The Go-Between

The Go-Between Essay †The Go-Between† is a short story written by Ali Smith in 2009. The story was written for a collection of short stories written to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the United Nations’ adoption of the universal declaration of human rights. The writer found inspiration in article 13, which describes the right to freedom of movement. The story follows the 33-year-old former microbiologist who gives us a direct insight into what it means to be African refugees on the border between Morocco and Spain. â€Å"I was a microbiologist, before. † (Page 3, line 32-33)The narrator is even, for some reason, fled his native Cameroon, and has on several occasions tried to flee across the border to Europe. None of his attempt is successful, and they have cost him part of his ear and a finger. He explains in detail about how flight tests were done and what treatment he has received from the authorities. The narrator has abandoned himself to escape and ha ve now settled in the Spanish city of Ceuta, located in Morocco. Here he lives in a small room with three others, where he works as a guide (Go-between) for newly arrived refugees.He establishes contact between aid organization doctors and refugees. He speaks several languages and can put the switch in position. â€Å"The French doctors can be Italian, Spanish, French, English, for instance. I speak these, and also some others. † (Page 2, line 31-32) The novel provides a powerful insight into the miserable and tragically conditions refugees in North Africa. The story is told through a first person narrator, who tells the story in the past tense. The narrator seems to be at a distance of the actions he describes.The narrator is authoritarian by virtue of the fact that he is anticipating the events of the story. Given the fact that the story is told by a first person narrator, there is only one point of view. Obviously we are dealing with an inner point of view; the events are being viewed with inner sight from the narrator's point of view. We are only told about the narrator's own thoughts and what he feels and senses. As mentioned, the narrator has several times attempted to flee to Europe, but all the experiments have failed, and he has every time been sent back.The first time the narrator is trying to reach Europe, his ladder number two breaks, and he gets caught out in nowhere between the two fences that separates Europe and Africa. Here he lives for six weeks, with the help of the workers who are about to put the fence up. Finally prisoners police him and send him back to Africa. The second time the narrator, along with 500 other refugees, tries to jump over the two fences that separate them from Europe. During the trial he, loses a part of his ear, then they all get caught and sent back to Africa.Before repatriation, they are chased by dogs, beaten with sticks and shot at. They are not officially recorded, as is supposed, but are simply sent back to Africa. The third and fourth escape attempt takes place in the water, but the narrator gets picked up by patrols boats both times. One of those times he loses a finger on one of the barbed wire fence that is set up under water. After the many unsuccessful escape attempts, the narrator helps the African refugees who arrive from Ceuta. â€Å"†¦ I help the French doctors. Borders are not always visible!I can go between people and places. I can go to the bits of the city they can’t, or the buildings they can’t, or the people they don’t know about, or the people who don’t wish to be seen. I can take them with me; I can tell the people its okay. † (Page 2, line 39-42) The writer uses an unusual writing style in his short story, which starts in medias res with a question; â€Å"You know what Spain is? † (Page 1, line 1) That the story starts in medias res means that there is no introduction or opening, and the reader is not presented to the situation, persons or setting of the story.So you don't know what has happened in advance of the situation you are presented to. The most conspicuous feature in the story in terms of writing style is the fact that it is written like if the narrator is talking to somebody. That we can tell by the questions, the informal, the casual language and the missing questions marks. It is almost like you are reading a part of a conversation between the narrator and someone else. We are only introduced to the narrator, which makes him the main character.The only things we know about him is his former work and his physique. As mentioned before, he is a educated man who speaks several languages. He does also quote the scientist Van Leeuwenhoeck. We are told that he is 33 years old, and in the end of the story he describes himself as a slight man. â€Å"I’m a small, slight man. I’m not a big man. I’m lean and slight. My stature is slight. My coat is a bit too slight – here comes the winter. † (Page 4, line 120-121) The story seems to be critical of the problems concerning freedom of movement in the world.We’ve been given an insight in a world where freedom of movements is non-existent. To show this, Ali Smith uses irony as a very effective way of calling people’s attention to the problem, which he is perfectly illustrating through the short story. He wants to draw people’s attention to the fact that the human right are not fulfilled, and that politicians all over the world has to look at this problem, because the people who are supposed to register the refugees apparently don’t know how to do their job.The refugees are injured, humiliated and chased, â€Å"†¦ with dogs, sticks, electric shock sticks and gun†¦ † (Page 1, line 23-24) The short story can be seen as a wake-up call to the world. Instead of celebrating the anniversary, action should be taken. â€Å"Now it the time to actually fulfil the rights we have given people and not just be satisfied with the ways things are functioning at the moment. † – Ali Smith

Mba 2nd Sem Ass

Summer / May 2012 MBA Semester-2 MB0044: Production and Operations Management Assignment Set – 1 (60 Marks) Q1. What is meant by productivity? Write a brief note on capital productivity. Productivity is a measure of the efficiency of the system and looks at the economies achieved during the processes. Every process will have a number of contributors which help in achieving maximum productivity. The processes are: People, Machines, Facilitating goods, Ancillary equipments, and Technology.Each of these elements attempts to enhance the contribution of other elements. Opportunities exist at all stages of the workflow in the entire system to introduce measures for increasing productivity. However in actual manufacturing situations, the inefficiencies will have cascading effect in hampering productivity. Communication, effective review processes and innovative methods will ensure optimisation of resources. Building up reliability into the equipments, managing the supply chain to eco nomise on the cost factors improves productivity.Quality circles are very efficient in incorporating low cost and non-intrusive methods of improving productivity and quality throughout the organisation. Quality circles: †¢ Involve all persons who are actually involved in the production system and the information they elicit and bring about improvements that are highly cost effective †¢ Unveil creativity and encourage team work and bring about improvements almost on a day to day basis †¢ Bring continuous incremental changes in a harmonious way instead of dramatic changes †¢Encourage identification of possible failures and seek methods of preventing things going wrong Capital Productivity Capital deployed in plant, machinery, buildings and the distribution systems as well as working capital are the components of the cost of manufacturing. Demand fluctuations, uncertainties of SMU Roll No. XXXXXX production owing to breakdowns, and inventories being created drag the productivity down. Therefore, strategies are needed to maximise the utilisation of the funds allotted towards capital. The strategies included are: †¢ Outsourcing strategies †¢ Methods improvement †¢Balancing of workstations †¢ Quality circles †¢ Rationalisation of packaging methods SMU Roll No. XXXXXX Q2. (a) What is automation? (b) What are the kinds of automation? (a) Automation: Automation is the use of scientific and technological principles in the manufacture of machines that take over work normally done by humans. Figure shows a sample automation production process. Figure: Automation For services, automation usually means increase in quality and productivity using labour saving devices. Automation is ideal when the service provided or the product manufactured is highly standardised.Some extent of automation can be designed even with customisation, that is, product or services meant to produce or deliver low volumes specific to a requirement. The cos t per unit determines the extent of automation required. Automation systems cost huge sums of money and therefore, a deep analysis of the various factors has to be done. (b) Kinds of Automation: There are three kinds of automation: fixed, programmable, and flexible. 1. Fixed: By its very nature, fixed automation is rigid. They are designed for high volume production and their rigidity ensures less variability.They are not amenable to change in product or process. They need minimal human intervention. Examples: Oil refineries and chemical processing units. SMU Roll No. XXXXXX 2. Programmable: Programming devices enable machines to operate automatically. The machines have sensing and control devices that enable this. The simplest of them called machine attachments replace human effort. They guide, locate, move, and achieve relative positions by means of cams, optical sensing, and load sensing mechanisms and activate the controls to remove human intervention.Numerically controlled mach ines read instructions and convert them to machine operations. Computers are used for controlling one machine or a number of them and they have programmes written into them for operations. They are Computer Numerically Controlled or, for short, CNC machines. 3. Flexible: Robots are higher in the order of automation as they perform a variety of tasks. They are designed to move materials by holding them in their arms and making precise movements according to programmes written into the computers that reside in them.They simulate human actions. They can grip and hold tools with the help of sensors. These sensors are sensitive to touch and force to ‘know’ that the material is to be held with the requisite pressure for the conduct of operations. Vision sensors are used for inspection, identification and guidance. They use optics based instruments to gather data and feed them to the computers for activating the other parts of the robot. With the help of automation, 100% inspe ction of components can be done which ensures highest quality.Identification and movement of materials are helped by bar codes which are read and fed into the system for monitoring quantity, location, and movement. They help the automated systems to sort information and provide information for effecting any changes necessary. To make effective use of automated machines, we need to have the movement of materials from and to different stations as also stores, automated. Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), receive orders for materials from anywhere in the production area, collect materials and deliver materials to the workstations.Computers and information systems are used for placing orders for materials, giving commands and adjusting inventory records which show the location and quantity of materials available/needed. Continuous updating gives a clear picture for all concerned to enable them initiate action to keep the throughput smooth. Automated Guided Vehicle Systems ( AGVS) like pallet trucks and unit load carriers follow embedded guide wires or paint strips to reach destinations as programmed. SMU Roll No. XXXXXX Q3. What are the factors that influence the plant location? General factorsThe general factors that influence the plant location are listed below 1. Availability of land: Availability of land plays an important role in determining the plant location. Many-a-time, our plans, calculations and forecasts suggest a particular area as the best to start an organisation. However, availability of land may be in question. In such cases, we will have to choose the second best location. 2. Availability of inputs: While choosing a plant location, it is very important for the organisation to get the labour at the right time and raw materials at good qualities.The plant should be located: †¢ Near to the raw material source when there is no loss of weight †¢ At the market place when there is a loss of weight in the material †¢ Close to t he market when universally available, so as to minimise the transportation cost 3. Closeness to market places: Organisations can choose to locate the plant near to the customers’ market or far from them, depending upon the product they produce. It is advisable to locate the plant near to the market place, when: †¢ The projection life of the product is low †¢The transportation cost is high †¢ The products are delicate and susceptible to spoilage †¢ After sales services are promptly required very often The advantages of locating the plant near to the market place are: †¢ Consistent supply of goods to the customers †¢ Reduction of the cost of transportation 4. Communication facilities: Communication facility is also an important factor which influences the location of a plant. Regions with good communication facilities viz. Postal and Tele communication links should be given priority for the selection of sites. 5.Infrastructure: Infrastructure plays a prominent role in deciding the location. The basic infrastructure needed in any organisation are: †¢ Power: For example, industries which run day and night require continuous power supply. So they should be located near to the power stations and should ensure continuous power supply throughout the year. SMU Roll No. XXXXXX †¢ Water: For example, process industries such as, paper, chemical, and cement, requires continuous water supply in large amount. So, such process industries need to be located near to the water. †¢Waste disposal: For example, for process industries such as, paper and sugarcane industries facility for disposal of waste is the key factor. 6. Transport: Transport facility is a must for facility location and layout of location of the plant. Timely supply of raw materials to the company and supply of finished goods to the customers is an important factor. The basic modes of transportation are by Air, Road, Rail, Water, and Pipeline. The choice of loc ation should be made depending on these basic modes. Cost of transportation is also an important criterion for plant location. 7.Government support: The factors that demand additional attention for plant location are the policies of the state governments and local bodies concerning labour laws, building codes, and safety. 8. Housing and recreation: Housing and recreation factors also influence the plant location. Locating a plant with the facilities of good schools, housing and recreation for employees will have a greater impact on the organisation. These factor seems to be unimportant, but have a difference as they motivate the employees and hence the location decisions. Special factors The special factors that influence the plant location are: . Economic stability – outside investments 2. Cultural factors 3. Wages 4. Joint ventures – support of big time players SMU Roll No. XXXXXX Q4. Explain about the seven basic quality control tools. Remaining answers are availabl e in the full assignments. For full assignments contact us: Global Education Rajdeep: 098662 48187 / 077958 40110 Email: [email  protected] com / global. [email  protected] in Website: www. smuassignments. com The diagonally marked watermark (Sample Assignment of smuassignments. com) will not appear in the paid assignments. SMU Roll No. XXXXXX

Banking: an Ethical Dilemma? Essay

Introduction In this report, I plan to discuss the question Banking: An Ethical Dilemma? Within this is I will discuss ethical dilemmas in association with banking. I will firstly start by giving definitions of what is meant by the terms: Banking, Ethics, and Dilemma. From here, I will go on to identify what banks are and what the roles and importance are for the economy. Next, I will go on to explain banking operations and with this identification, I plan to then discuss the ethical dilemmas and show my opinion on the question ‘Banking: An Ethical Dilemma?’ I will then discuss any other issues unrelated to ethical dilemmas within the banking sector and with this; I plan to use references and facts to support my argument on the subject. Finally, I will identify my finding regarding the dilemma and try to conclude on whether banking is ethical. Main Body Firstly, ‘Banking’ can be defined as one of the key drivers of the economy. Banking provides a safe place to save excess cash, known as deposits. It also supplies liquidity to the economy by loaning this money out to help businesses grow and to allow consumers to purchase homes, cars and consumer products. Banks primarily make money by charging higher interest rates on their loans than they pay for deposits. (http://useconomy.about.com/od/glossary/g/Banking.htm) ‘Ethics’ comes in many forms but can primarily be defined as the code or rules of moral principles that are set standards of good or bad, or right or wrong decisions, in personal conduct and therefore is a guide to the behaviour that is morally acceptable from a person or within a group or an organisation. Ethics effect moral decision made by people, and its main concern is what is good and though to be best for society. Siddiqui (2010) With this definition of ethics, ethical behaviour is very much a s it seems. The behaviour is used surrounding ethics. It is behaviour, which is seen to be accepted as good or bad, or right or wrong, within organisation rules and obligations and government laws. It is about being responsibly and acting in an honest and fair way taking into consideration whether the actions taken are affecting people in a way that would not be seen as ethical. ‘Business Ethics’ is the same aspects and contains the same issues of ethics and ethical behaviour but is put into a business context. This is deal with on a daily bases throughout every organisation in the world. Within this subject, business ethics is not just based on the organisation or employees but also to any customer that they may have. Many organisations have had their reputation tarnished with bad publicity due to the business ethics. This can be down to employment or how the organisation is ran, this can include poor working conditions, exploiting people or even down to low wages. Organisations that do not follow in business ethics can result in breaking the law that can lead to them being sued; the problem with this is that multi-million businesses can often afford to take a hit but never the less that is no excuse to disregard their ethical behaviour. Finally, the term ‘Dilemma’ can be defined as: a situation that requires a choice between options that are or seem equally unfavourable or mutually exclusive. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dilemma) Banks are seen in many forms, they primarily come in the following forms, which are Retail, Central, Investment, and Building Societies. The main purpose of a bank is to provide a safe place where people have confidence to deposit money. It is seen that banks are produced and ran by honest people. As well as storage of money, there are many other purposes to bank, but they are separated into individual banks and depends are on what form of bank they represent. Retail banks are otherwise known has commercial/high street banks, which customers use every day for goods and service links with their everyday tasks. They main roles are to provide a service to corporate, personal, and private banking to customers. This can include bank accounts for money storage, loans, credit car ds, mortgages, and saving as well as many more. Examples of these banks would be; HSBC, Lloyds TSB & NatWest. Central banks are the main bank within a national, and have many roles, which are vital in the economy. Central banks such as The Bank of England unlike retails banks are need to keep the economy financial stable. The Bank of England’s roles are to; set interest rates, create money supply, lender of last resort, they are the bankers bank and the place of settlement and they have to regulate these to provide paramount service for the economy. Investment banks are otherwise known as merchant banks. The main purposes of these banks are raising capital for customers, businesses or for the government. This can be achieved by providing services for mergers and acquisitions as well as propriety trading, foreign exchange. Unlike retail banks, investment banks do not take deposits, these banks run from taking equity. Building Societies are financial institutions, which mainly provide saving accounts and mortgages. Unlike other banks, building societies are mutual which means that their customer are members and can therefore receive information and attending meeting regarding the progress or alterations in operations and have a right to vote on the actions taken. Building societies are run by shareholders and have directors whose decision it is on the strategies taken. Banks have great importance within the economy, and without them, we would see a different world from the one we see today. â€Å"Although banks create no new wealth but their borrowing, lending and related activities facilitate the process of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption of wealth. In this way they become very effective partners in the process of economic development.† (http://www.blurtit.com/q197532.html) What do banks do? This is a question, which many people may be confused by. People deposit their money into a bank for feeling that it will be kept safe for them to collect at any time, when in reality when someone’s deposits money is to their account, the banks promptly lend the money out to another customer and in result creates a cycle. In fact, when a customer makes a deposit at a bank only an initial 8% is kept in banking funds, 90% of the deposit and lent out to another customer creating more profit for the bank. As well as accepting deposits banks also repay against written order, create account, lend money, render account, reasonable notice closer, maintain secrecy (Tourniers exception), interest and fees, set off, return cheques and pay against monies held. Although these are the main roles this is not an indication of the products and service which are provided by individual banks and may differ between them. Therefore, when looking into banking, where can we draw the line to say whether a bank is being ethical or not? I think the first factor, which needs to be pointed out, is that banks are businesses and therefore are out to make a profit, but how far will they go in succeeding this main objective and with this jeopardise their ethical values? So as previously stated the main purpose of the bank is to make a profit and to do this they have to provide service and sell products as such. The bank is required to make a profit to provide to the shareholders, and with this will increase the business and allow the business to grow and progress. Banks as businesses are not charities and therefore need to make a profit without making a profit banks would fail without input into finance and would therefore have to relate on government funding, which in turn would change banks from private businesses into national banks. With doing this then the government would have to get the funding from somew here to provide to the bank so this would most likely required an increase in taxes which would then cost people more money in do this. The problem with this is that without the private funding from customers then it would be possible for banks to fail which would create havoc with the economy. This would put more of the public’s money at risk, and could affect the circulation of money and without circulation the money, as we know it will lose value and will basically die out. If it were put into place that banks were made national this, this would mean that they would have to be more cautious and would take no risks in the services, which they provide. This would mean that people would not get the high interest returns on their account and saving which they believe that they should be entitled to but do not want any of the risk which is associated with this. For a bank to make a profit, they are required to use customer’s deposits and lend the money out to other investments. The percentage of the deposit, which is loaned out, can be seen to be risky and if customers were to find out this then they may be less inclined to deposit their monies. Is it unethical that a) Customers are not informed of this? Alternatively b) the percentage that is loaned out? This could be altered by giving the customer more information. Is 8% of a deposit a reasonable amount to keep or should it be higher. I think that if banks start reducing the percentage, which in turn would allow them to make more profit that this would be unethical and it is creating more risk to customer’s money and without guarantee that there is going to be 100% return rate. I think that if banks did lower the percentage, and did increase the money that could lend then this would influence banker’s decision on the ethical values if it were allowing them to make more profit for the bank and in turn increase any bonuses, which they would receive because of the extra profit. With this extra money, going back into circulation then this would create an increase in interest growth. Although this may be seen to be unethical, I think the main problem is the education of the public on this subject. Banker bonus is always high-level news in media, as people hear about these v ast bonuses and cannot understand where these amounts are coming from. It is my perception that why people hear about theses bonus that they believe that it is their money that is being used to fund the bonus that that everyone within the bank or the average banker is going to receive these bonuses when in reality it is actually very few who do. I believe that banker should be allow bonuses as without the work that they put into the banks then this would result is a fall within the economy, so in result I do not believe that these bonuses to be unethical. The Financial Services Authority otherwise known as the FSA is the regulatory of the UK’s financial services industry. This was set up by the government with the purpose to regulate the activities of financial services markets, exchanges, and businesses. All financial service must follow the standards, which have been put in place by the FSA; this has consequences if not followed. This can be used to show that a bank is being ethical as the FSA would be able to notice any unethical activities wi thin a bank and would then take action to correct this. The make act of unethical behaviour is using customers money to achieve personal ambition. This is using the money in a scene of greed and in result to boost ego. A good example of this would be Fred Goodwin. Fred Goodwin was the former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). His personal ambition was to build RBS to become one of the world largest banks. With the authority in his post, he created a bank that was more focused on selling the products and service than the fundamental service of banking and with the temptation to create more profit was building then this was just the beginning of the unethical behaviour. As a result of this RBS grew and quickly became one of the largest banks but within this growth it was not long before questions were raised regarding the ethical values of the banks. Following investigation, which was launched after whistle blowing if, was seen how unethical Fred Goodwin had been in running operations within the bank and promptly resigned from his post after RBS lost approximately  £25 Billion, which would be able to fund the NHS for two years. To date this is the biggest ever commercial lose in history. This is a key example of when the temptation of personal gain overrides ethical value. So is it ethical for a bank to fail? Banks are formed on trust, if it is seen that a bank has failed and has lost its money and funding would create mass panic. This was seen in previous years with Northern Rock. When as many banks in the past, Northern Rock went to the central Bank of England to ask for lender of last resort, but made public awareness and suddenly people started to panic that they money was not safe and wanted to withdraw the funds from the account. This soon resulted in the banks running out of money as the 8% per cent of deposits that was kept in storage soon ran out. Banks are now introducing ethic policies, this would allow the customer to gain a greater knowledge and insight into the bank on how they run ethical, and from here, and customers can evaluate them and from here make a decision on which bank to choose. The first bank to introduce they ethical policy was the co-operative bank back in 1992. From these policies, it allows a more transparent view into the bank and how it is ran. This can show information such as where customers deposits are loaded onto for example this money could be loaned onto a business that has poor environmental records, which you may feel strongly about and would rather not create funding for them. Is it possible for any bank to act ethically, as a principle they may all try to portray a positive image of the ethical values but with the key goal to make profit, how far is too far for ethicality before they can be criticised. There are banks with exception in which they actions may be seen to be unethical but in retrospect the are somewhat ethical. Rationalisation for unethical behaviour comes in four common forms; these are seen to be used to justify misconduct and other ethical dilemmas. They are: * Convincing yourself that the behaviour is not really illegal. * Convincing yourself that the behaviour is in everyone’s best interests. * Convincing yourself that nobody will ever find out what you’ve done. * Convincing yourself that the organisation will â€Å"protect† you. Schermerhon (2005) Ethical investment is another problem, which is often brought to the public eye. It has been said that investment bank should invest into smaller companies instead of mass-market organisation to create more business with the economy. As much as this can be seen to be ethical, the problem with this is that there is higher risk investing in smaller companies as there are not necessarily going to be successful and as a result create more risk of no return on initial investment. This could then result in the bank having to act more unethically to compensate for their actions. Conclusion Overall, within this assignment I have given definitions of banking, ethics, and what is a dilemma. From here, I went on to explain what is a bank, and the different types of banks and what they roles where and how they differed from each other. I then discussed banking operation and when onto discuss the ethical dilemmas within banking sector. After doing research I believe that in banking, it is very difficult to constantly stay ethical and it is so easy to fall for temptation to act unethically in either time of need or for personal gain. This can be done with minimal effort and sometimes without even notice. Ethics is incorporated in everyday life and is going to be constantly changing therefore I believe what is seen to be ethical could at some point be seen as unethical depending on the state of law. I have discovered that within all organisations there are constant uses of ethical behaviour both good and bad. Therefore, I believe that each organisation at some point will encounter a combination of the alternative ethical views. From analysing the ethical actions, I have concluded that even though some decisions and behaviours are seen to be unethical this does not necessarily mean that they are illegal. It is dependant of organisational procedures and government laws. Bibliography * About.com (2010) Banking. [online] Available at http://useconomy.about.com/od/glossary/g/Banking.htm [Accessed 1st April 2011] * Siddiqui, K. (2010) Lecture Hand-outs 6 – 8. * The Free Dictionary (2010) Dilemma. [online] Available at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dilemma [Accessed 17th March 2011] * Blurtit (2010) What is the importance of the banks. [online] Available at http://www.blurtit.com/q197532.html [Accessed 18th March 2011] * Schermerhon, J.R. (2005) Management 8th ed. New York. John Wiley and Sons Inc. * Boatright, J.R (2008) Ethics in Finance. 2nd ed. Oxford. Blackwell Publishing. * Boartright. J.R (2000) Ethics and the conduct of business. 3rd ed. New Jersey. Prentice Hall, Inc. * Parkin, M., Powell, M., & Matthews, K. (2005) Economics 6th ed. London. Pearson Education Limited. * Co-operative (2011) Why we have ethical polices [online] Available at http://www.goodwithmoney.co.uk/why-do-we-need-ethical-policies/ [Accessed 6th April 2011} * Bank of England (2011) About the Bank [online] Available at http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/about/index.htm [Accessed 23rd March 2011]

How have media technologies changed our experience of space, and how Essay

How have media technologies changed our experience of space, and how have these changes been represented - Essay Example Inasmuch as pre-modern art was based on fetish techniques adopted by individual artists, messages contained in each artistic medium did not contradict standards of rationality. Rutsky (1999) mentioned that contents of traditional media represented perennial happiness and perceptive inclination of both artists and audiences. Those perceptive inclinations constrict individuals to adopt a uniform rationality of ideas contained in media channels. However, contemporary media possess substantial difference from its traditional versions. Today, incorporation of technology in media has significantly changed the audiences’ perception of space and time. Media technologies today are constantly evolving. Consequently, contents of media continue affecting audiences’ lives in a complex manner. The media environment together with its representation of space and time causes a substantial impact on social, economic and political aspects of human life. Increasing dynamics within the media’s virtual environment presents temporary ramifications of time and space orientation. According to Frederick and Mast (2007), current contents of digital media throws consumers into a strange environment of ordered and linear coordinates of space and time scales. As acknowledged earlier, traditional media demonstrated uniformity and objectivity in terms of content representation. However, digital media today represents concepts by immersing then into inconceivable spatial dimensions. This creates a situation where consumers are in constant quest for the difference between real and virtual representation of life aspects. Rutsky (1999) added t hat spatial dimensions in digital media take consumers into environments with contents that cannot be comprehended through simple sensory perceptions. Meaning of digital contents does not result from immediate experience. Rather, understanding them requires mediation between concepts of rationalism and instrumentalism. In order to understand

Lottery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lottery - Essay Example This story was later taught to the middle school and high school students. The story talks about an American town which has an annual ritual known as â€Å"The lottery†. It is based on a life of a small village with 300 people living in it. All the residents become extremely excited along with nervous on the 27th June. Children get together and gather stones and all the adults assemble and become united for their great annual event which is linked with their local tradition which is about practicing to ensure that a good harvest is done that year (Jackson, Reg S, 1983). The process of the lottery starts by the head of each family moving forward and drawing a small slip of paper from a black box. This time Bill Hutchinson and his family were picked for drawing a small slip of paper coming out of the black box. Tessie Hutchinson who is the wife of Bill got the market slip (Jackson, S 1982). As per the process and tradition all the villages that have stone will begin to surround Tessie and finally Tessie was stoned to death by the time the story ends. Tessie knew that the situation was extremely unfair but sadly she could do anything about it. The tradition basically is that the lottery preparations start a night before, the task of making the paper slips is assigned to Mr. Graves and Mr. Summers who need to note down the list of all the families. Once the names are properly written down, the slips are kept in a black box which is safely places in the coal company for a night. Everything is closed till 10 am so that everyone can participate in the lottery tradition which takes place around the lunch time. For the first round, men who are drawing the slips need to be over sixteen years and then later on, in the second round the families draw slip no matter whatever age they are of. After the slips were picked, they were allowed to fly off the wind followed by the most brutal act of human sacrifice which this name Tessie Hutchinson had to give. Initially when the novel was published, it was considered to be an extremely controversial novel. The readers were not ready to accept the brutal and cruel reality which was explained through an implicit work of Shirley Jackson. The rituals and the traditions which were explained in the novel about the America’s small town were not something people wanted to accept or openly admit (Jackson, S, Joyce C. Oates, 2010). This cruel story is about the event of lottery which ends up in taking life of poor and innocent people without any solid reason or justification. All the villagers as per the short story gathered at the square to participate in the lottery which was conducted by Mr. Summer. All the children arrive first and gather stones as their parents ask them to do so. Tessie Hutchinson unaware of her sad and unfair future arrives late and starts talking to Mrs. Delacroix. As soon as the process begins and Hutchinson family is selected, Tessie starts protesting and thus the readers here un derstand that though the name says â€Å"The Lottery† the story is not about the family wining money or something big, it is surely something unpleasant and something which no one would want. After the family is selected in the first round, the second round makes the entire family to pick slips. There were five members in Hutchinson

Financial Analysis Of J Sainsbury PLC And Morrison PLC Essay

Financial Analysis Of J Sainsbury PLC And Morrison PLC - Essay Example Although short term liquidity of Sainsbury is lesser than Morrisons, it could be justified by the fact that the company has more working capital available as compared to Morrisons. This proves the liquidity health of the Sainsbury as against Morrisons. The receivable’s turnover rate of the Sainsbury is more than the competitor which is because of the fact that the company is focusing on expanding the customer base. Once the customer relationship is developed, it would be easier for Sainsbury to lock the customers and attract them to purchase more. It is evident from the inventory turnover rate that both the companies fetch the sales from inventory in a reasonable period of time. This shows that Sainsbury is working as per planning; its sales are increasing but they are not over-stocking as it will disturb their short term liquidity ratio.The debt ratio of both the companies is similar which indicates that this ratio is maintained across the industry. The ratio reveals positive results as 50% of the assets are financed by equity financing. This reduces the role of external creditors affecting the decisions of Sainsbury. Despite the fact that interest coverage of Morrison’s is much better than Sainsbury, it does not affect the decision to invest in Sainsbury. Despite the lower interest coverage of Sainsbury, its interest expenses are still 6 times lesser than its operating profit which shows that there is no potential threat of credit risk or bankruptcy for the company.

LPN to RN Role Transitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LPN to RN Role Transitions - Essay Example Harrington& Terry(2009) define role transition as â€Å"the passage or shifts from one role to another and involves changing the way one thinks and acts† (p. 54). Role transition from LPN to RN role is a unique experience as it changes and broaden the LPN’s responsibilities, thinking, practice and experience, and the overall view of the nursing world. The decision to become a registered nurse uprooted to the two of the most important goals I have at the moment: one of them is to continue my nursing education and explore a vast array of knowledge, skills, and experiences apart from being an LPN, and the other one is to pursue this long-time dream of being a registered nurse that helps people as well as the increase in income. The road to become a registered is not easy and requires understanding of the differences between the LPN and RN roles, the management of conflicts, application of classroom discussion to role transition and, knowing and understanding the exisiting facts and standards of the state board of nursing. The LPN transitioning to become an RN faces variations in the roles they perform. Often times, distinguishing the differences between the roles they perform becomes difficult as they are bombarded with several role variations. However, there are two specific role changes differences between an LPN and an RN. One of the first specific role changes is the difference in the nature of client care. LPNs focus on the â€Å"how to† of client care.

Organisational Theory (Business Management) Essay

Organisational Theory (Business Management) - Essay Example The organizations also require their employees to be technological savvy so that they can cope up with rapidly evolving technologically driven environment. The future of organization is thus expected to be very different in terms of its operations form the current due to rapidly changing technological driven environment. Modernism (Ontology: Objectivism) This theory focuses on organization as an independent objective thus taking a positive approach in generating knowledge which is vital in increasing efficiency. This theory focuses on an organization as a community sustained through human relationships and use of subjective ontology in most of the everyday activities. This implies that instead of man treat organizations as webs of meaning that are jointly created and not as objects to be measured and analysed hence exploring meaning to realities made possible by those who participate in them. Post modernism generates health scepticism towards dominant theory hence licensing individua ls to try something different most of the time (Melaney, 2001). The organization culture is the collection of values and norms that people in a company share thus controlling the way in which individuals interact with one another in their day to day activities. The values represent beliefs and ideas especially in the organization goals which workers pursue thus achieving them in a particular pattern and behaviour which often differ from one person to another. These values over time develop norms and guidelines together with expectations that determine the behaviour of employees which in turn affects the behaviour of the management towards them. The organizational culture in most cases spans form the top management downwards thereby acting as a control mechanism which shapes the behaviour of the employees at different levels of management thus establishing organization behaviour. This promotes the employees effectiveness through mutual understanding between individuals and groups wit h the ultimate goal of achieving the best results for the company. This provides a continuous system in which employees work harmoniously thus controlling themselves while adhering to the norms of the company. This theory also focuses on how organization members make meaning and role that determine the direction of workplace. The art of moving cultural symbols is predominantly made by the press and the politicians thus changes the meaning of situations and locations in which they occur. The postmodern cultural studies often go beyond fragmentation assumption by asserting that reality is an illusion that aims to suppress and marginalize those who do not accept and support the dominant view. According to this theory, organization culture is just one more from form those in power to mask their manipulation and control of others thus leading to destructions (Hatch & Cunliffe, 2006). Critical theory (Epistemology) This theory is an approach developed by Frankfurt school in Germany and it holds that every society is totality in which each feature is essentially connected with others constituted by forms of beliefs and understanding in the society. The theory argues that atomism and objectivism are false, the epistemology of critical theory combines historical materialism, Freudian

How the Treaty of Versailles Created More International Conflict after Research Paper

How the Treaty of Versailles Created More International Conflict after World War II than It Resolved - Research Paper Example The Treaty of Versailles failed to resolve the primary causes of World War I and created problems and conflicts across the globe after the completion of the treaty. Examining the meanings behind the treaty and the associations which were incorporated with the history which it carried then led to changes and alterations with the political regime of the time. Roots of Conflict The approach to the Treaty of Versailles began with the need for Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the USA to reach an agreement to end the war. The goal was to create an end to the war while establishing peace among the different regions. The roots of the conflict began when the U.S. Senate failed to ratify the Versailles treaty. This was established with Woodrow Wilson who had the power to amend the treaty and alter the considerations that were required in developing a different approach to secure the end of the war. The failure to take the responsibility was not only established from the US Senate but also ca me from conflicts that were based on internal debates. Isolationists and divisions between political parties were not interested in the issues which were conveyed through the treaty and did not believe there was the correct establishment or development. The failure then came from the lack of establishment of what the treaty could have established to bring peace to the different regions of Europe (Boemake et al, 1998). The conflicts which took place with the lack of establishing the Treaty of Versailles led to world conflicts. The complexities of those who did not follow or establish the treaty led to a mixed message to various countries about the ideologies of the treaty. Without the establishment of peace after the war, a cognitive illusion was established. This was based on the inability to understand why the treaty would not be supported by different regions of the world while the political conflicts reflected the complexities of the war instead of ending the problem. The global repercussions led to divisions among various countries as well as framing of various countries from the illusion that there was disagreement among those which were associated with the treaty. The inability to establish the system from the treaty and the disregard then led to further conflict, tension and devastation, eventually leading to the beginning of World War II (Bottom, 2003). Preliminary Issues The issues which were associated with the root problems were inclusive of the pressures which were developed across political arenas. There were sets of domestic pressures that were first established, all which were developed specifically because of problems and disagreements about the specific treaty. This was combined with civilians that began to reflect the disassociations with the government through civilian losses and communities were not able to create and establish peace outside of the main problems. This was combined with the destruction of World War I that came from the lack of agreement. The political tensions that were established developed pressures and alliances as well as ties. This furthered to form enemies among those that were a part of the various regions (Krause, 2001). The political and social tensions that were established led to disconnections and re-establishment with the earlier conflicts which occurred. The earlier treaties which were accepted and rejected had formatted personal enemies and opponents politically

Country Analysis (Libya) for international business class Essay

Country Analysis (Libya) for international business class - Essay Example In addition to the normal requirements for a contract to be valid and implementable, sharia has strict guidelines on other religious requirements for contracts. These requirements put into account all recommendations and prohibitions of the Muslim law. However, this would be appealing to investors if applied to the letter. Other factors that influence the running of businesses in Libya include but not limited to corruption and discrimination. Legal protection of property The reign of Gaddafi has not given citizens the right to own property. All property in Libya is everyone’s property in accordance to the principle of socialism. The only property that a family can own in Libya is their residential home. This was a good idea that could have worked if used legitimately instead of the way Gadhafi, his family and circle of friends used public property for personal gain (Heritage 2010). Even after change of regime, Gaddafi still wields power as the de facto leader of the oil rich N orth African nation. The transition government that has taken over leadership of Libya after Gadhafi’s ouster has a great deal to do to put in place mechanisms for an independent legal system. In addition, it has to deal with the ills of the Gadhafi regime that have wrecked the governance system. In addition, the constitution must be changed to allow profitable property ownership as the power to privatize or nationalize property still freely solely with the government (Dep. of State, 2010). There has been no move in the right direction to change the laws on intellectual property rights since the government abolished them in 1978. The Libyan government has signed treaties on intellectual property rights but the implementation of the contents in Libya is wanting. Libya ranked 113 out of 125 countries in the 2010 Intellectual Property Rights Index, having one of the most widespread trademark violations in the world (Heritage 2010). Country’s trade policy There is no levy for goods produced in Libya but all imports attract a 4% service tax. This attempt to make local goods more affordable fails majorly because of other factors that increase the cost of trade and the cost of final products. Some of these factors include government interference like price controls, practices in oil products trade, bans and restrictions, subsidies, competition from state owned corporations, sanctions and arbitrary and other unexplained charges. Corruption plays a major role in order for private organizations to obtain trade licenses and to secure contracts and tenders. Since 2007 to 2009, inflation was moderated at 4.9% by the central government mostly by price controls through state-owned firms and via government utilities (Heritage 2010). Country’s laws regarding ownership (FDI) In most cases, foreign companies do not own land in Libya. This means that if one considers investing in Libya they have to put into account the cost of rent that is determined by the g overnment and whose amount might be unfair for the investor. This is however expected to change if the Libyan transitional government delivers a new, more democratic constitution. The worst part for foreign companies comes in when their ownership is considered. 35% of stake in foreign companies is reserved for natives. Even though legislation was passed in 2005 that allows foreign banks to operate in Libya, the high cost of credit, competition with state-owned banks and unavailability of funding are the major obstacles to investing in the

Homework Assignment Essay Example for Free

Homework Assignment Essay 1. Define the process of accounting. Accounting is the process of identifying, measuring and communicating economic information about an organization for the purpose of making decisions and informed judgments. 2. What are the three major divisions in the accounting field? Financial, managerial and cost accounting 3. What is the Fundamental Accounting Equation? Assets = Liabilities + Equity 4. What is the purpose of a balance sheet? What are some examples of typical balance sheet accounts? A balance sheet is a summary of financial balances of an organizations assets, liabilities and equity listed on a specific date such as the end of year report. A balance sheet is a snap shot of the company’s financial status 5. What is the purpose of an income statement? What are some examples of typical income statement accounts? An income statement is also known as profit and loss statement is one of the financial statements of a company and shows revenues and expenses during a particular period. An income statement indicates how the revenues are transformed into net income 6. What is the purpose of a statement of cash flows? What are some examples of typical statement of cash flow accounts? A cash flow statement consists of three parts; operating, investing and financing. It is the summary of transactions that affected cash in a particular period. In other words, it si a summary of all the cash payments and the cash receipts that occurred during a month, quarter or year for a business. 7. Based on the financial information below, prepare an income statement and a balance sheet for Joe’s-Fly-by-Night Oil company for the year ended December 31, 2012. Unless otherwise indicated, assume all information below is either for the year 2012 or as of December 31, 2012.

Nature is not just a matter of presenting landscapes Essay Example for Free

Nature is not just a matter of presenting landscapes Essay The two poems in which I feel use nature as a source of inducing emotion and meaning to the reader are London, William Blake and To Autumn, Lord Byron. Both poems present nature in highly contrasting forms. To Autumn is a strongly appreciative poem of nature. It presents the cycle of nature and season, a depth to which the narrator appears to be contemplating what autumn represents. The poets is gives a calm and peaceful feeling which is purely created by the scenery and way in which Byron presents nature. London on the other hand contrasts the beautiful scenery of To Autumn by portraying an image of a poverty ridden city where depression is rife. There seems to be an apparent link between the poems which shows how the presentation of nature alters the emotions felt by the reader towards the way of life. Landscape is a main factor that distinguishes these poems. It appears to be the foundation of the poems meanings. The landscape is created by both poets through nature, either in its natural form or of the lacking appearance of natural form. To Autumns main theme is natures seasons and the transitions that take place to nature over time. The narrator is describing the ripening of fruit, possible in an orchard. The beauty of natures changing form is something that is being contemplated by the narrator as they delve to find a deeper meaning in nature. It could be seen that the narrator concludes the cycles has different stages as does life. Within the first stanza the narrator appears to be admiring the ripening process of fruit and how it is preparing to grow fully until it is in perfect form, as suggested by; To Swell the Gourd, and plump the hazel shells. The maturing sun shedding light onto the fruit seems to be the fruits necessary inspiration to ripen into its ideal form. The sun represents the inspiration nature is giving nature on earth. The poet personifies the Sun and seems to indicate the bosom is a creature with a mind of its own; Close blossom-friend of the maturing sun; / Conspiring with him how to load the bless/ The second stanza seems to be presenting the harvesting process and the suns setting upon the fruit. This stanza suggests the presence of natures implications over humans. It again emphasises the peacefulness and tranquillity induced by nature. Natures control over humans is shown in this case through the plants created by nature; Drowsed with the fumes of poppies The admiration of nature through its landscapes, scenes and creatures appears to create a feeling of peaceful, tranquil emotions. There are no challenges presented to natures ripening process. The poem narrates the simplicity and ease nature develops at. This leads on to the contrasting themes presented in London. London has a serious lack of natural form. It was written in the time of the industrial revolution and could be a protest by Blake against this absence of natural form. It presents the city of London, and contrastingly to the natural beauty in To Autumn and the natural course nature develops, it show the effects of destroying nature through urbanisation. The interference of human in adjusting the landscape seems to be the cause of the despairing feeling throughout the poem. The poem portrays a place of misery and despair. The charterd street/ Near where the charted themes do flow, / Indicate the way in which humans are trying to restrict and manipulate natures natural course. The repetition of charterd suggest the limitations human have put on nature and in due course on themselves. The freedom in To Autumn is emphasised by the vastness overwhelming presence of nature. Contrastingly the restricting landscape presented in London is reflected in the lack of freedom suggested to the reader. The use of light in London is a direct contrast to the use in to Autumn. The blackning church and midnight streets give a repressing feeling with an implication of despair. Light is a source given by nature, the lack of it in London emphasises the lack of nature through out the city. In To Autumn the sun is personified and is the giver of life to natures plants, ripening them and creating perfect form. The sun has a Clos bosom-friend that suggests a caring and nurturing instinct. The Presence of Humans is an obvious factor throughout London. There is misery within the city portrayed, and although humans are represented, they appear a more generalised object than individual characters themselves. There is a sense of misery created by the restrictions the inhabitants of the city are living under. The restrictions that have been implemented on these humans, seems to be a reflection of the restrictions the human race has put on nature. In the poem man has destroyed the open vastness of nature that represents freedom. The circumstances they have created for nature, by rectifying buildings, seem in turn to have impacted their way freedom. Through destroying natures natural course they have destroyed the nature of humans. There is no interaction between humans with in the poems and the population seems to be generalised object, as opposed to each individual having a personal character. This could be linked to the destroying of natures difference and replacing the individual areas with identical building all created of concrete and blocks. To support the theory that the humans misery was self inflicted through their choice to destroyed nature, the narrator states that the people are restricted by mind-forged manacles. The Marks of weakness, marks of woe are human traits and do not occur throughout To Autumn. To autumn has very limited presence of human. The presence that is there appear to only be there to admire the wonders of nature and in no way to interfere with its natural form. The attitude humans living in harmony with nature is what creates a far more relaxed and peaceful poem. Immorality is another focus in London that is contrasted by the harmony in to Atumn. There is many suggestions that the people in London are morally corrupt and live in a corrupt society. The Chimney sweepers cry is one reference that shows this. Chimney sweeps were always small children carrying out a very dangerous job with inadequate protection. The matter adults were putting children in a position of danger which may have made them cry suggests morals have been disregarded. The reference to the Blackning Church is another example. The church is a place of help for those in need, God is there to look after those who need help. Yet despair is rife surrounding the church and no source of aid is being supplied. Instead there is a negative dim portrayal of the church. The church within the poem is giving out a hypocritical aura. There appears to be no negative moral within To Autumn, nature and the people live in harmony. As far as the poem explains there does not appear to be any moral corruption, there is a level of respect held by people. The poems moral message is to appreciate nature and the beauty of autumn. The cycle taking place in To Autumn is shown in all aspects on nature. The sun carries out a cycle through the day, rising in the morning and setting in the evening to create the soft-dying day. Even though the cycle is at its end it is portrayed as calm and peaceful this is because it is known it is not the end for ever. The cycle will continue and the beauty and lights the sun has produced during the day will continue on. Again at the beginning of the poem the reader is shown the beauty of fruit ripening until it is ready to be picked from its roots. When it is picked it is not seen as an act of destroying nature but as a part of its cycle. The poem is emphasising that even though autumn is nearing the end of the year and often bring cold and death of plants and nature, it is not the season of death as everything returns. The narrator is appreciating the beauty he sees in nature and the natural death and birth of aspects. This is contrasted in london there is no apparent cycle that is developed in the poem. It suggest the misery and poverty is endless. Nature can not be re created once it has been destroyed in such a way shown in the poem. Therefore the poets is suggesting the happiness and natural cycle can never be restored and the circumstances created are forever. London is formed of four stanzas all containing four lines. Most lines contain eight syllables and there is a regular ABAB rhythm. The format is extrememly neat and compact. This could reflect the repression and restricted life the poem is portraying. Blake uses repetition throughout the poem to emphasis certain words. There are random capital letters placed at points in the poem where they are not grammatically correct, again this could be a method of emphasising these particular words. There is a first person narrative: I wander thro each charterd street, yet there is not personal emotion. The language is plain including no dialect but is forcesful, this supports the lack of personal opinions and feelings portray. This again could be supporting the theme of a generalised and restricted population that cannot think for themselves. To Autumn is presented in a more relaxed from, there are three stanzas of eleven lines each. The length of them makes it easier Keats to present the meanings of the poem though a story telling manner. Each stanza has a different theme and they lead on to one another. The active verbs in To Autumn such as run bend and budding emphasis the process and development in the cycle of nature. Post modifiers such as sitting carelessly are also present, this is to emphasis the tranquillity the poem is presenting. Keats also uses archaic language to emphasise the ancientness of the process taking place in autumn. The language gives a detailed, vivid, visual image. The use of soft letters again shows the calmness as the poem sounds calm when being read aloud. To Autumn and London differ all aspects shown portrayed in the poems. The landscape, attitudes of people and feelings induced when reading the poems all differ. However the poem have a very similar theme, that nature is a source of good and beauty. Blake portrays a world without nature and emphasises that as a result of this people are poverty stricken and miserable. When reading the poem there are feeling of sorrow and disgust at the controlled immoral society. His overall message therefore must have a link with the train of thought; nature unhampered with induces peace and tranquillity. Keats is showing the beauty of nature even in one of the less favourable months. The people throughout the poem are happy in harmony with nature. The reader feels a sense of tranquillity when reading the poem. The poems therefore are highly contrasting yet their underlying moral message is similar and in their individual ways they are showing appreciation for nature.

The Hershey Company Is The Largest Chocolate Producer Marketing Essay

The Hershey Company Is The Largest Chocolate Producer Marketing Essay The Hershey Company is the largest chocolate producer in North America and also one of the oldest US manufacturers of chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery and chocolate-related grocery product. The Hershey Company operates in accordance with their mission statement: Undisputed Marketplace Leadership (www.hersheys.com). Among the companys well established brands are  Hersheys Chocolate Bar, Almond Joy, Kit Kat, Hersheys Kisses, Reeses and many others. I shall begin an external analysis with the first element of Porters Five Forces Model: Industry Rivalry. Slow confectionery industry growth increases the intensity of rivalry among numerous competitors. It needs to be mentioned that the stage of confectionery industry life cycle is Maturity stage. These chocolate have been around since a 100 years and most people buying these chocolates are repeat consumers. The Hershey Company holds one of the leading positions in the domestic market, currently having a market share in the U.S. of over 22%. Its biggest rivals in US market are Mars Inc (the leader according to the industrys 2010 results), Kraft Foods and Nestle. As for the global competition, according to the latest results of the confectionery industrys global survey, Hershey Foods Corp. (USA) is number 5 among the top 100 international HERSHEY COMPANY EXTERNAL ANALYSIS confectionery brands rating with 4,881 US($) millions sales volume figure. The main competitors in the global market are Mars Inc (USA), Cadbury Schweppes PLC (UK), Nestlà © SA (Switzerland) and Ferrero SpA (Italy).(The Big Get Bigger, 2011, January 10). Although the Hershey Company has a steady strong presence in the U.S. chocolate and confectionery market, its global position needs to be strengthened and the focus should be kept on the global market. Rapidly developing countries such as China and India have to be Hersheys main targets because even a limited presence in these countries would provide a substantial increase in revenue. Besides it, company cannot duplicate their domestic strategy and expect to be successful. On the contrary they must integrate into each countrys culture and develop an adapted strategy to immerse their brand name into these areas. The next force I need to specify is the Risk of Entry by Potential Competitors force and this risk for chocolate industry is quite low. The reasons of it are significant entry barriers (high production output, large capital requirements, product differentiation, and customer loyalty). These factors deter smaller competitors from entering into the market. (Ellis M., McCants M., Frye N., Miller J., Polk M., Rogers G, 2008, May 22). HERSHEY COMPANY EXTERNAL ANALYSIS The third and one of the most influential in the Hersheys case force is Bargaining Power of Suppliers. Their bargaining power is relatively high because the number of suppliers of the chocolate industry is limited, supplier group is concentrated and there are no substitute products as well. The Hershey Company needs to find alternate (non-West African) locations or different methods for obtaining cocoa beans, because this would allow Hershey to have a secure control over their raw materials. The next force is Bargaining Power of Buyers which can be described as low to moderate. This industry has several large volume retailers that have significant bargaining power. Large volume retailers can bargain for lower prices and reduce the industrys profits, but the differentiated products (with high level of brand identification and customer loyalty among the chocolate consumers) considerably reduce the power of buyers. Finally, the Threat of Substitutes for chocolate industry is moderate. There are numerous substitute products such as alternative cooking flavors (such as vanilla, butter, etc) and non-chocolate snacks (such as ice cream, fruits, etc.). Also there is a threat of unhealthy image of chocolate products among the consumers. Besides Porters Five Forces Model and Industrys Life Cycle I would like to analyze the way demographic, social, or HERSHEY COMPANY EXTERNAL ANALYSIS technological trends have influenced the chocolate confectionery industry. There are some positive and negative socio-cultural and demographic trends that make an influence. Among the positive are: the desire for richer products/changing tastes, joint ventures (i.e. coffee), dark chocolate health benefits and increased importance of holidays. The negative trends are: spreading of allergies, increasing obesity and greater environmental concern. Among the social/political trends a problem of child labour and unfair trade can be named. For example, Hershey has been criticized for not having programs to ensure sustainable and ethical cocoa purchase, lagging behind its competitors in  fair trade  measures. (Hershey Dominates US Market, but Lags Behind Competitors in Avoiding Forced Labor, Trafficking and Child Labor (2010, September 13). The positive technological trends are: technological improvements to milking machines, efficiency improvements for distribution, telecommunications. And the negative technological trends are lack of government support to developing countries (poor education of new technologies) and increased cost of managing the manufacturing technological progress. And I would like to finish this essay with Hershey Company founder Milton Hershey quote about the most distinctive feature of Hersheys products: Give them quality. Thats the best kind of advertising in the world. HERSHEY COMPANY EXTERNAL ANALYSIS REFERANCE LIST Hershey slogan (n.d.) is retrieved from www.hersheys.com The Big Get Bigger (2011, January 10). Retrieved from http://www.candyindustry.com/Articles/Special_Reports/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000972812 Ellis M., McCants M., Frye N., Miller J., Polk M., Rogers G, (2008, May 22). The Hershey Company Introducing the World of Chocolate. Retrieved from http://www.washingtoniv.com/?p=65 Hershey Dominates US Market, but Lags Behind Competitors in Avoiding Forced Labor, Trafficking and Child Labor (2010, September 13). Retrieved from http://www.laborrights.org/stop-child-forced-labor/cocoa-campaign/news/12397 Confectionery Company Shares Report (2010), USA. Packaged Food: Euromonitor from trade sources/national statistics.

Essays --

Insecurities often trouble young people making high school difficult to manage. There are many new pressures that come with being a teenager and friendships are often the key to surviving high school. At such a young age, most teenagers have not discovered themselves yet and they need the help of others to uncover their true potential. In the coming of age novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, Charlie searches for his identity and finds it with the help of his friends. Charlies good friend Sam, physically and mentally influences Charlie to becomes a more mature and confident person when she teaches him how to navigate relationships and helps him rediscover his past. Sam physically exposes Charlie to new experiences that change him into a more confident person. At the start of the school year Charlie is an anti-social and introverted freshman who is reluctant and unsure of himself. He enters high school with no friends, but soon becomes friends with a small group of seniors, most importantly Sam, that influence him to become a stronger individual. Sam introduces him to many new things that he never would have experienced before. For example, drugs, alcohol, love, sexuality, parties and relationships change Charlie into an more confident person by breaking him out if his comfort zone. Sam plays a huge role in his development from being easily influenced to making decisions for himself. Sam motivates him to explore a new side of life and he realizes that life needs to be lived and not watched. Charlie grows from being someone who sits by and watches life to a person who fully participates in life. Charlie begins to develop and mature as his charac ter is faced with unfamiliar situations that take him out of his s... ... reason that Charlie is the way he is. Once he was in touch with his feelings, he can understand and progress in his life. The novel ends with Charlie forgiving his Aunt Helen, and finding the strength to move on with his life. Sam guides Charlie is the right direction for him to become a more outgoing and courageous person by teaching him to take risks and recover what happened to him as a child. Without Sam, Charlie would be a completely different person and would probably still be hurting from an internal pain that he is unaware of. In life peers can impact others life and personality by physically taking them to new places and having them try new things. On the other hand, people can effect others mentally by helping them understand their past in order to move forward. Peoples influence on others often help to shape their personality and discover their identity.

The Society for Latin American Anthropology :: SLAA Human Rights Latin America Essays

The Society for Latin American Anthropology Changes in the SLAA's definition of "Latin America" have gone hand in hand with changes in the intellectual, social and political goals of the Society. As then president Michael Kearney wrote in an open letter to the membership published in the Society's April 1997 column in the Anthropology Newsletter:" (Until recently the society's membership) was centered in North America while its objects of study were primarily to the South of the United States. The prevalent pattern in the production and consumption of knowledge by North American anthropologists was one in which "we" used to "go down to" Latin America to study the "Latin Americans", and then publish most of our work in English...In recent years, in dialogue with the membership, the Board has sought to redefine "Latin America" as an object of anthropological inquiry from a region defined in geopolitical terms to a sociocultural definition based on the de facto presence of Latinos." The term "Latin America" has been expanded t o include the Anglophone, and Francophone Caribbean and Diasporic Latino communities. This push towards a more inclusive anthropology evident in their definition of "Latin America" is reflected in the Society's current goals and programs. Creating a truly international community of scholars of Latin America is the most important goal of the Society. Current president Joanne Rappaport in a statement published on the SLAA webpage writes, reaffirming Michael Kearney's vision, that the mission of the Society is to create "a space for dialogue across boundaries, particularly national and ethnic ones, in an effort to view Latin America, not as a geopolitical reality upon which we as North Americans have an "impact", but as a place from which to speak, write, and to theorize." The most important step in this mission to promote a dialogue between the different national Latin American anthropological traditions that constitute the field has been the creation of the Journal of Latin American Anthropology (JLAA). The Journal started in 1995 under the editorship of Wendy Weiss seeks to publish articles on anthropological research in Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean and the Latin Diaspora. So far, issues have been devoted to the state of current Latin American anthropology, the concept of Mestizaje, and the Zapatista movement for indigenous autonomy in Mexico. Articles have been published in both Spanish and English.

Maine is More Family Friendly than California :: Free Argumentative Essays

Maine is More Family Friendly than California I moved to California three years ago from Maine. I really like it here. But when my husband and I start a family, I want to move back. Quite simply, Maine is a better place to raise children than California. There are many reasons why Maine is superior. Take the crime rate, for example. According to the United States Census Bureau, the 1992-crime rate per 1000 people in Maine was 131; California's was 1120! Some could argue that these crimes might have no impact on children, so let's look at the child abuse rates. Maine's rate was five per 1000 people, compared to 326 in California (1). These numbers portray a safer environment in Maine. My parents only began locking their homes front door a few years ago; they now lock it but leave the key in the mailbox just two feet away. I never lost my car keys in Maine because I always left them in the ignition; try that here and see how long you have a vehicle! The crime rate isn't the only difference-how about poverty? 1996 statistics from the United States Bureau of the Census show 13.8% and 18.2% rates for child poverty in Maine and California, respectively (1). Money isn't everything, but certainly a poverty-level lack of income won't help in child rearing. Education is another important factor to consider. The United States Department of Education reported the national average percentage of high school seniors who graduated during the 1992-1993 school year was 71.1%. Maine's percentage was 74.3, while California posted 67.9% (1). I believe this is due to a much smaller population, which, in turn, produces smaller schools. Student-to-teacher ratios tend to be much smaller. I graduated with a class of thirty-six students. My school's total enrollment (grades 6-12) was around 130. Individual attention was not a problem. Maine schools (and perhaps Maine families in general) also do a better job of educating their teens on sex and birth control. Pregnancy rates per 1000 teenage girls in 1996 prove this. Maine's rate was a low 57 as compared to California's 125 (Alan Guttmacher Institute 1). Preventing teen pregnancies will help keep the high school graduate level high and, consequently, keep the poverty level low. There are also benefits of growing up in Maine that cannot be measured by statistics. There is a sense of community evident, even in Maine's larger towns and cities.

Puritan vs. Native American Literature

Puritan and Native American Literature There are many similarities and differences between Native American and Puritan literature. These include emotion, style, figurative language, and description. In Native American literature, as well as Puritan literature, they show significant events in their cultures. Both Native American and Puritan literature are similar because both use figurative and descriptive language in their writing, however they are also different. In contrast to, Puritan literature differs from Native American literature. These differences include figurative and descriptive language. Similarly, they write about what is important to them. In Puritan literature, they focus on human condition. For example an excerpt from â€Å"To my Dear and Loving Husband â€Å"I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold† This excerpt shows the importance of her husband to her. On the other hand, Native American literature, is written about nature, animals, and life. For example in excerpt from â€Å"The Earth on Turtle's Back† â€Å" From those seeds the trees and the grass sprang up. Life on Earth had begun. This symbolizes life on Earth and shows that it all started out with a turtle, the â€Å"Great Turtle†. , which for us is just an animal. They care a lot about animals as a part of their belief system. As for description, Native American literature is more descriptive than Puritan literature. A Native American story called â€Å" When Grizzlies Walked Upright† shows many examples o f description. For example, â€Å" The bears were covered with hair and had sharp claws just as they do today, but they walked on two feet and could talk like people. While in Puritan literature, an excerpt from â€Å"To my Dear and Loving Husband† Anne Bradstreet says â€Å"My love is such that rivers cannot quench. † This uses less description than Native American literature. In conclusion, Native American and Puritan literature has many similarities as well as differences. The similarities as shown above where that they both had use of figurative and descriptive language. However, they do use it different ways, describing different things. In their writing it shows the differences in their cultures and belief system.

Neuropsychological Testing

Clinical neuropsychology is a field with historical origins in both psychology and neurology. The primary activity of neuropsychologists is assessment of brain functioning through structured and systematic behavioral observation. Neuropsychological tests are designed to examine a variety of cognitive abilities, including speed of information processing, attention, memory, language, and executive functions, which are necessary for goal-directed behavior.By testing a range of cognitive abilities and examining patterns of performance in different cognitive areas, neuropsychologists can make inferences about underlying brain function. Neuropsychological testing is an important component of the assessment and treatment of traumatic brain injury, dementia, neurological conditions, and psychiatric disorders. Neuropsychological testing is also an important tool for examining the effects of toxic substances and medical conditions on brain functioning.Before the introduction of neuroimaging te chniques like the computed tomography (CAT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the primary focus of neuropsychology was diagnosis. Since clinicians lacked non-surgical methods for directly observing brain lesions or structural abnormalities in living patients, neuropsychological testing was the only way to determine which part of the brain was affected in a given patient. Neuropsychological tests can identify syndromes associated with problems in a particular area of the brain.For instance, a patient who performs well on tests of attention, memory, and language, but poorly on tests that require visual spatial skills such as copying a complex geometric figure or making designs with colored blocks, may have dysfunction in the right parietal lobe, the region of the brain involved in complex processing of visual information. When a patient complains of problems with verbal communication after a stroke, separate tests that examine production and comprehension of language help neu ropsychologists identify the location of the stroke in the left hemisphere.Neuropsychological tests can also be used as screening tests to see if more extensive diagnostic evaluation is appropriate. Neuropsychological screening of elderly people complaining of memory problems can help identify those at risk for dementia versus that experiencing normal age-related memory loss. As neuropsychological testing came to play a less vital role in localization of brain dysfunction, clinical neuropsychologists found new uses for their skills and knowledge.By clarifying which cognitive abilities are impaired or preserved in patients with brain injury or illness, neuropsychologists can predict how well individuals will respond to different forms of treatment or rehabilitation. Although patterns of test scores illustrate profiles of cognitive strength and weakness, neuropsychologists can also learn a great deal about patients by observing how they approach a particular test. For example, two pat ients can complete a test in very different ways yet obtain similar scores.One patient may work slowly and methodically, making no errors, while another rushes through the test, making several errors but quickly correcting them. Some individuals persevere despite repeated failure on a series of test items, while others refuse to continue after a few failures. These differences might not be apparent in test scores, but can help clinicians choose among rehabilitation and treatment approaches. Performance on neuropsychological tests is usually evaluated through comparison to the average performance of large samples of normal individuals.Most tests include tables of these normal scores, often divided into groups based on demographic variables like age and education that appear to affect cognitive functioning. This allows individuals to be compared to appropriate peers. The typical neuropsychological examination evaluates sensation and perception, gross and fine motor skills, basic and c omplex attention, visual spatial skills, receptive and productive language abilities, recall and recognition memory, and executive functions such as cognitive flexibility and abstraction.Motivation and personality are often assessed as well, particularly when clients are seeking financial compensation for injuries, or cognitive complaints are not typical of the associated injury or illness. Some neuropsychologists prefer to use fixed test batteries like the Halstead-Reitan Battery or the Luria-Nebraska Battery for all patients. These batteries include tests of a wide range of cognitive functions, and those who advocate their use believe that all functions must be assessed in each patient in order to avoid diagnostic bias or failure to detect subtle problems.The more common approach today, however, is to use a flexible battery based on hypotheses generated through a clinical interview, observation of the patient, and review of medical records. While this approach is more prone to bia s, it has the advantage of preventing unnecessary testing. Since patients often find neuropsychological testing stressful and fatiguing, and these factors can negatively influence performance, advocates of the flexible battery approach argue that tailoring test batteries to particular patients can provide more accurate information.Lezak, Muriel Deutsh. Neuropsychological Assessment. 3rd edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Mitrushina, Maura N. , Kyle B. Boone, and Louis F. D'Elia. Handbook of Normative Data for Neuropsychological Assessment. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Spreen, Otfried and Esther Strauss. A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests: Administration, Norms, and Commentary. 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Walsh, Kevin and David Darby. Neuropsychology: A Clinical Approach. 4th edition. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1999.

Is there a midlife crisis Essay

As a man approaches middle age a number of factors converge that tend to disrupt his previous modes of experiencing himself. For some men, this stress may culminate or be expressed in a â€Å"midlife crisis. † This crisis has been variously described as a pervasive sense of alienation from one’s own being in the world, unidentified or misunderstood feelings of anxiety or depression, and/or physical symptoms expressive of psychic distress. In an attempt to bring some order to conflicting reports about the experience of people entering middle age, we reviewed the existing literature. A lack of consensus soon became apparent. Some writers argued that a midlife crisis was a universal experience in male development; others suggested that men reached their peak of self-actualization at this point. Looking at the literature more closely, we saw that the research findings seemed to depend upon which methods were used and in which culture the middle-aged population was being studied. Psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, and other writers working with clinical data often see a middle-age crisis as universal – a developmental inevitability. Levinson proposes, as did Jaques and others, a developmental sequence, with a period of midlife crisis, which â€Å"exists in all societies, throughout the human species, at the present stage of human evolution† (Sifford 1983). More recently, theorists like Slater, Laing, and Henry have focused on the alienating effects of socialization into a culture based on denial, distortion, and repression. Culture, that is, works to deny and distort what is most human in us. Regardless of whether we see midlife crisis as a consequence of social structure or culture, many theorists tell us that midlife crisis is widespread phenomenon. The impact of historical forces on the life course does not stop with one generation. Each generation encounters a set of historical circumstances that shape its subsequent life history and that generation transmits to the next one both the impact that historical events had on its life course and the resulting patterns of timing. Cultural norms governing the timeliness of life transitions (being â€Å"early,† â€Å"late,† or â€Å"on time†) and norms governing familial obligations also shape individual and collective family timing. In all these areas, historical and cultural differences are critical. Particularly significant is the convergence of socioeconomic and cultural forces. For example, â€Å"middle-age crisis† was a relatively recent invention in popular psychology in American society. It was attributed to middle-class women in particular in describing the problems connected to menopause and the â€Å"empty nest† in mid adulthood. â€Å"Middle-age crises† were not widespread, however. They were a product of stereotypes and a social construction rather than of sociobiological or familial realities. Since the 1970s, a considerable volume of feminist psychological literature has placed â€Å"middle-age crisis† in its proper perspective by exposing the cultural and â€Å"scientific† stereotypes that created the concept (Lawrence 1980). For the process to be fully working, then, we would expect to have evidence from lay accounts that the wider public had accepted and normalised the condition. Further evidence was provided by a Gallup poll survey in 1992 which found that over two-thirds of middle-aged men in the UK believed that there was some indefinable phenomenon called the ‘midlife crisis’. Furthermore, it stated that over half of the sample thought they had experienced a midlife crisis, or were actually having one, at some point between the ages of 40 and 60 (Neustatter 1996:80). Second, a further stage occurred in the United States when the midlife crisis started to appear as a legitimate condition in course material designed for the training of nurses. The psychologist Carl Jung believed that in Western cultures, the midlife crisis of males is rooted in a search for deeper spiritual roots (Marin 2001). From the perspective of male and female roles, there is often a reversal of roles away from the closed/traditional paradigm; that is, the husband moves inward to find strength for the future, and the female moves outward to the work world and career (Morris 1995). Thus midlife men experience the self-doubts, malaise, and concern over issues of a failure of adaptation. External economic changes in the opportunity structure affect changes in the timing of entry into the labour force, and, ultimately, retirement. Institutional and legislative changes, such as compulsory school attendance, child-labour laws, and mandatory retirement, shape the work-life transitions of different age groups and eventually influence their family life as well. People who suffer a midlife crisis in this form see the exciting experience of forward movement as ending with youth and the future as repetition and decay. Some people have midlife crises, but most do not. Crises do occur in midlife, but they are usually caused by a variety of factors, certainly not by chronology alone. We conclude that a more adequate theory of human development must take into account both the socio-historical environment, on the one hand, and internal psychological and biological processes on the other. References Lawrence, B. S. (1980). â€Å"The Myth of Midlife Crisis. † Sloan Management Review, 21(4): 35-49. Marin, Rick. (2001). â€Å"Is This the Face of a Midlife Crisis? † N. Y. TIMES, June 24, [section] 9. Morris, B. (1995). â€Å"Executive Women Confront Midlife Crisis. † Fortune (September 18): 60-86. Neustatter, A. (1996). Looking the Demon in the Eye: the challenge of midlife, London: Joseph. Sifford, D. (1983). â€Å"Midlife Crisis: The Nagging Pain of Unfulfilled Dreams,† Philadelphia Inquirer, October 17, p. 4.

Hugo Boss Case Study

Options 4/3/2012 Option: you have the choice to buy something for a certain price but if the price is less than that price forget about the contract. The most you ever pay is the contract price. You have the possibility of doing better. Nothing to lose only gain since you locked in a certain price; seller of contract can only do worse. The person whom makes the contract charges a price to enter into the contract, the seller keeps this contract. This price is called the premium, options start life with a value, it is an impure derivative.The underlying is instrument is what the contract is about person whom buys the contract Is known as the option buyer/investor, seller is known as the option writer/issuer, what you pay if you exercise the contract is known as the strike price or exercise price. Options have expiration days after that we can not use them anymore, another parameter is the type of option that it is Six parameters: Underwriting asset, parties involved, strike price/exerc ise price, expiration date, type of option.The premium fluctuates with demand, the contract could be sold Underlying: SBUX 1,000 Strike Price: 60 a share 1 Month: Type: Call Premium: 8 If you do not exercise the option it is allowed to expire Options come in types, Styles, and classes Put option right to sell at a certain price Put option: Underlying: sbx, 1000 shares, spot price 55 Strike price: 50 Time: 1 Month Premium: in a put option you pay for the buy to sellOptions come in three styles: European Style: You can exercise on a certain date, only at expiration American Style: You can exercise at any time, makes premium from an American option more but not by much only worth a lot more when dividends high dividends and low interest rates are present Bermuda Options: specific dates when you can exercise them Pay off diagram 50 55 60 (exercise price) Starbucks pricePayoff 300 400 500 60 0 7010 8020 10040

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 3

Strategic Management - Essay Example Specially mentioning, strategic management assists modern business organisations to take effective decisions and conduct activities for attaining success, resulting in attaining superior competitive position and sustaining in the long run (Wells, 2003). In this essay, the views of two different authors of strategic management will be elaborately discussed in order to gain a proper understanding of strategy. The essay intends to explore and compare the views of Mintzberg’s ten schools of thoughts along with Whittington’s four strategic lenses. A proper analysis will be conducted in order to gain insights about the different levels of strategy. According to the views of Michael Porter, strategy is a decision, which includes a conscious approach of performing activities in a different manner from that of the competitors in order to accomplish a viable long-term competitive advantage. Porter states that it is important for the organisations to focus not only on the operational perspectives but also on the strategic activities that tends to be effective in performing effectively in the business markets (Sage Publication, n.d.). Moreover, as per the views of Strickland and Thompson (2003), strategy is described as a managerial process, which is used to form strategic visions, objectives and approaches that are considered to be appropriate in order to accomplish long-term success. It is reflected that a strategy is said to be ineffective without the implementation of proper strategic management. It is often observed that there are various strategies that reflect as quite useful for developing overall business performance, but d oes not succeed in the long-run due to the lack of strategic management initiative. It is noticeable that the success of the organisations is dependable on various factors and thus there exists various levels of strategy for fulfilling the

Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Response paper - Essay Example Countries like China and India are in the development phase and are looking to establish themselves more in the international economy. For this purpose, they require more and more energy and as this energy is produced, more greenhouse gases would be emitted. The US and European countries, on the other hand, can afford to invest in the development of Clean Technology because they are well-developed. International cooperation asks all the countries to take certain measures to reduce the GHG. Such measures are acceptable for developed countries but under-developed countries cannot afford to comply with such requirements because of their energy needs. When these countries do not comply with international treaties, the other countries also pull out of such treaties. Apart from the economic needs, countries may also opt not to comply with a treaty because they do not want to follow the lead of Western countries. For instance, history tells us that China rarely followed the lead of US on ma ny occasions. The treaties made for better environment can work only when they are harmonized and every country contributes. This has not been the case in the Montreal Protocol and the Copenhagen

Community Supported Agriculture Research Proposal

Community Supported Agriculture - Research Proposal Example re created by individuals, and especially farmers in European parts of the globe to bear the expenses of farming, in order to acquire most out of the land. (Duram, pp. 77) In terms of definition, farming is performed and food is distributed according to a new socio-economic model, referred as community-supported agriculture. Moreover, community and its members play a vital and significant role in the development and maintenance of community-supported agriculture, which results in mutual benefits for the community from food production. Some of the tasks involved in CSA are delivery of produced foods on a weekly basis, which is performed by different community members. Nowadays, community-based agriculture is mostly used in the United States; however, a number of similar approaches of agriculture can be seen in other parts of the globe as well. In order to understand this form of agriculture in a detailed manner, it is essential to explore the different characteristics of it. Specifically, production of high-quality fruits and vegetables is the notion and mission of community-supported agriculture, which is achieved by the support of community members. A stronger consumer relationship can be observed in such form due to greater involvement of consumers with the producers. Every season, a supportive group of community decides to fund the budget of production, and thus, all the tasks and jobs are performed by the individuals in a collective manner. According to theories related to community-supported agriculture, a higher quality during the production of foods can be achieved by collective support and management of farming, and that is the core of such form of agriculture. In community-based agriculture, farmers do not have bear the expenses alone, which often results in reduction of quality standards, in order to lower the costs. However, the whole budget of a season is supported by the community members, and weekly production is distribution among these members,