Conflict & Stress Management Essay Example for Free

Conflict striving Management Essay1.0 INTRODUCTIONStress and employment are two major issues any make-up faces. They are undeniable in all facets of life, be somebody or organisational. If not handled comfortably they lowlife be a hindrance for the family achievement. Conflict and taste twain varies according to the organisation and its culture. But two subscribe to to be managed well to avoid unnecessary problems.Conflict is a perception. Surveys show that employees spend as a expectant deal as 42% of their cartridge holder engaging in or attempting to resolve conflicts and 20% of theater directors eon is taken up by conflict related issues (Gupta, Boyd, Kuzmits, 2011). This worth(predicate) time bum be utilised in making the organisation a more efficient and an effective one. Organisations which fail to address conflict disunite the risk of losing their competitive advantage. Conflict can be viewed in many ways and t present are different worry styles w hich can deal with conflict. The lead of the organisation must be involved in dealing with conflict as they would deport to negotiate and bargain in order to everywhere surveil conflict.Stress is a major concern with forthwiths working battalion. This is because the world is developing in a faster pace which requires constant adaptation. Stress not only affects ones work-life balance, but also their personal life which creates chaos for individuals. According to some estimation, humankind losses 100 million workdays every year collectable to the aftermath of strive (Treven Potocan, 2005). Work stress needs to be managed well so it can actually improve the well being of the individuals as well as the organisation.Both of these factors will be viewed in the context of Nippon Lanka and will be analysed thoroughly on how they overcome these issues to maintain a healthy descent with employees. Improvements and recommendations for the current methods will also be discussed.2.0 OV ERVIEWNippon Lanka Pvt Ltd (NPLK) is a joint venture (JV) between the Nippon PLC Japan (NPJ) and Silicone Coatings Pvt Ltd (SC) Sri Lanka where the NPJ brought over 60% of Silicones shares. This joint venture is advantageous to both(prenominal) parties where NPJ is able to use this as an entry method and SC as an opportunity to be a part of a global industry. formation of this JV took al almost a year where Nippon Lanka studied SC and the germane(predicate) industry as whole to get an paper of the present market conditions. It was institute that on that point was no better time to enter the Sri Lankan market due to the post war era development. thitherfore SC was considered due to their strong figurehead in the market.Today after about three months from victorfully forming the JV the caller is going by dint of a transition period. in that respect arent any major changes to positions in the hierarchy but there are role changes and employees are finding it difficult to adapt to their new roles. Example The Managing Director (MD) of the company who was the owner of the company still is the MD how ever to day the person is a salaried employee. The General Manager who was describe directly to MD today has to report to the Board of directors where MD is just one out of the five directors.When examining the company culture towards conflict, the company culture and the value system which has been there for 35 years from the date of the establishment is now being changed. SC was established in 1979, as a small scale manufacture and a allocator of paint related ancillaries. By the time Nippon approached SC it had grown into the largest local player in the market where it was guerilla only to the global giant Akzonobal by a 3% margin.It is evident that SC has been a one man show up to the time of the JV, the full value system and the operational procedures were primed(p) down by the enured in motioner himself and not most of the managers found it enticin g to be part of. Therefore the HR turnover was such that on come about six key resources left the company. In this back ground lets see how the conflict and stress management live on takes agency within the organization.3.0 CONFLICT AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT3.1 Conflict Management StylesConflict can be defined as the surgical procedure that begins when one ships company perceives that other(a) fellowship has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something the first party cares about (Robbins S., Judge T. Vohra N., 2011441). It is that point in an ongoing activity when an interaction crosses over to become an interparty conflict. Conflict can be seen as good and bad with corresponding confirmative and negative outcomes where this would all depend on how one views conflict.There are three basics views of conflict. These are the Traditional view, the Interactionist view and Managed conflict view. The traditional view sees conflict as bad and something that must be eliminated through the use of authority. Poor communication, lack of openness and failure to respond to employee needs could be seen as few of the causes. The interactionist view is that conflict is desirable, necessary for heights performance ag pigeonholings and should be encouraged. The contemporary view is that conflict is inevitable and it may be positive or negative but it must be managed to be beneficial.Nippon Lanka follows a more interactionist view where conflict is encouraged and the company is of the view that a perfectly cooperative, harmonious group would hinder dynamism, creativity and innovation where a token(prenominal) train of conflict is take to prevent a lacklustre, uninterested attitude among the group.As mentioned earlier, not all conflicts are good, and this view only supports functional conflict. working(a) conflict is a constructive form of conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves performance. The type of conflict at hand would d istinguish a functional conflict from a dysfunctional conflict. Although these are distinct types of conflict, the occurrence of one type of conflict can lead to a conflict of another type taking place. For example, the process of personifying has been kept confidential, and this has led to the tension between the gross revenue team and the costing team.3.2TYPES OF CONFLICT PRESENT IN NIPPON LANKA3.2.1Relationship conflictConflicts between two people are known as relationship conflicts. These conflicts arise as a result of miscommunication, disagreements or mis reckonings between people.One such situation at Nippon Lanka arose between the Brand Manager and the Marketing Manager. The Brand manager has been with the company for 5 years and has previously worked with two Heads of marketing. Once the new marketing manager was appointed, it was found that the latter was less(prenominal) experienced and was not willing to corporate with the Marketing Head. This triggered huge problems fo r the new comer. The management was aware of this, but wasnt able to attain him from the position due to the valuable connections the customers. However, the Marketing Manager understood this inferiority complex of the Brand Manager. Having gone through the initial hardships the new marketing manager somehow managed to win the trust of the Brand manager. Now they are working harmoniously, directing all their efforts towards the benefit of the company.3.2.2.Data ConflictThis occurs when decisions are do without sufficient schooling. At Nippon Lanka, the costing department works in isolation. They do not consult the sales and marketing team when arriving at the costs, so more often than not, the cost of the product is either too high, depriving them of valuable orders and potential growth, or at times its too low depriving the opportunity for the company to charge a bonus price on an innovative product or to achieve efficiency through specialisation.3.2.3Interest ConflictConflict s of interest mainly deal with psychological issues, where an individual or organisation behaves in a certain manner, with the aim of meeting a particular interest which is not shared by everyone else. The JV with the Japanese company was not disclosed or made public, even though doing so would have been acting in the best interests of the company. The MD did not like the idea of publicising the 6040 JV that was taking place, as it would be viewed as a takeover. However, the rest of the company felt that some amount of public sentience would have positively impacted the companys future performance.Another example would be when the HR department wanted to minimise the over time cost they compel a rule where all sales vehicle needs to be back at the HO by 5 pm. As an example what the gross sales representatives would do is when they need to deliver goods up to Negombo, covering Wattala, Ja-ela, Seeduwa and Negombo. They would turn back from Seeduwa at 3.30 pm in order to make it ba ck to office by 5 pm, without covering their full distance to Negombo. What followed was a delay in the delivery and travelling additional mileage, having to revisit incomplete routes taking the same path.3.2.4 structural ConflictStructural conflict arises from unclear and undefined roles and reporting lines. The RD and the production manger are directly reporting to the MD. The other managers report to the GM, where the GM reports to the MD. presently when a sales representative needs to develop a sample for a particular customer, the sales representative will not have the adequate support since the request from the sales rep will not be taken seriously from the RD manager and the GM cannot question them for not doing it right. Only 10 out of 1 samples are successful and yet the RD manager has managed to survive, distracting the control and supervisory system of the top management since there is no clear reporting structure.3.2.5 Value ConflictA value conflict comes about when tw o people or groups have dissenting views on moralitythat basic understanding of what is of course right or wrong. As mentioned earlier, the cost manager considered himself and his department superior than the other departments, with the notion that the information handled need not be disclosed to anyone else. At present, the cost manager is in prison, facing charges of fraud. Although the environment helped the person to carry out fraud, this is a clear example of conflicting values.3.3 THE CONFLICT PROCESS fancy 1 The Conflict Process(Source Robbins S., Judge T. Vohra N., 2005444)3.3.1Stage I Potential opposition or incompatibilityThe first stage talks about the conditions that are needed for conflict to arise. They may not directly lead to conflict, but they need to be present for conflict to surface. They can be referred to as the causes of conflict and can be condensed into three general categories, namely communications, structure and personal variables. Communication, either too much or too little information passed between members can result in potential opportunities for conflict to arise. At Nippon Lanka, the manner in which the costing of the products is carried out is not communicated to the members in the other dept and this has been the initiating factor for conflict to set in. Structure includes several variables such as size, degree of specialization in the tasks assigned to the group members, role clarity, member-goal compatibility, leadership styles, reward systems, and the degree of dependence among groups.The sales and promotions manager at Nippon Paints follow an aggressive, predator style of leadership where excuses were not tolerated and was only interested in the achievement of results and targets. An example would be, the samples taken from the production team that is used for sales and promotion does not meet the required standards of quality where 9 out of 10 samples would fail. Same time, the Sales and promotions manager would also be very demanding of the sales representatives in terms of getting the desired targets. In some cases, employees have resigned due this demanding nature. Personal variables are mainly due to differences in personal traits of individuals.Diverse issues such as prejudice and disagreements over ones contribution to the group, as well as the rewards one deserves. For example, at Nippon Paints, the General Manager is disposed(p) to hire new trainees at Rs. 15,000/=, whereas the Sales and Promotions Manager feels that the market rate of Rs. 30,000/= should be paid to them. The low salaries have deterred attracting the talented individuals and therefore not achieving the fullest potential.3.3.2Stage II Cognition and PersonalizationIf the conditions mentioned in stage I negatively affect something one party cares about, then the potential for opposition or incompatibility surfaces in the second stage. One or both parties must be aware and perceive that these conditions exist. However, just because it is perceived does not make the conflict personalized. It may not have an effect on either or both parties. The conflict has to be felt, for individuals become emotionally involved, leading to anxiety, tension, frustration or hostility.3.3.3Stage III IntentionsIntentions get in the way of peoples perceptions and emotions and act as decisions for them to react the way they do to the situation at hand. They are important, as one has to make inferences of the other partys intentions to know and understand the reason behind that partys behavior and to respond accordingly. Conflicts tend to escalate at this point merely because of the wrong inferences being made. Sometimes a behavior efficiency erroneously reflect the persons intentions. Two dimensions are used, namely cooperativeness (the degree to which one party attempts to satisfy the other partys concerns) and assertiveness (the degree to which one party attempt to satisfy his or her own concerns) to identify five confli ct handling intentions. This has been attached to Appendix 1 with the styles explained.3.3.4Stage IV BehaviorThis stage includes actions, statements and reactions made by the conflicting parties. Intentions of each party are implemented through these behaviors and can be seen as a dynamic process of interaction. Conflicts usually start slow characterized by indirect rather subtle forms of tension and escalate as the tension builds. At this latter stage things could become highly injurious where such conflicts are almost always dysfunctional.3.3.5Stage V OutcomesBehavior would lead to outcomes, where some are functional in that the conflict results in an improvement in the groups performance or it may also be dysfunctional in that it hinders group performance. Functional conflict can be beneficial for the company as it provides a medium through which problems can be aired and tensions released. This improves the quality of decisions, stimulates creativity and innovation, encourages interest and curiosity among group members and it forces and environment of self-evaluation and change.Some companies discourage conflict as they prefer yes-men, loyal to the higher ups to the point of never questioning company actions. As for dysfunctional conflict it would reduce group effectiveness and group cohesiveness. At the extreme, conflict can bring group functioning to a halt and potentially threaten the groups survival. Refer Appendix II for the example of a conflict Process at Nippon paints.3.3 NEGOTIATING AND BARGAININGBefore the organisation starts negotiating they should be aware of the nature of the conflict. There is a certain process that needs to be followed in negotiation. Negotiation is by explanation the management of crossed demands, where each one of us expresses requests hoping the other will try to fulfil them (Lempereur, A. 2012). As it is express Everything is negotiation in life, so every party involved in the process would like to take the best out o f it.3.3.1 Bargaining StrategiesThere are two bargaining strategies that could be discussed. Distributive bargaining and integrative bargaining. In the current context what is more obvious is integrative bargaining which makes both the parties involved at ease creating a win-win situation. An example for this was when a sales representative requests for a personal vehicle they need to achieve a certain level of sales targets. If they maintain the sales targets for a sustainable period they will be given a personal vehicle. But by any incur if they do not keep up to the said targets their salaries will be reduced in accordance with the cost of maintaining the vehicle by the company. Through a situation like this, what is created is a enormous term positive relationship for the company. As a company, they attach the sales levels and the employees will also be satisfied as their needs are also met.3.3.2 Negotiation ProcessNegotiation can happen in 5 steps these are preparation and planning, definition and ground rules, clarification and justification, bargaining and problem solving and closure and implementation. Some do not have a positive ending or a closure. But negotiations that have an effect for the organisation will go through a process.An example of this would be when the company needs to host certain function in hotels they would negotiate with them for the best bargain. As they have cost constraints, there are certain limitations and getting the best bargain with the best outcome would be the perfect scenario. Before the start of the negotiation with the relevant hoteliers the in-charge person will prepare the list of things that need to be discussed. These would be the pricing, menu items, additional work that are required and assess what the other party goals and prepare well for them.In this instance a budget per person would be Rs. 3,000. But the relevant hotels cost was higher. Then the menus for these relevant amounts will be compared. In the Sri Lankan context rather than a 4 or 5 course meal, action station with koththu and hoppers have a vibrant feeling and also cost less. So in the negotiation table the other alternatives will be put across. Since information is all gathered, the representative will develop a strategy. The person will also determine the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA). So here the BATNA will be to get cost per person at Rs. 3,000 having action stations with cocktail menu.The person will determine when and where to have the appointment. The ideal place would be at hotel premises because then the ambiance where service capacity can also be viewed. The meeting would be planned in the best time where both parties are not strained with other commitments and can concentrate for a best outcome. Once the initial stance is made then there will be further clarifications and explanations. Then both parties will try to come up with concessions in order to make a decision. Once both parties ar e satisfied they will formalize the agreement. In this process Nippon Lanka representatives will stress on the fact that if one event is made a success then the hotel is winning a long term corporate client. This enhances their business.3.3.3 Third Party NegotiationThis is important for Nippon Lanka as they deal with lot of suppliers and customers. Advertising is a crucial part for this organisation and dealing with media is important to get a good advertising deal. Earlier they were dealing with the television and radio stations by themselves and it was quite strenuous. Getting a good deal that is worth their money was tough and time consuming, having deal with different organisations, so they decided to obtain terce party involvement. The outcome was to get a consultant to act on media buying for the organisation. A consultant is a skilled and impartial third party who attempts to facilitate problem solving through communication and analysis (Robbins S., Judge T. Vohra N., 2011 457). They are there to improve the current status and to get a win-win resolving for both parties. When Nippon started using a third party advertising firm to do media buying, they were able to get good deals from media as they have a high bargaining power.4.0 WORK STRESS STRESS MANAGEMENTStress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, demand, or resource related to what the individual desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important (Robbins, Judge Vohrs, 554). Most of the time stress is discussed in the negative contest but this is not true at all times. Stress can be taken into the system as an advantage. In the current organisation stress factor is not talked openly even though people are put under stress levels it is not considered as value adding option for the organisation. In the organisation before long what is seen is the challenge stresses but sometimes these same factors do become hindrance str essors for the employees.4.1 Sources of stressThe main sources of stress in the organisation comes from environmental and organisation factors. When it comes to environmental factors the three types of uncertainties are economic, political and technological. These play a minimal role compared to organisational and personal factors.In considering environment factors the workers are stressed on the technological aspect. inquiry and development team is always under pressure in getting a new product development before their competitors. Organisation heads are interested about the Political uncertainty. Whenever a new rule or regulation is passed by government with regard to the consumer protection or protecting environment this takes a toll in the organisation activities.They must be aware of the new laws and how to tackle them, this adds a lot of strain in the management as they need to alter or change certain decisions according to political scenarios. Change in economic policies and recessions or booms in the economic cycle create stress on the organisation. Current economic down turn have made a toll in the sales teams as consumers are spending less and government projects have considerably reduced. At the same time government is not paying their debt and collections have become harder.Organisational factors are the ones that are created by the organisation which creates stress on employees. Task demands such as collecting debts in 90 days have a strain on the employee. This increases the job pressure. economic consumption demands relate to pressure that occurs due to the job role. Managers and above have high role related pressures compared to subordinates due to the heavy work load which needs to be performed in less time. Most employees complain that they are given more work than they can handle and it stresses them out a lot. At the same time many complain the targets given are not practical. There is a minimal level of interpersonal demands where other employees are not supportive.Personal factors which increase stress are different to every individual. But this does create a hindrance in the organisation performance.All or some of these factors create a high turnover or absenteeism, reduction in productivity and decrease in job satisfaction. Sadly Nippon Lanka has not recognised the importance of stress management in order to curb it or cure it.The main organisational stress come comes from the current management change, this is because the task and role demands have changed and employees need to array to the new roles. Personal factors too trigger stress level of the employees.4.2 Managing Stress at Nippon Lanka Pvt LtdBased on the study, it is visible that Nippon Lanka uses stress as a positive motivator, but at some points it goes out of hand where it depletes the collaboration and coordination amongst the teams and also inter department.Based on the job roles, the department heads can think of the stress levels which can be imposed on the team members to get results and to meet targets. However the stress levels should be correctly managed so that it motivates results and not deplete and block off the team building and performance drive within the teams.As it is observed, some amount of stress comes from the non-alignment of the reporting lines. Therefore the suggestion is to relook at the reporting lines so that stress does not occur due to incorrect alignment of the business structure which has a negative impact and which creates unnecessary types of stress within teams. unneurotic with the Job role enrichment, reporting lines should also be re-aligned so that the company will only be left with stress which causes the company to perform and not to impede.5.0 CONCLUSIONIn conclusion conflict, negotiation and stress are all visible in Nippon Paint. Conflict is unavoidable at the organisation due to the transaction they have among the departments and the third parties. To overcome conflict certain und erstanding among employees and stakeholders must be implemented. It can be seen that conflict, negotiation and stress are interlinked with each other on some level. Organisational conflict styles may shape an organisations social environment, affecting the level of ongoing conflict and thus the level of stress among employees. Nippon Lanka to a great extent follows an integrative style of conflict management which leads to lower task conflict, reducing relationship conflict, which reduces stress. However, there are many instances where the management has not come up with a solution to the conflict at hand, where they are not willing to step in and the employees are left to resolve the matter, which at most times remains unresolved.The recommended improvements with regard to this has been discussed in Section 3.4. It is important that with the JV taking place, the new management plays an active role in resolving these long running issues so that the organisation and its performance d oes not get affected. The current JV could also trigger new conflicts and stress levels within the organisation where it is crucial that these issues are identified and resolved. The new management must take this opportunity to place greater prominence of recognizing the on-going stress levels within the organisation and deal with them appropriately. modify management of conflict, negotiations and stress would benefit the individuals and the organisation in terms of high performing, content, dedicated employees who deliver results.

Recruiting, Hiring, Evaluating, and Compensating Essay Example for Free

Recruiting, Hiring, Evaluating, and Compensating EssayConducting my research for this class project, I have learned that conducting a thorough undertaking analysis is an Copernican step in filling a job opening as well as contri thoing to the successful growth of an organization in name of finances and talented workers. A job analysis should be conducted to gather nurture about the responsibilities, duties, skills of a particular job. In addition, it can include information about the work environment and desired education and experience. There are several ways to conduct a job analysis including using the occupational Information Network (O*NET), using an analysis questionnaire, observation and interviewing. While doing my research there are other informal ways to conduct a job analysis and it depends on the amount of time and resources allowed and the type of job slur. Conducting a job analysis is important because it makes sure that the job description is accurate part cosmos in compliance with legal and professional guidelines. It also helps the selection process be much smooth and makes sure that the right candidate(s) is selected (David, 2011).High performers should be included as well as senior level managers and direct supervisors and anyone with critical knowledge about the job. The analysis can take anywhere from a few weeks to three months if you use a systematic process to make the analysis run quickly and efficiently (Chao, 2012). HR professionals have a state to make sure that they hire productive, talented workers because this adds value to their organization and will help to make the organization prosper in the future (Chao, 2012). For this project I used the observation method as well as researching current Human Resource Receptionist and Human Resource Assistant job openings. I arrange that the two titles had a lot of the same tasks, skills and requirements, however, from the job openings that included the salary the Human Resour ce Assistant position was more ($13.00) than the Human Resource Receptionist position ($11.00).My explanation for the difference in ante up is that the assistant position seemed to focus more on the administrative function of an HR department, whereas the receptionist position seemed to focus more on front office skills such as copying, faxing, answering phone lines, etc. I also found it interesting that most of the job openings infallible that the candidate have a college degree, but the pay is about the same as similar jobs that only required a high school fleece or some college coursework. Because of the economy and its effect on the job market, it seems as thougha lot of companies in the Nashville, TN are not really belligerent when it comes to pay.Employers know that their is an abundance of highly qualified workers and HR should consider hiring new workers as well as developing their current staff (Chao, 2012), however since pay is a determining factor in job satisfaction, companies should make sure that the pay is competitive. After you have chosen candidates to interview for the open position, it is important that you layover compliant. Being unfamiliar with your policies and procedures can come off as being uncaring and negligent. In addition, it is important to document not only who you hired but who you did not hire documenting why you did not hire someone can be an important step if your organization is ever accused of not being compliant (10 HR mistakes your employees lawyer will try to exploit, 2012).

Overview and Evaluation of the Smart Grid

Overview and Evaluation of the vivid GridThe Smart Grid, Smart City political platform was arguably one of the widest-ranging engineering assessments of wise(p) power system products in the world. It saw The deployment and testing of several smart in- football field and customer-focussed technology groupings crosswise the Ausgrid network and cogencyAustralia retail business in New South Wales Examined the impacts and benefits of additional distributed generation and distributed remembering solutions Involved approximately 17,000 electrical energy customers in consumer-focussed trials examining how residential customers could contribute to peak demand management through behavioural changes The Smart Grid, Smart City Program focused on residential customers, as they represent the largest user group in Australia, and generally have more discretion over when and how much life force they use. Little was known before the Smart Grid, Smart City trials about how customers perceived , or how they might respond to, the opportunities that smart grid technologies offer. Most residential electricity customers in Australia are currently provided with limited information and very few incentives and tools to manage their domestic electricity use. A quarterly electricity bill is the briny source of customer feedback, and this only shows the total amount of energy used during the previous three months, limiting the opportunities to systematically modify behaviour in severalize to save electricity and money. Based on the trials undertaken, this final Smart Grid, Smart City report, Shaping Australias Energy Future National Cost Benefit appraisal found the potential for a net economical benefit of up to $28 billion ($2014) over the next 20 years from the deployment of smart grid technologies in Australia. This report demonstrates that there are four differentiate aspects to realising these benefits and improving consumer pricing outcomes Technological development an d deployment of enabling (smart grid) technologies The introduction of cost reflective electricity pricing including dynamic tariffs Consumer behaviour change with respect to electricity consumption (to better manage any future growth in peak demand) Energy market reform4 (many aspects of which are already underway) Realising the potential benefits requires an integrated solution if any one aspect is not implemented, then the extent of net national economic benefits available will be reduced. A large proportion of the net benefits identified can be derived from the economic deployment of a number of in-grid technologies which improve functional efficiency, reduce capital investment (through better managing peak demand) and deliver improved reliability for consumers at a lower cost. There are vast differences across Australias electricity grid, from highly populated suburban areas to sparsely populated rural areas, and opposite smart grid technologies are better suited in diffe rent circumstances. For those Australians living in suburban areas, there are significant potential benefits from certain in-grid technologies. Likewise, for less densely populated rural networks, there are choice in-grid technologies which can assist in improving the reliability and cost of managing the grid.Smart grid can simply be defined as the deployment of Information technology and in addition communication technology with the aim of improving the way electricity is generated, transported, distributed and stored. Across Australia, the distribution and the retail value chain elements primarily makes up the smart grid system. However, the impact also cut across how electricity is generated and transmitted. In this report, the smart grid smart city program which was funded by the Australian political relation will be examined. The smart grid study focused primarily on residential distribution network and also with the introduction of a entropy centre for information processin g. Smart grid technology find application in several purposes which can be grouped into customer side application, key enabling application, grid-side application, renewables, distributed energy and electric vehicles, data collection, processing and back-office. Several logical layers can also be used to represent each of the applications which could be traditional power systems equipment, communications network, computing capability, and also smart grid application layer. The Smart Grid Smart City (SGSC) program is one of the largest smart grid projects in the world. It was announced in 2009 by the Australian government with the aim of implementing smart grid technology at a large scale in line with the National Energy Efficiency Initiative (NEEI). It happen to be the first large scale smart grid project in Australia which was penalize by Ausgrid and its partners. The project was aimed at showcasing the importance of the deployment of smart grid technology in commercial scale, bui lding both public and corporate awareness of the economic and environmental benefits of smart grids, gathering an elaborate data with the aim of informing wider industry implementation of the various applications of smart grid across Australia, and also to enquire the interaction with other existing infrastructure. So many trials were examined in the program which includes the deployment of smart meter infrastructure, distributed generation and distributed storage, and also the workout of electric vehicles in the Australias electricity distribution network. So many trials were deployed in the program. Part of the trials that is of interest to me is the deployment of the smart meter infrastructure. This trial entails the installation of smart meter at various residential buildings. The various components that make up the smart meter infrastructure are the communication technologies for information transfer to and from the smart meters communication unit, the meter management system , home-office running(a) systems. (Energy Australia, Sydney Water and other partners) and also the customer acquisition application. With the deployment of smart meter, data for electricity usage, storage and delivery were obtained for participating household. Another fascinating part of the Smart Grid Smart City program is the distributed generation and distributed storage work stream which was initiated with the aim of providing critical data and information to help understand the moment of greater penetration of the combination of distributed storage and generation in conjunction with other smart grid technologies. In addition to the aforementioned, the electric vehicles project is also a part of the Smart Grid Smart City program I find interesting and it was aimed at understanding the potential impact of the utilisation of electric vehicles in Australias electricity distribution network.

Different uses for spreadsheets

Different uses for spreadsheetsSpreadsheets CourseworkThere are many different uses for spreadsheets the main use for spreadsheets is development basic formulas to work proscribed various sums. They can withal employ to represent data graphic every(prenominal)y using graphs and charts. In this document I plan to explore the various uses for spreadsheets in different areas and focus on maven specific area and look at the uses for a spreadsheet in that area and also I will look at some of the limitations that using spreadsheets can bring.One of the main uses for spreadsheets is in finance, businesses can use a spreadsheet to forecast sales, and show graphically how sales will rise or fall off based on past events. Spreadsheets can also be use to work out interest rates and monthly payments based on variables much(prenominal) as time, i.e. 5 years, 10 years or amount borrowed and also both much(prenominal) as 100,000 borrowed over 30 years.Another use for spreadsheets is in edu cation, spreadsheets can be used to store students personal data along with grades and scores, this data can then be used to predict a students overall or average grade, this can also be used to forecast how they will do at higher levels. A spreadsheet can also be used to gather all pupils scores and represent the data in a chart displaying the pass percentages for the school. A spreadsheet can also be used to record pay records for staff of the school and when they get paid and how much they get paid.Other uses for spreadsheets are in Health Care health organisations such as the NHS can use spreadsheets to record patients expands for easy access by doctors and other staff. They can also be used to show the determine they were admitted and the date they were signed out by a doctor. And the doctor that is treating them. This can also be recyclable to see what dates are busiest and other trends. And plan consequently for the future.Spreadsheets can be used by shop custodians to k eep detailed lists of their pipeline, how much the item costs and the bar code number of the item, the shop keeper can also record sales of each item in his/her stock and then use graphs to see what items are selling well, and also what items are not selling so that the shop keeper can then change stock accordingly. As spreadsheet can also be used for a shop proprietor to do their VAT and Tax returns at the end of each quarter of the year.Spreadsheets can be used in sports to record the team statistics, and then work out goal per game percentages, and also it can be used to keep a game roster, games played and also leave off up graphs and charts that show team performance, it can also be used to get a players averages such as average goals per game, injuries per season and other springy statistics. Also making them alot easier to be read and interpreted by the user.The application area I have chosen to look into is lead astray keepingIn shop keeping spreadsheet applications can be very useful in shop keeping as it can help a shop owner keep a detailed inventory of all the items in the shop keeping information such as availability and barcode number easily accessible.Shop keepers can also use spreadsheets to record sales of all of their stock. They can view what items are selling well, what are not selling at all and what items are sold out. This data can be used to make graphs, charts and tables this can be used by the shop keeper to decide what he needs to get more off, or what stock he needs to order less of, or stop ordering. This can also be useful for the shopkeeper to use when deciding what offers to put on certain items.Shop keepers can also use spreadsheets to presage their finances they can calculate free-and-easy profit or loss and also predict using past sales what should happen for the next few weeks months or years. They can also calculate their monthly, quarterly or yearly profits or losses and they can do their VAT and Tax returns for the financial years. Making it easier, quicker and more well-to-do with fewer mistakes.Another use for spreadsheets by shop keepers is keeping staff details stored for quick and easy hours, this also is a good way for managers or owners to see their wage expenses and also keep track on who is working what hours and also staff holiday bookings, this makes it easier than using a conventional book and allows par of data faster.Spreadsheets can also be used by shop keepers by using them to work out break even points if the shop keeper wanted to obtain loans from banks or investors for expansion or other reasons.One Spreadsheet use that would be useful for shop keepers is the tables, they can clearly block out their inventories and using the SORT tool they can sort the data in any way they want, from A Z to number values. They can also pigeonholing data types together making it a clear more organised list than just typing it up in Microsoft word.Another use for spreadsheets that would b e useful in shop keeping is graphs and charts, graphs can be used to represent sales, profit and loss and other numerical data in one or more simple graphs that are easy to read. Charts can be easier to show data such as hours available Vs hours used. And stock sold Vs stock left over or returned.Spreadsheets could also be useful by using formula to work out various sums such as adding, multiplying, subtracting or dividing various cells together which could be useful for shopkeepers to work out their profit or loss margins. They can also use other functions such as averages to save time by bypassing the need for a calculator.One of the main limitations of spreadsheets is that some charts and graphs can be unclear if there is too much detail or if 3D graphs are used as the data lines and plotting can be unclear along. The axis also needs to be clearly labelled to avoid confusion.Another downside to spreadsheets is it isnt great for word processing, anything more than a few words and any more than that Microsoft word should be used or for diminished paragraphs comments attached to the cell.Another downside to spreadsheets is that beyond basic arithmetic the spreadsheet software gets more complex and may require more help from someone trained in it. As some of the functions are not easily explainable this could take time.Another disadvantage is that creating tables and graphs can be complicated and getting them to look right wing can be time consuming.In conclusion, spreadsheets can help turn huge amounts of data into simple and easily interpreted. They can also be used to sort and group large amounts of data in tables and make them easier to read and explain. They also allow people to work out the average of a implant of data and cast predictions along with basic arithmetic. However they can be complicated to use and sometimes very unclear.

Netflix Business Strategy Analysis

Netflix Business scheme AnalysisIntroductionNetflix, a multi-billion dollar subscription service comp any(prenominal), was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in California, USA. It is said that Reed Hastings was charged a $40 late fine after renting the film Apollo 13 from Blockbusters and that this inspired him to set up Netflix as a DVD-by-mail service. It quickly expand by introducing steaming media online and is now accessible in over 190 countries worldwide. In 2013 Netflix diversified into the centre production industry and this foresight gave them the edge which paved the way to becoming the leader in the Streaming grocery, more popular than virago Price and Hulu. Following on from the success of its first series it is now estimated to do dispense withd in excess of 126 passe-partout series or films, more than any other network or cable channel. Currently, Netflix are believed to have approx 117 million subscribers worldwide and the company was recently e stimated to be worth in excess of $ atomic number 53 C billion(2).Market StructureGenerally you can divide industries intocategories according to the degree of competition that exists between the firmswithin that particular industry Perfect contestation, Monopoly, Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly. Perfect competition is where in that respect are many firms competing within the industry and each firm has a realsmall commercialize share which in minute means none of them have the power to influencethe wrong. Monopoly is where there is just one firm in a given industry sothere is no competition which allows the firm to charge what they want.Monopolistic Competition falls in the middle, there is a significant amount ofcompetition and there is the opportunity for refreshed firms to enter and exit theindustry quite detachedly. Finally, Oligopoly is where only a few firms in theindustry exist and it can be very difficult for new businesses to break into. Thisfits the market st ructure of Netflix Inc. The reason it falls under this marketstructure is beca practice session there are very few companies that propose the same servicee.g. Amazon and Hulu. Although the core principle of services provided by threecompanies may seem the same, they differ slightly in terms of the content theyprovide. Netflix has moved towards authoritative content created and kindled byNetflix themselves while Hulu is aimed more at current TV Shows and films fromHollywood. Another reason why Netflix can be assort as an Oligopoly is thatthere is a significant barrier to enter this market capital investment. Inorder to provide relevant, popular content that will r suppress customers tosubscribe, a huge level of investment in needed to acquire the licence tostream these TV shows and movies. For example in 2011 Netflix successfullysecured exclusive be adrift rights to TheWalking Dead and it is said to have cost the company $1.35 million perepisode making the deal worth $25 millio n at the condemnation (based on the episodesavailable at the time) 1Product RangeAlthough Netflixs product range itself may appear to be very small TV Shows and Movies, they ecstasy a huge variety of genres and use analytics to make the best recommendations for their users. They have created over 75,000 micro-genres in an attempt to understand how people look for movies. They took the genre description, stone-broke them down to their key words, employed people to watch content and tag every aspect of it from director/actor/genre all the way to how it ends and the spirit of the main character and categorized each quanta and documented it. This allows them to offer their customers an extremely personalized recommendation service to make their entertainment experience as seamless as possible. It also allows them to attract a hugely diverse customer base because they cover to the highest degree all genres. 2Pricing Strategy 4In an oligopolistic market the organizations have a shar ed control in the damage of the product/service they offer. The largest firm in the industry has the power to set the pricing bill across the market. All other firms within the market will go along with this standard e.g. when Netflix outgrowthd their prices by $1 last October, Hulu followed suit by introducing a more expensive ad-free subscription package which was more similar to Netflixs offerings. They did however decrease their standard package price (with adverts) in an attempt to commence a stronger competitor in the market. Because of the oligopolistic nature of Netflix Inc.s, their price elasticity can be said to be relatively inelastic. This has been proven over the years from additive price increases and the introduction of tiered pricing for additional features. It also allows users to add concurrent blow on multiple devices. NetflixInc.s current pricing dodging was first implemented in 2011 when theyintroduced a standalone be adrift subscription (No physical DVD s include).They have three tiers of prices. It starts with their 7.99/month Basic Plan which allows you stream TVshows and movies on one device at a time in standard definition. It also allowsyou download titles to mobile devices. The next step up is the 10.99 Standard plan, allowing concurrent streaming on two devices in HD (also includes option to download). Finally the13.99 Premium plan lets you streamon 4 devices at the same time in HD and UltaHD included in the download option.As you can see, each tier offers more features which gives the impression of honor for money. On the Basic Plan youre paying almost 8 for only 1 screenwhereas you are offered Ultra HD and 3 additional screens for an additional 6per month, this leads the customer to choose the higher priced package as it isbetter value.Market With up to 118 million subscribers globally, Netflix has a huge volume of customer globally. Of these, over 54.75 million are United States customers but as this streaming giant drive s forward and increases in size and popularity, their international subscription base is growing. This was evident in April 2017 when Netflix confirmed a licensing deal made in Mainland China for original Netflix content with iQiYi which is a Chinese video streaming platform owned by Baidu 13Profit dexterityAccordingto CNBC, Netflix exceeded expectations by the addition of 8.33 millionsubscribers globally in the fourth quarter of 2017 which brings the grand totalsubscribers up to 118 million. The market capitalization of Netflix is nowpassed the $100 zillion for the first time Monday the twenty-second ofJanuary after the release of their Q4 earnings. The EPS was announced as 41cent which was in line with expectations done by a Thomson Reuter consensusestimate and the revenue reached an impressive $3.29 Billion. These figureshave changed dramatically since the Q4 communicate in 2016 EPS was 15cent andrevenue of $2.48 Billion. Although the revenue increase is welcomed, it will berei njected into future investments on new content for 2018. Netflix says theyexpect this to cause a negative free cash flow of $3-4 Billion and willcontinue to raise capital in high yield market. 12Core Philosophy 6Netflixhave reinvented the wind when it comes to Rules of Corporate Culture. Theyvalue people over process and believe that their workforce is made up of greatpeople working together as a dream team. This is all to create an environmentwhich is flexible, fun, stimulating, and creative and allows employees to workto the best of their ability. They value integrity, excellence, respect, andcollaboration and base their culture around 5 core principles gain groundindependent decision-making by employeesShareinformation openly, broadly and deliberatelyAreextraordinarily candid with each otherKeeponly our super effective peopleAvoidrulesThey alsohave a unique form _or_ system of government when it comes to parental leave and holidays. Theyrecognize that having a child is one of the most special events in anindividuals life which is why they encourage new parents to take as much timeas they need to readjust to their new life as parents. Their policy us Takecare of your despoil and yourself. This shows that Netflix truly care about thewellbeing of their employees and want their vital team players to be at theirbest mentally and physically throughout the full lineage of their career atNetflix. The same rules apply for Holiday leave. They allow employees to takewhatever holiday time they feel they need to work to the best of their abilitythroughout the year, be it one hebdomad or four week. The decision is in the handsof the individual employee.Along with this unique attitude towards creating their employee culture, Netflix recognize that they have the ability to impact the world through their work. IT TAKES DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT, CULTURE, BACKGROUND, AND PERSPECTIVE TO CREATE A TRULY GLOBAL INTERNET TV NETWORK. They pride themselves on their belief that we h ave to work from the inside out to create a space where all employees and voices are heard and appreciated. With almost a 5050 gender balance and an ethnically diverse work force, Netflix are helping pave the way for equality for all in the workforce. 5Advertising/Pro intercommunicateal Strategy of Netflix 14Netflix use a very clever technique todetermine what their customers want to see, they monitor illegal downloadingsites such as BitTorrent and Torrent for the most popular downloads and use this information to decidewhich content they should be bringing to their streaming platform. This contentjoined with Netflix Originals are what attract customers to their siteinstead of the likes of Hulu and Amazon Prime. Amazons CEO Reed Hastings saidin an interview that they strive to make the big titles bigger. TV shows suchas Stranger Things or 13 Reasons Why are hot topics ofconversation within many friend groups and discussion boards. This pulls in thepeople who havent joined merely be cause they want to join the discussion. Hastingsays that All their friends are talking about the shows, which is the dominantaccelerator.Together with this, according to theconversation.com, Netflix Inc. has adopted a conglomerated niche strategy they produce content catering to many different target audiences, for example, action series Daredevil, horror series Hemlock Grove and exclusive films starring popular actors. By doing this, Netflix is able to service different audiences simultaneously and separately 14. While these techniques are used to initially attracted subscribers to the platform, their unique recommendation algorithm is used to keep their subscribers sharp and entertained. Their algorithm also knows what image they should use when making suggestions for example if you have previously watched more comedies than romantics, when suggesting a romantic comedy they will emphasis the comedy aspect through the actors or a snapshot of a funny scene instead of the romantic side of the firm. Their theory is that on a unconscious level you will be more attracted to the image and more likely to select the title.Share Price Movement workweek 1(11th September) Netflix begins with a share price of$181.74 according to NASDAQ which is the starting topographic point for this analysisperiod. It is a slight increase from a weekly high of $179 by the previous weekend. This was following a exercise of stead increases over the previous twoweeks, increasing by almost 14% by the twenty-first of September.Week 2(18th September) Following on from week 1, week 2 sawthe same pattern of slight increases and decreases in the share price butultimately increasing overall. Week 3(twenty-fifth September) 7 On the 25th of September there was a sharp dip in price, loosing $9.50 worth of value over the course of the weekend. This was most likely caused by the announcement that 21st Century Fox was adding more content to their own streaming service. A similar reaction among inv estors happen earlier in the year when Disney announced it would be removing all their content from Netflix in the lead up to the launch of their own streaming serving which would cater to their own target audience.Week 4(2nd October) After beholding another slight decrease over the course of the week due to the Century Fox announcement, Netflix made a comeback by announcing that they would increase the subscription price for customers causing a significant ascent in their share price. The statement made on 5th October resulted in a share price increase of 5% ($10) in a matter of hours, and by the end of the week (Oct 6th) it has risen to $198. This was an all-time high, according to Variety. This indicated that investors momentary wobble in confident has subsided and were fulling trust that the hike in price would not impact the amount of subscribers but would instead increase revenue, benefiting them.Week 5(9th October) Following the previous weeks announcement,Netflixs value re mained relatively flat line with the exception of a few minorincreases and decreases throughout the week. This absence of change was shortlived as the momentum began to form again towards the end of the week.Week 6(16th October) 8 This week sees a record high for thestock price. Reaching $202.68 on Monday the 16th. This comesalongside the news that Netflix are planning to strike down up to $8 Billion onprogramming in 2018. According to CNN Tech, this came at a time when techleaders such as orchard apple tree and Amazon were using their huge availability forresources to find original content to compete with the likes of NetflixOriginal successes such as Orange is theNew Black or Stranger Things.Each of these has brought a huge volume of customers to the site due to itsexclusivity and cult following of these shows.Week 7(23rdOctober) Thisrecord spike in the share value was short-lived. By the 23rd ofOctober the share price had dropped below the $200 mark again after ittranspired tha t Netflix were expecting to raise $1.6 Billion in debt to coverthe cost of the original content they had planned for 2018. This was cause forconcern among the shareholders but luckily it didnt impact too heavily on theshare value which only rock-bottom by 5% or $10. Week 9(6th November) 9 Although Netflix had gained 64% invalue over the past year, the shocks lost more than 5% this week after intimateassault allegations were made against Netflix Original Series actor KevinSpacey. The lead actor in Netflix own Houseof Cards came under fire which in turn prompted the firm to decide not tocontinue production of their hit show as the reputation and ethics of thecompany may come into question if actions werent taken. Week 10 16 There is very little significant increase ordecrease to report over this period. Although there was slight presence up anddown, for the most part the share price remained between $184.04 and $199.18.No major announcements or significant articles were published d uring this timeframe that would have been degenerate to the share price which is why itremained so stable for such a time period. Week 17(2nd January) The firm begin to pick up somemotion upwards again after a period of relative stability in price of theirstock. This could be as a result ofthe buzz caused by an influx of articles listing the best of whats to come in2018. For example the top 20 new and returning shows to Netflix according toTV TimeWeek 18(8th January) 10 Continuing along the pattern of steadily increasing in value day by day, by January 8th, shares have reached a new high of $212.52. This pattern in causing technical analysts to predict even further increases in the share value. According to CNBC TradingAnalysis.coms Todd Gordon says the streaming platforms run is merely done. Gordon predicts, based on the Elliott Wave theory, that Netflix shares are set for another wave up causing their value to soar even higher. This prediction is forth of January 22nd, the date on which Netflix are set to report their Q4 earnings which have a massive impact on the share value.Final Week The closing week in this analysis period is week prior to the release of the Q4 earnings. This week traders are expecting a big move according to CNBS. Up to this point in 2018 alone, shares have increased by up to 9.5% going from $201 on January 2nd all the way up to $220.46 on Friday January 19th. The release comes on Monday 22nd of January and, although is not included in the requested analysis period, it would be unjust not to report the impact it had on the value of the Netflix share price. Between market close on Monday and market close on Tuesday, shares leaped a massive 10% (rounded up) which amounts to an increased value of $22.71, but this impressive jump didnt end here. Over the next seven days the share price increased to a staggering $284.59 by market close on Monday 29th. This amounts to a gasp of almost $83 and is equal to a 41.5% leap in value. The Q4 rep ort says that Netflix added 1.98 million U.S. and 6.36 million overseas subscribers which was much higher predicted 11. This along with fourth-quarter revenue of $3.29 Billion is the likely cause for the surge. Investor confidence has strengthened as a result of exceeding expectations and predictions.ConclusionIt is evident that Netflix are a verysuccessful streaming platform who have a great team of people behind them todrive the company forward to do bigger and better things. They have expandedand diversified enormously since being founded in 1997. Going from a DVD bymail and online streaming platform to having 118 million users worldwide andproducing their own highly successful content. It is clear that thismulti-billion dollar company is a game changer in the entertainment industry.Bibliography 1 Matthew Byrd, November 2017, 15 TV Shows That Cost Netflix A Ton of Money, screenrant.com https//screenrant.com/netflix-tv-shows-most-expensive-cost/2 Alexis C. Madrigal, January 2014, How Netflix overturn Engineered Hollywood, theatlantic.com http//linkis.com/www.theatlantic.com/Sa5NA3 Blog, fusebill.com https//blog.fusebill.com/pricing-strategy-tiered-volume-pricing4 Netflix Streaming Plans, Help Center, Netflix.com https//help.netflix.com/en/node/249265 Inclusion and Diversity, Netflix Jobs, Netflix.com https//jobs.netflix.com/diversity6 Culture, Netflix Jobs, Netflix.com https//jobs.netflix.com/culture7 Michael Sheetz, September 2017, Netflix heads for the worst day since November after Fox spooks investors, cnbc.com https//www.cnbc.com/2017/09/25/netflix-heads-for-worst-day-since-nov-2016-after-fox-spooks-investors.html8 Seth Fiegerman, October 2017, Netflix to cast up to $8 Billion on programming next year, cnn.com http//money.cnn.com/2017/10/16/technology/business/netflix-earnings/index.html9 Sara Salinas, November 2017, Netflix dropped 5% this week, after rallying all year, cnbc.com https//www.cnbc.com/2017/11/10/netflix-drops-five-percent-this-week.html 10 Annie Pei, January 2018, Netflix could surge another 20 percent, says technical analyst, cnbc.com https//www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/netflix-could-surge-another-20-percent-says-technical-analyst.html11 Todd Spangler, January 2018, Netflix Blasts Past Q4 Subscribers-Growth expectations, shares soar to all-time high, varierty.com http//variety.com/2018/digital/news/netflix-q4-2017-earnings-stock-1202672341/12 Anita Balakrishanna,January 2018, Netflix jumps more than 8% after adding more subscribers thanexpected, cnbc.com https//www.cnbc.com/2018/01/22/netflix-earnings-q4-2017.html13 International Expansion, Netflix, Wikipedia.com https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetflixInternational_expansion14 Amanda Lotz, April 2017, The unique strategy Netflix deployed to reach over 90 million worldwide subscribers, theconversation.com http//theconversation.com/the-unique-strategy-netflix-deployed-to-reach-90-million-worldwide-subscribers-7488515 Netflix, wikipedia https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netflix16 John Lynch, October 2017, Netflix stock hits all-time high after price hike for US subscribers, businessinsider.com http//uk.businessinsider.com/netflix-stock-hits-all-time-high-after-price-hike-2017-10?r=US&IR=T

Television as We Know it Today Essay -- Essays Papers

Television as We Know it Today The Power Rangers, RoadRunner, Bugs Bunny and Yo Sammity Sam. What do all of these need in common? They are all shows upon which we build our childs playtime. You sit your child in front of the television for hours at a time. They dance step at the screen with glossy eyes and total amazement. Yet what is it that they are learning from these shows? It is the hidden message of wildness and dysfunction, which keeps children entertained. If you look at all of the shows, which I have mentioned above, they seem to have a common theme. Violence. Whether this message is intended or not is another(prenominal) issue, however, the violence is there. The Power Rangers for example, their mission is to save the artificial satellite from evil space monsters. How do they achieve this? By killing the monsters, thus becoming heroes. The RoadRunner, every week he tries to kill Wielly Coyote. He instead gets killed apiece time, but it is solo temporary. Finally w e come to Bugs Bunny and Yo Sammity Sam. Each time, Yo Sammity Sam, tries to kill Bugs Bunny, chasing after him with a shotgun. What type of message is this sending to our youth? Children see violence as their entertainment. As adults we know the difference between what is real and what isnt. Do children know this difference as well? When a character dies but only for a second, do children know this is not how it really is? In one study by a scientist named Linne (Condry p.89) it was found that television these cartoons do effect how children think. Cartoons how the mortal with power to come out on top as the triumphant winner-of - all. After exposure to red cartoons children were less likely to share with one another and more likely to use aggression as a means to... ...following that pattern out of belief that we too posses these characteristics. By constantly viewing violent shows we have learned to believe that we live in a violent culture. It leaves us to view our own a cts of violence as well as others as being normal and acceptable. When we turn on the television we turn on more than just entertainment. We turn on a part of ourselves that is almost subliminally derived. We allow ourselves be impressed upon by the notions of violence being common and acceptable. This notion is something that we keep with us. You may push a button on your television fate and watch the screen go dim. However the ideas in your head will long remain once the show is done. Works Cited Condry, John C., The Psychology of Television. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc., vernal Jersey. 1989. www.geocities.com/dreampackers, April 20, 2000

Whittington Castle :: European Europe History

Whittington fortificationWhen assigned the England project, I wanted to research something having to do with my heritage. My ancestors originate from England. Correspondingly, I chose Whittington Castle. According to an old English legend, one of my family ancestors, dick Whittington, set out from the castling for London, in search of his fortune. After residing in London for a time, Dick Whittington went on to be thrice Lord mayor of London. That piece of narrative supposedly occurred in 1368, but the first construction of Whittington Castle was in 845 and modeled after the Norman Motte and Bailey castles of the time. Entirely, my information on Whittington Castle came from Internet sources. Because of the piteous ruination of ancient castle, it is almost forgotten today. Except for several small web sites, I found little or no information on Whittington castle. One such site was http//www.data-wales.co.uk/whitt.htm. Another site was http//www.btinternet.com/whittington.castle/. Intriguing was the next site I found http//www.castlewales.com/whittng.html. Constructing the Whittington castle in 845, the builders designed it after the Motte and Bailey entitle castles. But it was later remodeled in 1221 replacing the old structure with stone. Originally, the castle was assembled with seven towers, each about 18 meters high, with palisade 3.7 meters thick, and a drawbridge everyplace 12 meters long. Now, only the gatehouse remains. Around the castle, extensive marshlands acted as protection in medieval days. The remnants of Whittington castle are situated in the small village of Whittington, a few miles outside of Shrewsbury, England. Originally, the motte castle of Whittington was built by the Welsh Prince Ynyr ap Cadfarch. After being seized by Roger de Montgomery, the castle was given to Sir William Perveril of Peak. Perveril had no male heir accordingly his eldest daughter Mellet inherited the castle. Passing down through marriage to the fitz Warren fam ily, King Henry III disposed(p) the fitz Warrens permission to build a stone fortress on the motte foundation. Although friends with King Henry, the fitz Warrens had an interesting love/hate relationship with the English monarchy. Fulk fitz Warren is reputed to have quarreled with Prince John, finally causing Warren to pilot France. He avoided certain death. Subsequent to Fulks exile and pardon, he was able to return and repossess Whittington castle. Judiciously, the fitz Warren family held the fortress and its grounds until 1420. evoke is one legend concerning the heirs of Whittington Castle. In the ruins it said that people have seen and heard two children peering out of the twin towers.Whittington Castle European Europe HistoryWhittington CastleWhen assigned the England project, I wanted to research something having to do with my heritage. My ancestors originate from England. Correspondingly, I chose Whittington Castle. According to an old English legend, one of my family an cestors, Dick Whittington, set out from the castle for London, in search of his fortune. After residing in London for a time, Dick Whittington went on to be thrice Lord Mayor of London. That piece of history supposedly occurred in 1368, but the first construction of Whittington Castle was in 845 and modeled after the Norman Motte and Bailey castles of the time. Entirely, my information on Whittington Castle came from Internet sources. Because of the unfortunate ruination of ancient castle, it is almost forgotten today. Except for several small web sites, I found little or no information on Whittington castle. One such site was http//www.data-wales.co.uk/whitt.htm. Another site was http//www.btinternet.com/whittington.castle/. Intriguing was the next site I found http//www.castlewales.com/whittng.html. Constructing the Whittington castle in 845, the builders designed it after the Motte and Bailey style castles. But it was later remodeled in 1221 replacing the old structure with stone . Originally, the castle was assembled with seven towers, each about 18 meters high, with wall 3.7 meters thick, and a drawbridge over 12 meters long. Now, only the gatehouse remains. Around the castle, extensive marshlands acted as protection in medieval days. The remnants of Whittington castle are situated in the small village of Whittington, a few miles outside of Shrewsbury, England. Originally, the motte castle of Whittington was built by the Welsh Prince Ynyr ap Cadfarch. After being seized by Roger de Montgomery, the castle was given to Sir William Perveril of Peak. Perveril had no male heir therefore his eldest daughter Mellet inherited the castle. Passing down through marriage to the fitz Warren family, King Henry III granted the fitz Warrens permission to build a stone fortress on the motte foundation. Although friends with King Henry, the fitz Warrens had an interesting love/hate relationship with the English monarchy. Fulk fitz Warren is reputed to have quarreled with Pr ince John, eventually causing Warren to flee France. He avoided certain death. Subsequent to Fulks exile and pardon, he was able to return and repossess Whittington castle. Judiciously, the fitz Warren family held the fortress and its grounds until 1420.Interesting is one legend concerning the heirs of Whittington Castle. In the ruins it said that people have seen and heard two children peering out of the twin towers.