Got Milk Case Essays

Got Milk Case Essays Got Milk Case Essay Got Milk Case Essay Realizing that the dairy industry is declining and needed outside assistance, the California Department of Food and Agriculture formed the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB) in 1993. A few months later the CMPB released it’s famous ‘‘Got Milk? ’’ campaign. For this purpose they hired Jeff Manning as executive director and raised a reasonable budget for promotion. The ad agency Goodby, Silverstein and Partners (GSamp;P) created ‘‘Got Milk? ’’ with the CMPB’s $23 million annual budget. Previous campaigns had been intended at people who did not consume milk, but the agency’s research led it to target a sundry audience: people who were already milk drinkers. The consumers of California responded the campaign quickly, embracing the ads and also started consuming more milk. In USA outside California, the milk moustache ‘Got Milk? ’ campaign is jointly funded by Americas milk processors and dairy farmers: The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) and Dairy Management. The goal of the multi-faceted campaign is to educate consumers on the benefits of milk and to raise milk consumption. The campaign was founded on a milk deprivation strategy and recognized that milk is not often a stand-alone beverage. Its consumption is permanently linked to a select number of meals and food occasions. And also, perhaps, the only time anybody cares passionately about milk is when they run out. The campaign was very successful in the USA. BRIEF OVERVIEW AND FACTS * According to the Exibit#1 from 1980 to 1993 annual milk consumption in California dropped from around 29 to 24 gallons of milk per person. * Milk industry spends less than 10 percent what beer spent on media. The change in school district policy in 1982, which increases the options for children in lunch further reduce the milk consumption. * Two major reasons for declining in milk consumption are: the modern family size was shrinking and the number of working women had increased. * Hispanic population was increasing in USA (California in particular) and they drank significantly more whole milk than the rest of the populat ion. MAJOR ISSUES AND PROBLEMS * Got milk? Campaign was a huge success in California resulted in quick increase in milk consumption but it was not equally successful nationally or internationally. : National sales continue to decline for some time and then stables up to some extent but didn’t increased like in the California. * The milk market was declining market as compared to beverages market. Consumer study revealed that there are some reasons behind the continuous decline like proliferation of other beverages, lack of portability, lack of flavor variety, not thirst quenching, lack of consumer mind share and shared nature of consumption. * High price of milk in California during 1999 as compared to the rest of the country was another major issue as compared to its competitor beverages industry. Positioning milk as cool refreshing and energy boosting drink suffered due to its increasing prices also results in declining in sales. * Mind set of consumer. Although many people drink milk everyday, but still milk suffered a complete lack of consumer mind share. Milk has always been a somewhat forgettable beverage. * Media spending in the beverage categories approached $ 2 billion with half of the total accounted for beer and soft drinks but still Milk being a commodity suffered from lack of promotion as compared to the other beverages. Budget is also very low as compared to other similar category products. * Marketing expenditures are more or less concentrated on television advertising and billboards. Lack of BTL activities, experiential marketing and social event promotion were evident which can be one of the reasons of low recall and decline in consumption. * Considering the nature and storage limitation of milk the consumer attitude towards milk was wobbly and strong reasons to change the attitude were required. * Lack of support from the farmers and local milk processor results in small budget. Considering the size of the milk industry and high promotional cost running a successful nation wide campaign in small budget is rarely possible. Where Got Milk? Went wrong? * Hispanics were the major milk consumers in California; there population was increasing at a constant rate according to the US census. Initially when the ads were made it was found that running out of milk or rice in Hispanic family is not considered funny also the translation of got milk in Spanish is quite weird. * Got milk? took a step away from its deprivation formula in October 1997 and launched a new campaign of Drysville. But research revealed that Drysville campaign was unable to effect consumer’s immediate consumption or purchase decision. ANALYSIS OF PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY The ‘Got Milk? Promotional campaign has some objectives, Manning begin a grass root campaign keeping in mind the following objectives. * To change the public’s behavior about the consumption of milk and other milk products * To create the idea of ‘‘milk occasions’’ by associating the product with certain foods, recognizing that milk is not often a stand-alone beverage. * To control the decline in sales by persuading people to buy milk more often and in larger quantities. To achieve each of the objectives Manning carefully designed strategies, like changing behavior, in addition to attitudes, was done with carefully placed media. A consumption strategy focused on organizing the appropriate food with the time of day that a commercial was telecast (for example, a cereal commercial in the morning or late at night), because most milk drinking occurred at home. Beside the TVC, in 1998 CMPB launched a gravity tour. In this tour they travelled throughout the state high schools and featured top professionals and insisted on the importance of milk to young athletes and there bone density. In 2003 the CMPB took milks health message to a new level and developed the theme: strength comes from within† They also signify and highlight the importance of research on milk benefits including how to increase bone mass in teens and adult and prevent them from osteoporosis. PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY UPSHOTS The Got Milk campaign was very successful and worked more than the expectations. Following are some of the upshots of the campaign. * The original objectives of the campaign were exceeded. * ‘Got Milk? ’’ had overtaken the ‘‘long-running ‘Does a Body Good’ campaign in top-of-mind awareness by mid-1994. * The campaign objective to change behavior and increase milk consumption was also met. * Household penetration had increased from 70 percent in 1993 to 74 percent in 1995. * Results showed that, except for the first two months of the campaign, milk consumption in California increased over the previous year, while it declined national ly * Dairy Management, Inc. ’s decided to take the California ‘‘Got Milk? ’’ campaign nationwide in 1995 * The ‘‘Got Milk? ’’ campaign made its mark in advertising by collecting nearly every industry award * The CMPB reported that the campaign had a 97 percent awareness rate in California. HOW TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND DO BETTER IN FUTURE * As we can see in many of the commercials, individuals find themselves in an uncomfortable situation with a mouth full of dry or sticky food without a glass of milk. In print advertisements, celebrities are featured with the signature white mustache and got milk? in text. For an international advertisement we must create an appeal in the advertisement and ads should also involve a family environment or give a sense of oneness so that international user should associate themselves with advertisement according to their culture. Number of collaboration with other brands should be increased to cover the issue of low budgets. Got Milk name has itself a huge equity, CMPB can effectively use it to increase the awareness. * Social media is another cheap source of creating awareness. CMPB can also use YouTube channels, face book page and twitter to increase the awareness about milk consumption and spread the benefits of milk usage. * To increase brand recall brand persona should be created and endorsement through celebrities can be useful in communicating the awareness in advertising. As it can be seen the increase in price results in the decline of sales. Therefore, pricing should be competitive considering the other competing beverage industries. Also the flavored milk which is sold through vending machine must be priced bearing in mind the other beverages sell through vending machines. * Currently the BTL activities are on the lower side while experiential marketing was not used to create the awareness. Experiential activities at school and college levels to create awareness and product trial for new dairy product would be useful.

Practice in Using the Present Perfect in English

Practice in Using the Present Perfect in English Once you understand how to form the past tense of regular verbs, you shouldnt find it difficult to use verbs in the present perfect. All youll need to add is an auxiliary verb (also known as a helping verb)has or have. Using Has and Have With Past Participles Coupled with the auxiliary verb has  or have, a past participle can serve as the main verb in a sentence. Compare these two sentences: Carla worked here for five years.Carla has worked here for five years. The first sentence is in the past tense: Carla once worked here but no longer does. The second sentence carries a different meaning: Carla still works here. We use has or have with a past participle to describe an action that started in the past and is (or may be) still going on. This construction is called the present perfect. The past participle form of a regular verb is identical to the past form: it always ends in -ed: Olga has promised to help me.Max and Olga have finished the race.We have tried to do our best. The auxiliary verbhas or havechanges to agree with its subject (see Correcting Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement), but the past participle itself does not change: Carla has worked here for five years.Carla and Fred have worked here for five years. Use the past tense to show a completed action. Use the present perfect (has or have plus the past participle) to show an action begun in the past but continuing up to the present. Exercise: Forming the Past Tense and the Present-Perfect Complete the second sentence in each set with the correct form of the verb in parentheses. Use either the past tense or the present perfect tense (has or have plus the past participle). The first sentence in each pair will help you decide which tense is needed in the second sentence. Mr. Baggins lives in the house next door. He (live) there for the past eight years.We are still raising money for the scholarship drive. So far we (raise) over $2,000.I have gained five pounds since I started my diet. At the same time, I (gain) a craving for Milky Way bars.I watched the Jon Stewart show last night. Then I (watch) David Lettermans program.I have called you several times this week. You (call) me once last spring.Jenny frequently uses the new word processor. Kyle not (use*) it once.Several years ago I stayed two weeks on a farm. I (stay) in the city ever since.Addie shouted in my ear. I turned and (shout) right back.Lu ordered one book from the club last year. He not (order*) anything since.I have never tried to raise chickens. Once I (try) to raise hogs. * The negatives not and never often go between the auxiliary verb and the past participle in the present-perfect tense. Answers has livedhave raisedhave gainedwatchedcalledhas not usedhave stayedshoutedhas not orderedtried

Is it ever justified to kill animals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is it ever justified to kill animals - Essay Example r not but if to take into consideration the killing of animals in non-wild habitat it becomes obvious that all motives for this in the people’s world are explained by mankinds domination over the world of the living creatures. The problematic issue of this aspect is the question of appropriateness and justification of the killing animals for different goals of people. To begin with it is necessary to define the concept of animals. A well-known and scientifically proven opinion is that animals unite wild creatures as well as domestic ones. Consequently the question of interaction and life mission of humans and animals as biological kinds arises. They say people have to use products of animal origin in order to live – it is as for the domestic cattle and wild animals. As for the pets people receive such feelings as devotion, love, affection from them. From this point of view humans are perceived as consumers of animals’ positive effect on their lives in all levels from physical to moral one. Then there is a dilemma whether a mankind is a friend or an enemy of living creatures, whether people feel the responsibility for animals which were killed in order to be eaten by a human (meat and beproducts of domestic cattle, etc.) or to serve as an indicator of a luxurious life (furs, horns, heads of wild animals). There is no doubt that unfor tunately there are many other reasons for killing animals which are widely accepted and practiced in our life. Let’s see what are the pros and cons of this issue in more details. One of the main justifications often given for killing animals is that people are to maintain the viability and provide their physical needs in food and related needs in clothing (clothes from wool, fur, leather and so on). In this respect animals are perceived as creatures that are called for people’s trouble-free existence only. Then it appears that a human being is a tyrant who is guided just by physical instincts not by moral norms in his life.

Project management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Project management - Assignment Example Organisational Structure Project Team Structure The project is to be managed by a single project manager, reporting in to the Operations Director. The organisational structure chosen depends to a large extent on any methodology used and whether the organisation has any existing project management structures that are appropriate. For the purposes of this paper, it is assumed that there are no existing structures and the organisation does not have a preferred project management methodology. Projects are usually organised in one of three ways, according to Clements and Gido (2006 p.390): functional, project and matrix. The functional structure is typically used in organisations producing standard products and projects tend to be managed in-house, if they ever occur. The project-type organisation assumes that the project is a complete entity in its own right, with its own manager, team and resources. The projects are large, complex and expensive, taking years rather than weeks or days. T here may be several projects running at once, but they are independent of each other. The matrix structure is similar to the project-type structure, in that multiple projects run at the same time. However, the projects can vary in size and scope from a few months to several years, and the resources need to be co-ordinated across them all. It is similar to the functional structure in that functional expertise is retained. There is a functional manager as well as a project manager involved in organising the project and co-ordinating the resources. This classification of structures is mirrored in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) (Project Management Institute (PMI) 2004 p.28). Based on this brief description, the project-type structure would appear to be suitable. But before a final decision is reached, other possibilities should be assessed. If the PRINCE2 (Office of Government Commerce (OGC) 2009) methodology was to be used, a different organisational structure would b e recommended. This would comprise a Project Board, with three members (Senior User, Senior Supplier and Project Executive), to whom the project manager would report. The project could be a separate organisation, like the project-type structure above, or it could take place within another organisation, similar to the functional structure, depending upon the circumstances and the decisions of those involved (ibid, pp.31-43). The three roles on the Project Board represent the interests of the user, the supplier and the business (the Project Executive). The Project Executive is the ultimate authority of the project and may report into a Programme Board if the project is one of a number focused on achieving a particular set of outcomes. The Senior User represents the ultimate users of the project’s outputs who will take those outputs into business-as-usual operation. The Senior Supplier represents those who will provide the resources that create the project’s outputs. PRIN CE2 can be used for any size of project as it is considered a generic approach to project management, focusing solely on the management aspects of project management, rather than any specialist contributions (ibid, p.4). So arguably it could be used in this situation as well. This approach to project management organisation is also used by the Association for Project Management (APM), where the Project Board is referred to as the

Relocating Margaret Thatchers in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Relocating Margaret Thatchers in the Workplace Essay Working environments are dimensions in which the individual’s skills, talents and production capabilities are put into the test. The war-like situation manifested in corporate arenas continues to post a challenge to each and every individual. It is a legitimized jungle wherein only the strong remains and the weak perish. Thus, for every struggle that is addressed, this spells sweet victory for the triumphant warrior. It is for this aspect that Karsten described the workplace a source of one’s â€Å"sense of self, power and prestige (162). † As the individual continue to climb the corporate ladder, his or her â€Å"sense of self, power and prestige (Karsten 162)† continue to increase. This is most especially true in scenarios wherein leadership roles are assumed and performed. However, a critical examination shows that holding power, garnering respect and expressing authority have exclusively remained in the hands of men. The opportunity to lead has been an exclusive right of males and women, despite of the strong campaign to uphold equality, are continuously pushed to the periphery. Women leadership remains a critical issue in the corporate environment. Despite of the efforts to render equal opportunities to both men and women, the actions taken, remained futile. Women as leaders are still seen from a derogatory perspective. As Spade and Valentine described, work places are no less than â€Å"gendered institutions† that operate under â€Å"inequality regimes (341). † Under this context, it can be argued that the so-called â€Å"inequality regimes† mentioned in this discussion, is no less than the hegemonic and oppressive patriarchal orientations that are highly manifested in various work spaces. Drawing on Dahrendorf’s distribution of power and authority (Lemell Noll, 52), it is evident that many working environments deprive women from having equal chances or access to positions that demand an exercise of power and control. Also, power legitimacy as for the case of women leaders are often questioned or blatantly ignored. While it is true that women have managed to acquire managerial positions, Ely et. al expressed that only 1 % of these females are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies or establishments (161). Likewise, Ely et. al mentioned that in terms of governmental positions and functions, only a small percentage of women can be observed. The seemingly under representation and to a certain extent—total absence of women leaders in the corporate world is triggered by society’s patriarchal culture. The practices seen in the business world reflect the manipulative and discriminating orientation of the patriarchal system. Under this context, societal roles and functions are highly determined by gender. Men are seen as the stronger sex whereas women are the exact opposite. Women are constantly confined into domestic roles. They are mothers and wives whose values and worth are best exemplified in the bedroom and kitchen. Thus, their entries into the workplace or business environments are often seen as a threat. In addition to that, this scenario highly contradicts the so-called â€Å"normative behaviors (Ridgeway 223)† of world. Leadership in business environments translates to performing firm decision, asserting authority and showing direct control, if necessary. Needless to say, these traits or characteristics are often played or portrayed by men. On the other hand, the idea of being a mere â€Å"follower† is relegated to women. Therefore, in the event wherein a woman leader practices authority, utilizes power and make decisions, these scenario is immediately dismissed as a violation of the canonical norms not only of the workplace, but also of the overall social structure (Ridgeway 223). The problem with women executives or leaders is that their socially-constructed roles are mixed with their corporate or work-related functions. The merit of their leadership skills and capabilities are based on how well they perform their overtly stereotyped duties and obligations. When women act like leaders, the patriarchal system immediately questions their efficiency via insisting the women’s highly biased and gender-based tasks (Ridgeway 223). As Ridgeway stressed, women leaders are initially seen as a woman, then a leader (223). Gender would always come first and leadership capabilities are only secondary. There are several ways in which women are prevented from acquiring leadership positions in the workplace. The first one is illustrated by the â€Å"glass ceiling concept (Goethals Burns 77). Under this context, women are blatantly deprived of acquiring leadership positions via unequal distribution of chances and opportunities (Goethals Burns 77). This is despite of eliciting commendable work-related achievements and success. The glass ceiling acts as a barricade that prevents women from being hailed as managers and executives despite delivering good results and performances (Haslett, Geis Carter 128). In addition to that, it is also evident that women are placed into positions or departments in which they cannot possibly harness their leadership skills (Goethals, Sorenson Burns 77). They are subjected into roles that do not engage into actual corporate management and decision making. Therefore, in the event in which women are recommended for promotions, their skills and experience readily lag behind. Or in such cases, a woman must shoulder the entire burden of exerting efforts and energy to prove themselves, but with no assurance that they will be selected. But then again even if some women were able to secure their positions on the corporate hierarchy, Goethal, Sorenson and Burns shared that this is no less than a defense mechanism used to avoid accusations of gender discrimination and inequality (77). Aside from the glass ceiling, the persistence of the seemingly omnipotent â€Å"old boy network (Goethals, Sorenson Burns 77)† is also instrumental in the under representation of women leaders. A critical examination of the old boy network clearly shows the strong attempt of men to protect their own interests (Sanchez et. al 240). There is the intention to keep power in the hands of the few and eliminate new players. This basically explains the degree of favoritism in promotions. Men often receive high preference compared to women not because they are better or more productive. Instead, this is just a way to preserve the patriarchal rule. Since majority of senior executives are men, their power legitimacy is highly acknowledged and recognized. This kind of prestige is then used by males to control, manipulate and safeguard their interests. Thus, to ensure that their power and authority shall remain, these executives are more likely to choose male protegees—individuals, who like them, present a common set of beliefs, ideologies and value systems. Lastly, the limited access of women to building social networks lessens their chances of being corporate leaders (Goethals, Sorenson Burns 78). Goethals, Sorenson and Burns mentioned that â€Å"informal gatherings† is a way for women to connect with other individuals in the business organizations (78). It is through these activities that women can further improve their social and communication skills—two of the most significant traits that leaders should acquire. However, these opportunities are hardly given to women. Other than obstructing women to create meaningful relationships and camaraderie, this scenario also inhibits females from having their own mentors and role models (Klenke 185). Mentors and role models serve as a support system. Through them, valuable knowledge and insights are shared and transmitted. Mentoring relationships help potential leaders devise sound decisions and appropriate solutions. Unfortunately, this right is highly exclusive to men. The struggles and challenges faced by women leaders in the corporate system is yet another gender issue that should be readily addressed. Leadership roles should not be equated to gender-based functions. Equal rights and opportunities should be provided to both genders and should not be an exclusive privilege of men. It should be stressed and remembered that leadership efficiency is determined by skills and performances, never by gender. Works Cited Sanchez, Penny; Philip Hucles; Janis Sanchez-Hucles and Sanjay Mehta. â€Å"Increasing Diverse Women Leadership in Corporate America: Climbing Concrete Walls and Shattering Glass Ceilings. † Women and Leadership Transforming Visions and Diverse Voices Eds. Jean Lau Chin; Bernice Lott; Joy Rice and Janis Sanchez-Hucles. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2007 Ely, Robin; Erica Foldy; Maureen Scully and The Center for Gender in Organizations Simmons School of Management. Reader in Gender, Work and Organization. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2003 Goethal, George; Georgia Sorenson and James MacGregor Burns. Encyclopedia of Leadership. California: Sage Publications Inc, 2004 Haslett, Beth; Florence Geis and Mae Carter. The Organizational Woman. New Jersey: Ablex Publishing Corporation, 1992 Karsten, Margaret. Gender, Race and Ethnicity in the Workplace. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006 Klenke, Karin. Women Leadership. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 1996 Lemell, Yannick and Heinz-Herbert Noll. Changing Structures of Inequality: A Comparative Perspective. Canada: Mc-Gill Queen’s University Press, 2002 Ridgeway, Cecilia. Gender Interaction and Inequality. New York: Springer –Verlag New York Inc. , 1992 Spade, Joan and Catherine Valentine. The Ka

Essay --

Jhumpa Lahiri is an Indian American author who likes to write mainly about the experiences of other Indian Americans. She is a very successful author. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her first novel and her fiction appears in The New Yorker often. One of those works from 1998 is a short story, â€Å"A Temporary Matter†, about a husband and a wife, Shukumar and Shoba, whose electricity will be temporarily cut off for one hour for five days. This seems simple enough, but as you read the story you find that maybe it’s their marriage that might be the â€Å"temporary matter† itself. The title is interesting from the beginning. It gives us hints about the setting, the characters and their situation, as well as plants the whole theme of the story. The story circles around two big things, the death of a baby and Shukumar and Shoba’s failing marriage. Although this is the case, it also focuses a lot on the little things. Lahiri uses small details to point out the pain and lack of communication between Shukumar and Shoba. When Shukumar thinks back to the last time he saw Shoba pregnant, he doesn’t remember if she looked happy or sad, he remembers the much smaller things, such as the cab. â€Å"Each time he thought of that moment, the last moment he saw Shoba pregnant, it was the cab he remembered most, a station wagon, painted red with blue lettering. It was cavernous compared to their own car. Although Shukumar was six feet tall, with hands too big ever to rest comfortably in the pockets of his jeans, he felt dwarfed in the back seat.† As incon siderate as it may seem, this is actually how many people remember important events in their lives. Important events don’t go through our memory as sequential narratives, but in a series of random feelings, sens... ... all of the little, yet important details. In the end, we understand that all this time Shoba has been trying to tell Shukumar that she has been looking for apartments and finally found one. Shukumar is relieved, yet sickened by the thought of her wanting a life separate from him. This shakes him into sharing information that is sacred to Shoba in hopes that it would always be her mystery; the sex of their baby. We are left with a cliffhanger. All we know is the information the last sentence provides us, â€Å"They wept together, for the first time in their lives, for the things they now knew.† Possibly them weeping is a sign of them coming together to grieve. It marks another turning point in their lives, much like when they lost their child. We just don’t know if that turning point is them staying together or weeping in knowing that they are going their separate ways.

Promote professional development Essay

Outcome 3: Be able to prepare a professional development plan 3.1 Select learning opportunities to meet development objectives and reflect personal learning style I need to ensure that my own training is up to date and current. I will source training courses and liaise with my manager to get authorisation for them. I work with my service manager to understand the organisational objectives for my role and to establish if I need training to meet these objectives. Sometimes I will only need to do some research to gain the knowledge that I need. As a trainer it is important that I attend refresher training to keep my skill up to date and in line with current legislation. We are all different and as such have preferred methods for learning new skills, by understanding the memory process we may be able to develop effective learning. The Atkinson-Schiffrin model described by Malim and Birch puts memory into 3 steps with the input of information going into the brain at level 1 which is the short-term m emory this information is then analysed and any unwanted information is discarded here. Anything your brain considers useful goes into the long-term memory where it is retained. However, if we do not recall certain information within 1-8 hours the possibility of recalling that information drops dramatically and the more time goes by without recalling it the worse chance we have of remembering it. By the time a month has gone by the information may be lost in the depths of our brain. This ‘lost’ information is not lost forever, it is possible to recall it but it may mean you will need to just relax and try and ‘clear your mind’ or it may mean you will have to read about the information again. As trainers we are not always able deliver training in a way that suits every individual. We need to understand the different methods of learning. Honey and Mumford are best known for their learning style questionnaire. This self-administered questionnaire determines your preferred learning style. The styles are: Activitists (Do) – Immerse themselves fully in new experiences; Enjoy here and now; Open minded, enthusiastic, flexible; Act first, consider consequences later; Seek to centre activity around themselves. Reflectors (Review) – Stand back and observe; Cautious, take a back seat; Collect and analyze data about experience and events, slow to reach conclusions; Use information from past,  present and immediate observations to maintain a big picture perspective. Theorists (Conclude) – Think through problems in a logical manner, value rationality and objectivity; Assimilate disparate facts into coherent theories; Disciplined, aiming to fit things into rational order; Keen on basic assumptions, principles, theories, models and systems thinking. Pra gmatists (Plan) – Keen to put ideas, theories and techniques into practice; Search new ideas and experiment; Act quickly and confidently on ideas, gets straight to the point; Are impatient with endless discussion. 3.2 Produce a plan for own professional development, using an appropriate source of support we have a Performance and Development process (PDP). Part of this process involves setting objectives and producing a development plan for the next 12 month period. I work with the service manager to produce a development plan that reflects my personal objectives and the objectives that are set . The objectives set should be SMART: Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time-limited 3.3 Establish a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan As part of the Performance and Development Process the objectives are reviewed every quarter. If the objectives have been meet new objectives can then be set. If the objectives have not been meet then the progress is discussed, it may be decided to modify the objectives if they are no longer SMART. As managers we meet regularly with our service manager and the HR consultant. We discuss the effectiveness of the process and any improvements that could be made.

Compareison/ Han China an Roman Empire Essay

EMPIRE AND CULTURAL IDENTITY: PATTERNS OF IMPERIAL EXPANSION Arising out of preexisting territorial kingdoms, the Roman and Han empires marked a different scale and quality of empire building. With a population of over 50 million people and up to 4 million square miles under its control, the Han Empire had vast resources on which to draw. The Roman Empire governed equally vast land and territories, yet the two empires had separate patterns of development. The Chinese envisaged imperial culture as an ideal from the past to be emulated by the civilian magistrates and bureaucrats who managed the state. The Romans, in contrast, transformed—through experimentation and innovations—from a city-state ruled collectively by citizens into one-man imperial rule. And both empires became principal models for successor states. The Qin Dynasty King Zheng of Qin claimed the mandate of heaven and forged a central state far more powerful than that of the Zhou dynasty. He forced the families of  defeated states to move to his capital at Xianyang so he could ensure that they were not gathering armies against him. And he took the title Shi Huangdi—First August Emperor. ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL Zheng divided China into thirty-six provinces (or commanderies) and each province into counties. Each commandery had a civilian and military governor, both of whom answered to an inspector general. Regional and local officials answered directly to the emperor, and they could be removed at the emperor’s discretion. Civilian governors rotated offices to prevent them from building an independent power base. All males were registered by clerks, providing lists for conscription and taxation. All able-bodied men were expected to serve in the army and provide labor for public works. The Qin took control over education and learning. Censorship of books was strongly enforced, and books in private residences confiscated and burned. Teachers were forbidden from using outlawed books. A new standard written script was created to facilitate communication. Standard weights and measures and currency were also established. An idea of â€Å"grand unity† emerged as the Qin began to extend the boundaries of China. The Qin chief minister Li Si subscribed to the principles of Legalism and established strict laws and punishments in order to provide social stability and order. The Qin also established a road network connecting the Qin capital to all parts of the empire. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHANGES Building on trends in landownership that began during the Warring States period, the Qin dynasty championed free farmers who could be individually taxed by the state. By supporting agricultural production, the state could expand its tax revenues. As agriculture shifted from self-sufficient royal manors to farmers producing goods for the marketplace, landowners began to use contracts and money to strike bargains with laborers and with each other. The practice of farmers and traders using contracts was coming to replace the tradition of ties of blood dominating public and private  affairs. A class of merchants grew as long-distance trade expanded, aided by the new roads and canals built by the Qin dynasty. The Qin state, however, believed trade produced nothing of lasting value and encouraged the production of crops over trade. NOMADS AND THE QIN ALONG THE NORTHERN FRONTIER As the Qin dynasty sought to extend its borders to the north and west, it encountered the nomadic Xiongnu who traversed a large zone of the Inner Eurasian steppe. The Xiongnu sought to protect their pasturelands from the Qin and also engaged in trade and diplomacy with them. In order to secure the Xiongnu pasturelands for settlement, the Qin established a road and a massive defensive wall along the northern border and settled 30,000 colonists in the steppe lands of Inner Asia. In response, the Xiongnu formed a loose confederation among the steppe tribes and reconquered their lands when the Qin fell in 207 BCE. This pattern of trade and diplomacy punctuated by armed hostility persisted for centuries. THE QIN DEBACLE Qin rule collapsed quickly. Heavy tax and labor requirements resulted in mutinies from conscripted laborers, who were joined by local military leaders, influential merchants, and others. When Qin rule collapsed in 207 BCE, civil war erupted in which an unheralded commoner, Liu Bang, declared himself the prince of his home region of Han and in 202 BCE declared himself the first Han emperor. Liu Bang turned to Confucian scholars to justify his ascendancy by depicting the Qin as cruel, immoral despots. Yet the Han adopted much of the Qin bureaucratic system and penal codes while affirming the Confucian idea of the moral and cultural foundations of state power. The Han Dynasty The Han dynasty became China’s formative empire, extending Han rule in all directions. The Han relied on conscripted labor and state revenues from state lands, along with a land tax. The western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE)  was marked by economic prosperity and expansion of the empire. After a usurper seized power from 9 to 23 CE, the Han claimed authority and the eastern Han dynasty lasted from 25 to 220 CE. FOUNDATIONS OF HAN POWER The Han Empire was distinguished by a tight-knit alliance between the imperial family and the new elite—the scholar-gentry class—who united in their effort to impose order on Chinese society. Economic and social supports, as well as a strong military and bureaucratic administration, contributed to the strength, expanse, and longevity of the Han Empire. Power and Administration In order to secure support, Liu Bang provided land grants to his military supporters and relatives who had helped to overthrow the Qin. Power emanated from the ruling family, whose kin were made nobles and given land over which they had direct power. Governors who administered the commanderies remained under central control, and a grand counselor headed the civil bureaucracy drawn from the educated men representing powerful local communities. At the outset of the Han dynasty, the central government refrained from interfering with regional communities. Thus, the emperor and his family and court represented a strong, centralized monarchy, but practical considerations always restrained the ruler’s power. The Han-centralized bureaucracy became an enduring source of state power. The Han court soon tightened its control over regional administration and removed powerful princes or regional lords. Regional officials came to govern these aristocratic enclaves as commanderies of the empire. A civilian official and military commandant administered each commandery, each with immense responsibilities. They were accountable for political stability and the collection of taxes. The state established schools to promote the scholar-official ideal, and eventually established a university with over 30,000 members who studied not only the Confucian classics but numerous aspects of the natural world. Officials selected students on the basis of recommendations, and at graduation these young men began careers in the bureaucracy. Increasingly, local elites encouraged their sons to become masters of Confucianism as a means to enter and advance in the ruling class.  The Confucian classics soon became the heart of the autocratic state. Over time, a bureaucratic political culture emerged that balanced the interests of the authoritarian emperor with the officials he needed to rule—a partnership between China’s rulers and its educated and economic elites. Confucian Ideology and Legitimate Rule The Han used Confucian thought as the primary ideological buttress of the empire, in which the welfare of the people was the foundation of legitimate rule. Not only were local elites expected to be supported, but the people were also expected to be civilized. By 100 BCE, the Confucian ideals of honor, tradition, respecting the lessons of history, and emphasizing the emperor’s responsibility to heaven became the official doctrine of the empire. By embracing Confucian political ideas, the Han established a polity that created a careful balance between the emperor and his officials and empowered officials to criticize bad government and even to impeach corrupt leaders. THE NEW SOCIAL ORDER AND THE ECONOMY The genius of the Han was their ability to win support of diverse social groups by forming alliances with key leaders. A massive agrarian base provided the Han with tax revenues, as did a variety of special revenue sources, such as tribute from outlying domains. The state also promoted growth in silk and iron production and established state monopolies in salt, iron, and wine to fund military campaigns. Government monopolies undercut the independence of merchants, forcing them to become partners with the rulers. Daily Life Wealthy families lived in lavish homes with women cloistered in inner quarters. Women from less wealthy backgrounds worked the fields or joined troops of entertainers. Silk was abundant and worn by members of all classes, and the rich exposed their wealth by the fashion of their meals. Music and entertainment became divorced from ritual occasions, although funerary rites were taken very seriously. Social Hierarchy At the base of Han society was a free peasantry who owned  and worked their own land. Peasants were honored for their productivity while merchants were subjected to a range of controls. Poor tenant farmers and hired laborers eked out an existence, and at the bottom of society resided convicts and slaves, who represented a small percentage of the population. Confucians and Daoists supported this hierarchy. The empire’s most loyal social group was the scholar-officials, who linked the imperial center with local society. By 99 BCE, local uprisings forced the Han to relax its efforts to control local lords, and landlords and local magnates became the dominant powers in the provinces. Disenfranchised agrarian groups turned to religious organizations to provide the organizational framework for dissent and revolt. Religion and Omens Under the Han emperor Wu, Confucianism slowly took on religious overtones with Confucius possessing aspects of divinity. Religion linked scholars and officials to the peasantry. A cluster of calamities or celestial omens was taken as a sign that the emperor had lost the mandate of heaven. EXPANSION OF THE EMPIRE AND THE SILK ROAD The Han created a powerful army that expanded the borders of the empire and created stable conditions for the transit of goods over the Silk Road. Emperor Wu made military service compulsory. Conscripts served in their local areas. The standing army totaled more than one million men. Roman field armies, in contrast, rarely exceeded 30,000 men. Expanding Borders The army expanded borders in all directions, including into northern Vietnam and Korea but struggled more in the south and southwest due to mountainous terrain and malaria. The Xiongnu, the Yuezhi, and the Han Dynasty The most serious military threat to the Han came from the nomadic peoples to the north, especially the Xiongnu. Emperor Wu launched offensive campaigns against the Xiongnu, eventually splitting the Xiongnu tribes in half. The southern tribes surrendered to the Han, while the northern tribes moved westward. The Chinese Peace: Trade, Oases, and the Silk Road After the defeat of the Xiongnu, a Pax Sinica ensued that allowed a period of extended peace and prosperity. Long-distance trade flourished, and the Han enjoyed tribute from peoples far outside the Han territory. The Xiongnu even began to serve as middlemen in the Silk Road trade. Wu extended the northern defensive wall and established a series of garrison cities. Military and farming settlements began to develop this area with support from the government. A similar system of oases was developed on the rim of the Taklamakan Desert. Traders could now find food and fodder along this route, which soon became part of the Silk Road. SOCIAL CONVULSIONS AND THE USURPER The vast Han army stretched over long distances requiring huge expenditures. Emperor Wu raised taxes, which strained the small landholders and peasants, but by the beginning of the first century CE the Chinese empire was financially drained. Economic decline ensued as natural disasters led to crop failures. Many free peasants fell into debt and were forced to sell their land to large landholders. The social fabric of Han society tore apart as fast-growing populations confronted land shortages. Rebel movements soon formed. Wang Mang, a Han minister, seized the throne, believing the Han had lost the mandate of heaven. Wang Mang enacted reforms to help the poor and sought to redistribute land equitably. He increased taxes on artisans, hunters, and silk weavers to pay for a storehouse system to alleviate grain shortages, but his reforms failed. NATURAL DISASTER AND REBELLION Wang Mang’s reign was quickly undermined by a violent upheaval that united peasants and large landholders against central authority. In 11 CE, the Yellow River broke its dikes and switched course to the south. The entire region was plunged into famine and banditry, affecting nearly half of China’s population. Wang Mang’s regime was unable to cope with the disaster. Daoist clerics led a march on Wang’s capital, and by 23 CE, they had  overthrown Wang Mang. The Han returned to the throne and repudiated Wang Mang’s reformist policies as well as adopting a conservative ethos favoring hereditary privilege. THE LATER HAN DYNASTY The Later Han dynasty restored Han rule by accepting social, political, and economic inequalities. These problems slowly diluted the central power of the emperor and the court into the hands of great aristocratic families who obtained even more private property and turned free peasants into tenants. Social turmoil emerged as inequality grew, and full-scale rebellion erupted in 184 CE. Popular religious groups championed new ideas among commoners and elites, and Daoist ideas gained popularity. At this propitious moment, Buddhist clerics arrived in northern China preaching a new religion of personal enlightenment for the elite and millennial salvation for the masses, and their ideas were warmly welcomed. Yet Daoism offered the greatest challenge to the Han dynasty as Daoist masters challenged Confucian ritual conformity. Religious groups such as the Yellow Turbans emerged across the empire and championed Daoist millenarian movements. As agricultural conditions further deteriorated, people refused to pay their taxes or provide forced labor, and internal wars engulfed the Han dynasty. After the 180s CE, three competing states replaced the Han. The Roman Empire Whereas the Han dominated an enormous continental landmass, the Romans dominated the lands along the world’s largest inland sea, the Mediterranean. Through almost unrelenting wars, the Romans forged an unparalleled number of ethnic groups and minor states into a single large political state. FOUNDATIONS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE The Romans had no great imperial ancestors from which they drew imperial models. Up until 350 BCE, Rome was one of several city-states on the Italian peninsula, but then it entered a period of military and territorial  expansion. Within a century it controlled most of the Italian peninsula, due largely to the migration of foreign peoples and to Roman military and political innovations. Population Movements The invasion of Gallic peoples into the Italian peninsula in the late fifth and early fourth centuries BCE undermined the dominance of the Etruscans in that region. While the Gauls were repulsed, the Etruscans never reestablished their dominance over the other peoples in Italy, including the Romans. Military Institutions and the War Ethos The Romans created unassailable military power by organizing the communities they conquered in Italy into a system that provided huge reservoirs of manpower for the army. Beginning in 340 BCE, Rome defeated its fellow Latin city-states and then continued on to defeat other communities in Italy. Rome demanded that defeated communities provide men for the Roman army every year. Thus, the Roman army grew as its victories accumulated. By 265 BCE, Rome controlled the entire Italian peninsula and launched a series of three wars against Carthage. Through these Punic Wars, Rome established a dominant position in the western Mediterranean. Most dramatically, the Roman defeat of Hannibal during the Second Punic War demonstrated that the resources in terms of manpower and material that the Roman army could draw upon were of a qualitatively different character than those of a city-state such as Carthage. Such resources provided the Romans a decisive advantage. The Romans also created a war ethos in which honor precluded Roman soldiers from ever accepting defeat, pushing themselves into battle again and again. Roman soldiers also faced fierce discipline in which minor infractions were punishable by death. The Romans drafted and trained a large number of men—at its peak about 10 percent of the adult male population was drafted into military service. By 146 BCE the Romans had a monopoly of power over the entire Mediterranean basin. Military victory for generals brought not only glory and territory for the state but enormous personal rewards. Men of great talent and ambition were drawn into military service—and vast numbers died in Roman wars. Political Institutions and Internal Conflict Once the rush of military success slowed in the second century BCE, social and political problems in the Italian peninsula began to surface. The political institutions of the Roman city-state were now inadequate to manage a vast empire. Rome’s elite seized the wealth flowing into Rome from its empire and acquired huge tracts of land and imported slaves to work them. Poorer, free- citizen farmers were driven off their lands and into the cities, which resulted in a severe agrarian crisis. The Gracchus brothers, who served as tribunes to protect the interests of the common people, sought to institute land reforms but were assassinated. Poor Roman citizens increasingly looked toward army commanders to provide them with land and a decent income. Thus, generals became increasingly powerful political figures who ignored the state institutions and traditional rules of politics. In 90 BCE, a long series of civil wars began. EMPERORS, AUTHORITARIAN RULE, AND ADMINISTRATION After a half century of brutal civil war, Roman leaders sought to establish political stability, but such stability came at a price: one-man authoritarian rule. Peace depended on the power of one man who possessed sufficient authority to enforce orderly competition among the Roman aristocracy. Julius Caesar’s adopted son Octavian reunited the fractured empire and emerged as its undisputed master by 30 BCE. He assumed the name Augustus (the Revered One) and concentrated authority in his hands. The emperors were frequently cultivated as semidivine, yet they were careful to present themselves as civil rulers whose power depended on the consent of Roman citizens and the power of the army. Some emperors, such as Caligula, acted in the arbitrary ways that Romans associated with tyrannical kings. The position of emperor was fraught with difficulty, as fifteen of the twenty-two emperors between Augustus and the beginning of the third century died by murder or suicide. Emperors ruled with the help of several institutions, most importantly the army. Augustus transformed the army into a professional force. One joined for life and swore allegiance to the emperor and his family. The empire was divided into forty provinces, each headed by a governor appointed by the emperor. Governors depended on  lower-ranking officials to aid them. Compared to the Chinese bureaucracy, the Roman Empire was relatively underadministered. Governors were expected to maintain peace and collect taxes. TOWN AND CITY LIFE The emperor had to count on the local elites of the empire to see him as a presence that guaranteed stability and their personal well-being. Municipalities The towns in the empire provided the backbone of local administration. Roman town centers were dominated by an open-air forum around which were arranged the town’s main public buildings. In smaller towns, sanitation and health appear to have been reasonably good. Rome Rome, however, had over one million inhabitants. While aqueducts provided fresh water and basic food supplies were guaranteed, living conditions were appalling. Housing was dangerous and cramped, and crime and violence was rampant. The lack of sanitation led to a disease-ridden environment that killed off many inhabitants as new immigrants arrived. Mass Entertainment Every significant Roman town had a theater and an amphitheater, the most famous of which was the Colosseum in Rome. The Colosseum was a state-of-the-art entertainment facility, used most infamously for gladiatorial games in which well-trained men fought, sometimes to the death, for the enjoyment of huge crowds. The creation of public entertainments stresses the importance public citizens had in Roman life. Han Chinese elites, in contrast, created large palace complexes to impress and amuse themselves, not the general public. SOCIAL AND GENDER RELATIONS Men and women of wealth in the Roman Empire acted as patrons to clients of the lower classes. The wealthy made generous distributions of food and entertainment. These relationships were formalized in legal definitions of responsibilities of patrons to clients. The essence of Roman society,  however, was the presence of formal relationships governed by Roman laws and courts. The legal code featured not only a rich body of written laws but also institutions for settling legal disputes and educated men who specialized in interpreting the law. The apparatus of Roman law appeared in every town and city of the empire, and its influence long outlived the empire itself. The civil laws placed the family at the foundation of the Roman social order. The paterfamilias headed the family and had near total power over his dependents, yet compared to the women in the Greek city-states, Roman women had much greater freedom and control over their own wealth and property. They frequently entered into contracts and conducted business and personal transactions. ECONOMY AND NEW SCALES OF PRODUCTION Rome achieved a staggering transformation of scale in the production of agricultural, manufactured, and mined goods in the Mediterranean basin. The Romans also built an unprecedented number of roads and drew up complex land maps on which all major roads and the distances between towns were specified. They also coordinated the road network with sea routes to support the flow of commerce. Coinage was produced in massive quantities to facilitate the exchange of commodities and services. Large-scale commercial plantation agriculture emerged on estates called latifundia. Specializing in cash crops for urban markets, these estates required large numbers of slave laborers. These economic developments were supported by a firm belief in private property, which was codified into Roman law. RELIGIOUS CULTS AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY The political unification of the Mediterranean under one empire suggested that the beliefs of the people might also be unified. The municipal charters of towns required town councilors to institute and maintain the support of a wide variety of official and semiofficial religious cults. Christianity emerged from a direct confrontation and dialogue with Roman imperial authority. Jesus was tried by a Roman governor and executed by the standard Roman penalty of crucifixion. Disciples of Jesus attempted to write about  his life and record his sayings in four books that came to be called the Gospels, explaining that Jesus had been divine. Jesus’ preachings were deeply Jewish, with Jesus as the shepherd of his people. Through the textual portrait of Jesus drawn in the Gospels and the preaching of a Jewish Roman citizen named Paul, the image of Jesus as divine began to spread through the Mediterranean. Followers formed a church in which death was the hallmark of faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus and their own deaths as witnesses and martyrs to God. The persecution of Christians remained sporadic and local. Not until the middle of the third century CE was a formal, empire-wide attack on Christianity directed by the state. By the late third century, Christian communities reflecting different strands of the movement were present throughout the empire. THE LIMITS OF EMPIRE The Romans extended their empire to its ecological limits to the west (the Atlantic Ocean) and the south (the Sahara Desert). To the east, the Romans were prevented from expanding beyond the Mediterranean periphery by the empire of the Parthians and their successors the Sasanians. The nomadic Parthians and Sasanians had a decisive advantage on the arid plains of Iran and Iraq against the cumbersome Roman infantry. In the lands to the north, the illiterate kin-based agricultural societies were led by warrior elites. Their relationships with the Romans were characterized by war and violence. The only commodity that these societies produced that was in demand in the Roman world was slaves, and the slave trade out of this region was immense. The Romans became enmeshed with these northern tribal societies, and the tribal societies were drawn into internal conflicts among the Roman elite.

Challenges Project Teams Face Example

Challenges Project Teams Face Example Challenges Project Teams Face – Coursework Example Challenges Faced by Project Teams al Affiliation) Challenges Faced by Project Teams According to Kendrick, , everyproject team ought to formulate the lifecycle of a project. The steps in the lifecycle are dependent on each other for a project to achieve its projected targets. The challenges faced in one step significantly affects the next step; hence inhibiting the success of the project (Kendrick, 2011). The project involving Denver International Airport Baggage Handling System is a clear indication of the challenges that project teams undergo at every stage of the lifecycle. At the initiation level, the Project Charter is established (Kendrick, 2011). Project teams face the challenge of assessing whether the project is achievable. The project may prove to be more complex than the original plan. Underestimating the complexity levels might hinder the effectiveness of the planning stage. At the planning stage, the project management plan is formulated. Project teams may be required to change the requirements of the project if its complexity was under-estimated at its conception. This might involve adjusting the entire budget structure to cater for the additional project costs. At the execution stage, project deliverables are produced. Project teams may be faced with coordination issues. Lack of coordination may alter the execution of the project. If the project teams are unable to coordinate the project management plan, the project deliverables might be a shadow of the original plan. At the monitoring and controlling stage, the project teams are responsible for controlling any change arising while monitoring the project’s progress. They should ensure that the project is well handled to meet its set objectives. It is at this stage where project teams evaluate the performance of the systems implemented, and ensure that the operation costs are within the budget. At the closing stage, project teams ought to ensure that there is sufficient backup for the whol e project in case a review for the project is required. The project should only be wound up after it has been successful. The project teams ought to evaluate the actual life span of the project against the projected lifespan (Kendrick, 2011). The Denver Baggage Handling System was scrapped off since it was not successful.ReferenceKendrick, T. (2011). 101 project management problems and how to solve them: practical advice for handling real-world project challenges. New York: AMACOM, American Management Association.

Michael John Anderson - The Craigslist Killer

Michael John Anderson - The Craigslist Killer Katherine Ann Olson was 24 years old and had recently graduated summa cum laude from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She had a degree in theater and Latin studies and was looking forward to going to Madrid to enter into a graduate theater program and getting her masters degree in Spanish. Many her age would have been afraid to venture so far from home, but Olson had a passion for traveling and had been to several places around the world. One time she had even worked as a juggler for a circus in Argentina. All of her previous travel adventures had been good experiences and she was looking forward to Madrid. In October 2007 Katherine spotted a babysitting job listed on Craigslist from a woman named Amy. The two exchanged emails and Katherine told her roommate that she found Amy strange, but had agreed to babysit her daughter on Thursday, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. On October 25, 2007, Olsen left for the babysitting job at Amys home. Investigation The following day, October 26, the Savage Police Department received a phone call that a discarded purse had been seen in the garbage at Warren Butler Park in Savage. Inside of the purse, the police found Olsens identification and contacted her roommate. The roommate told them about Olsens babysitting job and that he thought she was missing. Next, the police located Olsons vehicle at Kraemer Park Reserve. Olsons body was found in the trunk. She had been shot in the back and her ankles were bound with red twine. A garbage bag filled with bloody towels was also found. One of the towels had the name Anderson written in magic marker on it. Olsens cell phone was also inside the bag. Investigators were able to trace Amys email account to Michael John Anderson who lived with his parents in Savage. The police went to Andersons place of employment at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport where he worked refueling jets. They told him that they were investigating a missing person and then took him to the police station for questioning. Once in custody, Anderson was read his Miranda rights and he agreed to talk to the officers. During the questioning, Anderson admitted that he used the online service, admitted he was present when Olson was killed and stated a friend of his thought it would be funny to kill Olson. The questioning stopped when Anderson requested an attorney. Evidence The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) examined Olsons body and the Anderson residence. The following is a list of evidence that was collected: A hair collected from Olsons body had matched Andersons DNA.Andersons fingerprint was found on the drawstring of the garbage bag in Warren Butler Park.The garbage bag contained a blue towel with blood that matched Olsons DNA profile.Olsons cell phone contained Andersons thumbprint.DNA analysis of a blood smear found at the bottom of the stairs in the Anderson residence matched Olsons DNA profile.A Ruger .357 Blackhawk revolver was found in Andersons parents bedroom was the same revolver used to shoot Olsen.A fired cartridge found in Andersons room underneath a pillow also came from the revolver.Andersons next door neighbor identified Olsens car as the one she saw parked in Andersons driveway for two hours on October 25, 2007. Computer Evidence Also found on Andersons computer were 67 postings on Craigslist from November 2006 to October 2007. Those posting included requests for female models and actresses, nude photos, a sexual encounter, babysitters, and car parts. Anderson posted an ad on October 22, 2007, requesting a babysitter for a 5-year-old girl. When Olson responded to the ad, Anderson replied posing as Amy and stated she needed someone to babysit her daughter. There were additional email exchanges between the two in reference to the job. Phone records showed that Olson called Andersons cell phone at 8:57 a.m. on October 25, and Anderson listened to the voice mail at 8:59 a.m. Anderson was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree intentional murder. Autopsy An autopsy revealed a gunshot wound to Olsons back, and injuries to Olsons knees, nose, and forehead. The medical examiner said Olson bled to death within 15 minutes from the time she was shot. There was no evidence of sexual assault. Aspergers Disorder Anderson pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness, claiming to suffer from Aspergers disorder. The defense hired a psychologist and a psychiatrist who backed up the claim. Those suffering from Aspergers disorder have difficulties in social interaction, show few emotions, limited ability to feel empathy and are often clumsy. The court ordered a mental examination of Anderson by a forensic psychologist and a forensic psychiatrist, both who said that Anderson did not have Aspergers and was not mentally ill or mentally deficient. Scott County District Judge Mary Theisen ruled that expert testimony to the jury regarding Aspergers would not be allowed. Anderson later changed his plea to not guilty. The Trial During Andersons trial, defense attorney Alan Margoles depicted a lonely, socially inept young man who lived with his parents and never dated. He referred to the 19-year-old as a bizarre kid with no social skills who lived in an unreal world. Margoles went on to suggest that when Olsen turned Anderson down and tried to leave, he responded the way he did when he was playing video games - by pulling a gun on her which went off by mistake. He said the shooting was an accident caused by sympathetic response, which is when one hand flinches in response to the other hand. Margoles said he could have accidentally squeezed the trigger when he reached for his dog with his other hand. Margoles said Anderson was guilty only of second-degree manslaughter. That murder with premeditation or intent was never proven. Anderson did not testify at the trial. The Prosecution Chief Deputy County Attorney Ron Hocevar told the jury that Anderson shot Olson in the back because he was curious about death and what it would feel like to kill someone. Testimony was also given from inmates that said Anderson admitted to killing Olsen because he wanted to know what it felt like and that he did not plead insanity, because then I would have to pretend that Im sorry. Hocevar pointed out that Anderson never told the police that the shooting was an accident, or that he tripped over his dog, or that he just wanted a girl to come over to his house. Verdict The jury deliberated for five hours before returning the verdict. Anderson was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree intentional murder, and second-degree manslaughter-culpable negligence. Anderson showed no reaction or emotion when the verdict was read. Victim-Impact Statements During the victim-impact statements the parents of Katherine Olson, Nancy, and the Reverend Rolf Olson read from a journal that Katherine kept as a child. In it, she wrote about her dreams of one day winning an Oscar, of marrying a tall man with dark eyes and of having four children. Nancy Olson spoke of a reoccurring dream that she had been having since her daughter was found dead: She appeared to me as a 24-year-old, naked, with a bullet hole in her back and crawled into my lap, Nancy Olson said. I cradled her for a long time trying to protect her from the cruel world. Sentencing Michael Anderson declined to speak to the court. His attorney spoke for him saying Anderson had the deepest regrets for his actions. Directing her comments directly to Anderson, judge Mary Theisen said that she believed Olson was running for her life when Anderson shot Olson and that it was an act of cowardice. She made reference to Anderson stuffing Olsen in the car trunk and leaving her to die as a brutal, incomprehensible act. You have shown no remorse, no empathy, and I have no sympathy for you. She then handed down her sentence of life in prison without parole. Anderson has since been referred to as one of the many Craigslist Killers. Last Act of Parenting After the trial, Reverend Rolf Olson said the family was thankful for the outcome, but added, I’m just so sad we had to be here at all. We felt this was the last act of parenting for our daughter.

Poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Poverty - Essay Example Many universities and other educational institutions have played an important role in poverty awareness. Through educational programs, they educate the students and the society of the causes of poverty and their effects. Many children around the world are living in extreme poverty with no food to eat. The question is who is to blame? The cause of poverty, in my mind is the gap between the poor and the rich. This gap exists between countries and between individuals. Looking at countries, the rich nations are not willing to help the poor ones out of poverty. They provide aid to them with strings attached. The conditions for aid have always made the countries to be poorer. Within individuals of a particular country, we also find that the gap between the rich and the poor is so wide. The rich in the society do not put up measures to assist those who are poor. They in fact amass more wealth through dubious means such as stealing from the national coffers or tax evasion. In order to end po verty around the world, the developed world should genuinely extend aid. The conditions put forward should encourage positive reforms in the society and not make these countries poorer. The rich countries must also help the poor and not exploit them. In so doing it will enable the society to progress as one and not on individual level. Universities have programs that help alleviate poverty. The universities also do offer scholarships to poor students to enable them access higher education. By getting this education the students are able to engage in gainful employment that raises their economic status. Through education, the students know whether the aid extended is exploitative or gainful. This enables them to stand up against any form of exploitation in the society. University students, when they get out of school should maintain the moral standards taught them by their parents and teachers when in leadership positions or employment. They should not engage in corruption because th ey know how this vice causes poverty in the society. They should also help others who need this education by sponsoring them. Education of a society results in the reduction of poverty. When I get into a leadership position, I will ensure that I put in place strategies that will ensure poverty alleviation in the society. First I know that corruption has been a major cause of poverty, I will ensure that that there is zero tolerance to corruption. There will be no tax evasion or looting of public property. Use the tax that is collected will also on projects that are likely to benefit the majority of taxpayers. With this in place, even the poor can have a share of the ‘national cake’ that can greatly assist them to come out of their poverty. The second measure is to encourage small-scale enterprises. This I can achieve by reducing the legal requirements for the starting of these businesses and providing grants for people who would want to start such businesses. Small scale businesses are a good way to fight poverty because the capital required to start such businesses is normally small and even the poor can afford it. One also needs to be equipped with just the basic entrepreneurial skills to manage such businesses. My leadership will invest in funding these small-scale enterprises to ensure that it assists the poor to come out of their poverty. Thirdly I will also invest in the education sector. Having been in school I am well aware of the role that education plays in