Thursday, December 26, 2019

Financial Analysis Business Enterprise - 1614 Words

INTRODUCTION The timing is important to anticipate any failure in the future can be corrected, but late decisions are worthless. Financial analysis procedures can be used not only for the previous financial information to evaluate, but also further its activity forecast made in order to assess the pre-financial reporting quality. Each business enterprise in order to survive in the market has to ensure that its activities are profitable as possible. On the profitability of the potential deal from company accounts, which provide a lot of information management in making further decisions. But not enough to consider only the annual reports because they are not sufficiently informative, in order to properly assessing the company has done a financial analysis of the company s activities through a variety of absolute and relative performance. Company Morrisons financial analysis is important for the further development of the company s viability. Board of directors CEO - a man who can make decisions according to their competence in the various tasks attributed to him collective activities managed by the department responsible for the performance of the operating team entrusted with specific leadership tools. Shareholders - the company s highest governing body. It collects the company s board of directors. The BoardShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Cash Management1482 Words   |  6 Pagesmeasure financial performance in place of the dependent variable. The researchers were used self-administered questionnaire with quantities, and sample size of 100. The study presented that measured individually; there is a positive relationship between working capital management; investment decisions; financial decisions and financial performance. Also, the study indicated that the collective effect of financial management practices working capital management, investment decision, a financial decisionRead MoreResearch on the Influence of Informatization1698 Words   |  7 Pagesaccounting information processing has a qualitative leap and its pattern is changing from the traditional accounting mode to network accounting. With rapidly development of the global information network, computer network will become the new trend of financial development which will give accounting fields bring a lot of influence. In this paper, the influence of informatization on accounting field such as practice and theory of accounting and the real-time control about accounting are preliminary discussedRead MoreWhat Aspects Of The Individual Employee And Organisational Beliefs And Values Affect The Nbn Business? Essay955 Words   |  4 PagesInformation System – Ability to track and analyse, economic, financial and physical aspect of the business. †¢ Tracking income and expenses, cash flow, Project financial performance, monitoring returns to the enterprise, the costs and efficiency factors. 5. Unique Resources –unique resources, competencies or skills from the business or management that create a competitive advantage? †¢ Expert knowledge / skills †¢ Unique business position. †¢ Business location 6. Culture – What aspects of the Individual employeeRead MoreAccrual Balance And Cash Flow Statement986 Words   |  4 PagesQuestion 1 I would explain these methods (accrual balance and cash flow statement), to Irene in this way: The most of the time the business bookkeeping system use two methods: the accrual basis or the cash basis (Gibson 2008). On one hand, â€Å"Accrual accounting is any record of revenues or expenditures when there is not a cash transaction. The principle to apply this method is the â€Å"matching principle†( Berman Knight, 2013), basically is the report of an expense or income statement in the equivalentRead MoreRatio Analysis : Analysis And Interpretation Of Financial Statements1490 Words   |  6 PagesRatio analysis is used to describe the important relationship that lies between figures based on line items in financial statements like the balance sheet, profit and loss account, and a budgetary control organization. Ratio analysis is a technique of analysis and interpretation of financial statements. It helps in evaluating the financial position and performance of the firm, ratio analysis also allows firms to compare their operational or financial performance to another firm or the industry standardRead MoreTraining Process in Sas1207 Words   |  5 Pages * Querying and Reporting Using SA S Enterprise Guide EGQR4 * SAS Programming for SAS Enterprise Guide Users EGPRG1 * SAS Macro Language 1: Essentials MAC1 * SAS SQL 1: Essentials SQL1 * Advanced Querying Using SAS Enterprise Guide EGAQ4 * SAS Certification Review: Base Programming for SAS ®9 CRB Report Writer * SAS Color Graphics GRAP9 Business User * Introduction to SAS Business Intelligence Applications for Reporting and Analysis (9.1.3) SBIOVR1 * Using SAS WebRead MoreUsefulness And Limitations Of Financial Ratios1510 Words   |  7 Pageslimitations of financial ratios in evaluating the performance and management of companies Ratio analysis is used to describe the important relationship that lies between figures based on line items in financial statements like the balance sheet, profit and loss account, and a budgetary control organization. Ratio analysis is a technique of analysis and interpretation of financial statements. It helps in evaluating the financial position and performance of the firm, ratio analysis also allows firmsRead MoreNotes on Importance of Planning for Business Success1060 Words   |  5 Pageson five importance of planning for business success. Specially, you are also to briefly explain the factors to be considered in the preparation for developing a marketing plan. Prepare your notes for the interview. A marketing plan is a written document that summarizes what the marketer has learned about the market place and indicates how the firm plans to reach its marketing objectives. It contains tactical guidelines for the marketing programs and financial allocations over the planning periodRead MoreAccentures Strategy And Analytical Capabilities1593 Words   |  7 Pagesof leading technologies, consumption-based commercial arrangements, and enterprise support, the platform is a flexible Analytics-as-a-Service solution designed to help a range of business users, from the C-suite to data scientists, make data-driven decisions that can solve business issues and create new opportunities. The Accenture Insights Platform can increase an organization’s speed to insight, decision-making and business outcomes. The platform has a preconfigured, industrialized end-to-end architectureRead MoreAnalysis Of Social Responsibility Report And Annual Report Of The Company953 Words   |  4 PagesThr ough the analysis of social responsibility report and annual report of the company, this essay uses the case analysis and correlation analysis to discuss the relevance between company’s social obligation and its economic performance. The article will first define the corporate social responsibility. Secondly, it will introduce the previous research and their conclusions. Then it will analyze the case of Lenovo. Finally, it will summarize the research results and give suggestions for enterprises about

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Lonely Planet Case Study Ch 3 E-Commerce Essays - 890 Words

Lonely Planet Case Study 1. Prepare a report in which you analyze the marketing channel conflicts and cannibalization issues that Lonely Planet faces as it is currently operating. Suggest solutions that might reduce the revenue losses or operational frictions that result from these issues. I feel that Lonely Planet is one big channel conflict. When they first started the company it wasn’t really an issue. The fact that they have grown so much and integrated themselves into many different markets makes it harder to reduce the channel conflict or cannibalization. There is a certain point, during your expansion processes, which you reach when you dive into as many markets that Lonely Planet has. I feel if they wish to reduce revenue†¦show more content†¦This revenue model makes the most sense for their products. 2. Prepare a list of new products that Lonely Planet might introduce to take advantage of Internet technologies (including wireless technologies for mobile devices) and address customers’ concerns about the timeliness and currency of information in the printed travel guides. Briefly describe any problems that Lonely Planet will face as it introduces these new products. There are several different features that Lonely Planet could pursue with their business to take advantage of new technologies. a. Lonely Planet could expand the information sections of their website to incorporate events happening around the world that could entice people to travel to. b. After looking into Lonely Planet’s App on their website and the reviews incorporated with it, I feel they should increase funding to their App development to increase functionality, usefulness, and ability to download the App, which tended to be the most griped about issues. c. Lonely planet could expand their e-book aspect to be compatible with all the tablets on the market thus increasing sales. d. Reduce the guides focus from countries to cities in order to make use of limited memory handheld devices Some of the main issues that may arise during the creation of these features include: 1. They will have to increase funding to their App department as stated above 2. They will have to increaseShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pages658.3—dc23 2011038674 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN 10: 0-13-283487-1 ISBN 13: 978-0-13-283487-2 Brief Contents Preface xxii 1 2 Introduction 1 What Is Organizational Behavior? 3 The Individual 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Diversity in Organizations 39 Attitudes and Job Satisfaction 69 Emotions and Moods 97 Personality and Values 131 Perception and Individual Decision Making 165 Motivation Concepts 201 Motivation: From Concepts to Applications 239 3 The Group 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 FoundationsRead MoreMonsanto: Better Living Through Genetic Engineering96204 Words   |  385 Pages441 441 CASE STUDIES A summary of the case analysis I N T R O D U C T I O N Preparing an effective case analysis: The full story Hearing with the aid of implanted technology: The case of Cochlearâ„ ¢ – an Australian C A S E O N E high-technology leader Delta Faucet: Global entrepreneurship in an emerging market C A S E T W O DaimlerChrysler: Corporate governance dynamics in a global company C A S E T H R E E Gunns and the greens: Governance issues in Tasmania C A S E F O U R Succeeding in theRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pageswritten permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone: ( 44) 1865 843830, fax: ( 44) 1865 853333, e-mail: permissions@elsevier.co.uk. You may also complete your request on-line via the Elsevier homepage (www.elsevier.com), by selecting ‘Customer Support’ and then â⠂¬ËœObtaining Permissions’ British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue recordRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pages E SSAYS ON TWENTIETH-C ENTURY H ISTORY In the series Critical Perspectives on the Past, edited by Susan Porter Benson, Stephen Brier, and Roy Rosenzweig Also in this series: Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and CultureRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 PagesPROJECT MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES, SECOND EDITION - PROJECT MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES, SECOND EDITION HAROLD KERZNER, Ph.D. Division of Business Administration Baldwin-Wallace College Berea, Ohio John Wiley Sons, Inc. This book is printed on acid-free paper. @ Copyright O 2006 by John Wiley Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

Monday, December 9, 2019

Cultural Web Concept or Paradigm of an Organization

Question: Write an essay on Cultural web. Answer: Cultural web is the demonstration of taken for granted concept or paradigm of an organization It shows the cultural web of any organization. The routine and rituals refers to the way things are done internally and externally to the organization. The stories are the one told as history and the symbols refers to companys logos. The power structures are associated with the organization beliefs and control system refers to the manner of monitoring. Lastly, organizational structure shows whether it is hierarchical or decentralised structure (Sulkowski 2014). The La Trobe University is a Multi-campus research University in Australia. The organizational structure of La Trobe is hierarchical with the Chancellor and Registrar at the top and directors and Professors at the bottom. The control system of La Trobe is designed through rules and regulation towards the management of the students, staffs, admission and educational process. Internal audit is done periodically for effective maintenance of records. The routine and rituals of La Trobe University refers to the different course structures that are defined on routine basis and the rituals for admissions procedures that are followed. This routine and rituals need to be changed periodically with the changing requirement for the educational growth of the country. The control system cannot be changed frequently and should be deep rooted to the structure of the organization for the growth and development of the University. Other part of paradigm, like stories, symbols and power systems are gene rally taken as per the system and are hardly subject to changes (Currie and Mace 2014). References Currie, T.E. and Mace, R., 2014. Evolution of cultural traits occurs at similar relative rates in different world regions. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 281(1795), p.20141622. Sulkowski, L., 2014. From Fundamentalistic to Pluralistic Epistemology of Organizational Culture. Tamara Journal of Critical Organisation Inquiry, 12(4), p.59.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Yousif Saleh Essays (807 words) - Biophilia Hypothesis, Richard Louv

Yousif Saleh Philyaw, 3rd AP Language 10/18/15 Louv Rhetorical Analysis Essay Nature and Society before were symbiotic in the way they interacted with each other. Nature was considered a daily and essential part of life. However, as time passed nature has been left behind as technology replaces its role. Journalist, Richard Louv, in his excerpt, Last Child in the Woods, admonishes the influx of technology and its effects on the human observation on nature. Louv refutes that modern-day society functions by increasing attention to their products. They advertise on nature, tarnishing the experience between individuals and the world around them. Technology shifts the purpose of nature from something that we can learn about to something that can be bought. He characterizes society and nature as becoming more isolated and separate. He adopts a reprehensible tone in order to reveal the dire situation of division of nature and society to his adult readers. Louv uses elaborate diction, anecdotes, and imagery to develop his essay. Louv begins his essay by using specific words to advance his claim. The author uses the word "stamp" to signify the forced sense of ownership can be bought out of a corporation. The reason why Louv uses the word "stamp" is because he emphasizes the cruelty and barbarity of the big corporations. This suggests that society uses what is not theirs. No one owns the nature that is available to the public and for corporations to vandalize the environment is surely distasteful. Louv repeatedly placed the word "public" throughout this excerpt. The word "public" alludes that it is meant for the community and only for private companies. Louv proposes that corporations will usurp the environment "in exchange for dollars". Exchange would refer to trading something that you already own, and by any means no one can sell something that is intended for everyone. This manifests how society only cares about economic profit and wealth over nature and all the benefits that nature has provided us. Louv then shifts to talk about special anecdotes that reinforce his argument that nature and society are detached. Louv recalls an event when a friend of his went to the car dealership and was pressured into getting a TV in the backseat of the car. This short anecdote symbolizes how society distracts others from learning by nature with manmade devices. A TV in the car would divert the children's attention from their surrounding in nature. Louv exclaims "Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, yet continue to expand the opportunities for them to watch it." Society only takes interest in money even if it meant to sacrifice nature. Louv used the expression of "jaw dropped" to accentuate the fact that technology is part of the norm instead of nature. The hyperbolic statement describes how dependent society is on technology. Later on, Louv exclaims that grandparents will eventually tell their grandchildren that they actually looked out the window. By dec laring this, he implies that looking out the window will be an extinct behavior among the next generation. It is a hyperbole because it exaggerates the outcome of reliance on technology and the abandonment of nature. Finally, Louv uses imagery to give the readers a mental image of the beautiful landscape. He elucidates that when he was younger, he used to stare at the nature outside his car window and think about the environment. He explains "It was our drive-by movie." in the manner that he was entertained just by looking out the window. He describes in detail the "seamy edges of water", and "woods and the fields". This paints a picture of how beautiful nature is, contributing to the emotion of a reader, adding a feel of fulfillment and wonder. The picture of the glaring night and the intrigue of young children develops a happy tone. The happy tone that is brought out comes from enjoying nature. It showcases the happiness that can come from observing nature instead of being attached to a TV or cell phone. This allows the reader to picture the peaceful and serene image of nature, with its sounds and all the different animals that can be seen on farms. He also expresses that they

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Kennedy essays

Kennedy essays The 1960's proved to be a period of both social and political upheaval, whereby hippies, college students and the average American attempted to regain some control through their demonstrations. It was a time where the Government seized the rights of the people to maintain some stability in a period of social turmoil. An era in American history with political resistance from other nations was more important to bring stability to then how the American people felt about the whole situation. How could American citizens be fond of a government that does not pay attention to their needs? The only part of the Government that they were fond of was the Executive side of the government: President Kennedy. When our forefathers drew up the constitution, their main aim was to create a government "of the people, for the people, and by the people." However as our country developed, the government strived to control more aspects of its governing body. President Eisenhower warned Americans against the growing Military Industrial Complex in the 1950's, and his premonition proved to be accurate. In the movie JFK, the director Oliver Stone suggests the government was dictating the fate of the world without our consent. It suggests eight possible causes of Kennedys death: the CIA, weapons manufacturers, the Dallas police, the armed forces, the White House, the establishment press, renegade anti-Castro Cubans, and the Mafia. All of these groups have one common goal, to get revenge for their past maltreatment that Kennedy has bestowed upon them. Only the most dominant force could ever kill Kennedy, which in many public opinions was the White House. November 22, 1963 was a day that people will remember for the rest of their lives. John F. Kennedy was shot dead in Dallas, Texas while many adoring Americans watched with disbelief. How could this ever happen to the man that mean so much to our nation? Who could commit such a horrible act tha...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to Make a Safe No Cook Smoke Bomb

How to Make a Safe No Cook Smoke Bomb The classic smoke bomb is very easy to make, but I know some of you are concerned about the possibility of accidentally setting off your smoke alarm or igniting the mixture during preparation. There is safer way to make a smoke bomb. It uses the same ingredients and produces a comparable amount of smoke, but it takes a bit longer to make. Heres how to make the safer smoke bomb. Smoke Bomb Ingredients potassium nitrate or saltpeter (if you cant find it at a garden store I see Skylighter sells it online)sugar (sucrose)waterfusepaper or plastic cupsplastic spoonwaxed paper Construct the Smoke Bombs In a paper or plastic cup, mix 3 parts potassium nitrate with 2 parts sugar (e.g., 3 tablespoons potassium nitrate and 2 tablespoons sugar).Using your plastic spoon, stir in just enough water to make a thick paste. Continue stirring until the ingredients are evenly mixed.Set lumps of the mixture (~1 tablespoon each or a little less) onto the waxed paper. Insert a fuse into each lump.Allow the smoke bombs to set up for 1-2 days. The drying time will depend on temperature and humidity. Warmer and drier is faster; cooler and damper will take longer. Keep the smoke bombs away from excessive heat or flame. The smoke bombs will be like clay when they are ready, not hard and solid.Set a completed smoke bomb outdoors on a fireproof surface and light it. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Case study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Case study - Assignment Example Management is essentially an act of fulfillment of objectives through people, and efficient management implies getting the maximum output from the people. Therefore, a good manager must encourage teamwork and enhance team spirit by meeting the needs of both the individual and the team. This paper will focus on a case study regarding problems of human resources. In any organization, managerial goal is to extract optimum performance from workers and employees for the benefit of the organization. The concept of High Performance Work Practices (HPWP) is a deliberate attempt to establish working patterns that will enhance the overall performance of the organization. This concept is not new and employees who embrace this concept are only implementing common sense approach to improve their performance level. HPWPs indicate assessment of own work, flexible working patterns, and other strategies to provide maximum results. HPWPs also encompass strategic recruitment policies and motivational schemes like promotions, financial rewards and flexible working hours (Sung & Ashton, 2005, p.2). According to research based on world reports, there are two major advantages of HPWPs. First, such practices maintain a steady improvement in the performance level of employees, and second, employee satisfaction can be enhanced both in terms of work and personal lif e. The combined impact of these two benefits is reflected in high level of employee commitment, improved financial performance, sustained competitiveness, and innovation (Sung & Ashton, 2005, p.8). In this section, I will be highlighting the problems of human resources in ServiceCo which is a â€Å"support services partner in the UK providing business solutions for clients across the local government, transport, education, health and defence sectors† (Alfes et al., 2010, p.8). Currently, 10,500 employees are engaged in 200 locations in UK. According to survey

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Human Resources Manager Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resources Manager - Coursework Example One of the most important requirements in recruiting the right individual for the job is educational certifications. It is important to ensure that the education background of the applicants is relevant and that all the required courses and classes for the offered position are completed. For instance, an applicant for the position of the Quality Control Engineer should have undertaken courses in Quality Control Engineering and acquired relevant certifications in relation to the courses. Another important requirement in the recruitment process is the work experience of the applicants (Francis, 2012). Given the organizations task ahead, it is important to invest in employees that have a good background in what they do to allow for maximum performance and timely achievement of the organizations goals and objectives. Work experience involves both the positions held by an individual in previous work environments and the history of their work ethics. This would be important in determining the gained skills and abilities in handling various issues within their range of roles and responsibilities. The applicants’ previous work ethics would determine their interaction with other employees in the organizational setting and the performance of activities in an ethical manner. The soft skills of the applicants are also an important requirement in determining their abilities to handle different situations within the work environment (OMeara, 2013). Some of the skills such as communication and collaboration are important in measuring the applicants’ ability to work with other members of the organization in teams. Academic competence enhances organizational performance as individuals put their acquired skills into practice; hence improving the performance of the organization (Armstrong, 2012). On the other hand, work experience promotes new approaches in the organization as different individuals apply varying

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Considering the Detailed Strategies for Goal Attainment Essay Example for Free

Considering the Detailed Strategies for Goal Attainment Essay In the previous step, you thought about the broader personal and social impact of your goals and the consequences of their attainment. Now you will be asked to think, in detail, about how you will achieve your goals. Goals are related to lesser, smaller sub-goals and behaviors, as well as connected to higher-order, more important abstract goals. These sub-goals are easier to achieve, but are still fundamental to reaching our greater aspirations. Sub-goals can thus be thought of as strategies for greater goal achievement. Thinking about what specific things need to be done in order to achieve your goals allows you to create practical strategies for realizing your dreams. Please take some time to write about the concrete daily or weekly things you might do to further your goals. Take as much time as you need, and really consider what particular behaviors each goal is built upon. Do you need to spend more time with your kids? Do you need to discuss household chores with your spouse? Should you spend more time planning at work? Specify when you are going to work on your goals. Specify how often. Specify where. Think hard about how you are going to implement your plans. Make your plans concrete. Step FIVE: Write down those concrete weekly or daily things you might do to further your goals. Please take as much space as you need. Goal 1: In order to graduate from University I will have to do well in my courses. It is not enough to just go to classes and comply with all the requirements in each class. I have to maximize my potentials and the learning that I will acquire from each class. I would only be able to achieve this if I give my whole heart and mind to my classes. This is easier to say than do, for example, I have to prepare and read materials in advance; I have to anticipate assignments and make sure I give all my best to each paper, essay or project. I also have to attain competitive scores in my exams and to reinforce my learning through practical applications both in my life and in how I deal with people. Specifically, this semester, I intend to set a certain amount of time everyday (at least two hours) that I’ll devote to studying. During the time, I cannot plan to do anything else. Instead, I will focus on my classes and study the lessons I take up each day. I know it would take will power and commitment on my part to make this goal a reality. I have read somewhere that reading lecture notes each day would go a long way in retaining information and facilitating learning. In a way it helps me think about my lessons constantly, thus, if I have to work on something that requires information from my lessons, I can readily access it. I also plan to join a discussion group that talks about the specific classes I am taking. For example, if I have introduction to psychology, I will join a group that discusses everything about psychology. I believe that listening to different perspective or opinions would further my learning. At the same time, it also serves as a way of reinforcing what I learn in class. Goal 2: I will start to learn a foreign language if I want to go abroad. It has always been my dream to travel to a foreign land and to experience a different culture and way of life. I am an adventurous person and if I intend to travel to different countries, I would want to do it in my way, which does not include package tours or travel agents. Thus, the necessity to learn the language of the country I want to visit. How else would I be able to converse or find my way in a remote town or place in Greece if I don’t know how to speak Greek, or even Italian. There are a number of courses available for me so I could start learning a foreign language. However, it would take up much of my time and resources at the present time. I think it would be more effective for me to start small, like buy a book or download an individual learning package which I can readily access when I have the time. Moreover, I resolve to devote four hours a week of learning a foreign language. Goal 3: I will speak and try to develop a closer relationship with my classmates because that can help make school work more enjoyable, therefore improving my grades. I must admit that I have not been very close with my classmates or that I have made the effort to befriend them. But now that I have realized that I need to build relationships with the people I see everyday, I resolve to make sure that I approach and initiate conversations so I would get to know them better and hopefully become closer to them. By establishing friendships with my classmates, my classes would become enjoyable, and would be a shared experience as I know that the people I am with everyday are my friends. This would also mean that I would look forward to my classes and being with my friends and classmates and learning together. Goal 4: I will borrow a few books from the library about counseling and read them over regularly. My long term goal is to become a counselor and to be skilled in this field. I know that this career is not easy or that I can be assured of success at the instant I graduate. Counselor work is inspiring and fulfilling, but it takes a certain kind of personality and life skills to become an effective counselor. I know in my heart that I can be a good counselor, that I have the personality and the determination to become a counselor. However, I also know that I still need to learn many things, to acquire skills and knowledge and be competent in this profession. I also know that my classes and major subjects only prepares me for the tasks that counselor have to face, and that I could prepare myself through learning everything I can about counseling through reading books. I hope to read counseling books at least one book per month. Step 6: Identifying Potential Obstacles and their Solutions Thinking about achieving a goal is obviously easier than going out and getting it done. Many things related to the natural environment, the social group and the self might stand in your way. It is useful to anticipate these difficulties, so that you can plan to overcome them. Consider your goals, once again. Write down all the potential obstacles you can think up. Write down ways to overcome these obstacles. How might you interfere with your own plans? How can you ensure this won’t happen? Sometimes change is threatening to people we know and love. Will the people you know help you, or stand in your way? How can you communicate with them, so that they will support you? Think of realistic and worst-case scenarios. What are your options? What are your alternative plans? Step SIX: Potential Obstacles to Goals, and Ways to Overcome Them: take as much space as you need. Goal 1: For graduating University, I could run into some obstacles. Hindrances or obstacles towards attaining my goals will always be a challenge for me, since I would really want to be able to finish university in the best and fastest way I can. My resolution to spend time studying everyday might not leave me with time for myself and my friends. Spending too much time might alienate me from my friends. It would also sadden me and affect my focus and attention if my friends feel that I cannot be with them because I am trying too hard to be a good student. I know that being a good student nowadays is the exception, not the norm and my friends might think I am not good company because I always study. I like being with my friends and I enjoy their company, but I know that I also have to prioritize my studies. Thus, I resolve to explain to my friends why at times I could not join them and to ask them to be more accommodating of my situation. I could also get too lazy and slack off too often. There is also the fear that I might not be able resist my friends’ influence and sacrifice my study time for bonding time. I know I am only human and no matter how good my plan is, I would still have to decide and evaluate my actions as to its consequences. If I become too lazy and focus more on my friends, then I would be a failure and I don’t have anyone to blame but myself. In order to prevent these things, I will try to organize myself in such a way that my friendships won’t suffer and my work is enjoyable and stress-free enough that I won’t find myself slacking. At the same time, my family might also feel that I don’t give enough attention or my time with them because of my studies. I know that I have to make them realize that what I am doing is for my own good and for my family’s future. If I graduate with great grades, it would open doors for me and I would be able to further my training and acquire more skills. I hope and pray that they would understand me and that they would support my goals. Goal 2: Counseling: I will try to reach people that are already working in the field of counseling. Maybe they can give me advice. The obstacle could be that I postpone such meetings or that I don’t give enough attention to what they are sharing with me. IN joining discussion groups, I might find it boring and ineffective and completely turn my back to the group. On the other hand, I could also become so engrossed and enjoyed in the discussion groups that I would give more time and focus to the group than to my classes. I know that the key to everything is balance, and I could maximize my learning both in and out of the classroom by attaining balance. Thus, I would give myself a strict schedule as to the time spent in discussion groups, and if I chance upon a boring or a nonfunctioning group, then I have to find another group to join. Goal 3: Providing for my family: I will try to finish my studies as quickly as possible, without rushing, of course. And I will try to save my money as much as I can upon graduating. I could run into unforeseen obstacles – like losing a job, especially during this recession. The best I can do is to do my job as well as possible and hope for the best, though. Aside from wanting to attain personal growth and achievement, I would also want to have a good job and profession in order to provide for my family. Since I would have to be gainfully employed to be able to provide for my family, I have to make sure that after graduation, I have to look for work. In reality, there is not much available jobs for counselors, but we can always open our own practice. But that would mean applying for accreditation and licensing which is another obstacle that I have to face. But since I really want to be a counselor, there is nothing I could do but comply with the needed requirements. Moreover, one cannot be an effective counselor without continuous education and learning. I might become too committed to my studies that my work suffers. If that is the case, then, I might not be able to provide for my family’s needs. In order to combat this obstacle, I would make it a point to compartmentalize, that is, to think about my studies when I am in school or when I am at home, and to think about my job when I am in my workplace. Goal 4: Given that I have the resources to travel abroad, the obstacles I might have in this area are not having the time for vacation, leaving work and getting sick during my travels or traveling and not being adequately prepared for it both emotionally and physically. For example, if I travel abroad, I have to leave my work for a period of time and I have to be able to arrange that my clients would not need me at that time, also, I have to make sure that I don’t have any prior commitments. Consequently, I might be too caught up with my job and my responsibilities that I would not be able to travel. Since, I want to travel unconventionally, and then it would make sense that I would maybe take a month or more abroad, an obstacle I foresee is do I have the resources to be without an income for a month. Another worst-case scenario is when I would be suddenly taken-ill during my travel. Without a guide or a traveling companion it would be very unfortunate if I get sick at that time. Thus, I have to make sure that I am well prepared both financially and physically before I schedule and plan for my travel. I should also acquaint myself with the culture, geography and customs of the places I am going to visit so I would know what to do when I am confronted with an emergency. Step 7: Monitoring Progress towards Desired Goals We need to know, concretely, whether or not we are progressing towards valued goals. Of course, this is not an easy process. When we want to complete very specific tasks, feedback on our performance is relatively easy to monitor. However, if our goals are less short-term, this becomes a little more difficult. On the next few pages you will be asked to identify personal benchmarks that will allow you to evaluate your own performance. †¢ What sorts of things will you accept as evidence that you are progressing towards your stated goal? †¢ How often are you going to monitor your own behavior? †¢ How will things in your life have to change, measurably, for you to feel satisfied in your progress? †¢ How can you ensure that you are neither pushing yourself too hard, and ensuring failure, or being too easy on yourself, and risking boredom and cynicism? Your benchmarks should be personal indicators of success. It doesn’t matter what others may think defines progress towards your goal. Write down those accomplishments would truly indicate positive movement on your part. Goal 1: My first goal is to do very well in all my courses this semester. That is a necessary condition for me to eventually go on and graduate. The evidences that would indicate that I am achieving this goal is that I would get above average final grades in majority of my courses. I know that I am quite adept at some courses, and in some, I have difficulty with. Thus, I would expect to be able to get excellent grades in the courses I am confident with and to get more than average grades for the difficult courses. Since grades are given for each prelim, midterm and finals in each course, I would monitor my grades after each exam and to track my scores and grades in the different projects and coursework. It would be alright for me to wait for my final grade in all my courses and as long as I give my best, I would be assured that I would have better grades. The most important thing is to enjoy what I am doing, I would know that I am pushing myself too hard if I can’t concentrate in my tasks, and I would know that I ma not doing enough if I make mediocre work. So I resolve to enjoy every assignment and project I have this term and I would make it fun and interesting for my own benefit. Goal 2: My second goal, in order to accomplish the first, is to study more often and organize my time better. Evidences that I am accomplishing this goal are when I would have time to study and do my coursework before the deadline, when I don’t feel rushed and when I don’t have to cram for quizzes. Effective time management would imply that I have time to do everything. I plan to have a â€Å"to do† list on a daily basis and try to schedule my activities for the whole day, as I accomplish each task, I indicate it on the list and in that way I can monitor whether I have reached my target goals for the day or not. Since I would have time to do everything, then consequently I would have time for family, friends and school work. Thus it would be a better improvement in my life than a sacrifice for me. I know the difference between too much and too little, so as I make my to do list, I will make sure that it is balanced in the sense that I have time to do the things I enjoy and that the list is flexible, what I may not finish today I can work on tomorrow and I don’t need to feel that I failed by not doing it today. Goal 3: My third goal is to meet with my TAs and professors more often in order to get a better grasp of the study material. This will help me accomplish the first two goals. In this respect, I think that the best evidence I have for reaching this goal is when I don’t fear or feel uncomfortable interacting with my instructors and Ta’s. I mostly see them regularly, and I guess if I make it a point to initiate conversations or to ask help in some lessons then I would in the long run become more familiar with them. I am not that outgoing or bubbly as a person, so I think it would be a big change in my part to accomplish this goal because it would mean going out of my comfort zone and befriending them. As I have noticed, people tend to be put off when someone is very brash or boisterous, so if I have that effect on people then I am trying too hard. If I am not trying hard enough, then I won’t experience any result and there would be no change in my behavior. Goal 4: In learning a foreign language, I would probably have to be able to understand the foreign language or to be able to speak phrases and words in the foreign language as evidences that I am really learning a new language. If I don’t have much time to learn the language, then I would probably monitor my improvement in a year since I would not be traveling to another country in the near future. Even if I can’t go abroad, I would still have the benefit of learning a new language and that is already an achievement in itself. Being able to speak another language would probably widen my perspective and how I view myself. Goal 5: One benchmark will be the completion of my current year of University studies. In this way I would know that I am achieving my goal once I graduate from the university and be awarded my degree. Since I still have a number of terms to complete before I graduate and a number of courses to complete, it would take me time to reach this goal. In a way, the number of terms I finish would be the means of monitoring my goals. If I graduate, then it would probably change my life forever for the better I hope. I really want to graduate, and no matter what obstacles I come across, I am willing to give my all to beat the odds.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Little Credibility Found in The Captain’s Quarterly Blog :: Website Evaluation Blog Blogging

Little Credibility Found in The Captain’s Quarterly Blog Captain Ed allows his emotions to overflow after Media Matters for America accuses Sinclair Broadcasting Group of partisan news programming. Sinclair airs The Point, a commentary featuring Mark Hyman, the spokesman and overseer of all of Sinclair’s Washington lobbing. Sinclair. Most of Sinclair’s 62 Stations are required to air every night during their local news. Captain Ed stated with an excellent argument, but quickly lost his credibility with name calling and childishness but even more with his ability to ignore logic and dispute truth with no relevant backing. Emotion can be a powerful tool in writing, if it can be harnessed and put into words. On the other side, emotion left unchecked, can destroy an entire work. The appeal of pathos and ethos in this essay did all the work for the opposing view. What is the best way to win an argument? Captain Ed will say it is to as quickly as possible call the people whom one is arguing against â€Å"lunatics† (Captains Quarters Blog 1). This is precisely what was done. When doing this the point that is being made is lost. It now has become a credibility issue. When writing an argument it is only logical to think the intended audience is the opposite view. Why would a writer blatantly attack its own audience? No the reader is trying to understand the other opinion not get verbally assaulted. Logic is necessary in any kind of argument. With out it the reader will only become confused and weary of any further reading of the authors. Captain Ed excellently points out that, â€Å"MMA and the rest of the lunatics seem to have overlooked one thing: The Point is a commentary, an editorial that does not pretend to be news reporting. Sinclair advertises it as such. In effect, MMA seeks to condemn Sinclair for doing exactly what newspapers and broadcast stations have done for decades -- editorialize as owners see fit† (Captains 1). This is an excellent example of a well written logos appeal. It is true commentary is editorial and bias but not news. However, the fact that was left out is really more important. These commentaries are aired during the local news. The local news is on every night for people to tune in and get a non bias report of what is going on around them. For Sinclair to force stations to air a biased commentary during the news is illogical.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The McDonaldization

â€Å"McDonaldization† — as used by George Ritzer, author of The McDonaldization of Society — refers to the creation of â€Å"rationalized systems† to perform everyday functions such as food preparation, retail sales, banking, home construction, entertainment, news delivery and so on. He calls it McDonaldization because such methods were used to famous effect by Ray Kroc, who built McDonald's into a fast-food empire — and because in many people's minds McDonald's represents the results, both good and bad, that occur when rationalized systems take over. But has this transition affected other businesses either positively or negatively? Why sure, thanks for asking! I think the best way to examine McDonaldization is to compare the analysis of McDonalds to its effects in the same industry. The way I plan to do this is to see if the effects of McDonaldization have effect the Wendy†s franchise. The information that I know about this business comes from my brother working for this company for many years and partaking in a triple-cheeseburger or two in my short college career. The way that Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers does business and markets it's product to consumers is due to the change in our society to where the consumer wants the biggest, fastest, and best product they can get for their money. This change in society can be attributed to a process known as McDonaldization. Although McDonaldization can be applied to many other parts of our society, this paper will focus on its impact on Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers. My belief is that the process of McDonaldization, where the ideology of McDonald's has come to dominate the world, has caused Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers to emulate McDonald's style of running a franchised restaurant chain in terms of efficiency, calculability, and control. However, since McDonald's has become the embodiment of â€Å"fast-food† in our society, Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers has had to change their focus to giving the consumer a higher quality product in a relatively fast amount of time. So, Wendy's still caters to a McDonaldized society in terms of giving them a meal as fast as possible but making quality their number one priority to give people a viable option from McDonald's. In addition, as mentioned before, I have used my brother who managed to keep a job at Wendy's for a short period and observations I gathered while at McDonald's as further information for this paper. First, before I discuss the impact of McDonaldization on Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, I will define what McDonaldization is. McDonaldization is the process by which the principles of fast-food restaurants are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society, as well as, of the rest of the world. George Ritzer created this concept of McDonaldization as a continuation of Max Weber's theories on bureaucracies (I hope). Max Weber defines a bureaucracy as a large hierarchical organization that is governed by formal rules and regulations and has a clear specification of work tasks. Its three main characteristics are that it has a division of labor, hierarchy of authority, and an impartial and impersonal application of rules and policies (see what I got from Sociological Theory). Thus, from that definition of a bureaucracy, one would conclude that both McDonald's and Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers are bureaucracies. The fact that both restaurants are bureaucracies is supported by the fact that each assigns workers to a specific job where each worker individually contributes to the overall success of the restaurant by doing his or her job. For example, workers at each restaurant could be assigned to working the grill, making fries, working the front register, or taking orders at the drive-thru window. Both restaurants have a hierarchy of authority from worker, crew chief, shift manager, salary manager to owner of the store. Also, each restaurant enforces an impartial and impersonal application of rules and policies. Both McDonald's and Wendy's have standard, impersonal greetings at the register and at the drive-thru window. The exception when this impersonal attitude towards the customer is changed is when a worker knows the customer outside the restaurant. In this case, the worker will probably ask their acquaintance how they are doing or what they are up to. The worker might even throw in an extra cheeseburger that a regular customer might not get. Despite this exception where standardization is broken, both these restaurants have become bureaucracies because they are the most efficient means of managing large groups of people. That leaves one to wonder why the process of McDonaldization has been so successful for both companies. The first reason is that it offers efficiency where consumers know that it means the quickest way to get from one point to another. In the case of McDonald's, it offers the best available way to get from being hungry to being full. This is so important in today's society because so many people are in a rush to get from one place to another. Therefore, the quick, efficient setup of McDonald's allows consumers to eat a fast-food meal without having to leave their car. On the other hand, Wendy's strives for as efficient service as possible without affecting the quality of their product. This is because McDonald's already has imprinted on people's minds throughout the many years of its existence that they will get the same burger each visit in the quickest amount of time. They reinforce this idea on the minds of consumers through advertising and other clever tools. For example, on every McDonald's sign is a tally of how many people in the world have eaten there, which is currently at 99 billion served. The use of this sign reinforces to people that McDonald's is an icon in our society and many people will equate that large number with McDonald's being the best restaurant. As a result, Wendy's has tried to make quality their number one priority but with no serious deficiencies in the speed of their product. This can be attributed to the fact that they do not pre-make their burgers and leave them under heat lamps to sit like McDonald's does. Instead, they have their staff assembled to make the burger as the customer orders it. This is an especially important benefit because many people like to â€Å"customize† their burger and the process that Wendy's uses allow them to do that. This allows them to target another group of society, which McDonald's product doesn't appeal to. For example, older people who would rather sit down and have a quality meal would most likely rather go to Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers. Even, the name of Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers suggests that their style is more like how things used to be done many decades ago in terms of making quality the number one priority for a restaurant. Therefore, they would provide an alternative for people who were not interested in getting a burger that has been slopped together and sitting under a heat lamp for an hour. This would be reflected in which demographic of people each restaurant targeted. McDonald's traditionally has targeted families as their key demographic but recently they have shifted to make their product more appealing to teenagers as well. This can best be demonstrated in their new style commercials that use many young adults and refers to McDonald's as â€Å"Mickey D's† as a hip place to hang out. So, for young people who are in a rush to get from place to place, McDonald's provides a fast, cheap meal that they can eat on the run. On the other hand, Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers targets people who aren't in such a rush and would rather sit down and eat a slow, relaxing meal (is this ageism). They still cater to those who are in a rush by offering a drive-thru. However, they know that most of their business will come from people looking for a quality alternative to McDonald's. Another aspect of McDonaldization that has made both companies successful is calculability. This is where each restaurant puts an emphasis on quantitative aspects of products sold like portion size and cost. For example, McDonald's has burgers like the â€Å"Quarter Pounder† and â€Å"Big Mac† while Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburger has burgers like the â€Å"Double Bacon Cheeseburger†. This use of descriptive adjectives suggests to the consumer that they are getting the most amount of food for their money. Both McDonald's and Wendy's have the option to â€Å"Supersize† or â€Å"Biggiesize† an order. This makes the companies successful in our society because of our belief that bigger is better. Finally, both companies use control, especially through the substitution of non-human for human technology. For both companies that means using soft drink machines that automatically shuts off when the glass is full, french-fry machines that rings and lifts itself out of the oil when the fries are done, and the preprogrammed cash registers that eliminate the need for the cashier to calculate any prices. The main reason that this is done is because,† [people are] The great source of uncertainty, unpredictability and inefficiency in any rationalizing system. Thus, by increasing control, through increased mechanization, both companies maintain a better control over the entire organization. Also, this leads to employees not having to think about their job because the tasks they are asked to do are very repetitive. In conclusion, it is obvious that both restaurants have adopted a style of running their restaurants that makes them successful. McDonald's style is to give the public the same burger that they have always had so that they can come to depend that they will get the same meal as they did last time. They have been a pioneer in the fast-food industry and the model that other restaurants try to imitate. On the other hand, Wendy's style is to make a quality product that reminds people of the â€Å"good old days†. They have been directly influenced by McDonald's in terms of how to run their fast-food restaurant to maximize speed and efficiency. However, since Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers would not have a chance of competing with McDonald's at their own game, they have developed their own niche in the market of making a quality product efficiently. What concerns me is the way these companies are phasing out the roles of their employees to the point where they are doing nothing but mindless, repetitive tasks. To me, the consequence of this will be that someday all human workers will be replaced because it is more efficient for machines to do the work. So, although McDonaldization has made both these companies very successful, there is a very serious potential downside that could have an effect on everyone. Now there is no doubt that this text can be read on a number of different levels, some of which are far more satisfactory than others. Ritzer is clearly an accessible and engaging writer. For an undergraduate audience, which is unfamiliar with the language, and indeed, critical project of radical social theory, this text provides a worthy, and indeed somewhat enjoyable introduction. Keep in mind, though, that those four principles are not necessarily pursued from the point of view of the consumer. Efficiency, for example, may entail the placing of great inconveniences upon a consumer for the sake of efficient management. Calculability may involve hiding certain information from the consumer. Predictability and control may involve a company's ability to predict and control consumer behavior, not the consumer's ability to predict what kind of product or control what kind of service he gets. Ritzer calls such breakdowns â€Å"the irrationality of rationalization. † Even so, there is a great perception among American consumers in particular that McDonaldized systems succeed from their own point of view based on those criteria: the systems are perceived to be more efficient, the benefits calculable, the goods and services predictable. But it's rare that the consumer will ever feel himself to be more in control. McDonaldized systems take away a great deal of consumer autonomy (which I love), making decisions and implementing processes on a mass-market scale with little room for individual involvement on the part of a single customer or even a single store or plant manager. The benefit of control is one that accrues exclusively to the company. Regardless of who benefits or to what extent, the universal result is homogenization. Rationalized systems have a pronounced tendency to squash-individual tastes, niche markets, small-scale enterprise and personalized customer service. Differences are leveled, wrinkles smoothed, knots cut off — convenience at the expense of character. An overwhelming normlessness develops, along with a decrease in responsiveness among the people of our society that are involved. The system that seeks to mimic a machine becomes a machine, incapable of making exceptions or taking risks. McDonaldization is taking over our society. In the future, our wishes of fast, more efficient services will be fulfilled; but whom in the world will we ever talk too?

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Othello study question

There are three mall reasons for why Ago hates Othello. The first being that Ago deeply believes that there used to be an affair between his wife Email and Othello. While there is no actual evidence to support the affair, the fact that Ago believes it happened supports the fact that he is very paranoid and might be searching for reasons to hate Othello. The second is that Othello denied Ago a promotion he believes he very much deserved.The fact that Othello gives the promotion to Cassia is what leads Ago to take out revenge on both. The third (and most obvious reason to me) Is the simple fact that Othello Is a Moor (black) and Ago Is angry act the fact Othello has authority over him and is praised by the other characters. On line 1. 3. 322, Ago meant that we get to choose who we want to be and that whatever we nurture becomes our nature. Ago chose to warn Othello because he is two-faced and wants to remain on Othello side just long enough to take him down. . Line 1. 2. 60, spoken by Othello, means that neither Barbarian or Ordering had ever drawn there swords before. Othello is mocking them because they are both inexperienced and are pulling out shiny new swords against a great warrior. Act 2 1 . Ago (who we all know to be a sexist by now) Is very cynical towards females and views them all as meaningless. We can tell from way he treats his wife that he Is unappreciative of women. He Is also very critical and engrave towards all women, believing them to be nothing but deceptive.On line Ago describes women as being â€Å"pictures out of doors, bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchens, saints in your injuries, devils being offended, Players in your housewife, and housewives in your beds† (all deceptive and unfaithful creatures). . Shakespeare reveals Sago's true character through soliloquies because they give Ago a chance to actually be honest outside of his deceptive character in the main story.This is where the dramatic irony of the drama comes fr om. Sago's soliloquies also further the motif of the contrast between light and darkness (Ago revealing in his soliloquies the darkness of his heart matches the darkness of Othello skin, making them opposites Inside and out and how most of lagans evil plans are set Into motion at night, the physical representation of Sago's Inner personality). All of this

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Public Speaking †I Hate It!

Public Speaking – I Hate It! Free Online Research Papers It was the fourth grade. I always heard rumors and gossip about a certain teacher. This year, kids said to take any teacher except Mrs. Rivera, the oral project teacher. Of course in elementary, we did not have a choice of which teacher to choose. Boy, I was shocked when I glanced at the window that had my schedule. Mrs. Rivera would be my teacher. No problems, all I need to do is stand in front of the class and speak. Of course, I always hated talking in front of the class. I did orals in second and third grade; but it couldnt be that bad. Nothing could go wrong. Thats what I thought. The season changed with cold rains and blistering chills to blooming flowers and emerging birds. It was spring, and the school year would be over soon. This is when I finally knew why everyone hated her class. Mrs. Rivera gave us the dreaded and most painful oral, The Play. It consisted of singing, dancing, acting, and prancing across the gym. Could it get any worse? Of course it could. On a piece of paper, stuck to a wall with eight pushpins and long-lasting duct tape, it stated, Invite people you know to The Play. A couple days after the announcement, a white envelope came in the the name Mrs. Rivera pasted on the return address. Why wasnt I surprised to find out this was an invitation to The Play for my parents? There were no more excuses. I had no choice but to join the play. We first started by taking roles in different dramas. I rushed through a crowd of kids and hunted for a small lined part. I would be a dashing soldier, protecting the country of Rome from evil dragons while doing my best to keep the Gods happy. Next, we all took bells and canes for the singing, prancing, and dancing part of the play. I received a tiny scratched bell with a little red piece of yarn. It was the ugliest bell, but I became use to these consequences and I did not have any problem in going forward with progress. After getting our red-striped canes and other materials, we rehearsed our parts. Well most did. Personally, I hated the whole thing, especially the singing roles. When the kids werent in tune, she blamed it on me and forced me to sing more. When we had to jingle the bells for a beat, my bell would just make an ugly thump sound. Even with all these problems, everyone seemed ready for The Play. It just started to get dark and people piled onto the benches. Today was the day all our preparation came into action. Cameras covered the scene with parents making sure they did not miss anything. I was doing well. The Roman drama went perfectly and we excited the crowd with our acting skills. The singing and dancing were just as great. We sung with utmost excellence and made it to our spots with no wrong steps. That was the last major oral project we did in fourth grade. It was a pretty awful school year, but I gained a lot of knowledge from it. I learned how to speak in front of an audience in a firm and clear voice. I gained more confidence and I did not worry about orals as much. I guess fourth grade was not that bad, after acknowledging all the accomplishments I made that year. However, I sure would not want to go through the dire fourth grade again. Research Papers on Public Speaking - I Hate It!The Spring and AutumnStandardized TestingHip-Hop is ArtHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Hockey GameMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductCapital Punishment

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

E - French Pronunciation of E

E - French Pronunciation of E The French letter E can be pronounced several different ways - such as the schwa sound, a long A sound, and short E sounds. Below are examples of the different sounds and sound files to hear the way theyre spoken. Examples of the Various E Sounds Like the E in angel (like a schwa) - listen. This sound is often heard in single syllable words like le, me, etc.Like the vowel sound in weigh except without the y sound at the end - listen. This sound occurs in the following:E with an acute accent: à ©tà ©E in an open syllable (i.e., a syllable that ends in a vowel sound): trajetthe verb endings -er and -ez: manger, veuillez.Like the E in bed - listen. This sound is found in the following:E with a grave accent: exprà ¨sE with a circumflex: tà ªteE followed by a double consonant: belleE in a closed syllable (a syllable that ends in a consonant sound): septAn unaccented E at the end of a word is called an E muet and may or may not be pronounced. French Words With E Click on the links below to hear the words pronounced in French: le  (the)à ©tà ©Ã‚  (summer)manger  (to eat)veuillez  (please)exprà ¨s  (on purpose)tà ªte  (head)belle  (beautiful)sept  (seven)

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Ansel Adams Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Ansel Adams - Research Paper Example In this essay, I would discuss the various life experiences and natural aesthetic exposures that created a photographic genius, Ansel Adams. His congenial relationships with other renowned photographers such as Edward Weston and his travels to Yosemite and Taos Pueblo proved to be of great assistance to his prophetic vision of natural preservation. I will analyze particular photographs that defined Ansel Adams as a photographer using these influences in his long career. Lastly, I will scrutinize a particular photograph which holds much detail that Ansel Adams was trying to represent in his every picture. The photograph Line Crew Work in Manzanar looks like at first glimpse a commonplace and typical image of work life. But in a much deeper look, the photograph actually reveals even more that are invisible to the unaided eye. In 1932, a group of photographers from Bay Area were occasionally gathering for conversation and wine at the home of Willard Van Dyke in Berkeley. The group consisted of photographers in different phases of development. Ansel Adams, John Paul Edwards, Preston Holder, Sonya Noskowiak and Henry Swift were amateurs in their professions. Imogen Cunningham, on the contrary, almost fifty, took pleasure on a well-known reputation. Under the persuasion and example of the well-recognized Edward Weston, a member of the group, Cunningham was initiating the shift from Pictorialism to an acute, more realistic approach. The transition of Cunningham puts emphasis on what had unified the whole group in the first place: a resolve to perform photography as an independent form of art. Thus far, the group consented, photography had not entirely unshackled itself from the academic and artistic superiority of painting and literature: dominance somehow apparent in the mild-emphasis, narrative-controlled P ictorialist approach. Even the Photo Secessionism performed by other photographers such as Edward Steichen and Alfred Stieglitz,

Friday, November 1, 2019

Google verses Microsoft Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Google verses Microsoft - Research Paper Example They offer a variety of IT products that include the operating systems, design of site operations by companies, products that facilitates efficient advertising. The company majorly engages in the provision of search, advertising, operating system platforms, and enterprise services in general. Microsoft on the other hand does not deal so much on different products than those of Google. Microsoft came into existence in the 1980’s with the major object of ensuring that business IT solutions are well effected, it offered the earlier IT services that included the Microsoft office tools which it has kept upgrading till recent. Its latest product is the Bing, which has been developed to counter the Android that is a product provided by the Google incorporation. Microsoft had been divided into five divisions in terms of the product, hence termed as product divisions. They include; Windows and Windows Live Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division. All the above are engaged in the production and distribution of operating system products including their upgrade components, Microsoft Business Division; this departments is that which is engaged in the actual business operations which ranges from management to marketing, this department is that which fuels the objectives of helping businesses achieve active business solutions. Entertainment and Devices Division takes care of the entertainment sector. This is a major revenue-generating center for Microsoft incorporation and the corporation derives most of its income from this branch of the division. Microsoft employs the Total Quality Management style (TQM) of leadership. This is a management style where the every employee in the organization employs a proactive measure to ensure that the VMO’s of the organizations are met. Total Quality management also involves management by providing services high quality services that can withstand international completion. Google on the contrary employs a sought of beaurcratic management leadership style where a chain of command flows from the CEO downwards (Vise, 2008). Other competitors are Apple, twitter, Face book which are also IT service companies in the industry. Google financial ratios Name Formula 2008 2009 2010 Current Ratio Current Assets/Current liabilities 8.7 10.6 4.1 Return on Asset EBIT/Total Assets 8.4% 5.8% 5.1% Return on equity EBIT/Shareholders Earnings 13% 16% 14.1% Debt ratio Total debt/Equity 8.1% 7.6% 2.1% Fixed asset turnover Inventory/Fixed Assets 32.2 41.2% 21.4% Dividend payout ratio Earnings/Ordinary Shares 1.8% 2.1% 2.7% P/E ratio MPS/EPS 1.18 2.86 3.27 The movements in their financial ratios determine the performance of any company. The ratios as identified above are determines the liquidity of the company, profitability, the long-term prospects, and even the growth of the company. Liquidity on this case is shown by the current ratio. The current ratio shows the value of current assets as compared to the liabi lities of the companies. Google has high progressively increasing current assets ratio. This shows overcapitalization. It therefore means that, Google has invested much on Current assets than they have liability. The impact of this is that the company risks having liquidity problems in the future since the since it does not have an appropriate liquid cash to undertake their day-to-day operations. Profitability ratios are return ratios that depicts the profitability trends of the company. It is normally the wish

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Risk Management Issues in the UK Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Risk Management Issues in the UK - Term Paper Example It is expected that major retailers will also experience a decrease in the market value of stocks. In order to strengthen its position in the market, British Airways launches its new airline subsidiary which would fly between the United States and Europe naming it Open Skies. Together with this development is the implementation of more flexible employment conditions relative to the current system. This includes the recruitment of new cabin crews for the airline in the United States. BA also adds that "there would be no link between the new airline and the seniority list for the existing BA mainline pilots." This decision brews protest from the Balpa which is the company's powerful union of pilots. This article highlights the operational risk which is currently faced by BA. The airline is currently facing the threat of incurring losses because of its internal problems with the staff. If the company pushes through its new system of recruitment, there is a huge possibility that Balpa will protest thus, hurting and even paralyzing the operation of the airline. Today, Financial Times reports another bad news for the UK retailing sec... bad news for the UK retailing sector: "Sterling dropped to a record low against the euro and its weakest level in six months against the dollar on Wednesday" (Garnham 2008). This depreciation of the sterling is another blow for UK retailers who convert their sales from sterling to euro. Another sad news is that because of the economic climate, it is expected that sterling will slide further in the coming months. This article both shows and discusses the effects of exchange rate risk. Because the foreign exchange rate in the market is subject to market conditions, the economic condition, as well as other factors, can largely contribute to the appreciation and depreciation of currencies which directly impacts the operations of the business organization. In the news, it is noted that the depreciation of sterling adversely affects Marks and Spencer which reveals a 2.2% decline in like for like sales during the last quarter.     

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Prime Numbers Divide

Prime Numbers Divide Prime Numbers: History, Facts and Examples Prime Numbers: An Introduction Prime number is the number, which is greater than 1 and cannot be divided by any number excluding itself and one. A prime number is a positive integer that has just two positive integer factors, including 1 and itself. Such as, if the factors of 28 are listed, there are 6 factors that are 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28. Similarly, if the factors of 29 are listed, there are only two factors that are 1 and 29. Therefore, it can be inferred that 29 is a prime number, but 28 is not. Examples of prime numbers The first few prime numbers are as follows: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97, 101, 103, 107, 109, 113, 127, 131, 137, 139, 149, 151, 157, 163, 167, 173, 179, 181, 191, 193, 197, 199, etc. Identifying the primes The ancient Sieve of Eratosthenes is a simple way to work out all prime numbers up to a given limit by preparing a list of all integers and repetitively striking out multiples of already found primes. There is also a modern Sieve of Atkin, which is more complex when compared to that of Eratosthenes. A method to determine whether a number is prime or not, is to divide it by all primes less than or equal to the square root of that number. If the results of any of the divisions are an integer, the original number is not a prime and if not, it is a prime. One need not actually calculate the square root; once one sees that the quotient is less than the divisor, one can stop. This is called as the trial division, which is the simplest primality test but it is impractical for testing large integers because the number of possible factors grows exponentially as the number of digits in the number to be tested increases. Primality tests: A primality test algorithm is an algorithm that is used to test a number for primality, that is, whether the number is a prime number or not. AKS primality test The AKS primality test is based upon the equivalence (x a)n = (xn a) (mod n) for a coprime to n, which is true if and only if n is prime. This is a generalization of Fermats little theorem extended to polynomials and can easily be proven using the binomial theorem together with the fact that: for all 0 (x a)n = (xn a) (mod n, x r 1), which can be checked in polynomial time. Fermat primality test Fermats little theorem asserts that if p is prime and 1≠¤ a a p -1≠¡ 1 (mod p) In order to test whether p is a prime number or not, one can pick random as in the interval and check if there is an equality. Solovay-Strassen primality test For a prime number p and any integer a, A (p -1)/2 ≠¡ (a/p) (mod p) Where (a/p) is the Legendre symbol. The Jacobi symbol is a generalisation of the Legendre symbol to (a/n); where n can be any odd integer. The Jacobi symbol can be computed in time O((log n) ²) using Jacobis generalization of law of quadratic reciprocity. It can be observed whether or not the congruence A (n -1)/2 ≠¡ (a/n) (mod n) holds for various values of a. This congruence is true for all as if n is a prime number. (Solovay, Robert M. and Volker Strassen, 1977) Lucas-Lehmer test This test is for a natural number n and in this test, it is also required that the prime factors of n − 1 should be already known. If for every prime factor (q) of n − 1, there exists an integer a less than n and greater than 1 such as a n -1 ≠¡1 (mod n) and then a n -1/q 1 (mod n) then n is prime. If no such number can be found, n is composite number. Miller-Rabin primality test If we can find an a such that ad ≠¡ 1 (mod n), and a2nd -1 (mod n) for all 0 ≠¤ r ≠¤ s 1 then ‘a proves the compositeness of n. If not, ‘a is called a strong liar, and n is a strong probable prime to the base a. â€Å"Strong liar† refers to the case where n is composite but yet the equations hold as they would for a prime number. There are several witnesses ‘a for every odd composite n. But, a simple way to generate such an ‘a is known. Making the test probabilistic is the solution: we choose randomly, and check whether it is a witness for the composite nature of n. If n is composite, majority of the ‘as are witnesses, therefore the test will discover n as a composite number with high probability. (Rabin, 1980) A probable prime is an integer, which is considered to be probably prime by passing a certain test. Probable primes, which are actually composite (such as Carmichael numbers) are known as pseudoprimes. Besides these methods, there are other methods also. There is a set of Diophantine equations in 9 variables and one parameter in which the parameter is a prime number only if the resultant system of equations has a solution over the natural numbers. A single formula with the property of all the positive values being prime can be obtained with this method. There is another formula that is based on Wilsons theorem. The number ‘two is generated several times and all other primes are generated exactly once. Also, there are other similar formulas that can generate primes. Some primes are categorized as per the properties of their digits in decimal or other bases. An example is that the numbers whose digits develop a palindromic sequence are palindromic primes, and if by consecutively removing the first digit at the left or the right generates only new prime numbers, a prime number is known as a truncatable prime. The first 5,000 prime numbers can be known very quickly by just looking at odd numbers and checking each new number (say 5) against every number above it (3); so if 5Mod3 = 0 then its not a prime number. History of prime numbers The most ancient and acknowledged proof for the statement that â€Å"There are infinitely many prime numbers†, is given by Euclid in his Elements (Book IX, Proposition 20). The Sieve of Eratosthenes is a simple, ancient algorithm to identify all prime numbers up to a particular integer. After this, came the modern Sieve of Atkin, which is faster but more complex. The Sieve of Eratosthenes was created in the 3rd century BC by Eratosthenes. Some clues can be found in the surviving records of the ancient Egyptians regarding their knowledge of prime numbers: for example, the Egyptian fraction expansions in the Rhind papyrus have fairly different forms for primes and for composites. But, the first surviving records of the clear study of prime numbers come from the Ancient Greeks. Euclids Elements (circa 300 BC) include key theorems about primes, counting the fundamental theorem of arithmetic and the infinitude of primes. Euclid also explained how a perfect number is constructed fro m a Mersenne prime. After the Greeks, nothing special happened with the study of prime numbers till the 17th century. In 1640, Pierre de Fermat affirmed Fermats little theorem, which was later on proved by Leibniz and Euler. Chinese may have identified a special case of Fermats theorem much earlier. Fermat assumed that all numbers of the form 22n + 1 are prime and he proved this up to n = 4. But, the subsequent Fermat number 232+1 is composite; whose one prime factor is 641). This was later on discovered by Euler and now no further Fermat numbers are recognized as prime numbers. A French monk, Marin Mersenne looked at primes of the form 2p 1, with p as a prime number. They are known as Mersenne primes after his name. Euler showed that the infinite series 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/5 + 1/7 + 1/11 + †¦ is divergent. In 1747, Euler demonstrated that even the perfect numbers are in particular the integers of the form 2p-1(2p-1), where the second factor is a Mersenne prime. It is supposed that there are no odd perfect numbers, but it is not proved yet. In the beginning of the 19th century, Legendre and Gauss independently assumed that because x tends to infinity, the number of primes up to x is asymptotic to x/log(x), where log(x) is the natural logarithm of x. Awards for finding primes A prize of US$100,000 has been offered by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to the first discoverers of a prime with a minimum 10 million digits. Also, $150,000 for 100 million digits, and $250,000 for 1 billion digits has been offered. In 2000, $50,000 for 1 million digits were paid. Apart from this, prizes up to US$200,000 for finding the prime factors of particular semi-primes of up to 2048 bits were offered by the RSA Factoring Challenge. Facts about prime numbers 73939133 is an amazing prime number. If the last or the digit at the units place is removed, every time you will get a prime number. It is the largest known prime with this property. Because, all the numbers which we get after removing the end digit of the number are also prime numbers. They are as follows: 7393913, 739391, 73939, 7393, 739, 73 and 7. All these numbers are prime numbers. This is a distinct quality of the number 73939133, which any other number does not have. (Amazing number facts, 2008) The only even prime number is 2. All other even numbers can be divided by 2. So, they are not prime numbers. Zero and 1 are not considered to be prime numbers. If the sum of the digits of a number is a multiple of 3, that number can be divided by 3. With the exception of 0 and 1, a number is either a prime number or a composite number. A composite number is identified as any number that is greater than 1 and that is not prime. The last digit of a prime number greater than 5 can never be 5. Any number greater than 5 whose last digit is 5 can be divided by 5. (Prime Numbers, 2008) 1/2 0.5 Terminates 1/3 0.33333 Repeating block: 1 digit 1/5 0.2 Terminates 1/7 0.1428571428 Repeating block: 6 digits 1/11 0.090909 Repeating block: 2 digits 1/13 0.0769230769 Repeating block: 6 digits 1/17 0.05882352941176470588 Repeating block: 16 digits 1/19 0.0526315789473684210526 Repeating block: 18 digits 1/23 0.04347826086956521739130434 Repeating block: 22 digits For some of the prime numbers, the size of the repeating block is 1 less than the prime. These are known as Golden Primes. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97 9 primes out of the 25 (less than 100) are golden primes; this forms 36% (9/25). (Amazing number facts, 2008) Examples of mathematicians specialized in prime numbers Arthur Wieferich, D. D. Wall, Zhi Hong Sun and Zhi Wei Sun, Joseph Wolstenholme, Joseph Wolstenholme, Euclid, Eratosthenes. Applications of prime numbers For a long time, the number theory and the study of prime numbers as well was seen as the canonical example of pure mathematics with no applications beyond the self-interest of studying the topic. But, in the 1970s, it was publicly announced that prime numbers could be used as a basis for creating the public key cryptography algorithms. They were also used for hash tables and pseudorandom number generators. A number of rotor machines were designed with a different number of pins on each rotor. The number of pins on any one rotor was either prime, or co-prime to the number of pins on any other rotor. With this, a full cycle of possible rotor positions (before repeating any position) was generated. Prime numbers in the arts and literature Also, prime numbers have had a significant influence on several artists and writers. The French composer Olivier Messiaen created ametrical music through natural phenomena with the use of prime numbers. In his works, La Natività © du Seigneur (1935) and Quatre à ©tudes de rythme (1949-50), he has used motifs with lengths given by different prime numbers to create unpredictable rhythms: 41, 43, 47 and 53 are the primes that appear in one of the à ©tudes. A scientist of NASA, Carl Sagan recommended (in his science fiction ‘Contact) that prime numbers could be used for communication with the aliens. The award-winning play ‘Arcadia by Tom Stoppard was a willful attempt made to discuss mathematical ideas on the stage. In the very first scene, the 13 year old heroine baffles over the Fermats last theorem (theorem that involves prime numbers). A popular fascination with the mysteries of prime numbers and cryptography has been seen in various films. References Amazing number facts, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2008 from http://www.madras.fife.sch.uk/maths/amazingnofacts/fact018.html Prime Numbers, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2008 from http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0876084.html Solovay, Robert M. Strassen, V. (1977). A fast Monte-Carlo test for primality. SIAM Journal on Computing 6 (1): 84-85. Rabin, M.O. (1980). Probabilistic algorithm for testing primality, Journal of Number Theory 12, no. 1, pp. 128-138.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Abraham Lincoln And Jefferson Davis Essay -- Compare Contrast American

Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis Works Cited Missing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this report I compare two great historical figures: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, steered the Union to victory in the American Civil War and abolished slavery, and the first and only president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis. Abraham Lincoln was the President of the Union, and Jefferson Davis struggled to lead the Confederacy to independence in the U.S. Civil War. Lincoln was treasured by the African Americans and was considered an earthly incarnation of the Savior of mankind (DeGregorio 20-25). On the other hand, Davis was both admired and hated. Lincoln had a different view of how the U.S. should be in abolishing slavery. Davis was a politician, president of the Confederate States of America, and also a successful planter. He had beliefs for the South to continue in the old ways with slavery and plantations. Both Lincoln and Davis had strong feelings for the protection of their land (Arnold 55-57).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Abraham and Jefferson Davis shared several differences and similarities. Lincoln was known to have an easy going and joking type attitude. In contrast, Davis had a temper such that when challenged, he simply could not back down (DeGregorio 89). Davis had been a fire-eater before Abraham Lincoln's election, but the prospect of Civil War made him gloomy and depressed. Fifty- three years old in 1861, he suffered from a variety of ailments such as fever, neuralgia, and inflamed eye, poor digestion, insomnia, and stress. Lincoln also suffered from illnesses during the war. He had severe cases of headaches and stress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both presidents had a lot of pressure of them due to the fact of defending their region. Lincoln had difficulties growing up because of the deaths early in his childhood, poverty, and little education. Davis; however, studied at a Roman Catholic school in Kentucky and at Transylvania University, and entered West Point in 1824. Davis seemed to have had an outreaching environment to his success. The major difference, personality wise, was Davis's weakness in his inability to get along with other people where Lincoln was a well liked and easygoing man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both men shared a common bond in their education towards war. Davis served at frontier military posts and in the Black Hawk War before resigning in 1835. L... ...sident, we prospered in many ways. His actions brought about great challenges that he, and the following fathers of our country would go through. The combining of both races and more freedoms would stir troubles for many years to come. Although his actions stopped slavery, it didn't stop the harsh treatment of the black race which carried out for decades. Lincoln's Presidency was dominated by the war. The country was going through major changes socially and economically. Though Davis led the South through dramatic changes, no change has ever had more importance than the abolishment of slavery. Both the North and the South gained knowledge from this horrid experience of war. Lincoln's achievements—saving the Union and freeing the slaves—and his martyrdom just at the war's end assured his continuing fame. Both men have made their historical marks due to their great deeds, and ways they both sacrificed their devotion to shape our country. I agree with most historians that Lincoln had qualities that made him a great American statesman. His keen intellect, humor and boldness, and compassion all contributed to his presidency in unifying the nation and extending freedom.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Belonging †A Clockwork Orange Essay

The concept of belonging is essential. To belong is to form a connection which will allow a sense of identity, without this we lose our humanity; however, conformity is in a sense a facade of belonging, as it restrains our freedom and forces us to only mimic. My studied texts show how society demands us to conform, yet conformity prevents a sense of true identity being ever created. This notion is elaborated in the novel, A Clockwork Orange. Alex is a criminal who doesn’t belong anywhere within society. In the novel, the government attempts to suppress his criminality by physically preventing him from thinking of violence—thus making him conform to their standards. This is a prime example of how society attempts to make us conform to what is considered ‘normal’. Towards the end of the novel, the character F. Alexander tells Alex: â€Å"They have turned you into something other than a human †¦ being. You have no power of choice any longer. You are committed to socially acceptable acts, a little machine capable only of good. The quote shows us the central theme of the novel; if we cannot choose where we belong we lose our humanity—thus showing us the value of choice as well as the value of individuality. The metaphor and imagery of the title, a clockwork orange, symbolises what conformity does to a man. If we cannot choose where to belong we cease to be human but clockwork, or some type of mechanism. We need to be able to choose where we belong, for if it is not chosen its authenticity ceases. The novel ends with Alex choosing the path of goodness, the established normality of society. He states; â€Å"Perhaps I was getting too old now for the sort of life I had been leading, brothers† Alex chooses to belong to society, thus allowing a connection to be formed between him and the world. Conformity and the need to conform to a group or community is the central theme throughout both of the chosen texts I have studied, those being Strictly Ballroom and A Clockwork Orange. â€Å"Strictly Ballroom† also supports the fact that society attempts to make us conform to what is considered ‘normal’. The movie shows the disastrous effect conformity and fear have among members who gain their place inside the group at the price of conformity. Shirley Hastings, for example, lives a â€Å"life half-lived† cowering before what Barry Fife will say or think. She has let the Federation so dominate her that she has no respect for Doug and can only see her son Scott in terms of winning competitions. The movie represents belonging using a variety of techniques to distinguish between the world of artifice and the more realistic world. The image of the artificial world, shown as the ballroom world, is glitzy and colourful. Luhrmann has presented this world as having power, whereas the character of Fran, shown in plain clothes and reading glasses, is initially shown as powerless, because she does not conform to the ballroom world. The movie traces the shift from a world of false belonging dominated by conformity, fear and the cynical manipulations of the ultra-sleaze Barry Fife, towards the iconic last scene where the line between spectators and professional dancers blurs and is dissolved as Scott dressed in Spanish costume and Fran in Spanish-style red dress put passion back into dance, rescuing it from the deadening effect of the old brigade. Taking the similes of the two texts we can arrive at the conclusion that conformity allows us to become part of a functioning society but can in turn stifle individuality, expression and self-identity. I’ll leave you with two thoughts from â€Å"A Clockwork Orange†. â€Å"Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man. † And so I ask you, ‘Is it better for a man to choose to be bad than to be conditioned to be good? † That is both the crux of the issues involved and the decision we must all, as individuals, make.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Country Case Report for China Essay

The third largest land area in the world belongs to the People’s Republic of China. Presently, its population is the largest on the record and its capital, Beijing is the economic and cultural center. China’s economic growth greatly improves due to the trend of poverty reduction during the period of 1980-1990. From 542 million to 375 million, shrinking by 167 million, China’s poverty population exceedingly reduced. Angang stated that China’s achievements in poverty reduction made huge contributions to the cause of poverty reduction of the world (2). According to World Bank, the poverty population of the world dropped off by 98. 3 million. Among the five Asian countries with the most condensed poverty population are India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, and according to the industrial poverty line, China’s current proportion of poverty population is the lowest. Statistics show that China has experienced a period of human history in which poverty population decreased by a largest margin in the past 2 decades, and reversed the trend that poverty population has been increasing in the past five decades in the world history, causing the poverty population of the world to decrease for the first time. That is to say, without China’s efforts of poverty reduction, the poverty population of the world would have increased from 848 million in 1980 to 917 million in 1990. (Angang, 2-3). Ambassador Baodong stated that the Development-oriented Poverty reduction program for Rural China for the period of 2001-2010 generated grand effects in the global poverty reduction. The number of rural population in China declined to 21. 48 million and 2. 3% of national poverty incidence was accounted for the 55% of global poverty reduction in 2007 (Baodong, 1). Technological development plays a vital role in the country’s economic growth. From 1980 to 1990, China’s expenditure amounted to US $17billion for imported technology. The trend of research and development made an immense leap. As a result there has been a modest amount of growth in the country’s development however the inefficiencies posted to be the chief dilemma. At the end of 1990, statistics illustrated that 50 of Shanghai’s large and medium enterprises only reached 10 percent of international level of quality standards and 30 percent arrived at the prototype stage using the new programs. From the year 2001 – 2005, this country became a major IT nation in the world, standing third place in manufacturing setting and first rank in telecommunications. The business cycle of the Chinese economy had undergone substantial magnitude from the time when the government established in the mid1950’s centralized economic management and planning. The period from 1979-1990 was depicted with relative stability and high escalation. In 1955-1978 economic growth rates, the movement went from 5. 7 percent to 9. 3 percent in 1979 to 1993 period. Investment cycles, harvest fluctuations, political disturbances, inflation and periodic retrenchments are the major factors that affect business cycles. Downturn was evident during 1980-1981, then an upswing from 1982 – 1989 and the business cycle in 1989 was another downturn and an upturn in 1990. Imai’s stated that his conclusion on Chinese business cycle stated that cycle interacts with exogenous shocks and generates business cycles with dissimilar amplitude and duration. An investment cycle is generated by patterned reaction of central planners who adjust the level of fixed investment in response to capacity pressure, an indicator of macroeconomic tension. An instititutional prerequisite of this cycle is the weak financial accountability of state enterprises (178). Economists added that the efficiency wedge, which represents institutional change and technology advance, was the main source of economic fluctuations in 1978 – 2006. The amplitude of it fluctuation declined after 1992, which resulted in moderation of business cycle fluctuations. Distortions manifest themselves as taxes on investment, which represents frictions in the capital market, became another economic fluctuation source after 1992, which is different from results of business cycle accounting on US and Japan data. Results also show that government consumption and net exports played minor roles in generating business cycles (Gao). China’s world trade generated a strong impact on its growth. Imports and exports led China to be among the world’s most significant export destinations for other Asian countries. Since the year 1979, the country’s global trade gradually improved. Presently, Japan’s exports of 11 percent came from China, before it was only 2 percent during the end of 1990. The Chinese government implemented tariff reductions in order to continue its longstanding trend in world trade. During 2004, China’s tariff rates dropped from 0. 6 to 10. 4 percent. Part of the country’s trade reforms to (WTO) World Trade Organization is to lessen tariff rates and eliminate import quotas and licenses, opening sectors for foreign country involvement such as telecommunications, financial and insurance services. Complete access to foreign participants is greatly assured through automatic licensing procedures. Eradication of limitations on trading and domestic distribution for majority of goods is also part of the plan. According to WTO, China will retain import state trading for wheat, rice, corn, sugar, tobacco, cotton and chemical fertilizers, as with export trading, corn, tea, rice, coal, silk, crude and processed oils, cotton, tungsten and ammonium products are included. In addition to this, China had been permanently bestowed with the most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment by other participants of WTO. As response to this honor, some countries have abolished restrictions on China’s imports. The contributing factor for the possible boost in China’s trade is when quota restrictions are lifted. China’s membership to World Trade Organization made enormous effect on some of the trends in relation to the role of China in international trade. Examples comprise of its magnetism to foreign investors and developing role in global export base. This is evident in IMF statistics that showed its market share in Japan, United States and Europe, from the period 1980 to 1990, an overall total of 10. 3 percent, and end of 2003, a whopping 37 percent (Source: IMF, Direction of Trade Statistics). â€Å"Just as water always flows to the lowest point, China is bound to be the first option for foreign capital investment† (â€Å"China’s Cheap† A1). China’s labor force is considered cheap and also of good quality. It is estimated that 100 million of employees in rural areas are likely to be waiting to be changed to urban workers. The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is a significant gauge to quantify the labor supply of PR China. In the period of 1980-1990, the LFPR in China is higher among other countries. The most likely basis is moderately low income level. There is high participation in the labor force among women because one wage earner is inadequate to support a family. In the last 5 years (2002-2007), women’s participation in the labor force exceedingly increased according to APEC statistics. Presently, the government was executing the guidelines which were implemented during 1997, which was the division of labor market between urban and rural areas. The labor market is exclusively for high school graduates or those with lower educational background. This probable outcome of this situation is the layoffs in urban places and labor surplus in rural areas. In the coming years, it has been forecasted that China might face a nationwide labor shortage. The country is fast approaching the â€Å"Lewisian turning point†. It is a theory by Arthur Lewis stating the turning point from surplus labor to labor scarcity. In the year 1980, State Council issued a decree prohibiting the use of foreign exchange for making payments in China. Foreign exchange rates or Waihui, equal in value to the Renminbi at effective rate, were put into circulation for use by nonresidents only. It could be use for transportation fares, hotel bills and purchases at Friendship stores. Then in 1981, the foreign trade rate was since fixed at 2. 80 from 1. 750. In 1985, the internal settlement rate was abolished and all trade was governed by the Effective Rate. A foreign exchange retention quota also exists for a portion of export proceeds. Authorization was granted for Chinese residents to hold foreign exchange and open foreign exchange accounts and to deposit and withdraw funds in foreign exchange. In the year 1986, The trade-weighted basket of currencies was abandoned and the Effective Rate was placed on a controlled float based on developments in the balance of payments and in costs and exchange rates of China’s major competitors. Shanghai International Trust and Investment Corporation was authorized to handle exchange business. In 1988, early this year, all domestic entities which are allowed to retain foreign exchange earnings were granted permission to trade in the adjustment centers, and by October 1988, 80 adjustment centers were established. Initially, a relatively small volume of transactions took place in these markets, but the volume has increased substantially since access to the centers was expanded. The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 6. 60 from 3. 72. In 1989, regulations were issued governing the use of foreign exchange obtained in foreign exchange adjustment centers. Imports of inputs for the agricultural sector, textile, and for technologically advance and light industries were given priority. Purchases of foreign exchange for a wide range of consumer products were prohibited. Such corporations are permitted to sell in China for foreign exchange provided that the sales involve purchases under the Government’s annual import plan, sales in Special Economic Zones and other promotional areas, and sales of import substitutes. The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 5. 40 from 3. 72. By the end of 1990, The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 5. 70 from 5. 22. (Ka Fu) Presently, Premier Jiabao stated in the Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank Group in Shanghai that the government continues to push the Renminbi exchange rate reform in order to confer larger range to the role of the market. The reform permits citizens to purchase more foreign currencies and commercial banks. Financial market development has been highlighted with China’s monetary reforms. The People’s Bank of China (PBC) has made great strides in modernizing its monetary policy frameworks but their effectiveness will diminish as the sophistication of the economy increases. Empirical evidence supports maintaining a reference to money in China’s monetary strategy and enhancing the role of interest rates in its conduct (Maino, 44). The most suitable monetary strategy for China would be an eclectic monetary policy framework, whereby the growth in money supply and bank credit extension are used as intermediate guidelines for the determination of short-term interest rates. In addition, in deciding on the most appropriate monetary policy stance, developments in a number of other variables need to be taken into consideration, because the monetary aggregates are loosing some of their usefulness as indicators of future inflation due to structural changes in the economy (Maino, 40). The IMF also points out that Chinese monetary policy could improve noticeably if the central bank were granted more discretionary power to set interest rates. In the last two years, increases in the trade surplus and significant inflows of foreign capital have led to a large accumulation of international reserves, which has further complicated monetary policy handling. In this respect, the IMF has welcomed the changes introduced into the Chinese exchange rate system as a significant step towards making this system more flexible. Although it is difficult to define an â€Å"equilibrium† exchange rate, and not just revaluation, must be adopted if china is to increase the independence of its monetary policy and shield its economy against external shocks (Ruete, 8). Works Cited Angang, Hu. China’s economic growth and poverty reduction (1978-2002). 2 June 2003. IMF. 20 April 2008 . Baodong, Li. Remarks by Ambassador LI Baodong At Ministerial Roundtable Breakfast of Economic and Social Council On â€Å"Food, Nutrition and Agriculture: Working Together to End Hunger†. 12 July 2007. China-UN. 22 April 2008 â€Å"China’s Cheap, High-quality Labor Lures Foreign Investment†. Editorial. Xinhua News Agency 21 December 2002, A1. Gao, Xu. Business Cycle Accoounting for the Chinese Economy. N. p. : n. p, n. d. http://www. wdi. umich. edu/files/Publications/WorkingPapers/wp795. pdf Imai, Hiroyuki, Explaining China’s Business Cycles. 6 June 1996. IDE. 22 April 2008 . Ka Fu, Wong. International Economics. 1 January 2007. 23 April 2008. . Manio, Rodolfo. China: Strengthening Monetary Policy Implementation. 1 January 2007. Social Science Research Network. 23 April 2008 . Ruete, Javier. The Development of China’s Export Performance. 7 March 2006. Central Reserve Bank of Peru. 23 April 2008 .