Social Media Monitoring

Introduction The emergence of the internet has significantly transformed the business environment. One of the ways through which this has occurred relates to the ease with which businesses can undertake marketing communication. Integration of effective marketing communication is one of the elements that contribute towards business success.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Social Media Monitoring specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are various mediums of communication which organizations can integrate in an effort to attain a high competitive advantage. One these entails integrating emerging marketing communication channels such the internet. Businesses can easily undertake their marketing promotion through the internet. Integration of social media in their marketing communication has enhanced the ease with which businesses connect with their audiences. However, businesses can also experience marketin g attacks through the social media. One of the ways in which marketing attacks may occur is through social networking. Currently, social media has made it possible for real time communication amongst total strangers to occur. Additionally, social networking has enabled individuals to add user-generated contents for example feedbacks, comments and ratings through their own page. This presents a number of challenges and opportunities to organizations. One of the major challenges relates to the fact that social media can break companies through the comments posted by various individuals. In order to prevent this, it is imperative for organizations to undertake social media monitoring. Schwerdtfeger (23) defines social media monitoring as basically a process which entails listening and actively being involved in a conversation through social media. This means that individuals are able to contribute their own insights and comments with regard to a particular issue being discussed. Social media monitoring provides organizations with an opportunity to address negative comments regarding the organization which might be posted on the social media.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Similarly, social media monitoring can enable organizations to appreciate positive comments. According to Porterfield, Khare and Vahl (561), social media monitoring is an important component of a firm’s marketing strategy. However, there are a number of drawbacks associated with social media monitoring. The objective of this memo is to analyze the benefits that organizations can achieve by integrating the concept of social media monitoring in their operation. The memo also evaluates the drawbacks associated with social media monitoring. Benefits of social media monitoring There are numerous benefits that organizations can achieve by undertaking social media monitori ng. One of these relates to the fact that it provides organizations with a comprehensive understanding on what social media users are saying regarding the organization and its products. Additionally, social media monitoring also provides individual entrepreneurs and organizations with an opportunity to participate in a discussion regarding a particular issue associated with their businesses. The resultant effect is that business management teams are able understand the community views regarding their firms’ operation. Conversations on particular issues undertaken through various social mediums such as Twitter, Blogs, Wikis, You Tube, news sites and Facebook can be a great source of business intelligence. This arises from the fact that one can be able to follow conversations on the various social mediums. For example, if one posts a negative comment regarding the business or its products, it is possible to respond quickly and fix it before the business’ image is negativ ely affected. Additionally, social media monitoring also enables businesses to correct any misinformation on a particular issue which may be posted against the business. Undertaking social media monitoring can be an effective strategy that organizations can incorporate when dealing with certain crisis that might negatively affect the organizations (Sellnow, Ulmer Seeger 58). Social media is an effective channel of communication during crisis compared to traditional channels.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Social Media Monitoring specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This arises from the fact that social media provides a platform through which the organization can use to update stakeholders regarding the crisis. Continuous monitoring of the stakeholders’ comment through social media can enable organizations to successfully dispel the crisis. By monitoring the social media, organizations have an opp ortunity to identify possible problems which might arise in the future thus addressing them appropriately. For example, the organizations may be able to identify customer complaints and negative comments posted and address them before they become big problems. Examples of such social networking websites include Twitter, Facebook, You Tube and epinion.com which give product users an opportunity to post comments, provide full reviews and rate products. Additionally, there is also a gap with regard to social media which enables individuals to create fake profiles related to particular organization. As a result, fake messages which are intended at harming the organization can be posted. Considering these challenges, the importance of social media monitoring cannot be underestimated. Sellnow et al (58) is of the opinion that social media monitoring enable organizations to be always prepared and to anticipate possible crisis. Additionally, monitoring keeps organizations to remain connecte d with their stakeholders. Social media monitoring is not only beneficial by enhancing communication between organizations and their prospective customers. However, it also enables entrepreneurs to track conversations being undertaken by industry thought leaders, business partners and competitors. For example, a social media monitoring can enable a particular organization to predict and follow sales trends. One of the social media tools which make this to be possible is Twitter. It is possible for organizations to track Tweets using certain keywords. This illustrates the fact that social media monitoring can play an important role in evaluating the performance of the organization against its competitors and the entire industry. Therefore, social media monitoring can be a hub of information. The intelligence generated by undertaking social media monitoring can also enable management teams to make effective decisions. This significantly improves the entrepreneurs understanding of the industry trends.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Social media monitoring also provides businesses with an opportunity to monitor various keywords which may be complementary to the firm’s operation. According to Porterfield, Khare and Vahl (564), monitoring is keyword based. This means that it is paramount for businesses to take into consideration the right words. Some of the keywords that they should take into consideration include the name of the business, product names, names of top 3 industry competitors, name of business partners and niche keywords. Keyword monitoring may provide organizations with an opportunity to undertake product development. Monitoring the various social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and You Tube may give entrepreneurs ideas and insights on possible partnership. Additionally, social media monitoring may also provide organizations and entrepreneurs with an opportunity to identify possible product development opportunities. This arises from the fact that social media monitoring provides o rganizations with a wide range of market data. For example, firms’ management teams are able to understand the customers’ needs, confusion and frustration regarding the firm’s products and services. This arises from the fact that the social media gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to be on top of its customers’ minds. Social media monitoring also provides entrepreneurs with an opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of group dynamics and customer behaviors. For example, the entrepreneurs are able to understand how individuals interact with one another. Drawbacks of social media monitoring Undertaking social media monitoring may also have negative impacts on an organizations. One of the major drawbacks that organizations may experience as a result of social media monitoring relates to the fact that the firms’ management teams may overreact to a particular negative comment posted on the social media by the public. By reacting to the nega tive comments, organizations may fail to notice that the customers are may not be aware of the negative publicity regarding the company. This means that most of the customers may become aware of the negative posts regarding the organization through its reaction. Another possible drawback of social media monitoring may arise in the event that the organization has not clarified to its employees on who should communicate to the public regarding various company issues. As a result, some employees may post negative comments resulting into subsequent retraction. The resultant effect is that the public may become confused. Conclusion Considering the dynamic nature of the business environment, it is critical for organizations to integrate effective communication with its stakeholders such as the customers. One of the ways through which organizations can achieve this is by incorporating emerging social communication networks such as the social media. To be effective in utilizing social media as a channel of communication, it is critical for organizations to undertake social media monitoring. The above analysis indicates that there are numerous benefits that organizations can achieve by undertaking social media monitoring. For example, through social media monitoring, firms’ management teams are able to understand what the public is saying regarding the organization and its products. Considering the fact that social media provides organizations with an opportunity to communicate with various stakeholders on real-time basis, firms’ management teams can be able to address negative comments regarding the firm posted on the social media. The resultant effect is that organizations are able to address possible crisis that they may face. This contributes to development of a strong connection with the stakeholders. Social media monitoring can also be a source of business intelligence. This arises from the fact that organizations are able to understand what the cus tomers, the competitors and industry leaders are saying about the firm. This plays a significant role in improving organizations decision making process. Through social media monitoring, it is possible for organizations to undertake product development. For example, an organization may identify an opportunity which it can exploit by undertaking brand extension. However, one of the major drawbacks associated with social media monitoring relates to the risk that organizations may overreact to a particular negative comment posted on the social media. Despite this challenge, social media monitoring is an important element that organizations should take into consideration. This arises from the fact that it results into development of a high competitive advantage with regard to market communication. Works Cited Porterfield, Army, Khare, Phyllis and Vahl Andrea. Facebook marketing all in one  for dummies. New York: John Wiley, 2011. Web. Schwerdtfeger, Patrick. Marketing shortcuts for t he self-employed: Leverage  resources, establish online e credibility and crush your competition. New York: John Wiley. 2011. Web. Sellnow, Timothy, Ulmer, Robert and Seeger, Matthew. Effective crisis  communication moving from crisis to opportunity. New York: Thousand Oaks. 2010. Web. This critical writing on Social Media Monitoring was written and submitted by user Nickolas U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Black Mexicans essays

Black Mexicans essays The history of slavery in the Americas normally covers the situation of the blacks in North America. However, recently there have been increasing numbers of historical studies conducted about Africans in Latin America, specifically Mexico. Blacks were present as slaves of the Spaniards as early as the 1520s, when Mexico was known as New Spain. Over the next 300 years, the slave trade brought approximately 200,000 Africans to the colony. In fact, there were more slaves than Spaniards. Numerous blacks were born in Mexico and followed their parents as slaves. Slavery was not abolished until 1829, but today the descendants still live in Mexico and their cultural heritage remains in music and dance and the arts. The Spanish invaded Mexico in the early 1500s and soon exploited local labor for its needs for mining and agricultural efforts, so there was little initial interest in African slaves. Soon, however, disease and depopulation of local labor made the Spaniards look elsewhere for their workers. The Spaniards had an excellent supply of precious metals as well as a healthy trade balance with Europe, so could easily afford to bring African slaves into the country to fill in the regions abandoned by Amerindian laborers. They were also able to rely on these African slaves to make up for the lack of poor city workers among the Spaniards in the new imperial cities of America1. African slaves were advantageous since they had no kin in the country and were completely mobile. Because they had their own multiple languages and would only have the European language in common when arriving in Mexico, the African slaves would be forced to adjust to Western norms. To the contrary, Indians were a detri ment because they could not be moved from their lands on a permanent basis and already had an established culture and language. In addition, the Africans did not need to learn new skills, because they came from communities with extensive agriculture,...

Adequate is Adequate

Adequate is Adequate Adequate is Adequate Adequate is Adequate By Maeve Maddox From a reader: let me ask if the following usage is correct: The food is adequate enough. Like unique, the adjective adequate says it all. adequate: equal to, or fully sufficient for a specified or implied requirement; often: narrowly or barely sufficient The addition of enough in the following examples is redundant: If you work at it, you can do an adequate-enough job. There are no words that seem adequate enough to describe the thanks and appreciation The Allen test is not adequate enough for the screening of hand circulation I don’t think she did too well on saying I love America. That wasn’t adequate enough †¦ The unnecessary enough seems to be especially common in questions: Are most good freeride bikes adequate enough to race downhill Are there any words adequate enough to describe peace? Photoshop adequate enough for Screen-Print Designs? Is PC gaming desirably adequate enough to give up on console When apologizing is saying my bad adequate enough? If something is adequate, thats all there is to say: Now is the time to make an adequate income a reality for all of Gods children†¦ Do tinfoil helmets provide adequate protection against mind control rays? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1When to Form a Plural with an ApostropheSupervise vs. Monitor

Novel Interaction Game for Kids Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Novel Interaction Game for Kids - Coursework Example The formed Tangible User Interface basically refers to a given interface whereas people interact with digital components and information by use of the physical environments. The interfaces are built on the intuitive knowledge of the objects of the physical world that people have. The objects themselves are used to provide the tangible interaction. Tangible interactions make use of the close relationship between the physical real affordances and the digital objects and thus provide initiative interfaces which promote supportive and collaborative activities as well as double-handed interactions which give its uses a sense of directness. The approach provided by the tangible interaction is that which stresses on the physical representation of data, materiality and also tangibility of user interfaces, the entire body interaction and the integration of the intuitive interface and the interaction of users in real physical contexts. Unlike the conventional learning methods, tangible interaction improves learning and offers significant advantages in learning environments. This is so because the frameworks that are adopted by the tangible interfaces guide learners and designers towards activities that encourage better and more profound learning. These interactions are therefore better in certain situations and in these situations help young learners enhance their knowledge. Better educational interaction requires a platform that enables learners to interact with the physical objects and things that they are used to during the learning process. This maintains the similarity of the learning process and actualizes it with the normal world making the learning process not only real but also adaptive (Hornecker & Eva, 2009). Tangible interactions also use an interface which remains interesting and easy to use. Such interfaces will always capture the attention and concentration of young kids and help them concentrate on their learning for longer. This is so because the platform is interactive and therefore involves them directly. The novel interaction game developed makes use of tangible interaction techniques to enhance learning among young people. It provides them with an interactive interface which makes use of physical phenomena and obstacles to promote learning. Basically, the game lets kids identify different continents at the beginning of the game and gets harder as the game progresses. For instance, it asks kids questions like to identify Europe (continent) using graphical interface and the kids are expected to interactively select the right continent displayed on the screen. This helps provide the kids with a better learning experience which is also practical. Method The novel interaction game for kids was designed using an intuitive interface whose aim was to encourage kids on learning concepts using interactive learning. This was chosen as an advanced and advantageous way of promoting the learning activity of kids. Contrary to the conventional learning methods, tangible interactive learning was formulated as a way of fully engaging kids in the learning process and improving their concentration during learning activities. The design of the tangible interaction interface was designed to let kids identify questions and tasks themselves. The identification process was designed to make use of the kids’ visual ability and en able them relate the program’s features to the physical world. The physical objects and images which have been used in the program were chosen to make the learning experience real and imaginable to the kids. This was a selected as a way of promoting

Several Topics(Psychology 101) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Several Topics(Psychology 101) - Essay Example Storage of information can be systematically done by conscious process of learning either in formal or non-formal ways. Memory or information gained by the learner through this process is referred to as declarative memory. Learning through proper study or experience, and other similar approaches are included in this category. It can be semantic or episodic. Semantic declarative memories are memories of meanings, understandings, and other concept-based knowledge without the help of experience. For instance knowing that a hammer is a tool and not a pet is a semantic memory. In the other hand episodic declarative memory are knowledge of events, times, places, associated emotions, and others learning, in relation to an experience. Declarative memories are otherwise called as explicit memory Procedural memory or implicit memory in the other hand are knowledge and information gained stored and retained through past experience of events, places, times, emotions, and other learning activities that are used by the learners unconsciously in the process of doing things. Mastery in driving is developed unconsciously by previous experiences without the driver being conscious of what had been learned from the past. Survival instincts are considered as implicit or procedural memory. Procedural memories are information and memories learned through time used procedural works. In dealing with daily chores both explicit and implicit knowledge are useful in making hard tasks easy. This information intertwines with each other in our dealings with other people, solving our problems, doing our jobs, deciding what is best, and determining which is right and wrong. 2. Short and Long Term Memory The brain collects and stores information in the course of daily activities as humans are faced with varying circumstances every second and decides whether this information is useful and subject for further refining and re-storage for future use or discards it after the event ceased. These bits of data are short-term memories with the potential of becoming long-term memories. Short-term memories are commonly called primary, working, or active memory. They are stored in the brain for about 30 seconds and are used in the current process of analyzing the current stimuli or situation. These memories in small "bytes" are combined with each other to form into another information which maybe stored as another short term information or stored for longer time for future use. Once that particular event has been completed some less useful memory are lost and useful ones are retained as long-term memory. And the process goes on and on and on. Long-term memories (LTM) are data stored in the brain for 30 seconds or as long as decades. Short-term memories which are used by the brain further become LTMs. Retention of memory is accomplished through the process of rehearsal or continued use and meaningful association with established long term memories. The meaning of red traffic light can be forgotten fast if it is not associated with traffic rules. By this example a short-term memory became a long-term memory. The mechanism involved in converting short-term memories into LTM is called long-term potentiation. Just like short term memories, long-term memory is also subject to forgetting process, several retrieval processes may be needed for them to last longer. Chunks of information flood into the brain every second in our dealings with a lot of stimuli. Some of these memories do not last long and are called short-term

Aspects of schooling Essay Example for Free

Aspects of schooling Essay Society is regularly called upon to make ethical judgments related to all aspects of schooling. These considerations of right and wrong are made when creating the school curriculum, practicing teaching and learning methods, and budget issues. Education is a vital part of society in which everyone plays a role. It is not only the role of parents and teachers to support a child’s education, but also the role of the whole society to provide a structure of living that supports what is being taught. The purpose of education is to provide a way for others to learn. However, the motive of learning can vary. Some people may learn out of pure interest, whereas others may learn to be able to function in society by getting a job. Education can occur in any environment where there is a will to learn. Furthermore, learning is not dependent on a teacher or any institute but can also occur as self-learning. The best teaching methods are always those that are chosen by the student, not the teacher. Many students prefer learning methods in which they can apply their knowledge practically. Students learn effectively through hands-on experience. Apart from this, any exposure that can be provided to students of their area of study also helps the student learn their role and their future job within the society. Such exposure can be provided through field trips or inviting professionals related to the students’ field of study to address the students. Support can also be provided to studen ts through alumni groups and career counselors. In this way, the purpose of education and method of education depends largely on the learner or student, not the teacher or institute. There are two main roles that schools play. The first role is towards their students. This is the relationship that the school maintains with its students. The other role is towards society. This includes the school’s participation in public activities such as fund-raising, organizing public events, or participation in any public demonstrations. The role of schools towards society also includes how schools prepare their students to be better members of the society. We must realize here that the latter role of schools, namely that of allowing its students to be better members of society, is not the sole responsibility of the schools. It is true that we usually look upon the teacher and other school officials as the educational leader, role model, and decision-maker towards a child’s education. This is an unfortunate fact because teachers can never teach everything to students. Unfortunately, parents often use educational institutes as a way of neglecting their child. Many parents may show love and support for their child by admitting them to an expensive school. However, this has a negative effect when parents think that they can pay others to keep their child happy and educate them properly. Parents and society as a whole must take responsibility by helping students towards being better human beings. Communication and the ability to speak freely are also involved in this area. Teachers, parents and students must be willing to communicate with each other and discuss ways to improve the level of education. The learning community is not just restricted to students, teachers, and school authorities. The student must never feel intimidated of approaching others and speaking freely, whether it is to a teacher, parent, or anyone else they may encounter in their everyday life. The school curriculum should firstly include that material which will be most useful to the student. If the curriculum deviates from what the student wants to learn then the student will quickly lose interest. In general education, the curriculum should be as vast as possible to allow students to learn about different subjects. In contrast, any curriculum of a specific subject or catering to a specific profession such as art, science or business should be more focused and practical in terms of helping the student later in their career. However, all curricula should also provide a basic level of education such as English and other life skills subjects that will help the student function more effectively within society. Learning should occur in an environment that is healthy not just physically but also mentally and socially. Physical conditions do play a role towards how well the students learn. When teaching a large group of students the room must be well ventilated and be large enough to accommodate the students comfortably. These types of situations normally arise during school lectures or assemblies. However, it is absolutely crucial that every student also receives some individual attention. This can be done either by making the classes smaller so there are less students per teacher or arranging a schedule in which each student is allowed to have individual meetings with the teacher. It is the purpose of teachers and institutes to teach relevant material effectively. Everyone learns differently for different reasons. To teach successfully, teachers must first learn about their students. They must assess what interests their student, why the student is attending their class, and how they can help the student learn. Teachers must act as tools of education and be approachable. References: Ballantine, Jeanne H. (1989). Schools And Society. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Karabel, Jerome and A.H. Halsey. (1977). Power And Ideology In Education. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Lazerson, Marvin. (1987). American Education In The Twentieth Century. New York, NY: Teachers College Press Levine, David A. (2002). Building Classroom Communities: Strategies For Developing A Culture Of Caring. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Mayer, Susan E and Paul E. Peterson. (1999). Earning And Learning: How Schools Matter. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press Mendler, Allen N. (2000). Motivating Students Who Dont Care: Successful Techniques For Educators. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree

Pink Floyd :: essays research papers

â€Å"The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think. Oh by the way, which one's Pink?† In the mid 60’s Syd Barrett formed a psychedelic band, with fellow Englishmen Roger Waters, Rick Wright, and Nick Mason. Barrett on lead guitar, Waters on bass, Wright on keyboards, and Mason on drums. The name came from two of Barrett’s favorite American blues-men, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. They began experimenting with intense instrumentals of feedback, electronic screeches, and unusual, eerie sounds created by loud amplification, reverb, and such tricks as sliding ball bearings up and down guitar strings. By 1966, heavily under the influence LSD and Barrett, the group began to incorporate light shows to add to the psychedelic effect of their live performances. In 1967 they signed with EMI records and released The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. It is considered to be one of the best British psychedelic albums, second only to The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band album. Sadly they would never even have a chance to recreate a similar masterpiece, solely because Barrett’s involvement in the band was in its final stages. Barrett was becoming heavily involved in mind-altering drugs like LSD and was showing alarming signs of mental instability. They tried to work out an arrangement where newly hired guitarist and close friend David Gilmour would perform live with the band while Barrett would make his contributions in the studio. This didn’t work. Syd Barrett left the group to pursue a solo career. The band decided to continue on without Barrett and Waters stepped in as the dominant composer and writer. Using Barrett’s vision as an obvious blueprint, but adding a more formal, somber, and quasi-classical tone, their 1968 follow-up A Saucerful of Secrets, made the British Top Ten and proved the band was to continue on. For the next four years they would work on their sound, keeping it within the range of psychedlia, but reaching out to the uses experimental rock, and using such instruments as organs and horns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They continued on in their journey of rock history with such classics as Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother, but never reaching that same plateau as they did with their debut. They later released Meddle in 1971which further showcased their development of albums as whole masterpieces instead of just individual songs. Nothing, however, prepared Pink Floyd or their audience for

Assess Different Indicators Used to Measure Development Essay

Development is a process of change that affects people’s lives, which may involve an improvement in the quality of life as perceived by the people undergoing change. As development is such a wide category, it can be split into social and economic factors as well as simple and composite indicators. To start with, many economic indicators are used to measure a country’s development. GDP (Gross Domestic Product), this is the total value of goods and services produced in a country. GNP (Gross National Product) includes income from investments abroad and PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) takes into account local cost of living and is usually expressed per capita. These are the three main economic indicators. Many advantages appear when using economic measurement as an indicator, such as it is a useful figure for comparing countries and often used to rank countries to establish a fair system of aid payments. Also, each country can be easily compared and calculated so that patterns can be seen quickly. However, this way of measurement does come with a lot of problems. For example, the distribution of wealth is unequal I most/all countries but when studying the indicator results, it shows that supposedly the country has an equal distribution. This results in inequality being ‘covered up’ and a true picture is not shown which therefore makes the result lack in validity. Countries have different currencies, which is an issue within itself but this is enlarged when countries have different currency fluctuations. This makes it hard to then compare each countries results to one another as the values shown have different rates of wealth. Although, this problem is being tackled by converting all the currencies to US$ so easy comparisons can be made, and patterns can be easily shown when comparing countries. Other problems that come from using economic indicators are they can be manipulated by governments who want to appear poor to collect more aid and it does not take into account informal economies which are very important in less developed countries. To try and eliminate the economic problems, social indicators are also used to make the results as accurate as possible. Social indicators are used mainly to give an idea about the peoples quality of life in that country, although this can be significantly hard to actually categorise. The main indicators for the social categories are Life Expectancy (the average lifespan of someone born in that country), Birth Rate (number of babies born per thousand people per year). This allows a clear indicator of a countries level of development, as well as being able to predict the future situation to plan accordingly. BR can be affected by population policies (e.g. China’s one child policy) and figures in LEDCs are not necessarily accurate. Literacy Rate (percentage of the population able to read and write) also has negatives such as when used on its own it doesn’t tell us whether the figure is a consequence of too few schools or the fact that children are having to work. The other issue is that it takes no notice of other skills (agricultural for example) the people may have which are equally valuable (e.g. a good understanding of farming techniques). Literacy rates is used as an indicator because it does show the amount of education on offer and tells us how many children could or couldn’t attend school. Finally, Infant Mortality (the number of children who die before they reach the age of one for every thousand live births per year). An advantage of using these four social indicators to ‘measure’ a country as a general point is that more patterns are shown by comparing economic and social factors. For example, the higher the GDP per person the higher the life expectancy showing a positive correlation between the two. As stated in the opening paragraph, the development of a country can also be measured by using simple and composite indicators. The indicators discussed above in both economic and social categories are classed as simple indicators (excluding GDP). The composite indicator definition is as follows: ‘Composite indicators measures are used when single indicators cannot adequately capture such multi-dimensional concepts. Ideally, a composite indicator should be based on a theoretical framework / definition, which allows individual indicators/variables to be selected, combined and weighted in a manner which reflects the dimensions or structure of the phenomena being measured’. Simplified, composite indicators combine a number of single component indices to give a combined score. A frequent composite indicator that is often used is the HDI (Human Development Index). this combines PPP, life expectancy, adult literacy and average number of years in schooling. Other composite indicators include GEM (Gender Empowerment Measure) and GDI (Gender-related Development Index) to measure gender inequality. Other quality of life indicators could measure a variety of social and economic fac tors. Composite indicators are often considered more reliable as they combine a number of simple indicators to give one average score. The problem with this however is having only an average result. As previously discussed, by having an average score the result lacks validity as it doesn’t show a true picture. In conclusion, the method that gives the most accurate and true representation of a country, in my opinion, is to use a combination of social and economic simple indicators. Many positives and negatives come from using simple and composite indicators, but the key problem with using composite is that it only gives an average. The main point of creating and using indicators is to get the true representation of a countries development, and composite indicators often do no prove this where as simple indicators are more likely to. View as multi-pages

The Clinton administration

In a more modern sense, the conflicts in Bosnia, Somalia, and Rwanda were liberal efforts to assist the U. N. in maintaining humanitarian ideals throughout the globe. The Clinton administration could not gain support for these efforts from Congress, which showed that we had a liberal leader at the helm of a realist Congress. Today, the need for international cooperation is greater than ever. Global borders, once so vital, have eroded to the point that they are no longer visible to any but the most redoubtable warmongers.In an era where one can contact Bora Bora in an instant, the necessity of communication and understanding is greater than ever. It is true that human nature will not change; what we can change is the manner in which we deal with it. Many people argue that the United Nations is an impotent organization whose time has passed. Others debate that the U. N. is the only forum in which the smaller nations of the world have a voice. Unfortunately, both views are correct. For instance, in the case of Bosnia, Serbian soldiers seized 350 UN peacekeepers as hostages.The United States was forced to intervene in August of 1995. By November of 1995 the nations of Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia arranged to sit down and discuss the matter, and by the 21st of that month an agreement was signed (Mingst 121). In this instance, then, the UN was powerless and had to look once more to the U. S. to provide international leadership. Realists quote this episode as the strongest example of their belief in the importance of military leadership. For the American public, too, military leadership is palatable, but only if the conflict is brief.Other organizations, such as the ICC, or International Criminal Court, are of more recent origin. While it is not a new idea to punish nations in retaliation for war crimes, using an international forum in which to do so is an idea founded after the conflicts in Yugoslavia and Rwanda. The ICC covers a very specific group of crimes and seek s to penalize the individuals responsible. The dictates that the ICC covers are genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. The ICC should help to avoid extradition issues in that the ICC has absolute jurisdiction over these aspects of international law.It will also serve as a sounding board for enforcing individual and national accountability (Mingst 190). In order to comprehend the effectiveness of international organizations, one must first analyze how liberals and realists view them. Realists are basically state-centered; that is, they believe that states only act to preserve their own self-interests. While they acknowledge that international law has a place in preserving order and the status quo, they also feel that states only comply with international laws because it serves their self-interests to do so (Mingst 191).Order brings benefits; therefore states should comply with imposed order to reap these benefits. For example, it behooves states to f ollow the dictums of maritime law and not invade foreign waters. Conflicts can be costly on an economic, psychological, and military level; therefore, most states abide by international laws to avoid reaping these costs. As for international organizations such as the UN, realists are skeptical. They feel that most of these organizations have more weaknesses than strengths. They aver that the UN has proven unproductive and ineffective.An example of this might be the failure of the UN to enforce the 2003 resolutions against Iraq. In this manner, they claim, international law will only stand to reinforce the powerful states, because the dominant states are the only ones with the means to bring such causes to fruition. The realist belief system is essentially anarchic—they believe that states only cooperate with one another because it is in their self-interests to do so. If they choose to disregard the strictures of international law, they will also do so, particularly if the law in question directly affects their economic or military wellbeing.Realists believe that international organizations and NGOs are completely useless in that they have no means of enforcing their dictums. They cite as examples the failure of the UN during the civil war in Yugoslavia. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the nation of Yugoslavia had no effective arbiter, i. e. the U. S. S. R. , to mediate disputes. Yugoslavia had major fault lines within the country: religious, political, cultural, and historical (Mingst 204). The conflicts that resulted after Russia could no longer control the nation were so ferocious that the world was appalled.Serbian leaders tried to maintain unity in the face of strong opposition from separatist movements from the Slovenian, Croatian, and Bosnia-Herzegovinian nations. Several countries jumped into the fray, supporting one cause or another, but this only served to make the situation worse and emphasized the ideals of Yugoslavia as a divided nation. Both the EU and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) tried to start negotiations, but none could come to a successful conclusion. Fighting broke out among the warring factions in the meantime.At this point, the UN got involved to try to deliver humanitarian aid and establish a peacekeeping force. In the end, no international arbiter was able to settle the conflict, and Yugoslavia ultimately ended in the division of the country into four separate nations: Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Slovenia. In this manner, then, realists assert that this was the ultimate failure of international organizations versus the self-interests of states. The liberal view on international organizations is that human beings will ultimately follow the ideals of right.Therefore, they follow international law because it is morally just to do so. In the liberal mind, all states will benefit from doing what is right and moral, and international organizations represent t he ultimate culmination of this goal of international cooperation. States have general expectations about other states’ behavior (Mingst 190). In a system of mutual cooperation and respect, liberals argue, the system of international law will succeed. They do agree with the realists on one point: the system only works if powerful states become involved.A request for aid or a diplomatic protest from a small or weak nation will most likely be ignored unless the vulnerable nation has a powerful ally. On the plus side of this argument, this type of international hegemony is precisely why treaty organizations and international courts function so well—they keep the large powers in check while protecting the interests of the smaller states. Thus it befits all nations to cooperate on an international level. The United States is not the only party to blame, however. The only nations who seem to take the U. N.completely seriously are the ones who have the least power to affect c hange. The United Nations needs to act more quickly and definitively and not leave the burden of responsibility on the U. S. While our role as the defenders of freedom is one which we have embraced readily in the past, it is not viable for the future. The U. N. and the WTO need to impose harsher penalties for those nations that fail to meet international laws, and the ICC needs more power to punish wrongdoers. In short, we need to stop being an anarchic collection of deviant nations and come together to fight for humanity.This solution sounds simplistic, and is one which we may never realize within our lifetime. It is not an impossible solution, however. The EU was a pipe dream for years. Many of the European nations had resentments and issues that dated back for hundreds of years. What we and the international organizations can do is this: we can find a sustainable global economy and we can find viable solutions to issues that concern all of us. We can review the U. N. Charter and eliminate all outdated and useless language.If this does not work, perhaps forming a new organization might be the key. We could take responsibility for nuclear weapons and finally make a definitive decision concerning their use and misuse. The easiest way to maintain global stability from terrorism would be to create a permanent U. N. army, with all nations represented. The U. N. would then have the military might to go beyond its peacekeeping duties but would be able to stop conflicts before they escalated. Ratification and acknowledgement of the ICC would also be a positive change (simpol. org).If all nations knew that tyrants and terrorists would be punished accordingly and brought to justice it might eliminate the temptation to hide these criminals. John Bunzi of the International Simultaneous Policy Organization believes that these solutions are possible. As he writes, â€Å"The Simultaneous Policy is a peaceful political strategy to democratically drive all the world’ s nations to apply global solutions to global problems, including combating global warming and environmental destruction, regulating economic globalization for the good of all, and delivering social justice, peace and security, and sustainable prosperity† (simpol.org). The relevance to me as the reviewer is that the article allows me to infer my own ideas of human performance and how it can relate to my own business practices. The vacuum system is used too often in organizations and the needs and dilemmas of certain business training, and practices comes into full view as felonious when I read the article. In the article, it mentions that there are positive and negative consequences in the feedback level. If a worker is performing at the top of his or her ability then the company’s response is more work, which they conclude is a positive feedback.Instead of continual delivery of on-time projects, because the worker is being laden with work they stop performing so well b ecause they see that their co-workers are getting paid the same amount as them, but without the extra work. So, the dilemma is that the organization might view certain types of feedback as positive while the worker sees it as negative and thus the feedback affects the performance of their work. I have seen this played out many times in my own business relationships.It shows me that a clear line of communication in the human performance system is integral to the performance of the entire organization. Without clear communication the faults in an organization remain unaddressed in certain training programs and as the authors state, the company does not always know what is ‘broken’, to what extent, what area is at fault (human performance? ), how the performance is lacking in output, and what activity is causing the deficiency. Each of these areas, in my experience, is typically ignored in the business world.No one wants to be assigned blame; so general maneuvers such as t raining programs are instilled as answers to what is wrong, when in fact what is wrong might not even be known. To further examine the tenacity of the aforementioned groups that provided succor to Bosnia certain questions should be research. The first question that needs to be asked is the cons of having an organization come into a country without having full knowledge of the situation; in the case of Bosnia however it was with the media that the world became aware of the genocide and thus, under the strict rules of advocating for human rights, the United States had to step in.In some instances, the predicted behavior or reaction an institute exhibits in a chaotic environment isn’t calculable; this is witnessed repeatedly in the Bosnia conflict as no one organization stepped into the situation of Bosnia until after genocide and after destruction; the political world knew what was about to occur in this realm of the disintegrating Yugoslavian countryside, no political party or nation took responsibility and helped Bosnia. The human capacity for enduring extreme environments is astounding.In the case of Bosnia however, a far less serious outcome may be become of the situation had prescience been used. Even if every level of organization is cooperative to the output deliverance of the institute, the reliance of that output depends on the human element, and that element must not be regarded as capable of extreme high performance of extreme low performance. Thus, when Bosnia effectively asked for help from Europe and the United States they did not expect either to say ‘no’.Questions that should also be raised alongside the general ones presented in this paper in regards to the way in which national organizations have decided to deal with the Bosnia conflict are the benefits the people receive after being released from refugee camps or concentration camps: where will the people go? Who will help them? Each of these questions is relevant when cons idering human endurance in any capacity. The lack of, or the involvement of, these questions can deter a person from achieving their home or even of a company of maintaining in the person the belief that aid came when there was some to offer.In human performance, though the macrocosm is important, there should also be a high degree of microcosm involved in the international environment if the question is about raising acknowledgment in all levels of political policies, and maintaining that performance. Research at this level should yield supporting data to human endurance and further state the fallacy in the vacuum system where communications are lost such as when does Bosnia need help, should they be helped, etc.?Institutions such as NATO and the UN do not work to their highest quality in a vacuum. A vacuum isolates the institute from the people who need their help. In a vacuum setting the assumption of progress being made is linked to training input without any direction to what i s fundamentally wrong with performance. If the organization doesn’t know what is wrong and tries to fix it, then nothing seriously is being accomplished. Also, if the international organization does have a downfall, then to what extent is that downfall hindering performance?An alternative to this vacuum procedure of dealing with pitfalls in the international environment is to view country in need of aid as a priority. There are five points in the performance system when it comes to international politics and state agendas, they are: the institute, input, output, consequence, and feedback. At each level there is an interdependent relationship that allows for a well performing organization. Since the relationships are dependent on each other for high performance the organization must be adaptive.In this adaptive system there are three levels: organization level, process level, and the individual level. To improve an organization and to steer clear from the vacuum effect, an org anization must consider that within the society these levels, and improving performance, depend on whether or not on each level’s problems are being addressed and this begins with the question, it what ways have the international organizations failed? The main strength of the international organization lies in its ability to dissect and expound the idea of fast performance when a country is in need of such swiftness.The organizations, especially the UN exude well thought out plans and deliver the idea of human rights being their number one priority as can be witnessed in their involvement with Bosnia during the crisis years. There are six variables by which the UN, NATO, etc must measure themselves, they are; performance specifications, task interference, consequences, feedback, knowledge/skill, and individual capacity. In this system these points make for a higher quality performance.Another strength of the UN is that it doesn’t parlay the fault of lack of succor on a ny one country entirely but instead they focus on the positive and try and enlist help from other countries instead of bribing other countries, but allows for fault in all parts of the hierarchy in social concern. Both performers and how the UN addresses weakness in the input/output system should be under scrutiny, because the weakness must be dealt with in all parts of the hierarchy in order for the UN to be successful. ConclusionIt may be surmised that Bosnia, though perhaps unavoidable could have been handled in a better international capacity, as such the genocide that was endured could have been side stepped. In fact, the new initial facts that the UN should support itself in political and international quarry as stated above should, chiefly among the idea of working towards stronger and better human rights, include the cooperation of other countries in its venture. The purpose of such an organization is to ensure that something like the genocide in Bosnia is not repeated.Work Cited Cox, Marcus. The Right to Return Home: International Intervention and the Ethnic Cleansing In Bosnia and Herzegovina. The International and Comparative Law Quarterly. Vol. 47, No. 3, pp. 599-631. July 1998. Gutman, Roy. A Witness to Genocide. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York. 1993. Lieber, Robert J. : The Eagle Adrift: American Foreign Policy at the End of the Century. Glenview, Ill. Scott, Foresman, 1998. Mingst, Karen A. Essential Readings in World Politics. New York, NY. WW Norton & Company, 2004.Mingst, Karen A. Essentials of International Relations. New York, NY. WW Norton & Company, 2004. Reiff, David. Slaughterhouse: Bosnia and the Failure of the West. Simon & Schuster. New York. 1995. Slack, Andrew and Roy R. Doyon. Population Dynamics and Susceptibility for Ethnic Conflict: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 139-161. March 2001. Walt, Stephen M. International Relations: One World, Many Theories. Foreign Policy, Iss . 110. Pg. 29-45. Spring, 1998. www. simpol. org

10 Highest Paying Jobs for College Graduates

10 Highest Paying Jobs for College Graduates A a college degree is not a guarantee for the big bucks the way it used to be. and law school and medical school are always a good idea for making good money over the course of a career, but they can be prohibitively expensive- and take far too long. Here are 10  of the highest paying jobs  for college graduates  that don’t require any additional schooling.1. Investment banker – $100kIt’s not the most altruistic career, but starting salaries are often over $100k on average, and if you’ve got a degree in economics, business, or math, this could be a great way to set yourself up nicely right out of the gate.2. Software developer – $80kIf you’ve got a degree in computer science, math, or engineering, and you’d like to make over $80k in your first year, plus you’re interested in getting in a field with a 30% growth rate, this career may be for you.3. Actuary – $79kActuaries work for insurance companies, assessing risk a nd helping to determine rates. You’ll need a strong math background, plus you’ll have to pass a few professional exams, but the money is good- an average of $79k per year.4. Engineer – $72kYou’ll need a BS in engineering, and to pass two different state licensure exams, but if you’re the problem-solving type and you’d like to make an average of $72k your first year, you might want to go to work- literally- fixing the world.5. Network systems admin – $70kWith an average first-year salary of just under $70k per year, network systems administrators need a degree in computer science (sometimes even an associate’s degree plus experience!). It’s got good growth potential (23%) and if you love computers and helping people, this could be a great fit.6.  Internet marketer – $70kWith more companies turning to the internet and social media for marketing, this is a good ground-floor career to get in on. Best pursued with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, you’ll likely make just under $70k in your first year.7. Financial analyst – $66kIf you have a degree in business, finance, economics, accounting, or statistics, and you feel you can give sound advice to business about expanding their growth, then you could make an average of $66k in your first year.8. Pharmaceutical rep – $60kYou’ll need a degree in chemistry, pharmaceutical science, or marketing, plus some training, but the pay is almost $60k in the first year, and you’ll be interacting with people for a good chunk of your workweek.9. Web designer – $58kIf you have a degree in computer science, graphic design, and/or some programming knowledge (i.e. HTML, CSS, java, flash, PHP, or MySQL), and you’d perhaps like to set your own schedule and workplace location, then you could be making around $58k in your first year designing and building websites.10. RN – $45kRegistered nurses make over $ 45k in their first year. You’ll need a degree in nursing, plus you’ll have to pass a national licensure exam, but there’s good growth (22%), and you’ll be helping people for a living!

A Biography Of The John Marshall, 4th Chief Justice Of The United States

A Biography Of The John Marshall, 4th Chief Justice Of The United States John Marshall: Life and Legacy Before John Marshall, the most basic responsibilities of the judicial system did not exist. In fact, justices could not even overturn blatantly unconstitutional laws. With Marshall, however, everything changed. Through his tenure as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Marshall established the ground rules for the new American government by strengthening the judicial branch and bringing forth the equal three branches of government essential to American politics. Great men often rose from the humblest of beginnings, and John Marshall was no exception. He was born in a log cabin in Germantown, Virginia, on September 24, 1755, the first of fifteen children born to Thomas Marshall and Mary Keith. He was not the only member of his family to rise to greatness; his brother James served as judge for the Circuit Court of Washington, D.C., his brothers Keith, William, and Charles were lawyers, and his cousin Humphrey became a U.S. senator for Kentucky. As a child, Marshall’s education was formative to his future. He was homeschooled by his father for most of his childhood, cultivating a love of classical and contemporary literature that would aid him in his future endeavors. At the age of fourteen, he was sent to Campbell Academy in Washington, where he attended class with future president James Monroe. From 1775 to 1780, Marshall served in the Continental Army, initially as a lieutenant and eventually as a captain; his admiration of his comman der George Washington grew, especially after they endured the harsh winter at Valley Forge together. After the war he studied law at the College of William and Mary and was admitted to the bar in 1780. He began a legal practice by defending clients against British creditors, which prepared him for the long legal and political career he had in front of him. Marshall’s political career was long indeed, and was crucial in forming the newly independent America. It began in 1782 when he won a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, a position he would return to in later years. He began to prepare himself for his future as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1785 when he became a city recorder, where one of his duties was to preside over small court cases. Marshall made a name for himself as a fair, intelligent man who ruled based on the common good (Life and Legacy). A few years later, his reputation earned him a role in Virginia’s convention to ratify the United States Constitution; he then used his popularity to encourage others to ratify the Constitution and won by a narrow margin (Britannica). Shortly after this, he turned down several positions such as U.S. Attorney General and minister to France in favor of continuing his private law practice, which was flourishing at the time. In 1798, however, he accepted the re quest of President John Adams to participate as an envoy in the diplomatic mission that later became known as the XYZ affair. Along with Elbridge Gerry and Charles Pinckney, Marshall was sent to France in an attempt to restore harmony between the United States and France, specifically to stop French attacks on American ships. The three men were to meet with the Foreign Minister, the Marquis de Talleyrand, but instead were greeted by several mediators known anonymously as X, Y, and Z. The French agreed to stop the attacks in exchange for an agreement to pay American merchant claims against the French and give a large amount of money to the Marquis. This resulted in a Cold War-like conflict between France and America and culminated in the formal severance of any official alliances with the United States (history.state.gov). During this time, Marshall had been elected Secretary of State and conducted the negotiations that led to America’s continuing isolationism. He served as Se cretary of State for about a year and was then appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, after the first Chief Justice John Jay declined reappointment. Marshall was sworn in on February 4th, 1801, which marked the end of his political career and opened his long and successful legal career. Marshall served as Chief Justice for thirty-four years, the longest tenure of any chief justice, and in this time established the ground rules of American government (Smith). He ruled on over 1000 decisions, writing the opinions for over half of them. This was a major change in Supreme Court workings; prior to Marshall it was common for each justice to write his own opinion for each case, but Marshall’s court only published one opinion. This practice led to an impression of authority from the Supreme Court, as multiple opinions concerning a new and unexplored body of law created a lack of certainty and trust in both the lawmakers and the law itself (Britannica). Marshall’s court was also known for its unanimity and stability; with only the occasional dissenter, the court was able to rule far more effectively and authoritatively than it had with the previous Chief Justices. Because of the capable manner in which Marshall ran the Supreme Court, he was able to rule on coun tless decisions that shaped the very structure of the American government. Marshall’s most famous ruling, and arguably the most important ruling in Supreme Court history, was with Marbury v. Madison in 1803. The circumstances surrounding this case were complicated (PBS). In the controversial election of 1800, Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson defeated Federalist John Adams, causing a few months of political panic for the largely-Federalist Congress before Jefferson’s inauguration. With the help of the Judiciary Act, Adams created several positions for judges and appointed a large number of justices of the peace and circuit judges in his last days and hours of the Presidency; in fact, this was when Marshall received his appointment to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Adams did this with the intention of ensuring that the Federalists would remain in power even with a Democratic-Republican president, since judicial positions were typically filled for life. These commissions were not delivered on time, however, and when President Jefferson took office on March 5, 1801, he ordered that James Madison, his secretary of state, could not deliver the remaining commissions, thus invalidating them. William Marbury was one of the appointees whose commission was not delivered and he requested a writ of mandamus from the Supreme Court forcing Madison to deliver the commissions. Marshall’s court considered several questions when determining its ruling: â€Å"Does Marbury have a right to the commission? Does the law grant Marbury a remedy? Does the Supreme Court have the authority to review acts of Congress and determine whether they are unconstitutional and therefore void (lawnix.com)?† were among the most important. It was decided that while Marbury had a right to the commission and the law granted him a remedy, the court could not write a mandamus for him because the Judiciary Act of 1789 which granted that right was directly contradicted by the Constitution. By ruling this way, Marshall’s court establishe d that the purpose of the Supreme Court was judicial review; that is, the Supreme Court could nullify laws passed by Congress if they were found to be unconstitutional. This important ruling gave the Supreme Court a clear purpose and place in the American government. Marbury v. Madison made clear that the Supreme Court would greatly influence the laws in America, and Marshall kept true to this promise (PBS). In 1816, Congress created the Second Bank of the United States, the success of which caused state banks to resent it when they began to fail in the depression of 1818. Maryland targeted the Bank by imposing taxes on any non-state bank and sued James McCulloch, cashier for the Bank’s Baltimore branch, when they refused to pay this tax. The Supreme Court ruled in this case that Congress was constitutionally allowed to create the Bank and that Maryland lacked the power to tax it. More importantly, it ruled that Congress had implied powers, meaning if the desired end result is constitutional, Congress was allowed to implement any means to achieve that goal, as long as it was not explicitly prohibited in the Constitution. This ruling on McCulloch v. Maryland, combined with Marbury v. Madison, set the stage for the Supreme Court to make many important decisions over the next two centuries. Marshall’s rulings, particularly Marbury v. Madison, have left an important legacy that has been utilized by Supreme Court even until the present day. After Marshall’s court, the next time the Supreme Court declared a federal law unconstitutional was with Dred Scott v. Sandford in 1857. The issue to be ruled on in this case was whether Dred Scott, a slave, was still considered a slave after spending time in a free state (PBS). Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that Scott remained a slave, citing Marbury v. Madison by declaring the Missouri Compromise of 1820 unconstitutional. A more modern example of utilizing judicial review would be Obergefell v. Hodges, the case in which same-sex marriage was legalized nationally in June 2015. The Supreme Court redefined â€Å"marriage† to be extended to same-sex couples. While the argument can be made that these rulings were immoral or simply wrong, the Supreme Court upheld its responsibility for judicial review, instituted by Marshall. Practically since its inception, Marbury v. Madison has been used to overturn unconstitutional laws. John Marshall’s court changed the American government. Marbury v. Madison chiefly provided a purpose for the Supreme Court; the inception of judicial review permitted the court to overturn any unconstitutional acts of Congress and paved the way for a society grounded in the laws on which it was founded. This brought the judicial branch up to the same level as the executive and legislative branches, creating the three-branch system for which the United States was known. His other rulings, such as McCulloch v. Maryland, created other powers for the government, such as implied powers for Congress. Overall, Marshall’s rulings allowed for a fairer America no longer subject to the whims of the elected officials, but rather one that followed the laws upon which it was founded in 1776.

The Phoenix Supermarket Fire Incident Case Study

The Phoenix Supermarket Fire Incident - Case Study Example For instance, the phoenix fire of March 2001 started on an exterior dock just like the Charleston fire. Admittedly other fires have started from the interior of the supermarket but many vital survival observations and lessons can be learnt from phoenix disaster. During the Phoenix supermarket fire incident, a fire engine attacked the fire from the exterior loading dock while a rescue company embarked on checking the interior of the building ensuring that all occupants safely evacuated the building (NIOSH, 2001). At the initial moments of the rescue mission, there was clear visibility within the building and the crew worked hard to check for extensions. As the crew advanced with a one-and-a-half inch attack line, they noticed that smoke was easing into the building from a storage area at the rear corner. As the firefighters continued with their mission, they realized that they needed backup and communicated this to the incident commander. The commander gave orders to another engine crew to advance another one-and-a-half inch line through the building. At this very time, another engine crew from the loading dock entered the storage area to attack the fire. There were11 firefighters in the building when a second alarm team was on its way to the incident scene. With time visibility levels within the main store began to reduce as a result of spreading smoke. The situation suddenly worsened as dense smoke filled the supermarket to the ground and the heat increased almost instantly (NIOSH, 2001). This necessitated the team's retreat. Meanwhile, the interior sector officer continued to give progress reports and updates to the incident commander of the worsening state of affairs and the decision to evacuate. This almost immediately led to the commander announcing emergency traffic. Within a short time, following emergency tones, the incident commander ordered that the entire store be evacuated. The condition worsened quite fast. A first mayday call was broadcast during the evacuation by Brett Tarver, a firefighter. He made a declaration that he was out of air, offline and lost. This prompted the immediate ordering of the front rapid-intervention team to take action by the commander (NIOSH, 2001). The team consisted of a ladder and an engine. Another engine was also ordered to support the rescue mission from the front of the building, and yet another went through the loading-dock region. During this time several other mayday calls were received. Post Incident Activities In total, four firefighters got injured and were taken to hospital. A fire captain was saved from the scene unconscious and spent many days in hospital, but Brett died before the rescue team could reach out to help him. Following the incident, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the Phoenix fire Department have both conducted in-depth investigations (NIOSH, 2001). The investigations examined the following areas: incident command system, standard operating procedures, rapid-intervention teams, progress reports, air consumption, accountability systems, concealed systems and deep-penetration fire operations. According to report findings, the command organization was good; consisting of several sector officers and an incident commander. During the crisis, the command team reacted quickly and effectively.