Luncheon Analysis

â€Å"The Luncheon† Jeffrey Archer She waved at me across a crowded room at the St. Regis Hotel in New York. I waved back, realizing I knew the face but unable to place it. She squeezed past waiters and guests and had reached me before I had the chance to ask anyone who she was. I racked that section of my brain that is meant to store people, but it transmitted no reply. I realized I would have to resort to the old party trick of carefully worded questions until her answers jogged my memory. â€Å"How are you, darling? she cried, and threw her arms around me, an opening that didn’t help, since we were at a Literary Guild cocktail party, and anyone will throw their arms around you on such occasions, even the directors of the Book-of-the-Month Club. From her accent she was clearly American, and she looked to be approaching forty but thanks to the genius of modern make-up may even have overtaken it. She wore a long white cocktail dress and her blonde hair was done up in o ne of those buns that looks like a brioche. The overall effect made her appear somewhat like a chess queen.Not that the cottage loaf helped, because she might have had dark hair flowing to her shoulders when we last met. I do wish women would realize that when they change their hairstyle they often achieve exactly what they set out to do: look completely different to any unsuspecting male. â€Å"I’m well, thank you,† I said to the white queen. â€Å"And you? † I inquired as my opening gambit. â€Å"I’m just fine, darling,† she replied, taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. â€Å"And how’s the family,† I asked, not sure if she even had one. â€Å"They’re all well,† she replied.No help there. â€Å"And how is Louise? † she inquired. â€Å"Blooming,† I said. So she knew my wife. But then, not necessarily, I thought. Most American women are experts at remembering men’s wives. They have to be , when on the New York circuit they change so often it becomes a greater challenge than the Times crossword. â€Å"Have you been to London lately? † I roared above the babble. A brave question, as she may never have been to Europe. â€Å"Only once since we had lunch together. † She looked at me quizzically. â€Å"You don’t remember who I am, do you? she asked as she devoured a cocktail sausage. I smiled. â€Å"Don’t be silly, Susan,† I said. â€Å"How could I ever forget? † She smiled. I confess that I remembered the white queen’s name in the nick of time. Although I still only had vague recollections of the lady, I certainly would never forget the lunch. I had just had my first book published, and the critics on both sides of the Atlantic had been complimentary, even if the checks from my publishers were less so. My agent had told me on several occasions that I shouldn’t write if I wanted to make money.This created a dilemma, because I couldn’t see how to make money if I didn’t write. It was around this time that the lady who was now facing me and chattering on, oblivious to my silence, telephoned from New York to heap lavish praise on my novel. There is no writer who does enjoy receiving such calls, although I confess to having been less captivated by an eleven-year-old girl who called me collect from California to say she had found a spelling mistake on page 47 and warned that she would call again if she found another.However, this particular lady might have ended her transatlantic congratulations with nothing more than good-bye if she had not dropped her own name. It was one of those names that can, on the spur of the moment, always book a table at a chic restaurant or a seat at the opera, which mere mortals like myself would have found impossible to attain given a months notice. To be fair, it was her husband’s name that had achieved the reputation, as one of the world’s most distinguished film producers. â€Å"When I’m next in London you must have lunch with me,† came crackling down the phone. No,† said I gallantly, â€Å"you must have lunch with me. † â€Å"How perfectly charming you English always are,† she said. I have often wondered how much American women get away with when they say those few words to an Englishman. Nevertheless, the wife of an Oscar-winning producer does not phone one everyday. â€Å"I promise to call you when I’m next in London,† she said. And indeed she did, for almost six months to the day she telephoned again, this time from the Connaught Hotel, to declare how much she was looking forward to our meeting. Where would you like to have lunch? † I said, realizing a second too late, when she replied with the name of one of the most exclusive restaurants in town, that I should have made sure it was I who chose the venue. I was glad she couldn’t see my forlorn face as she added airly, â€Å"Monday, one o’clock. Leave the booking to me—I’m known there. † On the day in question I donned my one respectable suit, a new shirt I had been saving for a special occasion since Christmas, and the only tie that looked as if it hadn’t been previously used to hold up my trousers.I then strolled over to my bank and asked for statement of my current account. The teller handed me a long piece of paper unworthy of its amount. I studied the figure as one who has to make a major financial decision. The bottom stating in black lettering that I was in credit to the sum of thirty-seven pounds and sixty-three pence. I wrote out a check for thirty-seven pounds. I feel that the gentleman should always leave his account in credit, and I might add it was a belief my bank manager shared with me. I then walked up to Mayfair for my luncheon date.As I entered the restaurant I noticed too many waiters and plush seats for my liking. You can†™t eat either, but you can be charged for them. At a corner table sat for two sat a woman who, although not young, was elegant. She wore a blouse of powder blue crepe-de-chine, and her blond hair was rolled away from her face in style that reminded me of the war years and had once again become fashionable. It was clearly my transatlantic admirer, and she greeted me in the same â€Å"I’ve known you all my life† as she was to do at the Literary Guild cocktail party years later.Although she had a drink in front of her, I didn’t order an aperitif, explaining that I never drank before lunch—and I would have liked to add, â€Å"but as soon as your husband makes a film of my novel, I will. † She launched immediately into the latest Hollywood gossip, not so much dropping names as reciting them, while I ate my way through the potato chips from the bowl in front of me. A few minutes later a waiter materialized by the table and presented us with two large e mbossed leather menus, considerably better bound than my novel.The place positively reeked of unnecessary expense. I opened the menu and studied the first chapter with horror; it was eminently put-downable. I had no idea that simple food obtained from Covent Garden could cost quite so much by merely being transported to Mayfair. I could have bought her the same dishes for a quarter of the price at my favorite bistro, a mere one hundred yards away, and to add to my discomfort I observed that it was one of those restaurants where the guest menu made no mention of the prices.I settled down to study the long list of French dishes, which only served to remind me that I hadn’t eaten well for more than a month, a state of affairs that was about to be prolonged by a further day. I remembered my bank balance morosely reflected that I would probably have to wait until my agent sold the Icelandic rights of my novel before I could afford a square meal again. â€Å"What would you like? à ¢â‚¬  I said gallantly. â€Å"I always enjoy a light lunch,† she volunteered. I sighed with premature relief, only to find that â€Å"light† did not necessarily mean inexpensive.She smiled sweetly up at the waiter, who looked as though he wouldn’t be wondering where his next meal might be coming from, and ordered just a sliver of smoked salmon, followed by two tiny tender lamb cutlets. Then she hesitated, but only for a moment, before adding â€Å"and a side salad. † I studied the menu with some caution, running my finger down the prices, not the dishes. â€Å"I also eat light lunch,† I said mendaciously. â€Å"The chef’s salad will be quite enough for me. † The waiter was obviously affronted but left peaceably. She chatted of Coppola and Preminger, of Pacino and Redford, and of Garbo as if she saw her all the time.She was kind enough to stop for a moment and ask what I was working on at present. I would have liked to have replied, à ¢â‚¬Å"On how I’m going to explain to my wife that I have only sixty-three pence left in the bank,† but I actually discussed my ideas for another novel. She seemed impressed but still made no reference to her husband. Should I mention him? No. Mustn’t sound pushy, or as though I needed the money. The food arrived, or that is to say her smoked salmon did, and I sat silently watching her eat my bank account while I nibbled on a roll. I looked up only to discover a wine waiter by my side. Would you care for some wine? † said I, recklessly. â€Å"No, I don’t think so,† she said. I smiled a little too soon: â€Å"Well, perhaps a little something white and dry. † The wine waiter handed down a second leather-bound book, this time with golden grapes embossed on the cover. I searched down the pages for half-bottles, explaining to my guest that I never drank at lunch. I chose the cheapest. The wine waiter appeared a moment later with a large silve r bucket full of ice in which the half bottle looked drowned, and, like me, completely out of its depth.A junior waiter cleared away the empty plate while another wheeled a large trolley to the side of our table and served the lamb cutlets and the chef’s salad. At the same time a third waiter made up an exquisite side salad for my guest that ended up bigger than my complete order. I didn’t feel I could ask her to swap. To be fair, the chef’s salad was superb—although I confess it was hard to appreciate such food fully while trying to work out a plot that would be convincing if I found the bill to over thirty-seven pounds. How silly of me to ask for white wine with lamb,† she said, having nearly finished the half bottle. I ordered a half bottle of the house red without calling for the wine list. She finished the white wine and then launched into the theater, music, and other authors. All those who were still alive she seemed to know, and those who we re dead she hadn’t read. I might have enjoyed the performance if it hadn’t been for the fear of wondering if I would be able to afford it when the curtain came down.When the waiter cleared away the empty dishes he asked my guest if she would care for anything else. â€Å"No, thank you,† she said—I nearly applauded. â€Å"Unless you have one of your famous apple surprises. † â€Å"I fear the last one may have gone, madam, but I’ll go and see. † â€Å"Don’t hurry,† I wanted to say, but instead I just smiled as the rope tightened around my neck. A few minutes later the waiter strode back in triumph, weaving between the tables holding the apple surprise in the palm of his hand, high above his head.I prayed to Newton that the apple would obey his law. It didn’t. â€Å"The last one, madam† â€Å"Oh, what luck,† she declared. â€Å"Oh, what luck,† I repeated, unable to face the menu and discover the price. I was now attempting some mental arithmetic as I realized it was going to be a close-run thing. â€Å"Anything else, madam? † the ingratiating waiter inquired. I took a deep breath. â€Å"Just coffee,† she said. â€Å"And for you, sir? † â€Å"No, no, not for me. † He left us. I couldn’t think of an explanation for why I didn’t drink coffee.Then she produced the large Gucci bag by her side and a copy of my novel, which I signed with a flourish, hoping the head waiter would see, and feel I was the sort of man who should be allowed to sign the bill as well, but he resolutely remained at the far end of the room while I wrote the words â€Å"An unforgettable meeting† and appended my signature. While the dear lady was drinking her coffee I picked at another roll and called for the bill, not because I was in any particular hurry, but like a guilty defendant at the Old Bailey, I preferred to wait no longer than the judge’s sent ence.A man in a smart green uniform whom I had never seen before appeared carrying a silver tray with a folded piece of paper on it, looking not unlike my bank statement. I pushed back the edge of the bill slowly and read the figure: thirty-six pounds and forty pence. I casually put my hand into my inside pocket and withdrew my life’s possessions, then placed the crisp new notes on the silver tray. They were whisked away. The man in the green uniform appeared a few minutes later with my sixty pence change, which I pocketed, since it was the only way I was going to get a bus home.The waiter gave me a look that would have undoubtedly won him a character part in any film produced by the lady’s distinguished husband. My guest rose and walked across the restaurant, waving at, and occasionally kissing, people I had previously seen only in glossy magazines. When she reached the door she stopped to receive her coat, a mink. I helped her on with the fur, again failing to leave a tip. As we stood on the Curzon Street sidewalk, a dark blue Rolls-Royce drew up beside us and a liveried chauffeur leaped out and opened the door.She climbed in. â€Å"Goodbye, darling,† she said as the electric window slid down. â€Å"Thank you for such a lovely lunch. † â€Å"Goodbye,† I said and, summoning up my courage, added: â€Å"I do hope when you are next in town I shall have the opportunity of meeting your distinguished husband. † â€Å"Oh, darling, didn’t you know? † she said. â€Å"Know what? † â€Å"We were divorced ages ago. † â€Å"Divorced? † said I. â€Å"Oh, yes,† she said gaily, â€Å"I haven’t spoken to him for years. † I just stood there looking helpless. â€Å"Oh, don’t worry yourself on my account,† she said. â€Å"He’s no loss.In any case, I recently married again† –another film producer, I prayed—â€Å"in fact, I quite expected to bump into my husband today—you see, he owns the restaurant. † Without another word the electric window purred up and the Rolls-Royce glided effortlessly out of sight, leaving me to walk to the nearest bus stop. As I stood surrounded by Literary Guild guests, staring at the white queen with the Brioche bun, I could still see her drifting away in that blue Rolls-Royce. I tried to concentrate on her words. â€Å"I knew you wouldn’t forget me, darling,† she was saying. â€Å"After all, I did take you to lunch, didn’t I? †

Japanese and American Business Behavior

Management sciences have long identified that there are many forms of business behaviors. Different organizations from different cultures tend to run their business in different manners, this include decision making activities, problem solving, future forecasting, and other issues within a business.The differences do not stop on the organizational level, managers of different cultures generally has their own personal style of managing their subordinates. These differences are interesting to study because of the increasing phenomena of globalization.II. Research BackgroundII. 1. The Need to Study Business StylesDifferent companies within different cultures previously have no need compare their business styles with those of foreign companies. However, with the rising of globalization and international competition, corporations are derived to take account of business cultures from all over the world. This is necessary in time where they have to make connections with foreign business in order to grow or survive. Furthermore, some business behaviors might be better suited in their local environment but contributes poorly within the global environment.There are times where changes of culture from local to global culture are necessities. Thus, to compare one business style to another is almost a common activity for economist and businessmen today.II. 2 Why Study Japanese CultureAsian economy has always been a matter of intense discussion among American scholars. There are predictions from many economist and observers that Asia will be the center of economic growth once the world has entered the new millennium. Although these predictions have not come through as expected, the rapid development of Asian economy is still an important event in the history of world’s economy.Let us take Japan as a representation of the strength of Asian economy. Japan produces some of the most innovative and highest quality products in the world. Since 1970’s, Japanese automa kers have been intensely competing with US automakers. Some even believed that they have exceeded the US automakers in some respects. The British motorcycle industry, which once considered as the one who brought the’ golden age’ on motorcycle industries has been wiped-out almost entirely by the presence of Japan’s futuristic motorcycles in their local soil.In fact, today, we have seen that Japanese culture is everywhere in the world. Many Americans today are fans of Japanese products since they were children. Japanese products have undeniably infiltrate US social and economic life in the most significant way. The popularity of Kill Bill, Iron Chef, Power Rangers, Hello Kitty, and Anime describes the strong presence of Japanese culture in the United States. Furthermore, American businessmen are today learning Japanese business style, more than just to communicate with their Japanese partners, but also to enhance their efficiency in doing business.The acknowledgem ent given to Japanese culture and their influence is overwhelming in many parts of the world (Palmeri, 2004). The popularity of Japanese culture in most parts of the world brought upon an interesting question for American business people. What are actually the differences between Japanese business behaviors and American business behaviors? Furthermore, the ability of Japanese businessmen to do what Americans cannot bring increasing interest in studying the popular culture. Within this paper, I am comparing two of the world’s most popular business styles, the American style and the Japanese style.There will be discussion on differences, similarities and some comparison of which has the advantage over certain situations.III. Research QuestionAs mentioned above, the strength of Japanese culture astonished economist from all over the world. With the increasing case studies where Japanese businessmen outperform others in international market, there is an interesting question of wh ether Japanese culture could have exceeded the dominating culture of the world (Americans). The implied research questions in the elaboration above are:‘With respect to its Strengths and Weaknesses, is Japanese business culture more suitable for business advancement and development than the American business culture? ’ In order to answer this question, a sufficient elaboration regarding both business cultures is required. The elaboration should lead to a comparative analysis regarding both business cultures. Based on book, journals and articles on Japanese and American business culture, I will divide the comparative analysis into several chapters focusing on different ways to compare the two business cultures.A concluding statement will be made to summarize the comparative analysis in the end of the paper. IV. Organizational Management StylesIV. 1 Roles and DecisionMaking In terms of managerial styles, American companies tend to be financially oriented and value autonom y. In a typical American company, the role of each employee is clearly defined and the employee is fully responsible for the activities assigned to him/her. Decisions generally come from individual authority, and the company usually makes clear definition of who is entitle for making what kinds of decisions (Engel, 2000).The Japanese style of management however, has a rather contrast approach. Japan companies (or Japanese style companies) has a more intuitive approach to management. Most of the employees have undefined roles and they are most likely to be assigned as teams to work together for group goals. Decisions do not come from a single person, but rather as a collective process involving many voices. However, when it comes to managing overseas, Japan companies seem to be more centralized that US corporations.For instance, if a Japanese company has an affiliate in US soil, their necessities focus on detailed communication across the Pacific. Generally, such communication is dom inated by Japanese employees, excluding many of the American employees from the managerial process. Furthermore, the US affiliate will most likely diminish in its ability to act independently. These issues created significant concern for American employees working for Japanese companies.IV. 2 Strategic PlanningIn strategic planning, Japanese companies seem to have a considerably different approach to Americans.For instance, while formulating a strategy, Americans are more-top-driven in their approach. They prefer to design changes and speed up evolution. This is in contrast with the Japanese who prefer to allow things to evolve from the bottom (Fiedler, 1965). American business people tend to finalize strategies quickly, sometimes without taking account of several issues and factors. They generally prefer to spend more time correcting the strategy in the implementation stage. The Japanese, on the other hand, tends to hold more careful discussion of what might go wrong and find their solutions.It is not until an all round agreement is achieved would the strategy be implemented. Many believe that the Japanese take more time to execute a plan and that is simply unacceptable. On the other hand, there are those who believed that the Japanese way is better, because they do not force the process. They allow everything to be in place, and when it does, they implement it quickly. Another argument in awe of the Japanese business culture is the fact that most Japanese managers prefer to look into the roots of the problem before making decisions, judgments and strategies.The American straightforward approach often result casualties of innocent workers being fired because management cannot see the root of the problem. This judgmental behavior is efficient, but not effective. Decisions are delivered in faster amount of time but less accuracy and depth of analysis. Japanese managers prefer to solve the problem first before looking for someone to blame. This culture evolves i n a manner that allows employees to feel shame even before they were even accused of misconduct. Mutual understanding and commitment to corporate goal is what fueled the Japanese strategy-machine to work.IV. 3 Employment and Personnel ManagementIn terms of employment, many writers indicated that Japan companies have distinctly unique system of ‘lifetime employment. Japanese companies are given credit by many for their ability in fostering loyalty and encouragement of their employees. Nevertheless, this is domestic in nature, and the system generally turns weak, once the companies enter international realm. Most of the modern nations found the Japanese employment system demands things that little (except Japanese people) would tolerate.Analysts indicated that these demands come from the lack of external labor market. There is not much choice for Japanese labor and employees in terms of employment. Thus, they tend to go along with every terms of the company, once they have signe d their contracts (Hersey, 1972). In foreign lands, Japanese companies who find that their system of employment is large unacceptable by non-Japanese, generally come up with an unfortunate solution. They would decide that the non-Japanese is to be hired under separate employment categories with little advancement opportunity or job security.IV. 4 Thickness of CultureOpening to new culture has been recognized as one of the popular traits of American business style. Corporations generally have a strong statement of their culture, but with a sense of flexibility and openness for new people and subsidiaries. Many writers consider this as advancement over other developing business cultures around the world. The Japanese on the other hand, develop a very ‘thick’ sense of corporate culture in each of their working generations. This strong sense of culture evolves from the fact that most Japanese employees work together for as long as a lifetime.Even a Japanese new entry would have difficulties in tuning-in to the corporate culture if they join in mid-career. Because of this tendency to form a strong bond among Japanese employees, Americans working within these companies generally experience numerous frictions and frustrations because they fail to understand the ongoing culture in the company (Kopp, n. d).V. Personal Leadership StylesV. 1 Types of LeadershipWithin this chapter, I will elaborate several types of leadership styles. Within each style there is an assessment of how Americans or Japanese favor the style. The types of leadership are: ? Directive LeadershipCompanies whose managers are accustomed to stress direction to subordinates are those of the directive leadership style. This style became famous in the United States, but it is now declining in frequency. Many stated that this style is currently most dominant is Asian countries. However, the Japanese seemed to be excluded in this particular category.Participative LeadershipThis style pursues c lose teamwork as a path to success. The Japanese are the symbol of this particular leadership style. Americans very seldom practice this type of leadership.Empowering LeadershipThis type of leadership is a brand new trend in America.It stresses on delegating responsibilities to subordinates and retain their passion in doing the best for the company. American Giants today are proclaiming themselves to be practicing this type of leadership. However, many Japanese multinationals (like Sony Corp. ) have this type of leadership style within their corporate philosophy. ? Charismatic Leadership Many CEO of multinationals have what is called human magnetism. It is the ability to gain trust from others to do what is needed for the company. These leaders usually exist within national boundaries. Their charismatic power seldom breaks through the limits of their culture.This type of leadership was dominated by Americans; however, their numbers are significantly reduced by as many of US companie s go global. More of them exist within the Japanese local culture now. (Cotter, 2001)V. 2 Family Succession LeadershipAccording to HBS (Harvard Business School) professor, D. Quinn Mills (2005), Japanese and other Asian companies are noted to pass down their line of leadership to family members. This is similar to the conduct of some of the largest American companies. However, it is more popular in American business culture that firms are run by professional managers and replaced by another professional manager.In American business culture, better companies generally have advance programs for developing executives within the firm. The next CEO will be chosen among them. There are also American companies who hire external CEOs without any familiarities of the company. This behavior is generally derived from the need to excel in growth or recovery. Despite the fact that several Japanese companies exceeded the Americans in terms of efficiency and profitability, many scholars still beli eve that the Japanese business style is only a stage of development which will finally lead to the American business style.These scholars argued using the leadership succession styles. They mentioned that the family succession culture was once a common practice among US companies. However, it was then replaced by the professional management succession line which is considered the latest piece of the evolutionary line. These scholars mentioned that it is possible that Asian firms will follow this evolutionary path in the future.V. 3 Political ConnectionsIn Japan and other Asian countries, it is more apparent that the success of a company depends to the intensity of its relations to political and social leaders of the environment.Japan and other Asian countries have developed a belief that connections to important people are crucial for the survival of their business. Quite contrast, the CEOs in America often have no direct connections to top politicians. The government only has autho rity at an arm’s length and business affairs are done by business people. Nevertheless, this does not include exceptions where older and powerful American companies take advantage of their political connections to enhance their success. The percentage of these companies is very low compared with Asian companies (Kopp, n. d).VI. Communication PatternsJapanese and Americans share some of their traits in terms of communication. Both of them are superpowers who held high their own culture. Americans and Japanese are known for their lack of knowledge over other languages. Few Americans speak and read foreign language enough to do business with people who do not understand English very well. Similarly, Japanese businessmen tend to be uncomfortable in detailed business discussion using English and English-language documents. Some other traits they share are their lack of experience in dealing with foreign people.Most of them lack the skills necessary to overcome cross-cultural chall enges (Kenna & Sondra, 1994). Japanese and American communication also has significant differences in their communication patterns. American business people tend to be more direct opened and values discussion. The Japanese style is on the other hand, more vague and roundabout. Much of the meaning is stated in nonverbal cues and subtle nuances of toning and wording. Different from Americans who viewed debate and challenging discussion as a positive trait, the Japanese tend to avoid them and viewed them negatively (Kenna & Sondra, 1994).VII ConclusionThe comparative analysis points out to several conclusions. The Japanese business culture is apparently very strong around its people. However, when their business expands to foreign lands, the power of their culture is either reduced, causing the lost of certain competitive advantages, or tightened, causing lack of collaboration to the surrounding environment. One of the reasons of Japanese rapid expansion into the international world is its unique managerial style. Successful Japanese companies have the ability to generate powerful motivation among its employees, thus, increasing corporate profitability, creativity and quality management.In this respect, the Japanese business culture has a significant advantage compare to the American business culture. The American seems to have superior business philosophy compare to the Japanese. Its ‘opened’ communication pattern and the lack of need for political connections and family ties provide high level of flexibility which supported expansion and business evolution. However, the quick decision making processes, the top-down evolution methods, and the impersonal relationship of its employees created a lack of strength in American managerial structure.Because of these, there are more strategies in the American culture that do not reach their goals, and more employees become left behind by the quick evolutionary stages. In this respect, the Japanese culture al so presents a favorable behavior for business evolvement. As a final conclusion, despite the fact that each business culture has their own strengths and weaknesses, this paper reveals a strong agreement that Japanese business culture has a significant advantage over the American business culture.A further study however, needed to be done over each and every aspects mentioned above in order to provide a more detailed explanation of how each culture excels or diminish within those respects.BibliographyCotter, Colleen. 2001. Lonely Planet USA Phrasebook: Understanding Americans and Their Culture Engel, Dean. 2000.Passport USA: Your Pocket Guide to American Business, Customs & Etiquette Fiedler, Fred E. 1965.Engineer the Job to Fit the Manager. Harvard Business Review. Vol. 43 Hersey, Paul. Blanchard, Kenneth H. 1972.Management of Organization Behavior. New Jersey: Prentic- Hall Inc. Kenna, Peggy. Sondra, Lacy. 1994.Business Japan: A Practical Guide to Understanding Japanese Business Cu lture. McGraw-Hill Kopp, Rochelle. N. d. ‘The Rice Paper Ceiling’. ISBN 1-880656-51-5. Stone Bridge Press. Mills, D. Quinn. ‘Asian and American Leadership Styles: How Are They Unique? ’. Harvard Business School. Retrieved June 2, 2006.Available at http://hbswk. hbs. edu/item. jhtml? id=4869&t=leadership Palmeri, Christopher. 2004.‘Is Japanese Style Taking Over the World? ’. Business Week Online. Retrieved June 2, 2006. Available at: http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/04_30/b3893091. htm,

Science and politics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Science and politics - Term Paper Example Undeniably, world leaders and industry managers still very much depend on oil for their major industries. In the end, oil is hardly something they can do away with; and the oil companies know this. For which reason, most oil companies and other interest groups contend that government authorities must oversee and must be involved in cleaning up oil spills. They further contend that the government also has a responsibility to the environment to assist in the clean-up and to use its resources in order to speed up these clean-up processes. However, most taxpayers disagree with this argument. They believe that the oil companies alone should bear the cost and responsibility of cleanup and that taxpayer’s money should not be spent in order to clear-out these oil spills. This is an issue which has yet to be resolved. In an attempt to establish some resolution to this issue, this paper shall research materials which support the argument that, the government must oversee and be involved in the cleanup of oil spills. Discussion As soon as oil spills into the ocean, it first spreads on the water’s surface and the speed and the density by which is spreads depends also on the density and composition of the oil spilled (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). The oil spilled may be cohesive or it may break up depending on the movement of the water. Rougher water movements tend to break the oil slick and cause it to cover a larger territory of ocean, including coastal areas, and some marine and terrestrial habitats (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). Oil containing volatile organic compounds partially evaporates and it leaves about 20 % or 40% of the mass denser and more resistant to flow. A small amount of oil dissolves in water and it can then disperse undetected or form a thick mousse with the water (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). A portion of the oil may then sink with particulates and the rest may congeal into sticky tar balls. Eventually, oil waste deteriorates and breaks down thro ugh photolysis and biodegradation. Once oil reaches shorelines, it then interacts with the beach sand, rocks, gravel, and vegetation. It causes contamination and erosion of these shorelines and sediments (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). Once the beach sand becomes contaminated, it is then unable to protect and support normal vegetation in the shorelines. Rocks with oil residues can also be toxic to coastal wildlife as it can poison the coastline and organic substrates, thereby interrupting the food chain upon which fishes and coastal creatures depend and upon which their reproduction is based (Water Encyclopedia, 2011). Wildlife and other sea creatures, as well as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds can also be poisoned by oil residues. In fact, the Exxon Valdez oil spill caused the death of an estimated number of 100,000 to 300,000 birds in the area of Prince William Sound Alaska (Piatt, et.al., 1990). Mere ingestion of oil can be poisonous to animals; it can smother these creature s and destroy their thermal insulation (Wells, Butler, and Hughes, 1995). Oil can also damage their reproductive systems and disrupt the pattern of their usual behaviors. In the long-term setting, such damage can cause such species and populations to change or to totally disappear. Even when oil spills have â€Å"dissipated† over miles of ocean and coastlines, their impact on the environment often remains.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless technology Assignment

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless technology - Assignment Example Devices interconnectivity facilitates Local Area Network or LAN-like abilities that make linking easier with safe and expedient transmissions. As a Wireless LAN, Bluetooth substitutes wired LAN and operate in unlicensed Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) frequency group varying between 2.4 to 2.485 (Bluetooth Technology n.p). Operating within the ISM band involves utilizing broad spectrum, complete duplex, and frequency hopping signal at average speed of 1600 hops/sec with a 48-bit address from IEEE 802 standard. Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) technology sets-up computer networks through IEEE 802.11 to establish secure WLAN. The origin dates back to 1985 after the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) freed the ISM band for unlicensed use. According to Walters (12), Wi-Fi provides extensions in wired LAN that lead to a wireless router. This router connects to WLAN devices to receive and transmit data within themselves or to the external environment. Unlike Bluetooth, Wi-Fi uses include larger campuses with tactically placed range extenders to broaden the signal. Newer Wi-Fi versions include 802.11n and 802.11ac, with rearward compatibility facilitating binding with older devices. Like Bluetooth, WI-Fi operates in unlicensed radio spectrum at frequency bands of 2.4GHz and 5GHz (Rackley 60). The 802.11a router indoor range 115ft while outdoors in conducive weather is 390ft. For the 802.11b/g the range is 125 ft indoor and 460 ft outdoors. Each 802.11x standards have varying data transfer rates ranging from 20Mbps for 802.11a/g to 600Mbps for dual band or

Academic development strategies for undergraduate students Thesis Proposal

Academic development strategies for undergraduate students - Thesis Proposal Example Meanwhile, studies have showed the importance of academic development programmes and activities towards the overall development of students for both academic and non-academic career orientations after graduation (Klassen, Krawchuk & Rajani, 2008). In the light of this, the need to keep researching into ways by which some of the most applicable and effective strategies can be incorporated in single schemes for academic development can be said to be necessary. When mention is made of incorporating strategies and abilities for academic development, there are some common theories, concepts and frameworks that commonly come to mind. These include collaborative learning, constructivism, and connectivism. This is because whether used individually or together, each of these three main concepts help in bringing together different strategies of learning aimed at developing students academically to have abilities necessary for both academic and non-academic careers after graduation (Robinson, L loyd & Rowe, 2008). At the same time Hattie (2009), posited that using academic research is one of the most powerful means by which components of collaborative learning, constructivism, and connectivism can be achieved under a common umbrella. Based on the identified problem and the background given to the problem above, the study will be conducted with the aim of using academic research as an interventional strategy for academic development among undergraduate students. In order to achieve this overall aim, the following specific objectives will be pursued by the researcher: Before pursuing the proposed study, the researcher came to the realisation that there are other existing researches that have focused on academic development strategies for undergraduates. However, most of these existing studies were limited to academic performance enhancement whiles undertaking graduate courses (Hoog, J., Johansson & Olofsson, 2005; Elliot & McGregor, 2001). The weakness with

Strategic managent of Marks and Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Strategic managent of Marks and Spencer - Essay Example The intention of this study is Marks and Spencer as a leading UK based grocery retailer selling primarily clothing and food. The company has grown to be a successful large scale grocery being able to attract more than 21 million people each week. The company offers stylish, outstanding quality and greater value clothing and home products as well as supreme quality foods that are supplied from around 2000 different suppliers worldwide. The company is employing around 78,000 people throughout 700 UK stores and other international stores too. Clothing represents around 49 percent of its total sales and food and other items represent 51 % of the total sales. Food sales, especially as it was supplied from more than 2000 different suppliers, are highly crucial to the overall business strategy of the company. The food sales alone amounted to $ 7.90 billion in 2007- 2008, showing an increase of 1.4 percent over the figure of previous year. As the company is proud of the current business opp ortunities, Marks and Spencer remains to be the most favorite clothing retailer, and has delivered a better performance in the 2010-11. The market share of the company in terms of the value has been increased to 11.7 percent and it experienced a growth across all of its major areas because customers around the UKL sought the quality propositions of Marks and Spencer. According to the latest reports about the market share, Marks and Spencer’s share has been improved on year on year from 4 percent to 4.1 percent within a time of three months, ending in December 2010. (Milnes, 2010). With a mission to deliver quality greater valued food and clothing, Marks and Spencer could increase its potential market role and opportunities in the market and thus has achieved far better results than that of previous years. Environmental Analysis of Marks and Spencer The business environment of a firm consists of all the internal and external influences that impact the business at large, its pe rformance, productivity, revenues, competitiveness etc in particular. A large number of factors like employees, workplace situations, organizational culture, management etc influence the business internally where as other factors like competition, politics, economy, and

History Essay Exam World War 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

History Exam World War 1 - Essay Example Unlike previous wars, where men would just lie dead in one piece at the side of the road, there were literally pieces of human bodies scattered and blown about. Houses were smashed to pieces from miles off, since the weapons could cover a wide range of territory when fired. This was only the beginning of the gruesome wars that were to follow. One particular warrior, Ernst Junger, fought hard in the face of opposition, as he was determined to come out victorious no matter what lay ahead of him. Junger was a man who possessed the strong characteristics of a leader. Nothing stood in his way when it came to what was to be faced in the battlefields. Even when he was badly wounded, he never gave up hope. He had a strong spirit and always remained positive. When people were dying around him, and when he was facing circumstances that were beyond what any normal human being could bare, fear never got the better of him. As a matter of fact, he despised cowardly behavior, as he had some of his men shot who displayed the characteristics of being a coward. In his eyes, it was a sin to be a coward. One must be strong, face the enemy squarely in the face, and push forward (Ernst Junger, Storm of steel). The role that death had on his accounts of being at war was that he could not think about dying. Though he knew that dying was a major prospect, since many men never came back alive, he had to give it his best shot. So, he commenced into leading his people into the battlefields, possessing a spirit of steel that none of his enemies could penetrate (Junger). Junger was committed to his duties because he felt that he owed it to his race into his fatherland. He felt that he needed to defend his roots. He considered himself to be of the Arian people, a people that were superior to all others. He had a job to do in that he had to go out on the battlefield, defend his people and fight like a man. Every duty that was assigned to him, he took seriously and put his whole heart and soul into his military service. The fact that he was so diligent in his work eventually enabled him to rise to the status of being an officer of high prestige (Junger). Junger was a ferocious fighter as well as a good leader. The characteristics of leadership came natural to him, as he led his people with great ease through the battlefields and into the trenches to fight against the enemy (Junger). Junger maintained his same attitude towards war through the entire text. Never did he waver in the least bit. Despite being wounded numerous times, he was never deterred from his mission to overtake the enemy (Junger). In Junger's book, the Storm of Steel, there were numerous descriptions of what life was like in the battle trenches. There was one particular experience that would give the reader a great idea of what took place. In one particular account, Junger and his company were to be led into the heart of the battle. He knew that the worse was to come: yet, he had to trudge on. Late in the evening, Junger and his crew marched from Le Mesnil until they ended up in Sailly-Saillysel; where they were to fight one of the most gruesome battles. Junger described this event in intricate detail. He was so thorough about the description of the account that the one reading his diary could almost imagine themselves being right there in the battlefield. The reader could almost feel himself right there in the midst of the fighting, holding a gun in hand and being on the lookout

Buddhism and jainism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Buddhism and jainism - Essay Example Buddhism is one of the indigenous religions in India, which came into existence around 2500 years ago. It is presumably the fourth largest religion in the world after the likes of Islam, Christianity and Hinduism (Doniger, 2010). The Buddhist followers around the world are approximately 390 million as of the statistics conducted in 2012. In India, Buddhism is very dominant in the East that is presumed to be the origin of the region. However over the years the region has influenced the west by constantly attracting new followers (Kelsang, 2011). Over the years since its origin, this religion has metamorphosed into a variety of sub-religions all which share common beliefs and faith. Despite the variety of religions that exist under the parent Buddhism the religion has grown into a form that emphasize on religious rituals and also strict emphasis on the worship of deities. However, Buddhism is primarily founded on the pretext that its followers are supposed to maintain pure mediation wi th the divinity and in this case Buddhist (Kelsang, 2011). The followers of this religion have the obligation to respect the teachings of Buddhism, which is the fundamental objective of this religion. Worship in Buddhism is conducted in a temple that is considered a sacred/holy place of worship where the followers are supposed to maintain purity as they are not supposed to enter the temple with shoes (Doniger, 2010). Buddha the divine element in this religion is regarded as a teacher who directs them on how they are supposed to lead their social life in order to receive favour from him. Worship in Buddhism is conducted in the Vihara but is not scheduled on a specific day or time to conduct the process; the followers are free to conduct worship sessions at any time of the day without any particular followed schedule or proceeding timetable (Kelsang, 2011). During worship food and flowers are placed at the Buddha statue in the

Human Rights and English law (LLB) Without security there can be no Essay

Human Rights and English law (LLB) Without security there can be no liberty Discuss, with particular reference to the legislative measures on terrorism since - Essay Example Today, terrorism has become almost part of our lives. People are simultaneously worried about security and individual freedom. Politicians are worried about both too. We can see the contrast between the Labour Party Manifesto and the aftermath: â€Å"Citizens should have statutory rights to enforce their human rights in the UK courts. We will by statute incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law to bring these rights home and allow our people access to them in their national courts. The incorporation of the European Convention will establish a floor, not a ceiling, for human rights. [emphasis added] : 1997 Labour Party’s General Election Manifesto. Erosion of Human Rights started with the fight against terrorism. There is also an added fear that erosion of human rights could be counter productive. People detained under harsh conditions, on the basis of secret accusations, which they could not refute, harassed or tortured could create a backlash in the society. But can the country risk its security in the name of freedom? If so, how far can it go without endangering itself? How much protection can security agencies offer without additional powers and how safe are these draconian powers? Which is more important, liberty or security of the nation? Since September 11th, 2001, Government passed many laws, even though there were toughest laws in place already. Crime and Disorder Act of 1998, Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act, 1999, Regulation Investigatory power Act, 2000, Terrorism Act 2000, Anti Terrorism, Crime and Security Act, 2001, Criminal Justice and Police Act, 2001, Proceeds of Crime Act, 2002, Criminal Justice Act, 2003, Asylum and Immigration Act, 2004, and Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2005 are the various laws made for the security of citizens and properties of United Kingdom and there is no doubt that they infringe on the personal liberty of citizens. â€Å"We are particularly

EESC LOG501 MOD 2 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

EESC LOG501 MOD 2 SLP - Essay Example The chips and light snack industry is highly competitive and is characterized by stiff rivalry. With large competitors such as Kellogg, Kraft and General Mills increasing their activities in recent times, the snack industry has become a tough industry to play in (New York Times, 2012). The model Extended enterprise supply chain refers to a model of supply chain wherein it is extended to the sources of the raw materials. Davis and Spekman (2003) have been of the opinion that supply chains that extend beyond the enterprises are normally characterized by trust, shared vision, alignment and commitments among the parties involved. Furthermore, the authors (Davis and Spekman, 2003) have noted that extended enterprise supply chains should be externally oriented on processes, systems, and metrics of the chain. The key target for this type of supply chain should be the creation of value in the market place. The main aim for extended enterprise supply chain is to better align the supply chain along the process. Also, the business process improvements are aimed at identifying what improvements may be made to be effected system wide. The relationships created through these supply chains are normally cross organizational by nature (Davis and Spekman, 2003). ... The flow of supply chain of Frito Lay is as follows: Figure 1: Frito Lay Supply Chain model The company’s supply chain in light of the model However, in the context of the present study, extended enterprise supply chain model may also benefit Frito Lay just as it would do to any company. However, in order to come up with an extended enterprise supply chain model for Frito Lay it is imperative that we first determine the raw materials used by the company for the various products it manufactures and distributes as well as sells to its customers. Given the rich array of product offerings that Frito Lay has, it is nevertheless imperative that most of their products are made mainly out of potato, corn, wheat and flour. However, various flavours are added to these base ingredients to given them the final shape. Since the products Frito Lay specializes in are mainly light snacks served or had in between meals, it is also imperative that these products are characterized by heavy adver tising and promotion. Thus, packaging is one of the key ingredients for which they have to purchase materials of outside. Thus, there are many ingredients needed to come out with the final products that Frito Lay produces. A comprehensive list of all the most widely used products or key ingredients would be as follows: Potato Corn Wheat/Flour Nuts Tortilla Oil Onions and garlic Flavouring agents Now it may be noted that they have already started growing special potatoes exclusively for their chips. This obviously refers to an extended enterprise supply chain model that Frito Lay has already put in place. However, the details of what Frito Lay does in terms of growing potatoes is but backward integration and under this scheme they provide

Globalization Problem Essay Example for Free

Globalization Problem Essay Introduction Globalization has practically changed societies all over the world. It has paved the way for the so called â€Å"borderless economy†. With the advent of the Internet, the role of information has dramatically changed the way people live and do business. As Naval points out in her paper, an immense reduction of time and space barriers among great nations is made possible through interconnectivity. She illustrated that such interconnections result to global transactions being done in the comfort zones of one’s home. This characteristic of the Information Age provides for accessibility to vast reservoirs of knowledge, which is power. 1 It is for this reason that all nations all over the world are adopting ICT-based solutions to address their information needs in this modern era of knowledge explosion. In the Philippines, the government anticipated the importance of Information Technology (IT) as early as the Ramos administration. Ramos in his speech at the First Information Technology and Telecommunications Education Congress outlined the National Information Technology Plan (NITP) of the government. He stressed that IT must be applied to the education sector as a means for national strengthening.2 In 1997, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) reported that the General Appropriations Act of the previous year provided some funds for the CHED-SUCs computerization program. Chairman Angel C. Alcala stated that majority of the fund was used to upgrade the computer capabilities of state-funded institutions. The biggest threat pointed out in the CHED computerization program was the readiness of the people in the educational institutions in the form of computer literacy to cope with the said technological changes. 3 Similarly, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) engaged in its own computerization program. Undersecretary Alejandro W.D. Clemente described the computerization project as two main thrusts, which are (1) improvement of learning/teaching environment and (2) management of education. While improvement of learning/teaching environment mainly involves direct use of IT tools in the classroom such as multimedia, computer-based training, etc., Clemente stressed that management of education through IT centers on three groups. These groups consist of support staff using application programs such as wordprocessors, spreadsheets and the like for processing. The second group is for the number crunching processing such as accounting, budgeting and others. Finally, the third group affected by IT in educational management is in the area of databanking. Storing of voluminous records such as student scholastic records may be kept and retrieved using computer technology. 4 In addition to government efforts, Malacaà ±ang has issued on July 12, 2000, under the Estrada administration, Executive Order No. 265, â€Å"An act approving and adopting the government information systems plan (GISP) as framework and guide for all computerization efforts in the government.† The order aims to provide a wide-ranging set of reforms to enhance government efficiency and effectiveness in its operations and delivery of basic services to the public. Furthermore, the executive order requires all government units to align their respective computerization projects to the thrusts of E.O. 265, also known as the Philippine Government Online. 5 In the light of these ICT undertakings at the national level, most specially in the education sector, former PUP President, Dr. Ofelia M. Carague was inspired to embark on a university-wide computerization project to address the information needs of the university, as embodied in the PUP Information Systems Strategic Plan (ISSP). The ISSP, in general, aims to address the mission-critical areas of the five sectors of the university, namely: Administration, Finance, Student Services, Academic Affairs and Research and Development. Different systems were lined-up for the different sectors of the university, such as, Admission System (AS), Enrolment System (ES), Student Grades Monitoring Systems (SGMS), etc. under the Student Services sector.6 Despite the massive computerization program of PUP during the early part of the Carague administration, the PUP Laboratory High School department was not included in the initial list of offices to be computerized, mainly due to the limited student population. This view was somehow overturned by a fire incident which threatened to destroy the archived student records in the possession of the high school registrar. This was cited by PUP LHS in its appeal to be included in the computerization project. The Polytechnic University of the Philippines Laboratory High School has been in existence for more than half a century since its inception in 1954. Throughout its existence it has adopted several information systems, both manual and automated, to facilitate in its day-to-day operations. Recently, the high school department engaged in an upgrading of its Student Information Systems (SIS). The semi-automated operations were replaced with a fully automated system known as Laboratory High School Student Information System (LabHiSIS). LabHiSIS is composed to two subsystems, namely: (1) Enrolment System (ES) and (2) Student Grades Monitoring System (SGMS). This transition from a semi-automated to a fully automated system entails a lot of adjustments on the part of LHS students, faculty members and non-teaching personnel. Thus, the researcher aims to assess the implementation of the said subsystems of LabHiSIS in order to understand the efficacy of the said system implementation, using as basis common good qualities of information, which an efficient or effective information system must provide. The study shall likewise identify the pr oblems encountered during the system implementations. Background of the Study The Polytechnic University of the Philippines Laboratory High School (PUPLHS) located in the main campus at Sta. Mesa, Manila is the only surviving high school unit of PUP. Previously, there were high school department in other PUP branches like PUP Bataan and Lopez branches. There were some motions in the past to close the department, but it was vigorously opposed to by certain sectors of the university citing that PUP LHS is an integral department of the College of Office Administration and Business Teacher Education (COABTE). The latter was founded in 1904 formerly starting as the College of Business Teacher Education while the former was established in 1954 to pioneer a unique commercial curriculum. The curriculum’s defining attributes are the subjects on distributive arts, which consist of Stenography, Bookkeeping and Salesmanship, viewed as a tool to make the students more equipped for early employment. The students are required to take one of these as a major in junior and senior year. The curriculum has remained very much intact for the past fifty years with very minimal modifications, like the inclusion of computer subjects. Though COABTE acts as the mother unit of the high school department, certain autonomy in the management of PUP LHS is given to its administrators. For instance, the LHS Registrar is not bound to adhere to procedures implemented by the university registrar to the colleges. In addition, since it is under the university system, the high school department also enjoys a similar type of independence from DepEd control. The PUPLHS enrolment process employs a typical manual enrolment process. Despite of this nature, the LHS administration is able to manage the enrolment due to the small student population. The enrolment starts with the filling up of registration forms at designated enrolment centers. Prior to this initial step, old students must be cleared of any accountability during the previous school year. Next, the student pays Student Council fees along with other organizational fees. The third step is the assessment of fees which is manually computed by the teachers themselves. After which, the students must pay the amount at the Cashier’s Office located at the main building. Finally, the student has to proceed to the LHS Registrar’s Office for the validation of registration certificate.7 This concludes the manual high school enrolment process, which is less complicated as compared to the college enrolment. Common problems under this situation arise from long queues of students waiting to be processed up to incorrect assessment of matriculation and other fees. The grades of the students like most secondary level institutions are likewise computed manually. The process starts with the posting of grades in the summary sheet which is done on a quarterly basis by the teachers. Each section has one summary sheet to which all subject teachers input the grades of students bel onging to the section. The posting of non-academic marks like attendance, conduct and homeroom are also posted on the summary sheet by the section advisers every quarter. Another type of quarterly report being prepared by the teachers is the report cards of the students. On the fourth quarter of the school calendar, the teachers must compute the subject averages and post it on the summary sheet to determine those who passed and failed from among the students. This is very crucial in the deliberation process of PUP LHS faculty members so that they are guided as to whom are the candidates for kick out or transfer. In addition, the advisers are responsible for the computation of the general weighted average and the posting of academic and non-academic marks on the report card of all the students under his advisory. Next, the teacher encodes the grades of the students to the Student Permanent Record form of the LHS Registrar’s office, which serves as the official scholastic record of the student. Finally, the teachers must prepare their grade sheets to be submitted to the LHS principal. The registrar, on one hand, is responsible of producing the Transcript of Records (TOR) of both graduates and students for college application purposes. At this stage, the student grades are encoded to the computer for the very first time. This summarizes the complex and tedious manual process of grades processing in PUP LHS.8 The manual systems in PUP LHS suffer from a lot redundancies. In their manual processing of student grades the only instance where the grades of the students are made in digital form is when the Registrar encodes the grades for the Transcript of Records (TOR) preparation. The rest of the processing stages consist of manual posting of grades unto different reports. When the appeal of PUP LHS to be included in the computerization project was approved by the Office of the Vice President for Finance, the PUP Information Linkage Systems (PUPILS) was tasked to assist the high school department in its request. The initial agreement was to customize the Integrated Student Information System (iSIS) of the college for the high school unit, but due to some differences in business logic the developers decided to create a system from scratch instead. Development started in April 2002 and the developers employed a Rapid Application Development (RAD) strategy in developing its first component – the Enrolment System (LabHiSIS-ES). The LabHiSIS package is composed of the following subsystems, namely: âž ¢ Enrolment System (LabHiSIS-ES) – a system which handles the registration needs of the students during enrolment periods. âž ¢ Student Grades Monitoring System (LabHiSIS-GMS) – a system which monitors the accumulating grades of student s. In a short period of barely two months, the PUPILS LabHiSIS development team prepared a fully functional stand-alone enrolment system. It was implemented in May 27-30, 2002 to all year levels of PUP LHS. LabHiSIS used a pre-printed implementation strategy. In this strategy, the registration certificates of the high school students were printed in advance. This facilitated the simple distribution of registration certificates to the enrollees during the enrolment proper, which were done by the enrolling advisers. After two years of implementing the Enrolment System in the department, the development team started with the development of the second subsystem. The first implementation of the Student Grades Monitoring System was implemented in SY 2003-2004. Throughout the entire development phase of the LabHiSIS systems, the system developers were guided by the following system objectives which they envision to be accomplished by the systems once operational. The LabHiSIS-Enrolment System’s objective is to automate the enrolment processing by generating a pre-assessed and a filled-up registration certificate. It shall also assist with some pre and post admission processing like the generation of unique student number. With the system, the faculty members of PUP LHS would no longer have to manually assess the matriculation and fees of the students. Though it is still not connected online to the university’s Cashiering system, the developers believe that this automation would provide a significant improvement to the LHS enrolment processes and, at the same time, introduce computerization to the PUP LHS community thereby preparing them for the second LabHiSIS module – Student Grades Monitoring System. The development of the more complicated Student Grades Monitoring System followed a multifaceted set of objectives. The objectives are as follows: 1. The Student Grades Monitoring System must automate the entire grades processing of PUP LHS from the time of its initial posting up to the generation of student Transcript of Records (TOR) for the department’s graduates. 2. SGMS shall produce highly accurate reports, namely: Temporary Quarterly Report Cards, Final Report Cards, Quarterly Summary Sheets, Student Permanent Records, Grade Sheets and Transcript of Records. 3. The system shall uphold confidentiality of student grades, thus, preventing unauthorized access to certain subject matters. The teachers will be limited to the subject assigned to them. 4. The system shall promote a high standard of grade integrity and eliminate the repetitive manual posting/inputting of grades into different kinds of reports. It shall centralize the printing of reports which is the sole responsibility of the system administrators. The administrators, though with access rights to view the grades, have no access rights to modify any of the grade entries. The faculty members are, thus, assured that the grades they have entered are the same grades to appear regardless of the report type. With this scheme, discrepancies will be avoided and the faculty would only have to input the grades once. Theoretical Framework In this study, the theory of Prof. Karl Weick, from the University of Michigan, known as Information Systems Theory was used as one of the basis for the study. The theory primarily states that â€Å"An organization should connect with information processing. Information is the key item that all organizations must possess.† 9 According to Sweeney, the theory of Karl Weick can be tested for practical utility. This means that, â€Å"The more effective communication is, the more effective the organization will be, and as a result it [organization] will be more successful.†10 The theory when properly applied to an organization can increase business control which is one of the fundamental functions of management. Efforts, however, to improve organizational performance do not instantaneously arrive as a result of having computer-based information systems. Prof. N. Kano, in his Theory on Customer Satisfaction, identified several categories of quality attributes which influence customer satisfaction. He discussed the importance of Basic, Excitement and Performance Factors as the three attributes directly involved with client satisfaction. He stated that basic factors present the minimum requirements in any product which will cause dissatisfaction if not fulfilled but do not cause customer satisfaction when fulfilled. Excitement factors tend to cause customer satisfaction whenever fulfilled but do not promote dissatisfaction if absent. Performance factors causes satisfaction if the performance is high†¦they cause dissatisfaction if the performance is low. 11 Though this theory mentions of characteristics applicable to a product, it must be noted that software is considered a product. 12 In order to guarantee customer satisfaction the product must be carefully evaluated thoroughly. The Evaluation Theory according to Prof. Mel Mark, from the Pennyslvania State University, as one of its many application provides the important key whether or not to implement a new program. In his article Evaluation Theory and What are Evaluation Methods For?, he mentioned that evaluation theory acts as a performance measurement system that can identify problem areas and provide a feedback mechanism regarding the apparent consequences of a certain decision. 13 Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework employs the Systems Approach technique. It begins with the Input Box, which represents factors that must exist before the study can take place or a phenomenon can be investigated. In this study, the inputs are the respondents of the study and the LabHiSIS-Enrolment System and LabHiSIS-Student Grades Monitoring System. The second box is the Process box. It contains all the procedures taken in the study. In the study, the process begins with data gathering through a survey questionnaire. Other information was also derived from informal interview. After data tabulation the next step was the application of a correct statistical tool. Finally, analysis and interpretation was made on the basis of the statistical results. The third box is the Output box. It shows the findings of the study regarding the efficacy of the systems. Likewise, it also aims to identify the problems encountered in the systems implementation. A return or feedback arrow signifies the repetitive and continuous nature of the process. After the findings have been concluded a new set of problems may arise which requires another inquiry or investigation. Statement of the Problem The study assessed the effectiveness of the Laboratory High School Student Information Systems, particularly its two subsystems; Enrolment System and Student Grades Monitoring System. Similarly, it aims to answer the following specific questions: To what extent do the respondents rate the effectiveness of the LabHiSIS-Enrolment System in terms of the following software quality attributes: 1. Accuracy; 2. Completeness; 3. Timeliness; 4. Reliability; 5. Security 6. User-Friendliness? To what extent do the respondents’ rate the effectiveness of the LabHiSIS-Student Grade Monitoring System in terms of the given software quality attributes: 1. What are the problems encountered in the implementation of LabHiSIS, specifically its two subsystems – Enrolment System and Student Grades Monitoring System? Significance of the Study Change is not an easy thing to embrace. It is the very nature of man to resist change. This resistance is commonly due to the fear of the unknown. Information Technology, as a catalyst of change, is a major fear factor for many institutions and individuals. Thus, this study aims to assess the LabHiSIS implementations made to PUPLHS. The main goal of the study is to identify the efficacy rating of the LabHiSIS system implementations. Findings of the study are expected to contribute to the further refinement of the system and its future implementations. The study, upon its completion, will benefit the following stakeholders of the university, namely: The University Officials/Administrators. Implementation problems identified in this study can help top management arrive at sound decisions regarding budget allocations, policy formulation, etc. The Academic and Administrative Employees of PUP LHS. Through this research the employees would be able to express their comments regarding the system so that positive changes can be taken into consideration by the developers as a result of the system assessment. The Systems Developers. The developers of the system would greatly benefit from this research mainly because the users response to the questionnaire would serve as a gauge in measuring the system performance. The weak points identified in the study can become the focus of their corrective maintenance of the system. The Future Researchers. This research can serve as a model for other studies on system implementations that other researchers might want to investigate. It is important to note that through research the precious feedback coming from the beneficiaries or system users could be obtained. In this case, the beneficiaries of the LabHiSIS systems are the students while the users are the academic and the non-teaching personnel. The Students. The last beneficiary of the system study is the students of PUP LHS. They would benefit from the improved service brought about by refinements in the system which is in turn a result of the problem identification and performance appraisal found in this study. Scope and Limitation of the Study This study is concerned with the system implementation of the LabHiSIS computerized Enrolment System and Student Grades Monitoring System to PUP Laboratory High School in school year 2004-2005. It includes all the following enrolment and grades processing activities: (1) Academic Subject Enrolment and Assessment of Matriculation and Fees; (2) Posting of Academic Grades and Non-Academic Marks and (3) Generation of Periodic and Demand Reports. In addition, the study includes the system stakeholders, namely, faculty members, non-teaching personnel and students of PUP LHS. The study is however limited to 2nd year up to 4th year students only as the first year students, in June 2005, still have no knowledge and complete experience with the two LabHiSIS subsystems. Definition of Terms The following terminologies were used as operationally defined in this study: Accuracy of information simply means that the information system is error free. Administrator is in-charge of the system security for both subsystems. As such he has access to all utilities menu commands. Completeness of the information means that all needed details are incorporated in a report or output produced by an information system. Effectiveness refers to the satisfactory performance or rating of the system based on software quality factors such as Accuracy, Completeness, Timeliness, Reliability, Security and User-Friendliness. End-users are members of the faculty and non-teaching staff of the PUP Laboratory High School who directly interact or use the computer-based information system. LabHiSIS refers to the Laboratory High School Student Information System, a computer-based information system designed to automate the enrolment and grades preparation process of PUP Laboratory High School. The system is composed of two subsystems, namely the Enrolment System and the Student Grades Monitoring System. Reliability is an information characteristic which means that the output or report produced by an information system can be depended upon by its users despite changes in the environment which may affect the system. Security refers to the ability of the system to limit accessibility of the users thus safeguarding confidential or restricted records from any form of unlawful access. Source documents, as used in this paper, pertain to the Summary Sheets from which all academic and non-academic marks of the students are initially posted by the subject teachers from their respective class records. The summary sheet is used for reference by the faculty members during the encoding of grades to SGMS. Timeliness of information is about the prompt release or issuance of a needed detail or report whenever it is needed. User Friendliness pertains to the characteristic of the information system to be easily understood by the users. Figure 1 Paradigm of the Study FEEDBACK OUTPUT PROCESS INPUT Assessed Laboratory High School Student Information Systems (LabHiSIS): Enrolment System (ES) Student Grades Monitoring System (SGMS) Solutions to the Problems Encountered in the implementation of the systems. Assessment of the Laboratory High School Student Information System (LabHiSIS) Subsystems: – Enrolment System (ES), and – Student Grades Monitoring System (SGMS). Identification of the problems encountered during the systems implementation 1Naval, Victoria C., â€Å"Rethinking Prospects and Challenges of Globalization in Education†, The Mabini Review, Vol. 1. 2001 11Kano, N., â€Å"Customer Satisfaction Model†, http://www.12manage.com/methods_ kano_customer_satisfaction_model.html, 1984. 12Sommerville, Ian A., Software Engineering, 4th Edition, Addison – Wesley Longman Inc., 1995) pp. 5. 13Mark, Mel, â€Å"Evaluation Theory or What are Evaluation Methods For?†, http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval/issue30/theory.html 9Dudas, Marion, â€Å"Applying the Information Systems Theory to a True Situation†, http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~md413097/is.htm, 2000. 10Sweeney, Matt C., â€Å"Information Systems Critique† http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/ ~ms101996/is.htm 8Gonzales, Jaime Y., interview held during system development start-up, Registrar’s Office, April 2002 7Gonzales, Jaime Y., PUP Laboratory High School Enrolment Procedures, 2004 6Escober, Rosicar E., PUP Information Systems Strategic Plan, College of Computer Studies, Graduate School, Dela Salle University, Manila, 1999. 2. 4Clemente, Alejandro W.D., â€Å"Use of Multi-media in DECS†, IT Education in the Philippines: Preparing for the 21st Century, pp.29-34, February 1997. 5Estrada, Joseph Ejercito, Executive Order 256, Malacaà ±ang Palace, Manila, http://www.neda.gov.ph/ads/gisp/default.htm, 2000. Laboratory High School Student Information Systems (LabHiSIS): Enrolment System (ES), and Student Grades Monitoring System (SGMS). Problems encountered in the systems implementation 2Ramos, Fidel V., â€Å"Taking the Future in our Hands†, speech delivered in the First Information Technology and Telecommunications Education Congress, Dusit Hotel Nikko Manila, February 1997. 3Alcala, Angel C., â€Å"The CHED Computerization Program: Goals, Policies and Projects†, IT Education in the Philippines: Preparing for the 21st Century, pp.25-28, February 1997.

Level 3 Diploma Perioperative Support Essay Example for Free

Level 3 Diploma Perioperative Support Essay Explain how and why person centred values must influence all aspects of health and social care work Some of the person centred values that influence aspects of health and social care are; Good communication How By using good communication you can give a person centred approach to care. Giving a patient/individual as information as possible is a way of good communication, inform them what you are doing before you do it and while you are doing it, explain why you will be doing what you are doing or about to do and let them know what to expect i. . if you are about to canulate them let them know that they may feel a sharp scratch Why Giving a patient/individual constant information helps make the patient feel at ease as they feel more involved in what is going on and have a clear understanding of what is going on , this also gives the individual the knowledge of what will be happening and why. Communication is a key element in giving person centred care Choice How By asking a patient/individual if they would like to keep there hearing aid in while I take the patient down to theatre I am giving them a choice whether they would like to remove there hearing aid or choose to keep it on. Why By giving patients/individuals choices you are giving them a bit of control in an environment where patients can feel they have no control over what is happening and by giving them small options it can make them feel a bit more in control and give them some dignity and respect. Making time How In main theatres it can be hard to make time for patients as time is usually of the essence and the need for keeping the theatre list moving quickly and efficiently is paramount, but by simply talking to your patient while you are transporting them down to theatre can make all the difference, it helps calm the patient down, taking there mind off the operation they are about to have. By talking to them while you are transporting them you are still keeping to the time limits set out before you. Why Making time for a patient/individual is probably the most important thing you can do in a system where the patient may feel like there being dragged from pillar to post in a busy department where no one has time for them and feel that it’s a case of â€Å"get them in get them out† attitude. Taking just two minutes out of your schedule can make a massive difference to a patient as it helps reassure them that they are not forgotten which makes the patient feel important and not a burden on the system.

A History and Overview of Translation Techniques

A History and Overview of Translation Techniques The art of translation reaches the times of antiquity, therefore is nearly as old as the introduction of writing, since every written text enhanced the need to distributing it to other nationalities. First writings, however, were written mainly in Latin or Greek and introduced to educated people. The lower classes, perceived as simple and uneducated, were neglected as far as writing and reading was concerned. The major twist in the field of translation studies emerged due to the outbreak of the First and the Second World War. People, especially connected with army and government, were interested in knowing enemies plans. Some schools devoted to translation were established in order to train soldiers in understanding foreign languages, both written and spoken. However, the need for translating enemy texts lasted till the invention of coded messages. Decrypted texts had nothing in common with proper texts written in a particular language. Over the last three decades serious attempts were made to create a translation theory which would have included all answers connected with the human language. As Korzeniowska and Kuhiwczak (2006:28) have stated all of the previous translation theories were based chiefly on structuralist linguistics. The aim of the theories was not to present detailed description of the translation phenomena but to provide scholars with sentence structure rules. The 1970s and early 80s brought a breakthrough in understanding the language universals, which in turn influenced perceiving translation as a tool helpful in understanding language. These major changes occurred due to the work of Wilhelm von Humboldt and the introduction of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Refreshing for the understanding of the language though it was, Sapirs famous statement, quoted in Korzeniowska and Kuhiwczak (ibid), no two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality gave str aightforward answer that the translated text (i.e. target text; henceforth: TT) will on no account match with the source text (henceforth: ST). Sapirs statement led to neglecting translation and, simultaneously, to raising scholars interest in linguistic studies. Changes which occurred in the past thirty years had cast away translation from the academic discourse. However, nowadays one can observe growing interest in the art of rendering texts as well as the thorough investigations in the multiple translation theories in order to provide both teachers and students with one comprehensible theory. Translation theory As has been mentioned in the previous sub-chapter, scholars devoted to the field of translation studies have failed to establish a single and the most accurate definition of the translation theory. The reason for this is that a great number of the academic teachers are still engrossed with the linguistic approach towards translation theory. Majority of them still claim that translation is and will be an inevitable part of linguistic studies. Therefore, all aspects concerning translation theory are examined by means of linguistic theories. Those theories aim to create a view that the translation theory is an integral part of linguistics and must be used in accordance with linguistic rules and theories. The multiplicity of theories that are associated with translation were conceived on the basis of the human language studies. Bell (1991:4) points out that there are supporters of the view that translation should be perceived as a part of linguistic studies. Surprising as it may seem, th ere are also those who claim that translation should not be connected with language studies but, above all, with an art of taking the meaning from ST and converting it so as not to loose the main message. The choice of wheather one should perceive translation as an art or a science is dictated mainly by personal preferences. According to Bell (ibid) the theory is supposed to answer the question why?, which in turn is an explanation to the subject-matter under focus. Bell (ibid) presents three aspects which may be considered as separate translation theories or as logically-connected components to establish one logical theory. These include: A theory of translation as a process the theory of rendering a text A theory of translation as a product the theory of a rendered text A theory of translation as both process and product the theory of rendering and rendered text The linguistic approach towards translation theory suggests only a description of the phenomena. On the basis of it one can only find the answer to the question what?. Korzeniowska and Kuhiwczak (2006:26) support Bells statement suggesting division of the theories into two categories: a category that aim to describe the phenomenon or category set to prescribe some restrictions and rules which are meant to be obeyed. Savory (1957:49) enumerates at least twelve rules for a translator to follow in order to render a text in a proper manner. The rules are as follows: A translation must give the words of the original. A translation must give the ideas of the original. A translation should read like an original work. A translation should read like a translation. A translation should reflect the style of the original. A translation should posses the style of the translator. A translation should read as a contemporary of the original. A translation should read as a contemporary of the translator. A translation may add to or omit from the original. A translation may never add to or omit from the original. A translation of verse should be in prose. A translation of verse should be in verse. The above mentioned rules are but a small fraction of rules that professional translators are supposed to follow in order to fulfill the requirements of the target audience. It may be concluded that it depends on the personal preferences of the translators to coin their own theory which corresponds to their work as professionals. This will eventually lead to the multiplication of translation theories. Unfortunately it is the only possible solution, since there is a lack of one which is comprehensible and covers all the aspects of translation phenomena. 1.3. The definition of translation Trask (1997:299) states that translation is either the process of rendering the Source Language (henceforth: SL) into the Target Language (henceforth: TL) or the tangible outcome of this process. What is more, Trask (ibid) fails to provide a division between spoken and written translation. He, therefore, puts spoken and written rendition into the same category, which is translation. Tomaszkiewicz (2006:101) however, disagrees with Trasks view on the subject of translation definition. She draws the attention to the division into oral and written translation. She states that rendering texts by means of writing should be referred to as translation (Fr. Traduction), whereas oral rendition of a speech is to be called interpretation. Similarly to the translation theory, the definition of translation has caused different people from different spheres of study to coin their own definitions of translation phenomena. There appeared not only strictly scholarly definitions but more emotional, as well. Bassnett (1991:13) defines translation as a tool assembled to (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) transfer meaning contained in one set of language signs into another set of language signs through competent use of dictionary and grammar, (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) involving a whole set of extra-linguistic criteria(à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Newmark (1982:7) states that every attempt to translate a text from one language to another causes some minor losses and modifications in the translated text. A more emotional definition of translation is presented by Margarita Brandes, quoted after Korzeniowska and Kuhiwczak (2006:25). She states that there are some (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) spiritual and practical (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) elements involved in the process of translati on. Additionally, she relates translation to communication, making it an integral part of social relationships. She advocates that the process of translation must be associated with reproductive and secondary activity. Catford, quoted after Korzeniowska and Kuhiwczak (2006:25), presents a contrary view on the definition of translation. His own definition disagrees with the previous definitions since it suggest that the translation must under no circumstances transfer the meaning of the SL into the TL. He emphasizes the need to differentiate transfer from substitution. The former should be perceived as an integral part of translation. With so many definitions of translation it is very difficult to choose the most appropriate one for the future professionals. This problem must be dealt with by individuals, since not all translators share the same view on this subject. The best definition is the one that matches with translators knowledge and skills. 1.4. Translation or interpreting? Apart from different types of translation, the notion of rendering texts from one language to another can be divided into two distinct subgroups. These are, translation and interpreting. 1.4.1. Translation The main aim of this sub-chapter is to briefly examine both of the subgroups. Let us first focus on the translation phenomena. It has been stated in previous sub-chapters that translation should be mainly associated with written rendition of a text. HrehovÄ ik (2006:23) draws ones attention to the fact that there are some authors who believe that the term translation (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) is an overall category which encompasses both oral and written forms of mediated bilingual communication (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). He himself supports Tomaszkiewiczs view that only a written text translated into a written text in another language should be referred to as the translation. Tomaszkiewicz (2006:101) emphasizes the fact that translation is not a productive activity per se but merely a reproductive one. She maintain that a translator is not the author of the text for his task is to grasp the main message conveyed in a ST and to reformulate it by means of stylistic devices present in a TT so as to match with the original text. Great stress is put on the notions of equivalence and faithfulness as far as translating or interpreting. The notion of equivalence may be particularly ascribed to the translation and translator since it requires a vast knowledge in the field of lexical items. In this connection one should bear in mind that written rendition of a text must be as faithful as possible. When translating a written text the translator has some time to process his thoughts and ideas, whereas interpretation requires quick thinking and lack of hesitation. 1.4.2. Interpreting The notion of interpreting deals with the conversion of spoken language from one into another. When dealing with interpretation, there emerges the problem of bits of information to be received, processed, converted and distributed so that the message is not altered at any level. HrehovÄ ik (2006:24) points out that even though translation and interpreting are language-related they involve the use of different spheres of human brain. He, thus, maintains that people who are considered capable of thinking fast would find interpreting as a better way of rendering texts. Analogically, people considered as detail-oriented and devoted to scholarly activities would prefer translation, since it enables them to refer to a number of dictionaries or other reference books. Moreover, translation is mainly done in isolation when there is a time to rethink some problems before making a final decision. Interpreting is a tool for people who are not afraid of working under pressure, both time an d surrounding. There is no time for an interpreter to refer to any sources because thinking may lead to loosing the main idea of the utterance delivered by a person. The high range of vocabulary as well as grammatical structures is of the utmost importance in order to fulfill the task of rendering spoken text orally. Contrary to translation, interpreting can be categorized into at least eleven types. HrehovÄ ik (2006) lists those types accordingly to their importance, though he maintains that simultaneous, consecutive and whispering interpretations are the major ones. An attempt will be made to briefly discuss all types of interpreting. Suggested types are as follows: Simultaneous interpretation, considered as the most important can be best described as a real-time interpreting. The interpreters task is to listen to the speakers utterance and while listening the interpreter is supposed to provide the audience with the rendered speech. There is no time for the person involved to hesitate for even a single moment since it may cause that she will be at a loss. There is a possibility that the speaker may be in a different room, therefore it is required that the interpreter be a fast-thinking and decisive. Consecutive interpretation, considered a second important type of interpreting which differs from simultaneous interpreting in such a way that the speaker delivers the speech in fragments, they can be either sentences or paragraphs. The interpreter has to grasp the main idea of the passage, convert and deliver it to the audience. The speaker waits for the interpreter to finish. She then continues with another passage. It is advisable that the speaker should make a pause every 1-5 minutes so as not to overload the interpreter with the data. Interpreters are advised to develop their own way of making notes during the speakers presentation. It is done mainly by some symbols so as not to waste time for noting the entire speech. As HrehovÄ ik (2006:25) believes, (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)the output is more idiomatic and less source-language bound. Whispering is a third type of interpreting. It corresponds, to some extent, with the simultaneous interpreting. The major difference between these two types is that whispering requires sitting close to the speaker and listener. The conversion of an utterance is done by means of listening to the speech and subsequently whispering already rendered text to the listeners ear. The need of using whispering is best performed during short meetings when there is the lack of specialized equipment to carry out simultaneous or consecutive interpreting. The following types of interpreting are chiefly connected with conference interpreting. Relay is a type of interpreting which involves the use of the third language. The interpreters task is to connect with a language booth that covers a language used by the speakers. It happens when the interpreter does not cover the language used by the speakers. She may connect with other interpreter, who covers the language in question, via audio link. There is no loss of the interpreted text because of the rapid connection between booths. Pivot takes place when the language used by the speakers is less widespread. Interpreters who do not cover this particular language connect with those who cover and relay from them. The basic idea of a pivot is the ability to distribute a speech even though the audience and some of the interpreters do not cover the language. As can be observed there occurs a mixture of two types of interpreting. One might state that they complement each other. Cheval (Fr. horse) is a very difficult type of interpreting since it requires a mastery of two languages on equal levels. Cheval is a person who is asked to interpret between two booths in two different languages. She must be able to shift between languages when there is a need. The idea of employing chevals aims to reduce the costs because it requires only one interpreter for two separate presentations. Due to the development in the sphere of communication technologies such types of interpreting have recently been conceived: Teleconferencing may simply be defined as a form of communication by means of audio stream even if the people involved are in different cities, countries or even continents. This type of interpreting enables all people to listen to the speech. Audioconferencing this type of interpreting is based only on audio signal. There is no possibility to see the participants. Videoconferencing requires the use of a video stream. It is vital that this type of conferencing require audio stream as well. This term comprises three separate types. They are: Videophony includes a mixture of a speakers image with a telephone call Whiteboarding can be either the electronic exchange or the ability to edit documents on a number of computers Desktop videoconferencing images delivered via PC camera; may as well include whiteboarding Studio or room videoconferencing requires at least two, though more are possible, studios that are linked together by means of audio and video streams. The use of more than two languages leads to creating so called multilingual conferencing. Sight translation is performed when an interpreter is given a text with some information in it and his task is to convert the text and deliver the content orally in a TL. These texts are mainly memos distributed at meetings and are to be rendered at a moments notice. Although there is a great number of interpreting types, one should not be deceived that interpretation is more acknowledged than translation. Both types are equally perceived as vital in communicating between nationalities. Translation as well as interpretation have both its supporters and people with opposite views. The skills that are required are basically the same. The only difference, apart from the written or spoken form, is the individual predisposition of a person to render a text in a way she is able to. 1.5. Types of translation Similarly to the types of interpreting, translation as well includes a number of subtypes. There are, of course, spheres of life which impose the translator to choose the most appropriate one. The most popular is, beyond any doubt, the sphere of commerce due to its rapid development. Korzeniowska and Kuhiwczak (2006) suggest also: the tourist trade, science, arts or even catering; as the most popular nowadays. However, the spheres that require a comprehensible translation are not going to be dealt with in this chapter. It is hoped that the following examples of types of translation will be thoroughly scrutinized. HrehovÄ ik (2006), provides a list of nine types of translation which find their applicability in every day translating. The list includes: Word for word translation the main goal of this type of translation is to render a text in such a way that the TT words match as close as it is possible with their counterparts in ST. Another characteristic feature of this type is that words connected with culture are rendered literally. Literal translation here, emphasis is put on finding grammatical equivalents in TT so as to convert the text from ST. The lexical correspondents are of minor importance. Moreover, they are very often out of context. Faithful translation it may be considered as the most desirable type of translation since it attempts to render a SL text so that it is comparable with a TL. All language deviations are transferred from one language into another. Semantic translation contrary to faithful translation, semantic one seeks not only faithfulness but also the aesthetic aspects of language. Not even the slightest language deviation is allowed. Communicative translation it aims at converting a text in such a way that the (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) exact contextual meaning of the original (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) is preserved and the text itself contains comprehensible and acceptable language and content. Idiomatic translation this translation type encompasses both the appropriate grammar structures and well-chosen lexical items. If a text should be translated by means of idiomatic translation, it would definitely sound like original one. Free translation the basic goal of this rendition is to convey the meaning without paying closer attention to the choice of words or grammatical structures. Some scholars advocate that the translated text is usually much longer than the original writing. Adaptation used mainly for poetry and plays, this translation type is considered to be free of rules and restrictions. The freedom of interpreting a text in whatever way the translator desires is referred to as unduly free. In addition, adaptation serves very often to invoke humor by changing, for instance, historical facts or characters name. Screen translation the most common type of translation nowadays. It includes providing subtitles for films and dubbing original voices in a film with native ones. Subtitling is done even by inexperienced people who are not trained translators but merely gained some knowledge connected with foreign languages. In some cases they are able to create a flawless translations but very often their versions are feeble and full of mistakes. Dubbing, on the other hand, is done by professionals and simply read by actors assigned to a particular character. The multiplicity of translation types gives a wide range of possibilities. However, one should bear in mind that mastering a particular type is not enough to convert a text. Other vital skills are required as well. They may be ascribed to various roles that a translator must choose in order to maintain the originality and faithfulness of the translated text. The roles of a translator will be examined in the next sub-chapter.