Essay Topics For IAS

Essay Topics For IASEssay topics for IAS are very important. The IAS, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), is an exhaustive and time-consuming exam that assesses the candidates' knowledge, skills and aptitude for running a departmental office or department. If you don't know the basic principles of the IAS examination, then the entire process will be a lot harder for you than it should be.One of the easiest essay topics for IAS can be a text-based one. This is because almost all institutions require the candidates to write about a particular issue related to their field of interest. This is even applicable in fields where the candidates have been employed previously. So, most institutions will want the candidate to write about his or her previous experience related to the particular subject.You can find many reasons for why people wish to write about their past experiences. One reason could be that it would give them a better idea about the subjects in which they specialize and t he company they are presently working for.There are many other reasons why students also wish to do a past experiences. Some of them might be that they would like to share a few ideas about the courses in which they have participated in or the classes they have taken. Sometimes, students find it helpful to write about their own achievements in the subject.Other students might feel that they would like to compare their previous experiences with the experiences of others, especially their classmates. It is also possible for the student to come up with a unique perspective for the topic, if it is related to a particular field or a certain company. You can either make a different topic entirely or change the subject to something that is more related to your area of interest.It is also possible for you to choose topics related to the society, culture, language, religion, technological advancements, modern life and contemporary issues in the society. This is done because writing such essa y topics for IAS is not an easy task for any candidate.So, get the right topics for you. Remember, the IAS is very tough so it would be very beneficial for you to get the right one for your case. After all, the preparation for this is all about timing and getting the right topic and hence, make sure that you get it right.

MICROECONOMICS - TEST ONE Essays - Market, Consumer Theory

MICROECONOMICS - TEST ONE NAME __________________________________ Forty-four multiple choice questions, each worth 2 points; and two short-answer questions, each worth 6 points. For each question, circle the best answer. 1.The study of economics is primarily concerned with: A)keeping private businesses from losing money. B)keeping economics professors from starving to death. C)choices that are made in seeking to use scarce resources efficiently. D)determining the most equitable (fair) distribution of the government's money. 2.Even though the Orlando Sentinel is inexpensive, people rarely buy more than one of them each day. This fact: A)is an example of irrational behavior. B)implies that reading should be taught through phonics rather than the whole language method. C)contradicts the economic perspective. D)implies that, for most people, the marginal benefit of reading a second newspaper is less than the marginal cost. 3.The basic purpose of the "other things equal" (ceteris paribus) assumption is to: A)allow one to reason about the relationship between price and quantity of X without the intrusion of a change in the price of Z. B)allow one to focus upon micro variables by ignoring macro variables. C)allow one to focus upon macro variables by ignoring micro variables. D)allow one to reason about the relationship between revenues and expenses of a business. 4.Which of the following is a microeconomic statement? A)The real U.S. output increased by 2.5 percent last year. B)Unemployment was 6.8 percent of the U.S. labor force last year. C)The price of personal computers declined last year. D)The general price level (inflation) increased by 4 percent last year. 5.The problems of aggregate (at the national level) inflation and unemployment are: A)major topics of macroeconomics. B)not relevant to the U.S. economy. C)major topics of microeconomics. D)peculiar to socialistic economies. 6."If you leave a football game at the end of the third quarter, you will avoid traffic and get home more quickly. Therefore, everyone should leave the game early." This illustrates the: A)"sore loser syndrome" (loser doesn't want to see the end of the game when his team is losing.) B)adverse selection problem. C)fallacy of division. D)fallacy of composition. 7.If we say that two variables are inversely related, this means that: A)the two graph as an upsloping line. B)an increase in one variable is associated with a decrease in the other. C)an increase in one variable is associated with an increase in the other. D)the resulting relationship can be portrayed by a straight line parallel to the horizontal axis. Use the following to answer question 8: 8.Answer on the basis of the relationships shown in the above four figures. The amount of Y is inversely related to the amount of X in: A)2 only. B) both 1 and 3.C) 3 only.D) 1 only. 9.The fundamental problem of economics is: A)to establish a democratic political framework for the smooth operation of the government. B)the establishment of prices that reflect the relative scarcities of products and resources. C)dealing with the scarcity of productive resources relative to an unlimited number of economic wants. D)What do I do to get out of poverty? 10.Which of the following is real capital (as we define it in economics)? A)a pair of stockings B) a construction craneC) a savings accountD) a share of IBM stock 11.Economics can best be defined as the study of: A)how to profitably invest one's income in stocks and bonds. B)how to use scarce productive resources efficiently. C)how government policies affect businesses and labor. D)managing business enterprises for profit. 12.A production possibilities curve shows: A)that resources are unlimited. B)that people prefer one of the goods more than the other. C)the maximum amounts of two goods that can be produced assuming the full and efficient use of available resources. D)combinations of labor only necessary to produce specific levels of output. 13.Opportunity cost is best defined as: A)the monetary price of any productive resource. B)the amount of labor that must be used to produce one unit of any product. C)the ratio of the prices of imported goods to the prices of exported goods. D)the amount of one product that must be given up to produce one more unit of another product. 14."Allocative efficiency" refers to: A)the use of the least-cost method of production. B)the production of the product-mix most wanted by society. C)the full employment of all available resources. D)production at some point inside

Basic Information About Maps

Basic Information About Maps We see them every day, we use them when we travel, and we refer to them often, but what is a map? Map Defined A map is defined as a representation, usually on a flat surface, of a whole or part of an area. The job of a map is to describe spatial relationships of specific features that the map aims to represent. There are many different types of maps that attempt to represent specific things. Maps can display political boundaries, population, physical features, natural resources, roads, climates, elevation (topography), and economic activities. Maps are produced by cartographers. Cartography refers both the study of maps and the process of map-making. It has evolved from basic drawings of maps to the use of computers and other technologies to assist in making and mass producing maps. Is a Globe a Map? A globe is a map. Globes are some of the most accurate maps that exist. This is because the earth is a three-dimensional object that is close to spherical. A globe is an accurate representation of the spherical shape of the world. Maps lose their accuracy because they are actually projections of a part of or the entire Earth. Map Projections There are several types of map projections, as well as several methods used to achieve these projections. Each projection is most accurate at its center point and becomes more distorted the further away from the center that it gets. The projections are generally named after either the person who first used it, the method used to produce it, or a combination of the two. Some common types of map projections include: MercatorTransverse MercatorRobinsonLambert Azimuthal Equal AreaMiller CylindricalSinusoidal Equal AreaOrthographicStereographicGnomonicAlbers Equal Area Conic In-depth explanations of how the most common map projections are made can be found on this USGS website, complete with diagrams and explanations of uses and advantages to each. Mental Maps The term mental map refers to the maps that arent actually produced and just exist in our minds. These maps are what allow us to remember the routes that we take to get somewhere. They exist because people think in terms of spatial relationships and vary from person to person because they are based on ones own perception of the world. Evolution of Maps Maps have changed in many ways since maps were first used. The earliest maps that have withstood the test of time were made on clay tablets. Maps were produced on leather, stone, and wood. The most common medium for producing maps on is, of course, paper. Today, however, maps are produced on computers, using software such as GIS or Geographic Information Systems. The way maps are made has also changed. Originally, maps were produced using land surveying, triangulation, and observation. As technology advanced, maps  were made using aerial photography, and then eventually remote sensing, which is the process used today. The appearance of maps has evolved along with their accuracy. Maps have changed from basic expressions of locations  to works of art, extremely accurate, mathematically produced maps. Map of the World Maps are generally accepted as precise and accurate, which is true  but only to a point. A map of the entire world, without distortion of any kind, has yet to be produced; therefore it is vital that one questions where that distortion is on the map that they are using.

Analyse and assess the key issues in managing conflict within the Essay

Analyse and assess the key issues in managing conflict within the workplace, with special regard to the relative decline in indu - Essay Example Either of these will be used depending on the scenario at hand, which is a task befalling HR managers, as they must correctly assess the scenario and identify which conflict management style would be effective. From a broader perspective, HR professionals should look to equipping their workforce with not only technical skills but also intercultural and interpersonal skills to enable them deal with the rising pressure (Trudel and Reio 2011, p.395). Conflicts at the workplace are inevitable and need not be feared as non-existence of them indicates unhealthy work relationships. The focus should be on making the conflicts constructive as constructive conflicts are characterized by increased cooperation, stronger relationships, improved outcome quality, being mostly cognitive and separating the person from the problem. Therefore, managers should look to proper handling of conflicts rather than eliminating them all together so as to reap these benefits. The primary tool of handling conflic ts is communication, according to the communication systems approach, where conflicts are seen to be a result of failed or poor communication between the conflicting parties. There are elements within communication systems established in an organization, where the elements are the parties communicating, medium being used and messages being sent and/or received. When these elements are interconnected, the communication systems adopted may trigger the process of conflict. Hence, managers are urged to set up proper communication systems to ensure that where conflicts arise, they are constructive (Collins 2008, p.6). Following the communication systems approach, conflicts are viewed as episodes that occur during the process of communication. These episodes come about when the aforementioned elements interconnect and subsequently all the elements affect the conflict process and its outcomes. In addition, according to this approach, the conflict process arises in two contexts- physical an d psychological, where the former refers to the attributes of the actual physical environment such as the size of the room, noise in the surrounding area and how furniture is arranged within the room. The latter refers to culture of an organization that determines how communication will take place; both these contexts affect the way in which the sender constructs the message and the way the recipient interprets it (Collins 2008, p.6). Regardless of the approach to be adopted, HR should understand that failure to properly handle conflicts within the workplace increases the level along with frequency of future conflicts. This goes on to affect productivity, job performance and employee learning. Closely linked to conflict management styles is workplace incivility as it is seen to determine the outcome. Workplace incivility refers to individual responses to certain scenarios that are brought about by negative actions. These responses may be counterproductive and as such should be monit ored to avoid further escalation and repeat of workplace conflicts. When dealing with conflicts it is important to look into the instigators together with the targets of deviant behaviour; and also consider that deviant behaviour could be a trigger, cause or outcome of workplace conflicts. Additional exchanges as a result of deviant behaviour create a conflict spiral where a conflict will be seen to escalate and possibly spread to ‘

Personal Work Group Evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Work Group Evaluation - Assignment Example The goal of the group was to select three subjects with which the program should be launched and how many questions should be asked in a single set. The group is also expected to suggest other features that would make this service attractive for the students. The group membership consists of four members: two school textbook editors, an IT specialist, and a finance expert from the same organization. The group started off on a positive note since the people knew one another from the organization but, except for the two editors, had not worked together on a project before. During the forming stage, the members met in a conference room and exchanged greetings. The IT specialist introduced the project and asked the textbook editors to suggest which subjects should be selected. The group then seemed to enter the storming stage as the editors disagreed on several issues. One editor wanted to select high school science subjects whereas the other editor stressed on using English questions for ESL and EFL students. They interrupted each other frequently and ultimately, the other two members had been left out of the discussion and it became a tussle between the two editors. Eventually, the IT specialist noted that decisions could not be made in this way and that it was necessary to establish some norms. He suggested that each member would share their ideas along with the pros and cons so that a balanced discussion can take place. He also suggested that in the end a vote would be taken to decide which subjects to select. The members agreed that they needed more time to research about the size of the market and the pros and cons of their choices. The meeting was adjourned on this note. During the proceedings, the two editors engaged in turf protection and in establishing their authority over each other. They shared ideas but merely to reject competing ones. The IT

Analysis of Lidls Marketing Strategy | 7Ps, SWOT

Analysis of Lidls Marketing Strategy | 7Ps, SWOT Introduction Lidls history begins in the 1930s, when their first store was created in Germany acting as a grocery wholesaler. Since then, Lidl has now become one of the largest grocery retailers in Europe, with over 600 stores operating in the UK, and thousands based across Europe (Butler, 2014). Although the amount of stores that Lidl have in operation is staggering, it is made even more amazing by the fact they only expanded out of Germany 20 years ago (Lidl, 2015). This rapid expansion has made them one of the most dominant and feared competitors in the UK grocery market, with major grocery retailers constantly trying to minimise Lidls portion of market share. Although Lidls market share in the UK is still relatively small, with them acquiring 3.5% at the beginning of 2015, they are one of the fastest growing grocery retailers. Whilst many supermarkets are losing their market share, Lidls was increased by a stagger 15.1% from 3.1% to 3.5% (FT, 2015). Figure 1 highlights the variation in market share, and how much market share each supermarket currently holds. As previously mentioned, although Lidl have a relatively low market share, they are currently one of the fastest growing retailers in the market. An analysis of Lidls current marketing strategy will be conducted, with particular emphasis on the 7 Ps of marketing. Furthermore, Porters Generic Strategies will be analysed in order to aid in the understanding of Lidls current strategies. This will then be concluded with a SWOT analysis, with recommendations being drawn up via the utilisation of a TOWS matrix. Marketing Strategy Analysis The five core concepts of marketing are; consumer needs/wants/demands, products and services, value/satisfaction/quality, exchanges/transactions/relationships and markets (Kotler, et al., 2008). One of the most efficient ways to analyse these factors is to conduct a marketing strategy analysis, which looks to explore the strategies an organisation utilises in order to grow and expand their market share. 7 Ps Analysis In order to successfully analyse Lidl marketing strategy, a 7 Ps analysis can be conducted, which seeks to analyse some very basic, but significant issues. Originally, the 7 Ps was only comprised of 4 Ps which aimed to address certain issues that would allow a firm to have a more developed understanding of their internal operations. The 4Ps are comprised of; product, price, place and promotion (CIM, 2009). However, due to the limited applicability of the 4 Ps, three more were added to form the 7Ps, which aims to encompass some service qualities the 4 Ps do not cover (Booms Bitner, 1981; Lusch, et al., 2007). Product (Quality, brand name, service line, warranty, capabilities, facilitating goods, tangible clues, price, personnel, physical environment and process of service delivery): Very solid brand name from being one of the cheapest supermarket retailers in the industry. Their main competition as a value supermarket is Aldi (Bosshart, 2006). The products sold in Lidl are often very similar to the goods sold in other supermarkets, such as Tesco or Asda. However, the main distinction would be the different brand names of the products in Lidl stores. Consumers could have a negative perception of the quality of Lidls products as they are sold for such a cheap price (Siro, et al., 2008). Price (Level, discounts and allowances, payment terms, customers own perceived value, quality/price interaction and differentiation): One of the key competitive advantages for Lidl is their clever pricing strategies. Lidl entered the market on the basis of being one of the most value-driven supermarkets in the industry (Dolgui Proth, 2010). All payments are made up before leaving the store at the check outs. As they offer goods at an incredibly cheap price, consumers may believe that the goods they sell are poor quality, however this is generally not the case (Siro, et al., 2008). Place (Location, accessibility, distribution channels and distribution coverage): Lidl have a plethora of stores across the UK and Europe. However, depending on the country, they operate in different segments of the supermarket industry, ranging from value to high-end goods (Butler, 2014). They have a variety of distribution hubs across the UK and Europe to ensure that stores are maintaining a constant level of stock (Brown, 2015). As their business model is to sell as many goods as possible in the shortest amount of time, ensuring stock levels are maintained is incredibly important. This means that it is imperative to have stores in reasonably close proximity to national distribution centres. Promotion (Advertisements, personal selling, sales promotion, publicity, personnel, physical environment, facilitating goods, tangible clues and process of service delivery): Lidl do not current have any loyalty schemes present in the UK, as they believe their pricing model is enough to incentivise consumers. Lidl often have in store promotions, but they do not discount their goods as highly as other retailers due to the low prices that already exist. People (Personnel training, discretion, commitment, incentives, appearance, interpersonal behaviour, attitudes and customer behaviour/degree of involvement): Employees are generally paid a very attractive salary, but have to work incredibly hard whilst on the job. The amount of items scanned is often used as a performance measurement indicator (Ruddick, 2015). High training standards to ensure employees can scan items fast enough and meet all customer needs. Consumers may feel that staff do not pay them enough attention as they are very rushed doing their job responsibilities. Process (Policies, procedures, mechanisation, employee discretion, customer involvement, customer direction and flow of activities): Primary process of Lidl is to purchase and sell as many goods as possible on a low-cost basis. Consumers are not very involved in any of the processes or procedures of Lidl, and would have little power over their business operations. Physical (Environment, furnishings, colour, layout, noise level, facilitating goods and tangible clues): The majority of Lidl stores are laid out in a very linear and traditional manner. This is to aid consumers in finding their goods as soon as possible and having easy access to purchase and leave (Lidl, 2015). Lidl will often exhibit their brand colours, yellow and blue, throughout their stores or surrounding areas. This will help consumers know there is a Lidl nearby. Porters Generic Strategies Porter outlines four generic strategies; differentiation, cost leadership, differentiation focus and cost focus (Porter, 1980). From utilising the information gathered from the 7 Ps analysis, it becomes quickly apparent as to what strategy Lidl are currently pursuing. Lidl have a reliant focus on selling quality products at the cheapest cost possible. This would suggest that they are utilising a cost leadership strategy, and are implemented it with incredible effectiveness (Morschett, et al., 2006). However, in order to maintain their current rate of growth and expansion, Lidl may have to diversify from their current strategies in order to stay competitive and innovative within the UK grocery market. SWOT Analysis Based on the 7 Ps analysis, a SWOT analysis can be conducted in regards to Lidl. The SWOT analysis will help an organisation measure and understand the internal strengths and weaknesses, and the external opportunities and threats facing the firm. Being able to identify these elements will help an organisation to formulate and develop strategies which may build on the strengths, negate the weaknesses, exploit the opportunities or counter the threats (Dyson, 2004). Strengths (Simon, et al., 2010; Kumar Steenkamp, 2007): Strong business structure allows them to sell their products at an incredibly cheap price. Wide range of private labels gives them exclusivity and security. Has a huge amount of stores across the whole of the UK and Europe giving Lidl great exposure. Online presence that showcases the products they have and any deals they may be running. Weaknesses (FT, 2015; Siro, et al., 2008): Does not quite have the market share of the other big supermarkets in the UK, such as Tesco or Asda. Has not been able to spread their operations outside of Europe very successfully. As their products are so cheap consumers can often think that the quality is not good enough. Opportunities (Felsted, 2014): Potential to expand in the UK and acquire a higher share of the UK grocery market. Successfully expanding abroad can provide more funds to invest in the UK. Expand their website to actually accept orders and sell products. Threats (Poulter, 2014): If Lidl were to engage with a price war with other major grocery retailers then they could force competitors prices down. International expansion of other global brands would cause more competition. Aldi surpassing their market share and becoming the dominant discount grocery retailer. Recommendations Together with the SWOT analysis, a TOWS matrix can be utilised in order to develop strategies and recommendations for Lidl to acquire a greater market share of the UK grocery industry (Weihrich, 1982). Based on the TOWS matrix, and the analysis of Lidls current market strategies, three recommendations can be laid that would help Lidl acquire a greater share of the UK grocery market. The three recommendations are; Extend the usability of their website to accept click collect orders or even delivery. This would expand their presence in the UK market. Develop and implement upper-class branded products in order to target a new demographic and compete with the major supermarket retailers on a more even environment. Construct firm barriers of entry to deter other organisations from entering the UK grocery market and potentially encroaching on Lidls market share. In order to stay competitive in the UK grocery industry, and continue to build upon their UK market share, Lidl should utilise the aforementioned strategies. Furthermore, this could result in them following a combination of generic strategies, as the introducing of upper-class brands, in combination with their current business structure, would suggest a differentiation strategy is in place. However, if Lidl pursue the adoption of other strategies, they must ensure that their current consumer base is not alienated, or they could end up losing market share. Furthermore, Lidl should continue to open more stores in the UK in order to expand their presence and accessibility, which will allow their operations to have similar exposure to the other major supermarket retailers. Bibliography Booms, B. H. Bitner, M. J., 1981. Marketing strategies and organization structures for service firms. In: Marketing of Services. Chicago: American Marketing Association, pp. 47-51. Bosshart, D., 2006. Cheap?: The Real Cost of Living in a Low Price, Low Wage World. London: Kogan Page Limited. Brown, G., 2015. Giant Lidl distribution hub to create 500 West Midlands jobs. [Online] Available at:Â  http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/business-news/giant-lidl-distribution-hub-create-8883111 Butler, S., 2014. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jun/27/lidl-launches-store-expansion-programme. [Online] Available at:Â  http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jun/27/lidl-launches-store-expansion-programme CIM, 2009. Marketing and the 7Ps, s.l.: Chartered Institute of Marketing. Dolgui, A. Proth, J. M., 2010. Pricing strategies and models. Annual Reviews in Control, 34(1), pp. 101-110. Dyson, R. G., 2004. Strategic development and SWOT analysis at the University of Warwick. European Journal of Operational Research, Volume 152, pp. 631-640. Felsted, A., 2014. Lidl expansion to crank up pressure on big stores. [Online] Available at:Â  http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2465c426-fd53-11e3-bc93-00144feab7de.html#axzz3giD80B9c FT, 2015. Half of UK shoppers visited Lidl, Aldi over Xmas. [Online] Available at:Â  http://www.ft.com/fastft/260632/half-of-uk-shoppers-visited-lidl-aldi-over-xmas Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. Saunders, J., 2008. Principles of Marketing. 5th ed. s.l.:Prentice Hall. Kumar, N. Steenkamp, J. B. E. M., 2007. Private Label Strategy: How to Meet the Store Brand Challenge. Cambridge: Harvard Business Press. Lidl, 2015. Customer orientated expansion. [Online] Available at:Â  http://property.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/5187.htm Lidl, 2015. http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/659.htm. [Online] Available at:Â  http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/659.htm Lusch, R. F., Vargo, S. L. OBrien, M., 2007. Competing through service: Insights from service-dominant logic. Journal of Retailing, 83(1), pp. 5-18. Morschett, D., Swoboda, B. Schramm-Klein, H., 2006. Porter outlines four generic strategies; differentiation, cost leadership, differentiation focus and cost focus (Porter, 1980).. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 13(4), pp. 275-287. Porter, M. E., 1980. Competitive Strategy. s.l.:Free Press. Poulter, S., 2014. Aldi and Lidl to force big four supermarkets into price war to stop stampede of customers to discount chains. [Online] Available at:Â  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2539064/Aldi-Lidl-force-big-four-supermarkets-price-war-stop-stampede-customers-discount-chains.html Ruddick, G., 2015. Supermarkets could increase prices to pay for living wage. [Online] Available at:Â  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11736662/Supermarkets-could-increase-prices-to-pay-for-living-wage.html Simon, H., Gathen, A. V. D. Daus, P. W., 2010. Retail Pricing Higher Profits Through Improved Pricing Processes. In: Retailing in the 21st Century. Berlin: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, pp. 319-336. Siro, I., Kapolna, E., Kapolna, B. Lugasi, A., 2008. Functional food. Product development, marketing and consumer acceptance—A review. Appetite, 51(3), pp. 456-467. Weihrich, H., 1982. The TOWS Matrix A Tool for Situational Analysis, San Francisco: Long Range Planning .

Essay --

1. What is RCRA and what are its goals and objectives? Resource Conservation Recovery Act of 1976 was created to regulate solid waste and hazardous waste as well as regulate underground storage tanks. The goals and objectives of the RCRA are: †¢ Protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal †¢ To conserve energy and natural resources †¢ To reduce the amount of waste generated †¢ To ensure that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner (EPA, What is RCRA?, 2010) 2. What are the two agencies that regulate the generation and transportation of hazardous waste? Briefly describe these agencies. The 2 agencies that regulate are the EPA and the Department of Transportation (DOT). The EPA is known to all as the Environmental Protection Agency and is the main government control group. All other entities report to the EPA. The DOT is the Department of Transportation. This group is in charge of everything that moves across the nation on wheels, and has the record control. 3. What is a hazardous waste manifest and what is it used for? The ...