The Story of an Hour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Story of an Hour - Essay Example icted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.†(213) I consider this as an important irony on which the entire superstructure of the story is built. Mrs. Mallard’s authentic reaction to the news of death is one of relief, though she begins to weep immediately as soon as she is told about it by her sister Josephine. This is the irony of her real state of mind and the state of mind which she wants the people around her to believe. Privately, she accepts the news of death as a matter of fact incident but immediately craves internally to live a long life. Thus the irony of the situation is, she considers Mr. Mallard as a constraint or a hurdle to her wellbeing and to live a fully contented life, according to her plan of actions. I see an element of irony in her ‘heart trouble’ that has double meaning. It is connected to her mental ailment. Her private world always craves for experien cing the joy of independence. With the breaking of the news of the death of her husband, latent joy engulfs her that she positively imagines that she has reached threshold of freedom. She feels liberated. It will be even correct to describe that she feels that she is born again. The excellence of Kate Chopin is evident in the manner in which she has succeeded in creating an ironic situation. Mrs. Mallard can’t be condemned for her private joy; rather her reaction is to be pitied, when Mr. Mallard walks back to her life again, hale and hearty. I see this ironic situation takes the full circle in the life of Mrs. Mallard. The greatest irony is, her death as a broken hearted woman, not because Mr. Mallard is alive, but her newfound dream of freedom is snatched away from her. Symbolism is the second literary element that has been used with telling effect in the story. The the story is full of symbols. Mrs. Mallard, on receiving the news of the death of her husband, moves to another room to experience the

Financial Management for a 5 Star Hotel Essay Example for Free

Financial Management for a 5 Star Hotel Essay The service to be marketed is a 5 Star hotel with 380 luxury rooms supported by a range of food and beverage outlets. Located in Dubai, the domestic market will be considered to be the GCC, given the accessibility via short-haul flights and that currencies are broadly all pegged against the US Dollar, and therefore do not fluctuate against each other. The marketing strategy will cover sales in this domestic market as well as a range of global key feeder markets. Through analysis and comparison with economic theories, recommendations to guide the marketing strategy have been made. These point to focussing more strongly on the domestic market based on the higher levels of government spending, backed by a high oil price, the relatively low impact of cross elasticity with airfares and the lack of currency fluctuation risk for sales. Firstly I will consider the cost of production and some scenarios which may impact on the marketing strategy. The main costs in providing a hotel service are labour, rent and upkeep, energy and room servicing supplies (such as linen and tea amp; coffee). In terms of predicting costs for the first half of 2012, it appears likely the cost base will stay fairly stable. All costs are incurred in the UAE, with all items sourced in the local market. The major items, rent, labour and room servicing, are on long term agreements which are already fixed. Longer term macroeconomic effects may impact these, for example expat labour from Asia may be available cheaper next year in the global employment market if the world economy slips into recession. Unit energy costs are variable and could be influenced by macroeconomic factors affecting the oil price. These are difficult to predict, however I have considered that a global slowdown in the period could lead to less demand, forcing the oil price to decline. At the same time, continued tension in the Gulf, particularly around the Straits of Hormuz, could lead to upwards pressure on oil prices. On balance, for this exercise I have assumed that energy prices in Dubai with remain broadly flat. In summary, the overall cost base for the hotel service appears to be relatively flat for the first half of 2012. To assess the service type, I have analysed the price, income and cross price elasticities for the hotel service. I have observed from personal experience in the hotel market in Dubai that a 33% reduction in room rates results in almost doubling of demand, suggesting a relatively high price elasticity of demand of -3. This provides evidence that demand in the hotel market in Dubai is very sensitive to room rates. Whilst the service is considered to be a luxury item, the global tourist market is highly competitive. The income elasticity of demand for such a service is likely to be relatively high, given a luxury hotel’s status as a non-essential item. Since it is a global market it is complex to assess how individual income effects will influence each feeder market, although I would expect that this elasticity will generally be greater than 1. For residents of some countries with high GDPs, such as the GCC, I would anticipate a luxury hotel in Dubai may have a slightly higher income elasticity of demand than for countries with a very low GDP, where increases in income may still not be enough to afford this service. When considering possible cross elasticities, a key factor influencing hotel demand in Dubai is likely to be the cost of air travel to the UAE. Since such a high proportion of guests arrive by air, some from far away with relatively large airfares, there is likely to be a high cross price elasticity between demand for hotel rooms and the price of air travel. Looking to the first half of 2012, possible effects on aviation prices may include additional aviation taxes, such as the EU carbon tax [1]. This cross price elasticity may therefore result in less demand for McKenzie Group’s service from Europe. Assessing the market structure for the McKenzie Group Hotel in Dubai, it is highly competitive. For 2012 STR Global said â€Å"most rooms planned to open in the luxury segment (11,123 rooms amp; 34 projects) and upper upscale category (10,198 rooms amp; 31 projects). The new supply growth in 2012 is expected to reach 9. 6% causing both rates and occupancy to slow down† [2]. Given the range of hotels and brands, my assessment is that the market is near to a perfect competition. Competitive strategies are likely to include discounted room rates, special offers for additional added benefits (such as complimentary transfers, room upgrades and theme park tickets), and increased sales and marketing efforts. Given the analysis above, The McKenzie Group will need to compete on pricing supported by investment in sales and marketing campaigns. In order manage the cross price elasticity risk with aviation prices, The Group should look to focus efforts on the non-air travel local market and pursue pricing opportunities for packages with airlines to give competitive overall costs to global customers. The market for The McKenzie Hotel Group is mainly segmented geographically, location of customers is the biggest influence on buying behaviour. This can be grouped into four key feeder markets: Asia Pacific (10% of sales), Europe (40%), GCC (40%) and North America (10%). Demographically, gender has no noticeable effect and buyers from all markets tend to be middle aged professionals. In the European market government-level economic activity is likely to dominate prosperity given the current crisis. High debt and deficit levels in certain countries will lead to big reductions in government spending and may reduce consumer confidence. Combined with general forecasts for flat growth, if not recession, in the first half of 2012, this could have a large negative impact on overall demand. The GCC market however could be buoyant with high levels of government spending activity, mainly on infrastructure backed by oil and gas revenues. There may also be additional government spending on social schemes as a result of the Arab Spring in Levant countries. As a result of this activity, the domestic market is likely to remain strong. Given the analysis above on the economic climate in key feeder markets and the effects of government spending, The McKenzie Group should target the domestic GCC market much stronger in the first half of 2012. Given the breadth of global feeder markets, a variety of currencies must be considered in relation to pricing effects for customers. Costs are all incurred in UAE Dirhams so the main impact on currencies is not on costs but on sales. Since the Dirham and GCC currencies are pegged to the US Dollar there is no consideration required currency fluctuations with the domestic (or North American) market. However some currency fluctuations could have a major impact on sales in the first half of 2012. The Eurozone crisis may reduce the value of the Euro against the Dollar (and hence the Dirham) which will make hotels in Dubai more expensive for customers in the Eurozone market. As well as the cost of rooms, customers will also be affected by the relative increase in costs for anything bought locally, such as food and entertainment. This risk adds to the argument that Europe is not a good prospect for sales for the first half of 2012. Since the UK is not in the Eurozone its currency (Sterling) moves independently to the Euro and given that it is traditionally a strong market for McKenzie Group, this must be considered. Since the UK may enter recession again in the first half of 2012 it seems unlikely that interest rates will be increased from their current low rates. In addition Bank of England actions might also reduce the value of Sterling and so holidays in Dubai will seem relatively expensive for UK customers. McKenzie Group should reduce its reliance on the UK market in the first half of 2012 to help protect against this risk. Having analysed various macroeconomic and microeconomic influences on costs and sales for McKenzie Group Hotels in Dubai in the first half of 2012, there are some clear recommendations for the marketing strategy. Costs are anticipated to be reasonably stable since they are either already fixed or are incurred locally. Sales are likely to be much less stable. Given the high price elasticity on demand and the near perfect competition in the market in Dubai, price strategies will be key. For sales from the European market in particular, poor economic conditions, low levels of government spending, the risk of weak currencies, and cross elasticity with aviation costs, could all have a negative impact on sales. In contrast, these effects have much less, if any, impact on the domestic GCC market which is also likely to be buoyant from government spending. It is recommended to invest sales effort in the GCC for the first half of 2012.

The impact of WTO in India

The impact of WTO in India Impact of WTO on India India is a founder member of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1947 and its successor, the World Trade Organization (WTO), which came into effect in 1995 after the conclusion of the Uruguay Round (UR) of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. Indias participation in an increasingly rule based system in the governance of international trade is to ensure more stability and predictability, which ultimately would lead to more trade and prosperity for itself and the 134 other nations which now comprise the WTO. India also automatically avails of MFN and national treatment for its exports to all WTO Members. Ministerial Conferences of WTO The first Ministerial Conference held in 1996 in Singapore saw the commencement of pressures to enlarge the agenda of WTO. Pressures were generated to introduce new Agreements on Investment, Competition Policy, Transparency in Government Procurement and Trade Facilitation. The concept of Core Labor Standards was also sought to be introduced. India and the developing countries, who were already under the burden of fulfilling the commitments undertaken through the Uruguay Round Agreements, and who also perceived many of the new issues to be non-trade issues, resisted the introduction of these new subjects into WTO. They were partly successful. The Singapore Ministerial Conference (SMC) set up open ended Work Program to study the relationship between Trade and Investment; Trade and Competition Policy; to conduct a study on Transparency in Government Procurement practices; and do analytical work on simplification of trade procedures (Trade Facilitation). Most importantly the SMC clearly declared on the Trade- Labor linkage as follows: We reject the use of labor standards for protectionist purposes, and agree that the comparative advantage of countries, particularly low-wage developing countries, must in no way be put into question. In this regard we note that the WTO and ILO Secretariat will continue their existing collaboration. The Second Ministerial Conference of WTO, held at Geneva in May 1998, established a process to prepare for the Third Ministerial Conference and to submit recommendations regarding the WTOs future work program, which would enable Members to take decisions at the Third Ministerial Conference at Seattle. The Geneva Ministerial Conference (GMC) Declaration had identified the following issues for the General Councils work, paragraphs 9(a) to 9(b) of the Declaration: Issues, including those brought forward by Members, relating to implementation of existing agreements and decisions; The negotiations already mandated at Marrakesh (Agriculture and Services) and to ensure that such negotiations begin on schedule; Mandated reviews already provided for under other existing agreements and decisions taken at Marrakesh; Recommendations concerning other possible future work on the basis of the work program initiated at Singapore Ministerial Conference consisting of: Trade and Investment; Trade and Competition Policy; Transparency in Government Procurement; Trade Facilitation. Recommendations on the follow-up to the High-Level Meeting on Least-Developed countries; Recommendations arising from consideration of other matters proposed and agreed to by Members concerning their multilateral trade relations. The 3rd Ministerial Conference held in Seattle during 30th November-3rd December, 1999 was being looked up by many, specially in the developing countries, as a launching pad for a comprehensive round of negotiations. In the preparatory process in the General Council of the WTO (September 1998 to September 1999), new issues which were proposed for the negotiating agenda by some Members under paragraph 9(d) are as follows: Industrial Tariffs Global Electronic Commerce Trade and Labour Standards Trade and Environment Coherence in the interaction of WTO and other international organizations. Outcome of the Seattle Ministerial Conference of WTO The Indian delegation to the Third Ministerial Conference of the WTO was led by the Union Minister of Commerce Industry, Mr. Murasoli Maran. The delegation also included Members of Parliament, senior officials from different Ministries and representatives from the apex Chambers of commerce and industry. The Seattle Conference attracted wide attention because of proposals by some countries to press for the launching of a comprehensive round of negotiations covering subjects as wide ranging as labour issues, coherence in global economic architecture, agriculture etc. Even before the commencement of the Conference there were widespread protests and demonstrations in Seattle by a number of anti-WTO groups ranging from environmental activists to labour unions. The inaugural session which was to be held in the forenoon of 30th November, 1999 had to be abandoned because of disturbances. The plenary which was to start in the afternoon on the same day had to be held under heavy police protection. The Chairmen of various Working Groups tried to narrow down the differences in their respective groups with a view to arriving at a consensus in the draft Ministerial text that had been transmitted from the Geneva preparatory process. However, in view of the wide divergence of views, no group could present draft texts for inclusion in the Ministerial declaration acceptable to all the members. As there was no prospect of reaching a conclusion on a large number of issues, it was decided after consultation among key members that it would not be practicable to adopt any Ministerial declaration. The Chairperson of the Conference made only a brief statement on 3rd December followed by brief reports by the Chairmen of the various groups. The Chairperson observed that divergences of opinion remained that would take time to be narrowed down. It was therefore, decided to suspend the work of the Seattle Ministerial Conference. While the above constituted the overall outcome, the deliberations and consultations which took place on several of the important issues are briefly outlined below subject-wise (these positions are indicative and not definitive since a number of delegations, including ourselves, made it clear that nothing was agreed until everything was agreed). Implementation issues : A good deal of discussions took place on this subject in Seattle, further to the extensive consultations held in Geneva earlier. The Working Group Chairman (Canada) came up with a final proposal (similar to what was mooted by the Secretariat) that meant a few immediate decisions at Seattle and establishment of a special mechanism to examine and make recommendations within one year, and in any case by the Fourth Ministerial Session, on other implementation issues. The Chairmans text also proposed negotiations in respect of Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Agreements. While India and most other countries were prepared to go along with the Chairmans text, the US had reservations and was opposed to any negotiations on anti-dumping and subsidies and could, at the most, agree to a few (not all) of the issues raised by the Committee on Anti-Dumping and Subsidies respectively. No consensus could, therefore, emerge. Agriculture : Mandated negotiations have to commence on 1.1.2000 on Agriculture. In the run-up to Seattle,however, the Cairns Group of countries supported by US sought to secure a more rigorous negotiating mandate that would speed up elimination/ reduction of their export/domestic subsidies. EC, Japan, Norway etc., resisted this to the very end. While EC appeared to display some flexibility on this issue, Japan put up stiff opposition on further inroads into elimination of domestic subsidies.As for India, our concerns relating to food security were adequately reflected. Services: No substantive negotiation took place in Seattle as there was hardly any divergence of views on the draft text which adequately takes into account Indias concerns. Investment and Competition Policy: India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Pakistan proposed the continuation of the study process launched at Singapore. EC and others stubbornly argued that they wanted negotiations to be launched right away. Given this, the talks broke off but a bridge proposal which aimed at carrying forward the study process to prepare for negotiations to be launched by the Fourth Ministerial Conference began to take shape. While India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Pakistan continued to oppose even the bridge proposal, a number of other developing countries (including countries such as Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Egypt) showed inclination to agree to launch negotiations or to agree to the compromise proposal. Market Access for non-agricultural items: There was virtually no opposition for the launching of negotiations in this area except that a number of developing countries including ourselves pointed out the priority that we attached to the implementation issues and made it clear that agreeing to any text on this issue depended on progress in other areas. The text which evolved during the Green Room consultations left open the modalities to be followed for the tariff reduction exercise although the APEC countries wanted a specific reference to their Accelerated Tariff Liberalisation (ATL) initiative. EU wanted a common tariff reduction method to be adopted for all countries while certain others preferred a formula approach to be the main methodology. While our concerns were largely met in the draft text, the US insisted on avoiding any reference to peak-tariffs saying it was a politically sensitive issue. Several developing countries, including us, however, firmly opposed the substitutio n of peak tariffs by any other phraseology. This matter still needs to be resolved. Transparency in Government Procurement: There were broadly three proposals on this subject at the Seattle Ministerial. First, that the Working Group should continue its work until the fourth Ministerial session. India and number of developing countries supported this proposal. Second, that the Seattle Ministerial should mandate commencement of negotiations based on the elements that had formed the basis of discussion in the Working Group with the objective of concluding an Agreement at the latest by the Fourth Ministerial session. A number of developed and developing countries such as Brazil and South Africa supported this proposal. Third, that the Ministers adopt at Seattle an Agreement on Transparency in Government Procurement based on the formulation proposed by the United States and the European Communities. After further discussions in the open-ended Seattle Working Group on Singapore issues and other issues, its Chairman gave his understanding that there was virtual consensus a mong Members present on the second proposal. He noted that India was the only Member present that stated that it could not join such a consensus and urged India to reconsider its position. India had stated that it could only support further work in the Working Group aimed at arriving at a consensus on the elements of a Transparency agreement. Trade and Environment: Developed countries, particularly EU, were very keen on negotiations on environment related issues to accommodate concerns of their civil society. They wanted environmental considerations integrated throughout the negotiations in the new Round (mainstreaming) which will also dilute the focussed mandate of the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE ) to that extent. USA was further keen that Members right to set high environmental standards was not undermined by trade rules. US and CAIRNS Group countries also called for the removal of environmentally damaging subsidies such as agricultural subsidies and fishery subsidies that contributed to over capacity. Developing countries sought adjustments in the TRIPS Agreement for preservation of biological diversity and reward for traditional knowledge. The proposal to mainstream environment and dilute the role of CTE and the US proposal regarding environmental standards were opposed by some developing countries includi ng India while there was considerable support for removal of environment- related subsidies. The TRIPS related proposals were supported by some, but there was no consensus. Intellectual Property: Many members were willing to complete the negotiations on the establishment of a multilateral system of notification and registration of geographical indications for wines and possibly spirits, while there was an emerging consensus for an early decision on the ongoing discussions on inclusion of other products for the higher level of protection as has been provided to wines under Art 23 of TRIPS. Other work programmes proposed to be launched at Seattle included a proposal to make recommendations to the Fourth Ministerial Conference on the scope for protection for traditional knowledge and folkfore under the TRIPS Agreement, and review of Article 71.1, including enhancing the Agreement to respond to its objectives and principles as well as new developments elsewhere, and of Article 27.3(b) relating to life forms and plant varieties. Other issues: There were a few other issues which were less controversial. Subjects belonging to this category included E-commerce and trade facilitation. A proposal to set up a working group on transfer of Technology, supported by India also found wide support but was opposed by USA, while EC and some others preferred discussions on this issue within the Committee on Trade and Development. On the other hand, the proposed Working Group on Bio-technology, pursued by USA was hardly discussed because of strong opposition from many members, including India. Regarding transparency in the functioning of WTO, US and EU were keen for some kind of mechanism whereby civil society could participate in the WTO functioning, inter alia, through amicus curiae briefs in the trade dispute settlement mechanism. But this was sharply opposed by India and many other developing countries. Conclusion : Thus WTO has been playing a very important role in Indias foreign trade. And India will be much more benefited if the present DOHA round gets completed. Pascal Lamy has projected that it will be completed in the year of 2012.

Death Penalty :: essays research papers

DEATH PENALTY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The death penalty has been a staple in the justice system of America since its inception. Though very controversial, it has stood the test of time as the ultimate punishment. Many countries are currently abolishing their death penalty practice. America, on the other hand, has thirty-eight of fifty states with laws regarding the death penalty. It seems the United States requires the death penalty more than ever due to the increased rate of violent crime. Since nineteen ninety more than three hundred fifty people have been put to death with another three thousand three hundred in the waiting on death row. On a larger scale, since nineteen seventy-six five hundred fifty-two executions have occurred in the United States, the breakdown is as follows: three hundred ninety-four by lethal injection, one hundred forty-one by electrocution, eleven by gas chamber, three by hanging, and two by firing squad. Half of the post- nineteen seventy-six executions have occurred within the last five years, including fifty-two so far this year. Although the death penalty has brought many viscous criminals to a â€Å"fitting† end, the process by which the death penalty is based upon is an inconsistent one. The system of tangled appeals, court orders, and last minute pardons has rendered the entire system ineffective. As displayed by the swelling of the stagnant pool of death row inmates, criminals are not deterred by the punishment. â€Å" An evil deed is not redeemed by an evil deed of retaliation. Justice is never advanced in the taking of human life. Morality is never upheld by legalized murder.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many loopholes exist in the structure of the death penalty. The outcome of the case is decided by the quality of the lawyer defending the accused. Many criminals cannot afford a competent lawyer, resulting in a greater chance of that particular person being issued the death penalty, as opposed to life in prison. A fine line separates these two charges, and a defendant who can afford a competent lawyer stands less of a chance of being assigned the death penalty than one who cannot. Also studies show that the application of the death penalty is racial biased. The amount of violent crimes are split almost equally between the white and black ethnic groups. Since nineteen seventy-seven eighty-two percent of the criminals assigned the death penalty have committed the crime in question against a Caucasian. Another glaring defect of the structure of the death penalty system in America are the laws regarding the sentencing of criminals under the age of eighteen. Minors can be sentenced to death in twenty-four states.

Importance of Parental Involvement on the Academic Performance of Grade V-VI Pupils

Parent involvement is absolutely essential to student achievement in school and in life. The overwhelming studies and research indicate that there are positive academic outcomes stemming from parental involvement with benefits beginning in early childhood throughout adolescence and beyond (Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Patrikakou, Weisberg, Redding, & Walberg, 2005).The impact that parents can have on their child's learning and achievement transcends income levels and social status. â€Å"In fact, the most accurate predictor of a student's achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which that student's family is able to: 1. Create a home environment that encourages learning; 2. Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children's achievement and future careers; 3. Become involved in their children's education at school and in the community.† If two of these three criteria are accomplished, children of low income families will achieve at o r above the levels expected of middle class children.Parental involvement does not only mean that it leads to higher academic achievement, but to better attendance and improved behavior at home and school as well. When school and home, work together collaboratively, and using a competent approach to education, it can make a huge difference in student achievement. Students value their education when they see the interest shown by their parents. When children achieve, everyone benefit.As children excel, the school is recognized, the teachers are recognized and the parents and other family members of those children are encouraged to extend their knowledge by going back to school. The purpose of this study is to reveal how important is parental involvement on the academic the performance of Grade V-VI pupils at school. This aims to show the readers that parents can be a great supporter and a big help for their children to become inspired to study harder.

Can I get out of taking the SAT or ACT

Can I get out of taking the SAT or ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Some College say scores are not required. Does this mean you have carte blanche to get out of the SAT or ACT? Scores Not Required? When you hear that a school is â€Å"test flexible† or â€Å"doesn’t require scores,† it’s important to do some research before you assume you’re off the testing hook. Although there are technically hundreds of schools that don’t require standardized testing, many of them require some other information instead, or only exempt applicants from test scores if they meet other criteria. For example, at University of Texas at Austin, only students who are in the top 8% of their graduating class may opt not to submit scores. â€Å"Test flexible† sounds good, but all it means is that you can submit AP or IB scores instead of those from the SAT or ACT. These schools also accept SAT Subject Tests, which many consider to be more difficult than the general test. So this isn’t a huge benefit to most studentsthey’ll have to take a standardized test one way or another. You should also consider that most schools that don’t require scores do allow them, and that other applicants will probably be submitting them. For example, at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, test scores aren’t required but 87% of applicants submit them anyway. Do you want to be in the other 13% if you don’t have to? No, you do not. More information is better, and mastering these tests shows admissions officers your strengths. Without scores, they have to assume you’re hiding a weakness. If You Did Poorly on the SAT or ACT Don’t give up! Easily the biggest mistake teenagers make in academics (and a lot of other things) is giving up. Most students who tank standardized tests are, more than anything else, confused by the format of the examand rightly so. Because the SAT and ACT have to be 100% fair and consistent, they’ve ended up with a lot of weird quirks. But for those same reasons, it can be really easy to understand these quirks (that’s what we’re here for!) and use the test to your advantage. Even beyond that, though, the SATeven though it’s trying to test reasoningactually requires a very limited skillset that can be applied in a variety of ways. SAT and ACT prep (such as PrepScholar!) can define those skills for youskills which, by the way, aren’t completely disconnected from real life. Improve your SAT score by preparing, and it’s likely you’ll improve in other academic areas as well. If You’ve Never Taken the SAT or ACT Maybe you hate tests, or you hate getting up early (every regular administration of the SAT ACT starts at 8am), or you don’t think you have the time to study. The bottom line is that, compared to your academic (and occupational) future, none of those things matter. Let’s say you apply to 3 schools, and the most prestigious one, Bowdoin College in Maine, doesn’t require the SAT or ACT. Only 15% of applicants in 2012 chose not to submit scores, and you are one of those. Although your application will still be considered, it is inherently less broad than those of the other 85% of applicants. Let’s say you don’t get in, and you end up at your second choice school instead. After 4 years of coursework there, no matter how well you do, you still won’t have a diploma from Bowdoin. The prestige associated with a more selective school, not to mention the potentially higher quality education, will serve you for the rest of your life. What’s 40 hours of studying compared to that? The Bottom Line No matter how you feel about the SAT or ACT, or even whether you’ll use them in your applications, you should take them and see how you do. If you don’t kill it, do some prep and try againit’s worth the effort, no matter where you apply. Liked this article? Subscribe to updates on the right! We promise never to sell your email.

Analysis of the Inquisitors Speech Essay Example

Analysis of the Inquisitors Speech Essay Example Analysis of the Inquisitors Speech Paper Analysis of the Inquisitors Speech Paper Andrew Wright AP Lange The Inquisitor knows his audience. He either knows them personally or just knows their type. The people in the jury are devoted to following the church and try to be pious and humble. With this speech the Inquisitor serves a double purpose: having the jury forget Joan’s piety and warning them that no matter how humble or god-loving you are, the church knows best. The multiple warnings throughout the speech are used both for warning the jury members not to do the heretical acts mentioned but also do not congratulate or empower anyone who does these things; namely Joan of Arc The Inquisitor uses ethos to persuade the jury members that he’s seen this all before and there will always be someone committing heresy, it’s a horrible task but he’s there to expose the blasphemers. He emphasizes the fact that the church has led the war against heresy, and the church knows how to deal with it. A large portion of the monologue is dedicated to exposing the foundation of heresy and what types of people believe it. At one point he mentions that some of these sacrilegious persons are not inherently deceitful, but earnestly believe that God told them to do this or that. Whether they are truthful or not though, they still wish to twist your minds to their purpose. He warns the jury to be wary and carefully examine the testimony before them. There are times when the Inquisitor uses pathos, but they are in short supply. He mentions that all the jury members are â€Å"You are all, I hope, merciful†¦Ã¢â‚¬  appealing to both their mercy and their pride in being compassionate. He uses pathos to convince them that Joan’s innocence and piety is not in question or relevant to the case, and to subtly suggest that even the most devoted followers may think themselves better than the church at one point; thereby securing that these followers will make an appearance every Sunday as well be copious benefactors. The Inquisitor uses these rhetorical devices to accomplish a number of things, but his main focus is the guilt of heresy by Joan of Arc. He never states it outright but he implants the idea in their minds, allowing them to come unto the decision themselves; therefore making the revelation much more meaningful and concrete than if he had merely stated it.

Major General Benjamin Butler in the Civil War

Major General Benjamin Butler in the Civil War Born at Deerfield, NH on November 5, 1818, Benjamin F. Butler was the sixth and youngest child of John and Charlotte Butler. A veteran of the War of 1812 and the Battle of New Orleans, Butlers father died shortly after his sons birth. After briefly attending the Phillips Exeter Academy in 1827, Butler followed his mother to Lowell, MA the following year where she opened a boarding house. Educated locally, he had issues at school with fighting and getting into trouble. Later sent to Waterville (Colby) College, he attempted to gain admission to West Point in 1836 but failed to secure an appointment. Remaining at Waterville, Butler completed his education in 1838 and became a supporter of the Democratic Party. Returning to Lowell, Butler pursued a career in law and received admittance to the bar in 1840. Building his practice, he also became actively involved with the local militia. Proving a skilled litigator, Butlers business expanded to Boston and he gained notice for advocating the adoption of a ten-hour day at Lowells Middlesex Mills. A supporter of the Compromise of 1850, he spoke out against the states abolitionists. Elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1852, Butler remained in office for much of the decade as well as attained the rank of brigadier general in the militia. In 1859, he ran for governor on a pro-slavery, pro-tariff platform and lost a close race to Republican Nathaniel P. Banks. Attending the 1860 Democratic National Convention in Charleston, SC, Butler hoped that a moderate Democrat could be found that would prevent the party from splitting along sectional lines. As the convention moved forward, he ultimately elected to back John C. Breckenridge. The Civil War Begins Although he had shown sympathy to the South, Butler stated that he could not countenance the regions actions when states began to secede. As a result, he quickly began seeking a commission in the Union Army. As Massachusetts moved to respond to President Abraham Lincolns call of volunteers, Butler used his political and banking connections to ensure that he would command the regiments that were sent to Washington, DC. Traveling with the 8th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, he learned on April 19 that Union troops moving through Baltimore had become embroiled in the Pratt Street Riots. Seeking to avoid the city, his men instead moved by rail and ferry to Annapolis, MD where they occupied the US Naval Academy. Reinforced by troops from New York, Butler advanced to Annapolis Junction on April 27 and reopened the rail line between Annapolis and Washington. Asserting control over the area, Butler threatened the states legislature with arrest if they voted to secede as well as took possession of the Great Seal of Maryland. Lauded by General Winfield Scott for his actions, he was ordered to protect transport links in Maryland against interference and occupy Baltimore. Assuming control of the city on May 13, Butler received a commission as a major general of volunteers three days later. Though criticized for his heavy-handed administration of civil affairs, he was directed to move south to command forces at Fort Monroe later in the month. Situated at the end of the peninsula between the York and James Rivers, the fort served as a key Union base deep in Confederate territory. Moving out from the fort, Butlers men quickly occupied Newport News and Hampton. Big Bethel On June 10, more than a month before the First Battle of Bull Run, Butler launched an offensive operation against Colonel John B. Magruders forces at Big Bethel. In the resulting Battle of Big Bethel, his troops were defeated and forced to withdraw back towards Fort Monroe. Though a minor engagement, the defeat received a great deal of attention in the press as the war had just begun. Continuing to command from Fort Monroe, Butler refused to return fugitive slaves to their owners claiming that they were contraband of war. This policy quickly received support from Lincoln and other Union commanders were directed to act similarly. In August, Butler embarked part of his force and sailed south with squadron led by Flag Officer Silas Stringham to attack Forts Hatteras and Clark in the Outer Banks. On August 28-29, the two Union officers succeeded in capturing the fort during the Battle of Hatteras Inlets Batteries. New Orleans Following this success, Butler received command of the forces that occupied Ship Island off the Mississippi coast in December 1861. From this position, he moved to occupy New Orleans after the citys capture by Flag Officer David G. Farragut in April 1862. Reasserting Union control over New Orleans, Butlers administration of the area received mixed reviews. While his directives helped check the annual yellow fever outbreaks others, such as General Order No. 28, led to outrage across the South. Tired of the citys women abusing and insulting his men, this order, issued on May 15, stated that any woman caught doing so would be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation (a prostitute). In addition, Butler censored New Orleans newspapers and was believed to have used his position to loot homes in the area as well as improperly profit from the trade in confiscated cotton. These actions earned him the nickname Beast Butler. After foreign consuls complained to Lincoln that he was int erfering with their operations, Butler was recalled in December 1862 and replaced with his old foe, Nathaniel Banks. Army of the James Despite Butlers weak record as a field commander and controversial tenure in New Orleans, his switch to the Republican Party and support from its Radical wing compelled Lincoln to give him a new assignment. Returning to Fort Monroe, he assumed command of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina in November 1863. The following April, Butlers forces assumed the title of Army of the James and he received orders from Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant to attack west and disrupt the Confederate railroads between Petersburg and Richmond. These operations were intended to support Grants Overland Campaign against General Robert E. Lee to the north. Moving slowly, Butlers efforts came to a halt near Bermuda Hundred in May when his troops were held by a smaller force led by General P.G.T. Beauregard. With the arrival of Grant and the Army of the Potomac near Petersburg in June, Butlers men began operating in conjunction with this larger force. Despite Grants presence, his performance did not improve and the Army of the James continued to have difficulty. Positioned north of the James River, Butlers men had some success at Chaffins Farm in September, but subsequent actions later in the month and in October failed to gain significant ground. With the situation at Petersburg stalemated, Butler was directed in December to take part of his command to capture Fort Fisher near Wilmington, NC. Supported by a large Union fleet led by Rear Admiral David D. Porter, Butler landed some of his men before judging that the fort was too strong and the weather too poor to mount an assault. Returning north to an irate Grant, Butler was relieved on January 8, 1865, and command of the Army of the James passed to Major General Edward O.C. Ord. Later Career Life Returning to Lowell, Butler hoped to find a position in the Lincoln Administration but was thwarted when the president was assassinated in April. Formally leaving the military on November 30, he elected to resume his political career and won a seat in Congress the following year. In 1868, Butler played a key role in the impeachment and trial of President Andrew Johnson and three years later wrote the initial draft of the Civil Rights Act of 1871. A sponsor of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which called for equal access to public accommodations, he was angered to see the law overturned by the Supreme Court in 1883. After unsuccessful bids for Governor of Massachusetts in 1878 and 1879, Butler finally won the office in 1882. While governor, Butler appointed the first woman, Clara Barton, to an executive office in May 1883 when he offered her oversight of the Massachusetts Reformatory Prison for Women. In 1884, he earned the presidential nomination from the Greenback and Anti-Monopoly Parties but fared poorly in the general election. Leaving office in January 1884, Butler continued to practice law until his death on January 11, 1893. Passing in Washington, DC, his body was returned to Lowell and buried at Hildreth Cemetery. Sources Civil War Trust: Major General Benjamin ButlerUnversity of Cincinnati Libraries: Benjamin ButlerEncyclopedia Virginia: Benjamin Butler

Auditing and Assurance Services (Australian) Assignment

Auditing and Assurance Services (Australian) - Assignment Example 45 and Wen, 2011). The audit plan will, thus, include procedures to gather â€Å"audit evidence of events or conditions and related business risks† that will impact the Group’s â€Å"ability to continue as a going concern† (ASA 570, par. 17). There should also be procedures to review management’s assessment, if there’s any, or to discuss with management its assessment of the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern (ASA 570, par. 19 and 20). The subsequent events review should also emphasize reviewing subsequent events that may or may not indicate that the Group still has the ability to continue as a going concern. Related to the going concern issue is the news that the financial guarantors of Reliance Rail had claimed that there were already â€Å"events of default under the consortium’s debt financing documents† (Kelly, 2011). In addition, page 44 of the 2011 Annual Report stated that, â€Å"based on legal advice receiv ed†, the claim is not expected to â€Å"adversely affect the delivery† of the Project’s contract. With this development, the audit plan, in the assessment of the Company’s internal control structure, should include procedures to assess how management identifies legal matters for recording or for disclosure. The plan should also include an initial independent assessment on whether or not this issue is actually a legal matter and if it is, plans to obtain representations from the Company’s or the Group’s legal counsel should be incorporated. Significant Accounts and Balances Page 41 of the 2011 Annual Report disclosed that the Group is using the Forecast – Cost – At Completion or FCAC to estimate the total costs it will incur in the project. The cost components are based on management’s assumptions, estimates and judgment and these significantly affect a lot of accounts and balances in the Group’s financial statement s. There is, thus, a need to understand management’s processes and assumptions for coming up with these estimates, how they affect the individual balances and what will happen to the balances if the actual costs are not consistent with the estimates. When auditing the related expenses (such as materials and labour), the significant assertions that should be included in the audit plan are completeness, accuracy and cut – off. Since the risk of misstatement and the audit risk for these balances are higher, the materiality level should be set at the lower range (i.e., 1% - 2% of pre – tax income) and the preliminary materiality level should be set accordingly and documented through the audit planning documents. Page 43 of the 2011 Annual Report disclosed that â€Å"approximately 170,000 hours of Engineering and 60,000 hours of Drafting will be applied to the project at a fully burdened labour rate†. With this, the labour account will be classified as a signi ficant account for audit purposes, with a high risk of misstatement. The audit plan should include assessing and testing internal controls that are related to labour costing (regular and overtime costs), inputting of man – hours, calculating payroll costs and summarizing the total cost for the period. Information Technology (IT) audit should also be considered to test the internal controls around the IT infrastructure to assess if labour cost is being appropriately recorded and summarized in the computerized system. Substantive audit procedures should revolve around testing and analysing the actual

Neuroscience Dissertation Introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Neuroscience Dissertation Introduction - Essay Example Whenever we fall or cut ourselves we experience pain, sometimes unbearable. Hence, our body tells us to take adequate care of that part so that the damage is looked after. We take the help of various pain killers that are available in the market to control and get rid of the pain. Apart from the medicines, anesthesia is also used to numb the pain. People are given local anesthesia before an operation. These are medicines which mix in our blood and we don’t feel the pain. Thus, the basic purpose of the pain killers is to numb the problem organ so that we do not feel any pain. It is one of the pain killers, which is the application of electric current through our skin for pain control. This research will showcase the reasons behind its working. We will also notice the intensity and the duration of the current passed into our skin. The unit used for this is called the TENS that is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. TENS is unlike any other pain killers as it does not penetrate into the body. It is a safe nerve stimulation intended to reduce pain, both acute and chronic. There are results to show that TENS can be used as the best pain killer. The constant mode of TENS is found to give a better post analgesic effect for TENS users with chronic pain in clinical trials. However no one has investigated how the harmless feelings can be affected by constant mode TENS. Harmless or non-noxious stimulation is generally used by the animal to make it aware of the state of its body and of its immediate environment. This can be tested by using a non-painful stimulation method, 2 point discrimination test. Any changes after the TENS treatment can affect the awareness of movements and relative position of body parts. This can be a potential issue for some TENS users with balance problem. An experiment was done on this and was found that constant mode TENS gives a higher pain threshold than frequency modulated TENS during

The Fair Trade Movement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Fair Trade Movement - Research Paper Example The contemporary fair trade movement traces its roots back in the 1950’s when it was known as the Alternative Trade Organizations (ATO). Evidently, Alternative Trade Organizations were formed by humanitarian groups that sought to address the pertinent issue of poverty in the developing countries through alleviation measures. To this end, the humanitarian groups adopted the approach of cutting off the middleman from the supply chain of trade between small scale businesses in the Southern hemisphere and small scale producers in the Northern hemisphere (Warrier, 100). Evidently, Oxfam UK intervened by selling craftwork in Oxfam shops which were produced by Chinese refugees (Hutchens, 5). To this end, the result was increased amount of profits for the labour force in developing nations. In 1988, the Dutch chapter of the Alternative Trade Organizations, Solidarid, innovatively crafted a labelling mechanism. Evidently, it aided in the introduction of products within mainstream marke ts without betraying consumer trust in their acts of humanitarian assistance. Background Information In 1964, Oxfam UK formed the first Fair Trade Organization (Warrier, 100). In this regard, there were parallel interventions being undertaken in Netherlands. Consequently, an importing organization known as Fair Trade Original was created in 1967. To this end, Dutch third world associations started to sell sugar cane under the slogan, â€Å"by buying sugar cane, you offer poor people in third world countriea a chance in the sun of prosperity†. Moreover, the third world Dutch groups proceeded to sell Southern handicrafts and by 1969, they opened the first ‘Third World Shop.’ ... Consequently, this led to the creation of numerous Southern Fair Trade Organizations which established networks with the newly created Northern organizations (Hutchens, 5). Evidently, the North and South co-operation was centred on respect, dialogue, transparency and partnership. The mutual goal was towards achieving better equity in international trade. In addition, developing countries were engaged in international political platforms towards addressing the inequality and unfairness in international trade. In this regard, during the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development that took place in Delhi in 1968, the developing nations were addressing the issue of ‘Trade not Aid.’ To this end, the third world countries emphasized on the creation of mutual, and equitable trade partnership with the South. This was in defiance to the North’s approach which was involved in getting all the benefits and offering piecemeal benefits masqueraded as developmental aid. Evidently, development trade has been attributed to the growth of Fair Trade Movement since the late 1960s. Moreover, its growth is attributed to the responsive intervention against poverty as well as partly due to disaster emanating from the South. Its major focus during its inception was the marketing promotion of craft items. The eminent founders of the Fair Trade Movement were drawn from large humanitarian and religious organizations located in European countries. Consequently, collaboration with Southern counterparts led to the creation of Southern Fair Trade Organizations (Warrier, 100). Evidently, the Southern Fair Trade Organizations performed the work of

Glass Ceiling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Glass Ceiling - Essay Example Having men and women as full partners will improve organizational performance by diversifying communication and decision-making styles that can lead to enhanced management processes and organizational outcomes. Male and female law firm partners have distinct communication styles that can improve how decisions are made in the company, which can boost collaboration and networking that, in turn, will consequently boost morale and firm performance. The American society continues to generally follow a gendered approach to parenting and educating children. Traditional institutions teach gender differences in values and expectations, where women are generally brought up to be empathetic and passive in communication and collaborative and seeking harmony when making decisions, while men are usually trained to be direct, aggressive, and competitive in communication and logical and rules-based in making decisions (Parcheta et al., 2013, p.244). Evans actually seems to balance masculine and feminine communication and styles because the Associates Committee either sees her as too passive or too aggressive. Either way, she brings in her own way of thinking, speaking, and interacting that can enrich how the firm manages the business and attracts clientele. If she is promoted, this will have a positive morale-boosting effect on female attorneys and encourage many of them to also aspire for partnership status. As they do so, these female lawyers will work harder and be more productive, thereby improving total firm performance. Aside from bringing in new communication style, having women as full partners can enhance decision-making in the company. Bear and Woolley (2011) mentioned the 2010 study of Woolley et al., where the latter found out that having women in groups increased collective intelligence because women boost social sensitivity, turn-taking, and empathy in group

Research Chinese culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research Chinese culture - Essay Example For instance, â€Å"We appreciate your business† is preferable in every case to â€Å"I appreciate your business.† Time sensitivity In Chinese business, deadlines and meeting times are treated more like suggestions. In American business, deadlines and meeting times are strict guidelines. That is, concern is not expressed if a meeting begins late or a deadline is pushed back by a couple days. This is often misunderstood by American communicators.ii Communication addressed to cultures that are less focused on the absolute concept of time should reflect a lesser emphasis on the importance of meeting times and deadlines. Although this may be frustrating, some cultures do not respond well to such demands. For that reason, communications should embrace a fuzzier view of timed projects. For instance, using the sentence â€Å"The meeting will start around 1pm† as opposed to â€Å"The meeting will start at 1pm sharp† is more likely to win over employees. ... This means not using language that could be interpreted to dispute or argue directly for something opposite to what was decided by the higher levels of hierarchy. By doing this, Westeners will remain respectful and avoid awkward situations. Audience Profile Sheet Job Sought: _Regional Sales Manager______________________________________________ Reader's Name: Kathryn Harold Reader's Job Title: Senior Sales Associate Kind of Reader: Primary __X___ Secondary ______ Reader’s Level of Education: Bachelors of Arts Degree Reader’s Professional Experience: 1 year as Sales & Marketing Intern 2 years as Junior Sales Associate 4 years as Senior Sales Associate Reader’s Job Responsibilities: A senior sales associate organizes and manages a company's sales force. Senior sales associates hire and train other salespersons, assigning territories and helping develop leads. Reader’s Personal Characteristics: She is a personable employee with strong leadership and interperso nal skills. She has shown compassion on the job. She has expressed interest in gaining more experience in an overseas sales position and desires a promotion. Reader’s Cultural Background: Caucasian American of Polish and German descent Reader’s Attitude Toward the Writer (you): She is a friendly acquaintance. She admires the work that her coworkers and superiors are doing. Reader’s Attitude Toward the Position you’re applying to: She views the position as an opportunity for personal and professional growth, a chance at a higher pay, and experiences in a new working environment. Reader’s Expectations for an employee in that position: She expects an employee in that

Organizational change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational change - Assignment Example Therefore, it becomes essential to understand the interpersonal effects of implementing change before adopting changes within an organisation; different approaches have been developed, providing assistance for understanding change implementation. The method utilised depends on the desired change, organisational current situations and available resources for implementing change. This theory can be defined as a reflection of daily occurrences within an organisation and remains focused on the reality of the situation facing individuals within the organisation. The method remains much focused on the interpersonal situations through the utilisation of three ever-present elements of content, process and structure (Anderson & Anderson 2001). This seeks to analyse and understand these elements in a great extend before engaging in the proposed implementation of change. Sufficient understanding of these elements, and subsequent investment of financial resources, remains paramount to improvement within a changing organisational structure. The performance of organisations remains highly dependent on the output of employees within the organisation; hence the company should provide financial resources in supporting the employees. Creation of a high performance organisation would therefore include achievement of a balance between the resources utilised in enhancing the se three fundamental elements. This remains the fundamental element utilised in understanding the change management process being implemented. The tasks, goals and focus of the company form an essential part in determining the content which change should be introduced upon (Senior 2002). The management members within the company should be made to understand the content which shall be contained within the proposed change. The activities which the HR manager has undertaken can be termed as beginning to create a focus on establishing the content

Glass Ceiling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Glass Ceiling - Essay Example Having men and women as full partners will improve organizational performance by diversifying communication and decision-making styles that can lead to enhanced management processes and organizational outcomes. Male and female law firm partners have distinct communication styles that can improve how decisions are made in the company, which can boost collaboration and networking that, in turn, will consequently boost morale and firm performance. The American society continues to generally follow a gendered approach to parenting and educating children. Traditional institutions teach gender differences in values and expectations, where women are generally brought up to be empathetic and passive in communication and collaborative and seeking harmony when making decisions, while men are usually trained to be direct, aggressive, and competitive in communication and logical and rules-based in making decisions (Parcheta et al., 2013, p.244). Evans actually seems to balance masculine and feminine communication and styles because the Associates Committee either sees her as too passive or too aggressive. Either way, she brings in her own way of thinking, speaking, and interacting that can enrich how the firm manages the business and attracts clientele. If she is promoted, this will have a positive morale-boosting effect on female attorneys and encourage many of them to also aspire for partnership status. As they do so, these female lawyers will work harder and be more productive, thereby improving total firm performance. Aside from bringing in new communication style, having women as full partners can enhance decision-making in the company. Bear and Woolley (2011) mentioned the 2010 study of Woolley et al., where the latter found out that having women in groups increased collective intelligence because women boost social sensitivity, turn-taking, and empathy in group

Organizational change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational change - Assignment Example Therefore, it becomes essential to understand the interpersonal effects of implementing change before adopting changes within an organisation; different approaches have been developed, providing assistance for understanding change implementation. The method utilised depends on the desired change, organisational current situations and available resources for implementing change. This theory can be defined as a reflection of daily occurrences within an organisation and remains focused on the reality of the situation facing individuals within the organisation. The method remains much focused on the interpersonal situations through the utilisation of three ever-present elements of content, process and structure (Anderson & Anderson 2001). This seeks to analyse and understand these elements in a great extend before engaging in the proposed implementation of change. Sufficient understanding of these elements, and subsequent investment of financial resources, remains paramount to improvement within a changing organisational structure. The performance of organisations remains highly dependent on the output of employees within the organisation; hence the company should provide financial resources in supporting the employees. Creation of a high performance organisation would therefore include achievement of a balance between the resources utilised in enhancing the se three fundamental elements. This remains the fundamental element utilised in understanding the change management process being implemented. The tasks, goals and focus of the company form an essential part in determining the content which change should be introduced upon (Senior 2002). The management members within the company should be made to understand the content which shall be contained within the proposed change. The activities which the HR manager has undertaken can be termed as beginning to create a focus on establishing the content

Physics, Roller Coasters Essay Example for Free

Physics, Roller Coasters Essay Roller coasters Additional notes: GPE = m x g x h KE = m x v? The main energy transfers that happen as a car travels along the track from the start of the ride to the end: [1]The rollercoaster car gains gravitational potential energy (GPE) as it travels to the top. Once over the top, the car gains speed as GPE is transferred to kinetic energy (KE). As it travels to the top of another loop, KE is transferred to GPE. Not all the energy is transferred to or from GPE – some is transferred to the surroundings as heat and sound. All moving objects have kinetic energy, KE. The kinetic energy an object has depends on the mass and speed. If the mass doubles, the KE doubles and if the speed doubles, the KE quadruples. Normally energy is lost through sound and heat (friction, air resistance). How the heights of the hills are designed to allow an empty car to reach the end of the ride: [2]The hills are designed so that it is low enough that the momentum of the car from the previous drop carries it up and over the hill. This is why the hills are usually lower towards the end of the ride, because the car has lost momentum due to friction and air resistance. Mainly the consecutive hill must be lower as it will not have enough energy because some of it is lost and sound and heat. Therefore, if the car was to reach the end of the ride, the height of the hills must be lower each consecutive time. How the energy transfers determine the heights of the hills: [4] After the roller coaster is drops from the first hill it does two things with its energy. First, it begins to transform that energy from one form to anotherfrom gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy and from kinetic energy to gravitational potential energy, back and forth. Second, it begins to transfer some of its energy to its environment, mostly in the form of heat and sound. Each time the roller coaster goes downhill, its gravitational potential energy decreases and its kinetic energy increases. Each time the roller coaster goes uphill, its kinetic energy decreases and its gravitational potential energy increases. But each transfer of energy isnt complete because some of the energy is lost to heat and sound. Because of this lost energy, the roller coaster cant return to its original height after coasting downhill. Thats why each successive hill must be lower than the previous hill. Eventually the roller coaster has lost so much of its original total energy that the ride must end. With so little total energy left, the roller coaster cant have much gravitational potential energy and must be much lower than the top of the first hill. This is why the hills must be a certain height, in order to transfer enough GPE into KE. Bibliography: [1] http://www. bbc. co. uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_gateway/forces/themeridesrev2. shtml [2] http://science. howstuffworks. com/engineering/structural/roller-coaster3. htm [3] http://www. coasterforce. com/coasters/technical-info/physics-of-a-coaster [4] http://library. thinkquest. org/26455/amuse/roller/roller01. shtml [5] Collins Additional Sciences B ISBN-13 978-0-00-741531-1 Colin Bell, 2011

Changes to British Identity and Attitude Since the 1950s

Changes to British Identity and Attitude Since the 1950s How has British identity and attitude changed since the 1950s? Introduction Many people find it difficult to cope with changes in people’s attitudes and identity, particularly since the 1950s. They struggle with the direction in which society appears to be going. The expanding nature of contemporary society means that there are more opportunities for people, this coupled with an expansion in skills and a less authoritarian attitude in the workplace gives people greater individual freedom. However, the continuing changes that have taken place in society over the last fifty years requires that people develop a greater adaptability in regards to their personal identities their attitude towards self and society. They need to be ready to move along with the rate of change and this requires a corresponding change in how they understand themselves. Thus, for Giddens (1991), the self is an ongoing project whereby identity is made and remade to meet the conditions of modern life. This paper will look at how British identity and attitude have changed since the 1950s. There will be a brief look at what life was like in nineteen fifties and how identity was understood. This will then be compared to attitudes and identity today to highlight the changes. 1950s Britain Post-war Britain was quite different to today. In the early 1950s there was still a good deal of war damage which led the Government to introduce massive building programmes to ensure adequate housing for the population. Immediately after the war the welfare state was set up. The funding of this was based on the notion that the (predominantly male) workforce would continue to have full employment, which led the Government to claim that it would be able to look after its citizens from the cradle to the grave. They were overly idealistic in their views and in the last fifty years Britain has witnessed massive changes in both welfare and employment work and welfare. Attitudes have changed towards family structures and this, along with other cultural changes, has had corresponding implications for peoples’ identities. In the years following the Second World War people felt that they were secure in their employment. In industry working class men were conditioned to the view that if they worked hard then they would have a job for life, even though they may not have earned a lot of money (Giddens, 2001). This is no longer the case however, and is one of the many reasons that there are now so many women in the workforce (Abbott and Wallace, 1997). In 1950s Britain society was clearly class ridden and people did not often move from one class to another. The class into which a person was born therefore was very often the one in which they stayed and this had implications for their life chances in other areas. People did not have the choices that they have nowadays few women went out to work and it was the father’s responsibility to go out and earn money to support his family (Walby, 1986). In the years since the nineteen fifties the face of Britain has altered. There have been massive changes in employment patterns and this has, in many cases, led to changing roles in society which has had further implications for people’s sense of identity. Post-War immigration along with rapid social and technological change has brought with it n increasing focus on contemporary racialised and ethnicised identities. This mixing of new identities along with older ones, and the introduction of new cultural forms contributes to the sense of uncertainty that many people feel is a feature of modern life (Hall, 1992). British Identity The concept of identity is extremely important in sociological thinking, furthermore, constructions of identity are also closely linked to culture and people’s identities are reflected in the cultures and sub-cultures to which they belong (Willis, 1967).Smith (1991) claims that in Britain in the 1950s there was a fairly homogenous cultural, aristocratic sense of Britishness, which dated back to the sixteenth century. The British nation state, therefore was, essentially, seen as English with elements taken from Wales and Scotland. Langlands (1999) maintains that: As it is true of all national identities, the meanings and saliency attached to Englishness are fluid and have varied considerably; it has at some times drawn upon Celtic sources; and at other times it has been conflated with Britishness (the myth of our island race for instance) (Langlands, 1999:60). The Arts Council was established in 1947. This was an attempt to bring art to as many people as possible. Ballet, Opera and the theatre were publicity and held up as models of British cultural life. During the 1950s collectivist policies were pursued which resulted in cultural stability. Cultural heritage is of great importance. (the National Heritage site tells us) it is also crucial to the construction of identities and to social behaviour (Turnpenny, 2004). These policies which promoted what were seen as ‘high’ culture were stable until the late nineteen sixties and seventies. The growing number of immigrants was changing the way Britain looked and the way it had to find new understandings of itself By the 1970s things had changed and opinions on the far left held all cultural values as a reflection of the interests of white middle class males (Abbott and Wallace, 1997).. In the nineteen eighties the market principles of Margaret Thatcher’s Government meant that art had to justify its continued existence on the basis of its marketability. In 1986 the cultural policy advisors to the Greater London Council wrote: In an age when we know longer expect to find a single all- encompassing truth, the best strategies for survival often involve creating alternative, exclusive realms, which reject dominant modes (Mulgan and Worpole, 1986:32) When New Labour came to power in the 1990s it took over elements of the left and the right in an attempt to promote a more diverse and inclusive view of culture and cultural heritage (Pearce, 2000). Pearce contends that: Cultural heritage is something that can be inherited, which enables the inheritors to enter into their rightful states and be their true selves (Pearce, 2000:59). This cultural heritage consists of artefacts, practices, objects and cultural spaces which people recognise as part of their cultural heritage. Turnpenny (2004) maintains that this heritage relates to all aspects of a nation’s life. Current cultural policy concentrates on buildings or monument, making heritage very tightly defined and denying wider cultural interpretation (Turnpenny, ibid). Social practices which are a source of group identity have been omitted from Government legislation on cultural heritage yet they traditional, and cultural significance and should therefore be considered as part of our cultural heritage (Jones, 1996). Turnpenny (2004) argues that this is oppressive as it does not take into account community values and the communities’ perceptions of their cultural heritage and it thus contributes to social exclusion. Current cultural policy, in its neglect of the intangible, separates fact from value. In doing so it imposes a form of national identity that does not truly reflect the identity of community groups in Britain. Changes in society affect social structures which in turn affect people’s identities in myriad ways. Because identities are no longer fixed, but as Bradley (1996) has argued are fractured, they are a source of continuing uncertainty. This uncertainty leads to further changes in the social structure. Contemporary people’s identities are unsettled because the changes mentioned above tend to cross ethnic boundaries. For example the changing role of women and their greater inclusion in the labour market has affected not only women’s and men’s identities, it has also led to changes in family structures. Changing Attitudes and the Family Over the last fifty years, Britain has witnessed changes in marriage, household, and family forms that would not have been thought possible prior to the Second World War (Giddens, 2001). The rise in the divorce rate and the number of single parent families, has largely been blamed on the 1960s rise of the feminist movement. There has also been a growth in the rate of women who have children but have not married (Social Trends, 2000). Attitudes have changed considerably in this regard and it is rare to hear of the lonely old spinster. People do not think that women who don’t want to marry are in some way strange. Parsons (1955) argued that (what has been called)the traditional family serves two major purposes that are common to societies, the primary socialisation of children into the norms and values of society, and the stabilisation of adult personalities. For Parsons the institution of the family provided the mutual love and support needed by individuals in order for them to be fit enough to take their places in society (Giddens, 2001). In 1997 when Blair’s Government came to power the above ideology of the family that had existed in Britain for almost a century was breaking down and unemployment was continuing to rise. Death, divorce, and the rise in the number of single parent families meant that the traditional ideal of the male breadwinner and the female carer/homemaker were becoming less common (Giddens, 2001). Single mothers (although not a strong favorite) were no longer seen as shamed women, as they might have been in the nineteen fifties. The concerns of the Welfare State were with the traditional, nuclear family where the man was the breadwinner and the woman cared for the home and children. It was not therefore, set up to deal with single parent households. In this way changing family structures result in an increase in other social problems, particularly poverty (Giddens, 2001). Traditional family structures are no longer the norm in the UK and this has led to a change of attitudes towards those w ho do not live in the traditional nuclear family that Parsons described. However, this leads to other social problems because the state system is not equipped to deal with either the increased burden on the benefits system or in making the employment and childcare systems more equitable. Conclusion British identities and attitudes have changed considerably since the 1950s. This is largely as a result of changing employment patterns, cultural policy, mass immigration, and changes in family structures. Human behaviour is based on guidelines that are shared by a group and in order for that group/society to function effectively the guidelines must apply to all its members. Thus culture is learned and shared and without it members of a society would be unable to communicate effectively and chaos would result (Giddens, 2001). This is why attitudes have had to change in Britain and this has had corresponding effects on how people understand both their Britishness and their identities. Bibliography Abbott, P. and Wallace, C. 1997. An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives. London, Routledge. Bradley, H. 1997. Fractured Identities: Changing Patterns of Inequality. Cambridge, Polity Press. Cohen, R. 1996 â€Å"The poverty trap† Community Care; 1 Aug 96, p.26-7 Crowe, G. and Hardey,M.1992. â€Å"Diversity and ambiguity among lone-parent households in modern Britain†. In Marsh, C. and Arber, S. (Eds.) 1992. Families and Households: Divisions and Change. London: Macmillan. Giddens, A. 2001. (4th ed). Sociology. Cambridge, Polity Press. Giddens, A. 1991 Modernity and Self Identity Cambridge, Polity Press Hall, S. and Gleben, B. eds. (1992) Formations of Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press in association with the Open University Press. Pearce, S. M. 2000 ‘The Making of Cultural Heritage’, In Values and Heritage Conservation, edited by E. Avrami, R. Mason and M. de la Torre. Los Angeles: Getty Conservation Institute (2000) 59–64. Parsons, T. and Bales, R. 1955. Family, Socialisation, and Interaction Process. Glencoe, Illinois: Free Press Smith, A. 1991 National Identity Harmondsworth, Penguin Social Trends 30 2000. General Household Survey in Giddens, A. 2001. (4th ed). Sociology. Cambridge, Polity Press.p.181 Turnpenny, M 2004 â€Å"Cultural Heritage, an ill defined concept? A call for joined-up policy† International Journal of Heritage Studies 10 (3) July 2004 pp. 295-307 Walby, S. 1986. Patriarchy at Work. Cambridge: Polity.

Jane Austen Essay -- essays papers

Jane Austen 6. How does Mansfield Park interrogate the relationship of power and gender? Mansfield Park by Jane Austen is a classic realist text, which is almost exclusively focused on a small strip of society, namely the upper-middle class of rural England; the class to which she herself belonged. Throughout her novel, Austen portrays the disadvantaged position of woman, presenting the issues of gender stereotyping and marriage choice as the main problems they have to confront. â€Å"Gender came to be seen as a construct of society, designed to facilitate the smooth-running of society to the advantage of men†1, proving that men gained power throughout the socially constructed subordination of woman. Taking a post-structuralist approach to Mansfield Park, we can see that there is a â€Å"pretence that bourgeois culture is ‘natural’†¦to limit meaning in the interests of control, repression and privilege†2. Austen’s writing embodies middle-class values, and portrays an ideology that emphasises patriarchal rule, along with social and economic power, with little reference to the hardships of the working class. This text is therefore a form of oppressive ideology, in which women are kept in their socially and sexually subordinate place. When Sir Thomas Bertram discovers that Fanny will reject Henry Crawford’s proposal, the cruelty of male power is evident, enforcing the gender role. He does not understand her refusal of a secure marriage, and attempts to change her answer by redefining what she says. Sir Thomas is an authoritative male, and represents the male-dominated system that tries to take control of, and organise a woman’s life for her. Although Fanny represents female resistance by opposing Sir Thomas’s judgement, Auste... ...ation to the women, as they can use their influence and power in a good or bad way. Austen takes the disadvantaged position of women, and analyses sexual stereotypes and prejudices in great detail. Therefore male power and female helplessness are explored fully in her novels. Bibliography: Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Penguin, 1994) Simone De Beavouir, Women and the Other; Literature in the Modern World, Dennis Walder (Oxford University Press, 1990) Marilyn Butler, Romantics, Rebels & Reactionaries (Oxford University Press, 1981) Mary Eagleton, Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader (Basil Blackwell Ltd, 1986) Terry Eagleton, Criticism and Ideology (Oxford University Press, 1976) Terry Eagleton, Literary Theory: An Introduction, 2nd Ed (Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 1996) Dennis Walder, Literature in the Modern World (Oxford University Press, 1990)

The End of Innocence in Lord of the Flies Essay examples -- Lord Flies

The End of Innocence in Lord of the Flies    William Golding wrote the novel Lord of the Flies "to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature."(Golding) He wanted to show that humans naturally live in savagery and ignorance with little knowledge on how to live together peacefully. To accomplish his premise Golding strands a group of boys on an island who then must set up government in an attempt to survive.   The story uses heavy symbolism to compare the life on the island to the entire civilization of the world.    Each character on the island represents one aspect of civilized society; those who represent uninhibited man survive and those who represent intellectual or spiritual man die.   One of the more terrifying deaths is that of Simon who symbolizes the spiritual side of humanity. Simon is a prophet. He alone saw what the others were becoming and he alone knew that the beast, feared by all the children, was in fact humanities own inner savagery. Fear was the driving force on the island, it was this fear that kept Simon from telling the others of the "true beast", he knew that if he told them they would turn against him.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All through the book Simon is one of the few boys who works for the good of the group and never runs off during a job to go have fun. Simon sincerely cares about the other boys. He often helps the "littluns" retrieve the quality fruit from high in the trees, yet "Simon turned away from them and went where the jest perceptible path led him."(61) Simon loves his solitude, he often wonders off into the jungle to be alone. "The assembly grinned at the thought of going out into the darkness. Then Simon stood up and Ralph looked at him in astonishment."(93) Sim... ...arked in a ritual and primitive dance. When the barely visible Simon came down from the mountain to tell the others of his discovery, he was thought to be the beast. As Simon emerged from the trees a mob of wild boys attacked and killed him. When the other boys learn what they had done they deny fault: " 'It was an accident,' said Piggy suddenly ... 'He hadn't no business crawling like that out of the dark.'"(173)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Simon dies so does the truth, he is unable to tell the others about the true identity of the beast. The boys on the island foolishly destroy any attempts to be saved and unknowingly destroy the one person that could bring them salvation. Simons death shows evil is often victorious over the dwindling fight for order. With order lost the thin veneer, which is civilization, erodes and mankind revert back to his ancient primitiveness.

The Impact of Donor Funding on Nra- Sierra Leone

INTRODUCTION The act of the National Revenue Authority came into being on 13 September 2002. The National Revenue Authority has a mandate to administer and collect all taxes, revenues and all penalties as stated in the NRA act. The purpose of the National Revenue Authority is to serve as a central body for the collection and assessment of national revenue.The implementation procedures and policies by the National Revenue Authority will ensure that revenues are collected efficiently by enforcing specified laws through the provision of robust administration. However, the capacity of the NRA was inadequate to efficiently perform its mandates and mobilize the revenue needed for the socio-economic development. Against this background, several donor organizations including Dfid opted to support the capacity building drive of the NRA.This study focuses on Dfid as one of the major donors supporting the NRA. I will attempt to analyze the impact of Dfid intervention in NRA, with specific focus on staff capacity and revenue mobilization. IMPACT OF DONOR FUNDING ON THE OPERATION OF NATIONAL RENVENUE AUTHORITY With Dfid funding in July 2009, to strengthen the performance of NRA through ensuring compliance with international trade agreements, improving business processes and developing staff capabilities.Crown Agents was contracted to provide technical assistance to the National Revenue Authority (NRA) in the Modernization Plan to target a benchmark wherein the institution (NRA) transforms into modern and effective medium through which to secure vital state revenues and to ensure that the newly implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST) is viable and robust wherein NRA will have in place effective compliance management procedures. This reform program has designed to deliver efficient and equitable customs and tax administration procedures to target international practice.Through its continuing support program to NRA, the Department for International Development (Dfid) has pled ge its assurance to achieve the overarching poverty alleviation and the reduction of dependency on foreign aid through the effective collection of revenue which has gradually increase domestic revenue to build the nation from 65% dependency on foreign donors in 2000 to 40% in 2010. The modernization program carried out by crown agent sponsored by Dfid encompassing the following areas: ?Integrated Revenue Management Program- This area focuses on Customs Modernization, Administrative Reform on Domestic Taxes, and the Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST). It also looks at the review of laws, procedures and structures to bring them in line with International best practice and to improve NRA's revenue collection base. This modernization component will involve capacity building in improving taxpayers audit and compliance management and assist in the establishment of a new Domestic Taxes Department that will merge GST and Direct Tax operations. Human Resource and Institutional De velopment Program- This modernization program is aimed at developing the human and institutional resource base of NRA by equipping it with modern performance management systems and procedures. Information systems should be enhanced under this program, change management strategies and improved monitoring and evaluation systems throughout the organization. ? Taxpayer Information and Educational Program- This modernization program is aimed at changing the taxpaying culture in Sierra Leone through better information to the public and by assisting individual taxpayers to understand their tax obligations. Consolidation of the Strategic Management Program- This modernization program focuses on the development of the NRA's Strategic Management capacity and institutional footprint with international procedures and policies. Having gone through this modernization program, Dfid contracted another agency known as United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in the provision of AS YCUDA to: ? Abolish the bureaucracy and administrative hard work for both the business community and NRA. ? Reduce the time used in processing and clearing of imported consignments under the previous manual system. Reduce revenue leakages and increases the collection of revenue ? Create transparency in the Customs administration of imports and exports departments in Sierra Leone. ? Assists the Customs Officers in providing consistent, fair and equitable treatment of all traders in applying the legal and regulatory framework ? Create equality and fairness among traders about response service and obligations. ANALYSIS ON THE IMPACT OF DONOR FUNDING ON THE OPERATION OF NATIONAL RENVENUE AUTHORITY Having looked at the impact of donor funding on the operations of National Revenue Authority (NRA).Their involvement in developmental activities in strengthening the performance of NRA through ensuring compliance with international trade agreements is far yet to be achieved base on the moderni zation plan, but having said this, progress is on the way which has created an impact on the operations of the institution. Analyzing further, as to what the donor funds have done in the operation of National Revenue Authority may be highlighted below. ? Enable senior management to focus on the â€Å"strategic† issues, which will inevitably arise within individual Program and the overall Plan itself, leaving tactical decisions to middle managers. Minimize leakage and other revenue losses by reducing discretion, curbing smuggling, and instituting systems and control. ? Increase revenue collection by improving on the efficiency of the current revenue administration and then expand the revenue base by tapping into new taxpayers, facilitate trade, take advantage of opportunities and deal with challenges in the revenue administration environment. ? Reduce existing arrears to 5% using persuasion where necessary or litigation ? Improved and enhanced tax administration by computeriza tion of operational and administration system. Develop and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation system ? Effectively monitor and control bonded warehouses to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, and verify inventories and internal controls on a quarterly basis. National Revenue Authority benefiting from donor partners has created an impetus on its operations. Therefore, having implemented all the modernization plans will help NRA to increase their revenue collection base by strengthening the capacity of staffs.The introduction of GST under the integrated management program as one of the modernization plan has help NRA to increase the Domestic Revenue which has reduced the dependency of foreign donors in our economy. The launching of ASYCUDA will reduce the bureaucratic and administrative work on both NRA and the community in reducing the time spent on processing and clearing of imported consignments under the previous manual system. ASYCUDA will reduce revenue leakag es and increase revenue collection and transparency in the Customs administration of imports and exports departments in Sierra Leone.CONCLUSION Donor funding has increasingly affected the operation of National Revenue Authority in diverse ways and as a result, to that, revenue generation has increase tremendously, which has reduced the dependency on foreign donors. Modernization plan is a funded program by Dfid but contracted Crown Agent in the implementation of the plans and they further contracted UNCTAD in the provision of ASYCUDA in reducing revenue leakages and the increases revenue base. It further reduced the bureaucratic and administrative work on both NRA and the community. References: Revenue and tax Policy Unit- MOFED Modernization Unit- NRA Website

Economics and Dahlia Furniture Private Essay

On August 1984, Mr. Chua Boon Kang and Mr. Leong Sim Lam bought over Peter Lim’s forty six percent (46%) stake at Dahlia Furniture Private Limited. Although co-owners at one time, Mr. Chua and Mr. Leong have found Mr. Lim’s management of the company to be unsatisfactory. Some reorganization took place as most of the production workers who were doing subcontracting orders solely for Dahlia had resigned due to poor company performance in 1982. Dahlia also sold off seventy five thousand dollars ($75,000) worth of machinery used for mass producing furniture which was previously purchased by a former Managing Director, who has since left the company. Now at the helm, both are uncertain about the long term direction of the company. Meanwhile, they are both concerned over maintaining sales growth in a highly competitive industry. Dahlia Furniture made its entrance into the furniture industry in 1972 as subcontractors to two large furniture concerns, Ching Lin and Diethelm. It supplied mainly wall units and kitchen cabinets while bedrooms sets and dining sets were subcontracted out or obtained from local suppliers. Business went well and the company decided to branch into retailing. Between 1979 and 198, Dahlia acquired two factories At Ang Mo Kio and Upper Thomson at a cost of $400,000 and $300,000, respectively. The factory At Ang Mo Kio was rented out on a monthly basis to furniture makers who were also subcontractors to Dahlia. The company also acquired two or more showrooms in the Bukid Timah and Upper Thomson area in 1978 and 1982, respectively. I. TIME CONTEXT The Dahlia Furniture Private Limited Case (Case) was developed in 1985 by Mr. Ch’ng Hak Kee and Ms. Jeannie Teoh from the National University of Singapore. (Reference: Book) The case, as described is dated in the 1980’s in which Singapore’s economy was dependent on external markets and suppliers pushed. In the 1980s, Singapore was a free port with only a few revenue tariffs and a small set of protective tariffs. It had no foreign exchange controls or domestic price controls. There were no controls on private enterprise or investment, nor any limitations on profit remittance or repatriation of capital. Foreign corporations were welcome, foreign investment was solicited, and fully 70 percent of the investment in manufacturing was foreign. (mongabay.com) This shows that there is quite a contrast with regards to foreign policies as compared to the Philippines which has more stringent rules with regards to foreign investments considering that both countries are within the same region and are at the time regarded as developing nations. For the first two decades of its independence (1963, Britain and 1965 from Malaysia), Singapore enjoyed continuous high economic growth, largely outperforming the world economy. Its GDP growth rate never fell below 5 percent and rose as high as 15 percent. At the same time, Singapore managed to maintain an inflation rate below world averages. However, the 1985 international recession severely affected the economy as Singapore is dependent on foreign investments. However, due to better policy making, the country, on the same decade experienced a rise of the construction and manufacturing industries. By 1988, Singapore has rebounded. (wiki) II. VIEWPOINT As the more important decision makers for the company, Mr. Chua and Mr. Leong have to decide on the direction of the company where they want to be. Since the case does not directly supply a problem, it is presumed that the students are to make decisions based on the interpretation of the case. III. MAJOR POLICY STATEMENT The furniture business industry vision, the philosophy is built upon providing tailor-made business furniture solutions that exceeds our client’s unique needs and expectations whilst remaining cost competitive. IV. CURRENT BUSINESS POLICY V. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM VI. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVE a. Long Term i. To develop strategies that will enhance and raise sales figures ii. To be highly competitive aginst both foreign and domestic competitors b. Short Term iii. To improve company’s position in the market iv. To exceed sales figure from the previous year VII. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS| WEAKNESSES| 1. Target Market is well defined 2. Multiple supply/inventory sources 3. Stable Management (as of 1984) 4. High quality Image 5. Highly profitable Branch (Orchard Area)| 1. Limited Market 2. Slow moving imported inventory 3. Primary Decision Makers are indirect Competitors 4. Low Profit Branches| OPPURTUNITIES| THREATS| 1. Re-exportation 2. New design trends 3. Improve profits from weaker branches 4. Open market for imported furniture| 1. Conflict on interests between the decision makers and the company 2. Loss of competent managers 3. Gradual changes in economic policies of the government 4. Loss of clients to competitors| VIII. ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION 1. Import all products and continue its high quality and fairly expensive image with middle and upper income family’s clientele. 2. Expand its production unit and contend with competitors through lowering of prices to reach a larger market, the mass. 3. To formulate a proportionate inventory acquisition with some products imported and some manufactured, to drive away competition and at the same time, maintain its present image, also to reach all brackets of prospective clientele. IX. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES X. DECISION STATEMENT XI. IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMS XII. PROPOSED BUSINESS POLICIES XIII. MANAGEMENT LESSONS LEARNED Dahlia Furniture Private Limited I. Problem : What way of acquiring inventories should Dahlia employ to maximize profit and improve the company’s position? II. Alternatives : A. Import all products and continue its high quality and fairly expensive image with middle and upper income family’s clientele. B. Expand its production unit and contend with competitors through lowering of prices to reach a larger market, the mass. C. To formulate a proportionate inventory acquisition with some products imported and some manufactured, to drive away competition and at the same time, maintain its present image, also to reach all brackets of prospective clientele. III. Advantages and Disadvantages * Advantages for Alternative A * Dahlia would be free from hiring more labor. * Will maintain its present image for quality and pricing. * No overhead costs. * Smaller units of products are needed to be sold because of its price * Problems about filling their showrooms are rapidly solved. Disadvantages for Alternative A * Would turn out costly if not sold two months or more. * Dahlia would be driven away by competitors because of erratic pricing. * It could not cater to the mass market. * It will be pinpointed by government for using foreign labor and might affect its credibility. * Advantages for Alternative B * Will not incur large cost, even inventory remain idle for quite some time. * The company can now afford to cater the mass market. * Can now drive the competition. * Will not violate government’s policy on foreign labor. Disadvantages for Alternative B * Will incur large overhead cost. * Company’s current image might be at stake. * Has to hire more labor that will boost costs. * Might incur losses if driven away by erratic pricing. * Advantages for Alternative C * Lower risk for the company. * Will neutralize all costs. * Will have a larger†¦ [continues]