United Nations Human Development Report and the Need for International

Joined Nations Human Development Report and the Need for International Democratization The 2002 United Nations Human Development Report (UNHDR) is the aftereffect of numerous years’ investigation of universal human advancement and improvement. As announced in the principal page of the report, [This report] is about how political force and foundations, formal and casual, national and universal, shape human advancement. This announcement traces the chief topic of influence elements and discontinuity (governmental issues) on changing levels, open and private, rich and poor, male and female, and so forth - that runs reliably all through the work, breaking down worldwide patterns of political cooperation and majority rules system. As per the UNHDR, human advancement is politically decided, not just socially and financially so as spoke to in numerous examinations. The Report works under the essential supposition that the current world is without more and more just than any time in recent memory, yet that majority rules system (counting structures of political support, financial equity, wellbeing and instruction, and harmony and individual security) is important to improve human turn of events and to ensure the opportunity and poise surprisingly. In spite of the fact that the Report is apparently worried about every single vote based nation, industrialized or not, it is generally noteworthy to creating majority rules systems where fundamental changes in human improvement have not yet been figured it out. As communicated by lead creator, Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, this year’s Report underlines the developing divisions between the individuals who succeed... what's more, the individuals who don't... between the amazing and the frail, between the individuals who invite the new worldwide economy and the individuals who request an alternate course. Now and again it appears just as both adequate rationality and evide... ... entire the UNHDR makes an exhaustive showing with refering to the significant job of just administration concerning human turn of events, it additionally was heedless to one significant issue: the contrast among hypothetical and handy vote based system. The fruitful hypothetical majority rule government fundamentally examined in this Report is without a doubt not a similar popular government rehearsed by 82 completely law based nations in the world.Although the Report makes note of the helplessness of numerous vote based foundations to debasement and imbalance, the fact was not clarified enough that these are two isolated and particular types of vote based system. Regardless of the expressive imperfections, however, this Report really makes an away from on the condition of current global human turn of events, and legitimately accentuates the prompt requirement for outside guide, improved expectations for everyday comforts, and worldwide democratization.

Volatility is the Saudi Arabian petrochemical industry Dissertation

Unpredictability is the Saudi Arabian petrochemical industry - Dissertation Example In the time of developing globalization, it is essential to make proper strides for holding one’s situation among universal contenders. This is the motivation behind why Saudi Arabia, in the same way as other of its companions had been considering measures for growing their separate beneficial limits. Be that as it may, Saudi Arabia is gigantically reliant upon incomes from oil for its salary which encourages the nation to adhere to its key plans. Given the fluctuating idea of the equivalent, it is fundamental to join some conviction in the income figures so as to start a drawn out arrangement, for example, extension of oil creation limit. A potential path through which this could be practiced is that of pulling in remote direct speculation reserves. The national government has invested a high level of energy in this perspective as of late, after the idea had been advanced and effectively executed in Egypt from 2004. Typically private foundations are seen as increasingly keen on embracing measures for empowering FDI given their point of ingraining a more business-accommodating condition and an edge over its friends. This isn't the situation in an economy which is packed by open ventures that doesn't move in the line of benefit, which is the reason no such developments had been engaged in Saudi Arabia. In any case, the national government having as of late understood its misstep and has submitted to receiving measures for improving its efficiency potential (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, 2011). ). These insights certainly stand up for the popularity.... Examination between business sectors Returns and Stock Returns of Advanced Petrochemical Company 40 4.1.2 Alujain Corporation 40 Chart 2. Correlation between Market Returns and Stock Returns of Alujain Petrochemicals 41 4.1.3 Methanol Chemicals Limited 41 Chart 3. Correlation between Market Returns and Stock Returns of Methanol Chemical Company 42 4.1.4 Nama Chemicals Company 43 Chart 4. Correlation between Stock Returns of Nama Chemicals Company and Market Returns 43 4.1.5 National Industrialization Company 44 Chart 5. Examination between Stock Returns of National Industrialization Company and Market Returns 44 4.1.6 National Petrochemical Company 45 Chart 6. Examination between Stock Returns of National Petrochemical Company and Market Returns 45 4.1.7 Rabigh Refining and Petrochemicals Company 46 Chart 7. Correlation between Stock Returns of Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company and Market Returns 46 4.1.8 Sahara Petrochemicals 47 Chart 8. Examination between Market Returns an d Stock Return of Sahara Petrochemical Company 48 4.1.9 Saudi Arabia Fertilizers Company 48 Chart 9. Correlation between Market Returns and Stock Return of Saudi Arabia Fertilizers Company 49 4.1.10 Saudi Basic Industries Corporation 49 Chart 10. Examination between Market Returns and Stock Return of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation 50 4.1.11 Saudi Industrial Investment Group 50 Chart 11. Correlation between Market Returns and Stock Return of Saudi Industrial Investment Group 51 4.1.12 Saudi International Petrochemical Company 52 Chart 12. Examination between Market Returns and Stock Return of Saudi International Petrochemical Company 52 4.1.13 Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company 53 Chart 13. Examination between Market Returns and Stock Return of Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company 53 4.1.14 Arabian

Blog Archive Common Worries About the HBS Admissions Interview

Blog Archive Common Worries About the HBS Admissions Interview Devi Vallabhaneni, mbaMission’s HBS Interviewer in Residence Devi Vallabhaneni, an HBS graduate and former HBS MBA interviewer, is mbaMission’s HBS Interviewer in Residence, conducting HBS Intensive Interview Simulations.   Being invited to interview with Harvard Business School (HBS) is unquestionably exciting and a positive step in your admissions journey, but it can also trigger a lot of concerns and questions. Here, I draw on my six years as an HBS interviewer to address some of the most common worries applicants have about the school’s interview, in hopes of easing any apprehension you may be feeling about your upcoming meeting. “I don’t know what to expect.” The HBS interview is unlike any other business school interview or even a job interview. It is designed to meet the interviewee where they are, meaning that it conforms to the applicant’s style rather than following a preconceived format set by the school. It is dynamic, extremely personal, and tailored to the specific individual. The interviewer will read your entire application before your interview and will base their questions on that information. As a result, no two interviews are the same because no two applicants are the same. Do not let what you read online or have heard about someone else’s interview worry you. Those stories most likely do not apply to you. “I have limited presentation or public-speaking experience.” The HBS interview is not a speech or a typical work presentation but more like a conversation between two business professionals. You do not need to prepare anything formal in advance, and having extensive presentation experience is certainly not required to have a successful interview. What is imperative is knowing yourself and your story extremely well. The interviewer will be focused on you as an individual, your potential contributions as an MBA student, and your career goals. Your personal communication style is less important. “I work in a very technical and complex field.” HBS has interviewed candidates from all backgrounds, including science, technology, engineering, and medicine. Your interviewer’s goal is not to understand the technical details of your job but rather how you work and communicate, who you are as a person, how you think about your career, and what your values are. Think of your HBS interview as similar to a discussion you might have about your job with your company’s CEO, which would be a higher-level conversation, beyond the nuts and bolts. “I have a nontraditional background.” This does not put you at a disadvantage. Whether you work at a start-up of just three people or with your parents and siblings in a family business, your HBS interview will unfold the same way it would for someone who works at IBM, Goldman Sachs, Google, or McKinsey Company. You should feel confident in communicating your unique professional challenges and accomplishments. Your preparation for your HBS interview should be no different from that of someone who works at a larger or more conventional company.   “I’m an international applicant.” HBS is a global community and understands that some candidates might feel less comfortable with their ability to speak English. If you feel your English could use some polishing, that is a personal decision, and you should do what will make you most comfortable for your interview. You will not be penalized for verbal errors or accents because of the high-stress nature of the interview. Practice and prepare the same way you would for an important business meeting in English. “I work in consulting [or banking] and don’t know how to stand out.” Your HBS interview is not about standing out per se. It is about viewing your background in the context of what you could contribute to the HBS community. This could include a particular high-impact project, a leadership position outside of work, or a post-MBA career goal that builds on your past professional experience. If you look at yourself as strictly “a consultant applicant” or “a banking applicant,” you will likely be limiting yourself in your self-perception. Instead, take your entire life story and career path into consideration when determining how to communicate who you are. The bottom line is that everyone feels as though they have some kind of disadvantage in the interview process. This is the human condition. Preparation, self-reflection, and, most importantly, the ability to communicate clearly and succinctly are all key in mastering your HBS interview. The admissions interview is an art, not a scienceâ€"one with no hard and fast rules. I wish such rules did exist so that applicants would not worry so much. Imagine the application process as a relay race: your interviewer will pick up where your application left off and will strive to continue learning about you as a candidate. The interview is the next step after your written application and builds on what you have already shared with the HBS Admissions Board.   Practicing speaking about yourself and your accomplishments is important. Find a friend or family member to ask you questions so that you become more comfortable responding to personal queries and get better at delivering your most compelling information easily. Just as you did not write your final, polished application in a single sitting and draft, you will likely need to complete multiple “verbal drafts” before you feel ready for your HBS interview, and thisâ€"like the other issues I have covered hereâ€"is nothing to worry about. I can assure you that your HBS interview is intended to help the school get to know you as a person, not just an applicant. You are more than the contents of your file, your work experience, and your primary accomplishments. HBS strives to admit each person as the individual they are, so let your genuine personality shine through in the most authentic way possible. To learn more about mbaMissions interview prep options for Harvard Business School applicants, click here. If you believe you can benefit from one of our interview planning servicesâ€"or simply would like some more information on the processâ€"feel free to contact us anytime! Share ThisTweet Business School Harvard University (Harvard Business School) Interviews Blog Archive Common Worries About the HBS Admissions Interview Devi Vallabhaneni, mbaMission’s HBS Interviewer in Residence Devi Vallabhaneni, an HBS graduate and former HBS MBA interviewer, is mbaMission’s HBS Interviewer in Residence, conducting  HBS Intensive Interview Simulations.   Being invited to interview with Harvard Business School (HBS) is unquestionably exciting and a positive step in your admissions journey, but it can also trigger a lot of concerns and questions. Here, I draw on my six years as an HBS interviewer to address some of the most common worries applicants have about the school’s interview, in hopes of easing any apprehension you may be feeling about your upcoming meeting. “I don’t know what to expect.” The HBS interview is unlike any other business school interview or even a job interview. It is designed to meet the interviewee where they are, meaning that it conforms to the applicant’s style rather than following a preconceived format set by the school. It is dynamic, extremely personal, and tailored to the specific individual. The interviewer will read your entire application before your interview and will base their questions on that information. As a result, no two interviews are the same because no two applicants are the same. Do not let what you read online or have heard about someone else’s interview worry you. Those stories most likely do not apply to you. “I have limited presentation or public-speaking experience.” The HBS interview is not a speech or a typical work presentation but more like a conversation between two business professionals. You do not need to prepare anything formal in advance, and having extensive presentation experience is certainly not required to have a successful interview. What  is  imperative is knowing yourself and your story extremely well. The interviewer will be focused on you as an individual, your potential contributions as an MBA student, and your career goals. Your personal communication style is less important. “I work in a very technical and complex field.” HBS has interviewed candidates from all backgrounds, including science, technology, engineering, and medicine. Your interviewer’s goal is not to understand the technical details of your job but rather how you work and communicate, who you are as a person, how you think about your career, and what your values are. Think of your HBS interview as similar to a discussion you might have about your job with your company’s CEO, which would be a higher-level conversation, beyond the nuts and bolts. “I have a nontraditional background.” This does not put you at a disadvantage. Whether you work at a start-up of just three people or with your parents and siblings in a family business, your HBS interview will unfold the same way it would for someone who works at IBM, Goldman Sachs, Google, or McKinsey Company. You should feel confident in communicating your unique professional challenges and accomplishments. Your preparation for your HBS interview should be no different from that of someone who works at a larger or more conventional company. “I’m an international applicant.” HBS is a global community and understands that some candidates might feel less comfortable with their ability to speak English. If you feel your English could use some polishing, that is a personal decision, and you should do what will make you most comfortable for your interview. You will not be penalized for verbal errors or accents because of the high-stress nature of the interview. Practice and prepare the same way you would for an important business meeting in English. “I work in consulting [or banking] and don’t know how to stand out.” Your HBS interview is not about standing out per se. It is about viewing your background in the context of what you could contribute to the HBS community. This could include a particular high-impact project, a leadership position outside of work, or a post-MBA career goal that builds on your past professional experience. If you look at yourself as strictly “a consultant applicant” or “a banking applicant,” you will likely be limiting yourself in your self-perception. Instead, take your entire life story and career path into consideration when determining how to communicate who you are. The bottom line is that everyone feels as though they have some kind of disadvantage in the interview process. This is the human condition. Preparation, self-reflection, and, most importantly, the ability to communicate clearly and succinctly are all key in mastering your HBS interview. The admissions interview is an art, not a scienceâ€"one with no hard and fast rules. I wish such rules  did  exist so that applicants would not worry so much. Imagine the application process as a relay race: your interviewer will pick up where your application left off and will strive to continue learning about you as a candidate. The interview is the next step after your written application and builds on what you have already shared with the HBS Admissions Board. Practicing speaking about yourself and your accomplishments is important. Find a friend or family member to ask you questions so that you become more comfortable responding to personal queries and get better at delivering your most compelling information easily. Just as you did not write your final, polished application in a single sitting and draft, you will likely need to complete multiple “verbal drafts” before you feel ready for your HBS interview, and thisâ€"like the other issues I have covered hereâ€"is nothing to worry about. I can assure you that your HBS interview is intended to help the school get to know you as a person, not just an applicant. You are more than the contents of your file, your work experience, and your primary accomplishments. HBS strives to admit each person as the individual they are, so let your genuine personality shine through in the most authentic way possible. To learn more about mbaMission’s interview prep options for Harvard Business School applicants,  click here. If you believe you can benefit from one of our interview planning servicesâ€"or simply would like some more information on the processâ€"feel free to  contact us  anytime! Share ThisTweet Business School Harvard University (Harvard Business School) Interviews Managing the MBA Interview

Graduation Speech Taking A Ged Test Essay - 870 Words

There was only a few of us that day, we all needed to take the GED test. We all seemed nervous. The nice lady who signed me in stood up front, she explained all the rules; no talking, no cheating, no getting up without your hand raised and acknowledged, and there are no bathroom breaks until you have finished each test. Before I took my seat I grabbed ear plugs took a last drink of my water and headed toward a seat up front. A little discouraged and nervous. Starting on only one test, then another. It was then time for me to take the last portion of the test. Normally, craving to write I really felt this was it, surely I was going to pass. Getting started, I began reading The rules: 60 timed minutes, 600 words or more, pick two Historical figures, Don’t forget to do your draft, revised draft and final. That’s when it hit me, wouldn’t I be writing about something I enjoyed? But, I was writing about something someone told me to write. Starting to tap and move my feet I couldn’t help it, overwhelmed and Tired. To add in more I scrolled down to find not only do I have to write, but having to read the excerpts of those characters and compare and contrast them. Now, with not finishing high school. Honestly, I had no clue what compare and contrast had meant. Or really how was I supposed to write this essay. The classroom was cold. My chair was squeaky and my ear plugs kept coming out. Breathing in and out, counting to ten and deciding to keep moving on. None the less I had 60Show MoreRelatedService For A Rock Solid Career Choice3315 Words   |  14 PagesTest day is here and you have been studying for weeks to take the test. Your moment of truth has finally arrived. Every new possible recruit must take and meet the minimum standards on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASAVB) Test. This test helps determine whether you have the mental aptitude to withstand the demands of the US Air Force and identifies your strengths to determine the careers best suited for your future success. Today is the day to make yourself proud and prove that allRead MoreAnalysis Of Jean Valjean s Les Miserables 7860 Words   |  32 Pagesabilities to obtain gainful employment and to pursue other endeavors after release and that PSE improves inmates self-esteem overall. Each of these perspectives w as offered at three of the four study sites (Hubbard, 2007). Finally, the college graduation ceremony was seen as a benefit (meaningful to the inmates) by stakeholders at two locations, as was PSE students being ‘looked up to’ and serving as role models for other inmates. Other cross-site responses included: time cuts (sentence reductions)Read MoreCase Studies13817 Words   |  56 Pagesassignment? * Should she order the T-shirts from a fair trade company? * Should she assume the Chinese company doesnt treat its workers fairly? CASE STUDY #4 Trust during the Dot-com Boom By Jessica Silliman Reyna Allen had her pick of jobs upon graduation as a communication major from Santa Clara University. She and her friends were graduating at what seemed like the perfect time-at the height of the dot-com boom. But Reynas professors had warned her about possible problems in the rose-colored jobRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesresources in the classroom. Test Item File—Revised and updated to include questions that require students to apply the knowledge that they’ve read about in the text through Learning Objectives and Learning Outcomes. Questions are also tagged to reflect the AACSB Learning Standards. TestGen Test Generating Software—Test management software that contains all material from the Test Item File. This software is completely userfriendly and allows instructors to view, edit, and add test questions with just a

Impact Of Globalization On Economic And Political Growth

Global Business Environment Introduction This paper investigates the impact of globalisation on the economic and political growth. For several years the economic instability and high levels of income inequalities and poverty have hurt Brazil. Domestic market had positives impact on Brazil in order to stable the economy. How Has Politics Impacted Global Business in Brazil 2. Globalisation 2.1 Definition of globalisation Globalisation is the process of communication and mixing between governments, people and companies of different nations in term of increasing international of financial market also various market of goods and services. They focus on mainly forces that are backing the method of globalisation which they are the liberation of capital movements such as opening global market to trade, investment. Therefor this process has effect on environment, culture, and political systems OECD Handbook on Economy Globalisation Indicators, 2005). 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This Perfect Day - 1859 Words

This Perfect Day is probably Ira Levins greatest work of his career. Levins work, despite being written in 1970, is very plausible having realistic technology, such as scanners and computers which watch over the entire family, the entire population of the world. This novel could be used to show the dangers of a Utopian society as well as being full of anti-Communist and anti-racist sentiment. This Perfect Day also displays the feeling that communist and segregated institutions can be defeated, as the protagonist Chip over powers the family and their vile Uni Comp as well as rising above the segregated community he reaches after fleeing the family. This work could best be placed in an area of the curriculum where it is†¦show more content†¦He also finds that the leader of the group, King also knows of these islands, but is too afraid to go despite his cool outer appearance. Eventually, in a sudden rage, Chip is caught, his treatments increased to normal. Once treated Chip admits to all he knows and tells everything about the sick members leading the group to be broken up and for all the sick members treatments to be returned to normal. Chip lives how a good member should, until the end of one month when he spies a leaf on a wet rock and considers the possibilities. He could make a small flesh colored covering that goes over his arm and it would not allow the treatments to penetrate his skin. What would happen when he was not treated at all. He would be able to explore all of his feelings to the fullest. After a few months of planning and calculating without treatment. Chip sneaks his way to Africa where he has found that Lilac now lives. He steals her away and of course she resists, after she says some nasty things a few weeks later, he rapes her which pushes her even further away. 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In my essay, I would like to concentrate on the portrayal of children in â€Å"A Perfect Day for Bananafish† and â€Å"Teddy†. Even though the way these characters are depicted is similar, a child protagonist in each of the stories is representative of different things. While Sibyl can be seen as a prototype of a childlike innocence, purityRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger507 Words   |  2 Pagesmind, he doesnt see children writing swear word or having sex; he sees them doing the opposite and trying to ignore them. When dealing with children, adults tend to ignore reality and dumb down to their level and way of thinking. As shown in A Perfect Day for Bananafish by Salinger, Seymour (the adult) meets with a Sybil (young girl) and makes up imaginary creatures such as a Bananafish and they look for it. Also, they talk about things they enjoy, but keeping a sense of humor : Do you like wax

Fast moving free essay sample

Automatic investment approval (including foreign technology agreements within specified norms), up to 100 per cent foreign equity or 100 per cent for NRI and Overseas Corporate Bodies (OCBs) investment, is allowed for most of the food processing sector. FMCG industry, alternatively called as CPG (Consumer packaged goods) industry primarily deals with the production, distribution and marketing of consumer packaged goods. These are products that have a quick turnover, and relatively low cost. Consumers generally put less thought into the purchase of FMCG than they do for other products. Though the absolute profit made on FMCG products is relatively small, they generally sell in large numbers and so the cumulative profit on such products can be large. Some of the prime activities of FMCG industry are selling, marketing, financing, purchasing, etc. The industry also engaged in operations, supply chain, production and general management. FMCG industry provides a wide range of consumables and accordingly the amount of money circulated against FMCG products is also very high. We will write a custom essay sample on Fast moving or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Genuine Custom Essays Written Every Time

Students must be able to have confidence that their essay writing service can provide genuine custom essays every time they order a paper online. Simple Expectations When We Buy Essay Writing There are a number of things to consider when trying to choose the best paper writing service. We need them to be competent in their research, punctual in meeting deadlines, competitive in their pricing, accessible so that we can discuss the details, and straight-forward in the way they have imagined and developed their ordering procedures. What is it all worth, however, if at the end of the day they don’t have a decent product? Our expectations are simple; we want an academic support agency who can connect us with writers who will research the topic and write a new paper every time. We want a paper which is a custom written essay and focuses on satisfying the criteria. Anything less is not enough. 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How to Write a Book Blurb that Sells (with Examples)

How to Write a Book Blurb that Sells (with Examples) How to Write a Book Blurb: A Guide for Novelists Last updated: 09/12/2018Creating a book blurb, while still technically writing, is closer to a science than an art. The blurb that appears on the back cover of your book, and on your Amazon page, will either:Work by convincing readers to take a chance on it, orFail to engage your target readers.In that sense, a good blurb is anything but subjective. In this post, three publishing editors have shared their secret behind writing the best blurb for your novel.What is a blurb?A blurb is a short description of a book that is written for promotional purposes. Traditionally, it would be found on the inside back cover of a hardback. As paperback publishing developed, readers began seeing the blurb appearing on the back cover. Generally, 150-200 words are more than enough for a full blurb.In the modern publishing landscape, where more books are being purchased online than in bricks and mortar stores, you are more likely to encounter blurbs on the product page of Amazon or any other digital re tailer. Sometimes, you will hear them referred to as ‘book descriptions.’ So now that we have our basic definition out of the way, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.How to write a book blurb in 4 stepsâ€Å"The opening of your blurb has to be incredibly precise and dynamic,† says editor Rebecca Heyman. â€Å"For a lot of first-time authors, I think there's an instinct to make sure readers understand everything that happened in the book’s universe before the beginning of the actual story. That's generally a mistake.†So if it shouldn’t set the stage for a reader who’s about to dive into your book, what should your blurb do?Without further ado, here's how to write a blurb in 4 steps. Read this: "How to write a novel's blurb in 4 steps" 1. Introduce your main character(s)At its core, novels are a storytelling medium, and that means your blurb has to be about characters. Consciously or not, readers check out the synopsis to see whether they want to spend time with your main characters. They don’t need to know their entire backstory, though - just enough to understand how they figure into the story’s primary conflict...2. Set the stage for your primary conflictThe primary conflict is what drives your story. It’s Harry Potter doing battle against Voldemort and his minions, FBI Agent Clarice Starling negotiating with Hannibal Lecter, or Captain Ahab’s obsessive vendetta against a whale. Without a real-world conflict, you don’t have a story readers can sink their teeth into. This blurb is a lot shorter than the previous examples. It’s a perfect introduction to the hard-boiled, no-nonsense narration style of the books. The short sentences and sardonic interjections (â€Å"Not much of a welcome† and â€Å"not a chance in hell†) might read like clichà ©s, but they capture a traditional hero in the Bogart mold.Also, the blurb gives us a sense of the setting. There’s no reason the reader should be aware of Margrave, but its repetition and context let us know that this is not a friendly town. Without having to spell it out, we can tell that Jack Reacher is about to encounter some small-minded locals.Of course, there are plenty of books to draw inspiration from. Just reach up on to your bookshelf and pull down your favorite book - see how they go about establishing characters, stakes, and conflict.As you’ve hopefully seen, your blurb is one of your book's biggest sales influencers, and it demands as much, if not more, attent ion than any other part of your marketing plan. The time and effort you put into refining and testing your blurb is money in the bank.What are some of the best book blurbs you’ve seen on an Amazon page or on a back cover? Share them in the comments below and tell us why you like them.

Peacekeeping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Peacekeeping - Essay Example Many countries, including the United States and others have had a hand in peacekeeping missions. The United Nations would be the guiding force for such peacekeeping missions in an effort to foster democratic peace worldwide. Operational law should be the governing force behind Peacekeeping Operations. One very important aspect of peacekeeping operations would be obtaining a clarified definition of the specific peacekeeping mission. A Peacekeeping Operation can often be described as any unilateral or multilateral intervention into the civil affairs of a foreign country designed to give a more secure and stable atmosphere, support constitutional processes, provide protection for citizens and facilitate repatriation processes for refugees. Peacekeeping operations also facilitate the capacity toward supporting provisional or interim governments and setting the stage for arrival of multinational forces. In this paper the first section deals with the various types of peacekeeping missions, the second section defines the term 'peacekeeping' and third section would specify the nature, cause and importance of local knowledge to the success of peacekeeping operations followed by a conclusion where the entire topic is summed up. There in fact would be several different kinds of Peacekeeping Operati... Current peacekeeping missions include UNTSO in the Middle East, UNDOF in Golan Heights, UNIFIL in Lebanon, which are all in the Middle East. UNFICYP is in Cyprus, UNOMIG is in Georgia and UNMIK is in Kosovo and are considered European operations. UNMOGIP is in India-Pakistan, and MINUSTAH is in Haiti. All these are current peacekeeping operations. The completed missions of peacekeeping operations are as follows. UNTAET from East Timor, UNIKOM from Iraq-Kuwait, UNMOP from Croatia, UNMIBH from Bosnia Herzegovina. This information was found on the Bureau of International Organization Affairs website and updated as of 2006. Within each of these missions a framework of operations would have been either loosely or strictly adhered to. It would be the adaptation of these frameworks that would be of utmost importance. The frameworks allow for a further and better understanding of the locality involved in the peacekeeping mission. Research is done to ensure that the framework would contain enough capacity for upholding the entire peacekeeping mission. Sorenson and Wood (2004) in The Politics of Peacekeeping in the Post-Cold War Era written in 2004 wrote that when questioning the scope of a particular peacekeeping mission, decisions as to the feasibility for continuation of the peacekeeping mission should be considered. Scope and duration have become an issue in peacekeeping missions as a result (Sorenson and Wood, 2004: 129). This is where consideration for the actors in the decision-making process for peacekeeping operations would fall into place. Lawmakers amidst other government officials would quite often have some say in feasibility of peacekeeping missions along with duration and the number of forces to be included in the mission.

Louisanna State Board of Nursing Practice Act Assignment

Louisanna State Board of Nursing Practice Act - Assignment Example In the guideline there is a clear illustration of the associated penalty with each violation of a particular rule. There are also some exceptions included in the act. Other important medical issues are also briefly discussed, and these include the use of certain medicaments such as anaesthetics and the way in which medications are distributed. The aim of the speech is to illustrate the main aspects of the act and show the importance of such protocols in the nursing field. The role of the board is to protect the integrity of nursing and ensure that the practice of public health is not harmful to the community. The individuals in the community are dependent on the healthcare system, hence all the necessary measures must be taken to ensure its efficiency. There are three main principles of the legislation which include ensuring that the staff is well qualified for provision of public health, the regulation of practice of advanced practice registered nurses and registered nurses and the protection, promotion and preservation of safety of the public. The act also defines the different professional roles in the nursing field. It recognizes any individual possessing a license from a nationally recognized licensing body and possessing the appropriate qualifications as an advanced practice registered nurse. Some positions that are occupied by advanced nurses include certified nurse midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner. Other posts that are also defined in the act include advanced practice registered nurse students, and different factors associated with practice. The quality of the board is largely affected by the members, hence there is a strict selection process of the members. The board should consist of eight registered nurses, whose selection is suggested through a list compiled by the

Astrophil and Stella Essay Example for Free

Astrophil and Stella Essay For the sake of the cause he also borrows ideas from other poets, but finally he realizes that the only way to tell his feelings is to write his own words from his own heart. The poet relies on the success of his chosen wooing process sincerely. There is a turn after the octave. The sestet starts with the word ‘‘But’’, which suggests some kind of change. In this part, three words, ‘‘Invention’’, ‘‘Nature’’ and ‘‘Study’’, are personifies by the poet. He presents ‘‘Nature’’ to the reader as the mother of ‘‘Invention’’ (‘‘Invention, Nature’s child’’ (Line 10)). With this personalization, these two words get qualities, and this refers to the naturalness of using imagination to create new ideas. These two things are necessary conditions of each other. The third personalized word is ‘‘Study’’. It appears as the stepmother of ‘‘Invention’’. Mother would never be in good terms with stepmother. One reason of it can be jealousy. The poet to act up to this fact gives the ability of breathing to ‘‘Study’’ in order to be able to blow ‘‘Invention’’ away. There is still no inspiration of the poet for writing his ideas and feelings. The personalizations serve the aim to have something that can be the reason of the poet’s inability to write. Around the end of the sonnet the poet shows us a picture of a woman who is ‘‘great with child’’(Line12). He compares his situation with the state of pregnancy. According to him, express his feelings and write down them can be as difficult as giving birth to a child. The pregnant mother has millions of troubles and struggles during the pregnancy such as the poet has during the procedure of writing ‘‘helpless in my throes’’ (Line 12). After all his attempts fails, in the last line his Muse calls him a ‘‘Fool’’ and advises him to ‘‘look in thy 2 heart and write’’. The word ’’Fool refers to the poet. He makes stupid mistakes when he tries to use others love poems to express his feelings. There is some irony in the words of the Muse. The poet should not think so much about his feelings and about how to write them down. He just has to write down what is come from his heart without thinking about it. I think, the testimony of the Muse’s words is that people have to trust in themselves and in their abilities. 3

Use of a Portfolio to Assess Students in Math and Science Essay

Use of a Portfolio to Assess Students in Math and Science For a young child, going off to school can be an intimidating experience. Thoughts of whether the other children will like them, if they will have enough money to buy an ice cream at lunch, or if they will have homework that night overwhelms their minds. However, a major part of schooling is testing, and many children freeze when they hear that word. Think about yourself in a testing situation then imagine what it is like for a young child to feel this defeating anxiety. That is why I am informing you, as fellow committee members, teachers, and learners alike, of these ideas for assessing children in math and science. I hope you will all take the time to think about these different methods, and possibly agree on a way to assess our children in the classroom, and eventually present these ideas to the school board to be voted on. As teachers of math and science, we need to stop and ask ourselves what it is we are hoping to accomplish in our classroom. Is it most important for the child to get the right answer, or are we more concerned with how he or she gets the answer? Granted, we are striving for the correct answer, but sometimes numbers are added incorrectly, data is written down wrong, or a child's handwriting is misread. Personally, I feel it is the process the student uses to get to the answer which is important, whether it is right or wrong. "Because the intent [of a new model of assessment] is to assess the creation of knowledge and the processes involved rather than to measure the extent to which students have acquired a coverage of the field of mathematics, a much wider variety of measures, many of them qualitative, are needed" (Bright & Jo... ...f our students in math and science. I feel very passionately for the use of a portfolio, because I feel the students will feel they have more of a say in their education. After all, we all need to work together, because we are all part of a team, the same team. References Bright, G.W. & Joyner, J.M. (1998). Classroom assessment in mathematics. New York: University of America, Inc. Christofi, C. (1988). Assessment & profiling in science. London: Cassell. Cutler, C.S. & Monroe, E.E. (1999, Summer). Contemporary education. What are you learning, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?–the diary of a teacher's incorporation of portfolios into mathematics instruction, 70, 52-55. Kulm, G. (1994). Mathematics assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Romberg, T.A. (1992). Mathematics assessment and evaluation. Albany: State University of New York Press.

ITStrategy and Positioning for Volkswagen Financial Services (UK)

Introduction This assignment is constructed to consider a case study of an existing business and analyse its IT strategy and positioning for competitive advantage. A few hours were spent researching ideals into companies of interest to which I had to make sure it fitted in line with the assignment objective. The organisation that sparked my interest was Volkswagen Financial Services (UK). This was because they are a large organisation which is vastly growing year by year and have a major influence in them motor industry. I also got the privilege of working within their customer experience department as a customer service advisor. Background Volkswagen Financial Services is a financial services provider in the Volkswagen Group. The company deals in a broad spectrum of automotive products including financing dealers and customers through leasing, corporate financing, vehicle fleet management to banking and insurance products. According to the 2013 report, the company has experienced a rise in the number of contracts in their portfolio from just under-8 million to over 8.8 million, a 10.9 percent rise. The Management Board Chairman Frank Witter attributes this growth to a 5 percent increase in number of vehicles delivered to more than 9.7 million. The company was also able to attract more customers with their financial services. As a leading financial provider for all things automotive sales within the umbrella of Volkswagen Financial Services AG, the company has developed key strategies to ensure they achieve their mission, which is â€Å"to support the sales of all Volkswagen Group brands worldwide and increase customer loyalty in a sustainable manner along the entire automotive value chain† (VW FS Annual Report, 2013). Volkswagen strategy statement is based on â€Å"customer-focus†, â€Å"pioneering† and â€Å"getting things done†. To ensure sustainable growth, the company pursues its strategy in three fronts: brands, markets and products. That is, developing new brands for Volkswagen Group, establishing new markets, and developing new products in existing markets. Volkswagen Financial Services continue to adopt a consistent customer relationship management (CRM) strategy in its customer care. As such, structures of the company and its processes have been aligned with customer groups and their unique requirements (VW FS Annual Report, 2013). Johnson et al (2013, p.69) describes strategy as the â€Å"long-term direction of an organisation.† A leading strategy theorist Michael Porter would refer to this as a competitive strategy that seeks to be different from comp etition, by â€Å"deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value† to the intended consumers (Porter, 1996, p.31). The Volkswagen Financial Services strategy can be considered to be based on what Porter (1996) describes as variety-based and needs-based positioning. However, Volkswagen Financial Services continual pursuance of consistent CRM strategy in customer care led the company to rethink its organisation structure and customer groups as aligned by the customer requirements. In attempt to support this organisational restructuring, the organisation required an IT structure to allow the company have a standard of customer data, standard and continuous process support right from customer support to subsequent processing and transaction execution, integrating existing transaction-related banking system without any additional extensive conversions. In order to meet these requirements, a product and division-oriented IT environment was imple mented. Core applications and systems related to transaction-related banking systems where clients’ accounts and contracts could be managed were implemented. The implementations of these applications and systems isolated the various specific client data from each other making an integral view much more complicated and cumbersome. But the company solved this problem when they installed customer-oriented IT architecture in SAP CRM for a standard customer care and SAP NetWeaverTM as a system integration platform. Although Volkswagen Financial Services may have considered this a triumph in its efforts to strengthen their CRM-oriented strategy in customer service, it’s not a unique strategy that can strengthen their competitive advantage given its ease of adoption by competitors or new entrants. Le Pest C for Volkswagen Financials Services In order to comprehensively understand Volkswagen Financial Services strategic capabilities, it is significant to use the Le Pest C model (Brooks and Weatherston, 2002): LePestC Possible Issues at VW FS (UK) Legal Data security and privacy legislations and legal challenges Economic Low profitability due to decreased consumer spending power and inability to expand to emerging markets Political VW Financial Services AG, which inevitable controls its strategic decisions making process Environment/Ecologic Environmental pressure from regulatory authorities Social Change of consumer preferences, e.g. study shows that more consumers in Europe prefer to travel via train rather than personal cars Technological New technology that are likely to render the current ones obsolete and requires upgrade regularly Competitiveness Competition from financial companies and other auto dealers Legal: Data security and privacy have become serious challenges to many businesses, raising concerns with rise in big data and cloud computing initiatives. Auto suppliers like Volkswagen Financial Services Company collect and store highly confidential and sensitive customer data that may be at risk from data breaches. It must be noted that the company is networked not only internally but also externally through internet or other telecommunication connectivity. As such, the company needs to have a robust information security practices not only well documented in the form of information security policies but also ensure strict adherence to ethical standards to avoid legal suits. Moreover, the company needs to develop internal ethical standards in line with their business principles and treat it as part and parcel of the CRM strategies (Barreto, 2010). In case the company wants to use big data, it must strive to develop policy that informs the clients in advance to agree or disagree wit h such plans. Failure to develop such policies may attract legal suits from clients disputing the use of their personal data. The outcome of legal suits may be extremely costly to the company in terms of legal fees, unfavourable strict government regulations and reputation damage. Economic: Volkswagen Financial Services Company has experience the challenges associated with the economic financial crisis that started at the onset of 2008. Although the company considers rise in sales and number of client subscribed in the latest reports, the reduced disposable income is likely to affect the company negatively in the long run, given financial challenges affecting its major European market. Environmental/ Ecological: Auto suppliers like Volkswagen Financial Services face various challenges in maintaining extra-regulatory compliance with contractual clauses. Some of these clauses often require them to certify that the car parts of sale are free of asbestos, lead paint, chromium, and blood minerals among other banned elements (Mintzberg, et al., 2002). These regulatory compliance requirements are meant to ensure sustainability and protection of environment. Issues such as greenhouse gases that cause global warming, and waste management increases cost of production. Socio-cultural: Studies have shown that public transport in Europe is becoming more popular than passenger cars (Tyrinopoulos and Antoniou, 2013). This kind of finding may suggest that the change in trend is more associated with change in social preference. More significantly, the company has not managed to break into Chinese among other emerging markets with its financial services considering that Chinese consumers are cash-buyers rather than credit buyers, as noted by the company’s 2013 Annual Report. This cultural barrier has affected the company’s financial front in terms of sales return. Technological: there are technological challenges associated with auto and financial industries. The challenge with technology is that it changes every day, with new ideas propping up that may provide fast-moving competitors with better competitive advantage (Maritan and Brush, 2003). VW FS (UK) is one of the companies in this sector that suffers from the technological challenges. Competitive: competition from other auto suppliers is real. Although the company has gained competitive advantage with multi-brand CRM, there is likelihood that their major competitors will do the same. Strategic Capabilities of Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Strategic capabilities of a firm are those capabilities that lead to a competitive advantage. Mintzberg, et al. (2002) defines strategic Resources and competencies as the two components that define resource capability. Further, resources are those assets that an organisation own or can call upon to aid their progress. Competencies are the ability to deploy those resources effectively or to make use of the available resources to achieve a certain goal (Teece, 2007). In others words, resources are what is available and competencies are the ability to use these resources. Table: Representation of strategic capability of Volkswagen Financial Services Resources Competencies Machines, raw materials, products, patents, database, computer systems Physical The company has the means to achieve utilisation of plant, efficiency, productivity, flexibility, marketing Balance sheet, cash flow, revenue Financial That company has the means to raise funds and manage cash flow, debtors, creditors, etc. Managers, employees, partners, suppliers, customers Human The company has experience, skills, knowledge, and ability to build relationships, motivate others and innovate. However, it’s yet to exploit this ability to the maximum. (Brooks and Weatherston, 2002). If fully used, the above representation would lead to long term survival of VW FS, and subsequently strengthen their competitive advantage. Although the strategic capabilities should be dynamic enough, there is a clear indication that Volkswagen Financial Services’ is not as dynamic as required. The company should be able to recreate and renew its strategic capabilities according to the changing business environment. For example, while tangible assets, cost control, and quality maintenance are important capabilities that the company has embraced, there are more long term capabilities such as sensing, seizing and reconfiguring that are significant Using innovation to spur entrepreneurship Innovation and entrepreneurship is about creating the new- both new products and services and new business models and organisations (Johnson, et al., 2013). Creating value for firms and customers, innovation and entrepreneurship are fundamental to today’s highly competitive economies. But the decision to innovate and pursue new market leads through innovation can be a hard choice for organisations as has been demonstrated by Volkswagen Financial Services’ attempts to enter Chinese market. The company ought to have asked various fundamental questions such as: Will it be appropriate if they too pioneer in new technologies or rather be a fast follower (timing and relationship)innovation dilemma How should they react to radical innovations that threaten to destroy its existing revenues? In such a highly competitive industry, entrepreneurship is a significant aspect of any business. In other words, entrepreneurship is fundamental aspect of any business that wants to keep up with the changing business environment. It’s entrepreneurship that drives innovation. Innovation dilemma However there are innovation dilemmas that may affect a firm’s decision-making process. Many corporations face strategic dilemma on whether to innovate or note. Johnson et al. (2013,p. 239) describes innovation as the process of converting new knowledge into a new product, process or service and the putting of this new product, process or service into actual use. Another aspect of innovation dilemma facing VW FS is whether to adopt open or closed innovation. Porter (1996) describes open innovation as the process of deliberate importation and exportation of knowledge by a firm in their attempt to speed up and intensify innovation. Open innovation advocates for open exchange of ideas for quick better products to keep ahead of competition. Closed innovation is based on a firms insistence on making every innovative ideas internal, keeping everything secret from outside people. Volkswagen Financial Services Company seems to focus on closed innovation, which inevitably limits their ability to source for ideas. There is likelihood that this limits their ability to attract external skills or innovative ideas. Technological or business model innovation Most successful and progressive innovative activities do not necessarily rely on the latest or new science or technology, but involve reorganizing into new business by combining every aspect of a business (Johnson et al., 2013). A business model describes how an organisation manages incomes and costs through the structural arrangements of its activities. For example, when Ryanair decided to adopt the ultra cheap airline tickets, its business model innovation involved the generation of revenues via direct sales through the internet, thereby cutting out intermediary travel agents, while also using cheap secondary airports. Cheap airports and internet sales proved more significant than technological innovation. There are various ways of analysing a business model innovation, including the use of value chain, value net or activity network frameworks (Johnson et al., 2013). Typically, these frameworks are meant to direct managers and entrepreneurs to two primary frameworks for potential i nnovations: The product – a new business model may redefine what the product or service is and how it is produced. This concerns technology in relation to the value chain. The selling – a new business model may change how an organisation generates its revenue, with implications for selling and distribution. In the perspective of Volkswagen FS, the company’s value chain in terms of emerging markets has not picked up as anticipated. The emerging markets, unlike the developed markets are generally cash buyers. The company may consider using instalments payment model to establish its value chain within the emerging markets like China and India, with attractive product packages targeting the growing middle class consumers in these countries. Innovators and followers There are those who choose to lead innovations and those who follow. Barreto (2010) argue that first-movers often start from a positive note where because they get easy and quick sales early, experience f ast growth and have the ability to establish the dominant positions. Examples of first-movers who have succeeded in this line are Coca Cola in soft drinks and Hoover in vacuum cleaners. However, there are many first-movers that have failed such as the powerful Microsoft which failed with its tablet computer launch in 2001. Nine years later, Apple swept the market with its iPad tablet computer. First-mover advantages and disadvantages First-movers are generally temporary monopolies. Their advantage exists where they appear better off than their competitors as a result of being first to market with a new product, process or service (Teece, 2009; Teece, 2007). There are five potentially more robust first-movers advantage: They can build on experience in a market and benefit from the accrued market knowledge and skills; They can scale faster and enjoy the early benefits; They have the opportunity for pre-emption of scarce resources; They can build early reputation, particularly because consumers have little ‘mind-space’ to recognise new brands that follows; They can exploit the buyer switching costs, by ensuring that their customers are locked with privileged or sticky relationships that later challengers may find too costly to adopt (Teece, 2009) However, Mintzberg (2002) observe that there are disadvantages for being first-movers as seen with Microsoft’s earlier failure with tablets. First is th e free-riding factor. Late movers may find it easy to imitate first mover’s technology and other innovations at less expense than originally incurred by pioneers. Research indicates that the costs of imitation are only 65% of the cost of innovation (Teece, 2009). In addition, late-movers have the ability to learn from the errors made by first-movers, picking on what worked well and avoiding what did not work for their pioneer competitor. In other words, they may not make so many mistakes and be able to get it right first time unlike their pioneer competitor. Should Volkswagen Financial Services be a first or second? Managers and entrepreneurs often find it hard to choose either to be a first-mover or a follower. However, London Business School’s Costas Markides and Paul Geroski argue that the most appropriate response to innovation, especially radical innovation, is often not to be a first mover but to be a ‘fast second’ (Mintzberg, 2002). A first second strategy involves being one of the first to imitate the original innovator. According to Porter (1996) there are three contextual factors to consider in choosing between innovating and imitating: Capacity for profit capture. If a follower can imitate faster and efficiently, it can capture good profits. It’s more effective where the pioneer is not able to define the boundaries for intellectual property; Complementary assets. An organisation in possession of the assets or resources have the ability to scale up the production and marketing of the innovation; Fast-moving arenas. In situations where markets or technologies are moving very fast, and especially where both are highly dynamic, first-movers are unlikely to establish a durable advantage. The incumbent can respond to new entrants into the market by adopting disruptive innovation. As has been shown earlier, disruptive innovation can create substantial growth by offering a new performance trajectory that, even if â€Å"initially inferior to the performance of existing technologies, has the potential to become markedly superior† Winter, 2003). Incumbents can follow two policies to help keep them responsive to potentially disruptive innovation: Develop a portfolio of real options and new venture units. References Barreto, I. (2010). Dynamic capabilities: a review of past research and an agenda for the future. Journal of Management, 36 (1): 256-80. Brooks, I. and Weatherston, J. (2002). The Business Environment: Challenges and Changes. NJ: Prentice Hall. Johnson, G., Whittington, R., Scholes, K., Angwin, D., and Regner, P. (2013). Exploring Strategy Text & Cases. NJ: Pearson Education. Maritan, C.A and Brush, T.H. (2003). Heterogeneity and transferring practices: implementing flow practices in multiple plants. Strategic Management Journal, 24 (10): 945-60. Mintzberg, H., Ghoshal, S., Lampel, J., and Quinn, J.B. (2002) â€Å"The Strategy Process: Concepts, Context, Cases†,4th Edition, Prentice Hall. Porter, M. (1996) â€Å"What is Strategy?†, Harvard Business Review, November- December: 61-78. Tyrinopoulos, Y. and Antoniou, C. (2013) Factors affecting modal choice in urban mobility. European Transport Research Review. 5 (1). pp. 27-39. Teece, D.J. (2009). Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic management- organising for innovation and growth, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Teece, D.J. (2007). Explicating dynamic capabilities: the nature and microfoundations of sustainable enterprise performance. Strategic Management Journal, 28 (1): 1319-50. VW FS Annual Report (2013). Volkswagen Financial Services AG: The key to mobility. Winter, S.G. (2003). Understanding dynamic capabilities. Strategic Management Journal, 24 (10): 991-5.

If Your College Roommate Dies, Do You Get a 4.0

An old urban legend—who knows where it got started—claims that you automatically get a 4.0 GPA for the term if your college roommate dies. Its a legend that never seems to go away, no matter how implausible it is. The truth about school bereavement policies is far less exciting. If something unfortunate were to happen to your roommate, you would likely be given a bit of understanding and flexibility with your academic requirements, and maybe even some other accommodations. You would not, however, automatically be given a 4.0-grade point average for the term. Media Myths As ridiculous as this legend may sound, it does show up repeatedly in popular culture—perhaps causing some credulous persons to accept it as truth. (There are queries about it on the popular website College Confidential.) In the 1998 movie Dead Mans Curve, two students decide to kill their roommate and make his death look like a suicide after they learn that they will be given high marks for their bereavement. A similar scenario occurs in the movie Dead Man on Campus. There is even an episode of Law Order in which a student is given a free pass for her classes after her roommate kills herself. These media portrayals of academic bereavement policies—which have no basis in fact—have likely played a role in sustaining this urban legend. Special Accommodations Perfect GPAs are quite rare in college and are not just handed out because a person has experienced personal stress (from a deceased roommate or any other factor). In college, too, each student is held accountable for their own individual choices and circumstances. Even if you were to experience the worst case scenario when it came to your roommate, your own college life would not automatically benefit from it. Might you perhaps be given extensions on papers or exams  or even an incomplete in a class? Of course. Some schools even allow additional accommodations, such as reassignment to a new residence on campus or permission to take in a pet. But being given an automatic 4.0-grade point average is highly unlikely, if not impossible. All of which, at the end of the day, is probably good news for you—and your roommate. After all, giving out special academic benefits to those who suffer a loss would not be fair to those who earned a 4.0 GPA through their own hard work. And not only would it not be fair—it would hurt the academic reputation of a school or university since outside institutions and employers would not be able to tell if an A from that school indicated academic achievement or not. If you ever do find yourself having to deal with the death of a roommate, the best advice is to seek support from family, friends, and university staff and counselors. Every school has resources to help students deal with particular challenges. Consult with school officials if you believe you may need any form of assistance or accommodation as you go through the grieving process. Officials will help you take the proper steps to ensure you make it through the rest of the term as smoothly as possible.