Bad News Message Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bad News Message - Assignment Example Include your full name, address, day time phone number, and a brief but clear description of the malfunction with a check of $100 for initial examination. After assessing the equipment, we have to apologize that the extent of damage is irreparable and cannot be replaced. You can however choose to repair the equipment within our service centers or acquire a whole new set of equipment. We are giving you this option to ensure that your work is not stalled. Kindly reach us through our contacts immediately. If you choose to repair the equipment with us, the $100 will be applied towards your bill, the balance of which is payable by check or credit card. Super Equipment Inc. also has service centers available in your area. If you would prefer to take the equipment to one of the centers, please see the enclosed list. Thank you again for inquiring about our services. I have enclosed a catalog of our latest equipment, parts and accessories in which you will find Super Equipment Incorporation’s â€Å"Trade-up Special†. If you are ready to move up to our new equipment model, we will offer you a generous trade - in allowance on your current

The novel as a whole Essay Example for Free

The novel as a whole Essay This underlines where the stress in the sentence is and thus its emotions. This is used to great effect with a more dramatic description in It was wretched weather; stormy and wet, stormy and wet; mud, mud, mud deep in all the streets. It is hard not to associate this dramatic use of language with his consciousness and intensified state of emotion thus allowing us to see how Pip feels by using indirect methods. Plus we see that it is a way the older Pip can convey the forbidding nature of the event unfolding. The clichi of stormy weather is an obvious precursor of events to come, but it works well setting the reader for a theatrical recountment of events. Another typical feature of Dickens is to personify an object. For example the smoke came rolling down the chimney as though it could not bear to go out into such a night. Hence the gloomy use of the elemental weather is made even more imposing, and in this case makes the atmosphere seems primitive excellent weather for the return of the Magwitch who Pip first met on the untamed marshes. The use of weather with reference to the sea is made good use of in: gloomy accounts had come in from the coast, of shipwreck and death, and the wind being like the discharges of cannon, or breakings of the sea. With hindsight these are clear references to Magwitch his time on the sea in the hulks and the cannon remind us of that used in chapter two on the marshes to alert people to convicts. Also, the stormy rain is an omen of Magwitchs water-death struggle in the Thames. But as a first time reader these references only make subconscious links, so that their significance slowly dawns on the reader. The description of the weather is so terrifyingly dramatic that it is chilling and almost supernatural; one could say that when Pip first saw Magwitch it was so traumatic that he tried to bury the experience. The pressure of the hidden memories of Magwitch deep in his subconscious have built up so much that he has managed to bring about Magwitchs return. Of course the fact that Pips benefactor is revealed to be Magwitch is clear that Pips great expectations are at an end as he can not keep the money and he isnt intended to marry Estella. This emotional upheaval in Pips life is magnificently portrayed in the narrative description of the weather leading up to Magwitchs return. Dickens personal style is clearly evident in the passage describing the stranger on the stair: that he had long iron-grey hair. That his age was about sixty. That he was a muscular man, strong on his legs, and that he was browned and hardened Dickens has repeated that so as to create a list, that focuses more on the detail, yet at the same time creates purpose and a gradual realisation of who the man is. Even though this use of language is not correct grammatically it conveys the point that Pip knows who it is but only just below his level of consciousness. The first person narrative makes a competition between the reader and Young Pip to recognise who the stranger is first, from the subtle and elusive hints of the identity of the stranger scattered throughout the passage. The footstep on the stair reminds Pip of his dead sister who like Magwitch is a ghost from the past. Incidentally, this connection between his sister also reminds the reader and probably young Pip of the guilt he felt over his sisters beating, and hence the guilt over his stealing to help Magwitch. Pip heard the footstep stumble in coming on which one would have done if it was a criminal wearing leg irons, that which haunted Pip the chapter FIND OUT e. g. (QUOTE). Towards the point where we finally find out who the newcomer is, the hints become more obvious with his clothes resembling a voyager by sea and his hair being iron grey like this leg-irons. Only moments before it begins to sink in who the stranger we are told of Pips lamp: it was a shaded lamp, to shine upon a book, and its circle of light was very contracted; so that he was in it for a mere instant, and then out of it. The light is contracted like Pips view on life with his misconception of Miss Havisham as the source of his becoming a gentleman, yet he is slowly grasping the truth (brought by Magwitch) from subtle hints, in the same way the light only illuminates Magwitch for mere incidences. Various references to the absence of light are also made throughout the passage; staircase lamps were blown out, lamps in the court were blown out, heavy veil had been driving over London and a voice from the darkness. This is predominantly an effect to make the passage more typically mysterious and gloomy. Less obvious is the connection to Estella. Pip often associated her with fire and light (her name meaning star) and she was frequently responsible for lighting Pips way in Satis house (ANY EG), but she is now a lost cause to Pip as it is Magwitch who is responsible for his fortune. Dickens almost personifies the weather when he writes a vast heavy veil had been driving over London. This implies that the weather knows the outcome of the building anticipation and that it is mirroring the news to be revealed, which will cause Pip to feel as though a vast heavy veil has been drawn across his life. Again we are given a glimpse of something to come but only so much as to push our curiosity more. A further connection to Estella can be made -Magwitch is a dysfunctional father figure to Pip (he refers to Pip as my boy and himself as Pips second father). This creates an ironic parallel with Estella and Miss Havisham, as both children reject their parent at some point, and we learn later that that Estella is in fact the daughter of a criminal. Thus ironically Pip and Estellas status are almost inverted, and it is through this reversal that Pip realises the values of a true gentleman and in time learns to love Magwitch and place himself in hazardous situations for him. Near the end of the passage the first gesture that Magwitch makes is accounted by Pip as Magwitch holding out both his hands to me. This action seems obscure, even if we have realised who the stranger is. It also creates an air of mystery and suspicion even at this late stage. Also we read that Pip sees the stranger looking up with an incomprehensible air of being touched and pleased by the sight of me which contrasts dramatically with the earlier strained and violent nature of the elements. The fact that Magwitch is responsible for Pips rise in social status to a gentleman is terribly ironic. Pip is at the height of his immoral conduct due to his uninformed view of what makes a gentleman (appearance, money and mixing with like people i. e. shunning lower class people such as Joe). In comparison with Magwitchs humble Master references to him, Pip has inadvertently played up to the image of a gentleman that Magwitch has shunned and tried to get revenge at i. e. Compeyson. The passage is the beginning of Chapter 39 and it is only from this chapter onwards that Pip stops misreading events (for example he finds out who is his benefactor), therefore this chapter is primary in terms of plot development. Yet, Dickens pays close attention to detail with frequent hints to the theme throughout the passage in subtle references (looked at previously) that sustain the drama and dark, tense atmosphere, all of which contribute to the sense of expectation. By: Chee Date: April 2001 For: Mrs Hill Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Great Expectations section.

Essay --

Kosovo: How the Kosovar territory can get developing economically and culturally through its identity balanced between the ethnic strife and conflicts of interest between the Serbs, Albanians and the international community? Richmond University - London Romuald Maronese Dissertation Literature review A such unexpected and international violent struggle burst out between Serbs and Albanians in the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia over the southern Serbian province of Kosovo1. This terrible issue led to a 1999 meeting between Serbian and Albanian officials in order to make a peace resolution and arrangements. This formal and official diplomatic meeting was organized by the international community under the control of the French and the Italians so as to discuss eventual peace. The Serbs were looking for protecting the cradle of their culture, the Serbian civilization and its identity against the Albanians’ battle for an independent territory of Kosovo. When the peace agreement could not be reached, the NATO2 countries, in order to protect Albanians from a massive  « ethnic cleansing,  » launched a missile bombing campaign over former Yugoslavia on the 24 March of 1999. The bombings lasted for 78 days. And NATO’s intervention in what came to be known as â€Å"the Kosovo conflict† injured and murdered thousands of civilians. It destroyed the local factories, workplaces, schools, and hospitals. Furthermore this tense conflict has damaged the country’s energy, transport, and communications systems. It also has triggered a economic, social, and ecological disaster; and made becoming thousands homeless. It traumatized numerous families on all sides of the war, including the people in the diaspora who had fled Yugoslavia’s civil war in the e... ...ermore, the conflict provoked a high risk of be prolonged psychologically in a serious brain disturbance. It has ruined their any chances of getting rid of this trauma by compromising any of them academic future. The many children facing this â€Å"massive war traumas show evidence of Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder† (PTSD). In this present massive study on the mental disorders of the children during the war, it would be relevant to wander how could we treat the youth’s distress and unstable mental health. Are the relatives, the local doctors and professionals able to educate theses children properly in order to make them recovering theses atrocities. Another study gathering what the new Kosovo State 6 Romuald Maronese Dissertation Literature review could learn from the aftermath of the war would be a better contributor to the potential development of the Kosovar society.

Taoism in Chinese Culture Essay examples -- Taoism Chinese Culture Tao

Taoism in Chinese Culture Taoism, known as â€Å"The Way,† can be categorized as both a Chinese philosophy and a religion. Taoists believe in accepting and yielding to the ways of life, complementing nature and being by internalizing their goals rather than worshipping a god externally. Taoism, in its metaphysical and philosophical nature, is much like Confucianism, but the ideal interests of the two religions are contrasting. Confucianism was formulated during a time of war and relies heavily upon a moral and political system that fashioned society and the Chinese empire, while Taoism correlates to a time of peace and honors spiritual and metaphysical preoccupation (Taoism 2). The supposed author of the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu, is said to be the father of Taoism. It is estimated that Lao Tzu, spelled many other ways including Lao-tsu, Lao Tse, and Lao Tzi, was born under the name of Li Erh in Honan, China, around 604 B.C.E. Myth says that Lao Tzu was born fully developed with a long, white beard and hair the color of snow. He was somewhat of a recluse and withdrew from society to avoid governmental law and rule. He retreated to the Western frontier after the fall of the Zhou dynasty to continue his personal study of metaphysics and philosophy (Taoism 2). The collaborations of his studies and observations are said to be the basis of the Tao Te Ching, although some scholars argue that Lao Tzu’s existence cannot be proved and that the scholar Chuang-tzu played at least a partial role in the authorship. However the Tao Te Ching came to be, it is prized for being the foundation of Taoist belief and should hold merit as a universal guide, not as an aut hor’s accomplishment (De Bary, Chan, and Watson 49). There are t... ...e and space and is therefore attainable to each individual who is ready to be released from the bonds of the physical. The Tao is perfection, a place where yin and yang come together and all that lives in diversity finds unity. Works Cited De Bary, Wm. Theodore, Wing-Tsit Chan, and Burton Watson, eds. Sources of Chinese Tradition. NewYork: Columbia UP, 1960. Feibleman, James K. Understanding Oriental Philosophy: A Popular Account for the Western World. New York: Horizon, 1976. Robinson, B.A, â€Å"Taoism.† Religious Tolerance.org. 28 August 2000. 15 September 2000 . Smullyan, Raymond M. The Tao is Silent. New York: Harper & Row, 1977. â€Å"Taoism.† Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 1999-2000 ed. 19 September 2000 .

Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) Essay

Sophocles tells perhaps the most tragic of all tales pertaining to great families in Greece. The play is divided into three parts, namely: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colossus, and Antigone. The plays focus on how one family experiences seemingly endless, tragic circumstances leading them to despair and anguish. There are a handful of strong characters that seem to have the courage to face these unfortunate events; however, there are also several characters that seem weak and easy prey for the tragedy. Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) The story revolves around Oedipus. Oedipus travels from Corinth to escape from a prophecy. He meets a group of men who fights him; he defeats and kills all of the men, except for one. A sphinx is positioned right outside the gates of Thebes. Before anybody can enter the city, the sphinx asks him to answer its riddle. The sphinx eats the men who are not able to solve its riddle. Soon, men stop attempting to come near the gates of Thebes, and its inhabitants start to face famine. (Sophocles 1) When Oedipus faces the sphinx, he solves the riddle. The sphinx kills itself and Oedipus is able to enter Thebes. He is hailed as a hero and he marries the widowed queen, Jocasta. Oedipus and Jocasta live in prosperity and have four children who grow up to be honored by the men and women of Thebes. Once their children grow of age, a revelation comes in the form of a Delphic Oracle. He tells the royal family that Oedipus is the child of Jocasta and her murdered King Laius. Jocasta kills herself after realizing the horror of what happened, and Oedipus, upon seeing the death of his wife and mother, blinds himself. Oedipus at Colonus The story begins after Oedipus has blinded himself to prevent himself from seeing the horror in his life. Thebes banishes Oedipus and he wanders with one of his daughters, Antigone. They settle in Colonus near the city of Athens and are left in peace. There are very little developments in this story as opposed to the plots of Oedipus the King and Antigone. Oedipus accepts his fate and realizes what has become of the royal family. He grows old but regains respect as a man outside of Thebes. Both Antigone and Oedipus lead a quiet life. He passes away quietly and Antigone goes back to Thebes. Antigone Oedipus’ daughter, Antigone, returns to Thebes to find his brothers fighting for the throne. Both of her brothers, Polynieces and Eteocles, are killed in their battle against each other. Eteocles is given a hero’s burial since he fights for Thebes. King Creon, the king of Thebes, orders that Polynieces should not be buried because he has defied Thebes and has fought against it. Antigone pities her brother and decides to bury him despite the pleas of her sister, Ismene. Antigone argues that she cannot possibly let Polynieces’ remains to be exposed and dishonored. She proceeds to make a burial for her brother despite the King’s orders. King Creon finds out about Antigone’s treachery and orders that she be punished – that she be put to death. The Thebans and Ismene try to convince King Creon to reconsider his punishment. He retracts his edict, but they find it futile since Antigone has already taken her own life. The Political Purpose Sophocles’ trilogy shows the dynamics of the relationships within a royal family during ancient Greece. There are a lot of responsibilities bestowed upon the members of the family that there are times during which their own happiness is taken away: they are called to choose their duty above their own lives. Antigone’s strength of character is a most admirable trait a royal has shown – she gave up her life and liberty to do the right thing. The Evolution of Prophetic Literature Sophocles shows the promise of a riveting plot and how it can be made by using prophesies as a major element in the story. He illustrates the importance of believing and following the oracles’ counsel. (Segal 129) Oracles plays very significant parts in Sophocles’ plays. There are several more works which take after the formula of this play. The Oedipus trilogy is marked as one of the stronger foundations in Prophetic Literature. Works Cited Segal, Charles. Sophocles’ tragic world: divinity, nature, society. Harvard University Press, 1998. Sophocles. The Oedipus Trilogy. Kessinger Publishing, 2004.

Francisco Franco

Francisco Franco was born in El Ferrol in Galicia in 1892. He was going to join the navy, but instead he joined the army. In 1907 he joined the Infantry Academy in Toledo and graduated when he was 17. In 1912 he volunteered to be in colonial campaigns and was sent to the Spanish Morocco. He was promoted because he could handle the troops so well. In 1915 he became the youngest captain in the army. In 1935 he was appointed Chief of the Spanish Armys general staff, in this position he gained the most strength. On July 18, 1936, Franco's beliefs were broadcast. They acclaimed to a military rebellion. On that same morning, the rising began. Within the day, he was firmly in control of the Protectorate, and he marched to Madrid. On October 1, 1935, before the assault on Madrid, the army leaders met to choose a Generalissimo. This person would head the Nationalist Government. Franco was chosen, and became the Generalissimo. His government was a military dictatorship, but he organized the Spanish Fascist Party called the Falange. His regime was an institutionalized demanding system. In the Civil War, he was a very careful and efficient leader, and won the war on April 1, 1939. The war really wasn't fair, because it was the army and the government of Spain, Italy, and Germany against the people of Spain. As a result, the victor was obviously Franco and his regime. After the Spanish civil war, Spain was in ruins, so Franco stayed out of World War II. Franco came out of the Civil War as He! ad of State, government, armed forces, and the party, which showed his desperation to keep the power in his hands only. Spain made some major changes in its governmental system with Franco in power. The Falangist party melted into the background, so Franco was the only power in Spain. In 1947, Franco announced the restoration of the kingdom in Spain. Franco soon became known as a -Fascist dictator. Franco took over everything,

Types of Spooky Unusual Plants

Types of Spooky Unusual Plants Have you ever heard of white ghost or vampire plants? Plants are amazing organisms. They are able to create their own food through photosynthesis, and provide food for millions of other organisms. Plants may seem dull to some, but here are a few that I think are interesting and even kind of spooky. They are living proof that plants are not just boring old green things that grow in the ground. Lets start with a plant that has a built-in first aid kit. Bandagers Milkweed is so named because of the milky white juice that seeps out when the plant is broken off or cut. When the juice dries, it serves as a bandage covering the exposed area. The juice is also important because it acts as a poisonous deterrent to any insects that might try to feed on the plant. One exception is the Monarch butterfly which is immune to the effects of the poison. Milkweed plants are the only plants young Monarch caterpillars will eat. Chokers Strangler Figs get their name because they actually choke the life out of their host. They are found in tropical rainforests around the world. They grow from the top to the bottom of a tree with the help of animals. For example, a bird may drop a fig seed on the branch of a tree. Once the fig plant starts to grow, it sends its roots to the ground, which then anchor into the soil and completely surround the tree. Eventually, the host tree will die because it will no longer be able to get enough water or food. Deadly Nightshade Deadly nightshade plants, sometimes called devil’s berries, are named so because they are very toxic and deadly. The toxins from these plants can cause delirium and hallucinations. Their poison can also be fatal as it only takes consuming a few berries to kill a human. The berries from this plant were once used to make poison-tipped arrows. Dolls Eyes Dolls eyes plants are very unusual looking plants with berries that resemble eyeballs. While the entire plant is poisonous, eating berries from this plant could lead to cardiac arrest and death. Dolls eyes berries contain toxins that sedate cardiac muscles and can stop the heart. Birds however, are immune to the plant poisons. VampiresDodder plants attach to their host and suck off food and water. Dodder seedlings send out stems that search for other plants. Once a host is found, the dodder will cling to and penetrate the stems of the host. It will then grow and remain attached to its victim. Dodders are considered harmful parasites because they often spread plant diseases. Werewolf Plant Wolfsbane, also known as devils helmet, is an extremely toxic plant. Poisons from this plant at one time were used in hunting animals, including wolves. The toxins are quickly absorbed through the skin. Wolfsbane was also thought to ward off werewolves. White Ghosts Indian Pipes are tubular shaped plants with white flowers. The white color of the plant gives it a ghostly appearance. They grow in shaded places and receive all of their food from a fungus that lives in their roots.

Free Essays on Controversy Of Tracking

The Controversy of Tracking The idea of â€Å"tracking† came about in the beginning of the 20th century, and has been surrounded by much controversy. According to James Rosenbaum, â€Å"tracking refers to any practice which creates homogeneous classed stratified on the basis of achievement or career goals. The aim of homogeneity is to allow instruction to address the achievement level (or interests) of students more closely than would be possible if students were highly diverse†. There are many different types of tracking in different grades ranging from kindergarten to secondary education. Examples of tracking according to author Steven Brint, there are groupings according to ability in primary schools (reading groups), there are vocational, general education, and college prep courses in middle school and high school and there are basic and honors courses available at most high schools. There are many different views on whether tracking is a positive advantage in the schooling structures or that it is a negative disadvantage that needs to be reversed. . Society is hierarchical, as explained by Oakes, and tracking gives every student a different knowledge, so this leads the students to continue supporting the hierarchical society today (Oakes, p.75).... Free Essays on Controversy Of Tracking Free Essays on Controversy Of Tracking The Controversy of Tracking The idea of â€Å"tracking† came about in the beginning of the 20th century, and has been surrounded by much controversy. According to James Rosenbaum, â€Å"tracking refers to any practice which creates homogeneous classed stratified on the basis of achievement or career goals. The aim of homogeneity is to allow instruction to address the achievement level (or interests) of students more closely than would be possible if students were highly diverse†. There are many different types of tracking in different grades ranging from kindergarten to secondary education. Examples of tracking according to author Steven Brint, there are groupings according to ability in primary schools (reading groups), there are vocational, general education, and college prep courses in middle school and high school and there are basic and honors courses available at most high schools. There are many different views on whether tracking is a positive advantage in the schooling structures or that it is a negative disadvantage that needs to be reversed. . Society is hierarchical, as explained by Oakes, and tracking gives every student a different knowledge, so this leads the students to continue supporting the hierarchical society today (Oakes, p.75)....

Organizational Behavior in Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organizational Behavior in Management - Essay Example The essay "Organizational Behavior in Management" presents a systematic study of Organizational Behavior (OB) that equips the manager with the necessary theories, concepts, and principles of human behavior which he would need in future decision-making processes. OB is the analysis of the way that individuals work within an organization.A manager, having four basic functions such as planning, organizing, directing, and controlling, need the theoretical background on organizational behavior to assist him in effectively carrying out these functions. Organizational Behavior provides theories on motivation, communication, leadership, work group behavior, organizational development and even topics on career, time and stress management. Understanding OB allows better worker relations, more realistic expectations and improves job satisfaction†. For an organization, a manager with knowledge of OB would be able to increase productivity for it provides the knowledge and information which are the basis for improving performance. Frequent resignation, excessive wastage could signify that the company needs better recruitment or screening procedures, more intensive training programs, safe and clean working environments, equitable compensation package, or a healthy and stimulating psychological climate. All these strategies are better determined by a manager who is equipped with a systematic study of organizational behavior. Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions.

Literary Theory The Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan and 2 short Essay

Literary Theory The Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan and 2 short answer questions(Kindly have a look at the Assignment Require - Essay Example e and dependent for the future decades to come, and seldom take initiative for the uplift of their culture. His famous play â€Å"The Road† defines the very reality that foreign rule over a country apparently unites the nation against the common enemy; somehow, this artificial unity and synthetic bond between the naturally divided classes cause further acceleration of hatred and conflict between them, where the haves exploit the haves-not stand against one another with stronger enthusiasm. Soyinka is of the view that corruption binds the national institutions in such a manner that the public departments become the symbol of corruption and malpractices. (The Road, 1987) The same issues have been discussed by celebrated legislator, lawyer and writer Anghie (2005), where he submits to state that the imperialism does not depart from the third world for good; rather, it remains active through its policies, technological advancements, culture and agents, which keep the ball of forei gn imperialism rolling forever and ever. Illustrious Palestinian-American writer and human rights activist Edward Said (1978) has also thrown light on the same problem, where the once subjugated states are unable to obtain complete freedom from the awkward clutches of imperialism; consequently, they remain dependent on their western masters for financial aid, social uplift and economic development of their country. The entire situation is actually the outcome of the fabrication well-knitted by the colonialists for the sustenance of their influence over their ex colonies. Consequently, anarchy, chaos, disorder, corruption and extreme kind of financial and moral corruption could easily be witnessed in the former colonies of the big powers. Psychoanalysis Attributed to celebrated 20th century Austrian psychologist theorist Sigmund Freud, psychoanalysis is an analytical method of exploring all that is consciously and unconsciously prevailing in the mind of the individual under-treatment or under-investigation. The method is unanimously accredited to Freud for inventing the same method and applying it on the patients suffering from different type of mental, emotional or psychological collapse. Freud is of the opinion that instead of one single factor, there appear many issues and reasons that regulate human behavior and determine various activities performed by the humans in one way or the other. Hence, instead of looking into the factors existing in the conscious, Freud pays more heed to human subconscious that plays pivotal role in the liking, disliking and priorities owned by the individuals while taking decisions regarding their actions, reactions and everyday behavior at large. (Pervin, 1995) Freud is of the opinion that most of the personality traits have been developed in early years of childhood, as these childhood memories become an essential and inevitable part of the individuals’ subconscious. Being the store-house of memories, preferences and pri orities, individuals cannot escape from these memories even in their grown years and thus remain

Water consumption research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Water consumption research - Essay Example son with Nestle).Even for white-collar workers in big cities like Beijing and Shanghaiï ¼Å'it would be a considerable cost if they choose only Evian as drinking water. Bottled water is a ubiquitous commodity and its consumption continues to increase rapidly(Wilk, 2006). It is frequently studied with comparison to tap waterï ¼Å'or be criticized for single-serve disposable containers and not sustainable (Azoulay et al 2001; Doria 2006; Ferrier 2001). In Chinaï ¼Å'I was not a consumer of Evianï ¼Å'as there were many cheaper alternatives. And I would not be surprised if some rich Chinese drink Evian every day.Howeverï ¼Å'according to my memoriesï ¼Å'some young people, who were students and did not earn money, claim that they were fans of Evian, who never forget to take one bottle of Evian when they had group activities, like taking an LV. It seems that this kind of behavior is a new way of ‘conspicuous consumption’)in everyday lifeï ¼Å'which is definitely unsustainable (Wilk, 2006). On the other hand, irrational consumers just buy a product out of pulse and some of them are not aware of the forces that drive them to buy the product. For these consumersï ¼Å'the meaning of this bottled water is far beyond Marx’s use-value is more concerned with the benefits sought from using a particular product. The customers seek different benefits from a particular and this significantly plays a major role in influencing their behaviour to buy such product (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). For those people, what kind of magic does Evian have to get them pay for it? With this in mind, I suppose researching the ways in which people consume expensive bottled water while much cheaper alternatives are abundant would provide a stimulating focus. This research aims to explore in the case of Evian consumptionï ¼Å'the kind of meanings the consumer creates and find them in Evian. Through this consumption, what information about herself does she want to communicate to others? Also, this research aims to

Chicago Jazz and the Great Migration Term Paper

Chicago Jazz and the Great Migration - Term Paper Example It goes without a word that history on the record can never disappear whatsoever especially the one that cling on the mind. In this respect, jazz and the great migration are histories that people still relish and cherish. They form tremendous memories to people, particularly, of Chicago. In the 20th century, blacks began to move from southern cities to the North in search of decent living. The movement was facilitated by availability of train that provided easy access to the famous Chicago, as well as other northern cities. The mass movement came about after the World War I started in Europe and no foreign workers could immigrate to America. Therefore, many blacks migrated to Chicago and other cities located in the North. It is the most influential newspaper of the black called the Chicago Defender that encouraged this great migration. Thus, through the newspaper blacks thought that the North could be the land of freedom for them. In fact, some blacks would refer it as ‘the pro mised Land. They had suffered a lot in the course of slavery and had a high quest for liberty (Grossman, James R.79). It is through this mass movement that jazz musicians found their way to the North. The jazz musicians came to northern of Chicago on Mississippi riverboats. It was after the closure of New Orleans in Storyville district, in the year 1917. The jazz migration formed a portion of the mass movement experienced in Chicago. From Mississippi river, jazz entered Chicago through the Illinois Central Railroad over the 12th street station. The Railroad is situated 200 miles from Mississippi river in the eastern direction where the riverboats had docked. The mass movement was called The Great Migration. The migration was mainly composed of African Americans that moved from south to north of Chicago. The immigrants came to Chicago for the same whys and wherefores that other people in the world migrated to other

Tourism Marketing Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tourism Marketing - Research Proposal Example The research is thus undertaken to understand the different dimensions of tourism marketing and ho this elates to marketing of tourist spots and what are the approaches involved in marketing such tourist places or locations. The concepts of brands and creativity or innovation are also highlighted in the discussion. There are several research questions in this study and based on these research questions, some of the research articles and analysis published in journals will be examined and a comparison of the research approach with the already published research viewpoints will be sought. The main research question is whether or how the approach to tourism marketing and management should change or differ in case of architectural landmark as against tourism marketing of regular destination or location. Are there special approaches to promoting a particular tourist spot and how is it possible to differentiate between destination and location and tourist sites such as architectural landmarks in tourism marketing and management Considering the approaches to tourism marketing in promoting destinations and tourist or architectural sites as brands, several research studies and published papers could be used to substantiate the background of the study. The research study is to be focused on destination marketing and tourist destination as brands as it is important to develop branding approaches for any successful marketing venture. As Kerr (2006) has indicated, destination marketing organizations with government support have been responsible for promoting certain locations and tourist spots and there is suggestion to review such responsibilities and approaches. However there are downsides to destination marketing as this sort of marketing is solely tourism focused and tend to overlook stakeholder prospects or investments in these locations so may not be completely productive for the overall development of a location. Brand management of any particular location deals with the holistic approach of actually changing the potential of a location from an ordinary location to a tourist friendly destination. However according to Kerr there is a need to reform destination marketing practices as it is important to address brand management of locations. Kerr draws out a distinction between destination brand and location brand with the potentially relevant research areas as in the study of brand management of locations. In another related paper, Perivoliotis and Margaret (2007) studied local tourist producers and businesses involved in artifacts and textiles. The paper focuses on how tourism marketing could bank in on the strengths of the local markets and cultural heritage of any product and also brings out the importance of creativity, innovation, productivity, education in any tourism marketing and management initiative. New technology is primarily important in tourism marketing as it could be used to select participating tourist producers and marketers or managers and basic design education and computer training as also basic management and marketing

Chicago Jazz and the Great Migration Term Paper

Chicago Jazz and the Great Migration - Term Paper Example It goes without a word that history on the record can never disappear whatsoever especially the one that cling on the mind. In this respect, jazz and the great migration are histories that people still relish and cherish. They form tremendous memories to people, particularly, of Chicago. In the 20th century, blacks began to move from southern cities to the North in search of decent living. The movement was facilitated by availability of train that provided easy access to the famous Chicago, as well as other northern cities. The mass movement came about after the World War I started in Europe and no foreign workers could immigrate to America. Therefore, many blacks migrated to Chicago and other cities located in the North. It is the most influential newspaper of the black called the Chicago Defender that encouraged this great migration. Thus, through the newspaper blacks thought that the North could be the land of freedom for them. In fact, some blacks would refer it as ‘the pro mised Land. They had suffered a lot in the course of slavery and had a high quest for liberty (Grossman, James R.79). It is through this mass movement that jazz musicians found their way to the North. The jazz musicians came to northern of Chicago on Mississippi riverboats. It was after the closure of New Orleans in Storyville district, in the year 1917. The jazz migration formed a portion of the mass movement experienced in Chicago. From Mississippi river, jazz entered Chicago through the Illinois Central Railroad over the 12th street station. The Railroad is situated 200 miles from Mississippi river in the eastern direction where the riverboats had docked. The mass movement was called The Great Migration. The migration was mainly composed of African Americans that moved from south to north of Chicago. The immigrants came to Chicago for the same whys and wherefores that other people in the world migrated to other

Precis for two articles or write a good topic you think Essay - 2

Precis for two articles or write a good topic you think - Essay Example Even though population size is larger in developing countries and has higher growth rate, the greater threat is still developed countries. Developing countries however contribute to the threat of higher consumption through emigration to developed countries or through efforts for improving living standards and per capita consumption such as in China. China is a fast growing economy. While its current per capita consumption is 11 times lower than the one for developed countries, its large population means that continued increase in its per capita consumption would be a great threat to sustainability. Increase in its per capita consumption to 32 would increase global oil consumption by more than 100 percent and global metal consumption by almost 100 percent (Diamond 1, 2). If India could also join China to the 32-consumption level then the global consumption rate would increase by 300 percent while improvement of consumption in all developing countries would increase global consumption by about 1100 percent. Even though Americans suggest that improved governance and better policies could improve lifestyles in developing countries, these may not be valid solutions because economies may not be able to sustain increased consumption levels. Americans are also critical of countries with increasing consumption rates yet these rates are well below that in America. While developing countries may seek to improve their consumption rates towards equality, resource scarcity is a limitation and developed countries may not be willing to reduce their rates. Some of the factors to high consumption rates are however wasteful and minimizing them can ensure a balance with a level of sustainability. Political goodwill appears the necessary tool to this success (Diamond 2 , 3). Malakoff David authored the article, ‘Be fruitful and multiply?’ that the Conservation Magazine published in December 2009. The author identifies conflicting opinions on global

Intro to Greek Mythology Influence Essay Example for Free

Intro to Greek Mythology Influence Essay Introduction: In order to understand the impact of Greek mythology on Western culture one must understand what Greek mythology itself is. Greek Mythology is the belief, tales, and stories of ancient gods who ruled the ancient world as well as heroes who challenged the gods or some who fought for them. Many of these tales include moral stories and shaped humanistic values of what and what not to do. The ancient Greece Empire was located around the Mediterranean Sea and touched parts of what was called minor Asia (Howstuffwork 2010). In these times the belief was that ancient gods were a part of everyday life. Supposedly the gods rules all aspect of life such as the production of food, domestic life, war and social life such as fortune and love. The people mad sacrifices to these gods to â€Å"please† them and many died fighting for these gods, which no one actually saw because of their home on Mount Olympus. Greek mythology was more than just stories to these people it was actually a religion, which formed and shaped political nature of Ancient Greece as well. Greek mythology attempts to explain the origins of the world and the reasons for occurrences in the world. The time period of when Greek mythology began is not really confirmed it is estimated around 800 BC, but there have been accounts of earlier pottery and artifacts which show images of the gods. These mythical stories have stood against the sands of time and even today are used in modern language and societies. Howstuffworks Ancient Greece. (n.d.). HowStuffWorks Learn How Everything Works!. Retrieved February 10, 2011, from http://www.howstuffworks.com/ancient-greece.htm/printable

A Short Biography Of Dr Jim Cummins English Language Essay

A Short Biography Of Dr Jim Cummins English Language Essay This paper will give a short biography of Dr. Jim Cummins, a well-known second language educator and a major contributor to the body of research driving TESL techniques. It will cover his more significant contributions to the field of bilingual education, and it will provide a more detailed and deeper look at his theoretical contributions to TESL. Dr. Jim Cummins: An Author Study In 1970, Dr. Jim Cummins earned his first college degree, a B.A., from the University of Dublin in Psychology. He then went on to earn a doctorate in Educational Psychology in 1974 from the University of Alberta. In 1997, he was also granted an honorary doctorate from the Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Dr. Cummins is currently a professor in Ontario, Canada at the University of Toronto where he works in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (Canadian Education Association, 2010). Dr. Cummins has an extensive list of published work relating to second language learning and literacy and is a seminar presenter. He is also known for being a prominent researcher in bilingual education as well as the effects of technology on instruction (Race, Culture, Identity, and Achievement Seminar, 2005). One of the main contributions to the TESL community which is credited to Dr. Cummins is the concept of Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). BICS is the social aspect of language you would normally find in everyday situations like playgrounds, talking, playing sports, and the like. BICS develops more quickly than CALP, usually taking six months to two years to develop. CALP, by contrast, is harder to learn and takes longer to develop; it actually takes five to seven years to achieve proficiency. CALP is the style of language students need to succeed in academic areas and as students rise through higher and higher grade levels, the language gets harder to comprehend and context gradually reduces (Haynes, 1998). Although BICS and CALP are widely seen as established theories there have been some criticisms and contrary opinions. In a publication titled Putting Language Proficiency in its Place: Responding to Critiques of the Conversational/Academic Language Distinction, Dr. Cummins defends his position on BICS and CALP. He points out several key factors that indicate that second language academic language emerges slowly. First, in North America minority children have been given IQ tests in their secondary language after only two or three years in their new country. As a result, a higher proportion of ELL students ended up in special education services. Dr. Cummins points out that this calls the validity of the IQ test itself into question. Since the IQ test is based on the norms and experiences of the dominant culture, it would follow that the minority, or ELL, population might be at a disadvantage on this standardized test. Therefore, the test itself is probably not doing a good job of discr iminating actual special education students from normal students who lack the CALP to pass the thresholds on the standardized test. A second point by Dr. Cummins is that many ELL students are forced out of ELL services after three years. This arbitrary time limit goes against the idea that CALP takes five to seven years to develop, and what has been discovered is that many of these students who are forced out of ELL services end up experiencing academic failure. This seems to support the CALP theory. A third point he makes, answering critics, is that BICS and CALP are not meant to take into account all of the facets of sociolinguistic development; the theories are specifically meant to cover second language learners, not all language development of all learners. So the idea that BICS and CALP do not take into account all the myriad aspects of language is meaningless. A fourth point in Cummins rebuttal paper is that BICS, although basic in nature, will have some cognitive aspects; he makes the analogy of joke-telling. Telling a joke is a BICS activity, but it will have some cognitive elements. Basically his point is that if some BICS interactions have aspects of cognitive functions, then it does not negate the entire BICS/CALP theory. Furthermore, he goes on to clarify that CALP should not be seen as superior, just different. Finally, Cummins calls on the support of two fellow researchers, Biber and Corson, whose research generally supports his theory of BICS and CALP (Cummins, 1999). Cummins has produced many opinions and given much advice on the development of CALP in ELL students. One that is interesting is the idea that language is always considered to be an intervening variable rather than an isolated variable that stands on its own and causes some given outcome. Basically, language develops both in and out of school so it is not entirely under the control of the teacher. Another point Cummins makes is that reading is critical to the development of CALP; he points out that although the home life and home culture of students will, and arguably should, determine much of their language development, it is essential that they read books because this improves and embellishes their understanding of the fundamental parts of language, like syntax, which they otherwise might not encounter. Furthermore, he recommends reading a variety of text materials. The decline of reading proficiencies between fourth and sixth grades is another point Cummins has commented on; he att ributes this phenomenon to the simple fact that the reading material changes from familiar topics and text to more abstract or technical words and topics. Cooperative learning is also suggested by Cummins as a means to develop CALP because these interactive activities become more internalized. Writing is also suggested by Cummins not only as a means to develop CALP, but also as a means to expression in the ELL classroom (Grigorenko, 2005). Another large contribution that Dr. Cummins has made to the TESL academic community is the concept of Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP). CUP is a set of skills that a child learns while acquiring his or her first, or primary, language. This set of skills applies to the next language he or she learns. Thus, the CUP serves as a basis for learning any and all languages. Any growth of the CUP skill set will enhance learning in all languages. Furthermore, this explains why people find the second language, and subsequent languages, easier to learn than the first language. For this reason, mainstream teachers and ELL teachers must remember to encourage further development of the primary language as the children also learn a second language (Shoebottom, 1996). One interesting enhancement, or extrapolation, to the concept of CUP can be found in Dr. Cummins article Immersion Education for the Millenium: What We Have Learned from 30 Years of Research on Second Language Immersion. In this article he describes two principles that I understood to be related to the concept of CUP. First, he mentions the Additive Bilingual Enrichment Principle whereby bilingual students have been shown to improve their linguistic processing ability, somewhat due to the fact that the bilingual child has had more practice processing language. In answer to those who would deny students L1 development in conjunction with L2, Dr. Cummins states that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the development of additive bilingual skills entails no negative consequences for childrens academic, linguistic, or intellectual developmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦evidence points in the direction of subtle meta-linguistic, academic and intellectual benefits for bilingual children. (Cummins, 1999). The second princip le illustrated in this article is the Linguistic Interdependence Principle which means that students will experience no loss of linguistic function in L1 as they study in L2 because the two are connected and interdependent in the learners mind (Cummins, 1999). A third main theoretical contribution made by Dr. Cummins is the concept of task difficulty. Tasks range in difficulty along one continuum from cognitively undemanding to cognitively demanding; and along another continuum from context-embedded to context-reduced (Shoebottom, 1999). This is a Cummins concept which is well-known to TESL educators whereby it becomes understood that a low-context, high-cognitive skill, such as conceptual mathematics, is much harder for a second language student to comprehend than a task or skill, like buying popcorn, which is high-context and low-cognitive in nature (Azusa Unified School District, 2007). On the topic of language as related to concepts like mathematics we may often notice that students will continue to speak in a BICS modality, even when a CALP modality would be more appropriate to the situation. Lloyd notes that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Cummins observes that students are most likely to speak with each other in peer appropriate ways regardless of their second language proficiencyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦this suggests that even when opportunities arise for students to engage in mathematical dialogues with one another, they may do so using primarily natural language or BICS and may not further develop their CALP (Lloyd, et. Al., 2005). The previous paragraphs of this paper have dealt with Dr. Cummins most popular and widely-respected theories in TESL. However, from reading and searching the internet I have found two other main themes in Dr. Cummins research that perhaps the novice TESL teacher may have missed or not experienced in the typical TESL course work. First, he seems to be driven to discuss and comment on the educational rights and socio-political atmosphere surrounding ELL populations. Second, he has done some work in educational technology that is not as pervasive in reviews of his body of work. In Dr. Cummins web publication titled The Ethics of Doublethink: Language Rights and the Bilingual Education Debate he makes several points that illuminate his core educational beliefs. First, his use of the Orwellian term doublethink points to a situation where two contradictory ideas exist in the thinkers mind at the same time. He uses the term doublethink with regards to three respected academic people whose comments helped to pass California Proposition 227. Using the term from Orwells well-known book 1984 paints a dark picture of the people in question, as if they were cold-minded bureaucrats. Proposition 227 was a step backwards for ELL opportunities in that state, and Cummins illuminates the fact that these three academics simultaneously spoke in support of Proposition 227 as well as having a record of supporting bilingual education. Cummins clarifies that bilingual education is heavily rooted in the L1 while also teaching English and was considered a positive idea, until the three researchers came out in support of Proposition 227. In his conclusion section Cummins tone is scathing and he calls into question the ethics of these three popular and respected academics. (Cummins, 1999). From the tone of his dialog in this article it becomes clear that Cummins is very passionate about the truthfulness in his TESL community, and he clearly has the students best interests in mind. He sounds like a very dedicated educator, rather than a pandering politician. Another publication by Cummins titled Rights and Responsibilities of Educators of Bilingual-Bicultural Children illuminates more clearly the beliefs held by this prominent educator. He argues that educators who deal with bilingual-bicultural students have the right and the responsibility to positively impact these childrens lives, and he goes on to illustrate the racism present in both the communities these children live in as well as the legislation that affects their educational experiences. As an example of a community turning against a minority group, he discusses a situation that got very heated in Pittsburgh. The school district, under political pressure from the dominant culture, decided to do away with a very successful bilingual program in favor of a more widely called-for, but less-effective, English immersion program. Cummins comments on how the dominant culture of the geographical region acted in a racially-charged manner to the detriment of the children in question. As a n example of legislative bias he again discusses Californias Proposition 227, of 1998, which limited severely the use of L1 in the classroom to assist with instruction. He discusses the xenophobic distortions of the media surrounding this legislative action, and the seemingly ridiculous assertions such as one year of English is adequate to get a child trained so that he can succeed in the regular classroom. After illustrating these two frightening examples of cultural bias, Cummins discusses some successful TESL programs and a concept called the Foyer model. The main aspect of the Foyer model that makes it successful is the idea that educators need to respect and tap into the primary, or former, culture of the ELL students. (Cummins, 2000). In this article we once again feel the dedication to the research, the decades of learning and the passion for TESL concepts held by Dr. Cummins. His tone in the article is frustrated and indignant at times. Clearly, he has nothing but distaste for the political situations which led to these two examples. One last contribution made by Dr. Cummins to consider in this paper is his work with technology in TESL techniques; this is perhaps a less well-known aspect of his work, and certainly it is much less pervasive on the internet. In his article titled e-Lective Language Design of a Computer-Assisted Test-Based ESL/EFL Learning System, Dr. Cummins elaborates on his use of technology to enhance ELL success. Using his theoretical system, which calls for a multimedia CD-ROM, as well as L1 to L2 dictionaries, students or teachers can import any text in electronic form and use the computer assistant program to help with comprehension. The computer program has several main features. First, it uses text in electronic form, and Cummins makes a point of saying that the name e-Lective is a reference to the term e-mail and is an appropriate name because the educator using it must realize that it is designed for use with electronic text only. Second, Cummins, in a very clever way, incorporates the root word lect into the name of the program. Lect, as he explains, forms the basis for several cognates that refer to reading. Third, the title has the word elective in it, and this implies that the ELL student will be able to m ake learning choices as learning progresses. Finally, Cummins explains that his program is different from most of the computer-assisted language learning programs because the learner is able to import the material he or she reads and works with; this is much different from the typical computer language program that has a pre-set, built-in curriculum, and the reading that can be imported is much more valid to the curriculum being taught and, perhaps, more interesting and valid for the learner. Essentially, students import and read any electronic text they want, and can pause as they read to get a definition, pronunciation, L1 equivalent of the unfamiliar L2 word, idiomatic expressions as needed, and cognates if applicable (Cummins, 1999). To conclude, this paper has reviewed in some depth the main theories of Dr. Cummins: BICS and CALP, CUP, and Task complexity with regards to level of context clues and severity of cognitive demands on the learner. Additionally, Dr. Cummins scholarly work as an advocate for equity issues, and educational morality, in TESL was examined. Finally, a description of his more-recent, and less-known, work with computer-assisted TESL education was described. Dr. Cummins has been shown to be a cornerstone of TESL research and techniques as well as a strong voice in political and academic circles who views TESL as a moral obligation of the educational establishment.

america sucess or failure Essay -- essays papers

america sucess or failure America-success or failure is a broad topic. This question can be looked at differently from the multi-cultural races that make up America. The most likely theory is America is a success, but with continual change and improvement, she can become more. To prove this theory we will discuss essential events, from past to present that will champion this theory. The period we will cover is from the 1950’s to present day. The political mood, social changes, and domestic situations brought forth many changes in American history. To define America’s success, civil rights comes to the forefront. America has had a long history of racial and unequal rights division amongst its diverse ethnic groups. During the 1950’s, severe treatment of African Americans was very noticeable. Slavery may not exist today, but brutal treatment of blacks continued. Discrimination was a way of life for white America. The South may have lost the war but the battle continued. And Black Americans during these times were less then men in the eyes of many White Americans. Education changed many of the views of White Americans, and the will of certain Black Americans who, regardless of the consequences, were tired of being citizens but not equal. ‘In September 1946 President Harry Truman met with a group of African American leaders to discuss the steps that needed to be taken to achieve their goals. They asked for support of a Federal Anti-Lynching law, abolish a poll tax as a voting requirement, and establish a permanent board to prevent discriminatory practices in hiring. Congress refused to address any of these concerns.’(America Pathways to the Present) It is hard to believe such issues existed in America with such a large multi-racial representation as we have. However, momentum carried Civil Rights forward and brave people like Rosa Parks and Martin L. King brought attention to the wrongs that were being committed. These heroic acts met with violence from America. Technology was key in changing public opinion when this violence came into the living rooms of neutral Americans. Black unity grew and white support continues to grow. The dramatic turning point according to this theory was Martin L. King’s march on the capital and his famous speech â€Å"I have a Dream†. This event was the largest public protest against discrimination and t... ..., lesbian, and bisexual people to serve openly in the U.S. military, a 19-point jump from 1997. (NGLTF Policy Institute Report From Wrongs to Rights, PG 12.) The fact that the gay and lesbian community has made progressive accomplishment is proof that America is succeeding. Twenty years ago the mere mention of this could ruin a person’s life or career. With time and education the Gay and Lesbian community is gaining equal rights, but improvement is always needed. Many measures have been taken to block Gay and Lesbian rights for example a religious activist group failed in its efforts to place initiatives attacking the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community on the November ballot in four Michigan communities this week. Initiatives failed to make the ballot in Royal Oak, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Traverse City, while the results of a similar attempt in a fifth city, Grand Ledge, was not known.’ (NGLTF Policy Institute Report From Wrongs to Rights, P g. 14) America is not perfect, but there is nothing to compare it with in the world. I hope that for the sake of our next generation who will inherit this country we will have and even greater success to speak about.

Nuclear Physics Essay -- physics nuclear

The Nucleus of an atom consists of protons, and neutrons. A proton has a charge of positive one while a neutron has no electric charge at all and both have a mass of one atomic mass unit. These two particles are known as nucleons. On the outside of the nucleus electrons can be found. These electrons have a charge of negative one and a mass that is negligible because of how small it is compared to the nucleons. The discovery of the electron showed that the atom might have an internal structure. It was originally thought to be a conglomerate or "plum pudding" as it was called. But it was soon discovered using the gold foil experiment. Some of the particles were scattered backwards. Because of these results, it was theorized that the nucleus was like an electron moon orbiting a neutron and proton planet. Using this model, it is easier to understand how the different reactions occur. Radio activity was discovered in 1896 by Henri Becquerel while he was working with compounds that contained uranium. Photographic plates that were used to keep out light because partially exposed when they were brought near any of the compounds that were part uranium. He speculated that the exposure was caused by some form of ray passing through the plates. He also found the some materials other than uranium contained these rays. These materials are said to be radio active. There are three kinds of radiation known as ÃŽ ± alpha, ÃŽ ² beta, and ÃŽ ³ gamma radiation. These were discovered by Enrest Rutherford in 1899. Alpha particles are the nucleus of the He atom, beta particles are high speed electrons and gamma rays are high energy photons. ÃŽ ± Alpha decay is the emission of an He nucleus. Because the alpha particles contai... ...o when the atoms are released they cannot help but mash into each other. This is where all of the extra energy comes from which causes the explosion. Hydrogen Bombs The hydrogen bomb is much more powerful than the atomic bomb. The actual trigger for the bomb is not TNT but instead an actual atomic bomb. The H-Bomb is made up of two different kinds of isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium. Smaller atomic bombs trigger the finale explosion for the Hydrogen bomb. Like the TNT, they compress the two isotopes into a very dense mass which initiates fusion, producing great amounts of energy. The actual bomb casing is made out of uranium. When the inside of the bomb detonates its causes the casing to undergo fission which causes even more energy to be released. The fusion reactions produces a fission reaction which totals up to a huge amount of energy.

Economic vale added

Corporations continue to use a variety of measures to gauge their financial performance for many years. Economic value added (EVA) has been Introduced as a very effective performance measurement and strategic assessment tool. One of the reasons why EVA is such a powerful instrument is that it is linked to market value added (MBA), which is the definite indicator of a company's wealth creation. Another reason for using EVA is that it is the only dependable and precise continuous improvement method available.Economic value added is the term that Stern Stewart & Co. Coined for Its particular variety of economic profit and gain that remains after levying a charge against â€Å"After Tax Operating profits† for the opportunity cost of all capital used to produce those profits. Many corporate managers have mistakenly been focusing on conventional accounting profits, which include a deduction for interest payments on debt but have no provision at all for the cost of equity capital. Ma rket value added measures the level of wealth creation.It beats out all other measures because it is the deference between â€Å"Cash In and Cash Out†, I. E. , between how much capital investors put Into a company and what they could get out by selling at today's market price. As such, MBA Is the cumulative amount by which a company has enhanced or diminished shareholder wealth. It is the best external measure of company performance because it captures the market's assessment of the effectiveness in how company's managers have used their resources.Within the scope of this study, the role of economic value added in financial theory, and the relationship between market value added, market value and economic value added have been Investigated. Empirical study around the market value added, market value, economic value added, traditional measures such as net Income, earnings per share, return on assets and return on equity have been employed with the data taken from 89 Istanbul S tock Exchange companies, over a period 1 996 – 2005.Additionally, Regression and Factor Analysis are applied to find the high reference firms and industries as well as value drivers pertaining the firms taken up In this study. It has been determined that market value and market value added have lower association with economic value added in comparison to the measures of earnings such as net operating profit after tax and net income. Moreover, when the annual changes in the variables are taken into consideration, association level of EVA to MBA and NV is weaker than the net operating profit after tax and net income.However, economic value added is a more powerful management tool than traditional performance measures Like earnings per share, return on assets and return on equity In measuring firm financial performance In SIS regarding the period of 1996 – 2005. Moreover, In order to determine the value drivers In Istanbul Stock Exchange financial characteristics have bee n investigated. A weak correlation between market value added, market value and internal financial measures were determined. The impact of macroeconomic factors on the market value added and market value has also been investigated.It has been concluded that inflation and treasury bill rates have a negative correlation, while gross domestic/national product and money supply/net international reserves have a positive correlation with market value added and market value of the Istanbul Stock Exchange industrial firms. Furthermore, Porter's value philosophy has been discussed to investigate the competitiveness and value creation of Turkish companies and industries. Keywords: Market value added, market value, economic value added

Western Lowland Gorillas

Western Lowland Gorillas October 23, 2009 Introduction: When I was around 14, I saw one of the best movies. The movie was Gorillas in The Mist, starting Sigourney Weaver as Dian Fossey. It was one of the most impressive movies of my life. My step-mother at the time notice how must I liked the movie and game me her very well torn copy of Gorillas in the Mist to read. I still have that book and since the first time I read it, I have been fascinated with these great apes. This is way I believe they deserve funding to help them off of the endangered species list. Western Lowland Gorillas: Biological Needs: However, in west Africa, where fruits tend to makes up the majority of the gorilla's diet compared to those that live in east Africa. Groups of gorillas living in west Africa normally split into temporary feeding subgroups but are less common in east Africa, as animals range far apart searching for the relatively scarce ripe fruit. There are some reports of sleeping subgroups however, they are rare. This may occur in the process of permanent splitting of a multi-male groups into two single male groups. Groups usually can range from 5 to 10 individuals, but some groups can accumulate as many as 20 to 32 animals. Csomos, 2008) Habitat: The habitat of the Western Lowland Gorilla is made up of primarily rainforests, swamp forest, thickets, forest edges, and clearings. Western Gorillas have been seen nesting in along the Savannah forest edge or in the Savannah itself. Although they visit the Savannah, it is not a permanent habitat for them. Western Gorillas inhabit areas that are typicall y lowland tropical forest at sea-level and up to 1,300 mm. (Beudels-Jamer, 2008) Food: Other Life Forms and Interrelations: Human Intrusions: Humans are the gorilla’s greatest threat. Human intrusions of the gorilla’s habitats have caused a decline of the species. The three main threats that humans pose, commercial hunting, logging of the forest (which has increased poaching) and Human illnesses like the Ebola virus. According to studies recent annual rate of decline in the gorillas was 4. 7 percent and mortality rates caused by the Ebola virus were as high as 80 percent. The gorillas DNA is 98 percent the same has humans. Any flu or virus a human can carry or transmit the gorillas can catch. Since they live away from humans, any virus or flu can be deadly to them. The gorilla’s immune system does not have the ability to defend against any virus or flu that has been transmitted from humans. (Cosmos, 2008) Current Safeguards and Protections: Additional Measures: Going Unchecked: The Congo basin has been recognized as a globally important factor in inter-continental weather patterns and for maintaining climate stability. The COMIFAC Convergence and the Congo Basin Forest Partnership have joined forces to protect the whole Congo Basin ecosystem. They will tack the carbon sequestration and storage, rainfall generation and the areas bio-diversity. The Western Lowland Gorillas ecological role must be taken into account. The Western Lowland Gorillas are keystone species in their forest habitats, so their protection is essential to long-term management of the Congo basin. (Cosmos, 2008) Conclusion: Reference Page: Beudels-Jamer, R. (2008) Western Lowland Gorilla. Retriever on September 25, 2009 from www. yog2009. org September 25, 2009 from www. animaldiversity. unnz. unnz. edu Western Lowland Gorilla Profile, (na) (nd) Retrieved on September 25, 2009 from www. animal. nationalgeographic. com

Clostridium difficile infection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Clostridium difficile infection - Essay Example difficile infection, 2013). C. difficile bacteria are present in soil, water, air, processed food including meat, animal and human feces. It gets to the body through feces when people don’t wash their hands or touch anything contaminated. Although intestine has millions of helpful bacteria but use of antibiotics actually destroys some of them which subsequently increases the harmful functionality of C. difficile (Diseases and Conditions: C. difficile infection, 2013). Here, patients may lose hydration and need to be hospitalized. The colon tends to become inflamed which subsequently form raw tissue patches. These patches are also subject to bleeding and pus release. Additionally it might have following symptoms: In few circumstances the doctor might examine the interior colon so as to confirm C. difficile infection. Colonoscopy is usually used for this purpose in which a small tube with camera is inserted into the colon to analyze inflamed and affected areas. When C. difficile infection is identified then antibiotics which incited the infection should be stopped immediately. However, this is not possible in every case hence it is most appropriate to use other antibiotics which do not strengthen the activity of bacterium. Moreover, the antidiarrheal medicines should not be used for treating this infection because these can initiate toxic megacolon. If patients are having severe abdominal pain and fever then Vancomycin is best suitable for them (C. difficile Infection, 2012). Antibiotics should be used with extensive care (Stopping C. difficile Infections, 2012). Moreover, physicians should remain careful about the symptoms of C. difficile infection so as to take immediate actions. Community service programs and control recommendations can also help in tackling with the disease and its severe consequences. Adults, patients and medical professionals should be well aware about the disease and its

Should the UK government return to a policy of full state financing of Essay

Should the UK government return to a policy of full state financing of student - Essay Example In recent years, education, specifically higher education, stood as one of the most contentious topics of discussion in public policy forums and government policymaking in the UK. As witnessed, several academic changes have been instigated, others have remained pending, and in some quarters, significant reform packages have been put forward, on the drawing board ready for deliberations or are presently being deliberated upon. In the UK and in other countries of the world, higher education is confronted with three problems - universities are inadequately funded, escalating apprehensions about quality, the dearth of student support, proportion of students coming from underprivileged environments is deplorably insignificant and the financing of universities is in the state of collapse since money is sourced from general taxation, however, the beneficiaries are those coming from more affluent conditions (Barr, 2003, p.371). The plan to restructure higher education (HE) funding has caused so much controversy. Much of the wrangling has been centered on what the reforms will mean for those students coming from different family income backgrounds and the level of liabilities they will shoulder in their higher education experience. Likewise, apprehensions have been brought up on how the graduates will be affected by these debt repayments all through their working lives, as well as whether or not the funds raised will significantly improve the condition and circumstances of universities (Dearden, Fitzsimons & Goodman, 2004, p. 5) Brief Statistics At present, there are 168 higher education institutions in the UK, of which 90 are universities. In the years 2002-2003, enrollees reached up to 2.2 million in UK universities and colleges. In England, the participation rate for 18-30 year olds in higher education was 44%. In the same period, there were 184,700 international students studying in the UK, as well as 90,600 from the EU. Universities employ more than 300,000 staff; 1.8% of the total UK labour force. UK's higher education generates an annual 4 billion in foreign earnings and education and training exports are worth 10.2 billion. Public funding of higher education per student dropped by 37% between 1989 and 2002. During the same period student numbers grew by 94%. Source: Universities UK, Manifesto, General Election, 2005 A Quick Look at the Proposals January 27, 2004 saw the endorsement of the Higher Education Bill by the MPs which aimed to eradicate tuition fees for students and institute variable fees of up to 3,000/year from years 2006-07. In this plan, graduates will be allowed a sponsored Graduate Contribution Scheme or GCS loan equal to the value of their fees. Likewise, graduates from 2009 will put in 9% of earnings over and above 13,925 every year to pay off the loan. In line with inflation, the outstanding value of the loan will expectedly increase each year, with any amount left unsettled after twenty-five years being cancelled. Another scheme calls for students of underprivileged backgrounds to receive financial support of at least 300/year if full top-up fees will be charged by the institution. With the most recent proposals, students

Written Business Communication (Assignment #4C) Assignment

Written Business Communication ( #4C) - Assignment Example I would like to kindly remind you on the yearly warranty that you issued when you installed the gates since I suppose that will help you track the information on the same. For more clarity, I have attached the company’s proposal invoice to attest that the installation of the iron gates is still within the warranty and so still valid. All day shift employees are required to park in lots A and Lots B in the assigned spaces. On the other hand, the daytime employees are reminded not to park in the curbs lots, but eventually they may loan spaces to other distinguished employees that is if the parking spaces are not in use. To receive the a white sticker, please stop by the relations, employee at the cafeteria October 1st and it will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and also 3:00 to 5:00 to take their applications and also be issued with the white parking stickers. The swing shift employees may also park at the curb before evening at 3:00. Furthermore, after 3:00 p.m. all the swing shift employees are allowed to park in any empty parking space, even those for the Tandem, Handicapped or event management. For everyone’s convenience, we are all encouraged to register ourselves with the employee relation. This way there will be no inconvenience caused to any employee as far as parking space is concerned. Please stop at the cafeteria and get your white sticker at the most convenient time. All the tickets will be issued to all the cars that will not be having the sticker. By doing all that is needed there will be smooth parking activities and time also will be saved for more productive issues rather than things that are less

Jewish text Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Jewish text - Coursework Example This story reflects how Judaism responds to disability with respect to the influence of the overall view by the community. In Jewish societies the collective public, apparently, possesses the power to classify the position or status of an individual with disability. Since the resulting behavior is believed to have no strings attached to any law or decree found in Judaism, then, Rabbis like Simeon are unconsciously liberated to act as such according to the overly scrupulous nature of Jewish community which the rabbi himself occurs to have not fully overcome despite length of dutiful studies with the ‘Torah’. (2) Why was it important in the Talmud to have physical descriptions of the Rabbis? Bearing the central text of conventional Judaism which highly accounts for rabbinic discourse of Jewish law, philosophy, and ethics comprising the heart of its religious customs, the ‘Talmud’ necessitates how the rabbinic substance is translated from principle at thought a nd study into actualization.

Lisa and The Two-Sues Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lisa and The Two-Sues - Case Study Example Even on arrival at the hostel, she gets confused with the reception she gets from her roommates. These conditions are normal for most people and they ignore them for good. However, the inhibitions and low self-esteem complicate Lisa’s life there, and she tries to see her as a passive person but with a high sense of dignity. 2. Lisa’s greatest challenge should be identified as her reluctance to adapt to the changing circumstances. This is a part of her personality that makes her choose a confined lifestyle away from the reach of even the least cases of unpleasant situations. When Lisa enters the No.92 room, her expectations get wounded by the responses of the Sues. From the further days of life in the room, Lisa understands that the two girls are careless about her and they possessed little regards for the newcomer. The two girls were already friends and they had a lot of things in common. Lisa was indifferent towards the girls in the beginning, but when they brought their boyfriends to the room, the conditions changed altogether. Even though Lisa does not describe her friends, her choice for going home on the weekends indicates that she dislikes the girls for their character and low-self esteem. 3. Lisa never likes to stay in the room at weekends, particularly because of the fear that Sues may bring their boyfriends for a night stay. Also as the girls spoke too little to her, the most desirable thing she could do was to get home at the earliest. She says she misses Jane a lot because she likes only Jane on the campus. The stressful life in the common room has every potential to challenge the quality of her results and it may also throw her into depression. Therefore, Lisa has to tell choose between quitting the room and adapting herself to the existing environment. The former case is not practically easy as the room allotment is normally fixed for the complete academic session.

Cvs Annual Report Essay Example for Free

Cvs Annual Report Essay Executive Summary/Company History/Products and Services CVS/Pharmacy has shown a consistent growth for the last three years. Three years ago CVS/Pharmacy has merged with Longs Pharmacy and Caremark to form the largest retail pharmacy chain in the United States. CVS/Pharmacy- CVS/Pharmacy began operations in 1963, and added the pharmacy department in 1967. In 2007, CVS merged with Caremark Rx, Inc. Finally, in 2008, CVS bought the Longs Drug Store chain. CVS has over 7000 stores(Cvs.com, 2010). At the end of 9 months of 2010, the company has lost 9. 25% against 2009 net income. However, the company has increased their assets and liabilities by .1% against 2009 figures(Cvs.com, 2010). As the company stands now in trends, Net revenues for this 7,100-store drugstore retailer were $23.9 billion for Q3 2010, down 3.1% from $24.6 billion in the prior years period. Poor performance by the companys Pharmacy Services segment—its revenues dropped 8.5%, to $11.9 billion—was a major contributor to the companys woes. CVS Retail Pharmacy segment revenues actually increased 4.1%, with total same-store sales climbing 2.5%(Trendwatch, 2010). CVS/Pharmacy is in the process of transitioning their leadership at CEO. Tom Ryan will be stepping down at the end of the year as CEO, and Larry Merlo will be promoted to CEO. Tom Ryan has been the CEO of CVS/Pharmacy Inc. since 1994, and it has been the consistency at the top that has lead to the expansion of CVS/Pharmacy as being largest retail pharmacy chain in the United States. Now that Toms tenure is coming to a close, a new dawn is  occurring for the corporation with Larry Merlo taking the helm. Competitor Analysis In the retail pharmacy industry, there are only three pure pharmacy firms: CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid. Pure pharmacy firms are pharmacy retailers whose business is built around the pharmacy. Wal-Mart, Kroger, and local grocery stores have pharmacies as an extension of their business plan, but it is not the focus of their company. CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens have been battling over the top position for years, and Rite-Aid has been ranked at a steady third in the market place. Walgreens- Walgreens is CVS/Pharmacys chief competitor. Founded in 1901, Walgreens is considerably older. Unlike CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreens began with the pharmacy department. With 6000 stores, Walgreens is smaller than CVS. In 2010, Walgreens has increased sales against last year by 6.4%, and net earnings by 4.2%(Walgreens.com, 2010). Moreover, they have posted 36 straight years of sales gains, and 35 straight years of dividend payments(Walgreens.com, 2010). Finally, Walgreens has posted net earnings for 5 consecutive years. Despite Walgreens smaller size, it has a bigger market share at 31.2% compared to CVS/Pharmacys 25%(Wikinvest.com, 2010). The last 10 years has been the first decade that a Walgreens family member was not at the helm of the Walgreens Pharmacy chain. Charles Walgreens retired from the CEO position in 1998, but stayed on a member of the board of directors. Mr. Walgreens will officially retire for the company this year. Gregory D. Wasson is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Wasson has worked with Walgreens for 31 years. In conclusion, Walgreens CVS/Pharmacy are the giants in retail pharmacy. Their strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures have brought them to a virtual dead heat. The purpose of this research is analyze the financial strength of both to determine which is in the best financial health. Common Size Statements We will first compare CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens through common size financial statements. Commons size financial statements allow for comparisons to be made between companies of different sizes and volumes in order to see the true performance. CVS/Pharmacy has over 7000 stores, and Walgreens Pharmacy only has 6000 stores. The difference in size will have an  impact on expense, revenue, and income. Every company plans to get the most out of every dollar spent. Consequently, we will be comparing the their financial performance from 2007-2009. From the beginning, Walgreens has yielded a better gross profit by an average of 8% over CVS/Pharmacy. Gross profit is the amount left over after cost of goods sold is taken from revenue. Although, both have been steady with their percentage gross profit, CVS/Pharmacy 21% Walgreens 28%, Walgreens has gained more. However, Walgreens celebration is short lived because the balance statement is more than gross profit. In fact the 8% edge in gross profit they gave back in operating expenses. Walgreens operating expenses took, on average, 22.5% away from their total revenue. CVS/Pharmacy operating expenses took only 14.5% away from their total revenue. Moreover, other indicators of return on investment to the company are higher for CVS/Pharmacy than Walgreens. CVS/Pharmacy has had a higher operating income than Walgreens since 2007. For the last two years CVS/Pharmacy has posted higher income before taxes than Walgreens. Finally, the biggest trend difference between the two firms is that CVS/Pharmacys net income has increased three years in a row, while Walgreens net income has steadily decreased three years in a row. As a company, CVS/Pharmacy received a 20% gross profit margin. The next biggest payment went to operating expenses at 14.12%. After the expenses, income before taxes and operating profit account for 13% and net income accounts for nearly 4%. In 2009 alone, Walgreens gross profit and operating expenses nearly cancel each other out. There is only a 4% variance between gross profit and operating expenses for Walgreens. Operating profit and income before taxes accounts for only 10% of the revenue, while Walgreens net income accounts for barely over 3%. On the key financial statements, Walgreens performance has been diminishing over the last three years, and CVS/Pharmacys performance has risen. The reason behind the growing strength of CVS/Pharmacy has been the general, consistent financial growth. This will be illustrated by the financial ratios. Liquidity is the firms ability to meet its current obligations(Marshall, McManus, Vielle, 2010). Working capital is the excess of a firms current assets over its current liabilities(2010). In this case, Walgreens has higher working capital than CVS/Pharmacy. On other tests of liquidity,  Walgreens out performs CVS/Pharmacy. Walgreens has a higher current ratio, acid test ratio, and they turn over their assets 8 more times a year than CVS/Pharmacy. Although Walgreens has yielded their lowest net income in three years, they have a high comparable liquidity. Moreover, the higher net income for CVS/Pharmacy has not translated into higher liquidity. However, the increased in income has translated into a higher inventory turnover for CVS/Pharmacy. Conclusion The findings of this paper are illustrating the transition in the marketplace between CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens. For the last 20 years, these retail pharmacy firms have battled for supremacy in the industry. Over the last decade, CVS/Pharmacy has had one Chief Executive Officer, Tom Ryan. However, since Tom Ryan took over in 1999, Walgreens has had 3 CEO changes. The result of inconsistency in their leadership has translated to a lower return on investment. Walgreens has higher liquidity, but they have shown three years of decreasing net income. As a result, they are getting weaker as an organization. However, CVS/Pharmacy has shown consistent growth over the last three years. Their increasing strength has been represented by their purchases of Longs Pharmacy and Caremark. It is my conclusion that this trend will continue

Overview Of Strategic Sourcing Initiative Management Essay

Overview Of Strategic Sourcing Initiative Management Essay 1. Gillet and the 7 Step Methodology The Gillette Company launched a Strategic Sourcing Initiative to create savings to invest in company brands, fund research and development. They employed a formal 7-step strategic sourcing methodology to competive source and evaluate suppliers on cost, quality and services provided. Enabled by a strong commitment from Senior Management and cross-functional global teams, this strategy produced savings and improved the quality of the products and services procured.   Step 1 Develop the Category Profile. Teams are formed to develop a comprehensive understanding of their category profile. They must understand what we buy, who we buy it from, what are the product/service characteristics/specifications, what is the current cost, and who and how the spend is managed internally. They must understand market trends and economics that impact these purchases as well as our current negotiation leverage with suppliers. This comprehensive understanding of the Category also enables to break down spend into subcategories, components, services, transportation costs, administrative costs or other divisions to be either be consolidated with one supplier or divided among several suppliers. Indeed, this sourcing step facilitates procurement managers in setting supplier diversity targets and strategies. Step 2 Generate the Supplier Portfolio. Teams must include minority suppliers as well as non-traditional suppliers. They must look at companies that provide total outsourcing capabilities and suppliers who are best in class in specialized spend categories. Then through a rigorous process of researching suppliers, evaluating and prioritizing capabilities, the list of suppliers is converted to a manageable list. This step reduces the workload of reviewing RFPs and negotiating with suppliers later in the strategic sourcing process. Step 3 Develop sourcing strategies. The sourcing team develops a supplier survey for both incumbent and potential alternative suppliers. The survey helps evaluate the suppliers capabilities to serve as well as their costs to serve. At this time, the team will also verify spend information with the data that incumbent suppliers may have from their sales systems. Category should be assesed in a Category Position Matrix. This process aids teams in developing their sourcing strategies. Teams must evaluate the complexity of the market, the competitiveness, the ability to switch suppliers, and the number of suppliers in the market. They must also position their Category in terms of business impact, how much total spend and how does this category impact core business operations. In doing so, teams will find their category falls into one or two of the following boxes: Leverage Category, Strategic Category, Non-critical Category or Bottleneck Category. From this positioning matrix, teams can determine which of the sourcing strategies are most appropriate.   Typically, teams who find themselves in the Leverage or Non-critical Categories will use the left side of the Sourcing Gemstone: Volume Concentration, Best Price Evaluation or Global Sourcing. Teams who confront more complex markets, may want to consider Product Specification Improvements, Joint Process Improvements or Relationship Restructuring strategies. In a Volume Concentration strategy, teams will often look to reduce cost by consolidating volumes from different facilities, regions, or business units. This strategy encourages suppliers to lower their costs in anticipation of greater volumes.   Teams may also consider a Best Price Evaluation strategy, where they select various suppliers who have the best offering for each segment of the spend. Best Price Evaluation allows yousegment and optimize your spend. Step 4- Select implementation path. The combination of the first three steps provides important input to developing a sourcing strategy and applying it in this step. The sourcing team has two sets of constituencies: 1) the people who use the things that are bought, and 2) the executives who manage overall costs. The people who use the spend category accept cost reductions as long as they a) start in another department; b) dont change suppliers; and c) dont create any complaints from the supply base that might affect any part of the relationship. For users, all change is bad. For executives, cost and service competitiveness is a key objective, but they too are users of various corporate services, so they often have a split personality between executive pursuit of cost improvement and being users who resist change. In order to mobilize users and executives to support the category sourcing strategy, it is necessary to communicate benefits and overcome potential risks. Step 5- Negotiate and select suppliers.   Preparing a request for proposal and preparing and soliciting bids. This will define the basis for competition to the prequalified suppliers. It includes product or service specifications, delivery and service requirements, evaluation criteria, pricing structure and financial terms and conditions. Also a communication plan will be executed that will attract maximum supplier interest. The RFP is then sent out to all suppliers and they are given enough time to respond completely, with follow-up messages sent to encourage supplier response and field questions. The sourcing team applies its evaluation criteria to the supplier responses. If more information beyond the RFP response is needed, its requested. The negotiation process is conducted first with a larger set of suppliers then narrowed to a few finalists, if it is done manually. Step 6 Implement agreements. Finally, the winning suppliers are notified and invited to participate in implementing recommendations. Implementation plans vary depending on the degree of supplier switches. For new suppliers, a communication plan has to be developed that manages the transition from old to new supplier at every point in the companys process that is touched by the spend category. Step 7- Continuos improvement. It is particularly important to measure the new supplier closely in the first several weeks of performance. Being able to demonstrate performance equal to or better than the former incumbent one will be particularly important during that sensitive time. Gillette Companys Strategic Sourcing Initiative has not only produced significant cost savings, but has enabled and advanced Gillettes Supplier Diversity Initiative. 2. Nestlà © and its mix of purchasing strategies To leverage Nestlà ©s purchasing volume as a strength in a business environment where the impact and importance on many spend categories is increasing, it requires planning and strategy determination, It is necessary to understand that supply markets are not and will not always be in surplus or excess, so the assurance of long term competitive supply through purchasing planning and strategy implementation is key to the realisation of Nestlà ©s growth and profitability objectives. The evaluation of different purchasing strategies can only take place once a detailed spend analysis has been completed. Strategic options must take into account: business sector objectives; total cost of ownership; supply market and its evolution; appropriate purchasing approach (e-Auctions, tenders, negotiations); value creation opportunities; emphasis on price management through competitive bidding; key stakeholders involvement and their support. Rationalisation and Standardisation This strategy is based on working with suppliers to have fewer and standardised specifications. Specification rationalisation will not only allow higher volume price leverage but also expose efficiencies throughout the supply chain, resulting in lower costs. Subcontracting/Outsourcing A key strategy in sourcing products and services is Subcontracting/Outsourcing. The responsibility of subcontracting activities rests with Technical and Production. Normally a Strategic Buyer will lead this process and manage crossfunctional teams to monitor the commercial relationship as well as to ensure optimum terms and conditions for Nestlà ©. Subcontractors are required to adhere to Nestlà ©s Corporate Business Principles. Cross-Functional Teamwork Purchasing must continue to work within and expand the use of cross-functional teams. Depending on the scope of the project, such teams may also involve suppliers and third-party expertise. Nestlà © acknowledges and encourages the role suppliers can play in innovation, creativity and the identification of new business proposals, which will improve and add value and growth to both companies. Nestlà © also considers suppliers as an important information source and relies on their objectivity and expertise. As the relationship progresses, it may well evolve into that of a preferred supplier. Purchasing wil retain the overall responsibility for the relationship and interface with suppliers. Supplier Management To better manage the supplier base and reduce transactional costs, Nestlà © may request suppliers to: offer their products or services via e-Requisitioning (catalogues), accept payment by P-card, deliver materials through a vendor managed inventory (VMI) or consignment stock initiative and collaborate using e-Supply Chain tools. Approval/Accreditation The extent or degree of approval/accre ditation as a supplier to Nestlà © depends on the sophistication or sensitivity of the material, product or service, the suppliers reputation and record with Nestlà ©, as well as their ability to offer competitive terms and conditions. Quality Management To achieve Nestlà ©s objective of offering consumers high quality nutritional products, they expect suppliers to guarantee the quality of the goods they supply or the service they provide. Nestlà ©s goal is to be able to rely on our suppliers competence and ability to implement jointly their quality programmes. Suppliers must be fully aware of Nestlà ©s quality and safety standards, understand their quality policy; share their objectives and work together to achieve them. In particular they consider their suppliers responsibility to ensure the traceability of all materials used in their own production or process. Supplier Audit Suppliers of raw and packaging materials must be incorporated into a formal assessment covering audits and inspectionsof their quality records. Formal audits of the suppliers quality assurance system and technical capabilities must be carried out. Suppliers need to be open and responsive to Nestlà ©s requirements and provide all necessary information on the composition and manufacture of their products. E-Procurement Nestlà © encourages and promotes the use of electronic tools to optimise the value chain to lower costs, create efficiencies, drive product availability and enhance customer service.   Purchasing evaluates and promotes the use of e-Procurement tools both within the company and within the supplier base. Benchmarking With the trend towards closer relationship with suppliers, benchmarking becomes an essential tool for measuring performance and highlighting opportunities. The concept of benchmarking should be seen as a continuous process of evaluation to ensure that results are quantifiable and actionable; it must be supported by a direct management commitment and should be clearly defined in terms of what is to be compared. 3. Procter Gamble sourcing networks and expressive competition Procter Gamble put into practice an approach to build sourcing networks, called expressive competition. It is a vision that looks past lowest-price reverse auctions and combinatorial packagebidding toward a highly expressive business relationship with suppliers. It enables suppliers to make electronicoffers that express rich forms of capabilities and efficiencies. As the buyer, PG also uses an expressive languageto state constraints and preferences. The detailed expressions of supply and demand are brought together viaan advanced optimization engine to decide the optimal allocation of business to the suppliers. In the process, PGs suppliers benefited from the winwinapproach: expressive competition matched demand to the most efficient means of production- rather thansqueezing suppliers profit margins- and removed the exposure risks in making offers. Beyond direct monetarysavings, the benefits included the re-design of supply networks with quantitative understanding of the trade-offs. The relationships between companies that purchase materials, goods, and services and their suppliers can be viewed as a network, because many companies both purchase and supply. Traditionally, the buyer configures the network and then asks offers from suppliers. This approach produces suboptimal results because it ignores suppliers alternative capabilities. With the new process this will be reversed by first collecting offers and then using optimization to configure the optimal network based on those offers. CombineNets (software currently used) approach is particularly relevant in transportation sourcing. By considering the most efficient routings that carriers can offer, both individually and collectively, it develops more efficient networks than the current networks. Buyers can construct supply chains in light of supplier capabilities as expressed in their offers. Companies can now make decisions on large baskets of items to be procured, rather than in a number of submarkets, naturally improving the allocation decisions. PGs use of expressive competition enables it to manage and exploit complexity and rich data to obtain the best value. In short, PG is now faster, more rigorous, and better able to leverage its purchasing experts than it was. It obtains greater savings with every analysis than it could before it adopted this process. 4. HONDA Global and Local Sourcing Traditionally, the standard metrics used by Japanese automakers in choosing suppliers wee quality, cost, delivery and technology. In the case of Honda, three other factors drive their spurchasing strategy. They depend on suppliers for more than 80% of components in their cars. They procure components from an estimated 400 tier one suppliers in Japan. Globally, Hondas supplier total number is close to 1,000 including more than 600 in North America. The main reason for this large number of North American suppliers: the distance between Hondas main assembly plants in North America is sufficiently long to make logistics a critical cost issue for suppliers wishing to serve all six Honda plants from a single location. Three of four Honda vehicles sold today are global models. Where possible, they prefer to use global suppliers forthese global cars. Honda defines group suppliers as affiliated companies in which it holds a larger than 20% equity stake or which depend on them for 70% or more of their sales; or the other way around: which Honda turns to for more than 70% of purchases of a particular system or component. That is the case of Denso Corp., Toyotas leading group supplier, is also a Honda group supplier as it manufactures an estimated 95% share of their heater requirements in Japan and 60% of air-conditioners. There seems to be no set rule on whether Honda doubles or triples sources or what even constitutes double or triple sourcing. For most components, Honda relies on multiple suppliers. But on a model base, it tends to single source. Hondas core suppliers have largely followed the OEM into North America and Asia. Keihin, Hondas main group supplier of car electronics, has set up 16 plants outside Japan including four in the US, while Stanley Electric has lighting plants in London, OH, and Battle Creek, MI. In general, there is a feeling that Honda depends more on non-Japanese suppliers at its overseas plant. Meanwhile, they continue to make steady progress in expanding local content at plants outside Japan. 5. Hewlett-Packard Total Cost Management Strategies HP recognized that it could leverage advances in Total Cost Management strategies, processes and technology to improve its overall financial performance. Over a five-year period the company put together an impressive record of cost savings, transforming its Indirect Procurement function into a strategic asset for the company. The significant cost reduction results came from an evolution and maturation of HPs Total Cost Management also called Spend Management, strategies, processes, and technologies as the company itself evolved. Like many companies, HP started with the traditional spend consolidation and price negotiations strategies of the late 90s. With the Compaq merger, HP had both a challenge and opportunity to advance its Total Cost Management strategies. Going forward, the role of HPs Indirect Procurement has evolved to a broader perspective as a strategic asset in driving down the total cost of procurement to achieve world-class cost structures. HP knew that companies like itself were leveraging new spend management tools to drive procurement decisions and wanted to take advantage of the new selling channel to increase revenue. With a strategy of being an early supporter of the Ariba Supplier Network and working to make it easy for customers to integrate and do business with HP, it has been able to generate $1 billion in revenue, making it the largest IT supplier to Total Cost Management customers using the Ariba Supplier Network. They realized that increased growth would be very hard if the company did not restructure to take advantage of its economy of scale. They decided that indirect procurement was a good candidate for centralization, as the existing decentralized model with fragmented local organizations provided little leverage. Indirect Procurement was given responsibility for managing nonproduction spend categories: information technology, human resources, marketing, travel, real estate and workplace solutions, finance, and labor. Its scope was to manage the strategic, tactical, and operational aspects of procurement, including global and regional sourcing, local buying and order fulfillment, and deployment of e-procurement programs. They deployed a standardized purchasing platform, Ariba, to reduce cost of transactions and develop and implement new policies, practices, and standards. Later, they were able to identify the â€Å"low-hanging fruit† in a centralized model and redefined their procurement areas and strategies as shown in the figures below. New Structure 6. International Clothing Retailers main sourcing strategies Marks and Spencer (United Kingdom) Is one of the UKs leading retailers of clothing, foods, homeware and financial services, serving 10 million customers a week in over 350 UK stores. They rationalized its supplier base, with efforts for sourcing and the accelaration of the design to store lead time. MS now manages a complex international supply chain involving 650 factories worldwide. Their priority is to maintain the quality of fabrics and clothes wherever they are manufactured. To support this objective, MS has established quality audit teams in Morocco and Sri Lanka, and will introduce them over the coming year in China and Turkey and all their main centres of manufacturing. Hennes and Maurizt (Sweden) HM is an expansive Swedish company. Over the past three years, HM has increased the number of stores by nearly 40 per cent.   HM has 21 production offices: ten in Europe, ten in Asia and one in Africa. Around 700 people work at the production offices, by far the majority of whom are drawn from the local population. They are responsible for contracts with the approximatly 750 suppliers (primarily Bangladesh, China, Turkey) that manufacture HMs products. The production offices ensure that the buyer places his order with the right supplier, that the goods are produced at the right price and with good quality and controls that production takes place under good working conditions. Ensuring the safety and quality of the goods largely takes place at the production offices and is the result of extensive testing, including checking for shrinkage, twisting, colourfastness and dry rubbing. In HM lead times vary from two to three weeks up to six months, depending on the nature of the goods. In recent years HM has reduced the average lead time by 15-20 per cent through developments in the buying process. Inditex (Spain) The Inditex Group comprises mainly companies engaging in the manufacturing and marketing of textiles and footwear, managed on a centralised basis by applying policies and strategies at group level. A significant proportion of the production takes place in the factories belonging to Inditex, which fundamentally carry out the manufacture of the garments containing a greater element of fashion and through external suppliers. In the case of in-house production -between 40 and 50 percent of the total- Inditex directly carries out the supply of fabrics, the marking and cutting and the final finishing of the garments, subcontracting the garment-making stage to specialised companies located mainly in the north-west of the Iberian peninsula. As regards external suppliers, a high percentage of which are European, in many cases they are also supplied by Inditex with the fabric and other elements needed for the production of the garments. For Inditex, time is the main factor to be considered, a bove and beyond production costs. Mix of sourcing: external fabrics sourcing 60%; internal fabrics sourcing 40%; in-house manufacturing 50%; external manufacturing 50%. Gap (Usa) Gap is a leading international specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products. It operates with more than 4,200 stores worldwide. Gap has world headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area, product development offices in New York City and distribution operations and offices coordinating sourcing activities around the globe. Design and merchandising teams are working more closely from the beginning of the product development cycle, resulting in a more efficient process and, over time, faster speed to market. Gap will be building more strategic relationships with suppliers, including sharing more planning and forecasting information, to further leverage sourcing capabilities. Located around the globe, employees in Gaps sourcing and logistics group, along with buying agents, draw up production schedules and place orders with approved third-party factories in the more than 50 countries that produce goods. Third-party manufacturers ship merchandise to Gap distr ibution centers, which sort and redistribute it to the stores. Gap has a list of countries approved for product sourcing, located in five main areas: Africa/MiddleEast, Europe/Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Americas. CA (Holland) CA was founded in 1841. Over 100 Stylists work together with 360 buyers. The European headoffice is located in the north of Brussels. It has 1.200 suppliers, monitored by Socam. The name Socam reflects the concept â€Å"Service Organisation for Compliance Audit Management† and its purpose is to oversee and monitor responsible business standards in merchandise buying on behalf of the CA retail companies, which operate in Europe. An audit is performed in a total of 40 countries. Because the Far East is a significant supply market and because many of the key issues tend to be more prevalent in that part of the world, Socam also operates through a subsidiary company Socam Services Pte. Ltd located in Singapore. Socam has full and independent authority to monitor the standards which are defined by the CA Code of Conduct for the Supply Merchandise. To sum up, retailers prefer to choose the cheapest sources worldwide in order to maximize gross margin. Or, in order to decrease time to market, retailers may choose sourcing alternatives that may not bring the cost advantage of a cheaper supplier but do offer the advantage of diminishing logistics costs and lost sales. 7. IKEA selectivity strategy Under increasing pressures to reduce costs, companies have shifted, and continue to shift, sourcing from local suppliers to low cost country-based suppliers. Furthermore, the lower prices offered by low-cost country suppliers rarely translate into significantly lower total costs of ownership. Despite the popularity of global sourcing across both service and manufacturing industries, research into global sourcing is still playing catch-up and remains poorly conceptualized, for example in comparison with research on buyer-supplier relationships or industrial networks. The trend towards global sourcing is likely to fundamentally change the dynamics of buyer-supplier relationships and networks, but little research to date has examined the implications of this trend. Affordability through low cost is the core of the companys business idea. For IKEA, growth is a core and explicit objective.A key component in the low cost strategy at IKEA has been to own only a small proportion of the means of production. Therefore, the products that are sold in IKEA stores are sourced from a global network of suppliers. Well functioning and close relationships with suppliers is an important but sometimes seemingly ignored driver of the success of IKEA. In the mid- 1990s, IKEA had more than 2,000 suppliers, but in 2009 its supply base had been reduced to less than 1,400 despite increasing sales volumes. The background to the supply base reduction during recent years is the increasing need to secure and build capacity for continued growth. In 2008, IKEA sourced furniture from 54 different countriesm through 30 purchasing offices distributed over strategic locations all over the world. In 2009, IKEA had around 1400 suppliers. Almost two-thirds of its products (64%) were sourced from European countries; the largest single supply market was China with a 22% share of the supply, and the second largest supply market was Poland with a 16% share. Coordination and communication with suppliers was channelled through trading offices situated strategically around the world. Without close collaboration with suppliers, the balancing act between stock costs and avoiding the risk of stock-outs would not be possible. In addition, IKEA seems to conce ntrate on as few suppliers and as few supply markets as possible. This selectivity means that IKEA is effective in balancing its market choices; concentrating its sourcing activities in certain geographic areas by committing to and investing in some markets, whilst having to decide to forego opportunities in others For IKEA, cost reductions were the principal driver towards, initially, international purchasing and, later, global sourcing. The search for lower costs in new sourcing markets creates pressure on the supplier network of IKEA to source internationally or to develop global sourcing through world-wide coordination and integration of sourcing operations. A main reason for IKEA to preserve relationship with swedishs suppliers is to secure capacity if, or when, problems were met in the Chinese sourcing market. 8. Conclusions The Strategic Sourcing methodology is used to identify, evaluate, select and implement sourcing alternatives for specific sourcing groups.   It emphasizes the process for evaluating, selecting and aligning with suppliers to achieve improvements and support strategic objectives. It focuses on total costs and not just on the purchase price. This process enables the company to obtain a good understanding of its requirements, mapping the existing supply market and develop a plan for short andlong-term objectives. Sourcing strategies should be reviewed and updated periodically by supply managers. Suppliers should be invited to be part of the process depending on the class of category or market dynamics. Strategic sourcing results should be tracked in terms of performance metrics and cost savings. The process should be regularly reviewed to incorporate new sourcing tools and approaches, new supplier market opportunities and developments in benchmarking and best practices. Supply managers must collaborate internally with a multifunctional team on new supply opportunities. Collaboration demonstrates the value of supply management. Besides the traditional competitive approach to sourcing, there are more alternatives depending on the category or business trends. Some could be, collaborating with suppliers to reduce complexity and build productivity into their process, or create joint process improvements that reduce the cost of doing business, or set up a partnership where a company invests in supplier operations to guarantee access to supply, new technology or process improvements. Another option could be strategic alliances which decrease the total cost of ownership, increase quality, have a faster response and enable new product development with supplier involvement, among other benefits. Or even, e-procurement which can decrease the unit cost as well as the cost of transactions and processes. Overall, not only a right sourcing strategy or model of management is enough; it is also a matter of being aligned with the companys key obkectives and to have the right methodology, the right metrics and the right team of people.