Six Benefits of Written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - The Writers For Hire

SIX BENEFITS OF WRITTEN STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPS) From training and hiring to communication to work policies and procedures, standard operating procedures or SOPs help companies stay organized, operate smoothly, and ensure that employees understand how to accomplish their assigned tasks. But here’s one thing we’ve learned from more than a decade of working with companies of all sizes: Even though nearly all companies have some sort of SOPs in place, they don’t always have them written down. Or if they do have them written down, it’s been years since they’ve reviewed or updated them. In most cases, it comes down to time. When day-to-day operations get hectic, internal projects are often the first to fall to the wayside. And while it’s true that writing, reviewing, and updating your company’s SOPs can be time-consuming, we think it’s worth it in the long run. Need a few reasons to make written SOPs a priority? Here are just a few benefits of having written SOPs? Try these: 1. Reduce employee training time. Training-related SOPs help standardize orientation and training. A written set of guidelines helps ensure that all new hires get the same training, on the same topics and responsibilities, in the same amount of time. Not only will this help ensure that new employees settle in quickly, it will also help save time and money in the long term. 2.Maintain consistency across your brand. You’ve worked hard to establish a very specific personality, look, feel, and tone for your brand. Protect that hard work by establishing a set of written branding standards.Tweet this A few possible items to cover:†¢ Use of your company’s logo, colors, and tagline†¢ Policies for employee social media use†¢ A style guide to ensure uniformity in written communication†¢ Guidelines for email formatting and signatures†¢ Rules for speaking to the media 3. Reduce errors and enhance productivity. Written SOPs can take the guesswork out of day-to-day operations and help ensure that all of your employees understand the processes, policies, and procedures associated with their jobs. And because they provide clear, written examples of what is expected from employees, SOPs are also helpful when developing employee review or development plans. 4. Meet legal requirements. Depending on your industry, you may be required to have written SOPs that protect your employees and/or customers and ensure that you won’t be held legally responsible if something goes wrong. 5. Establish a chain of command. Everyone in your company should have a clear idea of your company’s leadership structure, and this is especially important in situations where work products go through multiple stages of review and approval. 6. Transfer work easily. Most employees take a sick day here and there, but in the case of an extended absence, written SOPs make it easier to transfer work to another employee.By outlining how a task or project should be done, you’re making sure that any employee can complete the work with a little direction. Of course, these six benefits are only the tip of the SOP iceberg but you can probably see where we’re going with this: Written SOPs are an indispensable part of any organization.

10 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language as an Adult

10 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language as an Adult While the U.S. is home to over 350 different languages, according to a report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), most Americans are monolingual. And this limitation can negatively impact individuals, U.S. companies, and even the country as a whole.   For example, the AAAS notes that learning a second language improves cognitive ability, assists in learning other subjects, and delays some of the effects of aging. Other findings include that up to 30% of U.S. companies have stated that they’ve missed business opportunities in foreign countries because they didn’t have in-house staff who spoke the dominant languages of those countries, and 40% stated they could not reach their international potential because of language barriers.  However, one of the most striking and alarming examples of the importance of learning a foreign language happened at the onset of the 2004 avian flu epidemic. According to the AAAS, scientists in the U.S. and other English-speaking countries did not originally understand the magnitude of avian flu because they could not read the original research – which was written by Chinese researchers. In fact, the report notes that just 200,000 U.S. students are studying Chinese compared to 300 to 400 million Chinese students who are studying English. And 66% of Europeans know at least one other language compared to just 20% of Americans. Many European countries have national requirements that students must learn at least one foreign language by the age of 9, according to data from the Pew Research Center. In the U.S., school districts are typically allowed to set their own policies. As a result, the vast majority (89%) of American adults who know a foreign language say they learned it in their childhood home. Learning Styles for Children Children and adults learn foreign languages differently. Rosemary G. Feal, executive director of the Modern Language Association, says, â€Å"Children generally learn languages through games, songs, and repetition, and in an immersive environment, they often produce speech spontaneously.† And there’s a reason for that spontaneity. According to Katja Wilde, head of Didactics at Babbel, â€Å"Unlike adults, children are less aware of making mistakes and the associated embarrassment, and therefore, dont correct themselves.† Learning Styles for Adults However, Feal explains that with adults, studying the formal structures of the language is usually helpful. â€Å"Adults learn to conjugate verbs, and they benefit from grammatical explanations along with strategies such as repetition and memorizing key phrases.† Adults also learn in a more conscious way, according to Wilde: â€Å"They have strong metalinguistic awareness, which children don’t have.† This means that adults reflect on the language they learn. For example ‘Is this the best word to express what I want to say’ or ‘Did I use the correct grammar structure?’† Wilde explains. And adults usually have different motivators. Wilde says that adults typically have specific reasons for learning a foreign language. â€Å"Better quality of life, self-improvement, career advancements, and other intangible benefits are usually the motivating factors.   Some people believe that its too late for adults to learn a new language, but Wilde disagrees. â€Å"Although children tend to be better at subconscious learning, or acquisition, adults tend to be better at learning, because they are able to process more complex thought processes.† Try 10 tips for learning languages: 1) Know why youre doing it. 2) Find a partner. 3) Talk to yourself. 4) Keep it relevant. 5) Have fun with it. 6) Act like a child. 7) Leave your comfort zone. 8) Listen. 9) Watch people talk. 10) Dive in. Feal also recommends other ways for adults to learn a foreign language, such as watching TV shows and film in the target language. â€Å"In addition, reading written materials of all kinds, engaging in interactive conversations on the web, and for those who can travel, an in-country experience, can help adults make meaningful progress.† In addition to these tips, Wilde says that Babbel offers on-line courses that can be completed in bite-sized chunks, anytime and anywhere. Other sources for learning a new language include Learn A Language, Fluent in 3 Months, and DuoLingo. College students can also take advantage of study abroad programs where they can learn new languages and new cultures. There are several benefits to learning a new language. This type of skill can increase cognitive skills and lead to career opportunities - especially since multilingual employees can earn higher salaries. Learning new languages and cultures can also result in a more informed and diverse society.

Stakeholders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Stakeholders - Essay Example Also, the main ingredients of successful report are: the opening paragraph should state any terms of reference; some presentations may give a sum ­ any recommendations at the beginning; the body of the presentation should be set out in clear statements and side headings may be shown. The rationale means that stakeholders are motivated and persuaded to accept and approve the project. Obviously, this approach does not take cultural or political considerations into account. The appeal is the communications approach that relates to the motives of the target audience (internal and external stakeholders). A part of presentation, based on a rational approach, will depend on logic and speak to the stakeholders’ intellect. Another part, based on emotional approach, will appeal to the heart of the intended audience. Also, visual aids (graphs, tables, schemes etc.) can help the audience to grasp the idea at once (Adair, Thomas 2003). In order to address needs and expectations of external stakeholders (the American society and global community) emotional approach will be used. (1) Facts and current statistics concerning terrorist attacks and number of deaths per year will help to persuade this group in crucial role of the project X for the global community (tables and graphs can help to present the information). Lots of politicians are sure that the terrorists have an access to the weapon of mass destruction, but they either are afraid to use it or wait for a suitable moment to do it. (2) The USA has a reliable Defense System, but technology (and Information Technology) needs some improvements and changes over time. The project X is aimed to develop state-of-the-art AMDS. Only in this case, it will be possible to protect major cities of the USA from enemy missile attack. Apart from the grief and pity the events of 11 September brought to millions of American people, it has also granted the U.S citizens

The theme of loneliness in Methamorphosis by Kafka and Boo Radley in Essay

The theme of loneliness in Methamorphosis by Kafka and Boo Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird - Essay Example Both Lee and Camus demonstrate major societal conflict through their themes of loneliness as manifested in Boo and Meursault. Boo Radley is a recluse, a shy man who lives not far from the Finches but never ventures outdoors. A lot of mystery surrounds the actual facts of Boo Radley’s detachment from society and he becomes the subject of malicious rumors. One rumor has Boo Radley coming out in the dark of night and peering into neighbor’s windows. The rumors however are mere indications of society’s fear of the unknown and the low tolerance for those who do not meld or blend in with society. They become the objects of scorn and demonization. Meursault, like Boo is very much an outsider although he does physically blend in with society. Outwardly, Meurasult is an ordinary member of the community. He has an apartment, a job and a girlfriend. His detachment is founded on his mental and emotional distance. In one exchange with his girlfriend Marie, the reader understands the limits of Meursault’s ability to connect with another human being. Meursault is indifferent to his mother’s death and this indifference becomes problematic for him later on when he goes on trial for murder. Although the trial has a legitimate issue to try, Meursault is as much on trial for his non conformist attitude as he is for murder. It is Meursault’s departure from accepted norms that sets him apart as a loner and an outsider and this is why he like Boo is ultimately demonized by society. While the reader knows very little about Boo in the beginning chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird outside of rumors and myth, the reader is immediately introduced to Meursault’s indifference. The Outsider opens with the following observation by Meursault, the novel’s narrator: â€Å"Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know. I got a telegram from the home: ‘Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours.’ That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it

Write a story of your own Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Write a story of your own - Assignment Example The family noticed a very heavy traffic jam on the highway. Another peculiar thing that could be observed was the sudden change in weather with very strong winds. It was then that they turned on the radio and they were updated by their relatives that a hurricane had struck the city. The cars on the road seemed like ants stranded here and there. This was not all but matters became worse when the radio announcement claimed that the hurricane was moving towards the highway. A chaotic situation was created with common sites of cars banging into each other. But Harry and his family were lucky again because a following announcement pronounced that the hurricane had taken the other route and the situation had resolved. This organized day presented with an unpredictable happening. The family experienced a very difficult time and though they reached home in 2 days, but the following two weeks were very difficult with no electricity and basic resources. Despite the advances in human technology, there are still certain areas which are out of human control and the sudden weather changes are one of

Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) Instrumentation

Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) Instrumentation THERMOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS (TMA) Aisyah Radhiah Binti Ahmad INSTRUMENTATION OF TMA 1.1 The Instrumentation Figure 1: The simple schematic diagram of TMA [1]. The sample tube that is located in the center of the furnace is used to control the temperature and atmosphere. The sample temperature is measured with a thermocouple that is located near the sample. The area around the sample can usually be both heated and cooled to prevent the heat-rise problem and the sample temperature (sensed by a thermocouple) has to be directed to programmer control. The sample platform and the probe are made from a material such as quartz. Quartz is chosen as it has a low, reproducible, accurately known coefficient of thermal expansion and also it has low thermal conductivity to isolate the LVDT from the temperature changes in the furnace. The probes can also be made from alumina and metals depending on the temperature range and the measurement purpose [2]. The heavy black probe measures the position of the sample surface with a linearly variable differential transformer, LVDT. The floating suspension act as a balance for the arm arrangement, combined with added weights at the top, allowing the probe weight to be counterbalanced that can be used to control the force on the sample [3]. A purge gas is used during the TMA measurements. Its purpose is to ensure continuous laminar gas flow to prevent the formation of air turbulence as the temperature is being increased and to prevent deposition of degradation products inside the various parts of the instrument. The purge gas is also used to increase heat transfer to the sample and to prevent oxidation in high temperature measurements. Helium is chosen for this purpose because of it has a high thermal conductivity [4]. Figure 2: The TMA Instrument [5]. 1.2 Operating the TMA The instrument is warmed up before putting the sample. The sample is prepared by according to the modes used. For example, the sample should be flat for compression modes to make sure the sample is in a good contact with the probe. The sample is put into the furnace and the probe touched the sample. The probe is integrated into an inductive position sensor. For temperature measurement of the sample, the thermocouple is placed near the sample. The system is heated at a slow rate. If the specimen expands or contracts, the probe will be moved. By applying the force on the sample from the Force Generator by the probe, the sample temperature is changed in the furnace. The sample deformation such as Thermal Expansion and Softening with changing temperature is measured as the probe displacement by the Length Detector. Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) is used for Length Detection sensor. The measurement consists then of a record of force and length versus temperature [6]. 1.3 Calibration of the instrument The calibration of the instrument needs to be done before using the TMA. A standard calibration is needed and should be done at the same heating rate as is used in the sample experiment. The calibration sample that is used should be in the thickness range span of the sample. The TMA instrument must be calibrated in height force, eigen-deformation, temperature, and expansion. The calibration of the instrument need to be done to reduce the different between measures values of the parameters with their true values [4]. 1.4 Modes of operation The measurement can be carried out in various modes of sample configuration. Figure 3: TMA probe types (left-right): compression, penetration, tension, volumetric [7]. Compression probe is used for applying low load for a wide area of sample for thermal expansion measurements (thermodilatometry). For the penetration probe, it is used for the sample that applies a high load under a small area of sample for the purpose of measuring softening temperatures. This technique can measure the transitions of a material as thin as 10 microns. Tension probe used for the measurement of the thermal expansion and the thermal shrinkage of the sample for measuring non-self supporting specimens. It is used for the samples like thin films and fibres under tension [7]. Volumetric probe used for measuring the thermal volumetric expansion of irregularly shaped sample surrounded by an inert packing material (alumina powder or silicone oil). The glass dilatometers are used in this technique where the change in the level of a liquid is observed. By dipping the sample in the silicone oil or alumina powder, the expansion of the sample is recorded as a vertical movement by the TMA. The probe for this technique usually has a small surface area to cover the sample [8]. Figure 4: volumetric probe [8]. References Menard, K. P. (2008). Dynamic mechanical analysis: a practical introduction. CRC press. Menczel, J. D., Prime, R. B. (2009). Thermal analysis of polymers, fundamentals and applications. John Wiley Sons. Brown, M. E., Gallagher, P. K. (1998). Handbook of thermal analysis and calorimetry: Principles and Practice (Vol. 1). Elsevier. Wunderlich, B. (2005). Basics of thermal analysis. Thermal Analysis of Polymeric Materials. 1.Introduction to Thermomechanical Analysis. Available from: http://www.anasys.co.uk/library/tma1.htm. 2.Brown, M.E. and P.K. Gallagher, Handbook of thermal analysis and calorimetry: Principles and Practice. Vol. 1. 1998: Elsevier. 3.Wunderlich, B., Basics of thermal analysis. Thermal Analysis of Polymeric Materials, 2005. 4.Menczel, J.D. and R.B. Prime, Thermal analysis of polymers, fundamentals and applications. 2009: John Wiley Sons. 5.TMA analyzer / thermomechanical. Available from: http://www.directindustry.com/prod/linseis-thermal-analysis/tma-analyzers-thermomechanical-30771-406852.html. 6.Description of TMA. Available from: http://www.hitachi-hitec-science.com/en/products/thermal/tec_descriptions/tma.html. 7.Haines, P.J., Principles of thermal analysis and calorimetry. Vol. 30. 2002: Royal society of chemistry. 8.Menard, K.P., Dynamic mechanical analysis: a practical introduction. 2008: CRC press. References Introduction to Thermomechanical Analysis. from http://www.anasys.co.uk/library/tma1.htm Brown, Michael E, Gallagher, Patrick K. (1998). Handbook of thermal analysis and calorimetry: Principles and Practice (Vol. 1): Elsevier. Wunderlich, Bernhard. (2005). Basics of thermal analysis. Thermal Analysis of Polymeric Materials. Menczel, Joseph D, Prime, R Bruce. (2009). Thermal analysis of polymers, fundamentals and applications: John Wiley Sons. TMA analyzer / thermomechanical. from http://www.directindustry.com/prod/linseis-thermal-analysis/tma-analyzers-thermomechanical-30771-406852.html Description of TMA. from http://www.hitachi-hitec-science.com/en/products/thermal/tec_descriptions/tma.html Haines, Peter J. (2002). Principles of thermal analysis and calorimetry (Vol. 30): Royal society of chemistry. Menard, Kevin P. (2008). Dynamic mechanical analysis: a practical introduction: CRC press.

John Steinbecks East of Eden - A Study in Human Development Essay

East of Eden: A study in human development  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The characteristics of people are formed by multiple factors. In many situations, children are raised under similar conditions, however, their later characteristics and life choices are very different. In the book, East of Eden, author John Steinbeck explores the development of humans, from childhood, to adulthood, and eventually, to death. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck, is a genealogical novel about the lives of the Trasks, particularly the main character in the book, Adam Trask. Along the way, the Hamiltons, Ames, and many other characters are introduced. Steinbeck makes a point of showing the continually changing nature of some characters, while describing the ceaseless staticness of others. In East of Eden, John Steinbeck presents his views on the construction of human behavior and the components that are incorporated in it. Setting is an important element in East of Eden. Described are beautiful, panoramical views of the surrounding landscapes of the Salinas Valley, California. "The Salinas Valley . . . is a swale between two ranges of mountains. . . . . On the wide level acres of the valley, the topsoil lays deep and fertile. . . . . Under the live oaks, shaded and dusky, the maidenhair flourished and gave a good smell, and under the mossy banks of the watercourses whole clumps of five-fingered ferns and goldy-backs hung down" (Steinbeck p. 480). Steinbeck then goes on to describe the human history of these areas. The groups of peoples that lived there are described in sweeping generalizations. "First there were Indians, an inferior breed without energy, inventiveness, or culture . . . their warfare was a weary pantomime. Then the hard, dry Spaniards came explor... ...dies the original Hebrew text and finds that the verb used there is "timshel." Timshel’s literal English translation is "thou mayest." During the course of the book, Steinbeck transforms the word into a metaphor for a style of living. It comes to describe the freedom of choice in one’s life. Steinbeck recognizes the fact that one's environment can affect them. However, he also recognizes one can work with what they are given and make the best of it. Steinbeck best sums up these views in a dialog between Samuel and Adam. "You can’t make a racehorse of a pig," said Adam. "No," said Samuel, "but you can make a very fast pig" (659).    Works Cited Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath, The Moon is Down, Cannery Row, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men. New York: Heinemann/Octopus, 1979. pp.475 - 896. Steinbeck, John. East of Eden. New York: Viking, 1952.

Bucket List

Bucket List The Bucket List was an amazing movie; it was a movie that showed two older men on a journey to find the meaning of life. Mr. Edward Cole a corporate billionaire and a scholarly mechanic Carter Chambers met in the hospital because they both had Cancer. The time that they spent together in the hospital did not only bring them great friendship but also together they found the joy and meaning of life. While sitting in the hospital together slowly dying from cancer they decided that they were not ready to die and they still had a lot of things they wanted to do for themselves before it was too late. So, they made a bucket list, and decided to escape the hospital and do everything that they always wanted to do. Carter Chambers was married to his dear wife, Virginia, for 45 years he had a happy marriage and a wonderful family but, Mr. Chambers felt as if something was missing. He explained that for the last forty five years of his life were mostly dedicated to his family and wife, now he wants to have time for himself and do the things he always wanted to do, but didn’t get a chance to do. Even though his friend Edward Cole was a billionaire; he also felt as if there was something missing out of his life, he had a lot of money and many divorces, and a daughter that he has not spoken with, that didn’t make him feel like he had the true meaning to life. As a person approaches late adulthood, health problems are not just the issue, but problems regarding one’s meaning of life. Both of these men felt unsatisfied or incomplete, with their overall feeling, they were both suffering from a terminal disease, and they both felt if they were going to die they wanted die knowing they got the best out of life, with no regrets, and lived life to the fullest. Both Edward and Carter where demonstrating Erikson’s Last stage of development. His last stage is integrity vs. espair hoping that one will gain strength of wisdom so that person will not be afraid of death. Erikson believes that much of life was preparing for the middle adult stage and the last stage is to recovering from it. When a person is older and is able to reevaluate their life with happiness, and feels fulfilled with a deep sense of life and meaning is when that person is experiencing integrity. If a person is experiencing that they failed at life, and have no meaning to life this is when the person is displaying despair. They fear death because they have not got all out of life

IDEAS Advanced Programmability essays

IDEAS Advanced Programmability essays DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS ENGINEERING I-DEAS ADVANCED PROGRAMMABILITY FEATURE: Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing Utilizing the advanced programmability features of the I-DEAS software package, it is possible to create a macro to run within the I-DEAS modeling environment that would automatically generate commonly used parts or geometries to supplement and speed up the modeling process. To define a macro within I-DEAS a user may simply capture the commands through a Program File -> Create option, create the program file directly through any text editor or use a combination of the two methods. Currently I-DEAS allows the user to retrieve various primitives from the Parts Catalog to aid and speed up the modeling process, but this does not account for more complex geometries that maybe repeated quite often in various modeling applications. Quite often these geometries, although commonly used for one particular company are in actuality company specific and do not warrant their inclusion in the mainstream I-DEAS Parts Catalog. Since creating the geometry from scratch would prove to be too time consuming and including company specific geometries within the Parts Catalog is not feasible, I-DEAS has created two options for defining parameterized complex geometries: (1) define a macro (which I-DEAS calls program files) to prompt the user for parametric information from the command-line interface and generate the geometry using predefined commands programmed within the macro or (2) create the part geometry manually and use the parameterized parts option to store the par ...

Which sales job is right for you

Which sales job is right for you Maybe well-meaning friends or relatives have said to you, â€Å"You should think about getting a job in sales.† Great- now what? â€Å"Sales† can absolutely be a solid career path, but unless you already know what you want to do, it’s a vague one. There are tons of different kinds of sales jobs: field sales, retail sales, sales support, account management, and even sales engineering, just to name a few. So how do you know which path you should take?What should you look for in a sales job?Sales is a tricky field, in that the industry you work in will help determine the path. A salesperson in the tech industry has a much different career than someone working in, say, publishing sales or pharmaceutical sales. So the first thing you should consider is this: what industry interests you? Retail? Healthcare? Food? Manufacturing? Real estate? Considering the industry is a good starting point, as it can help focus your job search. The good news is that virtually every ind ustry out there has a sales component, and therefore job opportunities.Second, take a look at your personal skills and strengths. Are you good at explaining complex concepts for a lay listener? If so, you might be well-suited to a sales job in a science or tech field. Are you good at schmoozing people and maintaining relationships? You could be an outside salesperson or business development rep. Are you super organized, with an eye toward logistics? You might want to consider being an account manager and working directly with clients.Next, think about the financial logistics. Sales jobs can have a range of compensation types, including the following:Salary: Your standard yearly wage, with no commission (compensation based on what you sell). This is also known as a â€Å"zero-commission† sales job. Many salespeople who work in retail or storefronts work on this model.Commission + salary: You make a base salary, with additional commission and bonuses built in based on your sale s. Many business development professionals (like those in software or tech services sales) work on this model.Commission-only: You are what you sell. In this model, your compensation is based entirely on a percentage of your performance. Many independent sales reps (who typically sell a product or service directly to customers) work on this model.If you don’t feel comfortable with the idea of basing your finances on a future state of success, then commission-heavy jobs may not be the right choice for your long-term goals and career happiness. But if you feel secure in your ability to perform at (or exceed) a contracted level, then it can be a profitable choice, depending on your hustle and your success.And finally, you should think about the long-term success possible in the sales field. Many traditional sales jobs (think in-person or phone sales positions) are becoming somewhat obsolete, giving way to business development roles and sales jobs that rely on high-tech lead deve lopment and networking. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that travel agents, who traditionally developed sales by offering in-person services, are on the decline because their role has largely been replaced by self-service travel options. On the flip side, insurance sales and medical device/pharmaceutical sales are booming, because those industries are incredibly hot right now. So as you consider the industry and sales roles that might work for you, it’s also helpful to think (and research) about what is currently going on in Industry X sales, and where it looks like things are heading over the next few years.What types of sales jobs are out there?Now that you’re thinking about the sales career basics, let’s look at some different types of sales jobs across the field.Retail Sales RepresentativeRetail sales representatives typically work in a store and are responsible for completing sales with customers who come in. Because retail is so v aried, this can include general retail stores (think WalMart or mall stores), and also industry-specific stores like car dealerships or jewelry stores. Most retail representatives work under a base salary, but large or expensive goods like cars may be sold on a commission basis.This job is a good fit for you: If you want a 9-to-5-type sales job with a significant base salary. It’s also a good entry-level position to start building sales skills and experience.Inside Sales RepresentativeAn inside sales representative works for a company selling a specific product, service, or suite of products/services. They often have sales quotas to work with and follow a lead from the earliest stages (like research) through to completing the sale. Inside sales representatives may meet with potential customers face-to-face or on the phone, or maintain communication via email. Much of the job is spent cultivating and reaching out to potential customers, building a relationship that ideally end s in a sale, as well as follow-up like coordinating order fulfillment or setting up installation of a service.This job is a good fit for you: If you’re interested in cultivating customers and seeing the relationship through the courtship, the sale, and the follow-up.Outside Sales RepresentativeThis may be what many of us think of when we think of â€Å"sales†: a person who makes the rounds of current or potential customers, plugging a particular product or service. An outside sales rep is also known as a field sales rep, which tells you that the job may include traveling to meet customers, perform demos, or make presentations. It can be a very hands-on sales job, as you might be helping customers install a product, use a service, or troubleshoot issues.This job is a good fit for you: If you are a self-starter and a major people person, and perform best when dealing one-on-one with customers. It also helps if you already have some baseline sales experience, because fiel d reps are often sales veterans.Business Development AssociateBusiness development representatives (also called sales development representatives) are specialists at reaching out to potential new clients or customers. That can include researching potential sales targets, following up with leads (like people who came to the company looking for information, or joined a mailing list), and scouting networks for potential customers. Once a sales lead is identified and determined to be legitimate, business development reps typically hand it off to a direct sales representative. There isn’t usually a specific quota associated with business development, but some companies may base commissions on the number of leads passed along.This job is a good fit for you: If you like the thrill of the chase and are fine with handing off the sale-closing duties to someone else. It can also be a strong opportunity to build sales skills and experience.Account ManagerAccount managers are kind of the post-sales professionals. Once a client or customer is brought on board, an account manager is responsible for maintaining that business and ensuring that the customer’s needs are met. They may work with a variety of clients or focus on a single one depending on the industry and company, but almost always focus on the personal relationship between the client and their company. It‘s a role that is heavy on customer service, project management, and day-to-day operations. In addition to maintaining customer relationships, account managers may also be responsible for expanding the account, or up-selling particular goods and services. This is typically a salary position, but may have bonuses or incentives built in based on customer retention and expansion.This job is a good fit for you: If you’re more interested in operations than sales figures and in building strong and lasting client relationships instead of focusing on the sale. This can be a good sales role for pe ople who are highly organized and skilled at project management.Sales EngineerThe tech industry continues to grow, which means they need qualified sales people who can not only understand complex products or services, but also how to help match those products or services to the right customers. These sales engineers sell complex tech goods or services to customers as solutions, often selling particular software or systems to business customers rather than individual users. Sales engineers need to be able to see both the technical side of things (how the product works) and the business side of things (why the customer needs this product). A sales engineer may work with other salespeople to create presentations or answer questions for the customer, and help create the technical parts of sales contracts. They may also continue to be a point of contact as the customer is getting up and running with the product or service.This job is a good fit for you: If you have an engineering degree or a technical background, but aren’t necessarily interested in developing new products or services.So whether you’re thinking about developing client relationships or closing the deal, there is a variety of sales jobs that work with your goals, your skills, and your comfort level to help you build a long and fulfilling sales career.

The Templars were certainly adept at making money even though they Essay

The Templars were certainly adept at making money even though they existed as part of the church - Essay Example Over the time, Templars amassed huge money and property, first as donations and then through their commercial dealings and political machinations. The Templars owned lands in France, Portugal, Scotland, England, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Aragon and Hungary (Baignet & Leigh 1991, 43). To a great extent the position of the Church as a primary spiritual guide to the kingdoms of Europe, eventually passed on to the Templars, in practice if not in theory. The Templars who came into existence to serve the Holy See and to establish the writ of the Church in the Holy Land, in the later days emerged as a parallel power centre to the Catholic Church, which though professed allegiance to the Church, in practice did not hesitate to assiduously indulge in unscrupulous dealings and arrangements. Thus the Templars undermined the political hold and power of the Church over the Christian kingdoms of Europe. Since the times of Christ and the apostles, the true strength of the Church had been its message of love and austerity. However, Templars initiated various steps that diluted the very essence of the message of Christ. In 1153-4, the Templars in England attempted a translation of the Old Testament into the vernacular (Baignet & Leigh 1991, 44). This translation sounded like a chivalric romance, very unlike the simplicity and piousness of the original work. One could certainly conclude that Templars must have attempted many other such unknown translations, which were explicitly worldly and compromised the crux of Christian dogmas. Also, though knowing that usury was abhorrence to the Church, Templars arrogantly indulged in financial operations and transactions, hiding their rapaciousness under the garb of â€Å"semantics, euphemism and circumlocution (Baignet & Leigh 1991, 48)†. So, the biggest damage that Templars inflicted on the Catholic Church was by being the living examples of the distortion and pollution of both the Word and the Way. The lifestyle, business and politics of Templars must have definitely disheartened and discouraged the lay believers, who were earlier attracted to the sobriety and humility of the Church. No doubt, the very existence of Templars was a visible mockery of the Christian values. Both, owing to the military and temporal power of the Templars and their massive financial clout, the feudal lords and the kings and queens of Europe became more than vulnerable to their influence. The sovereigns not only relied on Templars for safety and military assistance, but also hired Templars to collect taxes. Templars in turn, exhibited such a savagery and ruthlessness in their operations that they conveniently surpassed the excesses of their political customers. One other reason, the sovereigns became a toy in the hand of Templars was because of their need to procure loans. Hence, Templars’ alliance with the Mammon, proved more effective and utilitarian than the piety and poverty of the Church. Not to mention, the Crus ades which were initiated with much religious zeal and fervor, in a way weakened the Church in the sense that from being Holy Wars, they eventually degenerated into cheap Witch hunts. The

Annotated Bibliography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Annotated Bibliography - Research Paper Example Source 2: Arsanjani, A., Zhang, L., Ellis, M., Allam, A., & Channabasavaiah, K. (2007). S3: A service-oriented reference architecture. IT Professional, 9(3), 10-17. Annotation In this article, the authors talk about the advantages associated with the use of service oriented technology in businesses, such as, increase in revenue, decrease in costs, and rapid application delivery. The article is related to the research in a sense that it includes discussion about the increased dependence of businesses on service oriented architectures. The article relates to the research topic as it talks about the use of service oriented architecture in making IT related business goals and functions aligned and well managed. The authors of this article have raised some key issues regarding service oriented architecture and its transformational capabilities. Source 3: Bashir, R., Azam, F., Iqbal, M., Khanum, A., & Malik, H. (2012). A Comparative Model for Tradeoff Analysis of QoS Attributes in SOA. Jou rnal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research, 2(11), 11097-11105. Annotation In this article, the authors talk about development of efficient service oriented architecture considering the challenge of maintaining the quality of service attributes which occurs due to compositional, as well as dynamic environment of the service-oriented architecture. The article relates to the research as it talks about a comparative model of trade-off analysis for quality of service attributes in service oriented architecture. The authors of this article propose a comparative model which should be able to study the trade off among the SOA’s quality of service attributes. The main focus of the paper is achieving an improved system through trade off among quality of service attributes. Source 4: Candido, G., Barata, J., Colombo, A., & Jammes, F. (2009). SOA in reconfigurable supply chains: A research roadmap. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 22(6), 939-949. Annotation In thi s article, the authors state that industries are becoming more and more interested in adopting automation standards as a unifying approach with a number of advantages over traditional automation. The article relates to the research in a sense that it talks about the advantages of service oriented architecture over traditional automation. The authors of the research have not only enumerated the challenges related to the application of service oriented architecture into reconfigurable supply chains but also they have provided a roadmap into a major adoption of service oriented technology to maintain the reconfigurable supply chains. Source 5: Cucinotta, T., Mancina, A., Anastasi, G., Lipari, G., Mangeruca, L., Checcozzo, R., & Rusina, F. (2009). A real-time service-oriented architecture for industrial automation. Industrial Informatics, 5(3), 267-277. Annotation In this article, the authors state that the introduction of new technologies, such as, IP based communication protocols, Zig Bee, and standard networking technologies raise significant issues that need to be properly solved. One of those issues is to support quality-of-service and real-time for real-time applications. The source is relevant to the research area in that it deals