Project Management and Coffee Shop Essay

Mission/ Purpose We are A coffee Shop aim to achieve consumer satisfaction by providing fresh brew coffee and teas at guarantied the best prices. We strive to provide a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. In addition, we will try to preserve our reputation of providing an excellent quality of coffee. SOW The coffee shop project contains a few renovations to an old building. It is my idea to create a vintage cafà © with hopes of attracting tourists as well as locals. I hope that the idea of a vintage cafà © in the hustle of the city attracts people as well as provides them with a sense of ease and relaxation. The renovation ideas include adding new, small, dim lights throughout the ceiling, repainting the walls, the addition of darkly colored wooden floor, purchasing and hanging up vintage style pictures and memorabilia. The use of small round tables and country styled chairs. We hope to renovate a new central air system. The project will start on the 5thof January and Finish by the 26th of February. This project will include a contingency of 50%. A project management team will be assigned to manage all renovations. Objectives In our efforts as a coffee shop the objective is to provide a unique project to a community that is located only minutes from all major subway and bus stops and has many openings in the busiest location throughout the five boroughs. Business Need We are in the business of clearly understanding our project requirements and this includes choosing coffee shop activities that enable my team to accomplish true desire, while monitoring performance during and at the end of the project. We the coffee shop are focusing on meeting real needs so therefore this project main goal is to establish itself in multiple locations throughout the state and eventually throughout the country to reach an overall goal of customer satisfaction as well as a prosperous business. Project Manager and Stakeholders Project leader is no other than Earnesto the stakeholders of this project are the satisfied consumers. Milestones The Key milestones of the coffee shop are to establish its renowned name through at least Five locations throughout the state; Twenty locations throughout the tri-state area; and possibly forty locations throughout the country. Budget The order-of-magnitude budget for this project is to improve our efficiency by 30 percent. Budget cont. (Monthly) Legal/ administrative fees $20,000.00 Renovations (painting, flooring, etc) $50,000.00 Contingency Allowance (Plan A) (20%) (Plan B) $25,000.00 $15,000.00 Business Insurance $15,000.00 Supplies (cups, coffee, stirrers, coffee makers, blenders, cash registers, $10,000.00 Staff Payment $5,000.00 Total Budget $140,000.00 User Acceptance Criteria/Quality The minimum success criteria as defined by the key stakeholders are to assure that our customers are always satisfied with their orders from our business, as well as the locations, set up and environment of the business. High-Level Project Assumptions A constant flow of customers in addition to first time customers will enable us to assume that we are conducting and carrying our business successfully. High-Level Project Constraints  Limiting factors that affect the project is ensuring that the majority of our customers enjoy our brews and blends with different selections of coffee as well as our dà ©cor and arrangement of the facility. We must cater to the public’s desire and keep up to date in order to progress as a business. Exclusions and Boundaries Boundaries of the project include making sure that we have appropriate and professional staff; That our overall interior and exterior design is attractive, that the staff is welcoming, customer satisfaction, etc. Major Risks The Risks affecting the project is that we must set up the next branch of the coffee shop in an area where we are sure that we will profit the most because if we set up in an unsuccessful area we may not profit which ultimately will risk the progression of our business.

Identify the Mission, Objectives, and Responsibilities of an Organisation Within It’s Environment Essay

An organisation is defined as ‘A group of people working together’ (Collins Dictionary 2001). An organisation is generally accepted as a unit working together to achieve the same goals. Concurring with this statement, Mintzberg (1997) defined goals as ‘the intentions behind decisions or actions, the states of mind that drive individuals or collectives of individuals called organisations to do what they do’. In order for an organisation to work, set guidelines have to be put in place for both short and long term aspirations, to ensure that the organisation is moving as a whole, a unit, to avoid separation, miscommunication, and misunderstanding. This can be achieved by administering a meaningful and worthwhile strategic plan consisting of a progressive, hierarchical set of aims. This will give each individual, as well as the organisation as a whole, a purpose. A set of aims can be as follows (Business Essentials 2010); An example of this would be my current place of employment. Their Vision Statement is as follows; ‘We are committed to providing a modern, efficient, and cost effective service focused on meeting our customer’s needs in a friendly , timely, and accurate manner, and will provide the necessary resources to enable achievement of our objectives. We will be readily accessible to everyone in the community to maximise social inclusion, minimise barriers to work and assist people to live in decent housing. We will process claims quickly and accurately, while actively reducing the incidences of fraud or error through investigation. Where fraudulent intent is proven, we will seek to apply appropriate sanctions as a deterrent against future activity. Where we seek to collect money, we will issue bills promptly and correctly. Where recovery action is required, we will act quickly, fairly, and impartially, but with due regard to social welfare and human rights of our customers.’ (Heather Tiso, 1995) However something so unobtainable may not be in the forefront of people’s minds. This is summed up in the following article statement ‘Mission statement in some companies has a huge influence in all management levels of the firm, but in others it is still just addition on the wall and usually what’s forgotten.’ Values of an organisation are more likely to be remembered, as they are more relatable to people within. The values upheld by the people within my organisation, are that of trust, respect, pride in work, ability to take ownership, two way communication – to give as well as to receive, to maintain excellent customer service at all time, to help each other out if need be, to feel comfortable and confident enough to speak up if they have any ideas for improvements, to strive for fairness, equality, and diversity, versatility, flexibility, taking responsibility for their own development, to be open minded as our line of service is ever changing. This encourages a culture of people that are able to pull together against constant adversity, and still achieve excellent results, as well as continually exceed Service Level Agreements (SLAs). The key objectives of my organisation, can be broken down in to the following examples; †¢Operational Goal – to increase revenue (Objective – decrease number of incorrect subsidy claims by 10%) †¢Non Operational Goal – to modify behaviour of customers (Objective – to get customers to act and think in a productive manner) †¢Primary Objective – to maximise revenues with as little expenditure as possible †¢Secondary objective(s) – to maintain excellent customer service, to strive for 100% accuracy, to maintain excellent working relationships with stakeholders. †¢Corporate Objectives – To increase customer satisfaction, to minimise risk, to ensure a glide path is in place for these objectives. †¢Unit Objectives – to answer all calls within 20 seconds, to deal with all work items with a turnaround of 9 days, to see all customers visiting the offices within under 5 minutes, to identify and understand our customer’s needs, to maintain a very high level of service, to develop personal/professional relationships with stakeholders. The influence of stakeholders Identifying Stakeholders is a process of integration within the said organisation. This can be summarised with a statement from a World Bank Group article – ‘All parties should be listed which are likely to be affected by the development, both positively or negatively, directly or indirectly.’ Stakeholders in our company are highly valued and important, and therefore our relationships with them are maintained to a very high standard. Our organisation has numerous companies identified as Stakeholders. This is not just on a professional level, as on top of Internal Stakeholders (i.e. staff) we recognise a number of Connected Stakeholders (customers, suppliers,) and External Stakeholders (local community, the government). Therefore, overall Stakeholder influence is vast, extending way beyond just making a customer happy. The knock on effects of the positive or negative experience of that customer may affect my organisation greatly. As different Stakeholders have different interests, it is not possible to focus on all of them at once with a blanket gesture in the hope of satisfying all their needs. Their needs have to be prioritised by looking at individual objectives, and balancing important/urgent needs with needs that would not have an adverse effect or affect relationships by waiting to be dealt with. Examples of Stakeholders in my organisation, are employees, customers, and the Government. As staff are immediately and intimately connected with the organisation, their influence is going to possibly be the strongest influence. It has been said numerous times that employees are the most influential. Motivated employees are highly likely to be more productive in producing work, ideas, and meeting objectives. Coincidently, the objectives of staff, are to be treated fairly, be given equal opportunity, be recognised for the consistently excellent work they produce when the odds are stacked against them, feel secure in their job and working environment, and have a sense that they are achieving. These objectives are met in the most part, however, as the organisation as a whole has a hierarchy , and it tends to be the senior managers setting objectives and deciding whether these have been met. This can lead to the human element being lost, and people judged by numbers, as other factors aren’t always taken into consideration. This can affect morale, but ultimately, our nee ds are met. Achieving objectives of stakeholders One of our Connected Stakeholders, our customers, are generally the focal point of our work. The bottom line, is customers want a service provided with their individual interests in mind, with the least possible output from them. The saying ‘The Customer is Always Right’, is incorrect in my opinion. The customer may not know what they need, they need to be asked open and closed questions in order to ascertain exactly what service they require. Customers wish to be heard, treated with respect, and for a positive experience with whatever organisation they deal with. The needs of our customers are met, as they are one of the most important stakeholders. Failure to meet these needs may result in loss of business, complaints, and repercussions from higher management if objectives are not met. The Government is an example of our External Stakeholders. This is due to the fact we are a public sector organisation, and a direct derivative of Central Government. The Government’s objectives are mainly that their Corporate Objectives influence our Unit Objectives, as well as Primary/Secondary Objectives. We meet the requirements of the Government by adhering to their laws, policies, procedures, and implementing them whilst maintaining a professional forefront to other stakeholders, such as the general public.

Case Study Wal-Mart Essay

Evaluate the general environment of Wal-Mart using the framework in Chapter 2. What are the key opportunities and threats facing Wal-Mart? (This is the â€Å"OT† of a SWOT analysis)Wal-Mart’s builds its stores in towns with a population size of 5000-25,000 people. Wal-Mart has recently started to tap into the more populated city suburbs by building smaller less obtrusive stores in those regions. Wal-Mart targets every age group from infants to senior citizens. Wal-Mart’s geographically places it’s stores in rural less populated areas with very few employment opportunities. Wal-Mart tries to attract all income levels by selling brand name items along with generic brand items. Wal-Mart approaches its global market by evaluating market potential based on economic and political risk, growth potential, and availability of real estate for development. In countries that had became saturated Wal-Mart used acquisitions to acquire ownership. In markets that were not saturated and land was easily accessible Wal-Mart used organic growth. The technology that Wal-Mart uses to run their business is unmatched. They have a network of satellites that can track a person purchase and automatically refurbish those items from suppliers without any human intervention. Wal-Mart maximizes efficiency by using effective technology to gain a competitive advantage. Wal-Mart has grown into a global empire and has become the world largest private employer and the number one retailer in the world. Despite all of this success Wal-Mart still has a huge opportunity to grow. Wal-Mart continues to adapt to the ever-changing economy by remodeling their store and by placing the customer as their number one priority. Wal-Mart took advantage of its rural locations early on and gained a significant competitive advantage, now Wal-Mart is taking on the urban environment by placing stores in the outskirts of major metropolitan areas. At first local residents rejected the idea of having a Wal-Mart in their neighborhood for fear it would drive down property value and unwanted individuals to their suburbanite neighborhood. Wal-Mart quickly resolved this problem by changing the format and size of their stores located in these regions. The only threats to Wal-Mart faces are mostly from within (eg..) lawsuits employee disputes and the threat to become unionized. Use Porter’s Five Forces Model to analyze the global retailing industry. Given this analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive? Support  your decision. Wal-Mart is a huge threat to new entrants. Wal-Mart has created huge barriers to new entries by offering one stop shopping. Wal-Mart’s Super Centers offer everything from prepared meals to sports gear. Grocery chains have taken a huge hit because of this, even Kmart is feeling the heat, there stock hit rock bottom in 2004. The discount clothing and apparels have also taken a bite from this retail giant. Wal-Mart has produced a very proficient economy of scale from incremental improvements that they have acquired since becoming so large. Manufactures scramble to try and keep up with the huge demand that Wal-Mart places on its suppliers, this further reduces the prices of goods and services for their customers. Small-scale entries are nearly impossible in a region where Wal-Mart is located. Large-scale entries face the retaliation factor when trying to tap into Wal-Mart’s market because suppliers are forced to do things the Wal-Mart way. Wal-Mart has successfully customized many of their products and forced manufactures have been forced to produce the Wal-Mart brand. Wal-Mart has taken total control of the bargaining power of suppliers. Wal-Mart has a small group of buyers based in Bentonville Arkansas that’s in charge of managing the purchasing of all retail stores. Wal-Mart is responsible for selling 35% of all pet food, 24% of all toothpaste, the largest volume of jewelry, groceries, DVDs, CDs, toys, guns, diapers, sporting goods, bedding, and numerous other things. This has put the retail giant in a very favorable negotiating position with suppliers. Wal-Mart has generated a huge market of loyal buyers by supplying them with the lowest possible prices for quality products. With Wal-Mart having such a huge share of the market and good prices there is no need for buyers to seek deals elsewhere. Wal-Mart has proven to be a huge threat of substitute products in several industries for example the jewelry industry, Wal-Mart has become one of the leading jewelry dealers in the North America. Wal-Mart has also created its own brand name for several of its items that have been so successful that manufactures are forced to produce products bearing the Wal-Mart brand. Wal-Mart competitors have to be very calculated with their responses because Wal-Mart is so large it can really drive a business under ground (Kmart). What is Wal-Mart’s business-level strategy? Is the strategy appropriate to offset the forces in the industry? Do you recommend any changes? If not, support your decision why you would not recommend any changes. Wal-Mart uses Integrated Lost Leadership/Differentiation Strategy. Wal-Mart has offset the forces in the industry by creating the most efficient supply chain in the industry. Efficient production has allowed Wal-Mart to keep cost low and pass own saving to its customers. Wal-Mart has successfully used Integrated Cost Leadership/Differentiation Strategy by setting the pace in new technology and adapting quickly to new technologies in their external environment. Concentration on the needs of its core customers (discount retailers), Wal-Mart has created a friendly family environment that’s economically smart and beneficial to its patrons. Flexibility is one of Wal-Mart’s strongest assets, which allows them to complete primary and support activities in ways that allow them to produce somewhat differentiated products at a low cost. I would not personally recommend any changes to this strategy because it has made Wal-Mart the worlds largest retailer. What is your evaluation of the leadership at Wal-Mart?Wal-Mart has become the most successful business in the world through its un-yielding leadership. Mr. Walton has laid the foundation for success for years to come. The leaders at Wal-Mart focus on providing the customer with the highest possible quality at the lowest possible cost. They have redefined the retail industry with their cutting edge technology and flexibility that is un-matched by any competitor. The fact that upper management travel in economy class shows a lot about the character within the organization. The leadership at Wal-Mart has made the world we live in much smaller through economic availability and convenience. The leaders at Wal-Mart are a true example of profit through customer satisfaction. Works Cited Hitt, M., Ireland, R., & Hoskisson, R. (2007), Strategic Management, Competitiveness andGlobalization: Concepts and Cases. 7th ed. Mason: Thomson South-Western(August 21, 2006). Global Labor Strategies: Wal-Mart: The Homefront. RetrievedSeptember 18, 2007,

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 136

Discussion - Essay Example Narratives are segregated into three parts, the beginning, middle, and the end. Wars have protagonists and antagonists that can be shaped to rationalize a topic in any work of art. However, war narratives including even the most thoughtful ones often face constraints. For instance, Full Metal Jacket, shows war as violent occurrence, brutal and awful. However, it equally turns war into a current narrative. In contentious films such as Meal jacket, the horrors are made part of the Joker’s change from a defenseless civilian to a perverse warrior who is no longer fearful. Adornos use of the term barbaric majorly in reference to writing poetry after Auschwitz was not intended to castigate poets and artists. It is implied in Adorno’s dictum that writing literature from differend is barbaric. Gallows humor is good in relieving the extreme emotional attachment that the audience may develop in the case of heart wrecking literature. In essence, Gallows humor relegates the seriousness that the society attaches to some occurrences such as death, crime, and disease. The use of gallows humor expresses the resistance of the ego to provocations and

Information System Development Methodologies Essay

Information System Development Methodologies - Essay Example Information System Development Methodologies The comparison of information system development methodologies is also established through either people oriented or goal oriented evaluation frameworks. The comparison of information system development strategies is effective if it helps in ensuring that developed systems are in line with the customer requirements and user needs. The contemporary organizations, departments, agencies and business environments have demonstrated increased adoption and application of information and communication technologies in various processes and activities. This is motivated to the benefits of efficiency and effectiveness which are associated with the use of technology. As a result, information systems have been developed to facilitate various processes within organizations such as communication and exchange of information and data. Hughes (2006, p. 36) says that the adoption and implementation of information and communication technology is achieved through various methodologies of system developme nt. This paper gives a critical analysis, evaluation and discussion of the existing comparison frameworks for information system development methodologies. The paper further evaluates the effectiveness of these frameworks in relation to their effectiveness. In addition, a detailed discussion of the criteria used in comparing the information system development comparison frameworks is given. Comparison frameworks for information system development are focused at drawing differences and similarities among the various methodologies for system development. ... Lindstrom and Jeffries (2004, p. 45) point out that iterative and incremental frameworks are used in comparing the various methodologies in information system development. The iterative and incremental system development frameworks are part of the agile approach to system development. The agile frameworks are based on the premise that effectiveness in information system development is achieved through a combination of two approaches. These approaches are system development in small portions in an incremental manner and through repeated cycles which is referred to as iterative approach to the system development. Rob (2006, p. 32) says that the commonly used agile methods in system development include Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM), Extreme Programming (XP) and Adaptive Software Development (ASD). The organization of DSDM is presented in Appendix I. According to Sol and Stojanovic (2003, p. 20), the iterative and incremental (agile) framework focuses in interactions and indi viduals within an information system. This is opposed to focus on tools and processes of system development. In this regard, it is arguable that the interactive and incremental framework is effective in the analysis of the development process of information systems. This is due to the fact that this framework presents a development approach in relation to its ability to establish the interaction between various elements of an information system. The iterative and incremental framework therefore allows system developers to ensure that the tools and processes of an information system are coherently integrated in the execution of the functions of an information system. Through this framework a mere focus on

Effective Ethical, Moral, and Legal Leadership Term Paper

Effective Ethical, Moral, and Legal Leadership - Term Paper Example It is worth noting that nurses are considered the primary care givers and hence they directly impact on the quality and delivery of services. There are a number of factors that contributed to this problem. There was lack of involvement of nurses in making decisions regarding patients health issues by the physicians and doctors and hence there was no teamwork. According to Chiarella and Mclnnes (2008), "The factors which influence nurses ability to deliver quality patient care are: a multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care delivery, the ability to provide care which satisfies nursing and patient satisfaction, a formula to ensure reasonable workloads, and a work environment which fosters nurse autonomy and control over practice in order to provide safe patient care" (p. 79). These factors were not considered in this institution. The contributions of the nurses towards delivery of services and care were not respected nor considered in the course of treatment by the doctors. In a bid to make the necessary changes to improve the quality of nursing care, there was the need for involvement of nurses in the provision of care. There was also the need to respect and consider their contributions (Walsh, 2010). Subsequently, there are a number of traits that were necessary in the decision making process to ensure the involvement of nurses. Some of these traits included respect, persuasion abilities, compassion, engagement, collaboration, communication, and supportive traits. Ensuring engagement and collaboration translated to nurses, doctors, and other individuals involved in provision of care working as team and hence quality of care was significantly improved, Other traits such as effective communication, persuasion, and respect were important in communicating the need for change. Based on the above dilemma, it is imperative to consider whether effective leaders are born or made. Some people believe that they are born while

Christian Bale Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Christian Bale - Movie Review Example It was no wonder hen, that Bale himself soon followed in the family footsteps. His father was fond of travelling, and the family moved excessively form place to place during bale's childhood (Tiscali 2008). This gave Bale exposure to many different interests and opportunities that developed his passion about acting. His first major break was Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun in 1987 when he was still a child actor (Tiscali 2008). This was followed by a little rough career patch before becoming a hit in Little Women (Tiscali 2008). As a child, his initial screen and stage appearances include "a part in a Pac-Man cereal commercial, a Lenor ad, and a West End stage debut" (Tiscali 2008). He was also a part of a theatre group at Reading (Tiscali 2008). The focus film for my presentation is the The Machinist, which would be discussed in a greater detail than the other two films under discussion, to examine the extremes to which Christian Bale pushes himself, "both physically and mentally" (LA Weekly 2007), in order to completely lose himself in the character (LA Weekly 2007) and bring... He was also a part of a theatre group at Reading (Tiscali 2008). The Machinist The focus film for my presentation is the The Machinist, which would be discussed in a greater detail than the other two films under discussion, to examine the extremes to which Christian Bale pushes himself, "both physically and mentally" (LA Weekly 2007), in order to completely lose himself in the character (LA Weekly 2007) and bring belief and life to his roles. Background: Ever since he was a child, Bale loved role-playing (LA Weekly 2007). More importantly, he was keen on taking his roles and make-belief games very seriously and was insistent that others do the same; not take fantasy as fantasy, but take it as fiction (LA Weekly 2007). This is the attitude that has kept him going in the filed of acting, where he his dedication to his roles and his extreme impersonation of the script characters has etched a glowing mark for him with the critics and the audiences alike. His father was a traveler and an adventurer (LA Weekly 2007), and this has instilled in him a sense of adventure and self-exploration that he brings to his acting and his roles, and pushes his limits beyond what other people would dare to go to achieve that level of satisfaction and excitement that is a major part of his career as well as his personal life. Discussion: The Machinist was directed by Brad Anderson (The Independent Online Edition- CB.net 2005). It was released in 2005

Architectural ACOUSTICS-The Athens Concert Hall Dissertation

Architectural ACOUSTICS-The Athens Concert Hall - Dissertation Example ......... p. 34 eiv. †¦................ p. 36 F. THE ATHENS CONCERT HALL †¦................ p. 38 fii. †¦................ p. 39 fiii. †¦................ p. 40 G. CONCLUSIONS †¦................ p. 40 gi. †¦................ p. 40 REFERENCES †¦................. p. 43 B. ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS bi Acoustics represents the scientific discipline whereby the construction of the building can be influenced in the initial design stages to maximize desired audio qualities, while minimizing unwanted noise. As such various items will be discussed throughout this analysis describing mechanisms for the isolation of sound from where it is not wanted, as well as other strategies to amplify desired sounds within the specified areas of the structure. The characteristics of architectural acoustics is characterized by fundamental rules which have stood the test of time. Design rules in the past were relatively simple, but as the science of acoustics advances a greater c omplexity is permitted in architectural designs, with the potential of room acoustic simulations and newer analytical tools integrated for the improvement of the old techniques. With the proper understanding acoustic design can meld with standard architecture as an integral component of the overall design process, rather than an intrusive addendum. During the course of this analysis, there are many opportunities where an approach grounded in physics would be possible, but the focus in this instance will represent structural choices more than pure mathematics. Mathematics are included as necessary for comparison purposes, but the number of equations used will be limited. As the physics of architecture has its purpose, but there are a wide range of design choices which might prove equally viable from a purely scientific standpoint, but the architect must render aesthetic and stylistic choices in some cases, as well as a consideration for efficiency. There are many structures possible based upon pure physics, but financial considerations, as well as the preferences of the presumed occupants eliminate certain choices made valid from the perspective of pure science. The architect's role is to bridge the gap between pure aesthetics and hard mathematics. One equation will be included as an example, but there are many avenues the architect may choose from, and this analysis will diminish the role of physics in favor of economic considerations; as well as those concerning appearance. bii. Acoustics are an essential process even for structures not specifically dedicated towards the enhancement or amplification of particular types of sounds. Clearly, optimization of certain sounds are critical for concert halls and opera houses, which require specialized engineering to optimize the abilities of peripatetic performers playing within the structures1, but acoustics are also essential as even for more mundane structures such as office buildings or homes. The principal object ives for these buildings is to permit sound transmission with in the same enclosed area – often from one person to another. Yet at the same time as unwanted noises from outside the building or enclosed room should be impeded as much as possible. This fundamental principle could also extend to opera houses and concert halls, but with more specialized requirements. However, it may not be desirable to completely cancel all external noises from an interior room, for the sake of emergency information. The noise from an alarm or an explosion should be audible within an enclosed room so that

The Organizational Structure, Work Culture and Global Business Essay

The Organizational Structure, Work Culture and Global Business Strategies of Google Inc - Essay Example The study is based on the discussion of different management issues faced by Google Inc. in the China market. It will illustrate various challenges faced by the organization to properly run their operation as per the social and ethical norms of China. The main objective of any management is to achieve the ultimate goal of the organization by motivating and directing the workforce. The modern management practices influence managers to focus on different requirements of the stakeholders of various countries. There are a number of management issues faced by global organizations such as economic, political, social and technological. Recession, inflation and currency fluctuation of different countries can provide the significant effect on the business management procedure of global organizations. The difference in the political rules and regulations also affect the decision-making capacity of the managers. Management needs to cope up with the rapid development of technologies in the diffe rent market to attract more customers. International organizations need to focus on the differences in the social structure of their operating countries before introducing any product or services. The decision of product or services design can differ as per locations due to the changing preferences of local people Customized products of local organizations can provide huge competition to the standardized products of the global organizations.

Business Plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Plan - Term Paper Example With clear targeted clienteles, market analysis is likewise done to have a clearer picture of the organization’s strength, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT). The company has a P10 million initial capital and its targets to gain comfortable and reasonable return or profit for sustainability. The business plan is its map to attain success in this business venture. Executive Summary This is a business plan of Ameritech Corporation. This business concept is developed as a start up plan and thus details business plan and its operations. Experts viewed that a business plan is a fundamental necessity in starting a venture. The plan consists of a narrative and research to ensure that company will be able to open and operate systematically with concrete understanding and context of the market. Details below discuss the nature of the company, its products and services; its targeted market; its financial plan and an initial SWOT analysis conducted as first step in scanning the m arket. AmeriTech company will be venturing on marketing information technology. Below is the proposed organizational structure of the company: The CEO will do all the executive functions, lead the planning and implementation and conduct the regular monitoring of the human resources. The SEO does the market analysis. The finance department will be in-charge for the financial disposition, disbursement of salary, payment of purchases and for regular reporting of financial status. It will also be liable for accounting. The marketing department will be composed of human resources, preferably those who have earned a degree in information technology course and has background on business management. They will deal with the customers on regular basis and ensure their satisfaction. The operations department will be responsible for the transportation of purchases from infotech producer and will be accountable for the quality of these products. The support technology engineer on the other hand, will ensure that they will be able to produce online or personal support to customers who suffer some problems in the utilization if the communication gadgets. These are human resources that are trained and capable of fine tuning the equipments and in repairing them in case of defects. Or, in case the gadgets are irreparable, they are those who are knowledgeable to advise customers on the best option to undertake. Company overview AmeriTech Corporation is a company dedicated in selling or marketing information technology facilities. These infotechnologies include computers, laptops, computer accessories, camera, cellular phones with accessories, telephone and fax machines. Softwares related thereto will also be sold. It is located at the heart of San Francisco, California. The company’s vision is to become a business leader in marketing quality infotechnology and other related communication products/services to improve lives, virtually bridge distances between peoples, insti tutions and companies. The company’s mission is to provide infotech consumers with reasonable way of enjoying quality business services, to boost its profit, and to advance the use of technology. Products and Services The company sells information technology such as computers, laptops, cellular phones, telephones, fax machines and their related accessories. It will also sell internet facilities such as

UNIT 3 Science DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UNIT 3 Science DB - Essay Example In fact whatever energy I am using at my home is residential use of energy. Now it was time to go college. I picked up my bike to reach there. In this process I used energy for transportation and fuel was petrol. College classroom lighting was also using commercial electricity. After the day I reached back home and after dinner and couple of hours on internet, went to sleep. My primary source of energy at home is electricity. Day 2 /Day 3: Daily activities of these days were almost same, apart from my visit to hospital on day three. There also lightings, lifts, ACs and other medical equipment were running on electricity supplied by electric company but backup was also available in form of generators running on diesel. One more form of energy which I saw here, was that for heating water. They used solar panels for heating it. In above experiences, main supplier for my daily energy needs was our electrical company, and I could not have experience of largest energy end use i.e. industrial, with highest expected growth rate of 2.4 percent per year (International Energy Outlook, 2006, p.1). Our electricity company is MAHAGENCO. As per its website, it generates electricity mostly from its Thermal Power Plants which uses Coal as the main fuel. This fact is in line with world over trend, wherein 40 percent of electricity is produced from Coal as a main fuel If I look back on my energy consumption, there are various areas where in I can make certain changes to make my self more energy efficient. This can be achieved by reducing my gross energy consumption as well as using more and more alternative energy sources. By reducing my energy consumption I would be contributing, whatever little it may be, towards reducing anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, which is estimated to grow at an average rate of 2.1 percent per year from 2003 to 2030 (International Energy Outlook, 2006, p.72), and associated green house effects. By

Social Imapct of Photography Essay Example for Free

Social Imapct of Photography Essay In politics, images have always made governments very nervous because of their powerfully persuasive and propagandistic potentialities. (In 1835 – before photography – the Emperor Louis-Philippe banned caricatures, describing them as ‘acts of violence’ too dangerous to go unchecked†¦) Then along came the photographic image: swift, visceral, intense, realistic, and clothed in an authenticity unlike any mode of illustration before. Not even a masterpiece painting possessed the lifelike and painfully truthful nature so capable of producing responses resembling human reactions to actual sight of people, things, places and situations. If (as described) pen and line illustrations and painting and sculpture evoked varied and often violent responses from especially the Church and State, photographs made both these Institutions more nervous still. Still today, photographs are feared by politicians. In South African Israeli and Chinese histories, not to speak of American and European ones, proves of  this ‘nervousness’ (to put it mildly!) can be found. Prohibitions against photographs testify directly to their power. Suppression works†¦ The existence of certain photographs in our own recent history have changed and re-directed the courses of whole nations. Likewise, the absence of photographs can have great consequences. This is illustrated by the following: In India, in 1946, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the leader of the then Moslem League, was diagnosed, through X-ray photography, as having severe tuberculosis. He had only about two or three years to live†¦ Yet, he swore his doctor to secrecy concerning the state of his health. The X-rays were locked away, and he continued his work towards the creation of the Moslem State of Pakistan, which he successfully accomplished in August of 1947. It is surmised that had his sickness become known (as borne out by the X-ray photographs) his political support might not have been strong enough to result in the establishment of Pakistan†¦ In this, the very late 20th century, we know full well (from first hand experience) the influence – both positive and negative – of photography. In fact: almost like an addict is under the influence of his drug, so are we (as Citizens of the World) under the constant, unrelenting influence of photographs. Photography came into a world that was already crazy about pictures and drove it positively ‘mad’. We have become collectively addicted. Photographs took up residence in our daily lives; they moved in, and they practically took over. It is now indeed impossible to imagine life without them†¦ Photographs sell newspapers and magazines. This is a truth that became evident already in 1842 with The Illustrated London News, the world’s first (at first non-photographic) illustrated magazine. It was a weekly magazine. Others followed in vast numbers, so that when photography arrived, the scene was already set for its use. Until the 1890’s, all of the illustrations were lithographs and engravings, but from about this time onwards, the halftone, and photography took over. In one week in 1899, The Illustrated London News carried twenty-eight photographs and only nineteen drawings. And this led to the inevitable happening: Photographs soon became superabundant, transient and superfluous, as, perhaps, some say, it still is today. A photograph has power only if the right people see it in the right context at the right time. It must answer some need, belief, and expectations of its times. If the audience is not ready for the message, the image may be seen, but the message will not be recognized. (Like telling a child about sex when he or she is too young to understand; they hear what their age permits, and ignore the rest!). Certain categories can be created corresponding to the types of photograph and what kind of influence they exert – revelation, proof, political persuasion, social reform, etc. – but these categories are not rigid and necessarily exclusive to a photograph of a different category. These are the suggested categories, as identified by Vicky Goldberg in her book, The Power of Photography (Goldberg, G. 1991. The power of photography. New York: Abbeville Press). 1. The photograph as a proof and witness. 2. The photograph as a revelation of discovery. 3. The photograph as a detective. 4. The photograph as a political tool. 5. The photograph as a recorder of fame and celebrity. 6. The photograph as an icon. 7.The photograph as a medium for social reform. 8.The photograph as catalyst. This lecture comes to you as an adaptation and very much condensed interpretation of the Introduction from the abovementioned book. Acknowledgement is hereby given. Also: See it as an introduction to Assignment 06. (Refer to the separate Assignment Briefing). I have scanned and converted to pdf my copy of the book. See the additional pdf document file titled ‘vic200s 2014_p09_additional’.

Situational Leadership Theory

Situational Leadership Theory Situational leadership theory, in simple terms talks about different leadership styles and how a leader can choose an appropriate style with respect to team that he/she is leading and situation in which they are in, to complete the given task. An organization fasces different situations in different times depending on many factors, internal and external which are hard to control. Situational leadership theory helps an organization to face this kind of circumstances. Hersey and Blanchard (1969-1977), first introduced a theory named life cycle theory of leadership which was then developed and renamed to situational leadership theory. Hersey and Blanchard talks about.. Four leadership styles and how a leader can choose different style depending on the maturity level of the team members. Maturity of the team members can be defined as the individuals knowledge required to complete the given task, commitment and willingness to complete the given task. Different styles define, where the leaders focus should be i.e. on team members or on the task. Vroom and Normative talk about How can a leader increasing the team members commitment, effectiveness and efficiency through, allowing team members to participate in decision making. Decision making is a process of deciding what the goals are and how the team is going to achieve them? And how far a leader can allow team members to participate in the decision making? depending on various situations. House and Mitchell (1974) talked about Various styles a leader can chose to explain the vision to the team members and to support them when they get blocked or having difficulty in completing the task, depending on the situation. (The Path-Goal Theory of Leadership, 1974) Explanation According to Hersey and Blanchard The team members of a team can be divided in to four groups depending on their commitment, required knowledge for the job, and willingness to work, which is also known as maturity level of the team. And a leader should choose an appropriate leadership style depending on the maturity level of the team. If the team members doesnt have required knowledge for the job, and they are not committed and willing to work. Leader should keep more focus on completing the given task compared to focus on the team members needs. If the team members are somewhat committed to and have knowledge about the work, but not willing to work. Leader should keep more focus on completing the given task as well as team members needs. If the team has the required job knowledge but are not willing and committed to work. Leader should focus more on teams needs compared to completing the given task. If the team has the required job knowledge, and are willing and committed to work. Leader can keep less focus on teams needs as well as completing the given task. According to Vroom and Normative When the team members are allowed to participate in the process of developing goals and paths to achieve goals, then they show more commitment and willingness to work. Depending on the situation a leader can choose to Take information or advice from team members, and then choose few that he/she likes. Share the ideas with team members, discuss with individuals then choose few that he/she likes. Share the ideas with team members, discuss with the group and listen to the new ideas and choose few to follow. Share the ideas with the team and then follows according to the majority of the teams decision. This model only focuses on decision making strategies in the organisation and how they can affect the performance of the team members. According to House and Mitchell (1974) Leaders chooses goals that organization is going to reach and how they are going to reach the goals alone. However, leaders can explain clearly or not clearly the way that team should follow and he/she can also support team to face the difficulties on the way to reach the goals. Leader can also provide rewards to the team members who are performing well to increase the commitment and willingness of the team. Depending on the situation they can choose different styles like Supportive Leadership: Here leaders focus is more on the team members needs and creating a supportive environment for the team in times of high work pressure. Directive Leadership: Here leader focuses on both the team members needs and completing the given task, gives them information which is needed and supports them when necessary. Participative Leadership: Works with the team, allows them to develop new ideas and considers them when he/she is taking decisions. Achievement-Oriented Leadership: Here leaders develop themselves and the team. They take challenging tasks and decisions to achieve goals which are tough to achieve. Critical view on Situational Leadership Theory Claude L Graeff said Theoretical issues undermining the robustness of the situational leadership theory and the utility of its prescriptive model and discusses. More specifically, conceptual ambiguity associated with the mechanics of applying the concept of job-relevant maturity and other problems with the normative model are seen as seriously limiting its pragmatic utility. (Academy of management. The academy of management review 1986. ABI/INFORM Global) The situational leadership theory even though many pioneer, has many disadvantages. Every model has its own advantages and disadvantages like Job maturity talks about the required knowledge to do the job, where as maturity considers many other factors like experience in the job, general knowledge and problem solving abilities, etc. Self-esteem and confidence play a vital role in an individuals performance which comes under psychological maturity, which was never mentioned in the theories. Participation in decision making can increase pressure on the team and also can bring misunderstandings between the team members. The relationship between decision making and increase in commitment and willingness of the team members is not always directly proportional; sometimes it may result in serious problems. If leader is focusing less on the task and the path that team is following to reach the task, the team may lose the way and not achieve the goals in time. Relevance with Contemporary Organizations Albert Humphrey (1960-1970), created a tool which helps an organization to understand its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. With the help of this tool an organization can develop strategies to overcome weaknesses and threats, and to improve strengths and opportunities. Organizations are facing more and more competition as globalization and international markets are growing. Most of the organizations are depending on the same resources, so it is important for a leader to use the resources properly to achieve the given task. And to achieve this, a leader should use appropriate styles according to ever changing situations. To analyse external factors which affect the organization, another model PESTEL analysis can be used which talks about factors like Politics, Economics, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal factors, which an organization cannot control, and any change in these factors can change the situation an organization is working in. So, it is important that leaders should change their styles and behaviours according to the situations and help the team to complete the given task. Example: Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan recently triggered nuclear meltdown in the nation, which not only affected the nations economy but also worlds economy. Organizations which are based in Japan even though doesnt got any direct impact from the natural disaster have lost their stocks. In situations that cannot be controlled by the organization it is necessary for the leaders to help the team and the organization by playing different roles according to the situation. Conclusion This theory talks about following different approaches according to or appropriate to the situations, the developers also helped to form or build different strategies to follow in different cases. So it is a process of influencing the maturity of the follower or team to achieve the given goal in a given situation. Here a leader must be focus on both team and the task, more or less. Reference P. Hersey, K. H Blanchard and William Morrow (1999). Leadership and the One Minute Manager. P. Hersey, K. H Blanchard and D. E Johnson (2007). Management of Organizational Behaviour: Leading Human Resources. Prentice Hall. V. H Vroom and P. W Yetton (1973). Leadership and decision-making. University of Pittsburg Press. R. J House (1971). A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly. R. J House and T. R Mitchell (1974). Path-Goal Theory of Leadership. Contemporary Business. M. G Evans (1970). The effect of supervisory behaviour on the path-goal relationship. Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance.

Company Overview Of Exxon Mobil Management Essay

Company Overview Of Exxon Mobil Management Essay Exxon Mobil, the largest non-government-owned oil and gas company in the world has recently turned to natural gas, a traditionally less profitable resource than crude oil, to replace reserves and help slow the slide in its production output volumes. However, a global gas glut has resulted from the current economic crisis and significant increase in U.S. shale gas production, which presents an uncertain outlook for gas prices and places pressure on the companys future earnings. In December 2009, Exxon Mobil (XOM) announced its largest acquisition in a decade: a $41 billion, all-stock deal to buy XTO Energy Inc., a U.S.-focused gas producer. This transaction places a sizable bet on the future of the domestic natural gas market and positions a super-major integrated energy company as one of the top five players in the field of unconventional natural gas development.   Through this acquisition, ExxonMobil hedges their bets that natural gas, as opposed to coal or renewables, will be the most demanded fuel source needed to meet the worlds ever increasing energy needs.    Many questions remain on whether this business strategy will boost production, and force the rest of industry into a game of catch up, or simply run the risk of consuming capital and management focus without generating substantial profits. The Oligopoly of Domestic Oil and Natural Gas Companies John D. Rockefellers Standard Oil gradually gained almost complete control of oil refining and marketing in the United States through horizontal integration, which provided kerosene, gasoline and other petroleum to a vast number of markets. The organization was eventually broken up into thirty-four separate companies after US government passed antitrust legislation in 1911.   Almost eighty-eight years later, Exxon (formerly Standard Oil Company of New Jersey) and Mobil (formerly Standard Oil Company of New York), were reunited in the largest merger in the industrys history.   By the end of 2006, several other mergers also took place between major players like British Petroleums (BP) purchase of Amoco and Atlantic Richfield (ARCO), the merger between Chevron and Texaco, Conocos purchase of Gulf Canada, Burlington and Phillips, and Anadarkos acquiring of Union Pacific Resources (UPR)   Ã‚  All of this MA activity further consolidated the oil powerhouses of the United States,    and exemplifies the oligopoly that has plagued the oil and gas industry since its inception.   Ã‚   Despite the governments imposed break up in the early part of last century, the industry has experienced a maturation that was not necessarily due to product evolution, but rather to the instability and volatility of oil and gas prices, particularly over the past 40 years. ExxonMobil Big oil got even bigger in 1999, when Exxon and Mobil Oil signed an $81 billion agreement to merge and form ExxonMobil, thus creating the largest oil super-major, with capacity to produce 3.921 million BOE (barrels of oil equivalent) daily. In 2005, ExxonMobils stock price rose with rising crude oil prices, establishing a market capitalization of $312 billion. At the end of 2005, annual income was up 42% with reported record annual income profits of US $36 billion. XOMs 2005 annual income, which included $11 billion in the 3rd quarter alone, was the greatest by any business in recorded history. By 2008, XOM held approximately 3% of world production, and when ranked by its oil and gas reserves, the company is 14th in terms of total reserves. This is less than 1% of the total world reserves held by E P companies, and in some cases, far less than many of the biggest state-owned companies. Nevertheless, ExxonMobil remains the strongest leader in the oil and gas market, with a stronghold in terms of international land position combined with dramatic earnings. The ongoing development of breakthrough technologies, including some pioneered by ExxonMobil themselves, have helped the organization keep pace with rising global energy demand by making additional energy supplies available. Technology is becoming more critical in this industry as time moves on, since much of the worlds oil and gas reserves is located in challenging environments. As reserve replacement has required the super-majors to explore in deep-water basins offshore, extract heavy oil bitumen and oil sands from strip-mining or shallow excavation operations, and remotely isolated Arctic regions of the north, innovative approaches to energy production have become essential to increasing the companys dynamic capability.   Superior engineering talent is available to provide industry-leading technologies that provide the business with opportunities to explore, discover, develop, produce, refine and market oil and gas resources that are not available to many of XOMs competitors. ExxonMobil claims that its competitive advantage in the market is realized through industry-leading project managers that ensure superior return on investment. Their high level of expertise and discipline contribute to a strong track record of timely project completion and their ability to deliver their product within a specified time-frame was a key performance attribute that was always appreciated by its investors on Wall Street. The reputation of ExxonMobil played a significant role in earning the support of suppliers and contractors, which was equally coveted by their competitors and in constant demand, particularly during periods of peak pricing. While seemingly in the same business, Exxon and Mobil did not find many areas of similar technology within the two companies, but did find synergies and complements. When it comes to research and development strengths, for instance, Exxon was very strong in process technology while Mobil had expertise in lubricants as well as catalysts, an RD area that the combined company immediately adopted to strengthen its patent position in converting gases to liquids. ExxonMobil has a very unique recruitment process where they look for individuals that exercise core strengths as opposed to bringing vast amount of industry experience. They  have excellent proprietary capabilities in teaching petroleum science and technology, and therefore do not require new geoscientists to have any prior petroleum course work or experience. There is, however, a requirement for demonstrated leadership, adaptability, teamwork, excellent communication skills in English, and a commitment to high safety and ethical standards. This flexibility in hiring enables ExxonMobil to customize their operations unlike any of their competitors. When an employee joins ExxonMobil, they are taught how to do things the ExxonMobil way. From systems to processes, jargon to policies, employees are essentially engineered and tailored to work effectively in this stand alone culture, so much so, it remains in Exxons best interest to hire straight out of college and mold their people the w ay they want to. Virtually no other energy firm maintains the reputation and capacity to offer such extensive training to new grads or discipline experts as ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil is truly an international player with operations touching almost every aspect of the energy and petrochemical business, and operating facilities or market products in most of the worlds countries with oil and natural gas exploration on six continents. Their geographical reach and breadth of line are extensive and provide a competitive advantage from both a logistics standpoint and integrated producer, which encompasses every phase of petroleum life cycle from Greenfield exploration through to distribution of retail products.   Through control of all the major processes, from exploration to retail, XOM has a good deal of control over its chosen partners in both independent operations and joint ventures. This is due to network externalities that exist in many of its midstream (pipelines) and downstream (refineries) businesses in which other companies are compelled to use these assets out of necessity. Exxon Mobil is also well known for its superior operational practices, which capitalize on their ability to vertically integrate their activities.   XOM has a capacity to distill over 6.3 million barrels a day due to its interest in over 40 refineries in 26 countries.   Combined with their global logistics system with ownership interests in crude oil, tankers, pipelines and major terminals they are able to optimize millions of barrels of crude oil supply and associated petroleum products. Exxon Mobil has long battled a negative reputation as an oil giant with little concern for the environment. Most memorable was the infamous Exxon Valdez spill off the coast of Prince William Sound of Alaska in 1989, an event that carried a stigma that far outlived the environmental impacts of the oil itself. Since then, ExxonMobil has gone on the offensive, spending more than $3 billion in 2006 on expenses related to the environment and its stance on climate change. Exxon Mobil has been attacked as having denied that climate change is occurring as a result of fossil fuel extraction and consumption. Regardless of the environmental reputation, Exxon has somehow persevered throughout the last century with a strong culture and management team, which is responsible for much of its success. As with any large company, there are pros and cons to working with a major corporation. Although they offer excellent salaries, the ability to work with very intelligent coworkers, opportunities for travel and multiple career paths, they are often criticized for their bureaucracy and low employee retention rates.    Figure 2. ExxonMobil Competitive Advantage Several value and cost drivers have led to the continued success of ExxonMobil, creating one of the largest and most powerful energy companies in the world A Changing Market In June 2008, West Texas Intermediate crude oil (WTI) price passed the $145 mark and that same year the Henry Hub Natural Gas Spot Prices peaked at $13.30. These unprecedented prices sparked a frenzy of concern that the world had reached peak oil, which is defined as the point in time when global petroleum extraction is at its maximum rate, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. Subsequently, the high price environment served as a catalyst for research in alternative energies and renewable resource projects. These prices also, however, made more exotic fossil fuel extraction techniques viable. One such technique was the extraction of trapped hydrocarbon in highly impermeable source rocks. Resources found in source rock or parent-rock have traditionally been difficult to extract due to their extremely low permeability. Despite the well known geological knowledge that the rocks are hydrocarbon bearing, the low permeability prohibits oil from entering a well bore at any economic rate once it is tapped. Many experts call Exxons long term strategy into question outside of the volatility of oil and gas prices. The company also faces confrontations from outside forces such as foreign governments. With oil reserves diminishing and becoming more and more rare, thus increasing the difficulty and smaller likelihood of discovery, ExxonMobil has more competition than just the other five other majors. These aforementioned resource laden governments and ruling parties have become much more interested in these type of investment vehicles as they see global demand rise. Another challenge to ExxonMobils future is the rise of more aggressive environmental policies, targeting and limiting green house emissions, thought to be the key component of climate change. Supplemented by the intentions of the Obama administration, whose campaign platform was US energy policy reform, increasing alternative fuel source use, and less dependence on foreign oil, XOM will have to skillfully adjust their policies on environmental stewardship to reflect the demands of a new regulatory environment. Unconventional Resource Plays Technologic Advances Drive Attractive Shale Plays Through XMOs increased research and development, the very expensive well completion techniques including horizontal drilling and multi-staged hydro-fracturing were improved to increase efficiencies and lower costs to the point that the economics warranted broad application throughout the industry.   Hydraulic fracturing is a technique in which fractures are created into rock formations from a borehole through a series of techniques.   Specific chemically engineered fluids are then pumped into the fractured rock at a rate in which there is a sufficient increase in pressure in the formation to crack it further.   Upon completion of the pumping of fluid into the formation, solid man-made or specially engineered proppant (commonly a sand variant) is then injected in as a step to prevent the closure of the fracturing.   This proppant is used because it has a higher permeability that the surrounding rock, and will allow for flow of fluids and gas back into the well. In conjunction with hydraulic fracturing, horizontal (or directional) drilling techniques also have emerged and been improved in the last decade.   Horizontal drilling is when the well bore is kicked off, or sent from a vertical position and drilled into a horizontal trajectory.   This can be used to expose the well-bore to more of the producing formation and is accomplished by using motors and instruments that can measure and direct the drill bit. Exxons Challenge to Grow Through 2008, Exxons reserve replacement was, on average, remaining flat, with many fields on rapid decline. Unfortunately, capital spending was increasing year on year, creating speculation in the markets that Exxon Mobil would have to do something drastic if it expected to continue to show persistent growth.   One component of declining production was a result of state run oil companies taking a larger percentage of production in areas that have been disputed, such as in the Former Soviet Union countries or Northern Africa.   With global politics at play, companies like ExxonMobil had to find was to secure less risky and proven reserves.    Like other western oil majors, aging fields suffer from ever-declining output and the lucrative new fields are primarily controlled by state-owned companies that offer less profit to production partners. In order to maintain its competitive advantage, XOM began to look outside its typical business model and consider acquiring reserve bases with long term production potential in stable countries. This is a result of maturation of product life cycle. The opportunities for smaller companies with lower overhead to aggressively enter into aged conventional fields and following the spike in commodity prices in 2007, unconventional field development became economical and many smaller firms began to fill the wedge with new economically viable shale gas plays. The XTO Story, A Leader in Unconventional Resource Plays In 1986, the Cross Timbers Oil Company was formed as a partnership that would later become the publicly traded company known as XTO Energy Inc. in 2001.   XTO quickly established itself in the domestic gas industry by obtaining both proven and unproven natural gas and oil properties and developing them effectively.   Using increasingly efficient technological advances in exploration and production operations, the company proved that it was more than capable in its oil and gas exploitation strategy.   By the end of the second quarter of 2009, XTO was Americas largest unconventional natural gas producer, with a resource base equivalent to 45 trillion cubic feet of gas that includes shale gas, tight gas, coal bed methane, shale oil and conventional oil and gas production.   They had taken a smaller market niche, US domestic shale gas, and turned it into a full blown success while larger more experienced firms sat on the sidelines. XTO achieved this vast collection of capabilities and resources through critical strategic decision.   As of 1995, the companys asset allocation was roughly fifty percent oil and percent natural gas.   Yet upon the departure of the reigning chair, Jon Brumley, his replacement Bob Simpson decided to move to a two-thirds gas, one- third oil ratio.   This was a major shift in the life of the company, and the decisions rationale was based on cheaper handling costs of gas over oil.   Additionally, the United States natural gas markets vulnerability to the actions of OPEC nations was far less.   Fortunately, the resulting purchases based on this philosophy were timely, as they were made just prior to the market gaining strength, thus increasing profitability for XTO.   This lower buy-in proved to be a significant competitive advantage, as its cost base was far less than the companies that entered the market afterwards.   Aside from lower costs for proven resources, XTO experi enced growth by the way of its own numerous mergers and acquisitions.   In 2007, it paid Dominion Resources US$2.5 billion for 1 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas reserves in the Rocky Mountains, Texas and southern Louisiana.   In 2008 alone, the company acquired Hunt Petroleum Corp. and Headington Oil Co. for $4.2 billion, and $1.85 billion in cash and stock, respectively. In order to build its competitive advantage, XTOs successful strategy has been to buy properties that are otherwise simply cast aside by their prior owners.   With the downturn of the real estate market towards the middle of the 2000s, the company has benefited from significant cost savings.   This, coupled with the increase in the demand within the natural gas market has positioned XTO has a domestic leader in cost.   XTO had built its organization by acquiring aged oil and gas fields and down-spacing well counts with in-field drilling, essentially optimizing production by aggressively extracting late in life reserves with new technology and lower costs.(mention scale economies here p.67 and niche markets p.144) Eventually XTO moved   to capitalize on their and position and begin to target deeper shale zones through the application high-density fracturing technology which had begun to advance following industry fears of peak oil. (mention early mover advantage p.135 and sust aining technology p.149) XTOs hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technologies became a dominant design. Geography and total real estate position became XTOs greatest value driver.   At the time of the Exxon-Mobil merger, they were the leader in North American shale gas play acreage.   This position was only realized in assuming large risks in the value of natural gas.   While other companies were back peddling, XTOs investors were pleading with the company to reduce its debt and sell its properties.   XTO not only took risk in more land acquisitions, but also bought stock in other companies in which it felt had greater value than their stock price reflected.    All the while during massive buying spree, the company became a leader in development of unconventional shale gas plays.   Gaining a reputation as a solid partner in the development of gas exploitation techniques, XTO worked with the four major service companies, Schlumberger, Halliburton, Baker Hughes and BJ Services Company (which would later be bought by Baker Hughes) to learn and apply technologies in new ways.   Working together though trial and error, horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques were improved, XTO customized its activities Growth in acreage position also became XTOs greatest cost driver, as it achieved economies of scale in its own right by having the highest amount of development, surpassing Chesapeake Energy and became the largest shale producer.   By leveraging its previous expertise in oil and pipeline operations, the company was also able to obtain economies of scope. Among the most pronounced of XTOs accomplishments in its short history are the development of new techniques by their engineers and field hands to capture gas reserves from shale, XTO was clearly on the back end of a steep learning curve that provided them with profitable activities, allowing for nearly 70 rigs to work simultaneously.   This coupled with the companys aggressive approach to increased efficiency focus have paid large dividends for the company as a whole. Many of the other major oil and gas companies outside of ExxonMobil have significant land acreage in both the United States and Canada, yet most of these holdings are considered to be overly depleted, not representing high growth potential in the minds of the companies that own them. It is in this part of industry in which niche markets have emerged for smaller, independent exploration and production companies that take the opportunity to develop these assets in areas that are considered mature or uneconomic in terms of feasible production potential. A Better Bet for the Environment Hedging Gas is the Preferred Fuel The past 20 years has seen a growing concern of global warming with the increase release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, many of which are attributable to the production of fossil fuels. Natural gas has a significant advantage as a cleaner burning fuel in its ability to lower pollution and lead to a healthy environment. Consumer preference for gas as opposed to fuels generated from crude oil, such as diesels, heating oils, and LPG (liquid petroleum gases)  is increasing more and more every year. GHG gas discussion- A Marriage in Bliss of a Clash of Cultures? According to XOM, and Mr. Tillerson, the combined company has proven capabilities to develop all resource types, and will seize the opportunity to further enhance financial and operating performance with financial strength and proven project management skills.   Ã‚  Mr. Tillerson also reported in his July 8, 2010 presentation that the company also believes that its research and development resources will be able to capitalize on the advancements in technology used in unconventional plays.   Finally, his last statement when discussing the value added combination was that the new company would be able to develop the most high-quality plays using an accelerated evaluation system.   This remains to be seen as Exxon is known throughout the industry for its meticulous and industry insider dubbed suffocating hierarchy________ However, XTO prided itself on the fact its employees on the front lines were free to execute business strategy without concern for the administrative hurdles that come with being a large, public company. They drew real satisfaction from providing that support. and provide the reliable back office that supports the activities that generate those results. Inevitably, XTO was forced to sell as they began to feel the pinch of sinking gas prices. XTO is known for its meticulous assessment process, reviewing all of its wells at least twice a year.   Its strengths and successes have stemmed from the companys ability to exploit land and resources that other companies have forgotten or overlooked.   It is with this pioneering culture that the company structured the deals that helped it grow to be the formidable target for any number of the major oil and gas companies of the world.   There is a very high potential that a juggernaut like XOM will surely impair XTOs ability to maintain an effective, fast moving, manufacturing model, and remain ahead of the rapid decline curves known to all tight gas plays. However, ExxonMobil believes that their technical expertise will unlock additional XTO resource potential, and XTOs organization will complement Exxons existing unconventional natural gas and oil production worldwide. There is no question that the combined companies of ExxonMobil and XTO have the ability to accomplish the critical tasks that give him superior capabilities, as it has been proven over and over again in that the many arms of ExxonMobil, as a company was able t collectively coordinate its efforts even prior to the acquisition.   On the contrary, the areas of concern in the new emerging company may be more of consistency and fit, in which both need to parallel the specific intricacies of the new domestic shale market in which they have entered.   ExxonMobils role as a part company to the new subsidiary may make way for a convoluted process of gaining authorizations for new projects and expenditures unlike what XTOs management team has experienced.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Rest assured, XOM has many formal control systems that are in place with the intent of simplifying processes in all phases of development, yet until the standardized procedures, planning and joint task force teams have worked out a streamlined process, there is sure to be major growing pains and inefficiencies.   As the speed of production is a prerequisite for shale production, the burden of a cumbersome and less than lean hierarchy of decision makers will no doubt frustrate operations in the early going.   Culturally, XOM and XTO are light years apart, with XOM being an inbred creature of habit, training its people from the ground up.   The question remains on how they intend on assimilating a work force that has not gone through the training regime that depicts how things are done the ExxonMobil way.   All functional organizations will attempt to merge in a way that will not inhibit current operations, yet it will inevitably take longer than expected.   Fortunately, despite the ambiguity of judging the ability for one company to incorporate another, the fundamental conclusion that Exxon came to was that target company can contribute to the core business of ExxonMobil and enhance their value and cost drivers as well as their overall position in the market. Of concern, and what XOM is gambling on, is that the new XTO subsidiary is a market opportunity with high future growth potential, and has a favorable market position, both of which are not guaranteed in the current economic and political climate. Will ExxonMobils Strategy Pay off? We just thought they were the greatest unconventional gas organization from a technical standpoint. -William Colton, Exxons VP for corporate strategic planning talking about XTO By the end of 2008, Exxon Mobil purchased  over 13 trillion cubic feet equivalent (tcfe) of proven reserves, and had an estimated daily average production of 2.87 billion cubic feet equivalent (bcfe)  per day the ensuing year. In keeping with its aggressive and robust domestic strategy, the company was planning intense drilling campaigns that would include development in all the United States major shale plays. Exxon Mobil Corporations purchase of XTO was a major hedge on the US natural gas market and was arguably far too high a price to pay since gas prices have dropped substantially in the past two years and an additional 20% since the acquisition was announced in December. The high level of success shale gas drillers are having from a technical standpoint is evident in their increasing ability to uncover growing quantities of gas from previously impermeable parent rock is having a major affect on supply, which has kept commodity prices depressed. The value drivers, such as innovation in technology, that led largely to XTOs success have spread across the industry and somewhat softens the cost benefits that the subsidiary company continues to enjoy. To his credit, CEO Rex Tillerson has openly admitted to the less than stellar economics of the US natural gas market and the XTO deal.   Ã‚  We dont get a lot of upside, but on the flip-side you get a lot of downside protection, he is quoted as saying in reference to the transaction. Instead he points out that the newly merged company would concentrate on having better returns than its competitors, and that even though this deal may not be as exorbitantly profitable as past ventures, it still is a positive move. Figure 2.   Monthly Change in Crude Oil vs. Natural Gas Fluctuation in natural gas prices traditionally track the market price for crude oil, as seen through 2008. However, since 2009, there has been an unprecedented disparity between the pricing of these two commodities, which has led to a relatively strong oil price currently, while natural gas is at a 10 year low. In the end, a carbon tax might further increase the value of the XTO purchase, as the carbon content of natural gas is considerably lower and thus less expense. However with the potential advancement the of a climate change bill, these benefits may be short-lived as Congress debates the legislative approach going forward. A forecast $30 per ton carbon tax over the next 10 years would demand a major shift to cleaner fuels such as natural gas and some speculate that leading electric utilities have already begun to make the move away from coal in anticipation of a change out of DC. Since December when Exxon closed on the XTO deal however, with unemployment so high, both political parties seem hesitant to push a bill that might be accused of destroying jobs. So it may be years before XTO contributes to Exxons return on equity. Despite its previous stature as the US largest natural gas producer, XTO is still yet a rather a small part of the larger ExxonMobil business picture. Since the start of 2009, which was pre-acquisition, XOM has lost over $200 million in its downstream refining businesses. If a significant price were to be put on carbon, this advent would only add to the liabilities of this core business and thus put the increased profitability of the company in danger. In addition, it isnt necessary that the XTO acquisition produce an immediate return either. Unlike deep-water exploration plays, shale gas wells tend to produce for decades at modest production rates. By retaining leases at as low a cost as possible and drilling in areas with the highest production potential, Exxon can keep shale businesses from being much of a liability while still contributing to the reserve base on the books.

Evacuation Of Children in WW2 :: World War II History

Evacuation Of Children in WW2 During World War 2, many children were moved from areas that were at risk from bombing. The children had to leave their families and go to live with strangers in less dangerous parts of the country. This was called "evacuation". Foster parents usually took their children. However, many discovered that life away from home was no picnic. Some thought it would be fun and exciting, like an adventure. All the younger boys thought it was a holiday, but not sure why the women and girls were crying. The first school children were evacuated on the 1st September, 1939 - the day Germany invaded Poland. In the first three days of September 1939, nearly 3,000,000 people were transported to the countryside, these were mostly children. They thought that they would be home before Christmas. It was usually the poorer children were not used to travelling. The wealthier family children were not upset on a average compared to the others. This was because they were used to travelling and being long distances away. Some parents even visited their children at weekends! Within a week, a quarter of the population of Britain would have a new addresses. At the start of the war schools were moved together. The children wore identity labels, gasmasks hanging from their necks and a small suitcase full of clothes and food for the day. They left in the early hours of the morning when it was dark. The majority were schoolchildren, who had been sent away were labelled like pieces of luggage, separated from their parents and accompanied by new people and teachers. They were just numbers in older peoples view! Most parents tried not to cry, some parents couldn't let go. Parents gave instructions to their children these were to not complain, Grin and smile however you feel, look after your brother or sister...... and not forgetting to write home. The teachers or supervisors kept the children happy and told them not to worry. Kids were in good moods....... That was before they left. Children were transported by trains. These trains were more often than not dirty. The children were all packed together. Most of the kids weren't used to long distances and by the time they got out they were hot, bothered, tired and dirty. After they had arrived they were promptly sent to village or church hall. The village or town, officers lined the children up against a wall or on a stage in the village hall, and invited people in to take their pick.

California Wetlands and The Batiquitos Lagoon :: Environment Ecology Ecological Essays

California Wetlands and The Batiquitos Lagoon As the importance of wetland property has been brought to light by ecologists it is a wonder why so much of it is still being destroyed. In California there are development trade- off's that are made that will destroy one wetland while saving another. This will be seen using the Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad, California as an example. In 1987 an agreement was signed with the Port of Los Angeles and the state of California. This agreement allowed part of the Port of Los Angeles to be filled in for commercial development, if the Batiquitos Lagoon was restored. The Port of LA traded their funds to restore the Carlsbad Lagoon for the ability to fill in part of the LA harbor. This fill in project was to kill a large marine life, and to compensate for this the Port of Los Angeles was to forever protect the wildlife (mostly bird species) of the Batiquitos Lagoon. The restoration of the Batiquitos Lagoon would include reintroducing tidal flow to the lagoon. After several years of commercial development and abusive farming on the shore of the Lagoon the tidal port had become blocked with sediment. However, during the years of blockage the Lagoon had converted from a saline environment to a freshwater one. The restoration of tidal flows to the Lagoon would alter the ecosystem to the Lagoon. With the filling of the 383 acres of the Port of Los Angeles certain safe guards to the agreement had to be complied to. Since the filling of the Port and the killing of the marine life was a permanent process so must the restoration of the Lagoon be permanent. The key element of the agreement were as follows: . The Port of Los Angeles would be allowed to fill 383 acres of deep water habitat in the Outer Los Angeles Harbor . All existing habitat of the Lagoon must be protected . The restoration of coastal and tidally influenced species must be established. . The Restoration Project is Forever . The Lagoon will be preserved as an Ecological Reserve by the State of California . The Lagoon must be maintained with a fund set up by the Port of LA and done by the California Department of Fish and Game.

Metaphysical Conceit in the Poetry of John Donne Essay examples -- Bio

Metaphysical Conceit in the Poetry of John Donne      Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of John Donne's poems contain metaphysical conceits and intellectual reasoning to build a deeper understanding of the speaker's emotional state. A metaphysical conceit can be defined as an extended, unconventional metaphor between objects that appear to be unrelated. Donne is exceptionally good at creating unusual unions between different elements in order to illustrate his point and form a persuasive argument in his poems. By using metaphysical conceits in "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning," Donne attempts to convince his love (presumably his wife) that parting is a positive experience which should not be looked upon with sadness. In the first stanza, Donne compares the speaker's departure to the mild death of virtuous men who pass on so peacefully that their loved ones find it difficult to detect the exact moment of their death. Their separation must be a calm transition like this form of death which Donne describes. The poet writes, "let us melt, and make no noise"(line 5). Cavanaugh explains that the word "melt" refers to a change in physical state and says that "the bond of the lovers will dissolve quietly like the soul of a dying man separating from his body"(par. 5). I do not entirely agree with Cavanaugh's idea that the lovers' bond will dissolve, but I do agree that there is a change in physical state. The bond will still be present, only altered because of the absence of a physical presence. The next conceit that is used by Donne is based on the Ptolemaic view of the universe as being divided into moving spheres. This obsolete fact would only be known by individuals who were well educated, as Donne obviously was. Donne's allusion to the studies... ...Donne, it can be seen that although every poem is unique, there are specific elements that are common in all of them. Works Cited Abrams, M.H., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1993. Cavanaugh, Cynthia A. "The Circle of Souls in John Donne's A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning." The Luminarium. 1999. ( 3 December 1999) Donne, John. "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning." Abrams, 1093-1094. Donne, John. "A Valediction: Of Weeping." Abrams, 1089. Donne, John. "The Indifferent." Abrams, 1085-1086. Donne, John. "The Flea." Abrams, 1090-1091. Mourgues, Odette De. Metaphysical, Baroque and Precieux Poetry. Folcroft, PA: The Folcroft Press, Inc., 1969. "Venus, of Greek Religion." The 1997 Canadian Encyclopedia Plus. CD-ROM. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc., 1996.

Psychology of Guido Orifice in “Life Is Beautiful” Essay

Guido Orefice, the main character from ‘La Vita E Bella,’ is a very optimistic person. He works for his uncle in a hotel in Italy. He keeps bumping into a lady, whom he considers to be his princess, Principessa Dora. Guido does many things and takes many risks just to see Dora. So they fall in love with each other and get married. They have a boy name Joshua. Their life is very great until the Nazis come and take them all away to a concentration camp. On that very same day it is Joshua’s 7th birthday. Guido says that he has planned a birthday surprise and that they are going to a fun place to play fun games. Guido tells his son that he needs to be quiet and do what the guards say while the adults go and play games. He also said that every game they win and for every time they do something correctly they get a certain number of points. The first person to win 1,000 points gets a real tank. Joshua really wants it so he does what he is told to. So while Joshua is hiding all the other kids are being gassed and killed. Also Guido is working very hard so he does not get killed and can make his son happy. He gives up his food and other basic needs to have his son think they are playing a game. By the end of the war, Guido says they have 940 points; the Nazis are mercilessly killing the Jews. Guido tell Joshua to hide in a little box, and not to come out until he comes back or until it is totally quiet, and that this will get him to 1,000 points and he will him the game. Guido then dresses up as a girl and goes looking for his wife. A Nazi comes and takes him into an alley and shoots him. Soon the gunshots die down and everyone leaves. Then Joshua comes out of his box and looks around. He sees a large tank coming towards him and is excited because he won the game and got his tank. In the end, Joshua is a grown man and you hear him say, â€Å"This is my story. This was the sacrifice my father made. This was his gift to me.† Erik Erikson identified eight psychosocial stages during which an individual’s primary goal is to satisfy desires associated with inborn social needs. He hypothesized that from infancy through adulthood, we proceeds through these stages, each of which is related to a different problem that needs to be resolved. If the potential problem is dealt with  successfully it will result in a positive personality trait. If not dealt with properly he or she may become anxious, worried, or troubled and develop social and personality problems. Guido has gone through every stage with a successful result. He has trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, identity and intimacy. Generativity versus stagnation is the Stage 7 problem. So far, Guido is leaning towards generativity, but it could change. If Guido had remained alive till Stage 8, he would have integrity instead of despair. Sigmund Freud hypothesized five psychosexual stages during which a child’s primary goal is to satisfy desires associated with innate biological needs. Freud believed that the interactions between parent and child greatly influenced the child’s social development and future social interactions. Guido is currently in the genital stage, the last stage that lasts from puberty through adulthood. It is the time when an individual has renewed sexual desires that he or she seeks to fulfill through relationships. Guido must have had a problem during the oral stage so therefore he had an oral fixation. Guido loves to talk and make people laugh, that is how we figure that out. Lawrence Kohlberg developed a theory to explain moral development. His theory had some similar features to the other analysts. He classified moral reasoning into 3 levels, pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. The three levels are each divided into two stages. Also, he suggested that everyone progresses through the levels in order, from lowest to highest. Not many people make it to the higher stages of moral development. Guido is considered to be in Stage 3 because his wife and his son guide his moral decisions. Guido can understand the actions and talk of Stage 4 where moral reasoning is determined most by confirming laws of society. Abraham Maslow was interested in human motivations, especially in how humans go about choosing which biological or social needs to satisfy. He proposed the hierarchy of needs. It is an ascending order with biological needs at the bottom and social needs at top. This shows that we first satisfy our biological needs before social ones. Before the Nazis came and took Guido  and his family away, Guido was on the highest level, the level of Self-Actualization. It involves developing and reaching our full potential as a unique human being. When he was in the concentration camp, his whole hierarchy of needs started all over again and he was back at level one. When he was shot he was still at level one because he had no protection and harm. Carl Rogers had a personality theory that was often called the self-theory because of his emphasis on the ‘self.’ Our society also leads us astray with conditions of worth. As we grow up, our parents, teachers, peers, the media, and others, only give us what we need when we show we are â€Å"worthy,† rather than just because we need it. We get a drink when we finish our class, we get something sweet when we finish our vegetables, and most importantly, we get love and affection if and only if we behave. These actions of only getting positive regard on condition are called conditional positive regard. Because we do indeed need positive regard, these conditions are very powerful, and we bend ourselves into a shape determined by a society that may or may not truly have our best interests at heart. A good little boy or girl may not be a healthy or happy boy or girl. Over time, this â€Å"conditioning† leads us to have conditional positive self-regard as well. We begin to like ourselves only if we meet up with the standards others have applied to us, rather than if we are truly actualizing our potentials. And since these standards were created without keeping each individual in mind, more often than not we find ourselves unable to meet them, and therefore unable to maintain any sense of self-esteem. Guido had unconditional positive regard and unconditional positive self-regard. This is the opposite of what is above. Guido was loved no matter what happened and he loved himself because of that. He did not keep and high goals and was always happy and had a high self-esteem. The last, and probably the most detailed analysis of Guido’s personality would be Myers-Briggs. According to the Myers-Briggs test, Guido is an ENFP. This stands for Extrovert, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving. ENFPs want to both help and be liked and admired by other people, on an individual and a humanitarian level. They have a large amount of passionate charm. They are outgoing, fun, and genuinely like people. They are warm, affectionate, and  disconcertingly spontaneous. However, their attention span can be short. ENFPs are easily intrigued and distracted by new friends and acquaintances, forgetting about the older ones. ENFPs are pleasant, easygoing, and usually fun to work with. They come up with great ideas, and are a major asset in brainstorming sessions. Follow-through tends to be a problem because they get bored quickly, especially if a newer, more interesting project comes along. They also tend to be procrastinators, both about meeting hard deadlines and about p erforming any small, uninteresting tasks that they’ve been assigned. Guido meets almost all of the traits of an ENFP.

Cambodia Typical Families Essay

Most of the mess of Cambodia peppy in settlements and farm the land or fish to obtain their food. To check off the genuine disembodied spirit and culture of how over three- living quarters of the lot of Cambodia rifle, you have to leave the cities and chaffer the settlements. Houses be either in groups or strung out along a canal, river road or hillside. They ar the ejaculate of Cambodian pride and satisfaction. All major(ip) regular(a)ts birth, marriage, and death occur within the villages. Cambodians are re constantlyyy shy quite a little hardly very warm and welcoming to visitors. Their beau monde is conservative, and centered around the family and religion. However, Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Asia, with an average daily income of approximately US$1.30 a day. More than 80% of the people of Cambodia follow a conventional lifestyle in the countryside.The main occupants of a village are farmers and their families engage in traditional agricul ture on small farm lots. The majority of farmers stand in eternal villages known as sedentary villages. It whitethorn look idyllic, but subsistence farming is very hard. Most grow rice and elemental crops. Each morning you can cover workers walking to the fields carrying their tools and leading their water supply buffalo or cattle. At sundown they return to the shelter of the villages. Other villagers equal in temporary shelters until the end of the ontogenesis season when they return to a village that is more than permanent but which may be moved if new land is needed. These people are called shifting cultivators and they live in the more rugged subalpine areas. These people most(prenominal)ly belong to hill-tribes of Cambodia and live in the North-eastern provinces. Like almost all other countries in Asia, the Cambodian peoples main food is rice. Cambodian peasants have planted rice ever since the judgment of conviction of the Angkor Empire.At the present time they s till implement their traditional techniques. Cambodia has a geographical advantage and is extremely stir with good water resources. The people in the countryside still plant their rice seasonally. The most common time they would plant is in the wet or monsoon season. In the dry season, the only farmers who can plant their rice paddy fields are those full water. About 10% of the people of Cambodian run small businesses from their shop houses (The anterior of their house is the shop, and the family lives behind this or to a higher place on the first story) and about 8% of people work for the government. Visitors willing throwaway a huge gap betwixt rich and poor.A few Cambodians are very rich, with big houses, expensive cars and servants, age the very poor live in small thatched houses and do not even have a bicycle. Country life follows the rhythm of the seasons around planting and collect the crops. After the rainy season you will see people climbing deal trees to obtain p alm juice to take a shit palm sugar. You can also see them fishing in the rivers and lakes to supplement their income. As in most other countries, boorish people tend to unify jr. (18 25 years for men and 16 20 years for women) and have more children (3 5).In contrast, urban men marry at 25 35ys of age and women at 20 25yrs and rarely have more than 3 children. Cambodians usually have 3 meals a day. Rice in just about form is eaten at nearly either meal. Fish is the main protein. Poor people may have to make do with cold rice (left over from tiffin time) and fish sauce for their evening meal. in spite of the hardships of recent years, adult literacy has risen to 65%. It greatly varies over the country, and sadly slight girls than boys continue with their education. Cambodia is experiencing a resurgence of traditional arts, especially classical dancing which was performed at the palace and folk dancing.