Renaissance Armor :: essays research papers

Armor Through the arms of the knight we can actually touch something of the knights who strove during the Middle Ages, men whose lives were shaped and who shaped the ideas of chivalry. I believe that armor is, at base, an important, romantic medieval craft. Like all crafts, it takes technical skill and artistic merit to create a quality piece. Other re-enactment societies provide a rich market for fledgling armoires to earn their wings; without these markets, most craftsmen would never progress beyond the occasional hobbyist level. But there is a demand, both by collectors and experienced re-enactors, for arms, armor and accouterment that transcends sporting equipment and approaches something we might call "authentic". To create a piece of armor that strikes the balance between form and function and stay within medieval design elements is difficult. The vast majority of armor now made by 'reproduction' armoires is, unfortunately, sporting equipment. Some armoires do grow, however. In order to grow, they must learn the elements of style that define the periods in which they wish to work, perfecting their hammer and their eye simultaneously. The hammer is by far and away the easier thing to learn. But with perseverance and the willingness to look critically at personal projects, the armoire can refine his eye. The best way to do this is to make exact reproductions, graduating to the next level, the creation of a new piece within a period style. To qualify, all elements of the piece must adhere to this style. Beyond the craft is the art of armoring. Most armor now made is equipment; some is crafted well, and a small percentage transcends the craft reality to become art. Art must, to my mind, communicate clearly to an audience. The greater the art, the more universal the message. For the armoire, to strive for art is to connect the mechanical defense with the spirit of chivalry. To reach this spirit, I believe the armoire must fight; they must use the armor and participate and understand the mechanisms that motivate combatants on the field. They must strive to understand the ideals if they are to add that 'spark' that separates art from fine craft. Thornbird Arms was the company started in 1984 to expand abilities with the hammer and to try to extend the opportunity to others. Most of them were crude by my current knowledge, but we strove in a heartfelt way to improve the quality of equipment available to re-enactors so that they could, in turn, bring a more authentic feel to the tournament field.

SPARTACUS Project

Please be advised that you have been selected to join the SPARTACUS Project beginning June 1, 2011. This project requires complete confidentiality due to the sensitivity of its workers. The current company has selected to outsource our company to manage their labor functions. There are 300 skilled labor workers currently employed. We would like to keep all 300 on board, have them join our company, and continue doing their current job roles. Our team will be evaluating the current process and work instructions on the floor to understand the job functions, to ensure the LEAN process and identify any opportunities for improvement. During this evaluation we will be communicating with the workers. Since they are not aware of the change in management, it is our goal to make them feel at ease with our presence, answer any questions as honestly as possible, try to eliminate any uncertainty that they may have, and establish somewhat of a relationship with them. We will have 30 days of evaluation prior to taking over the complete process. On the 25th day the company will announce the outsourcing of management of their labor and advise the workers the option to join our company with the same pay, benefits and seniority. If they do not choose to remain they will be offered a severance package based on the length of time with the company. Again our goal is to retain as many of the skilled workers as possible. This company has a very low attrition rate and workers are loyal with 5, 10, and 15 years of service. On this project you will experience different attitudes, emotions, and personalities, you are to establish a relationship with the worker and motivate them not only to stay on board but to energize them with change. This is a difficult task; however keep in mind our reading in Chapter 6 of the Organizational Behavior textbook regarding Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. These needs are: 1. Physiological: Includes hunger, thirst, shelter, sex, and other bodily needs 2. Safety: Includes security and protection from physical and emotional harm 3. Social: Includes affection, belongingness, acceptance, and friendship 4. Esteem: Includes internal esteem factors such as self-respect, autonomy, and achievement; and xternal esteem factors such as status, recognition, and attention 5. Self-actualization: The drive to become what one is capable of becoming; includes growth, achieving one’s potential, and self-fulfillment As a team we need to recognize that these skilled workers have these needs and as the new company we need to cater to them. When you are out on the floor inquire what the worker would like to see change. Many workers are waiting on an opportunity to be heard and have never received a chance to voice it until now. Also praise the loyalty, dedication, and morale that you see on the floor, let them tell you about their time here with the company and their families, what they have accomplished and achieved both personally and career wise. Take notes of what they said, acknowledge them by name, and ask them how they are doing when you see them. We have 25 days to fulfilling these needs. In those 30 days we know that we will not retain everyone. Workers may leave as it is an opportunity to change careers, a chance for early retirement, leave the job force, or for many other reasons. You have been chosen to be part of this team as your personality, motivation, and leadership play a large part in this project; to retain as many skilled workers as possible. Your personality characteristics contain or scored high positively in the Big Five factors mentioned in Chapter 4 of the Organizational Behavior textbook. The Big Five factors are: 1. Extraversion: This dimension captures one’s comfort level with relationships. Extraverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and sociable. Introverts tend to be reserved, timid, and quiet. 2. Agreeableness: This dimension refers to an individual’s propensity to defer to others. Highly agreeable people are cooperative, warm, and trusting. People who score low on agreeableness are cold, disagreeable, and antagonistic. 3. Conscientiousness: This dimension is a measure of reliability. A highly conscientious person is responsible, organized, dependable, and persistent. Those who score low on this dimension are easily distracted, disorganized, and unreliable. 4. Emotional stability (often labeled by its converse, neuroticism): This dimension taps a person’s ability to withstand stress. People with positive emotional stability tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. Those with high negative scores tend to be nervous, anxious, depressed, and insecure. 5. Openness to experience: The final dimension addresses one’s range of interests and fascination with novelty. Extremely open people are creative, curious, and artistically sensitive. Those at the other end of the openness category are conventional and find comfort in the familiar. Think of yourself as Spartacus leading himself and others from gladiator slavery with mere kitchen tools. History books state that Spartacus was able to influence 200 slaves to fight, only 80 of them got away in the first fight. You are utilizing the skills that you have learned to influence and motivate the skilled workers of this company to stay on board and let us manage them. You will face both acceptance and resistance. Resistance will come from workers who do not adapt to change well, and those that feel insecurity. Focus on them, take that challenge that you can influence them to accept, grow, and prosper with the change. Please feel free to discuss any questions, concerns, or ideas that you may with me at any time. My door is always open and your insight is always valuable. Remember you are an important asset in making this project a success. Reference Robbins, S. P. & Judge, T. A. (2007). Organizational behavior (12th ed.). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx

Business Plan in Bangladesh

Yangon Institute of Economics Department of Management Studies MBA Programme Business Plan for POINT footwear manufacturing and distribution Submitted by : Nay Zar Myo Roll No : 36 15th Batch MBA Plan Outline 1. Executive Summary 2. Company Summary 3. Products 4. Market Analysis Summary i. Market Segmentation ii. Distribution Strategy iii. Market Trends 5. Competition and Buying Patterns Competitive Edge 6. Strategy and Implementation Summary Sales Strategy 7. Management Summary 8. Financial Plan i. Important Assumptions ii. Break-even Analysis iii. Projected Profit and Loss iv. Projected Cash Flow v. Projected Balance Sheet vi.Business Ratios 1. Executive Summary POINT is a recent start-up manufacturer of an upscale ladies foot wear line (in order to substitute Foreign foot wears market) targeted at females between the ages of 16 and 65. POINT not only develops the foot wear line, but supports it with advertising and promotion campaigns. Pyay Lai Manufacturing and Trading Company pl ans to strengthen its partnership with retailers by developing brand awareness. POINT intends to market its line as an alternative to existing foot wear lines, and differentiate itself by marketing strategies, exclusiveness, sophisticated design and technologies and high brand awareness.The key message associated with the POINT line is classy, upscale, versatile, and inexpensive footwear. The company's promotional plan is diverse and includes a range of marketing communications. In the future, the company hopes to develop lines of accessories, raw materials (rubber, leather, velvet) and foot wears for men, women, and children. The Figure is drawn based on the Income Statement of the year 2000, 2001 and 2002 when the company manufactured and distributed only traditional slippers (leather and velvet) for men, women and children. Keys to Success 1. Seek out feedback from our customers (teens and ad

Capital Punishment Should be Abolished essays

Capital Punishment Should be Abolished essays English 128 Whitehead 1 A Moratorium on The Death Penalty Should Be Enacted In Illinois Due to the recent releases of newly exonerated Death Row inmates, individuals and organizations are calling for a moratorium- a cooling off period for state executions. The cases of just a few inmates makes it apparent that this would be a necessary step to save innocent lives. After 17 years in prison, Illinois Death Row inmate Anthony Porter was released from jail after a judge threw out his murder conviction following the introduction of new evidence. This reversal of fortune came just two days before Porter was to be executed. As reported in USA Today, Porter's release was the result of investigative research as conducted by a Northwestern University professor and students. The evidence gathered suggested that Porter had been wrongly convicted. Were these new revelations and the subsequent release of Porter a lucky break or a freak occurrence? Not likely, reports DeWayne Wickham, also of USA Today. He points out that since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the United States in 1976, of those sentenced to death, 490 people have been executed while 76 have been freed from Death Row. This calculates into one innocent person being released from Death Row for every six individuals that were executed. This figure correlates with the 1996 U.S. Department of Justice report that indicates that over a 7-year period, beginning in 1989, when DNA evidence in various cases was tested, 26% of primary suspects were exonerated. This has led some to conclude that a similar percentage of inmates presently serving time behind bars may have been wrongly convicted prior to the advent of forensic DNA typing. Amnesty International, in its 1998 report "Fatal Flaws: Innocence and the Death Penalty", supports the American Bar Association's call for a de...

Respecting Students Is a Must for Teacher Effectiveness

Respecting Students Is a Must for Teacher Effectiveness Respecting students is essential for boosting teacher effectiveness. It seems today that the media jumps at every opportunity to showcase an educator who has made a poor decision in judgment. One of the most prevalent issues highlighted is that of a teacher continuously berating or disrespecting a student or group of students. This type of behavior is unacceptable. All educators expect their students to be respectful to them, but some fail to realize that this is a two-way street. All educators should show their students respect at all times including tense moments of conflict. Conduct a search on Google or YouTube for â€Å"teacher abuse† and the number of examples you will find of such unprofessional conduct is embarrassing to the profession. Educators should be adult enough, professional enough, and smart enough not to conduct themselves in this manner. In an age where every student has a cell phone, it only takes one time to find yourself on YouTube, embarrassed, and out of a job. Teachers must think before they react and choose their words carefully. How to Build Strong, Trusting Student-Teacher Relationships Sometimes we forget where many of these students come from and the situations that they deal with on a daily basis. School should be a safe haven and kids should trust all of their administrators, teachers, and staff members. Every kid is different and these differences should be embraced. If all kids were the same our jobs would be boring. It is important to realize that there are tremendous differences between each individual student and with each individual class. A 3rd grader cannot handle what a 6th grader can handle and so on. Try to have patience and understanding when dealing with a student. Before you say anything, take a deep breath, think about your response, and choose your words carefully. Your tone matters as much as what you say. We expect our students to be respectful to us and we should, in turn, be respectful to them at all times. This isn’t always easy, but you must always handle interactions with students in a positive manner. You should never berate or embarrass a student. It is best to address them separately from the class. The key is to talk to them, not down to them. Kids are going to make mistakes. It would be ignorant to think that they won’t. You are setting yourself and them up for failure if you do. There is a difference between having high expectations and having unrealistic expectations. Preconceived notions can and will destroy a relationship with a student. Everyone deserves a second chance. Allow someone this chance and you will find that they will surprise you more often than not. Educators should always strive to build positive, trusting relationships with their students. Some of these relationships take time to build and others are relatively easy. Respect is always the key. A teacher becomes so much more effective when they can earn a classes respect. Reasons Why Teachers Lose the Respect of Their Students There are several things that a teacher can do to lose their students’ respect. Doing any of these things can lead you on a path towards disaster. It is best to avoid the following practices: Never treat students differently based on personal interests.Do not create rules that can be perceived as unfair.Never misuse your authority.Do not ignore a student.Never avoid smiling and being friendly with your students.Do not yell or scream.Do not have a negative attitude on a consistent basis.Do not be afraid to apologize or admit when you make a mistake.Never become friends with students when they are in your class.Never give control over to your students.Do not be hypocritical.Do not say anything that you would not want to be recorded and played back.Do not humiliate or berate students in an attempt to get them to behave.Never use sarcasm.Do not use profanity.Do not violate a student’s personal space.Do not gossip, discuss, or complain about other teachers in front of your students.Never issue vindictive or counterproductive threats.Do not hold things against a student that is beyond their control. How Teacher Can Earn Their Students Respect There are several things that a teacher can do to earn their students’ respect. Doing these things will lead you on a path toward mutual respect and it will maximize a teacher’s overall effectiveness. It is best to engage in the following practices: Have a Positive Attitude: An educator who has a positive attitude toward their students and their job will be more effective. All of us have bad days, but we should still strive to remain positive even on our worst days.Be Consistent: Students must know what your expectations are on a daily basis. Be inconsistent will lose their respect and attention faster than just about anything.Be Fair: Treat every student the same when dealing with the same situation. Giving out a different set of consequences for the same actions will undermine your authority.Have a Sense of Humor: Having a sense of humor can be disarming. Students will naturally look forward to coming to your class and learning if they know that you aren’t uptight and rigid.Be Flexible: Teachers that aren’t flexible are setting themselves and their students up for failure. Things happen in life that is beyond anyone’s control. Be sensitive to every situation and be willing to adapt and veer from your sched uled plans when necessary.

Finance and Investment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance and Investment - Research Paper Example 9 331,434.00 12% 10 371,207.00 12% 11 415,752.00 12% 12 465,642.00 12% 13 652,519.00 12% 14 584,101.00 12% 15 654,193.00 12% 16 732,696.00 12% 17 820,620.00 12% 18 919,094.00 12% ii) The present value amount of option B 125,000.00 x 7.22497 = 906,212.50 iii) The equivalent rate of return 906,212.50 - 900,000.00 = 6,212.50 f. i) Cash flow diagram if Mr. Gordon accepts Option C. (principal + interest) No. of periods payments %rate 1 122,100.00 11% 2 135,531.00 11% 3 150,439.00 11% 4 166,987.00 11% 5 185,355.00 11% 6 207,598.00 12% 7 232,510.00 12% 8 260,411.00 12% 9 291,660.00 12% 10 326,659.00 12% 11 365,858.00 12% 12 409,761.00 12% 13 458,932.00 12% 14 514,004.00 12% 15 575,684.00 12% 16 644,766.00 12% 17 722,138.00 12% 18 808,795.00 12% ii) The present value of option C 110,000.00 X 7.2497 = 797,467.00 iii) The equivalent rate of Gordon from option C 900,000.00 - 797,467.00 = 102,533.00 g. I have to choose option B because for Mr. Gordon because as the graph or diagram clearly states that Mr. Gordon would be receiving more that option A or C. h. i) Cash Flow Diagram if Gordon accepts option C no. of payments payments %rate 1 122,100.00 11% 2 135,531.00 11% 3 150,439.00 11% 4 168,492.00 11% 5 687,026.00 ii) Present value of option C 110,000.00 X 3.1024 = 341,264.00 j. i) If I were asked by Mr. Gordon my opinion on what option would I advice him, My recommendation would be...He can spend his money in a more relaxed manner because it would be more that what he'll be needing. It is just like saying that he had his money invested wisely through his contributions during the 35 years that he spent working. Outlay should be ignored. The initial capital or investment for the machine is, $150,000.00. I assumed that the company has enough resources ot cover for this. After tax annual cost of continuing to buy the self sealing container. b. i) Based on the information, presented, system B should kylie recommend for purchase by company. This system has a scrap value/ salvage value at the end of useful life. The system will still be valued in the end. Besides, this system has a lower cost of operation, and repair and maintenance, which means lower expenses for the company that will result to higher income revenue ii) Since the company is all equity financed, it very possible to accept both quality control systems. Acquiring both systems is costly, but the gains that will be incurred by the manufacturing company will definitely give back the costs of acquiring the two systems. It will also not be a problem to accept both because dividends paid to shareholders are at a lower rate per share.

What Specific Benefit Does Knowledge Management Software Add To A Essay

What Specific Benefit Does Knowledge Management Software Add To A Global Organization - Essay Example Technology may be central to companies adopting a global strategy. To discuss the benefits of using software in knowledge management tt should be mentioned that knowledge management means storing and sharing the wisdom and understanding accumulated in an organization about its processes, techniques and operations. It treats knowledge as a key resource, and software becomes a way of sharing this knowledge. Knowledge management software helps to connect people in global organization who operate in a distance, and has no opportunity to use printed matters or other sources. Knowledge management is as much if not more concerned with people and how they acquire, exchange and disseminate knowledge as it is about information technology. That is why it has become an important area for HR practitioners, who are in a strong position to exert influence in this aspect of people management. Software in KM can benefited in any process or practice of creating, acquiring, capturing, sharing and using knowledge, wherever it resides, to enhance learning and performance in organizations (Kucza, Komi-Sirvio,2001). MK software and the Internet world is growing fast and is becoming the integral part for many global organizations which create "portals to facilitate collaborative among workers involved in product development" (Moore, 2001). Internet rationalizes the expensive and cumbersome proposition of large-scale service. MK software serves to reduce at least the appearance of risk associated with time-space distanciation and the opacity of the expert system. In the global organisation managers need to implement a system that is much like a traditional library - it must contain a large cache of documents and include search engines that allow people to find and use the documents they need. In the personalization model, it's more important to have a system that allows people to find other people. In the light of this KM software is viewed as a means of communication and as a means of storing knowledge. Knowledge management is more about people than technology. A preoccupation with technology may mean that too little attention is paid to the processes (social, technological and organizational) through which knowledge combines and interacts in different ways. The key benefit is the interactions between people. This constitutes the social capital of an organization, i.e. the network of relationships constitute a valuable resource for the conduct of organizational affairs. Organizational networks can be particularly important in ensuring that knowledge is shared. What is also required is another aspect of organizational capital: trust. People will not be willing to share knowledge with those whom they do not trust, but KM software helps to reduce this risk to a minimum, and in some cases even encourage employees to be more active and participate in current affaires (Card, 1991). Another benefit of KM software is possibility to inhibit knowledge sharing in the culture of the company. The norm may be for people to keep knowledge to themselves as much as they can because 'knowledge is power'. An open culture will encourage people to share their ideas and knowledge. KM software helps to develop an open culture in which the values and norms emphasize the importance of sharing knowledge. On the other hand it promotes a climate of commitment and trust. As the most important KM software can help to