The Breakfast Club Initiative by Kelloggs Assignment

The Breakfast Club Initiative by Kelloggs - Assignment Example Brand personality is defined as the set of traits and characteristics that differentiate the brand from its competing brands (Pearce and Robinson, 2010). If there is a high threat of competitive rivalry in the market that a company operates in, then that company can develop a competitive edge for its product through brand personality. Brand personality can guide the development of a marketing mix and the communications process is conducted accordingly. Consumers are more comfortable with purchasing a specific brand if its personality is similar to their own. Therefore brand personality can increase a product’s market share. In order to face a competitive threat, a company and its products must develop positive public awareness. This objective is achieved through the development of a brand personality. A brand personality enables consumers to identify with a specific brand. Kellogg’s brand personality is defined by its multi-platform campaign to communicate with internal and external stakeholders. The internal stakeholders include Kellogg’s employees while the external stakeholders include schools, the media, parents, MPs and the public. Through various channels of communication, Kellogg’s promotes its brand personality of emphasizing the importance of breakfast to school children. This is incorporated in the ‘Help give a child a breakfast’ campaign launched in October 2011. Kellogg’s product personality is represented through its support for breakfast clubs. Important components of Kellogg’s product personality include emphasizing the importance of breakfast, on the positive impact of breakfast clubs and its support for breakfast clubs since 1998 through Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. By combining the two concepts of brand and product personalities, the company has aimed to get its message across to the target audience. Kellogg’s brand and product personality have enabled the company to express and re present itself to the target audience.

War in Iraq and the US Economic Growth- History of the war in Iraq Essay Example for Free

War in Iraq and the US Economic Growth- History of the war in Iraq Essay Iraq was also known as occupation of Iraq began in 2003 march 20th led by United States. The president of US then George W. Bush, the Prime minister of United Kingdom by then Tony Blair, Prime minister of Spain by then Jose Maria Aznar, and domestic foreign supporters accused Iraq of possession of weapons of mass destruction, which was against the 1991 agreement to unconditionally give them up. This triggered one of the most historically long wars since the Vietnam War. It’s estimated that the war has caused as many deaths and resources as the Vietnam War. (BBC news 26 Nov 2007). The war is still on but key figures in the war have already been eliminated. Among them are sadaam Hussein and his sons. Impact of the War on US Economy As Wall Street reports the most recent advances of the battle, in Iraq, Economist are on the other hand worried that the war might be affecting employment, consumer confidence, and a service industry show down. According the government realized labor figures on April 4 statistics showed that economy had lost 108,000 jobs in March, more than the expected number which was 36,000. More so, the unemployment rate was steady at 5. 8% following discouragement of more people (hopes for quick war April 2003). The increase in unemployment not only affects the individuals but also the economy at large since the government invests a lot on charity in order to take care of citizens who cannot afford basic needs In addition, the crime rates are increasing at a faster rate. As manufacturers on the other hand lay off workers, there is a fall in the institute for supply management’s index for non manufacturing businesses in the service industry. This industry indicates 85% of US economic activities. Thus a fall basically means that a big percentage of economic activities are reducing. Consumer confidence has also been greatly reduced. According to study from university of Michigan consumer confidence was lowest in 9 years. With consumers hope gone people tend to do minimal buying especially of high worth assets. This brings about less money in supply and hence a slow movement of economic progress due to minimal economic activities. Economic growth has slowed in the US. This is due to the softness of the economy. Long term goals of the government to attack Iraq remain unclear. This is slowing the US economy because a large portion of money has already been injected in the war, placing other government plans to broaden the economy at a stand still. Little or no help is likely to be coming from other nations to rebuild Iraq. The Bush Administration alienated so many of its European allies with its unilateral action; it also put European bidders so far from USA government contracts for reconstruction projects. This means the only people who might benefit from such contracts are the Americans. Britons can not hence fund the Americans to do what will only benefit Americans. Financial markets are taking a dark view due to the engagement of the government in war that has brought a budget deficit. This is leaving the state money in circulation less than normal. As a result the prospective investors in stock Market cannot access enough liquidity to invest. With a country’s stock index going town, economic growth is mostly low due to the fact that many economies growth is determined partly by economic activities and financial performance. The war in Iraq might be of negative impact too. Now that uncertainties from war in Iraq have not ended and souring oil prices are trying though not yet the uncertainties might not be eliminated in a short time and the war might not be economic benefit to US. With the US government suffering a budget deficit, it might be difficult for the economy to move forward. Analyst approximated $100 billion, to rebuild and secure Iraq. Such and expenditure added to the already existing deficit will not only slow the entire economic growth of American but also drag it behind. Since the start of the Iraq war, the price of oil shot up from $37 a barrel to over 90$ a barrel. Consistent disruptions from the war have affected oil prices; however one cannot argue that the Iraq war is wholly responsible for the rise in the oil prices. Oil prices have brought negative financial status in the US by transferring approximately $124 billion from US to other oil producing companies in different counties between 2003 and 2008. (Jeannine Averssa Economics writer Tue. Nov. 13) High oil price can slow economic growth of a particular country especially by slowing the spending and rate of investment by consumers and business. This is through limiting the circulation of money. When people reduce the spending power, financial institutions like banks don’t get to lend more hence the bank loans, sale of government securities and activities economic development automatically slows down. Interest changed on money borrowed to by the US Government according report had over $850 billions. Recently the debts interests hit $9 trillion. With an economy’s money being moved out at such rates economic growth of any particular economy has to be slowed (Associated press 2007) U. S decided that it will keep its short term interests rates unchanged. The US federal reserve (Fed) said in a statement that the hesitancy of the US economic expansion appears to owe importantly to oil price premiums and other aspects of geographical uncertainties. † The fed has stressed that policy makers couldn’t assess the risks of future US economy given all the uncertainties over the Iraq situation. (Xinhua News Agency march 22, 2003). This is a dangerous report for any particular economy since the central government is responsible for giving confidential report concerning the governments’ position economically. This means the fed is genuinely foreseeing a dark if not unpredictable future. The Iraq war has also created division among US residents and between bush administrations and opposition leaders. This is being reflected on the economic growth of the country. Currently the US is divided between those who feel that the Bush administration is right, and those that totally oppose it, especially those parents whose sons died in Iraq war and those whose sons are still in Iraq. As a result of the division team spirit has been lost for the country. This is affecting the nation economically since productivity rate is low. However, Bush administration, is trying out economic recovery strategies; like conducting a highly responsible fiscal policy, like taxing the richest individuals heavily. However, economists urge that tax cuts are for more political than they are simulative. Effects in Our Economy today â€Å"People pointed out how war against Iraq may not be compensated for soon enough by other oil producing countries. This is because most members of organization of petroleum exporting countries do not have much additional production capacity. The decline in world prices for oil may not go down as people expect. † (JEANNINE 2000) The Iraq war has hence led to our economy being affected by the oil prices moving up. The hiking of oil prices, in the global economy has resulted to high commodity prices all over the world Economists will urge that many commodities that incur transportation cost in order to be sold, will raise price with a rise in oil prices. This shifts the entire living standards high without increasing the income of individuals. The war in Iraq has hence worsened humanity’s standards of living globally. War in Iraq has also reduced the funding of 3rd world countries by developed countries. Countries that received aid from US for instance have had their economies run bankrupt since the US is facing a deficit budget also. This calls for other stable economies like Japan to cost share by lending to poor countries. the intervention of these other countries brings about extra cost on their side and thus what could have been done say by Japan cannot be done simply because it used the cash to help. This is lowering the chances for innovation by technologically improved countries like Japan and generally lowering the standards of living instead of improving them. Total global energy supplies are declining yet the worlds economy cannot grow beyond its energy budget. The Iraq war has affected this negatively since the world’s civilization will decline with its energy budget. This will happen has the American President instructs his citizens to hold on. If this happens oil will be available still as it will remain in the ground. But then it will be useless as the cost of extracting it will move than the cost selling the oil itself. Conclusion Many theories and suggestions have been advanced regarding the impact of Iraq war and magnitude. Considering the many articles written different opinions aired via media and internet, yes their might be an advantage of the Iraq war to our general economy or the US economy to be more specific, but so far the war seems to have been more of a disaster than problem solving decision. Works cited JEANNINE AVERSA Cost of Iraq war could surpass $1 trillion .Report Puts Hidden war Costs at $1. 6T, AP Economics Writer Tue Nov 13, 6:21 PM ET Global Interdependence: The war in Iraq and the u. s Economy Markets buoyed by hopes for quick war,, but long term outlook is dim. Date Posted on Global Envision: April 16, 2003 Martin Wok. Chief economics correspondent. MSNBC. Updated 4:25 p. m. PT, Fri. , March. 17, 2006 I. f stone . An institute for the rest of us. Institute for policy studies. 1963 Dean Baker. The economic impact of Iraq war and higher military spending. Center for economic and policy research Washington . 2000

A clash of cultures :: English Literature

A clash of cultures The two main stories which have a negative end are â€Å"The Train from Rhodesia† and â€Å"The Gold Legged Frog†. Both of these stories include the aspect of â€Å"a clash of culture† which acts as a catalyst for the negative endings. â€Å"The Train from Rhodesia† incorporates the aspect of two cultures from different parts of the world coming together. This story is an allegory and outlines the clash of cultures when white people come into black people’s land and exploit them. The story is about a young couple who are on holiday and they have bought lots of souvenirs. At the platform the young women is attracted to a skilfully carved lion. The young woman doesn’t buy the lion since she thinks that the price is too high. When the train starts to leave the platform the old black man comes running after the train and sells the lion to the young man at half the original price. The young man tells her wife about his success and tries to please her but the young women reacts differently; she is furious at her husband. The young women is angry at her husband for humiliating the old man and making him run after the train, on top of that giving him less than half price for the lion. She feels that the price paid does not reflect the creativity and time spent on carving the lion. An alternative interpretation of this situation could be that the young woman was actually angry at her self. â€Å"The heat of shame mounted through her legs and body and sounded in her ears like the sound of sand pouring†. This quote could mean that the woman was actually angry at her self for not buying the lion at full price in the first place, after all her husband was only trying to please her and didn’t think how he was exploiting the poor black man. In this story symbolism is also a main aspect; â€Å"†¦, and the lion, fallen on its side in the corner.† The lion symbolises the exploitation of black men, emphasises how inferior black man are thought of and that at the end of the day skilful work created by black men is just thrown aside. The writer presents the details of the surroundings and the black people living in poverty through the young woman’s eyes; â€Å"Out of the window, on the other side, there was nothing; sand and bush; a thorn tree.† This strong imagery which we discover through the woman’s eyes means that we feel even more sympathetic towards the black and poor people

ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBALIZATION ON TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY Essay

While discussing the topics of trade, development and political economy, globalization is often discussed. In general, globalization means a process in which world economies become highly integrated, leading to a global economy and highly global economic policymaking, through international agencies such as the World Trade Organization (Todaro & Smith, 2006). Since late 1980s, the increasing globalization in the manufacturing sector and service sector has also globalized the telecommunication industry. A large number of telecom companies are expanding rapidly from their home countries to other countries in order to increase their customer base and their sales, off course. Globalization has with it many challenges and economic benefits too. For many economists, globalization can cause serious troubles in the whole world, such as inequality is accentuated, environmental degradation, and dominance of rich countries etc. But at the same time proponents of globalization are of the view tha t globalization leads to the rapid growth of knowledge and innovation and improved living standards. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF GLOBALIZATION How globalization occurred or which forces gave birth to this phenomenon? The three chief economic and financial indicators that led to globalization are:  The international trade of goods and services, the widening and freeing of trade has led to globalization to increase at a rapid pace. The greater flow of capital because of growth of global capital markets. Globalization of financial sector is the most influential aspect of economic globalization. The greater movement of people around the globe has also contributed to rapidly growing globalization, breaking down cultural barriers. Globalization means integration of different markets in the global economy. Globalization may occur in different markets such as financial markets, commodity markets and even in the service sector (Scholte, 2000). Producers and consumers and national economies as a whole benefit from the process of globalization. For example, economies may benefit from specializing themselves in particular products in which they have comparative advantage. Firms may become cost competitive through globalization by accessing to cheap raw materials from other countries. Similarly, benefit of economies of scale is achieved through access to large markets and higher demand for products, thus reducing average production cost of the firm. Large multinationals are the main carriers of economic globalization. They are globally aligning their production and resources according to the principle of profit maximization. GLOBALIZATION OF TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY- CASE OF VODAFONE Initially telecommunication industry was owned and controlled by state-owned national telecommunication companies. But with the passage of time, innovation in technology and globalization has transformed the nature of telecommunication industry. Globalization has opened up markets and brought competition in this sector. National telecommunication companies were being privatized and the industry deregulated to make it competitive. All over the world, the multinational companies have become the main vehicle for accelerating globalization. Vodafone, a British multinational telecommunication company, is the world’s leading telecommunication having significant existence in Europe, United States, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa. It is one of the most rapidly flourishing global companies, which started as a holder of one of the first two mobile communications licenses in the UK and now it’s a dominant global brand. (Ibbott, 2007) provides a view that Vodafone created a social network that was involved in mergers and acquisitions and  deployment of a global network of mobile technology that serves a proportionate mobile customer base of 198.6 million in 2006. Ibbott (2007) explained what really globalization means as â€Å"A global company is one that permits its local operations to act in the image of the market locally and yet can act in a truly homogeneous way with respect to the supply and provision of its core products and services† Vodafone is a global company as its sourcing and supply chain activities are transferred to be entirely global for the major part of its investment, while services remain local (Ibbott, 2007). Globalization does not mean to open operations and branches in other countries but to make its operations global, not directed by the head office located in the parent country. CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBALIZATION ON TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY- CASE OF VODAFONE Globalization has become a vital aspect of the global economy and strongly influences the comparative advantage of economies. (Salvatore, 2004) examined the effect of globalization on the comparative advantage of Europe for several goods and concluded that Europe has a comparative disadvantage in telecommunication with respect to Japan, United States and Dynamic Asian countries. The degree of globalization is a significant element in examining the international competitiveness of economies. Large multinational corporations are enjoying the benefits of globalization, the most. Almost 50 percent of total profits of Vodafone came from foreign sales, i.e. Asia Pacific and Middle East region. The CEO of UK-based Vodafone Group talking about global leadership said (Yunker, 2008), â€Å"Less than 5 percent of our profits comes from UK. We have had to fundamentally redesign this company as a global company. We are a highly consumer-centric company. In Germany, we feel German. In Italy, we feel Italian. In Spain, we feel Spanish. In India, we feel Indians.† Vodafone has experienced fall-out in Japan in 2005. It released â€Å"Converged-Handset† mobile phones in December 2005 in 13 countries concurrently, including Japan. Being, one of the world’s largest global companies, it did so without taking into account the domestic environment of each country. In this way they incurred great loss in both, number of  subscribers and profits. The company lost 200,000 subscribers in the first few months of the year and profits declined by 15.4 percent (Fackler & Belson, 2005). Customers also got many troubles like; lack of functions, the expensive bills and bad signals. Thus it failed to introduce same technologies in different countries. In order to regain its position in the market, they offered such services which are being provided by their competitors such as; low prices, flat monthly bills for calls and emails. Hence market competition forced Vodafone to survive in the market by competing with the same products at same rates as its competitors are offering. Due to globalization, consumer became more aware of their decisions. They take their decisions by taking into account their ethical and environmental concerns. This new dimension poses pressure on industries to improve their business through new public initiatives and laws. Likewise, increased global competition put serious pressure on Vodafone to evaluate its CSR policy and ethical stance. When globalization reached its pace and mergers and acquisitions among firms take place, multinational companies get authority to hire and fire their workers (Carlson, 2002). This was happened in Motorola, when they fired their 3000 workers on 2000 by shutting down their plant in Scotland. Similarly, in 2009, Vodafone restructured its business model, in order to save costs and to accommodate more customers-facing roles. Around 400 workers were made jobless from its headquarters or being deployed to some other places. Hence, it is being proven over the years that in large multinational organizations, large number of workers have been made jobless, thus, creating a sense of insecurity among workers. Taking into account the fact that globalization may also have adverse impact on workers; The European Globalization Adjustment Fund (EGF) has been established. The EGF aimed to support redundant workers, mainly in the areas where globalization has adversely affected the workers. The European Globalization Adjustment Fund has been established under Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006. It has an annual budget of EUR 500 million to assist worker for their employment. EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION The growing integration of the economies has been a heated debate all around the world over the last two decades. The consequences of globalization and its various dimensions have been widely debated and examined by academics, politicians, policymakers, and even the private sector. According to the United Nations Development Program, Human Development Report, 1999 â€Å"Globalization is shaping a new era of interaction among economies and people. It is increasing the interaction between people across national boundaries, in economy, technology, in culture and in governance. But it is also splitting production processes, labor markets, political entities and societies. So, while globalization has positive and dynamic aspects, it has also negative, disruptive, marginalizing aspects.† Critics of globalization argue that globalization is detrimental to economic growth, such as it increases income inequality among nations, economic instability may arise, workers are being exploited and governments become unable to raise taxes, on the other hand, the advocates of globalization are of the view that it brings higher rate of sustainable economic growth and improved living standards. In a study from the Centre of Economic Policy Research by European Policy Advisors, while analyzing the economic impact of globalization, it was found that the true benefits of globalization overweigh the costs associated with it. Similarly globalization has been affecting the telecommunication sector too. Due to increasing globalization, the telecommunication policy all around the world has widened their cross-border implications as compared to the past. According to the analysis of (Siochru, 2004), media and telecommunication sectors are the leading sectors in facilitating globalization. The globalization of financial transactions and manufacturing products is due to globalization of media and telecommunication sectors. REFERENCES 1.Carlson, B. A., 2002. Job Losses, Multinational and Globalization: The Anatomy of Disempowerment. Santiago: United Nations Publications. 2.Fackler, M. & Belson, K., 2005. A Major Backfire in Japan Deflates Vodafone’s One-Size-Fits-All Strategy. [Online] Available at:

Objective Synthesis

In â€Å"HARD BODIES† by â€Å"STUART EWEN† and â€Å"THE SPORTS TABOO† by â€Å"MALCOLM GLADWELL† outlines particular sports in addition to the differences between the athletic individuals and the ways in which they experience extracurricular activities. The first article listed begins by introducing a man named Raymond who is hoping to achieve the body figure in which he has always dreamed of having. It goes through his daily workout in detail in which he accomplishes after a long day in his office.To achieve his long wanted goal, he works on parts of his body piece-by-piece, practicing repetition in a room surrounded by full-length mirrors. The author then begins describing various advertisements with pictures of quote-on-quote perfect bodies. Both men and women pose together showing off their tone and completion with a light coating of oil. Men generally expose their upper half, as women tend to expose their arms, shoulders and stomach. The author beli eves that these advertisements undergo more meaning then just the exercise in which they advertise.They are more to attract viewers into wanting what they see and spending the money in order to achieve that particular body figure. After reading this article, my mind brought me to think back to many advertisements that I have viewed on shelves of stores as well as gym membership pictures. These figures we see, as they appear toned and have perfection, are never the raw images of these particular individuals. When an advertisement states that the reader should start a new physical training in order to achieve this goal, it includes a denomination of false advertising.These images of these built individuals claim to have recently started new workout habits when in reality these models have kept in shape all their lives and have worked out daily in order to achieve their body types. Women in the workforce viewing these advertisements wanting to appear as these younger more fit women bel ieve they too, can achieve such a body if they begin a new workout routine. The last article discusses the concerns of mainstream sports, while taking a further look into psychology as well as the social identity of an African American athlete.He explores the subject through various data, experiments and observations and captures conclusions within his text using style and formality. Endearing the racial views of sports in society, author Malcolm Gladwell seems to strive to change the reader’s view on this particular aspect throughout his wording. He wishes to illustrate a cause for race not to stand as a criteria position in American sports, but instead for the athletic ability to form as a leading role in such opinions. In the course of his detailed argument, he proposes ideas of equality and nonjudgmental aspects of athletic stereotypes.These two particular articles differ in many ways, one being the opposite perspectives of the body image. Given in the first article, Stua rt Ewen had a perspective displaying the importance of body image by telling the story of the man named Raymond. In the second article, however, Malcolm Gladwell displays the non-importance. Ewen gives perspectives from the eyes from Raymond, and his lifelong journal of workouts in order to achieving his goal weight and body muscle. Translated through the second article by Malcolm Gladwell, he perceived a perspective of the aspect in difference.His article proclaimed that the race and amount of money individuals had could have a say in sports as well as who belongs to what category for each. He does not believe in the stereotypes in which people create based off race, nor does he believe in the theory of success at sports depending on money. What I find to be important about the differences of these two opinions as well as views on this particular subject is the reasoning for each viewpoint. Perhaps the background of the author as well, contributing as a factor of the standpoint in which their opinion exists.Could the background of the author, Malcolm Gladwell, contribute to his reasoning to the stereotypes of sports players? As well as the perspective from Raymond? The author may also have these strong opinions because of their ethnicity or religion, or opinions of their friends and or family. I, for one, stand from a similar viewpoint as Raymond with the concern of working out and keeping the body as wished. Achieving one’s desire body type can be of life’s most inspiring goals yet. It tells any average person that if they persevere, they can reach their goals.From a similar viewpoint, both authors did have a strong belief relating to the importance of a subject pertaining to sports. One believed that it is important to look the way you want, and to work extra hard to get there, while the other mentioned the unimportance of how society today sees many stereotypes of how certain people are meant to play certain roles in sports. Many similar peop le stand evenly gifted according to each other without reasoning. He fights that there is no other side to the previous statement. Lyons, Gregory T. Body and Culture. Hard Body. 1950. Print. Lyons, Gregory T. Body and Culture. The Sports Taboo. 1950. Print

A Comparison of the Merits of using Software or Hardware Transactional Memory, against Traditional ‘Semaphore’ Locking The WritePass Journal

A Comparison of the Merits of using Software or Hardware Transactional Memory, against Traditional ‘Semaphore’ Locking A Comparison of the Merits of using Software or Hardware Transactional Memory, against Traditional ‘Semaphore’ Locking ]. Bright, P. (2011) IBM’s new transactional memory: make-or-break time for multithreaded revolution. Available at: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2011/08/ibms-new-transactional-memory-make-or-break-time-for-multithreaded-revolution/ Â  [Accessed 12th March 2014]. Detlefs, D., Martin, P.A., Moir, M. Steele, G.L., (2001) ‘The Twentieth Annual ACM Symposium on Principles of Distributed Computing’, in Lock-free Reference Counting, ACM Press: New York. Maged, M.M. (2004) ‘Proceedings of the ACM SIGPLAN 2004 Conference on Programming Language Design and Implementation’, in Scalable Lock-free Dynamic Memory Allocation, ACM Press: New York.

Lost in translation - Emphasis

Lost in translation Lost in translation Its amazing how many good ideas are lost in translation not from one language to another, but from the brain to the printed page. One reason could be that its so tempting, when you suddenly find that youre unable to get your idea down on paper effectively, to throw more words at the problem. Yet the solution is often to do quite the opposite, and keep it simple. Take a recent Department of Health guidance document, which should have been issued with its own health warning: The aim of this resource pack is to help organisations promote and implement the use of an HR Leadership Qualities Framework that describes those behaviours which enhance NHS HR capacity and capability to improve the patient experience. Why complicate matters? Try using: This pack will help you promote and introduce an HR leadership qualities framework. In turn, this will help improve the service we give patients. Then theres this example from a recent invitation to tender (specifics changed to protect the guilty): Description/objective of the contract: To provide evidence on the extent to which north west organisations needs for enhanced and modified skills and knowledge among their existing adult employees are being met. This description is not unusually bad. It may even make perfect sense to you. But its extremely unlikely that the author would have described their objective like this if youd asked them to explain it over a cup of coffee. Instead, they might have said something like: We want to discover how far employees of companies in the north west have improved their skills and knowledge. Yet something stopped them using clear, simple language when they started writing. They forgot that their reader is no more likely to enjoy reading dense, turgid documents than they are. Its as if people feel they have to impress others with their language and use of corporate jargon. They ignore the fact that professional people today simply do not have time to decipher poor documents. So you need to be efficient to make sure your message doesnt get lost in a mountain of other documents, letters and emails. Inefficient writing wastes millions of pounds every year and documents are often four or five times longer than they need to be. These documents take much longer to read than they should have to that is, if people read them at all. As a result, your good ideas might go to waste. Here are three tips to help you with your writing: Clarify your key message before you begin, by writing a short three-sentence statement to sum up the issues you want to cover. Plan your document too before you write it. Never use the writing process to work out what you think. You might be clearer when you reach the end of the document, but your reader is more likely to be confused. Instead, separate the thinking process from the writing, and do the thinking first. Dont be afraid to use short, punchy words, and to be less verbose. It doesnt mean that you are dumbing down. Its fine to use jargon as long as youre certain that your reader will understand it. But you can still use plain language between the jargon. Flowery language just makes for heavy reading. Why say, Were currently involved in the implementation of something, when you can just say Were implementing it?

Levels and Scales of Measurement in Statistics

Levels and Scales of Measurement in Statistics Level of measurement refers to the particular way that a variable is measured within scientific research, and  scale of measurement refers to the particular tool that a researcher uses to sort the data in an organized way, depending on the level of measurement that they have selected. Choosing the level and scale of measurement are  important parts of the research design process  because they are necessary for systematized measuring and categorizing of data, and thus for analyzing it and drawing conclusions from it as well that are considered valid. Within science, there are four commonly used levels and scales of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. These were developed by  psychologist Stanley Smith Stevens, who wrote about them in a 1946 article in  Science, titled On the Theory of Scales of Measurement. Each level of measurement and its corresponding scale is able to measure one or more of the four properties of measurement, which include identity, magnitude, equal intervals, and a minimum value of zero. There is a hierarchy of these different levels of measurement. With the lower levels of measurement (nominal, ordinal), assumptions are typically less restrictive and data analyses are less sensitive. At each level of the hierarchy, the current level includes all the qualities of the one below it in addition to something new. In general, it is desirable to have higher levels of measurement (interval or ratio) rather than a lower one. Let’s examine each level of measurement and its corresponding scale in order from lowest to highest in the hierarchy. The Nominal Level and Scale A nominal scale is used to name the categories within the variables you use in your research. This kind of scale provides no ranking or ordering of values; it simply provides a name for each category within a variable so that you can track them among your data. Which is to say, it satisfies the measurement of identity, and identity alone. Common examples within sociology include the nominal tracking of  sex (male or female),  race  (white, Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, etc.),  and class  (poor, working class, middle class, upper class). Of course, there are many other variables one can measure on a nominal scale. The nominal level of measurement is also known as a categorical measure  and is considered qualitative in nature. When doing statistical research and using this level of measurement, one would use the mode, or the most commonly occurring value, as a  measure of central tendency. The Ordinal Level and Scale Ordinal scales are used when a researcher wants to measure something that is not easily quantified, like feelings or opinions. Within such a scale the different values for a variable are progressively ordered, which is what makes the scale useful and informative. It satisfies both the properties of identity and of magnitude. However, it is important to note that as such a scale is not quantifiable- the precise differences between the variable categories are unknowable. Within sociology, ordinal scales are commonly used to measure peoples views and opinions on social issues,  like racism  and sexism, or how important certain issues are to them in the context of a political election. For example, if a researcher wants to measure the extent to which a population believes that racism is a problem, they could ask a question like How big a problem is racism in our society today? and provide the following response options: its a big problem, it is somewhat a problem, it is a small problem, and racism is not a problem. When using this level and scale of measurement, it is the median which denotes central tendency. The Interval Level and Scale Unlike nominal and ordinal scales, an interval scale is a numeric one that allows for ordering of variables  and provides a precise, quantifiable understanding of the differences between them (the intervals between them). This means that it satisfies the three properties of identity, magnitude,  and  equal intervals. Age is a common variable that sociologists track using an interval scale, like 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. One can also turn non-interval, ordered variable categories into an interval scale to aid  statistical analysis. For example,  it is common to measure income as a range, like $0-$9,999; $10,000-$19,999; $20,000-$29,000, and so on. These ranges can be turned into intervals that reflect the increasing level of income, by using 1 to signal the lowest category, 2 the next, then 3, etc. Interval scales are especially useful because they not only allow for measuring the frequency and percentage of variable categories within our data, they also allow us to calculate the  mean, in addition to the median, mode. Importantly, with the interval level of measurement, one can also calculate  the standard deviation. The Ratio Level and Scale The ratio scale of measurement is nearly the same as the interval scale, however, it differs in that it has an absolute value of zero, and so it is the only scale that satisfies all four properties of measurement. A sociologist would use a ratio scale to measure actual earned income in a given year, not divided into categorical ranges, but ranging from $0 upward. Anything that can be measured from absolute zero can be measured with a ratio scale, like for example the number of children a person has, the  number of elections a person has voted in, or the  number of friends who are of a race different from the respondent. One can run all the statistical operations as can be done with the interval scale, and even more with the ratio scale. In fact, it is so called because one can create ratios and fractions from the data when one uses a ratio level of measurement and scale. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Building Information Modeling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Building Information Modeling - Essay Example In addition, BIM considers mistakes that would be made in making estimates for building materials, making it a valid process in the building and construction industry throughout the world. In Building and construction sectors, BIM refers to the digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of structures. In designing a BIM plan, factors such as increase in prices of materials which can inhibit the construction process management. This explains why BIM continues to be a thorough process in the construction sector. Making out estimates of building materials owes to factors such as in prices of materials or having uncertainties in making estimates. However, BIM enables companies avoid such problems as making out estimates by drawing plans, which include provisions, in case there are any constraints encountered during construction. BIM builds a digital format which appears as if it is being made physically. Currently, the UK government advocates for the use of BIM in delivering cost effective solutions in delivery of infrastructure across all sectors, including Telecommunication companies. However, in spite of this advocacy by the UK government, mobile telecommunication companies do not think it a requirement. ... The company has business units, â€Å"which provide infrastructure, transportation services† such as Turnkey- a program involving surveying/site acquisition, design, body and wealth management of client network infrastructure, to UK mobile telecommunication companies, in particular 02, Vodafone, and Orange. Vodafone is a global mobile telecommunication with headquarters in the UK. It is also the largest global telecommunications company basing on its revenues, and the world’s second largest after china mobile. 02 on the other hand, is UK’s leading mobile handset provider and broadband, offering the best phone, sim only and broad band deals. Orange is the fifth telecommunication company in the world, also found in the UK, but with proper headquarters in France. The three telecommunication companies, namely; orange, Vodafone and 02, are clients to GallifordTry Buildinmg and Construction Company. According to GallifordTry, Telecommunication companies do not show int erest in the BIM process, yet it is cost effective in service delivery. On this note, Galliford, as a partner institution believes that it can affect the implementation of BIM in telecommunication companies. 2. Hypothesis Galliford can affect the implementation of BIM among Telecommunication sectors in the UK and gain a competitive advantage over other sectors in the UK government The theorem above is being needed to be checked alongside the following objectives; (a) To identify reasons why Telecommunication sectors such as 02, Vodafone and Orange do not take BIM as a prerequisite, in spite of it being an endorsement of the UK government (b)To determine whether, among the Telecommunication companies, are some outstanding individuals who would like to take part in implementing BIM program (c)To determine the

Critical Thinking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking - Assignment Example God created the seven heavens and the Earth solely for humanity. The question of identity: The Quran accounts that Allah created human beings in a unique way, giving them special gifts and knowledge. The creation of man started with that of two people, Adam and Eve, male and female respectively, who then multiplied to bring forth generations of the Earth. For Weirder and Gutierrez (2011), they state that Allah created man as a responsible and dignified agent to meet the purpose of his creator. The question of morality: Through the adherence to study of Quran, the Muslims acclimatize with the ways of living of a moral life in their society. The world view has it that every aspect of life has three common goals: practicality, balance and moderation. Apart from the Islamic teachings, every Muslim has to choose what is tolerable for oneself and the society as a whole (Winter, 2008). The Islamic teachings account that the meaning of the existence of humanity is revealed through worshipping and obeying the teachings of Allah. Further, every Muslim has a purpose of involving in good deeds towards offsetting the bad deeds and correcting the mistakes made. Besides, the world view also offers its follower five pillars which acts as a platform for discerning their obedience. The world view presents Paradise and Hell as the destiny of man, depending on dominance of bad or good deeds. Essentially, A Muslim achieves Paradise by having good deeds outweighing his bad deeds. Only after death does a Muslim determines the level of his good or bad deeds. Hell is a destiny for the individual who do not follow Allah’s teachings besides not recognizing him as the one god. The question of origin: Both of the world views agree that God is the creator of everything in the World. Islam accounts for theistic evolution as part of God’s creation plan while Christianity refutes this theory, evolution,

Plato Rebuplic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Plato Rebuplic - Essay Example Book II continues with the political definition of justice. According to him justice is an application in a state to keep her citizens doing harm to one another. As a state emerges out of the needs of human being, it is also to be included with a state. The responsibilities of a state are described in details in Book III. Socrates never consents to include poetry in education because poetry misleads human being. Socrates allows only literature in people’s education. Then he suggests that education should include gymnasium. In Book IV Socrates describes, as the sole target of the State is to ensure the good for its people, the strenuous training of the citizens can be justified. He says that when temperance, courage and wisdom digress, the three principles of the souls such as passion, reason and appetite. All of them together in harmony build up justice. In line with the discussion he describes family, matrimony, community, population. He is of the opinion that a state can be an ideal state if its kings are philosophers. In Book VI Socrates describes the nobility and worth of the Guardians. He makes it clearer with the analogy of the pilot and his crew. Obviously the guardians should have a close relationship with philosophy because it will endow them with enough knowledge to identify good and justice. For him knowledge is analogous to visibility, vision and light. Book-VII deals with the allegory of Cave. The story of the Cave allegorically suggests that truth at its first encounter may seem to be dazzling and the truth speaker may be criticized who are in darkness like the prisoners of the Cave. The man who witnesses the beauty of truth must sacrifice his happiness to bring other to the way of

Assignment Two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assignment Two - Essay Example This according to simple microeconomics indicates that the people have more purchasing or bargaining power as compared to the producer, in this case, Wal-Mart, or the purchasing power is very high for the people. Two: The suppliers of Wal-Mart are very diverse and belong not only to different cultural backgrounds but also to different sections of society. They have even started a supplier diversity program since 1994 where suppliers in the form of women as well as minority groups are encouraged to produce and sell products to them and earn in the process. It also has formed a coalition with a number of large firms around the world like Oklahoma food suppliers as well as suppliers in China. In this way, suppliers have a great amount of power as the company is very approachable and literally invites suppliers to join it and be a part of it. They are made to go through training programs and made fit and ready for the job. In this manner, a lot is done to ensure their welfare and maintai n a high level of product quality at the same time. Three: The main competitors for Wal-Mart are Target Corp and Costco. As per the valuation, shares as well as total revenue earned by the company, these two companies have currently come closest to measuring against Wal-Mart as the main competitors in the global market. However, the degree of rivalry continues to be medium and does not really pose a threat to Wal-Mart as such because of its soaring high figures. Four: Wal-Mart is following the cost leadership / broad target strategy in its working. This may be justified because according to Porter, broad target or cost leadership comes in when any firm is trying to win the market share by bringing about cost effectiveness in the produce and supply of its products. This is done in order to appeal the most to the consumers and form a part of their investments. Having the lowest range of prices of the products and services makes a firm reachable and accessible to a vaster consumer mark et and the firm can then hope to take a sort of lead or advantage in the economies of scale. In this kind of a situation, a firm mostly takes to producing standardized products which are easily available at a mass scale or rate of production and Wal-Mart has been following this. Five: In the value chain model, there are some very important processes in the case of Wal-Mart. They are: 1. Inbound and Outbound Logistics – this is because Wal-Mart’s main job is to receive and store products and inventory, control it as well as have transport facilities. Outbound would include warehousing, packaging and basically making the products available to the consumers easily. 2. Operations – this is the stage of value creation or of converting the inventory to finished products for the purpose of sale to the consumers. 3. Marketing and Sales – this is very important for Wal-Mart because its main job is to try and attract the consumers through the processes of marketing and sales. This is done with the help of promotions, advertising, retail managements and pricing. It basically forms a part of the entire marketing mix that is crucial for the existence of this company. 4. Service – this helps to enhance the product’s value and creates a link between the product and the consumers with respect to the company and thus is very importan

Entrepreneurship and Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Entrepreneurship and Law - Research Paper Example It can be attested that this is a huge step towards the promotion of entrepreneurial activities since it gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to contact more investors. In this relation, more laws and rules that are still oppressive and restrictive to the profitable activities of entrepreneurs should be revised to open more opportunities and help to enhance economies (Medved, 2013). However, since it is an activity that involves new technological advancements in relation to the use of social networking sites, it will be imperative to come up with new legislation and laws. This will create platforms through which the entrepreneurs and investors can conduct their operations in ways that are legally acceptable. In addition, they will serve as means through which internet crimes can be prevented hence the maintenance of social media security. The main item being brought up in this article is the activities of different entrepreneurs. These are the individuals who are occupied in the legal manufacture and sale of new psychoactive substances. However, they market them as â€Å"not for human consumption†. A great contradiction is highlighted in this article in the sense that drugs, which are usually considered as illegal substances can be legal, sold in areas such as Belgium hence the title ‘legal high†. According to the article, most people are putting an end to other business activities to get involved in the business of making drugs. This involves the production of powders and pills that are psychoactive in nature (Whalen & Zhang, 2010). In relation to this article, I think that the governing body at Antwerp and Belgium, in general, should conduct more research about these drugs that are considered to lie in between the legal and illegal zones. This is because it is a great indication that as much as they are legal they are not safe for consumption.  It is sustained by the fact that the producing entrepreneur admits that the Nopaine drug they manufacture â€Å"is every bit as good as cocaine†.

Assignment Two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assignment Two - Essay Example This according to simple microeconomics indicates that the people have more purchasing or bargaining power as compared to the producer, in this case, Wal-Mart, or the purchasing power is very high for the people. Two: The suppliers of Wal-Mart are very diverse and belong not only to different cultural backgrounds but also to different sections of society. They have even started a supplier diversity program since 1994 where suppliers in the form of women as well as minority groups are encouraged to produce and sell products to them and earn in the process. It also has formed a coalition with a number of large firms around the world like Oklahoma food suppliers as well as suppliers in China. In this way, suppliers have a great amount of power as the company is very approachable and literally invites suppliers to join it and be a part of it. They are made to go through training programs and made fit and ready for the job. In this manner, a lot is done to ensure their welfare and maintai n a high level of product quality at the same time. Three: The main competitors for Wal-Mart are Target Corp and Costco. As per the valuation, shares as well as total revenue earned by the company, these two companies have currently come closest to measuring against Wal-Mart as the main competitors in the global market. However, the degree of rivalry continues to be medium and does not really pose a threat to Wal-Mart as such because of its soaring high figures. Four: Wal-Mart is following the cost leadership / broad target strategy in its working. This may be justified because according to Porter, broad target or cost leadership comes in when any firm is trying to win the market share by bringing about cost effectiveness in the produce and supply of its products. This is done in order to appeal the most to the consumers and form a part of their investments. Having the lowest range of prices of the products and services makes a firm reachable and accessible to a vaster consumer mark et and the firm can then hope to take a sort of lead or advantage in the economies of scale. In this kind of a situation, a firm mostly takes to producing standardized products which are easily available at a mass scale or rate of production and Wal-Mart has been following this. Five: In the value chain model, there are some very important processes in the case of Wal-Mart. They are: 1. Inbound and Outbound Logistics – this is because Wal-Mart’s main job is to receive and store products and inventory, control it as well as have transport facilities. Outbound would include warehousing, packaging and basically making the products available to the consumers easily. 2. Operations – this is the stage of value creation or of converting the inventory to finished products for the purpose of sale to the consumers. 3. Marketing and Sales – this is very important for Wal-Mart because its main job is to try and attract the consumers through the processes of marketing and sales. This is done with the help of promotions, advertising, retail managements and pricing. It basically forms a part of the entire marketing mix that is crucial for the existence of this company. 4. Service – this helps to enhance the product’s value and creates a link between the product and the consumers with respect to the company and thus is very importan

Secrets of the FBI (Ronald Kessler) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Secrets of the FBI (Ronald Kessler) - Assignment Example It shows they are not able to effectively get the information they need so they resort to blackmail. This will increase accountability to the service. The second issue of agreement is the exposure about their training. 20 weeks training, shooting accuracy of 80% and above, firing 3900 rounds of ammunition in 20 weeks and training in surveillance, undercover tactics is a show of good training and even the enemy would be scared of this. There are also some things mentioned that are not agreeable. First, the very exposure of the internal operations of the service is totally unacceptable. This was also expressed by two callers who expressed much pessimism about the revelation. It aids the enemy and causes violent aggression to any American in any building across the world. Secondly, the financial exposure would send the economists back to their drawing board about the amount of funds spend on this training. It implores a waste of hard earned cash from the consolidated fund. Given that it is being aired live, it may send the wrong picture to the public about government expenditure and priorities. Someone in Criminal Justice requires knowing this because the revelation would create caution to him/her. The way any American is viewed globally totally changes and there is also need to invent new methods of operation to increase their

Marketing Project Essay Example for Free

Marketing Project Essay Q: Conduct a household or market survey and report on the buying motive of consumers as regards price and quality, consumers being classified by age, sex and income given certain selected products. * Choose any five consumer durable products/services of high demand. (i.e., products with life span greater than 3 years.) FORMAT: * Main page (Name, Class, Year, Marketing Project) * Title (question) * Table of Contents * Explain buying motive and its types. * Introduction and information about each of the products chosen (only consumer durable objects; types are – medium expensive and very expensive). * Target group of customers for each product in brief. (Age; sex; income group etc.) * Must: Mention gender and age if product is bought a certain gender or age group only, along with reasoning for the same. * Form questionnaires with (10-15 questions) and do a survey with 10 customers. Make sure that the questions can be answered in sentences or provide statements with options. DO NOT use Yes/No questions. * Eg: What is the primary reason for which you buy this product? What other benefits do you derive from the product? Is the product convenient to use? Is the product safe? Is the product worth the value paid for realization? * Following the questionnaires, make a report for each and every product separately explaining the buying motive and reasons they buy it for. (1 page per product.) * Draw conclusions from the results of your questionnaires, graphs, reports, etc. * Depict graph (depending on any 5 criteria you have mentioned in your questionnaire in a bar diagram) for the number of consumers surveyed. * Add pictures and symbols throughout your presentation to add colour and life. * The project can be made using either MS PowerPoint or MS Word. Format of a Questionnaire: QUESTIONNAIRE TITLE ( Eg: Survey conducted to estimate buying motive of a product) (This survey is conducted by students of OOEHS for a marketing project. Kindly fill in the required details) Name: Location: (Start with your own questions.)

Calculation of Payback Period for Investor Return

Calculation of Payback Period for Investor Return Executive Summary The report exclusively deals with the Accounting and Financial Management. The report has been divided into two broad types. The first part deals with the calculations regarding the payback period, average accounting return and break-even analysis. This part of the report also explains the various aspects of the same. The next half of the report is based on the calculations related with the Horizontal and vertical analysis. Further, it also explains the different patterns and trends present in the Income Statement and Balance Sheet based on the calculations done. Introduction The primary objective of accounting in any business is to help that business make the maximum profit after tax. Unless accounting makes its full contribution to that objective, its cost cannot be justified. In today’s industry, one of the ways accounting pays for itself is to help management to control operations. Another way is to help management utilize its working capital to the greatest possible advantage. Every business has important financial concerns and its success or failure depends in a large part on the quality of its financial decisions. Effective financial decision making requires an understanding of the goal(s) of the firm. The widely accepted objective of the firm is to maximize the value of firm for its owners, i.e. to maximize shareholders wealth (MAYER, R. et al, 2005). Hence, the accounting and financial management has become an integral part of business in the twenty-first century. The concept of payback period, average accounting return, breakeven analysis, trend analysis and vertical analysis are very important for any business, big or small. Discussion 2.1 Problem 1 A company is considering a capital project costing  £ 400,000. The sales forecasts, together with the forecast expenditure are shown below: Table 1: Sales and Expenditure Forecast Year Sales ( £) Cost of Sales ( £) Other variable costs ( £) Fixed costs except depreciation ( £) Depreciation ( £) 1 200,000 60,000 20,000 30,000 100,000 2 300,000 90,000 30,000 30,000 100,000 3 400,000 120,000 40,000 30,000 100,000 4 300,000 90,000 30,000 30,000 100,000 1,200,000 360,000 120,000 120,000 400,000 The above problem can be formulated in the form of Income Statement as below: Table 2: Income Statement of the Company Years 1 2 3 4 Sales 200,000 300,000 400,000 300,000 Cost of Sales (60,000) (90,000) (120,000) (90,000) Gross Profit: 140,000 210,000 280,000 210,000 Variable Cost (20,000) (30,000) (40,000) (30,000) Earnings before Fixed Charges: 120,000 180,000 240,000 180,000 Fixed Cost (30,000) (30,000) (30,000) (30,000) Earnings before tax and depreciation: 90,000 150,000 210,000 150,000 Depreciation (100,000) (100,000) (100,000) (100,000) Net Income: -10,000 50,000 110,000 50,000 2.1.1 Calculation of Payback period for the Project The payback period for the project is the length of time to get your money back (FABOZZI and PETERSON, 2003). In this problem, the company has invested  £ 400,000. The table below shows the expected cash flows in the four years: Table 3: Expected Cash Flows of the Company End of Year Expected Cash Flows Accumulated Cash Flows 1 90,000 90,000 2 150,000 240,000 3 210,000 450,000 4 150,000 600,000 From the table above, it is clear that at the end of Year 2, the full  £400,000 will not be paid back. We need to have some amount from Year 3 as well. The amount needed from Year 4 will be  £400,000 – 240,000 =  £160,000. Hence, the payback period is calculated as: Payback Period: 2 years + 160,000/210,000 = 2.762 years = 2 years and 9 months (Approx.) Thus, the Payback period for the company is 2 years and 9 months. Calculation of the Average Accounting Return The Average Accounting Return (AAR) measures the return on an investment, after taxes and depreciation, over a specified period. Mathematically, the ratio is equivalent to the expected average earnings less taxes and depreciation, divided by the average book value over the duration of the investment. According to table 2 above, we need to find the values of: Average project earning after tax and depreciation Average Net Income = Sum of all Net Incomes / No. Of Years = (-10,000 + 50,000 + 110,000 + 50,000) / 5 =  £ 50,000 Average book value of the investment during its life time The depreciation for each year is  £ 100,000. Thus, the yearly book value of investment is given by: Table 4: Book Values Year Book Value 1 400,000 2 300,000 3 200,000 4 100,000 5 0 Average book value = Sum of all book values / No. Of years = 400,000 + 300,000 + 200,000 + 100,000 + 0 / 5 =  £ 200,000 Average Accounting Return (AAR) = 50,000 / 200,000 = 0.25 Therefore, the Average Accounting Return for the invested  £ 400,000 after taxes and depreciation is 25 %. Break-Even Analysis for the Project One of the most common tools used in evaluating the economic feasibility of a new enterprise or product is the break-even analysis. The break-even point is the point at which revenue is exactly equal to costs (HOLLAND, 1998). At this point, no profit is made and no losses are incurred. The break-even point can be expressed in terms of unit sales or pound sales. That is, the break-even units indicate the level of sales that are required to cover costs. Sales above that number result in profit and sales below that number result in a loss. The break-even sales indicate the pound of gross sales required to break-even. So, a break-even cannot be calculated only once. It should be calculated on a regular basis to reflect changes in costs and prices and in order to maintain profitability or make adjustments in the product line. 1 Break-even (Sales) = Total Fixed Cost / (1- Total Variable Cost / Sales) For Year 1, BEP (Sales) = 130,000 / (1- 80,000 / 200,000) =  £ 216,666.67 For the Year 2, 3 and 4 also same BEP (Sales) value came due to proportionate change in total fixed cost, total variable cost and sales. This figure is the level of sales that the company must reach in order to break even. Again, if the company is reaching more than this, then it should be making a profit and if it is not, the company will not be selling enough to cover the fixed expenses. Thus, no profits are made from the sale of product until more than  £ 216,666.67 in gross sales is generated. ____________________ Source: 1, HODGETTS KURATKO,1986. As sales increases, variable costs are incurred, meaning that total costs (fixed + variable) also increase. At low levels of output, costs are greater than income. At the point of intersection (total sales and total cost intersection), costs are exactly equal to income, and hence neither profit nor loss made. This point of intersection is called the Break-even point which is found to be  £ 216,666.67. In the first year, the total sale made by the company is  £ 200,000. But BEP (Sales) is found to be  £ 216,666.67. That means, the company is still short of  £ 16,666.67 in order to make neither profit nor loss i.e. BEP. In the second year, the total sale made by the company is  £300,000. Compared to the BEP (Sales) which is  £ 216,666.67; the company is now making profit. And it continues to do that for year 3 and 4 as well. Thus, break-even analysis helps a company to maintain profitability when costs and prices changes. 2.2 Problem 2 The Horizontal and vertical analyses on financial statements of the Geneva Palace Hotel are as follows: Table 5: Income Statement (Horizontal Analysis) Income Statement Geneva Palace Hotel For the Years Ending 31 December 2005, 2006 and 2008 2005 % ( 2005-2006) 2006 % (2006-2007) 2007 Food Sales Revenue  £ 1,700,500 5.26  £ 1,790,000 4.00  £ 1,861,600 Cost of Goods Sold 471,128 6.38 501,200 8.00 541,296 Gross Profit 1,229,372 4.83 1,288,800 2.44 1,320,304 Operating Expenses Salaries and Wages 541,654 12.36 608,600 9.00 663,374 Employee Benefits 63,008 13.64 71,600 11.00 79,476 Laundry Expenses 17,005 5.26 17,900 3.50 18,527 Supplies Expenses 52,089 3.09 53,700 3.50 55,580 Advertising 16,826 6.38 17,900 6.00 18,974 Utilities 36,860 3.09 38,000 1.50 38,570 Maintenance 16,910 12.36 19,000 10.00 20,900 Other Expenses 38,800 3.09 40,000 1.50 40,600 Total Operating Expenses 783,152 10.67 866,700 8.00 936,001 Income Before Fixed Charges 446,220 -5.41 422,100 -8.95 384,303 Fixed Charges Rent 19,400 3.09 20,000 4.00 20,800 Property Taxes 9,400 6.38 10,000 5.00 10,500 Insurance 4,250 17.65 5,000 20.00 6,000 Interest 76,000 5.26 80,000 4.00 83,200 Depreciation 19,200 4.17 20,000 4.00 20,800 Total Fixed Charges 128,250 5.26 135,000 4.67 141,300 Inc

Lasers And Their Uses :: essays research papers

Lasers and Their Uses We have all at some point in our lives used or seen someone use a laser. They are used in compact disc players for stereos or computers, laser surgery, laser printers, holography, cutting and borring metals, communication, bar-code scanners, etc. Over the past three decades' lasers have become a tool used daily by many people and they have become very useful in scientific research. As you can see lasers are a very useful and important tool which is why I have chosen this topic to write about. The term laser is an acronym. It stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". They produce a narrow, intense beam of coherent light. In a laser the atoms or molecules of a crystal, like ruby or garnet-or of a gas, liquid, or other substance-are excited so that more of them are at higher energy levels than are at lower energy levels. If a photon whose frequency corresponds to the energy difference between the excited and ground states strikes an excited atom, the atom is stimulated, as it falls back to a lower energy state, to emit a second photon of the same frequency, in phase with and in the same direction as the bombarding photon. This process is called stimulated emission. The bombarding photon of the emitted photon may then strike other excited atoms, stimulating further emission of photons, all of the same frequency and phase. This process produces a sudden burst of coherent radiation as all the atoms discharge in a rapid chain reaction. The light beam produces is usually pencil thin and maintains its size and direction over very long distances. Lasers vary greatly in the way they look and what they are used for. Some lasers are as large as buildings while others can be the size of a grain of salt. There are many parts to lasers. I will now explain what they are and their uses. 1) Pumping systems: The pumping system is used to transmit energy to the atoms or molecules of the medium used in the laser. a. optical pumping systems uses photons provided by a source such as a Xenon gas flash lamp or another laser to transfer energy to the lasing material. The optical source must provide photons which correspond to the allowed transition levels of the lasing material. b. collision pumping relies on the transfer of energy to the lasing material by collision with the atoms or molecules of the lasing material. Again, energies which correspond to the allowed transition must be provided. This often done by electrical discharge in a pure gas - or gas mixture - in a tube.

Ethics and Compliance Paper Essay

Starting in Seattle with one store, Starbucks has grown across the country and has become a household name delivering one of the best tasting coffees in existence. The first Starbucks opened in 1971, serving fresh roasted coffees. â€Å"Today, more than 15,000 stores in 50 countries, Starbucks are the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world† (Starbucks, para. 7, 2010). The organization has been successful because of excellent managerial skills and implementing sound business decisions. Starbucks mission statement reads as follows: â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time† (Starbucks, 2010, p. 1). The company values its relationships with communities, its stores, business partners, shareholders, and employees. Responsible ethical character and compliance helps the Starbucks brand protect its reputation. This paper will explain the role of ethics, procedures, Securities and Exchange Com mission (SEC) compliance, and evaluate the financial performance of the Starbucks organization. Ethics and Compliance Policies A successful organization builds its reputation on honesty and trust displayed to customers and business partners. Starbucks conducts business in an ethical manner that protects reputation and supports its culture by unceasingly striving to do what is right. Starbucks has a commitment to company values that successfully employs a Business Conduct Helpline and a Business Conduct Web-line for questions and guidance. Starbucks has incorporated an Anti-Retaliation Policy and does not tolerate retaliation against anyone reporting misconduct. The organization is an equal opportunity employer and use best practices in the hiring process. Business practices include and are not limited to accurate and truthful business transactions and comply with laws and regulations in any country the company operates in, and encourage partners to understand and adhere to the rules. Starbucks has an outside agent who facilitates and ensures an honest and ethical relationship with government officials throughout the international arena. Partners associated with the Starbucks brand must practice ethical conduct in sales, services, and promote fair competition. Matters dealing with conflicts of interest, gifts and entertainment, and securities are also addressed and implemented by the company. The company closely monitors proprietary information such as new ideas, company records including financial and audit details. Starbucks explains the Ethical Decision-Making Framework to identify ethical issues, give any possible solutions, pursue ideas from others, and take the best approach to resolve unethical matters and follow-up on results. The aforementioned framework empowers each Starbucks associate and affiliate to take responsibility to help maintain Starbucks ethical and honest reputation. â€Å"Ethical behavior is doing the right thing, and ethical dilemmas are everywhere in finance† (Keown, Martin, Petty & Scott, para. 1, 2005). Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulations According to Ethisphere.com, (2010), Starbucks is one of the most ethical companies in the world for 2010. One of the key points to being an ethical business is to file reports for investors, government bodies, and the public to view. Starbucks complies in one way with the ethics policies set in place by the directors and organization by providing accurate data. The financial records of Starbucks are available to the investors, public and government in a timely manner via the website. The requirement set by the Securities Exchange Committee for a public business is to provide accurate reports in a timely manner. Starbucks publishes an annual report to the Starbucks website for anyone to find via the Internet. The annual report contains cash flow statements of income and expenses. The reports show that Starbucks is performing well even during a tough economic time. The annual report also contains a statement of Starbucks critical accounting policies. Starbucks believes that critical accounting practices are important. Starbucks considers its policies an asset impairment, stock-based compensation, operating leases, self insurance reserves and income taxes to be the most critical in understanding the judgments which are involved in preparing the consolidated financial statements, as stated in the annual report on Starbucks website, (2010). Financial Ratios for the Past Two Years Starbuck’s financial records allow investors, the government, and the public to have a firsthand look into the financial stability of the company. The financial records are available for several years; this allows the long-term financial success of the company to be easily accessible and available anyone wanting to know about the company. As an investor with interest in expanding into Starbucks there are several things the investor should look for. The current ratio allows investors the ability to measure how well a company can pay back short-term debt (Keown, Martin, Petty, & Scott, 2005). Starbucks ability to pay back debt in 2009, increased over 2008. In 2008 Starbucks closed several unprofitable locations (Starbucks Investor Relations- Financial Release, 2009) resulting in the decrease of overhead costs for those locations; allowing for additional funds and increasing the ability for Starbucks to pay back short-term debt. This increases the stability of Starbucks. The availability of extra funds allows Starbucks the opportunity to invest those funds in profitable time value investments. The funds could be invested in the company for improvements or costs for innovate new products. The extra funds could also pay necessary expenses outright. This allows the company to have lower amounts of outstanding credit or loans. The lower the amount of outstanding loans and credit allows for lower credit fees and lower costs. *Current Ratio 2009 2008 Current AssetsCurrent Liabilities 599.81581.0 269.82189.7 37.93% 12.32% Investors can also look at the Debt Ratio of Starbucks. The debt ratio shows the amount of debt a company carries in relation to their assets (Keown, Martin, Petty, & Scott, 2005). Companies must carry some debt to do business effectively. However, the company does not want to carry too much debt. Starbucks has expenses that must be paid for; some of these can be paid using credit. However, the company should ensure they are not charging unnecessarily. Starbucks must also show they are paying off their debt. Starbucks debt ratio decreased from 56.08% in 2008 to 45.38% in 2009 (Starbucks Investor Relations- Financial Release, 2009). Tends in the Ratios This shows a positive financial trend. The company had larger debt in 2008 and was able to repay a good portion of the debt without increasing debt somewhere else in the company, ultimately lower the overall debt of the company. This positive trend will increase the credit status of Starbucks. This will allow the company to have credit available if needed in the future. *Debt Ratio 2009 2008 Total DebtTotal Assets 2531.15576.8 3181.75672.6 45.38% 56.08% Investors can also look at the Return on Equity Ratio. The Return on Equity Ratio measure the amount of net income returned as a percentage of shareholder equity (Keown, Martin, Petty, & Scott, 2005). The main reason investors invest into companies is to make money!! If the investor does not make a sizable return on their investment, they may take their money and decide to invest elsewhere!! The investor wants to have confidence the company is going to make solid decisions that will increase the profitability of the shareholders. Starbucks has seen a decrease in Return on Equity. In 2008 Starbucks Return on equity was 21.10% and in 2009 it fell to 19.64% (Starbucks Investor Relations- Financial Release, 2009). This is a negative trend for Starbucks. Investors do not want to lose money! The decrease was minimal, yet it was a decrease. Overall the company has solid financials. This one negative issue can become a major problem if Starbucks continues to make decisions that allow shareholders equity to decrease. *Return on Equity 2009 2008 Net Income Common Equity 598.23045.7 525.82490.9 19.64% 21.10% *All numbers are in millions Conclusion In conclusion, Starbucks has proven itself to be a good investment for any investor. The organization has been in the business for 30 years and has showed substantial growth throughout. The organization started out with one location and has grown to over 15,000, which are located throughout the globe. The organization as a whole strives to uphold ethical behavior, not only set by the SEC but as well as for them. Not only does the organization uphold a high ethical behavior for them but as well only does business with those who have the same mentality. This was proven by being ranked one of the most ethical places to work and this was according to Ethisphere.com. Even though there was a small decrease in the return on equity from 2008 to 2009, which consequently could be because of the recession that most businesses have been affected by, Starbucks has still proven strong that the organization is still a good investment. The organization has shown an increase in profit and a decrease in debt. All and all, Starbucks is a good investment for anyone who is interested in getting into the business, which the organization has shown through good business decisions and ethical behaviors. Reference Keown, A. J., Martin, J. D., Petty, W. J., & Scott, D. F. (2005). Financial Management: Principles and Applications. Pearson Prentice Hall. Retrieved online on November 22, 2010 located at https://portal.phoenix.edu/classroom/coursematerials/fin_370/20101109/. Starbucks Investor Relations- Financial Release. (2009, 11 4). Retrieved November 20, 2010, from Starbucks: http://investor.starbucks.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99518&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1492291&highlight= SEC. Gov, (2010). The Investor’s Advocate: How the SEC Protects Investors, Maintains Market Integrity, and Facilitates Capital Formation. Retrieved on November 22, 2010 online located at http://www.sec.gov/about/laws/sea34.pdf Starbucks. (2010). About Us. Retrieved online on November 22, 2010 from http://www.Starbucks.com Starbucks website, (2010). Investor relations. Retrieved on November 22, 2010 from Starbucks website http://www.starbucks.com Starbucks website, (2010). Annual Report. Retrieved from Starbucks website on November 20, 2010: http://www.starbucks.com

How Sports Influenced Me

Fit For Life How Sports Influenced Me Winning athletes and top students share many of the same qualities. They are both hardworking, dedicated, and have the desire to be successful. But a student-athlete has all of these characteristics plus numerous others. Throughout high school, I played multiple sports and they each taught me something different, influenced my life, and helped shape me into the person I am today. A few things I learned include how important teamwork is and how critical it is to have a good work ethic.Playing high school level sports was an amazing experience, unmatched by any other. I will carry all the attributes I learned through my life. One of the most important things I learned as a high school athlete was how to work well with others. Teamwork creates a sense of unity within a group of people that leads to having a successful team. Playing a myriad of sports during high school made me understand that when a team works together, as one, they get the greatest results.Teamwork is also important in the classroom. I discovered that working side by side with my classmates not only allowed me to excel academically but I could also help my peers reach their greatest potential as well. The first thing athletes are taught is to always try their best, no matter what. If a team is down by 20 points, a dedicated athlete will give everything he/she has and never quit. If just one player quits, either mentally or physically, the rest of team gets dragged down too.Athletes are told to be players who always hold their heads high and never accept defeat. This is how I became a leader and developed an exceptional work ethic. These are both important qualities for any person to possess. After high school I will pursue a Master of Education degree with a focus on elementary education. I hope that when I become a teacher I am able to teach my students to live by the same virtues. How Sports Influenced Me Fit For Life How Sports Influenced Me Winning athletes and top students share many of the same qualities. They are both hardworking, dedicated, and have the desire to be successful. But a student-athlete has all of these characteristics plus numerous others. Throughout high school, I played multiple sports and they each taught me something different, influenced my life, and helped shape me into the person I am today. A few things I learned include how important teamwork is and how critical it is to have a good work ethic.Playing high school level sports was an amazing experience, unmatched by any other. I will carry all the attributes I learned through my life. One of the most important things I learned as a high school athlete was how to work well with others. Teamwork creates a sense of unity within a group of people that leads to having a successful team. Playing a myriad of sports during high school made me understand that when a team works together, as one, they get the greatest results.Teamwork is also important in the classroom. I discovered that working side by side with my classmates not only allowed me to excel academically but I could also help my peers reach their greatest potential as well. The first thing athletes are taught is to always try their best, no matter what. If a team is down by 20 points, a dedicated athlete will give everything he/she has and never quit. If just one player quits, either mentally or physically, the rest of team gets dragged down too.Athletes are told to be players who always hold their heads high and never accept defeat. This is how I became a leader and developed an exceptional work ethic. These are both important qualities for any person to possess. After high school I will pursue a Master of Education degree with a focus on elementary education. I hope that when I become a teacher I am able to teach my students to live by the same virtues.

Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines Essay

   had three huge barns, nine wives and thirty children. â€Å"(Achebe, 15) These men held titles which gave them a higher status in society. It was the responsibility of the clansmen to watch out for other individuals in their society. We do not ask for wealth because he that has health and children will also have wealth. We do not pray to have more money but to have more kinsmen. We are better than animals because we have kinsmen. An animal rubs its itching flank against a tree, a man asks his kinsmen to scratch him. (Achebe, 145) This exemplifies the values of a traditional Igbo society where the bond between fellow members of the society as well as health was greatly cherished. They held the life of their kinsmen very high. Achebe goes a step further in describing the elaborate family system of the natives. Unlike Haggard’s previously discussed perception implying the underestimated value of money, agriculture played an important role in supporting the polygamous household. The natives grew crops and also reared and tamed animals such as chicken and goats. Achebe’s attitude discretely explains that the native society in the mid 19th century was civilized contrary to the image established by Sir Henry Rider Haggard. Africa is known for its majestic beauty, flora and fauna. King Solomon’s Mines offers wondrous descriptions of the landscape and wilderness found in the untamed, uncivilized, unadulterated land. â€Å"There are the deep kloofs cut in the hills by the rushing rains of centuries, down which the rivers sparkle; there is the deepest green of the bush, growing as God planted it†¦ † (Haggard, 32) The possibility of untold treasures still to be discovered within the hidden parts of the land naturally sparks ideas of heroic adventures. Haggard considers the unexplored land as being dark and evil. â€Å"But here and there you meet †¦ make out a little piece of history of this dark land. † (Haggard, 18) On the other hand, Achebe’s novel is embedded with multitudes of descriptions of the natural environment as well as how people have modeled their economy around it: The last big rains of the year were falling. It was the time for treading red earth with which to build walls. It was not done earlier because the rains were too heavy and would have washed away the heap of trodden earth; and it could not be done later because harvesting would soon set in, and after that the dry season. (Achebe, 142) Similar to Haggard, Achebe has depicted Africans as living in mud huts, but the distinction in their attitude can be easily made through analyzing the following description: Oknonkwo’s prosperity was visible in the household. He had a large compound enclosed by a thick wall of red earth. His own hut, or obi, stood immediately behind the only gate in the red walls†¦ The barn was built against one end of the red walls, and long stacks of yam stood out prosperously in it. (Achebe, 11) Things Fall Apart describes the homes were the representation of the owner’s prosperity and success in the society. The attitudes exhibited by both writers towards the topography of the land are similar, even though Achebe describes the significance of seasons and climatic changes in the natives’ lives. Sir Henry Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart are concise novels which offer insightful descriptions of Africa and Africans as discussed above. They elaborate upon the beliefs, values and harmony of the people with their native land. Haggard’s description of Africa and Africans shows that his attitude is not completely detached from the stereotypical European beliefs. Achebe is successful in offering a credible and historically accurate description of the rich land, diverse culture and unique traditions. His attitude cannot be considered completely just nor unbiased as he is discussing the history of his own people. However, the analysis of the two novels brings out an interesting pattern. The perceptions presented in the novels preserve the thinking of the society when the two novels were each written. The post colonial society of today is much more accepting of the diversity present in indigenous cultures. This acceptance and appreciation was suppressed in the colonial era when strong nations such as Britain were colonizing other parts of the world. Overtime, our global society has prodigiously evolved and continues this progression implicating a growth of acceptance and appreciation of cultural diversity.

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 19

Globalization - Essay Example It  Furthered stated that the environmental challenges such as  climate change, cross-boundary  water  and  air pollution, and  over-fishing  of the ocean are linked with globalization.  Globalizing processes is affect by the business  and  work  organization,  economics,  socio-cultural  resources, and the  natural environment.  When you are referring to trade and transactions, globalization has led countries to increase their shares in the world trade resulting greater variation among major regions. For instance, the  newly industrialized economies  (NIEs) of Asia prospered due to globalization while African countries as a whole performed poorly. The countrys exports are an important indicator of success. Manufactured goods are exports soared dominated by developed countries and newly industrialized economies (NIEs). Commodity exported such as food and raw materials were often produced by developing countries while commodities share of total expo rts has declined over periods. The interactions amongst states which was on a global scale confined to Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and certain parts of Europe marked their success in the world of trade.  In the early globalization, it was difficult for states to interact with others who were not within close proximity. The advance technology has allowed states to learn from others who existence in trade markets. The third has to do with  interdependency, stability and regularity. When a state is not depending on other states then there is no way they can mutually affected by another. This is the driving force behind global connections and trade. With globalization states can be able to get what they are not able to produce from other state and supply what they produce to other state. Due to globalization approach and its modern forms have resulted to the  industrial revolution. This is though industrialization standard  production

ABA TIPS Article - Safety Misconduct Defenses Essay

ABA TIPS Article - Safety Misconduct Defenses - Essay Example te safety rules, provide safety training and devices, and in certain circumstances perform alcohol and drug testing as measures to safeguard employees from illnesses and injuries (Spurlock, 2012). Furthermore, in almost all cases, the employer must maintain and implement the said measures at their own expense. Statutorily, Kentucky as compared to Indiana and Tennessee provides the minimalistic amount of safety misconduct defense incentives in relation to employer safety rules. Workers compensation in the Kentucky statute provides for only a decrease in compensation benefits in regards to intentional failure to follow a safety rule of an employer (Spurlock, 2012). In addition, the statute also creates an affirmative defense regarding voluntary intoxication. Numerous employers have a simple safety rule that forbids horseplay. In Kentucky, it is not clear as to how horseplay receives treatment because, in several cases, injuries that involve horseplay are probably not considered to come out of the employment course, hence making horseplay act as a fully affirmative defense. Furthermore, the rules against horseplay have applied parallel consideration that have seen evaluation of the violation of non-horseplay safety rules is the history of the employers enforcing the rule of horseplay (Spurlock, 2012). Statutorily, the workers compensation of Indiana provides for an affirmative defense, barring compensation for all forms of safety misconducts (Spurlock, 2012). In addition, the statute of Indiana provides for full affirmative defense for failing to obey a safety rule or usage of a safety appliance. Regarded as a minority state in providing workers’ compensation of misconduct affirmative defense (Spurlock, 2012). Tennessee’s statute also provides for full affirmative defenses particularly in regards to illegal drug use or intoxication and refusal or failure in using a safety device. In summary, even though they act as a full defense or simply decrease benefits,