Pharmacia & Upjohn Case Study

Kayem Foods, Inc. Case Study Kayem Foods, Inc Buzz Marketing Al Fresco Chicken Sausage STRATEGIC ISSUES AND PROBLEMS Matt Monkiewicz is the director of marketing for Kayem Foods, Inc.. Mr. Monkiewicz was put under pressure to decide whether or not to us a buzz marketing plan for their Al Fresco chicken sausage brand, which would be implemented as part of their advertising campaign for 2006. The Al Fresco chicken sausage brand was able to capture a large portion of their target market, making them the number-one brand in its target market.The dilemma that Monkiewicz faces is whether or not the increase in sales were due to the buzz marketing campaign they implemented the previous year or if other advertising and promotional campaigns were the sole reason for the increase in sales. In order to make a decision, Monkiewicz must analyze all parts of the advertising and promotional campaigns that they have previously used and decide which of these campaigns actually contributed to the sale s increase and which campaigns didn’t. KAYEM FOODS, INC. Kayem Foods, Inc. as been around for almost a 100 years and is located in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The company has historically made its fortune from selling fresh delicatessen meats, hot dogs, and sausage. Annual sales, from the fiscal year ending February 28, 2004, were approximately $140 million. The majority of their sales came from meat products that were sold under several brand names, with the majority of the meat products being that of hot dogs. They have several brand names for which their products are sold and the most well-known brand is Kayem.There has been a continually rising market for sausage. Breakfast sausage has increased by 2 percent and dinner sausage has increased by 4 percent in 2003. This is why Kayem Foods, Inc. is desperately working to find a way to capture this rapidly growing market. Kayem Foods director of marketing, Matt Monkiewicz, feels that in order to adequately capture a significant po rtion of the market they must be willing to think outside the box and possibly implement non-traditional styles of advertising. Buzz marketing does exactly what Mr.Mankiewicz is looking for in his advertising campaign, which that they have used in the previous year and it has made them the number one-selling brand of chicken sausage, however, not all of the sales force at Kayem believes this increase in sales were due to Buzz marketing. Although Kayem has been able to substantially increase the sales of Al Fresco, they still have a lot of concerns pertaining to their profit margins. In the recent years supermarkets have been able to gain industry power, when it comes to dealing with manufacturers that supply them with products.The supermarkets now demand larger discounts and coupons for their customers. There is also a force keeping prices down due to the tense competition within the industry. In the past two years Kayem’s private label activity has been operating at break-ev en and co-packs have been operating below break-even. Obviously Kayem is in business to make money and not operate at break-even. They must use an aggressive advertising technique to get their profit margin back up. INSIGHTS TO BUZZ MARKETING You can sum up the definition of Buzz marketing in just 3 words,† word of mouth. Many companies have found this advertising approach to be very profitable and appealing to their bottom line. In today’s market, especially due to the rise of social networking, many companies depend on their current customers to help spread the word of their products. Buzz marketing helps companies build brand loyalty and awareness by building a personal relationship with their consumers. Many times consumers can be more easily persuaded towards purchasing a product when it is recommended from someone they know or trust and Buzz marketing does exactly that.Kayem Foods, Inc. previously used a company called Bzz Agent to implement their Buzz marketing c ampaign. Bzz Agent currently had 60,000 agents and these agents volunteered to try the products and then would use word of mouth techniques to get these products in the hands of their friends, acquaintances, and possibly strangers. Most of the Buzz agents actually enjoyed testing new products and then talking about them to their friends, they felt some type of satisfaction for being one of the â€Å"firsts† to discover the product.Bzz Agent also found that most of their agents advertised their products in all of the social networking settings, which also helps spread the word of the products. In recent years, marketing managers have found that product endorsements were more credible when it came from a friend or acquaintance. PLAN OF ACTION Mr. Monkiewicz must decide on which advertising campaign Al Fresco will use for next year. He must decide if they will usual traditional advertising like: television, radio, magazines, and billboards.Another option for his campaign could b e Buzz marketing, which if he decided to use he must develop a better way to track the increase in sales that come from Buzz marketing. He may also decide to implement more than one style of advertising and possibly combine the different approaches together, however, Monkiewicz has only been granted a marketing budget of $185,000 so he must be fully aware of his choices. Some of his choices may also not be feasible because of their high cost. Since Monkiewicz was only allowed $185,000 for advertising campaign, he will not be able to choose the more expensive advertising options like television.What he felt appropriate options for his advertising campaign were Buzz marketing, magazines, and price-off coupons. Based off of the chart above, Better Homes and Gardens magazine will also not be an option. He is left with Buzz marketing, trade marketing, food and wine magazine, cooking light magazine, and price-off coupons. RECOMMENDED AL FRESCO MARKETING STRATEGY The efficiency of buzz mar keting is undeniable, penetrating social networks and building personal relationships with consumers. With that being said, Matt Monkiewicz should choose to implement the Buzz marketing strategy for their advertising campaign.It is also a cheap option that has multiple benefits. In order to track the success of their Buzz marketing campaign he will just simply ask his Bzz agents to have the people they reach out to, for their product, fill out an online survey. This survey will ask questions like: will they continue to buy Al Fresco products, were they satisfied and if not, why? , and also if they were able to find their products at their local super market. Mr. Monkiewicz should combine his Buzz campaign with Trade marketing, with the combination of these two approaches he will surely get the word out there and it will help to build brand awareness.He can also use the remaining, [$185,000 – ($75,000+$80,000) = $30,000], $30,000 for price-off coupons, which will further help to expand their portion of the target market. TARGET MARKET Al Fresco should keep the same target market as before. Their target market should be women that range in age from 25 to 45 years old. This is the best suitable target market for their product, considering that this is the most health conscious market out there. What Al Fresco should do, however, is use their advertising efforts to capture a larger portion of this market. MARKETING MIXProduct Strategy – Al Fresco should keep their product of chicken sausage and their current flavors. Price Strategy – One thing that Al Fresco must do is not discount their products as much. We know that the sales force for Al Fresco thought the primary reason for becoming the number one selling product of chicken sausages was because of constant discounts they were giving away to the supermarkets. If Al Fresco can cut down on their discounts and they can continue to capture the majority of the market then they will be able to se e how effective their Buzz marketing campaign was.Distribution Strategy – The current distribution strategy implemented by Al Fresco has proven to be successful so they should continue to use the same strategy, â€Å"If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. † Advertising and Promotion Strategy – Al Fresco will use the combination of trade marketing, price-off coupons, and Buzz marketing for their advertising campaign. If they can effectively implement these low cost advertising approaches then they should be able to gain back some of their profit margin that they have been so concerned about in the past couple years.

Pearl Harbor Turning Point in History Essay

We chose our topic by making a list of possible topics that interested us and looking at the topics that were suggested by our teacher. We then researched a little bit, reading books and articles about different topics and events that happened in history. We finally decided on The Attack of Pearl Harbor, because it interested us the most. I began my research by going to the library to find out as much information about Japan and America during that era. Then, i began to search online for specific documents that gave insight on the attack on Pearl Harbor. After that, i began to look up video and other primary source documents. From that, my project began to evolve. The road to war between the United States of America and Japan began on the surprise aerial attack on the United States Navy base in Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941. This was the first step that brought the might United States into the Second World War Relations between the two countries started to detireate in the early 1930’s when Japan started to become aggressive in Asia, mainly in Manchuria in 1931 and tried to start conquering the rest of China into 1937. Japan in 1940 decided to allied itself with the â€Å"Axis† with countries like Germany. This alone made us extremely interested in the topic After deciding on the topic of The Attack Of Pearl Harbor, we researched more about this event by going to the library, researching online, reading books, reading articles, watching videos, and looking at pictures from that day. There were many primary and secondary sources about this topic, which made it easier to research. There were also many pictures, which was surprising considering this event occurred in 1941. We decided to do a website for our History fair project. Once we determined our topic we realized it would be very difficult to find some time to meet up and work on the project, that’s when we thought to do a website. It would easy for both of us to access, since we both have computers at home. Also we don’t have to always meet up to work on it. This gives us both more time to add more information to our website and make it better. Our project about Pearl Harbor relates to the National History Day theme of 2012, turning points in history, because the attack itself was a turning point within a turning point. World War 2 was a turning point in our history because it helped to stop communism and the spreading of Adolf Hitler’s power. And The Attack of Pearl Harbor is a turning point in the war, the point when the United States decided to take part in the war. Before the bombs hit us, we wanted to stay out of the war. But after Japan mercilessly bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, we knew it was time to try to put an end to the axis powers. Without this attack, we wouldn’t have joined the war, and the war wouldn’t have affected us. And without the bombing, the axis powers probably would’ve had a chance of winning, so the US joining the war was a big turning point.

Television Is a Great Invention

Some people say television is the worst inventions of modern times. They make this assertion for some reasons. The following points are some of them. First, they think that televisions make people more passive than before. Second, they think televisions contribute to the fact that people are more distant to each other. To begin with, I must admit that the first point is reasonable. With a television all you need to do—and all you can do is to sit on a comfortable sofa and look at the screen. People are becoming more passive simply because there is no interaction and no efforts on them. Everything contains good side and bad side and television has no exception. Yeah, of course, it makes people lazier and passive. They just watch things on TV instead of doing by themselves. But apart from that, television is by all means a great invention. There is only a minority of people who can watch some events on the scene, like some live matches and competitions . So how can the rest of people participate in the events far from the place the events happen? Of course through television which all people are legal and free to enjoy can we do so. In addition, to people who want to travel but with no money, television is undoubtedly a great thing through which people can see the world only by sitting ideally at home. To the second point, I want to say that it is true. Televisions do make people less close to each other. Family get-togethers and conversations are disturbed by TV—when one member is watching TV, he would like others to keep quiet. But everyone have time when he or she is alone. Television alienates people not so much as it provides all kinds of relaxation and entertainment for people when they are alone. Although television addict some adolescents to situation comedies; although televisions put glasses on millions of students' noses; although television reduce communications between families and friends, the advantages of television are far more than the harm it does to us. To us individuals, when we finish a whole day's work and feel exhausted both physically and mentally, we may turn on televisions and have a good relaxation; when we want to get information on sports?entertainment or large events in the world, we turn on televisions and get it from all kinds of TV programs; even when we want to learn English?etiquette or custom of foreign countries, we can turn on the television and get what we need from them, always. In a word, I think television is a great invention which is of great significance to the evolution of human society. References: http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Television-Great-Invention/100718 http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/parents/television/good_things_tv.cfm http://articles.famouswhy.com/the_benefits_and_dangers_of_television/ http://wenda.tianya.cn/wenda/thread?tid=24535823bd68dd80 http://wenwen.soso.com/z/q138729005.htm

Inflation Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Inflation - Literature review Example The markets had assumed that the debt by Euro zone was safe. This made the investors think that all members thereby making them willing to maintain debts even at low interest rates despite countries including Italy and Greece having high debt levels had backed them. After the credit crunching, the investors began being to be more skeptical about the European finances. The other unfortunate occurrence was that the European Union had no strategies in place to deal with the sudden panic. The diagram below shows some debt from Selected European countries between 2007 and 2010. Pettinger on the economics journal of October 2011, tried to analyze the Euro economic crisis critically where he applied a single currency meant that several of the solutions regarding economic problems could not be used. The most difficult task is to reduce the government borrowing levels while managing lower unemployment and economic recovery. He studied several European economies including Greece, Ireland and Portugal and found the following problems. Pettinger best-suggested solution was currency devaluation. This refers to the reduction in the value of exchange rates .This would see regaining of competitiveness, reduction of budget deficit, increase employment rates, and aid in economic recovery. Since economic recovery is the key to reduction in budget deficit. He suggested that Countries should stop the use of the Euro and maintain their own currency. Most countries agree that the renewal of the economic growth is vital in saving the Euro (Pettinger, 2012; Pg. 68). The obstacle is that the effects of steps such as having a banking union, the recently agreed rescue plan may have positive effects to the banking system but may not have any effect to raise the competitiveness in the region’s economies. The second option was inflation, where the country should try to boost

Multinational firms are a force for progress‟. Discuss Essay

Multinational firms are a force for progress‟. Discuss - Essay Example That is exactly what we will be discussing in this paper. Let us first see what a MNC really is. According to D. H. Robertsons â€Å"Multinational corporations are a substitute for the market as a method of organizing international exchange. They are islands of conscious power in an ocean of unconscious cooperation† (Hymer,S. 1994). They are powerful organizations whose power commands most countries and governments. Now my question is that how can that be a wonderful thing, when there is no one to protect you interests. It in layman term means ‘survival of the fittest’. But what happens to those who don’t have the strength that others have. Well they are doomed. In the long term as well as short term. So is that a good thing. If you are one of the weak would you be happy about this? In this research paper I am going to outline, as stated by Margaret House, the costs MNC’s incurs for Developed/Advanced nations and Developing/Underdeveloped nation. I am going to outline the implications MNC’s has on the world as a whole. First let us look at the terms Developed/Advanced nations and Developing/Underdeveloped nations. Developed countries are those nations having an elevated level of development in regards to GDP, Industrialization, Human development index, etc. In other words countries which are economic super powers like the Japan, United States in North America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, most of Europe, etc. (United Nations, 2009). On the other hand developing economies  are nations that posses low levels of material well being. Countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Mongolia, Zimbabwe, Mexico, etc. (United Nations, 2009). Now moving on to the diverse effects MNC’s is bound to have. First let us see what effect MNC’s will most definitely have the on jobs in developed economies. As it is well known that the cost of

Protein concentration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Protein concentration - Essay Example Protein analyses are used for basic research useful in determining specific activities of enzymes, hormones, antibodies and others substances. There are many methods used for the assay such as colorimetric detections, protein copper chelation chemistry and other methods. The Lowry method is one of the most common and useful protein assay methods used with ready to use reagents (Pierce, 2014). The use of absorbance reading for analyzing proteins has been proven to be very useful such that it can be used to predict protein sequence (Anthis and Clore, 2013). Protein absorbs ultraviolet rays. The strong capacity of protein to absorb UV light allows analysis of protein samples through spectrophotometry (Craic Technologies, 2012). There has been many methodologies produced for protein analysis that proves to be accurate and produce good results which include the Bradford Assay and Lowry Assay considered as the most common method (Knight and Chambers, 2003), Biuret Assay, Bichinchoninic Aci d Assay. These methods have their respective advantages and disadvantages when used to read protein concentrations (Sapan, et al. 1999). Other modern techniques are also developed such as DNA Pull down Assay, Microplate Capture and DetectionAssay, Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay, and more (Pierce Protein Biology Products, 2014). There will be fives test tubes properly labeled used for the assay. A test sample diluted with 85% Sodium Chloride Solution is used to reach a final concentration of 150-100 ug/ml. The blank test tube will be added with 0.20ml 85% Sodium chloride Solution. The blank test tube will be used as reference test tube. This will be the test tube for comparison purposes with the other test tubes containing the various reagents. The blank test tube will be the first tube to be read in the spectrophotometer that will set back the reading to zero. All the other test tubes would be read in comparison with the blank test tube’s

Lysistrata Unbound fit as a prequel to Aristophanes' original play Essay

Lysistrata Unbound fit as a prequel to Aristophanes' original play - Essay Example She tries to achieve this by asking the Greek women to deny their husbands of sex until an agreement had been reached to ceasefire (Aristophanes 26). She had an arrangement with the elderly women in Athens to capture Akropolis, which serve as the central point of both the Athenians and the Spartans. The essence of the plan by Lysistrata was just to point out the negative effects of war on the women, as they seem to be more concerned about the welfare of the society. As the play progresses, the chorus of both the old men and women were involved in a confrontation and the women were victorious. In the course of the confrontation, the men made some remarks that seem derogatory and portraying the female race as a gender of no societal value, aside from their domestic functions as wives and mothers at home. This when compared to the ancient Greek society could create some kind of semblance in the way women are being treated as slaves and object of sex (Aristophanes 33). The crux of the wo men’s argument is the fact that they want to be recognized as an important element in the Greek society. They realize the impact of their hard work in the society and would not want the selfish interest of the men, whose quest for self glorification undermine the interest of the society at large. Lysistrata unbound by Machado Machado represents one of the modern adaptations of the original play by Aristophanes. The focus of the play by Machado was centered on a matron that was transformed by the current war situation tearing apart the family structure in the society. The play exonerates the will power of women as opposed to the notion presented in the Aristophanes’ original conception of male dominance. Machado added a feminist angle to the play, which serves as a basis for the differences from the original plot. The answer to question two The use of chorus in the play, Lysistrata unbound helps in the translation of the play to the audience in a clear and explicit mann er. Most Greek plays possess an element of dance and chorus which is more visible by the audience, but the difference with Lysistrata unbound is the way the chorus was employed as a unifying element that joins the dialogue between the women and older men. In the modern adaptation of the play, the chorus was employed as an element that helps interpret the tension and respite in the play. For example, the conversation between the chorus of old women and chorus of old men reflected the tension and respite that accompanied the act in the play. Thus, at some point, it functions as a sort of comic relief, which takes away the shine off the tensed atmosphere caused by the confrontation. While in the original play, the use of chorus signifies the rich Greek culture employed deliberately by Aristophanes to create an avenue where there would be an opportunity for both parties to confront each other. Without the chorus, there possibly could not have been any other avenue for the confrontation to take place. It would be quite irrational for the women to have taken arms against the Greek male whose main occupation is to execute warfare. A careful analysis of the chorus would point out the intention of Aristophanes in employing chorus as a dramatic element. In the course of the chorus, the women saw an avenue in which they could express their desires and anger at the male folks while the chorus of old men

Using the topic, thesis statement, and supporting points from your DB Essay

Using the topic, thesis statement, and supporting points from your DB 1 posting, - Essay Example With this being said, many persons think that children need to stop playing at school so that they can get to the work of learning academics. Although it may appear that play is not important in terms of the academic achievement of early childhood students, in fact, play is vital to their future educational success Through play, young children learn social skills such as taking turns and sharing. They learn communication skills such as listening to others without interrupting and asking for help when necessary. They learn how to make and keep friends and how to compromise. During play, children also learn to lead and to follow. Some children naturally lead, while others naturally follow. Play gives them the opportunity to try out different roles and learn to lead and follow. Children also learn about rules as they play. They determine when rules are necessary and what those rules need to be. They learn when the rules are working for what they need and when the rules need to be revised. They learn to make rules and to follow rules. They may also learn the consequences for not following rules. Academics are also learned through play. As young children engage in play, they reinforce learned skills and are exposed to new skills. While playing store, they make lists, write numbers, add numbers, try out calculators, read store advertisements and get exposure to percents. They also sort and count money. It is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that young learners have the necessary and appropriate props and supplies to fully carry out a play scenario. Young students also have the opportunity to act as both teacher and learner during play. Academic skills are reinforced when students have the chance to teach the skills to others. Students also learn from one another. In conclusion, play gives students authentic opportunities to learn and practice.

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Management - Essay Example And third, this essay identifies bad effects of HRM and leadership failure to live within such a modern theory of HRM. By definition, Human Resource Management is the strategic process of sourcing manpower through recruitment, selection, and hiring, followed by rewarding, developing with training and assessments, relationship building and sustaining. (Rowley, C. and Jackson, K. 2011, p.xxvi). It normally takes time and financial investments to build up good relationships with employees on top of just training them to perform well in their jobs. This is very important to derive positive attitude and wholesome cooperation from employees. If they work hard enough, the company derives more benefits from them. But employees need to be engaged with their part of the functions, duties and responsibilities, in order to be highly desirable in their behaviour and highly productive in their share of the works to achieve objectives. The benefits of training and development over the years are rea lized in achievements of goals through good performance. Whenever a company has to retrench manpower by reason of force majeure, e.g. in times of economic crisis, the company actually loses not only qualified manpower but also the training and development investments incurred to make employees perform better. In the HRM Theory of Engagement, the term â€Å"engagement† refers to a mental attitude with positive behaviour, emotions, and thoughts about a job for the organization to meet the required high performance of manpower capabilities in achieving company objectives. (Holbeche, L. and Matthews, G. 2012, p. 12) A very good example in connection with applying these two theories was reported by the CEO of SRS Real Estate Partners, Chris Maguire. The economic crisis that started in 2008 forced him to sell a part of the real estate business which was supposed to be the â€Å"bread and butter† of SRS in the USA (Fehrenbach, P., 2012) even while he wanted to maintain his ma nagement and staff because of their years of being together. How to maintain their morale and work performance obviously became a major problem. From depending on the big market for real estate and construction industry, SRS shifted to the retail sector or the smaller market in an attempt to find transactions for their survival. One of his leadership skills which paid off eventually was the willingness to be transparent to the people he managed. All members of the organization knew what was happening to the organization. Involvement was high for the survival of the entire manpower resource. This implies the depth and extent of knowledge by the employees that they had to scramble for transactions in the retail sector of the industry in order to find transactions for SRS. Also implied in the situation of SRS were the treasured training, relationship building, and maintenance of good leadership-employee relationship in good or bad times. From the viewpoint of the leadership, retrenchme nt in operations was necessary for survival. Although the story does not give details about what happened to employees connected to the sale of major assets tied with the big chunk of its real estate business, it can be imagined how employees were either transferred to the accountability of the new owner, Jones Lang La Salle, or probably transferred somewhere else. In an economic crisis, where people would

Health care providers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health care providers - Assignment Example The paper tells that the basic principle that governs the objectives of health care providers is the duty and responsibility to promote people’s health. The idea is not only getting people to stay healthy, but also to maintain their good health over time. In the light of achieving this objective, health care professionals have had difficulties embracing change. This has been rooted in the line of services offered and the nature of their profession. To start with, the demand for health care is derived rather than direct. In this regard, heath care professionals have always differed in determining what combination yields maximum benefit for health care seekers. A unique consensus lacks among these professionals, thereby constituting the difficulties therein. Consensus about a given way of having things done is fundamental in determining need for change and the extent to which change is spread across the identified practitioners. Change is by great margin characterized by an adva ncement of a given status or level. Health related advancements take longer to materialize and create the desired impact in the specific medical field they are tailored to. This as a result of longer time lags of research and development in health sector. On the same note, health professionals practice a rather fixed profession where most ways of doing things require that a given system, mechanism or protocol be followed. Change is an expensive affair. The health sector is primarily financed by the government through the relevant ministries and agencies. Critical resources need to be put in place for effective realization of change. Innovativeness, creativity and inventions are key drivers of an intervention that is likely to bring about change. Health care professionals on their own cannot afford to undertake such interventions in the absence of adequate funds. On the same note, contemporary technology ought to be integrated in the process. This factor combination constitutes numer ous difficulties in the context of change for and by health professionals. What are some of the ethical issues posed by information technology? Information technology has been a great boost of the current health care systems in place. Technological advancements have facilitated and aided success into various medical interventions. However, the positives attributed to information technology are not without their negative side. Ethical issues have been raised in the light of using information technology. One of the ethical concerns posed by information technology is that confidentiality for health care givers and health care seekers. A lot of information about patients and health care professionals are stored in data bases run through information technology programs (Dewar, 2009). This information is likely to be available to a number of users, even those that it does not concern. The privacy of both parties aforementioned is therefore guaranteed because of the likelihood of access by one person after the other. Computer crimes have also had their impact on the provision of health care. Hacking has become quite common, and the motives behind such acts are ill. Misuses of information stored in computers have also been of ethical concerns to the sector. Both the health care professionals have used this information for personal or for collective gains at the expense of another party. Moral obligations and codes of conduct for both caregivers and patients have been violated, thus the emergence of ethical concerns in the health system, particularly in the application and use of information technology. At some point, social security has been challenged. What are some of the issues that were unique at Hermann Healthcare System? How did leadership deal with these issues? Healthcare provision is a practice that requires pulling up adequate resources and finances for effective and efficient

Scientific method Essay Example for Free

Scientific method Essay

Hsc Mod C Julius Caesar Essay Example for Free

Hsc Mod C Julius Caesar Essay Composers of texts present a biased attitude to the events, personalities or situations represented. In various texts such as Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar† and Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†, the composers bias is evident even though conflicting perspectives towards the personality are presented. Although conflicting perspectives are present in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar†, the composers bias is still evident. Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar† is a play which reflected the anxiety of England over succession of leadership. When the play was written in 1599, intense censorship prevailed and Shakespeare chose Caesar’s story in order to convey significant ideas and messages to the Elizabethan audience about the importance of strong leadership. Shakespeare’s biased attitude is evident throughout the course of the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as perspectives of Caesar differs greatly. The representation of multiple conflicting perspectives in â€Å"Julius Caesar† does not ensure that the text remains unbiased in its portrayal of personalities. Conflicting perspectives are used in â€Å"Julius Caesar† to build dramatic tension, within the group of conspirators as well as those who oppose them. In the beginning, Shakespeare manipulates us to take on the conspirators’ view of Caesar as an egomaniac dictator whom is ruthless, cunning and overall intolerable. This view is depicted in Act I Scene II of the play whereby Flavius and Murellus are killed for breaking up celebrations on Caesar becoming king â€Å"Murellus and Flavius, for pulling scarves of Caesars images, are put to silence. Fare you well†. Caesars arrogance and egotistical nature can be seen through his language which is autocratic and imperative throughout the play â€Å"For always I am Caesar†. Shakespeare depicts Caesar in an unflattering light to a certain extent to reiterate the importance of strong leadership to the Elizabethan audience. Shakespeare’s bias is further presented in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as he moulds us to value Caesar, and we later perceive him as a successful and deserving leader. This is shown after the assassination, as Caesar remains omnipotent throughout the rest of the play whereby Brutus sees his ghost on several occasions. This notion is further heightened as both Cassius and Brutus die with their last words being concerned with Caesar â€Å"Caesar, thou art revenged†. In turn, this further illustrates that the composers biased attitude is evident in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as we are given multiple perceptions on the one personality. Therefore it is evident that even though different perspectives towards the personality are manifested, Shakespeare’s bias is still evident. In the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† individuals are driven by different ambitions and motivations including those of freedom, idealism and honour. Both Brutus and Cassius see the need for Caesar’s death but are driven by different motivations and perspectives on the political situation at the time. Cassius hates Caesar and his hatred towards him is caused in part for the power given to someone he sees as his physical and intellectual inferior, which is shown through persuasive rhetorical questions â€Å"Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed/ That he has grown so great? † His hatred is trigged by his own lack of success infuriated by perceptions that a man so physically feeble should â€Å"bear the palm alone†. Cassius hatred towards Caesar and his perception of him being a Tyrant is further heightened through the use of visual imagery â€Å" he doth bestride the narrow world/ Like a Colossus, and we petty men/ Walk under his huge legs and peep about/ To find ourselves dishonorable graves†. Unlike Cassius, Brutus is an honorable, self –righteous and noble man whose motivation for Caesars death is driven for the love of Rome as well as his concern that Rome would become a dictatorship ruled by a single corrupted individual, rather than the malice, greed and envy that Cassius carries. Brutus’s motivations behind the death of Caesar is clearly evident in his speech after the assassination. Throughout his speech, Brutus relies on reason and logical rationale and syllogisms to explain the reasons behind the assassination â€Å"If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free man? /as he was ambitious, I slew him†. These strong and emotive words demonstrate Brutus strong love for Rome. Thus it can be said that, although Shakespeare presents various perceptions towards Julius Caesar, the composer’s bias is not negated. In comparison to the perceptions both Cassius and Brutus have towards Caesar, is the perspectives of Antony and Caesar of himself. Antony looked at Caesar as a friend, a role model as well as a kind and deserving leader. This notion is exemplified through the use of emotive language â€Å"O mighty Caesar! /most noble blood of all this world/ the noblest man/ That ever lived in the tide of times†. Furthermore, the use of descriptive and connotative language throughout Antony’s funeral eulogy such as â€Å"sweet Caesar† paints Caesar as a victim to an appalling and monstrous crime. His disgust and pity towards the conspirators is also clearly illustrated throughout the eulogy. He describes the conspirators as â€Å"butchers† and, again in a soliloquy, cries â€Å"havoc and let slip the dogs of war†, which reiterates Antony’s deep loathing of the conspirators actions towards Caesar. On the other hand, Caesar perceives himself as invincible as well as a grand and confident leader. Self promoting imagery which relates to constancy, â€Å"But I am as constant as the northern star† as well as Godlike, monumental power, â€Å"Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus? † exemplifies his steady and firm nature of being a ruler. His confidence of being a successful leader which has been aroused by his social status is heightened throughout the imperative words â€Å"For always I am Caesar†. This therefore illustrates the many perceptions presented to the one personality in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar†. Hence it is evident, that the text â€Å"Julius Caesar† remains biased even though there are conflicting perspectives presented. Leunig’s sardonic cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† is another example of conflicting perspectives. The cartoon is in the form of a newspaper report in which shocking facts and statistics about the conditions in the war in Iraq are just beneath the image in which John Howard and George Bush are leaning forward, smiling and shaking hands in front of an immaculate fireplace. There are two very obvious perspectives being presented about the coalitions in the cartoon. The first perspective being their own views on themselves. In regards to the war in Iraq, both John Howard and George Bush believe they are doing an exceptional job. This view is motivated as the coalitions look self assured through their smug expressions. Also, the coalitions are overly pleased with themselves and look at one another as successful and righteous. In comparison to Julius Caesar, the Conspirators believed that by killing Caesar, they would be doing Rome and the people of Rome a favour. They strongly believed it was the right thing to do, and if they did not act in such a way, then Rome would have been controlled by a dictator. This notion can be linked to Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† as only in the coalitions opinion that Sadam Hussein is a dictator and therefore must also be killed. The news reporter’s own opinion on the coalitions in Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† is also apparent. This view is motivated through factual information, statistics which are provided, expert opinion present of the shocking reality of the war in Iraq â€Å"Increasing numbers of children in Iraq do not have enough food to eat, and more than a quarter are chronically undernourished, a UN report says†. In comparison to Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar†, the people of Rome go against the conspirators and disagree with the killing of their leader. The removal of Caesar as a king and leader leads to civil strife, anarchy and eventually a war. The composer Leunig has represented the personalities in a negative light in the cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†. His aim is to satirise the coalition and highlight their malice and profound ignorance. Ultimately, there are many texts which portrays conflicting perspectives. These texts include Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as well as Leunig’s sardonic cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†. Therefore is can be concluded that although conflicting perspectives towards the personality are represented the composers’ bias is still evident in various texts.

Benefits of Sustainable Water Management in Bangladesh

Benefits of Sustainable Water Management in Bangladesh Food security and surface water management has become a critical need in Bangladesh because of growing demand of food and water. With vision of enhancing food production and employment generation, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) Bangladesh gets involved at local level surface water management in 1962. As an apex public organization, LGED performs overall planning and management of surface water at local level by confirming people participation. With past experience, LGED started participatory Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project (SSWRDSP) in 1995 and built about 580 sub-projects where stakeholders involvement in decision making process has become an integral part of sustainable development in surface water management. The purpose of the paper is to explore the potential contributions of sustainable surface water management in socio-economic development through food production and employment generation at the rural level. It reviews relevant external secondary data sources and internal SSWRDSPs which include sub-project based field data obtained for formulation, implementation, and performance evaluation of SSWRDSPs. Primary sources included extensive field visits, household survey and sub-project beneficiary and Water Management Cooperative Association (WMCA) interviews. Transcripts of field visit, field notes, and relevant literature are analyzed on the basis of themes, patterns and datas of interrelationships among those that addressed the research goal. To ensure true reflection, quantity and quality of data gets highest degree of priority. It is found that well-designed management of surface water resources is vital and essential in ensuring food security and rural employment. 1. Introduction Peoples in the developing countries are in emergency of essentials—food and water, shelter, energy and health although the scenario is quite opposite in the developed nations where the people are facing the difficulties of affluence (Roome, 2002).To attain the food demands of 2050, food production is needed to increase by 3 times. Historically agricultural production is the most suitable way of food production and only that can provide better diets for the people all over the worlds (Avery, 2002).To meet the controversy on the sustainable way of food production this paper tried to established that the participatory approach in surface water management is the most sustainable way of using surface water to increase agricultural production as well as the food production for the future. Now, sustainable food production as well as food for everyones is a global demand. A rising population of Bangladesh with declining agricultural land has put the countrys future food security at risk, especially when salinity in the coastal belt, and droughts and depleting underground water level in the north have become constant realities (Palma, 2010). According to a projection of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics the countrys population will be 170 million by 2020 (BBS, 2001; Population Council, 2010). Bangladesh currently has 8.44 million hectares of cultivable land, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. With 1 percent decrease of arable land due to building of new houses, industrialization, and urbanization the cultivable land area will come down to a little more than 7.0 million hectares in 2020 (MoA, 2007a). Bangladesh had to import nearly 2.0 million tons of food grains in the last fiscal year on top of around 30 million tons of rice and wheat produced domestically (Palma, 2010). These factors might lead to a decrease in productivity as was projected by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007). Though presently the situation of food security appears quite satisfactory, but the scenario was significantly different in past and also its future may not look the same due to increasing population and climatic changes. In 1971-1972 the area under rice production was 9,278.00 thousand hectare and the production was 9889.20 thousand metric ton (BBS, 2008). Due to different initiatives by the government through different organization such as Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) cultivable areas and production increasing day by day such as in 2005-2006 the rice production areas augmented into 10, 529.09 thousand hectare and the production increased into 24, 569.27 thousand metric ton (MoA, 2007b; BBS, 2008). Past experience can be argued that those achievement due to better surface water management preservation and use of surface water, training of farmers to address the depletion of underground water. Otherwise, it was and will be difficult to ensure food security for the ever increasing population (Palma, 2010). However, it is stated that Bangladesh faces some significant challenges in the next century. A combination of population growth, a reduction of arable land and the increasing living standards, will place pressure on food and water security in the country (Khoo, 2010). Brundtland commission (1987) stated that the sustainable food production is the production which should meet the needs and desire of the people without negotiating with the natural resource for the next generation (Roome, 2002). In this light, Participatory approaches in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) for agriculture can be focused as the most sustainable eco-friendly farming as well as sustainable surface water management and food production system. The soil and Water Conservation Society of America stated that the Agricultural farming through surface water management is the most sustainable food production method as it has a unique capability of keeping the soil fertile without remarkable erosion by integrated management system (Avery, 2002). More steps for sustainable food production can be taken as the food production system does not create any negative impact on the environment (Heap, 2002). Moreover, in the face of rapidly changing national, regional and global ec onomic environment, Bangladesh agriculture is facing the challenge to reinvent itself to withstand competition and at the same time continue to provide food and employment opportunities for the vast majority of the population (MoA, 2006). 1.1 Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and its Involvement The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), whose origin dates back to the Rural Works Programme (RWP) initiated in the early 1960s, developed rapidly throughout the 1980s and 1990s. RWP was a component of the Comilla Model of rural development pioneered by the famous Aktar Hamid Khan at Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) nationwide this was started in the early 1960s (Rahman, Rahman Rahman, 2007). In 1982 RWP switched to the Works Programme Wing (WPW) under the Local Government Division (LGD) of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development Co-operatives (MoLGRDC) (MoLG, 1982). Subsequently the administrative decentralization act of 1982 converted it into the Local Government Engineering Bureau (LGEB) in 1984 (MoLGRDC, 1984). With the needs for rural infrastructure development in the country and the readiness of LGEB to take on more responsibilities, LGEB was upgraded as the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in August 1992 (LGD, 1992). It is widely recognised that the role of infrastructure in economic development is significant and often greater than that of investment in other forms of capital (World Bank, 1994). Mujeri (2002) argues that rural infrastructure including irrigation structure play an important role in the socio-economic development of rural areas. Rural works Programme (RWP) and the Thana Irrigation Programme (TIP) and micro-finance have been seen as two interrelated sub-strategies for achieving poverty alleviation (MoLGRD, 1979; MIP, 1998). Comilla Model tried to integrate these two strategies and considered that the breakdown of the interrelationship between the RWP, the TIP and the co-operative would result in undermining of the whole rural development effort through the Comilla experiment (Sen, 1996). With mission and vision of Comilla model of A.H. Khan, LGED got involvement in escalating food production and facilitating food marketing through surface water management by excavating/re-excavating drains and canals, digging new canals, repair and construction of bunds and embankments, reclamation of land for productive purpose, repair and construction of bridges, repair and construction of earthen and pucca roads meant for irrigation and communication in the name of Works Programme and Thana Irrigation Programme (GoEP, 1962). The TIP program gave responsibility to the Union Parishad (UP) members to find out available surface water resources to plan for utmost irrigation coverage by Low Lift Pumps (LLPs). UP members formed project committees under the RWP to re-excavate irrigation canals for better agricultural production (GoEP, 1962). With the same objectives as of TIP, LGED started Canal Digging Programme (CDP) in 1979 initially on voluntary basis and later on with the assistance from Food for Work (FFW) to de-silt sediment filled channels all over the country to boost-up water storage capacity of channels for irrigation. The CDP aimed to increase irrigation water supply, drainage improvement, tree plantation on canal bank and fisheries development. The program implemented 3,276 km of khal re-excavation, 429,597 pond re-excavation projects and 382 hydraulic structures. The benefited area covered under CDP was about 419,500 hectares (IWRMU, 2008). In parallel to CDP, under Rural Employment Sector Programme (RESP) funded by SIDA and NORAD, LGED initiated development of small-scale water resources schemes to increase agricultural as well as food production and rural employment generation in 1986 and the programme was continued up to 1996 (MPIUS, 1998). The project implemented 60 small-scale schemes in six districts (Kurigram, Faridpur, Rajbari, Madaripur, Gopalgonj and Shariatpur). IDP covered about 20,530 hectares of cultivated land benefiting 51,230 farm families (RESP, 2000; IWRMU, 2008b). LGED has performed excellently in implementing the rural infrastructures in collaboration with local users to increase food production and consequent employment generation (Faruqee Choudhury, 1996). With an aim to provide dry season irrigation facilities by using surface water in increasing rice and non-rice crops production especially in the coastal belt LGED first implemented two rubber dams in Coxs Bazar District in 1995 on a pilot basis. Inspired by the success of the pilot projects, the Government considered rubber dams for wide replication and, consequently, construction of more rubber dams was taken up all over the country. LGED has constructed eleven more rubber dams in 1999-2007 (DoAE LGED, 2005) and started to construct 10 more rubber dams in 2009-2014. Participatory irrigation management and OM have been adopted for the rubber dam projects (DoAE LGED, 2009). 2. Objectives To surface the initiatives of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in food security and employment generation through surface water management with participatory approach. To present the state of the art of the participatory surface water management process in sustainable socio-economic development by increasing crop as well as food production and thereby employment generation in the rural areas of Bangladesh 3. Methodology A detailed and systematic approach was followed to achieve the objectives of this study using two methods. First a broad review of external secondary data sources associated with the topic that included water and food production, irrigation, gender and development, employment generation, surface water management etc. and internal SSWRDSPs which includes the sub-project based field data obtained for formulation, implementation, and performance evaluation of SSWRDSPs were made. Pre-project data were compiled from sub-project appraisal reports while the monitoring and evaluation data were drawn from the Management Information System (MIS) unit of IWRMU, LGED and various project reports. Field information was fetched through befitting exercise supported by the SSWRDSPs and the IWRMU of LGED collected the post-project data after completion of the projects. Methodology of the study also involved two tier exercises. Firstly, information of the pre-status of the sub-projects areas were drawn from relevant published materials and field records and secondly the post-status of the sub-project areas from data obtained from MIS unit. Primary sources included extensive field visits, household survey and sub-project beneficiary and WMCAs interviews. Field workers of Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) were involved in the surveys and interviews. As the author is a fulltime employee of LGED and posted in the IWRMU as a Senior Assistant Engineer (Operation and Maintenance) and also in-charge MIS unit of IWRMU of LGED, got opportunity to involve in every steps of sub-project implementation cycle. Transcripts of field visit, field notes, and relevant literature were analysed on the basis of themes, patterns and datas of interrelationships among those that addressed the research goal. 4. Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Projects of LGED Taking lessons from the performances of the earlier water resources development projects, LGED facilitates sustainable use of water resources with the participation of local stakeholders along with Local Government Institutions involving public and private sectors, communities and individuals in the implementation of Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project (SSWRDSP) to improve the socio-economic condition that includes food production and employment generation. The Project is implemented in conformity with the National Water Policy (NWP) that stressed integrated water management. The NWP has defined the role of the Local Government Institutions and given the mandate of implementing flood control, drainage and irrigation (FCDI) projects having command areas of 1,000 ha or less to increase the food production and employment generation (MoWR, 1999). The NWP states that water resources management requires involvement of the public and private sectors, communities and indiv iduals that benefit from the delivery of water-related services. Because, the ultimate success and effectiveness of public water resources management projects depends on the peoples acceptance and ownership of each subproject / project (MoWR, 1999). The first project was in the name of Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project (SSWRDSP) (1995-2002). The project aimed at sustainable growth in agricultural production as well as food production and incomes of about 140,000 farm families in western Bangladesh through the establishment of about 300 small-scale water resources development schemes (LGED, 1995). The phase-1 of SSWRDSP finally completed 280 subproject covering 165,000 hectares of cultivates land that benefits 142,000 farm families in 37 districts (IWRMU, 2008c).The main objectives of the Second Small-Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project (SSWRDSP) are to enhance agriculture and fish culture and to take effective steps in poverty alleviation through improving the surface water resources in different regions of the country (Rahman, Rahman Rahman, 2007). With the success and gathered experience from SSWRDSP-1 LGED started the 2nd phase of SSWRDSP covering larger areas in 61 districts of the country in 2003(LGED, 2001). The 2nd phase of the project is completed in 2010 (LGED, 2010a) and implements 300 sub-projects all over the country covering 163,000 hectares of cultivates land that benefits 154,000 farm families. The 3rd phase is started in 2010 in the name of Participatory Small Scale Water Resources Sector Project (PSSWRSP) and implementing throughout the country with an aims to develop 300 new sub-projects and for rehabilitation of 160 existing sub-projects (LGED, 2010b). It could be mentioned that another Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Projects funded by JICA also implementing by LGED from 2008 covering 15 districts of greater Mymensingh, Sylhet and Faridpur having a plan to implement 300 sub-projects (LGED, 2010c). In implementing these projects, LGED is very much careful about participatory water management pro cess (MoWR, 2000). It has developed a very innovative framework of participation for addressing local peoples views in development initiative in water sector (LGED, 2009). The local people participate in all stages of the project cycle- identification and feasibility, design and institutional building, construction and first year OM (Operation Maintenance), sustainable O M and their participation is formulized through forming a Water Management Cooperative Association (WMCA) in each sub-project. After completion of the sub-project, the WMCA takes the responsibility of operation and maintenance of the subproject infrastructure (LGED, 2009). Capacity building of WMCAs is another important aspect of the project. Line agencies of the government imparted training to the WMCA members for their capacity building and LGED has signed memorandum of understandings with the agencies concerned (MoWR, 2000). Moreover LGED ensure the stakeholder participation to make the project effective and su stainable development as the interests of the community promotes a convergence among the government, development partners and other stakeholders, is considered as a key strategic step for sustainable investment (FAO, 2010). Monitoring of the completed 580 Sub-projects of the SSWRDSP shows increasing trend in cereal and non-cereal crop as well as food production. The increased crop/food production is due to increased cropping intensity in the subproject area and that intensity generates more employment in respective area. Evaluation of the project has been done by different agencies at different time. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and WL I delft hydraulics, the Netherlands jointly evaluated the project. In addition Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under Ministry of Planning Bangladesh also evaluated the project and their findings are very much positive. In general, the evaluation agencies concluded that SSWRDSP has shown a very encouraging development in developing Socio-Economic conditions that includes food production and employment generation in the Sub-project area (BUET, BIDS delft hydraulics, 2 003; IMED, 2005). The project follows a participatory approach of implementation where local people play vital role in all stages of the project cycle. 5. Framework of participation The overall participatory process in subproject development adopted by the LGED is a combination of two parallel but interrelated processes: â€Å"Institutional† involving software elements and Technical involving hardware elements Sub-project implementation is participatory and the whole cycle of subproject development process is sub-divided into four distinct stages as presented below (Figure-1) (LGED, 2009). Stage 1: Identification and Feasibility In consultation with local stakeholders, the Union Parishad (Council) kicks off sub-project proposals. The LGED Upazila Engineer submits it to the Upazila Development Coordination Committee for approval. If approved, the proposal is forwarded to the Integrated Water Resources Management Unit (IWRMU) and to the Project Management Office (PMO) through the LGED Executive Engineer at the district level. IWRMU pre-screens the proposal during a multidisciplinary field reconnaissance. This is followed by (i) Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and (ii) Feasibility Study (FS). Each subproject is reviewed and approved by District Level Inter-Agency Project Evaluation Committee (DLIAPEC). Stage 2: Design and Institution Building Following the approval of DLIAPEC, engineering design and establishment of Water Management Association (WMA) are done along with motivational awareness campaign among stakeholders. Process of establishing WMA is initiated under the legal framework of the Cooperative Societies Act (National Parliament of Bangladesh, 2001). Contracted NGO facilitator creates awareness, generates local enthusiasm in the local water resource systems, promote membership enrolment, assist in collection of beneficiary contributions, and conflict resolution. The WMA is registered with the Department of Co-operative (DoC) and becomes WMCA. The IWRMU undertakes engineering design work in consultation with stakeholders and discusses for their approval. This process concludes in the signing of a formal implementation agreement by the WMCA, Union Parishad and LGED Executive Engineer at district level before tendering for the works or contracting Labor Contracting Societies (LCS). To sign the implementation agree ment, the WMCA must have achieved (i) enrolment of at least 70% of beneficiary households; (ii) collection of beneficiary contributions equivalent to an annual OM requirement and deposited in a joint account by LGED and the WMCA; and (iii) approved plans in consultation with people-affected by the environmental mitigation and resettlement (land acquisition) (MoWR, 2000). Stage 3: Construction and First Year OM Civil works are tendered to contractor and earthworks awarded to LCS groups comprised of local landless, disadvantaged destitute males and females. The WMCA supervises construction through a 7-member committee trained on construction monitoring including one man and one woman from the concern Union Parishad (LGED, 2009). The WMCA forms OM sub-committee and prepares schedule, beneficiary list and maps, and plan comprising operating guidelines, and maintenance and resource mobilization plans. The IWRMU provides on-the-job training that helps WMCA to (i) undertake annual inspection, (ii) identify maintenance needs, (iii) prepare and implement annual OM plan, and (iv) collect OM fees. After observation of the infrastructures management performance during the first year of OM, the sub-project is handed over to the WMCA through a formal lease agreement with LGED (ADB LGED, 2009). The WMCA receives support of agricultural extension and fisheries departments to prepare agriculture and fishe ries development plans and to organize training for WMCA representatives who work as liaison extensions to beneficiaries (ADB, 2008). Stage 4: Sustainable Operation and Maintenance This stage starts after sub-project handover and continues throughout its lifetime. Continuous monitoring and support is provided by the IWRMU of LGED and other partner agencies. The WMCA and O M Committee receive regular training so that they are able to carry out O M of the sub-project. The WMCA Prepare O M Plan, Undertakes routine maintenance works and collects O M fees from direct beneficiaries in proportion to their land area benefited by the sub-project. (LGED, 2009) 6. Participation ‘Participation was first advocated in the context of development authorization in the 1950s due to failed development policies which were thought to lack integration of public concerns throughout their planning. Thus, participatory methods were encouraged as fundamental measures of development. In this process marginal groups (poor, women, indigenous and ethnic minorities) should come together with project authorities to share, negotiate and control decision-making processes (Lisk, 1981; WB, 1985). In each subproject of the SSWRDSP of LGED the organization in the name of WMCA is formed. The WMCAs play basic role to functionally represent beneficiaries in all processes of the sub-project cycle. The stakeholders participation is assessed by institutional and OM activities in the sub-project area. Institutional activities: Institutional activities are assessed by WMCAs functions. These include membership, beneficiarys contribution, capital formation and use and holding of meetings in each subproject. These are monitored quarterly through Upazila level Community Organizers (CO) and district level Socio-economist. WMCAs progress on institutional activities and their capability development in 580 subproject areas as monitored in December 2010 are as follows: WMCA membership: The WMCAs provide an excellent means to address the needs of a range of special interests. The membership in 580 WMCAs consists of 183,831 males and 70,723 females from an estimated total of 297,300 households. Average membership covers about three-forth of the total households. Women all over the world play an active role in agriculture, thus contributing to food security (IFAD, 2007). The WMCA members include marginal, small, medium and large farmers; landless; women and fishers. Women comprised one-third of the first management committee of each of the WMCAs and about 25% of the total membership as the National Policy for Womens Advancement, provides a significant commitments of the Government to equality of women and men which are also reflected in the national poverty reduction strategy that emphasizes the importance of womens rights and opportunities for progress in the battle against poverty (GoB, 2009; ADB, 2010). Each WMCA members elect a Management Committee with at least o ne-third women members. The Management Committee is supported by OM, agricultural, fisheries and credit management subcommittees. Regular Management Committee Meeting and Annual General Meeting are conducted by the WMCAs. Beneficiaryscontribution: the beneficiaries contribution construction of infrastructure in 580 sub-projects amounted (US$1,190.141) of which 89% was collected from the farmers beneficiaries of the water resources development. WMCA capital: These WMCAs have established a capital base in all sub-projects through shares and savings by the members. In 580 sub-projects, the capital accomplished well in excess of Tk 129.82 million (US$1,829). The capital is being used in supporting micro-credit, procurement of agricultural inputs, and other small-scale business enterprises operated by the individual WMCA. WMCAs have set up micro-credit programmess and have loaned to 26,900 male and 12,937 female members. The average size of each loan is about Tk 2,500 (US$ 366). Since the capital formation the cumulative investments of the WMCAs is Tk 110.1 million (US$1.55 million). The DoC inspects and audits the accounts of the WMCAs. The WMCA members have increased their income with investment of micro-credit on quality seed production, poultry farming, milking cow, beef fattening, vegetable production, aquaculture, seasonal crop storage, and grocery shops. WMCA capability development: The WMCAs members are given training to increase their capability in institutional management, capital formation, credit management, sustainable agricultural and fisheries production, improved farm practices, environmental management and subproject OM. Relevant departments and institutes support the project in training need assessments, course development, materials preparation and organisation. LGED has signed memorandum of understanding with the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Department of Cooperatives (DoC), Department of Fisheries (DoF) and Department of Livestock Service (DLS) to support the subproject beneficiaries (LGED, 2006). The DoC supports subproject WMCAs in institutional strengthening and financial management. Field level official of DAE, DoF and DLS support the sub-project farmers and fishers in the preparation and implementation of agricultural and fisheries production plans and use of improved technologies. This has created opportunity for the integratio n and complementary of support services provided by the government departments and sustainable water resources uses for food production with the formation of cooperatives in the sub-projects areas. Three approaches are adopted to provide training to the WMCA members that included beneficiary farmers, fishers and women. The first approach is to identify and communicate with existing relevant programmes and to ensure that WMCA members have access to these programmes. The second approach is that where a need for a new programme is identified, the Project develops the material, testes it by conducting a number of programmes, and then transfers the training material to an appropriate institution. As an example, this is the approach used in establishing management training for the WMCA at the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development. A third approach is used especially for new programmes. The Project works with the relevant institution to jointly prepare the curriculum and training materi als. The training is then delivered by that institution and further developed based on feed-back from participants and monitoring systems. This approach is used in the training delivered by the DAE Agricultural Training Institutes. General improvements during the course of the Project attributable to training impact were observed, in the nature of the institutional support provided to the local stakeholders, in the type of agriculture practiced within the Project area, in aquaculture, and in homestead food production patterns. All of these activities are imparted and monitored by IWRMU LGED. Operation and maintenance (OM)activities: The sub-project beneficiaries prepare annual OM plans and budget and mobilise local resources for the OM costs. LGED initiated extensive training programs for the WMCA OM sub-committee members to perform regular OM for the completed sub-project handed-over to them. The OM sub-committee is responsible for the preparation of annual plan and collection and utilization of funds for OM. Annually each WMCA collects OM fund from the farmers at the rate of 3.0% and 1.5% of the total cost for the subproject earthworks and hydraulic structures, respectively (ADB, 2008; ADB LGED, 2009). Table 1: Operation and Maintenance (O M) Budget (Taka-million) Budget 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 Subprojects No. 233 254 260 289 331 297 372 580 Contribution of GOB 2.99 7.39 15.89 20.48 22.25 24.39 30.73 47.5 Voluntary Labor Contribution 0.41 1.12 2.06 2.53 3.32 3.49 4.19 5.94 Total Collection (Taka) 3.4 8.51 17.95 23.01 25.57 27.88 34.92 47.5 % of voluntary contribution 12.1 13.2 11.5

George MacDonalds The Princess and the Goblin :: MacDonald Princess Goblin Essays

George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin In his novel The Princess and the Goblin, George MacDonald has cleverly crafted an underground society populated by a distorted and "ludicrously grotesque" race. Within the body of his tale, he reveals that these people are descended from humans, and did in fact, once upon a time, live upon the surface themselves. Only eons of living separated from fresh air and sunlight have caused them to evolve into the misshapen creatures we meet in this story (MacDonald, 2-4). MacDonald calls the beings goblins, and while they certainly may fit that definition from a 19th century point of view, they are far more akin to the dwarves that we have come to know from classic stories like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and popular games like "Dungeons & Dragons," as well as countless movies, cartoons and video games. Still, it is clear that MacDonald had a considerable knowledge of folklore and mythology and that he drew upon that background to help evoke and manifest a convincing culture of underground dwellers, or little folk. There seems to be little agreement, at least in a modern world of mass communication, of what exactly a goblin is. The origin of the word appears to come from the medieval French town of Evreux, which claims to have been haunted by a demon named Gobelinus (who may or may not have been, at one point, an actual living person). From there the term evolved to refer to any small spirit or creature who (unlike modern interpretations of the word) may be either good or bad, but is almost certainly mischievous (Wiseley). Dwarves, on the other hand, are also small creatures, but the popular connotation is one of a generally amiable and hard-working being who lives underground building mines. MacDonald's creations fall somewhere in between these descriptions, but they probably lay closer to the latter. Scandinavia and Germany are the primary homes to the legends that inspired both MacDonald and many other writers both before and since. The Scandinavians spoke of the land that the dwarves hailed from, calling it Svartalfheim. This land of "dark elves" was described as a dark, cold realm of caverns, sounding convincingly like the twisting, black underground tunnels which Curdie is forced to blindly explore. An alternative to this hidden land was Nifleheim, a land of the dead that could also easily pass for MacDonald's subterranean labyrinth (Mott).

Justice and Moderation of the Soul in The Republic, by Plato Essay exam

In his philosophical text, The Republic, Plato argues that justice can only be realized by the moderation of the soul, which he claims reflects as the moderation of the city. He engages in a debate, via the persona of Socrates, with Ademantus and Gaucon on the benefit, or lack thereof, for the man who leads a just life. I shall argue that this analogy reflecting the governing of forces in the soul and in city serves as a sufficient device in proving that justice is beneficial to those who believe in, and practice it. I shall further argue that Plato establishes that the metaphorical bridge between the city and soul analogy and reality is the leader, and that in the city governed by justice the philosopher is king. The three men discuss justice as if it's a good thing. Glaucon wants Socrates to prove that it is, and argues if it is just to do wrong in order to have justice, or on the other hand, is it unjust to never do wrong and therefore have no justice. For example; a man who lies, cheats and steals yet is a respected member of the community would be living a just life, in comparison to a man who never lied, cheated, nor stole anything but lives in poverty and is living an unjust life. Glaucon assumes the life of a just man is better than the life of an unjust man. Socrates now introduces a new method with use of imagery. He mentions a city and all that's within a city, to be applied in reference to the human soul. There are three cities he speaks of the city of necessity, the city of luxury, and the feverish city. The city of necessity only includes items, such as food, shelter and clothing, needed for survival as well as laborers to provide them. Soon, the laborers begin to expand necessity to comfort, thus forming th... ...s. When justice reigns in man's soul, he is a happy man and rules over his soul like a good ruler rules over a society. When injustice reigns in his soul, he is an unhappy man, just as men under an unjust ruler are unhappy. Injustice always brings bondage, so the man who lives in injustice is in bondage either to his own failings or to an evil society. Whether the just man receives extra rewards beyond the happiness of living in a just soul is beside the point. His soul is his world, and if it is a just one, it is a happy place to live. Works Cited Dunkle, Roger. "The Classical Origins of Western Culture" Brooklyn College, The City University of New York. 1986 . Web. 29 July 2015. http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/netshots/stdygde.htm Plato. Republic. Trans. G.M.A. Grube and C.D.C. Reeve. Plato Complete Works. Ed. John M. Cooper. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997.

Biography of Ogden Nash Essay -- Papers

Ogden Nash was born on August 19, 1902 in Rye, New York and was raised there and in Savannah, Georgia. He received his education from St. George’s School in Rhode Island and he also attended Harvard University. His first published poem "Spring Comes to Murray Hill" was featured in the New Yorker Magazine in 1930. He subsequently joined the staff of the New Yorker Magazine in 1932. Throughout his career he published a total of nineteen books of poetry before his death on May 19, 1971. He manipulates the English language to fit in his poems to male jokes and keep his audience entertained. Nash says he gave up hope of becoming a serious poet and decided that it would be better to be a good bad poet than to be a bad good poet. Ogden Nash employs the use of humor and light hearted verse to talk about relationships, parenting, and life in general. Relationships were one of Ogden Nash’s most written about subjects. Relationships are a hard subject to write fun poetry about, but Nash makes it work like a charm by using funny generalizations and making them rhyme. He can do this like no other with any voice he feels needed. He uses serious, silly, and sincere tones in his work relating to relationships. In one poem in particular â€Å"u of an Ode to Duty† he tells about the confusing ever confusing relationship between men and women, and seems to take no obvious side in the matter. â€Å"On some occasions he writes in conventional modes, which means dropping the playful and the lightly satirical to write the pure lyric or to add a didactic note to the prevailing humorous tenor of his verse,† (Louis Hasley,2). Many of his poems about this topic are written with a personal feel, reading them makes you feel as... ... which he views on a daily basis. â€Å"The expression of wisdom, the incongruous sound effects, the comic deflation, all serve to endear the poet-fool to his audience,†(George Crandell,3). Through viewing Nash’s poetry I have learned that there needs to be a voice like his out in society to comment on nonsense, otherwise we would lose touch with our senses of humor. Works Cited Crandell, George W. Studies in American Humor, Vol. 7, 1989, pp.94-103. http://www.galenet.com/servelet/LitRC/ (10/26/1999) Frankenberg, Lloyd The New York Times Book Review, November 19, 1950, p.4 http://www.galenet.com/servelet/LitRC/ (10/26/1999) McCord, David The Saturday Review, February 10, 1951, p. 18 http://www.galenet.com/servelet/LitRC/ (10/26/1999) Hasley, Louis The Arizona Quarterly, Vol.27, 1971, pp. 241-250 http://www.galenet.com/servelet/LitRC/ (10/26/1999)

Radicalization French Revolution

Reasons radicalization of French Revolution By the end of September 1791, the National Assembly announced that its work was done. In many ways, the Constitution of 1791 seemed to fulfil the promises of reform which had been first uttered by the men of 1789. All Frenchmen could now be proud that the following rights had been secured: equality before the law, careers open to talent, a written constitution, and parliamentary government. Hence, there was a sizeable faction within the National Assembly who were satisfied and claimed the Revolution to be at an end as its primary aims had been achieved.However, by 1792 the revolution moved in a more radical and violent direction. Why the revolution became radical is often debated, and there are essentially two main reasons as to why it did so. First, a counter-revolution, loyal to Church and King, was led by the noble and the clergy and supported by staunch Catholic peasants. This threatened the changes of the revolutionaries; therefore the y turned to drastic measures. Second, the economic, social, and political discontent of the urban working classes also propelled the Revolution in the direction of radicalism.These were the small shop-keepers, artisans and wage earners, referred to as ‘sans-culottes’. Popular discontent and Jacobin agitation was evident in August as the city council was overthrown and the Commune of Paris was established. Despite the revolutionaries drafting a constitution, they now had no monarch as the royal family was under house arrest. By September the capital was in a state of chaos as more than 1,200 people were killed. This took place in order to maintain revolution and keep it moving forward.Although the constitution was already enshrined and the citizens had their freedom and liberties, there was still plenty of public dissent and disapproval as to whether or not these laws would help create a new government and prevent the country from breaking apart. The people had come this far and were not prepared to watch their efforts lead to failure or the restoration of an absolute monarchy. As a result of this radical forces were able to get citizens on side by claiming the constitution of 1791 did not meet the demands of all the people.Radicals led the Commune, discarded the old constitution and called for a National Convention to revise a new one. In January 1793, Louis XVI was executed and the Jacobins condemned their actions by claiming that the monarchy had to be abolished in order to eliminate as many of the royalist and monarchists that remained. France was declared a republic and it could be suggested that his death signified the emergence of nationalism as people remained loyal to the radicals. In addition to this, it highlighted the point where radicalism would dominate the revolution.The revolution faced strain as it coped with the weight of foreign war and civil war which caused the revolutionary leadership to grow more radical. Moderate reformers à ¢â‚¬â€œ the Girondins, had previously dominated the National Convention, but this was to change. Division within the convention began to emerge within the Convention as the Jacobins and Girondins desired different aims. Factional disputes resulted in the replacement of the Girondins with the Jacobins – the far more radical of the two.The Jacobins claimed it was their duty to save the revolution and their strengths helped gain them the support of the sans-culottes. It was the premise of the Jacobins that they should eradicate the â€Å"enemies† and secure the destiny of the revolution through the destruction of counter-revolutionary forces. The Jacobins managed to grip firm control of the Convention and the French Nation. Essentially, they were now the government. However, with the strain of civil war, economic distress and threats of foreign invasion, they realised strong leadership was required in order to save the revolution.The CPS assumed tight leadership in April 1793, and it has been argued that the reign of terror followed from this. The Committee ordered arrests and trials of counter-revolutionaries and imposed government authority. However, there was no turning back from the radical phase that the people had voluntarily entered. By summer, the reign of terror had spread over France, spearheaded by the infallibility of Robespierre, began persecuting even the innocent. It can be seen it was far too radical as even the moderate Girondins were accused of counter-revolutionary actions and expelled from the Convention.What was once a legislative, two-sided body had now become an authoritarian oligarchy led by radicals. It has been argued that this was a step backwards in the revolution as it imitated an absolute monarchy, without the safeguards of constitution. Around 17,000 people died as a result of the terror, and this was to be a stage in the revolution that could not be undone. In the summer of 1794 there seemed to be less need for terror and the republic seemed a reality. With the 9th Thermidor, the machinery of the Jacobin republic was dismantled.Leadership passed to the property owning bourgeoisie. The government then changed hands to the five-man directory and radicalism had been effectively thwarted. However, France was still at war with the rest of Europe and leadership began to pass into the hands of generals, which ultimately saw the emergence of Napoleon Bonaparte. France was not prepared for such social and political upheaval, and the resulting shift towards a republic would change the country forever.

Robert Martinson

Indeed, the article written by Robert Martinson entitled â€Å"What Works? Questions and Answers About Prison Reform† has given much controversy to the application of rehabilitation in relation to recidivism. The claims of the article written by the team of Martinson, which includes Dr. Doug Lipton as the senior author and Judith Wilks as the co-author, centered on the theme that there is no significant improvement with rehabilitation strategies. This has been widely accepted by both the Left and the Right and became popular as the â€Å"Nothing Works!† (Sarre 2). Both people and institutions have come to think that the findings provided that nothing works for the crime offenders are something that should be accepted and is a fact (Sarre 2). Thus, it is until now that the claims of Martinson, despite two decades have passed is something that has been held by public agencies involved (Sarre 5). Despite the fact that people have already taken this fact with open arms, there are things which might have been left before Martinson and the authors could speak to clarify the findings further. The conclusions may be of significance but to every research, there are limitations and problems that should be realized together with this. Indeed, the conclusions of Martinson that strategies of rehabilitation employed are not as effective would require a deeper understanding that it may be for a particular group of people and that the limitations would have to be considered for the conclusions rendered. It could be said that the phrase â€Å"nothing works† is not the conclusion that the authors would want to convey for their study. It is not in its entirety that they would want this to be the message. In fact, it is only a partial of this because as they mentioned â€Å"†¦ with few and isolated exceptions, the rehabilitative efforts that have been reported so far have had no appreciable effect on recidivism† and â€Å"our present strategies †¦ cannot overcome, or even appreciably reduce, the powerful tendencies of offenders to continue in criminal behavior† (as qtd in Sarre 2). It is to be noted that there is the phrase â€Å"few and isolated exceptions† and â€Å"our present strategies† which would require some note that there is a hope that rehabilitation is concluded to be still there, just have to be improved or searched. Before Martinson passed away, he claimed that the some treatment programs do have an effect and these are on â€Å"individual psychotherapy, group counseling, intensive supervision, and what we have called individual/help (aid, advice, counseling)† (as qtd in Sarre 4). This could be seen as a parallel point to the phrases â€Å"few and isolated exceptions† and â€Å"our present strategies.† A possible explanation that may be given for such is a phrase written by Sarre as â€Å"the burial of rehabilitation as an aim of sentencing appears to have occurred before its death had even been announced† (5). People have rushed into conclusions before the authors were given the chance to explain further the study or to conduct several researches more to confirm if this is for the general population. The negative picture associated with the criminal offenders would likewise give further strength to the ideas received by the population. The careful publication of researches should be made in the future should be observed and the constant challenge to ideas presented with a critical mind and eyes should be maintained. Work Cited Sarre, Rick. Beyond â€Å"What Works?† A 25 Year Jubilee Retrospective of Robert Martinson. Paper presented at the History of Crime, Policing and Punishment Conference convened by the Australian Institute of Criminology in conjunction with Charles Sturt University and held in Canberra, 9-10 December 1999. 8 April 2008 [http://www.aic.gov.au/conferences/hcpp/sarre.pdf].

The Influence of Using Sequentra®

SAN BEDA COLLEGE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MENDIOLA, MANILA RESEARCH Methodology The Influence of Using Sequentra ® on the Johnson Controls Inc. – Global WorkPlace Knowledge Centre’s (JCI-GWK) Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services and to the Clients SUBMITTED TO: Dr. Milagros Malaya SUBMITTED BY: Mark Anthony M. Villasis DATE February 05, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Background of the Study2 II. Statement of the Problem3 III. Objectives of the Study:   General and Specific4 IV. Significance of the Study 4 V. Review of Related Literature5 VI. Integration of Literature Findings8 VII. Assumptions of the Study8 VIII. Operational Definition of Terms9 IX. Conceptual & Operational Framework12 X. Scope and Limitations13 XI. Hypotheses13 XII. Bibliography14 XIII. Appendices15 I. Background of the Study The business process outsourcing (BPO) invests heavily with technology and infrastructure. The Philippines to date is at par with the world’s best in technology. Due to their substantial investment in systems, networks, security, and software, most global BPO providers look for highly transactional, technology-intensive work such as portfolio database management, payroll, and records management to achieve the highest profit. With the global marketplace becoming increasingly competitive and the insatiable appetite for business information, the volume of data that must be managed and assimilated is growing at an exponential rate. Global corporations require standard processes, consistent data to enable global consolidation and the ability to transform raw data into business intelligence to support better decision making. In many cases, regions, countries and even cities have different finance systems, computerized maintenance management systems, purchase order processing and call centre platforms with inconsistent data capture and coding. Just to add to the complexity the data can be in different languages. To keep track of the data collected from business operations most companies use multiple systems. Retrieving and consolidating this information in a timely manner (e. g. month end reporting) can be a costly and resource intensive task. Information management centres have been forced to provide more services whilst reducing resource costs to remain competitive. In response to these business challenges, GWK is currently using Sequentra ®, a web-based software that allows capturing the following key areas of information in one comprehensive web-based application. Lease Administration |Transaction Management | |Rent & operating expense tracking |Project milestone tracking | |Full client chart of accounts for AP integration |Project budget tracking | |Critical lease dates & options |Performance measurement | |Key property contacts |Electronic customer satisfaction surveys | |Space allocations – internal charg e backs |Document management | |Space type allocations | | |Document management capability | | II. Statement of the Problem This study will be conducted to explain the influence of Sequentra ® to the Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services of JCI-JWK and to the customers. This study was intended to answer the following questions: ) What features does Sequentra ® offer to the Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services of JCI-JWK? 2) What benefits does Sequentra ® put forward to the customers? 3) Who are the existing clients of JCI-JWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services that benefited from Sequentra ®? III. Objectives of the Study: Main Objective: To examine the effect of using Sequentra ® based on operational advantage on JCI-GWK’s Transaction Managers and Lease Administrators, and satisfaction to the customers. Specific Objectives: 1) To find out the features of Sequentra ® that contributes an operation al advantage to the Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services of JCI-JWK? ) To discover the benefits that Sequentra ® offers to the customers’ businesses? 3) To determine whether the clients of JCI-JWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services are satisfied. IV. Significance of the Study With the global marketplace becoming increasingly competitive and the insatiable appetite for business information, the volume of data that must be managed and assimilated is growing at an exponential rate. Global corporations take advantage of the current technologies, and infrastructures, require standard processes, consistent data to enable global consolidation and the ability to transform raw data into business intelligence to support better decision making. This study intends to investigate the influence of using Sequentra ® on the JCI-GWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services and to its clients. Determining the features and benefits that Sequentra ® offers and find out if the clients, in turn, is satisfied. This study will also give confidence to the Information Technology (IT) practitioners to focus their initiatives on developing toolsets that provide operational advantages. V. Review of Related Literature On Web Based Applications According to an article on http://www. articlesbase. com entitled â€Å"Benefits of Web Based Applications†, some of the core benefits of Web Based Application are the following: 1) Compatibility. Web based applications are far more compatible across platforms than traditional installed software. 2) Efficiency. The benefit of web based solution is that they not only modernizes established business practices, but also makes services and information available from any web-facilitated personal computer. 3) Highly deployable. Deploying web applications to the end users are very easy. It simply needs to send the user a website address to log into and provide them with internet access facility. 4) Security of live data. Web based applications provide an additional security by removing the need for the user to have access to the data and back end servers. 5) Cost Effective. Web based applications can considerably lower the costs because of reduced support and maintenance, lower requirements on the end user system and simplified plans. On Operational Advantage An eHow contributor wrote an article on how can the information technology (IT) change a business. According to the article, IT has brought about a revolution at the workplace since the 90s. The recent development and fast-paced adoption of Internet communication and Web-based technologies and applications has enhanced the potential of IT. IT and computer systems deployed strategically can impact the operational aspects and productivity parameters of a business. IT and attendant technologies and tools can be used to automate key business operations, functions and activities of a business. Businesses can invest in desktop computers, workstations, laptops, minicomputers, notebook computers and high-end servers for a host of organizational tasks and functions. Market-available software, computing applications, networking and other IT productivity tools installed in computers and computer systems can help professionals, workers and staff in a business to streamline work processes and execute tasks and functions faster in order to achieve organizational-defined goals and targets. Johnson Controls has developed Sequentra ® to enhance real estate management, lease administration, project management and reporting for improved productivity and decision making. This application was developed by real estate professionals who possess a unique knowledge of other applications offered in the marketplace, and a keen appreciation of the switching costs to move to web-based applications. As a result, Sequentra ® was designed to dynamically integrate with existing legacy systems and provide web-based access to certain data managed in the legacy system. This allows corporations to gain the benefits of web access without the cost and time to replace systems, retrain staff and modify processes. In addition, Sequentra ® adds new functionality and reporting capability not otherwise present in other legacy systems. (Sequentra ® Technology for the Real Estate Industry). [pic] Figure 1. Integrated Components of Sequentra ® On Customer Satisfaction About the virtual environment, the research that has addressed the influence of perceived quality on satisfaction is limited. Rolland (2003) studied the relationship between the perceived quality of a website and satisfaction with the site. The results shows that the perceived quality of the website influence positively satisfaction. This relationship has been demonstrated by Wolfinbarger and Gilly (2003) they shown that the overall quality of service, predicts strongly satisfaction of users. The same result was also confirmed by Bressolles (2004) who studied this link in a shopping experience at two sites: a site for digital products and a travel site. The results show a strong and positive relationship between the two concepts. It follows that service quality influence positively satisfaction after a purchase from a merchant site. VI. Integration of Literature Findings Through the literature review, the researcher has shown the benefits of the web-based applications, the operational advantage of adopting the information technology (e. g. adoption of Internet communication and Web-based technologies and applications), and the influence of perceived quality of a website on satisfaction. It is therefore reasonable to consider the influences of the web-based application on the operational advantage of a service and the satisfaction of the customers. Meanwhile, technology adoption generates less human contact which might result in waste of time and effort and concern about privacy and confidentiality from the customer point of view (Bitner 2001). Meyronin (2004) has indicated that electronic intermediation tends to impoverish service relations, and human interactions might create value through advanced services, so that a balance between competitive advantage and productivity gains is necessary. VII. Assumptions of the Study The assumptions of the study are as follows: 1. The researcher will identify the Sequentra ® features that have been suggested as being important for Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services. 2. The researcher will also pinpoint the Sequentra ® benefits that are known to offer business advantages to the clients. 3. The existing clients of JCI-JWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services that have benefited from Sequentra ® are ranging from regional organizations to large multi-national corporations. VIII. Operational Definition of Terms Business process outsourcing (BPO) is a subset of outsourcing that involves the contracting of the operations and responsibilities of specific business functions (or processes) to a third-party service provider. Typically categorized into back office outsourcing – which includes internal business functions such as human resources or finance and accounting, and front office outsourcing – which includes customer-related services such as contact center services. BPO that is contracted outside a company's country is called offshore outsourcing. BPO that is contracted to a company's neighboring (or nearby) country is called nearshore outsourcing. (Wikipedia) Given the proximity of BPO to the information technology industry, it is also categorized as an information technology enabled service or ITES. Knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) and legal process outsourcing (LPO) are some of the sub-segments of business process outsourcing industry. Information technology (IT) is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications. The term in its modern sense first appeared in a 1958 article published in the Harvard Business Review, in which authors Leavitt and Whisler commented that â€Å"the new technology does not yet have a single established name. We shall call it information technology. † (Wikipedia) IT is the area of managing technology and spans wide variety of areas that include but are not limited to things such as processes, computer software, information systems, computer hardware, programming languages, and data constructs. In short, anything that renders data, information or perceived knowledge in any visual format whatsoever, via any multimedia distribution mechanism, is considered part of the domain space known as Information Technology (IT). (Wikipedia) Lease Administration Services. Lease Administration is the process of maintaining and utilizing pertinent information contained within the lease by either the landlord or tenant. It includes the performing of all activities that ensure lease compliance–consisting of both monetary and non monetary obligations. It includes calculating rent increases and the other party confirming calculations already made. It includes the process by which the tenant notifies the landlord of its intent to exercise an option to renew or its intent to vacate. It also includes the process by which landlords determine additional monetary charges a tenant may be liable for. It includes determining each party's insurance requirements under the lease. In short, it includes the entire process of determining obligations under the lease and ensuring such obligations are met by the other party. Lease administration by the tenant would include providing information (critical dates, rights and responsibilities) to its managers including facilities, operations, finance, and risk. These titles (responsibilities ultimately) may be filled by the same individual, or not. If not, they may be â€Å"outsourced† which contributes further at times to the confusion and the possibility of oversights in ensuring lease obligations are being met. Sequentra ® is an integrated, collaborative, web-based real estate software solution and serves as a central repository for all portfolio and project-related information. Sequentra was developed by Johnson Controls to provide clients with enhanced communications and accountability for all facets of real estate and project-related requirements. This real estate software also contains a lease administration module that, when combined with the project tracking feature, can fully integrate a client’s entire real estate database and reporting system. Transaction Management. Transaction management is the efficient management of real estate related dealings. Organizing information and tasks in a sequential order and makes the process easy to track by all parties involved with the transactions. Sending notifications to the transaction team members informing them that they have an active task. Ensuring that transactions are completed on schedule and that the transaction team works more efficiently thus reducing the cycle times. IX. Conceptual & Operational Framework Firstly, this study aims to explore the influence of using Sequentra ® based on operational advantage on the JCI-GWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services. Determine the features and benefits that Sequentra offers and find out if the clients, in turn, is satisfied. The researcher will start with three questions: First, is there an operational advantage that the Transaction Managers and Lease Administrators experienced in using Sequentra ®? Second, what benefits does Sequentra ® put forward to the clients? Third, who are the existing customers of the JCI-JWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services that have benefited from Sequentra ®. An in-depth interview method will be designed. Then, a questionnaire survey follows to validate how Sequentra ® influences the JCI-GWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services, and the client satisfaction. Figure 2. Conceptual Framework X. Scope and Limitations This study will be conducted mainly to explore the influence of using Sequentra ® on the JCI-GWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services and to the clients. The focus will be on the operational advantage of the services and the client’s satisfaction based on the benefits that Sequentra ® offers to their businesses. Data will be gathered through descriptive method. This will serve as the primary source of data collection. Secondary data will include related literature about the subject of the research. XI. Hypotheses The researcher proposes a direct relationship between using Sequentra ® and the operational advantage to the Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services of JCI-JWK and client satisfaction. H1. Using Sequentra ® which increases operation efficiency of service is positively related with client satisfaction. H2. Using Sequentra ® which increases operation efficiency of service is negatively related with client satisfaction when the services fail. XII. Bibliography Online Articles Sequentra ® Technology for the Real Estate Industry http://www. sequentra. com/solutions/sequentra. html Sequentra ® User Help Section http://www. sequentra. net/sequentra/help/user_help/new_help/! SSL! /FlashHelp/Sequentra_User_Help_Section. htm Business Process Outsourcing http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Business_process_outsourcing Information Technology http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Information_technology Biswajit Nag, Business Process Outsourcing: Impact and Implications, Bulletin on Asia-Pacific Perspectives 2004/05. Retrieved September 12, 2009 from ebsco. com Journals Bitner MJ (2001), Service and Technology: Opportunities and Paradoxes. Manage Service Quality 11(6):375–379 Bressolles G. (2004), The quality of electronic service, NETQUAL: scale, consequences and moderating variables, Ph. D. in Management Sciences, University of Toulouse I. Meyronin B (2004), ICT: the creation of value and differentiation in services. Manage Service Quality 14(2/3):216–225 Rolland S. (2003), The impact of Internet use on perceived quality and consumer satisfaction, PhD in Management Sciences, University Paris Dauphine. Wolfinbarger M. and Gilly M. C. (2003), E-TailQ: dimensionalizing, measuring and predicting retail quality, Journal of Retailing, 79, 183-198. XIII. Appendices Appendix 1. Sequentra Components SEQUENTRA COMPONENTS | |Project Module |Team assignment and milestone tracking (e-mail ticklers) | |   |Location deal point analysis | |   |Budget tracking | |   |Space programming | |   |Contacts database | | |Single repository for documents | | |Savings calculations | |Property Module |Rent stream and ex penses | | |Internal allocations | | |Lease clauses | | |Critical dates & options (e-mail ticklers) | | Contacts database | |Reporting |Standard reports library | | |Ad hoc reporting capability | | |Produces rich, highly formatted reports into Adobe Acrobat, Excel and HTML | |System Admin |Assigns flexible, secure access rights to end users | | |Capability to customize fields, e-mail notifications and project templates | | |Manage document templates library | Appendix 2. Specific Features and Benefits of Sequentra ® FEATURES |BENEFITS | |Project/Property Specific Bulletin |Cycle time for projects is greatly reduced as team members can communicate and collaborate on | |Board |projects anytime, anywhere. | |Web-based application |Does not require any software to be installed on a user’s local machine. The only requirement| | |is Internet access. | |Central repository for all project |  Lets users who are dispersed collaborate on files associated with each assignment. Users | |related files and document templates |always know where to go for the most recent version of a file. | |Flexible, secure access |Defined security levels ensure that users have access to applicable projects/properties. | |Process Automation, Milestone email |Communication is enhanced, as team members can be automatically e-mailed when an important | |Notifications |assignment milestone has been reached or falls behind schedule. | |Customizable |Can be customized to mirror your organization. | Appendix 3. Sequentra ®, an exclusive Real Estate Management tool with multiple advantages Because Sequentra ® was developed by real estate and e-business experts and is supported by Johnson Controls, a global real estate services and facilities management company, clients can count on a tool designed to help maximize the performance of their real estate assets. †¢ Seamless integration between property and project modules to save time and eliminate errors. †¢ Real-time collaboration and information sharing to reduce cycle time. †¢ 24/7 access to data from web-based browsers. †¢ Automated workflow ensures schedules are maintained and results are measurable. †¢ Project team members have access to project files and templates. †¢ Flexible access rights for file and project security. Embedded proactive email notifications enhance communication regarding project milestones. †¢ Fully customizable and scalable to fit the needs of any organization. †¢ Generate self-definable reports with a user-friendly interface. Johnson Controls operates in more than 50 countries, with thousands of dedicated real estate services and facilities management employees, and a billion square feet under management. Customers benefit from a worldwide knowledge network focused on delivering strategically-based services and solutions designed to contribute to enterprise goals. Appendix 4. List of Existing Clients Below is a partial list of GWK clients that have benefited from Sequentra ® Solutions. Agilent Technologies |Manpower | |Cadbury |Otis | |Carrier Corporation |Pratt & Whitney | |Hamilton Sundstrand |Ryder | |Henry Schein |Sikorsky | |Motorola |Sonoco | | |United Technologies Realty | | |WPP | ———————– Sequentra ® Features and Benefits Operational advantage on the JCI-GWK’s Transaction Management and Lease Administration Services Client Satisfaction