Come up with a topic for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Come up with a topic for me - Essay Example The truth is yet to be established. According to Sartre’s philosophy of Existentialism, each individual in any nation seems to the freedom and right to choose a leader of preference (Sartre, 12). It is always a way of excising their God given power. Sartre and Beauvoir share a number of thoughts in this concept of power and freewill. They both tend towards the philosophy of Abraham Lincoln on Democracy where, the citizens have the sole right and willpower to choose a government. In essence, the kind of head of head of state solely depends on the independent decision of the people. Let us try to see how these theories are connected to Realism and Neo-realism. Political theorists of all time had attempted to design a profound theory of political power and state relations. This enormous theory was dabbed Realism. According to Morgenthau and his theory of realism, all the nations of the world will always have contrasting political interests, a situation that usually ignites conflicts among these states. Realism, as separate political theory, is specifically concerned with political power. The 20th Century realism proponents like Morgenthau and E. H Carr strongly believe that power is the key factor in the entire system of the International relations. Realism clings to the assertion that international politics solely depends on the nature of the human, thus, politics is always a subject to the manipulation of a state leader (Carr, 347). Following the above description of realism, realists seem to be of the opinion that the political stability of any state can only be determined by the nature of the leader in the office. Thus, if the head of state is very aggressive, he is very likely to gain more political powers than the less aggressive president. It is the very aggressive nature of the political leaders that led to some leaders being termed as dictators. In essence, leaders of states have been depicted as

Learning and Skill Essay Example for Free

Learning and Skill Essay Tymon Muska Intro to Motor Learning Dr Rausch Jr. 11 / 14 / 08 The Skill of Juggling In terms of the type of skill, juggling is a continuous skill as opposed to a discrete or serial. Juggling is a continuous skill because it does not have a distinct beginning or end. Continuous skills involve practicing the movement nonstop and uninterrupted, unless a ball or scarf is dropped. The motor control loop partnered with juggling is the closed loop because feedback and the comparator are present. In terms of breaking down the scheduling for teaching and practicing this skill, one must understand there are several different components to practicing juggling. Similarly, the schedule would be blocked because one must practice a component for juggling and repeat this component until mastered. A blocked practicing schedule also allows the subject being taught to build a feel for the skill, begin to get more confident in performing the skill, and most likely with block scheduling the subject will be more successful in performing the skill, over and over again. I will be using a combination of part and whole practice. This is because teaching the skill in parts is easier for the learner to understand, but when it comes to showing the learner how to put all the movements together, that is where the whole practice comes into play. Using a combination of both types of practices gives the learner a chance to understand each movement, and at the same time get his or her rhythm down without constantly starting and stopping the motion when trying to put the skill together as a whole. Another portion on the practice side of juggling is called massed practice. This type of practice, which I will use, is the best type of practice for a beginner. â€Å"When applied to the length and distribution of practice sessions, a massed schedule will have fewer practice sessions than a distributed schedule, with each massed practice session requiring more and or longer practice† (Richard (2007). I’ll use this type of practice with my subjects because it allows the subject to get a good feel for the skill and build confidence. With those two things, the subject becomes more successful at the skill they are performing. When one thinks of juggling, they think of juggling with some type of ball. For a beginner, juggling with a ball can be very difficult. For one, they are heavier so they fall faster. Second, they are solid so they are harder to grab onto. In teaching the subjects I plan to use a simulated practice, â€Å" research investigations of the effectiveness of simulators have been more common for their use as training devices to help people learn how to drive cars, and pilots to fly planes, (Fisher, 2002), than for their use in sports contexts, (Stewart, Do home, Null Meyer, (2002)†. Scarves are perfect for a beginner to start off with because they are light and float in the air longer than a ball would. This gives the subject chance to get the right form and technique down. It will also increase their success rate in completing a juggling pattern, which in turn will lead them to build a higher level of confidence when juggling. Then, one must move to the next component involved in the skill of juggling. In other words, when beginning to learn how to juggle, one should begin without any scarves or balls. Mastering the hand movements and repeating the phrases ‘up, up, down, down’ or ‘throw, throw, catch, catch’ are important so that the student may now incorporate the scarves. The student should practice using one scarf and proceed to using two scarves. Also included in the schedule is the art of a practice. In this case, we would use part practice. In demonstrating the skill, I will first address the class explaining the use of the scarves and the different colors of the scarves and the sequence in which they will be used. I will demonstrate the toss and catch method with one colored scarf. Tossing the scarf up from the dominate hand and catching it with the non-dominant hand and then repeating the skill from non-dominant to dominant. The second step involves having two scarves, one in each hand. Starting with the dominant hand, the subject will toss with the dominant, toss with the non-dominant, catch with non-dominant and then catch with the dominant. The third step in learning how to juggle would involve the third color. Starting with the two original colors used for step one, in your dominant hand and step two in your non-dominant hand. Add the third color to your dominant hand; this scarf will be tossed last. In order to produce a perfect cycle of juggling the pattern goes like this, toss with the dominant, toss with the non-dominant, catch with the non- dominant, toss with the dominant and catch with the dominant hand. It is very important for the subject to keep the color and order of the scarves the same throughout each trial. By keeping the same colors in each hand, it will give the subject a base to go by. It will help them remember which scarf to through and grab and when and perform the skill in the correct order. Using the colored scarves is a form of simulated practice. Simulated practice is a great way to teach beginners a skill, but its major weakness is that it is not realistic in terms of juggling with real balls or heavier objects. For the practice consumption for juggling, we would be using the specificity of practice. The specificity of practice hypothesis has been around since the 1900’s. The theory explains why positive transfer occurs between two skills or skill learning situations, (Thorndike Woodworth 1901). Part practice consists of three different types and we would be using segmentation. Segmentation is a type of part practice in which one part of the target skill is practiced and mastered followed by the practice of a second part in which the first and second would then be put together until the entire skill is practiced. It is important to give the subject feedback on how they are doing result wise and not performance wise. The close loop system involves feedback, whereas an open loop system does not. In human movement, the feedback is afferent information sent by various sensory receptors to the control center. The purpose of this feedback is to update the control center about the correctness of the movement while it is in progress (Richard (2007). There are multiple kinds of feedback a subject’s teacher could give to them after watching a number of trials performed. In this case since my subject is a beginner, I will be using the Summary Feedback schedule which is when the subject has completed his or her trial or practice runs and the teacher gives them intervals of feedback. The specificity of this feedback schedule is called direction, which is strictly used for beginners because it is the easiest to understand and the least overwhelming. After explaining the basic three step method to the class, I will call on subject up and ask he or she to perform the skill and demonstrate for the rest of the class. For the next step, I will split the class up into groups. Each person in the group will have a chance to perform the skill, while being evaluated by their peers in their group. Each subject will perform the task of juggling the scarves ten times, and I will ask the people in the group to give the subject some kind of feedback whether negative or positive after every two trials. The subject juggling has a definite advantage considering he or she will be getting fifty percent feedback during their trial runs. In teaching the subjects how to juggle, my ultimate goal is for each subject to be able to complete a full cycle of juggling without a single error. Due to the time constraints in teaching this skill, the main focus will be on the subjects form in performing the skill and how well he or she interprets the information and que’s given to them to complete the task. Reference Page 1)- Magill, Richard (2007). Motor Learning and Control : concepts and applications,8, 86. New York, NY: The McGrawth-Hill Companies. 2)- Magill, Richard (2007). Motor Learning and Control : concepts and applications,8, 395 396. New York, NY: The McGrawth-Hill Companies. 3)- Thorndike, E. L. , Woodworth, R. S (1901). The influence of improvement in one mental function upon the efficentcy of other functions. Psychology Review, 8, 247 – 261. 4)- Fisher, D. L. , (2002). Use of a fixed based driving simulator to evaluate the effects of experience and PC-based risked awareness training on drivers decisions. Human Factors, 44, 416 5)- Stewart, J, E. , Dohme, J. A. , Nullmeryer, R. T. (2002). Motor Learning and Control : concepts and applications, 8, 416. New York, NY: The McGrawth-Hill Companies.

Identification Of Poisonous And Non Poisonous Snake

Identification Of Poisonous And Non Poisonous Snake INTRODUCTION Snakes are one of the most interesting reptilian creatures of earth. They are interesting as for the purpose of study as well as research and that is so because of the one character they possess in them and that is there Poison which is called by the name of Venom. Unlike all reptile snakes are poisonous but not all of them. A few species among them failed to obtain that character. This venom act as both useful weapon as well as defense shield against its pray and enemy. The snake venom is a hazardous protein and characterized by very complex compositions. It is slimy egg-like viscous liquid having slightly fishy smell. It is the complex set of harmful toxicants as well as proteins. Other than toxicants and proteins the snake venom contains several peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleosides, biological amines and metal ions, which make it even more complex than other normal proteins. Venom contains more than 20 kinds of enzymes and toxins, but the main ingredients of the venom are toxic proteins. The toxic component present in snake venom varies according to the snake species or even the venom secreted by the same snake in different season may also vary. This changes the characteristic of different snake venom and decides its role in pharmacological, toxicological and medical field. Snake venom mainly consists of neurotoxins, cardiotoxins, toxins that cause blood clotting, bleeding toxins (that stops the blood clotting and blood remains to flow continuously even after injury), harmful enzymes and other major components. The cytotoxic venom is more effective than the neurotoxic type venom, and it will work almost immediately to the prey such as the mouse and frogs. Although the snakes are very calm and hideous animals (except a few ones) yet mortality rate associated with the snakebites is a serious public health problem in almost all the region of the world, especially in rural areas where medical facilities are low or absent. In India, majority of bites and mortality are due to King cobra, Naja naja, Daboia Russelli Russells viper, Bangarus caeruleus (common krait) and Echis carinatus (saw-scaled viper). [1.1] Frequency of snake bite About 35,000 to 50,000 people reportedly die of snake bite in India every year; however, the unreported cases may be more in rural India. Estimated snake bites and (death) cases were reported as 25,000(30) in Europe; 6 20,000(100) in Middle East; 45,000(15) in USA and Canada; 3,00,000( 5,000) in Central and South America; 10,00,000(20,000) in Africa; 40,00,000 (1,00,000) in Asia; 10,000 (200) in Oceania all total worldwide 5 million ( 1,25,000). Death incidence due to snake bite is rather rare in Australia, Europe and North America but frequent in South Asia, South-East Asia and Sub-Sahar an Africa. In Zimbabwe on 274 cases studied, 4 out of 5 3, 6, 7 children died who are under 8 years old. [1.2] Identification of poisonous and non-poisonous snake (source:www.buzzle.com//venomous-snake-identification-identifying-poisonous-snakes.html) Poisonous snakes generally possess the characters like Vertically elliptical shaped cat like pupil. A small depression (termed pit) between the eyes and nostrils. Triangle shaped head e.g. Copperheads and rattle snakes, exception- Elapids. Underside scales of tail go completely all the way across in a single row from the anal plate; the very tip of the tail may possess two scale rows. Head and body both are seen during swimming time. Generally of multiple colors. In contrast, non-poisonous snakes generally possess the characters like: Round pupil in the center of eye. U shaped head. Two rows of scales from the vent to the tail end. Only head is seen during swimming time. Generally of one color. Mostly stripes are from head to tail. [1.3] Utility of Snake Venom Snake venoms are used to control heart diseases, high blood pressure, cancer (contortrostain produced by Agkistrodon contortrix- is cytostatic in nature and found to lower the growth rate of breast cancer in mice), tumor, polio, neurological disorders (enzymes from cobra venom were found to cure Parkinson s and Alzheimers diseases), excessive bleeding (a blood clotting protein in Taipan venom stop bleeding during surgery or after major trauma), blood clotting (ancrod obtained from Malyan pit viper, used to develop angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors to treat stroke victims), severe allergies amongst others. Other interesting areas of snake venom include the treatment of viruses (as venom contain phospholipidases which break down cell membrane), aging and some are even used in commercial wrinkle cream! [1.4] Phospholipase-A2 Phospholipase A2 is one of the most intensively studied membrane proteins which hydrolyze phospholipids at the sn-2 position to form fatty acid and lysophospholipid products. These are small proteins and the 3-D structures are known to high resolution for several species. Phospholipase A2 proteins are of high pharmaceutical concern since they are responsible for the release of arachidonic acid from membranes, and since the subsequent conversion of this fatty acid to leukotrienes and prostaglandins is part of the inflammatory response. The enzyme also shows very interesting interactions with the membrane on which it binds. It is activated in some way when it interacts with aggregated forms of the substrate, such as in micelles or in bilayers. Electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions are suspected to be involved in the binding of the enzyme to the membrane. Very little is known of the enzyme-membrane complex structure and why the enzyme reacts much more efficiently once it binds its substrates in an aggregated form. The phospholipid molecule consists of a glycerol-3-phosphate (blue colour) esterified at its sn-1 and sn-2 positions to non-polar fatty acids (R1 and R2, respectively) and at its phosphoryl group to a polar head group, X. Phospholipase A1 and phospholipase A2 cleave the acyl ester bonds at sn-1 and sn-2, respectively. Phospholipase C cleaves the glycerophosphate bond whereas phospholipase D removes the head group, X. PLA, phospholipase A; PLC, phospholipase C; PLD, phospholipase D. Phospholipases2.png Fig-1.1: Phospholipase A2 Structure [1.5] Phospholipase-A2 (PLA2) Activity After entering inside the body of human being venom containing PLA2 enzyme start affecting the cell membranes of almost all the cell organelles. Since cell organelles containing cell membrane are made up of phospholipids, hence this this phospholipids act as a reactant for phospholipase a2 and start reacting with it. This phospholipase a2 tends to form arachidonic acid which has an inflammatory sensation and this arachidonic acid further converted into PGG2 by using cyclooxygenases. This PGG2 further transcribed into PGH2 which forms 3 basic compounds PGD2, PGF2, and PGE2. On the basis of the ester bond that is cleaved within a phospholipid molecule, phospholipases are grouped into four families, namely A, B, C and D. Phospholipase A enzymes cleave the acyl ester bond at either the sn-1 (phospholipase A1) or sn-2 (phospholipase A2) position (Figure 1). The Whoterm phospholipase B is given to phospholipases that hydrolyze acyl ester bonds at both sn-1 and sn-2 positions. Enzymes grouped under phospholipase C cleave the glycerophosphate bond, while phospholipase D enzymes remove the polar head group. C:UsersAMITDesktopFINAL PROJECTicb200456f1.gif Fig-1.2:Activity Chain of Phospholipase A2 inside Cell Membrane Phospholipase A2 is being suppressed by Lipocortins which is also known as Annexin. In human Annexin the common cellular protein is found inside the cell. However outside the cell the annexin is also found inside the blood because they are transported out of the cell into the blood. This is because of the lack of a signal peptide necessary for protein to be transported out of the cell. Since there are different dataset had been already prepared but could not found the IC50 value, due to which the working on this dataset could not be carried out further. [1.6] Quantitative Structure Analysis Relationship (QSAR) QSAR plays an important role in lead structure optimization and it can be predicted that QSAR method will become essential for handling the huge amount of data associated with combinatorial chemistry. 3D-QSAR has already been successfully applied to many data sets of enzyme and receptor ligands. The biological activity of molecules is usually measured in assays to establish the level of inhibition of particular signal transduction or metabolic pathways. Chemicals can also be biologically active by being toxic. Drug discovery often involves the use of QSAR to identify chemical structures that could have good inhibitory effects on specific targets and have low toxicity (non-specific activity). Of special interest is the prediction of Log P, which is an important measure used in identifying drug-likeness according to Lipinskis Rule of Five. While many Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship analyses [9] involve the interactions of a family of molecules with an enzyme or receptor bi nding site, QSAR can also be used to study the interactions between the structural domains of proteins. As in the article Structural modeling extends QSAR analysis of antibody-lysozyme interactions to 3D-QSAR, protein-protein interactions can be quantitatively analyzed for structural variations resulted from site-directed mutagenesis. In this study, a wild-type antibody specific for lysozyme and 17 single and double mutants of the antibody were investigated. Quantitative models for the affinity of the antibody-antigen interaction were developed. [1.6.1] 3D-QSAR The 3D-QSAR methods have been developed to improve the prediction accuracies of 2D methods. 3D methods are computationally more complex and demanding than 2D approaches. In general, there are two families of 3D-QSAR methods: alignment-dependent methods and alignment-independent methods. Both families need experimentally or computationally derived bioactive conformations of ligands as templates for studies. QSAR study revealed that alignment- independent descriptor and distance- based topology index are the most important descriptor in predicting apoptosis- inducing activity. 3D-QSAR study was performed using k-nearest neighbor molecular field analysis (kNN-MFA) approach for both electrostatic and steric fields. Three different kNN-MFA 3D- QSAR methods (SW-FB, SA, and GA) were used for the development of models and tested successfully for internal (q2>0.62) and external (predictive r2> 0.52) validation criteria. Thus, 3D- [1.7] Objectives To retrieve the three- dimensional coordinates of protein and known active molecules against phospholipase-A2. To generate significant three-dimensional Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship model from active molecules. To analyze protein-ligand interaction of known actives against phospholipase-A2 molecular docking studies. To identify important scaffold of compound and their structural modification with helps in designing new molecules with improve activities.

The Liberal Arts and the End of Education Essay -- Philosophy Educatio

The Liberal Arts and the End of Education ABSTRACT: An international conference that takes Philosophy Educating Humanity as its theme does well to revisit the liberal arts tradition. Although the liberal arts are most often assimilated to studies brought together as the Humanities, the old usage included the arts which employed artificial languages in mathematics, music, and astronomy, as well as the literature and letters of the various natural languages. The current conflation of liberal education with the humanities does violence to the historical tradition in education, reducing it to fluff in the eyes of tough-minded scientists who know that only numbers deliver objectivity. The liberal arts of the traditional undergraduate curriculum provided the skills to liberate the student's linguistic powers so that he or she could read, speak, and understand natural language in all its functions. To educate human persons to master language is to encourage students to take possession of their natural powers so that they can expres s themselves, understand what others say, and reason together. The arts of natural language lead to mastery of the mathematical arts which use a language that is no one's mother tongue. Together, the seven arts rid students of the worst enemies of humankind: ignorance and prejudice. Since no one can be considered to have received a good education if he accepts uncritically the opinions of the educators of his own times, the student should encounter alternatives to these opinions. Samuel S. Kutler The past is always difficult to deal with. We are torn between the temptations of remaining within the comfort of a past we have become accustomed to and the equally dangerous alternative of fleeing an ... ...he arts of mathematical language teach us habits of rigorous, disinterested abstract thought. Post-moderns seem to be engaged in replacing philosophy, perhaps in the guise of logic, with rhetoric so that all becomes conversation or narrative, and privilege is problematic. Were we to resuscitate a version of the liberal arts tradition as pedagogy and a goal for our "post-modern" times, we would not be coaxing a dusty corpse of a bygone tradition back to life. Rather we would be putting our tradition into practice. The liberal arts live only in time, in some historical instantiation or another. Now may be the time to bring this curriculum back into our time. Rather than a person ill-equipped to do anything, the more traditionally educated liberal arts graduate could again be a person who is equipped by his skills to do anything. And, to evaluate what is worth doing.

History of furniture Essay

The meaning of domesticity in The Middle Ages took on a variety of interpretations. It typically encompasses anything from the family unit, their dwelling house and their friends and neighbors to rulers and their castles. The home, as the axis of domesticity could be viewed as a structure together with its contents and lay out. Naturally the growth and development of furniture runs parallel to the growth and development of domesticity throughout The Middle Ages. Nomadic culture was prevalent during The Middle Ages and domestic furniture was constructed to reflect the demands of transient lifestyles. Wealthy landowners together with nobility rarely remained in one place for an extended period as they often traveled between their domains. Heavy, bulky furniture was entirely undesirable in the circumstances. Therefore the furniture was designed for mobility and easy disassembly. The chest was perhaps the most common item of household furniture and reflected the nomadic culture of The Middle Ages more effectively than any other item of furniture. The chest proved to be a diverse item of domestic furniture. It was ideal for storing and transferring goods from one destination to another. Upon arrival at a destination the chest could be used as a table or a mantle. The Middle Ages which stretched over a period of about one thousand years commencing with the fall of Rome in 476 A. D and ending with the conquest of the Turk’s Constantinople in 1453 B. C. ‘It was the age of monasteries and convents, of religious persecutions and of heroic struggles of the Christian Church. ’ (Litchfield. 2004) The period was also marked by a progression of feudalism and war as well as chivalry. However, ‘towards the close, a time of comparative civilization and progress, of darkness giving way to the light which followed; the night of the Middle Ages preceding the dawn of the Renaissance. ’ (Litchfield. 2004) Constantinople, the capital city of the Eastern Empire began to grow in popularity and as a result the migration to the capital city, of families of respectable means grew. When they left their homes for Constantinople they carried with them all of their valuable possessions. The wealth homeowners gravitated toward more ornamental household furnishings and fittings. This represented a departure from the early Classic Greek to a more Byzantine style. (Rowling. 1973 p 17) The dictates of a prevalent Christianity significantly influenced the role of women in The Middle Ages. Ladies were permitted ‘to be seen in chariots and open carriages, the designs of which, therefore, improved and became more varied. ’(Litchfield. 2004) And there was a cessation of the old tradition of ‘reclining at meals’ (Litchfield 2004) was replaced by having guests occupying benches. Until the turn of the fourteenth century the ordinary dwelling house was simplistic in its furnishing, reflecting a slow growth in domesticity with the emergence of the well off merchant mentality. In France, for instance, the main room in a given home contained a ‘bedstead and a prie dieu chair, a table with plain slab supported on shaped standards. ’(Litchfield 2004) The rest of the furniture featured in the main room would typically be comprised of the signature Middle Age’s chest which would have been carved from oak or chestnut with a series of benches or stools. A basic table resembling a supported and elevated slab of wood also formed a typical part of the furniture arrangement in an ordinary dwelling house of The Middle Ages. It was around thirty inches in diameter permitting guests to sit on one side while the other side was reserved for the issuing of the meal. While there would be no family discussions across the table, family members and guests would be in a position to rub elbows, so to speak. This is indicative of socialization and explains the origins of the social term ‘rubbing elbows’. The period spanning the 11th -13th centuries was the hallmark of civilization in The Middle Ages. Religious reform fortified the pope’s position in the church and Medieval society but conflict between the pope and the emperor was unavoidable. Towns and farms witnessed a population explosion with the resulting merchant or middle classes. An unmistakable growth and development in culture and economics prevailed. By the thirteenth century Gothic architecture reflecting the religious culture and a shift toward education and the university had reached its peak. The Medieval peasant however was slow in domesticity although he formed a large part of the noble lord’s domestic make-up. The peasant population, primarily made up of farmers comprised about nine-tenths of the Medieval population and were serfs and villeins. ( Nurmiainen 1998) A typical peasant village was comprised of anywhere from ten to sixty families. (Morrison. 1970 p. 57) Their accommodations were dreary and rather dank in appearance, to say the very least. Their dwelling houses were usually consisted of a ‘dark, dank hut made of wood or wicker daubed with mud and thatched with straw or rushes. ’(Litchfield 2004) Sharing their homes with livestock such as pigs and chicken, the straw/reed layered floors were often defiled by livestock droppings. Dried leaves and straw represented a typical bed and animal skins were utilized as blankets. The stove was merely a fire made of wood and sometimes peat which burned continuously on a dirt patch which was cleared out on the floor of a hut. The stagnant domesticity among the peasants reflected resonantly in the typical furnishing of the village huts. It was a simple ‘plank table on trestles, a few stools, perhaps a chest, and probably a loom for the women to make their own cloth. ’ (Litchfeild 2004) If peasants did anything for the growth of domesticity throughout The Middle Ages, they did it for the nobility. They existed for the sole purpose of supporting their lord and master who in turn illustrated a steady growth toward domesticity as evidenced by the unwavering commitment of the peasant. ‘They gave about half their time to work in his fields, cut timber, haul water, spin and weave, repair his buildings, and wait upon his household. In war, the men had to fight at his side. ’ (Litchfield 2004) The idea and values of domesticity are saliently present in the development and retention of the domestic servant. In this vein, the peasantry can be viewed as a founder of the latter day domestic servant. Arguably, the dictates of the master/servant mentality takes its roots back to the feudalism system that reached its peak in The Middle Ages. (Keen. 2006) Demonstrative of domesticity was the ever present table. It was a shrine to refuge and an escape from the abrasive outside world. The table represented a coming together of family and friends at the end of a day primarily dedicated to bringing meals home. The Anglo-Saxons were no exception. Often a hall which was usually dimensionally off balance because its height was disproportionate to its width and length was occupied by a long table made of oak. The table was ‘formed of planks rough hewn from the forest, and which had scarcely received any polish—stood ready prepared for the evening meal. ’(Litchfield 2004) A typical Anglo-Saxon apartment had walls adorned with war relics, a representation of triumph and defeat as well as a desire to be reminded of those events within the snug confines of a domestic setting. The Anglo-Saxon decorum was simple with a floor made up of a earth and lime concoction not unlike today’s barn floorings. It might even be viewed by modern standards as harsh and crude. Be that as it may, it was the Anglo-Saxon taste and they obviously saw it differently. The Anglo-Saxon dwelling house contained a floor which had a raised step about a quarter of the length of the apartment. This dais was reserved for important visitors and family members and represented the hub of domestic activity. Typical of Medieval domestic leaning, ‘a table richly covered with scarlet cloth was placed transversely across the platform, from the middle of which ran the longer and lower board, at which the domestics and inferior persons fed, down towards the bottom of the hall. (Litchfield 2004) The entire setting of the Anglo-Saxon apartment was reflective of an escape from the outside world. It represented a warm and dry refuge and the T shaped table reflected domestic harmony and socialization in the home. The dais functioned to harvest a coming together, a calming of the minds and an escape from toil. Huge chairs occupied the dais and a cloth canopy hung over the collection of chairs and tables as a means of protection from leaks as rain often escaped the poorly built roof tops. (See figure 2) The dais was domesticity personified. At the upper level of the hall, the walls were shrouded by curtains and the floor was covered by carpet of some embroidery or tapestry, although the color was rather harsh on the eyes. This color choice by no means operated to keep occupants out of the home. It was merely a matter of the fashion of the times. Its primary function was to make the home a fashionable and comfortable place as more and more time was spent at home with the emphasis on the family unit and fostering close relations with ones friends, relatives and neighbors. See figure 3) The table is deserving of further comment in that it speaks to the importance of feudalism and its infiltration of domesticity. Litchfield observed that ‘over the lower range of table the roof had no covering, the rough plastered walls were left bare, the rude earthen floor was uncarpeted, the board was uncovered by a cloth, and rude massive benches supplied the place of chairs’ (Litchfield 2004) More telling however was the tw o chairs that occupied the upper table’s center. These two chairs were elevated more so than the other chairs and was reserved for the male female heads of the household. ‘To each of these was added a footstool curiously carved and inlaid with ivory, which mark of distinction was peculiar to them. ’ (Litchfield 2004) The Norman civilization began to infiltrate Medieval times and the citizens found themselves warring with neighboring communities. This, together with the move toward trade and migrant farming obviated the need to change residence from time to time. As noted previously this nomadic lifestyle encouraged light furnishings and the ability to travel lightly if one wanted to secure valuable possessions. The Anglo-Saxons were adamant in their perception of the necessity for a bed. The bed was reserved for royalty and ladies of nobility. However, as the Medieval period settled into a more stable state the gradual growth into domesticity became more grounded. Ladies began to dress more formally, and the upper classes became more polished. New and more pronounced domestic furnishings sprung up in the Medieval home. For instance, upper floors were added and stairs would follow this alteration. Domestic socialization reached its peak with the introduction of ‘the parloir’ or ‘talking room’. (Gella 2002 pps 5-10) Completing this domestic setting fire places made of brick or stone were inserted refining the overall decorum where previously a gaping hole was utilized for escaping smoke. Even the sleeping quarters took on a new look, one of domestic harmony and comfort. ‘Bedsteads were carved and draped with rich hangings. Armoires made of oak and enriched with carving, and Presses date from about the end of the eleventh century. ’(Litchfield 2004) Medieval France was no different from Anglo-Saxon decor. The domestic chamber was similar to that of the Anglo-Saxons and typical European knight and lady ‘bedroom’ settings. (Kauper 1996 p 146) ‘The prie dieu chair was generally at the bedside, and had a seat which lifted up, the lower part forming a box-like receptacle for devotional books then so regularly used by a lady of the time. (Litchfield 2004) As the fourteenth century came to a close Medieval France and much of Europe witnessed a propensity toward loud colors. A typical room in a castle or palace was adorned with ‘cloth of gold, bordered with vermilion velvet embroidered with roses. ’(Litchfield 2004) A Duke’s room would contain trimmings of gold material of embroidered windmills whereas a Duchess’s room would contain similar trimmings of an em broidered crossbow. Carpets were generally glossy and cushions of gold or some other rich coloring were typically placed on the floor during summer months. The time spent at home was evidenced by the detail and attention given to arm chairs of the time. Litchfield describes a typical chair for a princess as . ‘a chamber chair with four supports, painted in fine vermilion, the seat and arms of which are covered in vermilion morocco, or cordovan, worked and stamped with designs representing the sun, birds, and other devices bordered with fringes of silk and studded with nails. (Litchfield 2004) As commerce developed through the Empires of The Middle Ages there was a development of the middle classes. The domestic values of the middle classes are also manifested by the furnishings and fittings of a typical home of a dealer. The retail dealer’s wife dressed in silk and was provided pillows adorned with buttons made of Oriental pearls for resting her arms and head. (Boissonnade 2002 pp 3-8) The chair which represents comfort and stability is prominent throughout Medieval Europe also had a place in the German community. (See figure 1) Litchfield pays homage to a typical chair of German construction of the times. ‘The famous choir stalls in the Cathedral of Ulm, which are considered the finest work of the Swabian school of German wood carving. The magnificent panels of foliage on the front, the Gothic triple canopy are adorned with the busts of Isaiah, David, and Daniel. ’(Litchfield 2004)

Logistic Planning

Logistic planning and management largely focus on lowering the cost associated with producing and distributing products under a variety of constraints. Logistics can be meant in different aspects of terms. In the perspective of Customer, the definition is getting the right product, to the right customer, in the right quantity, in the right condition, at the right place, at the right time and at the right cost. In the perspective of utility and value, the definition is providing the time and place utility/value of materials and products in support of organization objectives.In the perspective of Functional Management, the definition is provide materials requirements determination , purchasing , transportation , inventory management, warehousing, materials handling, industrial packaging, facility location analysis, distribution, return goods handling, information management, customers service, and all other activities concerned with supporting the internal customer (manufacturing) with materials and the external customer(retail stores) with product.Citied from Stephen H. Russell, â€Å"A General Theory of Logistic Practices. Logistic is the support of producing products in order for marketers to market the product. An example describing my statement will be that in order to sell laptops to customers, the logistics management would gather the products and send to retailers for sale. This operation is an important task. † Logistic is the support of producing products in order for marketers to market the product. An example describing my statement will be that in order to sell laptops to customers, the logistics management would gather the products and send to retailers for sale. This operation is an important task.

Definition and Examples of Degree Modifiers in English

Definition and Examples of Degree Modifiers in English In English grammar, a degree modifier is a word (such as very, rather, fairly, quite, somewhat, pretty, sort of, and  kind of) that can precede adjectives and adverbs to indicate the degree or extent to which they apply. Also known as a  degree adverb(ial) and a degree word. The degree modifiers are adverbs that normally modify gradable words and answer the question How? How far? or How much? See Examples and Observations below. Also see: Adverb of EmphasisDowntonerIndirectnessIntensifierModification Modifier and  Premodifier QualifierSubmodifierTotally Overworked WordsVerbal Hedge Examples and Observations The good thing about Camp Catoctin was that it was  pretty small  overall. It was fairly easy to find your way around, even in the dark.(Beth Harbison, Thin, Rich, Pretty. St. Martins Press, 2010) Susie Van Berg was  awfully pretty, and  awfully kind.(Patricia Wentworth, Outrageous Fortune, 1933)Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and disciplined heart is as coals, deep-burning, unquenchable.(Henry Ward Beecher, Notes from Plymouth Pulpit, 1859)I addressed a question to him but he shook his head without speaking and gave me a  sort of sad smile- a lost world of a smile.(Lawrence Durrell, Tunc, 1968) His uniform was  a little too big, his black shoes a little too shiny, the crease in his troopers hat a little too perfect.(Scott Smith, A Simple Plan. Knopf, 1993) When a man asks himself what is meant by action he proves that he isnt a man of action. Action is a lack of balance. In order to act you must be somewhat insane. A reasonably sensible man is satisfied with thinking.(Georges Clemenceau, 1928) Intensifiers and DowntonersAdverbs of degree describe the extent of a characteristic. They can be used to emphasize that a characteristic is either greater or less than some typical level: Its insulated slightly with polystyrene behind. (CONV) They thoroughly deserved a draw last night. (NEWS)Degree adverbs that increase intensity are called amplifiers or intensifiers. Some of these modify gradable adjectives and indicate degrees on a scale. They include more, very, so, extremely. . . .Degree adverbs which decrease the effect of the modified item are called diminishers or downtoners. As with intensifiers, these adverbs indicate degrees on a scale and are used with gradable adjectives. They include less, slightly, somewhat, rather, and quite (in the sense of to some extent.) . . . Downtoners are related to hedges (like kind of). That is, they indicate that the modified item is not being used precisely. . . .Other degree adverbs that lessen the impact of the modified item are almost, nearly, pretty, and far from.(Douglas Biber, Susan Conrad, and Geoffrey Leech, Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Pearson, 2002) Context Dependency of Degree ModifiersDegree modifiers . . . give specifications of degree concerning  the adjectives they modify. Adverbs such as very, extremely, absolutely  scale  adjectival properties upwards,  whereas other adverbs, such as slightly, a little, somewhat scale adjectival properties downwards. Rather, quite, fairly, and pretty set the qualities that gradable adjectives denote to a moderate level. Along with moderately and relatively, these degree modifiers are known as moderators (Paradis 1997).Like most degree modifiers,  rather, quite, fairly, and  pretty  are typologically unstable because they do not always neatly fit in the functional categories that linguists have assigned them. For example, quite is likely to be interpreted as a maximizer when it modifies an extreme/absolutive adjective (this novel is quite excellent) or a telic/limit/liminal adjective (quite sufficient), but it is likely to be a moderator when it modifies a scalar adjective ( quite big) (Paradis 1997:87). Past research has shown that context dependency  between adverbs and adjectives is not always decisive. It is often impossible to decide whether quite is a maximizer or a moderator. For example, quite is ambiguous when it modifies the adjective different (Allerton 1987:25). . . . Similarly, rather, pretty, and fairly can scale upwards or downwards . . ..(Guillaume Desagulier, Visualizing Distances in a Set of Near-Synonyms: Rather, Quite, Fairly, and Pretty.  Corpus Methods for Semantics: Quantitative Studies in Polysemy and Synonymy, ed. by  Dylan Glynn and Justyna A. Robinson. John Benjamins, 2014) Positioning Degree Modifiers- The word quite [as in the phrase The quite white house] belongs to the word class degree modifier.  A degree modifier is positioned  relative to an adjective, irrespective of the surrounding words, just as the article the is positioned relative to a noun, irrespective of the surrounding words. We can understand this by saying that quite and white are in the same adjective phrase, and that a degree modifier must come at the beginning of an adjective phrase.(Nigel Fabb, Sentence Structure, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2005)- Youre either very modest or  quite stupid. Take your choice.†(May Sarton, Anger, 1982)   The Fixed Class of Degree Words[An] example of words that dont fit neatly into one category or another is degree words. Degree words are traditionally classified as adverbs, but actually behave differently syntactically, always modifying adverbs or adjectives and expressing a degree: very, rather, so, too. This is a relatively fixed class and new members do not enter it frequently.(Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, Linguistics for Everyone. Wadsworth, 2010)

Flores Surname Meaning and Origin - About Genealogy

Flores Surname Meaning and Origin - About Genealogy The surname Flores has existed in Spain since the 12th century, but a common origin has not been found. It is believed to most likely derive from the given name Floro, meaning flower from the Latin flos. Flores is the 55th most popular surname in the United States and the 15th most common Hispanic surname. Surname Origin:  Spanish Alternate Surname Spellings:  FLOREZ, FROYLEZ, FROLAZ, FLORIZ, FLORAZ, FLOR, FLORAN, FLORIAN, FLORIO, FLORIS, FLORI Famous People With the Surname FLORES Pedro Flores - inventor of the yo-yoFrancisco  Flores  Perez - former president of El SalvadorJuan Josà © Flores  - first president of EquadorMarco Antonio Flores  - Guatemalan writer and poetJosà © Asuncià ³n Flores  - Paraguayan composerSalvador Flores -  Alamo defender; recruiter of volunteers in support of the Texas Revolution Where Do People With the FLORES Surname Live? The surname distribution data at  Forebears  ranks Flores as the 167th  most common surname in the world, identifying it as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest density in Honduras. The Flores surname is actually the most common surname in the nation of Bolivia, and also ranks among the top ten last names in Peru (2nd), El Salvador (4th), Honduras (5th), and Guam (10th) and Mexico (10th). It is also common within Guatemala, Chile, Venezuela, Belize and Argentina.  Within Europe, Flores is most frequently found in Spain, according to  WorldNames PublicProfiler, especially the western provinces of  Badajoz and  Cceres. The Flores surname is also found throughout the United States, where it is most common in the states of California and New Mexico. Genealogy Resources for the Surname FLORES 100 Most Common Spanish SurnamesHave you ever wondered about your Spanish last name  Ã‚  and how it came to be? This article describes common Spanish naming patterns, and explores the meaning and origins of 100 common Spanish surnames. How to Research Hispanic HeritageLearn how to get started researching  your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean and other Spanish speaking countries. Flores Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Flores family crest or coat of arms for the Flores surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   Flores Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Flores surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Flores query. FamilySearch - FLORES GenealogyAccess over 6.3 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Flores surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FLORES Surname Family Mailing ListsThis free mailing list for researchers of the Flores surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. DistantCousin.com - FLORES Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name FLORES. The Flores Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Flores from the website of Genealogy Today. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Should I Focus on STEM-Specific Classes in High School?

The acronym STEM, referring to the academic and professional fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, has become a popular buzzword in the world of education. This is not without merit, as STEM-related careers are projected to experience rapid job growth over the next decade. Many STEM fields have strong, easily identifiable career prospects in prestigious and cutting-edge careers, such as biotech, tech startups, software development, and medicine. In fact, in 2016, nine out of 10 of the most desirable jobs ranked by CareerCast were STEM-related, ranging from audiologist to information security analyst. With all the hype, you might be wondering if you should focus your academic efforts towards a higher education path in the STEM fields. Should you load up on STEM area classes during high school, even if doing so may shortchange other areas like the humanities, arts, or social sciences? If you’re considering a focused pursuit of STEM classes and you’re curious as to what degree you should focus your work, this post is for you. Here, we outline the importance of a STEM education for intended STEM-majors and non-majors alike, its application in a competitive job market and beyond, and the bottom line for how to decide how much weight STEM classes will get in your high school class selections. There’s no question that it’s a good idea to get a strong STEM background while you’re still in high school, especially if you plan to pursue STEM-related classes in college. Many schools are now devoting resources to STEM-specific programs or even creating entirely new departments within the school. There’s no doubt that without a solid STEM foundation in high school, you’ll be at a disadvantage to pursue any of these fields seriously in college. So, what does this mean for your class selection in high school? Should you be dropping English classes to take more science classes? Which science classes should you choose? In STEM classes, as in other subject areas, you should generally be taking the most challenging classes available to you if you want to be a competitive candidate for top-tier colleges. The specific STEM classes you take will vary depending on class availability at your school, but generally you will need to enroll in whichever track is specified as the most challenging one. This usually means you’ll be taking AP Calculus , AP Chemistry , and AP Physics , along with perhaps some coding classes or robotics extracurriculars. In addition to qualifying you as a competitive candidate, these challenging classes will often prepare you for college-level work in the STEM fields. They may also possibly mean you won’t have to take big, basic lecture classes to get started if you can place out of introductory classes through placement tests or AP scores. The bottom line is if you know you want to pursue a STEM field, getting serious about it in high school is a good idea. That said, you should not do so at the expense of fulfilling your graduation requirements in other subject areas, such as English, and you shouldn’t drop core classes to facilitate your STEM path. While your early preparation and focus can set you apart as a college applicant and make your academic pursuits in college one step easier, don’t take your specialization so far that other subject areas suffer. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. STEM classes are important even if you don’t intend to pursue a related major in college. Programming, familiarity with technology, basic engineering skills, or basic knowledge of fields like chemistry and biology could come in handy in many different fields and jobs. These skills can set you apart in a competitive job market, even if the job isn’t directly related to STEM work. As more and more industries and businesses become dependent on technology, STEM skills are relevant in many different, unrelated fields. You become a more desirable job candidate if you know the field and also have skills in programming, web development, or other relevant technologies. STEM-skills can even make you more self-sufficient outside of the workplace. Computer knowledge can help you to fix technical issues yourself, while basic chemistry can make you a better gardener, and engineering knowhow can help you with home or car repairs. Even if you really dislike math or science or feel like they are subjects that just don’t come naturally to you, you should still work to develop basic proficiency in these areas. Although you may not plan a career focused on a STEM field, you should plan on a life that requires a basic knowledge of STEM skills. As with anything else, there can be too much of a good thing. If you’re interested in STEM fields, you should definitely pursue them and even prioritize them over your other classes, but you should not write off your other classes entirely. For one thing, most high schools have core classes that are required for graduation. Without a set number of classes in English, history, and other subject areas, you might not be allowed to graduate. Be sure to check the requirements at your school so that you know what’s expected in advance. Beyond that, many colleges also require or at least strongly recommend that you take a certain number of classes in various non-STEM areas in order to enter or even be a strong applicant. This ensures that you are a well-rounded candidate with skills that extend beyond the STEM field. Even if it’s not explicitly clear to you from application instructions, taking the most challenging classes available to you in multiple areas (not just STEM) matters to colleges. Ultimately, STEM professionals need to be able to communicate effectively through a variety of mediums and taking a broad base of classes ensures that you’re prepared to do this. Finally, the important standardized tests (SATs or ACTs) required for many college applications are cross-curricular in nature. Even if you score perfectly on the math or science portions of the test, your overall score will suffer significantly if you can’t also perform well on the humanities sections. Often, your overall score is used as an initial screening tool for college admissions, so if it doesn’t meet a certain threshold, the admissions committee may never even see your perfect score on the math section. This is a difficult question because the answer will vary depending on your personal strengths, goals, and other priorities. Ultimately, everyone should give STEM-classes some serious consideration and time because in an increasingly tech-based world, this skill set will always be of some value. Obviously, if you plan to pursue STEM in college, you should take advantage of your high school’s STEM class offerings. Take as many as you can without comprising your work in other fields. Also, join STEM-related clubs or other activities. You can be STEM-focused without having to jeopardize your studies in other subject areas. If you don’t want to pursue STEM in college or you’re simply not yet sure, you should consider STEM as one of many options. There are many valuable, interesting, and necessary fields of study available, especially while you’re still in high school. Take advantage of the opportunities that high school gives you to learn broadly, explore different fields, and become as well-rounded as you are specialized in your studies. Lay the foundation for a basic STEM background in case you change your mind later or need those skills in life or work, but don’t focus solely on STEM if your interests and talents lie elsewhere. To learn more about pursuing STEM-fields, both in high school and in college, consider the benefits of the Near Peer Mentorship Program , which provides access to practical advice on topics from college admissions to career aspirations, all from successful college students.

Icons in the past and in the modern world Essay

Icons in the past and in the modern world - Essay Example bject that is easily identifiable by many. It may also mean a symbol that is used by different cultures to for purposes of historical value or having a known significance to such community or groups of communities. In the modern times however, icons of places are mostly represented by beautiful architectural buildings. Though past icons such as monuments, statues and historical buildings are still recognized as icons of different places, there is a rapid change in the way icons are perceived and this has been brought about by the construction of amazing pieces of architecture. This paradigm shift has been driven by the demand for popularity and instant fame as well as for business purposes. Different regions are now in competition with one another in the construction of stunning architectural buildings. This paper aims to detail and discuss the meaning and use of icons in the past and modern in the United Kingdom and give a comparison of the same. This will be done via researching th e major icons in the UK and detailing their use. The paper will also make a general conclusion of the history of the icons. Most specifically, the paper will focus on the bulky-Scottish Castle, the St. Pauls Cathedral, the Nelson Monument, and the small retail liver building. Background Information In the medieval times, icons were mostly represented by historical monuments and buildings. It also included paintings and carvings that were done on stones and caves by hunters or artists in the community. Such icons represented a particular history or symbol of power in the community. A good example of icons that represented symbols of power included palaces of the royal family in the kingdom. Buckingham palace in Great Britain is an example of such palace that was and still is home to the royal family. Religious shrines and buildings were also known icons in the past due to their revered status. Rome for example was a society that was deeply engulfed in religious practices and as such had several places of worship within the region (Lynch, 1960). Such places were known icons within and beyond the boundaries of Rome since they were not only revered by many, but also had influence on the political administration at that time. Great emphasis was also placed on the erection and curving of monuments and statues by several communities in the past. This was done to honour individuals for their great contribution to the society and as such, places where these monuments and statues were erected become known icons within the region both in the medieval times and up to date. From the twin towers in Malaysia to the Five Star hotel, Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the emphasis has been placed on tall and aesthetical pleasing building designs. Two dimensional form of art such as

Financial Management Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Management Case - Essay Example These assets and liabilities are to be cashed or spent in the ordinary course of business; that is, we do not have to liquidate our company just to raise the cash we need, and neither do we have to pay all our long-term debts now. Working capital basically is a measure of how we manage our collections and our costs. Good working capital management, by lowering costs and maximising collections, contributes to maximising shareholder value, which is one of the Board's primary duties. An analysis of our current practices in this aspect of financial management has revealed the following problems: Trade receivables have increased from the desired thirty days to the actual fifty days. Bad debts have reached 1.5 percent of total sales. We are spending 76,000 annually, equivalent to 3.2 percent of sales, for trade debt or receivables financing, bad debts, and overhead. We have studied two options to manage our working capital that can bring down our costs and bring up our collections. Summary Course of Action We have looked at two options: Factoring (Option A) and Discounting (Option B). We summarise our findings as follows: Comparison of two options and current system Current system Trade debts from collections 40,000 Bad debts 36,000 Annual cost of debts: 76,000 Option A: Factoring Trade debts from collections 22,000 Service charges 48,000 Savings on bad debts (36,000) Savings from factoring (18,000) Annual cost of debts: 16,000 Annual savings from Option A: 60,000 Option B: Discounting Trade debt savings 6,400 Savings from collected bad debts 12,000 Cost of discounts (9,600) Annual savings from Option B: 8,800 Total savings from Options A and B: 56,800 We have calculated that factoring will save us 60,000...This is called working capital management. Working capital is the cash that is readily available to the organisation. This can be derived from the corporation's balance sheet by subtracting our current liabilities (short-term organisational commitments that needs cash payments) from our current assets (company resources that can be converted into cash in the short-term). These assets and liabilities are to be cashed or spent in the ordinary course of business; that is, we do not have to liquidate our company just to raise the cash we need, and neither do we have to pay all our long-term debts now. Working capital basically is a measure of how we manage our collections and our costs. Good working capital management, by lowering costs and maximising collections, contributes to maximising shareholder value, which is one of the Board's primary duties. We have calculated that factoring will save us 60,000 annually. Discounts will save us an additional 8,800 by bringing down our bad debts and trade debts costs, even if these discounts will cost us initially 9,600. If we use both options, we can save 56,800 each year, equivalent to 2.4 percent of sales. Note that combining the two options will give us a lower figure for total savings because if we use the Discounting option together with Factoring, the elimination of bad debts from availing of the latter (Factoring) option will give us only the benefit of trade debt savi

Why have pylons across the Waikato become a big cause of argument Essay

Why have pylons across the Waikato become a big cause of argument among farmers and the government - Essay Example There were three approaches to the solution of the Anti-Transpower. Farmers filed a court case against Transpower to stop the company from erecting pylons across their farms. The pylons would occupy their precious land and also spoil the outlook of the area. In short, the farmers wanted compensation. There were three possible solutions were; full compensation for farmers by Transpower Company, the use of an alternative route for the transmission pylons or the employment of underground cables. The establishment of 10km of underground cables was underway though the farmers were not satisfied (Boyes, 2005). During the period 2006/2007 Louise Upston, who was the member of parliament of Taupo, sued Transpower. She did not want the pylons to cross her farm and other people’s farms. Unfortunately, The Environment Court ruled against her and authorized Transpower to proceed. This showed how determined the government was to achieve its goals. Transpower agreed to compensate three hundred and eight land owners $165 million. Each owner of land was compensated with at least $500,000, but some got more in correspondence to the magnitude of land occupied buy pylons (Tocker, 2012a). Transpower, state owned electricity Generation Company intended to upgrade the grid systems. This was aimed at increasing the power needs by New Zealanders. New Zealand is a developed country and therefore the 220kV power is not enough. The company wanted to increase the capacity to 400kV. The Resource Management Act, reviewed in 2004 favored Transpower. It gave the government power to control property ownership to protect the government interests. Disturbingly, the farmers from Waikato had a different opinion. They feared that the pylons would cost them a fortune due to the damages of property during the construction process (Contrafed Publishing, 2010). Apparently, the farmers criticized the Transpower for using pylons. The farmers argued that the structures will not only hinder their

No topic Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

No topic - Case Study Example Any form of emergency measure involves a set of complex chain of tasks, players, and resources, in a channel of coordination that is embedded on interdependencies for an efficient and smooth recovery of operations (Turoff 2002, 29-32). This paper makes an attempt to investigate what factors were responsible for the business crisis to arise in Rio Tinto, Japan, especially for resuming on a normal day, just after the calamity. This necessitates the need for more coordination and management of the extremities thereafter and what procedures and mechanisms to be typically utilized for coordination, decision-making and product development. Using exact criteria and in the light of the current practices of operations and resources utilizing this case study, this paper has been strategically organized as follows, a brief description of the issues, causes, alternatives, preceding the decision criteria for implementation of strategic alternatives, along with the recommended approach. The major issues that are typically emerging after any form of emergency are mostly having a relation to interdependencies in a business, as a business has multiple-level of interdependencies in terms of job responsibilities, resources, assigned personnel, and the flow of information. These are physically scattered across geographies, boundaries and departments. Therefore, any rebuilding task after an emergency involves a strategic response of either reconsidering the existing entities, dismissing others and to reconstruct throughout the course of responses to rebuild the premise. The standard procedures include standardization, planning, mutual adjustment and routine analysis (Malone 1994, 357-370; AlaybeyoÄŸlu, Albayrak and Gà ¼rbà ¼z 2012, 1-4). These decisions, howsoever varied and dynamic, will provide directions on problems solving using interdependencies. Product-design, supply-chain management, resource-management, are all affected in the course of the sudden change,

Peeve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Peeve - Essay Example Traffic fatality rate in the non-Interstate rural roads for the year 2003 stood at 2.72 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles, in comparison to the traffic fatality rate in other roads in the year 2003 of around 0.99 deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles. Truck traffic in small town roads and at the railroad crossings is an ongoing safety issue, in addition to their repair and maintenance concerns. Finally, lower level of physical activity and regularity of transportation, rural areas have disproportionately higher fatality and crash rates for the pedestrians and undeveloped public health outcomes (Shoup and Homa 8). Several rural areas presently experience declines in their population due to younger residents migrating to urban life for employment. These cases lead to rural being left without mature road system, which is the legacy from the time when larger population lived. Improving the public transportation is linked directly with encouraging the active transportation to be safe with attractive facilities. To reach their destinations and the everyday locations, people in smaller cities are dependent on travelling with unsafe infrastructural facilities alongside the highways with their excessive travel speeds (Shoup and Homa

Why have pylons across the Waikato become a big cause of argument Essay

Why have pylons across the Waikato become a big cause of argument among farmers and the government - Essay Example There were three approaches to the solution of the Anti-Transpower. Farmers filed a court case against Transpower to stop the company from erecting pylons across their farms. The pylons would occupy their precious land and also spoil the outlook of the area. In short, the farmers wanted compensation. There were three possible solutions were; full compensation for farmers by Transpower Company, the use of an alternative route for the transmission pylons or the employment of underground cables. The establishment of 10km of underground cables was underway though the farmers were not satisfied (Boyes, 2005). During the period 2006/2007 Louise Upston, who was the member of parliament of Taupo, sued Transpower. She did not want the pylons to cross her farm and other people’s farms. Unfortunately, The Environment Court ruled against her and authorized Transpower to proceed. This showed how determined the government was to achieve its goals. Transpower agreed to compensate three hundred and eight land owners $165 million. Each owner of land was compensated with at least $500,000, but some got more in correspondence to the magnitude of land occupied buy pylons (Tocker, 2012a). Transpower, state owned electricity Generation Company intended to upgrade the grid systems. This was aimed at increasing the power needs by New Zealanders. New Zealand is a developed country and therefore the 220kV power is not enough. The company wanted to increase the capacity to 400kV. The Resource Management Act, reviewed in 2004 favored Transpower. It gave the government power to control property ownership to protect the government interests. Disturbingly, the farmers from Waikato had a different opinion. They feared that the pylons would cost them a fortune due to the damages of property during the construction process (Contrafed Publishing, 2010). Apparently, the farmers criticized the Transpower for using pylons. The farmers argued that the structures will not only hinder their

Peeve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Peeve - Essay Example Traffic fatality rate in the non-Interstate rural roads for the year 2003 stood at 2.72 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles, in comparison to the traffic fatality rate in other roads in the year 2003 of around 0.99 deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles. Truck traffic in small town roads and at the railroad crossings is an ongoing safety issue, in addition to their repair and maintenance concerns. Finally, lower level of physical activity and regularity of transportation, rural areas have disproportionately higher fatality and crash rates for the pedestrians and undeveloped public health outcomes (Shoup and Homa 8). Several rural areas presently experience declines in their population due to younger residents migrating to urban life for employment. These cases lead to rural being left without mature road system, which is the legacy from the time when larger population lived. Improving the public transportation is linked directly with encouraging the active transportation to be safe with attractive facilities. To reach their destinations and the everyday locations, people in smaller cities are dependent on travelling with unsafe infrastructural facilities alongside the highways with their excessive travel speeds (Shoup and Homa

Starhub analysis Essay Example for Free

Starhub analysis Essay Generic Characteristics of Telco Industry Market structure is either a: Monopoly Natural monopoly Oligopoly Dominated by a handful of big players High capital expenditure (capex) Absolute fixed cost is high But fixed cost per user is very low Telco may be very cash flow rich if capex is controlled Low operating expenditure (opex) Average cost per user is very, very, VERY low. Generic Characteristics of Telco Industry Lines of business Voice Traditional fixed lines overtaken by mobile Some households do not even have fixed lines i.e. M1 gives free fixed line with fibre plan Lucrative international dialing business is largely  gone Replaced by data i.e. Skype, VOIP etc. Generic Characteristics of Telco Industry Lines of business Data Escalating bandwidth demand (geometric growth) Some business models have failed as a result Unlimited mobile data plan replaced by tiered  pricing plans Reasonably priced unlimited fixed broadband/fibre  still available in some countries (not so in the US). Price differentiation between home and business data  plans Sub segment differentiation exists – gamers (low  latency) Telcos need data to make up for loss revenue in voice  business Generic Characteristics of Telco Industry Lines of business Pay TV Telcos offering pay TV not common for all  countries. Exists in Singapore. Always a balancing act between controlling cost  of content and charging viewers more Cost is increasing for developed countries  » Not so for developing countries†¦.. Video on-demand new business model Don’t pay for a whole channel, just pay for the TV program you want Mio TV vs Cable TV Generic Characteristics of Telco Industry Strategy for non-saturated markets Build out infrastructure and coverage while  controlling capex Gain market share by grabbing customers Especially in underserved markets Attempt to lock in existing customers Increase revenue by offering differentiated price  plans Tiered data plans (both mobile and fixed) Sell supplementary services Caller ID, low latency etc. Generic Characteristics of Telco Industry Strategy for mature and saturated markets Infrastructure and coverage largely built so there is little capex Control opex tightly Gain market share by poaching customers from  competitors Avoid price war Same as before Attempt to lock in existing customers Increase revenue by offering differentiated price plans Expand into overseas markets Any economies of scale? Industry Life Cycle Analysis Porter’s Five Forces Threat of New Entrants Bargaining Power of Suppliers Competitive Rivalry Within the Industry Threat of Substitutes Bargaining Power of Buyers Porter’s Five Forces Threat of New Entrants How easy is it for new players to enter the industry? What are the barriers to entry? Loyalty to existing brands Stickiness and incentives (e.g. loyalty points) High switching costs High capex and fixed opex costs Scarcity of resources Government restrictions and licensing Technology and intellectual property rights Porter’s Five Forces Power of Suppliers How much pressure can suppliers exert on the  business? Single or few suppliers (monopoly or oligopoly) Few or no substitutes Switching to new supplier is costly or time  consuming Supplier’s product is extremely important Supplier’s industry has higher profitability than  buyer’s industry Porter’s Five Forces Power of Buyers How much pressure can buyers exert on the  business? Single or few big buyers Purchases are in large volumes Switching to a different competitor is easy No stickiness or loyalty Buyer’s are price sensitive Company’s product is not important Porter’s Five Forces Availability of Substitutes How likely are customers to switch? Few or many similar products on the market? Switching cost is low and easy to do Disruptive technology Secular changes in consumption patterns and  lifestyles Porter’s Five Forces Competitive Rivalry How intense is the competition in the industry? High competition means low margins Number of competitors and size Any dominant company? Little differentiation between competitor’s  products and services Industry life cycle Young market means all firms grow as overall pie  expands Mature market means competitors grow by taking  market share from other companies Applying Porter’s Five Forces to Starhub Threat of New Entrants Government license is required and need to bid for  airwaves in government auction Is Singapore government issuing new telco licenses? What is the availability of airwaves? Auction prices cheap or costly? High capex and fixed cost†¦..but very low opex cost per user! Loyalty and stickness Some stickiness due to contract obligations (early  termination penalty) and incentives (handset upgrade  subsidies) Low switching costs if not under contract No cost and retain old mobile number Applying Porter’s Five Forces to Starhub Power of Suppliers Pressure from handset manufacturers Handset subsidy recouped by locking in  customers into contracts Big difference in price of handset without contract Apple able to negotiate for higher prices Telcos subsidize more. Costs passed down to  consumers. Pressure from content providers Cable TV pays HBO, Fox etc for content Special events like EPL cost much more Costs have been escalating lately†¦.. Applying Porter’s Five Forces to Starhub Power of Buyers Many retail customers (Starhub is no. 2 in SG) Extremely price sensitive Little brand loyalty and stickiness Individual customer have zero power Easy to switch out to competitor’s offerings Product is important but not tied to Starhub E.g. can get same handset and data plan from  competitors Some tradeoff between monthly price plan and data All telcos moving away from all-you-can-eat data plan Applying Porter’s Five Forces to Starhub Availability of Substitutes Handsets are not tied to Starhub Voice and data plans are also not unique to Starhub Cable TV content is differentiated Competes only with Singtel but not directly Different content and pricing content Special events like EPL are hotly contented Applying Porter’s Five Forces to Starhub Competitive Rivalry Extremely high competition Mature and saturated Singapore market Starhub grows by taking market share from Singtel and M1 Little differentiation between competitor’s  products and services But no direct price competition! Despite rivalry, industry margins relatively high Low opex cost per user Average revenue per user (ARPU) is growing Driven mainly from new tiered data plans Key Ratios for Telco Industry Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) Indicator of a company’s financial performance Churn Rate Actual rate at which customers leave for a  competitor Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) Takes into account revenue, capex and opex. As market matures, ARPU drops†¦. THE EQUITY RESEARCH PROCESS Purpose of the Equity Research Report To communicate to clients a single message How to allocate financial resources All other issues are secondary What are readers looking for? Ideas, ideas and ideas! Unique ideas are great but most of the time, ideas  generated could just be the same as everyone else Herd instinct is safe option! But no one will remember you†¦..! How to Make the Report Valuable? Use the KISS principle Investors have little time (and patience) Communicate clearly, concisely and get to the point. Have something to say Does it lead to an actionable idea? Report is an opportunity to standout and may lead to  other revenue generating activities or more face time  with the client. How to Make the Report Valuable? Issue the report in a timely fashion Giving investment opinion and advise too late is  pointless â€Å"Better late than never† fails in this case Treat your reader with respect Reader may be an investment professional herself Don’t patronize or condescend Tailor tone and language to target audience How to Make the Report Valuable? Be impartial and objective A research report is not an advertisement. Even if you like the company very much, not over  hype the company – leave that to the IR firms Know your stuff Be familiar with both the industry and company Be brave (but be prepared to face the firing squad) The best analysts are willing to take risks with their  opinions

External factors of environment affecting organisations

External factors of environment affecting organisations The word environment means the surrounding atmosphere and conditions for existence. It is very important for organisational leaders to know and understand the environment before they start doing business. The external factors of the environment are factors that are not under the control of an organisation. These factors include social environment, political conditions, technological environment, government regulations and policies, accounting agencies like accounting standard board, resources in economy and cultural environment and demographics of people (Finance Discussion Form 2010). The external environment comprises of all the outside factors that may have an impact on the workings of an organisation. The external environment is divided into 2 parts: directly interactive and indirectly interactive. A directly interactive type of environment has an immediate and firsthand impact upon an organisation. An indirectly interactive type of environment has a secondary and more distant impact on an organisation (Global Business Environment online Journal). The category of directly interactive environmental forces includes owners, customers, suppliers, competitors, employees and employee unions (The External Environment online Article). Conversely, the category of indirectly interactive environmental forces includes social-cultural, political and legal, technological, economic and global influences. Indirectly interactive forces may impact one organisation more than another simply because of the nature of a particular business (Global Strategy online Article). External factors that can affect a business are: social factors: how consumer, households and communities behave and their beliefs e.g. changes in attitude towards health or a greater number of pensioners in a population. Legal factors: the way in which legislation in society affects the business e.g. changes in employment laws on working hours. Economic factors: how the economy affects a business in terms of taxation, government spending, general demand, interest rates, exchange rates and European and global economic factors. Political factors: how changes in government policy might affect the business e.g. a decision to subsidise building new houses could be good for local brick works. Technological factors: how the rapid pace of change in production processes and product innovation affect a business. And ethical factors: what is regarded as morally right or wrong for a business to do e.g. trading with countries which have a poor record on human rights would be seen as unethical (External factors that affect retail industry online Article). Knowledge and understanding of the environment is vital for an organisation to know in order to be successful. Outline of the company I have chosen for the purposes of my essay: PRIMARK Primark Stores Limited is an Irish clothing retailer, operating over 200 stores in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Belgium. Within this area of responsibility, Primark stores outnumbered other clothing retailer business, with 161 stores overall distributed in three major regions: 125 in the United Kingdom, 34 in Ireland and 8 in Spain. Primark is known for selling clothes at the budget end of the market. The companys success is based on sourcing supply cheaply, making clothes with simple designs and fabrics, only making them in the most popular sizes, buying stock in huge bulks and varieties and not advertising. The company positions itself as marketing fashionable at cutthroat prices. The original clothing store was established by Arthur Ryan and his collaborator Micaela Mitchell in Dublin Ireland in 1969. After various success in clothing business, great profits and gross income led them to open stores in local and regional areas. It acquired various premises in different business centres within its local and regional areas which eventually generate more profits and income. Hence, these successes brought significant changes on Primarks retail business. The relevance of global trends and consumers demands on lifestyle made Primark Store Limited reinvent its business scheme and management structure (The analysis on the external and internal environment of Primark retailing industry). In the recent years Primark has received many awards for its products including the prestigious Retailer of the Year award for 2 years in a row now (Primark website 2010). Whilst the companys main headquarters are based in Ireland, the chain is a subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc (ABF), and is ultimately controlled by the Weston family through Wittington Investments (Primark Stores Ltd 2010). The analytical framework I have selected for the company The key environmental issue I have chosen for the basis of my analysis of Primark is PESTEL. The term PESTEL stands for Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Environmental Legal. This term has been used regularly in the past 10 years and its true history is difficult to establish. Various other similar acronyms that have also been used include ETPS, STEP, PEST and STEEPLE (PESTLE analysis 2010). I choose the PESTEL analysis tool as it is used by companies for business and strategic planning, marketing planning, business and product development and research reports. Hence, using this tool, companies can gain an understanding of the environment they operate in and take advantage of the opportunities and minimize the possible threats (Market Orientated Strategic Planning 2010). PESTEL analysis is in effect an audit of an organisations environmental influence with the purpose of using this information to guide strategic decision-making. The assumption is that if the organisation is able to audit its current environment and asses potential changes, it will be better placed than its competitors to respond to changes. The PESTEL analysis is said to be a useful tool for understanding the big picture of the environment in which an organisation is operating and for understanding risks associated with market growth or decline, potential and directing for an individual business or organisation. A PESTEL analysis is also used as a generic orientation tool, finding out where an organisation or product is in the context of what is happening outside that will at some point affect what is happening inside an organisation. The six elements form a framework for reviewing a situation, and can also be used to review a strategy or position, direction of a company, a marketing proposition or idea (PEST Analysis is concerned With the Environmental Influences on a Business). Description discussion of PESTEL Political Factors: These refer to government policies such as degree of intervention in the economy. Political decisions can impact on many vital areas for business such as the education of the workforce, the health of the nation and the quality of the infrastructure of the economy such as the road and rail system. This category also includes areas such as tax policy, employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions and reform tariffs and political stability (Oxford University Press. (2007). Economic factors: These refer to what is happening within the economy e.g. economic growth/decline, interest rates, exchange rates, inflation rate, taxation changes, wage rates, working hours, unemployment level, and recently recovered recession and credit crunch. Sociological factors: These refer to the ever changing social trends in the markets, in which the company operates, culture norms, and expectations, health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes, emphasis on safety and global warming. Change in social trends can also impact on the demand for a firms products and the availability and willingness of individuals to work (The Pest or Pestle Analysis). Technological factors: These refer to the fast developing and advancing world of technology. Change in technology can impact the work and dealings of an organisation. New technologies create new processes and procedures. Things that were not possible a couple of years back are now main stream. Online shopping, bar coding and computer aided design are all improvements to the way companies do business now as a result of better technology. Technology can also reduce costs in the long run, improve quality, and lead to innovation. These developments can benefit customers as well as organisations manufacturing the products. Environmental factors: These refer to what is happening with respect to ecological and environmental issues i.e. climate and weather. Changes in the weather can impact on many industries including farming, tourism and insurance. With major climate changes occurring due to global warming and with greater environmental awareness this external factor is becoming a significant issue for firms to consider (PESTEL analysis of the macro-environment). Legal Factors: These refer to the legal environment in which an organisation operates. Changes in legislation may have an impact on employment, access to materials, quotas, resources, imports/exports and taxation. In recent years in the UK there have been many significant legal changes that have affected companies behaviour. The introduction of age discrimination and disability discrimination legislation, an increase in the minimum wage and greater requirements for firms to recycle are example of relatively recent law that affect an organisations work and actions (PESTLE analysis 2010). Applying the PESTEL framework to PRIMARK In assessing the political, social, and economic factors external to the environment of Primark, we must consider different issues. Primarks business operations are subject to government policies and regulations. The business firm should conform to the set of policies and regulations stipulated and enforced by the government and policy making body while conforming to the set of regulations and policies, the firm should assume social responsibility as demanded by the global consciousness. Nowadays, business sectors no longer busied themselves to produce bonds of profits and income but deeply involved in social programs to promote social awareness and equality. Cultural and social behaviours of different consumers are important to consider when establishing or venturing business in the global landscape (The analysis on the external and internal environment of Primark retailing industry). Furthermore, economic, environment, laws, and technology are inseparable entities in which influence the business operations. The economic stability of certain region can contribute allot to the business condition of certain firm, like Primark. Technology on the other hand, brought a tremendous effect to the status and development of business operations and marketing programs. It generates new trends in a rapid movement, which if organizations are unaware will impede growth and development (Pest Analysis 2010). Political factors: Primarks business operations are the aid of government policies and regulation for example providing proper working environment for workers. For dealing with workers and for improving their working conditions, the company is part of the Ethical trading Initiative (ETI). Primarks energy consumption in the UK is sourced against the green power generated and sold into the grid by British sugar (Article on Primark PESTEL ANALYSIS online). However, as different political parties come into power they might change existing policies, laws and regulations so Primark would regularly have to assess its strategies with consideration to the political climate to comply with them e.g. if a law is passed raising the minimum wage rate for employees. The government can also pass a restriction law on import and export trade with other countries due to political circumstances and relations with the trading country. This might also have an impact in Primark if they are getting their merchandise manufactured in that country. Economic Factors: In 2008, Primark opened over 12 stores and has now moved its business to Europe. This shows signs of expansion and success Although Primark has mostly low priced merchandise, an increase in tax and VAT in an unstable economy can have a major affect on its sales making them go down. The only Primark can prepare itself for such a situation is by having update knowledge about the current economic state using the PESTEL analysis tool. The recent global recession and credit crunch left a lot of businesses helpless leading them to bankruptcy as the publics spending power was very low due to the circumstances with also led organisations to let people go increasing unemployment. All these factors could have a great impact on Primarks business. Hence, Primark must constantly assess its strategy with consideration to its PESTEL to ensure safety and protection against such events. Sociological factors: Primark has received several awards for being retailer of the year. It has also won awards for being the best retailer of the year in the United Kingdom. However, social trends nowadays change rapidly. A product that is in demand today might not be so popular tomorrow. Primark needs to keep up to date with all these changes and trends. It must try to accommodate and deliver in respect to the change. Ageing and population level are 2 other factors that can have an impact of Primarks sale as the company mainly targets the young consumers aged between 16 to 35 years of age. Hence, Primark must constantly assess its strategy with consideration to its PESTEL to ensure its social stability and quick ability to deliver. Technological factors: Due to the rapid advancement and development in the technology world things that were not possible a few years ago are now very easy and user. Technology has made a lot of complicated tasks very user friendly. The Internet is one perfect example of this. It is now possible to shop online in the comfort of their home. Primark has a lot of online shoppers on their website and benefits from this technological development. Also in Primarks bid for world class, cutting edge management of its ethical auditing programme, it has signed a deal with BSE management systems for the provision of Entropy Software. The investment in Entropy software is a key part of Primarks ethical trade strategy, allowing all suppliers audits, non-conformances and remedial actions to be managed through the Entropy software platform, with much greater global visibility and management control. Environmental factors: As a result of global warming and the adverse weather conditions in the recent times many companies and organisations are doing their part for the environment. Primark supports this campaign by using recycled paper bags instead of plastic bags. Even consumers are very conscience about these factors in saving the environment and support this. One of Primarks fears can be delayed shipment of goods from other countries due to bad weather conditions. Legal factors: The local laws of a country can have an impact on all the organisations that operate there. If new laws are passed in relation to employment, national minimum wage or health and safety in the workplace then Primark will have to comply will all of them. In order to be up to date with all legislation and accommodate all changes Primark has to have knowledge and understanding of these laws and plan in advance. Hence, Primark must constantly assess its strategy with consideration to its PESTEL to ensure that their employment is fair and safe for its employees. Conclusion Primark can without difficulty diversify, giving its competitors a competitive environment with substantial financial power. Primarks offer to its customer is one of high quality merchandise, value for money, back by Primarks service promise. A strong consumer proposition has been developed by Primark brand and embodied in the line Look Good, Pay Less. I conclude this discussion by mentioning that the UK clothing retail industry is facing high levels of competition between various players but the end result shows that the consumers are most benefitted from it (Article on Primark PESTEL ANALYSIS online). Given this analysis we can say that each organization has its own external and internal problems to handle. The process in which we enable to identify and analyze such problems is by using proper management method of analysis PESTEL or STEEPLE. The importance of these methods is squared to the importance of the business itself. Primark must constantly assess its strategy with consideration to its PESTEL analysis tool. External factors can also to some extent affect its internal and business operation. Hence, these methods are helpful for us to understand and underline the positive and negative factors affecting the external environment of an organization like Primark. Word Count: 2605 Words

No United States without Mexico :: essays research papers

No U.S. without Mexicans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a Mexican American in the United States I can honestly say that Spanish colonialism plays a crucial role in understanding the history of Mexicans in the United States. Spanish colonialism brought forth many factors that shaped the Mexican. One huge factor is religion. The Spanish brought a unified form of religion, we know it as Christianity. Secondly, with its priority of converting the indigenous people to Christianity, they migrated and created pueblos in what is now part of South Western United States. With its expansion and creation of Haciendas and Ranchos, the Spanish created a new style of culture, which is important in the shaping of the Mexican in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most influential aspects of the Mexican in the United States is his religious beliefs. If not for the Spanish and their devotion to convert people to Christianity, life would be differently for the average Mexican. Spiritually, the Mexican looks to god for guidance and support. Growing up in a Mexican household, I can say that religion played an enormous role in my life. As a family, we would attend church every Sunday. I also attended catechism through the course of my childhood, which shaped me into the individual that I am today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With its expansion of Christianity, the Spanish Colonialism created Haciendas, Ranchos and pueblos in the Southwestern United States. With these Haciendas and ranchos the Spanish brought a unique form of architecture. This Spanish Style architecture as it is now known is evident throughout the southwestern United States today. Large portions of Chicanos live in homes that are influenced by the expansion of Spanish colonialism. Spanish style architecture, with its enormous archways and brick cultured construction is one of the most elaborate and popular forms of architecture found today. Within these haciendas lies a cattle cultured economy which is extremely important now in the United States. The Spanish brought horses, cows, goats, and sheep to the United States. Cattle play a role on just about every person in the United States, for the United States thrives as a meat eating country. With the creation of haciendas a new style of culture would be created from th ese flourishing communities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexican culture is extremely important in the lives of a Mexican. Religion, food, folklore as well as community contribute to the culture of a Mexican. The Spanish culture is well and alive throughout the United States.