My Dream Organisation Essay

Every human being has some dream in life, which varies from person to person according one’s attitude towards life. Some have a craze for riches, others for brilliant academic career still others have vaulting ambition to hold some key position or a plum host. In the modern age of materialism there are very few people who have philanthropic inclination. How nice it is to blend one’s ambition to some mission in life. After all people who enhance the happiness of humanity and work in the service of society and the nation at last are essentially great persons in the real sense of world. My aim has been since my early childhood to achieve something in the corporate world and with this very vision I’ve been planning my career. By joining prestigious institution as admirable as Amity certainly brings me to the threshold of a commendable career I’ve been envisaging so far. I think that I’ve taken a right decision at right time of life. I aspire to be an indispensable part of some great organization and this will be My Dream Organization. How do I define it is the question? I feel that an organization I’d like to join after completing MBA will be an Organization well established, reputed, ideal, opening a golden gate towards the career I’ve been dreaming of. Since joined the challenging finance branch I’d like to equip myself with all the desirable traits expected from an ideal, dynamic and successful manager. Being humorous is one important element that a manager must have. It can not only attract employee’s attention but also avoid employees from falling asleep during worktime To sum up, friendly, humorous, and easy going manager are the first point that my dream organisation life must have, One of the most important things my dream organization should have is that the organization should be clear and unambiguous about its objectives. The organization should enable me to learn and grow more in my field and help me to climb the ladder of success in the corporate world. The best time of the day of a committed employee is spent in the office. Obviously it should provide a harmonious atmosphere where people work in complete harmony with each other. The secret of the success story of any organization lies in the way people work with a sense of belongingness and a spirit of togetherness. The colleagues in any business organization or corporate are more than a family because they spend maximum of time together. The organization should have well established lines of communication and the work and responsibilities of each worker should be well defined. Every individual should be well familiar with his/her responsibilities and should very well know to whom he/she is accountable to so that there are less conflicts. The organizational environment should be such that the workers are motivated to come up with new and creative ideas. And lastly the organization in which I dream to work should not only be working for profit motive but should also keep in mind the welfare and interest of the society and should also work or their well being.

Marketing and Mini Cooper Essay

Abstract My paper will be about how the MINI cooper has been worked on to continue to be reliable to the old customers and new customers. It has been around since the 1950’s and it looks like it will continue to be around. My paper will hit up information about explicit and implicit brand of communication for the MINI cooper. Levi’s positioning 1. How has BMW achieved continuity of brand message without alienating existing customers and encouraging new Mini purchasers? The Mini cooper is a very historical car. The original mini was designed in 1959 by Sir Alec Issagonis. Two years later the Mini took on a more racing and sporty model called the Mini Cooper, named after the racing expert John Cooper. Minis are known to be a smaller, sportier car with maximum interior space for the driver and passengers. In 2001, BMW managed to bring back the retro image of the Mini, while at the same time making it modernized, affordable and safe. The Mini continues to appeal to the younger audience and also the older audience. The company tries to retain an emotional association towards the product. With German engineering and British character, there was now a more European character to the new Mini. That is how is keeping its old customers. 2. What elements of the marketing communications mix have been used to build and/or maintain the Mini brand narrative? According to the book, the marketing communications mix is a subset of the marketing mix, both being the tools which deliver respectively communications and marketing strategies. It provides a mix of communication methods that blend to achieve a message. The marketing communication mix that have been used to build and maintain the Mini brand narrative has been using publicity stunts, advertisement all over the London and also using online communication. There have been many online advertisements that are created to catch attention and encourage website visitors. Use of press and outdoor billboards and posters has installed a since of excitement about the brand. 3. List the ‘explicit’ and ‘implicit’ elements of communication illustrated by the ‘It’s a Mini Adventure’ campaign. The explicit elements of communication illustrated by the â€Å"It’s a Mini Adventure’ campaign is featuring in the product in a music video. There had been many publicity stunts demonstrating spacious feature of the MINI. The implicit elements are illustrated in a serious of MINIs packaged as if they were toys viewed in shopping malls. It ensured high impact and generating a tremendous amount of consumer interest and word of mouth amongst potential buyers. References Dahlen M, Lange F, Smith T. (2010). Marketing Communications A Brand Narrative Approach. The marketing communication mix, (275-277)

A View of the Problems in Washington, D.C., Surrounding the Enforcement of Firearm Limitations

A View of the Problems in Washington, D.C., Surrounding the Enforcement of Firearm Limitations Challenges to local gun restrictions in Washington DC Introduction The district of Columbia law prohibits handgun possession by criminalizing carrying of unregistered firearm and barring the registration of handguns, the law gives a separate provision that an individual shall not carry an unlicensed firearm, however, the law permits the police chief to give 1year licenses, and it is a requirement for the residents to keep legally owned handguns dissembled and unloaded or bound by a trigger lock apparatus. The petitioner Heller, a special D.C police officer sought permission to register a firearm he wanted to keep at home, yet the District declined his application (Blocher, (2008). The petitioner filed this suit pursuing based on the Second Amendment grounds, to include Dc from implementing the ban on firearm registration, the licensing need at the moment bars possessing an unlicensed handgun at home, in addition to the trigger lock device as it disallows functional firearms use at home. The D.C circuit reversed the suit set aside by the District Cou rt holding the view that the Second Amendment gives a person protection to own handguns. More so, the circuit held that the city’s full ban on handguns, in addition to the city’s requisites that firearms held at home should always be dissembled or on trigger lock devices; denied an individual his right to defend himself/herself when in danger Majority opinion District of Columbia v. Heller (2007-2008) The Supreme Court held that the second amendment guarantees a person’s protection to own a firearm as long as the firearm is not related to use of unlawful deeds but for purposes of protection and self defense inside the home. According to the majority ruling delivered by Scalia J, the firearm and trigger-lock apparatus requirement (when applied to self-defense) violates the second amendment act. The entire ban on firearm possession at home by the District is tantamount to the illegalization of different class ownership of ‘arms’’ which Americans unilaterally choose for the legal purpose of self-protection. Under some of the normal scrutiny the court has used applications to enumerated constitutional rights, therefore the ban in the scenario where the value of legal defense of family, property, and self is paramount the ban would fail the constitutional rights agreed (Lee, 2009). Additionally, the need that for every legal firearm held at home the handgun must be dissembled or bound by trigger-lock device makes it absolutely impossible for citizens to use the lawfully held firearms for the primary lawful objective of self-defense and thus making the total ban unconstitutional. In this ruling the Supreme Court considered Heller’s oral acceptance that the District law is allowed when not capriciously or arbitrarily enforced, the bench assumes that a license shall meet his prayer for relief even though licensing need is never addressed. Therefore, assuming the petitioner is not barred from exercising the second amendment rights; the District should allow the petitioner to register his handgun and must provide Heller a license to carry within the home. Being aware of the challenge of firearm violence in the country, and taking seriously the prayers of those that believe the ban on handgun possession is a remedy. The constitution gives the city a range of tools for curbing the menace; this includes a number of measures regulating f irearms (Magarian,2009). A constitutional enshrined right certainly takes particular policy an option off the negotiating table. This option includes the total prohibition of handguns used and possessed for self-defense within the home. Indisputably a number is of the opinion that the second amendment is outdated in a community where the nation’s army is the pride of the nation, and was a very well-trained disciplined force give private security, and a society that gun violence is a menace. According to them, this is arguable; however, what is not arguable of course is this court making the second amendment defunct. Minority opinion District of Columbia v. Heller (2007-2008) The Supreme Court’s dissenting opinion holds that the ruling of giving a fresh constitutional right to possess and the usage of handguns for personal objectives defeats the foregone understanding, yet it provides an uphill task for future litigations seeking definitions for the scope of allowable procedures and regulations. Particularly, the dissenting judgment delivered by Stevens noted that there is no sign that the drafters of the amendment desired to include the common-law right of self –protection as an integral part of the constitution. The minority judge notes that the opinion announced by the court fails to find any new evidence giving support to the view that the amendment was meant congress power to minimize civilian use of weapons. Incapable to give any such findings, the announcement relies on an edgy and unimpressive understanding of the amendments context. With the assumption that majority of citizens are law steadfast, and given the reality that the desir e to protect oneself might suddenly emerge in number of locations other than within the home, the judge in his opinion fears that the city’s policy choice might as well be the first of unidentified number of dominoes to be removed off the table. Conclusion Even though the ruling, in this case, provides a short implication to the formulation of the second amendment, the court focuses at length on other four primary sources: Blackstone’s commentaries on England laws, the Seventeen century English Bill of rights, the post-civil war legislative history, and the post-enactment commentary on the second amendment. The above sources give the slight answer to the bigger question before the court, and thus, in any event, offer small support to the courts conclusion. The majority ruling thus expresses some elements of judicial restraint from the jury.

Macro & Micro economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Macro & Micro economics - Essay Example In the last quarter of 2012, growth rate in the economy was estimated to be 7.9% (BBC, 2013). However, immediately in the first three months of the current year (2013) the growth rate dropped notably. The government of China noticed this fluctuation early in 2013 and decided to take expansionary policies to pull up the growth rate. This paper aims at studying an article titled â€Å"China to continue ‘proactive fiscal, prudent monetary’ policy† written by Siwu and Zhi and published in Xinhuanet on March 5 2013. The article presents a report on the present growth rate of China and discusses the government’s policy prescription with regard to this growth situation in the country. At present annual growth rate of the country is 7.7% and the central bank has taken expansionary monetary policy to boost up economic activities in the country (BBC, 2013). The fiscal policies adopted by the government have also been discussed in the article. The discussion presented in this paper identifies the major causes that have affected the growth rate of the Chinese economy and comments on the policy adaptations of the government as discussed in the news article. The impact faced by the Chinese society on account of this economic slowdown has also received light in the scope of this discussion, alongside the discussion on the aggregate demand and supply in the economy. Aggregate demand in the Chinese economy has declined as a result of this declining growth rate. The government has focused on improving domestic demand conditions in order to boost up the economy. Discussion on the economic problem The growth momentum in the country has been showing a lack of vigour since the beginning of 2013. The measures of various economic variables in the country are indicative of a low performance level in the economy, which implies that there is no strong point of evidence that might show that the economy has any prospect for recovering soon. In 2013, estimate of t he growth rate of the economy has been 7.7% from January to March, while economists had forecasted that growth rates would reach 8%. In response to this economic situation the government of China has declared that it would sustain the â€Å"proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy† (Siwu and Zhi, 2013) throughout the year in 2013. Proactive monetary policies have been maintained by the Chinese government since the 2011, with the aim of bringing stability in the economy, to make the economic structure flexible for future improvements and more forward-looking and target-oriented. This would ensure steady economic growth. While bringing economic growth the government aims at keeping the price level in the economy stable and guard against the occurrence of any regional or systemic financial risk. The government has vowed to guide the financial institutions, to make them operate prudently, oversee the financial activities of the institutions and take account of the ri sks associated with off-balance sheet activities, so as to make the financial sector's more sustainable and capable of supporting long term economic development. Causes of the problem The article by Siwu and Zhi (2013) reflects that the government of China has been actively making policy prescriptions that are aimed at improving the economic conditions of the country. Further research on this issue reveals that growth of the Chinese economy has been highly dependent on its export sector. The major markets for Chinese exports are the USA and the European countries. The country mainly exports, garments, toys, accessories, other plastic products, machinery, transport equipments, rubber, metallurgical products, textile materials, chemical products, refined oil and crude oil, as well as food items (Peopledaily, 2001). China follows

Group Dynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Group Dynamics - Essay Example Additionally, particular reference will be paid to the Rofle reflection model theory. Within a group, the individual members always interact and continuously communicate to achieve a particular objective. The members of a group are connected by universal harmony and combined forces. Plasters, Sagull and Xiao (2003) cite that in most cases, the members of a particular group have matching abilities and rely on each other in a robust power-sharing and accountability framework. According to Duffy (2010), there are different domains in a group dynamic that emphasize on different types of teamwork skills. For example, the group dynamics in an operating room is different in some ways from that of the intensive care unit team due to the nature of work performance in the two areas. The two areas have different role team structures, time pressure, criticality, as well patient volume. Weaver et.al (2010) observes that medical care and practice is undeniably a team effort. Weaver et.al (2010) elaborates that different types of groups are important to all organizations; however, these groups should observe high standards of communication, cooperation and coordination. Well-coordinated teamwork especially in complex service areas such as the operation theater is associated with crucial patient outcomes like increased patient satisfaction while reducing nursing turnover (Machary et.al 2006). Furthermore, Weaver et.al (2010) asserts that effective teamwork is also linked with other positive outcomes such as job satisfaction and reduced stress level. Mosser and Begun (2013) are of the opinion that teamwork in the operating theater makes task performance faster because of the rapid interaction of individuals in the working the team. Subsequently, teams also enable the OR personnel to learn to provide high quality health care by working closely with each other. Within the healthcare set up, there exist four main types of

Understanding management accounting and financial management Assignment - 1

Understanding management accounting and financial management - Assignment Example Understanding management accounting and financial management The cash budget presents the activity of the company over the first 12 months of its operations and assesses how much cash it can generate while working in the due course of business. As it is apparent from the above computation that in the first month the company has negative cash flow as it is the policy of the company to sale goods on credit and majority of the creditor settles claims after the month of the sales. After the first few months, the cash flow of the company has changed from negative to positive and thus it continues to grow for the next months till December. In order to further increase it cash flows, the company should curtail its variable cost of production and should ensure that creditors are approached in order to award the company with discounts. Another method for ensuring that the company has healthy cash flow is that the company should ask the creditors for increasing the settlement period. By doing so, the company would have ample amount of cash available and thus it can invest it in the working capital. Good working capital is essential for better functionality of the business and the company can assess the working capital requirement by looking at its cash budget. For example, since the cash flow is negative in the first two months, the company needs to manage its working capital prudently in these two months so that they can finance the rest of the operations of the year easily. A budget is a financial and a quantitative statement prepared prior to a defined

British Prime Minister Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

British Prime Minister - Coursework Example 10, Downing Street, the present residence of British prime minister is naturally the centre of power in Britain. As one of the most powerful offices in the world even after the receding of imperial colonialism, office of the British Prime Minister has a unique position in the political world. Prime Ministerial office of Great Britain did not come into existence all of a sudden; but had been the result of a painful and lengthy democratic revolution. Democracy in Britain has shaped in a very different way from the other democratic States of the world, because British democracy has to assert itself under the domineering rule of British Monarchs. Starting from the days of Magna Carta, British parliamentary system evolved to reach the present political model. Britain never had a written constitution and instead, depends on covenants, political and historical traditions and precedents. Still it is considered to be the mother of all constitutions in the world and all her institutions are in their respective places. "There is no lack of statutory provisions regarding the various institutions of government, considered individually. What is lacking is a documentary and authoritative statement of the relations between these institutions," Birch (1990, -p.21). Not unnaturally democracies of the world are careful about their democratic legacies and more so Britain. The Prime Minister's office is full of constitutional checks and balances that are in place, so that an unscrupulous individual who might one day happen to occupy this exalted office, would not be able to misuse the power pattern in any way. Scepticism about politicians could be harmful to some extent, but it pays to be careful. "Unlike Civil servants, however, Prime Ministers are men who may be in a job one day and out the next. And so, having pursued power and seized it, they proceed to use and abuse it in order to dominate the Press in an apparently paranoid pursuance of survival," says Margach (1978, p.3). Some of the balances and checks that prevail on the office of British Prime Minister will be discussed here. SEPARATION OF POWERS Also called Trias Politica a term used by French political thinker Baron de Montesquieu, who lived during 18th century, the Age of Enlightenment, which is closely linked with the scientific revolution, emphasizing reason, science and rationality. Montesquieu was the originator of separation of powers, today used in all democratic states, as a check on powerful heads of states, so that the constitutional powers are not misused and the constitution itself is not usurped. Separation of power mainly works on three branches, legislature, judiciary and executive. The states are worried about the tyrannical and dictatorial rules because most of the states have come out of it to become democratic. After the Glorious Revolution when Britain became a constitutional monarchy, there was a lot of hesitation and nervousness in the air thinking that dictatorial tendency might return again. So, power of monarchy was drastically reduced to an unbelievable level to give most of it to the Prime Ministe r, Cabinet and Parliament. It was again realised that Prime Minister himself could become a dictator if checks and balances are not firmly in place and thus, the Separation of Power came into existence in Britain, though not as separation of powe

The Case Marbury V. Madison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Case Marbury V. Madison - Essay Example Thus, this historic case created the concept of Judicial Review or the capability of the Judiciary declaring a law unconstitutional. The court case hence resulted to the Judiciary, Legislative & Executive branches of the government is on an evener power basis ultimately setting the precedent for an infinite number of future historic decisions (Marbury versus Madison, 1803). On the last day in office, Adams the president commissioned sixteen new justices for the circuit court and forty-two peace justices for the Columbia district in his last day in office under the Organic Act, which was meant taking control of the Judiciary of the Federal government by the Federalists before Thomas Jefferson took office. The commissions were consequently signed by President John Adams & sealed by the then acting State Secretary, John Marshall (author of the opinion of this case) before he becomes the Court of Supreme Chief Justice. However, the commissions were not submitted before the end of John Adams’s term as the president of the U.S. resulting to rejection of the appointments by Thomas Jefferson who termed them as invalid on grounds that they were not submitted before the end of John Adams’s term as the president (Marbury versus Madison, 1803). Therefore, this prompted William Marbury one of the appointees filing a writ of mandamus before the Court of Supreme, which had original jurisdiction issuing writs of mandamus to any persons holding office or courts under the U.S. authority, to compel Madison, the Stare Secretary delivering the new appointments. However, supreme led by John Marshall rejected on grounds that the move was unconstitutional under some part of the Judiciary Act of 1789 (Marbury versus Madison, 1803). Â  

Consumer attitudes towards supermarkets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Consumer attitudes towards supermarkets - Essay Example They buy goods in bulk and they also sell items in bulk, as a result they are in the long run, able to offer fresh produce and larger quantities at lower prices. However, the supermarket also creates an impersonal atmosphere, where consumers do not enjoy any close interaction with the people from whom they buy their goods and this could possibly contribute to a negative attitude towards supermarkets. When combined with other aspects developing in the retail sector, such as e-commerce, this provides an indication that factors such as the lack of time or the desire to avoid close personal contact may be affecting consumer attitudes and preference for supermarkets. It also appears likely that the greater range of products available under one roof and the lower prices may also be affecting consumer attitudes towards shopping at supermarkets. The objective of this research study is to examine the growing prevalence of supermarkets and to examine consumer attitudes towards them. At the outset, the attempt would be to determine whether consumers have a predominantly positive or negative attitude towards them and then determine the reasons for such an attitude. In order to gain an understanding of consumer attitudes towards supermarkets, the researcher will apply the Fishbein Model to measure the affective component of a consumer’s response to supermarkets. The research question which is proposed to be examined is therefore: The evolution of the super market was therefore the result of economic considerations shaped as a result of urban growth and technological innovations. The phenomenon of mass production that characterized the industrial era spilled over into mass marketing as well. Earlier, bartering, wholesale buying and serving customer needs was all carried out within the premises of the small store. (Mayo, 1993:43), but a broader range of products with enhanced shopping

Answer three question from each chapter Assignment

Answer three question from each chapter - Assignment Example Slaves and their conditions, over the period of time improved and they enjoyed relatively better liberty as compared to others in terms of their working conditions as well as other benefits. 1) Over the period of time, the wars between British and France strengthened the relationship between the Americans and Britain. As a result of these wars, American traders got the opportunity to trade and expand their commercial base while at the same allowed Americans to basically gather against British forces too. The subsequent implementation of different laws such as Stamp Duty Act created enough resistance for the British forces in the region. Two of the most important terms of the peace of Paris were that the British recognized American independence and withdrew all the royal forces. Victories of the Clark as well as the Spanish victories against British forces gave much leverage to America to get as much as it can because Britain at that time had very little choice. One of the major problem which was not resolves was the fact that British forces returned East and West Florida to Spain whereas some of the terms of the treaty were ambiguous too thus leaving few things as

Organic Chemistry (Methamphetamine) Essay Example for Free

Organic Chemistry (Methamphetamine) Essay Methamphetamine was first synthesized from ephedrine in Japan in 1893 by chemist Nagai Nagayoshi. In 1919, crystallized methamphetamine was synthesized by Akira Ogata via reduction of ephedrine using red phosphorus and iodine. Synthesis is relatively simple, but entails risk with flammable and corrosive chemicals, particularly the solvents used in extraction and purification; therefore, illicit production is often discovered by fires and explosions caused by the improper handling of volatile or flammable solvents. Most of the necessary chemicals are readily available in household products or over-the-counter cold or allergy medicines. When illicitly produced, methamphetamine is commonly made by the reduction of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. The maximum conversion rate for ephedrine and pseudoephedrine is 92%, although typically, illicit methamphetamine laboratories convert at a rate of 50% to 75%. Methamphetamine has been reported to occur naturally in Acacia berlandieri, and possibly Acacia rigidula, trees that grow in West Texas. Methamphetamine and regular amphetamine were long thought to be strictly human-synthesized, but Acacia trees contain these and numerous other psychoactive compounds (e.g., mescaline, nicotine, dimethyltryptamine), and the related compound ÃŽ ²-phenethylamine is known to occur from numerous Acacia species. Diagrams Health Concerns Physical effects can include anorexia, hyperactivity, dilated pupils, flushing, restlessness, dry mouth, headache, tachycardia, bradycardia, tachypnea, hypertension, hypotension, hyperthermia, diaphoresis, diarrhea, constipation, blurred vision, dizziness, twitching, insomnia, numbness, palpitations, arrhythmias, tremors, dry and/or itchy skin, acne, pallor, and with chronic and/or high doses, convulsions, heart attack, stroke, and death can occur. Psychological effects can include euphoria, anxiety, increased libido, alertness, concentration, energy, self-esteem, self-confidence, sociability, irritability, aggression, psychosomatic disorders, psychomotor agitation, grandiosity, hallucinations, excessive feelings of power and invincibility, repetitive and obsessive behaviors, paranoia, and with chronic and/or high doses, amphetamine psychosis can occur. Methamphetamine use has a high association with depression and suicide as well as serious heart disease, amphetamine psychosis, anxiety and violent behaviours. Methamphetamine also has a very high addiction risk. Methamphetamine also is neurotoxic and is associated with an increased risk of parkinsons disease. Methamphetamine abuse can cause neurotoxicity which is believed to be responsible for causing persisting cognitive deficits, such as memory, impaired attention and executive function. Over 20 percent of people addicted to methamphetamine develop a long-lasting psychosis resembling schizophrenia after stopping methamphetamine which persists for longer than 6 months and is often treatment resistant. Meth labs can also be fatal seeing as they often blow up. This is usually due to amateur chemists operating them. They can also give off deadly fumes. Where It Is Commonly Found Methamphetamine is FDA approved for use in children and adults under the trademark name Desoxyn. A generic version became available in April, 2010. It is prescribed as a treatment for ADHD and exogenous obesity, as well as off-label for the treatment of narcolepsy and treatment-resistant depression. Physical Properties Formula C10H15N Mol. Mass 149.233g/mol Half-Life 9-12 hours Metabolism hepatic IUPAC Name N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine Structure Related To Function The structure of this molecule is very much related it’s function. It closely mimics another molecule which stimulates the brain. This molecule fits the receptor site and therefore acts as a stimulant. Functional Groups Methyl Amino Aromatic (Phenyl)

Marriages In Frankenstein Jane Eyre English Literature Essay

Marriages In Frankenstein Jane Eyre English Literature Essay Though feminists have long questioned the institution  of marriage by claiming that it has been a fundamental site of womens oppression, it is not until the 19th century that organized feminist movements began to emerge and feminist voices grew louder and stronger. Meanwhile, in the 19th century British literature, both some women writers and men writers began to focus on the well-being of women, their social position, and women and men relationship in their literary works; one of the crucial issues they are concerned with is the issue of marriage. This paper is dedicated to the analysis of marriages in three 19th century British novels-Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and The Odd Women in order to offer a general idea of the feminist progress in the 19th century Women in the 19th Century First of all, a general picture is given to showcase womens status in the institution of marriage through the 19th century Briton. As a whole, feminists have long criticized that marriages cast women as inferior by degrading women or constraining their appropriate options and ambitions  [2]  . Marriages reinforce the gendered division of labor, positioning women as domestic and less independent than men. Women were largely described as mentally inferior, irrational, passionate and emotional. It was considered that only marriage justifies their existence, that is, to provide companionship for  men, a cure or moral outlet for lust, a renewal of species  [3]  . As the inferior in the family, women were confined in the domestic sphere to take care of babies and do chores in the house. Though later in the 19th century, some women began to work in factories or as governess, what they did was some low level jobs, and women were paid much less than men (even when they did the same job). In the eyes of the law, women were treated as the second class citizen in society. Women did not exist as legal beings in their own right; in a marriage, women did not possess any property (anything a woman earned or inherited became her mans property, and her earnings were paid directly to him), and even the children belonged only to the husband; husbands legally had rights to beat their wives, provided the stick was not thicker than his thumb; even under the husbands violence, a woman had no rights to sue for divorce  [4]  . Through the 19th century, womens virtue was to be the Angle in the House who was expected to be devoted and submissive to her husband  [5]  . This name seems to redefine a womans role in a marriage, giving her glory and dignity. However, the so-called angel is more a yoke than a crown, because the Angel must be passive and powerless, meek, charming, graceful, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, pious, and above all-pure  [6]  . Under the requirement of being pure, womens sexuality must be repressed. Even in a marriage, the woman was not permitted to enjoy sexual pleasure, or she would be considered by both her husband and others as a whore. Women in the 19th century did not share equal rights with men, and the truth was disclosed and the cure was explored by some 19th century writers. On one hand, many women writers like Marry Shelly and Bronte sisters began to emerge. On the other, some men as well began to speak for the better-off of women, for example, Gorge Gissing. In Mary Shellys Frankenstein, Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre, and Gorge Gissings The Odd Women,  women and marriages were important and meaningful themes informing of the 19th century feminist awareness. In Frankenstein, Elizabeth was killed on her wedding night with Victor. Is her death inescapable? In Jane Eyre, why must Rochester be made imperfect to be together with Jane? In The Odd Women, does Rhodas refusal to Everard have other layers of meaning? The answers are related to what the woman character is like. Frankenstein: the Death of Obedient Women in a Patriarchal Institution The marriage between Victor and Elizabeth  is short and bloody. Their wedding room became a tomb for Elizabeth, for on the wedding night, the bride was killed by the monster, Victors own creation. Shelly seems to make the death of Elizabeth, to some degree, quite unreasonable.   How can victor fail to figure out the monsters intention to kill his lover after its numerous killings of his beloved ones- his bother, his sister, and his best friend? Isnt it obvious that the monster aims to make Victor suffer instead of kill him directly? Anyway, Shelly does not believe Elizabeth  can escape death. Elizabeth belongs to Victor since the day she was accepted in the family. She was a pretty present  [7]  that Victors mother gave him, and that, luckily, won Victors protection and love. As was said by Victor, since till death she was to be mine only  [8]  . However, Elizabeth brings hurt to Victor as well, for Victors most beloved mother died for nurturing the sick Elizabeth. Soon after his mothers death, Victor left for Ingolstadt. Though the death of Victors mother did not diminish his love for Elizabeth, it did lit dangerous fire in Victors heart-to make dead alive. The birth of Victors monster brings about the agony of Frankenstein family, including Elizabeth. During Victors struggle with the monster, Elizabeth became his sole soothe and comforts. Unfortunately, his final hope of happiness was destroyed due to Victors ignorance. Victor blamed the monster that had blinded him to his real intentions  [9]  . Anyway, it is Victor that had created the killer who finally d estroyed Elizabeth (does Victor unconsciously want Elizabeth dead?). The tragedy of Elizabeth and Victors marriage is doomed. Elizabeth is a perfect  lady of the day-pure, beautiful and willing to sacrifice for Victor. It is reasonable to believe that she would have been an Angel in the House if her  marriage with Victor had not been disturbed by the monster. Ironically, the monster is her mans creation.  In this sense, Elizabeths death embodies the womens sacrifice in a patriarchal marriage. As is known, Marry Shelly is the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft (author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman) who is considered to be one of the major figures of first wave feminism. Influenced by her mother, Shelly also highlights the inequalities between the sexes. In Frankenstein, as an embodiment of subservient women, Elizabeths death is inescapable. Jane Eyre: Pursuit of Gender Equality in a Marriage Jane and Rochester are from different classes. One is the master, while the other is a governess; one is rich,  while the other is poor. Rochester with his good blood and fortune is thought by the hierarchical system to deserve a beautiful and graceful lady like Ingram. Even though there is this huge gap between Jane and Rochester, Charlotte Bronte deliberately plotted a happy marriage between them which exhibits gender equality. To gain this gender equality, Jane must be subversive to social oppression on women, and meanwhile, Rochester has to reconcile himself to the demands of gender equality. Different from social and religious norms of women-to be obedient, Jane is a subversive woman. She is blessed by Charlotte Bronte with her wish of a woman, that is, to have minds and independence, and deserve a good man who cherishes a woman for her mind instead of outward beauty and material wealth and who regards her as an equal companion. All these blessings require Jane Eyre to be subversive against both class and gender inequalities in the contemporary society. Janes left from Rochester and her refusal to St John is her struggle to get away from being chained by gender inequalities. St John is a typical patriarchal man who also embodies the religious oppression on women. In his eyes, Janes virtue is to marry him and accompany him to fulfill his mission. He expects Jane to obey him, to satisfy him, and to please him, because he is in the name of Gods clergyman. However, this god refuses Jane to be like St John and to do the same things. What the god wants from Jane is to ask her to fulfill a wifes duty, and its church gives St John more power than Jane. Janes own identity is threatened in his realm. I felt daily more and more that I must disown half of my nature, stifle half my faculties, wrest my tastes from their original bent, force myself to the adoption of pursuit for which I had no natural vocation  [10]  . Janes refusal to St John is her struggle against outward oppression, while her left from Rochester is her struggle against her own weakness. Rochester and Jane see each other as soul mate. They determined to get married regardless of the gap between their statuses. However, Rochesters mad wife became an invincible obstacle that made their marriage impossible. Jane was confronted with two choices: to be Rochesters mistress, or to leave Rochester forever. Although Jane loves Rochester and would like to accompany him, she finally chose to leave Thornfield. Jane realized that there was still distance between Rochester and her. She is the paid subordinate who was less beautiful than Rochesters other mistresses. Moreover, she remembers Rochesters degradation of his other mistresses. Hiring a mistress is the next worse thing to buying a slave: both are often by nature, and always by position, inferior; to live familiarly with inferior is degrading  [11]  . Jane would prefer to earn thirty pounds a year as a governess than be hired as a mistress or brought as a slave. Jane rejected Rochester and left; this way , she could main mentally equal with Rochester. Charlotte believes Jane deserves to be together with Rochester, but their union can be possible only when Jane and Rochester are totally equal. To win this equality, the  stronger one shall be weakened, while the weaker one shall be made better. As it turned out, on their way to be together, Jane becomes stronger both in terms of her mind and economic power; while Rochester becomes less strong due to  the burn down of Thornfield and his loss of eyesight. The Odd Women: Willing to Be the Odd and New Women Rhoda in The Odd Women by Gorge Gissing is another subversive woman. Different from Jane, she finally refused marriage.  Rhodas refusal to marriage embodies a huge step that women take in protecting their rights. As was in the 19th century Briton, the unmarried women were considered odd which means abnormal, strange and eccentric  [12]  . Being odd is marked with radical and agony by the patriarchal society. In The Odd Women, Rhoda does not believe Everard (or any other man) can give her an independent and free life after marriage. Her determination to refuse marriage is made gradually. At first, Rhoda thought she had chosen the single life for a life time with conviction. She scorns marriage as well as those weak women who regard marriage and men as indispensable. However, Rhoda, in some part of her heart, still is weak. After she and Everard fell in love, she forced Everard to propose to her. Rhodas decision to refuse marriage is eventually consolidated after her witness of M onicas experience. Monica, afraid of being odd and poor, married Widdowson. Soon after their marriage, Widdowson was overwhelmed with jealousy and possessiveness which symbol the stifling patriarchal values, and Monica fell in love with another man which embodies womens failed flee. Their marriage ended in Monicas death for childbirth. After Monicas death, Rhoda eventually made her determination to refuse Everard. Rhoda, after her refusal of Everard, with Miss Barfoot belongs to the new women who are willing to be odd. They ignore the spell of being odd, and work to alleviate the social plight in which women find themselves by training them to be fit for positions  [13]  . Gorge Gissing, like Charlotte Bronte, also gives the feminism blessings. The end of marriages (Monica and Widdowson, Rhoda and Everard), the new born girl in Rhodas arm, and the flourishing of Miss Barfoots work (like a green bay-tree) promise the bright future of the new women like Rhoda and Miss Barfoot. To sum up the above mentioned marriages in the novels, through the death of Elizabeth in her marriage with Victor, Shelly highlights the sacrifice of the obedient women in the patriarchal institution of marriage; Jane Eyres marriage with Rochester shows her pursuit of gender equality; Rhoda Nunns refusal to marry Everard marks the emergence of the new women. Charlotte Bronte and Gorge Gissing conveyed their support of feminist awakening by describing subversive characters in their novels. Overall, the 19th century British literature exhibits the contemporary feminist voices, that is, women are awaking and asking for greater freedoms, more social opportunities, and equal status with men. Citations: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, Ltd. 1937. David, Deirdre. Ideologies of Patriarchy, Feminism, and Fiction in The Odd Women'. Feminist Studies, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Spring, 1984), p 117. Lesser, Wendy. Even-Handed Oddness: George Gissings The Odd Women . The Hudson Review. Vol. 37, No. 2 (Summer, 1984), pp. 211. Nadelhaft, Jerome. The English Womans Sexual Civil War: Feminisn Attitudes Towards Men, Women, and Marriage 1650-1740. Journal of the History of Ideas. Vol. 43, No 4 (Oct. Dec., 1982). Shelly, Mary. Frankenstein. London: Penguin Books. 1978.

Impact of Urban Living on Biodiversity and Ecosystems

Impact of Urban Living on Biodiversity and Ecosystems It is estimated that almost more than one half of the worlds population is presently living in urban areas (Sakieh et al. 2016; Weigi et al. 2014). In many parts of the world, increasing urban lands has caused changing land use and land cover (LULC) (Wu 2014). Biodiversity, ecosystem processes and functions and human habitants in an urban environment are influenced by the speed and spatiotemporal pattern of urbanization (Wu et al. 2011; Asgarian et al. 2015; Sangani et al. 2015; Wu 2014; Jaafari et al. 2015). Landscape beauty is being affected by LULC changes and urbanization has led to the destruction of aesthetic values in many parts of the world. Scenic landscapes, as one of the ecosystem services, are elements of the environment with the potential for human enjoyment and in some cases they are considered as valuable parameters for nature conservation and management (Bishop and Hulse 1994). The landscape is continually changing due to human activities but its aesthetics usually su ffers from poor quantification and inclusion in management plans. According to Naveh (1995), scenic landscapes are products of interactivity between humans and natural systems where natural landscapes become inhabited, influenced or altered by mutual relationships between ecological and socioeconomic processes. Such interrelated feedbacks can lead to physical modifications of the environment that ultimately can be seen, so landscape aesthetic assessment seem to be essential in land use planning. Understanding, analysis, monitoring and modeling of urban growth is crucial for the management of current urban systems as well as for the planning of future growth (Zhou et al. 2014). Geospatial predictive models and change detection methods can provide a further level of understanding of the causes and impacts of urban growth mechanisms (Sakieh et al. 2014a). In the process of decision making, land managers need to examine the consequences of the urban development process. Regarding the progress in computing power, easy access to spatial data sets and development of functional computer-based models, now there is a possibility in which land use managers and decision makers can evaluate the outcome of their decisions under different alternatives and at the minimum possible cost (Sakieh et al. 2014b). Inclusion of new methodologies such as spatial multi-criteria evaluation (SMCE) can further improve representation and modelling of urban growth patterns, which finally provide spatial d ecision support systems (SDSS) for better planning and management of urban areas (Dai et al. 2001; Jie et al. 2010; Youssef et al. 2011; Xu et al. 2011; Pourebrahim et al. 2011; Yuechen et al. 2011; Bagheri et al. 2013; Bathrellos et al. 2012; Sheng et al. 2012; Jeong et al. 2013, Sakieh et al. 2014b). Since 2000, there have been noticeable efforts for developing microsimulation LULC change methods such as cellular automata (CA) and agent-based models (Goodarzi et al.2016). CA-based models have a natural compatibility to raster geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) data and are appropriate for detail resolution modeling and simulating dynamic spatial processes (Sullivan and Torrens 2000). In recent years, there have been developed some CA-based models such as SLEUTH (Slope, Landuse, Exclusion, Urban, Transportation, and Hillshade) (Clarke et al. 1997), CLUE-S (the Conversion of Land Use and its Effects at Small regional extent) (Verburg et al. 2002), iCity (Stevens et al. 2007) and DINAMICA (Soares-Filho et al. 2002). Compared with the above mentioned spatial models, the SLEUTH model requires fewer input layers and also offers various alternatives for future urban growth prediction (Norman et al. 2012). These characteristics of SLEUTH model have made it as one of the most-implemented and popular methods for land use simulation at different scales (e.g. regional, national, and even binational) (Maithani 2010; Norman et al. 2012; Chaudhuri and Clarke 2013). However, there are a number of limitations with SLEUTH. The first of these is that it is computationally expensive. It requires a high number of model runs using a multi-stage calibration process to narrow down the coefficient value for each input parameter (Goldstein 2003). The second drawback is related to non-linearity of the model for the combination of the coefficients. The Brute Force method[1] which is used in this paper for calibrating the SLEUTH can fall in local maxima and may miss the better coefficient set (Goldstein 2003, Jafarnejad et al. 2015). Urban expansion is a complicated event which mainly occurs because of increasing population and the need for more construction. Consequently, vast lands of valuable ecosystems such as agricultural lands, forests and pastures are consumed and converted to urban areas (Sakieh et al. 2014b). Therefore it is essential to understand and recognize this process in order to implement effective management and avoid reducing the aesthetic value of landscapes. To achieve this goal, areas with high aesthetic value should be recognized at the first step. In this regard, there are various approaches to determine the aesthetic impacts on different areas of the city including expert-based methods such as Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE), statistical approaches such Logistic Regression (LR) and Artificial Intelligence-based methods such as Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) Neural Networks (Riveira and Maseda 2006). These methods are repeatedly being implemented for suitability mapping of utilities such as urbanization (Pijanowski et al. 2002; Hu and Lo 2007; Pao 2008; Mahiny and Clarke 2012; Sakieh et al. 2015), environmental conservation (Singh and Kushwaha 2011; Mehri et al. 2014; Sakieh et al. 2015) and agricultural activities (Mozumder and Tripathi 2014; Bodaghabadi et al. 2015) but are less implemented for mapping aesthetic values. The MLP neural network approach has a remarkable ability to derive meaning from complicated or imprecise data and detect trends that are too complex for either humans or other computer techniques. MLP is a more accurate modelling method compared to the others (Saeidi and Salmanmahiny 2014) and has been used in this research. Accordingly, creating a suitable model to predict the landscape scenic value could provide a basis for explicit, quick and accurate integration of aesthetic evaluation into land-use planning efforts. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the landscape aesthetic suitability and predict the spatial patterns of u rbanized lands in an effort to preserve landscapes of high aesthetic value. The following section describes how a directed modeling framework can be employed to introduce urban growth scenarios with regarding landscape aesthetic suitability, and finally to develop a city without considerable impact on its aesthetic suitability. Materials and methods Study area Gorgan is one of the cities in the northeast of Iran and the capital of Golestan province, located in 36 °, 49 ´ N and 54 °, 24 ´ E (Fig. 1). Gorgan has a mild and humid climate though summers are very hot and humid. The regional topography is very diverse and includes mountains, forests and grasslands, steppes and plains, desert and barren, rivers, wetlands and agricultural lands. Lush Hyrcanian temperate forests are located in the south, while flat areas with farmlands and rangelands make the main structure of the landscape in the north part of the case study. the region is also a destination for about two millions of tourists each year because of its aesthetic values and touristic environment, (Mehrnews 2015).Regarding the nomination of the area as a new province of Iran, rapid population growth has occurred that caused the increasing of built-up surfaces and consequently has made a series of conflicts between land developers and conservation agencies. These disagreements emphasise the importance of LULC planning in this area (Sakieh et al. 2016 b). Figure (1) Scenario based urban growth modelling In this research the SLEUTH cellular automata urban growth model was used to predict dynamics of Gorgan City developing under three different scenarios including historical, managed and aesthetically sound urban growth up to year 2030. The Historical Urban Growth (HUG) scenario assumes that the present pattern of urban growth will be maintained in the future. At the Managed Urban Growth (MUG) scenario, we tried to dictate an infill form of urban development with the aim of protecting the immediate environment of the city against urbanization. In the Aesthetically sound Urban Growth (AUG) scenario, an aesthetic suitability layer was used as the extra excluded layer in SLEUTH model to protect patches of high scenic value. Fig. 2 depicts a research flowchart of the study. The procedure for determining the aesthetic suitability map which was used as the excluded layer is explained in the following section. Figure (2) Aesthetic suitability mapping using MLP MLP is a feed forward artificial neural network model that maps different sets of input data toward a set of applicable and meaningful outputs (Rumelhart 1986). In a feed forward neural network, the information moves only in forward direction, from the input nodes, over the hidden nodes and to the output nodes. A node is considered to be a connection point that can receive, create, store or send data along distributed network routes (Ciresan et al. 2012). Exclusive of the input nodes, each node is a neuron or processing element with a nonlinear transfer function (Fig. 3). There are no cycles or loops in the network. MLP utilizes a supervised learning technique called back propagation for training the network (Rosenblatt et al. 1961; Rumelhart 1986). Learning process conducts in the perceptron by changing the connection weights after the processing of each part of data. Figure (3) Back propagation includes two main stages, forward and backward propagation, to achieve its modification of the neural status. During model training, each sample (e.g. a feature vector related to a single pixel) is entered into the input layer and the receiving node sums the weighted signals from all nodes to which it is connected in the former layer. In this regard, the input to a single node is weighted based on the following equation: Eq. (1) given: wij indicates the weight between node i and node j and o is the output from node i. The result from a given node is j is then computed from: Eq. (2) Function f is often a non-linear sigmoidal transformation that is used to weight the sum of inputs before it sends a signal to the next node. When the forward pass is finished, the performance of the resultant nodes are compared with their corresponding expected values. When a pattern is given to the network, each output node will differ from the preferred results, the difference is linked to the error in the network as well. This error is then propagated backward with weights for corresponding connections modified using a relation known as the delta rule: Eq. (3) Given: ÃŽÂ · is the learning rate of the model; ÃŽÂ ´ is the computed error; and ÃŽÂ ± is the momentum factor. This factor intends to avoid oscillation problems during the search for the minimum value on the error surface and is used to speed up the convergence procedure (Richards et al. 1999). The forward and backward passes continue until the network is properly trained for the characteristics of the targeted utility which in this research is the scenic beauty. Model training is aimed to retrieve the correct weights both for the connections between the input and hidden layers, and between the hidden and the output layer for the categorization of the unknown pixels. The input pattern is categorized to a class that possesses the node with the greatest activation level. The two training elements, automatic training and dynamic, can be employed to automatically execute the MLP. If one or both are used, the training procedure automatically restarts when the algorithm is highly oscillated or become trapped in a local minimum error surface. For each automatic restart of the model training procedure, one of the following items occurs to either learning rate or the sample used in the training procedure, or both. If only automatic training is selected and the first occurrence that the training procedure restarts, the starting weights are randomized. Through the next restarts, the weights are randomized and the learning rate is halved. If both automatic training and dynamic learning rate are chosen and the training restarts automatically, new samples are selected, the weights are randomized, and the learning rate splits in half. If only dynamic rate is chosen, and the learning rate is progressively lowered based on the number of iterations assigned and the start and end learning rates. For instance, if 10,000 iterations are specified and the model is configured with start rate of 0.1 and end rate of 0.001, it will divide 0.009 by 10,000 and lower the learning rate by the result at each iteration (Civco 1993). The acceptable error rate is related to the learning of the network and it is assessed based on the Root Mean Square (RMS error). Lower values of RMS error and higher values of total r2 shows the better fit of model. The MLP algorithm can produce both a hard and soft classifier. The hard classification output generates a discrete layer in which each cell belongs to a definitive category. Activation level maps, however, unlike the output of the hard classifier, are a series of images depicting a degree of membership for each pixel to each possible category. The output is set of images (one per class). Unlike the probability map, the sum of values for any location will not necessarily sum to 1. This is because the results from the neural network are acquired through standardizing the signal values in the range of 0-1 with the activation equation. Larger values imply a higher membership degree of the membership belonging to that corresponding category. The computation of the hard classification result is on the basis of the activation level maps. Data used for aesthetic suitability modelling through MLP method In the MLP analysis of the targeted area, multiple of factors were considered as input layers. Due to the characteristics of Gorgan City, a set of urban and natural criteria was used to model its landscape aesthetic values. These criteria were outlined during previous studies performed in our research area included gardens and agricultural lands (Othman et al, 2015; Mobargheie and Torbati 2014), tree type diversity, vegetation density (Aminzadeh et al, 2014; Weiqi et al, 2014; Chen et al, 2014; Kremer et al, 2016; Martina et al, 2016), topographic diversity (Arrowsmith 2001), buildings height and density (Weiqi et al. 2014; Chen et al. 2014), forest and urban parks (Ayad 2005; Weiqi et al. 2014), ancient sites and squares, refuges and boulevards (Bahrainy 1999; Aminzadeh et al. 2014). The GIS layers of gardens and agricultural lands, parks, squares, boulevards and refuges were obtained from the land use map maintained by the Gorgan municipality. The values of cells within these layers, together with ancient sites, were standardized using a user-defined function and based on the experts opinions. Whereas the relationship between the map value and fuzzy membership did not follow a certain function (e.g. linear, J-shaped or Sigmoidal), the user-defined function was the most applicable function and the user could reclass the map in the standard range. The ancient sites layer was obtained from Department of Cultural Heritage, Crafts and Tourism of Golestan province. The tree type for the study area consisted of six categories of tree communities (scale 1:25,000). Pattern analysis (with window size of 3 ÃÆ'- 3 pixels = 8100 m2) was applied as a filter to count the number of various classes inner a square vicinity of the central cell. Those pixels with three or more different categories in their vicinity were chosen to represent the diversity of a given location for its tree types. By using a Landsat TM image for the study area for 2012, vegetation density was calculated using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) formula: Eq (4) NDVI is a widely used graphical indicator that can be used for detecting vegetative land cover. This index can be calculated based on red and near-infra-red (Xred, Xnir) spectral bands of Landsat image as equation 4 (McFeeters 1996). The layer was standardized using a symmetrical linear function having inflection values as: a=2879, b=5795, c=7595 and d=9545 (Fig. 4). Figure.(4) As the graph shows, by increasing the vegetation density (that is increasing NDVI values) to the point b, scenic value of landscape increases, then in a specific area remains constant (point c) then over increasing of the vegetation density due to restrictions in visibility detracts from scenic value of landscape. The building height and density layer was produced using the current status map of building density provided by the Gorgan municipality. Using a monotonically decreasing linear function in order to determine classification, this layer was standardized. The landscape aesthetic value was therefore decreased by increasing the building height and density, due to the viewshed being blocked. In the spatial input factors, a topographic diversity layer was also included. To determine this layer, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the research area was acquired from National Cartographic Centre of Iran. A surface shape categorisation was performed on a DEM layer, which consisted of multiple topographic features: peak, flat, ravine, pit, ridge, saddle, slope hillside, saddle hillside, convex hillside, concave hillside and inflection hillside. The categorized layer was then analysed using a mode filter (window size of 3 ÃÆ'- 3 pixels) to specify a new score to the central cell based on most frequent values within the window. Then, a filter size of 7 ÃÆ'- 7 pixels was used to count the number of various categories within the neighbourhood of a central pixel to achieve the final map. This layer demonstrates the most diversified locations in terms of topographic features. The layer was standardized using a monotonically increasing linear function, whereby categories with highe r diversity got the higher score in the standardised value. Fig. 5 portrays factor layers used for aesthetic suitability mapping in this study. Figure (5) After preparing required inputs, the MLP model was configured according to the following data: Input variables: number of input variables = 8 (standardized factor maps) Input specifications: training points file = a raster map of 164 points, which retains the location of 164 attractive (99) and non-attractive (65) spots | maximum training pixels used = 200 | maximum testing pixels used = 200 Network topology: input layer nodes: 8 (equals to the number of input data) | output layer nodes = 1 (continuous surface of aesthetic suitability) | hidden layers =1 | hidden layer nodes = 16 Training parameters: the dynamic learning rate was employed | start learning rate = 0.01 | end learning rate = 0.001 | Momentum factor = 0. 5 | sigmoid constant a = 1.0 Stopping criteria: root mean square (RMS) error = 0.01 | iterations = 10,000 Output function = sigmoidal Once the model was trained, its performance was evaluated by plotting training RMS versus testing RMS during 10,000 model iterations. Lower values for testing error during iterations indicates proper training of the model, and therefore, it can be used to produce aesthetic suitability surface. Data processing for SLEUTH modeling For the SLEUTH modeling undertaken in this study, four urban extent years depicting the distribution of manmade features over time, two layers of the transportation network for two different time periods, one excluded aesthetics layer from urbanization, slope and hillshade layers were used. These input data layers were prepared by the integrated application of geographic information systems and remote sensing. As a model requirement, all binary urban/non-urban layers were stretched linearly and converted into a GIF format. The urban and transportation layers were created based on Landsat MSS and TM images for the years 1987, 1992, 2000 and 2010. These were then used to predict the expansion of Gorgan in 2030. Using a 30-m digital elevation model (DEM), slope percent and hillshade layers were derived. For the first and second modeled scenarios, hydrographical networks (rivers, dams and wetlands), dense forests and roads were used as excluded layers from urban growth. For the third sce nario, the aesthetic layer was added as an exclusory layer. These are shown in Fig. 6. Figure (6) Model calibration SLEUTH is a CA-based model in which five coefficients (diffusion, breed, spread, slope and road gravity) control four types of growth rules including new spreading center growth, spontaneous growth, edge growth and road gravity growth (Jantz et al. 2014). In addition, the straightforward calibration method applied by SLEUTH makes it adaptable to any particular geographic area over time (Clarke et al. 1996). In order to show the relative importance, each coefficient has a dimensionless value ranging between 0 (least important) to 100 (most important). During the calibration process, the form of urban expansion was detected via the four growth rules. The prediction of the model was based on the best range of refined coefficients derived from the calibration step. Table (1) shows the relationships between growth types and growth coefficients. Table (1) The main assumption of the SLEUTH model is based on the inherent pattern of urban dynamics whereby the city will witness the same growth in the future based on its historical trend in the past (Clarke et al. 1997). During the calibration process, the model seeks to derive the best range for each coefficient to enable better simulation based on local historical data (Silva and Clarke 2002). SLEUTH model benefits from a stochastic computation algorithm known as the Monte Carlo method. The model utilizes Monte Carlo iterations stochastically to generate multiple simulations of urban growth so parameters are standardized in a range between 0 and 100. These inputs reflect the relative contribution of each parameter to the dynamics of urban growth in the study area (Sakieh et al. 2014b). Finally, by using the best set of derived coefficients from three steps (coarse, fine and final) of calibration, the model was executed for the simulation of the historical data set. The number of Monte Ca rlo iterations support the robustness of final coefficients to run the prediction part of the model (Candau 2002; Jantz et al. 2004; Sakieh et al. 2014b). For the coarse calibration step, the default parameter values from the sample calibration scenario were employed. Five Monte Carlo iterations were specified for the coarse calibration phase, and growth parameters were set at their widest range of 0 25 100 as START, STEP and STOP values, respectively. A goodness of fit metric, known as the Optimal SLEUTH Metric (OSM) will provide the most robust results for SLEUTH calibration. The OSM is the product of the compare, population, edges, clusters, slope, X-mean, and Y-mean metrics (Dietzel and Clarke 2007). These seven metrics range between 0 and 1 and are multiplied together to calculate the OSM. The iterations are then sorted based on this metric and the best ranges of performing coefficients are chosen for the subsequent calibration stage. Applying the OSM metrics of the best perf orming iterations, the five multipliers were refined and reduced for use in the fine calibration step. The fine calibration step was executed through full resolution input layers in eight Monte Carlo iterations. Based on OSM values, the ranges for the five growth parameters in SLEUTH were further narrowed for the final phase of the calibration mode, which used 10 Monte Carlo iterations. Finally, the ranges for averaging values of the five coefficients of urban development in SLEUTH were set and the averaging was run for 100 Monte Carlo iterations. Model prediction After the calibration and performance validation of the model, the prediction step was executed using the entire data coverage and 100 Monte Carlo iterations. Prediction of the model was based on the initial seed year of the current urban pattern, using those refined values of coefficients. The output of the SLEUTH model is a continues surface in which each cell has a probability value to become an urbanized space in the future. This map is produced for every year including the first year (1987) to the last year (2030). There are three different methods used to simulate the expansion of urban area under different scenarios in the SLEUTH model. In the first method, best-à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ t multipliers derived from the calibration phases can be altered (Leao et al. 2004; Rafiee et al. 2009) and consequently the growth rules will change. In the second method, the excluded layer is weighted through a continuous range of resistance values against urbanization to show that even cells within the excluded layer have the potential to be urbanized under different probabilities (Oguz et al. 2007; Jantz et al. 2010; Mahiny and Clarke 2012, 2013). In the third method, the constraints of self-organization can be modià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ed (Yang and Lo 2003; Xi et al. 2009). In this study, the first and the second methods were applied for two scenarios. The coefficients were altered in the MUG and AUG scenarios and an aesthetic suitability map of the study area was also used as an extra excluded layer in the AUG scenario. In th is case, the historical trend of the urban growth and two different scenarios were forecasted (Table 2). The adopted scenarios in this study used additional information regarding the study area and its development in the past. In addition, it was acknowledged that land use plans are mostly controlled by master plans for cities derived from regional land use planning (Makhdoum 2001; Dezhkam et al. 2014). The adopted scenarios were set up according to assumptions of uncontrolled and controlled growth, which allows decision makers to construct a quantitative comparative basis for evaluation of different growth alternatives. After calibration of the model, scenarios were introduced to model urban growth to the year 2030 by using two methods of parameter modification and the inclusion of the hydrology, dense forest and transportation exclusion layers in the first two scenarios as well as aesthetic exclusion layers in the third scenario. Table (2) The first scenario assumed that the present pattern of urban growth will be maintained in the future, and therefore, the originally derived parameters were used. The first exclusion layer including hydrographical networks, dense forests and roads were used for this. The prediction was conducted by means of the same resolution data and 100 Monte Carlos iterations. The second scenario used the same exclusion layer as the HUG scenario, but spread and breed coefficients were reduced (from 30 and 59 to 20 and 40 respectively) to dictate an infill urban development with the aim of protecting the immediate environment of the city against urbanization. The slope resistance coefficient was decreased to one-half of its original value, to reflect the current status of urbanization in Gorgan City which shows increasing development on steeper slopes. The third scenario (AUG) used the same coefficient values as those used for the MUG simulation, but the aesthetic suitability layer was used as an extra excluded layer to protect areas of high aesthetic value. The output from the SLEUTH model is a probability map, which shows the probability of each single pixel becoming urbanized. In order to produce a clear map that indicates future urbanized areas, a 90 % value was taken as a threshold to depict those cells which were considered most probable ones to become urbanized by 2030. [1] Brute Force refers to any of several problem-solving methods involving the evaluation of multiple possible answers (urban growth patterns) for model fitness.

Diabetes Essay -- essays research papers

There are two types of diabetes: diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes insipidus is a rare metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of the pituitary hormone, which is usually the result of damage to the pituitary gland. Diabetes insipidus is characterized by enormous amounts of urine that are produced by the body regardless of how much liquid is consumed. Diabetes mellitus results from the production of insufficient amounts of insulin by the pancreas. Without insulin the body cannot utilize glucose, thus creating a high level of glucose in the blood and a low level of glucose absorption by the tissues. Diabetes mellitus is generally divided into two categories: type I called insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes and type II in which the onset of the diabetes occurs during adulthood. The symptoms of the type I diabetic include irritability, frequent urination, abnormal thirst, nausea or vomiting, weakness, fatigue, and unusual hunger. This type of diabetes occurs mostly in children or young adults. The type I diabetic may have an insulin reaction in an instant, seeming perfectly normal one second and becoming unconscious the next. The early warning signs of this type of reaction are hunger, dizziness, sweating, confusion, palpitation, and numbness or tingling of the lips. If left untreated, the insulin-dependent diabetic may also experience double vision, trembling, and disorientation, may perform strange actions, and may eventually lose consciousness. While experiencing any one of these symptoms, quick consumption of a piece of candy, some soda pop, or anything else that contains sugar will bring blood sugar levels back to normal.Recovery is more difficult for the diabetic whose insulin reaction is left untreated for a long period of time. An insulin reaction producing low blood sugar can be life threatening. Therefore, it is safer to "spill" small amounts of urine sugar when taking insulin.The second type of diabetes, often referred to as maturity-onset diabetes, is likely to occur in those with a family history of diabetes and is characterized by blurred vision, itching, unusual thirst, drowsiness, obesity, fatigue, skin infections, slow healing, and tingling or numbness in the feet. Onset of symptoms is usually later in life.Diet often controls this type and insulin is not usually required. Obesity is a major factor in type I... ...esults in an elevation of blood sugar. It is important to get protein from a vegetable source. CONSIDERATIONSDo not take large doses of cysteine. It has the ability to break down the bonds of the hormone insulin. Be careful not to take extremely large doses of vitamins B1 and C. Excessive amounts may inactivate insulin. They may, however, be taken in normal amounts. Type II diabetics should avoid large amounts of niacin, but niacinamide for type I diabetics slows down destruction of beta cells in the pancreas and enhances their regeneration, extending the remission time. The statements and products in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATIONFor more information on diabetes, contact the following organizations:<font size="1">American Diabetes Association1660 Duke StreetAlexandria, VA 22314(703) 549-1500International Diabetes Center5000 W. 39th StreetMinneapolis, MI 55416(612) 927-3393Joslin Diabetes FoundationOne Joslin PlaceBoston, MA 02215617) 732-2415Juvenile Diabetes Foundation60 Madison AvenueNew York, NY 10010-1550(212) 889-7575

Marxism and Economic Theory :: Economy Economic Papers

Marxism and Economic Theory Human relationships have always been dynamic. Change and adaptability have gone hand in hand with the passage of time for human society. Systems have been developed to regulate, direct and control the resources of this society. The systems are referred to as governments and the resources as the populace or inhabitants and forces of production. A government must be dynamic in its nature reflecting the change in society. At times these systems have resisted the necessity to adapt with its components (Society) creating a deficit between the system and those it regulates. As the deficits develop, they cause instability, and could lead to revolution.1 Theories have been developed to explain the systemic phenomenon called revolution. This paper will discuss three modern theories and apply them to the English revolution of 1640. The first theory, developed by Carl Marx (Marxism), will address the economic evolution in English society. This theory will emphasize and explain how the shift from a feudal/mercantile system to capitalism affected English society. The second, called the Resource Mobilization Theory (RMT) developed by Charles Tilly, will explain how the English organizations (the Crown and the Parliament) effectively obtained, amassed and managed resources. Samuel Huntington's, "Institutional Theory", will argue that the existing government at that time was unable to incorporate the demands and personnel that the socio-economic changes created. Marxism was formulated in the 19th century. Carl Marx and his associate Frederick Engels observed the socio-economic changes that were transpiring in Britain. England was the dominant world power and had the largest industrialized economy during the 1800's. The development of the factory and the institution of the assembly line created a large demand for workers.

An Analysis of Gullivers Travels :: Gullivers Travels Essays

An Analysis of Gulliver's Travels    When I first started reading the book I thought its only purpose was to talk about the political system in England. But after some pages I found that there could be a deeper message concealed, between the lines somewhere. The book is divided into four minor novels. The first is about the Lilliputian's the second about Gulliver visits the giants, the third about the flying island and last about Gullivers travels to the land of Houyhnhmland.    In the first book Gulliver gets shipwrecked and ends up on the island Lilliput were some inhabitans of the island finds him and ties him to the ground. The king hears of the news and sends the army to stop the giant from escaping. Gulliver is then taken to the king's castle were he is searched fore weapons or other dangerous items. The Lilliputians are divided into two tribes. One is holding Gulliver and the other lives on the second island which is separated from the first by a canal (resembles of England and France) . Gulliver is at the littlenders and the enemy is the bigenders which live on the island   of Blefuscu. Gulliver helps the Littlenders to defeat the bigenders. In this book Swift emphasises the stupidity in the war between England and France and also every war which starts over a stupid reason, he also points out the meaningless in courtlife were they do nothing but waste the states money.    At he lilliputians he builds a raft which he uses to sail back to England. But instead he finds himself shipwrecked and washed upon the shores of Brumbidang or the giants land. there   he was found by a farmer whom handed him over into his daughters care. The farmer uses Gulliver for finical reasons and shows him up as a side-showfreak at all the inns in the land. In the giants land there are no classdeffirences this is something that probably Swift wanted to introduce to the British system.    In this book Swift also attacks the British political and justice system with no mercy, He also emphasises the meaningless of having an standing army in peace.    In the third book Gulliver gets picked up by men of the flying island of Laputa.    There everyone is striving to improve their environment in any way possible

Economics case study Essay

(a) Explain whether health care is a private , merit or public care (b) Is health care a free good? Explain your answer (c) Does the quote from the doctor suggest that the market for healthcare is in equilibrium? Again explain your answer (d) Compare the effects of an improvement in the quality of product provided by the NHS and that provided by a private health care company (e) Explain 2 meanings of the word ‘efficiency’ (f) What is likely to happen to private sector firms which are not efficient? (g) In which market structure is information about best practice likely to be most freely available (h) Discuss the private and external benefits of health care. a) A public good is a good that is a benefit to society and is provided free of cost to society, usually by the government running the country. Theses goods are not provided by private companies and firms as they do not render profit, which thus leads to a market failure due to a lack of provision of public/merit goods. Examples for such goods are roads, streetlights, education, public libraries etc. NHS (National Health Service) is a public good and government organization. It is a service that is ‘free at the point of delivery’ because society pays for it indirectly through taxes. The NHS provides free healthcare to society, this is especially beneficial for the low income group sector of society thus making it a public good. The demand for this service is high, as healthcare is very expensive in the private sector. As the law of demand states that when the prices increase demand decreases. Here there is no actual price for the service thus the demand must be high. But sometimes this high demand creates a problem as the supply cannot be met; public goods are goods that do not render profits. And thus these organizations are run by government spending and may not really be updated with the best quality as they have a limit in their budgets. They do not have the quality of being efficient as they do not make profits from their services. b) A free good is good that is not scarce, has a zero market price and do not have any opportunity costs when consumed. The key word is opportunity cost. (***Free good is a term used in economics to describe a good that is not scarce. A free good is available in as great a quantity as desired with zero opportunity cost to society.) Opportunity cost is the cost of forgoing one opportunity for another. For example – A school has been given 10,000$ and it can either spend it on books and supplies or on a new gym. Thus the opportunity cost to build the gym would be the loss of not buying books and vice versa. An example for free good can be sunlight, air, salt water etc. Considering healthcare, it can be noted that healthcare does not fall into the category of free good. It is an economic good even a public organization like the NHS. As NHS is a government funded subject, it is actually just a free service at the point of delivery. The taxpayers pay for this good; therefore it does have a market value indirectly through taxes. And it is not a resource that is available all the time, thus making it limited and not scarce. As it is government funded, the government can choose to spend their money on something else instead of healthcare. Therefore there is an opportunity cost to providing healthcare. The government can may spend the same amount on public structures (roads, streetlights, traffic lights or on education etc). As provision of healthcare has an opportunity cost, it makes it an economic good and not a free good. (*** Economic good is a good that has an opportunity cost thus giving it a price and hence making it scarce.) c) The market for healthcare (pubic healthcare) is not in equilibrium as the doctor quotes†we just get more patients and we can’t cope with anymore†. Therefore suggesting that the supply cannot meet the demand and thus the market equilibrium is not met. Market equilibrium is when the market is in a stage where the demand meets the supply. For eg – In the figure below, we see that at price P1 the quantity Q1 is both demanded and supplied. Thus the market in equilibrium at the price P1 since the quantity of goods that people wish to buy at price Q1 is equal to quantity of the goods the supplier wants to sell at that price. This price P1 is also called as market clearing price, as everything produced is sold. The market thus remains in equilibrium. The healthcare sector (NHS) does not follow this structure of market equilibrium. The figure below shows the demand for healthcare in the private and public healthcare. This follows the demand laws that when prices increase then the demand for the good decreases as can be in seen in the demand for private healthcare services. Whereas the demand for public healthcare is very high as the price is very low or minimal. (Figure 1) Figure 2 – When the prices are low then the suppliers supply less of their goods. In the case of healthcare (public healthcare), the providers of this services may not be provide less of their services but the quality and efficiency may be less and improvements may not be made as they are Government organizations and do not have the funds to do so. Figure 3 shows that because of the low prices the demand for the service increases to Q2 and the healthcare providers can only provide services till Q*. More is being demanded than supplied, and thus there is a shortage as there is an excess of demand. Therefore the market equilibrium is altered as the supply does not meet the demand. d) Improvements in the quality provided by the NHS and the private healthcare company. The private sector’s main motive is to earn profit. Any private company or firm’s main goal is to earn profit. This can be done by having a large consumer base, thus to get achieve a large consumer base the firms continuously improve their services and are always striving for efficiency. Therefore an improvement in the private healthcare sector would not make a big difference as these firms are already always trying to provide better services to the consumers in order to make profits. Even though the prices are higher than the public sector people would with money would chose to a private clinic rather than a government healthcare facility, as it would be wiser for them to make use of the better healthcare facilities. If there are improvements in the public sector, the efficiency of the sector is improved and a lot more people would prefer going to public healthcare facilities rather than spending more money for the same service at a private clinic. The demand for the private healthcare services would decrease, and the firms would have to come up with innovative methods to restore their consumer base as a majority of the consumers would prefer paying less for healthcare for the same services provided by the private sector. The private healthcares may even have to shut down due to increasing costs in running their facilities and fewer buyers for their services thus decreasing the revenue they earn. There would be a producer loss for the private sector and a consumer gain for the consumers as they pay for good quality healthcare at a cheaper rate. But this would mean more government spending on healthcare to ensure that the new improvements continue. Or the government may increase the taxes, and thus the tax payers would have to pay more taxes in order for better public healthcare. e) Efficiency – getting any given results with smallest inputs or getting maximum output from minimum inputs Efficiency can be classified into 2 categories – * Efficiency in consumption ( Allocative efficiency ) * Efficiency in production ( Productive efficiency ) Allocating resources among consumers so that it would not be possible by any re allocation to make people better off without making anyone worse off is called efficiency in consumption. Allocative efficiency in simple terms can be put as â€Å"doing the right thing†. Defining Allocative efficiency – when there is no waste in resources in the production of goods, allocative efficiency is maximized. This occurs when there is 0 excess demand and supply in the market (S=D). For eg – when a firm produces 5000 flower pots but the market enables the firm to sell only 3500 then the resources have gone waste by producing the excess 1500 goods and there is an inefficiency in the allocation of resources as they could have been better allocated. The firm could have used the same amount of resources for something like fertilizers which would have had a higher demand. Therefore the allocative optimality occurs when the supply equals demand on the market. Allocating available resources between industries so that it will not be possible to produce more of some goods without producing less of others is called efficiency in production. Productive efficiency occurs when goods are produced at the lowest possible cost per unit, taking into account all costs arising. A firm is productively efficient when total use of resources (factors) result in the lowest possible cost per unit of output. This would be the point where average total is minimized. Productive efficiency means â€Å"doing things right†. In the healthcare sector being economically efficient as well as productively efficient is what the private clinics, hospitals etc aim for. To supply the maximum output at the cost of minimum inputs. f) Private firms that are inefficient would not be able to compete with other firms in a competitive market. If a firm is inefficient, the demand for the firm’s services and goods decrease and the firm’s consumer base will move on to another firm that does provide efficient goods and services. Or if a firm is allocatively inefficient then its resources go waste and it is unable to make the same revenue like it would have if it had used proper allocation of resources. Lack of productive efficiency would lead to the cost of production to be higher therefore the firm would suffer losses. Taking the 3 different situations in private healthcare – * Inefficient services and quality provided: would lead to the loss of customers and eventually revenue, and more competition from other firms. * Improper allocation of resources(spending): spending and wasting money on frivolous items such as curtains and dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor rather than medicines and treatment facilities , the firm would have a decrease in revenue again as people would expect top quality services rather than fancy dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor. * Costs of production and services > revenue earned = loss: the firm has spent a lot more on setting up the place and is not gaining maximum profits in return thus being productively inefficient. g) In a private structure information about best practice is likely to be freely available, as in public sectors there is not much incentive to improve techniques and skills. Whereas in the private sector the commercial organizations have an economic incentive to introduce better practices for both market leadership which leads to profits. Eg – 2 dentist clinics each one comes up with newer faster and high quality technology for braces such as clinic1 comes up with ‘invisible braces’ and clinic 2 to outdo clinic 1 comes up with ‘invisible painless clear fit on braces’ to form a larger consumer market. Whereas in public sector there would be no such highlight as there is no one to compete against and no economic incentive. h) Merit goods are goods that are beneficial to the society and include services like healthcare defense etc. The marginal social benefits in providing healthcare are greater than the marginal production costs. For this reason healthcare is normally left up to the government to provide in many countries as private sector owners find no profit making scheme through it. The private and external benefits of healthcare are many. * Society remains healthy * When society remains healthy then the major workforce remains fit as well * Provision of healthcare = public good, like the NHS makes it easily accessible to the low income society. * If the main workforce of a country has access to healthcare, the overall development of a country increases. * The government also encourages the use /consumption of this service, as it is beneficial for all. * The healthcare services provided, if of good quality, makes sure that everyone in society gets their vaccines, health checkups etc. Thus ensuring that everyone is stable and in a well fit environment. * These services are more beneficial for the lower middle and poorer section of society. The poor do not need to spend much of their little incomes and are assured of the basic services.

Plaza Grocery Case Study Essay

I. INTRODUCTION Mr. Brad Holden is the executive vice president of the family-owned business chain of six branches, Plaza Grocery, in the metropolitan area. Mr. Holden’s recently been swamped with problems regarding his employees, specifically the stock employees considering they are paid according to what is stated in the hourly wage rate in the Federal Law. He observed that they are not efficient and effective enough in their jobs, which resulted to empty shelves and slow service most of the time. He also had a hard time in obtaining enough applicants for Plaza Grocery and worse is his employees are doing only the menial level of effort in their jobs. He also noticed that his employees are lacking motivational drives to strive harder in performing their jobs. With all these that he is facing through, he finally decided to look for possible solutions to these problems. He came up with consulting to a local compensation expert and talking to a small group and personally asking them what can remedy their slow and poor performance. The compensation expert recommended to Mr. Holden that he resort to the more contemporary compensation system. In the small group, some suggested an increase in their hourly wage rate, the others pitched in about incentives to be given for them to be motivated and work faster, while others did not have any comment. For this case study, we will be identifying the likely issues and problems. After which, we will provide the framework or basis of argument which will relate the lack of motivation or drive of the stock employees to the various models, theories and concepts discussed in class. We will recommend and suggest certain alternative courses of actions which might help Mr. Holden to properly motivate his employees as well as his employees to improve their performance. II. ISSUE/PROBLEM Brad Holden is facing a situation in his grocery store where there is trouble obtaining enough stock clerks/carryout workers to apply for the job. And when these applicants get hired they seem to lack the motivation to carry out their job which led to inefficient service and long checkout lines. These minimum hourly wage workers have expressed a desire for additional compensation. The problem that Brad needs to solve is which of the major economic incentive system he can use to motivate his employees to become productive and also to attract other applicants to apply for the job. III. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to identify different theories, concepts and models under human behavior that can be applied to understand the situation Brad is facing. It will also identify and discuss what possible economic incentive system the management can use and then provide system recommendation that would lead to the best way in solving the problem. IV. FRAMEWORKS/BASIS OF ARGUMENTS The difficulties that arise in Brad Holden’s family-owned grocery stores are attributed to the lack of motivation of employees. Lack of motivation can be a result of poor rewarding of employees. In Plaza Grocery, employees are only paid the usual wage rate or the minimum federal hourly wage. This can be a factor as to why the workers lack motivation in performing an effective and efficient job. Money, as a means of rewarding employees may serve as a great help for the company. It has status value and it represents to employees what their employer thinks of them. Using money as a reward is applicable in some of the motivational models previously studied. The expectancy model can be related to the company’s situation. Employees in Plaza Grocery wanted a higher hourly wage rate which implies that money can act as a strong motivator. If an employee wants more of it (valence), he believes that putting up an effort will produce successful desired performance (expectancy) and he trusts that monetary reward will follow better performance (instrumentality). Brad Holden can also consider the concept of incentives linking pay with performance. In order to get the employees motivated, he can adopt profit sharing. For profit sharing, employees are given a portion of the business’s profits. An implementation of this would get them encouraged to work harder and do whatever it takes to increase the sales of the business since they are looking after the possible income at the end. In addition, once the issue on wage is settled, the management can also do performance appraisal. Through this, performance of the employees can be evaluated and certain information about their work and its improvement will be discussed. This will make way for the employees to be more motivated and get rewarded. The concept of performance feedback can also be related to the situation of Plaza Grocery. With proper implementation of feedback, employees will be aware of what to do and how well they are meeting their goals. Some of the guidelines in giving feedback are the following: be specific, allow room for choices, include positive factors to praise, establish priorities for change, and check for understanding to name a few. V. ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTIONS Nowadays, we can find different kinds of grocery stores around us and the supermarket is being dominant than local market in terms of quickness and accessibility to people. As we mentioned, it is not wrong that quickness of the market is one of the crucial thing that has to be maintained first. To solve Plaza Grocery’s problem about its workers’ lack of motivation, we would like to recommend three alternative courses of action. First, Brad Holden should figure out why employees seem to lack motivation once he hired them because motivation can be the core of the power source that can make the work environment vivid or dull. Hence, we would like to state our first course of action, which we call â€Å"ownership project†. Brad Holden should encourage and convince the workers to think of themselves as a co-owner of the company or workplace. Before the hired applicants become permanent employees, they would undergo an assessment. Their behavior in the workplace would be examined for at least one month to evaluate their attitude toward their work. After the examination, Brad can educate the qualified employees through orientations on how to work efficiently and effectively. Second, an â€Å"incentive system† can be a good course of action for workers to work faster since money can be a good motivator and reward. If Brad Holden continues to pay the employees at the minimum wage without bonus, the employees would not exert effort to do their work harder and faster. Increasing of hourly wage rate can be a course of action, along with providing incentives. When the hourly wage rate is increased alone, all employees would benefit. This may increase the workers productivity and motivation, but not fully since the benefit applies to all. Therefore, it will be better if Brad Holden applies an incentive system or bonus system. The incentives given would be based on the employee’s performance, measured by his/her productivity. Through this, it can be more assured that the workers will be motivated in their work to earn their money more. Third, under incentive system, manager should appraise who got the highest performance result among the workers, and provide incentives like support for old parents or education of children. This alternative course of action is enough to motivate workers because these concern their families. Brad Holden will have to make records of each employee to check their performance and growth and this environment can create competition among workers. VI. RECOMMENDATION/CONCLUSION Plaza Grocery experiences problems with its employees due to low compensation and lack of incentives. Even after consulting a local expert, the same causes are pointed as the reason for the employees’ poor performance. Given this situation, we recommend the company to apply the second alternative course of action, which is to increase the wage rate and apply an incentive system. The store, having only six branches, can easily increase the wages due to the relatively small number of workers. However, once an increase is implemented in one branch, the same shall be applied in the other branches to emphasize the sense of equity among the employees of all branches. Although this may entail costs for the company, the increase in workers’ productivity may lead to higher sales, providing more revenue. In the long-run, the benefits would outweigh the costs. Although increasing the wage rate may motivate the employees to work harder, it is not enough because it would not always and ultimately lead to the satisfaction of their needs. What the company can do is to adopt an incentive system. The incentives the company can offer may be financial or non-financial in nature. Financial incentives would include performance bonuses, social security benefits, and paid absences. Non-financial incentives would include recognition and feeling of achievement, advancement opportunity, and flexible scheduling. Even though it is said that money is one of the best rewards, the non-financial rewards can also stimulate the employees’ motivation. It is not enough that employees are financially well-off. For them to stay long in the company, both the salary and the working conditions have to be satisfied. However, as we learned in class, according to Herzberg’s Two Factor Model, the pay is part of the hygiene factors, while the work itself is a motivational factor. Therefore, the employees must first be satisfied with their wage before the company can meet the motivational factors. In conclusion, Plaza Grocery has to strengthen its workforce’s motivation by providing them just wages and work incentives. This entails an investment on the part of Plaza Grocery. But once the workers are motivated and their productivity gradually increase, Plaza Grocery will see itself being better-off in the future.