Unification of Spain Essay Example

Unification of Spain Essay Unification of Spain: the Good, the Bad, and the Really Ugly | Alexis Wilson | The Europeans wanted to expand their minds and their wealth with what the â€Å"unknown† world had to â€Å"offer†. When I say offer, I mean what they could take and run with without consequence. The Europeans wanted to â€Å"expose† and â€Å"enlighten† the new world people with their religion. When I say â€Å"expose† and â€Å"enlighten†, I mean force the new world people to convert to Christianity or they would be slowly tortured to death or burned at the stake. Portugal, one of the all mighty Iberian Sates, was in a hard-hitting competition with Spain, another Iberian State. According to the textbook, Portugal was losing manpower and resources needed to control a vast empire of three continents. Spain on the other hand, depleted their newfound wealth on wars and other unnecessary things when they should have been developing their economy (Wallbank et al. 482). Portugal and Spain were battling for greatness, immortality if you will. They would have done anything to get it, even if it meant eradicating peoples and their cultures. Unfortunately, that was exactly what Portugal and Spain did. Spain and Portugal were trading across the â€Å"known† world. Spain exported olive oil, asparagus, conserved fish and more. That was how they received their funds and their power. The Iberian States had a general idea that there were more lands to discover and more money to make. So they set sail to discover and take over anything that were in their way, with their bibles in their pockets and swords in their hands, fueled by the desire of unthinkable wealth and power. We will write a custom essay sample on Unification of Spain specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Unification of Spain specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Unification of Spain specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer According to Juan Pimentel, Portugal and Spain entered the sixteenth century with an advantage in nautical technology and navigation relative to other European nations (20). â€Å"The overseas enterprises of Spain expanded dramatically following the first voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Even before this historic Atlantic crossing, Spaniards had begun the conquest of the Canary Islands which served as a base and proving ground for the invasion and conquest of Spanish America, known as the Indies† (Andrien 55). Even though Christopher Columbus was not from Spain, he set sail for them because the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain were the only ones that agreed to fund for the exploration that made Christopher Columbus famous, the exploration that Christopher Columbus dreamed of. â€Å"Spain became strongly centralized under an assertive and aggressive monarchy in 1479, when Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon began a joint rule that united the Iberian Peninsula except for Navarre, Portugal, and Granada† (Wallbank et al 455). Portugal was known as incredible competition relative to Spain. Columbus wanted to prove that he could find a shorter and cheaper way to sail to India and China by taking the unknown west route. While Columbus was looking for a shorter route to reach the country of India and China, he inadvertently discovered America. Columbus was oblivious to the fact that he â€Å"discovered† America, and he did not reach his intended destination of India. Columbus called the inhabitants â€Å"Indians†. He had his men capture the â€Å"Indians† and made them slaves. When Columbus came to America he came with diseases. The inhabitants did not have a strong enough immune system to fight off, which decimated the inhabitants of America. Even though the people were sick, it is safe to say that Columbus did not show mercy and still made the slaves work so he would be able to bring gold, spices and other new world items he promised to the King and Queen of Spain, in high hopes that they would fund for more explorations . He did not wish to disappoint the very people that invested in him. After â€Å"discovering† the diversity of the Indies, intellectuals of Spain argued over the humanity and proper social role of the indigenous people they have come to encounter and the offspring of the men that Columbus traveled and the women of the Americas. Intellectuals of Spain struggled with what to call the indigenous people and their illegitimate offspring. They were not sure whether or not to call them â€Å"beasts†, â€Å"barbarians†, or â€Å"brothers† (Andrien 59). Columbus, being the pocketful of sunshine he is, forced the inhabitants to convert to Christianity to ensure that the land was for Spain, all of Spain practiced one religion. If the inhabitants did not agree to convert they severely punished, as mentioned before (Wallbank et al 482 ). The Catholic Majesties were smart to invest in Christopher Columbus. Without his exploration and â€Å"discoveries† of gold, slivers, spices and slaves, they would not have been able to replenish their wealth and rebuild the broken economy. Back in Spain, Isabella and Ferdinand is working on unifying Spain and sharing the crowns of Castile, Aragon and Spain (â€Å"History of Spain†). Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon planned on making Spain the best it has ever been. They wanted their beloved country to be unified in everything they did, especially in religion. That is where the legendary Spanish Inquisition comes into action. The â€Å"Catholic Majesties†, as the pope titled King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, set out to establish effective royal control in all of Spain. Isabella and Ferdinand started the Spanish Inquisition, for the pope allowed. Not only did they have power over Spain, they had power over the church also. They were able to have power over the church by making it the law for the monarchs of Spain to have power over the church. The Spanish court of inquisition seized the property of many converters (Jews and Muslims who were afraid of the inquisition and avoided persecution) and terrified the Christian clergy and laity into accepting royal absolutism as well as religious orthodoxy (Wallbank et al 455). Not only did they force religion on the peoples of the new world, Isabella and Ferdinand forced religion on their own people as well, without mercy may I add. Spanish absolutism, defined by Isabella herself as â€Å"one king, one law, one faith† (Wallbank et al 455). Terrified but still determined to practice their faith, the â€Å"converters† practiced their religion in secret. Without a doubt, the Spanish Inquisition strengthens the Spanish crown. It also caused many people to leave Spain. Inquisitors made sure the King and Queen of Spain knew that people where performing acts of heretic and suggested to the King and Queen of Spain all those who were unwilling to convert to Christianity must leave the country, needless to say they agreed and the Inquisitors went into action and rid the country of Spain of non-converters (Wallbank et al 455). In 1492, the same year Columbus set out to sail to India and China, about 150,000 Spanish Jews left the country and resided in the Netherlands, England, North Africa, and the Ottoman Empire (Wallbank et al 455). About 10 years later same demands are made for the Spanish Muslims. Spain used to be one the most tolerant of religions, but under the rule of the â€Å"Catholic Majesties†, Spain became the most intolerant country when it came to terms of religion (â€Å"History of Spain†). King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella did not stop there. They set out to clear surrounding countries of non-converters and expand their empire even more. One of the most notable successes of the Catholic Majesties was the completion of the Reconquista with the defeat of Granada, the last Muslim state on the Iberian Peninsula in 1492. With a few more defeats of surrounding countries, the unification of the Spanish nation-state was complete in 1516, right before King Ferdinand died, a dozen years after queen Isabella died (Wallbank et al 456). In my opinion, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella‘s policies did work for them in the long run, in every sense. Do I agree on how they executed their plans for progressing Spain? No, I absolutely do not agree with the Catholic Majesties tactics. But, they reached every goal they set. Their goal was improving Spain and broadening their empire. With Isabella inheriting the crown of Castile and Ferdinand inheriting the crown of Aragon, the couple had a lot of power that made it possible for them fully convert and unify their empire (â€Å"History of Spain†). In the textbook it explains that Ferdinand and Isabella controlled the church, with the grace of the Pope, and they took control of surrounding countries, rid them of non-converting heretics and converted them to Christianity. King Ferdinand fought against the non-converters until his dying breath (Wallbank et al 456). People lost their lives, their homes and the freedoms to express themselves and their religions because the King and Queen wanted to â€Å"unify† their country and empire. They wanted to do what the rulers before them were not be able to do. They were rough and ruthless in a sense to achieve their goals of expanding their country and spreading their religion. They had to be if they wanted their country to be unified and practicing one religion. I guess it is safe to say that they would agree with Machiavelli’s renowned book The Prince. â€Å"It is better to be feared than to be loved†¦the end justifies the means†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (Machiavelli’s The Prince). Works Cited Andrien, Kenneth J. , Atlantic History: A critical Appraisal. New York. Oxford University Press. 2009. The Spanish Atlantic System. Print History of Spain Historyworld. net. N. p. n. d. History of Spain. Web. 10 Feb. 2013 Pimental, Juan. The Iberian Vision: Science and Empire in the framework of the universal monarchy, 1500-1800. Vol. 15 issue 1. 2000. Wallbank, Walter T, Alastair M. Taylor, Nels M. Bailkey, Clyde J. Lewis, Palmira Brummett. Civilizations Past and Present. Twelfth Edition. Volume 2. Pearson Education 2008. Spain: Ferdinand and Isabella and the Reconquista, The Iberian Age. Print.

5 top tracking apps for your 2018 goals

5 top tracking apps for your 2018 goals The end of 2017 is right around the corner, and if you’re like most people your brain is turning towards setting goals for yourself for 2018. Also, you may be realizing that you’re about to embark on a familiar cycle: setting a bunch of grand plans for yourself for the coming year that quickly fall apart, sometimes before you even get to shout â€Å"Happy New Year!† If this sounds like your typical end-of-year behavior, don’t feel too bad- you’re not alone! According to a recent Huffington Post article, â€Å"Only  8 percent of people  actually keep their New Year’s resolutions, according to one commonly cited statistic. There are many reasons  people can’t stick to their resolutions, from setting too many of them to getting derailed by small failures. Setting overly ambitious and restrictive goals―like quitting sugar when you haven’t already been making small changes to improve your diet―is one major cause of failure. While you might initially feel inspired and energized by setting blowout goals for 2017, the luster of these resolutions fades quickly when we realize how difficult they are to keep.†That said, setting goals for 2018 may seem daunting―but there is a path towards success and there are tools for helping you stay on track. These days, you don’t need anything more than your smartphone and a helpful tracking app to keep you focused and on target as you work towards your goals.There are a ton of goal-tracking apps available, and choosing the right one for you can become a big project in and of itself. Take a deep breath- we’ve gone ahead and selected five of the most helpful goal-tracking apps available to help you achieve your goals in the new year.1. GoalsOnTrackBilling itself as â€Å"goal software for high achievers,† GoalsOnTrack empowers users to create SMART-based goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) and provi des lots of useful features to help users stay on track- like braking down large, long-term goals into easier-to-manage and organize milestones and subgoals. GoalsOnTrack also allows you to set focused action plans, recurring tasks (with helpful reminders!), and task schedules that are easy to update and adjust with you. It even has a journaling option and customizable music and photo features to help keep you motivated and visualize success.2. Coach.meThis handy habit-tracking app features a free mobile version as well as customizable fee-based options, which even includes a real coach to help keep your goals for 2018 within reach. Once you set a habit for yourself using the app, you can begin tracking your daily progress, set helpful targets and reminders, view weekly and monthly behavior trends, and even connect with a supportive community for encouragement and guidance- all designed to help you form new and positive habits in your life.3. StridesStrides is a free, an all-in-one goal and habit tracking app that features a variety of helpful tracking templates that you can use, or ones that you can customize. It has a host of helpful visuals that are accessible from a central dashboard, which makes it easy to see your progress (or lack thereof) and retool accordingly. Users of the free app version can track up to 10 goals at a time on any of their iOS-based devices; users who require greater flexibility and power can take advantage of the fee-based Strides Plus premium plan.4. Way of LifeWay of Life calls itself â€Å"The Ultimate Habit Builder and Breaker† and features a wide range of helpful visual tracking features, including pie charts, bar charts with easy-to-read trend lines, and a scoreboard that provides instant feedback. It also allows you to tag, skip, share, and archive goals, set multiple daily reminders, take notes, and export to email and other apps. The free version lets you track up to three goals, habits, or behaviors that you want to increase or decrease; fee-based options let you unlock additional features and resources.5. ATrackerIs your busy life a daily struggle to get everything done and keep track of it all? If so, then ATracker just might be the lifesaver you need. This time-tracking app is designed to make sure that you’re maximizing your time each day towards effectively pursuing your goals. The app lets you track the time you spend on a variety of chosen tasks and view daily breakdowns in pie charts or bar graphs- so you can quickly see how your waking hours are being spent and make adjustments accordingly. There are free and fee-based versions available, based on your individual needs and goals.There you have it- the top tracking apps to help you set your goals for 2018 and stay on track. All you need to do is select the one that seems best for you, and not let excuses get in the way of you achieving your goals.

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Assignment - Essay Example The symbolic interaction theory â€Å"looks at how people interact with one another and communicate with symbols and gestures† (Strong, DeVault, and Cohen, 2007). A good example of symbolism in my family is the setting arrangement at our dinner table. My father who is considered as the head of the family sits at the head of the table, my mother sits at his right side while my eldest sibling sits on his left side. I consider this arrangement as very symbolic since this order defines the powers and influence that each members of my family has. Note that the most powerful figure in my family sets at the head of the table while the second most powerful and perhaps the most influential one which is my mother sits on the right side which denotes that she is second in command. My eldest sibling on the other hand has the privilege of sitting on the left side of my father which apparently made him third in command. Technically, this means that he has authority over me and my younger si ster. The symbolic distribution of power among members in my family defines the roles of each family member. As the head of the family, my father has the responsibility to provide for us while my mother who is second in command takes on the role of a homemaker. Our roles in the family often affects our interaction with society in the sense that our actions are guided by the extent and the limits of the powers that we have in the home. For instance, since my mother is the homemaker, she controls the family budget and she is often the one who gets to decide what things to buy for the house. Since she has control over the family budget, she has more purchasing power as compared to us. As it is, her interaction with the other members of society takes on a different dimension as compared to the other members of the family. When it comes to gestures, my family uses familiar expressions and gestures to convey

Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment 6 - Essay Example The issue was about a bill filed in the Congress of the Philippines of making Reproductive Health Services available to the general population. The argument was that, there is a high mortality rate of birth related deaths among impoverished mothers and such, mothers should be educated about birth spacing to reduce birth mortality and be given the means if they chooses to reduce their family size. Also, it was pointed out that the country being poor, where half of its population lives below poverty line and 21 % among them experiences hunger, family size should be managed according to their income. This can be done through the popular introduction of several methods of pregnancy prevention, including the usage of condoms and birth control pills. It was also discussed that condom can be used to stop the balloning HIV infection in the country which had exponentially increased in the last couple of years. This was however vehemently opposed by the Catholic hierarchy, and even went as far as threatening to excoummunicate the President of the Republic should he support the said bill.

Philosophical essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Philosophical - Essay Example As analyzed by Plato, ideas are the actual facts and are experienced by the soul. The body can only have experience on shadows. The essentially rationalistic epistemology of Plato determines this. Hasker theory of Emergent Dualism illustrates that the mind emergence from the brain gives a solution to the mind-body problem. He argues that emergent dualism shares with materialism the argument that ordinary matter possess the potentially for consciousness within itself, it in fact goes some way far from materialism in the power in which it attributes to matter. Considering the standard materialism, the physical closure guarantees that consciousness does not bring about a difference to the manner in which a matter operates itself. This implies that all of the processes in the brain are provided with a mechanistic explanation that would be just similar whether or not the processes performed together with conscious experience. On the other hand, emergent dualism recognizes that a great many mental processes are irreducibly theological, and cannot be provided explanation upon brain processes that own a full mechanistic explanation. Therefore, the power imposed to matter through the emergent dualism leads to the total of

Operations Management of Supermarket Retail Shops

Operations Management of Supermarket Retail Shops Operations are a primary activity for a supermarket retail business. As such, a business that wants to be successful needs to have a leading operating model. Staff plays very important role in this model. It is necessary to put a sustained focus upon how to develop best operational staff to ensure the supermarket industry is fit to embrace the significant future developments that are expected and to excel in customer service (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). As per Martyn (2010), operations must be viewed with the appropriate level of importance, so as to support an ambition to create a world-class operating environment, which consists of people, process, technology and organization. A good operational team staffed by good operational individuals can create a competitive advantage, keeping customers satisfied, having a company that is efficiently, economically and effectively run, and creating a band of loyal and committed employees (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). It is worth being ambitious for the operations function and the associated staff it will make a difference to the business According to Willis (1998), operational management is the systematic management and control of processes that transform resources into finished products and services. The operation includes support for a significant proportion of the workforce and material assets in most organizations. Managers are involved in each step in the operations. They determine what kind of equipment, labor, tools, equipment, materials, energy and information must go into the operating system and how these materials can be the best way to go and use to meet the needs of the market (Banker and Khosla, 1995). Managers are responsible for critical activities such as quality management and monitoring, capacity planning, materials management, purchasing and planning (Goodale and et al. 2010). Without the assistance of staff, these activities cannot be successful. Operations management is also known for production and capacity management and operations management area is a multidiscipline that focuses on operations of the organization (Lashley Taylor, 1998). Schniederjans Cao (2009) states that OM includes many decisions such as the scale of operations, including managements decision regarding the design, planning, and managing a number of factors that affect the operation. (Shin Collier, 2000). Operations Manager needs to apply the ideas and technology to increase productivity and reduce costs, increase flexibility to respond quickly to changing customer needs, shorten delivery times, improve product quality, and improve customer service. These are the important areas to be taken care of for the success of a company or a branch. There has been dramatic increase in the importance of operations management. Significant foreign competition, shorter product and service life-cycles, better-educated and quality-conscious consumers, and the capabilities of new technology have placed increasing pressures on the operations function to improve productivity while providing a broader array of high-quality products and services (Williams Anderson, 2008). With the globalization of markets, firms are recognizing that the operations function can be used to strengthen their position in the market place. Managers in operations management play a strategic and tactical role in satisfying customer needs and making their firms strong international competitors. Organizations should follow the competition. If an employee is away from work or not paying attention then the company will lose customers and its competitors are able to take this opportunity, the company can lose its popularity and profitability. For gaining efficiency quality is the key to success and which is an effective treatment, especially for continuous improvement (Soteriou Chase, 1998). Excellent customer service is essential to the success of any business. Officials must be monitored at all times, if they offer a good customer service or not, so they can better perform and can excel in customer service and their work should be assessed frequently. It takes time to really excel in customer service, but this ability can be learned with proper training. Employees should leave the bad attitude, family problems and personal issues at the door. Generally, customers will not see the owner or management f the company. Instead, they see that the customer service and this is how t hey judge the whole business. Employees are the mirror of the company so the employees should show their best services through their good attitude. Employees should sincerely welcome every customer with a smile, they are valuable. A participatory management and team work are major components of successful operations (Hays Hill, 2006). Motivation, leadership and training are essential too. In addition, materials management and quality, these are two important areas. Materials management is becoming increasingly important in many organizations as the cost of purchasing materials is more than 50% of the total cost products (Shin Collier, 2000). Quality management programs and quality products are essential to compete in todays business environment. The supermarket retail branch staff should have the qualities to win the heart of the customers by their services. For excelling in customer service employees should consider that customers are not easy to deal with but if employees have the patience and the people skills to overcome that, it would be easier for them to excel in it (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). Perhaps the most essential thing the employees should always remember when on a customer service job is to keep a positive attitude. For instance, if one works at a call center, the first thing the employee should expect from a call from online is a burst of angry customers (Soteriou Chase, 1998). Although sometimes this may not be the case but it is better if one is prepare for it. To develop that pleasant and relaxed attitude, it is best to smile even if one is only on the phone. The action of smiling automatically buffers the outbursts you are going to get from your client. In the case of working in a retail business, smiling will go a long way with the customers. When the customers are greeted with a friendly face, they will start t o give their interest. The next thing the employee must remember is how to respond at a time when they come into contact with customers. For a retail customer service, employee does not follow the customers around when they come into the store (Hays Hill, 2006). This is a common mistake made by the store customer service staff. Employees must make it possible for customers to have the freedom to explore the product without tailing behind him. They should let them walk around and check out the goods. When they are ready to ask questions, they talk to employees. Employee must comply with them if they seem to ask, is the signal for the employees can go up to them and ask how they can help them out (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). All this will result in having good reputation in the market. The working operations can output more than they would work alone as the organization has developed sophisticated systems and equipment that increase worker productivity (Horvathova, 2010). The company also provides education and training for their workforce to increase their knowledge and improve their skills. As a result of improvements in productivity and improved training, more outputs are produced and the standard of living increase for all. Employees should think of customers as individuals. If they think so, they realize that their business is their customers, not their products or services. Put all the attention for goods in shops, or companies offering their services, leaving the most important component: each individual customer. For good customer service, employees must go the extra mile. They should include a thank you note to the package to a customer, send a greeting card, clip articles, and write a note of congratulations when they get a promotion (Martyn, 2010). There are many ways for employees to stay in touch with customers and make them closer. An effective operations strategy can provide a competitive advantage. Managers must rethink many of the basic principles of good managers of operations who worked in the past (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Companies should adopt a strategy for improvement that fits the specific needs of the organization at that point. Assigning a team to perform a task may not always be the best idea. Sometimes it is better to allow an individual to work alone. Foster Jeffrey (2008) believe that the main purpose of Operations Management is to plan, organize, direct, and control the process of bringing together people, equipment, materials, and methods to accomplish a broad range of operational tasks outlined below in the most cost-effective manner. The manager of the branch should understand how people think and act accordingly to motivate workers by creating a harmonious workplace. Proper management of the operations function has led to success for many companies. For example, in 1994 Dell Inc. was a second-tier computer maker that managed its operations similar to others in the industry (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Then Dell implemented a new business model that completely changed the role of its operations function. Dell developed new and innovative ways of managing the operations function that have become one of two- days best practices. These changes enabled Dell to provide rapid product delivery of customized products to customers at a lower cost, and thus become an industry leader. As change is the law of the nature, the operations of the supermarket retail branch should be flexible so that they can adapt the changes in the future. For operations management to be successful, it must add value during the transformation process (Willis, 1998). The greater the value added, the more productive a business is. Activities that do not add value are considered a waste; these include certain jobs, equipment, and processes (Banker Khosla, 1995). In addition to value added, operations must be efficient. Performing well at lowest possible cost results in greater efficiency. An important role of operations is to analyze all activities by eliminating those that do not add value, and restructure processes and jobs to achieve greater efficiency (Goodale et al. 2010). Todays business environment is more competitive than ever, and the role of operations management has become the focal point of efforts to increase competitiveness by improving value added and efficiency. This can be possible by employing new methods, new technology and by training employees. As customers demand ever higher quality in their products and services, companies have been forced to focus on improving quality in order to remain competitive. With TQM everyone in the company is responsible for quality. TQM was practiced by some companies in the 1970s and became pervasive in the 1990s (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). Quality is the area of the operations management which can never be ignored by companies. The importance of this movement is demonstrated by the number of companies joining the ranks of those achieving ISO 9000 certià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cation (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). ISO 9000 is a set of quality standards developed for global manufacturers by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to control trade into the then emerging European Economic Community (EEC) (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). Today many companies require their suppliers to meet these standards as a condition for obtaining contracts. To have effective operations management, the company must employ T QM. Competition based on time is the one of the recent trends in the companies. It has many aspects like development of the new products and services and reaching the market first and meeting customer orders most quickly (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). For example, two companies may produce the same product, but if one is able to deliver it to the customer in two days whereas the other delivers it in five days, the à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst company will make the sale and win over the customers. Time-based competition requires specifically designing the operations function for speed (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Supermarket branch should cater to the needs of the customers more quickly in order to gain competitive advantage. Supply Chain management plays a vital role in appropriate operations management. Willis (1998) states that supply chain management (SCM) involve managing the à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow of materials and information from suppliers and buyers of raw materials all the way to the final customer. Its aim is to reduce the overall cost and improving the quality and the delivery of the service. Team approach is essential in supply chain management. It requires the co-operation from all the departments such as marketing, purchasing, operations, and engineering. It will result in more satisfied customers (Banker Khosla, 1995). It has become possible with the development of information technology (IT) tools which assist in collaborative planning and scheduling. The technologies help to combine the supply chain execution and design collaboration, which enables companies to respond better and faster to changing market needs. The companies which have achieved great success through supply chain management are Dell Computer, Wal-Mart, and Baxter Healthcare (Banker Khosla, 1995). Today businesses must think in terms of a global marketplace in order to compete effectively. This includes the way they view their customers, competitors, and suppliers. Key issues are meeting customer needs and getting the right product to markets as diverse as the Far East, Europe, or Africa (Willis, 1998). Operations management is responsible for most of these decisions. Operations Management decides whether to tailor products to different customer needs, where to locate facilities, how to manage suppliers, and how to meet local government standards (Williams Anderson, 2008). Also, global competition has forced companies to reach higher levels of excellence in the products and services they offer. The use of best supply chain management should be used in supermarket retail branch for excellent management of the operations. There should be an effective, consistent and impartial way to benchmark service levels in all the supermarket retail branches, and Mystery Programmes can provide the solution. The employees should have thorough understanding of what the branch offers in order to win and retain the customers. Moreover, the employees must fully understand the position of the branch in the market and what is expected of them (Horvathova, 2010). Mystery shopping programmes support the management and development of service delivery in supermarkets, transforming an intangible asset into exactly what one promises to the customer a vital competitive advantage in todays uncertain market (Hays Hill, 2006) . This programme is very helpful for making improvements among the staff. It will help in identifying areas for revenue improvements, recognizing and rewarding employee and customer service initiatives Mystery shopping programmes should be developed to reflect own unique quality protocols. These systems wil l help to measure the staff performance. Continous monitoriting of the service improvements can be done through this programme. One can define and monitor staff in many ways. These programmes should be designed in such a way so that these can check variables like employee product knowledge, check consistently the quality check standards and uniformity, and monitor customer care and communication (Martyn, 2010). Benchmarking should also be employed in the branch in order to make the comparison among different branches. Otherwise, it is complex to identify the areas that need improvement. Employees should be rewarded on the basis of their performance and there should be incentive plans which will reward the employees when they outperform. This will be very helpful for effective operations management. At the end, it is concluded that for the success of the retail branch operations the employees should pay full attention rather than taking their personal performance for granted. The quality of the service will decline if they dont co-operate. The employees should be checked at all times whether they are providing good customer service or not and there should be training conducted from time to time so that they can learn to excel in this skill and their work should be evaluated frequently. They should also be trained so that they can acquire new skills. There should be an effective, consistent and impartial way to benchmark service levels in all the supermarket retail branches. Todays business environment is more competitive than ever, and the role of operations management has become the focal point of efforts to increase competitiveness by improving value added and efficiency. This can be possible only by employing new methods, new technology and by training employees. By behaving strategically, the supermarkets or companies can pave their way towards effectiveness, efficiency, productivity and prosperity.

Medieval Art Essay -- essays research papers fc

Medieval Art In the art world, the medieval periods were traditionally though to be the unproductive phase of Europe between the decline of Rome and the Renaissance. Our modern feelings toward medieval art are far more appreciative. The main intent of Medieval art was to express Christianity which was also a common bond between a wide spread and diverse Europe. For this reason most of the art found from medieval times originated in monasteries and churches. European art during the Middle Ages can be divided into four periods. These four periods include Celto-Germanic art which ranged from 400 to 800 A.D. and was important in metal work. Carolingian art ranged from 750 to 987 A.D. overlapping 50 years of the Celto-Germanic period. The period of Romanesque art spanned mainly the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and was an important period for medieval architecture. Gothic art, the final period of the Middle Age art began in the Romanesque period around the twelfth century and went on until the sixt eenth century. Artwork form these four periods all consist of distinct styles setting them apart from one another. Celto-Germanic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earliest remains from the Celto-Germanic period consisted of mainly bronze work—bracelets, armbands, broaches, swords, and purse covers. The styles in which samples are crafted involve geometric patterns which interweave different human and animal representations. This is the same style that sets the Celto-Germanic period apart from all others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The paintings of the Celto-Germanic period, similar the metal work, involve many intricate spiral designs, interlaced with different shapes and animal figures. â€Å"They were colored with gum, glue or gelatin binders that were used on parchment† (Cleaver151). Used to illuminate scriptures, the paintings often depicted religious themes. Celto-Germanic architecture made extensive use of wood. Between 750 and 987 A.D. the Celto-Germanic style went through some changes and new styles evolved in different geographic locations. It was during this time the second period of medieval art began. Carolingian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Architecture in the Carolingian period made good use of wood just as the Celto-Germanic period did. A major difference between the two was that Carolingian architects used stone only for important buildings such as churches and castles. Their buildings and plans for unfinished buildi... ...r own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval time period was an important era for the growth of culture throughout the entire world. We owe many innovations used in design, architecture and overall style to the works of the many artists that flourished in the middle ages. Each of the four periods of development were unique to one another, yet followed an overlying religious theme that defined the medieval times. The advancements made during that time were able to influence to the 800 years of art that lead up to present day, and still remain visually and architecturally beautiful. Works Cited Cleaver, Dale G. Art—An Introduction. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1994. Jacobsen, Aaron H. Art and Architecture of the Middle Ages. Barbarian Art of Christian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Europe, Romanesque Art, Gothic Art. Pioch, Niclous. WebMuseum, Paris. 26 May 1996. International Gothic Style. 26 May   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1996. Witcombe, Chris. Art History Resources on the Web. 24 October 1995. Art of the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Middle Ages. 17 January 2002.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Medieval Art Essay -- essays research papers fc Medieval Art In the art world, the medieval periods were traditionally though to be the unproductive phase of Europe between the decline of Rome and the Renaissance. Our modern feelings toward medieval art are far more appreciative. The main intent of Medieval art was to express Christianity which was also a common bond between a wide spread and diverse Europe. For this reason most of the art found from medieval times originated in monasteries and churches. European art during the Middle Ages can be divided into four periods. These four periods include Celto-Germanic art which ranged from 400 to 800 A.D. and was important in metal work. Carolingian art ranged from 750 to 987 A.D. overlapping 50 years of the Celto-Germanic period. The period of Romanesque art spanned mainly the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and was an important period for medieval architecture. Gothic art, the final period of the Middle Age art began in the Romanesque period around the twelfth century and went on until the sixt eenth century. Artwork form these four periods all consist of distinct styles setting them apart from one another. Celto-Germanic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earliest remains from the Celto-Germanic period consisted of mainly bronze work—bracelets, armbands, broaches, swords, and purse covers. The styles in which samples are crafted involve geometric patterns which interweave different human and animal representations. This is the same style that sets the Celto-Germanic period apart from all others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The paintings of the Celto-Germanic period, similar the metal work, involve many intricate spiral designs, interlaced with different shapes and animal figures. â€Å"They were colored with gum, glue or gelatin binders that were used on parchment† (Cleaver151). Used to illuminate scriptures, the paintings often depicted religious themes. Celto-Germanic architecture made extensive use of wood. Between 750 and 987 A.D. the Celto-Germanic style went through some changes and new styles evolved in different geographic locations. It was during this time the second period of medieval art began. Carolingian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Architecture in the Carolingian period made good use of wood just as the Celto-Germanic period did. A major difference between the two was that Carolingian architects used stone only for important buildings such as churches and castles. Their buildings and plans for unfinished buildi... ...r own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval time period was an important era for the growth of culture throughout the entire world. We owe many innovations used in design, architecture and overall style to the works of the many artists that flourished in the middle ages. Each of the four periods of development were unique to one another, yet followed an overlying religious theme that defined the medieval times. The advancements made during that time were able to influence to the 800 years of art that lead up to present day, and still remain visually and architecturally beautiful. Works Cited Cleaver, Dale G. Art—An Introduction. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1994. Jacobsen, Aaron H. Art and Architecture of the Middle Ages. Barbarian Art of Christian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Europe, Romanesque Art, Gothic Art. Pioch, Niclous. WebMuseum, Paris. 26 May 1996. International Gothic Style. 26 May   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1996. Witcombe, Chris. Art History Resources on the Web. 24 October 1995. Art of the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Middle Ages. 17 January 2002.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚