Four year strategic plan for Erie Capsim Company Essay

The four year strategic plan will focus on key drivers of the industry, factors determining future of the company, industry attractiveness, and its competitive environment. Each section contains detailed subsections which clearly defines the strategic plan. The plan uses 2009 data and our four year plan runs up to 2013. 1.1   Driving Forces In this industry there are many driving forces. Our top management uses the concept of driving forces to reach consensus on what strategic area represents the industries current driving force. 1.1.1 Research and Development: Our company will be introducing a new High End product every year. In addition we will reposition our performance and size segment products into our initial targeted sections. This will enable a stream or products lined up along the High End, traditional, and Low end sections. In addition we will allow present traditional section products to become a Low End section product so as to create room for segment drift. The company will later introduce a new product to the High End and will finally have four products each in the Low, Traditional, and High end sections during those four years. This way the company will present to clients products in line with their perfect procedure for age, reliability, and positioning. Also the company endeavors to sustain its existing product line, ensure presence in each section, and strive to sustain its products in the next four years in spite high levels of automation. 1.1.2 Marketing: Marketing is another main driving force. At first our company will attempt to keep pace with the accessibility and awareness of immediate competitor’s products.   Ideally we will be revisiting our status every year for the next four years to determine whether promotion and sales budgets should be sized or if the company will continue matching that of competitors. Generally our company will offer products at reduced prices. Also for these four years our company is planning to spend aggressively in sales and promotion in targeted sections; Low, Traditional, and High sections. In this light every client will have known our superb designs for the next four years. Basically, we are planning simplify logistics involved in identifying products by customers. After defining the company’s cost leadership position, we will reconsider the company’s situation to explore alternatives to enhance accessibility and awareness. 1.1.3    Production: Significantly our company will significantly increase automation levels on all products in the next four years. Since automation limits the company’s ability to reposition its products in line with R&D, we will edge our automation process in the Low and Traditional sections in the next two years and then High end section during the last two years. Our company will ensure capacity building to meet the generated demand. In the first half we will reposition our brands. However, in the last half we will evaluate ways of increasing in automation levels to enhance margins as well as repositioning products and sustaining sections as they traverse the perceptual map. 1.1.4 Finance The nature of our industry allows it to draw funds from a wide source. During the first half the company will finance its investments mainly through bond issues supplementing with stock offers following an as needed basis. For last half, the company will develop a divided policy and start to retire stock. The company is not adverse to leverage and expectation is that we will sustain debt/equity ratio at 2.0-3.0. 1.2   Future key success factors Factors for success in our company include; 1.2.1 Concentration: Our company will concentrate on Low, Traditional, and High end sections. This will keep production costs, raw material costs, and R&D costs to a minimum. Also company product lifecycle concentration will enable us to reap sales for the next four years on each of the four new products to be introduced into High end section. 1.2.2 Brand recognition and awareness The company will maintain presence in every section. We will endeavor to ensure a competitive edge by differentiating our products. This will be done through excellent design, easy accessibility, and high awareness during first half. In the other half, the company will initiate a competent R&D that ensures fresh and exciting designs. Products will be in line with the market needs, presenting enhanced performance and size. 1.3   Attractiveness of industry and competitive environment 1.3.1       Factors making the industry attractive Several factors make our company to be attractive.   These are factors that will determine how far our company can remain still. These include;  ·    Reliable products: will ensure products which are reliable to mainstream clients and brands that offer value.  · Premium products: our company offers good products and brands that will stand the test of time.  ·    Low price: the company offers products at reduced prices. Its brands offer solid value.  ·    Easy technology: our products are reliable even to low technology customers 1.3.2 factors making the industry unattractive  · Funding: the market is unpredictable and there getting enough financial support is a problem  · Extensive research: product sustainability requires an extensive research. This adds to cost by way of experts and professionals. 1.3.3 special industry issues/problems  · Product presence: our company plans to maintain a competitive advantage by ensuring presence in every section.  · Unrelenting focus: concentration ensures brand recognition which leads to unique opportunity over competitors.  · Substitutes: the company is likely to suffer incase substitutes flood market, particularly during last half.  · New entrants: during the first two years the company will enjoy monopoly but in last two years entrants are likely to enter the market. 1.3.4 Profit outlook The company currently is enjoying a profit margin of 20%. This strategic plan aims to grow the profit by additional 10% for first two years and another 15% in the last two years.

Aim High Soar High essay

(Goals are not only essential to motivate, but also an essential thing keeps us alive)     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Robert Schuyler. Summed up the lives of many people in that he was born and then grew up in the house of his parents and entered the school, and when he finished his high school told him: your total admits College   Entered, when graduated; told him: that you estimate this lets you work in a job well shall submit to and obtained really.When he settled in his work told him: that today you to marry this girl for you, marry her and fathered her kids with the same story repeated, that lay on his deathbed and then died buried, and remained his children to live the same story! Is not this story reflect the reality of many people today? So what is the diff erence between the owner of this story and the rest of the organisms from non-humans? Is not this story is the story of all beings?Born , full size , married , had children then died !! The primary difference between the human and other organisms that he alone who has the ability to set and achieve goals, if not determined goal of human life; it does not deserve his humanity after he lost his life in the eating, drinking and sleeping. Man is the one who gives his life value, meaning that life is to have a message we perform, and when one of us has real targets, that would be the day of his birth.But he who does not have targets it flops in his life randomly, not knowing which way exhibits, and if you have read the story of â€Å"Alice in Wonderland† for the author â€Å"Lewis Carroll†, may remember us that dialogued crossing that took place between the girl â€Å"Alice† and the cat-Hakim â€Å"Chitchayr†, which expresses this sense that we're talking abou t. When you ask â€Å"Alice† cat â€Å"Chitchayr† for the road; says: Please, I know of no way behaving? Cat is: It depends largely on where you want to go, says â€Å"Alice†: I'm not a player a lot of place, is the at: If you do not care much any roads behave, add â€Å"Alice† wondering: as long as I get to anywhere? Verde cat: Yes,   Yes ,you will arrive definitely somewhere, provided that they are going adequacy. It is obvious, there is no need to have any significant effort to reach the place indefinitely, you should not do anything and you will reach after one minute, anyway, if you want to access anywhere meaningful, you should know first where you want to go. Designed personal compass. Do you know what is the compass?It's that simple invention which consists of a magnetic needle always point towards the direction of the north, used by the traveler in the desert or captain of his ship to determine the right direction to walk. The goals in life is to serve as a compass vitae of each human being, it shall establish a direction in which it should route in this life, and constitute a frame of reference can be ascribed to him to take all decisions. If you want to take any decision in your life, such as: in any college study? Any sport practiced? Any physical level should be earned?Any business join? You must first determine your compass self, your message and your goals that will guide them in all decisions of your life, and only signed a spiral of chaos and confusion does not end until the day you die and you will, will discover looser Talk in your life. So let us in achieving our goals, but how? Beginning you select your life; a major task or a larger role which man lives in order to achieve in life, and he says the â€Å"Antoine Okcypri†: (life becomes meaningful only when witnessed by day after day for something other than life itself).This letter is the focus of human life, moving from her and activates it and slept i t and carried out. Select the vision that you want for yourself in all areas of your life ,work to determine what you want to achieve, both in the professional side or the social side or other aspects that include parts your life. Then start setting interim targets large and small, all of which hover around your message and pour in the production of your vision, and it says, â€Å"Peter A. â€Å": (the road does not go in one big step, but the ay to go in small steps). But remember the goal must carry the conditions it must be a reality can be achieved and more importantly to be clear and have a time limit for beginning and completing process determine the date began the goal and the end help to achieve the goal and then make sure that it can change the target whenever you want. Select your goal from now and remember what he said, â€Å"Harvey McKay† the best writer in the field of commercial sales: (The goal is a dream final end).

Democracy Remixed

If we take a look at American History, we see that many African Americans before us accomplished many things, in various disciplines, such as become the surgeon general of the United States, Win an Olympic Gold medal, Become a President of an Ivy League University, become CEO of a Fortune 500 company or even become President of the United States. These and the others on the extensive list of African American Firsts did not come easy or were given. In the words of Cohen, â€Å"They had to work hard, be respectful, and always have your superior humanity on display for whites to observe. With more and more 1st being accomplished, it has become more possible for many African Americans to reach hose same positions or go further. Today, in the year 2014, we also have new problems to face in terms of this new technology. Black twitter, for example, is an unofficial title for a community on twitter that has a huge impact online and in the media. Whether there is a primetimes television show or some breaking news story, Black twitter has you covered. Seemingly as a voice for all black Americans, this is heavily skewed by its demographic.Consisting of mainly young adults, this community becomes very negative and often creates moral panic and suppresses ACH other in the black community. The post-racial thesis suggests that in the post- civil rights era, material conditions have improved for Black Americans, but the conditions Black Americans face today are markedly better than the conditions that earlier generations had faced. As one example of many pressures black youth are facing, this shows that material conditions may have increased but the pressures are still prevalent In Democracy Remixed: Black Youth and the future of American Politics, a book by Cathy J.Cohen, discusses about the political life of young black people, not emitted to their relationship with the state and or government but between their peers, other members of the black community and the larger soci ety. In relation to the post-racial thesis, this book contains arguments that serve as a counter to the post-racial thesis by discussing many issues that young black people face. In chapter 2, she introduces the phenomenon called moral panics and how they affect the black community, especially black youth.In chapter 5, she discusses forms of alienation that black youth face and how they engage in the public sphere, attempting to voice heir own public agenda. In chapter 6, she engages the ideas that young black people develop in light of the election of the country 1st black president and what this means to them. Chapter 2, â€Å"Gangs Rap Made Me do it†, talks about moral panics and how Bill Cowboys and Don Emus are examples of creating such things. Earlier on in the chapter, they discuses some statistics developed by The Black Youth Project.These statistics showed results from surveys filled out by African Americans ages 30 and above and group based on levels of income The t opics of the survey included Rap Music's perceived Influence on Black Youth, The behavior of too many young black Americans threatens to progress of respectable black people who are trying to do the right things, and reasons young black Americans find it hard to get ahead. These topics were surprisingly posed to non-youth about three topics that involve black youth in America.Many of these adults had an opinion on all of these questions, because of moral panics. Cohen states that moral panic is a concept typically used by scholars to explain irrational and inflated reactions to lesser events that have been exaggerated by the media. Through the media, the crisis itself is shrouded by the massive uproar generated by the public. Bill Cowboys, known for his comedic background, spoke at Constitution Hall in Washington, D. C. Where they were commemoration the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.The topics that he received fire from were the ones directed to poor black people a nd the black youth. From Cowboys perspective he is trying to let it be know that everything black people do, is a representation of all black Americans. His comments toward poor members in the black community included â€Å"These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids, $500 sneakers for what? And wont spend $200 dollars for ‘Hooked on Phonics. ‘ † Here we have an older African American who is removed a generation from those parents he are addressing.This alone shows that there is a problem with the consecutive generation. This also highlights that the generation of parents who are buying the kids expensive sneakers are more worried about looks that education. We can infer that the kids wanted the expensive sneakers because of social pressures to be wealth. Also, His comments on Black Youth culture is that the out of today are uneducated when it comes to knowing about their African American and their African culture.He makes remarks about how bla ck males are putting on clothes backwards and sagging of pants, and women wearing short skirts and piercing. This is another example of pressure that the youth are facing because Bill Cowboys is probably not the only person making these remarks. The pressures of previous generations in its self are making it hard for the young black American to live. She introduces the 21st century, the average youth has a lot of things to deal with. Bullying, growing up, peer pressure, family, school

Strategic Management Analysis Case Study, EFAS & IFAS Essay

Strategic Management Analysis Case Study, EFAS & IFAS - Essay Example External factors affected the Vermont Teddy Bear will be accessed using PEST analysis. Political-legal forces acting upon the Vermont Teddy Bear allocate power and provide constraining and protect ­ing laws and regulations. The company does not influenced greatly by political changes. Legal changes had a greater impact on the company caused by changing international situation and increased competition, high taxes and corporate expenses the main changes took place at the end of the 1990s when European market altered parameters of international competition and enforced a period of reassessment. In spite of the fact that the Vermont Teddy Bear is a national company, these changes affected its sales and profitability. Environmental changes suggest that the opening up of the market and the resultant increased competition has widened the perspective of the planning framework with profound implications. The threat was that the removal of physical barriers and the new-found freedom of move ment around the European market have increased international expansion and in so doing raise the degree of European trade. According to the case study, in 2000 the Vermont Teddy Bear had a decline in its operations. Failure in investment activities at the end of 1990s led to declining of financial situa ­tion and crisis (Stacey 1996). The social environment includes general forces that do not directly touch on the short-run activities of the organization but that can, and often do, influence its long-run decisions. For instance, â€Å"in 1998, the company changed this philosophy by exploring the offshore sourcing of materials, outfits, and manufacturing in an effort to lower costs† (Vincelette et al). Economic forces regulate the exchange of materials, money, energy, and information (Chaffy et al 2000). This environment proposes great challenges for the Vermont Teddy Bear influenced by customers’ loyalty and trust. Speaking about the nature competition it

Next-Door Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Statistics - Essay Example As documented by the National Center for Education Statistics, NCES (2013), the years 1990 to 2011 saw an average drop from 12% to 7% of high school dropouts in the US. This shows that a majority of high school students increasingly appreciate the importance of graduating, thus the need for me to also strive to graduate. In support of this finding, it would be appreciated that school dropouts increasingly find it hard to secure employment. In 1990, 52.5% of high school dropouts were employed as compared to 49.8% in 2011 (NCES, 2013). Thus, with the aim of securing employment in future to attain financial independence, it would be important to complete my high school education. Completion would increase my chances of securing employment and therefore a brighter future. Interestingly, more male than female students consistently drop out of high school. As such, I appreciate the greater risk of dropout as a male student thus the need to take grater caution to ensure that I do not fall victim to factors that could hinder me from completing my high school education. Therefore, these statistics on high school dropout rates enlighten me on the importance of graduating from high

Human resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Human resources - Essay Example Test design and validation are key principles in the assessment process during selection of personnel that ensure relevance of tests been administered. In essence, test validation highlights the process of establishing relations between the test administered and the job in question. The validity of a test is critical when selecting a test as it refers to the characteristic being measured and how well the test produces the best results. Validity indicates how reliable the results yielded are in line with the purpose of the test as well as ensuring relevance of the assessment process. There are three main methods of ensuring validation in assessments procedures and they include criterion-related validity, content-related validity, and construct-related validity. Criterion-related validity provides data indicating statistical relationship between test performance and key job factors, which provides predictive information on work behaviour. In this case, an individual who performs well in such tests is bound to perform better in the job than someone who yielded low scores. Content-related validity produces evidence that illustrates the composition of the test demonstrates crucial behaviour in relation to the job. The test dwells on requirements and qualifications of an individual for the desired position. For instance, fire fighters must demonstrate their physical ability in stressful situations and reflect minimum strength required to perform safety procedures associated with their line of work. Finally, construct-related validity refers to the assessment of indiv idual traits such as personality and core values that are critical in delivery on the job. For instance, aspiring candidates for the position of customer care personnel should exercise tolerance by default in order to provide efficiently required information to irate customers. The importance of indicating clear job

Managerial Discretion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managerial Discretion - Essay Example er, managers need to be able to exercise their own judgment in hiring decisions, strategic planning, effective administration and resource allocation decisions. The consequence of not allowing such discretion would be a lumbering organization that is unable to take nimble actions that can keep it competitive in a global marketplace. Absence of managerial discretion would lead to a heavily bureaucratized company that takes much more time to make and implement strategic decisions than its competitors and thus would fall by the wayside. At the same time, allowing managers to run amok with their own preferences can be equally dangerous by setting up a situation in which conflicting decisions are made at different levels of an organization that end up stalling progress. The effective organization strikes just the right balance by allowing a high degree of managerial discretion while instituting appropriate constraints to keep the business functioning effectively. Defining Discretion Key (1997) defines discretion as "a belief that individuals can influence their environment. The concept of discretion, originally borrowed from the judiciary, involves decision making that is guided by individual principles and beliefs unfettered by external control" (par. 13). Thus, discretion is necessarily a subjective determination that a particular manager has a range of options available to him/herself. Key (2002) further maintains that "Discretion is based on the belief that one has responses available with which to influence the environment. Individual perception influences whether or not an individual believes there are actions available to him or her" (par. 2). This subjective determination has been described as "perceived latitude of action." The concept of managerial discretion... The importance of managerial discretion to modern companies is substantial, and has long been recognized as such. Discretionary behavior by mangers is essential to the strategic operation of a company; but at the same time allowing unfettered discretion can be hugely detrimental to the well-being of a corporation, as evidenced by the scandals that have taken place in recent years in the United States and elsewhere. While managers must have the ability to analyze a situation and determine and appropriate course of action, there must be some guidelines – or constraints as it were – placed on that discretion in order to protect the company from these types of damaging developments. Several studies on the scope and limits of managerial discretion have found that there are several variables influencing and limiting the exercise of discretion in modern business. These include such factors as age, length of tenure, educational attainment, gender, locus of control, and organiza tional culture. Each of these factors has a direct impact on the extent to which managers feel free to exercise discretion, or not; and consequently they affect the success or failure of a business. Ultimately, managerial discretion is a critical balancing act for any business that seeks to compete successfully in today’s global business environment.

Business Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Identifications in Hip Hop Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Identifications in Hip Hop Culture - Essay Example Bernard Zekri and   Jean Karakos had a significant impact on the history of American rap in the 1980s. In 1980, Zekri made the decision to leave France and move to New York where he worked in a restaurant with French owners. In this year, Karakos who had headed a small label in France referred to as Celluloid also moved to New York and met Zekri. The two had a significant impact on the American hip-hop culture which had long-term implications including bringing American hip-hop to countries overseas and changing the manner in which rap music was recorded. 4.Kafig The power that characterizes French hip-hop dancing can be traced back to the careers of individuals and the fact that developments in the styles of dancing occurred in regions that applied their own preferences. Kafig is a genre that comes from the regions of Lyons as well as Paris and is considered as the birthplace of hip-hop dancing. Kafig is a dance that is specialized, characterized by numerous complex movements. The artists who engage in this type of dance display a   large amount of emotion as well as power in their movements. This style of dance impacts on hip-hop culture through the fact that it aims at cultivating awareness of how movement can bring out a certain message or create a different depiction of the world(McCarren 65).   5. Siya Possi XThe name Siya Possi X is derived from both the English term referring to the posse and the phrase siya possi which means in simple terms people who are to be killed.

Thinking and Decision Making Essay Example for Free

Thinking and Decision Making Essay The following are the three different styles of thinking that would be discussed in this paper a) Pragmatists, b) Synthesists and c) Realists. Pragmatists: People possessing this thinking style are practical thinkers. They do not believe in making long-term plans or setting long term goals. Rather they set small goals to be accomplished in a short phase of time. So their penchant for quick results means they divide the long-term goals in different parts and accomplish them one by one, which gives them a sense of achievement from time to time. They are very quick at acknowledging others’ ideas and possess a good sense of humor. They consider conflicts as a means of understanding other people’s viewpoint and make maximum use of it by brainstorming and experimenting its impact. Since they try to make use of every situation, good or bad they are very creative in nature. They easily adopt any strategy that suits the situation or has the potential for success or further growth. They are innovative and pay attention to minute details as they think that every minute step or detail play a significant part in the larger picture. They have the zeal and stamina of accomplishing their goals, come what may and also have the potential to make others believe that what they are doing is right. This style of thinking is what makes one a leader. They convince everyone about their vision by moulding the same idea in different ways so that it looks convincing enough to everyone. They plan the risks beforehand so there is little chance of them not being able to handle a crisis situation. Synthesists: The people belonging to this style of thinking love arguments and conflicts. They do not have the patience to wait for the conflict to get fully blown up. So they try to trigger up the trouble so that the problem gets solved as soon as possible rather than waiting for it to gradually come in full force. Even when there is not much conflict or commotion in a particular situation, they find one point or the other to be satirically amused or skeptical. In conflict situation they observe both the sides of the argument and come up with a new angle or idea. Hence this style of thinking helps in building good observation skills and fuelling creativity. Synthesists want to grasp all that is going in a person’s mind. They are smart enough to understand but still in order to let the person open up, they start a debate then quietly observe his feelings. They love to ruffle up hidden reactions. People possessing this style of thinking don’t set aside others’ ideas. Rather analyze different viewpoints to understand a situation well. Synthesists style of thinking makes a person good at speculation. They have the ability to brainstorm and come to different solutions or reactions of a situation, which can be termed a creative activity. So nothing surprises them much, because their minds are engaged in so much of speculation that nothing is unexpected for them. Realists: The people possessing this type of thinking style are ‘no-nonsense’ kind of people. They are frank, forceful and direct. Instead of relying on others’ point of view, they rely on themselves the most to discover things. They are always engaged in empirical discoveries and love concrete facts. In order to handle a crisis or conflict situation they ask straight questions. They always know where they are heading because they have a set objective, know what resources they have at hand and have the capability of analyzing how those resources could be used in the best possible way. They very well know their strong and weak points and do not hesitate to take outside help in areas where they are not capable enough. They break a problem into several logical parts and then solve them one by one. They calmly handle situations but can get aggressive if someone or something is very ambiguous or unrealistic. If the three styles of thinking are compared and contrasted then it is quite evident that the three of them overlap in certain areas while are poles apart in others. Both pragmatists and synthesist’s believe in quick solutions. Both these styles of thinking facilitate creativity. Goodbrand had described pragmatists in the following way: â€Å"they dont shy away from conflict but neither do they relish it like the synthesist.† (para.24) This aptly brings out the contrast between the two.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like realists, pragmatists have a definite goal and they too break the task into small targets and try to accomplish them systematically. Both the styles of thinking believe in acknowledging any outside idea that has been used in the process of thinking.   Both these styles of thinking oozes confidence and strong will power. While people of pragmatist style of thinking are good tacticians and find one or the other way to get a task done, the realistic styles of thinkers are very frank and straightforward. It is difficult for them to use any tactics rather; they propagate the ‘matter of fact’ aspect of getting a task done.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The following qualities are common in both realist and synthesist style of thinking: â€Å"Understanding that people see situations from their own perspective and that all perspectives have their own viewpoints and that as much can be learned from looking at a situation from another viewpoint as can be learned from looking at it through your own eyes.† (Goodbrand, para15) However, where synthesists believe in speculation, realists believe in matter of fact and empirical evidence. Also, in order to get other’s point of view or a hidden fact synthesists might ask ambiguous or dumb-smart questions. The realists abhor ambiguity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since critical thinking means dividing information into categories and sub categories, realist and pragmatist style of thinking affect critical thinking because both these styles of thinking focus on this format of problem solving or target achievement. Since one of the steps of critical thinking is synthesis, synthesist style of thinking naturally has an affect on it too.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the workplace scenario the process of decision-making involves the following three steps: a) intelligence, b) design and c) choice. According To Rue and Byars (1992, p.52) â€Å"The intelligence stage involves searching the environment for conditions requiring a decision. The design stage entails inventing, developing and analyzing possible courses of action. Choice, the final stage, refers to the actual selection of a course of action.† The different stages of critical thinking overlap with the decision making process. In workplace conflict the motive of both decision-making and critical thinking is to bring an end to the problem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The three styles of thinking discussed in this paper can be explained in the context of critical thinking and decision making by the help of the following workplace example: An organization’s, departmental head is under pressure by the conflict between his two colleagues. He wants to bring this conflict to an end because it affects the work of the whole department. Now we assume that he has the pragmatist style of thinking, he would use tactics to end the problem. He would try to speak to both the subordinates separately and try to mould them to come to a common viewpoint and settle their conflicts. He would find out who of the two is less rigid and try to convince him that if he behaves more rationally then the whole department would benefit. He will not try to jump in the problem but wait for the right time to confront both of them together. On the other hand if he has the synthesist style of thinking he would not wait for the problem to aggravate further. Rather he would try to coax them to speak up their mind and let them argue. He would consider this argument as an opportunity to observe both the sides of the story. Then he would critically analyze the whole situation and decide their further course of action. If the departmental head thinks from a realistic angle he would ask both the parties to have a meeting with him and would fire straight questions to them to get the entire reason of the conflict. Then on the basis of the concrete fact he would try to come to a decision in the best possible way and calmly sort out the problem between the subordinates by dealing with each aspect of their problem one at a time. References Rue, L.W., Byars, L.L. (6 Ed.). (1992). Management Skills And Application. USA: IRWIN. Goodbrand, A.D. (1997) The Art of Thinking. Retrieved Jun. 28, 2007 from http://sern.ucalgary.ca/courses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   /seng/698/alang/minor.html Wikipedia. (2007) Critical thinking. Retrieved Jun. 28, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thinking

Issue Management at Gap Inc. Essay Example for Free

Issue Management at Gap Inc. Essay Introduction Gap Inc. : Low Morale and Absenteeism Low morale and absenteeism of are serious problems of Gap Inc. that cuts across industry. On a distinctive day between 2 and 4% of employees at Gap Inc. fail to show up for work, which does not sound like a high rate of absence, but more time is lost for the reason that of low morale and absenteeism than through strikes and lockouts. The yearly costs of low morale and absenteeism in the United States are estimated to be $29 billion and a change of 4. 99% in the national absence rate changes the gross national product by $10 billion. (London, 2003) A great number of studies are done to identify the determinants of low morale and absenteeism. Many variables are found to be considerably related to indices of absence, the results appear to be unstable across situations and time. The Way Incentives Work Every incentive program is based on a formula for enhancing motivation that engages four fundamental variables: effort, performance, outcomes, and satisfaction. The logic behind these programs goes something like this: employees at Gap Inc. will put in the accurate quantity of effort to meet performance hopes if these part time employees at Gap Inc.obtain the types of outcomes that include pay raises and promotions which will provide part time employees satisfaction. In simpler words, Gap Inc. should provide its employees what they want, and employees will work hard to get it. Effort = Performance = Outcomes= Satisfaction Conversely, the problem with most incentive programs like of Gap Inc. is that they centre exclusively on the submission of outcomes and overlook the three beliefs that are the key to making the motivation solution work: †¢ Can one do it? †¢ Will outcomes be tied to one’s performance? †¢ Will outcomes be satisfying to one? The first conviction compacts with the relationship between employee effort and performance. The second compacts with the relationship between performance and outcomes. And the third compacts with the relationship between outcomes and satisfaction. These three beliefs form the basis of the belief system of motivation and performance. Accepting that these beliefs are decisive preconditions for motivation helps to explain why incentive programs generally yield such lacklustre results like in case of Gap Inc. Since employees do not always hold these beliefs to be true, attempts to improve motivation by using incentives cannot make the grade, even when the incentives are highly desirable ones. Types of Motivation Problems One cannot do it Motivation problem: Lack of confidence Associated feelings: Self-doubt Anxiety Frustration Outcomes are not tied to one’s performance Motivation problem: Lack of trust Associated feelings: Scepticism Disbelief Mistrust Outcomes will not be satisfying to one Motivation problem: Lack of satisfaction Associated feelings: Anger Rebelliousness Low Morale and Absenteeism At Gap Inc. a major transformation attempt only makes difficult the situation. If any of three beliefs are shaky to begin with, organisational change at Gap Inc. can weaken them even further. The result is often serious motivation and performance problems, at a time when organisations can least afford them, and a resultant surge in the negative emotions associated with change. When an employee believes ‘one cannot do it’ for example, one may develop a lack of self-confidence and begin to experience many of the unpleasant feelings that go along with it: self-doubt, anxiety, and frustration. About a year into the change effort, one manager portrayed the inner turmoil one went through by comparing the restructuring to building a ship at the same time one is trying to sail it. (Mele, 2003) Worker beliefs that ‘outcomes are not tied to one’s performance’ can also escort to noteworthy motivation problems, especially lack of trust. This is normally accompanied by feelings of scepticism or disbelief; precisely the emotions that another manager felt when one was told early on change effort that power would be allocated differently. Employee beliefs that ‘outcomes will not be satisfying to one’ often escort to a third major problem, chronic dissatisfaction, and to feelings of anger, rebelliousness, low morale and absenteeism. (Miner, 2002) Like as the negative emotions allied with change can often go undetected, the motivation and performance problems that cause them frequently remain hidden and unresolved. Due to this, managers who lead change are sometimes frustrated in their efforts. They fail to realise that it is not enough to appeal to the intellect of their workers. So managers must also win employees’ hearts in order to implement change successfully. The reason behind why are motivation problems so difficult to uncover is that employees are afraid to speak about them or even admit that they exist like at Gap Inc. Though most employees know when they have a motivation problem, many feel that acknowledging it is tantamount to admitting failure, and, naturally, they do not want to appear weak or incompetent to their manager. The belief system approach is practical method that can help manager at Gap Inc. resolve these problems effectively. It takes the guesswork out of the search for motivation problems and alerts managers to the three principal types: †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of confidence. †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of trust. †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of satisfaction. The approach is based on the expectancy theory of motivation and on the research of Yale University professor Victor H. Vroom. In conducting Vroom’s analyses of why motivation improvement so often fails, Vroom came to the conclusion that motivation at work depends on certain employee expectations or beliefs: that effort will lead to performance, that performance will lead to outcomes, and that these outcomes, when received, will be satisfying. (Thomas, 2004) Like other expectancy theorists, Vroom maintained that the tendency of people to act in certain ways depends on the strength of the expectation that their actions will be followed by certain outcomes and on the perceived value or valence of those outcomes. This combination of expectation and valence is what determines peoples behaviour, Vroom and colleagues argued, and unless both expectation and valence are present to some degree, there will be little or no motivation to act. For example, if a person wants a certain outcome but doesnt feel it can be achieved through one’s efforts, then that person wont be motivated. Similarly, that person will also lack motivation if one believes that a certain outcome can be achieved but is undesirable. The application model relies on structured, facilitated meetings between managers and their direct reports to find the answers to the three basic questions that uncover motivation problems: †¢ Does the employee believe that one’s effort will lead to the expected performance? †¢ Does the employee believe that outcomes will be tied to one’s performance? †¢ Does the employee believe the outcomes will be satisfying? Preconditions for Employee Motivation AT Gap Inc. managers have to note that an employee is motivated to perform when †¢ The employee believes that effort will lead to performance. †¢ The employee believes that performance will lead to outcomes. †¢ The employee believes that outcomes will lead to satisfaction. AT Gap Inc. once a manager has recognised a specific motivation problem, one can then work with the employee to find its cause and develop an appropriate solution. There are several reasons that this model performs far better than managers expect such as: †¢ This model prepares managers and employees for solving motivation problems by getting them to think about these issues before they meet. †¢ This model promotes effective change by clarifying expectations, uncovering hidden agendas, and managing emotions before they escalate. †¢ This model relies on the cooperation and involvement of the one person who knows most about the problem and what may be causing it: the employee. (Caruth, 2001) By gently forcing an accurate diagnosis of problems and their causes, the belief system model increases the prospects of finding good solutions to performance shortfalls. After all, it takes information to solve problems, and the goal of the belief system model is to uncover critical information about performance and motivation and to guide managers and employees in applying it productively. The model works to generate an environment in which managers and employees divide the responsibility for solving performance problems, and it fosters the kind of communication that helps managers maintain the critical preconditions for employee motivation: confidence in their ability to meet performance expectations, trust in others to tie outcomes to performance, and satisfaction with their job and the outcomes that they receive. Works Cited Butkus T. Raymond, Thad B.Green, (1999), Motivation, Beliefs and Organisational Transformation. Quorum Books. Westport, CT. Cameron Judy, Pierce W. David, (2002), Pay and Motivation: Resolving the Controversy. Bergin Garvey. Westport, CT. Caruth L. Donald, Handlogten D. Gail, (2001), Managing Compensation (And Understanding It Too): A Handbook for the Perplexed, Quorum Books. Gorman Phil, (2003), Motivation and Emotion. Routledge. New York. Hanlan Marc, (2004), High Performance Teams: How to Make Them Work, Praeger. London Manuel, (2003), Job Feedback: Giving, Seeking, and Using Feedback for Performance Improvement, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Mele R. Alfred, (2003), Motivation and Agency, Oxford University Press. Miner B. John, (2002), Organisational Behaviour: Foundations, Theories, and Analyses, Oxford University Press. Thomas Neil, (2004), The Concise Adair on Teambuilding and Motivation, Thorogood. White Geoff, Druker Janet, (2000), Reward Management: A Critical Text, Routledge. New York.

Analysing Delegation In Transition To Professional Practice Nursing Essay

Analysing Delegation In Transition To Professional Practice Nursing Essay Newly registered nurses or nurses re-entering the workforce face many challenges. One of these issues is delegation. In this essay you are required to develop an in depth and detailed understanding of delegation and how it apply to you as a newly registered nurse. You will need to critically analyse the literature to: Define delegation and how it applies to the registered nurse in the clinical setting Analyse the role of the registered nurse in relation to the responsibility of delegation Analyse the relationship between accountability and delegation Discuss how delegation is different to patient allocation Analyse how professional competence impacts on delegation with specific reference to clinical effectiveness Discuss the interpersonal relationships of team members when delegating within a team Introduction Being a newly Registered Nurse entails a lot of challenges, how we deal with our clients and effectively communicating what their needs are in a multi-cultural setting gives us these difficult tasks of rendering proper and appropriate health care. RNs (Registered Nurses) are known to provide care from womb to tomb, without preference to age, gender, race, religion and status. RNs need to understand the importance for them to know by heart, what are the tasks they can delegate to their co-workers because problem could arise if tasks are delegated inappropriately and clients would be the one to suffer the consequences. Delegation of activities will be relied more heavily due to decreasing workforce and increasing workload thats why nurses should understand fully the different guidelines on how one can appropriately apply delegation in their professional practice. The role of RN in the delegation process takes unprecedented importance. The independent licensee of the RN imposes a legal accountability on the part of the nurse to the patient/recipient of care. This becomes a primary responsibility, with the accountability to other disciplines or the employer being secondary. Because the RN is responsible for the practice of other lesser skilled licensed or unlicensed nursing personnel (i.e., Enrolled Nurses and Unlicensed Health Care Worker), it is imperative that registered nurses understand the guidelines and parameters set for delegation and training. All RNs and midwives must be willing to accept accountability and responsibility when undertaking activities within their individual scope of practice after considering: legislation or restriction of practice, professional standards of practice, current evidence for practice, individual knowledge skill and competence and contextual/organizational support for practice [Nursing Board of Victoria ( NBV) 2007]. The responsibility of the RN prevails whatever the employment setting or status of employment and that legal accountability cannot be removed or assumed by another individual or by the employer. We can never work alone, thus we are always a part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team and this is where the issues of delegation come into place. I. Definition of delegation and application in clinical setting The Queensland Nursing Council (2005) defined delegation as conferring of authority on a person to a person to perform activities. In the same way, delegation is conferment of authority to an individual who is not authorized to perform a particular task autonomously but can do so under direct or indirect supervision (Nursing Midwifery Board of South Australia 2005). Direct supervision means that the RN is actually present during performance of the delegated task, observing and guiding the person who is being supervised while indirect supervision is provided when the RN does not directly observe the person performing the delegated task but should be easily contactable by phone or electronic devices when the need arises [Royal College of Nurses, Australia (RCNA) 2005]. Delegated task can either be new, meaning that the delegated task is not normally part of their role or established, which means that the task has already been done before and no change in context was made [Queensland Nursing Council (QNC) 2005d, sec. D 7.0; Nursing Board of Tasmania (NBT) 2006, pp.5-6]. As a Registered Nurse working as part of the healthcare team, we cannot do away of the process of delegating tasks to other health practitioners be it to another Registered Nurse (RN), Enrolled Nurse (EN), or an Unlicensed Health Care Worker (HCW). It is both beneficial to the health care team and the client because if properly and accurately done, it speeds up the process of rendering the care needed by the client without sacrificing the quality of care being given. Health professionals should always remember that delegation of tasks are made not just to ease ones workload but are made to meet the clients need and to ensure that the right person is available at the right time to pro vide the right care to the client [Australian Nursing Midwifery Council (ANMC) 2007]. There are tasks that an RN cannot delegate to Enrolled Nurses and Unregulated Health Workers. According to the QNC (2005d, p. 4), care planning and delegation of activities from a nursing care plan cannot be delegated, some aspects of drug administration by Enrolled Nurses which are restricted by the council as per the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulations 1996 and tasks as defined by the Nursing Act 1992 to be solely exclusive for RNs or midwives. Registered nurses have the right to clarify, validate and support their professional judgment when it disagrees with an employer or supervisors direction, facilitate resolution of disagreement with an employer or supervisor and help resolve disagreement whether it is appropriate to advance their practice through accepting a delegation (QNC 2005c). II. Role and Responsibilities of Nurses in Delegating Tasks Only RNs may delegate nursing acts, functions or tasks. A registered nurse that delegate nursing acts, functions, or tasks should first determine whether it is within the RNs scope of practice, that the individual is qualified, competent and has the necessary skills to perform the task safely, that the RN delegating the task is available to directly or indirectly supervise the individual and evaluate the result after the delegated task was performed and that the RN should always remember that only the task is delegated and not the ultimate responsibility and accountability that goes with it. As stated in the ANMC (2007), RNs should understand the requirements for delegation and supervision of practice an example of which is by accepting delegated tasks only if it is within ones scope of practice and by raising concerns about inappropriate delegation with relevant organizational or regulatory personnel. Activities delegated by a RN cannot be re-delegated to another professional or hea lthcare worker (QNC 2005a). Registered nurses should provide guidance, support, assistance and clinically focused supervision, ensure that the person to whom the delegation is being made understands their accountability and is willing to accept the delegation, they should reflect on ones own practice, provide competency assessment of the individual who will accept the delegated task and evaluate the outcome of the delegated task (ANMC 2007; QNC 2005a). Accountability goes hand in hand when delegating tasks to other health care personnel. RNs carries with them a very big responsibility when delegating tasks to another member of the team because the RN retains the accountability and must see to it that the person to whom the task is being delegated to is competent enough to perform such task so as not to compromise the quality and safety of the care provided. RNs who delegates health care tasks are accountable to the State where they are registered, to their employer, and to their clients for their own actions and decisions. The RN must see to it that only those that can be performed safely to the patient be delegated, and it is critical that there is a clear and effective communication between the two parties. Expectations and outcomes are to be set so as to have an exact basis of evaluation if the delegated tasks are successfully performed to that of the accepted level of standard. Responsibility can be delegated to others so that the person to whom a task is delegated to remains responsible of the action while the accountability remains with the one who delegated the task. The independent license of the RN imposes a legal accountability on the part of the nurse to the patient/recipient of care. This becomes a primary responsibility, with the accountability to other disciplines or the employer being secondary. Because the RN is responsible for the practice of other lesser skilled licensed or unlicensed nursing personnel (i.e., Enrolled Nurses, Unregulated Health Care Workers), it is imperative that registered nurses understand the guidelines and parameters set for delegation and training. Liability cannot be delegated a nurses registration is at risk if he or she delegates a task inappropriately. Appropriate delegation begins with knowing what skills can be delegated. There are published guidelines which helps nurses in delegating tasks in accordance with the RNs legal scope of practice, an example of these are the five rights of delegation (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 1995) wherein the fundamental basis of public protection should be the basis of all decisions related to delegation of nursing activities can be used as a mental checklist to assist nurses clarify critical elements of the decision-making process. The RNs final responsibility is to evaluate whether assistants performed a task properly and whether desired outcomes where realized. RNs should use the principles of delegation to guide them in deciding whether a particular task can be delegated or not. III. Principles of Delegation According to the Australian Nursing Federation (2004, p. 1), each state and territory in Australia governs the practice of registered nurses and midwives through published nursing and midwifery acts and that the ANFs purpose of publishing the guideline is to clarify the role and obligation of the RNs and midwives when delegating aspects of nursing and midwifery care, guide RNs and midwives through the issues to be considered in delegating aspects of nursing and midwifery care and to clarify the role and obligations of employers in the delegation of aspects of nursing and midwifery care by nurses and midwives. The principle of delegation should be used when considering delegating an activity to another health care provider. The following are the principles of delegation as stated in the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV), Guidelines: Delegation and Supervision for Registered Nurses and Midwives (2007, p. 4): RNs should always remember that the primary motivation in delegating tasks is to meet the health needs and improve health outcomes of clients, it must be consistent with the acceptable standards of nursing and the policy of the service providers, that the delegated task is based on appropriate planning and consultation, delegated tasks should only be accepted if the person to perform the ask is deemed competent after proper assessment by an authorized personnel, the RN should see to it that he/she is accountable not only for their decision to delegate but also in monitoring the delegated individuals standard of performance and that the activity delegated should presently be part of the RNs current role. Likewise, the delegating nurse has also the responsibility to apply the five rights of delegation, namely: (1) the right task; (2) the right circumstances; (3) the right person; (4) the right direction or communication; and (5) the right supervision (Crisp and Taylor 2005, p.366). If either one of these rights are missing, the task being delegated is considered to be unsafe and can result to negative outcomes. Delegation is different from allocation or assignment which involves asking another person to care for one or more consumers on the assumption that the required activities of consumer care are normally within that persons responsibility and scope of practice (ANMC 2007; NBV 2007, p.4). When a patient is admitted during your tour of duty, and you are the nurse on deck, this means that the patient will then be allocated to you on the assumption that the required activities for consumer care are normally within your responsibility and scope of practice and you must holistically take care of all the needs of the patient while in the case that the admitted patient was assigned to another RN which then delegates a task to you, like getting the patients initial vital signs, the accountability and overall responsibility remains with the admitting RN with you sharing the responsibility of the outcome of the task. Using reflective practice, the RN should then evaluate their individual contribution to the achievement of patient outcomes, if he or she was able to properly apply the scope of nursing practice decision-making framework in delegating tasks to other health care professionals and if patients are properly allocated based on individual skills, experience and competency of the receiving person. Reflective practice also helps nurses establish what they have learned from the experience of providing nursing care and responding to patient needs and is important for novice RNs as it helps them identify areas in their practice that they need to improve ensuring that they make better choices and decisions in the future (NBWA 2004). According to Usher Holmes (2005, p.110), self awareness is the foundation skill upon which reflective practice is based. Self awareness offers RNs an opportunity to see themselves in certain situations and how they affected the situation and the situation affected them (Atkins 2000 cited in Usher, K Holmes, C 2005). IV. Professional competence, delegation and clinical effectiveness Competence is an individuals ability to effectively apply knowledge, understanding, skills, and values within a designated scope of practice at a standard acceptable to the client and others who has the same experience and background (ANMC 2005, p. 8). Critical thinking, or the practice of questioning, is necessary so that practitioners integrate relevant information from various sources, examine assumptions, and identify relationships and patterns (Parker Clare 2000 cited in Usher, K Holmes, C 2005). Health care organizations have made dramatic advances and transformations during the last few decades, resulting in rapid growth of technology and theory. If nurses are to deal effectively with complex change, increased demands and greater accountability, they must become skilled in higher level thinking and reasoning abilities and this is where the use of critical thinking becomes vital in examining simple and complex situations in nurses day to day responsibilities. RNs who are critical thinkers practice sound clinical judgement by practicing critical thinking skills to investigate and reflect on all aspects of a clinical observation or problem in order to decide on an appropriate course of action based on factual evidence rather than conjecture and is able to arrive at a reasoned conclusion that can be justified. The process of critical thinking will enhance the ability of nurses to properly identify and assess the need of delegating tasks to other health care professionals and to determine if they carry with them the professional competence needed to efficiently perform the assigned task which would definitely result in clinical effectiveness by delivering the care plan and attending to the needs of the client faster rather than performing the care plan alone even if the task is legally delegable. (Simpson Courtney 2002). V. Interpersonal Relationships between team members during delegation of tasks Registered nurses work within the health care team to properly address the different complex health care needs of clients and each of the team members knowledge and contribution is valued and respected. Interpersonal relationship is the association or connection between unit managers staff nurses within a nursing unit interpersonal relationships within team members during delegation of tasks should be built on trust. Acceptance, care, feeling, integrity, respecting the values all revolved on trust, thus, trust building should be the focus of every activity within an organization. Interpersonal relationships are built through effective communication skills, listening to each member queries and actively participating during supervision of a delegated task builds confidence on their part. An interpersonal relationship is a dynamic system that changes continuously wherein social associations, connections, or affiliation between two or more people are present. Effective delegation forces you to spend time with your employee thus developing your interpersonal relationship. This holds true to RNs who personally see to it that each member of the team to whom different tasks are delegated will continually grow as their experiences and skills develop in time, building the confidence, competency a collaboratively harmonious interpersonal relationship needed to properly and effectively care for each patien t within their jurisdiction. Working in partnership and cooperation with other members of the health care team for the benefit of the clients receiving health service where delegation of a nursing intervention is not required means that a collaborative relationship exists between the health care team. It is then important to maintain enhance relationships among employees by creating a social environment in which the team can attain their goals. Conclusion In summary, delegation is a process wherein new RNs must be able to understand to avoid any professional legal dilemma that may arise due to ignorance. There are tasks that the RN cannot delegate (QNC 2005a), aspects of nursing care like assessment of the client, planning on how to provide care, evaluation of the expected outcome was met after implementation and these should be strictly followed. Allocation of accountability in QNC (2005d, p. 15), states that RNs and midwives are accountable for delegation decisions and for the standard of care provided but if the RN or midwife ensured that the delegation decisions and level of supervision were appropriate, they would not be held accountable for inappropriate or unauthorized actions by another care provider. It is the role responsibility of the RN to see to it that the person to whom the task is being delegated to have the necessary education, experience skill to perform competently. It is important that a harmonious interpersona l relationship between team members are present because this would be the basis of a therapeutic, collaborative approach in rendering the best care possible to clients assigned to them. 2846 words

THE LIFE OF SOJOURNER TRUTH Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Life of Sojourner Truth I. Early Life A. Born a slave in 1797 1. Isabella Van Wagner, in upstate New York 2. She married an older slave and started a family. B. Sojourner Truth the most famous black female orators 1. She lectured throughout Northeast and Midwest on women's rights, religion and prison reform. 2. "Ain't I a Women" speech May 29, 1851 II. Moving to start a new life. A. The Civil War 1. She nursed soldiers, collected food and clothing for black volunteer regiments 2. The second edition of Truths Narrative B. Sojourner Truth in her 60's 1. Displayed the energy and determination that was inherent in her character. 2. Saying words of encouragement to black troops stationed in Detroit. III. Meeting Lincoln October 29, 1864 A. National Freedman's Relief Association 1. Appointed her to work as a counselor to freed slaves in Virginia. 2. Filed suits to affirm that black people had legal rights. B. Sojourners journey in the 1870's 1. Her visit with President Grant and the U.S. Senate in 1870 2. Advocating hanging as punishment for murder. Heather Hawthorne History 377 Dr. Schmider October 1,2003 The Life of Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth wasn’t just a heroine to blacks, slaves, and women. She was also an abolitionist and a champion of women’s rights speaking throughout the country. She acted on her strong feelings about life and the way it should be. But, in my hometown of Battle Creek, Michigan where Sojourner Truth spent her last years, she is known for her powerful speeches that traveled the nation advocating for the fair treatment of freed slaves. Sojourn... ...famous Mob Convention in New York City in September, 1853, Sojourner Truth closed a lecture on women’s rights by warning those present that she would be â€Å"watching things†¦ and every once in a while I will come out and tell you what time it is.† For more than four decades, Sojourner Truth made good of her promise. Works Cited: Patten, Neil A, The Nineteenth Century Black Women as Social Reformer: The New Speeches of Sojourner Truth, Negro History Bulletin, 49:1 (1986, Jan/Mar) Association for the study of African-American Life and History "Sojourner Truth." Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols., Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2003. http://www.galenet.com/servlet/BioRC "Sojourner Truth." Feminist Writers. St. James Press, 1996. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2003. http://www.galenet.com/servlet/BioRC "Sojourner Truth." Historic World Leaders Gale Research, 1994. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2003. http://www.galenet.com/servlet/BioRC

Redemption in The Story of B Essay -- Story

Redemption in The Story of B The Story of B portrays the spirit of revolutionary thinking through several people who originate at opposite ends of culture and discover a common cause which unites them in a single purpose. Concern for the destiny of mankind impels one man to "brace an entire culture". This man, dubbed "B" for blasphemer by the society he seeks to save, devotes his life to the instructing of selected intellectuals to fulfill the redemption of man. B, a man "bound to be killed"(114), faces rioters to deliver his message of salvation and destiny to a Catholic priest whose superiors sent him to spy on B. Daniel Quinn's reveals his philosophical insight into the future of the world through the explanation of society's history and the revelation of a choice which threatens to bring chaos upon everyone. When Jared Osborne, a Roman Catholic priest encounters B, the revolutionary genius his superiors sent him to intercept, he loses his sense of purpose and becomes entangled in the intellectual drama which surround this rebellious prophet. While continuing his reports to the Church from B's headquarters in Radenau, Germany, Jared discovers an awful truth which forever alters his outlook on the world. In consorting with the man charged by the Church with blasphemy, Osborne risks losing his entire lifestyle by excommunication. Even this punishment cannot dissuade him, for though his loyalty remains with the Church, B's message overrides this standing allegiance with its urgency. Jared claims this makes him "not a very good priest"(3), but he eventually ceases to care whether or not he can return to his former station in life. This occurs gradually as he uncovers secrets of man's history which disillusion his belief... ...an equally rapid geographical expansion that obliterated all other lifestyles in its path"(248). B foretells the future of mankind as a grim prospect should we not alter our lifestyle. He predicts that since our planet can only support a limited amount of people, we will soon run out of space and food. This occurs, according to B, because totalitarian agriculture produces a surplus of food, which in turn increases population. The elegance of truth flows through his lessons to show how our culture began on its route to destruction. This journey continued even when we discovered the possibility that our society could survive as a Leaver culture. Fortunately, B's message also provides hope for society. Daniel Quinn suggests that though it may prove difficult, "We don't have to change HUMANKIND in order to survive. We only have to change a single culture."(255) Redemption in The Story of B Essay -- Story Redemption in The Story of B The Story of B portrays the spirit of revolutionary thinking through several people who originate at opposite ends of culture and discover a common cause which unites them in a single purpose. Concern for the destiny of mankind impels one man to "brace an entire culture". This man, dubbed "B" for blasphemer by the society he seeks to save, devotes his life to the instructing of selected intellectuals to fulfill the redemption of man. B, a man "bound to be killed"(114), faces rioters to deliver his message of salvation and destiny to a Catholic priest whose superiors sent him to spy on B. Daniel Quinn's reveals his philosophical insight into the future of the world through the explanation of society's history and the revelation of a choice which threatens to bring chaos upon everyone. When Jared Osborne, a Roman Catholic priest encounters B, the revolutionary genius his superiors sent him to intercept, he loses his sense of purpose and becomes entangled in the intellectual drama which surround this rebellious prophet. While continuing his reports to the Church from B's headquarters in Radenau, Germany, Jared discovers an awful truth which forever alters his outlook on the world. In consorting with the man charged by the Church with blasphemy, Osborne risks losing his entire lifestyle by excommunication. Even this punishment cannot dissuade him, for though his loyalty remains with the Church, B's message overrides this standing allegiance with its urgency. Jared claims this makes him "not a very good priest"(3), but he eventually ceases to care whether or not he can return to his former station in life. This occurs gradually as he uncovers secrets of man's history which disillusion his belief... ...an equally rapid geographical expansion that obliterated all other lifestyles in its path"(248). B foretells the future of mankind as a grim prospect should we not alter our lifestyle. He predicts that since our planet can only support a limited amount of people, we will soon run out of space and food. This occurs, according to B, because totalitarian agriculture produces a surplus of food, which in turn increases population. The elegance of truth flows through his lessons to show how our culture began on its route to destruction. This journey continued even when we discovered the possibility that our society could survive as a Leaver culture. Fortunately, B's message also provides hope for society. Daniel Quinn suggests that though it may prove difficult, "We don't have to change HUMANKIND in order to survive. We only have to change a single culture."(255)

Euthanasia Essay -- Euthanasia Essays

Euthanasia An acceptance of the practice of Voluntary Euthanasia is incompatible with the Christian belief in the Sanctity of Life but not with the attitudes of some ethical philosophers. Discuss. 'No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment'.[1] Imagine at the age of 40, you are diagnosed with Motor neurone disease, a fatal disease that causes degeneration of the motor neurones, which leads the wasting of muscles. You are intellectually sound but totally dependant on your spouse for physical support. You are aware of the fact that your death is imminent and will probably be painful, suffering from severe breathing problems and pneumonia before slipping into a coma. By the age of 42 you want to end your life, leaving your two children and spouse with more pleasant memories of you, however, the courts will not allow you to end your life[2]. This was exactly the situation of Diane Pretty, the most recent of euthanasia case in the media. However, she died on 12th May 2002 after losing her case. Euthanasia continues to be one of the most controversial subjects of the modern world. The word euthanasia literally means 'dying well' and it originates from two Greek words, 'eu' and 'thanatos'. Euthanasia is defined as 'à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦an action or omission which of itself or by intention causes death.'[3] A case where a patient specifically asks to die repeatedly and receives euthanasia, which is not a decision made by a doctor or the patient's family or friends, is one of voluntary euthanasia. There are two types of voluntary euthanasia, passive and active. Passive euthanasia is the omission or ter... ...n, mentioned by Ludovic Kennedy in his book; 'Euthanasia - dying well' [18] AS/A level Religious Studies exam revision notes - Philip Alan Updates - Sarah Tyler page 134 [19] Ethical theory page 60, Mel Thompson [20] Exodus 20:13 [21] Philosophy of religion and ethics (Phillip Allan Updates) [22] Oxford English Dictionary [23] Foundations of the metaphysics of morals, 1985, opening of the first section, from The puzzle of ethics, Peter Vardy [24] AS/A level Religious Studies exam revision notes - Philip Alan Updates - Sarah Tyler page 138 [25] Joseph Priestly's Essay on government as mentioned by Sarah Tyler in her book AS/A level Religious Studies exam revision notes - Philip Alan Updates page 128 [26] Ethical theory page 82 - Mel Thomspon. [27] Ethical theory page 102, Mel Thompson

Imperialism is a both good and bad idea

This is portrayed in the movie apocalypse now. They portray the event the Vietnam war which had many countries imperialistic Vietnam. The war caused the death of millions of people and was very tragic on the Vietnam people and their homeland. This war also had an effect on the soldiers and the horror they witnessed over seas. This movie perfectly captured the idea of the war and what it did to the landscape and people involved in it. Imperialism was a time where countries mainly those in Europe were going around the world and taking over other smaller countries.The main countries that partook in this event were France, Britain, and Spain in no particular order. These countries did not just one day feel like imperialistic their had to be a need for impersonation. This was normally when the country was in need of money, and or other resources they would go any. Veer and do anything to acquire the resource they needed. For example the French were seeking ports to trade goods so the cove red a lot of west Africa coast ensuring they would have large areas of trade.But many areas did not allow countries to come in and steal their land. Many countries had small UN modern militaries setup and even though they could not defeat the modern weapons and soldiers of the invaders many of hem would fight to keep their land. The natives would often through uprisings though often unsuccessful they would try to fight the much better equipped Europeans who would come in and enslave their people. Many nations not only faced trouble with the natives but with the environment as well.Many Europeans were unfamiliar with which plants were harmful or beneficial and in some cases many caught diseases from foreign bugs that they were not prepared to fight off. Many European nations treated the natives of the countries they imperialism as equals France were one country that saw them as such. They were willing o even let some natives become French citizens if they adopted the French language and culture. Some were even given jobs and treated as citizens with the same rights as those in France. But if the natives did not accept their culture and ideas they would be seen as racially inferior.On the other hand the British gave their natives little support due to the idea that independence means independence from Britain. The British even took the natives out of their armies due to their racist and superior ideology. When nations left the countries they had imperialism they left lasting effects on the people and Netscape. While a nation was imperialistic a country they devastated it. They would kill people in public to show their dominance. They would also euthanize the natives because they felt superior.Many times they would mow down large numbers of people with machine guns just for standing up for their rights. These events left the countries devastated. Many crops were taken by the ruling nations and they left nothing for the natives. Many nations also left many people dead with many dead bodies around this attracted parasites and bacteria, which spread diseases. Many of the natives were to beaten to ark to keep their families alive So many of them starved to death. This was a common thing that came with imperialism it was also very well portrayed in the film apocalypse now.Apocalypse now is a film based on a man in the Vietnam war who is sent to kill a fellow soldier who has gone off the deep end. The movie takes place in Vietnam and is very accurate with what they portray. This event follows a Richard Colby who is the officer sent to kill Kurt, the officer who is running his own army in Vietnam and murdering hundreds of people savagely. Joseph Conrad based this â€Å"crazed captain† on the character Kurt from the vela Heart of Darkness, but many people feel he is a representation of Tony Poe.

Shool Work

Excel Chapter 2 – Formulas, Functions, Formatting, and Web Queries MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. To start a new line in a cell, press ____ after each line, except for the last line, which is completed by clicking the Enter box, pressing the ENTER key, or pressing one of the arrow keys. a. |ALT+ENTER|c. |SHIFT+ENTER| b. |CTRL+ENTER|d. |TAB+ENTER| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 87 2. If a cell has a two-digit year of 32, Excel automatically changes it to a four-digit year of ____. a. |1732|c. |1932| b. |1832|d. |2032| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 88 3. Every time you enter a value into a cell in the worksheet, Excel automatically ____ formulas. . |recalculates new|c. |recalculates old| b. |recalculates some|d. |recalculates all| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 90 4. To save a previously saved workbook with a new name or on a different drive, ____. a. |click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar| b. |click Save As on the File menu| c. |press CTRL+S| d. |click Save on the File menu| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 90 5. All of the following are valid Excel arithmetic operators except ____. a. |^|c. |%| b. |*|d. |>| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 92 6. When Excel follows the order of operations, the formula, 8 * 3 + 2, equals ____. a. |40|c. |48| b. |26|d. |13| ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 92 7. When an error occurs in a formula in a cell, Excel displays the ____ button next to the cell and identifies the cell with the error by placing a green triangle in the upper left of the cell. a. |Smart Tag Actions|c. |Trace Error| b. |AutoCorrect Options|d. |Auto Fill Options| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 96 8. The ____ button lists formatting options following an insertion of cells, row, or columns. a. |Paste Options|c. |Auto Fill Options| b. |Insert Options|d. |AutoCorrect Options| ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 97 9. In Excel, functions can be entered using any of the following methods except the ____. . |Function command on the Tools menu|c. |Insert Function box in the formula bar| b. |keyboard or mouse|d. |AutoSum command on the Formulas tab| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 98 10. How do you activate Range Finder to verify a formula in a cell? a. |Range Finder does not verify formulas|c. |Double-click in the cell| b. |Press the ESC key|d. |Click the Range Finder button| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 106 11. Us ing the ____ button on the Ribbon instructs Excel to display additional decimal places in a cell. a. |AutoFormat|c. |Increase Decimal| b. |Currency Style|d. |Percent Style| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 116 2. Click ____ in the Conditional Formatting gallery to display the New Formatting Rule dialog box. a. |Rule Format|c. |New Format| b. |New Rule|d. |Format Rule| ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 119 13. When Excel starts and the blank worksheet displays on the screen, all of the columns have a default width of ____. a. |8. 43 characters, or 64 pixels|c. |12. 75 points, or 17 pixels| b. |64 characters, or 8. 43 pixels|d. |17 points, or 12. 75 pixels| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 122 14. ____ means that the width of the column will be increased or decreased so the widest entry will fit in the column. a. Auto column adjust|c. |Auto adjust| b. |Width fit|d. |Best fit| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 122 15. To instruct Excel to display a hidden column, position the mouse pointer to the ____. a. |left of the column heading boundary where th e hidden column is located and then drag to the right| b. |right of the column heading boundary where the hidden column is located and then drag to the left| c. |left of the column heading boundary where the hidden column is located and then drag to the left| d. |right of the column heading boundary where the hidden column is located and then drag to the right| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 122 16. If you want to increase or decrease column width significantly, you can right-click a column heading and then use the ____ command on the shortcut menu to change the column’s width. a. |Column Width|c. |Width Adjustment| b. |Adjust Width|d. |Increase Column| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 123 17. As with column widths, when you decrease the row height to 0, the row is ____. a. |hidden| b. |visible temporarily at the top of the worksheet| c. |deleted| d. |visible temporarily on the left side of the worksheet| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 126 18. To check the spelling of the text in a single cell, ____ to make the formula bar active and then click the Spelling button on the Review tab on the Ribbon. a. |double-click the formula bar|c. |double-click the cell| b. |right-click the cell|d. |right-click the formula bar| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 129 19. If a single cell is selected so that the formula bar is not active and then the spell checker is started, Excel checks ____. a. |only the text in the selected cell| b. |the remainder of the worksheet, including notes and embedded charts| c. |the spelling of all sheets in the workbook| d. the remainder of the worksheet, not including notes and embedded charts| ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 129 20. Which view allows you to create or modify a worksheet while viewing how it will look in printed format. a. |Print View|c. |Page Layout View| b. |Normal View|d. |Print Layout View| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 129 21. You can check formulas for errors by clicking the ____ button on the Formulas tab on the Ribbon. a. |Formul a Checker|c. |Formula| b. |Error Checking|d. |Error Validating| ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 129 Figure 2-3 22. In the Print dialog box shown in the accompanying figure, the ____ instructs Excel to print the selected range. . |Selection option button|c. |Active sheet(s) option button| b. |Print to file check box|d. |Collate check box| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 133 23. In the Print dialog shown in the accompanying figure, the ____ instructs Excel to print the worksheet currently on the screen or the selected worksheets. a. |Selection option button|c. |Active sheet(s) option button| b. |Print to file check box|d. |Collate check box| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 133 24. In the Print dialog box shown in the accompanying figure, the ____ instructs Excel to print all the worksheets with content in the workbook. a. |Entire workbook option button|c. Selection option button| b. |All option button|d. |Active sheet(s) option button| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 133 25. In the accompanying figure, what will be printed when you click the O K button? a. |The entire workbook|c. |All pages in the worksheet| b. |The active workbook|d. |The active worksheet| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 133 26. Excel does not display the Print dialog box shown in the accompanying figure when the ____ is used. a. |Print button in a dialog box|c. |Print button in the Preview window| b. |Print command on the File menu|d. |Print button on the Quick Access Toolbar| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 133 Figure 2-2 27. In the accompanying figure, the Page Setup button displays the ____ dialog box. a. |Print setup for the page|c. |Page Setup| b. |Setup|d. |Page| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 133 28. The ____ button, in the accompanying figure, allows you to view the page in larger or smaller sizes in the Preview window. a. |Next page|c. |Page Setup| b. |Zoom|d. |Preview| ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 133 29. To toggle between the values version and the formulas version of a worksheet, hold down the ____ key. a. |ALT key while pressing the ACCENT MARK (`)| b. |ALT key while pressing the SINGLE QUOTATION MARK (‘)| c. |CTRL key while pressing the ACCENT MARK (`)| . |CTRL key while pressing the SINGLE QUOTATION MARK (‘)| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 135 30. The formulas version verifies that you entered formulas, rather than ____, in formula-based cells. a. |text|c. |functions| b. |numbers|d. |dollar signs| ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 135 31. The ____ of the worksheet shows the actual formulas you have entered, rather than the resulting va lues. a. |Actual symbol|c. |formulas version| b. |current version|d. |Formulas Print symbol| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 135 32. The process of finding and correcting errors in a worksheet is called ____. a. |searching and replacing|c. |verifying| b. |debugging|d. |validating| ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 135 33. To import data stored on a Web site use a ____. a. |Web query|c. |Web import| b. |Web search|d. |Web copy| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 137 34. Most Excel specialists who build Web queries use the worksheet returned from the Web query as an engine to supply data to another ____ in the workbook. a. |range|c. |cell| b. |dialog box|d. |worksheet| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 137 35. What name does Excel give the first blank worksheet? a. |Book1|c. |Worksheet1| b. |Workbook1|d. |Sheet1| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 140 36. To rename sheets, double-click the sheet tab in the lower-left corner of the window, type the new sheet name, and then ____. . |click the Cancel box|c. |click the Name box| b. |press the ESC key|d. |press the ENTER key| ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 141 Figure 2-5 37. In the accompanying figure, what is the first step in renaming the worksheet? a. |Copy the name from an existing worksheet. | b. |Double-click the worksheet tab. | c. |Type the new name next to the old one. | d. |Delete the firs t worksheet in the workbook. | ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 141 38. In the accompanying figure, to move between worksheets, use the ____ to the left of the sheet tabs. a. |worksheet scrolling button|c. |tab scrolling buttons| b. |worksheet advancing button|d. sheet open-close button| ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 141 39. Longer worksheet names also can mean that ____ sheet tabs will show. a. |fewer|c. |more| b. |all|d. |no more| ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 141 40. E-mailing a workbook from Excel sends the workbook as a(n) ____ in the e-mail. a. |picture|c. |box| b. |attachment|d. |table | ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 143 MULTIPLE RESPONSE Modified Multiple Choice 1. Which of the following are considered guidelines to use when making decisions about creating a new workbook? a. |Determine the necessary formulas and functions needed| b. |Identify how to format various elements of the worksheet| c. Specify how the printed worksheet should appear| d. |Enter data into the worksheets and format the cells| ANS:A, B, CPTS:1REF:EX 85 2. Us ing arithmetic operation, the formula, =d4*e4, is the same as which formulas? a. |D4 * E4|c. |=D4 * E4| b. |d4 * e4|d. |=d4 * e4| ANS:C, DPTS:1REF:EX 92 3. You can apply conditional formatting to ____. a. |a cell|c. |a range of cells| b. |the entire worksheet|d. |the entire workbook| ANS:A, B, C, DPTS:1REF:EX 118 4. Which buttons in the Spelling dialog box will not change the spelling of the word? a. |AutoCorrect|c. |Ignore Once| b. |Undo Last|d. |Ignore All| ANS:C, DPTS:1REF:EX 128 . Which statements are true about the Excel spell checker? a. |It can check notes and embedded charts. | b. |It can check all sheets in a workbook. | c. |It can check in one language and offer suggestions in another language. | d. |When it reaches the end of the worksheet, it will ask if you want to continue checking at the beginning. | ANS:A, B, DPTS:1REF:EX 129 TRUE/FALSE 1. The arithmetic operator, ^, directs Excel to perform the division operation. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 92 2. Cell references in formulas m ust be entered in uppercase, and spaces cannot be added before or after arithmetic operators. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 92 . Regardless of the length and complexity of a formula, using Point mode to enter formulas always is slower and less accurate than using the keyboard. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 94 4. When a formula is copied, Excel adjusts the cell references so the new formulas contain references corresponding to the new location and performs calculations using the appropriate values. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 96 5. A smart tag indicator is a block plus sign located in the center of the cell. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 96 6. The AVERAGE function requires that the argument (the range) be included within parentheses before the function name. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 98 7. When Point mode is used to enter a formula or function, the arrow keys can be used to complete the entry. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 100 8. Excel has more than 400 functions. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 104 9. One of the least common mistakes made with Excel is to include the wrong cell reference in a formula. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 106 10. To use Range Finder to verify that a formula contains the intended cell references, right-click the cell with the formula to be checked. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 106 11. Excel does not allow the contents of a cell to be aligned vertically. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 114 12. The Comma Style button is located on the Ribbon. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 115 13. When using conditional formatting, if the condition is true, then Excel applies the formatting. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 118 14. With conditional formatting, if the value of the cell changes and no longer meets the specified condition, Excel suppresses the conditional formatting. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 121 15. A character is a dot on the screen that contains a color. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 122 16. A pixel is defined as a letter, number, symbol, or punctuation mark in 10-point Arial font, the default font used by Excel. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 122 17. The default row height in a blank worksheet is 12. 75 points (or 17 pixels). ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 122 18. To skip correcting a word identified by the spell checker, click the Ignore Once button in the Spelling dialog box. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 128 19. If a cell other than cell A1 is selected before starting the spell checker, Excel will display a dialog box when the spell checker reaches the end of the worksheet, asking if the spell checker should continue checking at the beginning. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 129 20. You can preview a worksheet using the Print Preview button on the menu bar. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 133 21. To import external data from a World Wide Web site, it is necessary to have access to the Internet. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 137 Figure 2-1 22. In the accompanying figure, the two middle scroll buttons to the left of the sheet tabs move to the first or last worksheet in the workbook. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 141 23. In the accompanying figure, the leftmost and rightmost scroll buttons to the left of the sheet tabs move one worksheet to the left or right. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 141 24. The tabs at the bottom of the worksheet window, in the accompanying figure, allow any of the worksheets in the workbook to be viewed. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 141 25. When a workbook is sent as an attachment to an e-mail, the recipient can double-click the attachment to open it in Excel, or save it on disk and then open it at a later time. ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 143 COMPLETION 1. The ____________________ preceding a formula is important because it alerts Excel that a formula or function is being entered and not text. ANS:equal sign PTS:1REF:EX 91 2. Excel places a small purple triangle, called a(n) ____________________, in a cell to indicate that a smart tag is available. ANS:smart tag indicator PTS:1REF:EX 96 3. A blank cell in Excel has a numerical value of ____________________. ANS: zero 0 PTS:1REF:EX 98 . The values used with a function are called ____________________. ANS:arguments PTS:1REF:EX 98 5. The ____________________ function sums the numbers in the specified range and then divides the sum by the number of non-zero cells in the range. ANS:AVERAGE function PTS:1REF:EX 99 6. The ____________________ function displays the highest value in a ran ge. ANS:MAX PTS:1REF:EX 101 7. The ____________________ function determines the lowest value in a range. ANS:MIN PTS:1REF:EX 102 8. The ____________________ inserts a comma every three positions to the left of the decimal point and causes numbers to be displayed to the nearest hundredths. ANS:Comma Style format PTS:1REF:EX 114 9. A(n) ____________________ is a dollar sign that appears immediately to the left of the first digit in a cell with no spaces. ANS:floating dollar sign PTS:1REF:EX 117 10. Formatting that appears only when the value in a cell meets specified conditions is called ____________________. ANS:conditional formatting PTS:1REF:EX 118 11. A(n) ____________________ is defined as a letter, number, symbol, or punctuation mark in the default font used by Excel. ANS:character PTS:1REF:EX 122 12. A(n) ____________________ is a dot on the screen that contains a color. ANS:pixel PTS:1REF:EX 122 13. ____________________ means that the width of a column will be increased or decreased so the widest entry will fit in the column. ANS:Best fit PTS:1REF:EX 122 14. ____________________ is a technique that can be used to conceal data that might not be relevant to a particular report or sensitive data that others should not see. ANS:Hiding cells PTS:1REF:EX 122 Figure 2-4 15. To correct a word throughout a worksheet, click the ____________________ in the Spelling dialog box shown in the accompanying figure. ANS:Change All button PTS:1REF:EX 127 16. To append words to the dictionary, click the ____________________ in the Spelling dialog box shown in the accompanying figure when Excel identifies the word as not in the dictionary. ANS:Add to Dictionary button PTS:1REF:EX 127 17. Click the ____________________ in the Spelling dialog box shown in the accompanying figure to add a misspelled word and its correct spelling to the list of words that Excel automatically will change. ANS:AutoCorrect button PTS:1REF:EX 127 18. The ____________________ of a worksheet is the version that shows the results of the formulas entered, rather than the actual formulas. ANS:values version PTS:1REF:EX 135 19. The ____________________ of a worksheet is the version that shows the actual formulas entered, rather than the resulting values. ANS:formulas version PTS:1REF:EX 135 20. ____________________ is the process of finding and correcting errors in a worksheet. ANS:Debugging PTS:1REF:EX 135 MODIFIED TRUE/FALSE 1. The TOTAL function sums the numbers in the specified range and then divides the sum by the number of nonzero cells in the range. ANS:F, AVERAGE PTS:1REF:EX 99TOP:Critical Thinking 2. The HIGHVALUE function displays the highest value in a range. ANS:F, MAX PTS:1REF:EX 101TOP:Critical Thinking 3. The AVERAGE function displays the lowest value in a range. ANS:F, MIN PTS:1REF:EX 102TOP:Critical Thinking 4. A theme is a predefined set of colors, fonts, chart styles, cell styles, and fill effects that can be applied to an entire workbook. . ANS:TPTS:1REF:EX 107 TOP:Critical Thinking 5. A fixed dollar sign appears to the far left in the cell, often with spaces between it and the first digit; whereas a moving dollar sign appears immediately to the left of the first digit with no spaces. . ANS:F, floating PTS:1REF:EX 114TOP:Critical Thinking MATCHING Identify the letter of the choice that best matches the phrase or definition. a. |Web query|f. |smart tag| b. |order of operations|g. |function| c. |arguments|h. |pixel| d. |theme|i. |debugging| e. |condition|j. |spell checker| 1. Identifies certain actions to take on specific data in workbooks. 2. Used for importing into Excel data that is stored on a Web site. 3. Takes a value or values, performs an operation, and returns a result to the cell. 4. When more than one arithmetic operator is involved in a formula, Excel follows an order from left to right in a formula calculation. 5. A predefined set of colors, fonts, chart styles, cell styles, and fill effects that can be applied to an entire workbook. 6. A dot on the screen that contains a color and its size is based on the screen’s resolution. 7. If true, then Excel applies the formatting. If false, then Excel suppresses the formatting. 8. Compares words on the worksheet to words contained in its standard dictionary. 9. Values that are used with a function. 10. Finding and correcting errors in the worksheet. 1. ANS:FPTS:1REF:EX 96 2. ANS:APTS:1REF:EX 137 3. ANS:GPTS:1REF:EX 98 4. ANS:BPTS:1REF:EX 92 5. ANS:DPTS:1REF:EX 107 6. ANS:HPTS:1REF:EX 122 7. ANS:EPTS:1REF:EX 118 8. ANS:JPTS:1REF:EX 127 9. ANS:CPTS:1REF:EX 98 10. ANS:IPTS:1REF:EX 135 ESSAY 1. Excel’s strength lies in its handling of numbers and the presentation of them. Discuss some of the considerations to keep in mind when formatting numbers. In the discussion, include the terms fixed dollar sign, floating dollar sign, currency, and percent. ANS: Excel displays numbers using the Accounting Number Format with a dollar sign to the left of the number, inserts a comma every three positions to the left of the decimal point, and displays numbers to the nearest cent (hundredths place). Clicking the Accounting Number Format button on the Ribbon assigns the desired accounting number format. When you use the Accounting Number Format button to assign the accounting number format, Excel displays a fixed dollar sign to the far left in the cell, often with spaces between it and the first digit. The Accounting Number Format button assigns a fixed dollar sign to the numbers. To assign a floating dollar sign that appears immediately to the left of the first digit with no spaces, use the Currency Style in the Format Cells dialog box. The Comma Style format is used to instruct Excel to display numbers with commas and no dollar signs. The Comma Style format, which can be assigned to a range of cells by clicking the Comma Style button on the Ribbon, inserts a comma every three positions to the left of the decimal point and causes numbers to be displayed to the nearest hundredths. You can choose from 12 categories of formats. Once you select a category, you can select the number of decimal places, whether or not a dollar sign should be displayed, and how negative numbers should appear. Selecting the appropriate negative numbers format is important, because doing so adds a space to the right of the number in order to align the numbers in the worksheet on the decimal points. Some of the available negative number formats do not align the numbers in the worksheet on the decimal points. The Percent Style button instructs Excel to display a value as a percentage, determined by multiplying the cell entry by 100, rounding the result to the nearest percent, and adding a percent sign. PTS:1TOP:Critical Thinking 2. Discuss how to use conditional formatting, which is the feature of applying conditional operators to a cell, range, worksheet, or workbook. ANS: Excel allows an applied formatting to appear only when the value in a cell meets conditions specified by the user. This type of formatting is called conditional formatting. Any format can be conditionally assigned to a cell, a range of cells, a worksheet, or an entire workbook. If the value of the cell changes and no longer meets the specified condition, Excel suppresses the conditional formatting. Usually, conditional formatting is applied to a range of cells that contains values to highlight, if conditions warrant. For example, instructing Excel to change the color of the background of a cell if the value in the cell meets a condition, such as being less than 0. A condition, which is made up of two values and a relational operator, is true or false for each cell in the range. If the condition is true, then Excel applies the formatting. If the condition is false, then Excel suppresses the formatting. What makes conditional formatting so powerful is that the cell’s appearance can change as you enter new values in the worksheet. Conditional formatting (relational) operators include cell values that are: between or not between two numbers; equal to or not equal to a number; greater than or less than a number; greater than or equal to a number; and less than or equal to a number. PTS:1TOP:Critical Thinking 3. Discuss the relationship of debugging and displaying or printing the formulas version of a worksheet. Also describe the difference between the formulas version and the values version. ANS: The values version of the worksheet shows the results of the formulas entered, rather than the actual formulas. Excel also can display and print the formulas version of the worksheet, which shows the actual formulas entered, rather than the resulting values. Toggling between the values version and formulas version is possible by holding down the CTRL key while ressing the ACCENT MARK (`) key. The formulas version is useful for debugging a worksheet. Debugging is the process of finding and correcting errors in the worksheet. Viewing and printing the formulas version instead of the values version makes it easier to see any mistakes in the formulas. When changing from the values version to the formulas version, Excel increases the width of the columns so the formulas and text do not overflow to adjacent cells on the right. The formulas version of the worksheet usually is significantly wider than the values version. To fit the wide printout on one page, set the orientation to landscape, and the Fit to option in the Page sheet in the Page Setup dialog box. PTS:1TOP:Critical Thinking CASE Critical Thinking Questions Case 1 Leo, owner of Leo’s Bread Company, has recently acquired Excel 2007. He would like to set up a workbook to track sales of different types of breads to determine which types are the most popular among customers. He is particularly interested in sales of rye bread, onion rolls, and bagels. Leo uses the Accounting Number Format with the sales numbers he enters into the cells. . After Leo enters the sales numbers into the cells, he decides he does not want the fixed dollar sign to appear on the far left of the cell, separated by white spaces from the actual value. He would prefer that the dollar sign appear immediately to the left of the first digit of the number. To format the location of the dollar sign, which category on the Number tab in the Format Cells dialog box would he select? a. |General|c. |Currency| b. |Number|d. |Accounting| ANS: C PTS:1REF:EX 114 | 116TOP:Critical Thinking 2. The worksheets still have the default names assigned to them automatically by Excel. How would Leo rename the worksheets to Rye Bread, Onion Rolls, and Bagels? a. |In cell A1, press ALT+ENTER keys and type the new name. |c. |Select cell A1 of the worksheet and type the new name. | b. |Double-click the worksheet tab, type the new name, and press the ENTER key. |d. |Click the top center cell on the worksheet and type the new name. | ANS: B PTS:1REF:EX 141TOP:Critical Thinking Critical Thinking Questions Case 2 Anna is a competitive runner. She wants to improve her performance and decides to keep track of data for six months to determine if the time of day or year affects performance numbers. On a single worksheet, she labels the columns B through E as follows: (B) Start Time, (C) End Time, (D) Total Time, (E) Distance. The rows are labeled: (2) Date, (3)Maximum, (4) Average, (5) Minimum. 3. After three months, Anna wants to know the longest total time she has run, as listed in the Total Time column. By looking at the values in the column, she finds the longest total time to be 54 minutes. Instead of manually entering that value in cell D3 (Maximum Total Time), Anna decides to use the MAX function to determine the value rather than manually entering the 54 minutes. Why did Anna prefer to use the MAX function? a. |She believes that 54 minutes is her best running time. |c. |She believes that 54 minutes is not her best running time. | b. |The MAX function recalculates the highest value each time a new value is entered into the worksheet. |d. |The MAX function provides a constant value that will not change for this cell when a new value is entered into the worksheet. | ANS: B PTS:1REF:EX 102TOP:Critical Thinking 4. When she sets up the worksheet, Anna wants to the know the average distance she runs. What should she do in cell E4 to determine the average distance? a. |Enter the text =av and then select the AVERAGE function from the AutoComplete list; then enter the cell range. |c. |Enter the text =function and then select the AVERAGE function from the AutoFunction list; then enter the cell range. | b. |Enter the text E2:E9 and then enter the cell range. |d. |Enter the text E2:E9/9 and then enter the cell range. | ANS: A PTS:1REF:EX 99TOP:Critical Thinking