Kosovo Movement

Kosovo served as a centre of Serbian kingdom with old Serbian monasteries and Serbian Eastern Orthodox Churches. These survived the harsh ottoman rule until 1912, when there was liberation. Large number of Serbs hard firm attachment to Christian faith thus, opposed the conversion to Islam. This made them to leave Kosovo region because of fear of persecution by the Turkish. The Albanians settled in their places and their number increased. Kosovo Problem. The problem faced by Kosovo is the highly increasing Albanians population. The population increasing rate outweighed the industrial growth, despite heavy investments on the region. Many efforts have been made to develop the regions especially the Yugoslav Federation to no success. The region continues to become poor, and remains the poorest region in Yugoslavia. An extensive autonomy was given to the Albanians with the aim of enhancing development, only to understand that the autonomy was abused by the Albanians since they used the autonomy to clear the Kosovo habitants who were non-Albanians. The Albanians aim of when clearing the Kosovo region of the non-Albanians was to start up a succession process as they needed to be greater Albania. The Albanians in Kosovo are self satisfied, small political classes of Western Europe. The Albanians claim that they are solving the problem selling drugs illegally, and carrying out other illegal activities in the west, and the income got from the trade, are used to cause more disaster in the region, since they purchase illegal weapons, which they used in the conflict and continued spreading terror throughout the region.( Booth, 2001). The conflict had inter-ethnic tensions in Balkans and despite how much the Serbian tried to find ways of implementing peaceful solution, the Albanians never cared.  The west have tried to use many method to solve problem, but most of the methods they used, and especially the ancient methods are aimed at getting chances to access the great mineral resources which the region owns. This explains why the Americans supported the Albanian terrorists. Important Actors and their interests The Milosevic acted in the Kosovo tragedy. He had power over the Kosovo region, and his interest was to control and clear the Kosovo autonomy. The Albanians in Kosovo lost their jobs, their access to school, and health care was limited, and they lost administrative control. He also had interest in creating Greater Serbia, and to clearing the minority from the region. The Kosovo Albanians responded against the Milosevic power, where they created a parallel civil administration, and other social facilities such as schools and health care facilities. Under the leadership of Ibrahim Rugova, the Kosovo Albanians resisted the Milosevic regime in a non violent way, where they applied Gandhian tactics. The Kosovo Albanians’ interest was to have their rights considered, because despite the frequent periodic reports made by human right investigators, and International diplomats who investigated the gross and systemic human rights violations, Milosevic continued to violate their rights. After the failure of non violent demonstration, the Kosovo Albanians decided to use violent demonstration. The Kosovo Liberation Army joined the fight against Milosevic, and the army publicly asked for help from the entire community. The crowd provided overwhelming support, but the Serb had a disproportionate retaliation responds. The conflict between the Serb and the KLA continued, and revenge was persistent. The human rights continued to be violated, with no intervention, instead the Milosevic increased the military to clear KLA. The Contact Group intervened, with the interest of enhancing negotiations between the two groups and subsequent signing of peace plan. The Contact group required the KLA to disarm, Milosevic to reduce his military, and to restore autonomy, and to have NATO peace keeping force to be implemented. This brought more conflict because the Kosovo needed full independence guarantees, while the Milosevic wanted total control over the Province and the people, so they could not allow a new military force in the Province. The NATO joined the fight with the aim of enhancing the signing of the peace plan, and threatened to bomb Serb if they failed to sign. Kosovo signed after a delay, but Milosevic refused to sign, and continued to destroy Kosovo. NATO launched air campaign targeting the Serb military. Milosevic fought the NATO, and the Kosovo population in respond. (Ruga, 2007). Why does this conflict exist? The Kosovo conflict exists because of the existing form of revisionism which has prevailed for many years among the critics of Kosovo population desire for independence. This has been caused by failure of scrutiny, ignorance, racism, culture and religion. The various sides are guilty of varying degree, and mall the actors have failed in one way or the other. No actor wants to be held responsible of the conflict, despite the fact that each of the actors has played a role in the conflict. Serbia blames the Serb security force of the 1998 and 1999 massacre. The Kosovo Albanians explains their innocence by convincing people that they flew from their land to be refugees because of the fear of NATO bombing (Loyd, 2007). This has led to continued conflict in Kosovo. References: Booth, K (2001) Kosovo Tragedy. New York: Routledge. Loyd, A (2007) Kosovo deserves its independence, Retrieved April, 2008, from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article3037002.ece Ruga, G. (2007)   History of Kosovo war, Retrieved April, 2008, from http://www.friendsofbosnia.org/edu_kos.html.      

Painting, Music, Theater and Dance as Individual Discipline Essay

Discipline implies a commitment to hard work and that hard work is necessary to grow spiritually, just as it is to develop one’s artistic talents (Wuthnow 2006, p. 107). Painting, music, theater, and dance are individual disciplines as artists have to work hard to master techniques and movements. Learning the art of painting, music, theater, and dance is a discipline because it is a painful step of going through the process of mastering its art. Citing various opinions on discipline, Wuthnow stated, â€Å"To make something that would not meet my expectations and to try again and improve it, step by step, that’s discipline. Four means of expression for each discipline Appreciating a work of art implies an intellectual involvement with what is to be appreciated, be it a painting, music, theater arts or dance. Painters expressed their arts in many ways. One of this is the so called â€Å"realism† whose manner of presenting their subject depends on the interest, imagination, creativity, and purpose of the artist. Their Objects are depicted in the way they would normally appear in nature, and the presentation is said to be realistic. Next is the Abstract form which is usually expressed in geometric shapes which are rarely identified. The third is Distortion this is used by artist to dramatize the object and to create an emotional effect. Last is cubism which represents realities through the use of geometric object. Music artist express their arts in various ways. First is through the so-called â€Å"live music† which is played fast or slow, loud or soft, and happy or sad. Second is the Jazz which is an exhilarating and an intricate play intending to mystify the listeners. The third is the Rock is usually inspired by classical string pieces. The last is the so-called Sonata which Hoffman (2005) identified an instrumental piece. The theater art is expressed through audio-visual. Foremost of this expression is the Broadway which has been generally referred to as an institutionalized exhibition of art. Opera is another expression of theater art which is usually a character depiction while Shadow puppet is an important expression of theater art especially among Asian countries like China and Indonesia. Finally, Puppetry is a â€Å"calculated and controlled† discipline in exhibiting the art form (Harkavy, 1996). Dancing is considered as art that is characterized by a free movement that is guided by the tempo of music. Dancing as an art is expressed in such manner as â€Å"Ballet† â€Å"tango† â€Å"Ballroom† and modern dances. Description of four characteristics for each discipline The characteristic of painting is that need subject which are either a human person, nature or an art it self. Next, imagination and creativity is both the artist’s invisible eye to see things hidden and technological tools. Canvas is also an element of painting which is a hempen cloth loosely woven and is used by painters for painting. The simplest element of painting is Paint which is a chemical use by painters in varied colors. Elements of music include strings instruments. These are instruments played by artist using their fingers. Wind instruments are another element of music. They are played by using their lips. Drums too are elements of music. Artists played them using a stick and are usually accompanied by other instruments such as cymbals and tambourine. Tempo is also an element of music. It is the music’s beat, that is, its speed. Theater elements include Character depiction, which is usually performed by artist on stage, drama which is an element of theater art and is usually a story acted by artists to the audience. The dramatists are the artists or the stage performers. Plays are perhaps the most important element which is normally the entire script or a form of story telling. Elements of dance include choreography which is creative dance movement that conveys ideas. The tempo of music is an in a dance that determines the actions and movements. Emotions are the elements of dance that â€Å"makes the immediacy come alive† (Runco & Pritzker (1999, p. 476). Scenery is the place for dancing which is a wide open area conducive for dancing. How each characteristic is unique to the discipline? Each characteristic is unique to the discipline in such a way that they provide important knowledge and ideas of the particular discipline. They also serve as the introduction and identities of each discipline. These characteristic are unique to the discipline they identify their description only fits with the particular discipline they are representing. References Harkavy, M. D. (1996) Baroque, In the New Webster’s International Encyclopedia. ’ Hoffman, M. (2005) The NPR Classical Music Companion USA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Runco, M. A. & Pritzker, S. R. (1999) Encyclopedia of Creativity USA: Elsevier Wuthnow, R. (2006) All in Sync USA: University of California press

Value Chain in Domino’s Pizza

1. OVERVIEW Domino’s Pizza is the No. 1 Pizza Delivery Company in the world and the undisputed pizza delivery expert. The Company has a unique business and operation model and is a pioneer in the fast food industry. Since 1960, Domino’s Pizza has successfully expanded from 3 outlets in the United State to 9,350 stores operating in seventy countries. Domino’s operation in Malaysia and overseas uses the franchise model. The parent company, Domino’s Pizza LLC is head quartered in Michigan, United State of America. It maintains overall control on the sourcing and supplying of raw materials to the master franchises and enforces quality of the service and products sold. Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery operating a network of company-owned and franchise-owned stores in the United States and international markets. Domino's Pizza's Vision illustrates a company of exceptional people on a mission to be the best pizza delivery company in the world. 2. HISTORY The legend of Domino’s Pizza dates back to December, 1960 with the purchase of a small pizza shop in Ypsilanti, Michigan by brothers Tom and Jim Monaghan. The brothers bought the restaurant from friend Dominick DeVarti for USD500 cash and assuming the stores USD8,000 debt (Dicke, 1992). Neither Tom nor Jim had the intention of making the restaurant business their career, but rather saw the opportunity as a part-time venture to help cover the cost of their studies at the nearby University of Michigan. By June the store was earning a profitable USD400 a week but briskly fell off when students at the University went home for summer. Faced with the prospect of a slow phase, Jim sold Tom his half of the business in.. Domino’s One Brand -Putting People First -Demanding Integrity -Striving for Customer Loyalty -Delivering with Smart Hustle ; Positive Energy -Winning by Improving Results Everyday Making pizza since 1960†¦ Like most corporate success stories, Domino's started out small – with just one store in 1960. However, in 1978 the 200th Domino's store opened, and things really began to cook. By 1983 there were 1,000 Domino's stores and 5,000 in 1989. Today, there are nearly 10,000 stores – including more than 5,000 outside the United States. Sure, it took more than 50 years to get here, but the trip was well worth it. Feel free to take the journey yourself. Order a hot, Domino's Pizza for delivery to your door and make your family's dinner the best they have ever had. 1960s1960 * Tom Monaghan and his brother, James, purchase â€Å"DomiNick's,† a pizza store in Ypsilanti, Mich. Monaghan borrowed $500 to buy the store. >>>>1961 * James Monaghan trades his half of the business to Tom for a Volkswagen Beetle. 1965 * Tom Monaghan, the sole owner of company, renames the business â€Å"Domino's Pizza, Inc. 1967 * The first Domino's Pizza franchise store opens in Ypsilanti, Mich. 1968 * Company headquarters and commissary are destroyed by fire. The first Domino's store outside of Michigan opens in Burlington, Vt. |   | | 1970s1975 * Amstar Corp. , maker of Domino Sugar, institutes a trademark infringement lawsuit against Domino's Pizza. 1978 * The 200th Domino's store opens. |   | | 1980s1980 * Federal court rules Do mino's Pizza did not infringe on the Domino Sugar trademark. 1983 * Domino's first international store opens in Winnipeg, Canada. * The 1,000th Domino's store opens. gt;;;; * The first Domino's store opens on the Australian continent, in Queensland, Australia. 1985 * Domino's opens 954 units, for a total of 2,841, making Domino's the fastest-growing pizza company in the country. * The first Domino's store opens in the United Kingdom, in Luton, England. * The first Domino's store opens on the continent of Asia, in Minato, Japan. 1988 * The first Domino's store opens on the South American continent, in Bogota, Colombia. 1989 * Pan Pizza, the company's first new product, is introduced. * Domino's opens its 5,000th tore. |   |   | 1990s1990 * Domino's Pizza signs its 1,000th franchise. 1992 * Domino's rolls out bread sticks, the company's first national nonpizza menu item. 1993 * Thin Crust pizza is rolled out nationwide. * The company discontinues the 30-minute guarantee and re-emp hasizes the Total Satisfaction Guarantee: If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your Domino's Pizza dining experience, we will remake your pizza or refund your money. 1994 * Buffalo Wings are rolled out in all U. S. stores. 1995 * Domino's Pizza International opens its 1,000th store. First store opens on African continent, in Cairo, Egypt. >>>>1996 * Domino's launches its website (www. dominos. com). * Domino's rolls out flavored crusts, for limited-time-only promotions, nationally for the first time in company history. * The company reaches record sales of $2. 8 billion system-wide in 1996. 1997 * Domino's Pizza opens its 1,500th store outside the United States, opening seven stores in one day on five continents simultaneously. * Domino's Pizza launches a campaign to update the company logo and store interiors with brighter colors and a newer look. 998 * Domino's launches another industry innovation, Domino's HeatWave ®, a hot bag using patented technology that keeps pizza oven-hot to the customer's door. ;;;; * Domino's Pizza opens its 6,000th store in San Francisco, Calif. in April. * Domino's Pizza founder, Tom Monaghan, announces his retirement to pursue other interests, and gives up ownership of the company to Bain Capital Inc. 1999 * David A. Brandon is named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Domino's Pizza. * The company announces record results for 1999, with worldwide sales exceeding $3. 6 billion. Revenues increased 4. 4% over 1998. |   |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  | 2000s2000 * Domino's Pizza International opens its 2,000th store outside the United States. * Domino's Pizza celebrates 40 years of innovation and delivering pizza to homes around the world. During the past four decades, Domino's has paved the way for businesses involved in food delivery, employing practices that have set the standard in the industry. * Domino's Pizza announces record results for 2000. Worldwide sales exceed $3. 54 billion. Revenues increased 5. 3% over 1999. 001 * Domino's introduces Cinna Stix ®, a new permanent dessert item, to its menu. * Domino's launches â€Å"Get the Door. It's Domino's. † advertising campaign. * Domino's 7,000th store opens in Brooklyn, N. Y. ;;;; * Domino's launches two-year national partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation ®Ã‚  of America. * Domino's stores in New York City and Washington, D. C. , provide more than 12,000 pizzas to relief workers following the September 11 tragedy. Domino's establishes a team member matching funds program to financially assist the American Red Cross and donates $350,000 to the Disaster Relief Effort. Domino's Pizza International division establishes Domino's first regional resource center with the majority stake purchase of the franchise in the Netherlands, setting the stage for expansion on the European continent. * Domino's pizza announces record results for 2001. Worldwide sales exceed $3. 78 billion. Revenues increased 6. 8 percent over 2000. 2002 * In February 2002, Domino's Pizza acquired 82 franchised stores in the Phoenix, Ariz. , market, making it the largest store acquisition in the company's history. In August 2002, Domino's kicked delivery up a notch with the introduction of Domino's Pizza Buffalo Chicken Kickersâ„ ¢ and marked the creation of a whole new surprising categ ory – premium chicken delivered right to the door! 2003 * Domino's announces an exciting multi-year partnership by becoming the â€Å"Official Pizza of NASCAR. † * Domino's is named Chain of the Year by Pizza Today magazine, a leading pizza trade publication. * Domino's combines two culinary classics – pizza and Philadelphia Cheese Steak – to create   Domino's Philly Cheese Steak Pizza. 004 * Domino's launches Domino's Cheesy Dotsâ„ ¢, delicious round balls of dough covered in a blend of zesty melted cheeses. * Domino's becomes an associate sponsor for the Drive for Diversity program, a minority driver development program designed to provide a steady pipeline of well-trained and supported minority drivers for the NASCAR circuit. * Domino's Pizza Inc. , the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, becomes a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in July 2004, under the new ticker symbol DPZ. * Domino's announces a three-year p artnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude was selected as Domino's â€Å"charity of choice† by franchisees and team members. >>>>2005 * Domino’s Pizza celebrates the completion of the three-year renovation of its World Resource Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. The renovation marks the first major improvement to the company’s world headquarters since Domino’s founder Tom Monaghan opened the sprawling Domino’s Farms office complex. * Domino’s Pizza Australia opens its 400th store in Aspley, Brisbane. * Domino’s Pizza in the United Kingdom celebrates the opening of its 400th store in Wadsley Bridge, Sheffield. Domino’s raises $1. 2 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during its second annual â€Å"Thanks and Giving† campaign. * Domino’s Pizza efforts worldwide raise $220,000 to support southeast Asia tsunami relief efforts. * Domino’s Pizza launches its American Classic Cheeseburger Pizza in co njunction with its appearance as a featured task on the NBC hit reality show, â€Å"The Apprentice. †2006 * Domino’s celebrates the opening of its 8,000th store with simultaneous celebrations of the opening of its 5,000th U. S. store in Huntley, Ill. , and its 3,000th international store in Panama City, Panama. gt;>>> * Domino's indefinitely extends its relationship with St. Jude as its national charitable partner. Domino's raises $1. 34 million for St. Jude during its third annual â€Å"Thanks and Giving† campaign. * Domino’s Pizza introduces Brownie Squares — warm, delicious, bite-sized brownies delivered with a fudge dipping sauce. 2007 * Domino’s introduces OREO ®Ã‚  Dessert Pizza—a thin dessert-style crust that’s layered with vanilla sauce and covered with OREO ®Ã‚  cookie crumbles and then topped with sweet icing. * Domino’s introduces its Veterans and Delivering the Dream franchising programs. Domino’s rolls out online and mobile ordering. >>>> * Domino’s is ranked in the Top 10 for the ninth time in Entrepreneur magazine’s annual listing of great franchise opportunities. 2008 * Domino’s becomes the largest sandwich delivery company overnight when it launches a line of oven baked sandwiches. * Domino's launches a food delivery industry first: Domino's Trackerâ„ ¢. This revolutionary technology allows Domino's Pizza customers to follow the progress of their order online, from the time they click the â€Å"Place Order† button (or hang up the telephone), until the order is delivered. 009 * Domino’s introduces American Legends, a line of premium pizzas featuring toppings such as roasted red peppers, spinach and feta cheese. * Domino’s introduced Breadbowl Pasta and Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes. * At year’s end, Domino’s scraps its 49-year-old pizza recipe and launches its â€Å"new and inspired pizza† with an unusual adv ertising campaign. ;;;;|   |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  | 2010s2010 * Bain Capital sells its interests in Domino's Pizza. * In March, Domino’s Pizza opens its 9,000th store worldwide, with dual celebrations in New Delhi, India and New Orleans, La. gt;>>> * Domino's raises $2. 7 million during the 7th annual St. Jude Children's Research Hospital ®Ã‚  Thanks and Giving ®Ã‚  campaign, marking the largest single charitable donation in the company's 50-year history. * Domino’s Pizza celebrates its 50th anniversary in December. 2011 * Pizza Today Magazine names Domino's its â€Å"Chain of the Year† for the second straight year – making the company a three-time overall winner, and the first pizza delivery company to receive the honor in back-to-back years. Domino's continues to revamp its menu, launching a new recipe for Buffalo Wings and Boneless Chicken, a ne w line of Domino's Artisanâ„ ¢Ã‚  Pizzas using premium ingredients and two new bread sides – Stuffed Cheesy Bread and Parmesan Bread Bites. * Patrick Doyle is named No. 1 Best CEO of 2011 by CNBC. * Domino's Pizza is recognized as the Official Pizza of the NCAA ®Ã‚  and Official Pizza of NCAA ®Ã‚  March Madness ®. The partnership lasts from 2011-2013. 2012 * Domino's debuts its ordering app for Android phones. This, in addition to its existing iPhone app which debuted in 2011, offers a Domino's mobile ordering app to more than 80 percent of smartphones. * Domino's Pizza debuts its mobile ordering technology to Amazon's Kindle Fire by launching the Domino's Pizza app into the Amazon Appstore for Android. This marks the company's first appearance in the Amazon Appstore for Android and the company's first Android tablet app. * In August, Domino's launched its â€Å"Ultimate Delivery Vehicle† design competition – a campaign as unique as anything in its 52-year history. Pizza lovers and car enthusiasts were asked to help Domino's revolutionize the pizza industry by contributing to the design of the Ultimate Delivery Vehicle – something Domino's fans and customers could see as part of the delivery experience in the future. Stay tuned! * Domino's unveiled its new logo and ‘Pizza Theater' store design†¦marking a significant change in the customer experience at Domino's! ;;;; * Domino's debuted the biggest product launch since the redesign of its core hand-tossed pizza, launching its Handmade Pan Pizza in September. Made from fresh, never-frozen dough, the terrific product marked Domino's entry into the Pan Pizza scene in a big way! |   |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  | Domino's 101: Basic Facts PIZZA, PRODUCT & MENU: * 85%  of the items on Domino's menu are new since 2008. * There are more than  34 million ways  to create a single Domino's pizza. * 30 slices of pepperoni  go on a medium pepperoni pizza (40 slices for a large peperoni pizza). * Pepperoni is the most popular U. S. pizza topping, followed by mushrooms, sausage, ham and green peppers. * Breadsticks were the first national nonpizza menu item offered at Domino's, in 1992. Domino's World's Fastest Pizza Maker Pali Grewal can make three large pizzas in just 39. 17 seconds. STORE ; FRANCHISE OWNER FACTS: * Domino's is  95% franchise-owned. * Domino's has about  1,100 independent franchise owners  in the U. S. * More than 90% started their careers as drivers or assistant managers. * Domino's delivery experts cover 1 0 million miles each week  in the U. S. alone. INTERNATIONAL & GLOBAL FACTS: * Domino's delivers more than  1 million pizzas a day  worldwide. * Domino's operates  10,040 stores in over 70 countries  around the world. * More than half of Domino's sales now come from outside the U. S. * 2011 global retail sales: $6. 9 billion ($3. 4 domestic, $3. 5 international). * Domino's International has experienced  18 consecutive years of positive same store sales  growth (Q4 2011). * Domino's currently holds the #1 pizza delivery market position in 21 markets, including 7 of our 10 largest: Mexico, U. K. , Australia, India, France, South Korea and Turkey. * Domino's largest markets are the following (by number of stores):   | †¢ U. S. – 4,509†¢ U. K. /Ireland – 719†¢ Mexico – 585†¢ Australia – 458| †¢ India – 515†¢ South Korea – 367†¢ Canada – 366†¢ Turkey – 259| †¢ Japan – 232†¢ France – 09†¢ Taiwan – 140| BUSIEST DAYS FOR DELIVERY: * Domino's sells more than 11 million pizza slices on  Super Bowl Sunday, nearly 80% more than a typical Sunday. * Super Bowl is followed by  Halloween, New Year's Eve/Day  and  Thanksgiving Eve. TECHNOLOGY & ONLINE: * Domino's is consistently one of the top five companies  in terms of online transactions, behind companies such as Amazon and Apple. * 80% of smartphones  are covered with the ordering app (iPhone and Android). * 30% of Domino's orders  are taken online in the U. S. * 30 Domino's international markets  feature online ordering. Corporate Profile Founded as a single store in 1960, Domino’s Pizza today stands as the recognized world leader in pizza delivery. From the beginning, we have been dedicated to the best of service, quality products and delivery excellence. Domino's Pizza Corporate FactsEach day, more than 1 million customers enjoy hot, delicious Domino’s Pizza products on every inhabited continent on Earth, because we operate over   10,000 stores in more than 70 countries; each and every store dedicated to our  focus of providing great-tasting pizza – whether it be delivered directly to your door or available for carryout. We pioneered the pizza delivery business back in 1960, and our total system sells more than 400 million pizzas worldwide every year. Great Name Brand Recognition Domino’s Pizza is recognized as a Megabrand by Advertising Age magazine, and has been named â€Å"Chain of the Year† by Pizza Today, the leading publication of the pizza industry, three times – including back to back wins, the first ever company to do so, in 2010 and 2011. Strong Teamwork Domino’s Pizza Inc. s leadership, team members and franchisees aspire to achieve our collective vision of being Team Members and Franchisees on a mission to be the best pizza delivery company in the world. We operate through a set of Guiding Principles founded on integrity and putting people first (our shareholders, customers, suppliers and employees) – which serve as our compass as we manage our business. Our Products Domino’s Pizza offers Classic Hand Tossed, Crunchy Thin Crust, Artisan and Handma de Pan pizzas, with a wide variety of toppings. Additional menu items include  Stuffed Cheesy Bread, Buffalo Wings & Boneless Chicken, Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes and Cinna Stix ®. We also proudly serve icy cold Coca-Cola ®Ã‚  products. Domino’s has recently expanded its menu significantly to also include Domino’s American Legendsâ„ ¢ specialty pizzas, Oven Baked Sandwiches and BreadBowl Pastasâ„ ¢. In late 2009, Domino’s debuted its Inspired New Pizza – a permanent change to its core hand-tossed product, reinvented from the crust up with new sauce, cheese and garlic-seasoned crust. Innovating the Pizza Delivery Business Throughout our history, in addition to pioneering the concept of efficient delivery of made-to-order pizzas, we have been part of innovations that have made significant impact on the pizza and delivery industries. Here’s a look at some of our innovative thinking: * Domino's HeatWave ®Ã‚  Hot Bag Domino’s HeatWave hot bags were introduced in 1998 to keep pizzas oven-hot during normal delivery. Originally, each hot bag contained a patented heating mechanism charged by plugging into an electric outlet at the store. The outer material of the bag is made with water-repellent nylon, which replaced the less sturdy vinyl material previously used. Domino’s has continued to innovate and evolve the technology, removing the electric cord and heating each bag via an induction heating system. The latest edition of Domino’s HeatWave bags relies solely on a patented insulation system that keeps pizzas both hot and crisp – completely eliminating the need for electricity. * A better box Domino's was the innovator behind the sturdy, corrugated pizza box, which keeps moisture from weakening the box, while preventing cheese from sticking to the top during delivery. Car-top sign – in 3-D! Today, it's hard to miss pizza delivery cars — thanks to Domino's Pizza. Domino's invented the 3-D car-top sign, which is currently used by a variety of industries, including taxis and driving schools. Taking innovation a step further – in 2012, Domino’s launched its â€Å"Ultima te Delivery Vehicle† campaign, asking consumers and car enthusiasts to help design a pizza delivery vehicle in hopes of revolutionizing the industry! * Spoodle This saucing tool combines the best features of a spoon and a ladle, cutting down the time spent saucing a pizza. The Spoodle was introduced at the 1985 World's Fastest Pizza Maker competition by the eventual winner, Jeff Goddard. * Domino’s Online Ordering – Pizza Tracker and Pizza Builder Domino’s launched online ordering in 2007, and in 2008 revolutionized the customer experience by launching its innovative Pizza Builder and Domino’s Tracker. Pizza Builder allows customers to see their pizza come to life on the computer screen, as toppings and crust styles are selected in real time. Domino’s Tracker allows customers to follow the progress of the order, from the time it’s placed until customers receive it. The experience has seen various looks, themes and interactive opportunities since its debut. While the Pizza Builder has since been mimicked by other pizza companies, we remain the only company offering the unique, engaging ordering experience of Domino’s Tracker. These innovations and others have helped us get better at what we love to do most: deliver great pizza to your door, efficiently and enthusiastically! Strong Distribution System To allow Domino's stores to concentrate on making and delivering pizzas, Domino's developed a central distribution and dough manufacturing system. This relieves stores from long hours making dough, grating cheese and preparing toppings. Today, Domino’s Supply Chain Services (SCS) provides high quality dough and ingredients nationwide, keeping the company's pizza consistently delicious. In fact, through its network of 16 domestic distribution centers, SCS regularly supplies the nearly 5,000 U. S. pizza stores with more than 240 products. Other pizza and fast food companies in the U. S. have adopted this same system. | Success Factors * Domino's is a powerful global brand. â€Å"Mega Brand† as defined by Advertising Age * Significant, ongoing investments in advertising result in broad consumer awareness * We are the #1 pizza delivery company in the U. S. * Largest share of pizza delivery channel and continued innovation†¦reinforced by our well-known tagline, â€Å"Oh Yes We Did! † * We have a large and growing international presence. * Operate in over 70 countries and with more than 10,000 stores worldwi de * #1 or #2 market share position in most of our top 10 markets * We have a strong and proven business model with superior returns. Strong unit economics: focused on efficient operating model; moderate cost to open; solid cash-on-cash returns * Franchisees have succeeded and have high renewal rates because the business model works forming solid partnerships * Voluntarily purchase from company supply chain system * Geographically diverse franchise base with no significant concentrations * Return on assets higher than the quick-serve restaurant peer average * We operate a profitable, value-added supply chain system. * Ensures quality and consistency Leverages purchasing power * Enhances franchisee partnerships through 50% profit sharing * Allows stores to focus on sales and service * Our leadership team has a track record of success. * Delivered strong results since 1999 change of control Our Commitment to Diversity Domino's commitment to diversity is based on creating a unified and inclusive environment that respects and celebrates the uniqueness of our exceptional people who invest their time, talents and energies while striving to make our company the best pizza delivery company in the world. With more than 10,000 stores around the globe, our stores are as diverse as the communities they serve. Diversity Mission Statement Domino's Pizza is committed to an inclusive culture which values the contributions of our customers, team members, suppliers, and neighbors. Our Team Domino’s Pizza is proud of its heritage of helping pizza makers and pizza takers become independent business owners. Some of the most successful Domino’s franchisees began their career as delivery experts, customer service representatives, or pizza makers in their own communities. Corporate Careers Our corporate offices are full of exceptional people supporting those team members and allowing them to stay focused on the task at hand. Domino's office personnel support our nearly 600 corporate-owned stores, a system of 5,000+ domestic franchise-owned stores and an international franchise base that operates more than 5,000 stores in approximately 70 markets. We also manage our own distribution business, a rarity in the quick service restaurant industry. We have marketers and lawyers. Accountants and communicators. Trainers and lease negotiators. International business consultants and human resource representatives. Safety specialists and product developers. There's many more dramatically different roles to fill, but they all have one thing in common: Domino's Pizza people are fiercely proud of who we are and what we do. If you have those same traits, we'd love to have you on our team. As a company, we have plenty of growing left to do and many successes to celebrate. Come grow and celebrate with us. Corporate Benefits and Perks World Resource Center – Ann Arbor, Michigan A 200,000 square foot modern World Resource Center includes 27 conference and meeting rooms, updated research and development labs and gift store. The centerpiece is the spacious Welcome Center, which surrounds a four-story glass staircase and a Domino’s Pizza store at the base. The office is minutes from downtown Ann Arbor, and less than 30 minutes from Detroit’s Metropolitan Airport. Domino’s Pizza is located in a scenic rural setting in a building known as the Prairie House at Domino’s Farms Office Park, and whose external architecture was inspired by the works of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Located in suburban Ann Arbor, this landmark facility offers a unique and architecturally significant building, surrounded by pastures, cultivated farmland, and wildlife habitat. The following on-site amenities are available to Domino’s team members at the World Resource Center: 1. Dining Facility 2. Free Fitness Center membership 3. Post Office 4. Deli/Sundry Shop 5. Dry Cleaner 6. Bookstore 7. Credit Union 8. Art Gallery 9. Hair, nail and massage salons 10. Petting Farm 11. Free Parking Benefits Domino’s pizza recognizes the best way to achieve success is to first ensure the satisfaction of its team members. Treating team members exceptionally well is just one way we are committed to putting our people first. Domino’s is proud to provide a fair and comprehensive rewards package. Below are just a few of the generous benefits available to Domino’s team members. * Competitive salaries * Medical, dental and vision coverage * Prescription drug benefit * Wellness benefits * Health Savings Account (HSA) * Flexible Spending Accounts * Long and short-term disability * Team Achievement Dividend (performance bonus) * Partners Foundation (team member assistance) * Above-average paid holiday program * 401(k) matching program * Employee stock purchase discount plan * Company-paid life insurance * Supplemental and dependent life insurance * Tuition Reimbursement National corporate discounts * Legal services * Adoption assistance Corporate Training Programs Domino's Pizza Prep School For those team members not in stores every day and night, it is critical that they know how their role supports those who are and have a solid understanding of what happens in the store. This is so important to our business that we developed â€Å"Domino's Pizza Prep School† for o ur World Resource Center team members to give them store operations knowledge. This program earned Domino's a â€Å"Stevie† from the American Business Awards. HR Development Program The development program in the Domino’s People First department is a unique opportunity for early career human resource professionals to complete a defined career development plan, gaining knowledge and experience in all capacities of the field. Domino’s Pizza is committed to the development of the participants and has purposely selected positions that support their progression with the expectation that we are investing in the future leaders of the department. The program is only successful if the participant is equally committed to their development and responsibilities. We expect candidates to get as much as they can from each rotation and willingly support the company’s objectives, no matter where the position is located. Each participant is required to complete three rotations. Two of the rotations will be in a core assignment that all participants must complete, and the third will be one of the additional assignments. Core Assignments: * Shared Services (Ann Arbor, Mich. ) * Primary point of contact for 12,000 corporate team members for PeopleFirst-related issues. * Support team member requests by executing PeopleFirst policies and procedures and initiating recommended improvements. Maintain team members’ electronic records. * Communicate and support PeopleFirst programs Marketplace (corporate market): * Support team members in resolving employee relations issues * Coordinate staffing and retention initiatives Additional Assignments: * Franchise/Employee Relations * Compensation * Benefits * Training & Implementation Program * Learn ing & Development * Human Resource Information Systems DPZ University From first line supervision to leadership development, DPZ University provides the classes and career paths necessary to become successful. Domino's has a strong promotion from within culture and provides the necessary development to prepare individuals for future opportunities. Partnering with world-class organizations like Harvard Business School, Ninth House: The Leadership Development Company, Franklin-Covey, and others offer learning and development to achieve our vision of â€Å"Exceptional franchisees and team members on a mission to be the best pizza delivery company in the world. † Accounting/Finance Program Our cash and general ledger accountant positions are the gateway to opportunity at Domino’s Pizza. In this position, you will be responsible for: * Performing financial reviews at mid-period and final stages of the period closing cycle. * Communication with internal customers on outstanding accounting issues, problems, or concerns. * Acting as a resource to internal customers on financial statements. * Reviewing and analyzing accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory and payroll activity. * Preparing weekly estimates for distribution centers. * Analyzing and posting weekly corporate sales data. * Auditing weekly corporate store paperwork. Researching Corporate sales, food, and labor variance by comparing actual data to Domino’s Pulse, our point of sales system. * Assisting the accounting center management or other internal customers with analysis of financial impact on certain projects. Supply Chain Careers From our nationwide network of 17 supply chain centers, Domino's Pizza Supply Chain strives to fulfill its mission of supporting more than 5,000 U. S. Domino's Pi zza stores by providing them with more than 200 different products. 365  Million Pounds Of Dough Last Year Supply Chain is also responsible for producing the dough used to make our pizzas. Each dough production team member is trained and certified in the art and science of dough production to ensure a top quality product. Teamwork is the Key Ingredient From our warehouse and customer service team members to our commercial delivery and service drivers to our management team, Domino's Pizza Supply Chain provides the foundation of support for our franchisees. This cooperation and teamwork is a proven system that has made Domino's Pizza the world leader in pizza delivery. Supply Chain Training Programs The Supply Chain Centers responsible for dough production, warehouse and store delivery provides numerous training programs to acquire the skills necessary to be proficient including dough certification classes to ensure product quality, forklift certification, and numerous safety and defensive driving classes. Training provided in the following areas: * Facility Safety Organization (IPP) * Physical Hazards associated with job * Chemical Hazards * Safety guards built into machines equipment * Administrative controls in effect * Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) * Emergency Action Plans * Accident Investigation process Blood borne pathogen safety training * Electrical safety training * Personal protective equipment training * Back injury prevention training * Safety course Supply Chain Benefits and Perks Domino’s pizza recognizes the best way to achieve success is to first ensure the satisfaction of its team members. Treating team members exceptionally well is just one way we are committed to putting our people first. Domino’s is proud to provide a fair and comprehensive rewards package. Below are just a few of the generous benefits available to Domino’s Supply Chain team members. * Annual performance-based bonus * Quality equipment * Paperless logging Regular schedules * Single and team runs * Competitive medical and dental package * 401(k) savings plan with company match * Life insurance * Educational assistance * Employee stock purchase plan What We Do In Supply Chain From our nationwide network of 16 Supply Chain Centers, Domino's Pizza Supply Chain strives to fulfill its mission of supporting more than 5,000 U. S. Domino's Pizza stores by providing them with more than 200 different products. Supply Chain Management Management positions at Domino's Pizza Supply Chain Centers offer you the opportunity to join a world-class company with: * A competitive salary. An excellent benefits package. * Opportunity for career growth. Our team lead ers are involved in all facets of our business. The work is a combination of administrative and operational responsibilities performed throughout the Supply Chain Center. The best candidates are strong yet thoughtful leaders who have the ability to respect their team members and mentor them onto greater career development. If you care about the people who work for you and have the desire to encourage and assist in their career growth, you're the type of leader we look for. What Types of Management Positions Are Available? Our General Manager Development Program is an excellent start to acquiring skills and learning the fundamentals of business operations. In addition to several requirements, it is necessary to work successfully in a team leader position (minimum of six months) to apply for the program. The program is customized for each individual and focuses on the following areas. Food Production Preparing and mixing fresh pizza dough is the responsibility of a production team member. The production team is the secret behind the great-tasting Domino’s Pizza consumers turn to when they’re hungry. If you have the desire to create a top-quality food product every day, then our production department is for you. Commercial Delivery and Service Drivers We look for team members with a commitment to safety and excellent customer service to be part of our Delivery ; Service team. Delivery ; Service drivers will drive a truck over an established route to deliver products to Domino’s Pizza stores. When you take the wheel for Domino’s Pizza Supply Chain, you are the face of our company to our customers. You’re interaction with the stores is crucial to our success. Many drivers build lasting relationships with customers in the fun and supportive family environment of Domino’s Pizza. Warehouse Our warehouse team members ensure that our customers receive each and every product they order, every time they order it. As a warehouse team member, your main responsibility will be to load, unload and move materials within or near the Supply Chain Center. You’re the one who makes it happen for us every day and you are an important piece of who we are. Customer Service As a Customer Service Representative (CSR), you are responsible for taking incoming orders from stores using a telephone and computer. A CSR talks with our customers regularly, taking their orders and solving concerns and problems. Our customers look to you for answers and direction. Your professional customer service expertise is essential to keeping our stores happy. What Qualifications Do I Need? These professional level positions at Supply Chain Centers require: * Strong team leadership skills. * Three years of experience in managing multi-function operations (preferably in transportation or supply chain). * A bachelor's degree in a related field. * A willingness to relocate.

Discussion 700 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion 700 - Assignment Example This assumption is underpinned by the fact that there is a point of intersection between patients’ seeking clinical care because of their problems and nurses availing themselves in willingness to offer the care. The theory assumes that therapeutic interaction cause patients and nurses to mature. This is because both of them end up learning something new from the encounter. Thirdly, the theory assumes that interviewing skills and communication skills will remain essential to nursing. Through these skills, nurses gather information about the issues of the patient in order to decide accurately about the most appropriate care. The last assumption is that self-understanding is important for nurses to facilitate patient growth and not limit the patient’s choices (Meleis, 2007). Man is an important concept to this theory and it perceives man as an organism that seeks ways of reducing the tensions drawing from their felt needs. According to this theory, health denotes a concept that shows progress of human processes towards community, productive and constructive living ((Basavanthappa, 2007)). Peplau perceived society or environment as containing mores and culture that are important to treatment. Nursing entails a relationship between persons in need of health services and health workers trained to recognize and address these needs. The theory is clear that a therapeutic alliance is imperative for a nursing process to succeed. It has remained consistent through time (Peterson & Bredow, 2009). Finally, the theory holds that the nursing process happens in stages. These stages are orientation, identification, exploitation, and

The United States Stand on Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

The United States Stand on Terrorism - Essay Example In the 1960s to ’70s, domestic terrorism became rampant involving hijacking of planes not sparing flights from the United States to Cuba. Terrorism continued globally and reached the United States. Terroristic activities were reported in some parts of the country however treated domestically. In 2001, Al Qaeda attacked the United States territory for the first time not only destroying the famous world trade center but had caused overwhelming effects on the people. With this provocation and problems of terrorism, the United States launched an all-out war against terrorism and they should rule the world against terrorism having the following reasons; the United States is the strongest country, it has a good relationship with other countries, and it has done so much to help other countries. The United States is the strongest country. Although the country is affected by the global crisis, the United States remains to be the world’s largest national economy with a GDP of nea rly 14.7 million ( Wikipedia,1). Having a strong economy had widened their influence to other countries. Along with this line, if the United States wants to solicit cooperation from other countries to fight terrorism, more countries would positively participate to support such action. Terrorism cannot be effectively managed by one country alone. Thus, the collaboration of many countries is needed. Having a strong economy also means having a strong military. The United States has been observed to have such a strong military because of efficient and enough training provided them. If the military has a stronghold, they can be able to defend the country for possible violent attacks as they are prepared. Combating terrorism entails preparedness plan to be effective (DO, 1). The United States has a good relationship with other countries be it in the Pacific, the Americas, East Asia, the Caribbean or in Europe.

Physics lab report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Physics - Lab Report Example The experiment made use of a glider placed in an air track and suspended on two springs. The setup is at rest and remains at rest because the springs subject an equal force on the glider; they cancel each other; it is at a stable equilibrium position. The force applied on the setup in particular direction results a net force that acts on the glider and tries to return to the equilibrium state. The combined forces pull in a manner that the resultant force takes It to the original position; determined as restoring force. When the glider is brought to the original position, it is still under the influence of velocity and therefore goes beyond the default position by overshoot moving to the opposite direction from the earlier force. The overshoot results in the whole drag to equilibrium starting all over again. The back and forth motion is referred to as an oscillation. Mathematically known as sine and cosine function; simple harmonic motion. To analyze the problem let x be an instantaneous position of the glider while x0 is the equilibrium position. When the glider moves from the equilibrium position, the restoring force is F. without applying too much force resultant forces are linear hence force equation is; It implies that when the glider moves away from the equilibrium, restoring force becomes bigger. F is proportional to x. k is the spring constant. The sign (-) represents the restoration character of the force in the setup. A positive different in (x-x0) indicates that the force is negative x direction. A negative (x-x0) implies a positive force direction. Given a displacement initially A = x-x0, F = -kA, and accelerates towards the negative x-axis towards equilibrium; x = x0 where the restoring force is zero. It passes beyond x0 to the opposite direction and arrives with x-x0 = -A at zero velocity and it is pulled back. This forth and back motion goes on and results to oscillations. Without friction, kinetic energy and potential energy remain the

The Civil Rights Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Civil Rights Movement - Essay Example The movements were different in their cultural focus, racial ideals, and strategy. The 1920s saw the emergence of the New Negro movement and its focus on African-American culture. While there were militant protests, mainly led by the NAACP under the direction of WEB DuBois, much of the movement was directed at celebrating African-American culture. Faced with segregation and the legal denial of the right to vote African-Americans turned to their own community for support. The Harlem Renaissance brought forth writers and artists that defined the African-American culture and popularized black art, music, and literature. This would form the backbone of future organizations that were based on black culture. The 1920s were ushered in with a nation that was tense from the riots of 1919 and African-American leaders were faced with the task of framing the new movement. The goal of the New Negro movement was to codify a set of ideals that would organize the African-Americans as a group with a common cause. Racism was rampant in many parts of the country as groups such as the Ku Klux Klan violently intimidated African-Americans from gaining any political power. While there were attempts to rise up against the violence, the goal of the movement was to define and organize the African-Americans as a cohesive political and social unit. During the 1920s a large number of African-Americans migrated from the South

Marketing Strategy and Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Strategy and Planning - Essay Example Many organizations apply marketing concepts like customer focus, good value, quality service and efficient exchange mechanism for satisfying customer need and wants. Organizations based on management information about customers, products, prices, competitors, suppliers and every aspects of the marketing environment are bound to move ahead. 'Marketing' belongs to marketing specialists but 'going to market' is a process owned by everyone in the organization.Due to expansion of new technologies, organizations augmented their geographical reach and could share their information about philosophy, products, and prices to their consumers. Organizations could collect information about markets, customers, prospects and competitors etc., conduct market researches and identify their focus groups. Marketers can customize offerings, services and messages to individual customers due to Internet services. Organizations can significantly improve logistics and cost efficiency while improving accuracy and services quality through the online exchange of information's, orders, transaction, payments etc. So the present information revolution pushed every organization to remain accurate in levels of production, improve their quality, pricing their products properly. Products innovation takes a close look at customers' need and preferences and modify accordingly. Marketing takes a sweet spot in the present organizations." Marketing is too important to leave to the marketing department."(Bill Packard, Hewlett Packard, in Piercy, 1997) Marketing cannot be leave alone to marketing dept. only. Basically, Marketing deals with identifying and meeting human and social needs. Marketing is "meeting need profitably" (Kotler, 2003). Organizations must carefully monitor their customers and competitors, continuously, improve their value offerings, carefully define the target market and value proposition and take a long term view to satisfying customers, stockholders, employees, suppliers and channel partners. The most important marketing definition given by the American Marketing Association (1995) provide us the complete marketing management process i.e. "Marketing (Management) is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational goals". Marketing management is the conscious effort to achieve desired exchange outcomes with target markets. The ever changing situation of the market i.e. of buyers, suppliers, customers, employees or technological could change the equilibrium of any organization. Organizations normally adjust to these changes by changing their overall all-round policies and strategies. Any process cannot be successful without proper planning. Market oriented strategic planning provides, the managerial process of developing and maintaining a viable fit between organizations objectives, skills and resources and it changing market opportunities. The aim of strategic planning in to shape the company's business, products, services and messages so they achieve targeted profits and growth. Strategic marketing deals with the bigger picture in a market which links customers, competitors and organizations ability to meet demand. Strategic marketing plan covers the following key areas i.e. Aims and mission, Analysis, Goals, strategies, objectives timescales etc. To define mission, organization should address Peter D rucker's (1973) classical questions: What is our business Who are the customers What is of value to the customer What will our business be What should our business be Successful organizations continuously raise these questions and answer them thoughtfully and thoroughly. Strategic marketing planning could be based on different strategic models such as Boston Consulting Group (BCG) model and General Electric Model (Kerin, Mahajan, Varadrajan, 1990), PESTLE and SWOT analysis, Porters five forces model, Core Competency model, Porters

Strategic Management (H) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Management (H) - Essay Example A market analysis of various players in the industry has also been carried out. The global automobile industry is one of the leading industries in the world today. This industry has its roots in Europe and the USA where it started in the late second half of the 19th century. It started expanding to the rest of the world in the early 20th century. The global automobile car manufacturing industry deals with the assembly of passenger cars, Sports Utility Vehicles, vans and some light duty motor vehicles (Sturgeon, Biesebroeck and Gereffi, 2008). The world-wide car manufacturing industry is run mostly by large multi-national corporations that also engage in the production of other types of automobiles and automotive parts. The industry market has an oligopolistic structure, which is controlled by the big market players in the industry. The best investment in this industry can be done in an untapped market since getting into established markets is quit hard (PWC, 2009). At present, the critical success factors include: quality, image, cost control, meeting energy standards. A lot of attention is being paid to the quality of the different brands of cars being manufactured for specific markets. Competition arising from a high level of mergers in the industry is pushing manufacturers to enhance their image through production of quality cars. Cost control is also a major critical success factor as manufacturers look for ways to counter financial constraints caused by the global economic crisis. Many of these companies have developed cost-effective production of high quality cars. The high cost of fuel and other environmental factors have also led to manufacturers producing cars that meet the highest standards as pertaining to energy consumption (Ralf, 2001). The future critical success factors are likely to be pegged on the manufacturers’ image through brand management. Aspects of image such as design, service strategies, brand experience as well

Museum of Tolerance Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Museum of Tolerance - Personal Statement Example The museum without the expertise of the team from Collections department will not be able to accumulate the present collection of precious and prized pieces of arts, literature, and music. The people from Building Operations department are responsible for the museums physical condition and building security. Management has the responsibility to take necessary actions in order to address the pressing issue of big budget which has been cut from the museum's annual subsidy. After carefully reviewing the current administrative structure, collections, research, public programs, building operations, and all other museum activities, and after examining functional duties of each department, one can still cut the Building Operations department's budget. The building has enough security cameras that a dozen of security men are good enough to handle the museums security threat such as burglars, thieves, and vandals. I have visited several museums but this has been, by far, one of my favorites. The things may remind one of the horrors of the Holocaust but it serves to remind us of our own mortality.

The Fall of the House of Usher; More then Meets the Eye Essay Example for Free

The Fall of the House of Usher; More then Meets the Eye Essay The Fall of the House of Usher written by Edgar Allen Poe was written in 1839, as the age of enlightenment and reason were on the rise. It is a horror gothic story, with an atmosphere of evil, as well as a sublime that overwhelmed the reader with fear. The Fall of the House of Usher is not only a dark romantic, written with a great deal attention to imagery, enhancing the parallelism and symbolism that arises as a correlation between the house the Ushers live and the family itself. When first beginning the story, the dark and gloomy imagery is interring, leaving the reader with a desire to continue reading. However, it soon becomes apparent that special attention is casted on the condition the house is in: â€Å"Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior, hanging in a fine tangled web work for the eaves†¦ there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of pars, and the crumbling condition of individual stones†¦the fabric gave little token of instability†¦ eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barley perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn.† (Poe, 25) The house its self could be drafted as a character, as a great deal of attention description was put into it. However the house its self is not the only dynamic that Poe focused on when writing, The Usher Family was drafted to be complex as well. Madeline Usher was defined by her illness: â€Å"the disease of the lady Madeline had long baffled the skill of her physicians. A settled apathy, a gradual wasting away of the person, and frequent although transient affections of partially cataleptically character, were the unusual diagnosis. (Poe, 28) It was Roderick Usher however that was the most dynamic. Once a healthy man, is now a â€Å"mere exaggeration of the prevailing character of these features, and of the expression they were wont to convey, lay so much change that I doubted to whom I spoke.†(Poe, 26) His deterioration resembles that of the house, having once been a flourishing mansion, with upkeep. It is now simply falling to the ground day by day- much like Roderick him self. Upon reading The Fall of the House of Usher it becomes clear that the â€Å"House of Usher† does not only signify the house the family resides in but also the family line, as their will be no one to carry on the family name, when they pass, thusly the â€Å"house† will disappear all together. Both the internal state of the family and the external state of the house are paralleled in The Fall of the House of Usher. Poe made a significant correlation between â€Å"the crumbling condition of individual stones† (Poe, 25) and Madeline’s deteriorating condition. Instability within the household is also defiantly visible, as it is clear that both Roderick and Madeline experience insanity in different ways, this instability is once again paralleled by the fabric mentioned in the description of the house. Roderick’s insanity was mentioned as: the manner of my friend I was struck with an incoherence an inconsistencyhabitual trepidancy, and excessive nervous agitationHis action was alternately vivacious and sullen. His voice varied rapidly from a tremulous indecisionto thatof the lost drunkard, or the irreclaimable eater of opium (Poe, 26) Nevertheless, it was the barley visible fissure that Poe mentions that seems to be a symbol for the family the most, it was not until the final pages that it becomes clear that the House of Usher is more then just the house itself and the fissure becomes a symbol for the family falling apart. Upon being buried, Madeline rises from the cellar and her presence upon weeks of being in the cellar, results in the death of her brother. However the narrator notes that while looking back that the house â€Å"fissure rapidly widened†¦ my brain reeled as I saw the mighty walls rushing asunder†¦ the deep and dank tarn as my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the â€Å"House of Usher.† (Poe, 36) The symbolism between the house collapsing as well as the deterioration of the family dynamic is crucial to the understanding that the house and the family are one. Adding to the short story a great deal of depth, making it much more then just another short story with a great sublime and gothic feel. This technique may slip through many readers attention, however if an analysis and a further in-depth reading is done, the story gains dynamic and meaning. Leaving the reader with more then met the eye. Work Cited Page Stott, Jon C. and Raymond E.Jone. The Harbrace Anthology of Short Fiction. Tronto, Ontario: Nelson Education Ltd. 2012. Print. Text used: Edgar Allen Poe. The Fall of the House of Usher. Pages 23-26.

Understanding Organisations and the role of HR Essay Example for Free

Understanding Organisations and the role of HR Essay Good afternoon guys. Before I have my speech begun, please let me introduce myself to you guys. Sculpture is what I major in. I feel a little bit nervous upon my first speech in front of you now, but I am going to try my best. Since 21st century, we have seen a lot of creativity on every field. Every one emphasizes the creative power. As we see that Apple, which always stresses innovation and creativity, is a one of the biggest companies around the world, creativity is a key to success these days. To me, Creativity is an abstract idea. Maybe it is to you people as well. Anyway, everyone probably has different thoughts of what is creative. But I think creativity comes from how it looks in a way, I mean artistic fgures. Lets compare ones we use with ones we used to use. Take cell phones for example, when cell phone was firstly shown up to the public they were literally a sensation. Who could think they would take a call outside with a wireless phone, even though they looked like a tank or something at that time. As we know, those cell phones at the beginning were technically amazingly convenient at the very moment. However, as time goes by, people have tended to find ore creative ones than ones that are even much better in hardware. Actually, I have heard a lot that many people like iPhones instead of others because iPhones look more beautiful than others so it seems to be more creative. As a result, their beautiful-looking makes themselves more creative to people. What if iPhone or other Apples products had the same function and hardware with an ugly shape, people would still think they are creative? I dont think so. Nowadays, not only the industrial products but also cultural industrial like movies or books also need creativity to succeed. Actually, according to some statistics a creative book cover helps its sales whether the contents of the book is good or bad. When we see those books in a bookstore, what we see first is the book cover and we get the first impression of it from the cover. So people annually make a new version of old ones which have old cover that we would feel corny now. The most important thing of a good movie is definitely its plot, and l, personally, think the secondly important thing of it is creative visual aspects. The way of shooting every scene and brand-new visual effects, they all ake a movie as a good movie. All in all, now we live in a creative life. Everything has evolved day by day. We can find and enjoy creativity everywhere. There are thousands of same thing, but what makes one of them standing-out is creativity. For me, what make one of them looking creative are artistic figures. It is, for sure, much better to buy something looking better and looking more creative than others, even if they are a little bit more expensive than others. So I think we need to pay more attention to these creative idea and artistic fgures to geta success. Thank you for your listening. Understanding Organisations and the role of By cdonaldson TASK 1 Santander UK plc is one of the leading personal financial services companies in the United Kingdom with more than 15 million customers serviced by a network of 1200 branches and with approximately 24,000 employees. It is the third largest bank in the I-JK with reference to the value of deposits and the 2nd largest in terms of mortgage accounts held. Santander boast an award-winning, innovative range of products and services for both personal and business customers. Personal banking customers can choose from a range of Current Accounts, Savings Accounts, Credit Cards, Un-secured Personal Loans, Mortgages and Insurance products. To enable customers to access their accounts whenever they need and manage them more effectively, Santander offer internet and mobile banking as well as telephone banking for the majority of accounts not forgetting any of the 1200 high street branches! Business and Corporate customers have access to a similar product range current and savings accounts, loans (secured and un-secured) and insurance products.

Case Study of PTSD in Ghana Armed Forces Personnel

Case Study of PTSD in Ghana Armed Forces Personnel CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study According to The League of Nations was the first major organisation established after the First World War for conflict resolutions. Following the failure of the League of Nations to avert the Second World War, the United Nations Organisation (UNO) was established in 1945 to replace it. The United Nations (UN) is an international organisation, which among other things, aims to maintain international peace and security and to take collective and preventive measures to ensure global peace ( Rikhe, 1983). The need for peaceful co-existence and resolution of conflicts and wars necessitated the introduction of third party involvement in conflict resolution mechanisms in the nineteen century. The third party approach to settlement of conflicts and wars is practiced primarily by the UN, regional and sub-regional organisations through Peacekeeping Operations (PKO). Peacekeeping is defined as â€Å"the process of mediation, conciliation, negotiation and the management of conflict in a bid to bring peace in an area of conflict, violence or hostilities†. Peacekeeping involves the deployment of a neutral force (UN, Regional or Sub-regional body) in the field, with military, civil police and civilian personnel, in order to stabilize or dampen a conflict situation and provide viable opportunities for pacific resolution of conflicts. It entails peace-making and peace-building (Maj Agyemang-Bioh, 2000). In peace-making, an effort to settle the conflict through mediation, negotiation, concil iation and other forms of peaceful settlement is made using diplomatic action. Peace-building on the other hand, is â€Å"action-like†; it includes the identification and support of all measures and structures which will promote peace and build the needed trust and healthy interactions among former enemies; in order to avoid a relapse into conflict or recurrence of the hostilities. Thus peace-building is a social change through socio-economic development, rehabilitation and reconstruction; it actively seeks to eliminate the likelihood of direct or indirect violence in the conflict area, with the object of preventing further war and then to obviate any distress signal in the community (Ibid). The complex nature of modern conflicts and approaches to dealing with such conflicts gave birth to the term Peace Support Operations (PSO). Peace Support Operations are multifunctional operations in which impartial military activities are designed to create a secure environment and to facilitate the efforts of the civilian elements of the mission to create a self sustaining peace (Institute of Security Studies, 2000).  Ã‚   The concept of PSO refers to ‘the military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian activities carried out in order to achieve long-term peace settlement and reinstate political and socio-economic stability to   a conflict or disaster situation (United Kingdom Joint Warfare Publication, 3-50). The terms Peacekeeping and Peace Support Operations are however, used interchangeably in this paper since both terminologies refer to the same concept. Additionally, the role of the peacekeeper has not changed significantly with the shift from PKO to PSO.   The first UN conflict resolution in Africa was in 1960 following the crisis in the Congo, now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).   Thereafter, the UN focused attention on all troubled spots in order to check crises before they escalated. It also encouraged the formation of regional and sub-regional bodies such as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) to complement her efforts. This is in line with Article 53 of the UN Charter on regional organisations, which states that, ‘the Security Council should encourage associations or agencies that promote peace at regional level (Rikhe, 1983). Since its initial intervention in Congo in 1960, the Ghana Armed Forces has been involved in complex peacekeeping operations; from the civil wars in Rwanda, the Liberian and Sierra Leonean conflicts and the Ivorian conflicts, almost all commencing within the 1990s. All these conflicts were characterised by extreme cases of human rights violations and other violent crimes which have claimed so many lives and caused so much pain and suffering. In Liberia, Ghana was among the five leading member states of ECOWAS which deployed troops before the UN Security Council belatedly sanctioned it (Erskine (Lt Gen), (2000). Currently, the Ghana Armed Forces is providing contingents for United Nations peace support operations in Cote dIvoire, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Lebanon.   A total of 3,250 troops are deployed for peace support operations in the five listed missions. As at 2008, Ghana was the sixth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping (Un ited Nations Factsheet, 2008). Participation in these operations exposes military personnel to traumatic incidents. Since the twentieth century, a lot of changes have taken place in both the manner in which peacekeeping operations are executed and the circumstances to which the peacekeeping soldier is exposed to risk. Firstly, not only has peacekeeping operations increased in terms of frequency but they have also undergone a metamorphosis with regard to the manner in which they are conducted. It has been argued that previously peacekeeping soldiers were responsible for monitoring and observing cease-fire agreements between formally belligerent states (Liebenberg et al, 1997). Others contend that the 1990s witnessed conflicts where parties did not comply with peace agreements and/or disobeyed the rules of war (Olonisakin, 1998). He also refers to situations where peacekeeping soldiers themselves were viciously attacked. The nature of conflict also changed. In the pas,t conflict was characterised by being mainly inter-state, but today intra-state conflict is more prevalent (Nkiwane, 2000; Cilliers, 1999). Another indication of the changing nature of peacekeeping is illustrated in the roles that todays peacekeeping soldiers have to fulfill. The classic roles of the peacekeeping soldier to monitor the implementation of an honourable agreement between two or more parties in conflict; to act unarmed and guard a distinctly marked observation post, or to patrol a demilitarised cease-fire line, have become the exception rather than the rule (Potgieter, 1995). Thus, the evolving nature of peacekeeping duty in itself suggests that today peacekeeping soldiers are faced with new psychological challenges (Litz et al, 1997), and that it is no longer unusual for contemporary peacekeeping missions to include exposure to traditional war-zone experiences (Orsillo et al, 1998). The above conditions have the effect of increasing the stress levels of the peacekeeper. The ability to cope with stress is intrinsically related to psychological and material resources (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984), which are likely to be adversely affected by repeated traumatisation experienced during conflicts. Experience and appraisal of trauma tends to be related to both poverty (Muldoon, 2003) and social identity (Haslam et al, 2004). The most common psychological consequence of war and conflict is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The resulting stress has beenassociated with reduced cognitive, emotional, and behavioralperformance (Mitchell and Dyregov, 1993) and may negatively affect work performance (Paine, 1992).These findings have implications for both the career path ofthe worker and the efficiency and productivity of organizations. From the social identification perspective, the world may appear to be a frightening place and the trauma victim can feel powerless, helpless and incompetent. But in the interpersonal realm, the family is really affected. Post-t raumatic stress can cause the sufferer to become emotionally withdrawn and distant from family members. People affected can become overly needy and dependent, or outrageously demanding and impatient. Most of them can revert back to old habits like smoking or drinking, or become a newly hatched adolescent and engage in reckless, sometimes life threatening hobbies. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened (Muldoon, (2003). Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat. These traumatic experiences could be caused by reasons such as near-death, serious physical injury, serious accident, violence, war, torture, any event that causes extreme fear, a horrifying event, or when one feels an extreme sense of helplessness (Ibid). PTSD can be categorized into four types depending on the length of time it takes for the disorder to appear and the amount of time it is present. These include; firstly, Acute Stress Disorder, symptoms of these occur within four weeks of the traumatic experience and lasts between two days and four weeks; secondly, Acute Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, with symptoms lasting for more than four weeks; thirdly, Delayed Onset Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, where symptoms appear years after the traumatic experience; and finally Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder where symptoms last for over three months with the symptoms disappearing for a few days and then reappearing. The major symptoms of PTSD include: exaggerated startle response, loss of memory (forgetfulness), sleep disorders (nightmares and waking up suddenly during the night), flashbacks or images of the traumatic incident that keeps coming back to haunt you, hyper vigilance (very similar to, but not paranoia), hypersensitivity, extreme irritability, anger over petty issues with violent outbursts, possessiveness, extreme nervousness and anxiety, muscle aches and pains for no apparent reason, unexplained fear, low self-esteem and lack of confidence (Mitchell and Dyregov, 1993). PTSD is categorized as Intrusion when the symptoms appear suddenly and happen when memories of a past traumatic incident keep coming back as flashbacks. These flashbacks could be induced by a variety of triggers such as smell, sight, or sound. Once the flashback is triggered, it is almost impossible to stop because the incident seems real with all the emotions involved. Nightmares are a good example of this. PTSD is categorized as Avoidance when a PTSD sufferer consciously or unconsciously tries to prevent remembering anything related to the traumatic experience. This may involve avoiding those close to you, or those you work with, causing misery to yourself and those close to you. PTSD is categorized as Hyper arousal when the symptoms are as a result of stimulated nerves and hormones. One could experience severe insomnia, and not remember the entire traumatic experience. During this phase one will have very poor concentration and will get irritated easily (Thompson and Gignac, 2000a ). PTSD can be treated. However, if left untreated, PTSD could remain lifelong, damaging ones relations with others and causing one several ailments, both physically and mentally (Solomon et al, 1996). 1.2 Statement of the Problem Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common among people who have served in the military or any of the security or law enforcement agencies. The involvement and exposure of military personnel to combat and combat related situations expose them to risks which tend to affect them physically, mentally and emotionally. Some military occupations are more likely to witness traumatic events than others and thus be at greater risk. These occupations include frontline combat unit, combat engineers and medical personnel. It is often these same professionals or trades that are tasked repeatedly for peace support operations (Gignac, 2000). The fundamental components of combat power of the Armed Forces include the equipment and the personnel who carry out the combat roles. Therefore, it is important that all armed forces maintain a high state of personnel readiness (United Kingdom Doctrine for Joint and Multinational Operations-JWP 0-10). However, participation in combat and combat related activities exposes the military to stressful conditions. Over the years, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have been exposed to battlefield hazards through their participation in peace support operations including the   Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) operations in Liberia, The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), the United Nations Mission in La Cote IVoire (UNOCI), and until recently, the United Nations Mission in Chad (MINURCAT). Exposure to such hazards of war in most cases result in mental and emotional tensions, injuries and death.   These situations usually result in what is referred to as stress on the part of the service personnel. It is therefore necessary that serious attention is paid to the problem of stress among participants of peace support operations. This research will therefore investigate and examine so cial identification and post-traumatic stress symptoms among participants of peace support operation, with the GAF as a case study. 1.3 Justification of the Study The military plays an important role in a nations development. They provide a congenial atmosphere for the overall development of a nation. Military personnel as a core element of the security services therefore need sound mind and body to be able to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. It is therefore important that attention is paid to the psychological and emotional needs of the military. Effective handling of post-traumatic stress related problems among personnel of the GAF will enhance their efficiency and productivity both at home and during peace support operations outside the country.The study will help come out with relevant information and recommendations that will help in assisting personnel who are affected by post-traumatic stress in the course of discharging their duties. It will also help reduce the incidence of PTSD among peacekeepers. This will help boost the morale of the personnel of the GAF both at home and on international peace support operations. 1.4 Research Questions The study will attempt to find answers to the following questions: What are the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders among personnel of the GAF? What are the effects of peace support operations on post-traumatic stress disorder and social identification? Which are the populations that are affected by post-traumatic stress disorders in the GAF? Is there a relationship between post-traumatic stress and the strength of social identification? 1.5.Methodology This research which is a case study of Social Identification and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms among personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces is a   qualitative research project hence the researcher largely employs the use of qualitative research design to include both primary and secondary data. Qualitative research is exploratory in nature and encompasses a range of philosophies, research designs and specific techniques including in-depth qualitative interviews; participant and non-participant observation; focus groups; document analyses; and a number of other methods of data collection (Pope and Mays, 2006). The primary data was collected from live interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire administration. A total sample size of two hundred (200) was used for the study.   This comprised of interviews with thirty individuals, thirty persons in focus groups of six and one hundred and forty questionnaire which were administered to randomly selected personnel of the Ghana A rmed Forces. The secondary data were gathered from books, journals, articles, dissertations, and published and unpublished thesis.   1.6 Objectives of the Study The study has four-fold objectives. These are to: Identify and examine the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders among personnel of the GAF; Examine and analyze the effects of peace support operations on post-traumatic stress disorder and social identification; Examine and analyze the prevalent group of post-traumatic stress disorders in the Ghana Armed Forces; and Examine and analyze the relationship between post-traumatic stress and the strength of social identification. 1.6 Hypothesis The research hypotheses used in this study is tailored to suit a qualitative methodology that is interpretative rather than statistical. 1.6.1 Alternative Hypotheses There are symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders among personnel of the GAF. Peace support operations have effect on post-traumatic stress and social identification. Post-traumatic stress disorders affect people of a particular group in the GAF. There is a relationship between post-traumatic stress and the strength of social identification. 1.6.2 Null Hypotheses There are no symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders among personnel of the GAF. Peace support operations do not have effect on post-traumatic stress and social identification. Post-traumatic stress disorders affect every group in the GAF. There is no relationship between post-traumatic stress and the strength of social identification. 1.5 Limitations The research was limited in terms of data collection. Military personnel are generally sceptical about accepting their stress situations, largely due to the existing stigmatization associated with combat stress and PTSD. Nevertheless, the researchers status as a member of the GAF provided an insight into some of the issues relating to social identification and PTSD. The researcher further interacted with colleagues and other military personnel involved in post peace support operations to gain further insights into issues raised in the research. 1.6 Organization of Study The study is organized into five chapters. An introduction of the entire study is captured in Chapter one. Chapter two presents a review of the relevant literature. Chapter three outlines the methods of data collection while an analysis and interpretation of data and results is covered in chapter four. The fifth chapter is devoted to the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1Introduction This chapter provides the theoretical framework for the research.   It considers the views of some writers on Peace Support Operations and how they impact on social identity, stress and related concepts.   The study of these concepts will help in understanding the social identification and post-traumatic stress symptoms in post peace support operations among Ghanaian peacekeepers. 2.2 Social Identification and related Theories 2.2.1 Social Identification Social identification is the process by which an aspect of self- image is developed based on in-group preference or ethnocentrism and a perception of belonging to a social or cultural group. (APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 8th ed). 2.2.2 Theories of Social Identification Several theories have been formulated to explain how threats or stress affect social identification. Three of the well known theories are explained below: 2.2.2.1 The Integrated Threat Theory The theory of Integrated Threat was first identified by Walter and Cookie Stepan, when they attempted to explain how a groups prejudiceswere created by threats from other groups. These threats are said tobe present anytimeone groups actions, beliefs, or characteristics challenge the goal attainment or well being of another group (Riek, Mania, Gaertner, 2006).An individual group may feel threatened by another which is utilizing resources it needs to achieve its goals or to sustain its status as a group. These resources may be tangible, such as money or materials, or intangible, such as status, power or knowledge (Ibid). When resources are scarce, the group whichis threatened by the lack of resources finds itself motivated to compete for the resources in order to maintain its identity as a group or to achieve its goals (Ibid). This competitionpromotes negative attitudes towards those in the group utilizing the resources (Aberson Gaffney, 2008). The two groups in competition over resources can be described as the in-group and the out-group. The in-group can be described as the group of people with whom an individual categorizes himself/herself with. Members of an in-group feel a sense of commitment to the group and gain greater esteem from their sense of belonging to the group (Redmond, 2010). The out-group can be described as any group outside of an individuals in-group and a group that can be a potential rival/competitor for resources (Ibid). The in-group is the group which feels threatened, and the out-group is the group which is posing a threat to the in-group (Kendall, 1998). Intergroup threats contribute to conflict because they influence behaviors, perceptions, and emotions. An appraisal of threat can evoke strong negative emotions, including that of fear, rage, anger, resentment, frustration, contempt and insecurity. In addition, perceptions of threat reduce emotional empathy for members of the out-group. All of these negative emotions combined with the lack of empathy felt for the other group, can literally bring people to a breaking point. 2.2.2.2 Social Identity Theory Social Identity Theory focuses on the relationship between self-concept and group behavior (Hogg and Terry, 2001). The social identity theory was proposed by Henri Tajfel as a result of work he was doing in the 1970s concerning categorization and social perception, intergroup behavior, and the pursuit of social psychological understanding of the causes of prejudice and intergroup conflict (Abrams and Hogg, 1999). He believed that there was discontinuity between how people behaved when they related to others on an intergroup basis as opposed to an interpersonal or individual basis and sought to explain the behavior of people in group situations (Abrams and Terry, 2001). Tajfel identified three components of social identity, self-conceptualization, group self-esteem, and commitment to the group, which when met, lead a person to feel connected to their in-group. As a result, all other groups become out-groups and are rivals for status and resources as well as a source for comparison. Th is can lead to discrimination in favour of the in-group or against other out-groups as well as stereotyping and prejudice when a perceived threat occurs (Redmond, 2009). According to the Social Identity Theory, social identity and intergroup behavior is guided by the pursuit of evaluative positive social identity through positive intergroup distinctiveness, which in turn is motivated by the need for positive self-esteem (Hogg Terry, 2001). In other words, a persons behavior will be affected by their positive association with their in-group, when their self-esteem and/or status are elevated by that association. Central to this theory are three components identified by Tajfel: self-categorization, group self-esteem, and group commitment. 2.2.2.2.1 Self-Categorization Self-categorization refers to a persons belief that he/she belongs to a group. A person must categorize or identify him or herself as a member of a group in order to have their self-esteem elevated through association with the group. According to this theory, categorization sharpens intergroup boundaries by producing group-distinctive stereotypical and normative perceptions and actions and assigns people, including self, to the contextually relevant category (Ibid). In addition, self-categorization can reduce uncertainty about themselves and others and about how they and others may or ought to behave in specific social contexts (Ibid). The core of an identity is the categorization of the self as the occupant of a role (Stets Burke, 2000). By assigning roles to individuals that are self-categorized as being part of a group, individuals can derive meanings and expectations associated with their roles, and as a result, are able to create values based standards that motivate and guide b ehavior. 2.2.2.2.2 Group Self-Esteem Group self-esteem refers to the positive self-esteem or self-identity gained through membership in a group. In order to categorize ones self as a member of a group, membership in the group must hold some value for the person such as improvement in their status or positive personal identity through the association with the group. The theory suggests that people have a need to see themselves in a positive light in relation to relevant others (Hogg and Terry, 2001) and that this can be achieved in a group context through making comparisons between in-group and relevant out-groups in ways that favour the in-group (Ibid). 2.2.2.2.3 Group Commitment Group commitment refers to the strength of the commitment a person feels to their in-group. This is important because if an individual believes they can move into a higher status group, this person will be unlikely to show much solidarity or engage in much direct intergroup competition and will instead attempt to disidentify and gain psychological entry to the dominant group (Ibid). When a person identifies him or herself with a group, gains a positive self-esteem through the group, and feels committed to the group, the person will be motivated to maintain the group and their memberships in the group (Redmond, 2009). There can also be adverse consequences, however, to an individual over-identifying with a group. When a person becomes too attached to a group, it can lead to stereotyping and the degradation of out-groups as well as overdependence, antisocial behavior, decreased creativity, and a decreased sense of self for the individual (Hogg Terry, 2001). As a result of being too attached, the lines that once separated the individual identity from that of the group may become blurred. If this loss of individuality takes place, it may result in a decreased ability to create an independent self concept apart from the group. 2.2.2.3 Social Dominance Theory The Social Dominance Theory originated in an attempt to combine the more classical theories of social behaviour such as Marxism, and more contemporary theories such as Social Identity Theory into a unified behavioral model to explain bias in group behavior (Sidanius Pratto, 1999).The Social Dominance Theory is based on the idea that in virtually all societies, group-based hierarchies are formed in which both dominant and subordinate groups co-exist. As is naturally the case, the dominant group(s), referred to as having positive social value in the group structure; has access to rights and privileges that are denied to subordinate group(s) because their (negative) social value and ability to bring to bear power and resources are limited (Ibid). A principledistinction between Social Dominance Theory and similargroup-based social theories, such as Social Identity Theory, is that group members are not only motivated to protect the group to preserve their social status, but feel compelled to justify their group behavior (dominant or subordinate) through ahierarchicalsystem represented through the following omponents:Legitimizing Myths, Trimorphic Structure, and Social Dominance Orientation (Redmond, 2009). 2.2.2.3.1 Legitimizing Myths Dambrun, et al.(2009)upholds Sidanius and Prattos contention that both dominant and subordinate groups strive to sustain group-based hierarchies by the development of opposing ideologies that promote, or attenuate group inequality and domination; otherwise referred to as legitimizing myths. In other words, social groups play off each other through social policies to maintain the group hierarchy but are motivated to do so for different reasons. The differences between these reasons are referred to as behavioral asymmetry (Redmond, 2009). Asymmetry occurs when the dominant group wishes to maintain their positive social status, yet the subordinate group wishes to climb the proverbial ladder and participate in the myriad advantages of the dominant social group. As selfish as we are, social groups are not fully inclusive. These groups seek to maintain their social status by justifyingbehaviors through mitigating perceived gaps in social status. This is accomplished through legitimizing myths in the form of perceived negative stereotypes, values and beliefs against the opposing groups. â€Å"Legitimizing myths consist of attitudes, values, beliefs stereotypes, and ideologies that provide moral and intellectual justification for the social practices that distribute social value within the social system† (Sidanius and Pratto, 1999). Legitimizing myths can be broken down into two distinct groups: hierarchy-enhancing legitimizing myths (HELM) and hierarchy-attenuating legitimizing myths (HALM). HELMs not only organize individual, group, and institutional behavior in ways that sustain dominance, they often lead subordinates to collaborate with dominants in the maintenance of oppression (Pratto et al, 2006). 2.1.2.3.2. Trimorphic Structure of Group-Based Hierarchies Our predisposition to join groups is an essential element of Social Dominance Theory that assumes a trimorphic structure of group-based social hierarchy in which members are stratified into social groups based on characteristics related to the following three structures (Sidanius and Prato, 1999): Age A biologically-based system where adults are classified as socially higher (valued) than younger people. Gender Another biologically-based system in which males are classified as socially higher than women. Arbitrary set -Group-based hierarchies determineits orderbased on a virtually limitless set of factors including personal preferences, religion, beliefs, class, ethnicityor values.The age and gender systems are fixed in terms of their applicability to social groups. In other words, these stratification systems extend to all social systems as members invariably fall into a range of either group. The inclusion (or exclusion) of membership within the arbitrary set system however, is dependent upon the factor(s) applied to the group. For example, a social group based on ethnicity or religion will include a very specific subset of participants to the exclusion of all others. For these reasons, the arbitrary set system represents the most dynamic group-based social hierarchy. This system has the potential to be the most inclusive (and positive) in terms of being socially constructive, as well as the most exclusive, or socially destructive. 2.1.2.3.3.Social Dominance Orientation To better predict social group bias, Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) was developed to measure the extent to which individuals manifest discriminatory behaviors(Sidanius and Prato, 1999). SDO is defined as the degree to which individuals desire and support group-based hierarchy and the domination of inferior groups by superior groups (Ibid). 2.2. Concepts of Stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 2.2.1. Combat/Traumatic Stress Stress is a word that is often used to cover a whole range of feelings and emotions. There are many varying definitions of stress. Some researchers distinguish between eustress (when something changes for the better) an