Saturday, August 31, 2019
Ethno Tourism Benefits Both Visitors
Tourism industry has witnessed a fast development in the recent decades. As a new type of tourism, ethno tourism combines sightseeing and seeking the cultural experience of the tribal communities of the tourist destinations (Cooper, 2005). Since ethno tourism greatly stimulated the economic development of the local communities, people think that ethno tourism benefits both the visitors and the local communities of the destinations. On the one hand, ethno tourism enhanced the cultural communication between different ethnic groups.However, it is also worthwhile to note the possible dangers to the environment might be caused by the over-development of ethno tourism (McLaren, 2001). There are many other negative influences upon the local communities in the same time. These may include the pollution to the natural environment, the eroding of the local culture and the risk of infectious diseases. As a result, I maintain both the positive and negative influences of ethno-tourism have to be clarified so as to keep a balance between tourism development and the protection of the local communities.This essay, based on the analysis of the various influences of ethno tourism in both the industrial development and the change of peopleââ¬â¢s attitude, examine the benefits of ethno tourism to both the visitors and the local communities of the tourist destinations. In the meanwhile, I also intend to analyze the potential harms brought about by ethno tourism in the local communities. The development of ethno tourism mainly focuses on four major long-term positive influences within the local communities.These effects include the improvement of the local economy, the communication of different cultural groups, remarkable influence upon the society of the tribal communities and the advance of the local life conditions. With regard to economics, the benefit to the locals is considered to be the major drive force that stimulates the development of ethno tourism. Ethno touristsâ⠬⢠objective in visiting a local place is to seek the experience when enjoying the various types of cultural traditions which are exposed to the whole world and the influence is amplified to the outside (Mitchell, 2009).This might become an important premise to attract more travellers to the local tribes. As time going on, the local people gradually begin to benefit from the ethno tourism industry. More travellers bring more economic resources that are urgently needed for the local development (Kaplan, 2009a). In addition, ethno tourism attract outside economic resources, which are important for the development of the local economy (Vidal, 2009). The investors come to the tribal communities like a model as teaching them how to operate a business and how to use the resources efficiently.Therefore, these local communities may be able to manage their economy independently in the future. However, the more short-term investments follow by the more ethno tourisms will cause risks too. O ver-development of ethno tourism may cause serious pollution to the local environment (McLaren, D. 2001). More visitors in the meantime may imply the pollution to the air, the water and the soil of the local environment, which used to be clean and tranquil. What is more, cultural communications are obviously resulting from the different cultural backgrounds between the tourists and indigenes.As the development of ethno tourism, these local cultures began to be known by the outside people (Mitchell, 2009). Gradually, the local culture of the tourist destinations might become influential in the country or even in the whole world (Buckley, 2000). Taking China for example, some of the products in the mountainous areas were not well known by the outside world. However, when more and more travellers coming to these areas, the products made by them that conveying the special colours of the local culture have been accepted by the outside people.The bamboo ware in South-east China, for insta nce, can be seen as one typical example. Originally, these bamboo wares were only made for family use of the local people in these areas, however, when more and more tourists coming to the local place, they find these bamboo wares are not only useful in life but are also nicely made. And some of them can even be seen as artistic products that conveying the special culture of the locals. In this way, these bamboo wares are exported to the outside world and gradually become popular (Guo, 2001).This is a combinative example which are contained the influence of local economy and the culture spreading of the tourist destinations. In the old times when transportation and communication were not as advanced as today, it is difficult for the outside people to know some remote tribal communities. So the excellent craftsmanship of the tribes could not be appreciated by the outside people. But it would not be restrict anymore due to the prosperous development of ethno tourism.Most of the time, foreigners and tribal people have even interacted respectively through the visit of ethno tourism. Visitors are interested in promoting their special ways of daily lives and thus made the local people understood by the outside world. Apart from what the local people learn about the foreign guests, their communications also help the outside world understand the specialty of the local traditions in a number of ways. In addition, with much more understanding of the locals, people from the outside world might be more tolerant to accept the local culture.Cultural exchange and communication between different travellers and tribes are consequently enhanced by ethno tourism. Although visitors broaden their mind because of a better cultural communication as well as indigenes, the local culture of the tourist destinations might be seriously eroded in the long-term since the culture coming from the outside world (Wilkerson, et al. , 2003). For example, in some of the South-Western provinces of China, there is a trend of losing some precious local cultures due to the acceptance of the outside culture.Youngsters are no longer willing to live in the local place and they gradually protest against the traditional way of life because they contend that it is unfashionable to obey the tradition which has been passing down to them by generations. Consequently, the valuable indigenous culture may be extinct. The influence of the society resulted in ethno tourism to the local communities is also as remarkable as culture. The reason can be understood as similar to that of the economic development stimulated by ethno tourism in the destinations.The mechanism can be understood as a chain reaction, which is a series of changes brought about by the ethno tourism (Cooper, 2005). The first process of this change is the opening of the tourism resources to the outside world. The second stage is to attract as many tourists as possible to contribute to the local economic development. In the f inal step, a whole system of the local industry based on the ethno tourism can be set up. In this way, there would be a profound change of the local society (Wurzburger, 2009).Nevertheless, this change is not owing to the destruction of the natural and cultural resources of the destinations. On the contrary, ethno tourism encourages the preservation of the sustained ability of the local communities to attract ethno tourisms as many as possible. Again, the development of ethno tourism is conducted according to the preservation of the local tourism resources (Wilkerson, et al. , 2003). Accordingly, the special culture of the tourist destinations is expected to be well preserved rather than be destroyed.At the same time, the local government aims the local communities by issuing political support of preserving the natural and cultural resources of ethno tourism. For this reason, the sustained ability of the tourism travelling in the local communities can guarantee that the local commun ities constantly attain advantages. With the accumulation of wealth since the development of ethno tourism, the local tribes are needed to build the infrastructures as soon as possible what are essential to improve the life conditions of the indigenous communities.Tourism can be a useful source of income (Vidal, 2009). For instance, with the money they earned, the indigenous communities can build up roads, hospitals or other basic facilities for the locals. In my view, health service is the most important part of the local tribes' improved living conditions and it is exactly built up by the income of the tourism industry. In other word, it can be said that it is based on the economic development stimulated by the ethno tourism so that the public health facilities can be improved.Also, ethno tourism, aiming at preserving the local natural environment, does not bring about any significant negative influence on the local ecosystem (Wurzburger, 2009). This is very important to preserve the health conditions of the local communities because ethno tourism stands against environmental destruction and industrial pollution (Buckley, 2000). Hence, the profits made from ethno tourism, needless to say, are played a major role in the local healthy industry.Despite the tribal citizens will gain some benefits for their living standards because of the progress of the infrastructures, the health of the locals might also be negatively influenced by the development of ethno tourism. According to the research result of some investigations, in some tourist destinations, about 30-50% of the locals die from diseases introduced from the outside world by the travellers (Kaplan, 2009b). The foreigners may bring new diseases to the tourist destinations and the indigenes may die of lacking in immunity.To sum up, as a new concept of the tourism industry, ethno tourism mainly benefits the local communities as well as the travellers whilst it has been paid numerous attentions to in the past few years, such as protecting environment and learning to manage business. Especially, with the advocating of environmental preservation and natural protection, ethno tourism has been considered to be one of the major trends of the development of world tourism. However, people should keep an eye on that the over-development of ethno tourism which might be a long-term dangerous roblem to the ruin of some aspects of the tribes peopleââ¬â¢s life while the destruction of the natural environment is the most serious issue. How to keep a balance between protecting the cultural environment of the local communities and the development of the local society and economy in particular is an urgent task of both the local indigenes and the foreign visitors. Otherwise, no one can acquire any advantage from ethno tourism because the destroying ethnic environment is unable to attract tourist and no more bring any profits then.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Gloucester Character in King Lear Essay
King Lear and Gloucester are similar to an extent of being tragic heroes, because they both experience the traditional features of a classic tragedy. Both characters go through the features of hubris, hamartia and culminates with anagnorisis. Shakespeare employs the double plot in ââ¬ËKing Learââ¬â¢, the only Shakespearean tragedy to employ two similar plots which function in a parallel manner. In doing so, Shakespeare is able to demonstrate the tragic consequences that result when the natural law is subverted. Despite both being tragic figures, the causes of their downfall are different and thus the culmination of the way both characters are considered to be tragic varies as well. Lear and Gloucester both commit blunders in the opening of the play, calling attention to their own tragic flaw, however the both the cause and impact varies. There is an indication of a power struggle as Renaissance society was patriarchal and gerontocratic, meaning men did not consider retirement nor did they pass on their power when they reached old age. Lear deciding to give away his power to his daughters, under the intention of ââ¬Ëconferring them on younger strengths, while we unburthenââ¬â¢d crawl towards deathââ¬â¢, would have challenged the thinking of an Elizabethan audience who acknowledged the social construct of the ââ¬ËGreat Chain of Beingââ¬â¢, the existence of a natural social of all beings and animals having their own ordained position. Both figures reject a child who truly loved them- this is their tragic flaw. Learââ¬â¢s decision to ââ¬Ëdisclaim all parental careââ¬â¢ from Cordelia, is perhaps the most impactful decision, because Lear had d isacknowledged the one daughter who truly loved him. As a result, Learââ¬â¢s subversion of power ââ¬Ëto shake all cares and business from our ageââ¬â¢ is perhaps more fata as a mistake in comparison to Gloucester. For Gloucester, his mistake is may be his adultery. The way Gloucester describes his son as ââ¬Ëoften blushed to acknowledge himââ¬â¢ highlights the concern of raising an illegitimate child. Consequently, Edmund seeks go against the laws of primogeniture, allowing only the legitimate child to be entitled to land. Gloucester is alsoà suggested to have relaxed morals, justifying the birth of Edmund with his mother as a ââ¬Ëknave came something saucily to the worldââ¬â¢. Gloucesterââ¬â¢s fault is less reckless than Learââ¬â¢s. Gloucesterââ¬â¢s fault is arguably justifiable as he was lied to by his own son. However it is his reaction, denying thought and logic which warrants consequences. The impact of both characterââ¬â¢s hamartia being equally destructive. According to Aristotle, he believed horror and pity are the two emotions the audience should feel while watching a tragedy, and Shak The physical suffering Gloucester endures namely, being blinded was thought to be something too gruesome to be displayed as a result, the scene had been omitted by some productions. Theatrical critic G.Wilson Knight commented on the play being ââ¬Ëpurposeless and unreasonable, King Lear is the most fearless artistic facing of ultimate crueltyââ¬â¢. The juxtaposition of Gloucesterââ¬â¢s cries of ââ¬Ëgive me help! O cruel!ââ¬â¢ against Gonerilââ¬â¢s brutal statements ââ¬Ëhow now, you dog!ââ¬â¢ highlights the ruthlessness and barbarity of Gloucesterââ¬â¢s circumstance. 19th century criticism was notable for suggesting Gloucester is punished harshly for his misjudgement of characters and will be viewed by most audiences as a character ââ¬Ëmore sinned agai nst than sinningââ¬â¢. However, in comparison to Learââ¬â¢s suffering, the King may be portrayed more so as a tragic figure. Unlike Gloucester, Lear falls into a state of madness and the audience watch Learââ¬â¢s mind deteriorate progressively during the play. The dismissal of Learââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëhundred knightsââ¬â¢ by both Goneril and Regan is powerful because the knights can be considered to be a symbol of Learââ¬â¢s importance. But being denied something which Lear wants and needs he notably comments, ââ¬ËManââ¬â¢s life is cheap as beastââ¬â¢sââ¬â¢ as aspects including clothes and property are symbols of civilisation. As a result Lear is reduced to having nothing to his name, thus being reduced as G.Wilson Knight said an ââ¬Ëelemental, instinctive lifeââ¬â¢. Near the end of the play, the king is wearing a ââ¬Ëcrown of thornsââ¬â¢, characterising his downfall as a figure who was once decorated as King of England to a person who has aligned himself with nature, furthe red by Frank Kernode stating, ââ¬Ësuffering can reduce humanity to a bestial conditionââ¬â¢ In this way, the portrayal of Learââ¬â¢s madness may be seen as more tragic than of what Gloucester experienced. A further feature of a classic tragedy is both tragic figures achieving anagnorisis, (a critical moment ofà recognition), near the ending of the play. The moment of realization occurs when Regan reveals to Gloucester of Edmund being a ââ¬Ëtreacherous villainââ¬â¢ Once being blinded, Gloucester comments, ââ¬ËI stumbled when I sawââ¬â¢, situational irony is deployed, epitomizing his realization of the events surrounding him, at a point where he is no longer able to see. Perhaps this alludes to critic Lawrence Rosingerââ¬â¢s comment of ââ¬Ëthe play is about Gloucester and Learââ¬â¢s self-discovery after a period of treating the others as a means of self-gratificationââ¬â¢, suggesting for Gloucester to recognise the true virtues of a human being, the process involves suffering and pain. However, for Lear to gain anagnorisis, I believe he is forced to endure suffering, for example, his daughters which serves to heighten the sympathy felt for Lear. This is exemplified particularly when interacting with Gloucester in Act 4, commenting ââ¬Ëthey (Goneril and Regan) flattered me like a dogââ¬â¢, the dramatic irony invoking pity because the audience is already aware of this. Once reunited with Cordelia, Lear expresses himself as being ââ¬Ëbound upon a wheel of fireââ¬â¢, his pessimistic view, alluding to a Christian interpretation of hell. Though both characters learn through their experience, it is arguably Learââ¬â¢s anagnoriss which allows him to be more tragic than Gloucester. His torment eventually reduces him to beggary, wanting ââ¬Ëgive me that patience, patience I needââ¬â¢, the chiasmus emphasising his desperation.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Ancient Commerce in China Essay
1- The route The Silk Road, or Silk Route, is the most famous and important historically trading route of ancient Chinese civilization. This historical network of interlinking, with more than 4000 miles, between East, South, Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa began to be used under the Han Dynasty (202 BC ââ¬â AD 220). Originally, the Chinese trade silk occurred internally within the empire, but the caravans were often attacked by central Asian tribes, hoping to find some valuable commodities. In order to protect these caravans, the Han Dynasty extended its military defenses further into Central Asia. Later came the idea to expand the silk trade to central Asia. Silk Road extension: The land routes are red, and the water routes are blue Source: http://en.wikipedia.org 2- Name and Purpose The Silk Road gets its name from the lucrative Chinese silk trade that was the major reason to sustain the route for so wide area. Some scholars prefer the term ââ¬Å"Silk Routesâ⬠because of the several network of routes existed there. Trading silk was not the only purpose of the Silk Road, many other commodities were also traded. In addition to silk the route carried other precious goods like gold and other precious metals, ivory, precious stones and glass, exotic animals and plants were trade as well. Indeed the silk was the most remarkable goods, mainly among the Romans, it became very popular in Rome for its soft texture and attractiveness making the Romans sees the route mainly as a Silk Route. Although this fact, the name ââ¬Å"Silk Roadâ⬠originated in the nineteenth century, coined by the German scholar, von Richthofen. 3- Routes The intercontinental Silk Road had two different overland routes bypassing the Taklimakan Desert and Lop Nur. The northern route started at Changââ¬â¢an (now called Xiââ¬â¢an), the capital of the ancient Chinese Kingdom, which, in the Later Han, was moved further east to Luoyang. The route was defined about the 1st century BCE as Han Wudi put an end to harassment by nomadic tribes The southern route was mainly a single route running from China, through the Karakoram, where it persists to modern times as the international paved road connecting Pakistan and China as the Karakoram Highway. It then set off westwards, but with southward spurs enabling the journey to be completed by sea from various points. Crossing the high mountains, it passed through northern Pakistan, over the Hindu Kush mountains, and into Afghanistan, rejoining the northern route near Merv. From there, it followed a nearly straight line west through mountainous northern Iran, Mesopotamia and the northern tip of the Syrian Desert to the Levant, where Mediterranean trading ships plied regular routes to Italy, while land routes went either north through Anatolia or south to North Africa. Another branch road traveled from Herat through Susa to Charax Spasinu at the head of the Persian Gulf and across to Petra and on to Alexandria and other eastern Mediterranean ports from where ships carried the cargoes to Rome. The Silk Road in the 1st century Source: http://en.wikipedia.org 4- Mongol Age In central Asia, Islam expanded from the 7th century onward, bringing a stop to Chinese westward expansion at the Battle of Talas in 751. Further expansion of the Islamic Turks in Central Asia from the 10th century finished disrupting trade in that part of the world. For a long time during the Middle Ages, the Islamic Caliphate often had a monopoly over much of the trade conducted across the route. Under the command of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire rapidly proceeded to conquer a huge region of Asia, the Mongol expansion throughout the Asian continent from around 1207 to 1360 helped to bring political and stability and re-establish the Silk Road. The partial unification of so many states under the Mongol Empire allowed a significant interaction between cultures of different regions. The trading started to happen again and the route became important as path for communication between different parts of the Empire once more. The Mongols, in general, were more open to ideas, more sympathetic to different religions and nationalities promoting the trading. Around 1288, the Venetian explorer Marco Polo became one of the first Europeans to travel the Silk Road to China, he was not the first, however, the most well known and best documented visitor. In his tales, The Travels of Marco Polo, he describes the way of life in the cities and small kingdoms through which his party passed, with particular interest on the trade and marriage customs, opening the western eyes to some of the customs of the Far East. 5- The Peak, Decline and the Sea Route In seventh century, the Silk Route had its height of importance at this time during the Tang dynasty China was a living a relative stability after the divisions of the earlier dynasties since the Han. The art and civilization of the Silk Road achieved its highest poin in the Tang Dynasty. Changan, as the starting point of the route, as well as the capital of the dynasty, developed into one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities of the time. By 742 A.D its population reached almost two million people and in 754 A.D it had around five thousand foreigners living in the city. During the Mongol Empire as mentioned before, the route established a new good period but despite the presence of the Mongols, the route never reached the heights that it did in the Tang dynasty. Furthermore, with the disintegration of the Mongol empire, that was fairly short-lived, the barriers rose again on the land route between East and West. After the Mongol Empire, the control of the Silk Road became economically and culturally separated. The demise of the Silk Road developed the Silk Route by sea at that time it was becoming easier and safer to transport goods by water than overland (Later however, the sea route suffered a lot of problems like bad weather and pirates). Beside this the sea route passed by promising new markets in Southern Asia at that time. The commerce with China and Asia at that time was very profitable and this situation is significantly important in explaining several factors about the present economy. It was the main driving factor for the Portuguese, and later Europeans, explorations of the Indian Ocean, including the sea of China. 6- Nowadays The last link along the Silk Road was completed in 1990, when the railway connecting Lanzhou to Urumchi was extended to the border with Kazakhstan, providing an important route to the new republics and beyond. Beside this the trade route itself is also being reopened, trading between the peoples of Xinjiang and Russia has developed quickly. The new republics in Central Asia have been contributing much of the heavy industry of the region. Trade with China has also utilized the route it was encouraged by the socialist market economy and its benefits to the market. 7- Conclusion The Silk Road played a key role in the development of the ancient economy in Asia, especially in China, In China it was the main responsible to significantly increase the number of foreign merchants present in China under the Han Dynasty and exposing the Chinese and visitors to their country to different cultures and religions. Buddhism spread from India to China because of trade along the Silk Route. This route was very important in foreign trade, during all history of civilization in the last 1200 years, placing China and India, and all East Asia, in a major role for contact with the western world in a time when this region was isolated by deserts and oceans. During the Mongol Empire, based on the Mongolââ¬â¢s idea of liberty about different religions and cultures, once more, the route had a very important role in the foreign trade and culture exchange between Asia countries and some countries of Europe and Africa as well. Later, the great population and the varieties of products attracted the European interest (economic center of the world at that time), by sea several expeditions in order to explore the commerce in that region change the course of the world, affecting the Americas and Africa as well Asia, being decisive in the current political, economic and social aspects of several countries in these continents.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Summarize the argument of one philosopher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Summarize the argument of one philosopher - Essay Example According to his explanation, this implies that to some people, the idea that God commands one not to do something will have a grave meaning or importance to their thinking that they will really have to consider that before coming to their conclusive decision. However, he is quick to add that the understanding of the idea one will have when deciding what is wrong or right does not serve the an answer to understanding what is morally right (p. 34). This means that a person should be made to understand why some things or actions are morally unacceptable rather than offering a template of doââ¬â¢s and donââ¬â¢ts as purported by the scriptures. The idea of morality is left vague and according to ethical relativism, this has been catapulted by the fact that morality is quite so relative and depends on other factors such as location, age or culture. An action that is acceptable in a given locality may be totally absurd in another geographic location hence calling the attention of what is morally right. According to Miller, to deeply understand ethical relativism which tries to explain whether there is a universal norm or what is considered universally correct. Therefore to conclude, an action can never be morally acceptable across all cultures or age groups. There are only moral norms that define or tie a certain group of people in a given society (p. 34). This forms the basis of moral relativism. However, as he explains, a norm may not be totally accepted in a society by all the members (p. 35). He uses abortion in the U.S. perspective to address this point. This makes moral relativism tough to understand. To address this confusion we agree that the rightness or wrongness of an action will be decided by other factors such as the harm they may inflict to someoneââ¬â¢s physique or infringing on their privacy (p. 35). This is the basis of context sensitivity which explains the application or
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Ethical issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Ethical issues - Essay Example onted by Don Marquis in his ââ¬ËFuture-like-ours argument with regards the morality of abortion, an assertion which was later on opposed by Bonnie Steinbock in his ââ¬ËInterest Viewââ¬â¢ argument. While Marquis argues that abortion is immoral as killing deprives the fetus of its future and Steinbock believes that abortion is not wrong based on the moral status of the unborn and its lack of consciousness, their arguments continue to confound rather than illuminate the morality or immorality of the issue. Marquis contends that abortion is seriously immoral as taking another personââ¬â¢s life, as for instance, an adultââ¬â¢s, as it dispossesses him of his future. This is akin to the killing of a fetus. Marquis asserts that fetuses are in the same category as adults with regards moral value. Thus, the immorality of abortion rests on strong presumptions such as on the dogma that killing is wrong. The concept that killing is brutal and thus, it is wrong does not explain the depravity of the act. For Marquis, what makes killing unacceptable is its consequences on the victim as the loss of oneââ¬â¢s life is considered the greatest loss. This loss constitutes loss of activities and gratifications which make up the valuable future of the victim. As death divests a human being of the ââ¬Ëvalue of his future,ââ¬â¢ the most justifiable reason against killing an adult individual is the consideration of the ââ¬Ëloss of his future.ââ¬â¢ In addition, Marquis argues that other l iving entities and species have similar ââ¬Ëfutureââ¬â¢ like our and believes that it is likewise wrong to kill animals. Although he does not support active euthanasia, he admits that killing the ââ¬Ëvery ill or the dyingââ¬â¢ cause no wrong. The heart of Marquisââ¬â¢ arguments, however, lies on his contention that killing an infant or fetuses amounts to immorality as they have acquired ââ¬Ëfutures of value.ââ¬â¢ As the personhood theory does not put to light the immorality of killing, this notion should be replaced by the idea that
Absenteeism from School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Absenteeism from School - Essay Example Thus, an individual's absenteeism is determined both by the information that he derives from the situation and by the set or expectation in terms of which he views the situation. The desirability of a situation is estimated in reference to internalized scales and norms of value which are determined by past experience (Burgess, 2003). That which conforms to these norms tends to be most readily perceived, and that which departs from the norms tends to be rejected. Since the absenteeism tends not only to confirm desirability estimates but also to strengthen other related expectations that are highly valued, the individual develops systems of more or less highly interrelated value expectations relative to his family, school, community, church, political party, nation, work group, and so on. These different systems may be mutually reinforcing or they may be in conflict with each other. Young people frequently experience conflict between the values acquired from their parents and those acq uired from their age peers. They may also perceive conflict between the values acquired at church and those acquired from their science teachers. Because of their high degree of independence of validating outcomes, they come to serve as stable reference points in terms of which experienced outcomes are evaluated as satisfying or unsatisfying. They also serve as comparing criteria and, as such, enable the individual to evaluate the values of other persons, groups, and subgroups. The student affected by absenteeism is one who makes evaluations in terms of his value systems without reference to the objective validity of his judgments (Byman and Burgess 2001). The value of the proposed research will be justified by increased number of drop outs from schools and low scores showed by many low class students in working areas. The concern has been validity: the truth value of research outcomes is stronger when both the data and the design are valid. Legitimating means that the research methods are consistent with the philosophical underpinnings of the question. For instance, the positivist assumes an objective reality; the postmodernist assumes no objective reality and no objective, truth. While a perfectly accurate portrayal of our notions of validity across the continuum is not possible, researchers can outline the major dimensions of thinking (Coffey and Atkinson 2003). Taking into account the nature of research, it is important to note that concerns about validity will include both external and internal validity, on the one hand, and measurement validity, on the other hand. Both these categories of concern are generated by the need to have confidence that our test, data, or design does indeed measure or reflect or produce what researchers intend it to measure, reflect, or produce. Without internal validity, one can only conclude that the approach being used to answer the question of interest is capable of estimating the relationship, and no statement about causation is possible. Even though there are those among the ranks of qualitative researchers who say they are not interested in internal validity, those who wish to infer causal relationships must be concerned with this aspect of their research. In fact, even some who dismiss this concern as being only a quantitative researcher's dilemma will admit to processes like triangulation and theoretical sampling, which are conceptual attempts and techniques to get at internal validity (Reid 1999). Absenteeism level is difficult to measure, so interview methods will help to collect required data and evaluate the level and causes of this problem. The research interview as a strategy to find out from people things
Monday, August 26, 2019
The Usefulness of Motivation Theory for Managers Essay
The Usefulness of Motivation Theory for Managers - Essay Example According to the research findings, managers can use motivation theory to understand and address the training and development needs of an employee. For example, McGregorââ¬â¢s theory can guide managers to provide generic training or facilitate further studies for employees in order to make them feel valued and capable. This way, managers can retain talent or confidently delegate some duties to employees because they can handle them with ease. The knowledge of motivation theory enables managers to set specific achievable goals. Using Herzbergââ¬â¢s theory, for example, managers can establish good communication and allow employees to work with convenience in order to meet their department or unitââ¬â¢s goals. The lack of communication and convenience, which are examples of Herzbergââ¬â¢s hygiene factors, can cause employees to be de-motivated in working towards the set goals. Finally, managers with the knowledge of motivation theory acknowledge the importance of involving employees in the goal-setting process. For example, McClellandââ¬â¢s acquired needs theory will help managers to allow employees contribute to goal setting because this will help craft these goals in a way that appeals to the employeesââ¬â¢ need for achievement. It is easy for employees to commit themselves to the goals that they consider achievable.Ã
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Analyze one week of world economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3
Analyze one week of world economy - Essay Example For Instance, Shares in the US fell to about 1.6% with those in China dropping to 2.1% (FXSreet n.p). Essentially, the US economy in the last week had a negative economic index after weeks of positive show in the market. The -4 index manifest in the world largest economy is still the best in many years after the 2008 recession. The US economy has in the past week suffered significantly with numbers dropping in key sectors of the economy effectively slowing growth. The snow and bad weather has been sighted as one of the negative consequences weighing down on the US economy in recent weeks. The labor market registered lower work rates with a significant number of people filing for unemployment benefits. Despite the numerous challenges experienced in the last week, the stock market was bully on 5th registering positive indices. Though the Japanese economy gained the most among the world largest economies, the EU remained extensively versatile and bullish. The rate of inflation registered a negative value in the last week with unemployment falling significantly. The monetary regime in the EU has remained relatively stable to the dollar effectively making the banks to lower the interest rates. Japan was bullish in the market based on a number of fundamental facts (FXSreet n.p). To begin with, The Japanese economy registered a fall in the rate of inflation, though not to the expected levels. The low oil markets impacted positively to the market with most of the prices falling. While the Chinese president announced of the intentions to grow the economy by 7%, various departments of the economy recorded negative numbers with the overall impact being 2.1% (Economic Calendar n.p). The rate of inflation was high with unemployment rates remaining on a downward trend. It is imperative to note that the Chinese market has suffered a number of setbacks and going by the
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Indirect Message Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Indirect Message - Essay Example This means that all the managers are currently busy attached to respective working program. It is with these reasons that we wish to inform you that we will not be in a position to participate in the restoration of the historical area of Miramar. By doing so, some of our operations will be paralyzed since we only have the minimal number of the upper-level managers as of now. Notably, restoration of the said historical area would require someone with upper-level management experience who can provide leadership and direct public relationship activities. Considering this, good reputation, and current and former operations of SCORE in relation to rehabilitation programs, they come highly recommended to take over the operation. We, therefore, confidently think that you can contact SCORE for more assistance. However, it is also important that you note that Kellstrom Industries cannot ignore the partnership and association that we have enjoyed in the past, and further, we still look forward for more collaboration in the
Friday, August 23, 2019
Engineering technology and sustainbility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Engineering technology and sustainbility - Essay Example It can be said that technological improvements are due to two reasons; one is the requirement or the necessity of such a product and the other reason is when an opportunity presents itself. It was by a natural process by which farmers around the world learned the methods of practising irrigation and also developed mechanisms to conserve the water which would be available at irregular periods during the year. (Duiker William & Spielvogel Jackson, 2010) Sometimes opportunities present itself like the case of a Chinese princess who accidentally dropped a silkworm cocoon into a cup of hot tea. The events that unfolded thereafter led to the production of silk. Another example is that of tin being discovered in Anatolia. This led to the beginning of the Bronze Age in the Middle East. (Duiker William & Spielvogel Jackson, 2010) The strategic locations of certain advanced civilizations with other developing civilizations was also a contributing factor since mutual exchange of ideas led to mo re technological advances taking place in both regions. Abbasid Empire which had its communication channels open through the Mediterranean Ocean and the Indus River valley had a robust growth in technology. In this scenario Papua and New Guinea who were one of the earliest civilizations to practise farming bananas never had any major technological advancement since it was cut off from major developing regions.( Duiker William & Spielvogel Jackson, 2010) Communication between different regions then manifested itself in many forms. Since man was always restless, the desire for mobility led him to discover the motor vehicle. This then further led to the development of the steam engine and finally the aeroplane. Source: www.eastgwillimburywow.blogspot.com This is not the only form how communication has kept changing. The advent of information technology which stands as the next best thing about the Scientific Revolution has brought about advanced computing methods which the revolutioniz ed the communication field. (Advancing Technology, 2005) Several patterns of thinking have brought about this change in information technology. Compared to the human the computer was capable of doing more work at a lower cost. The degree of accuracy obtained was of a higher quality compared to the same work done by the human hand. (Mahoney Michael et al, 1998) The time involved in such an exercise was also a small percentage of the time required to do it manually. Modern computing methods apart from offering the above advantages also increase the quality of life as a whole. Advanced computing has brought about a large degree of automation thus effectively reducing mishaps caused due to human negligence. Forecasting weather, information on the radar regarding approaching ships and banking transactions are some of the areas that information technology is playing a vital role. Source: U.S. Army Photo" Console of BRLESC-II computer, front view, from the archives of the ARL Technical Lib rary However technology has its share of criticisms. Primarily, it defines what a person should possess in order to be seen as successful in society. (Forman Paul, 2007) The answer which most would give are items that have an element of luxury like cars, television, electronic gadgets. This leads to man having materialistic leanings and unhealthy egos. Technology also tends to tamper with the laws governed by nature which produces a backlash in the natural
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Interpreting and Translation Essay Example for Free
Interpreting and Translation Essay The Similarity and Differences between Translation and Interpreting 1. Similarity â⬠¢ Both transferring the message from Source Language (SL) into Target Language (TL) â⬠¢ Both retaining the message â⬠¢ Both restructuring or reproducing â⬠¢ Both having SLT and TLT â⬠¢ Both having the target audience 2. Differences. |Translation |Interpreting | |The medium is in written form |The medium is in oral form | |In reproducing the translation in the receptor language: |In reproducing the translation in the receptor language: | |not on the spot |on the spot | |can use dictionaries or thesaurus |direct translation (being able to translate in both directions, | |have more time to check and recheck the translation |without the use of any dictionaries) | | |have no time to check and recheck the translation) | |The doer : translator |The doer : Interpreter | The Theory. Interpreting consists of presenting in the Receptor Language, the exact message of what is uttered in the Source Language either simultaneously or consecutively preserving the tone of the speaker, such as formal and informal expressions, emotions, feelings, the choice of words, high and low pitch or tone in uttering words, etc. The Process of Interpreting There are 4 elements involve in the process of interpreting: â⬠¢ the speaker â⬠¢ the audience â⬠¢ the message â⬠¢ the interpreter The Process: (in TL) Messagesmessagesâ⬠¦ (in SL) (1) (2)(3) (4). (1) Listening and understanding a spoken message of the Source Language ( (2) Storing/note-taking the message ( (3) Retrieving the message ( (4) Reproducing the message of the source language into the receptor language. Modes of Interpreting 1. Simultaneous Interpreting In simultaneous interpreting, the speaker and the interpreter speak almost at the same time. 2. Consecutive Interpreting In consecutive interpreting, the speaker speaks first, then after he/she finish his/her complete segment/speech, the interpreter takes the turn. Generally, during consecutive interpreting the speaker stops every 3-5 minutes (usually at the end of every paragraph or a complete thought) and the interpreter then steps in to transfer what was said into the receptor language. Model of Communication Flow in Consecutive Interpreting INTERPRETER SPEAKERAUDIENCE : indirect communication : direct communication Qualifications of a Good Interpreter â⬠¢ An interpreter has to have knowledge of the general subject of the speeches that are to be interpreted. â⬠¢ An interpreter has to have general erudition and intimate familiarity with both cultures. For example: when a speaker talks about American agriculture, then the interpreter has to know about American agriculture. â⬠¢ An interpreter has to have extensive vocabulary in both languages (SL and RL). â⬠¢ An interpreter has to have the ability to express thoughts clearly (easily to understand) and concisely (in brief) in both languages. â⬠¢ An interpreter has to have an excellent note taking technique for consecutive interpreting. â⬠¢ An interpreter at least 2-3 years of booth experience for simultaneous interpreting. In addition, in note taking of a paragraph uttered by a speaker, an interpreter has to be able to grab the main idea/topic of that paragraph. Therefore, the interpreter will understand what the paragraph that the speaker talks about. The Competencies Required for an Interpreter â⬠¢ Language Competence A language competence is a good command of the source language and the receptor language which includes: ? Lexicon ? Grammatical structure ? Pronunciation â⬠¢ Transfer Competence? Ability to reproduce a variety of synonymous or analogous expressions in both language; ? Ability to capture and reproduce register variations; ? Ability to recognize and reproduce domain-specific expressions in a form which will be regarded as ââ¬Ënaturalââ¬â¢ by the respective users; ? Ability to combine verbal and non-verbal communication cues from the SL and reproduce them in appropriate combinations in the RL; ? Ability to identify and exploit rhythm and tone patterns of languages in order to determine and utilize the ââ¬Ëchunksââ¬â¢ of speech so as to maximize the efficiency of the interpreting; ? Ability to speedily analyze the utterance in the context of the communication in order to anticipate the direction in which the argument is proceeding and the strategy being used in developing the argument. â⬠¢ Cultural Competence ? The possession of knowledge enabling the interpreter to comprehend the totality of the communicative intent of the speaker; ? Extra-linguistic knowledge about the world of the speaker and the audience; ? Social conventions, institutional practices, taboos, anthropologically and historically relevant elements of the cultures. â⬠¢ Appropriate Technique ? Knowledge of the dynamic communication: Control of the speed; Control of the congruence of the tone of voice due to the emotional charge of the utterance and that of the interpretation of the utterance. ? Note-taking to avoid omission: Interpreterââ¬â¢s notes are very different from those of, say, a stenographer, because writing down words in the source language makes the interpreters job harder when he has to translate the speech into the target language. Many professional interpreters develop their own ideogramic symbology, which allows them to take down not the words, but the thoughts of the speaker in a sort of language-independent form. Then the interpreters output is more idiomatic and less source-language bound. ? Ordering information output; ? Voice production (audible, clear, unambiguous); â⬠¢ Good Short Term Memory ? The comprehension ability to store information; ? The ability to recall with a high degree of accuracy what the speaker has said. â⬠¢ Professional Competence? The ability to make independent judgments in terms of the linguistic, ethical, socio-cultural and effective issues which arise in an interpreted situation. The Skills Required for the Interpreter â⬠¢ Listening skill: being able to ââ¬Ëget the messageââ¬â¢; â⬠¢ Speaking skill: being able to ââ¬Ëtransmit the messageââ¬â¢ (quality of voice, choice of idiom, vocabulary, phrasing, etc. ); Interpreting Ethics â⬠¢ Impartiality: to carry out professional duties to the best of his/her ability regardless of who the clients are in terms of race, social and economic status, ethnicity, etc. In other words, the interpreter has to be fair and not taking side. â⬠¢ Conflict of interest means to act without regard to other interests such as personal or financial gain. Things that Have to be Prepared in Becoming an Interpreter â⬠¢ Be familiar with the subject of the conference and the subjects of speeches; â⬠¢ Try to speak with the speaker and find out the general contents of speech and the time s/he intends to dedicate to the speech; â⬠¢ Find copies of overhead transparencies, slides, or paper; â⬠¢ Prepare a glossary for the interpretation to gather all the vocabulary which you might need for the job (terms, nouns, verbs, abbreviations, etc. ). ***
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Bring Fate Upon Himself Essay Example for Free
Bring Fate Upon Himself Essay Arthur Aster Miller, born in New York in 1915, is a playwright of many successful works. When he was young, his father was a shopkeeper that was financially destroyed by the Great Depression of the 1930s, which prompted the Millers to move to Brooklyn. He grew up playing football and baseball and did not seem to display characteristics of genius. He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1932. In 1956, Miller, recently divorced, married model and actress Marilyn Monroe. He wrote a screenplay entitled Misfits, mainly to have his wife star in it. Often late on set and under the influence of drugs, Marilyn caused great strain on their marriage. The marriage fell apart in 1961. In 1964, he remarried, this time to photographer Inge Morath. Arthur Millers play A View from the Bridge centers round an ongoing problem, illegal immigration, and then deals with problems related to people trying to live together and coming into conflict with their individual desires and motivations. The topics raised are never easy to deal with and Miller shows how skillfully he can write about difficult issues, whilst enhancing the English language. The actors whose American accents are clear and convincing deliver the words with perfect pronunciation. This is a great view of life, which Arthur Miller is able to translate into a superb play. The cast all gives fine performances and bring out each characters innermost feelings with great skill. America is known as rich, wealthy and merchandised land. America warm-welcomes the outsiders. Many people migrated to America, and dreamt that there would be a better life for them, were excitement, enthusiasm, and adorability and thought someone will care for them. Jobs are easy to get, highly paid, yeah, but in America, there is more money, more problems. This is ironic as the Statue of Liberty stands over them, which promised wealth, happiness and the American dream, but failed to deliver. A View From the Bridge is a play set in the 1950s in Brooklyn, New York. Miller uses a lot of the places in the play A View From The Bridge symbolically. The first is in the title; it represents the fact that this play is only one view from the Brooklyn Bridge. It shows that there are many other lives being lived out around that bridge and maybe there are similar incidents occurring. It also gives the reader a sense of being a spectator, as Alfieri is, who can see what is happening but is powerless to stop it. The viewpoint is one of a middle-class person looking down on this inferior scene from a remote and distant place. From this place the practices on the waterfront would have seemed alien and unreal. That is why it is important the play was so named. This story is about a family who take the risk of welcoming illegal immigrants, Marco and Rodolpho, from Italy to stay in their home. Eddie, the father of Catherine was murdered. Some say he was the victim and was just a hardworking, honest man who was protecting his daughter. Others say his behaviour was unacceptable and he was a judgmental, scheming, selfish man who had to realise that Catherine was not still his little girl, and brought his fate upon himself. Heres what I think. Eddie Carbone didnt deserve to die, which I agree with, however the facts prove that if Eddie had not done what he did he wouldnt have died. Alfieri is the symbolic bridge between American law and tribal Italian law. Alfieri, himself the son of an Italian immigrant, acts as a chorus in the play. He gives his perspective from his position on the bridge or meeting ground between Italian and American cultures. Alfieri attempts to portray the characters objectively, but, especially in the case of Eddie Carbone, narrates the play as if it were a great legend. Alfieri positions himself as the great scribe or teller of an epic tale: the flat air in my office suddenly washes in with the green scent of the sea the thought comes that in some Caesars year another lawyer set there as powerless as I, and watched it run its bloody course. Alfieri adds grandeur to the story and transforms the story of a Longshoreman into a larger than life tragic tale. Alfieri was a lawyer who Eddie turned to when he needed help in the situation. Alfieris opening speech of Eddie describes him as a hard and honest man who worked hard for a living. He was a good man as he had to be in a life that was hard and even This quote is interesting as it shows how Eddie was from before meeting the immigrants to when Catherine and Rodolpho started dating. Eddie Carbone is a hard working longshoreman; he lives in America and lives with his wife Beatrice, and Catherine, who is Beatrices niece. One of Eddies problems was that he was too overprotective of Catherine and still treated her as his little girl. In act one Catherine was offered a job, however Eddie did not approve of his little girl going out into the big wide world on her own. I want you to be with a different kind of people. I want you to be in a nice office In this quote Eddie is saying she is too good for that job and should stay at school. Eventually after a lot of persistent persuasion from Beatrice and Catherine he lets her take the job. Eddies protectiveness was a good but it had reached a stage that was too protective.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Impact of Data on Competitive Strategy
Impact of Data on Competitive Strategy Prachi Mankotia Will data transform competitive strategy? (A) Argue that competitive strategy, from the perspective of Michael Porter, is essential for firm success (hence Philip Evans is not correct in arguing that strategy is invalid). What is Strategy? Before explaining the concept of strategy, it is essential to highlight the term Value Proposition. A value proposition is a thirty-second elevator speech stating the specific benefits a product or service offering provides a buyer. It answers why the product or service is superior to competing offers. As such, the value proposition becomes a critical component in shaping strategy (Principles of Marketing, 2015). Strategy is often misinterpreted with aspirations, actions, and vision of the firm. It is interesting to note that many people say that it is our strategy to be number 1 or it is our strategy to grow, our strategy is to do international business, etc. but these are not strategies. Strategy defines the companys distinctive approach to competing and competitive advantages on which it will be based. Thinking strategically is the starting point to the firms success. The firms try to be the best in the market, be it the best car, the best toothpaste, or anything for that matter, but this is the worst error that firms make. They try to compete in the same dimensions. Instead, they should try to be unique. The process of strategic planning Strategic planning is a process that helps an organization allocate its resources to capitalize on opportunities in the marketplace. Typically, it is a long-term process. The strategic planning process includes conducting a situation analysis and developing the organizations mission statement, objectives, value proposition, and strategies (Principles of Marketing, 2015). A situational analysis includes analysis of both internal and external factors. Organizations conduct SWOT analysis based on this situation analysis. The strengths and weaknesses depend on the internal factors whereas the opportunities and threats depend on the external factors. Once a company has analysed its internal and external environments, managers can begin to decide which strategies are best, given the firms mission statement. This is a very broad model but Michael Porter came up with a better model to make this concept clear. Competitive strategy: essential for success of the firm A companys economic performance results from two different causes, one being the industry structure and other strategic positioning within the industry. Strategic thinking must encompass both these factors. Michael Porter developed an approach for analysing industries and the model was called the Five Forces Model (Porter, 1980). This model helps the firms to identify their current competitors as well as those who can be competitors in the future and firms can find the best way to position themselves in the industry. The second part in strategic thinking is the strategic positioning which means achieving superior performance within an industry. Only two ways can achieve profitability; by being able to command a higher price(differentiation) or by being able to produce an equivalent product at lower cost. So, the firm needs to identify its root to competitive advantage. With this comes the concept of value chain. Value chains is the set of activities that the company does to deliver value to the customers. All competitive advantage resides in the value chain. Strategy is manifested in choices about how activities in the value chain are configured and linked together. Often, operational effectiveness is presumed to be a strategy but it is not a strategy. Though it is a necessity but it not sufficient for the company to be profitable eventually. This is because over long run, the competitors will figure out the companys best practice and then it will be hard to be distinctive. This is also known as strategic convergence which leads to lower prices and no one is profitable, all try to stay in the game. Therefore, the company should consider strategic positioning because it presumes that the company is operationally effective. It is about making choices to be unique, to be different to meet different needs to the set of customers that the company chooses to target. Some examples of competitive strategy This section of the paper illustrates examples for both industry structure and strategic positioning within an industry, which are essential for the success of the firm. Airline industry vs Business Software industry Michael Porter gives an example of the industry structure using the Five Forces Model (Porter, 1980). He explains that for any industry to attain average level of profitability, it is essential to understand the fundamental structure of forces. The airline industry has horrendous profitability since decades because of unattractive industry structure. It is very easy for customers to switch airlines; the airframe and engine manufacturers also have a lot of power and there are high levels of rivalry because of costs being fixed. Many few airlines make money and even they dont make it for a long time. Business software industry, on the other hand, has a very attractive industry structure. This is because it becomes very difficult for the customers to switch from one software to the other. The costs of producing a software and bringing it up is also very high, so there are not much substitutes. This makes the software industry very profitable. This is not random and it is very important for the industry to understand the underlying structure to make profits and succeed. IKEA: Furniture Retailer Company This example portrays all important attributes that a company needs to cover to create a successful strategy. The very first attribute is to have a unique value proposition, i.e., who are your customers, what are their needs and what relative price you must offer. A strategy is when a company competes to be unique. The value proposition of IKEA includes customers who seek quality and sophisticated design but at a very low price point. They have a wide array of stylish and space efficient furnishings. They made many key choices in the value chain to be unique, and that is what a strategy is, a combination that suits your companys value proposition. IKEA delivers its products in a box, there is no fixed furnishing, everything is dismantled and packed compact in a box. Another attribute to strategy is to make clear trade-offs and choosing what not to do. Part of a successful strategy is that a company cannot seek to make everybody happy, it must choose its target market and focus on the ir needs and not compromising on certain factors to include everybody. Michael porter also makes it clear that a company shouldnt imitate IKEA because in this way, it might be altering the advantages it has. No one can imitate them because strategy is about making choices and tying them together to benefit the organization. Another attribute to a successful strategy is how the activities in the value chain are connected. Like in IKEA, all its activities are mutually connected, their design, production, the way they do logistics, etc. This is another reason no one can copy a good strategy because for that everything needs to be copied which wont work because the company from whom youll be copying, is doing that for a long time now. The last attribute that makes a successful strategy is that change is continuous but not change in strategy, not change in value proposition. Conclusion All the above examples and concepts clearly indicate that a strategy is often misinterpreted with a firms aspirations, visions, and actions. A strategy is the means to get to those aspirations, it is the core understanding of distinctive issues, it is the set of choices a firm makes to deliver those values. Thinking strategically means to compete to be unique and not the best. Strategy is about making choices, and with choices comes trade-offs. A good strategy is a unique set of choices made from the value chain that Michael Porter has introduced and a competitive strategy leads to a firms success. Phillip Evans mentioned his point of data taking over strategy but even he is not sure of it. He quotes value chain can breakup but not necessarily. His views are based on assumptions whereas Porters view proves that competitive strategy is essential for the firms success. Moreover, data can help a firm to increase its potential for competitive advantage, but Porters value chain is important for a firm to decide the combination of choices to make to use its competitive advantage in the right direction to achieve success. Therefore, it is evident that Competitive Strategy, from the perspective of Michael Porter is essential for firm success. References Principles of Marketing (2015). University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing edition. https://youtu.be/KvYwKM5bY0s http://www.ted.com/talks/philip_evans_how_data_will_transform_business http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/research/dstools/porters-generic-competitive-strategies/ http://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueproposition.asp https://www.information-management.com/opinion/big-data-and-analytics-help-business-transform-and-gain-competitive-advantage
College Admissions Essay: The Turning Point -- College Admissions Essa
The Turning Point Probably the most important turning point in my life happened in 1992. At this time, I was eight years old and living in Williamsport Pennsylvania. My dad had a well-paying job at Anchor Darling Valve Company, I was attending a parochial school and I thought life was just great. At the time we lived in a large four-story house with a separate three-story garage and an acre of forest for a backyard. I had a ten-speed bicycle and I would often go bicycling with my friends at the nearby cemetery. No-one ever objected to this, in fact people would often have picnics at the top of this hill at the cemetery. I guess the only things I ever complained about were the constant music lessons and practice sessions my parents subjected me to. Life was great until my dad came home one day with bad news. As it turned out, his well-paying company was downsizing and they had to let him go. Well, I didn't think much of it at the time. "So he'd get a new job," I thought. Well anyway, he took out his resume and started mailing away. Oh well, life goes on. Well soon enough companies began to take interest in him and he decided to join a company called Cellular One (which would later be bought by ATT and become ATT Wireless Services). So what was the catch? Well, Cellular One's offices are based in Pittsburgh which is not exactly an easy commute from Williamsport. "Carlos, we will have to move, but it won't happen for a while. We'll make sure you finish the school year and besides, I still have to look for a job in Pittsburgh too," my mom told me. Somehow, although I knew my parents had many friends in Williamsport,... ...ttsburgh than I would have ever been able to in Williamsport. I learned how to ski and rock climb, things I became good at and still do today. I also suddenly had a deep appreciation for music. This was something I had never had, now all of a sudden, I actually practiced when I was supposed to (this probably had something to do with the new music teachers). I also took up karate again and eventually earned my black belt. I realized that Williamsport was actually a dull place to live in and the only things I really missed were my friends and the house. Before I knew it, we had lived in Pittsburgh for six years and although it may not be the best place to live in, it has opened up a whole world of opportunities to me. That was something I may never have gotten if I had stayed in Williamsport or if I had continued to move around.
Monday, August 19, 2019
Shakira, The Singer Essay -- essays research papers
There are many famous people around the world, and some of them are the singers. The singers are very important for the people thanks to their music. One of the persons that most people like because of her own style of music is the Latin girl Shakira. Thanks to all the things she did as a child, and to all the things she is going to do, she has become a star that we, the people who know her, love. Shakira has done a lot of things since she was a child to become the famous person she is now. She was born in Barranquilla, Colombia on February second, 1977. At the age of 8, she wrote her first song, and by 13 she signed a record deal with Sony Music in Colombia, which resulted in her first album, ââ¬Å"Magiaâ⬠(Magic). She wrote all the songs for this album and all the songs for Peligro (Danger)...
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Concentration And Reaction Rate :: essays research papers
How concentration affects reaction rate. The aim of this investigation is to see how the concentration of a reactant in ratio to the reactor affects the rate of a reaction. When hydrochloric acid and Thiosulphate react together sulphur is liberated this means that as the reaction goes on the solution will become yellow and will change from being transparent to translucent to opaque. The sulphur is formed as a solid but not in the usual precipitation way. Na2 + S2 + 2HCL 2NaCl+SO2 + S2 +H2O To time the reaction I will draw a black cross on a piece of plain paper on which the beaker of reactants will be placed (HCL and Thiosulphate). When the chemicals come into contact with each other I will start timing with a stopwatch and will stop timing when the cross is longer visible through the beaker from above. A reaction: A chemical reaction between to chemicals can only happen if their molecules can collide into each other. Out of many collisions there will be a few successful collisions, which means that the two molecules will exchange electrons and that means that they have reacted. These molecules have to hit each other in the right direction and at the right speed; in short the rules for a ââ¬Å"successful collisionâ⬠are specific and complex. But if the number of collisions per second increase so will the number of successful collisions increase. This means that the rate of the reaction has increased. For a reaction to occur you also need the required activation energy which means that if there isnââ¬â¢t enough the reaction wonââ¬â¢t take place although catalysts can lower this. Input Variables: Catalyst Concentration of acid or thiosulphate Temperature Light Temperature: If you increase the amount of energy in a group of molecules the reaction rate will increase. When you give energy to molecules they tend to move about a bit more. And this means that if they are moving rapidly from place to place they are going to have a lot more collisions and because they are having lots of collisions the chances are that they will have a successful collision a lot more quickly than if they werenââ¬â¢t. This basically means that reaction rate is increased as temperature increases. I believe that temperature is directly proportional to reaction rate. As you can see the graph is partly true to the above statement but gradually starts to curve off, this is because at a point the intense temperature will start to boil the liquids which means they will start to evaporate and concentration will be affected.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Characteristics of each of the 5 kingdoms and their meanings Essay
Every living creature on Earth belongs to a kingdom. Scientists debate how many kingdoms there are, but most agree there are five. Here is how the five kingdoms are organized. Monera Monera are single-celled organisms that donââ¬â¢t have a nucleus. Bacteria make up the entire kingdom. There are more forms of bacteria than any other organism on Earth. Some bacteria are beneficial to us, such as the ones found in yogurt. Others can cause us to get sick. Protists Protists are mostly single-celled organisms that have a nucleus. They usually live in water. Some protists move around, while others stay in one place. Examples of protists include some algae, paramecium, and amoeba. Fungi Fungi are usually motionless organisms that absorb nutrients for survival. They include mushrooms, molds, and yeasts. Plants Plants contain chlorophyll, a green pigment necessary for photosynthesis, a process in which plants convert energy from sunlight into food. Their cell walls are made sturdy by a material called cellulose, and they are fixed in one place. Plants are divided into two groups: flower- and fruit-producing plants and those that donââ¬â¢t produce flowers or fruits. They include garden flowers, agricultural crops, grasses, shrubs, ferns, mosses, and conifers. Animals Animals are the most complex organisms on Earth. Animals are multi-celled organisms, eat food for survival, and have nervous systems. They are divided into vertebrates and invertebrates and include mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and fish. Actually, there are now six kingdoms. The five kingdom was during the 1969 and it included all the bacterias within one group. The five kingdom system is as follows: 1. Monera: Bacteria. They are prokaryotic and unicellular. They are mobile. 2. protista: Protists. They are eukaryotic. Either autotrophic, heterotrophic, or even mixotrophic. They live live as unicellular, multicellular, or even as a colony. Some are mobile while some are sessile. 3. animalia: Animals. Eukaryotic and are heterotrophic. They are all multicellular and are mobile. 4. plantae: Plants. Eukaryotic and mostly autotrophic (some parasitic plants are heterotrophic). They are multicellular and sessile. 5. fungi: Mushrooms, fungus, etc. Eukaryotic and heterotrophic. They are multicellular and sessile
Friday, August 16, 2019
Nucor Steel Case Study Essay
Percentage use of Production Capacity Nucor steel has the largest production capacity capability in North America. However, they have some deficiencies in this area in that in 2010 they utilized just 70 percent of capacity, though it increased in 2011 it was still just 74 percent. Gaining greater production efficiency will reduce costs and in turn increase the profitability of the company. Issue #2 Rising Scrap Metal Prices Nucor maintains its competitive advantage through its low cost production, and their use of electric arc furnaces and recycled scrap metals to produce steel. Prices for scrap steel was not higher than $137 until 2004, and reached a peak of $438 in 2008 before the economic recession hit. In 2009 and 2010 prices were $303 and $351 respectively, and then in 2011 hit an all-time high of $439. With their per unit cost structure relying heavily on these scrap steel prices, their ability to achieve greater profitability is reduced. Nucor needs to find a way to off-set these rising prices in order to maintain its low cost strategy. Issue #3 International Competition and Foreign Subsidies US producers of steel and steel products have fallen victim to aggressively competitive pricing from international firms. In 1999 the US government determined that six countries were indeed dumping stainless steel into the US market. Half of those countries governments were facilitating this process by providing unfair subsidies to offset the firmââ¬â¢s losses from selling at below market prices. In 2001, the Bush administration installed a 30 percent tariff on those countries found guilty of illegal dumping. This same issue is still prevalent today as China has been accused of doing the same thing. They have significantly lower prices than American firms due to the fact that China has been devaluing their currency in order to make exports unfairly cheaper. The US government must intervene and install another tariff on Chinese steel products in order to protect its domestic producers from unfair foreign competition. Recommendation Nucor Corporation should install an aggressive international expansion strategy to achieve several goals. It should be aimed at regaining its premier profitability that it had in 2007 and 2008 mainly by reducing costs. It should strive for gaining an increased market share in developing international markets that were not as effected by the recession in regions of Asia and the Middle East. With that increased demand for steel and steel products, Nucor should not acquire additional capacity, instead they should make more efficient use of its current capacity with the goal of reaching 90 percent usage of capacity. In an effort to reduce costs, Nucor should increase its efforts of reverse-integration in order to provide itself with cheaper raw materials and lower itââ¬â¢s per unit production costs. International market expansion, increased raw material production, and increasing plant capacity efficiency should be the main focus moving forward as Nucor attempts to create a more cost efficient production process, increase revenues, grow its profitability, and continue to provide its stockholders with quarterly dividends and increased yearly dividends as it has for the past 40 years. Appendix A: Dominant Economic Characteristics Market Size and Growth Rate How large is the industry and how fast is it growing? The worldwide industry of crude steel production reached all-time highs with total production equaling 1,559 million tons in 2010 and 1,680 million tons in 2011. Worldwide production capacity was approximately 2,090 million tons in 2011, which resulted in a utilization rate of 80 percent in 2011. The worldwide production of crude steel has grown consistently since 2000 despite two significant periods of economic downturn and decreased demand. According to the World Steel Association, the crude steel production growth rates were 6.2 percent from 2000-2005, 4.4 percent from 2005-2010, and 4.4 percent from 2010-2011. Scope of Competitive Rivalry Is the geographic region over which most companies compete local, regional,à national, multinational, or global? A combination of both national and global Primary National Competitors US Steel ArcelorMittal USA Top Worldwide Competitors ArcelorMittal Worldwide (Luxembourg) Baosteel (China) POSCO (South Korea) Nippon Steel (Japan) JFE (Japan) Jiangsu Shagang (China) Tata Steel (India) Ansteel (China) Gerdau (Brazil) Severstal (Russia) Wuhan (China) ThyssenKrupp (Germany) Evraz (Russia) Is having a presence in foreign markets becoming more important to a companyââ¬â¢s long-term competitive success? Yes, especially in times of domestic economic downturn. In the recession of 2009-2011, steel demand in developed countries such as the US and Japan was greatly diminished. However, demand for steel in developing regions such as India, China and the Middle East was exceeding local producerââ¬â¢s capacities. Thus, there is significant opportunity to expand internationally and better utilize current production capacities. Specifically for Nucor, in 2007 they decided that international growth was a necessity, and their strategy hinged on two elements: Opening foreign sales offices: 60 percent of Nucorââ¬â¢s current steel plants were located on deep water access areas which allowed for easy access to international shipping areas without a significant increase in cost. Joint Ventures: Nucor began developing partnerships with reputable and successful foreign firms in an attempt to greater utilize their mutual competencies as well as allow Nucor to establish itself in international markets. Product Innovation Is the industry categorized by rapid product innovation and short product life cycles? Not for the steel industry Innovation is important but with the typical size of projects, it is in no way rapid The steel industry is categorized by long product life cycles, only methods of manufacturing have been changed in the lengthy history of the industry How important is R&D and product innovation? R&D and innovation are extremely important Most major advancements in the past 60 years have resulted in industry breakthroughs that have cut costs and environmental impact dramatically Are there any opportunities to overtake key rivals by being first-to-market with next generation products? Yes, any new technology that will reduce costs and/or increase productivity will almost certainly add to a companyââ¬â¢s competitive advantage Being first-to-market with new innovative production methods will absolutely provide an opportunity to overtake rivals This is evident in Nucorââ¬â¢s rise to being one of the top steel producers in North America, their use of electric arc furnaces, thin slab casting process, and strip casting technology gave them a significant boost when attempting to catch US Steel and the USââ¬â¢s largest steel producer Economies of Scale Is the industry characterized by economies of scale in purchasing, manufacturing, advertising, shipping, or other activities? Yes, especially in manufacturing as a company can reduce its per unit fixed costs with greater production capacity Do companies with largeâ⬠scale operations have an important cost advantage over smallâ⬠scale firms Yes, smaller firms are few and far between and during the 2000ââ¬â¢s many were bought by larger firms in an attempt to increase their total plant capacity, gain market share, and gain a stronger position in specific geographic areas Learning/Experience Curve Effects Are certain industry activities characterized by strong learning and experience effects (ââ¬Å"learning by doingâ⬠) such that unit costs decline as a companyââ¬â¢s experience in performing the activity builds? Yes, as the firmââ¬â¢s plants operate, their line workers become more and more capable of executing the job, fixing potential problems, and generating ideas to improveà production As the workers become more knowledgeable and experienced, they become more efficient and productive which in turn lowers labor costs and increases total product available for sale and revenues Do any companies have significant cost advantages because of their learning/experience in performing particular activities? Nucor has an advantage in this particular area because of their egalitarian company culture where managers and hourly employees discuss potential improvements and changes on a regular basis They are also very decentralized and are open to new ideas, Nucor truly believes that t heir best source of knowledge for potential improvements in manufacturing is from the employees that are on the front line of the manufacturing process Appendix B: PESTEL Analysis Political Factors The main political factor that is affecting the steel industry pertains to the US market and foreign competition Nucor and many other American steel companies have appealed to the US government that they have been facing unfair competition from foreign firms, they believed that several foreign steel producers were practicing illegal dumping of steel and steel products into the US market In March of 1999, the US Department of Commerce concluded that steel companies in six countries had illegally dumped stainless steel in the US: Canada South Korea Taiwan Italy Belgium South Africa The governments in Belgium, Italy, and South Africa further facilitated this practice by providing subsidies that would cover revenue losses for firms selling steel at below market prices This is still an issue today as US steel producers are facing similar competition from China, where most steel companies are government owned and operated, China has also devalued its own currency in order to provide significantly lower prices Economic Conditions The steel industry is relatively affected by economic conditions Since prices and percentage use of capacity are determined by market supply and demand forces, when the economy is healthy, then demand is strong and steel companies can be profitable. On the other hand, when the economy enters a recession, then demand is reduced greatly and most firms cannot be profitable This is evident with the economic downturns that occurred in the early 2000ââ¬â¢s as well as in 2009-2011 when most firms saw revenues and profits decrease dramatically Nucor saw sales drop from 25,187,000 tons in 2008 to 17,576,000 tons in 2009; and accordingly saw net profits drop from $1.8 billion in 2008 to a loss of $293 million in 2009 Sociocultural Forces There is a limited effect of sociocultural forces with respect to the steel industry There will be minor influence based on the growth rate of the population, as with a faster growing population, the need for schools, hospitals, roads, and other public buildings will increase which will in turn increase demand for steel and steel products Technological Factors The technological advances in the steel industry have been revolutionary over the years and have provided other industries with valuable information on how to improve their own production facilities and capabilities However, in recent years it hasnââ¬â¢t provided for the emergence of many new industries stemming from those innovations, nor has it provided significant value to society Environmental Forces Rising fuel prices are hurting steel companies bottom line in that they cannot generate the same amount of power as they could in previous years without increasing expenditures and raising their per unit costs each quarter Plant emission requirements are strictly enforced by the EPA and the US government In the past 50 years, the steel production industry has made great strides in becoming more environmentally conscious and efficient Nucor has developed new techniques and technologies that allow for a more environmentally responsible production process Especially their steel production efforts in Brazil where they use a eucalyptus farm for the fuel in their blast furnace rather than coal, and the eucalyptus farm absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than the plant emits and completelyà neutralizes the effect of global warming Legal and Regulatory Factors Labor laws greatly affect the steel industry, Nucor has few issues with these as they compensate their employees well over federal requirements and industry averages Safety regulations are also a major factor as compliance with OSHA and other safety organizations in a requirement Appendix C: Five Forces Analysis Threat of New Entrants Weak The costs associated with entering the steel industry are excessive and the threat of a company doing so is very limited Competition from Substitutes Weak Companies in industries that require steel and steel products, can only use steel and steel products, as other metals donââ¬â¢t possess the same metallurgical qualities like strength and durability required There is some potential that other metals like aluminum, titanium, tungsten and many others could pose a threat, but the majority of Nucorââ¬â¢s customers need steel Buyer Power Moderate Customers have the availability to shop different companies as price is the main determining factor in the industry Since prices and competitive advantage is mainly determined by cost and market supply and demand forces, then customers have a moderate ability to leverage another companyââ¬â¢s, or even another countryââ¬â¢s, price against a particular supplier Supplier Power Moderate In previous years, Nucor had been at the mercy of rising raw materials prices But in recent years they have begun an aggressive backward-integration strategy to begin producing 6 million to 7 million tons of steel for use in its steel product manufacturing plants Their move to provide their own raw materials has greatly reduced their reliance on raw steel suppliers in the midst of ever-increasing prices Rivalry Strong Domestic competition from US Steel and ArcelorMittal USA is extremely fierce Foreign competition from both European and Asian firms is incredibly stout as well Since advantage is determined mostly by low costs and low prices, competition is a constant price war Appendix D: Drivers of Change in the Industry Innovation of new production techniques Production efficiency Efficiency of capacity usage Ability to reduce costs and therefore lower prices Globalization New marketing strategies Resiliency to changing economic and market conditions Diffusion of technological know-how across companies and countries Consolidation of companies Regulatory influences and government policy changes Appendix E: Current Strategy In 2000, Nucor began a five-part growth strategy that involved: New acquisitions New plant construction Continued plant upgrades and cost reduction efforts International growth through joint ventures Greater control over raw materials Their overall strategy includes all of the above as well as being a low-cost producer and low-price market leader in the steel industry Appendix F: Competitor Analysis Competitor Analysis Framework Current Strategy US Steel Positioned as the long-time industry leader Its competitive advantage, if any is based in brand strength ArcelorMittal USA Positioned alongside US Steel and Nucor in production capacity and serves many of the same industries Competitive Advantage lies in its sales volume and earnings Objectives US Steel Due to significant losses both domestically and in Serbia, strategic financial changes should be expected ArcelorMittal USA Currently experiencing profitable operations, only minor changes should take place in the future Capabilities US Steel Strengths: Brand awareness Years of experience Weaknesses: Unionized workforce Net losses in recent years ArcelorMittal USA Strengths: International subsidiary of ArcelorMittal, thus have knowledge beyond US market Production capacity, sales revenues, and profits Weaknesses: Lack of brand awareness Assumptions US Steel As the old guard, have operated in the red in several years, and assume that they arenââ¬â¢t going anywhere and that the market will turn in their favor ArcelorMittal USA With their overwhelming knowledge from international operations, and being a subsidiary of the largest single steel producer in the world, they assume that their market share and drive for low costs will eventually prevail Strategic Group Map The above chart displays the market positioning of the main three competitors in the US steel production industry. The size of each circle is determined by the volume of steel products shipped. All statistical data used is from 2011. Volume of steel products shipped is very comparable, and the totalà number of production plants in the US is also very similar between the three. The largest disparity is on the net profit axis where ArcelorMittal USA led with $2.3 billion in profit, Nucor earned $778 million, and US Steel shows losses of $53 million. Weighted Competitor Strength Analysis and Key Success Factors This chart details the strengths and weaknesses of each of the major three companies in the US steel market based on four key success factors Appendix G: SWOT Analysis Appendix H: Financial Analysis Net Profit Margin Net profit margin shows the percentage of after-tax profit of sales, the chart above shows the true effects of the economic recession that hit in the fourth quarter of 2008, and the slow recovery of the market since then. The market is expected to gain strength in 2012 and Nucor and its stockholders are hoping that forecast is true as they strive to reach their peak performance levels that they obtained in 2007-2008. Return on Invested Capital Return on invested capital is a measure of the return that shareholders are earning on long-term invested monetary capital. This particular measure shows how the economic recession effected Nucorââ¬â¢s shareholders and their overall return on invested capital. 2011 provided a significant rebound in ROIC and Nucor will need to continue to trend this measure upward to meet investor expectations. Internal Cash Flow Internal cash flow is a rough estimate of how much cash a companyââ¬â¢s business is producing and would have for potential dividend payments or capital expenditures. The internal cash flow measure is yet another representation of how much the global recession of 2009 and 2010 effected Nucor and its ability to continue its operations as it had in previous years. Despite the drastic reduction in its internal cash flow, Nucor still managed to pay itsà shareholders a dividend as it had for 156 consecutive quarters while also increasing the dividend payment paid to stockholders every year since 1973.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Polysar Limited Essay
Executive Summary This report seeks to explain the key differences between the NASA (North American South American) and EROW (Europe and rest of world) sales performance over the past nine months. There are several reasons causing the sales performance figures currently stemming from NASA to be incomparable with the EROW numbers, including the current practice of transferring large quantities of regular butyl rubber from the Sarnia to the Antwerp production facilities. As Polysar operates globally, it is also important to consider certain international aspects and specific risks. These include, foreign currency exchange fluctuations, potentially creating gains or losses, as well as international taxes and tariffs. The decisions made regarding allocation of profits between the two geographic centers will directly impact the taxes paid in either location. ADD ON WITH SPECIFICS Introduction A high-level overview of Polysar Limited provides an all-encompassing image of the nature of this case, necessary to later effectively focus in on specific financial details and problems. Polysar is Canadaââ¬â¢s largest chemical company, with the North American production facility located in Sarnia Ontario. The company splits into 3 main groups including petrochemicals, diversified products, and rubber, of which the latter is the largest representing 46% of sales. This rubber division is the core of the report, as its success is vital to Polysar. The rubber division is split into two geographic centers, in Sarnia Ontario and Antwerp Belgium respectively. (See Appendix 1 for graphical representation). Both geographic centers produce both regular butyl and halobutyl rubbers. In 1985, Sarnia opened a second production facility that has not yet reached capacity. By comparison, Antwerp has only one facility operating at full capacity and still unable to meet demand for regular butyl rubber. To cope with this, the Sarnia transfers large quantities of its production to Antwerp at cost. The inability of the Sarnia facility to earn a profit from these transferred units represents one of the main causes of concern regarding sales performance figures. In order to correctly and efficiently asses the current situation, we will be reviewing a number of criteria, and from there introduce and analyze several alternatives presented by these assessments. Further Recommendations Transfer Pricing As you are aware, the NASA segment is currently charging EROW for the butyl rubber being transferred in order to meet the European demand. This charge is currently calculated on the basis of NASAââ¬â¢s cost. This is only one of three possible approaches that are used to set to transfer prices internally within Polysar Limited. The three options that may be considered are: 1. Set transfer prices at cost 2. Set transfer prices at a negotiated mutually agreed upon level 3. Set transfer prices at the market valueà Currently, as the first option is implemented, this is causing the two major problems. The first is in regards to the product mix produced within the Sarnia production facilities. As no profit is recorded for the units that are transferred, the product mix may be decided on a sub-optimal basis. Our team recommends further investigation to determine the necessary information as to if the costs to produce the halobutyl and butyl rubbers within both NASA and EROW. This could lead to decisions of specialization in the Sarnia plants or Antwerp plant for one type of rubber produced if cost savings for that product line is higher than transportation costs of shipping to the other facility. Additionally, another problem being experienced through the current transfer pricing approach is that the NASA does not show any profit on the Polysar internal transfer of rubber. Consequently, the EROW segment may record this profit without the same having the additional fixed costs pertaining to the costly initial investment of the second Sarnia plant amounting $550 million and the associated depreciation. This leads to an unfair representation of profitability for the two cost centers. In terms of which to use for Polysar Limitedââ¬â¢s Rubber Segment, setting prices at cost hereby benefits the EROW center, whereas using market price would benefit the NASA segment. This is because then NASA is recording revenue for the units transferred, whereas EROW will not, (provided that the prices in both markets are similar ââ¬â international arbitrage). With Polysarââ¬â¢s company wide profitability in mind, as well as spirit of fairness in representation for both segments using a de-centralized approach, our recommendation is the use of negotiated transfer pricing. This occurs when the NASA and EROW segments collaborate to agree on a selling/purchasing price for the internationally transferred butyl supply. Implementing this will cause both segments to have better information of the costs and benefits associated with the transfer. To narrow down on what this transfer price should specifically be, a range of acceptable transfer prices will provide an estimate.à As this is an international transfer, there are even more considerations that become relevant. For example, the corporate tax rate applied in North American versus Europe should be considered. Furthermore, management should look specifically into duties, tariffs, foreign exchange rates and risks, as well as governmental relationships. By this token, charging Antwerp a lower transfer price will result in fewer Custom Duty payments as the rubber crosses borders. Flexible Versus Static Budgetary Systems Currently Polysar employs a static budget system for their budgeted level of rubber sales. However, if more butyl or halobutyl rubber is produced and then sold these will cause a variance as composed to budgeted figures. Forà example, variable costs will go up, however this may simply be in direct correlation to the increased rubber produced. It is important to be able to analyze if variances are based on volume or cost differences. By tracing the cost variances more closely after implementing this flexible budget system, a better evaluation of managementââ¬â¢s performance may be achieved. This can be directly used when considering compensation for managers. INSERT NUMBERS. Employee Compensation Plan Polysar uses the participative budgetary system, which is directly linked to employee compensation. Although this bottom-up approach to budgeting allows for accurate estimates due to managers with specific rubber cost knowledge being involved, it can cause a conflict of interest that may be costly. It is essential, and highly recommended that the NASA rubber division establish a budgetary committee to review the estimates made to ensure the lower level management has not added in budgetary slack intentionally in an effort to achieve their compensation figures based on meeting these targets. However, even the top management currently possesses a huge conflict of interest influencing them in the direction of allowing for budgetary slack as their compensation is up to 50% for both meeting divisional profits, as well as exceeding corporate profit targets. These targets can clearly be met, if costs have been artificially manipulated to be higher than expected. As it is improbable to find members of the budgetary committee who will be completed impartial and not subject to a bonus on the premise of meeting profit targets, responsible accounting should be implemented. This system holds each manager responsible for the estimate of the individual cost and revenue basis for which he or she was in charge of deciding. This means, he or she is essentially responsible to explain the differences between the actual and budgeted results. In order to negate the previously mentioned conflict of interest, it is recommended to include the amount of variance in a managerââ¬â¢s estimate in the calculate of compensation, hereby eliminated large bonuses if the original estimate was not within a certain range of the actual value (extra-ordinary occurrences excluded). Hedging of Risk The nature of the Polysarââ¬â¢s business contains a certain degree ofà specialized risk. First and foremost, operating internationally in various currency zones contributes to foreign exchange risk. This can be hedged through capital markets, resulting in lowering risk for the corporation. Also, as there is a great degree of risk for the variable costs of production in relation to the oil, it is imperative to hedge this risk as well. It is very possible to hedge market commodity price risks through capital markets or advance purchase of these oil inputs. This can provide more stability for Polysar Limited as a whole, particularly the key rubber division. Capacity Analysis Appendices Appendix 1 Polysar Rubber
Paleolithic
Our class will be going outside to try to help us understand Paleolithic times. We will experience the world as Paleolithic people did ââ¬â bringing only what we can carry, having no permanent shelters, creating our own art from the materials around us and having to figure out the best place to stay. For this activity, we will assume that you are traveling in a small family group that Is part of a larger group of 31. You can be with either two other people or work with a partner, representing the core family group. It was typical of Paleolithic times that related core family groups would join together o form a larger group.This ââ¬Å"familyâ⬠would work together to gather food and protect each other. The group was usually between 15 and 30 people, though smaller and larger groups existed. As they traveled, different family groups would meet to exchange goods that they had made and they likely shared Information about the local environment. Young people likely moved between groups in order to share expertise (a group with several artists might exchange an artist for a skilled hunter) or to meet the needs of both groups (a group with extra males may send some to another group in exchange for goods or services).Over time, the larger group size allowed for some specialized roles to develop. The majority of people in the group would supply food for everyone, giving some people free time. For instance, a religious leader, artist or expert craftsman might supply the group's spiritual or technological needs rather than hunting or parenting. Women could take on a leadership role in the group. Women who gathered plants and hunted for small animals in many cases supplied most of the food for the group. In their role as mothers, they were protected from the most dangerous tasks, such as hunting or participating In battles with enemies.Instead, these types of tasks would be left to the ââ¬Å"extraâ⬠males (the young and unattached men who were not yet In re ligious, artistic or craftsmen roles). Your task is to imagine yourself as part of Paleolithic times and to complete the following tasks. Your teacher will check that you are done at least Number 1 and Number 2 before the end of the period: 1. Use the map you have been given to decide where you will camp and have at least one person in your core family group record your reasons in the space provided. Consider the wants and needs of your group in addition to the geography of the area n your decision. . Using the tarp, sucks, butter knife and string, create a stable shelter. It will be 3. Using the modeling clay (which we are pretending is natural clay or soft stone), carve a Paleolithic figure and place it at the door of your shelter. 4. As a group or pair, explain what you think the daily life of Paleolithic people might have been like by creating a daily timeline to explain what your family would do at your campsite between the time you woke up and the time you went to sleep. Try t o include the challenges you faced today, such as weather, teamwork, etc. In your experience.
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