out the employees more often. * Arrange more training for employees to make sure none’s left out. * Increase the compensation of underrated employees. * Less pressure on employees, as pressure might cause stress, which isn’t good. * Appraise performance in more ways. * Take more steps to reduce stress. * Let not the employees fear you, causing them to sit shut still. * Allow employees to speak out. I would rate the telecommunication sector as followings:HR Policy| | Recruitment Policy| | Selection Process| | Communication| | Chance to grow and lear n| | Compensation and benefit| | Job Security| | Freedom| | Support| | Overall| | Comment From the data, we can say that most of the employees are pretty much satisfied with their HR policies and they are happy to work with the organization in both Grameenphone and Banglalink. Yes, they would need some improvement, but who doesn’t? There’s always room for improvement no matter how good you are.In other words, the telecommunication sector has one of the best human resource management system comparative to other sectors of Bangladesh. Conclusion In the end, we can say that negative practice in HR in telecommunication is in very low rate, keeping their employees satisfied with adequate compensation and facilities that they expect. If this situation keeps up, we expect the best for the telecommunication business in the future. Appendix * Grameenphone Ltd. * Banglalink Telecom Ltd. * The Internet * Personal References

Take-Home Final Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Take-Home Final - Assignment Example The species had a pelvis that demonstrated its join tree-climbing and bipedal movement adaptations. Its skeleton reproduces a human-African primate common ancestor, which does not appear like a chimpanzee (Lieberman 34). The scientists discovered the fossils next to faunal remains that indicated this species inhabited wooded surroundings. Scientists have established that Australopithecus afarensis grew fast to reach maturity earlier as compared to modern humans. This species displays characteristics that are similar to humans and apes. Australopithecus afarensis had a flat nose, projecting lower jaws, as well as a small brain, which is approximately a third of a modern human’s brain (Lieberman 48). The species had adaptations that enabled it to live on trees along with the ground. First, Australopithecus afarensis and modern Homo sapiens have a body that stands on two legs. Second, both these species had the ability to walk upright. Third, Australopithecus afarensis along with modern humans possess straight fingers (Lieberman 48). Modern humans can implement alterations in their brain sizes and organization, which was an adaptation from Australopithecus afarensis to adjust behavior patterns and ways of life. This approach is necessary because the exceptional brain improvement makes a significant contribution to mental abilities related to individual knowledge (Lieberman 48). According to scientific discoveries concerning Homo erectus, the species had body proportions that were similar to modern humans. Homo erectus possessed lengthened legs with shorter arms, which are significant adaptations that enabled them to live on land. Their adaptations explain their capability to walk and run for longer distances that were efficient in hunting and gathering (Lieberman 68). This species has been linked to originality of stone tool technologies like hand axes. Modern humans inherited body

Big Bull Moose Derbies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Big Bull Moose Derbies - Essay Example The operation of the big bull moose derbies will be conducted in a similar manner to the other contests that have already been allowed under the governing statue. These derbies will be conducted throughout the duration of the annual moose season by licensed individuals that have managed to successfully acquire all the proper documentation as dictated upon by the State of Alaska showing that they will stay within the set moose season legal boundaries. Individuals that wish to participate in the derby will be required to purchase a derby ticket to the moose season’s open day. The derby’s winner will be based on the spread of the bull antlers, with the winner being the who manages to harvest the bull having the widest spread or size that has been legally taken. This winner will receive a predetermined cash prize that will be based on the overall proceeds that are netted by the fund raiser. All participants that enter a bull will be entered into the derby’s prize dra w regardless of the antler spread of their bulls (housemajority.org, 2014). The Hose Bill 268’s sponsoring statements also points out that the Tanana Valley Sportsmen Association (TVSA) which is the association that will be responsible for using the derby to raise funds is a nonprofit organization that is concerned with the hosting and training of a number of competition events on behalf of several local high schools as well as on behalf of the nationally ranked University of Alaska Nanooks Rifle Team. Some of the school and community events that are normally hosted by the association include gun safety and personal protection classes, biathlon competitions and trainings as well as NCAA tournaments. By passing the House Bill 268 allowing for Big Bull Moose Derbies to be operated in much the same way as other contests, the TVSA will be able to easily raise funds that will be used in supporting the activities of both the TVSA club

Employment Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Employment Law - Assignment Example The paper relates to the potential problem areas faced by Food Ltd, as in contractual period, opt-out agreement, shift timings, working hours, break timings, annual leaves and sick leaves and it advises the firm on how to handle these issue by providing a suitable solution in accordance with the employment law clauses and cases. This essay stresses that holiday pay is strictly a matter of contract. Compensation for idle time on holidays, where the payments are in amounts approximately equivalent to the employee’s normal earnings for a similar period of time, is excludable from the employees’ regular rate of pay for purposes of overtime compensation. When a contract specifies that an employee will receive idle time compensation for the holiday whether or not he works, the sum allocable to holiday pay is excluded from the computational of regular rate and may not be credited against overtime compensation due. The compensation paid for the hours worked on the holiday, however, is included in the computation of the regular rate in the same manner as other compensation for hours worked. There is no federal law governing holiday pay. However, almost universally, employers provide time off and compensation for at least a few of the major holidays. It is a common practice, however, for employers to awa rd holiday pay only to full-time employees and require employees to work the day before and the day after the holiday to receive holiday pay. ... employees' regular rate of pay for purposes of overtime compensation. When a contract specifies that an employee will receive idle time compensation for the holiday whether or not he works, the sum allocable to holiday pay is excluded from the computational of regular rate and may not be credited against overtime compensation due. The compensation paid for the hours worked on the holiday, however, is included in the computation of the regular rate in the same manner as other compensation for hours worked. 1.1.2 : Idle time compensation : In a contract providing that an employee will receive idle-time compensation for the holiday only if the employee does not work, one should be careful to include a provision to the effect that the employee forgoes or waives his/her right to idle-time compensation if the employee works on the holiday. The waiver will preclude any doubt as to what was intended. 1.1.3: Holiday pay and Law: There is no federal law governing holiday pay. However, almost universally, employers provide time off and compensation for at least a few of the major holidays. It is a common practice, however, for employers to award holiday pay only to full-time employees and require employees to work the day before and the day after the holiday to receive holiday pay. Changing workforce demographics have influenced the way some companies offer holiday pay and decide which days to close. The six most common paid holidays are New Years Day, Memorial day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, a company's industry and the market it serves are among the factors determining when a company will close. Banks, for example, are required to close on certain federal

JOHN CALVINS AND HIS TRINITARIAN PERSPECTIVE Research Paper

JOHN CALVINS AND HIS TRINITARIAN PERSPECTIVE - Research Paper Example The main beliefs and ideas of John Calvin concerning the Holy Trinity form an exposition that explains each of the persons with the provisions of the good will to human beings. Therefore, God is the originator, the son as a wise director and the spirit as an executor who is powerful in regard to the characteristics of the Holy Trinity. John Calvin believes that the ideas creates or gives awareness whereby there is equality of the roles of the three persons in this case God1. Furthermore, the essence of a divine mode naturally subjects and rebukes the speculations concerning the spirituality of the people2. These facts on the Holy Trinity give a vigor description whereby the processes gave to the idea of the existence of God. The teaching o this idea have also developed a stance to acquire direct elaboration in the attraction of learning the main themes on the doctrine in the Calvin’s Trinity. In most of the cases these view captures the eye that primarily suggest that the concept of God is philosophy rather than devotion. These; however, bring out the attention that focuses on the art of worship and divine unity. Calvin’s term of cooperation with the three persons under the name who is God brings out the salvation and understanding in relation to being eternal3. In accordance to the natural world, the position of the Holy Trinity interprets actions that the scriptures endorse in the ancient creed. The Catholic Church is the main attack on the various views on the Holy Trinity by John Calvin. Calvin reasons are that there are specialties put forth by the catholic in a revolutionary modern way that seem not to have meaning to the Christianity world. The description particularly gives unnecessary declaration whereby the three person’s treatment is on different paths. In the scripture Mathew 28:16-20 the great commission of Jesus to his disciples brings out the Holy Trinity views whereby the disciples are commanded to

Older People Care (Social Care) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Older People Care (Social Care) - Essay Example According to a survey â€Å"between 1971 and 2009 the proportion of the UK population aged under 16 years decreased from 25.5 percent to 18.7 percent, while the proportion aged 75 and over increased from 4.7 percent to 7.8 percent† (Beaumont 2011). It is expected that in UK, by 2018, citizens above 65 will be more than those in the age group of 16. â€Å" It is estimated that the number of residents aged 90 and over increased by 12 percent between 2002 and 2009, that is from 388,200 to 436,500† (Beaumont 2011). (Measuring National Well-being – Population 2012). The percentage of older women is more in UK than that of men. Due to less number of deaths there is some improvement in the statistics. As women live longer compared to men, the percentage of elderly women is more.† In 2010 there were 2.56 women over the age of 90 for every man of that age† (Population Ageing: Statistics para 2). The chances of elderly women to stay alone are more than that of men. This proportion grows with increasing age. â€Å"Among women aged 75 and over who live in private households in Great Britain, 60 percent live alone compared to 36 percent of men of the same age† (Population Ageing: Statistics 2012). ... Ageism could often have an effect on the options individuals are provided with, this also affect the decisions they take about these options. â€Å"Traditionally, aging has been viewed as a continual process of decline. Unfortunately, this stereotyping results in systematic discrimination that devalues senior citizens and frequently denies them equality. In his review of the attitudes toward aging shown by humor, Pal more (1986) found that elderly people were often portrayed negatively. The humor tended to focus on physical and mental losses, as well as on decreases in sexual attractiveness and drive. Jokes about older women tended to be more negative than those about older men† (Grant para 1996). Confronting the concept of ageism is effectively carried out by the enhancement of positive thinking on the process of aging. A person’s self image depends much on age, the person’s actual age and, the age which the society thinks he or she is and the age which they thi nk they are. But this concept changes when the person reaches the retirement age. When one reaches 65, the society considers the person â€Å"useless† while the person still considers himself or herself an active and responsible member of the society. They tend to behave in a different manner.† These impressions often develop into socially acquired attitudes that affect how we deal with individuals on the basis of their age and in turn affect the stereotyped individual’s self-concept and self –esteem. What changes is not older people’s capacity to be vigorous, productive and creative. Rather, society is unwilling to see seniors as vital and active contributors far beyond traditional retirement age, and many older individuals absorb this concept into own mind sets† (The Effects of

Property law assignment about Implied trusts and family homes Essay

Property law assignment about Implied trusts and family homes - Essay Example The owner of the property  most commonly is referred to as the  settlor. Trustees are the individuals or individual with which the settlor initiates the agreement. The agreement typically stipulates that the trustees will manage the  property  in a manner that will be most beneficial to the settlor.†1 Thus the main role of trusts is to hold property in trust for somebody else and to return the properties or chattels once the settlor, or owner, demands it or the property in trust is shared in some equitable or just manner or in a manner decided by the Court or suitable land tribunal authority. The main aspect to be remembered is that the trustee is just holding the property of the settler in trust and not on ownership and thus he is accountable to the true owner of the property for all that transpires during the absence of the latter. Trusts could be both public and private. Public trusts inure for the public whereas private trusts are to control and oversee private trus ts which are owned by private agencies. â€Å"Property  trusts  can become the legal owners of property. There are many different types of  trusts  that individuals can use to protect assets after death. After forming property  trusts, individuals can transfer the ownership of their property into these  trusts for later distribution. ... By transferring the assets into an  irrevocable trust  before death, the assets are removed from an individual's estate. This lowers the value of the estate and eliminates the potential for estate taxes.2 Understanding of the trust instrument in terms of what it is and how it is a creation of equity. A trust instrument is a contract or agreement of trust, between the settler/ owner and the trustee with sets forth the terms and conditional ties of the trust transaction. Persons may monitor the appropriation of their properties during their lifetime through the medium of trusts. There are many genres of trusts and objectives for their creations. This may inure for the future benefit or financial need of the trust creator, a surviving spouse or children, or even for charitable purposes. Although the law recognizes a variety of trusts, the law comes down heavily on trusts whose primary objective are to avoid taxes, creditors or legal responsibilities and could declare such trusts voi d and unenforceable. Again, in spite of the fact that trust laws are onerous and complicated, the basic needs for trust are just in terms of whether a trust has indeed been created, its scope and depth, its legality or otherwise, public or private trusts and whether the trustee has indeed managed the trust well and in line with the objectives of trust covenant. An oral or written trust binds the contracting parties, in as much as the property matters are concerned. All of covenant signatories would have to honour their part of the commitments in as much as the trust is concerned. If one party or group of parties infringe the terms of the trust, it is well within the jurisdiction of the remaining parties to bring

The problem of evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The problem of evil - Essay Example A number of intellectual opinions have explained impossibility of existence of both God and His powers, and evil and its associated powers and suffering. Two sets of elements, three about God’s power and one about evil illustrates mutual exclusivity between the power of God over evil and the persistent existence of evil to develop the controversy. God is, for example, believed to be super powerful, present at all places and at all times and knows everything that happens on earth and in heaven. This means that evil occurs in God’s presence, against his powers, and with His knowledge. Consequently, existence of evil casts doubts on the three properties of God (Beebe 1). Similarly, if God has knowledge about existence of evil and the suffering that evil causes, He knows how to control evil power and has the capacity to control, and then existence evil would mean that God is not as good as He is expected to be. Also, if God wanted to control evil but does not, then it would mean that His power is not as sovereign as it is thought to be. Alternatively, if God has the power to control evil and wishes to, but has not, then it would mean that He is not aware of the existence of evil. These therefore mean that the presence of evil implies absence of at least one of the properties of God (Beebe 1). McCallum also explores the problem of evil through existence of evil in the presence of God’s power. The author explains that if God loves and has supreme power, according to a believer’s faith, then He should be able to terminate evil and its consequences. Existence of evil therefore puts a believer in a dilemma over the properties of God. From a biblical perspective, the author argues that if God is the creator of all that exist then He created evil because evil also exist. Similarly, belief that God is good and powerful would result in Him destroying evil. As a result, continued existence of evil discredits God’s properties as held among b elievers (McCallum 1). While approaches to explain the problem of evil are intellectual and seems to initiate doubt among believers regarding existence of God and His characteristics, a biblical approach to the problem offers a solution that provides for existence of God, His defined characteristics and existence of evil. This refutes the mutual exclusivity property of God and evil that intellectual approach explains. Suffering that is viewed as a manifestation of evil has its roots in the Bible because of sin and is bound to last forever. While it is normal that men appreciate a good deed’s result into benefits and happiness, people should also accept the fact that pain and suffering are consequences of man’s fall and should be expected to last. A controversy should not therefore arise over God’s ability and existence of evil and pain because these are consequences of man’s action during the initial fall (Keyes 5-6). A solution to the problem of evil is also derived from the fact that evil is not a creature but a bad choice or consequence of a bad choice. Evil does not also emanate from God but from man and his actions. The problem of evil can therefore be resolved by a practical step of transformation from doing badly, to

Faith and Hope in Business Essay Example for Free

Faith and Hope in Business Essay Faith in business is having trust and confidence in whatever you set out to do, regardless of circumstances or condition, such as economic recession or an entitys ability to continue as a going concern. Faith in business is some fixed points of reference for business leaders to stay ethically and professionally. Faith in business is like a compass for many CEOs. For Ford Motor Company, Episcopalian is the compass for Henry Ford. For Whole Food, Buddhism is the compass for John Mackey. Hope in business is the belief that things will get better, whether the financial data or evidence indicates it will or not. Hope in business is like a road in the world; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence. The difference between faith and hope in business is that hope always looks to the future, while faith is now. Moreover, hope is a subset of faith. Entrepreneurs must have hope to have faith, but they don’t have to have faith to have hope. Faith always inspired entrepreneurs to do fearless action, but hope doesn’t do that. Faithful business does not always aim at profit; one of the most typical examples of this is Chick-fil-A, a company that has been well known for operating on Christian principles and values. To honor the biblical teaching to rest on the Sabbath, Chick-fil-A always closes on Sundays, thus forgoing one of the highest revenue days of the week for the restaurant industry. Another typical example of faith in business is the operation of the Grameen Bank Project, which object was to extend banking facilities to poor locals in rural Bangladesh. On the other hand, hope in business can be just simply that entrepreneurs hope their entities could make an acquisition in the future, such as Google hope to acquire Linux and replace Chrome OS to have their own official OS exclusively for PCs and combine it with all the Features and Design of Chrome OS to become more powerful than ever.

Outdoor-lifestyle retailer Essay Example for Free

Outdoor-lifestyle retailer Essay Executive Summary BBQfun will be the leading outdoor-lifestyle retailer, catering to the growing need for furnishing new and renovated dwellings in the greater Brisbane area. The assortment offer of BBQs, outdoor furniture and BBQ accessories will position BBQfun as best inclass for outdoor-lifestyle retailing. BBQfun will reinvent the way people shop for outdoor-lifestyle products. BBQfun will build its reputation on offering the fullest assortment of products possible in our chosen fields, incorporating both local and imported goods with products sold on easy to manage long-term payment plans. Our after sales service and 3 year guarantees will find traction with a market dominated by low-quality. Situation Analysis BBQfun is close to entering its fifth year of operation. Te initial rollout of stores has been well received, and marketing is now critical to its continued success and future profitability. The store offers wide-ranging outdoor-lifestyle items on easy to manage payment terms and supplies a three year guarantee on every item sold. The basic market need is for quality, fashionable and unique outdoor-lifestyle items that caters to the house-proud needs of our market. Market Summary BBQfun possess good information about the market and knows a great deal about the common attributes of our most prized and loyal customers. BBQfun will leverage this information to better understand who is served, their specific needs, and how BBQfun can better communicate with them. Market Demographics †¢ Accessibility. The patron can gain easy access to the store with minimal wait. †¢ Customer service. The patron will be impressed with the after sales service and Guarantees. †¢ Competitive pricing. All products/services will be competitively priced relative to comparable high-end outdoor-lifestyle lines. Above all, BBQfun believes that easy to access stores with extensive choices in our chosen fields, that are sold on an easy to manage payment plan with a three year guarantee are the keys to our customer’s needs and wants. Market Trends The market trend for outdoor-lifestyle stores is headed toward a more sophisticated and informed customer. The outdoor-lifestyles patron today relative to yesterday is more sophisticated in a number of different ways. †¢ Item quality. The preference for high-quality items is increasing as customers are learning to appreciate the qualitative differences. †¢ Unique. Our patrons appreciate the opportunity to include outdoor-lifestyles in their home that stand out from the mass produced and sold low quality items. †¢ Selection. People are demanding a larger selection of choices, they are no  longer accepting a limited offer in outdoor-lifestyles. The reason for this trend is that within the last couple of years there has been an explosion of media in the form of TV shows and magazines that have promoted exotic and different outdoor-lifestyles. Our patrons no longer need to accept a limited number of options. With more choices, patrons have become more sophisticated. This trend is intuitive as you can observe a more sophisticated patron in larger city markets such as Sydney or Melbourne where there has been more choices available. BBQfun strongly believes that customers are more interested in range of products, after sales service and easy to manage payments than any other issues. These are the reasons that they will shop with us and become loyal patrons. Technological developments with the broadband rollout across greater Brisbane and Australia is opening up significant opportunities for internet shopping and for providing information for our customers about our product range. Market Growth In 2008, the National outdoor-lifestyle market reached $300 million dollars. Outdoor lifestyle sales are estimated to grow by at least 6% for the next few years. This growth can be attributed to several different factors. The greater disposable household income from the two income families, the greater availability of affordable and interesting quality imports with the high value of the Australian dollar and the marketing by popular TV shows like ‘Homes Beautiful’ and ‘Better Outdoor-lifestyles’. Economy Based on economic forecasts, BBQfun assumes that interest rates are staying steady and so will have no affect on disposable income. The same assumption is made about employment levels, where BBQfun assumes that unemployment levels remain the same at 4.7%. Political From research carried out, BBQfun identified that the Government focus and emphasis in future legislative direction will be about ‘growing the economy’ and ‘population base which BBQfun sees as a positive for their business model. There is also a strong push for environmentally sound business practices in the legislative framework. BBQfun, as business operating in Australia, will abide by the law in all its dealings and comply with all legislation that impacts on its business activities. SWOT Analysis The following SWOT analysis captures the key strengths and weaknesses within the company, and describes the opportunities and threats facing BBQfun. Strengths †¢ Excellent staff who are highly skilled and knowledgeable about outdoor-lifestyles. †¢ Great retail space that is bright, functional and efficient for a commercial urban district. †¢ High customer loyalty among repeat customers. †¢ Assortment offerings that exceed competitors offerings in quality, range and accessibility. Weaknesses †¢ A limited marketing budget to develop brand awareness due to the lack of critical mass and store cover. †¢ The struggle to continually fund the growing long term repayment plans taken out by our customers. Opportunities †¢ A growing market in a high growth area with a significant percentage of the target market still not aware of BBQfun’s offer. †¢ Increasing sales opportunities outside of our target area – greater Brisbane. Threats †¢ Competition from local independents that can reduce prices as owner operators lower than our staff run stores. †¢ Competition from National chains moving into the Brisbane market. †¢ A slump in the economy reducing customers disposable income spent on outdoor-lifestyles. Competition National Competition †¢ The Yard: has a limited selection but significant depth. All Australian made. No significant marketing or promotion. The price point is high, but the quality of products are quite good. Not in Brisbane. Mostly in Sydney and Melbourne. †¢ BBQ’s R us: Broad range of outdoor-lifestyle products including trinkets and furnishings. Lots of cheap imports. Concentrating on established markets. Strong in the replacements segment. Not in Brisbane. Mostly in Melbourne and Adelaide. †¢ Outdoorz: Large operations of only a few stores per city. Mass markets outdoor lifestyles at good value prices. No imported goods. Extensive advertising. Low to medium quality. Not in Brisbane. Strong in the replacement segment rather than new and refurbished  dwellings. Strong in other capital cities. Local Competition †¢ All independents. These stores are owned by individual owner operators. Ranges vary according to owner preferences. Very little imports. Mostly retailing Australian manufactured goods. Collectively their average item sale price is $250, have a market share of 48%, and are growing at about 8% per year. BBQfun do not see the competitors changing their marketing strategy or product offer in the foreseeable future. Growth and Share Analysis New dwellings – growth in potential customers 10%. Estimated Brisbane customer numbers in 2010 is 95,000. Renovations – growth in potential customers 7%. Estimated Brisbane customer numbers in 2010 is 35,000. Replacement – growth in potential customers 5%. Estimated Brisbane customer numbers in 2010 is 120,000. Service Offering BBQfun has created a outdoor-lifestyles range of retail products that are differentiated and superior to competitors. Customers can see the quality of the product as it is displayed in the stores. The following are characteristics of the product: 1. BBQfun’s credit offer is backed by a top tier bank. 2. Imported products make up 33% of the assortment. 3. The 3 year guarantee is unique in the market place. 4. Broadest possible range in chosen fields. BBQfun’s prides itself on providing service that is on par if not better than any of the local independent stores and far in excess of the national chains. BBQfun will ensure that all aspects that are involved in the delivery of satisfaction to the customer will work using an integrated approach. At a GlanceThe Prototype BBQfun Store: †¢ Location: a commercial, suburban neighbourhood, or urban retail district. †¢ Design: bright and functional. †¢ Size: 1,000 to 1,500 m2. †¢ Employees: 15 to 20 full time plus casuals †¢ Types of transactions: 60% cash, 40% on long term repayment plan. Keys to Success Location. BBQfun’s site selection criteria are critical to success. Scott Bremmer, former partner of an international chain, helped us identify the following site selection criteria: †¢ New dwelling populations. †¢ Shopping patterns requiring easy access. †¢ Customer car parking counts. Critical Issues BBQfun is still in the speculative stage as a possible franchise concept or joint venture. Its critical issues are: †¢ Committed to sales growth which allows for greater options in import assortments and in reduced price with volume buys. This will promote our uniqueness and contribute to improved profit margins. †¢ Continue to finance the easy manage long term repayment plan for customers. †¢ Locate in easy access sites close to the growing markets in new dwelling development. Marketing Strategy BBQfun’s advertising budget is set at $250,000 for the year. The advertising program will target local letter-box drops, radio and magazines. BBQfun’s will do direct mail and local advertising, with coupon inserts in the BrisNews magazine likely to be the most successful of the campaigns. BBQfun will try to get articles about BBQfun into the BrisNews magazine. Previous features in the BrisNews magazine has seen a dramatic increase of sales immediately after the article was published. Mission BBQfun’s mission is to provide customers with the most extensive assortment of quality outdoor-lifestyle products available in the market. Our after sales service is second to none supported by our easy to manage long term repayment plans which make unique, imported and high quality outdoor-lifestyle affordable to all. BBQfun exist to attract and maintain outdoor-lifestyle customers wishing to purchase products that give our customers pride in their homes. Our services will exceed the expectations of our customers. Marketing Objectives 1. Increase sales from $15million per year to $20million per year in the next  three years 2. Increase our loyalty customers list from 10,000 to 16,000. 3. Establish brand recognition in Brisbane so that at least 2 in 3 people recognise our brand in a random survey taken in 18 months time. 3.3 Financial Objectives 1. A double-digit growth rate for each future year. 2. Reduce the overhead per store through disciplined management of expenses. 3. Continue increase our gross profit margins. Target Marketing The market can be segmented into three target populations: †¢ New dwellings – generally want to purchase entire suites. Typically shopped as couples. Price sensitive to a point but co-ordination is the highest priority. †¢ Renovations – demand for high quality and different items. Unique and exotic over rides price concerns. †¢ Replacement – basic functional products that replace and broken or worn item. Single shopper. Cheap price required. The BBQfun customers are mostly aged between 20 and 50, making up 50% of the new and renovated dwelling market. Outdoor-lifestyle stores have been very successful in stand alone, extensive car park access, close to new housing estates being established. These areas have families who have household disposable incomes of over $40,000 per year. Combining several key demographic factors, BBQfun arrives at a profile of the primary customer as follows: †¢ Sophisticated people who are house proud. †¢ Shoppers who will drive to an easy to access store. †¢ A customers who requires payment plans to spread their commitment over an extended period. †¢ Renovators and new home builders †¢ 20-50 year olds Positioning BBQfun will position itself as a broad assortment, quality, unique outdoor-lifestyle retailer. Brisbane consumers who appreciate high-quality and uniqueness will recognize the value and unique offerings of BBQfun. Patrons will be single as well as families, ages 20-50. BBQfun’s positioning will leverage their competitive edge: †¢ Product. The product will be wide ranging, quality and unique. It offers the house proud customer a different  option from the cheap mass produced offer prevalent in the market †¢ Service. BBQfun offer the only 3 years guarantee in the market. Our easy play payment scheme is just what our mortgage repaying customers welcome. Our experienced staff can assist with product knowledge second to none in the industry. By offering a superior service in range and uniqueness, BBQfun will excel relative to the competition and achieve our objectives. Strategy Pyramids The single objective is to position BBQfun as the premier outdoor-lifestyles store in the greater Brisbane area, commanding a majority of the market share within five years. The marketing strategy will seek to first create customer awareness regarding their services offered, develop that customer base, and work toward building customer loyalty and referrals. The message that BBQfun will seek to communicate is that BBQfun offers the widest, most exotic, easy access outdoor-lifestyle products in Brisbane. This message will be communicated through a variety of methods. The first will be direct mail. The direct mail campaign will be a way to communicate directly with the consumer. BBQfun will also use ads and inserts in Brizzy magazine.The last method for communicating BBQfun’s message is through a grassroots PR campaign. This campaign will invite people from Brizzy for lunch to get articles written about BBQfun into the news. Because of this level of effectiveness and low/zero cost, BBQfun will work hard to get press in the Brizzy. BBQfun also believe that the local patrons far prefer to receive information from the store via flyers in the letterbox. Marketing Mix BBQfun’s marketing mix is comprised of these following approaches to pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, and customer service. †¢ Pricing. While BBQfun will price at comparable prices for comparable quality, it will not be cheap. We push value over cheap and back this up with a 3 year guarantee. †¢ Distribution. BBQfun products will be distributed through a chain of retail stores which customers can access easily via the large car parking arrangements. †¢ Advertising and Promotion. The most successful advertising will be ads and inserts in the Brizzy as well as a PR campaign of informational articles and reviews also within the Brizzy. Promotions will take the form of in store entertainment and competitions with prizes to exotic overseas destinations. †¢ Customer Service. BBQfun’s philosophy is  that whatever needs to be done to make the customer happy must occur, this investment will pay off with a fiercely loyal customer base who is extremely vocal to their friends with referrals. Product development It is envisaged that new products will be developed on a regular basis in line with changes in customer taste which is targeted at every 12 months. The plan for product testing is to engage market research firms. By getting feedback from these firms, changes can be made or products ‘canned’ so that only tested and proven products make it onto the store assortment list. Marketing Research During the initial phases of the marketing plan development, several focus groups were held to gain insight into a variety of patrons of outdoor-lifestyle stores. These focus groups provided useful insight into the decisions, and decision making processes, of consumers. An additional source of market research that is dynamic is a feedback mechanism based on a suggestion card system in store. The last source of market research is competitive analysis/appreciation. BBQfun management will continually visit local outdoor-lifestyle stores for two reasons. The first is for competitive analysis, providing BBQfun with timely information regarding other store’s service offering. The second reason is that local business owners, are often part of an informal fraternal organization where they support each others business. Financials, Budgets, and Forecasts This section will offer a financial overview of BBQfun as it relates to the marketing activities. BBQfun will address Break-even Analysis, sales forecasts, expense forecasts, and how those link to the marketing strategy. Break-even Analysis The Break-even Analysis indicates that $1.1 million in sales per year will be needed to reach the break-even point. Fixed costs are estimated at $150,000. Variable costs are 40% of sales, therefore sales of $1.0 million will be sufficient to pay for the fixed and variable cost. Sales Forecast The first year of the plan will be used to get the cafe up and running. By year two things will get busier. Sales will gradually increase with profitability being reached by the beginning of year two. Gross profit is  anticipated at 50%. Ongoing sales forecasting will be to use the services of Cannon’s Consultants who will advise on all aspects of the marketing function that BBQfun will be engaged with. Cannons will also be given access to the marketing cost data so that they can periodically examine and validate marketing costs in line with industry benchmarks. They have always been the preferred consultants because they are locally based unlike the national group of consultants, Brown Holingsworth, based in Melbourne.

Perfectionism | An overview

Perfectionism | An overview Perfectionism is a phobia of mistake-making, said Jeff Szymanski, executive director of the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, which is based in Boston. It is the feeling that If I made a mistake, it will be catastrophic.' Perfectionism is a psychological disorder which is believed by the person with this illness that being flawless should be accomplished. They feel that they are obligated to reach exceptionally idealistic ambitions when in fact its non-compulsory because everyone should just strive to do the best they can. However, perfectionistic attitude is an interference with their success. The desperation of having unrealistic aspiration can ruin their anticipations because it eventually causes disappointment. Perfectionism is sometimes influenced by an early stage in a persons life. This person has a perception that people would appreciate them more if they are perfect. In other words, their goals are based on peripheral outlook and not from their own desires. Hence, they only feel that they are worthy if only people would recognize their importance. Although being a perfectionist sees every mistake as a chance for progress and learning, people with this disorder should learn how to control it because it will lead to being defensive when appraised and to being depressed when faced with a failure. Each individual has goal in their life but for perfectionist, they have goals that are higher or beyond their imagination. There is definitely nothing erroneous to be ruthless, have dreams and eventually work it out to pursue them. If theres no single person that has goal in life then most of the advancement that people are enjoying these should not be even here. So if they have managed to get through their aim, sure enough they would enjoy the outcome. Being a perfectionist has great advantage because unlike an ordinary person who is contented with a mediocre performance, they could arrive at a level of success that is almost perfect. Thats why they received a lot of admiration from people which they really deserved and reacted positively. They are confident that their goals will be reached since they are very competent individual and has an optimistic mind-set. Thus, it will somehow boost their self-esteem and obtain greater accomplishments. People are not like God. They are not perfect thats why it is normal to commit mistakes and eventually recuperate from the loss. But for the perfectionist, they cant control it. They should make all things right. Therefore, they became less efficient because they are meticulous even to the last detail and wasnt able to complete a task. When the moment of failure haunt them, they will loath themselves for being inadequate and as a result, it can lead to low self-worth and despair. The other thing is that they become engrossed with fear that they cant easily recover from it. This also meant of losing the opportunity to improve themselves because they perceive mistakes as an indication of unworthiness. Not being contented with what they attained can lead to a miserable life because they dont know how to let go and move on with their lives and or learn from their mistakes; they still hold on to their problem and eventually causes disturbance that is suicidal. The reason that they cant let go is that they dreaded the consequences of losing everything. This is also the source of anxiety since they wanted to be perfect with everything; consequently, they place themselves under a great deal of pressure. After experiencing nervous tension, they wouldnt be able to be successful and as a result, will intensify the probability of experiencing tragedy. If their imperfections are recognized by others, they became fearful that they will be abandoned by the society. Because of this, they strive to be perfect to protect themselves from humiliation and condemnation. If only a person with this illness can control their strong urge to do everything perfectly then it will not be called as a disorder. Since their goals are set irrationally or unrealistically, they tend to disappoint themselves after which they feel that misfortune had befallen upon them. They eventually became traumatized that every circumstances they encountered became catastrophic. Perfectionist became devastated when they stumble upon petty mistakes that they were excessively troubled about not being able to overcome it. Due to their inflexible attributes, they become anxious and dysfunctionally depressed. There are important points that a perfectionist has to realize. Perfectionism is a delusion that is unfeasible and striving very hard to do everything is pointless. They are just wasting their time being faultless when in fact their work is already gratifying. They should try to do their best and not to be perfect in everything because the no one really notices things in a detailed way unless their audience is also a perfectionist. Perfectionist has to comprehend that committing mistakes are the only way one can be perfect, through learning from their mistakes is the only way to identify their error. They should challenge themselves to turn away from that fixation or being obsessed because sooner or later it will be a curse in their life. Sources: Bregman, P. (2009). How to Escape Perfectionism. http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2009/09/how- to-escape-perfectionism.html. Egan, S. (2005). An Investigation of Positive and Negative Perfectionism. http://adt.curtin.edu.au/theses/available/adt- WCU20060906.150230/unrestricted/01Front.pdf. McGarvey, J. (n.d.). The Almost Perfect Definition. http://www.rps.psu.edu/sep96/almost.html. Neumeister, K. (n.d.) Perfectionism in Gifted Children. Retrieved from http://iag- online.org/perfect.htm. Perfectionism. (2007). Retrieved frromhttp://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/?page_id=113.

Pope John Paul IIs Influence on the Fall of Communism Essay -- Biogra

THESIS STATEMENT Both the words and actions of Pope John Paul II were crucial to the downfall of communism in Germany as well as his native Poland. PURPOSE STATEMENT This paper will discuss Pope John Paul II’s role in the fall of communism in Germany and his native Poland through in depth research and an analysis of biographical research. INTRODUCTION Even as a child, people knew that Karol Wojtyla was destined for greatness. Even his mother bragged to all her neighbors that her newborn son would grow into a great man. And that he did. He served as pope from 1978 until his death in 2005, a period of over twenty-six years. He was the youngest pope of the Twentieth Century as well, elected at the age of fifty-eight. However, the most striking aspect of his election was that he was Polish – the first non-Italian pope since the Fifteenth Century! He was a remarkable man, who â€Å"with bold religious zeal and diplomatic shrewdness†¦forced open doors† (Accattoli et al 45). He forced people to seriously think about their lives. About morality, conscience, religion. He attacked communism will every ounce of his will and helped to bring down the Berlin wall. He â€Å"demonstrated in action that Christian conviction can be the agent of human liberation† (Weigel 847). It’s almost impossible to believe that such a famous man had such humble beginnings. Born in Wadowice, Poland on May 20th, 1920, Karol Wojtyla grew up in an environment of communism and depression. His mother was sickly and died at a young age, leaving him and his father alone, as his older brother Edmund was away at school. Many times Karol, or â€Å"Lolek,† as he was called by those dear to him, would enter his father’s bedroom late at night and see him knelt on the floor ... ...e like Pope John Paul II in their lifetime. Someone intelligent, virtuous, courageous, and, for lack of better words, miraculous. A man who could look at the political situation with optimism and say â€Å"’Even Communists are people, and people change’† (Accattoli et al 52). Undoubtedly, without the inspiring speeches, actions, and overall presence of Pope John Paul II, the communist regimes in Germany and Poland would have never met their downfall. â€Å"One of Communism’s basic tenets is that reality shapes one’s consciousness. But consciousness also shapes reality, and the pope’s visions electrified the consciousness of the masses† (Accattoli et al 49). Both the actions and words of Pope John Paul II were crucial to the downfall of communism in Germany and his native Poland. Without his courage in the face of adversity, Europe today would be completely different.

The Modernist Attributes of C.L.R. James’s Minty Alley Essay -- Gender

The Modernist Attributes of C.L.R. James’s Minty Alley Born in Trinidad and later expatriating himself first to London and then the United States, C.L.R. James was a key figure of the West Indian literary scene during the 1930s. Today he is primarily associated with his nonliterary writings in sociology and politics, and his fiction seems to have dropped from critical attention. Part of this shortsightedness stems from the fact that little of his fiction is readily available to a reading public in this country. Although a selection of his shorter work is now available in The C.L.R. James Reader (1992), the only extant edition of James' novel Minty Alley (1936) is published by the small London press New Beacon Books. Because of its relative inaccessibility, this significant piece of Caribbean literature remains absent from the immediate consciousness of American readers and critics. In part, this article is intended as a platform to stage a recovery of this book, opening up a critical dialogue about the novel in order to develop a mo re comprehensive perspective about the genealogy of Caribbean fiction. The literary history of this region is too often thought to begin in the 1960s with the(post)modernist work of such celebrated authors as Wilson Harrisand George Lamming, and Minty Alley provides us with a formidable example of narratival experimentation antedating these more critically acclaimed works. But there is more at stake than extending canon lists and the historical boundaries of post-realist Caribbean fiction. James' formal innovations in Minty Alleyalso allow us to begin to rethink that retrospective categorization of literature which is now loosely termed "modernism." In the process of recovery, then, I would lik... ...e, Joseph Allen. Libidinal Currents: Sexuality and theShaping of Modernism. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1998. Henry, Paget and Paul Buhle, eds. C.L.R. JamesCaribbean. Durham, NC: Duke UP, 1992. James, C.L.R. Minty Alley (1936). London: New Beacon,1971. Lamming, George. The Pleasure of Exile (1954). AnnArbor: U of Michigan P, 1992. Levenson, Michael H. A Genealogy of Modernism: A Study ofEnglish Literary Doctrine 1908-1922. New York: Cambridge UP,1984. Lukacs, George. The Meaning of Contemporary Realism.London: Merlin, 1963. Nielsen, Aldon Lynn. C.L.R. James: A CriticalIntroduction. Jackson: U of Mississippi P, 1997. Ortega y Gasset, Jose. The Dehumanization of Art and OtherWritings onArt and Culture (1925). Garden City, NY: Doubleday &Company, 1956. Williams, Raymond. The Politics of Modernism: Against theNew Conformists. New York: Verso, 1989.

Essay --

Word Count: 1486 The Differences in Lucy Salyer’s and Cybelle Fox’s Criteria For Citizenship Throughout American history, the United States government created policies that decided who can and cannot come to America to be recognized as a full fledged citizen: an individual who has been recognized as a loyal member of a nation and receives benefits granted by the government. Lucy Salyer, author of Baptism By Fire, and Cybelle Fox, author of Three Worlds of Relief, emphasize that the government based their immigration policy on issues such as race and occupation. Despite their agreement that the United States government played a major role in deciding who can and cannot become full fledged citizens, Salyer and Fox disagree on the main criteria in which they decided which immigrants could have this recognition. Salyer argues that immigrants’ race and service decided whether they should be included or excluded from full citizenship, while Fox asserts that individuals’ occupation determined this matter. As Salyer and Fox both mentioned, the government played a vital role on deciding who can become citizens through legislation, organized groups, and judicial rulings. The government can be defined in this case as legislatures, agencies, and the justice system. Throughout American history, legislatures made laws in which included and excluded newcomers to America. Aristide Zolberg, author of A Nation by Design, emphasizes this by stating, â€Å"nationality involves the delineation of a boundary, denoting simultaneously inclusion and exclusion† (Zolberg,17). A country can tend to be welcoming or unwelcoming to foreigners. In the United States, legislatures have been inclusive and exclusive to foreigners depending on the national interest. Lu... .... 56% of workers were covered, while 67% of them were Europeans and 57% were white. According to Fox, Europeans benefitted the most since majority of them held manufacturing jobs and were more likely to turn sixty-five when it was grandfathered in. Yet, approximately 38% of Mexicans and blacks were covered. This was due to the majority of them being agricultural workers or domestic workers. Therefore, Europeans held occupations that allowed them to meet the criteria for social security benefits, while Mexicans and blacks did not (Fox, 251-253). Salyer and Fox agree that the government played a role in shaping immigration during the 1920s and 1930s. Yet, they disagree with the criteria that the government used to decide who received full-fledged citizenship. This debate still continues today and this nation continues to base a criteria on who to include and exclude.

Shopaholic: Addiction and Shopping

A shopaholic is a person considered to be addicted to shopping. a person who can't stop spending money at the mall. A shopaholic is a person that loves shopping, and might even be addicted to it. Some warning signs of shopping addiction include:spending a significant amount of time shopping and spending;having an excuse for each shopping excursion and every purchase item;feeling on top of the world after a purchase only to sink into guilt and shame when the high wears off;being unable to stop shopping even though it is hurting loved ones;not being able to limit purchases to specific items but having the compulsion to buy more;owning a closet-full of never-worn items with the price tags still intact;shopping whenever you need a pick-me-up or when you're down, angry, or afraid;keeping purchases and shopping a secret from your parents or your spouse;spending more and more time thinking about shopping and acting on it;going into debt because of shopping and not being able to stop;having shopkeepers ask that you no longer shop at their stores.Why do you keep doing what you don't want to do? The exact cause of an addiction is not clear, but the contributions of years of studies have helped researchers identify its link to other addictive behaviours, such as alcohol, drugs, sex, and smoking.And shopaholism (also known as oniomania or compulsive buying) is considered an addiction by some because it has many similarities to these other well-established addictions, where many of the same parts of the brain are activated and a similar experience of euphoria is felt. Just as alcohol is the abused substance in alcoholism, money is the abused substance in a shopping addiction. Research tells us that people who suffer from addiction get a rush of dopamine (a chemical in the brain that is associated with pleasure and reward) when they are able to satisfy a craving such as going on a shopping binge. With time, they become dependent on the â€Å"rush. But inevitably after the i mmediate gratification of a great purchase comes the pangs of guilt, shame, and disappointment.This becomes an ongoing cycle that makes you feel powerless and out of control. But shopaholism is more than the loss of willpower or self control – it is also a behavioural problem that can be traced back to your upbringing. Studies show that shopaholics may have learned such behaviours at home or may have experienced abuse in their early years, such as sexual abuse. And more often than not, a shopping addiction has a greater likelihood of being accompanied by at least one other addiction (e. g. , substance use) or disorder (i. e. anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, impulse, mood (e. g. , depression)).An addiction to shopping can also be traced to the impact of your environment. Studies found that this phenomenon is rarely seen in poverty-stricken countries except among the affluent. But in developed countries, a market-based economy, the availability of lots of consumer goods, disposab le income, and leisure time seem to play a role as to who is affected with a shopping addiction. North Americans are overexposed to marketing and advertising gimmicks that encourage and promote a shopping and materialistic lifestyle, and shopping has become a major pastime and way of life.It is reported that people start developing an unhealthy habit of excessive shopping in their late teens and early 20s, when they move away from home and experience freedom and get their own credit cards, generating large debts at a young age. And with the widespread use of the internet, people of all ages – especially the internet-savvy generation – are getting online to satisfy their shopping fix. Personal blogs are not just an online journal but personal e-boutiques. Teenagers buy and sell their stash through Facebook, often meeting their prospective buyers at specified subway stops after school or on weekends. The internet has also made it easier to shop.While these do not necessa rily lead to or cause a shopping addiction, they do make it harder for someone with a penchant for shopping to kick the habit or to rein in their spending. Changing your shopping habits Admitting that you have a shopping addiction is the first step towards healing, which is why Confessions of a Shopaholic is such an apt title for the movie. And Rebecca, the central character in Sophie Kinsella's runaway bestseller, doesn't admit she has a shopping problem until everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. But once she confesses her addiction, it is a freeing experience that allows her to be open and honest with herself and loved ones around her. Oftentimes, the secrets you have to carry are actually a heavier burden than the problem itself.While there may be a lot of temptation around you that feeds your need to shop excessively, you ultimately have to take action and take control of your spending habits. Just like going to the gym, changing to a healthier diet, or anything that t akes discipline or getting used to, the reward after the hard work will be worth it. And shopping shouldn't have to be banned completely or forever!It is called â€Å"retail therapy† for a reason – a way to relax, to enjoy the fruits of your hard-earned dollar, to express your creative outlet, and all that shopping jazz. The road to rediscovering the joy of healthy shopping requires that you have a plan in motion that can help you get back control, and it may require learning some new shopping habits to replace bad shopping habits of the past.Each time you replace an old habit with a new and healthier routine, it will only help you get stronger to face down the next shopping urge. Here are some tips on how to curb a shopping temptation:Window shop only after hours so that you are not tempted to walk into the store.Use the internet only for work purposes or to complete errands – do not surf online.Go shopping with a friend, who can help keep tabs on how much you are buying – avoid shopping alone.Get rid of your credit cards or leave them at home when you go shopping to avoid the temptation to spend.Find other routine activities to replace the times you used to spend shopping.Enlist a buddy or two who are willing to be on call whenever you feel the urge to shop. Getting help and treatment for your shopping addiction A review article published in World Psychiatry in 2007 estimated that approximately 6% of Americans are faced with a compulsive shopping problem at some point in their lives. Other studies report a higher percentage, depending on the method of study. Just like any other addiction, people with a shopping addiction go to great lengths to hide their shopping activities and purchases. Many people often do not face their shopping problems until they run up a substantial credit card debt and reach a â€Å"dead end,† finding themselves liable to serious financial consequences.This can lead to other damaging personal setbacks, such as losing the trust of loved ones when they find out or even losing a job or a home. The first step to getting help is to acknowledge that you have a shopping problem. Once you've taken this giant step, you will have the motivation to look for help. While there is no standardized method for treating shopping addiction, the two main forms of therapy are medication and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Various clinical studies have taken place to evaluate the effectiveness of medication therapy normally used to treat anxiety an d depression. The results of medication as treatment for shopping addiction, however, are mixed.A common method of treatment is cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT is a general term that describes the process of identifying and correcting problems associated with the way you think, behave, and feel, all of which may be contributing to your addictive or compulsive behaviours. The focus of CBT is on issues that stem from within you rather than external influences. Taking quality time with professional help, self-help, loved ones, or those in similar situations to sort out your feelings, emotions, and history can get you started on the road to healing.Therapy programs may be guided by an appropriate professional (such as a psychologist, therapist, or counsellor), self-help efforts (i. e. self-help books, keeping a shopping diary), or volunteer or charity programs that offer support and provide realistic steps on how to curb the compulsion to shop (i. e. , Debtors Anonymous, Credit Canada). Effective CBT would ideally include a tailored combination of all these programs that best fit your needs. It will also include addressing areas of your life that have been affected by a shopping addiction, such as considering marriage counselling and financial counselling.http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_health_features_details.asp health_feature_id=394&article_id=1248&channel_id=1004&relation_id=59344 Compulsive Shopping Addiction What Compulsive Shopping and Spending Means? The phrase ‘shop till you drop’ aptly describes people who are shopaholic. They purchase anything out of whim and will do this to such an extent that they run their credit cards up to the limit. Almost all shopaholics feel that shopping will make them feel better, but in reality they end up feeling more frustrated because of the tension of surmounting bills. Compulsive shopping addiction is quite similar to other addictive behaviors like drinking, gambling, overeating, etc and is known to affect more women than men. The tendency to shop to one’s heart content increases in the shopaholic people under certain conditions like holiday /festive seasons, when they are depressed or feeling lonely or simply irked up.Excessive overspending by a person frequently is actually a lapse in personality and they need to understand that shopping or spending will not guarantee more love, boost self-respect, nurse old hurts and regrets, solve everyday problems, etc. A compulsive sho pper usually is seen to have strained relations with family and friends because of their behavior. How to Recognize a Compulsive Shopper?Whenever the shopaholics feel low, they are goaded to buy the knick-knack ‘pick-me-up’ kind of articles. They just go out and purchase stuff to experience a high or a rush, just like alcohol or drug addicts.Shopaholics will normally buy things that they do not really require. Festive seasons tend to encourage the shopping habits because of the various fetching offers like discounts and bonanzas.While few shopping addicts go on binging the year round and may be obsessive about getting specific articles like shoes, kitchen items or clothing, others will purchase just anything.Women who are compulsive shoppers often have stacks of unused clothes and other items with the price tags still attached. Normally they will go shopping to get a couple of items, but return home with bags and bags of purchases.Shopaholics have also been known to suf fer from psychological ‘black out’ and do not remember even purchasing the stuff. And when friends and family begin to question them, they will hide the stuff they have purchased.Treatment for Shopaholic People / Compulsive Buyers If you yourself or someone around shows such traits as mentioned above, then the person is a compulsive buyer in all probability. Though a chronic problem, it is possible to treat shopaholic people provided they themselves are willing to cooperate. It is normally advised that compulsive buyers take help of professional counseling or a self-help group to get rid of their psychological problem. Compulsive Buyers / Shopaholics – How do you Shun Shopping Binges?Always try to pay your shopping bills by cash, check, debit card.Shop as per ingeniously prepared scripted shopping list, which will include only the must-have items. Destroy or keep away all credit cards, except one to be used during emergency.Stay away from discount stores. Even if your do visit, keep aside only a fixed amount of cash for spending.Window shop after the stores has shut down or you will be tempted to buy.Avoid phoning in catalog orders and viewing TV shopping channels.Go for a stroll or exercise whenever you feel the urge to shop.If nothing seems to work, then seek professional help.Keep accurate records of your spending as it will help you understand your splurging habits better. You will then know where not to spend.You can also do well by inculcating an interest for a new hobby like painting, trekking, etc.The Shopaholic’s Guide to Getting your Expenses under Control Ever noticed that there seems to be a whole lot of things to buy these days? Shops are bursting at the seams with goods and objects of all sizes, shapes and prices. There seems to be a plethora of options that tempt you to splurge and empty your pockets — sale, discount, bargain price, buy one get one free, offer ends soon — they’re all different tact ics used to get you to loosen your purse strings. There’s just one thing that’s short in stock. The thing you need to buy all the goodies on display — MONEY. It sure doesn’t grow on trees, folks, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping too many people.They don’t have the money but they want the stuff and credit cards are helping them out. Or so they think! Compulsive shopping with funds that do not exist is the worst debt trap you can fall into. You wake up one day to a house full of stuff and a credit balance deep in the red. It’s time to make a few resolutions if you want to get back on the road to a healthy financial life, and we’re showing you how. Temptation is the devil in disguise? The first and most important step to getting your expenses under control is to exert a little self control. This is the hardest part of the process, but if you master your urges, there’s no way you’ll slip back into your old ways.If you feel temptation beckoning, eliminate the things that will allow you to shop, starting with these: Credit cards: Chop them up, freeze them, lock them up and throw away the key — they’re the reason you shop irresponsibly in the first place. Without your credit cards, even if you walk into a store and are tempted to buy something, you’re limited by the amount of cash you have on you. Internet connection:It’s easy to get carried away when you’re shopping online. If you need to stay connected, use your willpower and stay away from online shopping sites. Cable television: Those great deals and must-have gadgets are not for you. Stay away from the channels that try to sell you anything under the sun.Malls and department stores: Stay away when they advertise sales and bargains. You may go in with the best of intentions, wanting to buy only what you need, but the urge to buy will creep up and overpower you when you see those signs beckoning.Debit cards : Easy access to cold cash leads to the temptation to spend. That money in the bank may be a nest egg that your family members or you have saved for a rainy day. Cash in hand: It’s not practical to be stuck without emergency money, but a shopaholic is better off with an empty wallet/purse. It prevents them from buying, period. Surround yourself with support? Compulsive shopping is an addiction that can be as bad as alcohol, drugs or tobacco.It helps if you have friends and family who are there to lend you support as you try to kick the habit. Never shop alone: Unlike other addictions, shopping is not something that you can quit cold turkey. You have to step into a mall or store at sometime or another, if only to buy necessities.Take someone along when you do, preferably someone who knows you’re trying to get rid of the tag â€Å"shopaholic† and who can exert some sort of control over you. Seek professional help: If your problem is deep and you’re unable t o do things on your own, it’s not a sin to get a professional to help you out. Comforting alternatives help? You shop till you drop, but your emotions run high — that’s the life of a shopaholic.The continuous shopping makes you feel good, like you’re running on energy boosters. But only until the bills start pouring in. That’s when the guilt starts to kick in — for a while at least. Then the next big sale comes around, and you have to be a part of it.To help cure yourself, find alternative sources of comfort, like: Time with people you love: Spend time with your family, children, friends — anyone who makes you feel happy when you’re with them. Seek them out especially when you feel the urge to hit the stores. A new hobby: Get a life besides shopping. Discover new things about yourself. Find a hobby and fill your spare time (or time you would have spent shopping) doing something useful and fulfilling.Making more money: Turn the tables on your addiction and get a twofold advantage out of the situation by taking an additional job that will help you forget the urge to shop. It’s two birds with one stone — you don’t spend any money while you are working, you make it instead.Shopaholics usually face an uphill climb when they’re trying to kick the habit. Not only do they have to devote all of their energy to avoiding the shopping sprees, they’re stuck with a mountain of bills as a result of their reckless spending days. Setting up a budget for necessities and negotiating with creditors for lenient deals will ease some of that burden as they try to begin a new life.