Kate Keller’s Character Analysis Essay

Kate Keller plays the role of an obsessive mother and a typical wife in the play â€Å"All My Sons† It his her motherliness that defines her character the most, as the fist few stage directions refer to â€Å"mother† as, ‘Mother [†¦] is in her early fifties, a woman of uncontrolled inspirations, and an overwhelming capacity for love.’ This â€Å"overwhelming capacity of love† is mostly seen for her son Larry who seems to be dead, but Kate is just not ready to accept reality and move on. Even before mother’s entry in the play, the readers find out a few details about her through the stage directions and even the dialogues of the other characters, such as the dialogue between Chris and Joe where Chris threatens to abandon home and their business if Joe somehow does not convince Kate for Chris’s wedding with Ann. Kate’s obsession with her son Larry, who never returned from war goes to such an extent that she has dreams about him, leading her to cry every night. She is just not ready to accept her son’s death and for the first time her â€Å"controlling† nature is seen as she tries to manipulatively tries to create distance between her older son Chris and â€Å"Larry’s girl†, Ann; â€Å"I think her nose got longer† Her obsession goes as far as even symbolizing the apple tree’s fall as something dangerous, and something harmful coming towards Larry. The fall of the apple tree probably foreshadows the death of Larry, instigating his family to move on. Another main characteristic that Kate posses is manipulativeness. She avoids every discussion that she realizes, goes towards the future of Chris and Ann. She either deviates the topic or just acts as though she has a headache. She manipulates her discussion with Chris in such a way where Chris finds it impossible to even mention their future together. Kate first talks about how proud she is that Ann has not move on and that she is still waiting for Larry to return, and then suddenly asks him if he is interested in Ann, and ofcourse by then Chris is in no state to hurt his mother further by admitting his love for Ann. Apart from Larry, Kate is also the one holding the family together. She is the central character of the play who knows the ‘big’ secret, and is making sure that her husband is safe from any confrontations and any sort of trouble. Another reason for holding onto Larry and believing that he is still alive is the fact that if Larry was actually dead, it would be nobody’s fault but Joe’s. She knows the crime that Joe had indulged in and she could not accept the fact that her son may have been killed by his own father, and her own loving husband. She is also the one who again manipulated facts and saved Joe from going to prison; instead framing Ann’s father and sending him to prison. This secret is another thing that bothers her immensely. However the example of keeping the secret and saving her husband from going to prison shows her smartness and her desire for keeping the family together, as one. But at the same time it also gives the readers a further insight into her character, as the keeping of this secret also hints towards her weaknesses; her family. Her weakness takes her to the extent of dishonesty and guilt. As mentioned above, she depicts the character of a â€Å"typical† good wife, by saving her husband and trying to keep her family one through love. Throughout the play as readers, we realize that there are dark secrets to be revealed and Kate is somehow a central part of it. She plays a significant role in saving her family, but at the same time she is also seen as one of the weaker characters from outside; considering her nightmares and her troubles dealing with the loss of Larry. Therefore it can be argues whether she forms the strongest character in the play, or the weakest.

Effectively teaching ethics in schools for later life

Ethical motives are an of import portion of decision-making but pupils arent taught to believe ethically. They do non understand what ethics is. They do non understand the difference between moralss and ethical motives and yet are n't two of the SLO ‘s in the computing machine scientific discipline model related to Ethical Behaviour? So how do we travel about making this? Certain we could merely prophesy to them about what they should and should non make and the alleged grounds for this. This method would be fast and so we can travel on to more interesting things, but learning in this manner we will lose a great chance to learn pupils ethical thought. Plus if we were merely to prophesy to the pupils it would travel in one ear and out the other. So in order to understand if it would be a good thought to learn moralss decently to pupils we need to see where the pupils are at. We need to make this to see if learning moralss is a right for them. We besides need to see what computin g machine moralss is and what it entails and in conclusion we need to look at the benefits of learning moralss in a computing machine class. Students In order to see it is a good thought to learn moralss to pupils we need to look at the pupils. Possibly the moragity of pupils understand moralss and therefore do n't necessitate to be taught. Maybe it is better to state them what to make and non acquire them to believe about the grounds why. If we were to learn pupils moralss would they happen them utile. These all the things we need to cognize before we decide whether it is or is non a good thought to learn moralss to pupils. Let ‘s get down off by looking at the accomplishments the pupils already have. The article Computer Literacy: Deductions for Teaching a College-Level Course by Nitham M. Hindi is an older article that talked about what computing machine skills pupils have. It noted that computing machine accomplishments are really indispensable to concern and it recognizes pupils do non hold the appropriate accomplishments. Students today will alter occupations at least 10 times and alteration callings at least three tim es. The importance of computing machine accomplishments is non lost. In the module of instruction we need to take a computing machine use category even though they wo n't name it that. Besides many other modules including concern demand to take a computing machine use category. This article besides noted that many pupils who took a computing machine class in high school had a huge cognition of pressmans, the Internet and difficult thrusts. Some of the pupils besides had cognition of virus protection runing systems and expose units. Although pupils had a batch of cognition about the how tos, they do non hold cognition about the â€Å" softer † issues. This cognition includes societal issues, ethical issues, planetary issues, and legal issues. It seems like non much has changed. In computing machine scientific discipline, movie and picture taking, or graphics the focal point is on the how to. The sociological side is n't shown. In a artworks category where the pupils are workin g on Photoshop why non speak about the societal issues of retouching exposures. One side to this issue is Photoshoping images to make an unreal sense of beauty. This article goes on to state that work forces were two times more likely than females to hold discussed ethical issues in a computing machine class. This points out another interesting fact. That is that females are more likely non to hold looked at any societal branchings of computing machines. During my research I noticed an interesting subject that emerged. This subject suggested that discoursing societal branchings of computing machines may do computing machine classs more interesting to females. In fact this was a common yarn. I even found an article called Gender and computing machine moralss By Alison Adam which disputed this. Either manner thought in the societal side might hook different people with different positions. I besides found another article that mentioned that adult females ‘s assurance is frequent ly undermined in computing machine classs. This quotation mark is from a adult female who had a batch of programming experience that took a computing machine scientific discipline class she said that Then I got here and merely felt so improbably overwhelmed by the other people in the plan ( largely guys, yes ) that I began to lose involvement in coding because truly, whenever I sat down to plan there would be dozenss of people around traveling, â€Å" My God, this is so easy. Why have you been working on it for two yearss, when I finished in five hours? I remember how computing machine scientific discipline was. I went through the whole plan and got my grade. So I know this is how we treat everybody. We procrastinate and leave everything to the last-minute. We gloat when we complete assignments fast. We brag and show off. Possibly analyzing moralss or other do-gooders may do the ambiance more unfastened and friendly. This article besides points out that adult females may hold the same accomplishments as work forces but are given lesser functions and because of this it has become a male dominate industry. The article goes farther and suggests that because it is male dominated that everything computing machine from the interface to the bit layout is work forces oriented. This could go forth adult females confined to systems which work forces have created and these systems may non be ideally suited to them. I think this is a absurd thought. I do n't see how something can be oriented towards one gender or another. If I said I do n't see guys kicking about the interface of their ironing boards. I would be called out as a biget and a male chauvinist, but is n't it the same statement. There are a batch of things that have been designed by females and I do n't hear cats kicking. It ‘s impossible to penetrate how something designed by one gender will hold negative effects on the other. I do hold a job with the fact that adult females, with the same accomplishment set as work forces, do non acquire the same occupations. This points out a turning demand for the instruction of moralss and if computing machines do hold a gender prejudice, hopefully equal chances will make a balance and this prejudice will henceforth be eliminated. The article entitled Teaching Information Ethics to High School Students by Kathy Lehman looks at a batch of plagiarism pupils do. It looks at the job from a librarian point of position and what a library should make to rectify the job of plagiarism. The bibliothec said that non really many of the 11th class pupils felt guilty downloading music without paying for it. They merely do non believe about the support of the persons. They do non believe about what it takes to contrive or make music or the sum of attempt involved. Those pupils that are 17 old ages or older do non experience really guilty about downloading music illicitly even though they do understand the branchings. The pupils do hold a sense of morality. They recognize the deductions of unethical behavior when it comes to misapply of a friend ‘s electronic mail or images and they understand the dangers of marauders and therefore maintain private information off the Internet. Basically the writer states that they teach the class 11 pupils the branchings of illicitly copying music but when the pupils reach the 12th class they could care less. If we use the same attack learning the moralss model in computing machine scientific discipline we do better to merely trash that constituent. Possibly we should non prophesy to the pupils or to concentrate on a specific aspect of the moralss argument but to hold the pupils create their ain moralss. If they are traveling to copy music they should hold to support their act ethically. I think our ends should be for pupils to utilize moralss to make ground. The focal point should non be on whether they do or make non copy music. As instructors we should focused on the bigger image. We need to concentrate on larning aims and non commercial aims. The article entitled Teaching Ethical motives to High School Students by SUSAN PASS and WENDY WILLINGHAM agrees with my point. The article says that the pupil should non be sidetracked by subjects of moral tyranny and relativism. Moral tyranny means that merely one morality is right. Relativism is the false belief that if certain moralss are right for one group or individual they are right morally. Basically these prejudices boil down to the fact that there are no different point of views when it comes to moral logical thinking. With moral concluding there is merely one right reply. Basically we need to allow the pupils know there are many ways of logical thinking and if you bump into these prejudices you should inquire the category if there are any extra suggestions or options. The article goes on and says â€Å" there is a existent danger of learning striplings in a mode that ignores personal or moral development, but focuses wholly on academic accomplishment. Adolescence is a cli p of turbulence when immature people need counsel † ( 21 ) . Galbraith ( 1979 ) warns us about utilizing indoctrination, dictatorship, and relativism. Indoctrination and dictatorship do non let the pupil to research their sense of moralss, we alternatively coerce them to accept or reject what the teacher tells them is true. Relativism besides creates a barrier to acquisition as it destroys systematic ethical doctrines. It assumes that because it is right for you it is right for everybody else. Thus it destroys the arguments before they begin. What we need to make is to make moral development through treatment. The article written by that bibliothec besides notes that pupils are really good at happening illegal signifiers of electronic media and importing them straight into their PowerPoint or multimedia undertakings. It besides points out that because these undertakings are normally done at place, there is no inadvertence from bibliothecs who can assist learn the pupils about right of first publication and plagiarism. Merely late there has been a province authorization, where this librarian works, that states that every school territory will implement the course of study of Internet safety. There libraries must be I safe certified. Their County has a really rigorous acceptable usage policy which all staff must subscribe. Classroom instructors need to implement the 10 % or 30 2nd regulation for utilizing proprietary digital media. In short, they talk about their carnival usage understandings and copyright Torahs and the importance of spying beginnings. In fact at Thomas Dale no pupil can co py a paper, either their ain or a siblings paper that took the class in the past, or from on-line beginnings, because the school has a database with all old documents of all time submitted to that school and of class they have a plan that will seek this database and the Internet for similar documents. The article said it was a powerful inducement for pupils non to plagiarise. This is of class because the pupils do non desire to acquire caught, non because they feel guilty or possess any ethical duty non to plagiarise. When I read this I thought this would be something cool to prove so I found a similar plan called Viper and I have had a batch of merriment look intoing to see if the writer themselves have plagiarized. At this school they besides teach pupils about how to make up one's mind what information you should portion and about the importance of being true and honest. This manner the pupils know how to utilize societal networking sites suitably and non distribute false rumor. In short it seems they have become really hawkish to support right of first publication in all its signifiers. Alternatively of learning moralss to protect right of first publication they have used a run of menaces and coercion to support it. We have seen the shout approachs of these tactics. What they are rely learning the pupils is how non to acquire caught. So far it seems that pupils ca n't believe ethically. We have seen that merely stating the pupils what to and what non to make does n't work. Even if you merely show one side of an ethical issue and utilize ethical logical thinking to support it that would be a bad thought. You need to show the whole issue and your pupils need to develop their ain positions. They need to do judgements and to be able to support their ain point of views. We can besides see this information will profit the pupils as it will let them to make a fairer and more welcoming environment no affair where they may travel. What is computing machine moralss? We have seen that learning moralss to pupils is a good thought but what is computing machine moralss? The word â€Å" moralss † is a derivative of the Greek word ethos, which means â€Å" imposts † . This is because these are the steering beliefs on the ideals that defined a community. This is why I think we use the word moralss to speak about professional moralss and non the word ethical motives which relate to oneself. It is of class perchance that person ‘s moralss may conflict with their ethical motives. Ethical motives consists of statements that tell us how the universe should be. Everything we do and make non make can be a possible topic for ethical rating. When reading about computing machine moralss, most people view it as separate from regular moralss. Kallman and Grillo province that there is no existent particular class for computing machine moralss but the ethical state of affairss in which computing machines are involved have drastically changed the state of affairs. Computers have addressed the concerns related to free address, legal power, namelessness, and trust. There are besides some concerns about the features of personal information on the Internet. In short the Internet has made it so everybody can be an writer and the writer can be anon. . This has led to jobs with trust. If anyone can print, how can we swear the information? It has besides led to inquiries about free address because the Internet is so anon. people can compose or make whatever they want. They can print hateful messages and commit hatred offenses. Another job is that the Internet is planetary and different states have different Torahs so who has legal power when a jurisprudence is broken? Some states have erected a planetary firewall to ban the populati on to unwanted political or societal positions. Last there is a job with what people put up online sing privateness. I did non truly understand this issue but that is non the point. The point is that computing machines have made these jobs more broad spread and prevalent and yes these subjects were talked about in the regular moralss, but they were talked about separately. In computing machines they all come at the same clip and converge in different ways to make a new set of issues Moor has a nice manner to turn to it. He views computing machine moralss as a specific field where we identify policy vacuities that before the computing machine did non be. He states that computing machine moralss attempts to clear up conceptual confusion environing these issues and to explicate and warrant new policies in countries with either no policies or policies that have been broken. So who would be the best people to analyze this new signifier of moralss? In the article, On the Importance of Tea ching Professional Ethics to Computer Science Students, Gordana and Dodig-Crnkovic has an interesting thought. They say that In order to understand computing machine moralss jobs we need a new type of individual. We need person who understands the cultural functions that computing machines play and they besides have to hold an apprehension of the proficient inside informations of the job. In short we need person who understands societal branchings every bit good as the computing machine scientific discipline portion. Thus it makes sense to learn computing machine moralss with computing machine scientific discipline. So non merely is it portion of our computing machine scientific discipline model but people with proficient cognition are better suited for computing machine moralss. The following inquiry would be what ethical theories should be used in the schoolroom. It is of class non appropriate to try to utilize spiritual ethical theories so what should we utilize? Should we utiliz e useful or virtue moralss? One article I read said that a figure of philosophers have argued that traditional ethical theories can non be applied to all computing machine moralss issues. These ethical theories include deontological, useful, and aretaic ( virtue moralss ) theories. I besides read another article that suggested we use a intercrossed attack. It recommends that high school pupils can easy utilize Kantian moralss and virtuousness moralss to make an ethical determination. The pupils must happen a solution to which both of the ethical theories apply. So far we have seen that Computer ethics is different that regular moralss. I have demonstrated ways in which the computing machine engineering has created nothingnesss in policies and how engineering has changed ethical thought. Last I have shown that it takes techniquly minded people to understand computing machine moralss. Therefore there is a demand for computing machine scientific discipline pupils to understand moralss. We have seen that pupils will profit from a class in moralss and we have besides seen what computing machine morals is. We have besides talked about some benefits along the manner so now let ‘s take a expression at other benefits in learning our pupils moralss Reasons why There are many benefits in learning moralss to our pupils. The NCSS says that moralss is an indispensable constituent for societal engagement and interpersonal relationships so pupils need to make and show their ain personal strong beliefs as portion of their ethical decision-making procedure. In fact even John Dewey recognizes the demand to learn moral judgement to pupils. The article goes on to state that ethical thought gives pupils the ability to conceive of and research possibilities before they make a judgement. As pupils apply moralss to real-life scenarios they non merely develop their sense of moralss but they besides develop higher-order thought accomplishments. When pupils are believing ethically they ‘re working at the top three degrees of Bloom ‘s taxonomy. They are utilizing creativeness, synthesis and analysis. As already mentioned, computing machines have created many ethical issues that have non existed in the yesteryear. When people are working on computing machines they miss the face-to-face contact of working with people. They are indirectly removed by the machine, as such ; they do non see the moral branchings of their actions. They do non believe about other people when doing determinations. This means that as instructors we need to speak about these issues. We need to acquire our pupils to believe about the universe in which they like to populate. They need to develop a codification of behavior. They need to believe about how they treat other people, even people they do n't see. Computers have created new signifiers of media which are more synergistic. Now anybody has the ability to pass on globally. They can be anon. . Peoples can copy and reproduce any signifier of digital information. This new signifier of engineering airss many jobs. Hackers could utilize distant terminuss to in terrupt into systems. They may or may non hold a malicious purpose. They could be merely proving their accomplishments as a hacker and in making so may really assist by indicating out holes in the security. So does the Intent do this action ethical or is it still unethical because the individual broke in. Another job is the copying of proprietary plants. The writer or Godheads rely on income by selling their package to people who are willing to purchase their merchandise. If the people who are willing to purchase the merchandise acquire it for free, so the Godhead loses money. Not merely do writers hold to worry about their plants being copied, confidential records can be easy copied between databases. Another concern is about what types of information authoritiess or corporations collect about us. This is known as the large brother fright. It is of import to state pupils they have the right to see any information on any database sing themselves. This is known as the freedom of info rmation act. The whole armory of ethical issues can be drawn from the field of unreal intelligence entirely. The involvement and consequence will go even more outstanding as clip Marches frontward Deborah Hurley ( 2000 ) presents the thought that computing machine devices will shortly be portion of our vesture and even portion of our organic structures such as biochips and implants. The ethical deductions will go on to progress. There are a batch of issues related to computing machine moralss and as the engineering evolves and becomes more incorporate into the societal facets of mundane life, there becomes a stronger demand to learn pupils about moralss and what it means to act ethically. Last we are learning our pupils computing machine scientific discipline. Computer scientific discipline is a profession and as such it has a codification of behavior. What I mean to state is that we have several professional organisations and each has its ain codification of behavior. There is ACM, AITP and IEEE-CS. We are learning our pupils computing machine scientific discipline and moralss is an built-in portion of it. In category we talked about how most pupils will non prosecute computing machine scientific discipline in any signifier of postsecondary surveies. My counter statement to this is merely because they are non taking station secondary surveies, does non intend they wo n't develop plans in the hereafter. So it is up to us to learn them to believe ethically about the package they create. Just expression at the ruins of the yesteryear when coders and plans failed. There was The detonation of the country and five projectile in 1996 or the Therac-25 machine which gave peop le excessively much radiation. Computer scientific discipline has direct impact on the quality of people ‘s lives and they must take into history the wellness safety and public assistance of the populace. It is & lt ; = a professional codification of behavior that makes moving ethically the norm. It outlines their duties to themselves and the public codification Acts of the Apostless as an educational tool supplying a focal point for treatment as it talks about professional behavior. I think it would be a good thought to do a professional codification of behavior with your category. This could work as a schoolroom direction scheme. In your category you want your pupils to move ethically. You do non desire them to copy and glue codification from the Internet. You do non desire them to disrespect each other. You want assignments in on clip. I could travel on and on but to sum it all up you want your pupils to move professionally. In this subdivision we once more looked at all the specific ethical issues from this it is easy to see all the negative effects they can hold on our pupils. We need to learn them moralss so they can believe about each state of affairs as the demand arises and while we do this we are learning them critical accomplishments. We are learning the higher degrees of Bloom ‘s taxonomy. If this is non an adequate ground to convert you we are learning them a profession and with that profession comes ethical duties. These duties can be imported into your schoolroom to make a better richer larning environment. We have seen that Computer ethics is a new typical field that your pupils can larn a great trade from and we have besides seen that the pupils will profit emencily. If your still non convinced the model says we have to learn moralss and we mine every bit good do it right. Dodig-Crnkovic, G. ( n.d. ) . On the Importance of Teaching Professional Ethics to Computer Science Students. www.idt.mdh.se. Retrieved November 4, 2010, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.idt.mdh.se/~gdc/work/TeachingProfEthics.pdf Herman, T. ( 2001 ) . The province of computing machine moralss as a philosophical field of enquiry: Some modern-day positions, future projections, and current resources. Ethical motives and Information Technology, 3, 97 – 108. Hindi, N. M. ( 2002 ) . Computer Literacy: Deductions for Teaching a College-Level Course. Journal of Information Systems Education, Vol. 13 ( 2 ) , 143 – 152. Lehman, K. ( 2009 ) . Teaching Information Ethical motives to High School Students. Library Media Connection, v27, p28-30. Pass, S. ( 2009 ) . Teaching Ethical motives to High School Students. Social Studies, v100 n1, p23-30. Rikowski, R. ( n.d. ) . Teaching ethical issues in Information Technology: how and when. www.libr.org. Retrieved November 4, 2010, from www.libr.org/isc/issues/ISC23/B9a % 20Ruth % 20Rikowski.pdf

Pablo Picassos Guernica of 1937 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pablo Picassos Guernica of 1937 - Essay Example The essay "Pablo Picasso’s Guernica of 1937" investigates the Guernica. It is a painting done by Pablo Picasso in the year 1937. The Guernica over the years has gained monumental status and has also served a constant reminder of the mayhem at that particular time. Evidently, the painting was first exhibited in Paris and was placed under the care of the Museum of Modern Art. Notably, in 1981 after the country had attained full liberation the painting was delivered to Spain and displayed in Madrid (Picasso, 123). On the contrary, this particular paper strives to analyse the painting into detail with the aim of determining through the images portrayed, the theme and the setting of the work of art. Furthermore, the paper also delves to document the purpose for the creation of the painting in relation to the time that it was done. Notably, the subsequent sections of this paper will also highlight the relevance of the work of art in our society today. First and foremost, since the p ainting was done during the war period in Spain, the work of art definitely is an anti-war painting. On the same point, through the championing of the aftermaths and suffering of the war, the painting serves to advocate for peace and address the suffering of the people particularly the innocent victims. On the other hand, the overall setting of the painting is within a confined room in which at the left open end, a wide-eyed bull stands over a woman who is mourning her child who is in her arms. At the centre of the room, a horse’s demise.

Business ethics Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business ethics - Dissertation Example The relationship between business ethics and the law has in the recent past become a controversial issue necessitating the need for further research in this area.This is since empirical evidence illustrate that when businesses aim at garnering a competitive edge,they are predisposed to performing practices that are contrary to the business ethics. Is it therefore viable to believe that businesses that have been able to maintain a competitive edge act unethically? Consequently, can businesses that have upheld their ethics be referred to as being anti-competitive? It is in the wake of these research questions that this essay will illustrate the influence that business ethics has on the performance of an organization and the relationship between business ethics and law1. Research Questions: 1. Is there any relationship between business ethics and the law? 2. Does competition influence the business ethics of an organization and how is this related to law? 3. Is social responsibility rela ted to the business ethics of an organization and the law? 4. What is the way forward to enhancing the synergy between business ethics and law? Prior to answering the research questions delineated above, it is important to understand what ethic means and why business ethics is important in law. Ethics is a moral principle that determines the conduct of behavior of various professionals as pertains to how they conduct their business and in the decisions they make. As pertains to the utilitarian theory of justice, professionals need to make decisions that are aimed at meeting the greater good of the society and not out of their inner selfish motive. This therefore means that there is need for businesses to uphold their ethics as pertains to how they conduct business. Business being aimed at prevailing above the competitors and making profit, there is need for business men to adhere to ethical principles but still remain competitive. How then is business ethic related to law?2 The law is a combination of rules and regulations that govern a group of people and violation of the law leads to criminal offence. The law is made from sanctions and principles that have been developed by people and more often than not, the law depicts the public opinion of people as pertains to various issues. With reference to business ethics, the law is sought when a business acts in an unethical manner that harms another organization or harms the general public of the organization. The law acts as leverage in disputes resulting from claims that one business did not act ethically and violated the moral principle required in business. Having understood what business ethics entails and the relationship it has with the law, it is important to evaluate how business ethics can be violated as businesses conduct their business and the implications of these violations with reference to the law.3 Models of public policy have been developed in an attempt to illustrate business ethics and what it encompasses: moral manager and the moral market. With reference to the moral manager model, it is upon the managers to engage in morally upright decisions as pertains to the decisions they make and the influence of these decisions to the performance of the organization. This therefore means that the goal of business ethics entails training managers so as to develop morally upright behaviors that re translated to decisions made and the influence they have on the performance of the organization. An organization therefore needs to institutionalize a design that monitors the performance of individuals involved in the business. Moreover, markets also serve as a concern as pertains to business ethics and the law. The forces prevalent in the market influence the performance ethics of individuals in an attempt to counter these forces or to adapt the organization to these forces.4 As businesses attempt to advance in comparison to their competitors, more often than n

Travelling As A Source Of Learning English Essay

Travelling As A Source Of Learning English - Essay Example English is an international medium for communication. On an international front, English plays an important role in binding contracts between governments of two countries (Riches and Curt-Christiansen). Therefore, it is deemed critical for professionals from several fields to develop English language. On the other side, in some Asian countries, English is considered as a status symbol. It is believed to be a communication medium of upper social class. Additionally, those individuals, who are not a native English speakers are believed to be excellent learners of this language because they attempt to increase their linguistics. This essay attempted to analyze the importance of traveling across various cultures in the development of advanced linguistics in youth. At the same time, I have been able to dwell on my strong skill of tongue because of my frequent international traveling experience. English is also considered as an international medium of communication. Therefore, used in fabricating various international contracts among nations. Hence, in the light of this argument, politicians should develop their English in order, to understand the embedded meanings of a legal document. On the other, as a student of English, I consider it as my duty to understand English better than anyone in the world does. However, to accomplish this goal, I am regularly reading ancient English literature in order to; understand the very roots of English. On the other hand, my teachers helped me, during my quest of learning English.

Effectiveness of Mentoring in Organizations Essay

Effectiveness of Mentoring in Organizations - Essay Example The performance of employees is dependent upon the degree of alignment achieved with the strategic business objectives which is measured effectively by innovative means in the modern organization. However, it is not easy for the younger talents to understand the detailed aspects of such alignments on their own whereas they bring to table some excellent competencies as an outcome of their respective educational backgrounds. Such talents require effective mentoring to help them align with the organizational goals such that they can gradually build a career in the system by effectively delivering results in line with the strategic objectives of the organization. The mentors need to be those senior experienced colleagues who have been star performers in the system by virtue of their recognized contribution to the goals of the organization. The mentor-protg relationships in organizations, however, are complex and require a lot of organizational focus (as a part of larger strategies) to en sure successful results in building talents for the future. There are numerous benefits to organizations that establish formal mentoring programs within the system and carefully managing the emotional dynamics between the mentors and the protgs by avoiding conflicts of interests. Some organizations practice such strategies for every level in the organization after recognising the need for such programs and clearly setting out their objectives. Such activities are normally carried out through Human Resources department having dedicated functional areas for training & development within the organization. Such a department possesses a senior management representative for effective communication to the top and also possesses their own quality goals in achieving people development in the system. The Human Resources function views the entire organization as a social system and tries to establish models of existing human dynamics prevailing within the organization. These dynamics are then mapped with the growth path that has been established within the organization as per the business requirements in order to build aspirations and healthy competition among people. The employees are then provided guidance and help through senior & experienced employees through well designed mentoring programmes such that every

Role of DHS to Enhance Special Operations Force Structure Essay

Role of DHS to Enhance Special Operations Force Structure - Essay Example Deconfliction is an important aspect to be careful about especially in areas of overlapping responsibility to prevent law enforcing agencies from mistakably disrupting operations. Components of DHS also included joint operations as a means to integrate federal border security efforts. The 9/11 commission has extensively stressed on the intensive collaboration with international partners, also increasing enforcement though joint efforts in the state, local and federal affairs. DHS components developed joint operations for time related surge operations in air, maritime and land border security. In order to check vulnerabilities related to insufficient staff, the officials have issued a three year grant to tribal nations/states and also the local governments have also been included to augment Border patrolling personnel and resources to offer security which benefited all sectors. For example, the joint operation outlook for the purpose of border security has resulted in the better under standing of partner capabilities. In 2007, in the Blaine sector with the joint operation, eight illegal aliens attempting to enter the United States were detained. The partners involved in the operation were DHS components including Border Patroling and ICE, while others included DoD, state and local law enforcement entities (Stana, 2011, p 15-20). Similarities between force structure of Israel, Great Britain and the United States Counter-terrorism has been designated USSCOM’s primary core task which involves the reducing the probable features of a successful terrorist attack (Groover, 2004, p12; SOF Reference Manual, 1999).The influence of the diplomatic efforts of treaties and policies will be evaluated in the light of on how the ability of land forces has defined to fulfill the nation’s global challenges. Naval and air power have historically played an important role mainly in the defense policies of Great Britain in the past and the United States at present. Resear ch suggests that Great Britain’s experience have been used by the United States to quantify historical significance on this aspect of the study (Sevcik, 2001, p2). Israel Defense Forces (IDF) similarly demonstrates the conventional military capability, coupled with nuclear weapons that are likely to deter any state to launch conventional campaign against them. Therefore, the most striking similarity in the structural features of the military forces between Israel, Great Britain and the USA is the use of high-intensity war equipments. Predicting the mode of future warfare is incredibly a difficult task but the general themes from the past and the present can definitely contribute to its theoretical content on the aspect of warfare relevance in the future. The future for all the three nations, namely Britain, Israel and the United States encompasses conventional wars of high-intensity. Predictions for the future war will mean nothing at all if the force structure of the concern ed state is not able to deal with the specialized needs of conflict (Martson, n.d. pp.1-4). Unique characteristics of SOF and Counter terror forces as compared to conventional mili

A close analysis & comparative study on two pieces of Romantic Poetry Essay

A close analysis & comparative study on two pieces of Romantic Poetry - Essay Example of a prosperous and growing England, with an exciting increase in worldly importance, others viewed the bustling city in a much more negative light, in which individuals became lost members of a crowd and social ills became much more apparent. These aspects of the city can be traced through the poetry of William Blake in poems such as â€Å"London† from Songs of Experience and William Wordsworth as it is reflected in book seven of his Prelude. In â€Å"London† for example, Blake describes the way in which the human spirit had been shackled in 1794, the year when the poem had been written. Through careful imagery, Blake expresses an abiding belief in the unchristian nature of the restrictions on freedoms being experienced by the British people. The French Revolution had just occurred and sentiment in Britain had reached an all-time low as expressed in lines such as â€Å"How the chimney-sweepers cry† (9) and â€Å"†¦ the hapless Soldiers sigh / Runs in blood down Palace walls† (11-12). These lines reflect the way in which even time-honored occupations such as chimney sweeps and soldiers had fallen into disrespect and despair. Although he is describing physical situations in lines 3-4: â€Å"A mark in every face I meet / Marks of weakness, marks of woe†, he makes it clear that he is also discussing the state of the souls of people he meets. The signs of decay and desperation are seen in ever y face encountered as the speaker walks down what is presumed to be an average London street. This is reinforced in the second stanza as the speaker says, â€Å"In every cry of every man, / In every infant’s cry of fear, / In every voice, in every ban, / The mind-forged manacles I hear† (4-8). In this, it is apparent that someone is controlling these people, although it remains unclear if the ‘mind-forged manacles’ are of their own creation or someone else’s. However, because of the inclusion of infants, who cannot possibly be imposing harsh punishments on themselves

Foundation Property Writing Task Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Foundation Property Writing Task - Essay Example As a particular constructive trust would relate only to the specific property, the legal professionals also call it as a â€Å"proprietary† remedial method of solving the particular disputes†¦.(Duhaime , 2009) Trusts are frequently established in a will, which could be called as a trust instrument, where the settlor is referred to as a testator. Hence an express trust implies that the settler has expressed a wish to establish the will. However, there is no explicit intention on the part of the settlor to establish a constructive trust. The establishment of such trusts is the consequences of legal responses to the events that might have been encountered during any property transactions. Accordingly, the purpose of constructive trusts should revolve about its binding effect on the issues of law in developing the major issues like honoring commitments, disgorging gains and repairing losses. Hence, the rationale behind the constructive trusts should consider these three main themes, while discussing the obligations and rights under the property law. As no firm and agreed list of rules is available under the English law, which could govern the constructive trusts, their rationale and guidance comes from various court cases, where the concerned judges have suggested rules for the constructive trust, pertaining to specific case. Accordingly, five rules on constructive trusts are briefly summarized below: However, these and other rules that bind the foundation of constructive trusts being heterogeneous in nature, there have been a fair amount of confusion about the concepts of such trusts and the liabilities involved in referring to the same. Accordingly, the above rules remain debatable, when judged under different circumstances. For example, it may be a mild punishment for an honest trustee to surrender his term, after he has renewed the

Written Communication for Business Purposes Research Paper

Written Communication for Business Purposes - Research Paper Example It is necessary that accountability and responsibility chains of people working in the organization are fixed. The manager should communicate everything to his sub ordinates and people in the organization in a written way. Written messages can also be saved in the repository for future references. Business communication is a permanent mode of communication and is easier to follow through than oral communication mans. Good written communication is pivotal to the success of an organization. It helps in building its corporate image and good will. Written business communication comprises of various forms. These are letters, memoranda’s, emails, sales letters, agendas and business reports. Business letters should have an appealing and an appropriate lay out. The writer should be clear on the content of the letter and it must be divided into paragraphs. The subject of the letter should be written and should be enclosed within envelope. The letter must be saved for future reference a nd should be written carefully as it directly affects the good will of the organization. There are various types of business letters for instance sales letters, information letters and problem letters.

Understanding Rhetorical Structures as They Pertain to Audience Essay Example for Free

Understanding Rhetorical Structures as They Pertain to Audience Essay This paper is about the understanding of the Rhetorical Structures as they pertain to audience, purpose, and context and how they affect the argument of whether taxes should be raised on higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk and underserved, low income children. I will discuss the relationship between the audience, purpose, and context to the context of the argument. Understanding Rhetorical Structures How do audience, purpose, and context affect the argument of whether taxes should be raised on higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk and underserved, low income children. I will discuss the relationship between the audience, purpose, and context to the context of the argument. Discussion The goal of this discussion is to see the relationship between audience, purpose, and context of should Taxes be raised for higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk, underserved, and low income children. The first audience for this group are wealth fortune 500 CEO’s. They are considered the in the higher income bracket in my opinion. They need to be educated on the understanding that even though most lower income families struggle, it is not because they are not trying. The economy has taken its toll on a lot of jobs here in the US over the past couple of years and even though they are working a full time job and sometimes two full time jobs, they cannot afford any kind of social program for their children. The present economy conditions are hurting the lower income families to the point that they struggle to make ends meet and can sometimes barley afford to put food on the table for their children. The higher income bracket would need to see just how little the additional taxes would take from them and what the benefits of those taxes could do for a low income family struggling to make ends meet. They still could possibly not be receptive to the idea, but giving them examples of the cost and benefits of such programs I think they would start to understand. The second audience for this group is the low income families of at-risk, and underserved, low income children. They need to be educated on the benefits that could come from the higher taxes. In my opinion, the higher income bracket can afford the higher taxes to fund some of these programs. The cost of living, food, gas, and housing all affect the income of many families in the US. If they understood what could come from the taxes, they could get some reissuance as to vote on such a bill if it came up to vote for the public. Education on the subject of the current tax laws would be a good example of what the different taxes brackets that are used today in the US. Lower income families would jump on the idea of being able to send their children to a soccer camp, or baseball camp. According to an article on â€Å"Taxing the rich is good for the economy†, raising taxes on the higher income bracket would reduce the taxes on low and middle income families. This would also allow for those families to keep more of their income to use towards these programs. All in all I think it would be a beneficial idea to entertain. The context of the economy, food, and taxes all play an important role in this argument. The higher income bracket would be resistant to the idea until they were presented with facts on the cost and the minimal decrease in income for them. The lower income families would be blessed with some relief with their children’s social experience and the ability to provide more learning resources to them.

Comparison: Budget Travel And Luxury Travel

Comparison: Budget Travel And Luxury Travel Travel is the movement of people between relatively distant geographical locations for any purpose and any duration. This is clarified by Aracely (n.d.) who identifies that different styles of travel give travelers a completely different experience. Usually, the type of travel can be defined by how much money is being spent on that experience. Travel is impossible to do if no cost is involved. People do think about the cost before traveling. Budget travel is suitable for those who willing to go for a travel with low budget. However, some people choose to travel in a luxury way to enjoy a trip to the fullest. There are some differences between budget travel and luxury travel. Comparison between budget travel and luxury travel are shown through different angles, which are accommodation, transportation, food and drink, places to visit and quality of travel. A comparison of budget travel and luxury travel 2.1 Accommodation Accommodation is one of the important aspects to think of during travel. To have a pleasant journey, first, traveler must have enough time to rest. The comfort ability of accommodation may influence the travel mood of a traveler. However, for budget traveler, they choose to spend less in accommodation. How could budget traveler do that? With limited budget, traveler can either choose to home stay in house of local residents, living in youth hostel or even camping. Home stay is when travelers stay in the house of local. Nowadays, many families join home stay program to welcome foreigners to stay at their houses during their vacation. Travelers will be arranged to like-minded hosts. This is clarified by Alex Robinson (2010) who indentifies that home stay in Japan works with around 1,000 hosts, from young Tokyo professionals to traditional rural families. For travelers who enjoy nature, they can choose to home stay with traditional rural families as their living style are more to nature . Theres no better way to get to know and love the city than through a well-connected local, Alex Robinson (2010). Besides that, youth hostel is also one of the budget accommodations. The website japan-guide.com states that young hostels are among the most inexpensive types of accommodation in Japan. Almost every country do has a youth hostel association. There are many hostels linked with this association, those hostels are usually cheap as youth hostel is purposely designed for youngsters who have low budget. Instead of home stay and youth hostel, camping is an ideal accommodation for those who have low budget in travelling. Camping can be done as long as there is a tent and a suitable campsite. This is clarified by Kelby Hartson Carr (2008) who identifies that there is no need to stay at an expensive hotel when visiting France. One of the greatest things about a France vacation is the wildly diverse range of low-cost lodging options, including camping. The France government regul ates five stars rating for campgrounds, just like it does for hotels. Campsite is a commonplace in France, and its a much more social form of accommodation than a hotel. Although it may not be as comfortable as we stay in hotel, camping is definitely a different authentic experience. On the others hand, for luxury travelers, they may choose to stay in luxury accommodation, such as hotels, bungalows and villas. They tend to spend more in accommodation so that they able to rest in a more comfortable place. Hotels with higher ranking, their services and facilities for sure are better. A high class hotel usually provides services and facilities such as meeting room, ball room, golf club, gym, sauna, massage room, swimming pool, shops and also restaurants. When big families go for travel, bungalows and villas are more preferred because bungalows and villas contain more rooms and have their own compound. Staying in luxury accommodation like hotels, bungalows and villas is much more relaxed and pampered compared to staying in budget accommodation as everything is well-prepared in luxury accommodation. 2.2 Transportation Transportation is important during travelling. However, what form of transportation can lower the budget of a traveler? Firstly, train can be considered as an ideal transport for those who plan for a budget travel. Train has a large capacity; it can fit in more people once. People who travel for a long period are advised to take train as it safe money and time of driving. Besides, busses are an economical option to travel too. This is clarified by Icarus Annals (n.d.) who indentifies that bus travel is the cheapest means of transportation across the USA and bus stations are more common than airports. No extra charge is added to the bus fare if you compared it with air ticket. Special reduced fares are available for students and international travelers, Icarus Annals (n.d.). Airplanes are much faster, but bus let you see the whole country when you travel. Cheap airfare can be purchased in order to lower the transportation expense. Lower airfares usually require a weekday stay and adva nce purchase time of at least two to three weeks. Travelers are advised to read through the rules and regulation clearly when purchasing airfare if there is any add-on fees needed. Or else air-line company may offer you a cheap airfare, but charge you a high baggage fees. To avoid high baggage fees, one should online search the information of baggage fees and read through it to avoid any unnecessary payment. People who travel luxury dont really care about all these charges. To enjoy the whole journey, they can choose to take plane, cruises or even private jet. Plane will always be the first choice for those who go for luxury travel because plane takes the shortest time to reach a place. Cost of airfare is definitely higher than busses or trains. Cruises are also a type of luxury transportation. Cruise can be considered as a place to travel as there are a lot of entertainments in a cruise, such as casino, shopping spots, bar and etc. 2.3 Food and drinks In addition, budget travel and luxury travel do have differences in terms of the food and drinks. In budget travel, the food or the way of eating is definitely more economical, such as self-catering, street foods, and after-hours eating (after the operational time, some food will be discounted or even free. For example, after 9pm, the foods will be free for public). Thus, public can enjoy cheap dinner or cheap foods and drinks. Its such a great deal for tourists who are undergoing budget travel. For self-catering, tourists will spend special moment with their family as they cook together and enjoy it just like in their own house. Street foods are great and cheap too. Street foods usually reflect the food culture of a place. For example, street foods in our country such as satay, apam balik, kebab, pisang goreng and etc reflect the food culture of our local citizens. Street foods are such a temptation for tourism. After-hours eating is the precious time for those budget travelers beca use they can enjoy their meals with a cheaper price or even free. However, the disadvantage of budget travel is that they cannot enjoy expensive foods. They cannot have what they actually want as limited budget prevent them from having extravagant meals. During luxury travel, foods that preferred are usually hygienic, nicely set, high class, perfect and also expensive. Tourists that do luxury travel will never concern about their expenses on foods, as money is not their main problem. A great food is the priority for them. In fact, their stomach capacity is the main problem as they can have whatever they want. Thats what we call as extravagant meals. They also enjoy buffet which required much money in order to enjoy it. Moreover, they usually not prefer drinking mineral water or tea. In fact, they choose wine as their drinks. It seems like luxury travel is better than budget travel. However, those who do luxury travel, cant really enjoy those street foods. They used to enjoy their meals under air-condition instead of queuing up in the crowd. 2.4 Places to visit Other than foods and drinks, in the two types of travel, places that visited by travelers are somehow similar, but luxury travelers do have more options. For budget travel, tourists prefer going on their own trip instead of following a tour, because its cheaper. This is clarified by Aracely (n.d.) who identifies that budget travelers mainly visit to the less developed world. Therefore, places that they go are limited or in other words, they have fewer choices of places to go. Places that they usually visited are like cultural and historical places, cheap shopping spots, and free entry places such as museum, galleries and national park. Budget travelers like to explore and exposed to the nature. Thus, places such as the rainforest, seaside, cave, waterfall, or even island are some ideal places for them. Those places require low entry costs or even free for visiting. All of these places can be visited for those who do luxury travel. Nevertheless, in luxury travel, they have more options to choose. Such as, they can go to amusement park like Disney land. In addition, they can also enjoy cruise, and the beachs games which are somehow expe nsive for budget travel. 2.5 Quality of travel The very last angle for the comparison is quality of travel. Quality of travel can be seen by many different views. The first view is the level of comfort. By comparing budget travel with luxury travel, luxury travel seems to have the higher level of comfort. Budget travelers will usually stay in a low cost motel or hostel. Staying in low costs hotel usually will lacks of amenities of home, Aracely (n.d.). The beds are not comfortable, communication is limited because they dont understand English, and utilities provided are bad. While for luxury travels, travelers usually go for a four star or five star hotels. Most of the four stars and five star hotels provide a spa service; the travelers can enjoy the services. This is clarified by Maryalice Yakutchik (n.d.) who identifies that different country has different style of spa; in California, their spa uses mud (clay with water) to put on the body and even face and hair, this is a mud treatment. Other than this, luxury travelers have t he opportunity to shop in the shopping spots. In these shopping spots, they can purchase things that are with high fashion and designers label. The second view is the level of cleanliness. The comparisons between budget travel and luxury travel shows that luxury travel has the higher level of cleanliness. Budget travel normally shows us the ugly side of a country. As budget travelers usually visit to rural areas other than developed city, they can truly experience the surrounding environment. However, these places usually are dirtier; rubbish littered everywhere, even to the rivers. This is clarified by Aracely (n.d.) who identifies that local picnic spots that she visited were littered by Styrofoam and plastic trash. Amazing lakes such as Lake Atitlan in Guatemala are a toxic mess. Crude oil contaminates the drinking water of Amazonian tribes. Mining chemicals like cyanide flow into the rivers. While for luxury travels, environment are better and so those places are cleaner. Damar Harsanto (2005) in a media release The Jakarta Post identifies that, in Singapore, unlike Jakarta, regulations exist and they are followed; they also keep the cleaners busy. Receptacles around street-stalls require cleaning every 30 minutes during peak hours. With an estimated 40,000 public toilets in the city, this is a lot of work, and 10,000 cleaners are employed in the city each day. Keeping eating places hygienic is another of the governments priority. Luxury travel shows a better condition and this will lead to a better health. The third view is the safety of travelers. From this view, luxury travel is having more advantages. Budget travelers will choose to be home stay rather than staying in hotel. There is a risk of staying in a strangers home. This is clarified by Kathryn Vercillo (n.d.) who identifies that entering the home of someone that you dont know means that you are taking the chance to let this person to have ulterior motive of attacking you. Home stay required self care; it wont be the same compare to own home. They need to care about their luggage, healthy and wealth. While luxury travels have more facilities. In discussing the issues related to airport facilities (grenadagrenadines.com), airport provides services such as charters, security service, overnight parking, refueling service and cleaning service. Most of the passengers are highly concern on the security. High class airports will corporate with international standard of security service so that the passenger will trust them more. The forth view is efficiency. The budget travelers have to go through many processes that are slow and inefficient all the time. This is clarified by Aracely (n.d.) who identifies that purchasing a plane ticket requires travelers to get number from ticket machine, wait in a lobby for 1.5 hours and then watched the clerk shift the plastic credit card hand held machine over the carbon copy and our credit card. This was for a major airline in Argentine. However, the budget travelers must used to it. While for luxury travel, travelers will receive a special offer; once they register themselves under the hotel, they will have the opportunity to enjoy all the facilities at the first time. For example, most luxury hotels do help travelers to settle the transportation matters. The last view is experience gained during travel. Different ways of travel will definitely have different kind of experiences. Budget travelers will have an authentic experience while luxury travelers will have an extraordinary experience. The budget travelers have the chance to know more about a countrys culture, eating style and habits. For budget travel, travelers will have a simple breakfast served with tea or coffee, own paid lunch and dinner which recommended by the citizen. Foods recommended by local citizens are usually cheaper. During luxury travel, travellers will have the chance to enjoy a superior experience. BC Doan identifies that The Poseidon of Fiji underwater resort is built 40 feet below, and was opened in year 2009, Doan (2008). This resort offers a 16-passenger luxury submarine tour, and guests are also provided with a personal Triton submarine for excursions on their own. Staying in the undersea hotel definitely will bring them an extraordinary experience. Conclusion Travel can be classified into two types, which are budget travel and luxury travel. Different people prefer different ways of travel as different experiences can be obtained through both budget travel and luxury travel. Both of them have their advantages and also disadvantages. Budget travel allows people to visit different places in low costs but with some limitations, whereas through luxury travel, people keen to enjoy a trip without bothering the costs. In general, travels do have a lot of benefits. People get to explore to more new places, reducing stress level which lead to a better health and learn the way people live and their traditions. Are Vitamin Supplements Effective? Are Vitamin Supplements Effective? Vitamins are a type of substance that helps grow, develop and give benefits to your body. Having an insufficient supple of vitamins could lead to health problems, diseases or in rare cases, death. There are certain types of vitamins, each with their own role of supporting and developing your body. Vitamin products mostly composed of organic compounds mixed with electrolytes, vegetable or fruit extract, or sometimes with artificial ingredients, etc. Consumers may have their own view that vitamin supplements are essential for their daily needs and for a healthy lifestyle; others may oppose that vitamins are a waste of investment or could cause side effects to their body. However, the main subject that concerns the society and the scientific community is whether vitamins supplements are effective or not. Is it essential to take multivitamins daily or is it just an open door to health problems? Having a daily rate of vitamin products may provide benefits or adverse effects to the human body. In society and the scientific community, debates on whether vitamins can be effective or ineffective to the human body. This question leads to a comparison of people with vitamin deficiency and daily basis consumption of multivitamin products. Thinking about this comparison shows one type of people not taking vitamins and the other taking vitamins. This comparison also explains to society that vitamins may prove beneficial but not to the scientific community as evidence must be needed. However, scientific research provides evidence that multivitamins commonly containing folic acid, vitamin D, etc. all with their own roles of giving benefits to the body. If regular consumption of vitamins truly provides real health benefits, we should be able to validate that studying the health benefits and effects in large population of people that took multivitamins for years. The method to prove vita mins arent beneficial could be: overdose of multivitamins, misleading use or premature use without contacting their doctor. However, in some scientific findings and research, a few vitamins cause risk to the human body such as early death (mortality), increases chance of lung cancer and breast cancer from some vitamins. Therefore, there is evidence that regular consumption of multivitamin products has health benefits and reports that this practice could cause harm. Taking vegetable extracts proves to be better than eating vegetables. Evidences with vegetable extracts proves to be better than eating vegetables showing, Juicing has been credited with alleviating everything from skin diseases and immune disorders to cancer and high blood pressure. (Ko, 2011) Having vegetable extract at liquid state maybe easier to digest in the stomach and less energy used when digesting in liquid form whilst heating or cooking them will destroy or reduce some enzymes content meaning getting less nutrients if cooked. Juicing can be an advantage when it comes to digestion and nutrient supports in the human body at the same time. Therefore, vegetable extracts are proven to be better and beneficial than eating vegetables. Situations and conditions with overdose and vitamin deficiency could be possible and could cause illness to the human body. Suffering from vitamin deficiency will lead to certain sickness, diseases, possibility of cancer or nutritional disorder. An example of a certain vitamin deficiency case study is vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D mostly comes from the sun and some of our daily meals like milk and fish. After several surveys and research from Australian Bureau of Statistics and Australian Health Survey with Biomedical Results for Nutrients shows evidence that people with low levels of Vitamin D has a risk factor for other conditions like, heart and kidney disease, osteoporosis in which case the bodys bone may fracture or break easily and cancer or even mortality. If there is a situation of a patient suffering from Vitamin deficiency, they may be suffering from health problems like fragile bones or several diseases. For the patient to survive and fight this type of condition, they s hould contact their doctor, take high or rich calcium food products, increase exposure to sun with high UV times like mid-morning till mid-afternoon, increasing physical activity or any Vitamin D supplements. However, patients with moderate to severe deficiency may have a blood test and high Vitamin D supplements. This research proves and validates that vitamin deficiency is a real possibility of most situations and conditions. Overdose with vitamins causes a lot of health problems like diabetes, obesity, or even death. With researches provided, large dosages of Vitamins can cause problems, even standard dosage can affect their health with certain prescription medicine. This results with people suffering from adverse effects from too much calcium or iron intake. This proves and provided evidence that vitamin overdose is a possibility and the conditions to treat overdose are almost similar to people suffering vitamin deficiency. This concludes that vitamin deficiency and overdose are a possibility as they could cause harm and health problems. Vitamin supplements are proven and validated to be effective with correct use and daily recommended dosages. They may cause harm varying on what health problems people have or taking overdose. As mentioned For a healthy adult, if supplements are used, they should generally be taken at levels close to the recommended dietary intake (RDI). High-dose supplements should not be taken unless recommended under medical advice. (betterhealthchannel, Victoria government, 2012)

Re-branding and Repositioning of the Republic Bank Group

Re-branding and Repositioning of the Republic Bank Group Practicum:â€Å"The Re-branding and Repositioning of the Republic Bank Group: The Case of Republic Bank DR S.A.† Executive Summary A brand is the sum of the customers experiences with the products or company how the customer thinks and feels about what the business does. The brand is transmitted in every interaction with the customer over the lifetime of the relationship and is therefore built from the customers entire experience with the company, not just through the companys communicated identity. It therefore plays a critical role in building trust and loyalty. According to the 4-D Branding model devised by Thomas Gad (refer Appendix 1) the brand operates at four different levels in the mind of the customer. These four levels include the functional (the perception of benefit of the product or service associated with the brand), the social (the ability to create identification with a group), the spiritual (the perception of global or local responsibility) and the mental (the ability to support the individual mentally). These four dimensions are derived from the customers experiences at the brand touch-points and combine to form the customers overall perception of the brand. The challenges facing brands today however are numerous, and in financial services the challenges are even more acute because of the intangibility of the facilities being provided. In the case of banks that operate in diverse territories, the major challenge lies in the ability to balance global or regional brand integrity with local cultural authenticity. These brands must be viable on a global or regional scale, but remain relevant at the local level. The Republic Bank Group faced this dilemma as it expanded its operations to embrace several Caribbean territories with different cultures, preferences, languages and modes of behaviour. The branding challenge in such an environment can become quite complex, with the level of complexity multiplying across subsidiaries and divisions of the bank, product lines, markets and even advertising agencies. Controlling brand identity in such an environment can be exigent. The case of Banco Mercantil, Republic Banks subsidiary in the Dominican Republic, however posed a different challenge. The viability of that brand was undermined by a combination of internal (mismanagement) and environmental (economic decline and near crash of the financial system) factors that led to the complete erosion of its brand equity in a relatively short space of time. The brand ceased to engender trust and confidence among its customers and while it still existed at the functional level from the point of view of providing banking services, it was devoid of credibility at the social, spiritual and mental levels. Following qualitative research involving a population of 1200 households spanning the banks three major market segments (mass, private and corporate/commercial), the bank faced the decision of rebuilding the existing brand; re-branding with a completely new identity or adopting the identity and brand of the new shareholder. Subsequent to SWOT and force field analyses being conducted, the decision was taken to re-brand Banco Mercantil by adopting the parent or heritage brand i.e. Republic Bank Limited through the introduction of the name Republic Bank DR S.A. and reposition the operations to focus primarily on the private banking and corporate and commercial market niches in the Dominican Republic. The re-branding exercise spanned two geographic locations and several stakeholder groups, from employees to customers and regulators in the Dominican Republic, as well as the shareholder in Trinidad and Tobago. May 5, 2005 was a historic day in Republic Banks history as it signalled the start of a re-branding process that should embrace the entire banking group. Such an exercise is critical at this time, as the Bank continues to broaden its footprint within the Caribbean, prepare itself for increased competition in the markets in which it currently operates, and positions itself to win the minds and hearts of regional customers. Several considerations were apparent in the change of name of the Dominican subsidiary to Republic Bank DR, foremost among them being the cultural implications of adopting the new name and the values that were imbedded in the brand. While the values themselves were not alien to the Dominican society, there were some differences in their interpretation stemming from cultural and social indoctrination. The rigorous systems and procedures for example, which are inherent in the British banking system that Republic Bank inherited from its predecessor Barclays Bank, were not as stringently applied in the Dominican Bank. The non-application was less a display of deviant behaviour and more a response to cultural norms and values consistent with the Latin culture. A thorough understanding and appreciation of the divergence in the cultures of the Caribbean were critical to the formulation and execution of an effective communications programme during the change process from Banco Mercantil to R epublic Bank DR, in order to ensure understanding and acceptance of the change. The primary drivers for change in the case of Banco Mercantil were the absence of equity associated with the proprietary brand, arising from the loss of trust and confidence in the bank, the disillusionment of the banks employees which impacted performance and hence business viability in the short, medium and long term, and the strong desire to turn the banks fortunes around. These driving forces strongly outweighed any restraining forces that might have existed, including the loss of corporate identity and national pride. The force field analysis performed in the course of the study clearly revealed the need for change. The change of name from Banco Mercantil to Republic Bank DR S.A. is historic in the Republic Bank context, as it is the first of Republic Banks acquired subsidiaries to undergo a retirement of its proprietary brand and the adoption of the overarching heritage brand. The Banks customary approach of maintaining the proprietary brands of acquisitions has resulted in the Republic Bank Group carrying a diverse portfolio of corporate brands in the Caribbean, culminating in a somewhat complicated brand landscape, and under-leverage of its heritage brand outside of its principal market, Trinidad and Tobago. The re-branding of Banco Mercantil therefore provides the catalyst for, and the foundation upon which the re-branding of the Republic Bank Group may be undertaken. The major hindrance to the achievement of this objective however is the strength of emotion and national pride that still surround the brands of the acquired subsidiaries in Grenada, Guyana and Barbados in particular. From a Republic Bank Group perspective there are also several important drivers advocating re-branding of the entire banking group. These include the increasing globalisation of business, the imminent introduction of the CSME and eventually the FTAA or other similar trade agreement; the Banks need to broaden its regional footprint to be in a position to take advantage of opportunities that would arise from increased globalisation, and the equity that would be derived from a significantly stronger and more cohesive brand. Whether approached as a big bang or on a phased basis spanning weeks, months or years, a re-branding of the entire banking group would derive significant benefits in the long term from financial, identity, cost and control perspectives. In the final analysis, the eventual success would not only be measured by the presence of physical artifacts such as Republic Bank signage on branches and offices in all of the islands. It would also be measured by the Banks ability to leverage financially from its corporate brand in several areas of business, and to provide a consistently high quality of service in all markets. The long-term objective however would be the achievement of the vision of being the bank of choice for customers, staff and shareholders and in so doing capturing the minds and hearts of the Caribbean people. Declaration Form for the reproduction of the document Given the highly competitive nature of the banking industry in the Caribbean and hence the confidential nature of the information contained in this study, reproduction or sharing of any information contained herein is strictly prohibited without expressed and written consent from the author and Republic Bank Limited. 1. Introduction Origins and Purpose The Republic Bank Group is one of the largest and most profitable financial services groups in the Caribbean. Originating from Barclays Bank and its predecessor Colonial Bank, Republic Bank has served the people of the Caribbean, specifically Trinidad and Tobago for 168 years. This study seeks to reposition and re-brand the Republic Bank Group, as the Bank moves closer to its vision of being the â€Å"Bank of Choice in the Caribbean†. Re-branding of the Group is particularly critical at this time, as the Bank continues to prepare itself for increased competition in the markets in which it currently operates, as well as for further expansion within and outside of the Caribbean. 1.2 The Case of Banco Mercantil In establishing a framework for the re-branding exercise, the study looks specifically at the case of Banco Mercantil S.A., Republic Banks subsidiary in the Dominican Republic, which was recently re-branded and repositioned in that market (May 5, 2005). The new bank, Republic Bank DR S.A. will focus primarily on the private banking and corporate and commercial market niches in the Dominican Republic, as it charts a path to profitability. In conducting the study, attention was paid to the process that was required in the execution of the re-branding and the benefits to be derived by the brand arising from the change of name and identity. In discussing the re-branding of Banco Mercantil, the study analyses the corporate identities of Republic Bank and Banco Mercantil to ascertain their status and the existence of any disconnects that might exist. It also identifies the reasons for the Banks earlier hesitation at re-branding its Caribbean acquisitions, the cultural shifts that are required at both the parent and subsidiary levels, the move to commence the process in the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic and the foundation that is laid for an escalation of the re-branding process throughout the Caribbean. The framework established for the re-branding of Banco Mercantil, and detailed in this study, may be used with appropriate adjustments to cater to cultural, social and political differences, to the re-branding and repositioning of Republic Banks other Caribbean acquisitions, namely the National Commercial Bank of Grenada Limited (NCB), The National Bank of Industry and Commerce Limited (NBIC) in Guyana and the Barbados National Bank (BNB). 1.3 Historic Step The change of name of Banco Mercantil to Republic Bank DR S.A. is historic in the Republic Bank context, as it is the first of Republic Banks acquired subsidiaries to undergo an identity change, and would as suggested above, provide the catalyst for, and the foundation upon which the re-branding of Republic Banks Caribbean empire might be undertaken. 1.4 Approach The study adopts an analytical approach to the re-branding exercise and draws upon the results of two surveys conducted in the Dominican Republic and Grenadian markets to test the corporate image of Republic Banks subsidiaries in those countries. It also employs several change management and corporate identity management models in its analysis of the current situations in the Dominican Republic and the Southern and Eastern Caribbean, and in devising recommendations for the Groups re-branding. The historic background of the Republic Bank Group is described, the environmental landscape in the Dominican Republic examined and the mood for change in that country discussed, to put into context the decision to re-brand Banco Mercantil. The study also employs Kurt Lewins model for change specifically in the execution of the re-branding of Banco Mercantil, and in so doing provides a framework for executing similar changes in other subsidiaries in the future. Fundamental marketing concepts articulated by Kotler and Jeannet and Hennessey were combined with more recent models related to branding by communications and branding experts such as John M.T. Balmer and Stephen Greyser as well as the use of the robust strategic models from experts such as Lewin, Mintzberg and Kammerer. The mood for change in the Southern and Eastern Caribbean and the macro environmental drivers that have impacted the Banks hesitation at re-branding its subsidiaries thus far were also diagnosed and analysed, using Force Field Analyses. These examined the driving forces pushing for change of the brand, as well as those restraining forces working against a change and advocating maintenance of the status quo. Comparative SWOT Analyses were also conducted to determine the most significant areas of weakness and opportunity, and to devise strategies aimed at maximising the strengths of both the Dominican subsidiary and the Group. An integral part of the change process involved in the re-branding of Banco Mercantil, was the analysis of that banks corporate identity, the corporate identity of Republic Bank Limited and a comparison of the results of both tests. This analysis was undertaken using the AC ²ID Test model devised by Harvard Business School professor John Balmer. The test threw up some interesting, albeit not surprising facts, which influenced the decision to change the banks name, as well as the choice of name itself. 1.5Benefits Republic Banks post-acquisition strategy previously advocated retention of the proprietary brand of the acquired subsidiary, rather than retirement of the weaker brand following analysis, or even retirement of the acquired brand in favour of the acquirer brand. This has resulted in the Bank carrying a diverse portfolio of corporate brands in the Caribbean, culminating in a somewhat confusing brand landscape, and little or no physical presence of its heritage or overarching brand outside of Trinidad and Tobago. While Republic Bank enjoys a strong corporate identity, high top of mind recall, strong citizenship recognition and a positive corporate image in its primary market, Trinidad and Tobago, its diverse portfolio of brands causes its corporate brand to be lowly leveraged in the other Caribbean territories in which it operates. Its vision of being the bank of choice in the Caribbean could therefore be stymied by its brands low leverage and physical absence in the non-Trinidad and Tobago territories in which it operates. In those countries the heritage brand (Republic Bank) provides an endorsing role at best, and is essentially represented by the brands of its acquired subsidiaries. The brand proposition of each of the subsidiary banks also varies. The re-branding of the Group to achieve a strong, unified and consistent brand identity is of particular importance to Republic Bank at this time, as the Group seeks to buy a place in the minds and hearts of regional and global customers. This study therefore produces the framework required for such a mammoth re-branding and repositioning exercise and in so doing provides a model that may be customised and employed in future corporate marketing exercises. 2.Background 2.1The Republic Bank Group Republic Bank Limited is one of the oldest and most successful indigenous financial services groups in the English-speaking Caribbean. Republic Bank evolved from the British bank, Barclays Bank Dominion Colonial and Overseas (DCO) and its predecessor Colonial Bank that was established in 1868 to provide banking services to the British expatriates involved in the islands sugar cane industry, and later to the freed slaves and indentured labourers. Today Republic Banks ownership is widely dispersed embracing over 10,000 individual and institutional shareholders. Republic Bank currently operates in eight Caribbean territories through 14 subsidiaries and offices in Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Dominican Republic, Cayman Islands, St. Lucia, Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago, and employs over 4,700 persons in the Caribbean. With an asset base of US$5 billion (TT$28.6 billion) Republic Bank recorded after tax profits of US$105.4 million (TT$664 million) in its last financial year (2003/2004). The Banks earnings per share in that year was TT$4.17 with return on average assets of 2.44% and return on shareholders equity of 18.93%. The Republic Bank Vision Republic Bank has identified the following vision: â€Å"Republic Bank, The Bank of Choice in the Caribbean for Customers, Staff and Shareholders. We set the Standard of Excellence in Customer Satisfaction, Employee Satisfaction and Shareholder Value† 2.3Expansion through Organic Growth and Acquisition Republic Bank has employed a strategy combining organic growth and strategic acquisition to facilitate its regional expansion goals over the past 13 years, as it sought to grow its asset base, increase market share and increase profitability. Its first such venture was the establishment of a joint venture merchant bank, Acedo Mendoza Fincor, with the Mendoza family of Venezuela. This operation soon extended to include an office in Panama but the Banks shareholding was eventually sold to the Mendoza family at the start of Venezuelas economic decline in the mid 1990s. That first move at overseas expansion was closely followed by the acquisition of the majority shareholding in the National Commercial Bank of Grenada Limited in 1992. This was followed shortly thereafter by the establishment of an offshore banking operation in the Cayman Islands, the acquisitions of the Bank of Commerce in Trinidad and Tobago and the National Bank of Industry and Commerce Limited in Guyana, the establishment of an office in Havana, Cuba, and the acquisitions of Barbados National Bank in Barbados and Banco Mercantil in the Dominican Republic. Republic Banks largest and most profitable operation at this time is in the country of its home base, Trinidad and Tobago. The Trinidad and Tobago bank alone operates 44 banking branches in the twin island republic and employs 2,790 persons, over half of the total number of persons employed by the Group. The strongest economies in which Republic Bank currently operates continue to be Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. The weakest economy at this time is the Dominican Republic in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, though it is showing signs of recovery, followed by Guyana in South America. 2.4The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts Republic Banks organically grown subsidiaries all bear the same corporate identity, which is Republic Bank. The acquired subsidiaries of NCB (Grenada), NBIC (Guyana), BNB (Barbados) and Banco Mercantil (Dominican Republic) all bear their separate names and corporate identities, having retained their original brand names following acquisition. The first three banks, namely NCB in Grenada, NBIC in Guyana and BNB in Barbados, were all â€Å"national† banks in their respective countries, with Republic Bank purchasing all or part of the governments shareholdings. As the â€Å"national† banks, they catered largely to the grassroots and middle-income population and in some cases emerged from the era of nationalism and political struggle in the Caribbean during the 1970s. In the case of each acquisition there was some negative reaction from those nationals who viewed the transaction as a sale of the countrys national heritage to an â€Å"outsider†. This sentiment was strongly expressed during the initial stages of the BNB purchase, where the sale of the Barbados governments shareholding in BNB threatened to become a political issue, in spite of the significant premium that was paid for the shares. That furore has since quelled, as the Barbadian public has been able to witness and experience the positive value that Republic Bank has brought to both BNB and to the financial sector in that country in the last year and a half. Given the history therefore, it is understandable that there would be strong feelings of national pride and patriotism attached to the identities i.e. proprietary brands of NCB, NBIC and BNB, particularly among the grassroots and the middle-income earners in the respective markets. It was for this principal reason strength of national pride and patriotism, and the resultant possibility of customer migration and loss of business that Republic Bank demonstrated its initial reluctance to initiate name changes in the territories, post acquisition. Its post acquisition strategy had been to retain the existing management and employees, once competent, and to preserve the name and corporate identity of the bank, as a means of maintaining the goodwill and equity that were attached to the brand, and so prevent business loss. The Bank focused instead on aligning the systems and procedures of the acquired bank to those of Republic Bank, and providing the infrastructural, technological and intellectual support that would enable the growth and development of the acquired subsidiary, and, by extension the economy of the respective country. Little attention was placed on alignment of the corporate identities or of the introduction or promotion of the corporate identity of the parent company, Republic Bank Limited. This approach of working alongside the subsidiary, rather than implementing drastic changes, triggered little outward disruption to the external environment, particularly customer relationships, and allowed the employees to focus gradually on the cultural shifts that were required to facilitate partial integration into the Republic Bank Group, while at the same time allowing them to retain their original identities. The impact of Republic Bank on those overseas subsidiaries has however been felt over time by customers, the general public and competitors in those markets, as the subsidiaries adopted a more aggressive and energetic stance in their operations, marketing and customer service, growing market share by as much as 10% in one year in the case of BNB. Customers were aware that these changes were the result of the new ownership of the bank and the deepening of the relationship with the parent company, Republic Bank, even though this link was seldom emphasised in external communication. The majority of customers appreciated the changes, since they impacted positively on the levels of efficiency evident in the banks, manifest in the quality of the service that they received, and the broadening array of product offers to which they were exposed. The subsidiaries themselves clearly recognised the value that their association with Republic Bank brought to bear on their banks success and customer interactions, particularly in the area of business facilitation. There is also a growing gratification in the association with a large, successful and powerful Caribbean bank, particularly at this time, when the business emphasis appears to be shifting increasingly toward integration and the benefits of larger size to cope with increased globalisation. 2.5The Mood for Change-The Dominican Republic There is a positive mood for change in the Dominican Republic in relation to the re-branding of Banco Mercantil S.A., fuelled primarily by the countrys desperate economic situation and the virtual collapse of the financial system. The government and many Dominicans viewed as a welcome move, Republic Banks entry into the Dominican financial sector through its acquisition of Banco Mercantil in 2003. It must be remembered that in the midst of Republic Banks entry, was the failure of several other commercial banks, principally due to rampant fraud and mismanagement facilitated by closed ownership the majority of businesses in the Dominican Republic, including the major banks are owned by a few wealthy families and a culture that appears to embrace less stringent ethical standards than those embraced by many countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. The Latin culture in the Caribbean, Central America and South America, is not as supportive of intense structures and systems as is the English culture. Hence the presence of strong systems to support business and demand strong ethical practice was almost absent in the Dominican Republic. Corruption was therefore rife. Additionally, the Latin cultures focus on external appearances as an indicator of success and well-being, also belies the true financial status of organisations and little attempt is made to delve sufficiently deep t o ascertain the reality. A thorough understanding of the divergence in the cultures of the Caribbean was therefore critical to the formulation and execution of an effective communications programme during the change process i.e. movement from Banco Mercantil to Republic Bank DR. Given the negative experiences of the immediate past, the employees and customers of Banco Mercantil were anxious for the presence of a professional organization with wide and diffused ownership, that would introduce systems and procedures to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, high levels of professionalism and business continuity. The regulators and employees alike were also determined to prevent a run on the bank and the consequential loss of jobs, while retaining and growing their existing customer base. Republic Banks good reputation as a sound and professional financial services provider in Trinidad and Tobago preceded it, and the Bank was well respected by the regulators, the small cadre of business and financial officials in the DR who knew of it, as well as by the employees who did their personal research on the Bank and its history and reputation. 2.6The Mood for Change -The Southern Eastern Caribbean The mood for change in the Southern and Eastern Caribbean is less enthusiastic than it is in the Dominican Republic. A survey conducted by NCB Grenada early in 2005 to test the banks corporate image revealed positive sentiments toward Republic Banks influence on the efficiency and general good performance of NCB, and mixed reactions to the possibility of a re-branding of the subsidiary. The underlying reason for this reluctance was the strong feeling of national pride and patriotism that continues to exist in the islands, for the reasons indicated earlier in this section. The reasons are more emotional than logical, and therefore more challenging to overcome, as branding is built to a greater extent on emotion and feelings, than it is on logic and reason. In spite of the strength of these sentiments however, there appears to be a listening to the possibility of change, as the Grenada survey indicated. A listening that Republic Bank should encourage as it contemplates a regional re-br anding of the group. 2.7The Environmental Landscape in the Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a Spanish speaking country in the Northern Caribbean bordered by the Caribbean Sea, the North Atlantic Ocean and Haiti. With a population of 8.8 million people, the Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past decade. The country enjoyed growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than 7% pre annum between 1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economys largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The Dominican Republic suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud and limited growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export revenues. The inflation rate based on 2003 national statistics is 27.5%, with unemployment being 16.5% and 25% of the population living below the poverty line. Predominantly Roman Catholic, the ethnic composition of the Dominican Republic differs from that of Trinidad and Tobago, with persons of mixed ethnicity comprising 73% of the population, whites 16% and blacks 11%. This ethnic composition was considered when formulating communication material related to advertising on the re-branding of Banco Mercantil. It will also be considered in the future in the production of standard external communication material such as mass media advertising for the Group. 3.Statement of Opportunity Given Republic Banks stated vision of being the â€Å"Bank of Choice in the Caribbean†, the onset of globalisation which has opened up hitherto inaccessible markets, the imminent commencement of the CSME and FTAA which would open up the Caribbean to large, powerful and influential business competitors, coupled with the aggressive stance of competitive forces within the Caribbean itself, there is an opportunity at this time for Republic Bank to reposition and re-brand its regional subsidiaries, beginning with Banco Mercantil, its subsidiary in the Dominican Republic. 4.Theoretical Perspectives This study embraces several theoretic concepts in bringing about the re-branding and repositioning of the Republic Bank Group and more specifically the re-branding of its Dominican Republic subsidiary, Banco Mercantil. The study utilises a number of theories in change management, strategic business planning and corporate identity analysis in orchestrating the required change. 4.1AC ²ID Test In analysing the corporate identities of Republic Bank Limited and Banco Mercantil the AC ²ID Test devised by Harvard Business School Professor, John Balmer was used extensively. The AC ²ID Test is a model used to assist companies in evaluating and understanding their corporate identities, to identify deficiencies and misalignments often arising from, but not limited to mergers and acquisitions, and to form the basis for realignment or correction of the misaligned corporate identities. †¢The Acid test is a model used to assist companies in evaluating and understanding identify deficiencies The test acknowledges that every organisation has more than one identity, and categorises these into five specific areas that help to shape the overall identity and eventually the image of the organisation. These identities are: ACTUAL IDENTITY this comprises the current, distinct attributes of the company i.e. what it does. COMMUNICATED IDENTITY what does the company communicate via Advertising, Public Relations, and Sponsorships? CONCEIVED IDENTITY Stakeholder Perceptions corporate image reputation how does the company appear to stakeholders? IDEAL IDENTITY Optimum Positioning based on current knowledge of the companys capabilities. DESIRED IDENTITY -Corporate vision from the perspective of the CEO and the Board of Directors. The AC ²ID Test was employed to evaluate and analyse the corporate identities of Republic Bank and Banco Mercantil in consolidating and guiding the process of changing the Banco Mercantil name and the adoption of the overarching brand, Republic Bank. 4.2Structures Influence on Corporate Identity In identifying a link or relationship between organisational structure/hierarchy and corporate identity, the work of Olins, Ind and Kammerer were explored and applied. Olins identified three basic types of visual architecture used by organisations namely, the monol