Handling Windows Messages the Delphi way

Handling Windows Messages the Delphi way Delphi, youve got message to handle! One of the keys to traditional Windows programming is handling the messages sent by Windows to applications. Simply put, a message is some information sent from one place to another. For the most part, Delphi makes message handling easy through its use of events, an event is usually generated in response to a Windows message being sent to an application. However, someday you may want to process some uncommon messages like: CM_MOUSEENTER which happens (is posted by Windows) when mouse cursor enters the client area of some component (or form). Handling messages on their own requires a few extra programming techniques, this article is here to help us find the right way through the message river and grap needed information. Strategies to Manipulate Windows Messages With Delphi Drag a Window: No title bar! How can you drag such a window? Its easy and fun: lets make a Delphi form move by clicking (and dragging) in its client area. The main idea is to get your hands on the wm_NCHitTest windows message.How to send information (String, Image, Record) between two Delphi applications (WM_CopyData): Learn how to send the WM_CopyData message between two Delphi applications to exchange information and make two applications communicate. The accompanying source code demonstrates how to send a string, record (complex data type) and even graphics to another application.Sticky Windows: This strategy allows you to dock your Delphi forms to the edges of your desktop screen.Monitoring Registry Changes: Need to get notified about changes to the attributes or contents of a specified Registry key? Then you are ready for this your Delphi code toolkit.Sending Messages to Non-Windowed Applications: This strategy is used to send messages (signals) to non-windowed applications by u sing AllocateHWND and DefWindowProc. You should understand what Delphi does in the background to intercept Windows messages, how can you write your own message handler for a windowed application and how to obtain a unique message identifier that you can safely use in your applications. There is also a small bug in the Delphi DeallocateHWND procedure that you can fix along the way. Controlling the Number of Application Instances: In this article youll learn how to run-once enable a Delphi application that can check for its previous (running) instance. Along the process, several techniques of implementing such a check will be discussed; as well as how to bring your already running application to the foreground, if a user tries to run it one more time. By the end of the article youll have a copy-to-go code to control the behavior of your applications multiple instances: with the option to limit the number of running instances.How to Handle System Time Change Using Delphi Code: If you need to react when system date time has changed you can handle the WM_TimeChange Windows message.How to Draw Custom Text on a Delphi Forms Caption Bar: If you want to add some custom text on the caption bar of a form, without changing the Caption property of the form you need to handle one special Windows message: WM_NCPAINT (along with WM_NCACTIVATE).How to Display Menu Item Hints: By (Windows) design, in Delphi applications, hints assigned to menu items do not get displayed in the popup tooltip window (when the mouse hovers over a menu). Get, Set, and Handle Display Device Modes (Screen Resolution and Color Depth): This strategy allows you to change the Windows display mode settings (resolution and color depth) from Delphi code. You can also handle the WM_DISPLAYCHANGE Windows message sent to all windows when the display resolution has changed.Get Current URL From IE: There is a Delphi tactic to retrieve the full URL of all opened Internet Explorer instances.Detecting and Preventing Windows Shut Down: You can use Delphi to programmatically cancel Windows shut down action.Display a Password Dialog: Suppose you have a data-critical type of application where you would not want a non-authored user to work with the data. What if you need to display a password dialog *before* the application is restored to make sure an authorized user is accessing it.Remove the Windows Constraint on Minimum Form Size: By Windows design, a form (window) has a size constraint that sets the minimum form height to the height of the caption bar and the width to 112 pixels (118 in XP theme). How to Detect a TPopupMenus OnClose (OnPopDown) Event: Unfortunately, the TPopupMenu does not expose an event you can handle that will fire when the menu gets closed - either after a user has selected an item from the menu or has activated some other UI element.Trapping Messages Sent to an Application: ...Delphi surfaces the OnMessage event for the Application object. The OnMessage event handler is supposed to allow you trap every message sent to your application...

Equal Employment Opportunity Essay Example

Equal Employment Opportunity Essay Example Equal Employment Opportunity Essay Equal Employment Opportunity Essay Phase 1 Individual Project HRMT215-1302A-02: Management of Human Resources April 15, 2013 The responsibility of the EEOC, which is Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is to enforce the law, rules, and regulations in relation to equity in the workplace. In this paper, I am a human resource professional, and I am preparing to train the line supervisors on their responsibility to make sure that they are staying within the law and regulations of the EEOC.When hiring for job positions or firing employees for things that they are doing on the job, there are many rules and regulations that has to be following, to ensure that the appropriate course of action is being taken. There are many decisions that has to be made to avoid litigations, substantial fines, or accidents that can harm the business. With the appropriate compliance training, this can be avoided. With the proper compliance training the employee and the supervisors can be instructed about all the laws and regulations that ap plies to them and the work that they are doing in the business.Many employees and managers are not aware of all the rules and regulations that goes along with the work that they do on a daily basis and don’t know what the impact is on how certain circumstances are to be handled. The compliance training will help the business and employees react appropriately when a situation comes up, stay safe, and avoid making any type of mistakes in the business. There are many areas that are covered in compliance training, such as privacy, safety, family medical leave (FMLA), transportation, overtime issues, sexual harassment, discrimination, and accommodations for employees who has disabilities.The type of training that the managers and employee receive and the timeframe of the training depends on the kind of business the organization has and the specific jobs that they are required to do. Compliance training can be used to help decrease and avoid unnecessary issues to the business. The influence that the EEOC has on the way an organization operates is a positive influence. The EEOC job is to enforce any laws that are in relation to discrimination on the employees based on the race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, genetic information or disability. The first influence is the imitation and direction that is imposed by the Administration and Congress, which explain the main changes of the EEOC operations of enforcement over a period of time (EEOC, 2013). The main methods that are employed by the EEOC in the inception because it is what is permitted by the law are education, outreach, conciliation, and technical assistance. The EEOC achieves an integrated approach that links each of the activities to adjust to new and innovative programs, such as mediation or alternative dispute resolution, which has become a very effective tool that is used to resolve any disputes in the business (EEOC, 2013).The second influence is that it encourage thorough investigatio ns and systemic lawsuits of class members effected. Another influence is the need to find any issues, concerns, or problems in relation to the operation of the agency. The strength of the EEOC has helped greatly in the ability to rise all of the challenges and should continue to focus on the main values of fairness, efficiency, effectiveness, and civil rights that is enforced in all organizations (EEOC, 2013).The role that the HR plays in making sure that compliance to labor laws and regulations are to help the business in the area of managing the compliance with all the main human resource, employee benefit regulations, and compensation that the business recognize. The human resource is responsible for managing operational critical performances and liability by the employees and each of the other members in the organization. The human resource department has to inform to the fullest o the relevant compliance, ethics, and responsibilities of the company.The human resource department is to recognize all the behaviors of the contactors and employees with may cause an exposure to the management team or the company, understand how and when they are supposed to report to the legal counselors or compliance officer for investigation, and have a clear understanding as to how and when they need to document the efforts for managing responsibilities, which assist in gaining evidence on the efforts of compliance that is needed to promote the abilities of the organization or the management team.The implication on HR policies of 2 of the labor laws or regulations that were implemented in the last 10 years are wage and child labor laws. The wage law states that employees are entitled to a minimum ways of no less than $7. 25 per hour, which became effective on July 24, 2009 and overtime pay at a rate of no less than one and one half of the regular pay rate after 40 hours. The child labor law states that no minor under the age of 16 can be employed, permitted, suffered or in c onnection with any occupation at any time. ReferencesCliff notes (2013). HR Management: Laws and Regulations. Retrieved from cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/HR-Management-Laws-and-Regulations. topicArticleId-8944,articleId-8892. html Compare Business Products (2013). Use HR Effectively to Ramp Up Effectiveness of Compliance and Risk Management Efforts. Retrieved from comparebusinessproducts. com/briefs/use-hr-effectively-ramp-effectiveness-compliance-risk EEOC (2013). 35 Yeas of Ensuring the Promise of Opportunity. Retrieved from eeoc. gov/eeoc/history/35th/history/

The Role of Fluid Mechanics in Aircraft Design Article

The Role of Fluid Mechanics in Aircraft Design - Article Example The advancement in fluid mechanics has paved the way for the development of the more comprehensive computational model which is crucial in the production of flight vehicles. Fluid mechanics has been regarded crucial in the understanding of Airway Smooth Muscle (AMS), a crucial element of the narrowing of the airways as a result of asthma, and how it works. The development of various fluid mechanics models aided in the application of mathematical principles in understanding inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in the airways (Mathematics in Medicine, â€Å"Mathematical Modelling†), which is critical to achieving the understanding of what actually happens during an asthma attack. Until today, there is no known cure for asthma. Partly, this is due to the weak and inadequate â€Å"predictive animal models† of how the human body works and how it reacts to the existing treatments available. Following a stroke, many patients are suffering from the inability or difficulty of swallowing. There are an estimated 40% of people who are suffering from dysphagia (Mathematics in Medicine, â€Å"Mathematical Modelling of Normal Swallow). Effective management of swallowing disorders is very important in order to improve health conditions among patients who suffered the stroke and other related diseases. In the recent years, fluid mechanics has been considered as one of the key approaches toward understanding the rheological properties of foods and liquids (Mathematics in Medicine, â€Å"Mathematical Modelling of Normal Swallow). Today, medicine is trying its best to develop a comprehensive and all-encompassing mathematical model of the swallowing process.

What forms of evidence have been used by social scientists in stidies Essay

What forms of evidence have been used by social scientists in stidies of crime - Essay Example Social scientists link the crime to society and find the rate of crime, criminal behaviour and other aspects of crime as a social issue with the support of different methodologies of finding and gathering data related to crime. For studying crime, different methods are adopted such as commonsense approach in which, the researcher becomes â€Å"acquainted with people around him/her, the community, business, politics or any social issue† (Sutherland, et al 2005, 78) and the systematic study of individuals in which, the individuals who are involved in crime directly or indirectly are studied or the statistical details related to their arrest, conviction or involvement (Sutherland, et al 2005). The systematic study of individuals takes into consideration statistics, individual case study, analytical induction, participant observation and the experimental method (Sutherland, et al 2005, 78). Burfeind and Bartusch (1992) inform about interdisciplinary approach, case studies, analytical induction, ethnography, ecological analysis and survey research. The statistical evidence of study of crime deals with statistical analysis in terms of correlation between the crime and any social condition (Burfeind and Bartusch 1992). There is no hard and fast rule that the analysis should be between certain aspects. It can be correlated between crime and any other aspect of society. The social scientists use this form of evidence to study crime prevalent in society along with many other methods. Individual case study is another form of evidence used by social scientists. In this form of evidence, the study of crime is based on an individual crime, this means that the social scientist gets engaged into analyzing only a person involved in a criminal activity and bases his study on only that individual (Burfeind and Bartusch 1992). This form is also advantageous as the study is specifically connected to one person and is somehow limited. Interdisciplinary approach to study

Symbols as Used in the Things They Carried Essay Example for Free

Symbols as Used in the Things They Carried Essay The use of symbolism in this story is really amazing. Using the items soldiers tend to take with them to combat zone Tim O’Brien is able to tell a lot about what really soldiers have in mind, their characters and even what might be going on in their personal life. I find this a story interesting to me because when I was deployed I carried things to keep me going. Personal little items I carried with me had a meaning. In this story, although the writer is talking about things that soldiers carried with them, he is passing a message with a different meaning. He is not just telling an interesting story but also describes each of the main characters by telling the readers what these characters carry. Some of the characters carried things demanded by necessity and while some carried emotions and love. All these things they carried symbolized something. In this story, the writer is able to show in detail, each of the soldiers’ ways of dealing with the stresses of war by what they choose to carry. The writer calls this â€Å"humps†. Lt Jimmy Cross carrying love letters symbolizes how desperate these soldiers are for love. Lt Jimmy is dealing with the devastations of war by pretending that a girl called Martha is in love with him even though he knows that she is not. He would vividly fantasize, imagine and even got carried away by Martha. Clearly affection and love was Lt Jimmy’s way of escaping the horrors of everyday. Mitchell Sanders the RTO and Henry Dobbins escape the reality of war by fantasizing about sex. Mitchell Sanders for example carries condoms and tiger fatigues while Henry Dobbins has his girlfriend’s pantyhose â€Å"around his neck as a comforter. Rat Kiley on the other hand carries comic books as an escape. The New Testament Bible carried by Kiowa symbolizes religion and the solid foundation of what the soldiers believe in. The use of tranquilizers by Ted Lavender symbolizes fear and how painful the death can be. Carrying lice and diseases and they still survive shows how these soldiers were strong and how the living conditions were horrible. The use of poncho in carrying the dead body symbolizes the creativity of the soldiers and how equipment can be modified to perform more than one function. Normal Bowker carrying a thumb symbolizes these soldiers’ minds, body and spirit have dissociated. Carrying a thumb which had been cut from a corpse symbolizes numbness and emotionless. Soldiers marching for the sake of marching and with no purpose and no winning or losing symbolizes that they were just doing what they are ordered to do by the government. They left supplies wherever they go since they knew that the chopper will supply them with more equipment the following day. This symbolizes how financially the government is and how resources are being wasted in times of war. Lt Jimmy after blaming himself for the dead of Lavender he decided that he will start instilling discipline and avoid living the things they carried or throwing away the equipment. This may represent a larger group of citizens back at home who are opposing wasteful spending.

How the Rich Benefit from the Poor Essay -- Politics Political

How the Rich Benefit from the Poor this paper has problems with formatting The United States is the most developed capitalist economy in the world. The markets within the economy provide profit-motivated companies endless potential in the pursuance of pecuniary accumulation. Throughout the twentieth-century competitive companies have implemented modernized managerial procedures designed to raise profits by reducing unnecessary costs. These cost-saving procedures have had a substantial effect on society and particularly members of the working class. Managers and owners of these competitive and self-motivated companies have consistently worked throughout this century to exploit the most controllable component of the production process: the worker. The worker has been forced by the influence of powerful and affluent business owners to work in conditions hazardous to their well being in addition to preposterously menial compensation. It was the masterful manipulation of society and legislation through strategic objectives that the low-wage workers were coerced into this position of destitute. The strategies of the affluent fragment of society were conceived for the selfish purpose of monetary gain. The campaigns to augment the business position within the capitalist economy were designed to weaken organized labor, reduce corporate costs, gain legislative control and reduce international competition at the expense of the working class. The owners have gained and continue to gain considerable wealth from these strategies. To understand why the owners of the powerful companies operate in such a selfish manner, we must look at particular fundamentals of both capitalism and corporation strategy. Once these rudiments are understood, we ... ...stadl, and Mark Weller. Dollars and Votes. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998. Downs, Alan. Corporate Executions. New York: AMACOM, 1995. Foley, Duncan K., Thomas R. Michl. Growth and Distribution. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999. â€Å"Industrial Revolution.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1st ed. 1999. Zieger, Robert H.. Republicans and Labor 1919-1929. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1969. Works Consulted â€Å"Democratic Party.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1st ed. 1999. â€Å"Fair Labor Standards Act.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1st ed. 1999. Porter, Glen. â€Å"Industrial Revolution.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1st ed. 1999. â€Å"Republican Party.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1st ed. 1999. â€Å"Strike.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1st ed. 1999. â€Å"Taft-Hartley Act.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1st ed. 1999.

A Critical Analysis of the Procurement Policy for a Local Government

Executive Summary This paper analyses the recent changes to the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council and how such changes are comparable to the procurement strategy of Staffordshire County Council. Important parameters of the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council are discussed, such as category management, whole lifecycle approach, skills and capacity of procurement professionals, and openness and transparency. These dimensions are compared to the principles and objectives listed in Staffordshire County Council’s procurement strategy. In addition, the paper provides recommendations to improve procurement practices available at Leeds City Council. Eventually, a tender specification sheet is provided to invite bids from private players to run the woodhouse car park in front of the University. Key performance indicators to evaluate tenders are included. Introduction Leeds City Council has made certain changes to its procurement strategy recently. The council emphasised specific elements indicating the importance placed on ensuring high quality procurement services. Such elements refer to category management, whole lifecycle approach, skills and capacity of procurement professionals, and openness and transparency (Leeds City Council Procurement Strategy 2013). These dimensions are similar to the principles and objectives set in Staffordshire County Council’s procurement strategy. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the recent changes to the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council and how they compare to Staffordshire County Council’s procurement strategy. Leeds City Council’s Procurement Strategy Compared to the Procurement Strategy of Staffordshire County Council Leeds City Council demonstrates a primary objective to improve outcomes and value for money obtained from a wide range of goods and services it purchases. Therefore, the council’s procurement strategy is based on essential principles to include whole lifecycle approach, accountability to the public, openness and transparency (Hawkins et al. 2011). The strategy indicates the council’s concerns to rely on expertise in the field as well as utilise relevant examples of adequate practices maintained at local and national levels. The common expectation presented with the enforcement of the council’s new strategy is to realise its full potential within two years. The council extensively supports not only its ambitions but also the ambitions of its partners in the process of delivering quality outcomes for service users (Leeds City Council Procurement Strategy 2013). A relevant part of Leeds City Council’s procurement strategy is the adoption of a category managem ent approach, where procurement professionals tend to group together related purchasing. Such approach is entirely focused on exploring variances in buying needs and provider offerings (Iyer and Pazgal 2008). In this way, the council is concerned with maintaining high quality of services along with savings. Similarly, the procurement strategy of Staffordshire County Council presents diverse orientation in terms of proper identification of the goods and services purchased by activity and function. Staffordshire County Council also states the importance of achieving value for money. Another recent change to the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council is associated with the adoption of a whole lifecycle approach. It is essential to point out that such approach starts from ongoing evaluation of buying needs as well as analysing different options. In fact, the mentioned approach receives optimal application through careful preparation and procurement (Niezen and Weller 2006). Mobilising the council’s resources is a significant priority to the professionals responsible for the implementation of the procurement strategy. Such principle corresponds to Staffordshire County Council’s strategy of relying on the voice of all people of Staffordshire on specific issues that matter to them (Staffordshire County Council 2014). This shows a strong sense of collaboration with residents and communities in order to identify proper solutions to any emerging problems. Staffordshire County Council places importance on leading and influencing as well as sharing knowl edge with representatives from the public sector in Staffordshire (Kennekae 2012). Early engagement is crucial in maintaining savings and improvements that further reflect in transformational changes in the council’s procurement strategy. The whole lifecycle approach adopted by Leeds City Council regarding its procurement strategy assumes that service delivery should not be compromised. Other significant dimensions of this approach relate to contact management and exit which contribute to achieving extensive value for many. In addition, the recent changes observed in the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council and that of Staffordshire County Council reflect the importance of the skills and capacity of procurement professionals. They are mostly responsible for ensuring the maintenance of a relevant procurement process based on supporting the council’s business continuity needs (Niezen and Weller 2006). The latter is extensively manifested in the procurement strategy of Staffordshire County Council. Procurement professionals structure arrangements with key providers in an attempt to manage the risks pertaining to the process of supplying goods and services. Thus, professionals in the respective field are expected to set high quality processes through cross-functional strategic activities that are evident in both Leeds City Council and Staffordshire County Council (Loppacher et al. 2006). Leeds City Council’s procurement strategy considers the significance of employing common principles a nd rules which are properly designed to correspond to the needs of all included categories. Emphasis is on reflecting the needs of the specific service areas along with stakeholder needs. This recent change in the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council is in line with ensuring quality outcomes (Leeds City Council Procurement Strategy 2013). Such procurement strategy is comparable to the one of Staffordshire County Council due to the process of aligning delivery of goods and services with the corporate needs identified by Staffordshire County Council (Staffordshire County Council 2014). The respective council utilises the expertise of procurement professionals to ensure social values outcomes as well as sufficient savings achieved through a balanced scorecard used for procurement. The focus on the skills and capacity of procurement professionals is among the improved areas of Leeds City Council’s procurement strategy. Having skilled and experienced staff is important in delivering high quality outcomes to local communities. Moreover, Leeds City Council manifests its responsibility to support the development and training of procurement professionals in order to maintain high standards across the profession (Loppacher et al. 2006). There is a solid sense of accountability evident in the practice of each procurement professional working at Leeds City Council. In comparison, Staffordshire County Council emphasises the capacity of its procurement staff in terms of providing legal training packages. This indicates an ongoing process of developing the knowledge and expertise of all professionals involved in the procurement practice (Arora et al. 2007). In this way, procurement professionals can work together with other experts in the field to implement the spe cific objectives listed in the procurement strategy of both Leeds City Council and Staffordshire County Council. One of the observable recent changes in the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council is that the central procurement function is projected to serve as a flexible source of excellence and thus is accountable for providing a substantial source of expertise. Procurement professionals working in Leeds City Council and Staffordshire County Council are extensively trained to demonstrate ownership and accountability to the public in their respective communities (Kennekae 2012). Elements of structured governance and assurance make Leeds City Council’s procurement strategy rather effective. However, the procurement strategy of Staffordshire County Council is oriented towards indicating a ‘customer of choice’ model of delivering services. This implies that procurement professionals working in Staffordshire County Council are responsible for the creation of greater visibility of the council’s requirements for goods, services and provider performance (Staffordshire C ounty Council 2014). Therefore, professionals are determined to ensure proper communications and organising skills that help them in the establishment and implementation of linkage. Similarly, procurement professionals in Leeds City Council are devoted to research good practice documents and toolkits while trying to reinforce their skills and capacity. Furthermore, the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council is comparable to the one of Staffordshire County Council in the aspect of openness and transparency. Both councils indicate an ambition of being open and transparent which reflects in providing visible contracts as well as constantly updated management information (Kim and Netessine 2012). Leeds City Council places importance on presenting clear and accessible tender processes and documentation. Openness and transparency ensure the formation of a positive relationship between the council and its procurement partners. Likewise, such aspects are closely linked with instilling confidence in the public regarding the adopted procurement approach (McLean 2008). In comparison, the procurement strategy implemented by Staffordshire County Council indicates its staff’s commitment to ensure compliance and probity which may be associated with the principles of openness and transparency manifested by Leeds City Council. Recommendations The recent changes to the procurement strategy of Leeds City Council indicate that the respective council’s approach is comparable to the strategy of Staffordshire County Council. Yet certain recommendations are listed below to achieve further improvements in Leeds City Council’s procurement strategy: Procurement professionals should work on creating an inclusive procurement strategy in which smaller providers are presented with an opportunity to participate (McLean 2008); The council should constantly research and update its available procurement tools to guarantee competitively established standards in the field; The council should consider the removal of unnecessary restrictions which would allow the institution to evaluate suppliers in an objective manner rather than focus on limiting business criteria such as revenue (Loppacher et al. 2006); Professionals need to demonstrate sensitivity to financing issues to include established payment policies; It is fundamental to indicate potential hidden costs in terms of providing clear information on the actual insurance, liability as well as regulatory requirements; this practice would allow innovative suppliers to compete (Hawkins et al. 2011) Conclusion The paper indicated an analysis of Leeds City Council’s procurement strategy with special focus on its recent changes and how they are comparable to the procurement strategy outlined by Staffordshire County Council (Leeds City Council Procurement Strategy 2013). Thus, significant aspects of both procurement strategies have been discussed in order to identify the focus of procurement professionals working in the two councils. Certain aspects of the two procurement strategies were found similar especially with regards to category management and lifecycle approach. Moreover, the efforts of procurement professionals are equally important to the work of either Leeds City Council or Staffordshire County Council (Staffordshire County Council 2014). In this way, the paper ensured adequate arguments about the effectiveness of the procurement strategies adopted by these institutions. Tender Specification Sheet Leeds City Council is seeking tenders from various private providers for the maintenance and operation of the woodhouse car park in front of the University. The intention is that the car park will operate as a proper public amenity. There are certain standards of services that will be followed. The respective parking services are set at prices identified at proper market levels. Prices are competitive in order to encourage visitor parking regarding close distance to local businesses. Discouraging the practice of day-long parking is essential for the maintenance of the woodhouse car park. The park will be open 24 hours a day, seven days/ week. Personal security will be ensured to customers and visitors. They need to feel secure in the identified car park area. The integration of area security is a priority to the Council. All tenderers are invited to submit their applications by providing the following documentation: -Financial Proposal for a period of 3 years; -Details on the percentage of the turnover expected to be paid annually to the Council; -Evidence indicating previous experience in the area of car park projects; -Providing details of the resources available to complete the project; In order to evaluate the bids from the private players, it is important to provide a set of key performance indicators that will be consistently used (Iyer and Pazgal 2008). The first performance indicator is that the selected tender should provide the best value for money at reasonable cost. This may result from balancing cost and quality. Another key performance indicator that will be used to assess the bids is that of prequalification. Such indicator is implemented to make sure that only those who meet specific criteria will be considered for inclusion to bid (Loppacher et al. 2006). In addition, prequalification is associated with responses to a set of questions provided by the Council. Major questions should include elements of quality, capacity to supply and financial competence. The indicator of open and flexible communication is fundamental as no private player should be given preference. Even though meetings with tenderers who have placed their bids may be necessary at a cer tain point, they should take place solely for clarifying specific aspects regarding the tender (Hawkins et al. 2011). It is important to use recognised channels of communication in order to avoid confusion of private players or any misunderstanding of presented information. References Arora, P., Garg, A. K. and Vaidya, S. C. (2007), ‘Efficacy of Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility and Procurement Strategy’, South Asian Journal of Management, Vol. 14(1) pp105-119 Hawkins, T., Gravier, M. and Powley, E. (2011), ‘Public versus Private Sector Procurement Ethics and Strategy: What Each Sector Can Learn from the Other’, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 103(4) pp567-586 Iyer, G. and Pazgal, A. (2008), ‘Procurement Bidding with Restrictions’, Quantitative Marketing & Economics, Vol. 6(2) pp177-204 Kennekae, L. (2012), ‘Procurement Strategies to Serve the Public Good,’ International Trade Forum, 2 pp11-111 Kim, S. H. and Netessine, S. (2011), ‘Collaborative Cost Reduction and Component Procurement under Information Asymmetry’, INSEAD Working Papers Collections, 33 pp1-40 Leeds City Council Procurement Strategy (2013), Leeds City Council [Online]. Available at: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/Procurement%20Strategy%20V1.0%20PUBLISH%2030.09.2013.pdf [Accessed: 29 April 2014]. Loppacher, J. S., Luchi, R., Cagliano, R. and Spina, G. (2006), ‘Global Sourcing and Procurement Strategy: A Model of Interrelated Decisions’, Supply Chain Forum: International Journal, Vol. 7(1) pp34-46 McLean, S. (2008), ‘Choice in Government Software Procurement: A Winning Strategy’, Journal of Public Procurement, Vol.8(1) pp70-97 Niezen, C. and Weller, W. (2006), ‘Procurement as Strategy’, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 84(9) pp22-24 Staffordshire County Council (2014), Staffordshire Procurement [Online]. Available at: https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/business/procurement/homepage.aspx [Accessed: 29 April 2014].

How Technology Makes Life Easier Essay

Technology has made the way everyone communicates very easy . One specific way a person can easily communicate with another is with the use of a cell phone. Cell phones provide long distance calling for those who are out of the states or across the states. For instance I went to Disney Word for a few days and I was able to keep in touch with my family while I was there. My stay in Florida was long and I missed my mother because it was the first time we had ever been separated. I called her every morning I woke up to go somewhere and every night before I went to sleep. Cell phones are used for business calls. Personal calls, emergency calls, and everything in between. They are easy to function, and they have a lot of amenities on them. They have Facebook on phones so one can keep in touch with the people they either lost contact of, or they haven’t seen in years. I tend to try and keep up with all my new and old friends since I have moved around a lot recently. So all in all cell phones make it a whole lot easier to communicate with one another. GPS is also a very big helper when it comes to cell phones. When one is lost and he or she does not know where they are going, nine times out of ten one’s phone has GPS. I have used GPS quite a bit when I navigate around Louisiana. It is very easy to get lost and most of the time I don’t have time to get lost. So I use my GPS. GPS helps all those truck drivers who are driving from state to state. It helps a traveling family who is moving from one house to another. GPS help bus drivers that are carrying commuting passengers. I have family that lives in Tennessee and my family down here tends to travel up there during holidays. When we go we make sure the GPS system is set to the right address. So far we have never gotten lost or traveled onto the wrong interstate yet. In conclusion, Cell phones make it easier for people to communicate with one another whether it’s long distance or not. Cell phones help one keep in touch with people one has not seen in a while. Cell phones that have GPS also help navigate from state to state.

Author Interviews How to Appear on Podcasts for Book Promotion

Author Interviews How to Appear on Podcasts for Book Promotion Author Interviews: How to Land Appearances on Podcasts for Book Promotion Author interviews via podcast appearances are one of the best ways to build authority and reach targeted audiences of ideal readers, as well as promote your book.Best of all, once you’ve appeared on a podcast, you’ll be able to use your interview as proof of your expertise and experience when you pitch to other podcasts.This is especially beneficial if you self-published a book since you dont have the support of a big publishing house- youre doing all the book marketing on your own!And this is a powerful way to spread the word about all the good your book can do.Heres how to land author interviews:Do your researchRate and review the podcastFeature the podcast hostsTailor your pitchOffer ideas related to your bookLeverage common connections you haveSend samples of previous author interviewsCreate a one-sheetDeliver value firstNOTE: If youre ready to turn being an author into a real career, check out our Sell More Books Program where we teach you how to build sustainable income with book sales. Learn more about it hereWhy do you need author interviews?Author interviews are beneficial for authors to spread the word about themselves as an author as well as their new and previous books.Think about author interviews the same as celebrity interviews when they have movies or TV shows premiering.Heres how author interviews can benefit you:You will reach a new audienceYour audience will be more receptiveYou market yourself as an authorYou market your newest book launchYou can market any previous books you haveYou will gain a larger social platformYou will sell more booksOverall, author interviews can only help you in your quest to become a full-time author by offering you book marketing opportunities.Check out this example of how beneficial an author interview of our very own Student Success Coach, Lise Cartwright, can be below. Its available both on our Youtube channel and Podcast. With over 8700 views on Youtube and many listens on the podcast, this inter view certainly helped maintain her passive income through books.How to Get Author Interviews on PodcastsBelow, you’ll discover 9 simple strategies to stand out in the eyes of podcasters and land author interviews on their shows.#1 Do your researchFirst of all, listen to the show before reaching out to podcast hosts. Podcasters are often approached by an author who sends generic emails proclaiming â€Å"I love your show,† and then ask to become a guest to promote their book.Other times, they’re approached with specific pitch letters, but the fit isn’t right.The reason for the mismatch usually is that the author who is pitching hasn’t listened to the show.If it feels like a chore to listen to the podcast, that’s a sign that you might be better off reaching out to a different podcast host.After all, you want to find podcasts that are in your niche, which usually happens to be those you listen to anyways.Here are a few things to ask yourself wh en you want to reach out to a podcast for an interview:Do you listen to them on your own?Do you resonate with their core message/theme?Are you involved in their community on a regular basis?Would you be proud to be a featured guest on their podcast?Are you a fan of past featured guests?Answering these positively will help you determine which podcasts to reach out to. Without doing the proper research, you could wind up upsetting the hosts and burning those bridges.#2 Rate and review the showOnce you’ve listened to a show, subscribe to it on iTunes. Then, rate and review, too.Ratings, reviews, and subscriptions help the podcast’s ranking. Most importantly, reviews are a powerful form of social proof that will encourage new people to listen.Mention the review when you submit your pitch. For example, you could write, â€Å"Listening to John Doe’s description of his struggle to grow his business in spite of his terminal disease was truly inspiring. Now, when thing s get tough, that message keeps me going. That’s why it was such a pleasure to write a 5-star review of your show on iTunes.†Your message will bring awareness to what you’ve done to support the show, greatly increasing your chances of landing a guest spot.#3 Feature the podcast hostsIf you currently have a podcast or YouTube channel, invite the host to be featured as a guest.By being on your show, the podcasters will learn about your background, and most importantly, about your book. In many cases, they’ll be compelled to invite you as a guest.Even if the podcast hosts don’t ask you to be on their show, they’re still much more likely to say yes when you ask them. Also, I send a copy of my book to my podcast guests, who in many cases write a review of the book on Amazon and then offer to have me on their show.If you dont have a podcast, then feature them on your social media or website.You could also write a blog post about the main lessons l earned from the show, and tag the host on social media when the article is published. Be cautious when applying this strategy, however.A subpar article, a half-hearted effort to capture what’s valuable about the show, or overblown praise will probably backfire.#4 Tailor your pitch to the host’s story and the mission of the showWhen I first pitched my ideas to Dave Lukas, host of the Misfit Entrepreneur Podcast, I mentioned how much I loved that he’d created the show as a legacy for his daughter.When he learned that I related to and understood his mission, it was easy for him to agree to have me on his show.You can do the same. Find out why they do what they do, and if it resonates with you, then center your pitch around that.Here are a few tips for tailoring your pitch to land your author interview:Mention something you learned from their showMake a connection from yourself to the shows mission and themeConnect your books message with their showsDoing this will help you reach podcast hosts much more effectively and show them youre a great fit for their show.#5 Offer three unique ideas related to your bookBefore I submit a pitch, I research the episodes in the past two to three months to see if anyone has explored the topics I have in mind.If my topics are fresh, I submit them. If not, I reposition my expertise with a different angle.My book is about influencer marketing. If I notice that only three weeks prior, another guest talked about influencer marketing as part of a business’s marketing mix, I pitch a different aspect of the topic, such as â€Å"how to build a list of subscribers with influencer marketing,† or â€Å"how to initiate connections with social media influencers to launch your book.†Resist the temptation to speak about a topic that deviates from your book. If you do that, your interview will probably not bring in new book sales.I encourage you to take a moment right now and write down three to five to pic ideas based on the core message in your book, which you can modify depending on the targeted show.#6 Leverage common connections you have with the hostWho do you think has a better chance to get a last-minute appointment with a busy hair stylist: a complete stranger or the friend of a current customer?The same idea applies to landing guest appearances on a podcast. Common connections matter.Often, when I appear on a podcast, the host will offer to introduce me to other podcast hosts who might want to have me as a guest.This is one of the easiest ways to secure future guest appearances.You might not even need a formal introduction. When you pitch, just mention that you know one or more of their previous guests.The idea is to find common ground.#7 Send samples of previous interviewsIn every podcast pitch I submit, I include links to three of my most relevant and significant podcast appearances.Those podcast interviews are relevant because they’re ideal for the audience of the new podcast I’m targeting, and they’re significant because they have reached large audiences.If you haven’t had podcast appearances yet, I encourage you to create audio or video clips with valuable content relevant to your audience that you publish on your site, and use those links as samples for the host.Even though samples of actual podcast interviews are much more powerful, the mere fact that you have a sample of your work will help you stand out among the competition.#8 Create a one-sheetTo save yourself time and effort, and to show your professionalism, I suggest you create a â€Å"one-sheet.†A one-sheet is a document thats a summary of who you are and what you offer as a guest.You could send the link to your one-sheet with your pitch, or use the information within the one-sheet to complete your guest request form or email pitch.Regardless of the situation, having this document readily available will save you time and effort.The main elements o f a one-sheet are: BioHeadshotPotential interview topicsTalking pointsRelevant linksAffiliate linksContact informationHeres an example of my own, personal one-sheet and what all the below information looks like compiled into, well, one sheet.Now lets delve into what each of these sections needs.BioCreate different versions of your bio (50-, 100-, 150-, and 200-word bios) so you’re ready when the podcast host asks you for a specific length. If you’re submitting the entire one-sheet, include the 100-word version of your bio in it.The bio should mention your book (even if you haven’t published it yet), and other credentials as proof of your expertise, along with at least one personal tidbit about yourself.HeadshotIt’s standard for all podcast guests to submit their profile picture before they’re interviewed. Invest in a professional photographer.No selfies, please!Potential interview topicsList no more than seven topics related to your book you could explore as a guest.You can check back to step number 5 if you need to generate some.Talking pointsSome hosts will ask you to provide talking points for the topic you’ll explore. Others favor a free-form style, and will lead the interview as an informal conversation.In either case, you should be prepared to provide talking points within 48 hours of being approved as a guest, though you can double check with the podcast host for specifics about this.Relevant linksInclude links to your main website, your book, your free offer for the listeners, and your primary social media pages.Depending on the host, you might also be asked to provide an affiliate link to a free download or low-ticket offer. In most cases, providing affiliate links isn’t required, but having the ability to create such a link on demand will help you stand out.If you’re submitting the one-sheet, then just write â€Å"Affiliate link for free download available.†Contact informationInclude your email address and phone number.Having your one-sheet ready will allow you to simply copy and paste the information when you complete guest request forms or pitch via email.#9 Always aim to deliver value firstAbove all, remember that your primary goal is to deliver value to your audience, and book sales will be a natural result of that value. If instead you approach the podcasters with the only intention to sell more books, they might simply ignore you.When you submit your pitch, always start what ifs a personalized explanation of why you are a fan of the show and how you can inspire and educate its audience.Then, mention your book as an additional asset listeners may benefit from.Value First!Good luck landing your author interview!After you land your first podcast appearance, itll be much easier for you to land the next. When you least expect it, the word about your book will have spread and you will make a much greater impact with your message.What matters most is that you take a ction and start reaching out to podcast hosts. You- and your book- deserve to be known!Ready to become a successful author?No successful author started from nothing.They had to work hard and earn their place by learning and applying what they learned when writing a book.Heres how you can learn more about how to become a successful author because youll never get there if you dont start today.

How an Extended Response Item Can Enhance Learning

How an Extended Response Item Can Enhance Learning Extended response items have traditionally been called essay questions. An extended response item is an open-ended question that begins with some type of prompt. These questions allow students to write a response that arrives at a conclusion based on their specific knowledge of the topic. An extended response item takes considerable time and thought. It requires students not only to give an answer but also to explain the answer with as much in-depth detail as possible. In some cases, students not only have to give an answer and explain the answer, but they also have to show how they arrived at that answer. Teachers love extended response items because they require students to construct an in-depth response that proves mastery or lack thereof. Teachers can then utilize this information to reteach gap concepts or build upon individual student strengths. Extended response items require students to demonstrate a higher depth of knowledge than they would need on a multiple choice item. Guessing is almost completely eliminated with an extended response item.  A student either knows the information well enough to write about it or they do not. Extended response items also are a great way to assess and teach students grammar and writing. Students must be strong writers as an extended response item also tests a students ability to write coherently and grammatically correct. Extended response items require essential critical thinking skills. An essay, in a sense, is a riddle that students can solve using prior knowledge, making connections, and drawing conclusions.  This is an invaluable skill for any student to have. Those who can master it have a better chance of being successful academically.  Any student who can successfully solve problems and craft well-written explanations of their solutions will be at the top of their class.   Extended response items do have their shortcomings. They are not teacher friendly in that they are difficult to construct and score.  Extended response items take a lot of valuable time to develop and grade.  Additionally, they are difficult to score accurately.  It can become difficult for teachers to remain objective when scoring an extended response item. Each student has a completely different response, and teachers must read the entire response looking for evidence that proves mastery. For this reason, teachers must develop an accurate rubric and follow it when scoring any extended response item. An extended response assessment takes more time for students to complete than a multiple choice assessment.  Students must first organize the information and construct a plan before they can actually begin responding to the item.  This time-consuming process can take multiple class periods to complete depending on the specific nature of the item itself. Extended response items can be constructed in more than one way. It can be passage-based, meaning that students are provided with one or more passages on a specific topic. This information can help them formulate a more thoughtful response. The student must utilize evidence from the passages to formulate and validate their response on the extended response item.  The more traditional method is a straightforward, open-ended question on a topic or unit that has been covered in class.  Students are not given a passage to assist them in constructing a response but instead must draw from memory their direct knowledge on the topic. Teachers must remember that formulating a well written extended response is a skill in itself.  Though they can be a great assessment tool, teachers must be prepared to spend the time to teach students how to write a formidable essay.  This is not a skill that comes without hard work.  Teachers must provide students with the multiple skills that are required to write successfully including sentence and paragraph structure, using proper grammar, pre-writing activities, editing, and revising.  Teaching these skills must become part of the expected classroom routine for students to become proficient writers.

Gender inequalities within the NHS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Gender inequalities within the NHS - Essay Example Since its inception in 1948, it has improvised its policies and has incorporated better and newer policies for effective functioning. It is a humongous effort to run the NHS smoothly and efficiently as it has innumerable people involved in its administration and operation. It has gone a step ahead and has integrated computers for better functioning and also has its helpline on the internet. Amidst all these progressive steps, the main factor that remains important for it being effectual is its colossal staff. The UK government has ensured that almost all doctors and nurses in the UK are employed by the NHS and work in their hospitals. The government has also ensured that all the new student doctors train at the NHS after completing medical school and they have provision to accommodate almost 8000 doctors and nurses every year. These new doctors must undergo a two year foundation programme with the NHS to become registered doctors. NHS plays a very critical role in shaping the careers for new doctors and nurses. NHS has employment policies that promote equality and diversity within the organization and are non-discriminatory about race, caste and gender and disability (Department of Health, 2006). The Gender Equality Act of 2006 has made provisions for the following: equal opportunities for men and women in terms of employment, no sexual discrimination towards the transsexuals, no pay gap between male and female employees, part time work options and to provide training and up gradation of knowledge and skills. It has been acknowledged by most that there is predominance of women in the nursing field especially those working part-time. There is however, a deliberation that the women nurses are at the lower stratum of the profession, which questions the Equality policy. Studies are showing that female nurses are receiving disproportionate employment opportunities with most of

Assignments Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignments - Assignment Example Pellian government has the full rights to expropriate oil because they observe environmental conversation. The government does not allow spilling of toxic chemicals to the villages. They play their role as citizen’s watchdog. The appropriate level of compensation Pellian government has to offer should exceed the profit earned in that financial year. BIT rules state that, a firm should pay compensation immediately. The government has to offer AmeriGas immediately at the day of expropriation. This is in accordance with the international laws. BIT rules protect other minor oil corporations from exploitation from the major oil firms. A compensation covering profits and capital is the best model to clear expropriation. Under the bilateral treaty; Pellian government offered $65 million in compensation to AmeriGasCo. This was a reflection of the profits earned (Sands 372). The fee imposed upon chip manufacturing operation is not consistent with the treatment obligations under BIT. The fee is less than the fair market value. Bilateral treaty advocates for reasonable rate fees that could match the economy, from the date of expropriation. Firms spend money on microchips, which is against the conditions of