Business law assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business law - Assignment Example ties can consider various alternatives without arriving at the final agreement while litigation is contentious and costly and getting back to courts will require a change of circumstances of the case. Mediation is cheaper since the parties hire a neutral mediation expert as opposed to litigation which entails two opposing attorneys and numerous court proceedings. An indictable offence is an offence that can only be tried on an indictment after preliminary hearing to determine whether the accused has a prima facie case to answer. They are the most serious offences under the criminal code and carry serious punishments such as life in correctional centres. Some facts of indictable offences include the lack of limitation on when charges can be laid with exception of treason where the limitation for trial is three years. The trials are held in Provincial courts. The police can arrest a person without a warrant of arrest. The convicted persons can only apply for pardon after ten years since conviction. Examples of such offences in Canada include murder, treason, and aggravated sexual assault (Baudouin and Linden 45). Section s16 (2) of the Act outlines the official languages and provides equality of the two languages since New Brunswick is dominated by English speaking and French speaking citizens. In this case, the government institutions and legislative organs must use the two languages. Section 28 of the Act safeguards gender equality by outlining that both males and females are guaranteed equal rights and freedoms. The section is important since it prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender. c) The plaintiff claimed both general and special damages. General damages are not assessed directly and include non-monetary losses suffered from the injuries. In this case, general damages include depression, loss of future income due to injuries, pain, disfigurement and loss of lifestyle. The special damages are directly linked to the injuries and quantifiable in

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Business Strategy - Essay Example Offering customers guaranteed settlement of prices , reduction in cost for home buyers and sellers. The operations of First American Title are limited to United States. The main operations of First American title include provision of quality service to the customers, top class products of title insurance and title insurance rates lower than many others. First American Title reached heights of success throughout America. Every third transaction of real estate in America is closed by First American Title. The services are so widespread throughout the country that the usage of First American Title services and products have become necessary so much that out of every ten transactions the ninth one involve First American title. As the guidelines mentioned in cooperate governance effect how the board of directors act and make decision regarding the overseas operation of American First hence it is quite clear that cooperate governance plays a vital role in Strategic decision making. All decisions even strategic shall be made under the guidelines of cooperate governance. Formation of committees, expansions etc. all are governed by a framework of principles and the cooperation is bound to follow it. In any case if these are violated then serious action will be taken which can include firing and in extreme case legal action against the employee aswell. Employee are bound by code of ethics formed by the American First and they are bound to follows the codes mentioned. After spreading operations to over 70 countries across the globe First American has maintained a reputable name in providing Title insurances. Realizing that opinions and attitude towards insurance services differ in every country a unique strategy was adapted by First American cooperation. A customer centric approach was given preference while conducting business activities. Through this approach a partnership with customer is formed and the customer values our company with his

Proposed Pipeline Route Analysis

Proposed Pipeline Route Analysis Site information Client Westhill Company Site Broadway, Worcestershire, United Kingdom Current land use and description Currently used for livestock grazing and private residential area. Development Proposed pipeline installation Conceptual site model Topography Uneven surfaces withsteep slope. Geology BirdlipLimestone Formation, Bridport Formation, Whitby Mudstone Formation, Marlstone Rock Formation, Dyrham Formation and Charmouth Mudstone Formation. Hydrology There are springs, seepages and groundwater discharge Hydrogeology BirdlipLimestone Formation- Moderate Aquifer BirdportSand formation. Landsliding and stability Characterised by ancient to recent landslides. Widely unstable area with visible earth movement. Historical land uses Evidence of agricultural land use by the presence of ridge and farrow and various drainage channels. Site model and geomorphology Multiple rotational landslips in the Whitby Mudstone formation. Marlstone rock formation shows mudslide movement and deposits. Cambering in the Birdlip Limestone formation. Recommendations Constraints Restriction of some potential accessible sites. Topography of the site. Proposedpipeline routing Proposed pipeline route is approximately 1.09km. This is subdivided into 3 zones. Limitations No geophysical, laboratory test were conducted. In March 2017, Motives Survey Services was commissioned byWesthill Construction Company to undertakea desk study and field survey report at Broadway, Worcestershire and produce a report to assist in their selection of a suitable pipeline route across the Cotswold escarpment. The pipeline route is to be laid in the east of Broadway, at Farncombe House, to the west of the Cotswold escarpment, at Hill Farm where it will enter a further network. The pipeline will be laid across variable geology susceptible to landslide and slope instability, therefore Westhill Construction Company requires a reliable desk study and the design of an invasive ground investigation revealing constraints that may be encountered on site. 1.1 Objectives The objectives of this investigation are: Undertake a desk study of available information to include analysis and interpretation of aerial photograph of the study area using Anaglyph. To assess potential ground hazards in the site Carry out a site walk over survey (Geomorphological mapping). Provide preliminary geotechnical information on the ground conditions in the site area. Develop a conceptual site model. Propose a potential pipeline route. 1.2 Site Information Table 1.1 Report Brief description Site name Cotswold escarpment Site location Site is situated at Broadway, Worcestershire, United Kingdom (see Figure 1). Site topography Uneven surfaces with steep slopes Grid reference SP099372 Broadway village lies between 80m and 100m OD on the west facing scarp slope at the foot of Cotswold escarpment. The area is extensively used for farming and agriculture (Malcom et al, 2000). The site area is located on the escarpment slope facing east of Broadway village.Previous studies in site area have extensively delineated areas of slope instability, including relict landslides, which may have been initiated under periglacial climatic conditions 1.3 Sources of Information used for this study Sources of information used in preparation of this report are presented in Table 1.2 below. Table 1.2: Information Sources Information sources Description Sources reference Environment Agency Surface Water Map. To identify flood warning areas on site The Environment Agency, Flood Risk Map. Copyright and Database right 2017. Environment Agency Ground Water Vulnerability map. To determine vulnerable aquifers on the site The Environment Agency, Ground Water Vulnerability Map. Copyright and Database right 2017. Edina Digimap Base map for geomorphological mapping Edina Digimap 2017, Copyright and Database right 2017. Edina Digimap Hydrogeology map showing aquifer productivity on the site. Data extracted from Edina Digimap 2017, Copyright and Database right 2017. Edina Digimap Ordinance Survey Map for the site. Showing site location. Edina Digimap 2017, Copyright and Database right 2017. Edina Digimap Geological Survey Map Showing the geology of site. Edina Digimap 2017, Copyright and Data base right 2017. Edina Digimap Historical Map, showing the past history of the site Edina Digimap 2017, Copyright and Data base right 2017. ILWIS Lidar maps for terrain evaluation using aerial photography Environmental Agency map, Copyright and Data base right 2017. 2.1 Geology The bedrock geology of the site area is summarized in Table 2.1. This comprises of a sequence Lower Jurassic marine clays, sands and limestone including the Charmouth Mudstone Formation, Dyrham Formation, Marlstone Formation and Whitby Mudstone Formation (Barron et al., 2002). These rocks are overlain by limestones of the middle Jurassic inferior Oolite Group, which cap the escarpment above Broadway. The strata are gently dipping although cambering and faulting have produced local variations (Malcom et al, 2000). These formations are under the Lias Group. The Lias Group is characterised by mudstones interlayered with limestones and it is very fossiliferous. The main clay bearing formations are theCharmouth Mudstone and Whitby Mudstone Formations (Ambrose 2001). A geology map of this area is presented in AppendixB. Table 2.1: Geology (afterBaron et al, 2002) Formation Previous terms Description Birdlip Limestone Formation (Inferior Oolite Group) Lower Inferior Oolite Oolitic and sandy ferruginous LIMESTONE Birdport Sand Formation Cotswold Sands Fine to medium grained SANDSTONE Whitby Mudstone Formation Upper Lias Clay Comprises of dark grey CLAY with some oolitic LIMESTONE Marlstone Rock Formation Middle Lias Marlstone Rock Comprises of strong brown closely jointed Oolitic and fossiliferous LIMESTONE Dyrham Formation Middle Lias Comprises of moderately weak orange brown SANDSTONE and SILTSTONE with subordinate bands of SILT and CLAY. Charmouth Mudstone Formation Lower Lias Clay Comprises of dark grey CLAY with occasional bands of argillaceous limestone. Grades at depth into weak mudstone. 2.2 Hydrology and Hydrogeology 2.2.1 Hydrology and Flooding The environment agency map has rated the risk of flooding in the site area to be extremely low and there is no form of flooding risk from rivers, streams or springs in this area. This is vividly shown in appendix E. 2.2.2 Hydrogeology The groundwater vulnerability map of environmental agency classified aquifers as: Major Aquifer High Major Aquifer Intermediate Major Aquifer Low Minor Aquifer High Minor Aquifer Intermediate Minor Aquifer Low. The site area is classified by the environment agency to be of Minor Aquifer High and Minor Aquifer Intermediate. The Aquifer productivity zones are classified as: Aquifer Productivity Birdlip Limestone Formation Moderate Bridport Sand Formation Low 2.3 Aerial Photographic Interpretation Anaglyph was used to interpret the aerial photographs and to gather information for this report. The basic features interpreted with the use of the aerial photographs are in accordance with researched literature from past work on Broadway study area. Interpretation from both aerial photographs and field survey was used in completing the engineering geomorphological base map. Ground features interpreted from the aerial photographs are: Landslide form and Cambering Slope changes Ground mass movement Ridge and furrow 2.4 Historical Land Uses Extensive study of the historic Ordnance survey map was conducted to identify any geophysical and geotechnical properties considerations for the proposed pipeline route of site area. Historical map is presented in Appendix C. Maps and other sources of information has shown that Broadway land uses was mainly for Agricultural purposes and Quarries. Written documentation has been the primary source of evidence for understanding the farming during the Anglo -Saxon period. Apparently the richest source of information are the Anglo-Saxon charters which record grants of land and their attached boundary Clauses. The charters and boundary clauses contains evidence of early farming systems (Malcom et al 2000). Ridge and furrow in site shows past Agricultural activities. The quarry in the site area dates back 100-120 years ago as interpreted from the historic maps. 3.1 Field Survey In March, 2017 Geomorphological mapping was conducted on the site area. The mapping started on the 8th of March and ended on the 10th. Mapping was conducted by a group of Engineering Geologist led by Dr Andy Gibson, Dr Malcom Whitworthand Dr Steve Penn. The field equipments used for mapping of the area are: compass clinometer, mapping boards, ranging poles, measuring tapes, pencils, A3 ordnance survey maps, Lidar maps and aerial A3 maps. 3.2 Geomorphological Features Encountered A brief account of the geomorphological features encountered during the three days mapping are presented in the tables below(Table 3.1 to 3.3). Table 3.1 Day 1 Mapping (8th March, 2017) Weather Cloudy Time of Arrival 12:49pm Location Off A44 road next to the road leading to Broadway high street Geology Marlstone Rock Formation and Dyrham Encountered Features during mapping 1. Old mechanical quarry with three layers of marlstone rock formation. Highly weathered limestone with very closely spaced discontinuity, orange in colour and fossiliferous. 2. Evidence of recent flow. Flow occurring with tension cracks. Spring encountered during 3030 geomorphological mapping. Lobate feature was seen on the 3030 mapping area which is 14 to 18m long and 10m wide. Photography of features mapped for both locations is shown in Appendix G. Table 3.2 Day 2 Mapping (9th March, 2017) Weather Sunny and windy Time of Arrival 09:15am Location Off A44 road next toFish Hill Geology Whitby Mudstone Formation Encountered Features during mapping 1. Evidence of recentrotational land slide flow occurring. There was presence of tension crack suggesting age to be less than 10 years of age. 2. Evidenceof relictlandslide (Old rotational landslide). This is suggested to be 50 to 100 years old. 3. Spring pouring out large volume of water was found on the middle area of site.Evidence of Marlstone Rock Formation on site area, seen around tree roots. Photography of features mapped for the locations is shown in Appendix G2. Table 3.3 Day 3 Mapping (9th March, 2017) Weather Cloudy and Cold Time of Arrival 09: 20am Location Colliers knap and Farncombe House Geology Marlstone Rock Formation and Dyrham Encountered Features during mapping 1. Relict landslide (Old rotational landslide) were seen around Colliers Knap with presence of spring. 2. Bench area at Farncombe house which is made of Whitby Mudstone Formation. Tension cracks occurred in the bench area. Photography of features mapped for both locations is shown in Appendix G3. 4.1 Geological Ground Conditions Geologicalformations of the study area generally conforms to past research literature. This is shown on table 4.1. Table 4.1 Typical description of the geology formations and slope formations seen on the site study area. Formation Description Surface Morphology Birdlip Limestone Formation (Inferior Oolite Group) Comprises mainly OoidLIMESTONE, shell fragmental LIMESTONE and Sandy LIMESTONE Cambering and multiple rotational landslide. Steep scarp face (250m OD) Bridport Sand Formation Comprises of fine to medium grained SANDSTONE Landsliding and Cambering features. Whitby Mudstone Formation Comprises of dark grey micaceous mudstone with fossils preserved in pinkish ARAGONITE Gentle angle slope with remains of relict landslide (old rotational landslide). Marlstone Rock Formation Brown to grey variablyferruginous SANDSTONE containing limonitic Ooids Cap rock to mid slope lithological bench. Mechanical quarry present in a part of the formation. Dyrham Formation Comprises grey mudstone, with interbeds of highly micaceous, weakly cemented SILTSTONE or fine grained SANDSTONE Steep scarp faces below the lithological bench (marlstone rock formation). Occasionally extensive rotational landslides (seen at Colliers knap). Charmouth Mudstone Formation Dominated by dark grey CLAY with occasional bands of argillaceous limestone. Occurs down slope. Enveloped by superficial deposits. 4.2 Geomorphology The study area is predominant of rotational landslide, mainly of relict and few occurring recent rotational landslide. Othersections of study area comprises of translational slide and mudflows with tension cracks present on site. Spring and hummocky surfaces present on site. Detailed geomorphological features are shown in the base map. Data was gathered from desk study and field mapping of study area. A number of geomorphology and geological features can be seen in the study area. These are: Rotational landslide- Rotational landslide is predominant in the study area. At colliers knap there is an extensive rotational landslide down a lithologic bench, which is the marlstone rock bench. The geology of the bench area is marlstone rock formation and beneath it (gentle slope) is the dyrham formation. This have a potential to flow when triggered and this pose an area of concern for engineering work. Translational landslide- Translational landslide occurred at the south south part of the study area and also around the bench mark at farncombe estate. These are old relict translational landslide which comprises of active mudflows/slide flow. Tension cracks- Tension cracks are other common features in site area. This feature occurred at the bench mark leading to farncombe house and it is of Whitby mudstone formation. Tension cracks were also seen in other areas of recent landslide in the site. These cracks at the head of landslide suggests strongly that instability is imminent. It is not advisable for a pipeline route to pass through this area. Mudflow/Slide flow- Mudflow features occurred twice within the colliers knap area. The first flow occurred at about 10m north-east of the abandoned old quarry. Here, a 30 x 30 geomorphologic mappingwas conducted, spring was encountered with a northward flow direction. Whilst the second mudflow occurred just before the lithologic bench leading to farncombe house. Mudflow in the site is bound to extend over time. Generally the geomorphological features are vividly shown in the base map. Cambering- This feature occurred at the Broadway tower region which is located at the southern part of site area. There was a separation between two joints leading to downward movement of rock formation in opposite directions thereby forming a gull in the site. This was a restricted area. The plan and cost for intrusive investigation was completed with the use of the bill of quantities (UK specification for ground investigation). Bill of Quantities: Percussion boring ITEM DESCRIPTION UNIT QUANTITY RATE (Â £) AMOUNT (Â £) B Percussion boring B1 Transport/mobilisation of cable percussion rig and personnel to site and removal on completion of works nr Not required 300.00 300.00 B2 Set up, dismantle and move rig between boreholes each move 4 70.00 280.00 B3 Excavate starter pit each move 4 50.00 200.00 B4 Extra over for breaking out concrete etc. re-excavate starter pit each move 2 90.00 180.00 B5 Boring/advance by light cable percussion rig between ground level and 10m Per (m) 10m by 4 boreholes 20.00 800.00 B6 As item B5 but between 10m to 15m Per (m) 5m by 4 boreholes 25.00 500.00 B7 As item B6 but between 15m to 20m Per (m) 5m by 4 boreholes 32.00 640.00 D Trial pits and trenches D1 Transport machine, driver and qualified geologist to supervise, log pits, take reports and bulk sampling Per day 3 days 1350.00 4050.00 F Cone Penetration Testing F1 Mobilisation of rig per day on-site and reporting Per day 3 days 2000.00 6000.00 E Probing E1 Probing Per day 3 days 800.00 2400.00 Sub-total 15350.00 Bill of Quantities: Sampling ITEM DESCRIPTION UNIT QUANTITY RATE (Â £) AMOUNT (Â £) J Sampling J1 Take small disturbed samples (1kg) with split-barrel tubes from ground level to depth of 10m (at every 2m) Per sample 5 per borehole (20) 2.00 40.00 J2 Take 100mm undisturbed samples from ground level to 15m (every 3m) Per sample 5 per borehole (20) 18.00 360.00 J3 Take 45kg bulk disturbed samples not exceeding 10m depth below ground level Per sample 5 per borehole (20) 5.00 100.00 J4 Take representative water samples Per sample 5 per borehole (20) 5.00 100.00 Sub-total 600.00 Bill of Quantities: In-situ testing ITEM DESCRIPTION UNIT QUANTITY RATE (Â £) AMOUNT (Â £) H Standard Penetration Test (SPT) H1 SPT from Ground level to 15m Per borehole 4 boreholes 12.50 48.00 H2 Permeability Test H 2.1 Permeability-Falling head (Head modified) for up to 4 days 4 boreholes 58.00 232.00 H3 Point Load Test H 3.1 Point Load 4 boreholes 65.00 260.00 H4 Shear box Test H 4.1 Shear box 4 boreholes 330.00 1320.00 Sub-total 1860.00 Bill of Quantities: Instrument ITEM DESCRIPTION UNIT QUANTITY RATE (Â £) AMOUNT (Â £) I Standpipe I1 Install standpipe 50mm diameter Per metre 10m per borehole (40) 15.00 600.00 I2 Protective cover re above and re-instatement Per each standpipe 4 100.00 400.00 Sub-total 1000.00 Bill of Quantities: Laboratory testing ITEM DESCRIPTION UNIT QUANTITY RATE (Â £) AMOUNT (Â £) K Classification Tests K1 Determination of Moisture Content Nr 4 4.00 16 K2 Determination of Liquid Plastic Limits and Plasticity Index Nr 4 27.50 110 K3 Bulk/Dry Density Nr 4 15.00 60 K4 Particle Size Distribution Sand and Gravel Nr 4 26.50 106 K5 Particle Size Distribution -Fine Grained Soils Nr 4 30.00 120 K6 Soil Chemical Test K 6.1 Organic content Nr 4 20.00 80 K 6.2 Soluble Sulphate content (Soil- 2:1) Nr 4 16.00 64 K 6.3 Soluble Sulphate content (Water) Nr 4 16.00 64 K 6.4 pH value (Soil)

Humorous Wedding Roast by a Fellow Gambler :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Humorous Wedding Speech by a Fellow Gambler Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Josh and following the time-honored tradition, I will now do my best to give Roy the most uncomfortable five minutes of his life. For the record, the most uncomfortable five minutes of Joyce's life will be later on this evening, courtesy of Roy. Roy and I became acquainted many years ago, when we had three encounters in one week. I first saw him when he was placing a bet at the Horse Racing track. Then he appeared again at my local pub. And then, unbelievably, he appeared yet again - this time at poker night. It was at this moment that I realized someone very special had entered my life. Yes, I had a stalker! Or as his clothes suggested†¦ a gay stalker! This aside, we soon became friends and being a betting man myself I was immediately impressed by his outstanding knowledge of horse racing. He can name any trainer, jockey or horse which finished 4th or worse in any race in the last five years. But apparently, in the run up to the wedding, Roy’s form at the races has vastly improved and he’s been doing better than he’s ever done before. That’s right, Joyce hasn’t been letting him go. On the subject of betting I have a bit of an issue to raise. It came to my attention earlier that Roy is running a book on the length of the best man's speech. I am sure you will all be glad to know that I got wind of this and, not being known to Roy at the time, I put a tenner on myself to last an hour at the bargain odds of 500-1. So I suggest you top up your glasses and make yourselves comfortable - but do let me know if Roy tries to slip out. Attending university was definitely the best decision Roy ever made. Because he didn’t just meet me, he also met Joyce – who looks absolutely stunning today. October 1993, Roy Solomon, a county swimmer and keen football player, meets Joyce Reeves. And eight years later, Roy hasn’t so much as looked at a swimming pool and doesn’t play football anymore. But all is not lost, I understand he still has a good breaststroke, doesn’t have any problems with his ball control and can certainly use his head, even if he is a bit clumsy around the box.

National Security Strategy Comparison

Mid-Term Essay – Compare/Contrast European Security Strategy (ESS) with US National Security Strategy (NSS) By James E. McDonald Regional/Cultural Studies Lesson 03 24 Mar 2013 Instructor: Col (ret) Frank Belote Air Command and Staff College Distance Learning Maxwell AFB, AL The Security Strategy of the United States has marked similarities and differences to the Security Strategy of Europe. This can be effectively traced to the similarities and differences between the two cultures themselves, particularly in the cultural factors of religion, modernization, ethnicity/nationalism, and geography.The US and Europe have different responses to the modernization of warfare from traditional (ships, armies, tanks, aircraft) to â€Å"asymmetrical† (terrorism, cyber-warfare), largely from differences in geography: With the notable exceptions of Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Center, our enemy threat has been thousands of miles away, while Europe has seen two bloody â€Å"world wars† and acts of terror committed right on home soil.However, for the purposes of this paper, I will focus on religion and ethnicity/nationalism, and how these two factors affect strategic culture. Culture is important. It defines what’s important to a group, or nation. It emerges in stated doctrine, laws, strategy. It defines who we ARE. There are common views, interests, priorities, and verbiage in both Security Strategic documents. Major powers are at peace. The world economy has grown; globalism is increasingly important. We must reduce dependency on foreign energy.We have a commitment to alliance with each other (US and Europe) via NATO (Obama, 2010, 1-9) (European Security Strategy, 2003, 2-14). NATO has made a strong tie between the US and Europe since it was created to contain the Soviets, integrating Europe and the United States politically and militarily (Friedman, 2011, 1). In fact, â€Å"For any kind of military planning and operations with regard to Russ ia, the Europeans will prefer to act through NATO rather than the EU. † (Valesek, 2008, 1)In contrast to the above commonalities, the United States document, while acknowledging that â€Å"no one nation—no matter how powerful—can meet global challenges alone†, repeatedly shows glimpses of â€Å"Nationalist† overtones with statements such as, â€Å"Our country possesses the attributes that have supported our leadership for decades—sturdy alliances, an unmatched military, the world’s largest economy, a strong and evolving democracy, and a dynamic citizenry. † (Obama, 2010, 1-9). The European document, on the other hand, openly and repeatedly calls for â€Å"Unification† and â€Å"Cooperation† (European Security Strategy, 2003, 1-8).The United States can draw from European religious history and ethnic origin, which gives it some cultural similarities. At the same time, the birth of our nation was so much more recent, and so dramatically different from the beginning of European history, that it’s no wonder there are fundamental differences in culture. Even before the Declaration of Independence (â€Å"God† and â€Å"truth† referenced) or the US Constitution were drafted (â€Å"freedom of religion†), early America was rooted in Christianity. The first Pilgrims fled religious persecution in Europe.Christian doctrine has been quoted in speeches given by American leaders from the beginning (Governor John Walthrop, Massachusetts Governor, 1630), to recent/present-day Presidents (Reagan, GW Bush, Obama), The United States has been referred to as something â€Å"different†, a shining example all the world to see and emulate, a â€Å"city on a hill†. (Walthrop, 1630, 1). America, from its beginnings to today, while welcoming diversity, continues to be a predominately Christian culture, allowing for religious overtones in national documents (mostly visible through reference to â€Å"values†, and â€Å"truth†).Europe on the other hand, in its challenge to unify the 27 countries that form the European Union (Rosenberg, 2011, 1), must tread lightly so as not to alienate or anger any portion of the contemporary combination of Christian, Muslim, and â€Å"Secular† cultures (Rubenstein, 2011, 1). Both the US and Europe are ethnically and racially diverse. Many marvel at the ability to retain direction and focus in the face of such diversity. Early America molded immigrants into a â€Å"melting pot†, mixing historical roots into a soup that became distinctly â€Å"American†.Nowadays, the preference is to hold on to ethnic differences and describe the result as a â€Å"mosaic† or â€Å"salad bowl† – separate pieces that, when viewed as a whole, create a larger picture (Branigin, 1998). In spite of this recent shift to retain ethnic individuality, America seems to successfully categorize this in to its frontiersman â€Å"rugged individualist† mentality, yet in shunning division along racial lines, manages to successfully embrace all groups into a sense of singular â€Å"nationalism†.Europe on the other hand, struggles to balance 27 nations, each with their own sense of nationalism, without giving significant preference to any one culture. The ultimate impact of these religious and ethnic/nationalistic differences is that, yes, the US National Security Strategy reads differently than the European Security Strategy. The variance in background results in different wording and stance, different reasons for why we do what we do, and the desired result. This can cause misunderstanding, and even distrust between these two great entities.However, it’s important to conclude that overall, we BOTH have the same ultimate intent: a continued commitment to trans-atlantic relationship, globalized economy, reduced dependency on foreign energy, and, most importantly, pe ace and security to our world (Obama, 2010, 1-9) (European Security Strategy, 2003, 2-14). In conclusion, many world researchers (including Samuel P Huntington in his map of â€Å"The World of Civilizations†), when identifying cultural categories in the world, group the US, Canada, Greenland, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand as â€Å"the West† (Huntington, 1997, 26).Due to the emphasis on strong religious roots, belief in right, manifest destiny, and ethnic diversity in the United States, our stated objectives and self-identified role in the world is unique. However, overall, European – US strategy and culture are not so remarkably different. BIBLIOGRAPHY Branigin, William, â€Å"The Myth of the Melting Pot: America’s Racial and Ethnic Divides. Immigrants Shunning Idea of Assimilation† (Washington, DC: Washington Post, 25 May 1998), http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/national/longterm/meltingpot/melt0525a. htmEuropean Security Strategy , A Secure Europe in a Better World, (Brussels, 12 December 2003), 2-14 Friedman, George, â€Å"The Crisis of Europe and European Nationalism† (Austin, TX: StratFor Global Intelligence, 13 September 2011), 1, http://www. stratfor. com/weekly/20110912-crisis-europe-and-european-nationalism Huntington, Samuel P. , â€Å"The World of Civilizations† The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (New York, NY: Touchstone, 1997), 26-27 Obama, Barack, National Security Strategy (Washington, DC: Whitehouse Archives, 2010), 1-9Rosenberg, Matt, â€Å"European Union Countries† (About. com, 09 December 2011), 1, http://geography. about. com/od/lists/a/eumembers. htm Rubenstein, Richard L. , â€Å"Islam and Christianity: The Roots of Europe’s Religious Identity† (New English Review, December 2011), 1, http://www. newenglishreview. org/custpage. cfm/frm/102790/sec_id/102790 Valesek, Tomas, â€Å"Europe’s Defence and its New Security Strategy † (Center for European Reform Bulletin: London, England, Dec 2007-Jan 2008), 1, http://gees. org/documentos/Documen-02705. pdf Walthrop, John, â€Å"Modell of Christian Charity† (Massachusetts, 1630), 1,

Dr. Beckett’s Dental Office Essay

Introduction: Services are more different and very complex activities. The word service originally was associated with the work servants did for their master. As the dictionary define as â€Å"the action of serving, helping, or benefiting; conduct tending to the welfare or advantage of another†. On the other word, service are economic activities between two parties, implying an exchange of value between seller and buyer in the marketplace. Furthermore, the services are described as performances that are time-based, and bring about desired result to recipients, objects, or other assets for responsibility of purchasers. Experience is the best indicator of how good the service providers are. However, since there could be probable problems with consistency of quality, it is even more risky even with some experience to account. More so if the service is quite expensive, how could the marketers, guarantee the customers will satisfy the service as their expectation. That is why analyzing the factors for service marketing is a more tedious work compared to marketing goods. More factors are taken into consideration to ensure quality and minimize the risk. But quality entails costs, and not all consumers are able, and willing to gamble paying much for something unsure. Background of the study: Dr. Barbro Beckett is a dentist who seeks to differentiate her practice on the basis of quality. She was taught in the academe all about the technical part of dentistry but nothing on the business side. She had no formal training on how to run a business or how to assess customer needs. That wasn’t a resulting from labor laws, malpractice insurance, and the constant need to invest in new equipment and staff training as new technologies were introduced, her overhead expenses skyrocketed to 70-80% of revenues exclusive of her wages and office rentals. Furthermore, there was a movement in the U.S. to reduce the health care costs to insurance companies, employers and patients through large health maintenance organizations (HMO’s) who sets prices by putting an upper limit on the amount that doctors and dentists could charge for various procedures. But then again, Dr. Beckett, as a competitive dentist wanting to offer the highest level of dental care rather than being a low-cost provider, refused to become an HMO  provider for the reimbursement rate 80-85% of what she normally charge for treatment. Quality entails costs as they say, which is why patients of Dr. Beckett sometimes had to pay fees that were not covered by their insurance policies. If the quality difference is not substantial, then patients would rather go to HMO dentist offering lower costs. Therefore, Dr. Beckett decided to redesign the dental facilities, equipment and bring the best service delivery to the customer. Redesigning the Service Delivery System 1. Facilities and Equipment Dr. Beckett’s new office was Scandinavian in design. The waiting room and reception area were decorated with modern furniture, live plants, and flower and played softly classic music. Moreover, the clinic will provide the coffee or tea and magazines as well as the playground area for the children while their waiting for their appointments. Furthermore, the treatments areas were both functional and appealing, which provide the literature to explain what patients needed to do to maximize the benefits. 2. Service Personnel The staff members were separated by job function into â€Å"front office† (including receptionist, secretarial and financial) and â€Å"back office† (hygienists and chair side assistants) workers. Dr. Beckett valued her friendships with the staff members and involved them in the decision-making process by having a weekly meeting to discuss more strategic issue and resolve any problems. Moreover, Dr. Beckett provided her staffs many training or attending classes and workshops for improving their skill. She also rewarded their hard work by giving monthly bonuses and extra incentive to improve service delivery. 3. Procedures and Patients All the office systems were redesigned under the main goals which was to standardize some of the routine procedures and all the patients would receive the same level care. Key Managerial Problems The new policy from Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) The health maintenance organizations set the upper limit price for medical charge which give the advantages to patients. That their health insurance covered virtually all costs. But the doctors and dentists may not able to provide certain/high level of services under that limit price. Dr. Beckett had decided not to become a health maintenance organizations provider. She felt that she could not provide high-quality care to patients at those rate. She wanted to offer the highest level of dental care rather than being a low-cost provider. Refer to Dr. Beckett decision, she wanted the work environment to reflect her own personality and values as well as providing a pleasant place for her staff to work. Since higher quality care was more costly. She supposed that the quality differences are visible to the patients which they can realize and discover that it is worth to pay. The biggest challenge The biggest challenge for hospital/medical business is the customers have negative attitude and feel inconvenience to be applied the services. People who is willing to use the services mostly is patient that has uncomfortable feeling with their conditions. Dr. Beckett tried to reinforce the idea that quality dental care depend on a positive long-term relationship between patients and the dental team. It could be difficult to maintain a positive attitude. The job required precision and attention to detail, and the procedures were often painful for patients. Situation Evaluations Qualitative: 1. Service attributes Search attributes. The tangible characteristics that customer can evaluate before purchase. For example, clothing and furniture, â€Å"back office staffs† wear uniform in cheerful shades of pink, purple, and blue that matched the office dà ©cor can allow prospective consumers to try out. Experience attributes. The intangible characteristics that customer cannot evaluate before purchase. Customer must experience the service before such as reliability and customer support. In this case, customer experience can refer to 2,000 active patients. Also, Dr. Beckett’s patients often had to wait for 3-4 months for a routine cleaning and exam. Credence attributes. It’s not easy for customer to determine the quality how well the dentist have performed complex dental procedures, skills, and professionalism. Refer to the case; Dr. Beckett believed that referrals were a real advantage because new patients didn’t come in â€Å"cold†. All new patients were required to have an initial exam so that Dr. Beckett could do a needs assessments and education them about her service. Thus, the first indication to patients can make customer feel â€Å"warm† and â€Å"credence†. 2. Perceived risk Perceived risk is especially relevant for services that are difficult to evaluate before purchase and consumption, and first-time users are likely to face greater uncertainty. How Dr. Beckett’s dental office handle perceived risk? Functional (unsatisfactory performance outcomes): there was a small conference room with toys for children and DVD player that was used to show patients educational films about different dental procedures. Also, the chairs in the examining rooms were very comfortable. And attractive mobiles hanging from the ceiling to distract patients from unfamiliar sounds and sensations. Temporal (wasting time, consequences of delays): office policy specified that patients should be kept waiting no longer than 20 minutes, and staffs often called patients in advance if there would be delay. Psychological (personal fears and emotions): since most people disliked going to the dentist or felt that it was an inconvenience and come with negative attitude. Dr. Beckett tried to reinforce the idea that quality dental care depended on a positive long-term relationship between patients and the dental team. This Philosophy was reflected in the waiting area â€Å"We are a caring, professional dental team serving motivated, quality-oriented patients interested in keeping healthy smiles for a lifetime. Our goal is to offer a progressive and educational environment. Your concerns are our focus†. Social (how others think and react): most active patients who came infrequently are white-collar workers with professional jobs (university employees, health care workers, and managers/owners of local establishments). She did no advertising; all her business came from positive word of mouth by current patients. 3. Service expectation Expectation may come from word of mouth comments. For example: Patients could enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, magazine and newspaper while they waited for  their appointments. The treatment areas were both functional and appealing. Hygienists, a part of a largest team that worked together to provide quality care to patients. 90% of patients’ perceptions of quality come from their interactions with the front desk. â€Å"Thank you card† and â€Å"follow-up calls†, â€Å"gift bag† to patients Staff performance had to update their skills by attending classes and workshops. Make patients as comfortable as possible. Quantitative: About 2,000 active patients and waiting 3-4 months customers