Thursday, August 27, 2020

Key Performance Indicators in Alliances essays

Key Performance Indicators in Alliances expositions Key unions are formal connection between at least two gatherings that meet basic business needs while permitting associations to hold their autonomy. While holding their individual freedom, firms access explicit assets, producing abilities, venture subsidizing, capital hardware, information, mastery, and protected innovation. Nonetheless, if these partnerships are to succeed, they more likely than not set up intends to track and measure authoritative execution, this requires setting up arranged key execution pointers that will improve open correspondence while lessening hierarchical erosion. Key Performance Indicators in Alliances Its a well known fact that the world is turning into a worldwide commercial center and that associations that desire to stay serious are framing vital coalitions. Portrayed as a proper connection between at least two gatherings, vital unions are intended to meet basic business needs while permitting the two associations to hold their freedom (Brown The Importance of Negotiating Key Performance Indicators Associations that decide to accomplice, make a remarkable upper hand that is based on trust and responsibility (Gibbs, 2009). Moreover, when the collusion is set up, it is trusted that each accomplice will gain from one another, along these lines making an advantages multiplier that is beneficial to the two accomplices. In this manner it is fundamental that every association arrange KPIs that will draw in custo... <!

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Lesson Observation

PGCE 1 Observation 1 Date 24/11/2009 Author: Gareth Jones Observation of an Experienced Teacher An Evaluation Introduction My first perception was at a4e, which is the place I volunteer for 5 hours out of each week. These hours tally towards my showing hours as a feature of my PGCE. The instructor conveying the meeting was Charlotte Faichney who is the Skills for Life pro. She conveys the Numeracy and Literacy modules at the a4e Wrexham office. The students’s ages extended from 16 to 18 and were at Entry Level 2 and 3. The meeting was held in Basic Skills Classroom, which is well prepared, sufficiently bright and very much kept up. This demonstrated a comprehension about approaches to keep up a learning situation where students have a sense of security and upheld (BK 1. 1) This was my first perception and would tally towards the PTLLS module of my PGCE. The meeting ran for 95 minutes. Arranging The point of the exercise was to acquaint the students with various parts of taking care of information using bazaar aptitudes. The learner’s targets were to record numerical information, remove and decipher that information and to make examinations with the utilization of bar outlines. They would need to locate the normal and the range for a lot of information. The exercise plan demonstrated a coherent stream from presentation of the meeting, to the functional activities, gathering and deciphering the information and the last Q and A meeting that assessed the achievement of arranged learning exercises (DP 3. 1). These Q and A segments were significant and gone about as a characteristic venturing stone to advance the exercise. The primary Q and A built up earlier information, while the second evaluated the recently obtained information before beginning the principle action. The following meeting re-topped the movement and allowed the students the chance to investigate their outcomes. The fourth meeting empower understudies the information to figure number-crunching midpoints for their arrangements of information and the last meeting was a summative evaluation of the entire meeting. This definite arrangement truly told the best way to design an instructing and learning meeting (DK 1. 2). The executives of Learning Communication, both verbal and expressive was clear, compact and consistently pertinent. The instructor was continually captivating and certainly controlled the study hall. I saw that she utilized open and Socratic inquiries to draw out answers from the students. There was severe adherence to the standards of the homeroom that were dominatingly shown on a banner. These standards secured conduct, what the instructor anticipated from the students regarding input and what the students could anticipate from the educator. Cell phones must be turned off and food and drink were not permitted. The educator was proactive and strolled unquestionably around the homeroom.. It indicated me the significance of setting up and adhering to firm guidelines and gave me an important understanding on how advantageous study hall the board can be to both the educator and the student. The exercise was unquestionably student focussed, as all understudies were completely connected with and participed in community oriented learning exercises. Biggs (1994) contends â€Å"The spotlight ought not be on the aptitudes itself, yet whether its sending has the ideal impact on understudy learning. † Learners were urged to talk about their discoveries and the Q and A guaranteed that the students needed to consider what, and how they could utilize, what they were learning. Gibbs (1981) states that â€Å"this is one of the characteristics showed by students with a profound approach†. . Assets The carnival aptitudes subject was fun and made the assortment and translation of information less everyday than it could have been. This featured approaches to draw in, inspire and empower dynamic interest of students and student freedom (BK 2. 2). The freebees were clear and significant, while the flipchart gave a valid statement of reference all through the meeting. Despite the fact that I have utilized these assets myself, I could perceive how very much idea out and great quality gifts incredibly improved the learning experience. The flipchart was canvassed when not being used to forestall interruption. There were three aptitudes to attempt, which provided food for the changing capacities. Data was effectively recordable, which implied extraction and translation was entirely reasonable. I could see that the effect of assets on viable learning (BK 5. 1) was obviously noticeable and the accentuation was on the necessities of the understudy. Reece and Walker, (2007, p26) express that an instructing system possibly characterized as â€Å"a deliberate mix of understudy exercises bolstered by proper assets to give a specific learning experience (process) and additionally to realize the ideal learning (product)† Assessment Beginning evaluation was done by utilizing a Q and A meeting to build up earlier information on count and bar outlines and furthermore of the significance of mean, mode, range and middle. Developmental appraisal appeared as Q and An about the outcomes from the count diagram work out, the intentional oversights from the tutor’s visual diagram. The leaner’s traded diagrams and needed to decipher each other’s results, which demonstrated approaches to create, build up and advance companion and self evaluation (EK (1. 3). The outcomes from figuring the mean, mode, range and middle were talked about and a comprehension of the wording was checked. For summative for appraisal, we returned to the flipchart to re-top on the meeting, utilizing Q and A to figure out which regions the students required more data on. The meeting indicated the educator utilized fitting types of appraisal and assessed their viability in delivering data helpful to the instructor and the student (EP 1. 1) Conclusion The main thing I saw was the way the format and condition of the room affected on the learner’s mentality to the meeting. They are ordinarily in a nosier progressively clogged study hall and in general are commonly very boisterous. They settled rapidly and appeared to be anxious to begin the meeting and were posing inquiries before the meeting had even started. When they understood they were going to attempt different bazaar abilities their degree of intrigue became much more. It appeared to me to be an incredible method of conveying a meeting. They were having a ton of fun, finding out about grouping, recording and extraction of information, doing self and friend evaluation and getting a comprehension of different numerical terms. This strategy would be helpful in covering separation inside the study hall. The educator guided the meeting, while the students drove it. She was comprehensive and took a functioning part in what was happening. Anyway she remained back when the students were effectively connected with to watch and evaluate the action. The vast majority of the students need to work in industrial facilities or retail, so a comprehension of deals and creation figures, which regularly come as diagrams, is required. Most stock taking is at first done utilizing a count framework and realizing how to compute the mean, range, middle and mode is valuable in most present day occupations. Most organizations place an immense accentuation on the social event and translation of information. Without itemized and modern data they believe themselves to be â€Å"running blind†. This meeting has given me that you don’t simply go out and convey a given subject in its rawest structure. I can see the advantages of imaginative showing techniques and utilizing visual and kinaesthetic systems. The utilization of developmental and summative evaluation to set up that learning has occurred can not be contended against. While the teacher’s utilization of companion and self evaluation to commend this technique underlines the worth set on it. I concur with Reece and Walker (2007, p369), who express that, â€Å"The significant thing is that evaluation is a basic piece of every exercise, the course and of the learning†. References Biggs, J (1999) Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press. (Gibbs, G. (1981) Teaching Students to Learn. Milton Keynes and Philadelphia: Open University Press Reece, Ian and Walker, Stephen, (2007) Teaching, preparing and learning, sixth Ed. Tyne and Wear: Business Education Publishers Ltd. Informative supplement Evaluation Sheets Session Plan Handouts

Friday, August 21, 2020

Why Are the Golden State Warriors Called the Dubs

Why Are the Golden State Warriors Called the Dubs If youre a basketball fan but arent too familiar with the Golden State Warriors, you may be a bit confused by their nickname. If you look in the stands at the signs the fans display at Golden State Warrior games or listen to commentators talking about the team, you will soon realize that the team is known as the Dubs and the fans as DubNation. Why are the Golden State Warriors called the Dubs? The Warriors are called the Dubs in a truncated pronunciation of the W of Warriors The Dubs is one of those nicknames or terms that doesnt seem to make much sense when you first hear or see it. In fact, one of the reasons youre likely reading this article is because you couldnt figure out why the Warriors are called that on your own. While it may at first appear strange, once you realize where it comes from, it makes a lot more sense. The nickname began in the 1990s when younger fans decided to shorten the word Warriors when referring to the team. Instead of pronouncing the teams full name, some fans began to refer to the team as the Ws. W soon was changed from its proper pronunciation to dub-a-u, which then was further shortened to just dub. As the team became more popular with the younger generation using this slang to describe the team, the term caught on with the general public, and the team began to refer to themselves in this manner as well. So while The Dubs may seem a little strange at first, its simply a shortening of the team name Warriors over time. Why are the Warriors fans called Dub Nation? Dub Nation is how fans refer to themselves as a collective whole. If youre a Golden State Warriors fan, then you are part of the Dub Nation. Since it was the fans who originally came up with the nickname of the Dubs for the Warriors, they also began to call themselves by the same term. Instead of calling themselves The Warrior Nation, the fans use the same abbreviation for Warriors and began to call themselves the Dub Nation. Why are the Warriors called the doves? The Warriors and their fans dont refer to themselves as the doves, although people thinking they call themselves the doves is a common misconception. The reason this happens isnt too difficult to surmise. Since there is a similar pronunciation between the words Dub and Dove, it makes sense that the two words could get mixed up. This is especially true sine Dub isnt a normal word in the English language, so many people likely mishear it as the closest real word they know, which happens to be dove. Why are the Warriors called The City? When the Warriors first moved to the west coast in 1962, the were located in San Francisco and were called the San Francisco Warriors. The City logo was created in the years before they moved across the San Francisco Bay and renamed themselves the Golden State Warriors. The City refers to San Francisco even though the Warriors currently are located in Oakland (but will be moving to a new stadium there soon). The City logo uniforms were brought back in the mid-2000s as a throwback uniform. Theyre iconic for the area, look good, and most importantly, sell well as merchandise. Since they are one of the most popular logos for fans, the Warriors use this throwback uniform on a regular basis these days. Why do the Warriors rub their arms? The Golden State Warriors have a unique 3-point celebration. If you watch the Warriors bench (and now many of the fans in the crowd as well) you will often see them make a 3-point gesture that might not make sense at first sight. The bench (and crowd) will stand up and point their arm toward the sky making an okay sign (thumb and pointer finger in a circle with the other three fingers sticking out), then take their other hand and begin to rub it up and down along the outstretched arm. The gesture is supposed to represent a shotgun being fired and then reloaded. Its the teams way of showing approval toward the 3-point shooting ability of their teammates, and acknowledging that the players are locked and loaded and ready to score. The gesture originated on the warriors bench from Shaun Livingston, who brought it with him when he joined the Warriors. It stuck, and it now can be seen many times throughout most Warriors games.

Monday, May 25, 2020

What Are Formal Organizations

A formal organization is a social system structured by clearly laid out rules, goals, and practices and that functions based on a division of labor and a clearly defined hierarchy of power. Examples in society are wide-ranging and include business and corporations, religious institutions, the judicial system, schools, and government, among others. Overview of Formal Organizations Formal organizations are designed to achieve certain goals through the collective work of the individuals who are its members. They rely on a division of labor and hierarchy of power and authority to ensure that the work is done in a unified and efficient manner. Within a formal organization, each job or position has a clearly defined set of responsibilities, roles, duties, and authorities to whom it reports. Chester Barnard, a pioneering figure in organizational studies and organizational sociology, and a contemporary and colleague of Talcott  Parsons  observed that what makes a formal organization is the coordination of activities toward a shared objective. This is achieved by three key elements: communication, willingness to act in concert, and a shared purpose. So, we can understand formal organizations as social systems that exist as the sum total of the social relationships among and between individuals and the roles they play. As such, shared norms, values, and practices are necessary for the existence of formal organizations. The following are the shared characteristics of formal organizations: Division of labor and related hierarchy of power and authorityDocumented and shared policies, practices, and goalsPeople act together to achieve a shared goal, not individuallyCommunication follows a specific chain of commandThere is a defined system for replacing members within the organizationThey endure through time  and are not dependent on the existence or participation of specific individuals Three Types of Formal Organizations While all formal organizations share these key characteristics, not all formal organizations are the same. Organizational sociologists identify three different types of formal organizations: coercive, utilitarian, and normative. Coercive organizations  are those in which membership is forced, and control within the organization is achieved through force. Prison is the most fitting example of a coercive organization, but other organizations fit this definition too, including military units, psychiatric facilities, and some boarding schools and facilities for youths. Membership in a coercive organization is compelled by a higher authority, and members must have permission from that authority to leave. These organizations are characterized by a steep power hierarchy, and the expectation of strict obedience to that authority, and the maintenance of daily order. Life is highly routinized in coercive organizations, members typically wear uniforms of some sort that signal their role, rights, and responsibilities within the organization,  and individuality is all but stripped from them. Coercive organizations are similar to the concept of a total institution as formulated by Erving Goffman and further developed by Michel Foucault. Utilitarian organizations are those that people join these because they have something to gain by doing so, like companies and schools, for example. Within this control is maintained through this mutually beneficial exchange. In the case of employment, a person earns a wage for giving their time and labor to the company. In the case of a school, a student develops knowledge and skills and earns a degree in exchange for respecting the rules and authority, and/or paying tuition. Utilitarian organizations are characterized by a focus on productivity and a shared purpose. Finally, normative organizations are those in which control and order are maintained through a shared set of morals and commitment to them. These are defined by voluntary membership, though for some membership comes from a sense of duty. Normative organizations include churches, political parties or groups, and social groups like fraternities and sororities, among others. Within these, members are unified around a cause that is important to them. They are socially rewarded for their participation by the experience of a positive collective identity, and a sense of belonging and of purpose. -Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Review of Study McSweeneys Hofstedes Model of National...

McSweeney, B. (2002) Hofstedes model of national cultural differences and their consequences: A triumph of faith a failure of analyses, Human Relations, 55, 1: 89-118 Name Institution Professor Course Date Introduction The research article by McSweeney (2002) ascertains that within every management disciplines, crucial literatures that presuppose that every nation holds its distinctive, describable and influential culture. According to McSweeney (2002), culture shapes every aspect of nature. The author discusses the foundation through which influential national culture exists. The article outlines Hofstedes assertions that he empirically identified manifold national cultures or disparities between such cultures through disputing five vital methodological assumptions he made. The article also puts into consideration the probability of a determinate link between uniform national establishments and national culture. McSweeney (2002) criticizes the methodology used by Hofstede. Methodologies are systems utilized by researchers in data collection and analysis. Methodology is concerned with the justification and option of research methods, and founded on the conclusions of the researcher. Moreover, metho dology is important in the view that it depends on the beliefs and values of those involved in the process of research. Hofstedes Findings and Methodology Hofstede studies national culture as a specified regularity that modes common values. He adopt deterministic andShow MoreRelatedHofstede Cultural Difference Critiques2337 Words   |  10 PagesContents Introduction: Etic or Emic? At what extent are McSweeney’s critiques valuable? 4 Research Validity 5 Research Reliability: 5 Research Sample 5 Back to Culture 7 Questionnaire and Dimensions 8 History and Research Validations 9 Conclusion 10 Bibliography 12 Introduction: Etic or Emic? At what extent are McSweeney’s critiques valuable? Arguably, Hofstede’s work (1980, 1997) represents a pioneering approach of culture as a way of comparing international management frameworksRead Morehofstede cultural dimensional theory3848 Words   |  16 PagesHofstede 1 Running Head: HOFSTEDE’S CULTURAL DIMENSIONS: THE BASICS AND THE CRITICISMS ra oi M Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions: E. The Basics and the Criticisms Moira E. Hanna H Clemson University na an Hofstede 2 Abstract Hofstede’s model (1980) has been used widely in research in the past two decades. The culture-based model consists of four dimensions: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism-collectivism, and masculinity-femininity. Each of these

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Essay on Religion and Medical Ethics - 1629 Words

Religion and Medical Ethics I am discussing the issues that are put forward by Christians concerning the sanctity of life in relation to abortion and what their beliefs are. There are no Biblical scriptures that deal directly with abortion; however I will refer to passages in the Bible that refer to life and other relevant areas. Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy and can be defined as the deliberate destruction of a foetus, causing its death. The 1967 Abortion Act allows a woman to terminate or end her pregnancy up to the 24th week; however there is no time limit if there is a high risk to her life or if the foetus has major abnormalities. A woman must also have the permission or consent†¦show more content†¦Another issue that you need to determine is ‘When does life really begin?’ Pro-choice people would say late in pregnancy, some would even say as late as birth. Genesis 2:7 would agree with this in that it was after God breathed life in Adam that he became living. ‘. . . and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ Genesis 2:7. While the pro-life people would say life begins at conception, right at the beginning. Another verse from the Old Testament could be used in agreement to this. ‘Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb . . .’ Isaiah 44:2. There is a keen debate concerning the moment a human embryo or foetus becomes fully human or when, according to Christian teaching, it has both body and soul. Within the Church Christians generally want to follow the teachings and principles found within the Bible and then apply them to the way they live. However this in not always easy due to the vast number of translations that are found today. It has lead to a variety of viewpoints concerning the moral thoughts on abortion. Generally the Church is united in its condemnation of abortion. It is a decision that must be taken very seriously and only in unusual circumstances when abortion is the lesser of two evils should it be carried out. Our belief in the sanctity ofShow MoreRelatedSubject of Research: Medical Ethics and Christianity706 Words   |  3 PagesSubject of Research: Medical Ethics and Christianity Medical ethics is an arrangement of moral principles that relates to values and judgments through the practice of medicine. When it comes to medical ethics, Christianity plays a very big role in this moral belief just as any other religion does. In our daily practice of medicine, the seven principles of medical ethics is a vital part in life-and-death decisions, and it is always up-to-date on human life issues. The one that I mainly wanted toRead MoreBiomedical Ethics : A Study Of The Line Between God And Medicine1611 Words   |  7 PagesBiomedical Ethics: A Study of the Line Between God and Medicine During the years of 1975 and 1976, a Supreme Court Case was fought that changed the world of biomedical ethics. On April 14, 1975, twenty-one-year-old Karen Quinlan experienced severe brain damage after ingesting a combination of narcotics and alcohol. Shortly after this, she lost consciousness and quit breathing for two periods of fifteen minutes each The young woman’s doctors declared her brain dead due to the irreversible trauma thatRead MoreThe Hippocratic Oath And Medical Ethics866 Words   |  4 PagesIn general, contemporary physicians are primarily trained to be competent in the field of medicine, from diagnosing their patients to prescribing therapy. Yet, they are not heavily taught medical ethics during their schooling: how should physicians conduct themselves around their patients? Nevertheless, medical traditions in China and Greece were thoroughly concerned about this question, which led to several of texts. In particular, the Greek developed an oath, known as th e Hippocratic Oath, whichRead MoreAssisted Suicide : A Controversial Subject1224 Words   |  5 Pageseuthanasia has brought about many moral and immoral debates to the profession of medical care. Currently, euthanasia is illegal in the United States except for Oregon and washington. The American Nurses Association (ANA) stance on euthanasia is as follows, The American NursesAssociation (ANA) prohibits nurses’ participation in assisted suicide and euthanasia because these acts are in direct violation of the Code of Ethics for Nurses, the ethical traditions and goals of the profession, and its covenantRead MorePhysician-Assisted Suicide Essay1038 Words   |  5 PagesIs the role of a medical professional to ensure the well-being of their patients, or to assist them in ending their lives? Many people may believe that physicians would never perform the latter, but in actuality one practice does so. Physician assisted suicide is the intentional ending of one’s life brought on by lethal substances prescribed by a doctor. In the majority of cases, the patient is terminally ill and simply does not desire to live any longer. Their physician provides the medicationRead MoreEthical Issues Related to the Cloning Debate1389 Words   |  6 Pagesat the heart of bioethics. As a student of genetic biology and future biologist, this question also has personal relevance. Our science is evolving at a rapid pace. As human cloning becomes increasingly possible, it is important that we analyze the ethics of cloning so that judicious public policy can be created. It is therefore my position that research into cloning should continue to fulfill the fundamental goals of scientific exploration and to explore the possibilities that cloning might have inRead MoreReligious Beliefs Affect The Medical Decision Making Of Canadians1727 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract This research project aims to explore the ways in which religious beliefs affect the medical-decision making of Canadians in Ottawa. Due to the diverse population in Canada people often practice medical plurality; which is employing biomedical and spiritual methods of healing modalities. Several Canadians have adopted informal guidelines according to their belief systems that dictate which medical healing modalities they seek when illness arises. In order to investigate the ways in which biomedicalRead MoreResearching Physician Assisted Suicide801 Words   |  3 Pagescomes down to whatever holds people back, whether it is their views on religion or oaths from many years ago, it should be considered a correct practice. In fact, in the case of Vacco v. Quill, one point raised was that Over time, the Hippocratic Oath has been changed, and deleted. In order to do-no-harm one would end suffering instead of prolonging it. With the use of Supreme Court cases, and professional psychologist and medical quotations, one can see the clear reasons that this topic must be allowedRead MoreThe s Roles : Integrating Spiritual Care Into The Health System1311 Words   |  6 Pageshealth care professionals, discussion on ethics, and the roles that spirituality, culture and religion p lay in positive health outcomes. The occupation of a chaplain comes with many different roles. Their duties include comforting, listening, and being a guide as patients travel through a world of emotions. Here in the U.S. health care chaplains play a big role in providing spiritual care and support for patients. Referring back to the mini lecture on religion and health. Spiritual assessment and careRead MoreSpiritual Competence: Sikh Beliefs and Faiths1432 Words   |  6 PagesChallenges of providing medical treatment to people of different religious backgrounds may be altered. All members of the health care team need to address the issues and concerns regarding specific health care practices and religious beliefs and remove their perspective from the situation. The following paper will discuss three different religions while incorporating a comparison of beliefs, perspective on healing and the perspective on health care to that of the Christian Religion. Sikh Beliefs and

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Restaurant Business free essay sample

The popularity of fast food establishments came in the 1980’s, and over the last years, the industry has consistently posted double-digit growth rates. Supporting human resources include hotel and restaurant managers and assistant managers, housekeeping supervisors, security personnel, chefs, cooks, waiters, bartenders, and other related workers and professionals directly involved in hotel and restaurant services. Francis Villaluz a director for marketing of Gerry’s Grill was asked how’s the  restaurant industry  doing these days and what’s its greatest challenge?He said â€Å"It’s still doing well, were still getting crowds. There’s still a need for it. The restaurant industry does have seasonality like other businesses. Gerry’s Grill  has 17 branches. Growth depends on the area you are in. According to our survey, restaurants are location-driven. People who eat in a certain branch live or work a few kilometers away. † Villaluz also mentioned that in the course of business, if sales will slightly go down, it means businessman have to reinvent and repackage. We will write a custom essay sample on Restaurant Business or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Manilareview. com reported that like every other country, the food industry has flourished very well in Philippines.Filipinos love to eat and that’s the reason why you will see a lot of restaurants and fast foods restaurants scattered in the cities. These restaurants and fast foods can be local or international food chains. Filipino food and chefs are considered one of the best in the world. It is hardly surprising that Filipino food is often labeled as somewhat strange (like the â€Å"balut† for example) but in its own way, its food is a unique mixture of eastern and western cuisines and reflects the history of Philippines. The Filipino food includes dishes and cooking procedures from China, Spain, Mexico, United States, and more recently from further abroad.However, what makes them Filipino is the history and society that introduced and adapted them; the people who turned them to their tastes and accepted them into their homes and restaurants, and specially the harmonizing culture that combined them into modern Filipino fare. Some of the popular fast food chains of Philippines are Jollibee, McDonald, KFC, Chowking, etc. and popular restaurants being Abe, Chelsea, Friday’s, Chili’s and a lot more. Attracting a huge crowd to restaurants or fast foods require more than just good food. Though important, good food is only a part of the total dining experience.Equally important is believed to be the way people feel while in the restaurant. This physical and emotional response is a result of the atmosphere, the total environment to which customers are exposed. The proper atmosphere can make the food, service and whole dining experience seem better. For that reason a restaurant or a fast food must take care of the following to please its customers. This includes checking the cleanliness of the place and freshness of the food, guarded premises, parking area where people can park, ambiance and landscaping, building design, lighting, and even music. FOREIGNEven in a business based on flavor, theres no need to sugarcoat the truth: The restaurant industry is facing hard times. In December, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) released its 2009 Restaurant Industry Forecast that predicted although 2009 restaurant industry sales will exceed $566 billiona 2. 5 percent increase from last yearthe numbers translate to an inflation-adjusted decline of at least 1 percent. And thats putting it kindly. Right now, credit is tight and investment capital is practically nonexistent. Inevitably, the consolidation of the banking industry will have a detrimental impact on restaurants nationwide.