Gas prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gas prices - Essay Example (How Gasoline Works) The economy of the United States has witnessed four major shocks in connection with the oil price which occurred during 1973-74, 1979-80, 1990-91, NS 1999-2000 with a time span of 25 years. There was a unanimous view among the analysts that holding of energy independently would be the pivotal factor for designing a relevant National energy policy. If higher energy efficiency is mastered the aftermath of the oil price shock on the economy can be controlled. This effect has been proved for the year 1999-2000 where the oil price shock had a negligible effect on the economy when compared to the recent past. The candidates for the presidential campaign brought to light the necessity for greater American energy independence and expressed the idea of less dependence on oil import. Even though the United States has a hold to effect the gas price, it is to be understood that the market is not national but international. The American energy policy proves to be relatively undeterred force of s upply and demand which allowed constituting the prices for various energy sources. The public consumption of the energy source is also effected through this policy. The prices that are thought to be particularly sticky are wage contracts, publication subscriptions and items from catalogues. (Labonte; Makinen, 2000) The totally market based national energy policy argues that the market prices may blend all the relevant costs to the individual it may exempt the cause that are relevant to the nation. It is important to note that the prices may fall short to bring in a premium that would counteract any unwarranted foreign influence on the foreign and domestic policies of the United States. In the end, since the oil supply shocks are fickle and less anticipated market prices can soar high when they occur. So when this jerk disrupts, as in the past, it will have a considerable effect on Gross Domestic Product -- GDP, employment and inflation. Oil being an inevitable ingredient in the production and transit of most goods, naturally an oil price hike will affect the cost of production for the producers. This effect will also be shunned by products which use supplementary energy sources since those prices would have also experienced a hike. Thus the supply shock decreases an economic output and increase s the price level in a short run. If there is flexibility in the prices then the producers could reduce input prices such as wages excluding the total output and total price level. Only then, there would be no decline in output or hike in the price level. But when sticky prices persist then producers have no other alternative than to lower the rest of the input prices quickly which would result on a price hike that would affect the consumers. The consequence would be the rate of output is lowered as people decide to buy fewer goods, the prices being higher. Price of labor would be compensated with some employers signed off. So with fewer workers, only a lesser output is produced, so a rise in the price of oil and the inefficacy of other prices to accommodate temporarily results in the reduction of the rate of growth of output that is produced by an economy. (Labonte; Makinen

Choose the topic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Choose the topic - Assignment Example The video could work for beginners as well as those well versed with the optics of the practice (Yoga for Complete Beginners a 20 Minute Home Yoga Workout!). The guide is clear on the steps that one needs to take into the yoga practice. One needs to find some sense of peace as well as appreciate what the exercise has to offer in the line of health benefits as well as mental serenity. Some of the health benefits associated with the practice include flexibility and muscle strength and tone. The exercise performed during the process go a long way in ensuring that the individual can strengthen their body tissue. That is by learning what it takes and what the body needs (Yoga For Complete Beginners a 20 Minute Home Yoga Workout!). The exercise also helps in respiratory functions since it can improve on one’s respiration. One can increase their body energy, as well as vitality. That makes sure that those partaking in the process can maintain healthy lifestyles, as well as some sense of cognitive stability. Yoga helps people relax and unload their minds as well as engage their bodies in some gainful exercise. The exercise also helps in weight reduction. The video helps people practice yoga in their comfort zones such as at the comfort of their

Classical school of thought

Classical school of thought INTRODUCTION There are three main areas to the classical school of thought; the Classical, Humanistic and Management Science perspectives. All three of these perspectives helped shape how industry developed through the ages, and elements of the classical school of thought are still used today in modern management. The Classical perspective emphasised a scientific and efficient approach to managing work. The Humanistic approach focused on human behaviour and attitudes as well as how to motivate workers to achieve the very best they could at work. Finally the Management Science perspective stressed the importance of applying quantitative techniques such as statistics and mathematics to management problems. One early management innovator who is sometimes known as the pioneer of management1 was Robert Owen (1771 1856) who ran mills, most famously of all in New Lanark where he introduced several new management practices. Owen also contributed towards the humanistic perspective by trying to make life better for his workers through understanding his workers needs for example by providing a nursery so employees with young children could continue working, and by proposing political reforms on issues such as shorter working hours for children, higher wages and increased job security so that workers safety and physiological needs would be better met. Even though these reforms were not passed in full due to his ideas failing to win him immediate followers and possibly being too radical for the time due to the all-or-nothing approach 2 Owens work went on to influence key reformers such as Joseph Rowntree and heavily influenced management in todays world. CONTRIBUTIONS Technological advancements such as the steam engine radically changed the organization of work. A large number of workers gathered together in a new type of workplace called a factory. This new way of organizing work was a serious challenge to any manager of the time. Planning, organizing, leading and controlling such a large and complex organization brought about many problems and challenges. Therefore, decisions based on rules of thumb and tradition became obsolete and new approaches and solutions had to be developed. Conditions in early factories were extremely harsh, with very hazardous working conditions for all employees. Long working hours (normally at least 13 hours per day, six days a week) were the norm, with children as young as five or six working under the same conditions as adults. Factory owners placed more importance on the care of their expensive machines than on the well-being (or otherwise) of their expendable employees.3 Robert Owen radically altered the approach to how a factory is run, placing more emphasis on the actual workers within the environment than just the wellbeing of the equipment. As the classical school of thought regarded people as machines, Owen recognised that machines must be well cared for in order to function optimally and lastingly, and thus improved on the classical perspective by treating the workers in a more humane way that would give them the respect and motivation to perform their best, in a happier work environment. Robert Owen not only made Lanark Mills more profitable than any other mills at the time, but he proved that happy, educated and healthy employees work harder and achieve better results: Proving that his method was effective. Owen was able to produce unheard of profit and good productivity due to his new methods of work, thus gaining New Lanark and himself international recognition. Owens social reform that helped his business progress included: Improving housing conditions Making a public refuse system Paving new streets Robert Owen was a pioneer in trying to limit child labour, by introducing a more humane and progressive employment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦No children younger than ten years old were employed and these were allowed relatively decent breaks for meals and some modestly worthwhile educational opportunities.4 In adult labour his efforts were continued extensively by enforcing simple rules to eradicate drunkenness, laziness, and crime. In order to reduce these efforts Owen created a Silent Monitor System where a square piece of wood indicated an employees performance via the colour at the front of the square; this could be linked to scientific management where employees are monitored to improve productivity, as well as the humanistic perspective as the system was an attempt to motivate laggards to perform better and good workers to maintain high performance.5 Owen thus created a workplace that was motivated and content. Owen managed to influence other early industrialists by buying out his opponen ts and changing the way their businesses were run, to mimic his new approach. This would in turn, cause others to see how he was increasing efficiency in the workplace with his methods, and cause them to follow suit. Modern managers recognize the importance of employee welfare, as they have seen how much of an impact good care can increase business success, learning from past examples, such as the ones set by Robert Owen. For example: offering flexible work methods where employees may work from home due to a large commutes, or children, so long as their work is sent in on time. Nowadays employees are offered perks in their jobs to increase working satisfaction, and hopefully increase their dedication to the company. E.g. Dental and medical care, holidays, pension funds, company cars/phones. By Owen giving education and general aid to his workers, we in the modern society have made this standard and are always looking for ways to further improve working environments and processes, to make businesses even more efficient and also enjoyable. LIMITATIONS As we have seen Robert Owen was an innovator in the industrial revolution, creating policies to benefit the business environment and creating a work place that was motivational, progressive, and organized. However, Robert Owen was considered somewhat radical in the business workplace during the time of the industrial revolution, and thus his policies had many limitations. Even in todays business environment some of his policies would be considered too heavily biased on equality, instead of focusing on profits, which remains the main aim of businesses in modern management. Robert Owens philosophy within management was based upon socialism, creating an equal workplace for everyone, to increase the overall welfare of society. He tried to stress this with his business associates, however due to his views being considered radical at the time; Owen alienated himself from many of his business partners. In his Truth Principles he states Any community may be arranged, on a due combination of the foregoing prin ­ciples, in such a manner as not only to withdraw vice, poverty, and, in a great de ­gree, misery from the world, but also to place every individual under such circum ­stances in which he shall enjoy more permanent happiness than can be given to any individual under the principles which have heretofore regulated society.6 Robert Owen believed that in todays business worlds, every worker could enjoy permanent happiness, however the principles of management are based on a competitive market place, in which capitalist values are at the core of creatin g a profitable business and permanent happiness for workers is not the main objective of companies. Robert Owens theories would be considered as too radical and somewhat unrealistic to achieve in modern management, due to the fact that everyone must have some form of authority and responsibility, creating a workplace based on incentive and promotional prospects instead of ensuring worker happiness. The diagram demonstrates another limitation that Robert Owens classical theories contain. Robert Owen could not have foreseen how business would have developed at such a rapid rate, and to the extent in which businesses have expanded, creating new branches of business in which modern management has to facilitate. Thus Robert Owen could not have known how difficult it would be to create a business structure that creates an equal and socially responsible work environment that tries to cater for an ever growing population and the effects of globalization. EVALUATION Robert Owen is truly one of the most influential management contributors in the classical perspective. He helped build a basis for modern management by introducing key social reforms, technological improvements, and increased worker productivity. Owen formed a structure for humanistic managers to develop their skills and become socially accepted. By increasing the amount of healthy adult workers, and reducing the amount of child labour, this, over a long period of time on a large scale made the countrys economy stronger by taking pressure off of the basic health systems at the time and increased the number of children in education, in order to develop a higher skilled society. By believing that every worker could contribute in some aspect and that every individual was vital to the success of his business, Owen was an inspiration to Douglas McGregor, who was the main contributor to theory X and theory Y analysis. However, we have seen some of the limitations to his approach to management and although this was heavily influenced by the classical school of thought, to achieve his status as a pioneering manager, he used humanistic approaches too. He has proved that no one can use just one school of thought only, but a mixture of this and humanistic to improve efficiency between workers and the operations of the business. SOURCES AND REFERENCES Robert Owen. Robert Owen. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. . Daft, Richard L. New Era Of Management. South-Western, 2008. Print. Sources/References Sources used for the introduction: http://www.answers.com/topic/management-historical-perspectives Additional background reading for the introduction: Robert Owen, Prophet of the Poor edited by Pollard and Salt. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_management_techniques http://www.laynetworks.com/Theories-of-Motivation.html ((http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/historical/biography/robert_owen.html))contributions) http://www.reliance-securities.com/images/img_structure.jpg

Sonic Case Study :: essays research papers

Executive Summary Beginning with one restaurant, Sonic has become the largest drive-in chain in the United States. While they are smaller than their competitors, they are still leading in sales growth, customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. Sonic restaurants saturate the southern U.S. This gives them the opportunity to expand to other area. However, Sonic is reluctant due to the colder climates and their basis as a drive-in restaurant. Sonic should look at adding or combining capabilities to it’s restaurants to increase competitiveness and make it easier for them to expand into other areas without limiting themselves. Situational Analysis In 1953, Troy Smith, the founder of SONIC and World War II veteran, was living in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Troy dreamed of owning his own restaurant business. In fact, he had already tried twice. Troy first owned a small diner called the Cottage Cafà ©. The income he received was barely enough to make a living for himself and his family. Troy sold the Cottage Cafà © and bought a bigger restaurant. His next business, the Panful of Chicken, was so successful that he tried opening more. Unfortunately, fried chicken didn't do well in early 1950s Oklahoma and Troy closed his Panful of Chicken restaurant. Troy then owned a steak house that had a root beer stand attached. This root beer stand, called The Top Hat proved more profitable and eventually outlasted the steak house. While traveling to Louisiana, Troy saw some homemade intercom speakers in use at a local hamburger stand. He contacted the innovator in Louisiana and asked him to make an intercom for the Top Hat. He then hired some local electronics wizards to install the system. He then added a canopy for cars to park under and servers to deliver the food right to customers’ cars. During the first week after the intercom was installed, the Top Hat took in $1750. With his new partner, Charlie Pappe, four more Top Hats were opened. However, their lawyers informed them that the Top Hat name was copyrighted. They changed the name to Sonic to go along with the restaurant slogan of "Service With the Speed of SoundSM."1 In 1973, a group of ten principal franchise owners became the officers of the company. Shares were offered to each store owner. Because of the amount of stock offered, Sonic became a publicly traded company with 165 stores in the chain. Between 1973 and 1978, Sonic grew tremendously. 800 new stores were opened and a Sonic School that formally trained new managers was established.

Data Protection Act 1998 Essay

During face to face and telephone conversation you should always be well mannered, presentable and speak with appropriate language and be informative to the conversation at hand. What type of questioning you as a therapist should use; You should always use open and closed questions when dealing with a client, open question e. g. what treatments have you had before. A closed question e. g. have had this treatment before. Personal behaviour; Your personal behaviour should always be professional and informative to the client’s needs so you give the best options to your client with the next professional presentation. Personal professional presentation; Your professional personal presentation should always be clean, neat and fresh smelling and meet the salons rules and regulation, because the first person the client meets and see’s is you, and you should show a good presentation because your jobs is to make the client look and feel more beautiful whilst selling products to them. Data protection and storage information; Data protection and storage of information should always be followed to the data protection act regulations, to avoid any information being found be someone inappropriate and used in a harmful way. This information should be stored away in a locked cupboard or on computer with a password. Timings and costs; Timing and costs should always be memorised and learnt by all staff members to ensure the salon runs efficiently, that the clients are well informed on procedures and prices and so that there is no dispute with the information given and that treatments won go over causing over booking of the therapist and loss of profits for the salon. How to keep payments safe and secure; Payments should be kept safe and secure in a cash register with a key or electronic lock, and only people of authority should have a copy of a copy of the keys or codes. What types of problems that may occur in the salon; Miss-informed treatment prices leading to an unhappy customer. Clients being late for appointments and being turned away or asked to wait due to time keeping the receptionist and therapist has to keep to run a smooth salon. Contra-actions due to a reaction to certain treatments leading to an unhappy client. All of these problems should be referred to the salon manager or owner to deal with, as you as the therapist have no jurisdiction here, unless you are salon manager.

Individual Strategic Plan: Conceptualizing a Business Essay

http://www.homeworkbasket.com/BUS-475/BUS-475-Week-2-Individual-Strategic-Plan,Part-I-Conceptualizing-a-Business Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you explain the importance of your selected business’s vision, mission, and values in determining your strategic direction. Please do not write about an existing business. Create a new business and include the following: Define your business, products or services, and customers by developing a mission statement. Ensure that you are differentiating your product or service. Create a vision for this organization that clearly demonstrates your decision on what you want your business to become in the future. Define your guiding principles or values for your selected business considering the topics of culture, social responsibility, and ethics. Analyze how the vision, mission, and values guide the organization’s strategic direction. Evaluate how the organization addresses customer needs and critique how they achieve competitive advantage. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. For More Homework Goto http://www.homeworkbasket.com