In a World of Stereotypes Essay Example for Free

In a World of Stereotypes Essay What is a stereotype? Stereotypes are characteristics ascribed to groups of people involving gender, race, national origin and other factors. (Nadra Kareem Nittle. Para 1). Most of these characteristics are over exaggerated opinions of the groups. The next few paragraphs in this paper will identify three examples of a stereotype one may encounter in their everyday lives, an argument that may support the stereotype, and any mistakes that may be found in the argument. One stereotype that is very common but a lot of people may not consider a stereotype is age in the work place. This may sound a little ridiculous but there are â€Å"persistent negative perceptions pertaining to older workers† ( Ostroff Atwater, 2003, p. 729; see also Posthuma Campion, 2009). An employer might think that a younger worker would have more energy or stamina, less health issues, and more of an open mind when learning new technologies. An older person might be considered stuck in their ways rather than a fresh young employee right out of college. Nonetheless an older person in age might have more experience that would require a higher paycheck, as where a younger person may take less money in order to gain the experience. Although some of these arguments may make sense to the average person reading this, the same feelings can go for someone in the younger age groups. â€Å"Young adults might also feel stereotype threat in the workplace, as younger workers are often perceived to be less reliable, less committed to the organization, and less socially skilled† (Nadra Kareem Nittle. Para 31). Moral of the story is that there are good points and there are bad points for any worker no matter what there age. These are all assumptions of an age group instead of the true characteristics of the person themselves. An employer may not higher a sixty year old man who has a better work ethic than a twenty five year old man and he will never know because he judged the older man based on a stereotype and vise versa. As a result to stereotyping he will continue to go through employees during his entire career. Here the employer commits the fallcy called a Hasty Generalization as well. Drawing broad and very general conclusions based on insufficient evidence can therefore lead to harmful results, not only for the victim of the stereotype but also for the person doing the stereotyping. † (Mosser 2011, para 33). The next common stereotype is called a racial stereotype. In 1933 Katz and Braly did questionnaire method research using American students on racial stereotypes. The results are quoted as follows: â€Å"There was considerable agreement in the traits selected. White Americans, for example, were seen as industrious, progressive and ambitious. African Americans were seen as lazy, ignorant and musical. Participants were quite ready to rate ethnic groups with whom they had no personal contact. † (McLeod para 15). Although this kind of behavior could be very well just plain human nature t stereotype a group of people based on their race, the face just aren’t there. Look at President Obama for example; he is by far not a lazy man just because he is a black man. A lazy man would not have the ability to run a country. Yet he is black, so he must be pretty lazy. Fallacy? The last stereotype to address in this paper is sports stereotypes. Some may say that only men play sports like football, wrestling, or hockey and women only play volleyball, tennis, and badminton due to how much physical contact women should have verses men. (Million Views para 1). One would say these stereotypes do not seem to far fetched because football is a very rough sport and most men are bigger and stronger than a woman so if she were to join the football team she may very well get hurt. But why cant men play tennis? Does this make him girly? Or not a man? Some would say yes because the sport is less aggressive and a man needs to act in rough sports if they want to be considered a man. There are women wrestlers today and plenty of men play tennis without losing their so-called manhood. These things we all do everyday, sometimes without even realizing it. We are all categorized in some sort of stereotype more than we would like to admit. But the bottom line is that we all bleed red, we all breathe the same air, and we all have to die one day. We are human. Instead of being separated into generalized groups based on or age, religion, race, etc. we all should be as one in the same group of humans. Because weather we like it or not, we are human.

Prospects of Insurance | Insurance Business Analysis

Prospects of Insurance | Insurance Business Analysis This is the law of nature that people have to live and play with hazards and to some extent insurance policy can free people from those frustrations. Even if this is true, people of Bangladesh still dont prefer to insure themselves. One may think that the people of Bangladesh are risk lover; on the other hand other may contradict by saying that their low purchasing power doesnt permit them to avail insurance policy. Here we will try to find out the problems of insurance business in Bangladesh and will try to suggest some steps for overcoming these problems. What is insurance? Insurance in its basic form is defined as A contract between two parties whereby one party called insurer undertakes in exchange for a fixed sum called premiums, to pay the other party called insured a fixed amount of money on the happening of a certain event. In simple terms it is a contract between the person who buys Insurance and an Insurance company who sold the Policy. By entering into contract the Insurance company agrees to pay the Policy holder or his family members a predetermined sum of money in case of any unfortunate event for a predetermined fixed sum payable which is in normal term called Insurance Premiums. Insurance is basically a protection against a financial loss which can arise on the happening of an unexpected event. Insurance companies collect premiums to provide for this protection. By paying a very small sum of money a person can safeguard himself and his family financially from an unfortunate event. For Example if a person buys a Life Insurance Policy by paying a premium to the Insurance company , the family members of insured person receive a fixed compensation in case of any unfortunate event like death. There are different kinds of Insurance Products available such as Life Insurance , Vehicle Insurance, Home Insurance, Travel Insurance, Health or Mediclaim Insurance etc. Types of Insurance Any risk that can be quantified probably has a type of insurance to protect it. Among the different types of insurance are: Automobile insurance, also known as auto insurance, car insurance and in the UK as motor insurance, is probably the most common form of insurance and may cover both legal liability claims against the driver and loss of or damage to the vehicle itself. Over most of the United States purchasing an auto insurance policy is required to legally operate a motor vehicle on public roads. Recommendations for which policy limits should be used are specified in a number of books. In some jurisdictions, bodily injury compensation for automobile accident victims has been changed to No Fault systems, which reduce or eliminate the ability to sue for compensation but provide automatic eligibility for benefits. Boiler insurance (also known as Boiler and Machinery insurance or Equipment Breakdown Insurance) Casualty insurance insures against accidents, not necessarily tied to any specific property. Credit insurance pays some or all of a loan back when certain things happen to the borrower such as unemployment, disability, or death. Financial loss insurance protects individuals and companies against various financial risks. For example, a business might purchase cover to protect it from loss of sales if a fire in a factory prevented it from carrying out its business for a time. Insurance might also cover failure of a creditor to pay money it owes to the insured. Fidelity bonds and surety bonds are included in this category. Health insurance covers medical bills incurred because of sickness or accidents. Liability insurance covers legal claims against the insured. For example, a homeowners insurance policy provides the insured with protection in the event of a claim brought by someone who slips and falls on the property, and brings a lawsuit for her injuries. Similarly, a doctor may purchase liability insurance to cover any legal claims against him if his negligence (carelessness) in treating a patient caused the patient injury and/or monetary harm. The protection offered by a liability insurance policy is two-fold: a legal defense in the event of a lawsuit commenced against the policyholder, plus indemnification (payment on behalf of the insured) with respect to a settlement or court verdict. Life insurance provides a cash benefit to a decedents family or other designated beneficiary, and may specifically provide for burial and other final expenses. Annuities provide a stream of payments and are generally classified as insurance because they are issued by insurance companies and regulated as insurance. Annuities and pensions that pay a benefit for life are sometimes regarded as insurance against the possibility that a retiree will outlive his or her financial resources. In that sense, they are the complement of life insurance. Total permanent disability insurance provides benefits when a person is permanently disabled and can no longer work in their profession, often taken as an adjunct to life insurance. Locked Funds Insurance is a little known hybrid insurance policy jointly issued by governments and banks. It is used to protect public funds from tamper by unauthorised parties. In special cases, a government may authorize its use in protecting semi-private funds which are liable to tamper. Terms of this type of insurance are usually very strict. As such it is only used in extreme cases where maximum security of funds is required. Marine Insurance covers the loss or damage of goods at sea. Marine insurance typically compensates the owner of merchandise for losses sustained from fire, shipwreck, etc., but excludes losses that can be recovered from the carrier. Nuclear incident insurance damages resulting from an incident involving radioactive materials is generally arranged at the national level. (For the United States, see Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act.) Political risk insurance can be taken out by businesses with operations in countries in which there is a risk that revolution or other political conditions will result in a loss. Professional Indemnity Insurance is normally a mandatory requirement for professional practitioners such as Architects, Lawyers, Doctors and Accountants to provide insurance cover against potential negligence claims. Non licensed professionals may also purchase malpractice insurance, it is commonly called Errors and Omissions Insurance and covers a service provider for claims made against them that arise out of the performance of specified professional services. For instance, a web site designer can obtain EO insurance to cover them for certain claims made by third parties that arise out of negligent performance of web site development services. Property insurance provides protection against risks to property, such as fire, theft or weather damage. This includes specialized forms of insurance such as fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, home insurance, inland marine insurance or boiler insurance. Terrorism insurance Title insurance provides a guarantee that title to real property is vested in the purchaser and/or mortgagee, free and clear of liens or encumbrances. It is usually issued in conjunction with a search of the public records done at the time of a real estate transaction. Travel insurance is an insurance cover taken by those who travel abroad, which covers certain losses such as medical expenses, lost of personal belongings, travel delay, personal liabilities.. etc. Workers compensation insurance replaces all or part of a workers wages lost and accompanying medical expense incurred due to a job-related injury. A single policy may cover risks in one or more of the above categories. For example, car insurance would typically cover both property risk (covering the risk of theft or damage to the car) and liability risk (covering legal claims from say, causing an accident). A homeowners insurance policy in the US typically includes property insurance covering damage to the home and the owners belongings, liability insurance covering certain legal claims against the owner, and even a small amount of health insurance for medical expenses of guests who are injured on the owners property. Potential sources of risk that may give rise to claims are known as perils. Examples of perils might be fire, theft, earthquake, hurricane and many other potential risks. An insurance policy will set out in details which perils are covered by the policy and which are not. History of Insurance business in Bangladesh: Insurance is not a new business in Bangladesh. Almost a century back, during British rule in India, some insurance companies started transacting business, both life and general, in Bengal. Insurance business gained momentum in East Pakistan during 1947-1971, when 49 insurance companies transacted both life and general insurance schemes. These companies were of various origins British, Australian, Indian, West Pakistani and local. Ten insurance companies had their head offices in East Pakistan, 27 in West Pakistan, and the rest elsewhere in the world. These were mostly limited liability companies. Some of these companies were specialised in dealing in a particular class of business, while others were composite companies that dealt in more than one class of business. The government of Bangladesh nationalised insurance industry in 1972 by the Bangladesh Insurance (Nationalisation) Order 1972. By virtue of this order, save and except postal life insurance and foreign life insurance companies, all 49 insurance companies and organisations transacting insurance business in the country were placed in the public sector under five corporations. These corporations were: the Jatiya Bima Corporation, Tista Bima Corporation, Karnafuli Bima Corporation, Rupsa Jiban Bima Corporation, and Surma Jiban Bima Corporation. The Jatiya Bima Corporation was an apex corporation only to supervise and control the activities of the other insurance corporations, which were responsible for underwriting. Tista and Karnafuli Bima Corporations were for general insurance and Rupsa and Surma for life insurance. The specialist life companies or the life portion of a composite company joined the Rupsa and Surma corporations while specialist general insurance companies or the genera l portion of a composite company joined the Tista and Karnafuli corporations. The basic idea behind the formation of four underwriting corporations, two in each main branch of life and general, was to encourage competition even under a nationalised system. But the burden of administrative expenses incurred in maintaining two corporations in each front of life and general and an apex institution at the top outweighed the advantages of limited competition. Consequently, on 14 May 1973, a restructuring was made under the Insurance Corporations Act 1973. Following the Act, in place of five corporations the government formed two: the sadharan bima corporation for general business, and jiban bima corporation for life business. The postal life insurance business and the life insurance business by foreign companies were still allowed to continue as before. In reality, however, only the american life insurance company. continued to operate in the life sector for both new business and servicing, while three other foreign life insurance continued to operate only for servicing their old policies issued during Pakistan days. Postal life maintained its business as before. After 1973, general insurance business became the sole responsibility of the Sadharan Bima Corporation. Life insurance business was carried out by the Jiban Bima Corporation, the American Life insurance Company, and the Postal Life Insurance Department until 1994, when a change was made in the structural arrangement to keep pace with the new economic trend of liberalisation. The Insurance Corporations Act 1973 was amended in 1984 to allow insurance companies in the private sector to operate side by side with Sadharan Bima Corporation and Jiban Bima Corporation. The Insurance Corporations Amendment Act 1984 allowed floating of insurance companies, both life and general, in the private sector subject to certain restrictions regarding business operations and reinsurance. Under the new act, all general insurance businesses emanating from the public sector were reserved for the state owned Sadharan Bima Corporation, which could also underwrite insurance business emanating from the private sector. The Act of 1984 made it a requirement for the private sector insurance companies to obtain 100% reinsurance protection from the Sadharan Bima Corporation. This virtually turned Sadharan Bima Corporation into a reinsurance organisation, in addition to its usual activities as direct insurer. Sadharan Bima Corporation itself had the right to reinsure its surplus elsewhe re outside the country but only after exhausting the retention capacity of the domestic market. Such restrictions aimed at preventing outflow of foreign exchange in the shape of reinsurance premium and developing a reinsurance market within Bangladesh. The restriction regarding business placement affected the interests of the private insurance companies in many ways. The restrictions were considered not congenial to the development of private sector business in insurance. Two strong arguments were put forward to articulate feelings: (a) Since the public sector accounted for about 80% of the total premium volume of the country, there was little premium left for the insurance companies in the private sector to survive. In this context, Sadharan Bima Corporation should not have been allowed to compete with the private sector insurance companies for the meagre premium (20%) emanating from the private sector; (b) Being a competitor in the insurance market, Sadharan Bima Corporation was hardly acceptable as an agency to protect the interests of the private sector insurance companies and should not have retained the exclusive right to reinsure policies of these companies. The arrangement was in fact, against the principle of laissez faire . Private sector insurance companies demanded withdrawal of the above restrictions so that they could (a) underwrite both public and private sector insurance business in competition with the Sadharan Bima Corporation, and (b) effect reinsurance to the choice of reinsurers. The government modified the system through promulgation of the Insurance Corporations (Amendment) Act 1990. The changes allowed private sector insurance companies to underwrite 50% of the insurance business emanating from the public sector and to place up to 50% of their reinsurance with any reinsurer of their choice, at home or abroad, keeping the remaining for placement with the Sadharan Bima Corporation. According to the new rules the capital and deposit requirements for formation of an insurance company are as follows: Capital requirements: for life insurance company Tk 75 million, of which 40% shall be subscribed by the sponsors; for mutual life insurance company Tk 10 million; for general insurance company Tk 150 million, of which 40% shall be subscribed by the sponsors; and for cooperative insurance society Tk 10 million for life and Tk 20 million for general. Deposit requirements (in cash or in approved securities): For life insurance Tk 4 million; for fire insurance Tk 3 million; for marine insurance Tk 3 million; for miscellaneous insurance Tk 3 million; for mutual insurance company Tk 1.4 million; and for cooperative insurance society, in case of life insurance Tk 1.4 million, and in case of general insurance Tk 1 million for each class. The government guidelines for formation of an insurance company are: (1) The intending sponsors must first submit an application in prescribed form to the Chief Controller of Insurance for prior permission. (2) After necessary scrutiny the Chief Controller shall forward the application with his recommendation to the Ministry of Commerce. (3) After further scrutiny, the Ministry of Commerce shall submit its views to the Cabinet Committee constituted for this purpose. (4) The decision of the Committee, if affirmative, should be sent back to the Ministry of Commerce which in turn should send it back to the Chief Controller of Insurance for communicating the same to the sponsors. (5) The sponsors would then be required to apply in a prescribed form to the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies to get registration as a public liability company under the Companies Act. Memorandum and Articles of Association duly approved by the Controller of Insurance would have to be submitted with the application. (6) Once the registration process was completed the sponsors would have to obtain permission of the securities and exchange commission to issue share capital. (7) Reinsurance arrangements would have to be made at this stage. (8) After all the above requirements were fulfilled the licence to commence business under the Insurance Act 1938 is to be obtained from the Chief Controller of Insurance. Application can only be made subject to government announcements in this regard. The control over insurance companies, including their functions relating to investments, taxation, and reporting, are regulated mainly by the Insurance Act 1938 and the Finance Acts. The privatisation policy adopted in the 1980s paved the way for a number of insurers to emerge in the private sector. This resulted in a substantial growth of premium incomes, competition, improvement in services, and introduction of newer types of business in wider fields hitherto untapped. Prior to privatisation, the yearly gross premium volume of the country was approximately Tk 900 million in general insurance business and approximately Tk 800 million in life insurance business. In 2000, premium incomes rose to Tk 4,000 million in general insurance business and Tk 5,000 million in life insurance business. Up to 2000, the government has given permission to 19 general insurance companies and 10 life insurance companies in the private sector. Insurers of the country now conduct almost all types of general and life insurance, except crop insurance and export credit guarantee insurance, which are available only with the Sadharan Bima Corporation. Numerous institutions, associations and professional groups work to promote the development of insurance business in Bangladesh. Prominent among them are the Bangladesh Insurance Association and bangladesh insurance academy. Bangladesh Insurance Association was formed on 25 May 1988 under the Companies Act 1913. It is registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and has 30 members. It aims at promoting, supporting and protecting the interests and welfare of the member companies. Surveyors and insurance agents occupy a prominent position in the insurance market of Bangladesh. The surveyors are mainly responsible for surveying and assessing general insurance losses and occasionally, for valuation of insurance properties, while the agents work to procure both life and general insurance business against commission. The system of professional brokers has not yet developed in Bangladesh. However, it is a common practice of the insurers to engage salaried development officers for promotion of their insurance business. Problems of insurance business in bangladesh The insurance business in Bangladesh is facing lots of problem in every now and then. To describe the problems, we use service quality gap model. By using the model it will become more easer to understand the problms of insurance in Bangladesh. Service Quality Gap Model Managers in the service sector are under increasing pressure to demonstrate that their services are customer-focused and that continuous performance improvement is being delivered. Given the financial and resource constraints under which service organizations must manage it is essential that customer expectations are properly understood and measured and that, from the customers perspective, any gaps in service quality are identified. This information then assists a manager in identifying cost-effective ways of closing service quality gaps and of prioritizing which gaps to focus on a critical decision given scarce resources ( SERVQUAL and Model of Service Quality Gaps: A Framework for Determining and Prioritizing Critical Factors in Delivering Quality Services by Dr. Arash Shahin, Department of Management, University of Isfahan, Iran). What makes managing customer service different, as a marketing problem, from managing the standard elements of the marketing mix (product, price, pro motions, and place) is that customer service is typically delivered by front-line employees. Personnel policies, thus, have immediate marketing implications. Many retailers take this into consideration by treating employees as internal customers. According to this philosophy, management must sell their internal customers on the company and its policies in order to induce front-line employees to deliver the desired levels of customer service. Standard personnel policies that can facilitate customer service and sell the internal customers include (a) employee screening and selection, (b) training, (c) setting suitable reporting relationships, (d) goals and reward systems, (e) internal communications, and (f) generally creating a service culture. The Gap Analysis Model goes a step beyond simply reexamining each of the standard personnel policies in light of the desired customer service. The model provides specific criteria concerning personnel and management policies that complete the linkage between customer expectations and perceived service delivery. In addition, the model provides a checklist of where breaks in the chain can occur; using this checklist can provide a useful audit of service quality (See: A Service Quality Audit: Application of the Gap Analysis Model by Paul R. Messinger, University of Alberta). There are seven major gaps in the service quality concept, which are shown in Figure-1. The model is an extension of Parasuraman et al. (1985). According to the following explanation (ASI Quality Systems, 1992; Curry, 1999; Luk and Layton, 2002), the three important gaps, which are more associated with the external customers are Gap1, Gap5 and Gap6; since they have a direct relationship with customers. Gaps 1 through 6 widen or close, so does Gap 7. The authors conceptual model of service quality follows:   The key to delivering high quality service is to continually monitor customer perceptions of service quality, identify causes of service quality shortfalls, and take appropriate action to improve the quality of service (close the service gaps). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gap 1. Not Knowing What Customers Expect: Based on interviews, the authors found that executives perceptions of superior quality service are largely congruent with customers expectations. Customers expectations versus management perceptions are the result of the lack of a marketing research orientation, inadequate upward communication and too many layers of management. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gap 2. The Wrong Service-Quality Standards: Gap 2 arises when there is a discrepancy between what managers perceive that customers expect and the actual standards that they (the managers) set for service delivery. This gap may occur when management is aware of customers expectations but may not be willing or able to put systems in place that meet or exceed those expectations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gap 3. The Service-Performance Gap: Organizational policies and standards for service levels may be in place, but is front line staff following them? A very common gap in the service industry, Gap 3 is the difference between organizational service specifications and actual levels of service delivery. Service specifications versus service delivery is the result of role ambiguity and conflict, poor employee-job fit and poor technology-job fit, inappropriate supervisory control systems, lack of perceived control and lack of teamwork. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gap 4. When Promises Do Not Match Delivery: Customers perceive that organizations are delivering low-quality service when a gap appears between promised levels of service and the service that is actually delivered. This gap is created when advertising, personal selling or public relations over-promise or misrepresent service levels. Service delivery versus external communication may occur as a result of inadequate horizontal communications and propensity to over-promise. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gap5: The discrepancy between customer expectations and their perceptions of the service delivered: as a result of the influences exerted from the customer side and the shortfalls (gaps) on the part of the service provider. In this case, customer expectations are influenced by the extent of personal needs, word of mouth recommendation and past service experiences. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gap6: The discrepancy between customer expectations and employees perceptions: As a result of the differences in the understanding of customer expectations by front-line service providers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gap7: The discrepancy between employees perceptions and management perceptions: As a result of the differences in the understanding of customer expectations between managers and service providers. Figure1: Model of service quality gaps (Parasuraman et al., 1985; Curry, 1999; Luk and Layton, 2002) Other Problems Service quality gap model does not provide all the problems of insurance business. There some other problems too. These problems are given below: Lack of trustworthiness: Lack of trustworthiness is one of the the major problems of insurance business in Bangladesh. Lengthy process in getting payment after any incident is the main reason of trustworthiness. Time killing behavior in payment after incidence is reducing the trust of the customers towards the insurance companies. Low income of the people: Low income and purchasing power doesnt permit the people of Bangladesh to go for an insurance policy. Practically we can easily relate the above mentioned factors. For example, in one hand the lower income of the people is creating barrier in buying insurance policy, on the other hand lack of trustworthiness makes this insurance avoiding behavior more acute. Unattractive offerings: Insurance companies are not providing attracting offerings to their customers. All the offerings are similar. There is very less variation among the offerings of differnt insurance companies. Lack of information about the insurance companies: The insurance companies are not delivering their information (regarding company and insurance policy) properly or evenly which is another problem of the insurance companies. Inefficiency in problem solving: Inefficiency in problem solving is another problem of the insurace companies. If any customer comes to then to solve some problems, they do not solve those problems efficiently. High service/processing cost : Insurance companies charges high service/processing cost from their customers. Less convincing sales people: Some insurance companies appoint sales people at a very lower cost. These sales people are not much convincing. They can not convince effectively to purchase insurance pollicy. This is another problem of insurance companies. Lengthy process to get payment after incidents: Insurance companies take a lenthy process to get payment after incidents. Sometimes they take one or two years to pay their customers. This is one of the major problems of insurance companies. Steps to overcome the problems of insurance business: The demographic trends suggest that as private insurance companies (both local and multinational) have proliferated in Dhaka city, better educated and more affluent people have gravitated to these insurance companies for insurance services. These people/clients are likely to have better information about the quality of services provided by both public and private insurance companies and their inclination to select private insurance companies suggests, implicitly, that the quality of service is better at these private firms even though their (private insurance companies) service cost is somewhat higher. Moreover, many branch operation of private insurance companies help the people to make evaluation among them and making an insurance decision in favor of those which are trustworthy. But between the private local and foreign insurance company choice, clients are mostly considering foreign private insurance companies due to its trustworthiness, experience in operation and wide area cove rage. Less number of branches of the public insurance companies may be another prime reason of not being preferred by the local clients. By definition, it might be more authentic if the clients were inclined towards the public insurance companies from trustworthiness point of view, but as statistics suggests in favor of choosing foreign private insurance firms, probably we have to be satisfied by saying that it is in many respect guided by clients psychology of getting better and prompt services. The incentive structure must also play a role in ensuring the quality services delivered by the public insurance companies. One solution is to tie part of the compensation of insurance personnel in public companies to services rendered and feedback received from clients. This, of course, is a complex issue and has implications for pay scale administration, since public bank staffs, as government servants, are paid according to certain pay structures. While beyond the scope of this paper, au thors feel that compensation flexibility is necessary to reward those who are dedicated to providing quality insurance services. If compensation adjustments cant be incorporated, benefits-including promotion, transfer in more valued branches, study leave, performance bonus and the like-could be tied to performance evaluation mechanism. There must be a formal procedure of evaluating the employees by the clients through some questionnaire type performance appraisal form. A suggestion, objection or recommendation book in the branch can be introduced where the clients can even complain or appreciate about a specific employee. Public awareness and the transparency of the high official may have a positive impact on that issue. A rating scale could also be established to rate the quality of services based on insurance companys facilities, past performance records, and clients evaluations. The rating factors and mechanisms would have to be developed on the basis of inputs from clients and t he profession. It would also be important to determine, specify, and strongly enforce the legal consequences for tampering with client records and their evaluations. This process will lead to qualifying and ranking each and every insurance company (Private and public). We think the insurance policy collection and profit margin should not be the only benchmark to position a specific insurance company. As the number of insurance companies continues to grow, it is important to develop a national capability to periodically evaluate and publicly disseminate (As University Grants Commission did for the private universities) the ratings or rankings of all insurance companies so that each service providers reputation is widely known. Armed with this information, clients can make more informed choices. In addition, as an important determination of insurance company choice, firms must invest in building their reputation/reliability which will hel

Poverty In America: Native American Tribes Essay -- Essays on Poverty

         As a White American, I have been virtually unaware of the harsh living conditions that Native Americans have been enduring. This past summer I was fishing and camping at a resort in northwestern Minnesota with my family. I realized that this resort was located on the White Earth Indian Reservation. As I drove around the towns that the resort was near, I saw that the Native Americans were terribly poverty-stricken. Besides the resort that my family and I were staying at and a small casino that was nearby, most of the buildings and houses were in poor condition. The majority of the houses were trailers and not something that I would call â€Å"livable.† This raised a few questions in my mind: Why are people on Indian reservations living this way and what other things besides housing are Native Americans lacking? As I began research on these questions, I found three major issues. Poverty, health, and education are three tribulations that, at this point, remain broken on American Indian reservations.   Although poverty rates on some reservations are getting better because of gambling enterprises and natural resources, most reservations have unusually high poverty rates. In 2000, the poverty rate of the entire United States was about 11.3%. Compare that to a 25.9% poverty rate for Native Americans living on reservations. The poverty rate of Native Americans in 2000 was higher than the peak of the poverty rate of the Great Depression, which was 21.7% (Native American Statistics†).  Ã‚  This statistic alone shows that Native Americans are not doing well financially. Location is a significant factor that determines how economically well certain reservations are doing. Reservations that are located in places with abundant natural resources and near metropolitan  areas,  tend to do better than reservations in remote areas. This is because with more resources available and more people to support businesses, the economy is more likely to thrive. For reservations that are located in places with few resources and in remote areas, there is a lack of opportunity. Jobs are less available and the unemployment rate is high.  Ã‚  This pertains to most reservations in the United States (Alvarez). In the United States, the unemployment rate in 2010 was 9.6%. The unemployment rate for Native Americans in the same year was 21.3% (â€Å"Labor Force Statistics†). Not only is there a dramati... ...eb.  20 Sept. 2012. . "American Indian & Alaska Native Populations."  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  n.d.  Web.  19 Sept. 2012. . Bouchard, Jen. "Native American Education and Employment."  Suite101.com.  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  18 Sept. 2012. . "Labor Force Statistics."  Bureau of Labor Statistics Data.  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  21 Sept. 2012. . "Living Conditions | American Indian Relief Council."  Living Conditions | American Indian Relief Council.  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  20 Sept. 2012. . "Native American Statistics."  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  21 Sept. 2012. . "Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians and Alaska Natives."  National Center for Educational Statistics.  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  18 Sept. 2012. .

Gabriel Garcia Marquezs A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Essay

Trisha â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" Critical Analysis If I ask you to picture an angel, what do you see? Is it a vibrant white, majestically dressed individual with lush and strong wings who commands reverence with his presence? What does this ethereal creature stand for? Righteousness? Protector of good and the purest form of a celestial being besides God? If you have read Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† then you may have been introduced to a conflicting image of an angel. This angel is in no way similar to the one described above. Actually, we are not even sure he is an angel. What we do know after reading this story is that the creature presented represents the overwhelming need of humans to understand and interpret every facet of their lives. The angel does not fit the general consensus of what an angel is and leaves human expectations unmet. This story embodies the nature of humans to explain, categorize, and label any affair that is not already so. Marquez’s story is written in a fairy tale format with strong magic realism elements throughout. This style combines real, normal details of day to day life with fantasy and blurs the reader’s division of reality and magic. This method of writing emphasizes the attempt of man to apply logic and knowledge to all matters. Marquez is so skilled in this technique that we come to view the fact o...

Free Essays on Homers Odyssey: Penelopes Enduring Faithfulness :: Odyssey essays

Penelope's Enduring Faithfulness in Homer's Odyssey Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, can be contrasted in various ways to the other characters in Homer's poem The Odyssey. In many ways, Penelope embodies the "ideal" woman, in that she conforms to the values and ideals of her society. These ideals include faithfulness, loyalty, willpower, long-suffering, pride in one's home and family, and hospitality to strangers. The majority of the other characters in the poem lack one or more of these attributes. Although Odysseus proves to be a character of strong will and determination throughout the Trojan War and the trials he endured at sea, he demonstrates weakness and wavering resolve when he is faced with sexual temptation. For example, when enticed by Circe to "mingle and make love," Odysseus submits to her appeals and enters her "flawless bed of love," thus committing adultery against his wife Penelope (Book X). When Circe tells Odysseus to remain with her, he "could not help consenting." Odysseus remains with Circe and continues to be unfaithful to Penelope for the duration of a year. It is only after hearing the appeals of his men that Odysseus decides to head back out to sea. Later, Odysseus has another adulterous relationship with the nymph Kalypso. This relationship endures for seven years. Throughout his stay on Kalypso's island, Odysseus weeps for Penelope, yet he continues to lie with Kalypso every night (Book V). In contrast, Penelope exemplifies tremendous will power and resourcefulness in that she remains faithful to Odysseus throughout his exile. While awaiting her husband's return, Penelope endures perpetual insolence and sexual advances from the suitors who invade her household. Penelope rebuffs the advances of the suitors and remains a devoted and faithful wife. Deferring the suitors is no easy task; therefore Penelope is very resourceful and goes to great lengths to postpone marriage to one of them. She puts the men off for three years by promising to marry one of them upon her completion of a burial shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes. In order to delay the completion of the shroud, she unravels her work every night (Book II, p. 223). Penelope also privately sends promises to each of the suitors in order to divide them so that they will not unanimously demand a decision from her as to which one she

Covent Garden Essay

In this quadrangle the Abbey or Convent of St. Peter, Westminster, maintained a large kitchen garden throughout the Middle Ages to provide its daily food. Over the next three centuries, the monks’ old â€Å"convent garden† became a major source of fruit and vegetables in London and was managed by a succession of leaseholders by grant from the Abbot of Westminster. This type of lease eventually led to property disputes throughout the kingdom, which King Henry VIII solved in 1540 by the stroke of a pen when he dissolved the monasteries and appropriated their land. King Henry VIII granted part of the land to John Russell, Baron Russell, Lord High Admiral, and later Earl of Bedford. In fulfilment of his father’s dying wish, King Edward VI bestowed the remainder of the convent garden in 1547 to his maternal uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset who began building Somerset House on the south side of The Strand the next year. When Seymour was beheaded for treason in 1552, the land once again came into royal gift, and was awarded four months later to one of those who had contributed to Seymour’s downfall. Forty acres (160,000 m? ), known as â€Å"le Covent Garden† plus â€Å"the long acre†, were granted by royal patent in perpetuity to the Earl of Bedford. [edit] 1600s to 1800s The modern-day Covent Garden has its roots in the early seventeenth century when land (â€Å"the Convent’s Garden†) was redeveloped by Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford. The area was designed by Inigo Jones, the first and greatest of English Renaissance architects. He was inspired by late 15th Century and early 16th century planned market towns known as bastides (themselves modelled on Roman colonial towns by way of nearby monasteries, of which â€Å"Convent† Garden was one). The area rapidly became a base for market traders, and following the Great Fire of London of 1666 which destroyed ‘rival’ markets towards the east of the city, the market became the most important in the country. Exotic items from around the world were carried on boats up the River Thames and sold on from Covent Garden. The first mention of a Punch and Judy show in Britain was recorded by diarist Samuel Pepys, who saw such a show in the square in May 1662. Today Covent Garden is the only part of London licensed for street entertainment. In 1830 a grand building reminiscent of the Roman baths such as those found in Bath was built to provide a more permanent trading centre. [edit] Modern day period By the end of the 1960s, traffic congestion in the surrounding area had reached such a level that the use of the square as a market, which required increasingly large lorries for deliveries and distribution, was becoming unsustainable. The whole area was threatened with complete redevelopment. Following a public outcry, in 1973 the Home Secretary, Robert Carr, gave dozens of buildings around the square listed building status, preventing redevelopment. The following year the market finally moved to a new site (called the New Covent Garden Market) about three miles south-west at Nine Elms. The square languished until its central building re-opened as a shopping centre and tourist attraction in 1980. Today the shops largely sell novelty items. More serious shoppers gravitate to Long Acre, which has a range of clothes shops and boutiques, and Neal Street, noted for its large number of shoe shops. London’s Transport Museum and the rear entrance to the Royal Opera House are also located on the Piazza. The marketplace and Royal Opera House were memorably brought together in the opening of George Bernard Shaw’s play, Pygmalion, where Professor Higgins is waiting for a cab to take him home from the opera when he comes across Eliza Doolittle selling flowers in the market. In the mid 1950s, before he directed such films as If and O Lucky Man, Lindsay Anderson directed a short film about the daily activities of the Covent Garden market called Every Day Except Christmas. It shows 12 hours in the life of the market and market people, now long gone from the area, but it also reflects three centuries of tradition in the operation of the daily fruit and vegetable market. Alfred Hitchcock’s 1972 film, Frenzy, likewise takes place amongst the pubs and fruit markets of Covent Garden. The serial sex killer in Frenzy is a local fruit vendor, and the film features several blackly comic moments suggesting a metaphorical correlation between the consumption of food and the act of rape-murder. Hitchcock was the son of a Covent Garden merchant and grew up in the area; and so, the film was partly conceived (and marketed) as a semi-nostalgic return to the neighbourhood of the director’s childhood. Supermodel Naomi Campbell was also discovered by a model scout at the age of 15 whilst walking through the streets of Covent Garden.

Essential Parts of Computer and How It Works

Contents II. Introduction2 III. Computers2 A. CPU2 B. Memory storage3 1. Primary storage3 2. Secondary storage4 C. Peripherals8 1. Ink-jets (bubble-jets) printers8 2. Laserjet printers9 IV. Connecting To Internet10 V. Conclusion12 VI. Reference List13 * Introduction Nowadays, running business in 20th century means that you got to be clever about technology. When companies are striving for higher achievements and more-efficient workability, innovation is what everyone craving for. That’s the spot where technology shoots. Computer is one essential breed of our modern technology. However, while the majority of people know how to use computer, they don’t know how the machine works; the technical stuff. It becomes a problem when the technical stuff got broken and almost everybody does not get a clue. To improve our business means that we need to improve our consciousness to computer itself. So, with this guide, I hope we can understand the system of our computer, not just by its advantages, but by its personality too. Enjoy a new relationship with your computer. Computers For this matter, these are some of essential parts from computer that support its function A. Central Processing Unit (CPU) B. Storage devices C. Peripherals CPU Central Processing Unit (CPU), or called as processor, is the central part of computer, which accepts and processes data into information and maintaining its system (Gilster, 2000). In comparison, a brain to human is the same for CPU to computer. It stabilizes and ensuring computer to run normal. Moursund (1978) says that CPU consists of two units: control unit and arithmetic/logic unit. The control unit gives instructions to the system for executing programs. The control unit doesn’t do the tasks, but just giving orders to other units to do its jobs. The arithmetic/logic unit execute arithmetic and mathematical equations in the system, like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. To work in a constant and stabile period of time, CPU uses a small quartz crystal called the clock system (Shelly, Cashman, Vermaat, 2008). The system clock produces electronic pulses, or ticks, that set the operating period to the components of the system unit. The clock system speed is measured by the number of ticks per second or Hertz unit. Hertz (Hz) is the measurement of speed in data processing. The faster the clock speed, the more instructions the processor can execute per second. For usage in our computer schools, there are two brand options, AMD & Intel. AMD’s Athlon X2 Dual Core, and Intel’s Pentium D 925, both of them have 3 GHz clock speeds which are compatible for our student’s needs in computer. I recommend Intel’s for our school since it has lower price than AMD. AMD has lower heat though in its operation, but this problem can be maintained by putting a fine working fan to cool the processor. Memory storage Extra There are terms of measure we need to know that used in byte (B) and hertz (Hz). They are: 1 Kilo (KB/ KHz) = 1000 (B/Hz) 1 Mega (MB/MHz) = 1000 Kilo = 1,000,000 (B/Hz) Giga (GB/GHz) = 1,000,000 = 1,000,000,000 (B/Hz) 1 Tera (TB/THz) = 1000 Giga = 1,000,000 Mega = 1,000,000,000 Kilo = 1000,000,000,000 (B/Hz) (Shelly et al. , 2008) Memory storage is the place where computer store all data and information in the machine. To measure memory storage, we use Byte unit. Byte is the measurement of space, determines the quan tity of data that memory can save. There are two kinds of memory storage: primary storage & secondary storage. Primary storage RAM Random Access Memory (RAM), is used to open up programs, images, or any details when the computer is on. Its function is to accelerate the speed of processing programs. When the computer is off, the memory loses its data too and will be restarting when the computer is on again. That’s why RAM also called as temporary memory (Stokes, 2008). ROM Read-Only Memory (ROM) is used to store essential programs for computer, such as system operation (Smith, 2011). Data in ROMs cannot be changed again or written, unless for some types of ROM like EPROM (erasable programme read-only memory) or using some technique like exposing ROM to sunlight. Cache Cache located between CPU and RAM. It is a high-speed memory that accelerates CPU to exchange information from RAM (Shelly, et al, 2008). Cache works in a frequently accessible files and programs in the computer so it can be processed in shorter time. For example, a secretary’s computer which used for typing a lot will have its word-processing program opened faster than the other staffs’ computer. Secondary storage * Stokes (2008) states that secondary storage is used for saving files and information in the matter of capacity. When programs are installed into the computer or files are inserted, secondary memory is the place where all the stuffs are put into. It gives information about how much computer can store data in its system. Files, programs, and other stuffs that put in secondary storage are saved permanently in the system. So, when the computer is off, the stuffs will stay at the same state and condition without having any lost parts. Picture 2. 1 Secondary storage works like cloth drawers for computers. As long as there is a space, it is fine to put more things. Image source: http://corriehaffly. wordpress. com There are various forms of secondary storage. Some attached in CPU and some is separated from computer. These are the kinds of it. Hard Disk Picture 2. 2 Physical appearance of a hard disk. Image source: http://www. pcguide. com A hard disk is a metal platter coated with magnetic oxide that can be magnetized to represent data (Shelly, et al, 2008). The large disk has top side and bottom side which used for recording and storing data in computer. To be used, hard disk must be attached in computer. Optical Disc Picture 2. 3 Physical appearance of optical disc. Image source: http://www. digitalmatrix. us An optical disc is a flat, round, portable, disc made of metal, plastic, and lacquer. These discs usually have 4. 75 inches in diameter and less than one-twentieth of an inch thick (Shelly, et al, 2008). Optical disc commonly used for storing music, pictures, or programs depend on its capacity. There are many types of optical discs. Some types can be used for reading and recording files in it, some can only be used for read. CD-ROM A CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), is a type of optical disc that can only be used for read the files in it (Shelly, et al. , 2008). The disc’s content cannot be write-able or erase-able anymore. A typical CD-ROM has capacity from 650 MB to 1 GB of data, instructions, and information. To read a CD-ROM, you can use CD-ROM drive or CD-ROM player. Commonly, CD-ROM is used in licensed application, programs, music albums, or encyclopaedias so it cannot be pirated. CD-R and CD-RW A CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable) is a multisession optical disc which users can write, but cannot erase the items in it, like text, graphic, or audio. Multisession means you can write on part of the disc one time and another part at a later time (Shelly, et al. , 2008). Write in this term means to record files. A CD-R can only be written once and the content cannot be erased. To write and read a CD-R, you need a CD-R drive. DVD-ROM and DVD-R A DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read-Only Memory or Digital Video Disc Read-Only Memory) is a high capacity optical disc on which users can read but not write or erase (Shelly, et al. , 2008). To read a DVD-ROM, you need DVD-ROM software. DVD-R has the same characteristic as CD-R, only with bigger capacity. DVDs usually has 4 GB capacity. Flash Memory Picture 2. 4 Physical appearance of flash memory. Image source: http://techcrunch. com Flash memory is a small, portable stick which implanted electrical chips that used to store files in computer (Shelly, et al. , 2008). Its size is none bigger than adult human thumb. It connects to a computer via an USB port. Its files can be read and written in multiple times. Flash memory has various capacities, from 256 MB until 32 GB are available in stores. Peripherals Peripherals are electronic devices that support computer functions to more useful and understandable (Gilster, 2000). Peripherals commonly consist of computer screen, speaker, printer, keyboard, and mouse. Each device is connected through port cables that inserted into CPU ports. In this handout, I would like to discuss the function of printer itself. Since it is a primary office need, so it is nice to know and be aware for this machine. Printer is an electronic device that used for printing images and texts in computer file, usually using papers as its medium (Gilster, 2000). There are many types of printers which available in the market and usually used for business and office work. Ink-jets (bubble-jets) printers Picture 3. 1 Bubble jet printer. Image source: http://www. inkjet-laser. com Ink-jet printer sprays ionized tiny inks on the paper. The printing pattern is organized by using magnetized plates in printer (Shelly et al. , 2008). It can produce high quality images that frequently used for photography. There are models that designed to black and white (B/W) colour printings too. Laserjet printers Picture 3. 2 Laser printer. Image source: http://www. hypercup. org Laser printers works by using lasers that melts powdered inks in cartridges, then the ink putted on a paper by desired pattern (Shelly et al. , 2008). Photocopy services usually use this type due to its fast process. Here are the comparisons of bubble jet printer and laser printers as shown below. Ink-jet Printer| Laserjet Printer| 1. Print by spraying inks into paper, which makes the ink is more liquid on paper. If the paper is touched or get heated, the ink can melt and smear the paper| 1. Print by heated powdered inks with laser. The ink is fast to dry. | 2. Printing process are quiet and does not cause any mechanical noise| 2. Printing process causes mechanical noise. | 3. Many models come in portable sizes, which are suitable for home and personal use that do not demand frequent printing. 3. There are portable sizes and large sizes. Portable size are suitable for home and personal use, while large sizes are suitable for office or business use that demands frequent printing. | 4. The quality of printing can be adjusted for faster printing process| 4. The quality of printing cannot be adjusted| Ink-jet Printer vs. Laser Jet Printer (Frost, 2010) Connecting To Internet To obtain much informatio n, internet is always helpful for providing sources anywhere and anytime. Connecting our computer to internet means that open the access of our computer through signals. To make it do so, computers are needed to be included in a network. Network is a group of computers and devices that connected together through communication devices and transmission media (Sosinsky, 2009). It is used in houses, cafes, libraries, or offices for many purposes, even for personal or business purposes. The ability of network allows people to communicate through each other (in verbal or in visual), sharing files, transfer money, etc. As Sosinsky (2009) states, network’s patterns are divided into two categories: client/server and peer-to-peer. 1. Client/server One computer works as a server, then the other computers or devices in network work as client. A server controls access to the hardware, software, and other resources in network. It makes a server the centre storage of programs, data, and information. The clients are other computers and devices that rely on a server for its resources. 2. Peer-to-peer Peer-to-peer system is like two friends sharing stories to each other. One has useful information that the other one did not know, and vice-versa. In this network, each computer, called a peer, has different responsibility and capability, sharing hardware (e. printer), data, or information with other computers. Each computer has its files in own storage, but also have the same operating system and application software that allows them to connected to each other. For creating networks, computers need some equipment to make them connected through each other. Here are some services which make our computer available to internet. 1. Dial-Up M odems Dial-up modems are working by using telephone devices. When a computer connects to internet, computer transmits digital signals which converted into analog signal then it is transmitted over standard telephone lines (Shelly, et al. 2008). The internet speed is up to 56 kilobyte/second. Many people do not really interested in using dial-up modems now because it requires one telephone lines for working and other services have faster speed. 2. Broadband Services Broadband internet is a high-speed internet that connected through a wire (Shelly, et al. , 2008). Broadband internet services are provided through vary methods. Some known methods are: a) DSL (digital subscriber line), using telephone lines but does not interfere telephone connection; b) A cable modem that uses cable television network ) A Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) network uses radio signals to provide internet connection to computers and devices. Conclusion CPU plays the part of accepting data and processed it into rele vant and understandable information based on logic and arithmetic way of work. Data and information that has been processed comes in the shape of programs and files. The computer’s program and files are kept in memory storage. Some memory storage attached in computer, like hard disks, RAMs, ROMs, Registers, and Caches. Some are separated from computer for its portability, like optical discs and thumb drives. Printers are machines that used for printing and photocopying documents and images in computer. This can be used for printing in colour and black/white printings. Connecting computer to internet means to put it into a network. In a network, computer users can obtain information from many other sources and communicate with other computer users. Internet can be accessible through these two services, dial-up modem and broadband internet services. Through this guide, I delighted if you feel informed and become more common to computers. Knowing new things means to get to you into new insights. I hope the knowledge you read here can be useful for now and the future. Reference List Cashman, T. J. , Shelly, G. B. & Vermaat, M. E. (2008). Discovering computers 2008 complete. Boston, Massachusetts: Thomson Course Technology. Cashman, T. J. , Shelly, G. B. & Vermaat, M. E. (2008). Discovering computers fundamentals (4th eds. ). Boston, Massachusetts: Thomson Course Technology. Frost, M. (2010). Laser vs. inkjet printers. Retrieved September 28, 2011, from http://www. ehow. com/about_5390377_laser-vs-inkjet-printers. html Gilster, R. (2001). PC hardware: a beginner’s guide. Berkeley: Osborne/McGraw-Hill Moore, C. Laserjet vs. Inkjet. (n. d). Retrieved September 20, 2011, fromhttp://www. ehow. com/about_5327065_laserjet-vs-inkjet. html Moursund, D. G. (1978). Basic programming for computer literacy. New York: McGraw-Hill Smith, M. (2011). What is read only memory. Retrieved September 28, 2011, fromhttp://www. ehow. com/info_8751600_readonly-memory. html Sosinsky, B. (2009). Networking bible. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Stokes, A. P. (2008). Is this thing going on. New York: Workman. How computer work: the CPU and memory. (n. d). Retrieved September 19, 2011, from http://homepage. cs. uri. edu/faculty/wolfe/book/Readings/Reading04. htm