Siebel’s Critical Success

The definition of Customer Relationship Management is providing exceptional customer service. This entails rapid responses to all customer inquiries and demonstrations of active concern for customer satisfaction. CRM is a comprehensive sales and marketing approach to building long term customer relationships and improving business performance. It is a way of helping an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. For example, an enterprise might build a database about its customers that described relationships in sufficient detail. The best Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems include: 1) The ability to provide faster response to customer inquiries 2) Increased efficiency through automation 3) Having a deeper knowledge of customers 4) Getting more marketing or cross-selling opportunities 5) Identifying the most profitable customers 6) Receiving customer feedback that leads to new and improved products or services 8) Obtaining information that can be shared with the company's business partners. How Siebel's Critical Success Factors assists in the internal growth of the company and their competitive advantage. Siebel Systems enable organizations to create a single source of customer information that makes it easier to sell to, market to, and service customers across multiple channels, including the Web, call centers, field, resellers, retail, and dealer networks. This is done by providing a comprehensive family of multichannel eBusiness applications and services. Built on a proven, component-based architecture, Siebel eBusiness Applications are designed from the ground up to be completely Web-based, deliver support for multiple computing platforms, and provide automatic upgrades and software distribution that significantly reduce the total cost of ownership. By using the web Siebel use a common channel to market their wares which financial feasible, considering the amount of information they have to make available to existing and potential customers. The fact that one of their CSF's is to satisfy customers through any service channel, is an advantage that would benefit Siebel in terms of internal growth and competition. Since they have such a multiplicity of service channels incorporating many aspects of customer cohesion, they have a competitive edge over other companies offering the same services. How Siebel address it's clients needs – Siebel eBusiness Applications allow organizations to create a single source of customer information that makes it easier to sell to, market to, and service customers across multiple channels, including the Web, call centers, field, resellers, retail, and dealer networks. The multiplicity of the informative avenues that they provide is very compatible with whatever variety of customers they may come into contact with. – They provide support for all the major computing platforms including mobile clients, connected clients, thin clients, and handheld clients. – Create a single source of customer and product information that can be used to tailor product and service offerings to meet the unique needs of each customer across all channels of customer interaction – Deliver the only integrated, multichannel, Web-based configuration solution that is easy to use, deploy, and maintain Critical Success Factors of Claritas Claritas is a provider of marketing data. This data is arranged so that their customers can more easily initiate contact with customers in whatever field they choose to apply. Their users can target their own consumer needs so that the product or service they use can be tailored to fit the desired customer. The vast areas that their data covers i.e. trends, geographical locations and important events, ensures that they offer the best service possible for the service that they are offering which is a resource for marketing needs. This is a competitive advantage and as their clients speak of their efficiency to colleagues, this can only mean internal growth in favour of the company. Claritas addresses its clients needs by combining customer data with unique market information and insights enabling its clients to systematically identify, quantify, reach, and retain their most profitable customers. Their ways of doing this are by providing geodemographic information, qualitative audience research, and highly detailed data on advertising spending across all media. This is a main Critical Success Factor. It involves providing customers with all the information that is available and necessary to gain and retain customers. The service Siebel offers is providing comprehensive application software that can reach a plethora of customers by travelling through many avenues such as the Web, field, retail networks. This service can be improved by Claritas marketing data which can help direct Siebel's customers to choose the appropriate channel to reach the customers through. In layman terms, Claritas provides the information about the customers and Siebel provides the means in which to contact the customers. This can help both companies and allow them to mutually benefit from each other's strengths. What is a call centre infrastructure? The call centre is a central information point, which the rest of the company can use to gather data about the relationship between companies, products and customers. Murphy Brewery has 9,000 customers base. The problem with them is that their customers were presented with various points of contact within our organization without any one individual taking responsibility for a specific order, query, or request. Customers found that their requests and queries often went unresolved. This information was derived through conducting a self-commissioned survey. The solution was to establish a Customer Care service, i.e. a call centre, that would integrate all concerned information for any agent dealing with a customer. By understanding how customer trends are moving, a company can control the bases of their existence, their customers, and thus maintain a competitive edge over their rivals like Murphy Brewers. This relates to CRM because it is providing the best customer service possible by knowing the customer needs. Activity 2: A Power Analysis of your position Activity 3: Research Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Benchmarking. The definition of ERP is an attempt to integrate all departments and functions across a company onto a single computer system that can serve all those different departments' particular needs. It facilitates communication and enables information to be shared more easily. In the business sense for example, if an order is made, it can be done with all the information about the product or service being ordered available and by eliminating the need to go into different departments, it saves time. Benchmarking involves setting a baseline against what a company should have done or being doing to remain competitive. This follows certain criteria such as portability, flexibility, geographical application, facility of integration and facility of implementation. PeopleSoft run a client server architecture supporting Windows, cell phone technology (WAP), Unix, Linux and Macintosh. They are able to cater for industries, the federal government, Healthcare, manufacturing, Higher Education, Retail and Utilities. This shows an ability to tailor packages for almost any given enterprise. PeopleSoft can implement applications that can handle enterprises on a world wide basis.Facility of integration They offer an open integration platform to connect your enterprise to almost any form of enterprise which links to their application on worldwide basis. Facility of Implementation Their software can be easily implemented and installed if desired. PeopleSoft offers a complete packaged software solution for medium sized companies. Since 1987, they have built global enterprise application solutions that meet the changing business demands of organizations worldwide. Portablity The company whose ERP systems are being benchmarked is called SAP. Linux, WAP (Mobile phone communications) and Unix. Flexibility Offers custom made solutions and off the shelf industry solutions. Geographical application Supports global e-commerce, allowing the organisation to trade world wide with their systems. Facility of integration All major departments can be integrated into a large software solution. Facility of implementation Support provided after the software package has been purchased by a company. Activity 4: Profiling a Strategic team: Executive EQ test The company mission statement appears to be the best British garden magazine. They aspire to become the leading focus of expertise in garden designing, house decoration and culinary worldwide. For example, the service of providing gardening lessons through the Internet could be offered, and eventually they would expand into other educational areas. They seek to explore other medium attaining international coverage. A means of doing this could be by using SPY IN THE SKY services enabling HiMAC to take aerial photos of any garden and sell specialised tours. This would serve as a means to provide course over the Internet. This involved aligning financial activities and reports for all titles. In terms of business change, they proposed to have a team solely devoted to dealing with customer queries. They recognised the need for the customer base to expand in order to deal with a greater diversity of customers. They noted some supplier that could help the primary set up of computer based courses as a support if HiMAC took up more educational courses for other organisations. There was a recognition for the need of some departments to receive training for these new technologies. The accounting functions needed to be integrated into one single report. The decision to copy the model of an Internet based course from SurferTeaching Company was both good and bad. It was good in the sense that by copying, it reduced labour content with less work being involved than if one was innovative. It also provided less work by speeding up processes. It was bad in the sense that by copying another practice, it might not have been tailored for HiMAC as a specific company and thus caused problems like internal division. By not being specifically tailored for their company, its design would not cater for their CSF, goals and objectives. Secondly, the practice may carry inherent imperfections which HiMAC might not recognise and breed into their companies thus bringing new issues to consider.

History and Memory Essay

To what extent has textual form shaped your understanding of history and memory? In your response, make detailed reference to your prescribed text and at least one  other related text. The textual form of the poetry of Denise Levertov and the recount Pure Torture by Tom Moe has shaped the reader’s understanding of history and memory to a great extent. While history is represented generally as objective, impersonal, factual and static, memory is represented as subjective, personal, fragmented and fluid. Techniques applied by the composers are consistent with forging these representations. A close examination of the texts indicates that history and memory are distinct concepts, but they are also two elements which work together in an interdependent relationship to make a record of truth. A close study of A Letter to Marek about a Photograph shows how history and memory are both distinct entities, but that they work together to create a more complete representation of the truth. The poem provides a representation of the house’s history as static and objective through the adjectives used to describe the physical building: â€Å"wooden angles† and â€Å"fretted gables†. However, the composer’s memory of the context of the home provides a place filled with anxiety and worry through the use of the pun in â€Å"fretted gables†, and the metaphor â€Å"ornaments turned on the lathe of humor and trust†. While the physical photograph records in a cumulation of adjectives the â€Å"carpentered, unpainted, aging house †¦ in some white ghetto†, Levertov’s memory records the emotional context of the inhabitants of the house in the personification of the building: â€Å"the brooding face of anxiety† and â€Å"waking and sleeping†. Thus, one’s understanding of history and memory as two distinct yet interdependent elements in recording the truth has been shaped to a great degree through a close reading of A Letter to Marek about a Photograph. Similarly, in A Time Past Levertov conveys the idea of history and memory being distinct but interrelated elements in recording the past. While Levertov records the â€Å"wooden steps to the front door where I was sitting that morning† as an historic event, she intertwines the memory with the physical history of the steps. Human experience is deeply involved in the history of these steps through the senses in the tactile, aural and visual imagery. She can â€Å"feel their splinters†, the â€Å"quiet broken by no bird, no cricket†, and â€Å"gold leaves spinning in silence†. The human experience of emotion – â€Å"joy† and â€Å"love† and â€Å"cheerful, unafraid† – are captured in the record of the past. Although the memories are fragmentary in nature, like the splinters, they ironically complete the history. This fragmentary quality is captured in the various anecdotes involving the â€Å"friend and her little son who died†, â€Å"of marriage, of my son†, and â€Å"sitting alone or with my husband†. Although some memories may be blurred or faded over time – â€Å"or was it the second son who lives and thrives? † – The memories themselves do not lose their importance. While the steps play a significant place in terms of events in Levertov’s history, it is the memories involved with the steps which complete the record of truth, thus further enhancing one’s understanding of the relationship between history and memory. In Thai Binh (Peace) Province refers to Levertov’s â€Å"film† of the Vietnam War, both a physical and mental record of a past event. Textual form is very important in conveying the difference between history and memory, thus shaping the reader’s understanding of the two concepts. The historical documentation includes the repetition of the plosives â€Å"bombed†. The cumulation nouns for buildings – â€Å"hospitals †¦ â€Å"schools †¦ silk-factory† – help to convey the utter devastation of the country. This is contrasted by Levertov’s mental retreat to selectively â€Å"photograph within [her] dark sails of the river boats, warm slant of afternoon light†¦ † with the use of adjectives such as â€Å"perched, relaxed†¦ to show her retreat towards â€Å"peace within the long war†. Levertov uses juxtaposition of the â€Å"child with its feet blown off† to the â€Å"boy†¦ relaxed on a quietly grazing buffalo† effectively to provide a more thorough, comprehensive and complete record of the historical event, rather than a biased view of the history. She alludes to the history with the humanistic nature of her memory to make it more comprehensive. Thus, it is clear that the textual form of Levertov’s poem greatly enhances one’s understanding of history and memory being two distinct, yet interrelated, elements. The textual form of Tom Moe’s Pure Torture shows a clear distinction between history and memory, while it presents the notion that history and memory are interconnected to produce a more complete representation of the truth of past events. The first-person recount presented in chronological order is consistent with a recording of an historic event. Moe presents the facts of his five-year incarceration as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. As a documented memory, it presents a history, but with the added dimension of his personal perspective that only memory can provide. Moe details the horrific nature of the event, thus personalising it through the use of graphic detail and emotion giving a more accurate representation of the truth. The memory has been recorded and published about 23 years after the events occurred. The graphic details of Tom Moe’s physical harm have been depicted in Pure Torture. He describes their skin which became â€Å"waterlogged, looking like pale cheese, a crumbling coat of slimy flesh†. The use of simile and metaphor emphasise the physical effects of the treatment, personalising and individualising the experience. The memory of how his body deteriorated similarly highlights the unique human experience: â€Å"you could stick your finger into me up to your knuckle and pull it out leaving a hole that would slowly fill with fluid,† and â€Å"I was shocked at how my body looked like a bag of chicken bones. † The composer’s intention is clear; he intends to shock and fill the reader’s mind with his memory, and he is very successful in building images so that the record of history is far more accurate and comprehensive. A close examination of the documentary film Dear America: Letters from Vietnam stands as evidence that the textual form of media recording history and memory are intertwined in such a way that they give a complete record of the truth of an event. The historical record of actual footage of a soldier who has lost his foot, graphically details the man’s pain when he is in the field: â€Å"I’ve been hit †¦ (screams) †¦ I’ve been hit!! † Later, while he is being attended to by doctors, he describes the physical pain, â€Å"It’s that sharp nerve pain †¦ urning †¦ burning †¦ I know there’s not much left. I thought the whole thing was going to come off. † The witness to the event states: â€Å"I’ve never seen such bravery and guts before †¦ You should have seen my brave men. It would give you goose pimples. † This contrasts significantly with the footage: the focus on physical pain is turned in to a focus on mental and emotional qualities. The letter writer is selective in what he wants remembered: his focus is on the courage and bravery of the soldier, rather than the pain associated with it. It appears that the trauma is too close to be passed on to members of his family, and he is selective in what he records as his memory and what he contributes to their memory of the war. The footage of the night patrols is frightening, with bombardment in a montage of explosions, gunfire and fires in the jungle. The aftermath of a night patrol is recorded by a soldier who is called in to identify a body. He writes to his family: â€Å"It’s going to be hard for me to write this, but maybe it will make me feel better †¦ there on the table was a boy †¦ is eyes were open. I couldn’t really identify him. They told me his name: Rankin. I cried. God, it can’t be. But after looking at his face again †¦ it was him. It hit me like a shot. This was the first body I ever saw †¦ it was too much. I went outside and cried. It started raining at noon today †¦ it rained so hard. † The letter writer has used his memory in a therapeutic way, much lik e Tom Moe did in Pure Torture and Levertov has done in much of her poetry. The metaphoric tears from heaven helps describe the emotional impact this event has had on the soldier. This letter shows how the event moves from historic footage of a physical event to an emotional human response in the aftermath of the event. Thus, it is clear that while the historic recording of an event may communicate the actual detail of the event, the human response to the event is vital in giving a comprehensive account of that event. It is clear from the close examination of Levertov’s poetry and Pure Torture and Dear America that the responder’s understanding of history and memory is influenced to a great extent by the textual form of the text. The representations of the objectivity and the impersonal, factual and static nature of historical record is complemented by the representations of the subjectivity and the personal, fragmented and fluid nature of memory. Techniques applied by the composers to create textual form are consistent with forging these representations. History and memory are distinct concepts, but they operate together in an interdependent relationship to make a more comprehensive and accurate record of truth of past events.

Child Abuse in Vietnam

Banking Academy of Vietnam International Training Program (ITP) ——-o0o——- CHILD ABUSE IN VIETNAM Course Title:Academic writing Advisor: Student: Class: Hanoi, July 2012 1 ABTRACT In many countries, children are considered as the future of nation and should be provided with the best things, best condition for the development and nutrition. This is quite true and in fact, in developed countries such as the United States of America, France, Britain, Austria, etc. , children are always ranked as the highest priority more than other people.As â€Å"the future of country†, they must be protected far away from violence, infringement and exploitation. However, in contrast to developed countries, children in developing countries are not provided with good conditions and sometimes they are affected from something called abuse. Vietnam is also one of those countries suffering from this situation. So what is the real situation, causes and which solutions could best deal with that problem are what this paper will look into. Moreover, through it is expected that through the research the awareness of people regarding children could be much improved.Key words: child abuse, violence, infringement, exploitation, neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1. Research background: In Viet Nam, child abuse is a very hot topic and attracts a lot of attention from public. As a developing country, children in Vietnam are not provided with good condition and sometimes they are also considered as a kind of labor force. That could be happened everywhere from the city, mountainous areas, or countryside. 2. Research purpose: This research will identify the situation of child abuse in Vietnam and their causes, consequences as well as relevant solutions.Through it, reader may have better understanding of the situation and further contribute to the prevention of child abuse, at least in their family. 3. Definition of the key terms: In t his research, key terms are used and understood as follows: †¢Child abuse: child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Child neglect: Neglect is the failure to provide for the development of the child in all spheres: health, education, emotional development, nutrition, shelter, and safe living conditions, in the context of resources reasonably available to the family or caretakers and causes or has a high probability of causing harm to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.This includes the failure to properly supervise and protect children from harm as much as is feasible †¢Physical abuse: Physical abuse of a child is that which results in actual or potential physical harm from an interaction or lack of an interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power or trust. There may be a single or repeated incidents. Emotional abuse: Emotional abuse includes the failure to provide a developmentally appropriate, supportive environment, including the availability of a primary attachment figure, so that the child can develop a stable and full range of emotional and social competencies commensurate with her or his personal potentials and in the context of the society in which the child dwells. There may also be acts towards the child that cause or have a high probability of causing harm to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.These acts must be reasonably within the control of the parent or person in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Acts include restriction of movement, patterns of belittling , denigrating, scapegoating, threatening, scaring, discriminating, ridiculing or other non-physical forms of hostile or rejecting treatment. †¢Sexual abuse: Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violate the laws or social taboos of society.Child sexual abuse is evidenced by this activity between a child and an adult or another child who by age or development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power, the activity being intended to gratify or satisfy the needs of the other person. This may include but is not limited to: ? The inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity; ? The exploitative use of child in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices; ? The exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials. Exploitat ion: Commercial or other exploitation of a child refers to use of the child in work or other activities for the benefit of others. This includes, but is not limited to, child labor and child prostitution. These activities are to the detriment of the child’s physical or mental health, education, or spiritual, moral or social-emotional development. (Source: World Heal Organization) 4. Significance of the research: As children will be the people who make up the future, when they are not provided with good conditions, that could lead to serious consequences to family and society.The situation will worse when they are abused, the research, therefore, is aiming at find out the root causes, identify the possible consequences and solution. It can help readers to better understand the problem and have right behaviors such as: helping other children, having better behaviors to children. The best results could be raising awareness of the whole society and decreasing the child abuse in V ietnam. 5. Methodology: In this research, the following methods are used: Data collection from books, magazines, internet to get statistics, data and general understanding of child abuse in Vietnam as well as to review other researches in this topic and identify which aspects are still missed. †¢Questionnaires have been distributed to 100 of people of over 20 years old to collect their opinion and understanding about child abuse as well as to find some suggested solutions. Procedures: At first, researcher finds books, magazines and all sources of information related to child abuse to get statistics, data about the problem.From this activity, researcher has identified what is child abuse, its consequences, and the existing situation. Further more, it can help researcher to determine which aspect is still missed and needed to be studied more. After that, questionnaires are developed and distribute to 100 people from the age of 20 to identify their understanding about child abuse and also to collect some suggestions for the solutions. The questionnaires provides the researcher with practical point of view to compare with those written in book or magazines. CHAPTER II. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 1. Situation of Child Abuse in VietnamFor children, family is the most solid and quiet shelter in their early years. To live with their parents and relatives and enjoy love as well as physical and mental care are the inalienable rights of every child. However, in fact, there are many children in Vietnam, who can't live like that. Even though Vietnam is one of the first members of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, the situation of children affected by violence still occurs at serious level. It has actually become an anxiety for both society and family and does occur with not only girls but also boys.For our country, the situation of violence against children or child abuse in recent years tends to increase in both number and extent. Here are some st atistics on the media: From 2008-2009, there were 5956 cases of child abuse (an average of 3,000 cases a year), over 100 child murders and 50 kidnappings, child trafficking were detected and processed. Many children suffered from violence from their parents, family members, teachers, employers and the persons responsible for foster care. (em tim them mot so dan chung, so lieu ve lam dung tre em o Vietnam nhe) 2. Causes:Through collection of information and conduct of questionnaires, the following causes of the child abuse in Vietnam has been identified: Poverty Insufficient legal system Inappropriate teaching method Family break (em tim them mot so nguyen nhan nua nhe) Two main reasons are the same thing repeated: -First, The law is not sufficient deterrent. -Second, despite the law, but we do not comply in. Article 110 of the Penal Code on charges of torturing other people who have defined cruelty with an audience of dependent children shall be subject to warning, non-custodial ref orm for one year to three years.This is the sentence too light. While child abuse cases are often repeated in a long time that children not only affected physically but also mentally affected very badly, sometimes those that haunt the children for life. – At school, the punishment by using whips from customs, cultural traditions from the previous generation to the â€Å"Trade for the whip, to jump. † Under the old way of thinking of Vietnam, the teacher is very powerful, the idea that parents â€Å"should be the new hit†. So, should the majority support him, his teacher spanking children as a punishment to help them know the next time the error does not recur again.In addition to the teacher, the teacher with the indifference of pedagogy, the lack of knowledge of social, legal, psychological †¦ These factors led to the application of whips or insulting words to physical and spiritual children. – At home, along with the traditional view â€Å"Trade f or whip, to jump†, the parents reported that the use of whips children is their right, largely due to the education of children, with family present from 1 to 2 children, the parents are expecting children, investing heavily in education leading to heavy pressure with the children, using whips to force the children to achieve results as your parents want.Besides, there are many different reasons for parents to use whips for children, husband and wife hit me angry, angry with her husband also hit me, hit me daughter in response to her husband, son in law does not by his mother and wife also brought me out to battle †¦ in addition, a form of violence in the family, it is the excessive demand for their age and development of children and with words or actions that cause children to be mental damage, outraged, abandoned, rejected love . There are also many cases of children being beaten by parents' own childhood by their parents also lead to violence so traumatic and they als o teach children to use violence. The boys live in family violence, father or mother type . Long days also affected the character of father . (nhung ly do em neu o day chua thuyet phuc, em tim lai nhe) 2. Consequences: (tim lai cac hau qua, anh huong cua child abuse, phai ro rang theo tung muc vi du nhu: anh huong len gia dinh, anh huong len xa hoi, anh huong len giao duc, anh huong den tinh mang cua tre em, vv.. Violence against children is traumatic for children in psychiatric severity. The psychological research on children indicates that children are not cared for and caring will be taught psychological deviations unruly freedom, prefer to use violence. – The boys live in family violence, father or mother type †¦ Long days also affected the character of father. Many children are growing up and harsh, rude, even cruel to women like father or the child is more violence against women published. aking crime when enticeme. For girls, the most often aloof, afraid of men, a fraid of marriage, illness self-esteem, depression, panic neurological †¦ that is, the girls would be difficult to integrate with the community than the boys. – Both boys and girls often witnessed violence in the family, make sure the child is likely to have violence, poor education, may be arising negative intentions, and psychological operations are passive, there be prone to headaches, stomach pain and neuralgia style schizophrenia. Vulnerable age group is 5-10 years old †¦Domestic violence causes mental trauma in children, injuries that can last a lifetime, causing deep wounds in the minds of children â€Å". 3. Solutions The cases sexually abused children, domestic violence recently has once again sounding bells, there should be drastic measures to protect children. Along with that, in the current situation, policy system, legal protection, child care need to be completed quickly. Crimes against the immediate future, especially violence against children is to be heard with strict penalty, more closely.Need to build inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms at both central and unified basis in the detection, treatment, intervention, help abused children, domestic violence. Propaganda and dissemination of policies and laws of the State and measures to prevent and combat violence against children should be taken regularly to the executive committee, government, communities, schools, families and children. To ensure that in future, prevent and gradually reverse the violence, child abuse should focus on the weaknesses in the coordination of activities between ministries, sectors, localities and communities society.They also need to be urgently overcome the weaknesses in the overall investment structure and the overall budget for child protection; research established the National Commission on children to contribute to prevention of violence against children in the future. The authorities and relevant agencies should also consider the problem as a factor in the development of local society. Moreover, we should focus on building child protection system in which to strengthen and consolidate the team of civil servants, social workers engaged in the protection, care and forming services social protection young to be systematic and professional.System policies and laws on the protection and care for children should be completed quickly, clearly defining the responsibilities of all levels and branches in this area, can even study the construction of the law. For localities should do better propagation and dissemination of knowledge and education on violence against children and raise awareness of parenting for parents. Parents also must quickly try to correct the pragmatism that is affecting families, such as overly pampered children or children at the mercy †¦ And each family member should review yourself, do not blame each other.Need to devote more time to stay inside their loved ones, to understand and share with each o ther, especially when conflicts occur. Despite many difficulties and challenges, but in the next period by the resolution of legal, judicial, administrative and other measures of education, social conformity to stop and eventually reverse the violence power, abuse of children. In summary, to prevent violence against children requires the close coordination, synchronization between the three family environment, school and society. CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION ReferencesAppendix Questionnaires used for the research: That survey researches about child abuse in Vietnam. This survey questionnaire aims to find out your knowledge child abuse. Therefore, your help is not only useful for me to complete my research, but also useful for futher this problem. Please complete all the following questions. Thanks you for your help! I. Personal Information (Please circle your choice) NAME: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. DOB:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1. Gender? Male Female 2. What is your age-group? 18-23 24-54 over 54 II.Multiple choice: Choose and circle the best answer 1. What do you think about reality child abuse in Vietnam? Very serious Normal Other answer 2. Who did talk to you about the event about child abuse in Vietnam? The mass media People around me Don’t pay attention 3. If you are in one of the child abuse. At this time happen, did you feel? Always calm (Luon binh tinh ) feeling scared It never happened to me 4. If you suspect or know of a child being abused. What would you do? Nothing Intervene and dissuade (Can thi? p va ngan c? n) Report to political power (Bao cao v? quy? n l? c chinh tr? ) 5. Child abuse- who is having responsibility about child abuse? Family and Social Themselves Both A and B III. Short answered questions: Give short answer of these below questions 1. In your opinion, what is cause of child abuse? 2. What should you do if you are young and you think you are being abuse d by your parent? 3. What do you say to a teen who is telling you that they are being abused? 4. Many parents think that spare the rod, spoil the child. What do you think about that opinion? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Women and Men Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women and Men - Essay Example institution of marriage, women seized the right to self-assertion.   Reacting to oppression women revolted against the implementation of feminine gender roles.† (Thomas, Deborah) To be able to function in her role as wife and mother, a woman needs love, understanding and support. This work is an effort to throw off the shackles that bind women in many ways because of her gender. Christopher Marlowe’s poem The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, deals with a shepherd who only wants his woman to come and live with him. But hidden in those loving words is an ulterior motive, quite practical in nature, although it is couched in the terms of true love, namely his â€Å"passionate need to possess the woman.† (The Passionate Shepherd to His Love / Critical Essay on â€Å"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.†). He is not in need of her love, but usefulness. The critic, Metzger, is of the opinion that she is â€Å"reduced to a caricature ridiculously clothed in floral tributes.† She does not have even a name, an identity or a voice but â€Å"exists only in the shepherd’s plea.† In short, if you are a woman, you are simply a nonentity. John Steinbeck’s masterly work The Chrysanthemum carries this idea further but in a different vein. Like the object of Marlowe’s lover, Elisa the central character of this story, also exists solely to play up to the male’s vanity. To function as a mother and wife, a woman needs support, appreciation and understanding, which she hardly seems to receive. The literary critic, Ernest W. Sullivan II, looks at the story from the perspective of Elisa responding as a dog. Elisa obeys her inner instincts and is submissive to the male characters in the story as a mongrel would to a male that exudes superiority. Here also the relationships are lopsided as in the foregoing works. Elisa is a lesser being because of the dictates of her gender. Thomas Hardy’s poem The Workbox is more morbid in its implications than the rest of the stories

East Coast Yachts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

East Coast Yachts - Assignment Example In the traditional method, usually the institutional and large investors are involved while the Dutch auction process facilitates small investors to participate in the bid. Advantage with the Dutch auction is that the process can fetch price of the share close to its market value at lower expense. Hence East Coast Yachts needs to go for a Dutch auction to go public. The optimal size of the IPO can be calculated by assessing true needs of funds for at least 2 years of future operations after ongoing expansion. Raising $100 million when the company currently needs only $75 million means ECY will have advantage of increased liquidity or cushioning to face liquidity crunch that may arise due to unforeseen circumstances in the business. However, in this process the company’s equity base will increase by 33% putting unnecessary pressure on the company’s earnings per share. This is disadvantageous because lower earnings per share will fetch lower market price assuming same P/E ratio for ECY. After all, efficient financial management is a critical need for any company to enhancing operational performance hence cushioning of 5-10% is fine while raising money in public but raising $100 million (33% higher than current requirement) is certainly detrimental to the long-term financial health of the company (Dutch Auction IPO vs. Traditional Bo ok Building, 2013). It is pertinent to note that the company already provides audited financial statements to the SEC as part of its bond indenture incurring expenses of $325,000, however, that needs not to be counted as necessary expenses for this IPO. Crowe & Mallards will charge 7% as underwriting commission to the total issue of $85 million that will take away $ 5.95 million leaving $79.05 from the fund collected. While deducting above mentioned expenses of $2,543,500 the company will have

International Business Alliance case-writing Essay

International Business Alliance case-writing - Essay Example In 1996, TSYS and VISA U.S.A.'s Merchant Bank Services formed the for-profit Vital Processing Services LLC joint venture, combining both companies' merchant processing units, which together processed nearly three billion transactions in 1995. TSYS has also expanded into new areas to combat the increasing maturation of the U.S. credit card industry. In 1995, TSYS, which has long serviced banks in Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, took its first steps to transform itself into an international company. TSYS formed the joint venture Total System Services de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. with Controladora PROSA, an 11-bank partnership representing 75 percent of Mexico's card-issuing banks. The joint venture added four million accounts, giving TSYS de Mexico 40 percent of that country's credit card accounts. TSYS has also expanded beyond traditional credit card markets by winning the processing business of United States Medical Finance Corp.'s USMed Card, a medical credit card. An alliance with Fair , Isaac and Company subsidiary DynaMark, Inc., formed in 1995, has enabled TSYS to extend its services to its clients with dynamic database marketing capabilities. TSYS generates revenues through the volume, rather than the amount, of transactions made on the credit cards it services. In 1995, TSYS revenues neared $250 million, producing a net income of $27.7 million. TSYS is led by Chairman and CEO Richard Ussery, Vice-chairman Kenneth Evans, and President Philip Tomlinson, all three long-time employees of parent company Synovus Financial Corp. That company, formerly known as Columbus Bank & Trust, owns 81 percent of TSYS's stock; TSYS management controls an additional ten percent of the company's shares, with the remainder trading on the New York Stock Exchange. In the 1950s, it was barely possible to speak of a credit card "industry." When tiny Columbus Bank & Trust (CB&T) issued a credit card to its local depositors in 1959, it was only the second bank in Georgia, and among the very first in the country, to do so. A credit processing operation was set up in the bank's basement; processing was done manually, as computers were still rare and software was even rarer. Through the first half of the 1960s, the bank's credit department grew from processing transactions from some 200 local merchants to 3,000. In 1966, CB&T built a separate operations building, and, after attempting to form a joint venture with W.C. Bradley Company to computerize processing, CB&T installed its own computer. Finding trained computer operators was difficult and expensive; instead, the bank trained some of its own personnel, establishing a computer department. By 1969 the company was writing its own software to handle processing of its credit card accounts. Joining the team developing the bank's software programs was Richard Ussery, then in his fourth year with the bank (he joined CB&T as a teller in 1965). As more banks instituted credit cards and struggled to process accounts, they were attracted to CB&T's processing system. Ussery told Georgia Trend of

Discuss the questions the research PowerPoint Presentation

Discuss the questions the research - PowerPoint Presentation Example Inflation targeting argues that an approach may not be operational due to time that monetary policy affects inflation, and also difficulties in forecasting inflation. These problems are the reasons for policy making should target money and exchange rates as well as other variables that are more directly controlled (Kohn and Robert, 309). The rate of inflation is fundamental determinant for the discount rate that is used to calculate the investment present value (Bernanke and Mishkin, 143). Changes in the rate of inflation affect market valuation of stock. There are various ways to construct and forecast this inflation rate and also the rationale of the methodology. Consumer price index (CPI) relies on simple analysis but more technical in forecasting the inflation rate. The technical analysis mean that prediction using Consumer Price Index that has passed and is related to an inflation rate data than prediction using economic data e.g. trends of commodity prices and employment wages( Bernanke and Mishkin, 122). Inflation rate momentum for the forecast is more important than the reversion. This means that inflation rate does not undergo reversion on its trend quickly on long term and short time changes in Consumer Price Index which are indicative of future changes and not changes in Consumer Price Index on a distant past. Forecasting using CPI requires construction of various different forecasts of a year before the annual CPI inflation by use of variables and method. Variables are CPI inflation, measures of inflation and economic activity and also the inflation expectations. These may be obtained through survey. Our study involved constructing many different forecasts of one-year-ahead annual CPI inflation using a number of variables and methods and then comparing the accuracy of those forecasts. Variables included CPI inflation, core measures of inflation, measures of economic activity, and inflation expectations obtained from surveys. Empirical models

Analysis of International Business Law Research Paper

Analysis of International Business Law - Research Paper Example Keep in the brain as the situations might alternatively be dissimilar depending on the corporation and the conditions. Join us in our voyage of detection and learn by means of us! Group Law Organization Law container is defined as ordinary law or container law based on accumulated judgment from courtyard cases. Moreover, as there are accountabilities for an agent to main, there are moreover accountabilities for the principal to the manager. In agency law, there are more than a few duties that a manager owes the main. The liabilities of that chief to the agent are; the responsibility of recompense, the duty to repay and cover, and the responsibility of custody financial records (Barnes, 2003, pg. 325). No doubt, the so-called dialogue between civil law and common law was the essential feature of post-World War II proportional law. It was such a novel approach that each of the two participants to the conversation stressed the unifying rudiments inside its own group and the dissimilarity by means of the additional group. Civil law scholars and common law scholars come out as two monoliths (Moens, G & Gillies, P 1997). Various Industry Entities and E-Business Once the kind of industry has been recognized, the proprietor will decide how the commerce will be prearranged, and beneath what kind of arrangement. The kind of structure determined allows the proprietor(s) to decide the penalty that might be faced. For instance, there are just concerning four arrangements to decide from, advantage an extra two that will be considered, and are scheduled underneath: Sole Proprietorship Company Corporation Limited Liability Company (LLC) Franchise E-Commerce. This segment of the document will explain these types of commercial arrangements and the probable legal matters/consequences that the commerce may countenance (Willes, JH & Willes JA 2005). Distinguish Between Civil Law And Common Law Common Law (Judge-made Law) This pecking order does not subsist only in statute laws (Acts of Parliament) but also in common law. The Australian legal system is secret as a common law system. Gibson (2005, p. 7) states that common law is where the judges create a choice on disputes brought before them in the courts. The judges' role is to make decisions to decide disputes. Legal rules are formed from this choice. Common law is unrecorded laws made by judges. The legal reasoning upon which the choice in the case was based is recognized as the Ratio Decidendi. Similar legal reasoning may be used by judges in prospect cases when faced by means of similar facts. It is only the relation decides that can make a compulsory instance. It turns out to be the law. Anything else said concerning the case in the course of a ruling that does not form part of the matters at the subject is called obiter saying. The High Court holds the uppermost position in the courts' system in Australia. as a result, all decisions made in the High Court are compulsory on courts lower than it (Mo, J 2003). Â  

Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Power Distance between America and Brazil Essay

Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Power Distance between America and Brazil - Essay Example Since Brazil’s culture is ultimately high in power distance, bureaucracy is of high importance giving much more power to whom or which authority is found. For instance, religious and spiritual practices in Brazil contribute to the kind of order in governance and socio-politics in the country and further influence power distribution (Garmany, 2010). This means that the majority would find it important not to oppose decisions of religious leaders. On the contrary, in the US, one could expect autocracy, as there is a high sense of giving everyone freedom to express oneself. The very proof is the implementation of same-sex marriage from some states; a manifestation that the country may potentially disregard some powerful views on governance and socio-political issues and that there is a strong urge to demand more for self-expression (Sherkat et al., 2011). Therefore, demanding for self-expression in the US at some point may not be that effective within the bound of cultural orientation in Brazil based on Hofstede’s theory of power distance. Loyalty and favoritism are among the common manifestations in Brazil leading to the point that whoever is in power deserves to have these (Evans et al., 2008). Thus, Brazil remarkably would require respect prominent voices in the society. As a result, in this country and within almost every organization, it is from the higher rank which both idea and decision usually would come from, while it might not be necessarily the case in the US. In the US, everyone, provided having a good point, could freely express opinions and ideas and implement significant actions for the benefit of the country or organization. In fact, in the US, prominent public figures are not exempted from the law, showing no favoritism on their part.  Ã‚  

Case summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Case summary - Assignment Example Furthermore the locality of the airline provides it with a competitive advantage as it is located in the region of Dubai which is the hub to several important cities throughout the world. Other than the locality the company does not face any issues from the unions and is owned by a single shareholder. The company is indulged in carefully attending to the customer’s needs and wants. The airline has quite strong relationships with its suppliers such as Airbus and Boeing and the airline even enjoys the benefits of government help as well as subsidized fuel. These advantages may prove to be a disadvantage if it wants to make a mark in other localities. It even experiences immense competition from domestic competitors such as Etihad Airlines as they are even performing quite well and are satisfying customer needs and wants in a successful manner. A major problem that the airline is experiencing is that its customers who are basically businesses and their employees are trying to cut down on their travelling

The increase or decrease in CO2 emission Essay Example for Free

The increase or decrease in CO2 emission Essay Purpose The purpose of this report is to determine the increase or decrease in CO2 emission over the past 40 years. Showing that human activity is the reason for the altering of the CO2 emissions to the earth. Resulting in the unbalancing of ecosystems across the globe. (M.U.S.E., 2010) Introduction Carbon dioxide is naturally present in the atmosphere as part of the Earths carbon cycle. Yet human-related emissions are responsible for the increase in CO2 emissions. The use of electricity accounts for 37% of total U. S. emissions, while transportation 31%, industry accounts for 15%, residential and commercial 10%, and other non-fossil fuel combustion 6%. That is 99% of the total globe greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States increased by about 7% between 1990 and 2013. (EPA, 2015) Not leaving out pollution also a contributor of increases in anthropogenic CO2. These things are the cause of the earth heating up, or global warming. Trees and plants help soak up the CO2 in the atmosphere but with the tearing down of trees to build industry buildings, residential and commercial buildings there are fewer trees and plants to take in CO2 for photosynthesis. Hypothesis and Predicted Outcomes If humans could find other resources that do not involve the combustion of fossil fuels, maybe there could be a chance to slow down the increasing CO2 emissions, if not the globe will continues to heat becoming more and more hazardous to humans, animals and plants on this planet. Methods For this lab I utilized information taken from the M.U.S.E as well as  information gleaned from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Discussion and Analysis Looking at the above chart it seems that within the 15 years from 1990 to 2014 there has been a big jump, but thinking about the last 40 years there has been a greater increase. As each generation of new industry products have come on the scene as well as more residential and commercial projects that have been generated, we tend to continue to add to the CO2  emissions problem. The auto industry is endeavoring on becoming more energy conscious by developing hydro vehicles. Like the auto industry it would be a good thing if more companies and families become more conscious of what is happening to our world. This can only happen through education and programs to stop global warming. References Career Education Corporation, (2015). Lab 3: Earth System Research Laboratory: Global Monitoring Division. Retrieved June 7, 2015 from M.U.S.E. https://campus.ctuonline.edu/courses/SCI1203/p1/hub1/hub.html EPA. (2015). Overview of Greenhouse Gases Carbon Dioxide Emissions. Retrieved June 7, 2015 from http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/co2.html

Writing a Satiric Piece Essay Example for Free

Writing a Satiric Piece Essay Step 1: Identify the Topic With your group, choose a topic that is relevant, current, and debatable. Remember that the flaws and foibles of all aspects of society—from government to celebrity to religion, from teenagers to presidents to soccer moms—are grist for the satirist’s mill. Once you have all agreed on a topic about which you all want to write, have it approved by your teacher. For Example:Students being late to class (tardiness) Step 2: Choose an Appropriate Structure, Type of Satire, and Audience for your Piece Review the various samples of satire we read in class over the last week, and determine which one would be the most appropriate (in terms of its structure and techniques) for your group to use as a model for your satirical piece. After choosing the piece that your group will use as a â€Å"satirical model,† make a list of the conventions you need to use in your satire. Decide whether your piece will be more Horatian or Juvenalian. Finally, identify your audience. To whom will you address your satire and why? What tone will be most appropriate for this audience and for your purpose? For Example:The satirical piece â€Å"Gambling in Schools† is the most appropriate model for a satirical piece over tardiness, because it uses wit irony, sarcasm, and hyperbole to make its point. We plan to use all of these techniques in our Horatian satirical piece. The most appropriate audience for our satire over tardiness is the student body; many students feel that the tardiness problem is exaggerated in our school and will find the exaggerated claims we will make and our sarcastic tone amusing. Look more:  what is a process essay Step 3: State the problem in Hyperbolic Terms Make the problem sound much worse than it actually is to dramatize the need for a solution. For Example:â€Å"The staggering lack of students at the beginning of class  leaves teachers paralyzed.† This diction, specifically words the â€Å"paralyzed† and â€Å"staggering,† overstates the severity of the problem and helps develop the satirical tone for which we are aiming. Step 4: Propose an Ironic Solution Come up with a solution to the problem that seems counterintuitive and ridiculous because it actually adds to the problem you are addressing in your piece. For Example:â€Å"If students are late, they must stand outside the door for 20 minutes.† This solution doesn’t solve the problem at all. Ironically, it actually adds to the problem because it keeps students out of class even longer, thus keeping them from learning. Step 5: Use Wit (Wordplay, Clever Language, or Rhetorical Analogy) Include as many puns and clever wordplays as you can to help develop a satirical tone and illustrate your point. For Example:Punishment will be doled out in a timely manner. (Word play) This problem is a ticking time bomb! (Rhetorical analogy) These examples of wit add to the author’s creditability as a satirist. Step 6: Choose a Clever Title for your Satirical Piece Consider the broad satirical ideas in your text, and brainstorm appropriate titles for your piece. With your group, choose the title you feel best captures the essence (topic, tone, etc.) of your satire. The more clever and amusing your title, the better! For Example:â€Å"Tardiness: Are we too late or just in time to fix this  complex problem?† This title introduces the topic of the satiric piece while simultaneously suggesting that the piece will be a satire with its clever wordplay. Step 7: Draft, Edit, and Revise your Satirical Piece Work together to draft your piece, keeping in mind the conventions you identified in step two. After completing a rough draft, collectively revise it to clarify ideas, refine structure, and enhance coherence. With your group, complete a SOAPSTone analysis of your piece to gauge your effectiveness at constructing a satirical piece. Revise your piece based on the feedback generated by your SOAPSTone analysis. Use all available resources to correct errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling and edit accordingly to prepare a technically sound document. Step 8: Finalize and Format the Final Draft of your Satirical Piece Type your final draft in MLA format. Make sure that your final draft is a minimum of one and one half pages, is free of grammatical errors, and properly adheres to MLA guidelines. Step 9: Present and Submit the Final Draft of your Satirical Piece Be prepared to share your satirical piece with the class on Friday, November 11th. After presenting your satire, you will submit one copy per group. In addition to your final draft, submit your group’s evidence of prewriting and SOAPSTone analysis. The final draft of your satirical piece will be worth one test grade and will go on the 3rd six-weeks. Your group’s prewriting and SOAPSTone analysis will each be worth one classwork grade on the 3rd six-weeks.

Role Of The Quantity Surveyor in Construction

Role Of The Quantity Surveyor in Construction 1.1 Background to the Study A competent design team is crucial for any new building project according to Lee (2008:127). The quantity surveyor can be a very valuable addition to the design team for the client, giving expert advice on contractual and financial matters. The quantity surveyor will have the clients interest as his number one priority and his services can be of great value to any person considering constructing a new building. According to Bowles Le Roux (1992:1) any person considering building or investing in construction projects needs expert advice from a quantity surveyor. No matter the size or complexity of a project, the quantity surveyor provides valuable advice through the various stages of the project. The Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments (2006) states that any client who is considering building any structure of any size, changing an existing structure or investing in construction projects no matter how simple or complex, needs the expert advice of a professional quantity surveyor for establishing budgets, cash flows, cost planning, cost management and obtaining value for money. Construction projects differ from each other and every project has its own unique challenges. Construction projects are not standard products which have been designed and mass manufactured in a controlled environment. There is a lack of a relatively stable market price. This is due to monthly payments which are made as the work proceeds, before the project reaches completion. As a result of technological, financial and economical influences the methods adopted for construction work are varied and complex and the expert advice of a quantity surveyor should be obtained before the start of any project planning. This is the main reasons why there is a need for the services of a quantity surveyor. (Bowles Le Roux, 1992:2) The ordinary member of the general public has little knowledge or experience in the construction industry. However economically active individuals who can be seen as potential clients for residential construction projects are often reluctant to utilize the services of a professional quantity surveyor. According to Lee (2008:123), a potential pitfall for the first-time homeowner is to utilize the services of a non-reputable contractor who is not affiliated to the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC). Members of the general public who are not experienced in the construction industry can be subjected to un-ethical practices and this may lead to their exploitation. Due to the many problems caused by these un-ethical and non-reputable contractors to the homeowners and other property professionals, the South African government passed legislation in 2001 known as the Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act. The intention of this Act is to guard homeowners against non-reputable contractors who build to substandard quality and then refuse to be held responsible. (Lee, 2008:123) One factor which may deter people from using the services of a quantity surveyor is the professional fees. According to research done by Cruywagen and Snyman (2005) professional quantity surveying services can be rendered as affordable in South Africa. The research shows that, due to the competitiveness of the market, it has become the norm for quantity surveyors to reduce professional fees. Cruywagen and Snyman (2005), state that there is a distinct relationship between the profitability for the quantity surveyor and the value of a project. This means residential projects are not profitable as compared to big industrial developments, shopping centers etc. This may be the reason for the lack of marketing in the residential sector and why the general public is not aware of the quantity surveying profession. The purpose of this study is to identify and understand the specific role of the professional quantity surveyor in the construction industry and to explain the significant effect a quantity surveyor can have on a construction project. 1.2 Problem Statement The general public who is not involved in the construction industry is unaware of the quantity surveying profession and the functions the quantity surveyor perform and this lack of knowledge can lead to their exploitation if a quantity surveyor is not involved. 1.3 Hypothesis For the purpose of this study the following hypotheses are set out: The general public is unaware of the quantity surveying profession and the services the profession provide. Fees associated with the quantity surveyor may intimidate homeowners who are looking to complete a project with as little investment as possible, not realizing that the quantity surveyor can save you a substantial amount of money by providing you with expert advice on financial and contractual matters. 1.4 Objectives This study has four primary objectives. The objectives are to: Outline the specific role of the quantity surveyor. Realize the major effect a quantity surveyor can have on a building project Make the general public aware of the quantity surveying profession and the functions the quantity surveyor performs. To learn why the general public is reluctant to use the services of a quantity surveyor. 1.5 Methodology A qualitative research approach was follow for the purpose of this study. The researcher has conducted a comprehensive review of relevant literature on the topic. The focus has been on the quantity surveying profession and the services it provide. Personal interviews have been conducted with professional quantity surveyors. To understand the broader picture members of the general public who recently became homeowners (of newly constructed buildings) was asked to complete a questionnaire. Attention has been given to whether or not the services of a quantity surveyor was utilized and if not, why? 1.6 Delimitations The research is limited to the residential construction industry. The focus of the research is on the services of a professional quantity surveyor and not that of the contractors quantity surveyor. Members of the general public who was approached with questionnaires was limited to those who were recently involved with the construction of a residential building. 1.7 Assumptions The researcher assumed that all data collected are accurate and all interviews and questionnaires conducted were answered truthfully. CHAPTER TWO THE QUANTITY SURVEYING PROFESSION 2.1 Introduction In this chapter all the literature on the related topic collected by the researcher will be reviewed. This review will include literature on the history of the quantity surveyor, the contractors quantity surveyor, competencies of a professional quantity surveyor, fees of the professional quantity surveyor, estimating and cost advice as well as the use of a bill of quantities. The core focus however will be to outline the specific functions of the professional quantity surveyor. 2.2 History of the quantity surveyor According to the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (2010), the quantity surveying profession started with the turn of the nineteenth century. The first recorded use of the term Quantity surveyor was in 1859. Before then the terms measurer, Custom surveyor or surveyor were used. At that time it was custom for the surveyor to work for the master builders, measuring the completed work and often submitting biased final accounts to the building owners. As a result of this behavior it became the norm for building owners to enter into a contract and invite tenders before any work commenced. According to Bowles Le Roux (1992:4), this gave rise to competition and builders tendering realized that they were spending an immense amount of time and effort measuring and calculating to arrive at a tender figure. In addition there was the added danger that the builders interpreted the architects drawings differently which would lead to inaccurate pricing and result in the tenders not being calculated on an uniform basis. The builders realized that a surveyor could be employed to act as an unbiased person to measure the quantities on their behalf. This insured that the builders tendered on the same basis whilst sharing the cost for the surveyor. Building owners were afraid of unethical practice between the builders and the surveyor and realized it would be to their personal advantage to appoint and compensate the quantity surveyor. This is how the independent professional quantity surveyor gained consultant status. In South Africa the title quantity surveyor is reserved under the Quantity Surveyors Act of 1970 for the sole use by those who had acquired the obligatory qualifications and experience stipulated under the Act. Furthermore, those persons must register with the South African Council for Quantity Surveyors before they can act as consultants to the general public (ASAQS, 2010) 2.3 Contractors quantity surveyor The main difference between a professional quantity surveyor and a contractors quantity surveyor is that the latter is employed by the construction company and not by the client. Dent (1970:7) states that a contractor who undertakes big projects will need a quantity surveying staff. The contractors surveyor will represent the contractor and the contractors interest will be the main priority. According to Cornick and Osbon (1994:108), the contractors quantity surveyor spends comparatively the same amount of time on cost planning, feasibility studies and tender appraisal as the professional quantity surveyor and significantly more on post-contract services but significantly less on preparing tender documentation. Project cost control is one function that requires equal efficiency by both surveyors, the contractors quantity surveyor on behalf of the contractor and the professional quantity surveyor on behalf of the client. Cornick and Osbon (1994:109) identified seven main functions for the contractors quantity surveyor namely: Valuation of work completed for payment from client and payment to subcontractor. Determination of change due to variation from client or designer. Preliminaries allocation. Subcontractor accounts to agree tender and actual costs. Financial reporting for quarterly account forecasts. Cost accounting for plant and material use by company. Cost accounting for labour use by the company. Clients expectations of project cost control will increase as the clients and their cost advisers become more complex. The clients will be expecting the cost of their buildings to be reduced to match their budget. Therefore contractors quantity surveyor must strive to improving their cost controlling and accounting capabilities for the construction companies that they work for. 2.4 The professional quantity surveyor According to Bowles Le Roux (1992:3) the quantity surveyor is a professional consultant appointed by the client who wishes to invest in property development. It is the quantity surveyors responsibility to advise the client, architect and engineer on all financial and contractual matters from the pre-tender stage right through to the completion of the project. For the quantity surveyor to accomplish this role he must develop a comprehensive understanding of the various construction methods and have a transparent understanding of the different forms of contract and sub-contract agreements available in the construction industry. The quantity surveyor must be capable of advising on the cost of alternative construction methods and costs of different materials. An analytical approach must be adopted in finding beneficial solutions in the interest of the client. The Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments (2006) states that a professional quantity surveyor will draw on extensive cost information obtained from client databases and experience from other projects for effective budget setting. It is the quantity surveyors ongoing implementation of financial discipline in the areas of budget setting, alternative design option costing, cash flow predictions, final cost forecasting, management of variations including potential areas of dispute and timeous final account settlement, etc. that allows the maximum value for money requirement to be achieved. 2.4.1 Standard quantity surveying services According to A Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments (2006) the standard services that can be provided by a professional quantity surveyor are: Financial viability studies and the initial budget planning prior to the detailed design to establish whether the project is feasible in terms of the clients financial budget; Preliminary cost studies and comparing alternative designs and materials in terms of operating and maintenance costs; Monitoring the design as it evolves to ensure it stays within clients budget; Preparing tender documentation for pricing by contractors and advising on contractual arrangements; Evaluating the submitted tenders and reporting on the suitability thereof; Negotiating the contract sums with the individual contractors; Preparing cash flow predictions; Preparing cost reports at regular intervals; Valuing construction work in progress; Preparing the final account thus determining the final cost; Settlement of the final costs with the contractor and sub-contractors. Additional specialist services that many quantity surveyors are experienced in providing are: Acting as project manager; Acting as principle agent; Consulting on property development; Valuation of buildings for insurance purposes etc.; Acting as an expert witness; Advising on the settlement of disputes through mediation and arbitration. Facilitating with fast track construction projects; Providing services for projects in engineering, mining and petro-chemical industries. It is recommended to employ the quantity surveyors full services as a professional consultant rather than in a technical/measurement role in order to utilize the quantity surveyors expertise to the best advantage. 2.4.2 Competencies of the professional quantity surveyor Competencies can be defined as the ability a person should have in a given occupational area subject to external and internal factors like organization size, type, and age (Barret, 1992). (Holmes Joyce, 1993) defined competence as a description of an action, a mode of behavior or outcome that a person should be able to demonstrate, or the ability to transfer skills and knowledge to new situations within the occupational area. In the construction industry the quantity surveyor can be seen as the economist and cost accountant, whose services facilitate the client to obtain the maximum value for the clients investment. There are three aspects which reflect value for a client in the construction industry, namely cost, time and quantity. Quantity surveyors add value to the construction project performance by using the appropriate competencies. It is therefore important for an assessment of the quantity surveyors competencies in order to highlight the continuing relevance of their services in the construction industry (Nkado Meyer, 2001:483). The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) set out the competencies required by professional quantity surveyors in three categories, namely basic -, core and optional competencies. Table 1 below presents the competencies in three categories. Under the structure of the RICS the basic competencies are present in all construction professions, the core competencies primarily for quantity surveyors and the optional competencies are required for specialization in a specific field. Table 1: Competencies set out by the RICS (Nkado Meyer, 2001:484). A Study conducted by Nkado and Meyer (2001:484) identified 23 defined competencies which apply to quantity surveyors in South Africa. A questionnaire was sent to randomly selected members of the ASAQS of a different demographic background. The questionnaire listed the 23 competencies in alphabetical order. The respondents were asked to rate the importance of the competencies for a career as a professional quantity surveyor in South Africa at present, the importance in the future and the level of evidence of each competency in the quantity surveying profession. Rating worked on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"not important and 5 being à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"very important. The researchers ensured the respondents anonymity to attain an honest response. Table 2: Competencies ratings (Nkado Meyer, 2001:487). Table 2 shows the ratings which have been converted to percentages for effective interpretation. It is interesting to note that three of the traditional core competencies are rated in the top five competencies required by quantity surveyors in South Africa at present, the three being procurement and financial management, economics of construction and construction contract practice. The results showed that management orientated competencies were rated of higher importance for future services while the highest importance for current services were technically orientated. The five most important competencies required by quantity surveyors in South Africa at present are: Computer literacy and information technology; Procurement and financial management; Economics of construction; Construction contract practice; Measurement. The five most important competencies required by quantity surveyors in South Africa in the future are: Computer literacy and information technology; Procurement and financial management; Economics of construction; Project management; Marketing. Competencies utilized by quantity surveyors with greatest efficiency in South Africa are: Measurement; Procurement and financial management; Professional practice; Construction contract practice; Economics of construction. It is evident that management orientated competencies will grow in importance and will replace the traditional technically orientated competencies as the core competencies of the quantity surveyor (Nkado Meyer,2001:490). 2.4.3 Professional quantity surveying fees The fees charged by professional quantity surveyors are proportionate with the work done for the client and according to A Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments 2006 there are 5 options available: A time charge; A percentage fee based on a tariff recommended by The South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (see Table 3); An agreed percentage of the contract value; A lump-sum fee; Any other fee arranged between the quantity surveyor and the client. 2.4.3.1 Time Charges The following recommended hourly time charges for the private sector were approved by The South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession with effect from 1 January 2010 (SACQSP, 2010). (All rates are exclusive of VAT.) Not exceeding 5 years experience R 700-00 Exceeding 5 years and not exceeding 10 years experience R 1 250-00 Exceeding 10 years experience R 1 750-00 Specialist work R 2 190-00 2.4.3.2 Percentage fees By using table 3 a basic fee will be determined and multiplied by the appropriate percentage (Table 4, 5 6). The basic fee shall be calculated on the value for fee purposes (see table 3). Table 3: Basic fee (SACQSP, 2010) Table 4: Appropriate percentages for building work (SACQSP, 2010) Table 5: Appropriate percentages for engineering work (SACQSP, 2010) Table 6. Appropriate percentages for management services (SACQSP, 2010) Once the primary charge (table 3) is established, the amount is multiplied by the appropriate percentage. In addition to this there will be a marginal rate which would be added to the primary charge. The gross amount will be payable to the quantity surveyor as the professional fees. 2.5 Estimating and cost advice Aibinu and Pasco (2008:1258) states: Pre-tender cost estimation (or early stage cost estimation) is the forecasting of the cost of a project during the planning and design stage. Research done by Trost and Oberlender (2003) identified 11 factors that play a role in the precision of estimates of which the 5 most important are: Process design; Estimator team experience and cost information; Time spent on preparation of estimate; Site requirements; The current labour and bidding climate. According to Bennett, Morrison and Stevens (1981) estimating is the main function of cost planning services provided by the quantity surveyor. They conclude that cost planning is unsuccessful without decent estimating. Morrison (1984:57) states that quantity surveyors have developed different methods for estimating to deal with the large variety of projects and designs. These different methods differ in detail with some estimates being very thorough, for instance a priced bill of quantities. Other may be very simple and only entail a simple lump sum estimate. All other factors being equal, the estimates accuracy will increase as the detail and time spent in preparing the estimate increases. 2.5.1 Clients brief The client, architect (design team) and the quantity surveyor are the most important members in the in the project briefing process. According to research done (Bowen, Pearl, Nkado Edwards, n.d.) it is vital to have an efficient client brief if the client is to reach his objectives with regard to the time, cost and quality of the project. Insufficient briefing of the design team by the client can lead to major frustration and unhappiness for the client. The brief procedure is the process where the client explains and spells out the objectives and requirements of a project (Bowen et al., n.d.). Bowen (1993) states that: The purpose of this stage is for the clients to communicate to the design team and specialist consultants their needs and objectives in initiating the project. For the client to be satisfied, the design of the building must fulfill the clients needs with regards to the technical aspects and quality standards. In addition to this the project must be completed within the budget and on time (Seymour Louw, 1990). In order to achieve this, a detailed and complete client brief is necessary to eliminate as many uncertainties as possible. 2.5.2 Feasibility studies After the briefing process, the quantity surveyor will do a feasibility study. The outcome of the feasibility study helps the client to decide whether to go ahead with the project. A feasibility study is conducted to ascertain whether a project idea is economically viable (Hofstrand Clause, n.d.). It is the quantity surveyors responsibility to make recommendations to the client on the viability of the project and give professional advice on any alternatives. The feasibility study involves economical and technical investigations that allow the client to decide whether to proceed with the project (Association of South African Quantity Surveyors, 2010). According to Hofstrand Clause (n.d.) a feasibility study: Identifies alternatives. Identifies reasons not to proceed. Indicate new opportunities. Gives quality information for better decision making. Assist in acquiring funding from banks and other investors. 2.6 Use of bill of quantities After the quantity surveyor completes the elemental estimate the client will decide whether the project will go ahead or not. This decision is largely based on whether the estimate is within the clients budget or not. If the estimate is within budget the client should instruct the architect to prepare detailed working drawings for construction. The quantity surveyor can start with the preparation of the bill of quantities once he has received these drawings (Bowles Le Roux, 1992). Davis, Love and Baccarini (2009:99) states that the bill of quantities has 2 main uses and these can be categorized under pre-contract and post-contract stage. In the pre-contract stage the bill of quantities aid contractors to prepare their tenders. In the post-contract stage the bill of quantities assists the quantity surveyor and the contractor in the valuation of the work in progress and work completed for payment purposes. The bill of quantities is mainly used for tendering purposes. It enables contractors to prepare tenders using the same information which will lead to more accurate tender sums. The bill of quantities allow for a common basis on which the tenders can be compared. This brings about a competitive market (Kodikara, Thorpe McCaffer, 1993:261). According to Bowles and Le Roux (1992) the bill of quantities describes the nature of the building. It is a document which lists all the items that need to be completed for the construction of the building. These items required for the completion of the building is measured from drawings and specifications received from the architect and engineers. The total cost for the project will be the sum of all the individual items added together. When these items are priced there must be an allowance for the execution of each item as well as a realistic profit margin. The information in the bill of quantities can be classified into three fundamental categories namely; preliminaries, preambles and bills. The preliminaries of a contract entail all requirements of the project which do not have a direct impact on the construction works. The preliminaries of a contract may include health and safety requirements, access to and from site, accommodation for workforce, insurances required etc. Preambles define the standards of workmanship and materials to be used. The bills contain the measured items needed to complete the works and comprises of the description, units and quantities (Kodikara et al., 1993:261). The bill of quantities, detailed construction drawings, engineering drawings and specifications will be issued to building contractors. These documents form part of the tender documentation. The tender documents enable contractors to submit a competitive tender for a project and aid them in determining an accurate price for the completion of the building. A practical time limit is set for the contractors to price the bill. All tenders should be handed in before the specified closing date. According to Davis et al. (2009:103), the bill of quantities has various advantages to the parties involved in a project: Pre-contract stage: Database à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provides a cost database for future estimating Fee calculation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provides a conclusive basis for the calculation of professional fees Asset management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provide data for asset management of finished building, insurance, maintenance schedules etc. Taxation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Provide basis for precise preparation of depreciation schedules as part of the asset management plan. Post-contract stage: Accurate progress payments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It becomes a basis from which the interim payments can be evaluated. This insures work is done at a reasonable price and gives the contractor and client peace of mind that the contractor is not paid too much or too little for work completed. Pricing of contract instructions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provides a basis for the valuation of variations to the project. Risk management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Prices from the contractor in the bill of quantities can be compared with current market related prices. According to Davis et al. (2009:103), the major disadvantages of the bill of quantities are that the preparation is time consuming and it tends to increase cost. 2.7 Conclusion It is clear from the above that the quantity surveyor can be a very valuable addition to the clients professional team. Quantity surveyors in South Africa are competent professionals. From the inception stage of a project, right through to the final payment, the quantity surveyor will give expert advice on financial and contractual matters. The successful completion of a project can never be guaranteed due to the many uncontrollable factors in the construction industry. However having the services of a quantity surveyor at your disposal will greatly improve the chances of completing a project successfully and within budget. CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.1 Data In this chapter the data collection methods and the analysis of the data is explained. For the purpose of this study a qualitative research methodology was followed in order to test the hypotheses put forward. The research was conducted by way of a comprehensive literature review and collecting data through interviews and questionnaires. The research problem is mainly that the general public is unaware of the quantity surveying profession therefore data relating to the services that the quantity surveyor offer and the profession in general were required. 3.2 Collection of data Books and journals on the related topic from local and international sources were used for the collection of data. All the data was collected before the field work started and was done over a two month period. Furthermore, primary data was collected through personal interviews and questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with quantity surveyors. The interviews were informal but due to the researchers relative lack of experience in conducting interviews the questions were well prepared. Questionnaires were used to obtain the necessary data from members of the general public who were recently involved in the construction of a residential building. The questionnaires consisted out of open ended questions and were administered in person. To maximize to accuracy of the response the questions were short and in unambiguous language (Leedy Ormrod, 2005:190). To insure the validity of the research an honest response is required. For this reason the names of individuals and the quantity surveying company approached for the research will be held confidential. 3.3 Data analysis The qualitative data was organized, summarized and analyzed by the researcher in order to reach a conclusion and make recommendations. It should be noted that the sample is very small, but for the purpose of this study it is sufficient for the researcher to understand the problem at hand and reach a conclusion. CHAPTER FOUR FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS 4.1 Introduction Primary data was collected through interviews and questionnaires as explained in the previous chapter. Ten individuals who were recently involved in a residential project were approached to complete the questionnaire. This chapter will discus the findings of the questionnaire and will incorporate the data collected from interviews with quantity surveyors. 4.1.1 Awareness of the quantity surveying profession Figure 4.1 Indicate the awareness of the quantity surveying profession. It was found that the large majority of the respondents were aware of the profession. However this does not necessarily mean they understand what the profession entails. An interesting observation was that the respondent, who was not aware of the quantity surveying profession, was the only respondent under 30 years of age. 4.1.2 Understanding of the quantity surveyor The question was what the understanding of quantity surveyors was by the respondents. Three of the ten respondents had reas

Marketing Essay -- Business, Customer Satisfaction

This essay is a critical literature review of Relationship Marketing in relation to customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and technology. In this review, I will provide a brief orientation of relationship marketing; identify the benefits of relationship marketing for companies and customers and critically analyse the concept of RM with regards to customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and analyse the role of technology in relationship marketing. Leahy (2011:651) defined relationship marketing as â€Å"attracting and keeping customers for a long period of time†. RM is used by firms to change consumer attitudes and increase the frequency of purchase in a business using marketing techniques such as promotions and advertising. According to Ndubisi and Chan (2005), relationship marketing provides an organisation the opportunity to get access to the right information about their customers, meet the customers’ needs effectively, efficiently and gain competitive advantage. In addition, Gronroos (1994:9) suggests that relationship marketing is a new model in marketing and it’s about organisation â€Å"establishing, maintain and enhance relationships with customers at a profit so that objectives of the parties involved are met. This is achieved by mutual exchange and the fulfilment of promises.† Promises may be made by the company to their customers; yet, what remains to be seen are if the promises are fulf illed or ultimately broken. Szmigin et al. (2005) argues that due to the vast presence of relationship marketing in several industries, it can be difficult defining relationship marketing that accommodates all the relationships. Ravald and Gronroos (1996) argue that relationship marketing is not restricted to the firm maintaining a close relat... ...ting is very important for the success of an organisation as reflected in the multiple definitions above. It is beneficial to both the company and their customers and when utilised responsibly, a great symbiosis relationship is established. The analysis of customer satisfaction resulting in increased customer loyalty has been carried out and the contribution of increased customer loyalty resulting in high profitability for the organisation has been highlighted. The role of technology in relationship marketing has been scrutinised leading to the research question stated above i.e. to what extent does technology foster a close relationship between an organisation and its customers. For further research, it would be advisable to explore this area in more depth so organisations can acquire the maximise output when using technology as a means of relationship marketing.

Symbolism In The Pearl Essays -- Steinbeck Pearl Essays

Symbolism in The Pearl by John Steinbeck   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Novels were created to show a very naive view in great depth. The Pearl is a novel in its most complete form. Steinbeck does this by conveying life symbolically. Through symbols, John offers the reader a clearer look at life and it?s content. He shows major imagery in four ways: Kino, music, Coyotito, and the 'Pearl of the World'.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kino overall symbolizes clearly good and innocent. Kino is thought of as 'a wise, primitive man' who is hungry for fortune because of the great pearl, which he discovers and later in the story he becomes 'an angry, frightened, but resolute man, determined to keep what he has earned'. He is a young diver who lives in a small village on the coastline of Mexico. In the beginning of the story he has come to o...

Recreation and Power vs. the Environment :: Free Essays Online

Recreation and Power vs. the Environment The emptying of Lake Powell has now been an issue for years. The sierra club strongly supports the draining of the lake for environmental issues. One side of the debate argues for recreation, water and power supplied from the lake. The other argues for the saving of an environment that is now being destroyed by the existence of the lake. Both sides carry strong support, and the debate sees no clear end coming any time soon. Lake Powell was created in the 1950’s with the building of the Glen Canyon Dam, as part of the Colorado River Restoration Project. This dam was built to support a power plant to power parts of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, and to ensure the steady water supply of the Colorado. It filled Glen Canyon with water. The lake now crosses into both states and is a recreation area for sightseers, cliff divers, swimmers, fisherman, and boaters. The making of the lake brought about the building of the city of Page, which raises 500 million dollars per year of tourism revenue. This man-made lake now delivers power and water to over 22 million people. But does this power come at a cost? Lake Powell has come as such a cost that does not prove worthwhile. Its draining will help to fix the ecosystem, and the state of the southwest. The water in Lake Powell is now dropping at an enormous rate. The rivers that feed the lake cannot sustain the levels they once had. The lake has dropped over 100 feet. Creating this lake made a water mass that was very susceptible to evaporation; it evaporates at a rate of a million and a half acre feet per year. This would be stopped with the draining of the lake, and letting the river be restored to its original state. With the making of the damn, very important fish and plant habitat was destroyed, some of these being important and endangered species. It also prevented the flow of fish to different part of the river, as there are now 11 dams along the rivers.

Influence of Athletes to People

Picture this scene: The best athletes in your community are gathered for the annual high school varsity letter awards banquet. Halfback Henry and Jumpshot Jenny already have received accolades from the Master of Ceremonies for their accomplishments, but the attention is now focused on Susan Strike, Central High's varsity bowling superstar. Bowling is Central High's newest varsity letter sport,† he proclaims, â€Å"and we're extremely proud to announce Susan Strike has not only earned All-Conference honors for leading the Little Nine with a 206 average, but she led Central High to ts first state bowling championship. A standing ovation follows. You beam because Susan is a product of your youth league program. She is the first of a new generation of Varsity Bowling letter winners and she'll serve as an inspiration for hundreds of young bowlers in your This scene may sound like a dream to you, but it's a reality in some areas of the United States where a handful of dedicated proprietors have laid the groundwork to launch the nation-wide Varsity Bowling program during the 1998-99 bowling Varsity Bowling is going to be a two-pronged attack: 1. From the Top Down – Five states have been selected to participate in a targeted Varsity Bowling program during the 1998-99 with a focused effort to secure state high school athletic association approval for the sport. 2. From the Bottom Up – Every local/regional proprietor group in any area of the United States is invited to â€Å"test† the Varsity Bowling waters on their own. A comprehensive organizational kit, including detailed manual, videotape and support materials, is available today from the Young American Bowling Alliance and the Bowling Proprietors Association of America to help your proprietor group and local association volunteers get a eadstart in organizing a â€Å"high school club conference† to demonstrate the program's feasibility. Varsity Bowling is a program that cannot succeed without the commitment and dedication of the proprietors. You own the arenas, you have the expertise and it's your youth bowlers who will benefit the most. Varsity Bowling is one of the most comprehensive step-by-step organizational programs ever developed in bowling (or any sport). It is based upon 10 years of experience and research in Northern Illinois and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, culminating in resounding success. Be Part of Bowling's Biggest Success Story in Decades Varsity Bowling will become our sport's most significant success story in decades, with your help. Mark these figures down and watch them grow: In 1996-97, only 728 of America's more than 16,000 high schools offered any kind of bowling program. Out of 6. 1 million high school students who participated in athletics in 1996-97, only 15,600 were able to bowl for their schools. Only seven of America's 50 states had as many as 30 high schools offering bowling as an extracurricular activity. Bowling has nearly 500,000 young people participating in Young American Bowling Alliance leagues and tournaments. They know and love bowling, and most of them are denied the opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement of bowling for a letter for their high school teams. American Sports Data states interest in bowling is at an all-time high among young people, with a 15% increase in interest among pre-teens and 17% growth in interest among high schoolers. As a proprietor, you will never experience any program as rewarding as you'll discover by becoming a part of the Varsity Bowling team. Send for your comprehensive Varsity Bowling organizational kit, including detailed manual, videotape and support materials, today! order your kit now Send for your comprehensive Varsity Bowling organizational kit, including detailed manual, videotape and support materials, today! To order your Varsity Bowling kit, please send an email to Jennifer Williamson or call her at the Young American Bowling Alliance (414 423-3398. The Scholarship Management and Accounting Reports for Tenpins (SMART) program will help locate and secure existing bowling scholarships for YABA's membership. SMART will also help any organization start and manage a new bowling scholarship program while relieving new and existing bowling scholarship providers from the burden of administering their scholarship funds. YABA has developed two service levels to accomplish this mission: Level one is SMART's information and assistance level. This SMART level can be contacted in one of three ways – telephone, mail or email. SMART Level One will provide the following services: Information on how to start a bowling scholarship league, tournament or written Information on how to manage the scholarship dollars collected. Advise, assist and support organizations regarding any problem encountered in conducting or administering their scholarship programs. A booklet containing location of scholarship leagues, tournaments, and written cholarships offered worldwide; universities and colleges that offer bowling scholarships and those offering bowling as a scholastic or club sport; and national scholarship applications. In Level Two, the organization forwards their scholarship dollars to SMART, and SMART will manage their scholarship dollar on a daily basis. SMART charges no fee to use the program. SMART operates off the interest made on the scholarship funds. At the end of each bowling season (July 31st) SMART will deduct the operating expenses from the total interest earned. The remaining interest will be credited to each organization. The amount each organization receives will be determined on a percentage basis by the total amount of scholarship funds in their account. The organization then may use the interest as new scholarships at their discretion. For more SMART information, write to SMART 5301 S. 76th St. , Greendale, WI 53129, call 414/423-3343, fax 414/421-3014 or e-mail Ed Gocha at [email  protected] com. 999 Youth and Collegiate Bowlers Scholarships SMART's 1998 Youth and Collegiate Bowling Educational Guide is provided here for Junior Olympics Program To help young bowlers progress from their first visit to a center o becoming a Junior Olympic Gold member, YABA has created a pipeline (to be released in July 1999), to guide them through the different stages of development and prepare them for active roles as participants in the adult membership With this road map, youth bowlers will be guided through five different levels of bowling; Introduction to Bowling, First Organized Program, League Participation and Introduction to Tournament Competition, Purely Competitive and Elite Competition (TEAM USA). Who are Gold members? The Gold Program is the highest level of the USA Junior Olympic Bowling Program. To become a Junior Olympic Gold member, athletes must carry a minimum 165 average for girls and 175 for boys based on at least 21 games and be YABA members in good standing. Only Gold members are eligible to participate in the Junior Olympic Program's pinnacle event, the Junior Olympic Gold National Championships. More than 500 athletes competed in the National Championships held in July in Orlando, Fla. Complete Coverage of the 1999 Junior Olympic Gold National Championships. Gold members (YABA members with minimum average of 165 for girls and 175 for boys) may qualify to compete for a spot on the Junior Olympic Bowling TEAM USA hrough the Junior Olympic Gold National Championships. The program's goals are to emphasize advanced training, coaching and team bowling. In addition, the program will help develop more elite bowlers to feed into collegiate or professional bowling and become future members of American Bowling Congress or Women's International Bowling Congress. How does the Junior Olympic Gold National Championships work? Athletes qualify for the National Championships by winning or finishing high enough in a Gold Event. (Entries paid by the Event sponsor. ) The five-day competition is conducted on multiple lane conditions and consists of ouble elimination match play. The top 16 boys and top 16 girls advance to round-robin finals to compete to win the six boys and six girls spots available on the Junior Olympic TEAM USA. The Junior Olympic Bowling Program was created from YABA's partnership with USA Bowling, and in conjunction with the United States Olympic Committee. The Junior Olympic program focuses on athletes' skill levels rather than age and gender and offers several player development levels. Gold members have the opportunity to become members of Junior Olympic TEAM USA, chosen annually at the Junior Olympic Gold National Championships. Being a Junior Olympic TEAM USA member offers several benefits, including representing the United States in national and international competition, access to scholarships, training at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. , all-expense paid travel and competition fees, uniforms, recognition from other skilled bowlers and being part of a feeder system for future TEAM USA members. Canadian members are eligible to be Junior Olympic Gold members, compete in the National Championships and earn scholarships. They are unable to be Junior Olympic TEAM USA members.