Close Reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Close Reading - Essay Example I’m a Fool† may be claimed as a literary piece that thematically embodies the basic human nature which is governed by the love of real life rather than by the established standards of living. Through Anderson’s featured character who conveys his personal account of folly in a satirical manner of speech, â€Å"I’m a Fool† likely summons a critical reader to obtain a reverse comprehension of foolishness, or one that is understood in the light of the storyteller’s sense of fulfillment with his humble work. At the onset of the story, the narrator confesses times in the past when he felt that certain events made him feel like a fool as sitting in the grandstand and working as a swipe for one of two horses before he left hometown with Harry and Burt. Though a sad narrative voice is anticipated for the title of the story, the speaker seems to express no regrets on accepting his fate with the menial job despite the family’s opposition. He even appears to inject humor on mentioning ‘White Head’ and ‘nigger’ so that readers may observe perhaps a funny contrast in reference to Harry and Burt,

Extra Curriculum Activities Essay Example for Free

Extra Curriculum Activities Essay An ideal school need more subject options such as drama, art and music—to excel at all levels. The school works provided to students by teachers have their own academic importance, Nevertheless that alone does not fulfil the schooling and learning requirements and standards. In some schools, the educational systems are only based upon fixed set of courses that excludes extra curriculum activities, causing insufficient or restrictiveness for the student’s comprehension skills and imaginations. Although it is believed that today’s schools have the best education system including extra curriculum activities, it is yet underestimated in many schools. These activities will bring many benefits to students. Involving students to participate in extra curriculum activities is very important in helping them to develop many skills such as working and social skills. Of course, while there are definitely a large amount of benefits to extra curriculum activities for students, there needs to be a balance between that and school work. Getting involved in a few different activities is a great choice to improve various skills and attitudes, and is definitely beneficial in all aspects, but too many activities can result in students having academic problems and more. Therefore, it is important for students to set some limits in being involved in extra curriculum activities. Also not every student is a mad scientist or a mathematician, so these extra subject choices give students a chance to develop skills in particular areas they are well in. Students learn about long term commitments when they are involved in extracurricular activities as well, which is another excellent benefit. When they join one of the activities or clubs, they commit themselves to that activity for a period of time. Learning to take on commitments is important, and these activities can teach students this important lesson. Many times, being involved in extracurricular activities helps to raise the self esteem of teens. There are many teens that feel worthless or that there is nothing they are good at. Teens struggle with self esteem, and these activities are a way that they can build self esteem. Everyone wants to find something that they are really good at, and extracurricular activities provide them with a way that they can get involved in something and really shine, giving their self esteem a boost. Getting involved in extracurricular activities also allows students to get involved in various interests. It is important for students to be very diverse in their interests. These activities allow them to explore a range of interests that they may have. Students should be allowed to take another step forward and be able to explore the world of art and music and to be able to nurture their talent and explore their own potential in other areas. There are numerous advantages for students to participate in extra curriculum activities. Therefore schools should be encouraged to involve students in these activities that increase the students’ self-worth, ability to think creatively, emotional understanding, social networks and overall increase their academic performances. With so many benefits and advantages, how can schools exclude extra Curriculum Activities?

Jackson Pollock :: Essays Papers

Jackson Pollock Jackson Pollock was an American abstract artist born in Cody, Wyoming in 1912. He was the youngest of his five brothers. Even though he was born on a farm, he never milked a cow and he was terrified of horses because he grew up in California. He dropped out of high school at the age of seventeen and proceeded to move to New York City with his older brother, Charles, and studied with Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League. Thomas Benton was already a great artist at the time in which Pollock studied with him. Benton acted like the father figure in Pollock’s life to replace the original that wasn’t there. Benton was known for his large murals that appear on ceilings or walls. â€Å"Jack was a rebellious sort at all times,† recalls his classmate and friend, artist Harold Lehman. He grew his hair long and helped pen a manifesto denouncing athletics, even though â€Å"he had a muscular build and the school wanted to put him on the football team,† says former teacher Doug Lemon. Pollock always was upset with himself in his studies because he had troubles drawing things like they were supposed to look. From 1938 to 1942, Jackson joined a Mexican workshop of people with a painter named David Siqueiros. This workshop painted the murals for the WPA Federal Art Projects. This new group of people started experimenting with new types of paint and new ways of applying it to large canvas. People say that this time period was when Jackson was stimulated with ideas from looking at the Mexican or WPA murals. Looking at paintings from Picasso and the surrealists also inspired Jackson at this time. The type of paint they used was mixing oil colors with paint used for painting cars. Jackson noticed that the shapes and colors they created were just as beautiful as anything else was. Jackson realized that you didn’t have to be able to draw perfect to make beautiful paintings. Jackson started developing a whole new way of pa inting that he had never tried before and his paintings were starting to look totally different from before. Jackson also started action paintings, which are paintings that are abstract, but get the word action from the way they are made.

Rather the officials should have spoken

In the essay the author is attempting to protect the rights of free speech through persuasion rather than through threats and intimidations. In promoting his views, the author cites the example of an incident that took place at Harvard.It is the author’s contention that the university officials should not have enforced their rules on the offending students. Rather the officials should have spoken with the students in order to help them understand the effect that their action would have on the rest of the community. In developing his perspective, the author brings to light the dilemma that the first amendment presents in allowing such displays. However the author also suggests a way out. He is asking the university officials not to enforce any kind of rules on such displays.It is his contention that such a course of action will only generate more interest in such behaviors and therefore a vicious cycle will result. In other words, the author is suggesting that the university of ficial should not create too much publicity in dealing with such an issue.The author’s purpose in the essay is to explore the different ways in which arguments over free speech can be resolved. The incident that he mentions has to do with some students hanging a confederate flag in view.The First Amendment permits this. However it offends other members of the community. Therefore this is a difficult issue to resolve. On the one hand, university officials should not restrict the expression of free speech. On the other hand, they cannot allow freedom of speech to offend other members of the community.The author also mentions that some communities have enacted codes to resolve such situations while others have refused to impose such restrictions. The author’s purpose in this essay is to find a middle way. This is because enacting codes will only generate more interest in the area so that people will resort to more extreme forms of free speech.Refusing to impose restrictio ns will also not solve the problem because in this case the rights of free speech will be abused. The purpose of the author in this essay is to suggest a different way in which the issues raised can be resolved.In promoting his views, the author is citing examples of an incident that occurred at Harvard. This incident forms the core of this essay. Resolving the issues raised in this situation forms the structure of the essay. In developing the structure, the author draws upon the First Amendment to resolve the issue.However he brings to light how the First Amendment fails to resolve the situation that arose at Harvard. Therefore he argues for a greater level of communication with the students in order to help them decide for themselves whether what they did was right or wrong. The author believes that this is the only way for the university officials to resolve the situation with the minimum of publicity.The author believes that the publicity that will result from enforcing restrict ions will have the opposite effect. Therefore the university officials should try to resolve the issue internally by talking to the students. In presenting his views, the author argued the validity of imposing restrictions when such restrictions will only create more interest in the problem.The author clearly sympathizes with the students’ right to do what they did. However he seeks to communicate the importance of talking to the students in order to help them understand why what they could be considered subversive. He brings to light the fact that the students are clearly in their rights to hang the flag as it is permitted by the First Amendment.However he also argues over the inappropriateness of this action. He advises against enforcing restrictions. He believes that this will only create more awareness of this problem so that other students will be interested to create similar situations.Clearly it is in the university officials’ interest to minimize the number of these incidents and to that end, the university officials should resolve such situations privately by discussing the issues with the students.Therefore the author seeks to find a third way other than enforcing codes or doing nothing. In this respect, he stresses the importance of maintaining the balance between free speech and mutual respect. He says that this objective can be met through education and persuasion.

Marketing and Nike Swot Analysis Essay

Nike Swot Analysis Strengths * A very professionally competitive company. * Has ownership of no physical factories so production can be moved to a more cost effective location when necessary. * Very well branded among consumers. * Offers their products worldwide. * Have offices in forty five different countries. * Fortune 500 company. * Employs over thirty thousand people across the world. * Has a very strong marketing campaign that increases brand familiarity. * Chains of retail stores such as Niketown. * Has ventured into many different rebranding opportunities with successful results. * Providing lightweight shoes by incorporating lunarlite foam materials. Read more: http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/swot-analysis-nike.html#ixzz2IzMDg4a0 Swot Analysis Nike Weaknesses * Profits are largely dependent on the footwear products while other branded products are not as strong. * History of violations of over time laws and minimum wage rates in Vietnam. * Accusations of poor conditions in the work place. * Accusations of exploiting workforces that will work for cheap in overseas countries. * Constant focal point for negative criticism by the anti-globalization groups. Read more: http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/swot-analysis-nike.html#ixzz2IzMHweg2 Swot Analysis Nike Opportunities * Creating sportswear items by incorporating the waste from regular manufacturing. * Stepping into the line of economy boosting projects that will encourage recycling. * Product development that changes as the trends change. * Expansion into sport sunglasses and jewelry lines. * Expansion in the global markets to create larger brand recognition. * Reducing controversy surrounding their trade and production practices. Read more: http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/swot-analysis-nike.html#ixzz2IzMJaFq6 Swot Analysis Nike Threats * Operating business internationally opens them to the possibilities of currency value fluctuations that can lead to losses. * Competitors are becoming more aggressive and creating high quality products that are taking from the profits of NIKE. * Sensitivity to price among consumers leads them to purchase the most cost effective pair of sports shoes. * Maintaining the reputation of being eco-friendly. * Managing the financial conditions in the economy today. Read more: http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/swot-analysis-nike.html#ixzz2IzMLVeVp SWOT Nike February 26, 2010 By Hitesh Bhasin Leave a Comment SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths: * Nike is the world’s no. 1 shoemaker. It designs and sells shoes for a variety of sports including baseball, golf, cheerleading, volleyball, tennis and football. * Nike uses a â€Å"Make to Stock† customer order which provides a fast service to customers from available stock. * Nike operates Nike Town shoe and sportswear stores, Nike factory outlets and Nike Women shops. Nike sells its products throughout US and in more than 180 countries. * Nike is strong at research and development, as is evidenced by its evolving and innovative product range. They then manufacture wherever they can produce high quality product at the lowest possible price. * Nike is a global brand. It is the number one sports brand in the World. Its famous ‘Swoosh’ is instantly recognizable, and Phil Knight (Founder and CEO) even has it tattooed on his ankle. Weaknesses: * The income of the business is still heavily dependent upon its share of the footwear market. This may leave it vulnerable if for any reason its market share erodes. * The retail sector is very price sensitive. However, most of its income is derived from selling into retailers. Retailers tend to offer a very similar experience to the consumer. So margins tend to get squeezed as retailers try to pass some of the low price competition pressure onto Nike. Opportunities: * Product development offers Nike many opportunities. The brand is fiercely defended by its owners whom truly believe that Nike is not a fashion brand however consumers that wear Nike product do not always buy it to participate in sport. In youth culture especially, Nike is a fashion brand. This creates its own opportunities, s * There is also the opportunity to develop products such as sport wear, sunglasses and jewellery. Such high value items do tend to have associated with them, high profit * The business could also be developed internationally, building upon its strong global brand recognition. There are also global marketing events that can be utilised to support the brand such as the World Cup (soccer) and The Olympics. Threats: * Nike is exposed to the international nature of trade. It buys and sells in different currencies and so costs and margins are not stable over long periods of time. Such an exposure could mean that Nike may be manufacturing and/or selling at a loss. This is an issue that faces all global brands. * The market for sports shoes and garments is very competitive. Competitors are developing alternative brands to take away Nike’s market share. SWOT Analysis Nike, Inc. Would you like a lesson on SWOT analysis? Strengths. * Nike is a very competitive organization. Phil Knight (Founder and CEO) is often quoted as saying that ‘Business is war without bullets.’ Nike has a healthy dislike of is competitors. At the Atlanta Olympics, Reebok went to the expense of sponsoring the games. Nike did not. However Nike sponsored the top athletes and gained valuable coverage. * Nike has no factories. It does not tie up cash in buildings and manufacturing workers. This makes a very lean organization. Nike is strong at research and development, as is evidenced by its evolving and innovative product range. They then manufacture wherever they can produce high quality product at the lowest possible price. If prices rise, and products can be made more cheaply elsewhere (to the same or better specification), Nike will move production. * Nike is a global brand. It is the number one sports brand in the World. Its famous ‘Swoosh’ is instantly recognisable, and Phil Knight even has it tattooed on his ankle. Weaknesses. * The organization does have a diversified range of sports products. However, the income of the business is still heavily dependent upon its share of the footwear market. This may leave it vulnerable if for any reason its market share erodes. * The retail sector is very price sensitive. Nike does have its own retailer in Nike Town. However, most of its income is derived from selling into retailers. Retailers tend to offer a very similar experience to the consumer. Can you tell one sports retailer from another? So margins tend to get squeezed as retailers try to pass some of the low price competition pressure onto Nike. Your marketing qualification We’re delighted to offer you online marketing courses which give you total flexibility and the freedom to learn marketing when you like – from anywhere in the world. You can sign up to a course today. It takes 5 minutes! Marketing Teacher is the most popular marketing education content site in the world. You can gain certification and qualifications from Marketing Teacher. Opportunities. * Product development offers Nike many opportunities. The brand is fiercely defended by its owners whom truly believe that Nike is not a fashion brand. However, like it or not, consumers that wear Nike product do not always buy it to participate in sport. Some would argue that in youth culture especially, Nike is a fashion brand. This creates its own opportunities, since product could become unfashionable before it wears out i.e. consumers need to replace shoes. * There is also the opportunity to develop products such as sport wear, sunglasses and jewellery. Such high value items do tend to have associated with them, high profits. * The business could also be developed internationally, building upon its strong global brand recognition. There are many markets that have the disposable income to spend on high value sports goods. For example, emerging markets such as China and India have a new richer generation of consumers. There are also global marketing events that can be utilised to support the brand such as the World Cup (soccer) and The Olympics. Threats. * Nike is exposed to the international nature of trade. It buys and sells in different currencies and so costs and margins are not stable over long periods of time. Such an exposure could mean that Nike may be manufacturing and/or selling at a loss. This is an issue that faces all global brands. * The market for sports shoes and garments is very competitive. The model developed by Phil Knight in his Stamford Business School days (high value branded product manufactured at a low cost) is now commonly used and to an extent is no longer a basis for sustainable competitive advantage. Competitors are developing alternative brands to take away Nike’s market share. * As discussed above in weaknesses, the retail sector is becoming price competitive. This ultimately means that consumers are shopping around for a better deal. So if one store charges a price for a pair of sports shoes, the consumer could go to the store along the street to compare prices for the exactly the same item, and buy the cheaper of the two. Such consumer price sensitivity is a potential external threat to Nike.

Giving Back to the Environment essays

Giving Back to the Environment essays It is not simple to reduce the environmental impact of automobiles worldwide. It is hard to find a straightforward solution for making automobiles better for the environment without drastically increasing costs or cutting down on performance. the best way to deal with this problem is the Life-cycle approach. The goal of the life cycle approach at is to make vehicles that are more efficient and inexpensive. It embraces environmental performance and cost factors. The life cycle of an automobile begins with material production and concludes with retirement. The public is now conscious of environmental issues that have increased. However, the automobile industry as a whole must undertake this issue immediately. To paraphrase a segment of Richard Porters book Economics at the wheel, International automotive manufacturing is dominated by a fairly small number of large producers. The automobile industry is the leading manufacturing enterprise in the world. It is also one of the major industrial systems that use many resources. The automobile industries in Europe and the U.S. use approximately 46 million tons of material annually to produce 24 million vehicles. Today, a vehicle consists of approximately 15,000 parts. Steel, iron and plastic, and non-ferrous metal dominate automobile construction. They account for more than 80% of the material used in today's vehicles. (19-20) I first learned about the total life-cycle analysis of automobiles during a lecture in Chem. 112 (Chemistry in the news). My professor Don Shillady pointed me in the right direction to obtain sufficient information for this report. During Don Shilladys lecture, I learned the obtainment and processing of new resources that serve as input for automotive material cause environmental impacts and concerns as well. In addition, large amounts of energy are consumed in heating, cooling, and producing millions of tons of steel, aluminum, plast...

A Custom Definition Essay Example About Respect Writing Assistance

A Custom Definition Essay Example About Respect Writing Assistance WHAT WE HAVENT HEARD ABOUT RESPECT BEFORE One of the most important ways of establishing and maintaining lasting relationships both at home and at work is having respect for oneself and others. The term respect refers the recognition of the values of people and things and treating them with care and concern. It means having a deep admiration for someone or something. This admiration stems from the accomplishments, abilities and the qualities of a person. Additionally, respect encapsulates the way one thinks about someone or something. For instance, an employer can be said to have respect for his employees if he admires their abilities and accomplishments in the workplace and treats them well. Respect determines the way in which a person lives as well as the interaction with other members of the society. Respect for oneself, for instance, restrains a person from engaging in risk-taking behaviors that can cause the destruction of both the body and mind. Moreover, having respect for each other at home, in the workplace and in the society at large help in reducing conflicts, disagreements and misunderstandings thus contributing to peaceful coexistence and a harmonious society. One can also demonstrate respect for things because of the inherent values they have. The fundamentals of respect, consequently, remain constant whether a person or an item is in question. Respect plays a central role in building and maintaining healthy and lasting relationships. First, respect helps in establishing open communication between the parties in relationships. In families, for instance, having respect helps the members to be trustworthy, honest and straight forward. This way they are capable of abiding by the family rules and living peacefully. Additionally, open communication emanating from respect is useful in the workplaces. Respect enables the employers and employees alike, to communicate with each other in a professional and honest manner. This way, people feel free to convey their opinions and ideas in without being interrupted. Secondly, respect is significant in building trust in relationships. The flourishing of relationships, whether family, business, intimate or working relationships depends on trust. Respect for oneself and others can help in building trust. Â  An employee who fulfills the responsibilities and delivers in time because of the respect for his job and employers, for example, is capable of gaining the trust of the employees. Consequently, the employee has higher chances of being promoted. Additionally, having respect in relationships results in trust between couples making them have better and healthier relationships. Moreover, respect is important in relationships since it is the key to happiness. Having respect for others enables a person to become more tolerant and embrace people’s differences. Additionally, respecting the views and beliefs of others limits conflicts and confrontations among the people. The result is the peaceful coexistence between people that gives them inner peace, contentment, and happiness. Furthermore, having respect for other people boosts their esteem since they feel appreciated. One of the ways of becoming more respectful to others is honesty. Honesty comprises vital traits like truthfulness, straightforwardness, and integrity. It is important to realize that people would like to be dealt with honestly. Therefore, showing respect for others entails being honest in words and actions. Additionally, one should be responsible for their words and make people know that they are reliable. An additional approach of displaying respect to others is by exhibiting kindness. When dealing with family, friends or colleagues, showing kindness makes them feel appreciated and loved. One of the ways of showing kindness to others is watching one’s tone when addressing others. It is important to note that no one wants to be ordered around and using the golden words such as please and thank you can aid in showing respect. Obedience is another way through which one can show respect to others. If asked by an elderly person or a person in authority to do something which is not harmful or immoral, one should obey and follow the instructions. Other ways of being more respectful are; taking care of one’s mess, exercising fairness, courtesy, avoiding putting blames on others and listening to others without interrupting. Personally, I think respect means accepting people for who they are and learning to live with them harmoniously despite our differences. It involves embracing other people’s strengths and weaknesses without prejudice. By learning to accept other people, we reduce our engagements in conflicts and other disrespectful behaviors such as name calling and hauling insults at each other. The end result is a cohesive and harmonious society.

An Overview of Historic Preservation

An Overview of Historic Preservation Historic preservation is a movement in planning designed to conserve old buildings and areas in an effort to tie a places history to its population and culture. It is also an essential component to green building in that it reuses structures that are already present as opposed to new construction. Additionally, historic preservation can help a city become more competitive because historic, unique buildings give areas more prominence when compared to the homogeneous skyscrapers that dominate in many large cities. It is important to note, however, that historic preservation is a term used only in the United States and it did not gain prominence until the 1960s when it started in response to urban renewal, an earlier failed planning movement. Other English-speaking countries often use the term heritage conservation to refer to the same process while architectural conservation refers just to the preservation of buildings. Other terms include urban conservation, landscape preservation, built environment/heritage conservation, and immovable object conservation. History of Historic Preservation Although the actual term historic preservation did not become popular until the 1960s, the act of conserving historic places dates back to the mid-17th Century. At this time, wealthy Englishmen consistently collected historic artifacts, leading to their preservation. It was not until 1913 though that historic preservation became a part of English law. In that year the Ancient Monuments Act in the United Kingdom officially preserved structures there with historical interest. In 1944, preservation became a major component to planning in the U.K. when the Town and Country Planning Act put the preservation of historic places into the forefront of laws and approval of planning projects. In 1990, another Town and Country Planning Act passed and the protection of public buildings grew even more. In the United States, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities was founded in 1889 in Richmond, Virginia as the first state historic preservation group in the country. From there, other areas followed suit and in 1930, Simons and Lapham, an architectural firm, helped created the first historic preservation law in South Carolina. Shortly thereafter, the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana became the second area to fall under a new preservation law. The preservation of historic places then hit the national scene in 1949 when the U.S. National Trust for Historic Preservation developed a specific set of goals for preservation. The organization’s mission statement claimed that it aimed to protect structures providing leadership and education and that it also wanted to save America’s diverse historic places and revitalize [its] communities. Historic preservation then became a part of the curriculum at many universities in the U.S. and the world that taught urban planning. In the U.S., historic preservation became a large component in the planning profession in the 1960s after urban renewal threatened to destroy many of the nation’s most historic places in major cities like Boston, Massachusetts and Baltimore, Maryland. Divisions of Historic Places Within planning, there are three main divisions of historic areas. The first and most important to planning is the historic district. In the United States, this is a group of buildings, properties, and/or other sites that are said to be historically significant and in need of protection/redevelopment. Outside of the U.S., similar places are often called conservation areas. This is a common term used in Canada, India, New Zealand, and the U.K. to designate places with historical natural features, cultural areas, or animals to be protected. Historic parks are the second division of areas within historic preservation while historic landscapes are the third. Significance in Planning Historic preservation is important to urban planning because it represents an effort to conserve old building styles. In doing so, it forces planners to identify and work around the protected places. This usually means the insides of buildings are renovated for prestigious office, retail, or residential space, which can result in a competitive downtown as rents are normally high in these areas because they are popular gathering places. In addition, historic preservation also results in a less homogenized downtown landscape. In many new cities, the skyline is dominated by glass, steel, and concrete skyscrapers. Older cities that have had their historic buildings preserved may have these but they also have interesting older buildings. For example in Boston, there are new skyscrapers, but the renovated Faneuil Hall shows the importance of the areas history and also serves as a meeting place for the citys population. This represents a good combination of the new and old but also shows one of the main goals of historic preservation. Criticisms of Historic Preservation Like many movements in planning and urban design, historic preservation has had a number of criticisms. The largest is the cost. While it might not be more expensive to renovate old buildings instead of building new, the historic buildings are often smaller and therefore cannot accommodate as many businesses or people. This raises rents and forces lower income uses to relocate. In addition, critics say the popular style of newer high rise buildings can cause the smaller, old buildings to become dwarfed and undesirable. Despite these criticisms, historic preservation has been an important part of urban planning. As such, many cities around the world today were able to retain their historic buildings so future generations can see what cities may have looked like in the past and recognize that times culture through its architecture.

Fundamentals of Finance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fundamentals of Finance - Coursework Example The returns of HSBC are compared against the London Stock Exchange and against Barclays Bank. This report includes the analysis of stock price movement of HSBC, Barclays Bank and London Stock Exchange. Apart from this, Beta of HSBC and Barclays have been calculated and the report also includes beta analysis of the two companies. INTRODUCTION This report analyses the stock price of one of the renowned financial institutions in the world, HSBC. HSBC is considered as the second largest financial and banking group in the world. In this report, stock price movement of HSBC has been compared with the average market movement of London Stock Exchange. In addition to this, the stock price movement of HSBC is compared with one of its competitors, Barclays Bank. In order to have better analysis, the return from market is also compared with return of Barclays as it would help in analysing better whether the movement in price is because of banking industry or the company itself. Barclays has been chosen as the competitor in the report because it is another multinational bank operating in different countries like HSBC. HSBC is considered as the second largest banking and financial services group of the world and according to Forbes Magazine it is also the second largest public company [6. 7]. ... HSBC has increased in 2010 from 2009 and it has reached to a figure of 19.04 billion with a net income of 13.16 billion USD (Annual Report and Accounts, 2010). ANALYSIS Financial Ratios: Liquidity Ratio Liquidity ratios of HSBC do not show very positive figures as the current ratio of HSBC in 2010 is 0.27 which has decreased from 0.30 in 2009. However current ratio in the last five years has been in the range of 0.27 to 0.32 which shows that the bank does not have sufficient current assets or it has too many current liabilities. Liquidity Ratios Formulae 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 Current Ratio Current Assets/Current Liabilities 0.27 0.30 0.32 0.30 0.28 Quick Ratio Current Assets - Inventory/Current Liabilities 0.27 0.30 0.32 0.30 0.28 Since banks do not have any inventory therefore, current ratio will be the same as quick ratio. Profitability Ratios: Net profit margin has increased in 2010 since 2007; however it is understandable because of the financial crisis that hurt the economy o f the world particularly the financial sector. Net profit margin has increased to 36% in 2010 from 16% showing that the economy as well as HSBC is recovering from recession. Also the return on assets is not attractive and it is representing that the bank is not using its assets effectively or they are underutilized. The same is the case with return on equity as it is too low for investors to invest. Profitability Ratios Formulae 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 Operating Income Margin Operating Income/Sales 42% 13% 18% 60% 62% Profit Margin Profit/Revenue 36% 16% 15% 54% 49% Return on Assets Profit/Assets 0.58% 0.28% 0.26% 0.87% 0.91% Return on equity Profit/Equity 4.39% 2.19% 2.22% 7.02% 7.16% Leverage Ratio Leverage ratio represents that HSBC has been heavily financed with Debt. The debt ratio

Learning plan 1500 work(assignmnet 2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Learning plan 1500 work(assignmnet 2) - Essay Example It encompasses the preoperative phase, preanaesthetic checkup, psychological support, explanation of the procedure, nausea and vomiting prophylaxis, preparation of the patient, pain relief, postoperative monitoring, and postoperative care. Thus this should also involve nursing care in the preoperative phase and late postoperative phase (Riley and Peters, 2000). A patient who intends to receive surgical care, in most cases surgery is the last resort. Where alternatives are available, these patients usually go through nonoperative measures, until a stage reaches when the surgeon advises surgery. Surgery although very sophisticated in the present era of technological advancement, is a mutilative procedure, and consequently, most patients have apprehension about the procedure. The patients who present are usually patients with general surgical conditions, such as, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, hiatal hernia, inguinal hernia, intestinal diseases, thyroidectomy, so on and so forth. Before the surgery, the surgeons undertake investigations for fitness of anesthesia, and they explain in detail about the procedure. A preanesthetic checkup is done. On the day of surgery, the patients are advised to remain in empty stomach, and they are given certain preoperative medications (Willman and Johnsson, 1994). Research has suggested that nursing can play important roles in both pre and perioperative care. Preoperative apprehension and anxiety have been attributed to be playing important roles in incidence of perioperative nausea and vomiting, which can be very distressing and may even continue into the immediate postoperative phase leading to aggravation of postoperative pain and discomfort (Malen, 1986). Nurses through their empathic communication skill cam assess this situation, and they can explain the situation with greater detail with an attempt to answer all the

A critique of the national literacy framework and the hour Essay

A critique of the national literacy framework and the hour - Essay Example The literacy hour is a means of implementing the objectives designed by the Framework. In this one hour teachers devote themselves entirely to making literates of their students.The National Literacy Framework and the training it provides are based on the National Literacy Project. Its aim is laudable and it has shown a degree of success in improving literacy standards. However it has been condemned on a number of counts and many teachers are up in arms against it. Therefore it is imperative for a teacher to subject the Framework and the literacy hour to intense scrutiny and analyze its positive and negative features with respect to the subject of teaching of reading. This examination with its salient features and results are outlined below.In the words of Jeanne S.Chall and Steven Stahl, reading is an "activity characterized by the translation of symbols, or letters, into words and sentences that have meaning to the individual". From their earliest years, children acquire the skills needed for learning to read. According to Chall and Stahl children as they become acclimatized to the sounds in their environment, "learn that spoken words are composed of separate sounds and that letters can represent these sounds." Itzhoff (1996:20) also stresses the importance of language proficiency in reading proficiency. Therefore parents can help children on their journey to fluent reading by diligently reading bedtime stories, having conversations and indulging in language play. Children having equipped themselves with these skills are now ready to learn reading. The National Literacy Framework has outlined three levels of work that children have to master in order to become literate; 1. Word-level work that includes phonics, proficiency in spelling and an improving vocabulary. 2. Sentence-level work pertaining to grammatical and punctuation rules. 3. Text-level work with regard to comprehension and composition skills. Wray et al. (2001:2) state that, "Each of these three levels was seen as essential to effective reading and writing and there is a close interrelationship between them." It now remains for the teacher to impart knowledge to the students about these skills as they constitute the entire foundation of their future proficiency in reading and writing. EFFECTIVE TEACHERS AND METHODS OF TEACHING "Success in literacy is measured not by what children know about texts, print etc. but by what they can do with them."(Wray et al. 2001:6) this statement captures the essence of what literacy is meant to do. The prerequisites for effective teachers and methods of teaching given below are derived from the research done by Wray, Medwell, Poulson and Fox. Effective teachers have a clear idea of what they are going to teach and how they are going to go about it. They are systematic in their teaching methods. Teaching is done using "shared" texts, where the teacher and students pool their resources to negotiate their way through the obscure and sometimes treacherous terrain of grammar, punctuation and other literacy essentials. The many aspects of reading and writing are taught not as so many isolated shards of information but as part of a larger, comprehensive whole. Good teachers have well-developed system for monitoring every individual student's progress and catering to their needs accordingly. Effective methods of teaching include careful attention to the teaching of pronunciation, word features like syllables and inflections, synonyms, punctuations, grammatical constructions etc. A suitable "literate environment" must be constructed bearing in mind a

A Lexical Phrase Grammar for ESL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Lexical Phrase Grammar for ESL - Essay Example An example is, from the definition of idioms, we can see that they are frozen syntax in complex bits. This definition is does not describe its meaning basing on its constituents (James, 1980). The real meaning of idioms is just the addition of its individual parts such as; raining cats and dogs, kick the bucket, etc. these are just normal phrases same as ordinary English words and are therefore treated as ordinary in ESL texts. Another good example are cliches. Even though they seem alike as idioms they differ in a way that their meaning can be derived from its specific constituents (James, 1980).   Ã‚  Other forms of phrases that are in a way or another patterned are the non-canonical forms. These forms differ from idioms and cliches in that, they constitute of more large stretches of language as well as their meaning can be extracted from single words it contains. e.g the drier the climate, the more he likes it;waste not, want not; down the hatch; off his head (James, 1980). In t his and such a case, the last bit which is off the head, can take other forms since it’s only a single way of completing the pattern. Phrases such as on with the show, down with the king; can also complete the large phrase perfectly without changing the meaning. From this example, we are able to note that it is a kind of pattern (ADV+PREPOSITION (with) + NP)   (James, 1980). Only the preposition will tend to remain constant while the other categories can be filled with other lexical items. This is the reason why they are considered non-canonical.

Select one of your favorite brands that is involved in licensing Research Paper

Select one of your favorite brands that is involved in licensing. Write one page on why or why not it works for the brand - Research Paper Example 529). Acne Studios is a part of the Creative Collective Acne. The Studio was founded in the year 1996 in Stockholm, Sweden. Acne Studios is a fashion manufacturing brand that designs fashion apparels and jeans. The operations of Acne Studio are not only limited to Sweden. In fact, the operations are expanded across the world. In order to expand its operations, the company relies on licensing agreements. With the help of licensing agreements, the company has successfully expanded its operations in Europe and Asia. The Swedish company is also planning to expand its business in London, Paris, and Japan. The effectiveness of licensing for Acne Studios can be realized from the fact the company has successfully expanded its operations in 35 locations with the help of licensing agreements (Okonkwo pp. 353). Under the licensing agreement, the company sells its licenses to other companies. Those companies use the brand, design, and IP of the parent company. The licenses can be sold to several companies in the same market. The licensing agreements have also allowed Acne Studios to exercise control over how the brand is used. This has allowed the company to maintain the standard of its products (Okonkwo pp. 353). Hagedoorn, J., S. Lorenz-Orlean, and H. van Kranenburg. â€Å"Inter-firm Technology Transfer: Partnership-embedded Licensing or Standard Licensing Agreements?† Industrial and Corporate Change 18.3 (2008):

Services Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Services Marketing - Essay Example Even in emerging economics, services output is growing rapidly and often represents at least half of GDP (World Bank, 1996). In developed countries, knowledge based services - defined as those that are intensive uses of high technology and/or have relatively highly skilled workforces are providing the most dynamic components (Peneder, Kaniovsky and Dachs, 2003, 47-66). What is service: A service is an act or performance offered by one party to another. Although the process may be tied to a physical product, the performance is transitory, often intangible in nature, and does not normally result in ownership of any of the factors of production. So it has been very clear that In the case of goods, the benefits come from ownership of physical objects or devices, whereas in services the benefits are created by actions or performances (Bery, 1980). The dynamic environment of services today places a premium on effective marketing. Christian Gronsoos (2001) argues that service-marketing function is much broader than the activities and output of the traditional marketing department, requiring close cooperation between marketers and those managers responsible for operations and human resources (Gronsoos, 2001, 26-27). To run on efficient operation Employees must be customer oriented in addition to being concerned about efficiency. The service product must be tailored to customer needs, priced realistically, distributed through convenient channels, and actively promoted to customers. Difference of service marketing: Marketing management tasks in services sector tend to differ from those in manufacturing sector in several important respects i.e. in services customer do not obtain ownership of services, service product are ephemeral and cannot be inventoried, intangible element dominate value creation, customers may be involved in the production process, other people may form part of the product, there is greater variability in operational inputs and outputs, many services are difficult for customers to evaluate, the time factor assumes great importance and distribution channel takes different forms. Although it's useful to distinguish marketing, it's also important to recognize that there are marketing relevant differences among services themselves. Types of services: Numerous proposals have been made for classifying services (Lovelock, 1983, 9-20). A particularly significant classification is based on the processes by which services are created and delivered. By looking at service processes from a purely operational perspective, we can categorized into four main categories i.e. people processing includes our company i.e. Hotel industry specifically Radisson Hotel & Resorts, the service directed by people's bodies, possession processing, the service directed at physical possessions include Transportation, warehousing etc., Mental stimulus processing i.e. services directed at people's mind includes Advertisement/PR, entertainment, education etc. and information processing, the services directed at intangible assets include Banking, data processing, legal service etc. Nothing can alter the fact that people processing services require the customer to be physically present with in the service premises, in our case in the Hotel. When customers visit a service factory (Hotel), their satisfaction

Select one of your favorite brands that is involved in licensing Research Paper

Select one of your favorite brands that is involved in licensing. Write one page on why or why not it works for the brand - Research Paper Example 529). Acne Studios is a part of the Creative Collective Acne. The Studio was founded in the year 1996 in Stockholm, Sweden. Acne Studios is a fashion manufacturing brand that designs fashion apparels and jeans. The operations of Acne Studio are not only limited to Sweden. In fact, the operations are expanded across the world. In order to expand its operations, the company relies on licensing agreements. With the help of licensing agreements, the company has successfully expanded its operations in Europe and Asia. The Swedish company is also planning to expand its business in London, Paris, and Japan. The effectiveness of licensing for Acne Studios can be realized from the fact the company has successfully expanded its operations in 35 locations with the help of licensing agreements (Okonkwo pp. 353). Under the licensing agreement, the company sells its licenses to other companies. Those companies use the brand, design, and IP of the parent company. The licenses can be sold to several companies in the same market. The licensing agreements have also allowed Acne Studios to exercise control over how the brand is used. This has allowed the company to maintain the standard of its products (Okonkwo pp. 353). Hagedoorn, J., S. Lorenz-Orlean, and H. van Kranenburg. â€Å"Inter-firm Technology Transfer: Partnership-embedded Licensing or Standard Licensing Agreements?† Industrial and Corporate Change 18.3 (2008):

Schedule Recovery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Schedule Recovery - Essay Example The flight routes are of the same time length and as such flight swapping has no effect on the amount of fuel cost or maintenance operation per flight time. Both aircrafts travel the same hours as previously scheduled. Aircraft A will be in SCL at the end of the recovery period instead of being in ALX while Aircraft B will be in ALX at the end of the recovery period rather than in SCL. Aircraft swapping as a recovery option also requires crew to swap. The one of the two crews assigned to each flight has to swap as the other one remains with the aircraft. Flight swapping calls for the reserve crew to be called to fill in the gap created (Belobaba, Odoni, Barnhart 265). The crew now assigned to WA 1269 will end up in ATL at the end of the recovery period on flight WA 1276. The three crew remaining will be assigned to flight WA 1270 and at the end of the recovery period they will end up back in SCL on flight WA 1280. Passenger disruption is minimized in this schedule. The affected flight 1269 results in zero passenger disruptions. Flight WA 1270 will have to be delayed for 20 minutes before departure arriving in PHX at 1500h. As a result, there is 20 minutes arrival delay. Although the flight is delayed, the passenger to ALX will not be affected as the next flight WA 1280 will be ready for departure as scheduled at 1600h. The connecting passengers on flight WA 1270 but on a different airline have a chance of misconnecting. Deadheading costs of crew members that find themselves in one position rather than in the usual position. This crew, although, not flying the plane are still considered on duty and have to be paid for this flight. This cost is affected by the place of residence of the crew. Compensation cost of passengers by the airline affects those passengers that have connections to different locations, but with a different airline network. This cost is influenced by the number of passengers who are connecting with different

Riordan Process Improvement Plan Essay Example for Free

Riordan Process Improvement Plan Essay Time is always moving forward making it difficult to execute daily processes slowly. Travelling is a daily process that takes much time and resources. Time spent on travelling can be known as waste time as the main goal is to transport from point A to point B without analyzing or performing actions on other tasks. Multitasking is not advisable meaning a high focus should be on the road and other road users plus it is illegal. The process if done as quickly as possible can reduce the cycle time leaving extra time for more profitable processes. The activity to drive from home to office is graphically shown below in the form of a flowchart. Currently time taken to execute the activity is not efficient. Certain processes are occupying heavier proportion from the total cycle time. A process improvement plan is drawn not only to analyze and reduce current time but also not forgetting to achieve a safe trip. Statistical Process Control Data below tabulates five weeks of travelling time from home to office. The next step is to deduce whether the data is efficient by running a test. Statistical process control (SPC) tests random samples from processes to determine the productivity is perfectly efficient (Chase, Jacobs Aquilano, 2006). The test graphically depicts the upper control limit (UCL) and lower control limit (LCL) of each the average mean and average range graphs. Average of time taken and range from each week in combination with the range and average factors are requirements to calculate both limits. Graphs with the limits first, plot the weekly average mean and average range. Observation is made from the graphs to decide on whether or not all sample data is within the control limits. The sample data that either is higher than the UCL or lower than the LCL will be the overuse time. Value of data is not only under observation but also the pattern of the chart is also under monitoring. The pattern of a stable chart is sample data closely plotting around the mean data. Patterns that exhibit an increase toward the UCL or decrease toward the LCL or erratic behavior must undergo investigations (Chase et al., 2006). The both chart depicts that the average of total time and range is within the UCL and LCL. The observation only concludes that the current data is allowable but not perfectly efficient. The pattern of the data in the average mean chart depicts a run of three plots above central line. The practice to avoid the first week’s traffic congestion is to leave from home reaching office exactly at 9.00 a.m. The second and third week changes practice as work is piling up and requires more setup time. The pattern of the data in R chart depicts an increase. The final plot reaches a range nearly to the UCL. The reason is the zero value recording of total cycle time on Monday. Seasonal Factors The data above is in normal tabulation manner meaning no trips involving external variables or environmental factors intervention is taken into consideration. External variables present itself in seasonal or cyclic durations. The latter is easily taken into consideration as the operation time is constant but the former makes it harder to analyze any given length of duration. Seasonal usually associates with duration of the year involving particular activities (Chase et al., 2006). The trip from home to office is  under different seasonal influences. The fasting period of the Muslims is a major influence in the trip. Traffic is much lighter not only for the trip to the office but also from the office especially on the weekends.. Vehicles on the main route and highway are less reducing driving time. The drive is much smoother requiring less petrol eliminating the duration to drive to the petrol station and fill petrol. Holiday’s season is another major influence in the trip. Academic institutes such as schools, colleges and universities are undergoing final examination. Institutes deem holidays reducing the morning. Vehicles belonging to school bus drivers, college or university students and instructors reduce allowing working adults to use the routes and highway freely. The current assumptions are made relying on past personal experience of the last five years. Finally observation relying on past personal experiences has shown that in the initial week traffic is at the highest at peak hours but reduces by the end of the month. Employees tend to stay late at office at the final week of the month mostly because of the need to complete monthly closing reports. Amount of cars reduces as the weeks run in a monthly cycle. Total cycle time needs to be as less and independent as possible. Cycle time that easily reacts under any influences will make decisions harder to conclude as observations are not consistent. Seasonal factor is the adjustable correctional value in a given time series of the season of the year. The table below records the seasonal factor that adjusts the next month’s cycle time to 300 minutes comparing to the current 347.14 minutes. Confidence Intervals Confidence intervals are brackets that the true population occur base on the confidence levels (NIST SEMATECH, n.d., para. 2). 95% is set as the confidence level for the above data. The sample size is below 15 and the chart below depicts the distribution of average mean for the five weeks being normal (University of Phoenix, 2010, Estimation and Confidence Intervals, p. 305). The distribution scale put to use is the t-distribution satisfying the above conditions. The interval that encloses the true population parameter in a 95% confidence level base on the current data is from 61.98% to 79.57%. Conclusion The process undergoing the plan records a nearly stable result from the (SPC) within the control limits, producing seasonal factors for next month forecast and nearly a high confidence interval for its confidence level. The process is still open for modifications as the plan has point out areas for improvements. The SPC pattern’s requires the data to be graphically stable, the average mean are not to be heavily leaning against the seasonal factors and the confidence interval must increase so that the quickest cycle time is achievable. References Chase, R. B., Jacobs, F. R., Aquilano, N. J. (2006). Operations management for competitive advantage (11th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin. NIST SEMATECH (n.d.). What are Confidence Intervals? Product and Process Comparisons. Retrieved from http://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook/prc/section1/prc14.htm University of Phoenix. (2010). Statistical Techniques. Retrieved August 21, 2010 from University of Phoenix, QNT 561 – Applied Business Research Statistics

a world lit only by fire Essay -- essays research papers

Antigone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus. She had two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, and a sister Ismene. Oedipus had been the King of Thebes. However, he had killed his father and married his mother not knowing they were his parents. Oedipus was disgraced and had left the kingdom. His two sons were too young to rule, so Creon, their uncle served as ruler of Thebes. When Polyneices and Eteocles grew older they allowed their Uncle Creon to continue to rule because of the dishonor, which had been caused by their father. In time, each of the brothers wanted to rule Thebes. Arguments ensued. Polyneices felt he should be the ruler because he was the eldest. Eteocles, also wanted to rule, but was forced to leave Thebes by his brother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Polyneices went to Argo and recruited an army against his brother and Thebes. During the battle Polyneices and Eteocles killed each other committing the sin of fratricide. After the death of their brothers, Antigone and Ismene were the only remaining members of the royal Oedipus family. Antigone was to marry Haemon, Creon’s son thus uniting both royal families. Creon gave Eteocles a hero’s funeral because he fought for Thebes. Polyneices was not to be given a proper funeral but left out in the open for animals to eat and carry off.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Antigone felt she and Ismene had an obligation to bury Polyneices, as there were no longer any males alive in the family. ...

Effective Teaching Essays -- Education

Introduction â€Å"Those that can, do. Those that can’t, teach†. This simple proverb from George Bernard Shaw’s â€Å"Man and Superman† is often quoted in modern times, denigrating the hard work of teachers from preparatory grades right through to the highest academic institutions. While it is true that almost anyone can teach in the true definition of the word, being an effective teacher is a much harder proposition. A truly effective teacher has a wide pedagogical skill set, along with the knowledge of when to apply it, an awareness of their students in terms of their needs and abilities and an understanding of the curriculum and its aims. This essay will review some of the critical prerequisites of an effective teacher. Student Foundations The foundation of effective teaching comes from having an understanding of the â€Å"Facets of a Student† (Whitton, Barker, Nosworthy, Sinclair, Nanlohy, 2010 p.108) as these external factors play a major role in how a student learns. When planning an effective lesson, the content cannot be considered in academic isolation. The interpretation and implementation of the curriculum must take into account the unique combination of the class: their age, gender, socio-economic climate, cultural/religious beliefs and ideals. The teacher must also consider the overall student body in regards to the number of students, their learning styles and their abilities. Lyons refers to this as the â€Å"Ecological Perspective... to remind us that when dealing with children, the individual with his/her immediate environment is also influenced by a broader more complex environment† (Lyons, 2011 p.41). Failure to recognise critical facets can lead to a student having a negative net result from a lesson. An example ... ...ons are used towards the end of each activity, to help relate the activity to the student's everyday experiences and for social constructivism and scaffolding. Conclusion As outlined in this essay, there are a variety of skill sets that help make a teacher more effective. Each skill on its own provides new value to each lesson, but it is when these skills combine into a lesson that a teacher truly becomes effective and stands above those that meet the more literal definitions of a teacher. Works Cited Colburn, A. (2000). Constructivism: Science educations "grand unifying theory". The Clearing House, 74(1), 9-12. http://search.proquest.com/docview/196881181?accountid=10382 Davies, P. (Producer) & Whitehouse, K. (Presenter). (2012). Knowledge & understanding of the world [Video File]. Retrieved from: http://www.schoolsworld.tv/node/2065?terms=644

Political Dispute in the Early 19th Century

During the 1800's, Americans in the North and South often had conflict but could no longer resolve their political disputes through compromise by the year 1860. In this time period, compromise was not an option because slavery and states rights' caused political disputes between the north and south. The two political parties in the north and south lost their ability to cooperate and by the mid 1800's increased the issue of the division of the states.The North and South in the nineteenth century were different in lifestyle and morale as well as economy. The north had a booming industrial economy while in the South, cotton was the major economic leader. Because of this congress was continuously addressing controversial matters and providing answers that did not satisfy either one side or both. The early 1800s were full of the North and the South making many attempts at reconciliation that just fell short. Among those were the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Great Compromise of 1850 .Other attempts led to the Tariff/Nullification Controversy, anti slavery debates in congress, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Whether it was one side or the other there was always someone to oppose or defy the other side. Laws put in place eventually led to the succession of the southern states and the Civil War.The issue of slavery became an even greater concern when the Louisiana Purchase territories were to enter the Union as states. The question was, would new territories enter the Union as slave or free states? The South wanted a balance of power. They knew that if the North were to have more free states, then slavery in the south could be facing extinction through congress.In an attempt to conciliate with the South, the North agreed upon the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Through this slavery was banned above the 36 degrees 30 minute line and Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine a free state. For a while, it retained the balance of power. However, tempers in the south rose again later in the 1820s over high tariffs. The tariffs benefited the north but threatened southern cotton exports. In 1828 the tariff was around 50%. President Jackson modified it to around 33% in 1832 only to have South Carolina nullify it in the state. It raised the question  of whether or not the federal government could legally impose protective tariffs and whether it was constitutional for a state to nullify a federal lawThe political view on slavery and states rights grew as compromise between the north and south political parties began to collapse during the mid 19th century. Henry Clay stated that it is impossible for South Carolina to become an independent state. A report of the American Anti-Slavery Society was opposed to slavery naming slave owners as â€Å"man stealers† and believed that slaves should be free. Political compromise was not greatly effected by their belief but the Compromise of 1850 resulted in the Fugitive Slave Law being passed which caused the collapse in the political parties.The issue of slavery continued to increase as compromise slowly disintegrated. Abolitionism increased by the encouragement of Frederick Douglass, a leader, who promoted freedom for all slaves. Also, â€Å"Uncle Toms Cabin† published by Harriet Beecher started up abolitionism in the North while the South to oppose against abolitionists. Senator Daniel Webster who is opposed to secession stated that the North is not complied with the Fugitive Slave Law. In addition, a New York Tribune comparing working class men in the north to southern gentlemen caused more conflict between the states over the issue of slavery. The division of the states over the issue of slavery enhanced the collapse of compromise between the North and South political parties.

Charles on fire

Appearances, or spirituality? Charles on fire, by James Merrill, describes a conversation about the trade off between the maintaining of appearances and the pursuing of spirituality, which the discussion happened among three friends. The process of spirituality finding Is beautiful but painful, and people would rather stay with appearances. One of them, the bearded man, says, â€Å"Without your Intellectual and spiritual values, man, you are sunk. † The beard implies that this man is old enough to summary something f life.And his friends realize that he is right, they do only pay attention to the surface, the appearances. So they begin to contemplate. Then Charles appears, â€Å"brought out little tumblers finely etched† filled with wine, then lights a fire in one glass. The narrator describes the beautiful view of the fire on wine, â€Å"A blue flame, gentle, beautiful, came, went above the surface,† but rapidly â€Å"we heard the vessel crack† and  "the contents drained†. That means if you want to chase the rise of your spirit, you usually need to pay pain as the cost.And this pain is so unbearable that few people can tolerate It. That is why Charles â€Å"made two quick sweeps† to extinguish the flames and â€Å"flesh again. † The word â€Å"flesh† Implies that Charles comes back to a real person with flesh, not a virtual split. And even so, Charles still makes â€Å"a shocked, unconscious glance Into the mirror† because he cares about his appearance. Since he â€Å"finding nothing changed,† he â€Å"sank down among us,† just as the bearded man said, you are sunk. † Maybe in a few minutes, they are in â€Å"a crystal coach† which means they are in a higher level of life.However, finally they have to get out of the coach, and return to a normal person, a lower level of life. James Merrill uses many metaphors to make his readers contemplate. These metaphors are beauti ful, ingenious and most important, reasonable. It is wonderful that he can express his opinion through such a short, delicate poem. Discussion happened among three friends. The process of spirituality finding is them, the bearded man, says, â€Å"Without your intellectual and spiritual values, man, few people can tolerate it.That is why Charles â€Å"made two quick sweeps† to extinguish the flames and â€Å"flesh again. † The word â€Å"flesh† implies that Charles comes back to a real person with flesh, not a virtual spirit. And even so, Charles still makes â€Å"a shocked, unconscious glance into the mirror† because he cares about his appearance. Since he â€Å"finding nothing changed,† he â€Å"sank down among us,† Just as the bearded man said, â€Å"you are sunk. † Maybe in a few minutes, they are in â€Å"a crystal coach† which coach, and return to a normal person, a lower level of life. James Merrill uses

Computer Evolution Essay

?Explain the evolution of computer describing the technologies used in different generations. The evolution of computers started way back in the late 1930s. Binary arithmetic is at the core of the computers of all times. History of computers dates back to the invention of a mechanical adding machine in 1642. Abacus, an early computing tool, invention of logarithm by John Napier and the invention of slide rules by William Oughtred were significant events in the evolution of computers. Evolution of computer technology can be divided into five generations. First generation computer consisted of vacuum tubes and they were used from 1943-1958. ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) computer is an example of first generation computer. Second generation (1959-1965) computer consisted of transistors i. e. vacuum tubes were replaced by transistors. Thus the size of the computer got reduced considerably. Third generation (1966-1973) computer consisted of integrated circuits (IC) i. e. many transistors in single silicon chip. A single IC has many transistors, registers and capacitors built on a single thin slice of silicon. With the invention of microprocessor (1971), fourth generation of computer evolution started and present day computers are also categorized in the fourth generation. The fifth generation computers are under development. They are going to be based on principles of artificial intelligence and natural language recognition. Developers are aiming at computers capable of organizing themselves. The evolution of computer continues. Generation Duration Memory device First (1943-1958) Vacuum tubes Second (1959-1965) Transistor Third (1966-1973) LSI (Large Scale Integration) IC Fourth (1974-1990) VLSI (Very large Scale Integration) Microprocessor. Fifth (1990 onwards) Biochips (concept of AI) Table: Time period and its device used in evolution of computer.

New Top-Level Domains Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New Top-Level Domains - Essay Example The new domain system is therefore seen by Crossman as a means for the banking industry to take advantage of its new edge to also dominate the internet. Steve (2011) on the other hand sees the need to educate the ordinary user of the internet on the new domain system. Though Steve did not make specific mention of the banking industry, his advocacy on misconceptions associated with the new domain system would clear doubts among the players in the banking industry who may want to take advantage of the new system. The modern organization discussed in the articles is the banking institution. The first importance of the new domain system as discussed by Crossman (2011) is that there would be the room for personalization and customization. Such personalization and customization according to Crossman goes a long way to enhance company branding. He states that â€Å"this potentially opens up an opportunity for banks to market and brand themselves differently through their internet addresses (Crossman, 2011). With the current economic climate where the world is now recovering gradually from the global economic crunch that hit it, any form of publicity that brings customers closer to be business is very important in ensuring growth. If the new domain would, therefore, give banks the opportunity to identify themselves with customers, then this is good news for the industry. The second importance outlined is the fact that the new domain system will check online fraud and make online banking more secur e. Crossman (2011) quotes Javed who posits a rhetorical statement saying â€Å"no squatter in their right mind would go spend six months and half a million dollars so they could mess around with Bank of America's name, then get sued the following week and get a cease and desist order.  

Briefing Reading Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Briefing Reading - Assignment Example According to Miller et al (2010: p.273) these firms began by discovering their hidden resources, also called asymmetries, which included building on their own unique potentials, relationships, hard-to-copy assets, knowledge and experiences. Over time, these firms were able to develop several organizational processes and designs in order to find these asymmetries, turn them into capabilities and gear them across the necessary market opportunities. As stated by Miller et al (2010: p.274), they asymmetries are hard-to-copy ways that create a difference between a firm and its rivals. For this reason, Reed discovered that his bank was different and developed ways to make that difference a valuable asymmetry that his rivals would not copy and later found a profitable market that valued it. Shana Corp, a private Canadian software company, exhibit a similar path to that of Citibank. Over time, the managers of Shana realized that the company had developed unique capabilities, which included valuable kinds of work that its rivals could not do as fast or better. This allowed the company to exploit and extend its competitive advantage over other firms. In short, the managers of Shana were able to focus on what the company was able at, reflected on it, developed and found clients that would benefit from its new capabilities (Miller et al (2010: p.274). There are three imperatives of inside-out strategy, which include discovering of asymmetries and their potential, creating capability configurations by design, and pursuing market opportunities that build on and leverage capabilities (Miller et al, 2010: p.275). It is difficult for firms to develop their hidden resources unless they have some potential edge. For this reason, firms need first to discover their asymmetries and potentials, which will serve as starting points for creating advantages as they are hard to copy. Thus, to find potential asymmetries, managers are required to do an outside and

The Legal System of the European Union Research Paper

The Legal System of the European Union - Research Paper Example The treaty that established the Constitution for Europe was signed in the year 2004, but as at 2007, it became apparent that the treaty would not be ratified by member states. The Reform Treaty or the Treaty of Lisbon, which included an amended version of the original constitutional text of the Treaty that established the European Constitution, as well as numerous changes to the EU, was signed in December 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal. The aim of the new treaty was to ratify it in its member countries before the European elections held in 2009. The future of the Lisbon Treaty is uncertain following its rejection by a referendum in Ireland in the year 2008 and its ratification in other member states is still on hold since 2008 (Barnard, 2007). From the start, the plan behind establishing a common legal and economic community in Europe was to create a common market. This vision formally materialized in 1993, and is currently down the path of monetary, political and economic union. At this s tage, it is imperative to point out the EU member states. From 2008, EU member states are Germany, Austria, Cyprus, Ireland, Latvia, Belgium, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, Italy, Estonia, Finland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France, Hungary, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. However, Turkey Republic of Macedonia and Croatia are currently official member countries while Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia, Montenegro and Serbia are potential member candidates (Albi, 2008). The EU is continually enlarging its scope through the accession of new member states. The enlargement process started with the inner six nations that founded the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952, namely, Belgium, France, West, Italy, Luxembourg and Netherlands. Since then, membership to the EU has grown dramatically. European Integration refers to the method of improvement although this term also refers to the increased cooperation betwe en EU members through the process of gradual harmonization of individual, national laws. In order to become a member of the EU, a state must meet numerous political and economic thresholds referred to as the Copenhagen Criteria, established pursuant to the Copenhagen summit of 1993. The criteria require that the state has a stable, democratic government, which upholds the rule of land, as well as the consequential institutions and freedoms under law. Pursuant to the Maastricht Treaty, all member states together with the European Parliament must approve any enlargement (Bache & George, 2006). The operations of the EU run through a scheme of supranational independent institutions, as well as decisions negotiated by member states through an intergovernmental system. The EU systems allow free interchange of goods, people, services, and capital among EU member states as within a nation. This means that there are no tariff restrictions among member states. Furthermore, the EU member state s use a single unified set of tariffs on goods and services imported from outside the union. This tariff is referred to as the common customs tariff. The establishment of a single, unified EU market has had

Frankl's Notion of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Frankl's Notion of Life - Essay Example Life will surely give joy and also pain, but meaning does not reside on it. Meaning resides on the very act that man makes in response to those different situations. Man has the power to give meaning to his own life. He has the power to transcend even the most difficult state of suffering. Frankl viewed man with responsibility. Responsibility entails that man has the freedom and is the author of his life. Man is the sculpture of the meaning of his life and has the capacity to give meaning amidst suffering. Responsibility also entails that man has freedom. Even in the most difficult situation, man has the spiritual freedom that no one can take away. This spiritual freedom is a gift that is endowed in man's being. This spiritual freedom is the freedom to respond and act in man's own way. An example on this is the very experience that Frankl had. Amidst being imprisoned, he decided to bear everything for him to able to be reunited again to his family in the future. In his determination to live amidst difficult situations, he still found meaning in his experience. Such response embodied his spiritual freedom. It is an act that many had failed to do in such situations. This notion of man in acting his own way also amidst any situation is also called uniqueness. Uniqueness is the capacity of man that makes him different from others. Although all men have freedom, men are uniquely different in terms of how they use their freedom. No man is of exactly the same response to another man if given the same situation. This entails that every man is unique in his own way. Again, uniqueness is evident in Frankl's own manifestation of freedom. Many prisoners in such difficult situations elected to give up their sanity and even their lives. They have the freedom to give meaning to their own lives but their freedom was used in choosing to give up. Therefore, man has the freedom that entails responsibility. Such freedom and responsibility is then the power give meaning to his own life. For Frankl, it does not matter what man expects from life rather what life expects from man. Hence, man and man alone has the spiritual freedom that no one can take away and this freedom can create meaning and joy even amidst pain and suffering. RELIGION AND SCIENCE AS WORLD VIEWS It is always of a discourse when we try to blend in science and religion. Most people find both as two contrasting paradigms. One paradigm must discard the other in order for one to survive. Both don't want to give up in this battle. Both assert their own bearings and man is left in the middle trying to weigh things on where he is to side. Such reality only adds to man's burden. It does not actually help man but only add burden to man, a confusion that man faces in his journey through life. Such reality must trigger what we call twist, that both paradigms must learn to check and balance each other. Both must learn to set their limits and not overlap to each other. Both must learn to know the boundaries and capacity of their study. They must learn to understand questions as can be catered by religion or science. Such teamwork will give birth to a man who is free from confusion. Each field has their own focus of interest; they are both means to unraveling reality of life. There is no w ay to compare and contrast them because they are not of the same paradigm. They also serve

Assginment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assginment - Assignment Example This is derived from the purpose of the research that was to study the concept of organisational culture in the context of four parameters of culture that include clan, adhocracy, hierarchical and market in the public and private education institutions. It was meant to establish the existing differences between the two institutions interims of cultural practices from a faculty member’s perspective. From the findings, it is clear that the OC affects progress, performance and interaction among students in schools and between private and public learning institutions. This occurs since the two category of organisations have divergent norms and ways of operations. For instance, the recruitment hierarchy of students is different in private and public institutions; there are differences in gender balance, economic restructuring, adhocracy, use of technology, and adoption of new changes. Private institutions have more streamlined cultural practices as compared to public institutions. Students in the private schools are disciplined, hardworking, industrious, caring and quality time managers. Their teachers and other concerned parties under a hierarchical system of operation as opposed to public schools keep them in close check. This opens the cultural gap that causes a huge interaction line despite the fact that the institutions work for a common purpose of enhancing knowledge and brai n development among students. The research established that clan perceptions, school hierarchy in terms of performance and reputation, and the calibre of students depending on the environment they come from leads to the current disparities between public and private schools. They have varied cultural practices that must be integrated for meaningful growth in n the sector of education. According to the study, education is vital in sharpening the minds of young

People in the film Essay Example for Free

People in the film Essay The creation of the monster involves the use of gadgets. The storm detector was needed to show when to lift the monster on to the roof. After lifting the monster up onto the table and elevating it up through a hole in the roof. It was then shocked by lightning, to bring it to life. The table the monster is position on in the centre of the room this is to put emphasis on him and to show that this is the most important aspect of the film. Dr Frankenstein brings the monster to life. A low angle is used on the monster to make him look big and scary, this is created due to the bold features of the monster. A low angle, which gives the effect that, the audience are actually watching the table rise. A tracking angle is used to follow the monster up onto the roof but when the table is on the roof a low is used, we cant see what is happening on the roof, this creates unpredictability, which creates suspense and tension. The lighting is used on the monster, this is used to define the bold features of the face, and this lighting is low lighting. The people appear shocked, amazed and scared as if they dont know what is happening, this influences the audience to feel the same way also this makes the audience feel insecure also because the camera angles and sound draw us into the film it makes the audience feel the same emotion as the people in the film. When the creature moves its hand a close up shot is used, this is to show that the monster is alive. When this happens the sound effects get louder, this is to increase the tension and suspense. The Dr Frankenstein shouts hes alive, its alive, he then shakes around and he is restrained as if he was mad, this creates more tension due to Dr Frankensteins unpredictability and this scares the audience. In the novel we are slowly set into the scene but in the movie we are straight into the storyline this is due to that it would be boring if we were slowly set into the scene also this is a horror movie so there should be no moments where there isnt tension. In the novel and the movie there are differences this is because there are only certain things that you can do with a book but in a film you can do more for e.g. in a film you have sounds and you can have camera angles to add to suspense and tension. In the novel Dr Frankenstein doubts what he is doing (a moral dilemma) but in the film he is very excited by what he was doing. In the book Frankensteins room is described as a small candle lit room but in the movie it is a big tall room with high tech equipment. In the novel Dr Frankenstein is not evil and the monster is not really evil but in the film Dr Frankenstein and the monster are perceived as evil. This is because the film is a horror movie. In the novel there are less gadgets (if any) described but in the movie there are many gadgets this is because in a movie the audience want to shocked amazed and interested, these gadgets do all of these things. In the film Frankenstein is perceived as a loner but in the novel he has a loving family and background. This is because if Frankenstein came from a loving family we couldnt see Dr Frankenstein as evil and evil is needed to create a good horror movie. In the novel, he doesnt have an assistant but in the film he does. In the novel the monster is created without anybody there but in the movie there are witnesses to his creation, this is because in the film the director wanted to involve the audience, which makes them scared. James Whale needs to create tension, suspense, and unpredictability to create a good horror movie. He did this by using different lighting and camera angles. He used certain camera angles to put us into the scene such as p.o.v and long shot, this shows where things are and shows whats happening in a certain areas. He used some shots for emphasis such as close up and extreme close up; this draws your attention towards something so that you notice it. Some of the shots he used were to involve us in the scene such as low angle, rolling shot, tracking this is to make us more scared because it makes us sense what we are seeing so therefore its makes us feel mise-en-scene. The lighting that James Whale uses is under lighting, filler lighting and there is flashes of lightning these are all used to create suspense from the same building in different ways.

Global Logistics Opportunities and Challenges

Global Logistics Opportunities and Challenges Western Europe consists of United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Malta and microstates of Vatican City, San Marino, Monaco, Andorra and Liechtenstein. Western Europe is considered as major contributor of the European economy. Its determining characteristics are common currency, tax equalization, political homogenization and standards homogenization. Logistically speaking Western European markets offer a great opportunity for exploiting economies of the scale and size in moving goods throughout the Europe opting from a number of transportation modes. European transport networks have grown because of deregulation of transportation; shipments, optimal route and plan scheduling, and the development of national services. The number of long-distance transports has grown significantly with the largest share of freight transports as road transports. The preferred mode s of transportation in the area are roads and rails, closely followed by sea freight. In addition, the Chunnel links the UK with the rest of Europe reducing the transportation cost to a great extent. Source: (DHL Discover Logistics, n.d.-a) The logistics systems in Western Europe are characterized more by political change associated with EU enlargement than by geographic features. In Western Europe transport, storage, packaging and administrative jobs are becoming noticeably more efficient due to uniform regulations. The transport networks are very well developed but average shipping distances have grown principally in the wake of the European Unions enlargement. Outsourcing activities are increasingly affecting logistics in Western Europe because companies no longer consider logistics to be a core business. Instead, larger distribution networks are developing at a rapid pace. Global firms prefer vertical integration and go for direct marketing and distribution in order to reduce inventory and total logistics costs. The changes in the logistics sector have generated challenges of increased efficiency in shipping, packaging and labelling. Here, the reduction of customs processing plays a critical role. In addition, techn ological improvements throughout Europe are almost uniform and not just clustered in individual countries. As a result, order processing, inventory management, warehousing and IT technology are being further centralized. In nutshell, the competitive situation in Western Europe is intense as compared to the rest of Europe. Japan has evolved into an economic powerhouse of Asia and created a highly developed logistics system in spite of challenging geographic conditions. On one hand, such a system is necessary to offset the Japanese islands lack of raw materials. On the other hand, it is the foundation for expanding the positive growth of the export nation. The countrys main manufacturing and therefore, logistics hub lies in a triangle around the cities of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka on the island of Honshu. Air transport, in particular, plays an important role here. The most important means of freight transport in Japan are road transports and coastal shipping. Almost ninety percent of the transport is carried by trucks. The role of rail transports is almost non-existent. But this could change in the years ahead. A portion of sea freight has been shifted to air transport in recent years. As a result of this shift, international air transports on trans-Pacific routes have climbed tremendously. Compared with other industrial countries, Japans distribution system is very complex and inefficient leading to high distribution costs. Most aspects of goods distribution Source: (DHL Discover Logistics, n.d.-b) in Japan is tightly regulated by the government. Joint distribution is typical; competitors who make deliveries to the same businesses tend to use joint delivery capacities and trucks. The logistics market in Japan is opening up to international service providers which are already successfully competing against Japanese companies in areas such as storage, distribution and complex contract logistics. The major logistics challenge is traffic congestion in metropolitan areas around the industrial hub. Just-in-time systems require small and frequent shipments to meet customer requirements. The distribution system in Japanese market is characterised by non-store channels, carrying least inventory. It is helpful in introducing new products through mail order, catalogue sales, and tele-shopping. Shared distribution system is common among competitors. Uniform palletization is used to avoid complicacy in operations. China Chinas logistics market is opening up gradually to the outside world. Logistics enterprises are reorganizing and integrating in the competitive environment. It is more and more obvious that state owned, private owned and foreign funded enterprises are surviving and thriving in the competitive markets. With the increasing demand of logistics, the logistics service for enterprises is changing from low value fundamental services to the high value added services. Logistics infrastructure, integrated logistics, traffic and transportation, and delivery services provide huge investment opportunities. However, the related risks must be put into account, and firms should be cautious when choosing investment projects. Source: (DHL Discover Logistics, n.d.-c) In some parts of China, due to advancement in technology, the road network now approaches Western standards. Modern freeways have been built in the Pearl River delta as well as in Shanghai and Beijing. Parts of this network extend far into the countrys interior but the standards and quality of the road drops as we move away from the cities particularly in the areas located away from the metropolitan areas. As a result of the underdeveloped infrastructure outside the metropolitan areas, logistics costs are high in an international context. In comparison to other means of transport, the rail network is almost inappropriate for logistics operations due to poorly built rail lines. For example, a container takes five days to journey by train from Hong Kong to Shanghai (DHL Discover Logistics, n.d.-c). A transport by ship takes about the same amount of time, but is much cheaper. Rail transports play a major role only in the shipment of bulk cargo like coal or iron ore. As a result, rail tr ansports are not particularly attractive to international companies for general logistics operations. The key challenges for the Chinese logistics industry are: Poor infrastructure: insufficient integration of transport networks, information technology (IT), warehousing and distribution facilities. Regulation: exist at different tiers, imposed by national, regional and local authorities and often differ from city to city, hindering the creation of national networks. Bureaucracy and Culture: companies need to build links with political agents at various levels. Moreover, it is difficult to repatriate profits back to home country. Poor training: in logistics sector and the manufacturing and retailing sectors, both at a practical level, i.e., IT, transportation and warehouse as well as at a higher strategic level. Information and communications technology: lack of IT standards and poor systems integration and equipment. At a very basic level, there is no consistent supply of energy. Undeveloped domestic industry: logistics sector is fragmented and dominated by commoditized and low quality transport and warehousing, unable to meet the growing supply chain demands for industrial and commercial enterprises. High transport costs: almost 50% more than Japan, Europe and North America, mainly due to high tolls on roads. Logistics costs (including warehousing, distribution, inventory holding, order processing, etc.) are estimated to be two to three times the normal. Poor warehousing and storage: high losses, damage and deterioration of stock, especially in the perishables sector. Regional imbalance: of goods flows from the developed east of the country to the more undeveloped west leading to higher costs for haulage companies which are then passed on to their clients. Domestic trade barriers: besides lowered trade barriers such as tariffs and quotas for international shipments, there are still problems such as unofficial border tolls from an inland manufacturing location to a port city or vice versa. Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Eastern Europe Four out of fifteen former Soviet Republics belong to CIS are in Europe: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. Eastern Europe is made up of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Albania, and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The countries of Eastern Europe occupy a strategically central position on the continent and are located at Western Europes interface with Russia. As a result of the European Unions enlargement to the east, they are increasingly serving as a bridge. As a result, many manufacturing companies have moved their production facilities to Eastern Europe for cost reasons. Logistics service providers entered either following these companies or to exploit the new markets by carrying out mergers or acquisitions. The opportunities for the companies interested in entering these markets vary significantly from country to country. Although, these countries have relatively well developed transport ne tworks but they do not meet western European standards. Despite the rapid growth of road transports, railroads remain the dominant means of transport. The Eastern European logistics market is characterized by wide regional differences. While the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Poland have made major strides, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia are trailing far behind. The infrastructure is in even worse shape farther to the east. The road-based freight transports have limited ability to meet the demands of European industry in a cost effective manner. The causes of these limitations include traffic jams, the limited potential for expanding network capacity, rising energy costs and growing intermodal competition from railways. Eastern European harbours, particularly the major sea ports in Poland, perform a significant amount of trans-shipping and are being increasingly expanded. The European Unions enlargement and the increasing transport volumes have resulted in intensified storage and distribution activities in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. One of the major challenges is to overcome the barriers that exist between Eastern and Western Europe, including the transport infrastructure. Foreign Market Entry Strategies Foreign market entry strategies are mainly categorized into: Indirect exporting Direct exporting Manufacturing strategies Cooperative strategies Indirect Exporting Piggybacking An established international distribution network of one manufacturer may be used to carry the products of a second company without such a network. The second manufacturer is said to be piggybacking on the first in these cases. The first company has an established reputation and contacts in an international environment. It handles the logistics and administration costs of exporting for the second manufacturer. Piggybacking can offer many advantages to firms; such as cheaper and quick access to new markets, an established knowledge base of the foreign markets and economies of scale with regards to administration, shipping, marketing and distribution. Piggybacking may lead to unsatisfactory marketing arrangements such as lack of strategic fit, providing technical support, and after sales services for buyers potentially leading to disagreement. This method of exporting too is not ideal for building a long-term foreign market presence. Trading Companies A trading company trades on its own account. It performs many functions as; buying and selling as a merchant, handling goods on consignment, or it may act as a commission house for some buyers. Trading companies match sellers with buyers and manage all the supportive functions such as export arrangements, paperwork, transportation, and legislative requirements. Firms initially choose this mode, because of TCs extensive contacts, experience, operations and long-term commercial relationships in many different trading regions in the world. After some experience in the international market, exporting firms want more control over decision making, so TCs are not their long-term partners. Export Management Companies Export Management Companies are specialist companies that act as export department for a number of companies. They provide companies with access to foreign buyers, take orders from those foreign buyers, purchase finished products, and handle the transporting and distribution of the goods in the foreign market. Their core competency is in export logistics and deals with the necessary documentation and extensive knowledge of purchasing practices and government regulations in the foreign markets. This is a less risky and fast penetration strategy suitable for new entrants in the international market in the short-term. Disadvantages of EMCs include; export strategy conflict among both parties, lack of manufacturers control over foreign market decisions and market knowledge. Due to expertise in exporting, the EMC has complete control over all foreign market decisions. In addition, EMC may even export products that are in direct competition with each other. Therefore, manufacturers need to devote resources to monitoring the performance of an EMC and invest in managing the business relationship. As the manufacturers revenue from exporting increases, moving away from the EMC or eliminating EMCs from the business may prove harmful due to lack of foreign buyer contacts or market knowledge or because of contractual agreements. Domestic Purchasing Domestic purchasing is a method of market entry which involves the least company involvement. This export method often involves an unsolicited purchase request from a foreign commercial buyer. The company may not even have considered the export potential of their products until approached from the foreign buyer. In general, companies can use this method to sell off excess stock with the least inconvenience. It generates a relatively low level of revenue and the company is completely dependent on the foreign buyer. The company gains limited knowledge of the international markets, as it has no direct contact with them. The foreign buyer often picks up the goods at the factory gates and proceeds to transport the goods, market them, and distribute them in one or more overseas market. Direct Exporting Distributors Export distributors differ from agents in that they take ownership and responsibility for the goods. Distributors usually take limited rights for the sales and servicing of a particular territory where they represent the manufacturer in all respects. The capital investment can be particularly high for a firm exporting goods requiring specialist handling. Due to this large investment both parties undertake to maintain a long-term relationship. Agents Export agents are usually individuals or firms operating in a foreign market, contracted by the firm, and paid a commission to obtain orders for the product. After entering into a contractual agreement, sales targets are usually agreed with agents by the firms. Agents are usually contracted to carry non-direct competing products therefore providing a lower exposure to risk. Although agents are the cheapest and quickest form of market entry, the long-term profitability is moderate to low with a short payback period. Agents can be beneficial to the company in that they have local market knowledge, established relationships and provide adequate feedback regarding further product or market development strategies. Agents do not owner goods which limits their motivation to improve performance. They can take the form of brokers, manufacturers representatives, managing agents and compradors performing specific functions (Cateora Graham, 2002). Direct Marketing Using database marketing tools such as mail order, telemarketing, media marketing, direct mail and the internet can be a useful technique to expand a firms customer base abroad. Usually, this market entry method is very useful when there are high barriers to entry exist in a foreign market or where markets have insufficient or underdeveloped distribution systems. Success using direct marketing can only be obtained if the standard product/service is customized to meet the personal needs of the target market in different markets. Issues of product promotion and privacy needed to be addressed when engaging in telemarketing, direct mail or Internet commerce. Franchising In franchising, the firm grants the legal right to use branding, trademarks and products, and transfers the method of operation to a third party (the franchisee) in return for a franchise fee. Franchising is less risky and less costly due to the nature of the agreement. The franchisee provides the local market knowledge, capital, time and resources needed to develop the franchise. The two types of franchise agreement used by franchising firms are that of a master franchise and licensing. A master franchise often operates a multi-unit franchising agreement or it may take the form of a trading company whereas in licensing the franchiser uses the property, trademark and intellectual rights for a royalty or fee. Management Contracts Management contracts usually involve selling the skills, expertise and knowledge of firms in an international context. The contracts undertaken are usually those for installing management operating and control systems and the training of local staff to take over when the contractors are finished (Doole Lowe, 2001). Manufacturing Strategies Own Subsidiary This form of market entry requires the maximum commitment in terms of management and resources and offers the fullest means of participating in a market. Before investing huge capital, the firm must evaluate the pros and cons of the business as the cost of withdrawing from the market would be significant. Although sole ownership provides high level of control, the firm may not only incur the costs if withdrawal is eminent but also the companys reputation can be damaged both in the foreign and domestic market. The advantage is of avoiding communication and conflict of interest problems which may occur through other methods like acquisitions and joint ventures. Acquisition Acquisition occurs where an organization develops its resources and competences by taking over another organization. It is a faster entry strategy in new product or market areas. A firm may acquire cost efficiencies, immediate access to a trained labour force, recognized brands, existing customer and supplier contacts, an immediate source of revenue and an established distribution network or otherwise as a result of acquisition. In return, the acquiring company may have to make certain sacrifices. Assembly Assembly involves establishing plants in foreign markets simply to assemble components manufactured in the domestic market by the firm. This method of market entry is attractive for certain companies when they see that the importation of components is subject to lower tariff barriers than assembled goods which eventually decrease their costs. Moreover, it can be more advantageous if the finished product is large and transportation costs are high. The domestic plant in addition, can focus on development and production skills and investment, hence, profiting from economies of scale. Assembly firms also take advantage of lower wage costs and government incentives. Cooperative Strategies Joint Ventures Joint venture (JV) is a market entry option in which the exporter and a domestic company in the target country join together to form a new incorporated company. Both parties provide equity and resources to the JV and share in the management, profits and losses. The JV should be limited to the life of a particular project. This option is popular in countries where there are restrictions on foreign ownership, e.g. China. Its advantages include; acquisition of competencies or skills not available in-house, risk sharing of a large project with other firms, faster market entry/penetration and payback, and avoiding technical trade barriers. Its disadvantages are; divided management control, difficult to recover capital invested, disagreement on new export markets, and different views of partners on expected benefits. Strategic Alliances Strategic alliances are a wide range of cooperative partnerships and joint ventures which unite to follow a set of important, agreed goals while in some way remaining independent subsequent to the formation of an alliance. The partners share both the benefits of the alliance and control over the performance of assigned tasks during the life of the alliance. The partners contribute on a regular basis in one or more key strategic areas, for example, technology or products. Strategic alliances are usually formed in three areas technology, manufacturing and marketing. The main reason behind strategic alliances is competition. Other reasons include; the reduction of risk, the attainment of economies of scale and complementary assets such as a brand name and government procurement. Firms, which employ strategic alliances, have the advantage of simultaneously penetrating several of their key markets. Specific Recommendations The decision of, which foreign market to enter, depends on firms external as well as internal factors and foreign countrys market conditions. The strategy to be adopted should be based on firms short and long-term corporate objectives. Initially, the firm should choose among direct or indirect exporting leading to cooperative and then manufacturing strategies. If exporting is a long-term goal of the firm, then indirect exporting methods may not prove to be the wisest strategic choice. In long-run, the firm has to trade off among costs and control over the decision making. Customer Service When a firm becomes extensively involved in international business, logistics is seen as a critical part of the strategic planning process and a deterministic factor of customer service level. The complexity of the international business environment, including different business customs, inadequate/inappropriate transportation infrastructure, restrictive regulatory frameworks, and different levels of logistics services, presents barriers that make operations in foreign countries far more complicated and less controllable than in domestic markets. Generally, existing or emerging barriers result in longer order cycle times, higher logistics costs, and greater customer dissatisfaction. The customer service level chosen for use internationally is based on expectations encountered in each market. These expectations are dependent on past performance, product desirability; customer sophistication, and the competitive status of the firm and industry. Therefore, additional logistics costs are required to support operations which may be so important that, if not handled properly, they may offset any potential cost savings from using inexpensive labor and other resources in foreign countries. The need for cost-service trade-off analysis becomes inevitable for the managers in such an indifferent situation. Under these circumstances, logistics barriers obviously make it difficult for firms to gain a competitive advantage from their international operations. Table 1 summarizes the firms major external factors affecting its logistic performance (and therefore, customer service) at domestic and global level. It also depicts how difficult it becomes for the firms to provide same level of customer service at international level. Another major external (and therefore, uncontrollable) factor which has made international logistics more vulnerable and complex is security risks after 9/11 terrorist attacks. As a result security clearance procedures have lengthened and transit times of shipments have extended. Insurance rates for cross-border shipments have also climbed. Some factors internal (and therefore, controllable) to the firm, for example, centralized logistics activities, do not make the customer service work best, as it can be under local control in foreign market. Financial aspects such as working capital, inventory, capital investments in buildings and equipments, and accommodation of merchandise are also difficult to manage in the cas e of international operations. The managerial capability of logistics management in deciding optimal cost-service mix plays a major role in determining the customer level. In order to establish an efficient logistics system to support international operations, especially customer service, a firm should be able to evaluate when and where logistics barriers may disrupt materials flows in the distribution channel. The identification of barriers is important in designing an effective international operations network. A better understanding of those barriers enables a firm to take actions to reduce or avoid them so that it can improve its competitive position in international markets. The firms entering in the international market should obtain as much as possible information about the business conditions and operating expenses of potential markets. As the customer service levels and hence the cost incurred, vary between countries, the firm must examine the service requirements of customers in each foreign market. A flexible and responsive global customer service strategy is based on inventory policy and control procedures, packaging and containerization, sourcing raw materials, managing export shipments and terms of trade. International logistics is characterized by inventory points at more levels between suppliers and customers making it much complicated than at domestic level, leading to longer transportation times. Depending on the length of transit time and more inventory volume needed to cover the resultant delays, the firm can develop inventory policies and control procedures most appropriate for each market area. Another component of customer service is the products physical condition (must be in right condition). Packaging and containerization are important for product handling, climate effects, potential pilferage, communication and language differences, freight rates, and customs duties when a product moves across the borders. The quality of a product is determined by the quality of its raw materials. International sourcing may enable a firm to optimize products quality at lowest possible cost. The services of many facilitator organizations involved in international logistics activities are continuously utilized by almost all of the firms operating internationally. These organizations include export distributors, customs-house brokers, international freight forwarders, trading companies, and non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCC). These organizations are highly professionalized in performing their functions and operate at economies of the scale. A firm involved in exporting for the first time would likely utilize the services of a facilitator organization. There are a number of shipment modes/terms, each one of them having its own pros and cons. These terms of trade/shipment used in international logistics are Ex-Works, FCA, FAS, FOB, CFR, CIF, CPT, CIP, DAF, DES, DEQ, DDU and DDP. Terms of shipment have a major impact on a firms logistics performance as each of them yields a different cost of shipment and value to the customer. Finally, integrated logistics management (ILM) is the ultimate strategy to deal with the international customers efficiently. ILM integrates all the logistics activities; facility location and network design, information management, transportation management, inventory management, warehousing management, material handling, and packaging into a single activity or process of logistics directed towards servicing the customer effectively and at the lowest total cost of all the functional activities taken together. The methodology of integrated logistics conforms to the logistics objectives; getting the right item to the right customer, in the right quantity, in the right condition, at the right place, at the right time and at the right cost. Customer service level of a firm is the representation of managerial capability of its management team. A firms executive management is likely to use any or a combination of some or all of the above mentioned customer service strategies to deliver value to its customers. The combination may differ for different countries/markets at different times. Answer the below given questions : Explain the role each of the following exporting organizations has in global logistics: (a) export distributor, (b) customs house broker, (c) international freight forwarder, (d) trading company, and (e) NVOCC. Export Distributor: An export distributor deals with the manufacturer on a continuous basis and is authorized and granted an exclusive right to represent the manufacturer and to sell in some or all foreign markets. It pays for goods in its domestic transaction with the manufacturer and handles all financial risks in the foreign sale. An export distributors functions include; managing distribution channel and related marketing activities, handling customer clearance, managing inventories and warehousing facilities, collecting market information, breaking bulk, managing credit policies and providing after-sale services. Customs House Broker: A customs house broker (CHB) is an agent who performs the clearing of goods through customs barriers for importers and exporters (usually businesses). Agent performs different functions/duties, for example, preparation of documents, the calculation (and usually the payment) of taxes, duties and excises on behalf of the client, and facilitating communication between the importer/exporter and governmental authorities etc. CBH also prepares and submits documentation to government agencies such as drug department, food safety department and many others to obtain the clearance. CBH is usually expected to be well familiar with the tariff schedules, duty rates for imported items, and the state regulations i.e. products country of origin. International Freight Forwarder: An international freight forwarder is a person or company that organizes cross-border shipments for individuals or other companies and may also act as a carrier. A freight forwarder is usually acts as an agent instead of a carrier, in other words, as a third-party (non-asset-based) logistics provider that dispatches shipments via asset-based carriers. They have the expertise that allows them to prepare and process the documentation and perform related activities including commercial invoice, shippers export declaration, bill of lading and other documents required by the carrier or country of export, import, or transshipment pertaining to international shipments. Trading Company: A trading company trades on its own account. It performs many functions. It may buy and sell as a merchant. It may handle goods on consignment, or it may act as a commission house for some buyers. Trading companies match sellers with buyers and manage all the supportive functions such as export arrangements, paperwork, transportation, and legislative requirements. NVOCC: Non-vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) is a sh