Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Statement Essay It is the intention of every individual to constantly improve and strive for betterment. Each one is motivated to create opportunities for them to enhance and reinforce their skills to remain competitive in their individual profession. Despite the immediate challenges posed by such endeavor, there is a willingness and dedication to persevere to reap a good outcome; a better future. It is with this enthusiasm and determination to progress that I express my intention to apply for a Masters degree in Construction Management at NYU. I believe that leadership is an essential facet of every work environment. It is considered to be an instrument that directs the particular organization and company towards the desired change. It is what bonds and keeps roles and functions together to achieve the particular objective. Likewise, it is what captivates and inspires workers to believe in the possibilities available within a particular framework. In the end, it this skill serves as a benchmark towards success and a vital determinant of my career. Looking back at my education, I finished my Bachelors degree in Management at St. John’s University. During my stay, I have had the experience of immersing myself to the various disciplines surrounding management. However, what captivated me the most was in the realm of construction. I had always a passion of seeing things being built and it inspired me to specialize in this field so that I can one day manage and lead projects. Due to this, I exerted extra time and effort to boost my abilities. Eventually, all this hard work paved off and became vital in my career. Currently, I am fulfilling my dream to be in the construction business for the past seven years. The first two years served as a stepping stone as I was an assistant of a project manager. Starting fresh from the University, it is in here that my capabilities were honed and strengthened. In addition, I came across the application of theories and concepts that I had learned in management. This training really helped me prepare for the upcoming challenges ahead. After that, I became project manager and held that position for five years. It is in here that I came across numerous challenges within and outside the construction realm. One must have the effective skills to attain the goal of the company. Due to this, I had to handle things such as pre-planning until post construction. Also, the initiative must adhere to several rules and requirements placed by the government and the city. Likewise, I have been tasked to communicate and manage the costing, time and scope of the project. Lastly, I must always put into consideration the safety of the people and alleviating the possibilities of risks. The Masters in Construction Management is a suitable program because it suits with my profession and relative experiences. The curriculum can increase my proficiency and competence in determining the optimal strategies and trends today in both local and foreign markets. Recognizing the increasing diversity in the workplace, there is a need to constantly equip myself with the appropriate training and foundation to remain viable from my counterparts. Also, this study can create a deeper background about the specialization I am into. Concepts and theories can be reinforced and I can effectively apply both the theoretical and actual elements of practice. With all of these, I hope that the admissions committee shall consider my application. The University and degree is another preparatory stage towards the attainment of my long term goals. Moreover, with the outstanding alumni that NYU offers, I can have the necessary contacts that will enable me to explore business possibilities. I believe that this program will not only enhance my management skills; but at the same time unravel talents and capabilities I never though I had.

Internationalization Of Accounting Standards For Consolidation - Japan :: essays research papers fc

Internationalization of Accounting Standards for Consolidation - Japan: A Case Study The purpose of this paper will be to examine problems with internationalization of accounting standards for consolidations on methods from an international perspective - specifically, in the US and Japan. This is an especially timely topic as standardization of financial markets is a prerequisite to international free trade. Given the trends toward greater globalization, the motivations of companies for seeking a uniform accounting system are strong. If companies have to prepare their accounts according to several different sets of rules, in order to communicate with investors in the various capital markets in which they operate or for other national purposes, they incur a considerable cost penalty and feel that money is wasted. This significantly limits global opportunities for multinational businesses. Thus, it is important to understand what the differences are between accounting standards, why they exist, and what problems they pose. It is worth noting that no one nation has a set of accounting rules which appears to have such clear merits that they deserve adoption by the whole world. No one country can claim to have a uniquely correct set of rules. The United States has the longest history of standard setting. It has the largest standard setting organization which is characterized by high standards of professionalism. But, even the rules of the United States exhibit compromises between different interests of a kind which could have reasonably been decided otherwise. Furthermore, no unanimity exists among U.S. accountants about the merits of the precise details of the compromises that have been struck. For example, the recent discussion memorandum on consolidation outlines three different methods which are GAAP in the US (Beckman, 1995). No one nation has a clear right, on the basis of existing achievements, to be regarded as predominant in accounting. A great deal more work is needed by accountants from different countries before we can reach the point of having a well founded basis for uniformity. People who study differences among systems of accounting rules are inclined to group countries into two categories. On the one hand, there are countries where business finance is provided more by loans than by equity capital, where accounting rules are dominated by taxation considerations and where legal systems customarily incorporate codes with detailed rules for matters such as accounting. The effect of taxation systems can be particularly pervasive. Often, the taxation system effectively offers tax breaks for businesses by allowing generous measurement of expenses and modest measurement of revenues on condition that these measurements are used for general reporting purposes. Companies have strong incentives to take advantage of these taxation concessions as real cash

5 Key Concepts Underlying Structures of Cultures

Define at least 5 key concepts underlying structures of cultures. Answer: Speed of messages: It is the matter of how long a message can be understood or how long does it take to understand a person. Messages interactions can be in different speeds depending upon culture. Context: The concept is different in different cultures, so a balance is necessary for interacting within each culture. It’s the matter of how much relevant information is in the message, and already understood by both sides.So we have context situations, like a message which contain lots of meaning without much information content in one hand, and low context like a message which may not contain all relevant information. Space: The space is different in different cultures. It’s the matter of what is I? For example, in office, some people have invisible boundaries in one meter. Actually people have a visible physical boundary and series of invisible boundaries Time: What is the opinion of time is very c ulturally dependent. There are many kinds of time systems in the world, but two are most important to international business.How many things are done at once? One thing: monochromatic; many: polychromatic. To Asian, several things can be done at once, but it is very difficult to American or European. For example, American and European will think about the schedule is very important, they care about when, how and where. But Asian will think about goal is the most important and they will do some adjust and increase of efficiency. Information flow The mean is Path data takes from its original setting to its end users. In Low-context countries, such as USA, Canada, Israel, German-speaking countries and Scandinavia, information spreads slowly and bocused.But the Higher Context Cultures: China, Arab countries, Italy, Greece, Japan, Spain, Korea, India, Brazil and Russia information will spread rapidly. So the information flow is different in different cultures. 2. Define the 4 types of gl obal organizations. Answer: a. Ethnocentric corporations: the corporations are home-country-oriented. Ethnocentric managers believe that home-country nationals are more intelligent, reliable, and trustworthy than foreign nationals. b. Polycentric corporations: the polycentric firm establishes multinational operations on condition that host-country managers â€Å"do it their way†.Host-country nationals have high or absolute sovereignty over the subsidiary’s operations. The polycentric firm is a loosely connected group with quasi-independent subsidiaries as profit centers. c. Regiocentric corporations: these corporations capitalize on the synergistic benefits of sharing common functions across regions. A regiocentric corporation believes that only regional insiders can effectively co-ordinate functions within the region. d. Geocentric corporations: the geocentric system is highly interdependent. Subsidiaries are no longer satellites and independent city-states. he entire organization is focused on both worldwide and local objectives. 3. Discuss the Yin and Yang of managing in Asia – 200 words or more. Answer: American management styles, almost universally, presuppose the importance of the individual. We value empowerment, proactive decision making, and ownership of the task. This style of management reflects our Western tradition of the power of rational control and the inherent equality of all people. Asian management styles typically subordinate the role of the individual to the greater demands of the group.The power of obligations and relationships and the respect for order are of greater importance in the East. In the West, efficiency and change often equal effectiveness; in the East, passive acceptance of what is, and the ability to perfect one's work with others within the existing conditions, might be a greater virtue – and the way to a smooth-running, successful organization. The Yin and Yang are contradiction and complementat ion. It is very difficult to work between Asian and Westerner, but the human resource managers and employees should recognize that deep differences of values and beliefs.Then employees need to coordinate in dealing with Asian colleagues and subordinates. And build a bridge between Asian and Westerner. So, bringing yin and yang together would drum up business. 4. Define the following Boundary less concepts. Paradigm:underlying the rise of various forms of â€Å"new organization† to which have been ascribed the terms virtual organization, empowered organization, high-performing work teams, and process reengineered organizations is â€Å"a single, deeper paradigm shift that we call the emergence of the boundaryless organization†, (p. 2; Ashkenas st al. 1995).This shift recognizes the limitations of the following four types of organizational boundaries: vertical (between levels and ranks of people), horizontal (between functions and disciplines), external (between the orga nization and its suppliers, customers, and regulators), and geographic (between nations, cultures, and markets). In the boundaryless organization, these boundaries are not used to separate people, processes and places, rather, the focus is how to move ideas, information, talent, and decisions where they are most necessary (Ashkenas et al. 1995). Employment arrangements: an increase in nontraditional employment contracts between the worker and the organization is cited as an example of blurred organizational boundaries (Miner ;amp; Robinson, 1994), as well as evidence of a post-job society (Bridges, 1994). The term contract denotes the different forms employment is taking in the 1990s: temporary, part-time, job-sharing, consulting, contracting, and leasing.Although some employees have little choice but to accept one of these forms of employment, many employees welcome these options for more flexible hours and more control over where they work, how they work, and which projects they w ould most prefer (Belous, 1989). Job Analysis: is the measurement of tasks and / or worker attributes for a given job, thus, job analysis techniques can be classified as work-oriented or worker-oriented (Gatewood ;amp; Field, 1994). Work-oriented methods involve specific descriptions of the various tasks performed on a job, whereas worker-oriented methods examine broad human behaviors involved in work activities.Skills Emphasis and work Analysis: given that functional boundaries will continue to blur (Ashkenas et al. , 1995; Miner ;amp; Robinson, 1994), boundaryless organizations may eventually collapse â€Å"jobs† into more comprehensive task of job analysis less cumbersome; it could contribute to a culture wherein workers are afforded more freedom and opportunity to engage in different work activities. Recruitment: gaining competent employees at all levels of the organization is more than a matter of training, it stems from changes in recruitment and selection philosophy (A shkenas et al. 1995). Specifically, the boundaryless organization emphasizes the development of a shared mindset among all of its employees and the continuous support of this collective culture. Although Ashkenas et al. (1995) don’t describe specific recruiting approaches that aid in achieving this cohesive culture, they state the importance of thoroughly screening applicants, sometimes with the help of customers, based on skills and personality traits that match the technical and cultural needs of the organization. 5. What are the dilemmas of boundaryless recruitment and selection?A dilemma regarding a high degree of person-organization culture fit surfaces: what about the potentially negative consequences of attracting and selecting too many like-minded individuals? For instance, Schneider (1987) has suggested that organizational dysfunction and eventual demise can be traced to an overabundance of homogeneous worker characteristics. As a corollary, some diversity of worker attributes may be necessary to respond to environmental threats and opportunities, ultimately ensuring the viability of the organization.Another caveat to consider is the possibility of adverse impact. Any employment test which results in different acceptance/pass rates for individuals belonging to different groups must be validated and its continued use demonstrated as necessary. Thus, the very homogeneity of employee values proposed as necessary for the success of the boundaryless organization may lead to two serious problems: decreased organizational performance and adverse impact.Approximately how much and what kinds of cultural parity between worker and organization are necessary for a productive mindset? Approximately how much and what kinds of cultural similarity between worker and organization lead to litigation and/or poor organizational adaptability? It may be that just as the organization needs different skill sets to accomplish a unified performance goal, organizations n eed different traits and worker characteristics to accomplish the longer-term goal of survival (Schneider, 1987).However, worker heterogeneity does not necessarily preclude the selection of homogeneous traits that primarily serve to reinforce core values and pivotal norms. More research is needed to build theory and enhance practitioner success in recruiting and selecting workers for boundaryless organizations. 6. How does one build a global work force with recruitment? Answer: Every year, hundreds of companies expand their operations into the global marketplace. At the same time, corporations that are established in the international sphere redefine their business to maintain a competitive edge.For organizations in both categories, recruitment and international assignment are key determinants of long-term success. Today, HR professionals in progressive global companies are discovering that it isn’t enough just to look for these skills among members of the expatriate communit y. Rather, every employee needs to have a certain level of global awareness, and many companies are finding that screening must begin at recruitment. Form many corporations, international recruitment is synonymous with expatriate selection.Within this area, significant progress has been made to ensure candidates are screened for global competency, with includes such qualities as flexibility, open-mindedness, technical expertise, multiple language proficiency and the willingness to take risks. In addition to recruiting for expatriate potential, HR professionals are finding that employees who have international experience and language proficiency help the company function on a day-to-day basis. Mangers must understand differing cultural norms to perform well on business trips and short-term assignments in other parts of the world. 7.Define the four faces of global cultures. Answer: Davos: from boardroom to bedroom This culture is globalized as a direct accompaniment of global economic processes. Its carrier is international business. It has obvious behavioral aspects that are directly functional in economic terms, behavior dictated by the accoutrements of contemporary business. Participants in this culture know how to deal with computers, cellular phones, airline schedules, currency exchange, and the like. But they also dress alike, exhibit the same amicable informality, relieve tensions by similar attempts at humor, and of course most of them interact in English.Since most of these cultural traits are of Western provenance, individuals coming from different backgrounds must go through a process of socialization that will allow them to engage in this behavior with seemingly effortless spontaneity. Faculty club international: This is the internationalization of the Western intelligentsia, its values and ideologies. It is carried by foundations, academic networks, non-governmental organizations, and some governmental and multinational agencies.The â€Å"faculty c lub culture† spreads its beliefs and values through the educational system, the legal system, various therapeutic institutions, think tanks, and at least some of the media of mass communication. If this culture internationalizes the Western intelligentsia, it also internationalizes the conflicts in which this intelligentsia has been engaged on its home territories. The McWorld culture: The McWorld culture is most credibly subsumed under the category of Westernization, since virtually all of it is of Western, and more specifically American, provenance.These critics of â€Å"culture imperialism† also understand that the diffusion of popular culture is not just a matter of outward behavior. It carries a significant freight of beliefs and values. Evangelical Protestantism: Provide a distinctive process of globalization, especially in its Pentecostal version (which accounts for something like 80 percent of its worldwide growth). This globalizing force is best seen by compari ng it with the other dynamic religious phenomenon of our time, that of the Islamic resurgence.Evangelical Protestantism brings about a cultural revolution in its new territories (in that respect it is very different from its social function on its American home ground). It brings about radical changes in the relations between men and women, in the upbringing and education of children, in the attitudes toward traditional hierarchies. Most importantly, it inculcates precisely that â€Å"Protestant ethic† that Max Weber analyzed as an important ingredient in the genesis of modern capitalism – a disciplined, frugal, and rationally oriented approach to work.Thus, despite it indigenization, Evangelical Protestantism is the carrier of a pluralistic and modernizing culture whose original location is in the North Atlantic societies. 8. Discuss and describe the challenges of Diversity Training in Texaco, UNUM, GTE and Gannett. Answer Texaco: work in progress Texaco’s stra tegy started to take shape two years ago when Gadsden the manager of U. S. workforce diversity and EEO compliance for Texaco Inc. came on board.According to the diversity manager, the impetus stemmed from a number of sources: changing demographics in the workplace and Texaco’s customer base, the oil company’s quest to be a top-tier company, and the need to fully utilize every member of an organization that over the past five years has shrunk from approximately 27,000 to 19,300 employees. Thorough focus groups and a national survey of more than 3,000 of its workers, Texaco leaned how employees felt about the oil company in general, its training and development, its promotion policies and compensation, and whether Texaco and its managers valued a diverse workforce.In the survey results, employees need to improve promotion of minorities. They want managers to be held more accountable on managing diversity and better educated on how to communicate with employees of differi ng backgrounds. A cross-function team was requested to ask for the promotion process by Texaco’s managements. The team discovered that employees wanted a streamlined application process and more feedback on the outcome of promotion requests. Therefore, the cross-functions team supplied work guide of how to get promoted.In the other hand, they improved a diversity training component to highest-level executives, then extend diversity training to all employees. One of the more difficult aspects of workplace diversity is finding the funding for it. Gadsden has succeeded in part by being frugal. He worked with a group of 14 independent consultants rather than handing the contract over to one big firm. He bargained and haggled with his vendors, getting them to reduce fees in return for a guaranteed amount of work. While he uses outside facilitators for his workshops, he also employs internal staff to save money, plus the employees learn by running the programs.Gadsden estimates his cost at $224 a person versus what Gadsden calls a company average of about $1,379 per person. Like any workplace diversity program, Texaco’s is a work in progress. UNUM: visible diversity 1989, the UNUM Life Insurance Company of America has experiencing high turnover among the very minority workers it was trying so hard to recruit. â€Å"We were in compliance mode, doing affirmative action, and trying to bring women and minorities into the company. † Sandy Bishop, manager of UNUM’s diversity programs says. â€Å"We wanted our business environment to mirror our world, the people we were insuring. Its proactive program began simply enough with its HR staff developing a diversity philosophy. In addition, the HR department brokered meeting between senior executives, the majority of whom were white males, and representatives of minority groups. Like Texaco, UNUM began with an internal audit of what needed to be done. Out of that came a three-day diversity workshop designed to build â€Å"cultural competence. † In its effort to integrate the diversity debate with other business issues, UNUM has an informal diversity structure.Corporate communications, for example, publishes a newsletter addressing diversity issues. UNUM also has an education committee that set up â€Å"Lunch and Learn† talks on diversity. As part of its outreach activities, the company has also launched community programs that deal in diversity. While UNUM’s earlier efforts were restricted to company headquarters, the disability insurer this year is extending its diversity programs to its branch offices. And of the five diversity seminars that UNUM will hold this year, three of them will be in remote locations. GTE: mutual respectTelecommunications giant GTE got serious about diversity in the early 1990s for two reasons, says Randy MacDonald, the company’s senior vice president of human resources and administration. â€Å"First was recognition of t he changing workplace†¦more spouses working and more immigration. Second, and this is still evolving, is that while we’re U. S. based, the workplace is becoming global and we need to address marketplace diversity. † GTE combines its workplace diversity efforts with its work/family programs (telecommuting, flextime, seminars on balancing work and family).The diversity end consists of minority recruitment, employee career advancement, training on managing and being part of a diverse workforce, as well as multicultural awareness events that celebrate diversity. The telecommunications company has made a conscious effort to recruit minorities on college campuses, once a person is on board, he or she is eligible for career advancement training, regardless of ethnic background. The company does offer some specialized educational programs for minorities. Through its actions, the company has increased minority and female representation among its managers.Gannett: total inte gration Gannett Corp. Inc. may well have the granddaddy of diversity programs. The media conglomerate first embarked on managing diversity in 1980. While minority recruitment was first emphasized by Gannett, the media company has expanded into career advancement training. The company also publishes an in-house newsletter devoted to the topic and sponsors noon seminars. According to the diversity manager, what has made Gannett’s program work is the fact that it is closely aligned with overall business aims. 9. Describe the adult learning theory culture-bound.Answer: The underlying assumptions behind experiential training are worth investigating to begin determining the universality or cultural relativity of the field’s mainstream methodologies. Holvino (1982) found experiential learning to be: * Active and participatory * Learning how to learn * Based on interdependence or independence * Based on learner’s internal direction * Shared responsibility for leaning * Built on experience and knowledge of learners * Shared access to power and knowledge * Focused on problem identification and solution Information seeking and sharing 10. What are the cultural training techniques? Answer: Training techniques are commonly characterized as falling along a spectrum from Didactic (trainer-centered, low-risk, content-oriented) to Experiential (learner-centered, high-risk, process-oriented). In Hofstede’s terminology, Didactic techniques can be considered to have a high Power Distance and strong Uncertainty Avoidance value orientation, while experiential techniques can be considered to have a low Power Distance and weak Uncertainty Avoidance value orientation.By juxtaposing Hofstede’s cultural value spectrum with this training technique spectrum, we create a guideline for predicting the relative appropriateness of different training techniques for different cultural groups. If we compare the two sides of Figure 20. 1, we can predict which tec hniques might be appropriate for a given cultural group. Appropriate techniques are those that might most effectively challenge the participants without eliciting a high level of resistance.

Laboratory Techniques & Measurements Essay

Laboratory Techniques & Measurements Objectives: Become familiar with several important laboratory techniques. Gain proficiency with some of the common measuring devices used in a chemistry laboratory. Determine the volume, mass, length, temperature, and density of objects and liquids 1. Length Measurements: Object Length (cm) Length (mm) Pop Can 12.0 120.0 iPhone 11.7 117.0 TV Remote 16.3 163.0 2. Temperature Measurements: Hot water from tap (⠁ °C) –  47 Boiling Water (⠁ °C) –  61 Boiling Water after 5 mins.(⠁ °C) –  73 Cold water from tap (⠁ °C) –  15 Ice Water (⠁ °C) – 6 Ice Water after 5 mins. (⠁ °C) – 4 3. Volume Measurements: Test tube volume (mL) – 10 Number of drops in 1 mL – 9 Pipet volume (mL) – 4 4. Mass Measurements: Object Estimated Mass (g) –  7.8 Actual Mass (g) –  9.2 5. Density Measurements: Mass A Mass B Mass A-B Object Graduated Cylinder + Substance Hypothesis on Salt Compared to Water: The salt solution will have a greater density than pure water as the substance mass is lager. 6. Densities of Irregular Objects: Mass A Mass B Mass B-A Object Graduated Cylinder Volume (mL) Graduated Cylinder + Object (mL) Object Volume (mL) Object Mass (g) Density M/V Metal bolt Water Displacement Method Questions: A. Some reasons for the water not boiling at 100⠁ °C could be: different temperature settings, not allowing enough time to fully boil and experimental error. B. 102⠁ °C-100⠁ °C 99.2-100 100⠁ °C 100 2-0.8 100⠁ °C 100⠁ ° 0.02 X100%-0.008X100 =2=-0.8 C. Height= 3.6, Base=4.21, Width= 1.17 Volume = bXh/w 4.21X3.6/1.17 = 13.31 Density= mass/volume 21.3/13.31 = 1.6 D. Density= mass/volume 19.30=26.15/V -26.15X19.30=V -504.69=V V=504.69 Conclusion: Some new things that I learned from this lab are experimental errors can drastically effect the outcome and adding a substance such as salt to water will increase the density of water. I believe I did meet the lab objectives because in result of this lab I became familiar with lab techniques, gained experience using lab measuring devices and I learned the volume, mass, length temperature and density of some objects and liquids.

Tycho Brahe Essays - Copernican Revolution, Tycho Brahe, Philippists

Tycho Brahe Essays - Copernican Revolution, Tycho Brahe, Philippists Tycho Brahe Tycho Brahe Tyge (Latinized as Tycho) Brahe was born on 14 December 1546 in Skane, then in Denmark, now in Sweden. He was the eldest son of Otto Brahe and Beatte Bille, both from families in the high nobility of Denmark. He was brought up by his paternal uncle Jrgen Brahe and became his heir. He attended the universities of Copenhagen and Leipzig, and then traveled through the German region, studying further at the universities of Wittenberg, Rostock, and Basel. During this period his interest in alchemy and astronomy was aroused, and he bought several astronomical instruments. In 1572 Tycho observed the new star in Cassiopeia and published a brief tract about it the following year. In 1574 he gave a course of lectures on astronomy at the University of Copenhagen. He was now convinced that the improvement of astronomy hinged on accurate observations. After another tour of Germany, where he visited astronomers, Tycho accepted an offer from the King Frederick II to fund an observatory. He was given the little island of Hven in the Sont near Copenhagen, and there he built his observatory, Uraniburg, which became the finest observatory in Europe. Tycho designed and built new instruments, calibrated them, and instituted nightly observations. He also ran his own printing press. The observatory was visited by many scholars, and Tycho trained a generation of young astronomers there in the art of observing. After a falling out with King Christian IV, Tycho packed up his instruments and books in 1597 and left Denmark. After traveling several years, he settled in Prague in 1599 as the Imperial Mathematician at the court of Emperor Rudolph II. He died there in 1601. His instruments were stored and eventually lost. Tycho Brahe's contributions to astronomy were enormous. He not only designed and built instruments, he also calibrated them and checked their accuracy periodically. He thus revolutionized astronomical instrumentation. He also changed observational practice profoundly. Whereas earlier astronomers had been content to observe the positions of planets and the Moon at certain important points of their orbits. Tycho and his cast of assistants observed these bodies throughout their orbits. As a result, a number of orbital anomalies never before noticed were made explicit by Tycho. Without these complete series of observations of unprecedented accuracy, Kepler could not have discovered that planets move in elliptical orbits. Tycho was also the first astronomer to make corrections for atmospheric refraction*. In general, whereas previous astronomers made observations accurate to perhaps 15 arc minutes, those of Tycho were accurate to perhaps 2 arc minutes, and it has been shown that his best observations were accurate to about half an arc minute. Tycho's observations of the new star of 1572 and comet of 1577, and his publications on these phenomena, were instrumental in establishing the fact that these bodies were above the Moon and that therefore the heavens were not immutable as Aristotle had argued and philosophers still believed. The heavens were changeable and therefore the Aristotelian division between the heavenly and earthly regions came under attack (see, for instance, Galileo's Dialogue) and was eventually dropped. Further, if comets were in the heavens, they moved through the heavens. Up to now it had been believed that planets were carried on material spheres (spherical shells) that fit tightly around each other. Tycho's observations showed that this arrangement was impossible because comets moved through these spheres. Celestial spheres faded out of existence between 1575 and 1625. Tycho developed a system that combined the best of both worlds. He kept the Earth in the center of the universe, so that he could retain Aristotelian physics The Moon and Sun revolved about the Earth, and the shell of the fixed stars was centered on the Earth. But Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn revolved about the Sun. He put the (circular) path of the comet of 1577 between Venus and Mars. This Tychonic world system became popular early in the seventeenth century among those who felt forced to reject the Ptolemaic arrangement of the planets (in which the Earth was the center of all motions) but who, for various reasons, could not accept the Copernican alternative. Tycho's major works include De Nova et Nullius Aevi Memoria Prius Visa Stella (On the New and Never

About the U.S. Department of State

About the U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State also referred to as â€Å"the State Department† or simply â€Å"State,† is the executive branch department of the United States federal government primarily responsible for administering U.S. foreign policy and consulting with the President of the United States and Congress on international diplomatic issues and policies. The mission statement of the State Department reads: â€Å"To advance freedom for the benefit of the American people and the international community by helping to build and sustain a more democratic, secure, and prosperous world composed of well-governed states that respond to the needs of their people, reduce widespread poverty, and act responsibly within the international system.† The primary functions of the State Department include: Provide protection and assistance for U.S. citizens traveling or living abroad;Assist U.S. businesses and industries operating in the global marketplace;Coordinate and provide support for international activities of other U.S. agencies, official visits overseas and at home, and other diplomatic efforts;Inform the public about U.S. foreign policy and relations with other countries and provide feedback from the public to administration officials. Similar the foreign ministries in other nations, the State Department conduct international diplomatic relations on the part of the United States by negotiating treaties and other agreements with foreign governments. The State Department also represents the United States in the United Nations. Created in 1789, the State Department was the first executive branch department established after final  ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Headquartered in the Harry S Truman Building in Washington, D.C., the State Department currently operates 294 U.S. embassies around the world and oversees compliance of more than 200 international treaties. As an agency of the president’s Cabinet, the State Department is led by the Secretary of State, as nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Secretary of State is second in the line of presidential succession after the Vice President of the United States. In addition to assisting with the international activities of other U.S. government agencies, the State Department provides many important services to U.S. citizens traveling and living abroad and to foreign citizens trying to visit or immigrate to the United States. In perhaps its most publicly noticeable role the State Department issues U.S. Passports to U.S. citizens allowing them to travel to and return from foreign countries and travel visas to U.S. citizens and non-citizen residents. In addition, the State Department’s Consular Information Program informs the American public of conditions abroad that may affect their safety and security while traveling abroad. Country-specific travel information and global Travel Alerts and Warnings are vital parts of the program. The State Department also oversees all U.S. foreign aid and development programs such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. All activities of the State Department, including foreign assistance programs, representing the U.S. abroad, countering international crime and human trafficking, and all other services and programs are paid for through the foreign affairs component of the annual federal budget as requested by the president and approved by Congress. On average, the total State Department expenditure represents just over 1% of the total federal budget, projected to exceed  $4 trillion in 2017.  Ã‚   Brief History of the State Department On July 27, 1789, President George Washington singled a bill passed by the House of Representatives and Senate on July 21, 1789, creating the Department of Foreign Affairs as the first federal agency created under the new Constitution. A law enacted on September 15, 1789, changed the name of the agency to the Department of State and assigned it oversight of a variety of domestic, rather than foreign issues. For example, the law made the Department of State responsible for running the United States Mint and conducting the decennial U.S. census. During the 19th century, these and most of the Department of State’s other domestic duties were turned over to other federal agencies and departments. Appointed by President Washington on September 29, 1789, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, then serving as Minister to France became the first Secretary of State. Appointed before Washington had taken office, John Jay had been serving in as Secretary of Foreign Affairs and continued to function as de-facto Secretary of State until Jefferson returned from France several months later.

Behavioral and performance issues with a customer service Case Study

Behavioral and performance issues with a customer service representative - Case Study Example This study focuses on many challenges resulted by the recent deregulation of financial services in Canadian banking industry, many changes have been incorporated in banking system. Previously cross-ownership between four pillars (banking, insurance, trust and security) was not allowed but due to the deregulation it is possible now. This has brought many new opportunities and challenges in the market with increased competition. To meet new objectives pressure on customer service officers have been increased which also meant low flexibility in working hours and job sharing. The Canadian National bank is among the largest chartered banks in Canada with 1600 branches around the nation. The focus of this study is on one of the case of employee behavior in the Chatham branch of Canadian National bank. This case discusses two employees of Chatham branch of Canadian National bank, Lesley Mohan and Pam Stewart. Lesley was a newly hired customer service manager and Pam Stewart was 25 years employee, holding the position customer service executive. The main area of discussion is Pam’s conflicting attitude and Lesley’s respond to it.... Previously cross-ownership between four pillars (banking, insurance, trust and security) was not allowed but due to the deregulation it is possible now. This has brought many new opportunities and challenges in the market with increased competition. To meet new objectives pressure on customer service officers have been increased which also meant low flexibility in working hours and job sharing. The Canadian National bank is among the largest chartered banks in Canada with 1600 branches around the nation. The focus of this study is on one of the case of employee behavior in the Chatham branch of Canadian National bank. This case discusses two employees of Chatham branch of Canadian National bank, Lesley Mohan and Pam Stewart. Lesley was a newly hired customer service manager and Pam Stewart was 25 years employee, holding the position customer service executive. The main area of discussion is Pam’s conflicting attitude and Lesley’s respond to it. Problem statement â€Å" Although Pam’s (CSR) experience was so vast and past performance was above average, but her conflicting behavior, self superiority and resistance to change was creating difficulties for new customer manager to adopt recently made changes by higher authority and improve assigned bank branch performance while sustaining her growth and position, human resource and conflict management theories could be considered as a measure to decrease the severity of problem† Problems Pam’s (customer service representative) conflicting behavior with Lesley, new customer service manager Pam’s self superiority because of her 25 years of experience Pam’s resistance to change recently made by customer service capacity management schedule Pam’s rebellion attitude towards Lesley Sub problems