Investment theory Essay

The efficient market hypothesis (EMH) is an investment theory that states it is impossible to beat the market because stock market efficiency causes existing share prices to always incorporate and reflect all relevant information. According to this theory, the stock always trade at their fair value on stock exchanges. This makes it impossible for investors to either purchase undervalued stocks or sell stocks for inflated prices. EMH provides that it should be impossible to outperform the overall market through expert stock selection or market timing. The only way an investor can possibly obtain higher returns is through purchasing riskier investments (Answer. com, 2006). Using the EMH theory, this research study will examine the efficiency of the United Kingdom (UK) stock market indices by providing an internal performance comparison between FTSE 250 and FTSE AIM. A total of two hundred (200) companies will be used for the analysis, with one hundred (100) companies from each index, on the basis of trading value from all sectors, using Datastream platform. Two inputs (total sales and EBIT), and two outputs (total capital employed and total assets) will be used to analyse the data from each company. Literature Review Although EMH is deemed the cornerstone of modern financial theory, it has also been highly controversial and much disputed. Critics say it is pointless to search for undervalued stocks or to try to predict trends in the market through either fundamental or technical analysis. A review of related literature however will show that a large body of evidence show support of EMH. While academics point to a large body of evidence in support of EMH, an equal amount of dissension also exists. For example, investors such as Warren Buffett have consistently beaten the market over long periods of time, which by definition is an impossibility according to the EMH. Detractors of the EMH also point to events such as the 1987 stock market crash (when the DJIA fell by over 20% in a single day) as evidence that stock prices can seriously deviate from their fair values. (Answers. com) In finance, the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) asserts that financial markets are â€Å"efficient†, or that prices on traded assets, e. g. stocks, bonds, or property, already reflect all known information and therefore are unbiased in the sense that they reflect the collective beliefs of all investors about future prospects. The efficient market hypothesis implies that it is not possible to consistently outperform the market — appropriately adjusted for risk — by using any information that the market already knows, except through luck or obtaining and trading on inside information. Information or news in the EMH is defined as anything that may affect stock prices that is unknowable in the present and thus appears randomly in the future. This random information will be the cause of future stock price changes.

Before Sunset Analysis

Jesse verbally confirms the underlying desire that he wishes he was in Paris with her by stating, â€Å"I like being here. † In the car ride he reveals how unhappy he is with his marriage and over the last nine years he constantly dreams and reminisces about Cline. When he makes the comment about Liking being â€Å"here† It has various meanings. He literally Is answering to the fact that he Is happy he hasn't dissolved Into molecules but he Is really expressing that he Is happy he's In Paris and with Cline. As they continue on to her apartment down the road, Jesse observes the scenery and is amazed of whereCline lives. This is only the second time in the film that the camera zooms out enough to show all of their surroundings; first time showing Notre Dame on the boat ride. The camera shoots from behind them for a brief moment to show the area from their viewpoint. The director could have done a similar shot while they were walking through the park in the beginning of th e film but the focus was on their conversation and not to be on the scenery at that moment in the film. The two begin to approach Saline's cat In the courtyard, a metaphor for Jesses life can be seen.Saline's makes he point that every morning she brings the cat to the courtyard and every morning It embraces Its surroundings as If it was the first time It had ever been there; much Like Jesses reaction to the place after seeing It for the first time. Jesse however takes It as something deeper, as seen on his facial expression. It is thought that a happy marriage can be obtained if you are able to look at your spouse every day and fall back in love with them like it is the first time. Jesse, unhappy with his marriage and unable to do that, expresses his new for the cat through a sinking expression on his face.In order for the happiness to return to him he pleads for Cline to sing him one of his songs. This is one of various attempts throughout the movie to spend more time with her. She agrees to one song and they begin up the long stairwell to her apartment. This Is where a complete change in the movie's environment can be seen. The whole movie Is nothing but dialogue up until this point. The stairwell was dark and small, much different than the locations of the other scenes as those were majority outside or In Apparels cafes. There Is not one word spoken between the two after Jesse makes a comment of how he loves the old staircases.Does he love them they are the stairs that are leading him in to Saline's world for the first time? Ironically, not a word is said but Just a giggle from Cline as they end their climb. The only thing missing from Jesses life back home is laughter in the home and the only noise in this scene is a laugh from Cline. I chose this scene because it showed where the characters relationship has changed after an hour spent together. The behavior towards each other changed after revealing details of their lives in and ongoing conversation that doesn't seem to miss a beat; it was in this scene that there is silence for the first time.

Receiver Paper -- Ted Youth Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Receiver Paper -- Ted Youth Speech - Essay Example â€Å"Leading Miami† was formed with the main objective of teaching the local youths in Miami about the values of leaderships, empathy, and self realization. According to Koenig, active leadership presents the best solution towards changing the way young people engage in civic activities in the city. He said that he believed leadership is the best avenue to changing the state of low civic activities not only in Miami but across the world as well. Koenig’s speech was a rallying call to the youths in Miami to take action towards changing Miami for better. The greatest lesson that the speech carried was on leadership and how it can be used to drive personal and communities ambitions to higher levels of achievement. Philip Koenig was very articulate about the subject of leadership. He said that teaching about leadership was a great opportunity for the youths in Miami to â€Å"create change within a broad spectrum on all sides.† He further gave examples of some of the world’s greatest leaders like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi who took active role in civic activities. He said that empathy was the greatest personal value behind the passions of Mandela and Gandhi in leading to change the world for better place. Koenig was speaking to a group of mostly the youths that had assembled for the TEDx speech presentation in Miami in November 2013. Members of the auditorium had assembled to exchange experiences and also learn from others, what it would mean to change Miami to statuses of cities like Minneapolis a very active civic life. Speaker after speaker was a youth perhaps to authentic the fact that the speech presentations on the day was as forum for the youths of Miami. The audience was also representative of the American multiracial diversities. Speakers were also from different racial backgrounds. Philip entered the stage just moments after an African-American youth had just finished making his presentation. The occasion was specificall y dedicated to youths of Miami to learn about what they could do to change their city for a better place. The rallying call that Philip made was for the youth to rise above the below average ratings of their city and compete with the likes of Minneapolis where civic engagement by the populace was way above. The audience applauded the speaker in appreciation after he finished his presentation. Koenig was an effective speaker and being a member of the audience, I found him very articulate in presenting his views. His major objectives were to call upon the youth to take an active role in engaging in civic activities. He also wanted to tell the youths to inculcate the spirit of empathy in them as they learn of leadership skills and self development. On the other hand, the speaker wanted the audience to know of various ways through which they could engage actively in civic activities in the city. The speaker created an impression that he is an authority worth listening to early in the sp eech. He stated that he has been running â€Å"Leading Miami†, an organization that has been in the forefront of educating and inculcating leadership values in the youths of Miami. He thus came forth as someone that has been in the fore when it comes to civic activities in the city of Miami. The speaker also employed the use of emotional appeal to capture the audience’s emotions. He said that taking part in civic activiti

Financial Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Analysis - Essay Example Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are used by the reporting entities to prepare their financial statements for a common user. These accounting standards provide a general pattern and policies to furnish financial information in such a manner that a person with little financial knowledge can easily grasp the information content presented under those financial statements. If the financial statement of Morson Inc and Kforce Inc are taken into consideration, both of them are formatted in an unconventional pattern. Both of the firms have prepared their financial statements to fulfil the requirements of a particular user group as the financial statements show a pattern which is quite inconsistent with other generalized patterns. If income statements of both the companies are taken into account, then it can be noticed that the conventional â€Å"step-method† is not completely followed. The other major discrepancy that can be observed is that finance cost is shown separately, however, in the conventional format it is displayed after operating results and before the tax expenses. In a generalized pattern, no term like â€Å"equity earning† is used but this term is used in both the financial statements. Overall, the accounting heads under the income statement are displaced for its intended users and do not provide general results. As far as is balance sheets of both the companies are concerned, their accounting heads used in the balance sheets are quite different from that of a generalized balance sheet such that an ordinary balance sheet is split into two categories which are assets and the equity & liabilities. However, the existing balance sheets are not constructed in that manner as they have been categorized into â€Å"operating and financing†. In these balance sheets, net

A current event of chemistry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A current event of chemistry - Research Paper Example In their study, the team first sought to understand the basis of chirality and how it occurs in nature. As an initial understanding, regular triangles are achiral in nature while human hands are chiral. Two achiral objects or molecules can be superimposed on top of each other. Several biomolecules within the body exist in one chiral form and the other form is not present. In their quest to determine how chiral objects are formed, they used achiral particles from which chiral structures are formed spontaneously. They employed the technique of lithography to manufacture millions of achiral particles in the shape of a triangle. With the help of optical microscopy, dense systems of such achiral triangular particles were studied which revealed that several of these achiral particles spontaneously arranged themselves into two-triangle super-structures, each of which exhibited a particular chiral form. This is visible by the specific orientations of the super-structures when viewed under mi croscopy. This discovery lead the team to conclude that biological chirality was the result of the physical phenomena of entropy. This study has shown that chiral structures can form when physical entropic forces act on achiral particles which are of uniform nature. These achiral particles spontaneously form chiral structures through Brownian movement when placed on a flat surface. While the phenomena of entropy are generally considered to cause disorganization of molecules, however, in this case the interaction of particles at a high density has resulted in an increased ability to move in a regulated manner. This has caused the particles to change into a partially ordered liquid crystal which, in turn, consists of chiral triangular shaped super-structures. With this experiment, the team has concluded that for chirality to spontaneously occur, two physical entities, namely entropy and the physical

A Inter Industry and Intra Industry Trade The Hackescher-Ohlin Model Assignment

A Inter Industry and Intra Industry Trade The Hackescher-Ohlin Model - Assignment Example On the other hand, the intra industry trade refers to the exchange of the products of the same kind of products and services between different countries. The intra industry trade could occur between the countries that have similar relative amount of factor of production whereas the inter industry trade occurs between the countries that have different production factors. Intra industry trade results in the economies of scale and allows lower cost of production while providing the customers wide range of choices. It is not focused on gaining competitive advantage. The standard industrial classifications have provided the estimated that around 25 percent of the volume of world trade has been contributed by the intra industry trade. The inter industry trade is the trade between the countries where the export and import of different types of goods and services occur between the countries. The inter industry trade us based upon the differences on the production factors held by the industries of different countries. The countries export the products that they could produce in relative large amount due to intensive capital whereas they import the products that they could not produce themselves due to lack of intensive capital and production factors required for the production of these products. The inter industry trade does not include the exchange of goods between the countries in the same classification. The intra industry trade refers to the trade of the goods and services of the same classification between the countries.... The inter industry trade us based upon the differences on the production factors held by the industries of different countries. The countries export the products that they could produce in relative large amount due to intensive capital whereas they import the products that they could not produce themselves due to lack of intensive capital and production factors required for the production of these products. The inter industry trade does not include the exchange of goods between the countries in the same classification (Bela, 1981, p1109). The intra industry trade on the other hand refers to the trade of the goods and services of the same classification between the countries. The products of same classification are exported and imported by the countries in the process of intra industry trade. The notion of intra industry trade is based upon the economies of scale and similarity of the production factor endowment. The intra industry trade is lead by different factors for instance, the countries use to important a product in some season and then export the same product in another season during which they could product it abundantly. Similarly, some countries export a product from one border and at the same time it import the same product at another border due to the cost involved in the transportation of these products within the country from one end to another (Aquino, 2000, p275). The intra industry trade focuses upon the economies of the scale because it proposes the import of the goods from the other countries they could be manufactured at home but their production cost would be greater at home and from other countries the same products could be attained at comparatively lower rates. The world community is witnessing growing

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

English - Essay Example In some instances, the symptoms come and go irregularly making predictions of the signs difficult. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between the ages of ten and twenty-four years, mental illnesses lead to nearly all disabilities. Symptoms of mental illnesses are managed through medication or psychotherapy and some can be eliminated. In other people, the illness may make periodic occurrences meaning such people remain under treatment for their entire lives. The most common types of mental illnesses are schizophrenia disorders, mood disorders and anxiety disorders (Tulchinsky & Varavikova, 2009). Mentally Ill and Disabled Young people between the ages of sixteen to twenty four have the highest prevalence to mental illnesses, which is at one in four people. In the oldest age group, between seventy-five and eighty-five years, the prevalence declines to about one in twenty. This implies that young people do not have the abilities of coping with stress as compared to the ol der and mature people. In addition, some social factors have an effect on mental illness among individuals. These include marital status, education level, and unemployment. Higher levels of education result in better life. This is because the highly educated are more likely to find better paying jobs and this makes their lives comfortable. The largest population of men that is affected by mental disorders is between the ages sixteen and thirty-four. In women, the most affected population is between sixteen and twenty four years of age (Godan et al, 2008). Babies born prematurely, especially those born at less than thirty-two weeks of gestation have higher chances of being hospitalized with delusional and schizophrenia disorders. This can be attributed to the fact that such babies’ brains are not fully developed and as a result, they cannot cope with the world’s stress. Men and women experience the same levels of mental illnesses although the rates are highest in both s ingle men and women. Separated and married people have higher probabilities of developing mental illness than married people. Women have higher probabilities of experiencing anxiety and depression disorders while men are more likely to experience substance abuse disorders. Men have higher chances, more than twice likely to experience substance abuse disorders as compared to women. Alcohol is the most abused as compared to other drugs. The number of men and women who have schizophrenia is even but women experience later onsets, better recovery and fewer times of illnesses (Godan et al, 2008). Race affects the way people have an outlook of life. This means that some people, because of their race are not happy with life and this increase the chances of falling mentally ill. African-Americans, Hispanics and Asia-Americans have higher probabilities of becoming mentally ill than Caucasians. About twenty-five percent of African Americans are uninsured and cannot have access to quality ment al healthcare. Stigma associated with mental disorders keeps many African-Americans away from seeking any form of treatment. This implies that the number of African-Americans suffering from mental illnesses is high as compared to Caucasians. African-Americans who seek for treatment have higher chances of terminating it prematurely than their Caucasians counterparts. In addition, African-Americans have hi

FDI and Economic Growth Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

FDI and Economic Growth - Article Example The UN defines control in this case as owning 10% or more of the ordinary shares or voting power of an incorporated firm or its equivalent for an unincorporated firm. In the years after the World War II global FDI was dominated by theUnited States, as much of the world recovered from the destruction wrought by the conflict. The U.S. accounted for around three-quarters of new FDI (including reinvested profits) between 1945 and 1960. Since that time FDI has spread to become a truly global phenomenon, no longer the exclusive preserve of OECD countries. FDI has grown in importance in the global economy with FDI stocks now constituting over 20% of global GDP. In the last few years, the emerging market countries such as China and India have become the most favoured destinations for FDI and investor confidence in these countries has soared. As per the FDI Confidence Index compiled byA.T. Kearney in 2006, China and India hold the first and second position respectively, whereas United States has slipped to the third position. position. Types of FDI Greenfield Investment: direct investment in new facilities or the expansion of existing facilities. Greenfield investments are the primary target of a host nation's promotional efforts because they create new production capacity and jobs, transfer technology and know-how, and can lead to linkages to the global marketplace. However, it often does this by crowding out local industry; multinationals are able to produce goods more cheaply (because of advanced technology and efficient processes) and uses up resources (labor, intermediate goods, etc). Another downside of greenfield investment is that profits from production do not feed back into the local economy, but instead to the multinational's home economy. This is in contrast to local industries whose profits flow back into the domestic economy to promote growth. Mergers and Acquisitions: transfers of existing assets from local firms to foreign firms takes place; the primary type of FDI. Cross-border mergers occur when the assets and operation of firms from different countries are combined to establish a new legal entity. Cross-border acquisitions occur when the control of assets and operations is transferred from a local to a foreign company, with the local company becoming an affiliate of the foreign company. Unlike greenfield investment, acquisitions provide no long term benefits to the local economy-- even in most deals the owners of the local firm are paid in stock from the acquiring firm, meaning that the money from the sale could never reach the local economy. Nevertheless, mergers and acquisitions are a significant form of FDI and until around 1997, accounted for nearly 90% of the FDI flow into the United States. Horizontal Foreign Direct Investment: investment in the same industry abroad as a firm operates in at home. Vertical Foreign Direct Investment: is of two kinds: 1) backward vertical FDI: where an industry abroad provides inputs for a firm's domestic production process 2) forward vertical FDI: in which an industry abroad sells the outputs of a firm's domestic production FDI can also be categorized based on the motive behind the investment from the perspective of the investing firm: Resource Seeking: Investments which seek to acquire factors of production that are more efficient than those obtainable in the home economy of the firm. In some cases, these resources may not be available in the home e

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Company Law - Essay Example This manifest prominently amid the utilization of any assets, opportunity, or information and fails to link to a clash of interest flowing from a transaction or pact with the company or in the events in which the subject has been permitted by the company’s directors (Davies 2012, p.8). Highlighting conflict of interest impacting on the director demands exploring whether the director engaged will obtain a substantial gain from the manifest conflict of interest. Background The decision that the directors’ duties should be codified was accompanied by the debate centring on the â€Å"stakeholder question.† This relates to the question on whose interests that companies should be run (whether the interests of the shareholders, the community, or employees). This debate centred on two approaches: The first school of thought detailed pluralism, which details that the role of the company centres on serving the interests of the multiple interest groups of stakeholders. As s uch, the duties of directors should be broadened to ensure that the directors respond to a broad collection of stakeholders other than shareholders (Lowry 2012, p.2). The second school of thought inclines towards the enlightened model maintaining that the function of the company hinges on generating value for the gain of shareholders while, simultaneously, matching the laid long-term objectives of the company, and associations that the company enjoys with other stakeholders inclusive of suppliers, community, employees, and others (Lacy 2002, p.154). At the height of debate, the Company Law Review settled for the enlightened shareholder approach, which appreciates the premise that it is the interests of the shareholders that should be placed first (Lowry 2012, p.3). The enlightened shareholder approach also recognizes that the company’s possibility for success anchors in maximizing on the relationships that the company enjoys various stakeholders groups. Discussion The orienta tion of the directors’ obligations embodies one of the most critical features prominently highlighted by the Company Law. The statutory scheme recognizes the directors’ roles outlined in C.2, Part 10 of the Company Act 2006. The title of â€Å"director,† in this case, is broadened to embrace shadow directors. The directors are required to conduct their duties as per the provisions detailed in C. 2, Part 10 of the Company Act 2006 to the company, instead of doing so for the shareholders and other stakeholders within the company (Arden 2007, p.162). The roles handed to the directors encompass aspects such as an obligation to act as per the applicable provisions of his/her powers detailed by the company’s constitution; a role to promote the long-term achievement of the company as perceived to be in good faith; an obligation to employ reasonable care, meticulousness, and skill; an obligation to manifest independent judgment; an obligation to evade conflict of interest where it may arise; an obligation not to acknowledge gains flowing from incidences such as secret commissions and bribes; and, an obligation to clarify on the interests amid the transactions (Calder 2008, p.59). Directors’ Duty to Act as per their Powers A company embodies a person and as such, ought to proceed as per the

Executive summary of a research in memo format Essay

Executive summary of a research in memo format - Essay Example It increases the morale, provides better access to new market segments and develops the productivity level. The discrimination-and-fairness paradigm helps to increase the demographic diversity within an organisation which ensures fair treatment to employees. However, due to its principle of every employee being the same, pressure might create among employees for assuring that differences among them do not pose as an obstacle for achieving the organisational goals. Therefore, practical disagreements about work processes or strategies can be falsely interpreted due to the fairness and equal treatment principle followed in this method. Access-and-legitimacy method has evolved after the 1980s when multinational organisations expanded their operations in different communities. The method preferred demographic workforce for accessing with the different communities in enhancing their productivity and sales in different countries. Organisations using this method have the potential of competi tive advantage from the motivation derived based on the market. However, while entering different markets, organisations tend to focus more on the cultural diversity rather than analysing factors which differs the work process. Furthermore, organisations tend to rapidly position employees in between different communities without analysing their capabilities and competencies. Incorporation of the two methods gave rise to a modern method, learning-and-effectiveness paradigm which integrates employees’ perspectives while determining strategies, product demands and also cultures. It helps in motivating employees and acknowledges different cultures while respecting the value each culture possesses. Thus, I would recommend the modern method as it consists of characteristics and principles of both the other paradigms. The learning-and-effectiveness method will be appropriate for fulfilling the overgrowing tendencies of expanding businesses in multination. Factors Affecting the Metho ds However, certain factors should be taken into concern that affect and influence the time required for implementing the diversity programmes. Implementing diversity programmes is time consuming if employees are reluctant for embracing the changed process. Furthermore, the learning-and-effectiveness method will help to identify the employees’ perspectives in implementing the different strategies. As observed in the case of First Interstate Bank which decided to employ loan officers who held the college degrees. Others were hired as support staff and were never promoted. The decision gave rise to huge protests as many employees have been associated with the bank for several years and developed the required skills of loan officers through constant training. Ultimately, the unfolding reasons indicated that diversity was not based on race or culture but class of people, i.e. educational backgrounds. Therefore, repeated protests forced the bank to change its policies and integrat e the changed processes based on the employees’ perspectives. As a result, the diversity programmes were implemented but delayed. I would suggest you to consider the concerning factors significantly and make necessary changes for effectively and rapidly implementing the

Motivational Factor at Tesco Essay Example for Free

Motivational Factor at Tesco Essay These theories concentrate of the benefits and importance of motivation, however researcher found it necessary for this research to consider that as it is mentioned by Vercueil, 2001 incorrectly implemented motivation management causes a harmful affect on the employees. Watt, 1998 refers to Anon saying that in the past motivation could be identifies as a way to make people want what we want and differs it from manipulation that makes individuals do what we want. However today as it mentioned by Bruce and Pepitone, 1999 modern employees are much more sophisticated and are in search for a greater satisfaction from the job they are doing. Artificial reward or money alone are nor enough. Therefore modern organisations need to learn and understand human nature as it indicates why people in these case employees behave in a particular manner. Managers need to motivate the employee leading to a grater working performances and mainly managers have to understand their employees needs and their life organization in order to meet the employees expectations and motivate ones performance more efficiently. Staff retention is a significant element of every successful business. It is characterized by the employees desire to sustain in the organization and continuing contribution to the business. In times of economic crisis more and more individuals have to stay at their jobs even if conditions are not favorable due to a risk of being unable to provide for a family. However more and more individuals are raising the importance of staff motivation management. Organizations today have realized that a modern employee needs to be rightly motivated and encouraged, not only money wise, to ensure staff retention. Motivation is a force that stimulates people to perform an action. Therefore motivation is a force which compel people go to their work every day and that is why people bring improvement in themselves to satisfy the desire of becoming or accomplishing what they have set out to become or accomplish in their life. More over with motivation any complicated situation can be converted into a simple and learning experience. In his research Watt, 2003 also states that managers must understand that individuals want to be treated fairly and have equal opportunities to advance. He highlights the problem of motivation today. Often organizations do not recognize that the motivation management requires different approaches depending on the industry sectors. The problem of motivation and staff performance as it is stated by Green et al, 1999 might stay undetected, hidden and unresolved by the managers. Therefore managers often don’t realize that it is important not only to appeal to the individual’s intellect but to their hearts as well. Green et all, 1999 also identifies three main problems for motivation: Lack of confidence Lack of trust Lack of satisfaction Well designed and implemented motivation strategy leads to employee’s retention therefore employee’s loyalty. Loyalty is a significant and vital part of any organization. As it is mentioned by Daft and Marcic, 2011 management should learn to allow all it s employees make a contribution and use its talents and potential in order to progress and improve their skills. This sort of motivation creates employees retention and ensures ones constant grow and contribution to the company. TK MAXX has a well developed reward and development management. Organization believes that its people should be growing as well as the business. From the first time the employee joins the company organization provides a comprehensive induction programs and ensures that whether it is about moving up the career ladder, learning and development of new skills or gaining experience working in different countries there are plenty of available opportunities for the employees. Company has a strong rewards and benefits system, pension scheme, holidays, private healthcare and voluntary benefits as a part of its employee motivation and ensures of employees happiness and satisfaction. All this provides companies growth and efficient performances with a high rate of employee’s retention. Researcher believes that T. K. Max is a real example of a right motivation management. Organization aims at ensuring satisfaction of its employees and at the same time ensures a solid growth and development for the business. Therefore the researcher wanted to examine the motivation strategies used by T. K. Max and analyze its effect on the employees. 1. 3. The Company Background The organization that we have chosen for our research is one of the most successful retailers in the market today. T. K. Max management in the Uxbridge branch were excited and happy to participate in our research and granted us with a permission to use the organization’s name in this investigation. T-K Maxx is a chain of clothing and accessories stores. The company was launched in 1994. It is a subsidiary of TJX Companies Inc. (TJXtra, JUNE 2010) TK MAXX always aimed to deliver frequently changing and best quality products at a price which is 20-60% less than other department and specialty stores regular prices. TK MAXX has label of â€Å"Always up to 60% less† and has target customers who is middle to upper-middle income shopper. But simultaneously who are fashion and value conscious. T. K. MAXX is now 7th largest fashion retailer in the U. K. It introduced the off price concept in the UK and it is now the only major off-price retailer in Europe. It was operating in UK and Ireland. Later on T. K. Maxx opened first stores in Germany in 2007 and also entered in Poland in 2009 (TJXtra, JUNE 2010) The reason why we the researcher choose TK-Maxx as an organization is its market share and the enormous global scale that it’s operate. Having its unique position in UK market T. K.

Low cost strategy and differentiation strategy on HR

Low cost strategy and differentiation strategy on HR Executive Summary: The report will develop key points using the Porter competitive model as a guide. It will describe low cost strategy and differentiation strategy and its impact in key HR function such as HR planning, recruitment and selection, orientation, training and development, career planning, performance management, compensation management, Health and safety and International Operations. Theory description: Michael Porter made a major contribution to the field of strategic management by grouping the different positions organizations can compete in five competitive strategies. Porters business strategy concentrates itself with the product and the market scope. The importance of gaining a competitive advantage is extreme in the economy and it grows out from the value an organization is able to for their consumer that exceeds the firms cost of creating it.  [1]   The five forces govern the profit structure of an industry by determining how the economic value it creates is apportioned. That value may be drained away through the rivalry among existing competitors, of course, but it can also be bargained away through the power of suppliers or the power of customers or be constrained by the threat of new entrants or the threat of substitutes. Strategy can be viewed as building defenses against the competitive forces or as finding a position in an industry where the forces are weaker. Changes in the strength of the forces signal changes in the competitive landscape critical to ongoing strategy formulation.  [2]   Low-cost Provider Strategy the goal of this strategy is to provide a product or service at a price lower than that of competitors while appealing to a broad range of customers. Low cost strategy is centered on the capability of the company to produce and deliver products of competitive quality at lower costs. Cost leadership strategy is much more than cost reduction initiatives that get lot of prominence in strategic planning and review session of any company as a means to improve the bottom line of a company by improving its efficiency. Some companies use their efficient cost structures to protect their markets from the competitors by responding to competitors move of making in-roads in the market space by reducing prices. Such reactive response may make a company predominantly inward focused. Positioning low cost strategy Better way to strategically position a company on the advantage of cost is to increase market share by transforming from lowest cost producer to lowest cost supplier of products. This way the company translates its cost advantage into price advantage for its customers and thereby improves the market share. The prospect of increasing the market share provides a great opportunity for the company to leverage the economies of scale coupled with the ruthless cost cutting measures it plans to execute. More the competitive space it occupies which also means that more competitors eliminated more effective are economies of scale and as a result the costs are driven still lower. When a company is able to transform the efforts of cost reduction into cost advantage for customers the company can be said to be successfully pursuing low cost leadership strategy. Wal-Mart is one company that continuously strives to reduce costs and in the market place it has got the image of supplier of products at the lowest prices. This is how Wal-Mart captures the markets and eliminates the competitors and improves revenues and market share. Economies of scale and efficiency form the core around which Wal-Mart executes its strategy. Companies pursuing cost leadership strategy compare each and every activity along their value chain with competitors and are committed to surpass them. Innovation in such companies is focused on process improvements rather than on products .Therefore, companies pursuing cost leadership strategy target mass markets with proven products.  [3]   Differentiation strategy an organization employing this strategy seeks to differentiate its products from other competitors products in ways that will appeal to a broad range of customers.  [4]  Examples of suceesful organizations are Examples of the successful use of a differentiation strategy are Hero Honda, Asian Paints, HLL, Nike athletic shoes, Perstorp BioProducts, Apple Computer, and Mercedes-Benz automobiles. HR functions and Porters strategies: Human resources Planning can be defined as a process by which an organization ensures that it has the right number and kinds of people, at the right place, at the right time, capable of effectively and efficiently completing those tasks that will help the organization achieve its overall objectives or in other words HRP can be defined as planning for the future personnel needs of an organization, taking into account both internal activities and factors in the external environment. When adopting low cost strategy organizations the product must be perceived by consumers as comparable to the ones offered by the competition and have a price advantage. The objective is to gain market share or to earn higher profit margin, this options have direct impact in HR Planning. When analyzing the function we can observe that at entry level succession planning is minimal. Outside labor markets are monitored to satisfy entry level needs and resource to fringe workers.  [5]  On the other hand, Or ganizations that adopt a differentiation strategy the impact in HR planning, is the following the company recognizes that people are the key in gaining a competitive advantage in the market and their strategies reflect that concern. Succession management is vital in this environment is critical, employees need to possess certain competencies and skills to advance in the company, with this organizations invest in developing skills is part of the promotion policy. HR management focuses on career and training and job security and employee loyalty is very with these organizations.  [6]   Recruitment and Selection function incorporates the process to discover the sources of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing the sources of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing schedule and employ effective measures for attracting the manpower in adequate numbers to facilitate effective selection of an effective working force. Selection is the process of choosing the most suitable candidates from those who apply for the job. It is a process of offering jobs to desired candidates. Organizations that adopt low cost strategy focus less Recruitment and selection. It is mostly done at level entry and the pool is the surrounding labor market pool and recruitment and selection budgets are lower organizations that adopt differentiation strategies. Recruitment methods are based on mouth to mouth and on-site applications, resource to local newspapers. Career paths are narrow and positions that are not entry level are filled in house.  [7]  When adopting a differentiation strategy an organization reaffirms that human capital is key in gaining your competitive advantage it centralizes the importance of Recruitment and Selection. In this picture, the strategy reflects the need for a pool of employees with a broad range of skills and competencies. The employee that they seek is one that will need less supervision and with an innovative mind and ability to work in teams. On the other hand, the selection process involves team interviews and behaviorally based evidence of innovative performance and resources to testing may occur.  [8]   Orientation Training and Development is the field concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings.  [9]  This concept is differs from company to company , low cost strategy will incorporate a training and development process focused on increasing the efficiency of the job, training is provide in a minimal delivery due to the skills to perform the job being lower. Investment in career development is few and the focus in acquiring new skills is non existence. If we analyze the food industry, this is the predominant rule. Employees are trained to perform a job and their trained on the basis in delivering a service. While in a differentiation organization, employees are viewed as the key for their success and investment in training and career development are higher. In organizations as Apple INC have developed training and development programs that will focus on skills and attitudes, decision making, ability to work i n teams, creative thinking, it is aimed to be a process that will incite innovation and creativity. Apples training and development can range from training the staff or employees on how to use a new piece of software, complete a form, give good customer service or write a professional letter. Training and development programs are an essential component of a learning environment that can improve the Apple Inc.s ability to attract and retain employees with the skills and competencies needed to achieve results for the benefit of the company. Training and developing new and current staff to fill up new roles and work in dissimilar ways will be a decisive part in the endeavors of the company to meet its transformation challenges. Ways that employees learn and achieve results will also continue to transform how Apple Inc. do business and engage or force the employees in further innovation and improvements in line with its objectives.  [10]   Career Planning includes the steps an individual undergoes in an organization during working period, which takes the person through the hierarchic ladder with expansion in duties and responsibilities with resultant increase in pay and status. It is a process which enables an organization to meet its current and future manpower requirement through provision of career opportunities for its employees. Planned and systematized progression of events in the field of work of Individuals during their employable periods of life.  [11]  Low cost organizations will invest little in career planning due to the fact their aim is to provide a low cost service and investing in career planning will increase their costs. Although, at the corporate level some techniques maybe visible. In a differentiation strategy organization career planning is a tool to improve employee motivation and loyalty. Methods as career development workshop, human resources planning and forecasting, succession planning, career development pathing programs and mentoring are set in place to guide employees.  [12]   Performance management is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. Performance management is a whole work system that begins when a job is defined as needed. It ends when an employee leaves your organization.  [13]  Low strategy organizations develop performance management plans that are standard are measured by standard criteria, when executing performance reviews the feedback is immediate, specific in the form a review and accountability is implemented. Appraisals are performed by the direct supervisor not utilizing the 360 appraisal method the objective here is for promotion consideration. These plans are implemented in the food and restaurant industry where positions normally are less complex in the bottom level. As in differentiation environment like Apple INC performance management is based on long term implications of behavior, the objective is geared to implement behavior that will have long term efficient behaviors. The plan tries to encourage empowerment, diversity, and team work, innovation that will reach efficient and effective outcomes. Performance reviews are 360, evaluation is done by measuring group work in terms of objectives not defragmenting the individual effort.  [14]   Compensation Management is an important task for HR; it is complex task that is performed periodically which configures each employees compensation in order to be included in the payroll process. Organizations with low cost strategies manage their compensation strategy in order to monitor the wages offered by organizations in their market; they incorporate lower wages and fringe benefits and adopt a lag strategy by utilizing outsourcing to countries or states where wages are lower. The reduction in wages can be achieved by using part time employees, because they do not receive fringe benefits. In pay performance dimension is used to reward individual effort in low cost organizations. Companies with differentiation strategies develop their compensation strategy very carefully. Wages can be slightly below the market average, but the opportunities to increase your pay through other means are plenty for example incentive pay. By placing yourself as a differentiation focused company pay p erformance is incorporate and it depends on individual, group and corporate achievements.  [15]   Health and Safety policies are extremely important in the Canadian workplace environment. Organizations will comply with the legal requirements and will ensure employees have a safe and healthy work environment. Where organizations differ is their level of complexity of HS practices. In low cost driven organizations the investment in health and safety is used as the main goal of achieving legal compliance. Manufacturing sector gear their practices to ensure the safety requirements are met. As in a differentiation organization we see the reach to a next step by implementing employee wellness programs and use health and safety to increase their competitive advantage by positioning as going beyond the limits. International Operations Conclusion:

Buying a House Vs Renting an Apartment

Buying a House Vs Renting an Apartment Buying a home can be an exciting experience for anyone. However, in some cases you just might be better off continuing to rent your home. There are many advantages to buying a home. However, it is not for everyone and buying varies from individual to individual. Currently more people are leaning towards renting but this could change in the near future. After doing the research and looking at all the options; Buying a House is the best way to go. When someone makes the decision to buy or rent a home they must consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. In buying a home the primary advantage is that you actually own it. You can do whatever you want with it. Also, you are building equity as the years go by. However, when they buy a home, the money they put down for a down payment is an investment. When the person sells the home they get back the down payment and the amount the property has appreciated in value. When looking at the advantages of renting it is easy to see the disadvantages of buying for some people. Even though you dont get the money back that you spend. Renting vs. buying really just depends on your personal needs. Both have advantages, but neither is the perfect choice for everyone. The first list applies to renting an apartment and the second list is for home buyers. Keep in mind that there are many things to consider when choosing between the two, but this list just touches on a few of the differences. Much of it is just personal preference, so its important to figure out whats right for you. Advantages to Renting an Apartment: If you move frequently, or youre unsure of how long youll be staying in the area, renting could be the better choice. People in the military are often better off with renting an apartment, since they could be stationed somewhere else at any time. When you rent, you dont have to worry about things like mowing the lawn, repairing a leaky roof, buying a new hot water heater, or most other things that require maintenance. Renting can also be the first step towards buying a home, since you can get to know the area before you buy a house. It would be a shame to buy a house, then a few months later, wish that you lived a few miles away. Advantages to Buying a House: When you buy a house, its generally a good investment that will increase in value. This might not be the case if you plan on moving right back out shortly after moving in, though. Its yours to change as you see fit. Want to add a bathroom? Put a shed in the back yard? Paint it a different color? Its nice to feel like you can do what you want because its actually yours, rather than having to read the fine print of your rental lease before doing something as simple as putting up a shelf. Having a yard is one of the obvious advantages, where you can soak up some sun while enjoying some privacy, rather than hanging out at a crowded public pool area. The yard advantage is also important for people with large pets that might not be allowed in an apartment. Home equity loans often come in handy for people that want to redecorate or put an addition on their home. Privacy is nice and having your own yard is great if you have kids, or just like to sit outside and enjoy some peace and quiet. When you live in some communities, whether you buy a house or live in an apartment complex, some have strict guidelines that you have to follow. In some subdivisions, certain things like the height of your grass in lawn, car repairs in the driveway, leaving garage doors open, or even what you can have in your yard are not allowed. These rules can seem like a lot to some, but they can also be nice if you end up next to a neighbor whose every action lowers property values in the area. When does it make sense to buy? People, who have generally rented their whole lives, purchase a home for various reasons. Owning something of value with a chance of watching their investment appreciate is one reason. Purchasing a home to save money over the long-term is another. Example: Lets say youre currently renting a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment. Your monthly rent is $1,000. You find a two-bedroom, two-bath at a market price of $250,000 (roughly the national average.) You have $25,000 saved enough for a 10 percent down payment. For the purpose of this example, youre looking to finance $225,000, which includes closing costs. Using one of several mortgage calculators on the Internet, your monthly payment would be approximately $1,385 for a 30-year fixed loan at an APR of 6.20 percent (the national average). After taxes and appreciation in equity, your monthly payment over five years would average $499 per month. Costs Savings of Buying versus Renting Calculations Rent Purchase Monthly rent/estimated mortgage payment $1,000 $1,385 Purchase price of home $250,000 Percentage of down payment 25,000 Length of loan term (years) 30 Interest rate 6.2% Years you plan to stay in the home 5 Yearly property tax rate 1% Yearly home value appreciation rate 4% Results Price of home after appreciation $304,163 Remaining balance after 5 years 209,887 Equity in house 94,276 Tax savings (28% bracket) 23,030 Avg. monthly payment over time 1,047 499 Total payments (over 5 years) $62,820 $29,973 Total savings if buying $32,847 Source: Ginniemae.gov. These calculations are estimates only. You should always seek the guidance of financial or tax experts before making any buying decisions. The outcome could dramatically change should an unforeseen economic downturn or financial hardship occur (e.g., home improvement costs, catastrophic damage, etc.). While, no one can predict if home appreciation values will spiral downward, or if mortgage interest rates will rise, its clear that under the right circumstances home ownership can be financially rewarding. (Provided by informa Research Services). In the beginning, I was convinced that renting an apartment was the best way to go, but after doing the research and looking at all the data on the financial side, I found that it is far better to buy a house than it is to rent an apartment.

This paper examines the type of corporation which meets James’s best

This paper examines the type of corporation which meets James’s best interest. Abstract This paper examines the type of corporation which meets James’s best interest. A company can be set up with or without shares available to the public, divided into the public company which is expensive to obtain and maintain, and the private company which is appreciated by most businesses to begin with. Also, there are limited and unlimited companies. In addition, a company can be classified as limited by guarantee or limited by capital shares which are in most companies’ favour. These are governed in the main by the Companies Act 1985 and relevant case law. Introduction There are several types of company. The most common company is a limited company, the liability of the members being limited to the amount they have previously agreed. According to Denis Keenan (1996), a corporation is a succession or collection of persons having at law an existence, rights and duties, separate and distinct from those of the persons who are from time to time its members. This paper explains the reasons to form a company, and the reasons why a private company is more preferable than the public one, together with the discussion of the company limited by guarantee and unlimited company. Finally, the cases in Salomon v. Salomon Co. (1897) and Marcaura v Northern Assurance Co. Ltd help to evaluate the principle of personal succession which is the unique feature of being a company. Across the paper, James is given recommendations to the type of company which best suits his needs. a) Advantages of Incorporation Incorporating a company offers James many advantages, even if he is doing one-person business. Some of these advantages are: - Separate legal personality. A corporation is by law recognized as a separate legal person. Since a partner in a general partnership represents an agent of the business, when a change happens about partners, it in most times differentiates the partnership. On the other hand, a corporation is not dependent on the life of shareholders, directors, and officers, and will not be affected by changes in, deaths and retirement of its members since it is by law recognized as a separate ‘person’. Furthermore, the day-to-day business is running unaffected. As a separate person, a company can enter into transaction i... ... states that a shareholder is permitted to change the contents of the article and memorandum by special resolutions. A quick company may be born and improved to best meet James’s needs. It should be mentioned that the company is better to be limited by a capital share, as the limited by guarantee is not very keen on the profit-generating process. Bibliographies Books Andrew Hicks & S.H.Goo (2001) Cases & Materials on Company Law (4th ed.). London, Blackstone Press Limited. Denis Keenan (1996) Smith & Keenan’s Company Law for Students (10th ed.). London, Pitman Publishing Geoffrey Morse (1999) Charlesworth &Morse Company Law (16th ed.) London: Sweet & Maxwell. Janet Dine (2001) Janet Dine Company Law (4th ed.). Palgrave Law Masters Paul L. Davies (2003) Gower and Davies Principles of Modern Company Law (7th ed.). London: Sweet & Maxwell. S. Kunalen & Susan Mckenzie (2001). Blackstone’s Law Questions & Answers- Company Law (2nd ed.). London, Blackstone Press Limited. Stephen Mayson, Dereck French & Christopher Ryan (2000) Mayson French & Ryan on Company Law (17th ed.). London: Blackstone Press Limited. Web materials www.businesslink.gov.uk

Coaching Decisions :: essays research papers

Coaching Decisions On December 20, 1996, Granite City's girls' basketball coach, Chuck Kraus, appeared to be agitated during the halftime conference with his players. After minutes of yelling, he began to use profanity. Five minutes later, he picked up a bench and threw it across the locker room. Assistant coach John Moad tried to settle Kraus down, but he failed. The coach pushed him into the lockers and tossed chalk into his face. This halftime outburst cost Coach Kraus a three game suspension. The first practice after his suspension, Kraus held a meeting with the players and the parents. Jan Shanefelt, the starting point guard of the varsity team, asked the coach why he came back, the girls liked playing under Coach Moad better. Quickly, Kraus became agitated and threw a hard chest pass that hit Jan in the arm. The next day Kraus wrote a letter of resignation for the rest of the year and will resume his duties in the fall of '97. Should Coach Kraus just get suspended for the rest of the year, or should he never be allowed to coach again? I think Coach Kraus should be fired without any hesitation. Many of the players and the parents wanted Kraus fired after the first incident, and they definitely want him fired now. In school systems today, many incidents similar to this happen often. Are athletic coaches today given too much power and think they can do whatever they think can improve the team? The coaches should be setting examples to the players, not putting them down. Athletics are not about winning and losing, it is about getting the most out of your players. Sometimes the players lose their concentration during the game and need to be reassured during the halftime discussion. Verbal abuse does not help the players at all. Coaches also need to remember that they are teaching teenagers, not adults. Teenage girls look up to their coaches, and lean toward them for guidance. After the first incident, Coach Kraus claimed to be sick which gave him a short temper. The December 22 issue of the Granite City Journal supported Kraus, saying "he is not the type of man to lose control like that. As much as Kraus has given to the girls' team, he shouldn't be punished for using profanity one time." The school board President Jeff Parker stated "he is not a person that coaches for the money, he coaches because of his affection for the kids." These are just some of the explanations in Kraus's defense to help persuade the school not to punish him.

Nitrogen Management :: Environment, Agriculture, Crop Production

Nitrogen management is crucial component for sustainable crop production, it is desirable to adapt N supply with crop N use to maximize efficiency. In Egypt, due to intensive cultivation of high yielding crop varieties, the nutrients supplying capacity of soil is declining. Producers tend to apply insurance application of N to make them feel more confident about N sufficiency. These practices may lead to over application of N fertilizer and result in groundwater pollution by nitrate (NO3) due to the elevated levels of NO3 in the soil profile (Asadi et al. 2002). Accordingly, searching for alternative N sources and maintaining long term soil fertility and sustainability are a priority for studying. Cultivar performance varies as related to genotype Ãâ€" environmental interactions (Eberhart and Hallauer 1967). In general, corn hybrids are highly productive and respond to N application, however their ability to maintain yield under water or N stress are different (O’Neill et al. 2004). Nitrogen availability represents a major limiting corn grain yield under intensive cropping system. The identification of hybrids response to different combination of N rates and bio-fertilizers could reduce the amount of applied N and increase efficiency. Several research in the literature document significant cultivar Ãâ€" N interaction differences in growth such as LAI and plant weight and yield traits (Ahmed 1990; Tollenaar and Wu 1999; and Hokmalipour 2010). Determining specific hybrids response to N inputs would make a great contribution to plant breeding for sustainable agriculture (Presterl et al. 2002). It is clear that current unsuitable handling of N fertilizers may be responsible for NO3-N contamination of both surface water and soil water (Wang et al. 1996). Yield goal as N based recommendation usually represent large geographic areas. According to (MOA 2004) they provide a N recommendation for corn that is a linear function of yield goal. Although these recommendations are generally suitable, they may lead to over application of N as hybrids and environment change. Corn grain yield has been significantly increased by varying N rate from 190 to 380 kg N ha-1 (El-Hendawy et al. 2008). A positive response for grain yield has been reported by (Halverson and Reule 2006) up to 285 kg N ha-1 while maximized at 180 kg N ha-1 in another study (Lamm et al. 2001). Determining N recommendation could be further improved by considering field-specific soil-crop-climate conditions along with different hybrids and Bio-fertilizers effects.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki Essay

It was the morning of Aug 6 1945. It was a very beautiful rosy sky. You heard the birds chirping and yet it was so peaceful and calm. All of a sudden there was a thud. Then suddenly everything went quite and nothing was left of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Then three days later the same incident was repeated again where 70,000 and 40,000 people instantly lost their lives. This was the United States first step towards technology when the first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The impact of this bomb had killed about 70,000 innocent civilians instantly. Even though the US knew the devastating effects of their weapons, they chose to drop it anyway. Three days later another bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. This had demolished about two square miles of the city and had taken about forty-thousand innocent lives. This was the end of the World War II. This all had started when President Harry Truman wanted to test out the Manhattan project. The Manhattan Project was a codename for a project that that was being done in the World War II to create the first atomic bomb. The â€Å"little boy† the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima was made with uranium-235. The bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki was made with plutonium-239 and called the â€Å"fat man†. The choice of target was recommended by the Target Committee at Los Amos and was led by J. Robert Oppenheimer. He has recommended the Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Kokura as the targets. There were several requirements in choosing the location to drop the fat man and little boy. The blast had to create an effective damage. The target was larger than three miles and was close to the urban area. And it was untouched from any attacks. â€Å"Hiroshima was described as â€Å"an important army depot and port of embarkation in the middle of an urban industrial area. It is a good radar target and it is such a size that a large part of the city could be extensively damaged. There are adjacent hills which are likely to produce a focusing effect which would considerably increase the blast damage. Due to rivers it is not a good incendiary target† (Wikipedia). Hiroshima also had a major army base that had headquarters to the 5th and the 2nd army headquarters. Also, Hiroshima had mountains that surrounded it so the damage could be more effective. When the planes that carried the bombs to Hiroshima they were picked up by the Japanese air raid and had send out an alarm. But when the Japanese saw that it was only three planes they had lifted the alarm thinking that they might be just the regular visitors the US was sending over. When the bomb was thrown the â€Å"Tibbets recalled: A bright light filled the plane. The first shockwave hit us. We were eleven and a half miles slant range from the atomic explosion but the whole airplane cracked and crinkled from the blast†¦. We turned back to look at Hiroshima. The city was hidden by that awful cloud†¦ mushrooming, terrible and incredibly tall† (WWII database). Many of those who had survived had it far worse than the ones that died instantly. They had been badly and severely burned that they looked like living charcoal pieces. Many of the ones that survived all of this died of radiation poisoning and some even had started to vomit their insides out and had died. Majority of the areas hospitals were in a part of Hiroshima that was destroyed and over 90 percent of the doctors were killed. People that escaped unbruised or hurt would suffered balding and nosebleeds, because days after the explosion the radiation levels were dangerously high. And by the end of 1945 the Hiroshima victims had increased from 90,000 to 150,000. Majority of the people that were killed were Koreans. Because the communication process was delayed due to the devastation president Truman said â€Å"If they do not now accept our terms, they may expect a rain of ruin from the air the likes of which has never been seen on this earth†, he said, He later gave the go-ahead to drop the second atomic weapon on Japan† (WWII database). The Second bomb was intended for the city of Kokura. But due to the bad weather that was moving in the schedule had moved up two days. The city of Nagasaki was a very important sea port in Southern Japan. The results of the Fat man was much greater than the one produced by little boy. Around 75,000 people were immediately killed. The day after the attack Japan’s emperor had over ruled the military leaders of Japan and had forced them to give into the surrender unconditionally (doe. gov). This had ended the World War II. Soon after the city was starting to be built again but the devastation area was preserved. Today both Hiroshima and Nagasaki are doing really well. They have a large automobile industry that includes brands like mazda, and Mitsubishi. There still are people who suffer the effects of the radition but very few of them are left. The population went from null to almost 1 million people in each city. In Nagasaki there are hotels on the mountainside with houses, and shops around the neighborhood. Some people had thought that because of the high radiation levels nothing would grow here for decades. But people were shocked when the plants started to grow from under the debris. People had built themselves temporary huts to avoid bad weather. But three months later aide had come from the American-Directed occupation government and the construction had began. Today the city of Nagasaki has a population of about 440,000 people. And Hiroshima today has a population of about 1. 12 million people. In todays world there major industry there is machinery, automotive which produced the Mazda car, and food processing. They have malls, and major department stores. Even though there were two big bombs dropped on the Japans two of the industrial cities, Japan had gone into a total economic and traditional decline. The Japan’s economy was devastated. America had to step in and to help the Japanese economy to get back up, so therefore most of the American values and traditions were incorporated into the Japanese culture. I think it was morally wrong for the Americans to use the atomic bombs and take so many of the innocent lives. After all as always America is the only one that wants to be in power and that was the result of that.

Vegetarian/Vegan Documented Argument

No Dessert until You Finish Your Vegetables A vegetarian lifestyle has been lived by a small portion of society for years for many different reasons. Most meat eaters do not agree with the views or lifestyle choices or vegetarians. In recent years, however, the practice of withholding from meat consumption has taken on new life mainly because of undeniable new proof of its health benefits and a changing social view that is gradually expanding to include the rights of animals. In spite of its speedy growth, the vegetarian ideology remains a largely controversial subject for many Americans.Its sudden popularity in the peculator leaves many avid meat-eaters questioning the validity of Its benefits and struggling to defend their way of life which has been around since cavemen. While meat consumption in America is rising, vegetarianism is flourishing a surprising popularity of its own. A poll recently conducted by Time Magazine estimates that ten million Americans consider themselves to b e vegetarians, and an additional twenty million say that they have â€Å"flirted† with vegetarianism sometime In the past (Corrals).A separate survey found that schools and universities are Increasingly offering meatless meals to their students in an attempt to keep up with the increasing demand among young vegetarians. In fact, in a recent survey of twelve to nineteen year olds, twenty percent of all the respondents and 28 percent of the female respondents described vegetarianism as â€Å"in† (Irvine). While many critics dismiss this appreciation for the idea of a plant-based diet as a short-lived social trend, that is hardly the case.Eating meat is a practice that causes numerous health risks and takes a significant toll on the environment, all at the expense of the suffering of Innocent creatures. Society as a whole would be better served In making a transition to a healthier, less violent vegetarian lifestyle. Such a change would leave the world a better place, ben efiting our earth and our health as well as increasing our awareness of the world around us. One of the most important reasons for our society to accept vegetarianism is the damage that meat production causes to the environment.While most Americans don't realize It, eating and producing meat inspires a wasteful misuse of the earth's valuable resources, leaving an UN- occupy the earth, three times the number of human beings (Motivational). In the U. S. Alone livestock outnumber people twenty-five to one. The amount of room required to raise all these animals is massive (Corrals). In South America, about seventy thousand acres of rainforest's are destroyed every day to make land for cattle to graze (Hurley 40), and the use of the land Is so Inefficient that It Is estimated that a single vegetarian will save an acre of trees every year.The large number of animals bred for food go to the bathroom at a rate of 87,000 pounds per second, or about 20 tons of manure per year for every U. S. Household, all of which is eventually routed to rivers ND streams. The problem is so bad that the Environmental Protection Agency has stated that animal feces â€Å"pollutes American waterways more than all other industrial sources combined† (Motivational). Modern farming methods also consume water and fossil fuels at an alarming rate. It requires only 2,000 liters of water to produce a in beef (Corrals).The amount of waste is disturbing. In his book The Food Revolution, John Robbins states â€Å"you'd save more water by not eating one pound of California beef than you would by not showering for an entire year† (Metallic). The production f meat also requires huge amounts of fossil fuel, consuming about eight times what it would take to produce a comparable amount of plant protein and about 30 times the fuel required to produce an equal amount of grain (Hurley). Ironically, the vegetable industry also wastes massive amounts of food.The amount of grain consumed by Americ a's livestock, about five times the grain consumed by humans in the U. S. , could feed 800 million people (Corrals). Jean Mayer, a nutritionist at Harvard, estimates that a reduction in meat consumption by the American people by Just ten recent would produce enough grain to feed 60 million people (Metallic), and former Environmental Minister of India Manage Gandhi is quoted as saying, â€Å"Were all of [the grain fed to livestock] consumed directly by humans, it would nourish five times as many people as it does after being converted into meat, milk and eggs† (Hurley 40).The problem is exacerbated by the fact that meat production is such an inefficient use of land, while a ten-acre farm could support 60 people growing soybeans or 24 people growing wheat, the same ten acres could support only two people raising cattle (Metallic). The case against eating meat is also strengthened by the overabundance of scientific evidence behind the health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. T he premise that vegetarian diets are nutritionally lacking is a common misconception; however, the scientific evidence supports a conclusion to the contrary.The USDA and nutrition experts alike have praised vegetarianism for its health benefits (Hurley 39); in fact, research has shown that for many people the health benefits of a vegetarian diet may exceed that of those who eat meat. The most obvious reason for this is the potential that meat carries for contamination. Sixty percent of supermarket chickens are infected with salmonella, and in 1997 alone 25 million pounds of hamburger were contaminated with the E. Coli virus (Metallic). Mostly, however, vegetarian diets are endorsed for much more positive reasons.Studies have shown that the meat-free lifestyle is beneficial for reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, and several forms of cancer (Corrals). Especially significant in today's society due to the growing problem, is the diet's poten tial for lowering the risk for obesity. According to the U. S. Government, 23% of Americans were obese as of the year 2000 (â€Å"Overweight Prevalence†). Plant-based diets have also been shown to aid in diabetics' kidney and nerve functions.In addition, they may be a factor in the longer life spans evident in industrialized nations and, according to the International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition at Loam Linda University, can â€Å"slow, and perhaps even reverse, age-related declines in brain function and in cognitive and motor performance† (Corrals). Alternatively, a large study has found that diets high in animal protein and lacking in Lana foods actually increased the risk for heart disease and cancer (â€Å"Meat-Free†). Dry. Caldwell Uselessly Jar. F the Cleveland Clinic asserts that our typical American diet, characterized by its emphasis on animal products, is the cause of 75% of the diseases in our country (Hurley 39). There have also been several fin dings in this area of particular interest to women. Studies have shown that soy foods, the most and reduce the hot flashes she experiences during menopause (â€Å"Meat-Free†). In addition, a study recently published in Contemporary BOB/GUN maintains that a low- at vegetarian diet can aid in the relief of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome such as â€Å"pain intensity, behavioral problems and water retention† (Correct).Cardiovascular disease, which kills more women than any other disease, can also be affected by a vegetarian diet, as the diet â€Å"leads to striking reductions† in cholesterol (Shadow's). The common myth that vegetarian diets are nutritionally inadequate is largely untrue. Even the American Dietetic Association endorses vegetarianism: â€Å"A well-planned vegetarian eating style can be healthful, nutritionally sound, and beneficial for the prevention of certain diseases. One of the prevailing misconceptions is that the diet does not allow for all the necessary protein.The truth, however, is exactly the opposite; several vegetables – and soy products in particular – provide all of the protein that the body needs (â€Å"Meat-Free†). In contrast, the average omnivore actually consumes an amount of protein that greatly exceeds what is healthy (Hurley 40). Another concern is the lack of calcium in the diet, but this also proves unfounded. In fact, research has shown that while most American teens get far from enough calcium, vegetarian teens who include eggs and milk in their diet actually consume a more than adequate amount of the nutrient (Corrals).Perhaps the most important argument for vegetarianism is the practice of producing and eating meat. The process of giving life for the sole purpose of taking it away is extremely questionable from an ethical point of view. Author Michael Pollen wrote, â€Å"More than any other institution, the American industrial animal farm offers a nightmarish glimpse of what capitalism can look like in the absence of moral or regulatory constraint. † This is particularly true in the case of Cafes, Confined Animal Feeding Operations, sometimes also called factory farms.Conditions on these farms are so repulsive that Pollen writes, â€Å"To visit a modern CAFE†¦ Is to enter a world that, for all its technological sophistication, is still designed according to Cartesian principles: animals are machines incapable of feeling pain. Since no thinking person can possibly believe this any more, industrial animal agriculture depends on a suspension of disbelief on the part of the people who operate it and a willingness to avert your eyes on the part of everyone else. Male chickens born on a CAFE will be thrown into trash bags and left to die because they are of no value to a farmer Motivational). Those females unlucky enough to survive are packed six at a time into a crate no wider than a piece of paper. The stress soon overwhelms them, and most rub a gainst the cages until they molt and bleed (Pollen); they would cannibalize the other animals but for the fact that their beaks are literally seared off at birth (Hurley).When a laying hen is about to die, she will be â€Å"force-molted† which means she is deprived of food and water for days at a time to force her to lay one last time before she dies. The mortality rate from stress alone at these farms is about ten percent, a umber so fixed that farmers will actually budget it into their production costs. Another example is that of the hogs raised for bacon and pork. Weaned only ten days after birth, baby pigs develop an oral fixation of sucking on the tails of the other pigs.The pigs in possession of the suckled tails are so depressed that they refuse to fight back, and the constant sucking and nibbling can easily lend the tail to infection. To remove the tail but to make the sucking so painful that the accosted pig will have no choice but to fight back. Pigs who don't fight back and become infected or take ill are â€Å"clubbed to death on the spot† (Pollen). Some critics question the validity of reports of animal cruelty, citing government regulations and the Humane Slaughter Act, which was intended to guarantee the humane treatment of animals.Unfortunately government regulations are sparse and rarely enforced, and the Humane Slaughter Act applies only to the actual slaughtering process itself and offers an animal no protection from mistreatment up until the moment of death (Hurley 37). Additionally, the Act and even regular USDA inspections have had seemingly little effect on actual farm practices: animals are regularly skinned alive, and often â€Å"regain consciousness ruing slaughtering† (Motivational). There are strictly moral arguments against eating meat as well.In his critical essay â€Å"Why Friends Shouldn't Let Friends be Eaten: An Argument for Vegetarianism,† author Jeff Jordan examines the issue of morality from a so ciologically scientific standpoint: The morality of meat consumption also comes into question given the growing evidence that animals are capable of emotions very similar to our own. It is virtually inarguable that animals hold the capacity to experience fear, and most higher mammals and even some birds play in their youth and into adulthood. It might be surprising for some to learn that even grief has been observed among wild animals, especially at the death of a family member.Scientists have often seen elephants â€Å"trying to revive dead or dying family members† and even â€Å"standing beside the remains for many days, periodically reaching out and touching the body with their trunks. † Similarly, female sea lions have been seen wailing as their pups are eaten by predators. This evidence leaves little doubt in some scientists' minds that animals have at least a basic understanding of the concept of death (Tangled). If this is the case, then Animal Liberation author Peter Singer makes a very valid point: â€Å"The question is not, Can they reason? Or, Can they talk? But, Can they suffer? † ( Pollen). Our very motivation behind meat consumption is also cause for moral concern. In a recent study appearing in The Journal of Social Psychology, researchers contemplated the fact that the â€Å"prominence of meat in the food system seems greater than its nutritional value; therefore, meat probably has a socially constructed value. † It has been postulated in the past that meat may have a higher social connection with masculinity and power while plant foods are stereotypically associated with undermined weaker traits.The findings of the published study confirmed this theory: researchers found that â€Å"a more pronounced omnivore identity† was â€Å"associated with stronger social dominance,† and that omnivores tended to value social power where vegetarians â€Å"emphasized peace, equality, and social Justice. † The strong correlation suggests a desire to eat meat not Just for sustenance but also as a means of environmental control (Allen et al). Most major religions examine the concept of vegetarianism, and virtually all at least partially endorse it as a way of life.Buddha instructed his followers to abstain from eating meat, and in the Hindu Epic poem â€Å"The Inhabitant† followers who desire â€Å"good memory, long life with perfect health, and physical, moral and spiritual strength† are encouraged to consume only plant foods (Null 12). Even the Bible encourages a plant based diet: â€Å"Then God said, ‘l give fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food† (Holy Bible: Gene. 1:29). In spite of the surplus of evidence that vegetarianism would be more beneficial to humanity, critics continue to voice their skepticism and, sometimes, downright disdain for the idea of forsaking meat. The website www. Inches. Net, for instance, poses the question, â€Å"If anima ls weren't meant to be eaten, why are they made out of meat? † It is a question that Richard Corrals rightly counters, â€Å"One might ask the same of humans. † The fact remains that many of the opinions against vegetarianism are easily challenged. For instance, most opponents will maintain that meat is necessary for a healthy diet, and that it is only harmful when eaten in excess. The fallibility in this argument is that the average American eats two times the recommended amount of protein; it is almost always, at least in our country, eaten in excess (Corrals).The idea that farmers have an interest in keeping their animals healthy is also a falsehood. The plight of veal calves is a perfect example: these calves are treated so poorly that they must be medicated to keep them alive. Because of the way they are raised, they are usually too weak to walk and have to be dragged into the slaughterhouse (Hurley 38). Opponents also point to the food chain when attempting to con test vegetarianism's way of life claiming that man is naturally on top of the food chain and that animals would be Just as susceptible to predators in the wild as they are on a farm, if not more so.Pollen argues against this point :†Do you really want to base your morality on the natural order? Murder and rape are natural, too. Besides, humans don't need to kill other creatures in order to survive; animals do. † There are also those who argue that man, who secured his position at the top of his food chain with his powerful intellectual capabilities, has an inherent right to consume the flesh of other animals. While man is indeed intellectually superior to his fellow beings, his intelligence should not be Justification for harming those less fortunate than himself.Just because one man is less wealthy than another goes that give the wealthy man the right to think he is better than the poor man? I have experienced first hand not only a vegetarian lifestyle but a vegan lifes tyle. As a vegan I restrained from eating any animal products including all types of meat, dairy products and even honey. If I had a dollar for every time someone tells me that I don't get enough protein in my diet I would have enough money to buy the entire meat industry that is telling me my way of life is wrong. As a vegan I obtained all of the necessary nutrients my body needed in a more healthy way than most meat eaters.I get protein from beans and other legumes. I also drank raw, vegan protein shakes which gave me more protein than a normal serving of dairy protein shakes. Contrary to mainstream belief, I never felt run-down or sick during my time as a vegan. In fact, I quickly noticed a boost in my energy and metabolism when I made the switch from omnivore to herbivore. I was digesting food quicker and I started sleeping better. Along with the physical benefits, I also noticed that I was happier. I had a more sane mentality and my confidence went up. My friends and family wer e amazed at how well I was dealing with giving up meat.I didn't have a hard time at all. Most people think that if they make the switch to vegetarian that they will have terrible cravings for meat. While somewhat true, my meat cravings went away quickly and after almost a year of being vegetarian the thought of meat now makes my lifestyle. The benefits are innumerable and obvious. Anyone trying to lose weight will be amazed how quickly the fat sheds and is much more easily replaced by lean muscle. My personal experiences are defense enough for me to prove that anyone can benefit from a vegetarian lifestyle. I am still a vegetarian and I do not intend on owing back to meat.

Network Infrastructure Planning

Course number CIS 408, Network Infrastructure Planning, addresses the issue of network design in both peered-network and client/server environments. The topics emphasized in this course are network topology, routing, IP addressing, name resolution, virtual private networks (VPNs), remote access and telephony. I believe that my training and experience as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) fully encompasses the topics included in this course, and I should receive work-life credit for this course. I gained the skills and knowledge included in this course through a number of training courses for exams leading up to my MCSE certification. The main exam in this series for network infrastructure planning was Exam 70-219, Designing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure, which I took in 2001. Related article: Advantage Energy Technology Data Center Migration In addition to the associated training, work experience consisting of one or more year’s experience designing network infrastructure in an environment with greater than 200 users, at least 5 physical locations, all typical network services including file and print servers, proxy servers and/or firewalls, messaging servers, desktop clients and remote dial-in or VPN servers, and remote connectivity requirements including remote offices and individual users, as well as connection of corporate intranet services to the Internet. Some facets of the topics covered in this course were also covered in Exam 70-296, Planning, Implementing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for MCSE Certified on Windows 2000, which I took in 2005 while gaining my Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA) certification. Requirements for this exam included the MCSE certification I had gained previously, as well as experience in network infrastructure planning and user support. Network topology planning was covered in Exam 70-219. This included considerations such as physical layout of the proposed network, LAN topology requirements, physical connectivity requirements and business case analysis for the network proposal. Current hardware availability as well as planned network growth, upgrades and user growth were discussed. Network security, both software-based and physical, was taken into consideration. I learned to both design a network topology from scratch as well as to modify an existing topology for new requirements. Routing requirements using both TCP/IP and DHCP were also covered in these training sessions. Designing TCP/IP subnetting, implementation and optimizing TCP/IP routing strategies, as well as integrating existing systems with newly designed systems were discussed and practiced. Name resolution using such protocols as DNS and WINS were covered in detail. I learned to create a number of different DNS designs, including a basic design, a highly-available design, security-enhanced designs. I also learned how to optimize DNS designs, performance measurement for DNS and how to efficiently deploy a new DNS system. WINS was also discussed; design strategies, optimization and performance measurement, and deployment were covered exhaustively. Multi-protocol strategies for maximum interconnectivity and flexibility were also discussed. Design of remote access, telephony and external access strategies, including WAN (wide-area network) and VPN strategies as well as Internet connectivity, were a further topic of these training sessions and the subsequent exam. WAN design was covered from the standpoint of both dial-in and VPN access.   Dial-in remote access security was emphasized, with design considerations including Routing and Remote Access protocols and authentication with RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service). VPN (virtual private network) access was discussed, with Routing and Remote Access being emphasized as well as a demand-dial strategy. The training also encompassed telephony system design considerations, including traditional telephony switchboard-based services as well as Voice over IP (VoIP) services. Connectivity to external Internet was also a focus of the training; design considerations included inbound connection control, firewalling and proxy servers and other security requirements unique to the corporation. My training and experience as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer has thoroughly prepared me in the subject matter offered in this course. Formal training as well as six years experience in network infrastructure planning, including such designs as network topology, protocol configuration and monitoring, integration of telephony, remote access and outside connectivity services as well as attention to business requirements, has given me a depth of knowledge and experience in network infrastructure planning equal to or greater than the knowledge I would gain from CIS 408. I feel I am very well qualified to receive work-life credit for this course.         

Cultural Influences on Rite of Passage B

Cultural Influences on Rite of Passage Beliefs and Rituals Cultures throughout the world honor the passing from childhood into adulthood with special celebrations and rituals that coincide with religious or social traditions. World civilizations pay homage to this rite of passage differently, ranging from jovial and lighthearted galas to the barbaric rituals frequently associated with remote African tribes. There are also other sects of the population where their youth enter a transitional phase that lasts from months or years, such as the Amish and the Aborigines.Their youth use this time as a period of learning to think and act as adults and for decision making about their future. Amish or plain people as they are also known migrated from Europe in search of religious freedom. They were originally part of the Mennonite religion and follow many of the same practices today. They are governed by the unwritten rules known as the Ordnung. They live by principles of simplicity, reject ar rogance, embrace humility and socialize only within their community and avoid other parts of society as much as possible.Amish children only attend school until they complete 8th grade and higher education is discouraged or forbidden. At the age of sixteen, Amish teens are given the choice of participating in Rumspringa, a German term that translates into run around in English. During this time Amish adolescents are free to explore life among modern American society. It is believed that at this age that they have reached a maturity level where they can act responsibly as well as having the skills for making rational informed decisions.This time of reflection is for the youths to decide if they want to remain in modern society or return to the Amish community where they are baptized as adults and are expected to follow the church for the rest of their lives without question. Wargny 2 Rumspringa is also a catalyst for Amish teens to socialize and meet prospective marriage partners. Th ey congregate with other young men and women of Amish faith, experiment with alcohol, drugs, premarital sex, automobiles, cell phones, and video games. (Welcome to Lancaster County)Studies of rumspringa have concluded that approximately 85% of teens willingly return to Amish life and forfeit all conveniences of technology and English ways of life. The small percentage of those choosing to remain in modern society, do so with the understanding that they are shunned by all Amish people including their immediate family. There is no further contact or connection to their past and must live the rest of their lives as though they were strangers or non-existent to everyone they ever knew.The Australian Aborigine tribes are believed to have migrated from Asia more than 20,000 years ago and are native to the barren outback land of Australia. In ancient aboriginal culture, the rite of passage into manhood started at age 12 with a series of ceremonies and rituals held over a course of a few ye ars. The Alkira Kiumi as it is called, started at age 12, and involved the boy being repeatedly tossed into the air and caught by their male relatives of the tribe. Next was the circumcision procedure, which took place by a fire ring.The chief of the tribe sat on the boy’s chest and cut the foreskin of the penis off with a sharp stone or knife. The boy was given a boomerang to bite on for the pain. After the circumcision, the boy was made to kneel close to the fire so that the smoke would rise up and purify the wound and then the elders of the tribe fed the young man his severed foreskin to symbolize the devouring of boyhood. Wargny 3 Months after the initial circumcision, a fireside sub incision ceremony was held. A stick was inserted into the urethra to brace the knife as it cut from the urethra to the scrotum.The boy then rose and allowed his blood to drip into the flames of the fire. The second circumcision made it necessary for the boy to thereafter assume a squatting po sition in order to urinate. Anthropologists theorize that this ritual was performed so that young males would better understand and sympathize with a females’ menstrual cycle. After the circumcisions came a ceremony in which a chisel was used to knock out the front tooth of the young man as it was believed it made him more physically attractive. The next step toward manhood was to serve as a test of his courage by having him walk barefoot across a bed of fire.The final phase of the rite of passage into manhood was known as a walkabout and is also noted as a time for dreaming hence the name Dreamtime. â€Å" According to Aboriginal belief, all life as it is today is part of one vast unchanging network of relationships which can be traced to the Great Ancestors of the Dreamtime† (Rose Marina) It involved young men leaving the safety of their childhood homes to roam about in the barren desert to live on their own for a period of up to 6 months. During the walkabout; the t een boys were only permitted to rely only on nature and the spiritual guidance of their ancestors for their survival.As they roamed through the uncivilized land it was believed that if they followed the guidance of the spirits they would return to their tribes safely and would from then on be considered men. And if they succumbed to the deserts elements, then it was believed that they failed the test of manhood and died shamefully as a boy. Wargny 4 Due to contact with the modern world, the ancient rituals of the aborigine tribes have disappeared or have been replaced by more civil ceremonies that merely symbolize the original rite of passage practices for becoming a man.As validation for becoming an adult, Rumspringa and Alkira Kiumi differ vastly. Rumspringa offers the opportunity to live carefree and seductively in what the Amish refer to as The â€Å"devil’s playground† without reprisal upon their return. Alkira Kiumi was a painful and grueling experience that serv ed to prove a boy’s loyalty and faith in his heritage. Despite the overwhelming differences in these rites of passage, the completion of either of these ritualistic practices indicates a true allegiance to their respective religions and as paying homage to their ancestry.