Competition in the Golf Equipment Industry

1. Discuss the trends in the golf equipment industry and how it may impact a company’s strategy. Ans: According to new the United States Golf Association (USGA), Golf equipment manufacturers are forced to launch the equipment within the limitation. Therefore, the product differentiation is not quite high while recreational golfers do not enjoy playing due to lack of innovational equipment. Also, the USGA states that there are various factors that result in the declining of golfers such as: Game difficulty: Golf equipment manufacturers are forced to follow the new USGA rules, thus, recreational golfers are suffered from the limitation of golf equipments. They cannot enjoy playing golf as much as before while new golfers face the difficulty of playing. – Time consuming for practice: According to the limited innovation of golf equipment, golfers need lots of time to practice while they also have take responsibility to their job and spend time with their families. – High golf fee: Some golfers realize that golf fee is high, as a result, they  cannot practice frequently. . Discuss the importance of innovation, brand, performance, and price in the golf equipment industry. Ans: Good reputation and image can lead to brand loyalty. That’s why many brands use lots of advertising expenditure to promote their brands. As the leading sports brand in the world, Nike has a clear marketing advantage over its competitors. Nike spends some of their annual revenues on advertising to build strong brands by using celebrity endorsements aim to grow the market share in the golf segment. Golf product brand equity depends on the performance of its endorsed players. The performances of the professional golfers sponsored by each brand strongly relates to sales. Innovation in the golf industry is an important part of equipment adoption. Because of the fleeting life span of golf clubs, adoption of new drivers and putters is critical to any golf equipment manufacturer’s strategy. Performance in golf equipment is closely tied to PGA professionals and well known amateurs who use certain clubs and brands to help promote the value of the equipment. Counterfeit golf equipment has continued to impact pricing of golf equipment by being sold worldwide which s a threat to the golf industry because the counterfeits can be sold much less than the originals. Callaway’s strength has been its line of Big Bertha drivers and the acquisition of the Top-Flite Golf company which allowed Callaway to manufacturer popular golf ball equipment. The weakness has been the golf club business which has lost money according to third quarter reporting. The financia l report shows a 28% of net sales in the third quarter of 2010 as compared to 31% of net sales in 2009 third quarter. TaylorMade’s strength has been its improvement to the drivers namely the r5 and r7 series which supplanted Callaway’s Big Bertha as the driver of choice for many golfers. The weakness of TaylorMade Golf has been in putters, irons and golf balls. Never really gaining in these fields over Callaway, much of this business was sold or minimized. Titleist’s strength is its golf ball market share. Its weakness has been its golf club line which has been targeted to elite golfers, though not adopted widely by many golfers. Ping Golf’s strength has been in the iron segment in 2008. Its weakness has been poor wedge sales  (Strickland III, Thompson, & Gamble, 2010, pp. C-95 – C-96). Nike’s strength is the marketability of its primary endorsement, Tiger Woods, along with its popular golf ball line. Its weakness has been a quality issue with product that was sold at less than suggested retail due to this issue. 3. Identify the strengths and weakness of Callaway, TaylorMade, Titleist, Ping, and Nike. Determine which company has a competitive advantage in the marketplace and state why you believe this to be true. Ans: Overall the best golf company in my opinion is definetly, Titleist. Also, below, I listed the best product for each category of golf equipment. Driver: Taylor Made super quad Irons: Titleist AP2 (leading irons on tour); Woods: 906F4's; Hybrid: adams hybrids (leading hybrid on tour) Wedges: Titleist Vokey spin milled or 200 series (leading wedge on tour) Putter: any  Titleist Scotty Cameron  that fits you (leading putter on tour) Balls:  Titleist Pro V1  or Pro V1x (leading ball on tour and my personal favorites) Bag: Ping (they have outstanding long lasting quality bags! Glove: Titleist Yardage device: Bushnell Shoes: Footjoy (particularly Dry Joys) Grips: Lampkins or Golf Pride ( especially the dual density  lamkin grips) 4. Based on the company selected in the previous discussion, recommend how the company can ensure that its competitive advantage is sustained. a. Strong research and Innovation: The technology industry is one of the leading industries with respect to   strong research and innovation. And when it comes to setting the pace using innovation as leverage;  Apple and Sony  are the two companies that have held their leadership position using innovation as a competitive advantage. b. Brand Popularity: Being recognized all over the world as a respected brand is a  sustained competitive advantage that companies such as Virgin, Apple and Coca cola  have used as leverage to hold the market sway for years. Virgin is a company that has used its brand name as leverage to break into new markets  in completely new territories. . Corporate reputation: Corporate reputation is  a form of sustained competitive advantage  that companies such as Price Waterhouse and Berkshire Hathaway have leveraged to become world class entities. d. Strategic assets: Holding strategic assets such as  patents is a strong source of sustained competitive advantage  and General Electric has stood the test of time because of the several patents held. Mind you that possession of these stra tegic assets has made  General Electric one of the most powerful companies in the world. e. High volume production: Dangote Group of companies became one of the leading conglomerates in Africa because of its ability to produce goods on high volume and ensure a uniform price throughout  Nigeria. f. Access to working Capital: Generally, public liability companies (quoted companies) have a  sustained competitive advantage over private companies because of their infinite capacity to raise capital from the public. Take a look at  how Oracle acquired 57 companies in a space of five years  and Reliance Industries investing a billion dollars in a single swoop to open a chain of retail stores. . Superior Product or customer support: IKEA has become a market leader in the furniture industry because of its ability to provide superior product at an affordable rate; backed by a strong customer support system. h. Flexibility: The ability to change swiftly is a  strength and source of sustained competitive advantage that Microsoft  leveraged upon to become the largest software company in the world. i. Low pricing: Wal-Mart as at the time of this writing is the most capitalized company in the world. Thanks to its low pricing strategy that became its strong source of competitive advantage.

How to Write a Reader Essay

Good writing is never merely about following a set of directions. Like all artists of any form, essay writers occasionally find themselves breaking away from tradition or common practice in search of a fresh approach. Rules, as they say, are meant to be broken. But even groundbreakers learn by observing what has worked before. If you are not already in the habit of reading other writers with an analytical eye, start forming that habit now. When you run across a moment in someone else’s writing that seems somehow electric on the page, stop, go back, reread the section more slowly, and ask yourself, â€Å"What did she do here, put into this, or leave out, that makes it so successful?† Similarly and often just as important, if you are reading a piece of writing and find yourself confused, bored, or frustrated, stop again, back up, squint closely at the writing, and form a theory as to how, when, or where the prose went bad. Identifying the specific successful moves made by others increases the number of arrows in your quiver, ready for use when you sit down to start your own writing. Likewise, identifying the missteps in other writers’ work makes you better at identifying the missteps in your own. Remember the Streetcar Tennessee Williams’ wonderful play, A Streetcar Named Desire, comes from a real streetcar in New Orleans and an actual neighborhood named Desire. In Williams’ day, you could see the streetcar downtown with a lighted sign at the front telling folks where the vehicle was headed. The playwright saw this streetcar regularly—and also saw, of course, the metaphorical possibilities of the name. Though this streetcar no longer runs, there is still a bus called Desire in New Orleans, and you’ve certainly seen streetcars or buses in other cities with similar, if less evocative, destination indicators: Uptown, Downtown, Shadyside, West End, Prospect Park. People need to know what streetcar they are getting onto, you see, because they want to know where they will be when the streetcar stops and lets them off. Excuse the rather basic transportation lesson, but it explains my first suggestion. An essay needs a lighted sign right up front telling the reader where they are going. Otherwise, the reader will be distracted and nervous at each stop along the way, unsure of the destination, not at all able to enjoy the ride. Now there are dull ways of putting up your lighted sign: This essay is about the death of my beloved dog. Or: Let me tell you about what happened to me last week. And there are more artful ways. Readers tend to appreciate the more artful ways. For instance, let us look at how Richard Rodriguez opens his startling essay â€Å"Mr. Secrets†: Shortly after I published my first autobiographical essay seven years ago, my mother wrote me a letter pleading with me never again to write about our family life. â€Å"Write about something else in the future. Our family life is private.† And besides: â€Å"Why do you need to tell the gringos about how ‘divided’ you feel from the family?† I sit at my desk now, surrounded by versions of paragraphs and pages of this book, considering that question. Where is the lighted streetcar sign in that paragraph? Well, consider that Rodriguez has introduced the key characters who will inhabit his essay: himself and his mother, informed us that writing is central to his life, clued us in that this is also a story of immigration and assimilation (gringos), and provided us with the central question he will be considering throughout the piece: Why does he feel compelled to tell strangers the ins and outs of his conflicted feelings? These four elements—generational conflict between author and parent, the isolation of a writer, cultural norms and difference, and the question of what is public and what is private—pretty much describe the heart of Rodriguez’s essay. Or to put it another way, at every stop along the way—each paragraph, each transition—we are on a streetcar passing through these four thematic neighborhoods, and Rodriguez has given us a map so we can follow along. Find a Healthy Distance Another important step in making your personal essay public and not private is finding a measure of distance from your experience, learning to stand back, narrow your eyes, and scrutinize your own life with a dose of hale and hearty skepticism. Why is finding a distance important? Because the private essay hides the author. The personal essay reveals. And to reveal means to let us see what is truly there, warts and all. The truth about human nature is that we are all imperfect, sometimes messy, usually uneven individuals, and the moment you try to present yourself as a cardboard character—always right, always upstanding (or always wrong, a total mess)—the reader begins to doubt everything you say. Even if the reader cannot articulate his discomfort, he knows on a gut level that your perfect (or perfectly awful) portrait of yourself has to be false. And then you’ve lost the reader. Pursue the Deeper Truth The best writers never settle for the insight they find on the surface of whatever subject they are exploring. They are constantly trying to lift the surface layer, to see what interesting ideas or questions might lie beneath. To illustrate, let’s look at another exemplary essay, â€Å"Silence the Pianos,† by Floyd Skloot. Here is his opening: A year ago today, my mother stopped eating. She was ninety-six, and so deep in her dementia that she no longer knew where she was, who I was, who she herself was. All but the last few seconds had vanished from the vast scroll of her past. Essays exploring a loved one’s decline into dementia or the painful loneliness of a parent’s death are among the most commonly seen by editors of magazines and judges of essay contests. There is a good reason for this: These events can truly shake us to our core. But too often, when writing about such a significant loss, the writer focuses on the idea that what has happened is not fair and that the loved one who is no longer around is so deeply missed. Are these emotions true? Yes, they are. Are they interesting for a reader? Often, they simply are not. The problem is that there are certain things readers already know, and that would include the idea that the loss of a loved one to death or dementia is a deep wound, that it seems not fair when such heartbreak occurs, and that we oftentimes find ourselves regretting not having spent more time with the lost loved one. These reactions seem truly significant when they occur in our own lives, and revisiting them in our writing allows us to experience those powerful feelings once again. For this reason it is hard to grasp that the account of our loss might have little or no impact on a reader who did not know this loved one, or does not know you, and who does not have the emotional reaction already in the gut. In other words, there are certain â€Å"private† moments that feel exhilarating to revisit, and â€Å"private† sentences that seem stirring to write and to reread as we edit our early drafts, but they are not going to have the same effect in the public arena of publishable prose. Final Thoughts In the last twenty years of teaching writing, the most valuable lesson that I have found myself able to share is the need for us as writers to step outside of our own thoughts, to imagine an audience made up of real people on the other side of the page. This audience does not know us, they are not by default eager to read what we have written, and though thoughtful literate readers are by and large good people with large hearts, they have no intrinsic stake in whatever problems (or joys) we have in our lives. This is the public, the readers you want to invite into your work. Self-expression may be the beginning of writing, but it should never be the endpoint. Only by focusing on these anonymous readers, by acknowledging that you are creating something for them, something that has value, something that will enrich their existence and make them glad to have read what you have written, will you find a way to truly reach your audience. And that—truly reaching your audience and offering them something of value—is perhaps as good a definition of successful writing as I’ve ever heard.

Answers to Select End of Chapter Questions Essay Example for Free

Answers to Select End of Chapter Questions Essay 16. Since we have the profits from all three scenarios we just to compare the present values of each scenario. We do not need to subtract anything from the present value since the costs have already been subtracted from profits. We can see that we have the highest present value of $290.87 when we use high advertising intensity. Therefore this is the recommended scenario. Q2. This question deals with margin analysis, we will look at incremental revenues and costs and see whether they are worth it. On the revenue side we have an increase on 9807700, however we also have incremental costs of television airtime, ad development and a loss of $6000000 in another division We can see that when we add up the incremental costs, they exceed the extra revenues by 317100. Therefore I do not recommend that this campaign to be undertaken. Q21. Producer —Producer. The Brazilian and five other producers are competing against the US Southern Shrimp Alliance. Both groups are competing to provide the customers with the best shrimps at the lowest cost. However currently the Brazilian Producers have an advantage with their lower labor, cheap land etc. Government and Market; According to the current scenario, the Brazilian Group would be choice of the market since they can produce it much cheaper. However, the Sourthern Alliance is trying to lobby the Government into imposing tariffs Brazilian Imports. Consumer Producer Rivalry; The American Seafood Distributors, which represent consumers of shrimp farming, are interested in having the lowest cost. They are supporting the Brazilians and can potentially choose not to buy from the US based shrimp farmers. Consumer – Consumer Rivalry; Is pretty low, since they have banded together to form the American Seafood Distributors. Five Forces Analysis: Shrimp Farming Industry Buyers have formed the American Seafood Distributors, which means they can ask negotiate in bulk and choose whether they buy from one firm or not. They apparently have very low switching costs. Since shrimp is still shrimp wherever it came from, the price value combination becomes very important. Possible Government Intervention. The shrimp farmers procure their supply from the sea. And really the shrimps have very little choice in the matter. There is plentiful supply, although it depends upon the weather and climate, therefore geographically specific. Also the fishermen who fish for the shrimp or the people who work in the farms demand lower wages for Brazilians but relatively high for the US based on the labour laws. Differentiation is low and competition is based primarily on price. There seems to be a high degree of concentration amongst the firms competing in the industry. Substitutes; There are various substitutes available within the product class. Instead of shrimps, consumers could go for other seafood such as fish. Or they could also choose to go completely different route and avoid Seafood altogether. Entry; Medium Economics of scale are necessary to harvest shrimps at a lower cost, and since there is bulk buying, network effects are also important. Q23. I would tell the owner that while owner did the right thing by incentivizing the manager, but the structure of the incentive needs to be changed. The owner has incentivized the manager to make sales, but has given no incentives to the manager to sell at a higher price. I would recommend that the owner should either set a minimum price on sales or, offer the incentive out of the profits e.g offer 2% of the profit on the sale which would ask. Q11. In the first case, a drop in price of components represents a change in the factors of production. Therefore this will result in a change in the ‘quantity supplied’. This means that the supply curve will shift to the right. Since there is no change in the demand curve, this means that the price will fall. (exh 1) In the second scenario, we have information that incomes are supposed to grow over the coming two years. Change in income produces a change in the demand curve. This is case; we know that RAM is a normal good, with people having income over $75000 buy nearly 1.3 times more. Therefore we can expect the price to increase. However, whether this final price is greater than the initial price (before the changes in supply and demand curve) is unclear and will depend upon how much does the supply curve shifted due to cost drop. Exh1exh2 Blue: Previous SupplyBlue: Previous Supply Red: New Supply Red: New Supply Green: New Demand Q13. First of all, the question misquotes the law of demand. When the prices of cigarettes are raised, the ‘quantity demanded for cigarettes will fall but the ‘demand for cigarettes will not’. The effectiveness of higher pricing will depend upon the cause of the higher pricing. If the price hike is due to a price ceiling by the governmen. then definitely the number of cigarettes demanded will decrease. However, cigarettes are very addicting, which means that the price elasticity if cigarettes is very low. So the drop in quantity demanded is very small. (exh 3). On a theoretical level, it is possible for the equilibrium price to remain the same but with lower number of cigarettes smoked. In this diagram, the red line is demand, while the blue line is supply, we can clearly see that even with a price ceiling, the number of cigarettes smoked as decrease very little. Q14. Well, in order to find out the equilibrium price and quantity I will equate the demand and supply functions. 175 – p = 2P -200. This gives us P = $125. Furthermore, at this price 50 pints of blood will be processed. In order to find the consumer surplus we will need to find the area underneath the demand curve. $175 Price The area of triangle A is the consumer surplus = Â ½ * (50) * (175-125) = 1250 The area of triangle B is the producer surplus = Â ½ * (50) * (125-100) = 625 Q15. Crude oil is the critical component in the refining process. The price of gasoline will rise dramatically due to the shift in the supply curve. Since the fuel has become more expensive, people will want to buy less of it and therefore will want to buy cars which are more fuel efficient. This will cause the demand curve for fuel efficient cars to shift to the left. Q16. Qs1 = 4P – 110 which gives me coordinates of (0, 27.5) and (-110,0) Qs2 =4.171P – 110 which give me coordinates of (0, 26.37) and (-110,0) Qd= 250 – 5P which give me coordinates of (0, 50) and ( 250,0) First let me find the equilibrium price and quantity by equating Qs1 and Qd. This gives me Pe = 40 Qe= 50 million. Also when I equate Qs2 with Qd I get the new equilibrium Pe2 = 39.25. Each customer saves 75 cents per month. Q10 of the assignment The price of an entry level DVD player is $25.70 on Ebay According to my estimate, the demand curve and supply curve have both shifted to the left. Demand Curve; Â  As opposed to 2003, in 2012 people have many more option in which to watch their movies. They can carry them on USBs, stream them over the internet, or rent them online from websites such as Netflics. All of these directly contribute to reduce the popularity of DVDs which are complements of Dvd Players. Since there are so many alternate channels to watch movies which offer better price and excellent quality, people will not demand as much of the product. Furthermore, the large amounts of substitutes will directly contribute make the demand much more elastic, so that at the slightest decrease in the price people will switch out Supply Curve; Due to mass production and advancements in technology one could expect that the supply curve should shift outwards. However, due to the number of firms which will pull out of this industry the supply curve will shift towards the left. There is simply not enough demand to sustain all these firms. ii)Besides the change in the number of suppliers, change in technology or a decrease in labour costs could affect the supply similarly Answers to Select End of Chapter Questions. (2017, Jan 07).

Essay Question Rewrite Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Essay Question Rewrite - Assignment Example As asserted by the author, it is for this reason that languages that rise out of pidgin do not suffer complications by â€Å"Dammit† moments (p 207). A8. As stated by the author, it is agreeable that communication would be much simpler if there were no evidentiary markers. Incidentally, humans’ need for expression and exchange leads to overgrowth of languages regardless of interests (p. 215). When their state is natural, acquisition of different languages is complicated by sludge and fluffs, specifically to those whose efforts are concerted towards overcoming these challenges. Communication between a huge group of different people can be made easier by simplifying languages to their lowest denominators. Better communication would bring better understanding and reduce hostility that commonly arises. It must, however, be noted that if these markers lacked in communication, it will be hard to distinguish the origins of different languages and what would remain after sometime would be the common elements. A10. As argued by McWholer in his book, the original context of a language is what sets a language’s tone and the tone cannot exist without it. Without the presence of tone infused words, originally languages still functioned. Presently it is by happenstances of accidental permutation that they occur. The importance of this argument is such that languages occur within a basic and defined set up that work with no superfluous structure variations. Such are foundational rules as they do not depend on tone or

The Pilgrims and Their Life at Plymouth Colony Term Paper

The Pilgrims and Their Life at Plymouth Colony - Term Paper Example Economic and social life†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦..5 3. Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦..5 4. References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 Introduction Pilgrims are people who go on a journey regularly with oral or religious goal to a certain alien land. English Puritan Separatists created Plymouth colony, which is the original settlement of Puritan, in 1620. The Pilgrims moved from England in search for religious liberty or better livelihood. According to legends, the pilgrim arrived at Plymouth Rock, but their history does not indicate this landmark. Discussion Inhabitants started erecting structures and rough buildings for the winter season. The initial years at Plymouth colony were not easy for the pilgrims. Poverty, insufficient food, strenuous job and unpredictable weather conditions made pilgrims prone to diseases. Therefore, harsh climatic conditions and illness became a challenge to them. Towards the termination of the colder season, about half of the pilgrims were no more. Life with Indian settlers Similarly, the colonists met Samoset, an Indian who amazed them with his English, learned from the Maine coast traders. Samoset presented Massasoit to colony inhabitants, Wampanoag an Indian leader, who entered into a peace agreement with the pilgrims. Similarly, Squanto played and guidance and interpretation roles, and through his assistance, the colonists acquired corn planting, fishing and fruit gathering skills. The pilgrims welcomed the people from India to commemor ate their initial field production, presently marked as day of giving thanks. When Massasoit died, the Wampanoag joined an ethnic coalition to eliminate English settlers, but the prevailing war of King Phillip nearly eliminated the Wampanoag, (Deetz & Deetz, 2000). The colony slowly expanded, and the former Plymouth plantation Settlement extended because settlers constructed houses in the location. Plymouth colony maintained its sovereignty for more than seventy years, and in 1962, its population increased to more than seven thousand people. It was incorporated with the Organization Bay of Massachusetts to create the regal colony. Politics and government The Pilgrims obtained the lawful authority to live at the colony guided by the modern England Council in 1622. Bradford obtained the Warwick right of 1930s; the patent gave him the southern territory in Cohasset and Bay of Narragansett. Based on the patent, he could control of the whole colony, but collaborated with other settler to manage the land. After some time, surveyors established boundaries in the area joining the modern Bristol Plymouth colony and Barnstable colony as the Plymouth colony. The colony’s freemen entered into the Compact mayflower; where they together with other newly selected freemen, met at some time to discuss the colony challenges. The General Court body appointed the governor and his subordinate, made laws and imposed taxes. The leaders of pilgrims were not sure of their legal status since they inhabited the location illegally. They additionally realized they would require some disciples. Therefore, to settle the challenge, forty-one leaders met, formed and signed the mayflower Compact, the initial contract for American internal government, (Harness, 2006). The

How do the teachings of Buddhism and Christianity match up Where are Research Paper

How do the teachings of Buddhism and Christianity match up Where are they similar and where do they differ - Research Paper Example Buddhism is geographically restricted to Asia only, while Christianity is prevalent throughout the world. This paper would discuss certain similarities and differences found between the two. Similarities and differences There are many notable aspects of Buddhism that are similar to the Catholic faith and its traditions. The Five Moral Precepts of Buddhism, for example, compare closely to the Ten Commandments which have set out law for centuries: for Jews in the time of Moses, then later for disciples of Christ, and even for Christians today. The Five Moral Precepts include the refraining of murder, thievery, sexual misconduct, lying, and the consumption of intoxicants. Similarly, the Ten Commandments call for abstention of killing, stealing, adultery, as well as dishonesty. Although the Ten Commandments consist of more than these immoral actions, these aspects of Christianity and Buddhism were designed based on similar beliefs. The main book of rules or official set of regulations fo r Christianity is the bible, which has two parts, the New Testament and the Old Testament. Christ came to this world when Siddhartha Gotama was 29. He was born into a wealthy family and realized that only wealth could not fulfill his inner being so he started studying religion. At age 80 he died in happiness knowing he had created a new religion that has influenced the world. Buddha as he was named alter in his life took all the true and pure parts of all religions and put them together into a religion that was almost perfect in his eyes. The similarities between these two religions of the world are great. Both the religions are monotheistic and affirm that after death only those people shall gain the eternal salvation of heaven that adhered to the rules or commandments in this world. Both of these religions also praise, or in Buddhism's case, respect their messiah and ask for eternal salvation from their god. Buddhism is based on the beliefs of Buddha who was raised as a rich child who didn't know what pain, sickness, age, and death were until he demanded his father to allow him to exit the palace and view the town. When he went he saw an old man and asked his father what was wrong and only then did Buddha figure out that there are bad things in our world. At the end of his visit he saw a monk with an ancient, calm look upon his face that Buddha soon would have. After this incident his father exposed him to the world in every way and Buddha started studying religion. At first he was just interested in why people needed it but the more he studied it the more attached he became to it. He and his five followers did this in an effort to receive the answer of what is the only way to receive the ability to pass to heaven. After the incident under the tree word spread and through good deeds of other individuals he obtained a temple and many followers some of which were women. At the age of 35 he became a religious leader in Northeast India and for the next 45 years he taught Buddhism. Rites and Rituals In Christian community, Baptism takes place at a young age. Most infants taking place in Baptism are only a few months old. Baptism is all about welcoming a new member to the Christian community and letting them live the way Jesus lived his life. The ceremony of Baptism takes place in 6 parts. The parents and the selected godparents of the child are asked what their intentions are. Prayers are made and a couple

The Financial and Economic Environment of a US website business Essay

The Financial and Economic Environment of a US website business targeting South African students - Essay Example The services provided are universities/colleges details with their respective courses, course details, and online resources, career counseling through emails, telephone and online-conferencing, and student visa assistance. Price: The price charged from the students is based on the type of membership. There are two types of membership- Basic and Premium. The services for the Premium members are in addition to the services which Basic members will avail. The membership fee is US$30 for Basic members and US$50 for Premium members on annual basis. Place: The customer will be able to subscribe and pay online. According to the membership, the customer will be provided with a login id and password from which it can access the services offered to him/her. Promotion: As this is an online service, the target group of customers can be reached out through advertising in career magazines, local newspapers, online via social networking sites, and promotional campaigns setup in the schools and coll eges campus. Financial & Economic Environment South Africa has a well-developed financial and legal environment with its stock exchange the world’s 18th largest exchange, ranked 17th with market value $1.013 trillion in 2010. It is one the most advanced developing countries on African continent. It is a middle-income economy with abundant natural resources. The country’s former fiscal policy was conservative mainly focused on controlling inflation and reducing budget deficit. The policies still exist but the recent global recession has put pressure to provide with the basic services to poorer sections and provide for employment guarantees. The unemployment stands at 25% which is high as compared to other economies such as US and UK which are at 107... The paper tells that South Africa has a well-developed financial and legal environment with its stock exchange the world’s 18th largest exchange, ranked 17th with market value $1.013 trillion in 2010. It is one the most advanced developing countries on African continent. It is a middle-income economy with abundant natural resources. The country’s former fiscal policy was conservative mainly focused on controlling inflation and reducing budget deficit. The policies still exist but the recent global recession has put pressure to provide with the basic services to poorer sections and provide for employment guarantees. The unemployment stands at 25% which is high as compared to other economies such as US and UK which are at 107 and 87 respectively. In 2000 population below poverty lines was 50%. South Africa is ranked 30th in terms of Foreign Direct investment at home. South Africa’s main trading partners include China, Germany US, Japan and UK. The country was the h ost for 2010 FIFA World Cup which boosted its business revenues and infrastructure. USA is the market-oriented economy with the most advanced technology. In many previous years the country has been the net importer of the goods and services being the number 1 importer in the world and ranked 4th in exports. Its population below poverty line stands at 15.1% and unemployment rate at 9.6% in 2010. The country is also the largest consumer of oil. The US and South Africa signed a $120 million investment fund protocol under OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation) in 1996 for equity investments in South Africa.

Engineering Principles, Electrical Networks Assignment

Engineering Principles, Electrical Networks - Assignment Example Question 1 1.1 Calculate line and phase currents? Given: 3 x 80â„ ¦ resistors star connected 415 v three phase supply 50 Hz frequency IL= V/R IL = 415 / 80 IL = 5.18 A In a star connected load IL = Iph Iph = 5.18 A 1.2 Total power dissipated by load? P = √3 x VL x IL x Cos ∂ Taking Power Factor (Cos ∂) as 0.85, P will be: P = √3 x 415 x 5.18 x 0.85 P = 3164.88 Watt 1.3 The power dissipated if, due to fault, one phase of the load went open Circuit? P = 2 x VL/√3 x IL cos ∂ P = 2 x 414/√3 x 5.18 x 0.85 P = 2109.92 Watt Question 2 Given: Delta connected load Power Factor 0.8 lagging P = 4080 Watt 425 V supply 50 Hz frequency 2.1 Calculate resistance and reactance of each phase? In Delta Connected load Vph = VL This P = √3 x VL x IL x Cos ∂ 4080 = √3 x425 x IL x 0.8 Iph = 4080/(√3 x425 x IL x 0.8) Iph = 6.93 A R = V*2 / P â„ ¦ R = 415*2/4080 R = 44.27 â„ ¦ Apparent Power S = P/pf S = 4080 / 0.8 S = 5100 Watt Reactive Power Q = √(S*2 – P*2) Q = √(5100*2 – 4080*2) Q = 3060 Watt Inductance XL = V*2/Q XL = 425*2/3060 XL = 59.02 â„ ¦ 2.1 Calculate Line current if same load was connected to star? Delta IL = P/V Delta IL = 4080/425 Delta IL = 9.6 A In Star IL = Iph Star IL = 9.6A Question 3 Given: Balanced 10 kW three phase load 415 V three wire supply 18 A line current 3.1 determine Load Power Factor Power Factor = True Power/Apparent Power = P/Q This: P = V x I Watts P = 415 x 18 P = 7470 Watts S (apparent Power) = 10000 Watt PF = 7470 / 10000 PF = 0.75 Question 4 Given: Star connected induction motor Supply 415 V Frequency 50 Hz

Effect of changing government on Russian citizens before and after the Research Paper

Effect of changing government on Russian citizens before and after the fall of the Soviet Union - Research Paper Example In 1991 the people of Russia gained their electoral rights. However at what cost that right came is an important question. Reasons for choosing Soviet Union Every country during its transformation process undergoes economic turmoil. Russia had been a country that had experienced transformation of its political, economic, and social scenario several times in history. However the collapse of the Soviet Union had been a unique phenomenon. We want to study the effects of such collapse on the economic condition of the people. However unavailability of reliable data makes us do a both qualitative and quantitative study. (Ra’anan) Background: the fall of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formed in the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. During that time the Joseph Stalin had exhibited his despotic rules. From 1953-64 Nikita Krushchev tried out her reforms but failed to make many changes. The reforms were not necessarily in the direction of liberalization. During this p eriod the atrocities of the police was relaxed and the townsmen achieved a comparatively higher standard of living. The peasants were controlled by the state through the collective farms. They were the focus of much of the states concern, though that did not help their condition very much. The intellectual and the cultural life at the time of Khrushchev also performed fairly well. The educated and the civil society n the 1960s for the first time could express their desires. They expressed a desire to free themselves from the omnipresence of the state and gain individual autonomy. The rule of Kruschev saw the prevalence of oligarchy. His successor Brezchnev heightened the process becoming the chief oligarch within the ruling class. (Ra’anan, 77) From 1964 to 1982 Soviet Union saw an improvement in the material standards of their lives. However the state presence in the public life of the people was resumed. Censorship and the control of police came back. The ideologies of the parties found fewer takers from the common people. The detachment was aggravated by the growing corruption within the ranks of the party. As agriculture got less and less attention from the government investment in heavy industries and military kept rising. The non-Russian people had a growing discontent over several issues. After 1985 the controls of the state were taken over by a new group of leaders. They were the young leaders within the party. The dynamic leader Mikhail Gorbachev represented this pragmatic group of leaders. These people believed in reforms. They received an opposition within the ranks of their own party. The reformist policies of the group were in contrast to the hardliners. Gorbachev wanted to rejuvenate the country’s economy and political scenario through a series of reforms and turned to the intelligentsia for support. The former rule of control was relaxed and expression of ideas was relaxed. This led to a number of problems for the government as the civil society searched answers for the abuses of the previous governments. Under pressure the party moved towards a more pluralistic policy and constitutional government. In spite of all the changes and reforms undertaken by the government, the Gorbachev rule ceased to exist. The central institution was ruined and the people belonging to minor communities raised their voice in nationalist sentiment. The final demise came about in 1991. (Keep, 2-3)

The Importance Of Free Will In Regards To Morality Research Paper

The Importance Of Free Will In Regards To Morality - Research Paper Example Alex commits different crimes from mugging, breaking into stores to raping of minors. Finally, Alex is arrested during a break into an old woman’s mansion, taken to court and sentenced to fourteen years in prison. The climate environment does not suit Alex due to his violent ways and later on after befriending some prisoners, they beat up a cellmate to death. Alex finds himself in as participant in a reform treatment that utilizes Ludovico’s technique that had been under assessment (Burgess 285). Alex is put under the process of reform treatment that proves to be a bad ordeal for him after which he gets released into the society. Later, Alex continues with his old violent ways however, this time with a new gang. Finally, Alex agrees to transform after an encounter with an old comrade and his wife. In theoretical context, a typical human being has to possess the ability to choose what he or she wants to do. The ability to choose encompasses the choice between the good an d the evil that has more orientation on one’s own morality. In cases where a person cannot choose what they prefer or want on a certain matter, then they are no better than any other animal that has no ability to choose that is they cannot be considered equal human beings. The author of the novel represents the significance or importance of having a moral choice on a particular subject. The author emphasizes the importance of having a personal freewill while resolving a certain matter since one has the capacity to transform his or her own life and even become a righteous human being. In the case of Alex, the same ideology applies and finally brings him into a transformed human being with certain expectations in life. The expression of Alex’s disappointment in the dysfunctional family can be considered as one of the factors that contribute to Alex’s engagement in crime (Skjorestad 9). However, having the freewill to choose the right and wrong, he finally manages to overcome the aguish and disappointment since he finally realizes that he has for all this time causing self-destruction through engagement in crime and other undesirable behavior. The novel strengthens the point that persons who make bad choice for themselves are far much superior to the person who is forced into doing something good by another person. In the novel, the necessity of having freewill for all humans was voiced by two people these are F. Alexander and the chaplain in the prison (Newman 7). Freewill has been argued by different people including the author to be necessary for the maintenance of humanity both at individual and societal levels. In the novel, Alex has the chance to point out that revolutions can only be managed or built on freewill. However, freewill in the case of Alex violates certain aspects since the actions of Alex harms other people (Newman 7). The author agrees with the fact that Alex’s deeds do indeed cause harm to others and presents the m ain question in the novel that is whether the society should nurture the harmful freewill (Sandy 67). The author continues to argue out that the harmful free will should be nurtured or allowed since the choice of doing well is genuine therefore cannot be forced (Burgess 282). The author continues and gives the evidence in the instance where being good is forced into Alex through the ordeal presented by the Ludovico’

Cognitive Dissonance in Marital Satisfaction Essay Example for Free

Cognitive Dissonance in Marital Satisfaction Essay Most people get married because they love their partner. They like the way they are with each other, honest, loving, understanding, fun, etc. Some are arranged marriage as they are unable to find the love of their life. However some get divorced as they are no longer compatible and they get turn off very easily. They are frustrated and bored. For those who want to continue to stay in an unhappy marriage due to many reasons such as the kids, their reputation, family, etc. as an alternative to divorce will ignore their feelings and convince themselves that the marriage is working well. They tend to adopt a cheerful attitude. They offered patience and understanding to make it appear as if the marriage was happy. Cognitive Dissonance is a feeling of discomfort caused by performing an action that is inconsistent with one’s belief (Franzoi, 2009, p.162). Basically it is a disagreement between ones personal beliefs and ones actions. It is the difference between how they would like to be and how they are. Cognitive dissonance is an aversive drive that causes people to (1) avoid opposing viewpoints, (2) seek reassurance after making a tough decision, and (3) change private beliefs to match public behavior when there is minimal justification for an action. Self-consistency, a sense of personal responsibility, or self-affirmation can explain dissonance reduction. (Socio-psychological tradition) (Festinger, as cited in Griffin, 2011) How can we observe â€Å"cognitive dissonance† in Marital Satisfaction? In Marital Satisfaction, we can observe cognitive dissonance in 3 different areas: Behavioural, Mental Emotional. Behavioural Observation There will be marital stress. They wear ‘masks’ at home and they will feel exhausted as they struggle with their life. Their journey will be full with pain and grief. They pretend things are okay in their marriage when there is distance. They say nothing is wrong when their feelings are truly hurt. They don’t necessarily lie to their spouse; they just shade part of the truth. They don’t feel comfortable being their true self with their spouse because they are afraid of judgment or mockery. They will purchase self-help books, confessed their feelings to a marriage counsellor or friends that they can trust. They offer patience and understanding to the spouse to make it appear as if the marriage was happy. They will smile and put on a happy face especially in front of the children to avoid them from knowing but will let out their true feelings and cry it out at night. They will lay awake at night and try to rationalize things that they have done so that it is acceptable. Their physical health will be affected as they are facing with too much stress in their life. They too may run into problem as they seem to be lying to themselves. Even though cognitive dissonance can resolve internal anxiety, it can also reinforce future bad decisions or behaviours e.g. lying Mental Observation Their mind will be filled with thoughts of whether they are doing the right thing. They feel turned off with what they are doing. They could not be themselves and their anxiety in wanting to be themselves and do what they like to do increases. They have sleepless nights thinking the sacrifices that they have made to make others happy when they themselves are not happy.. The dissonance caused by such contradictions will also create an unpleasant mental tension, which can range from minor irritation to deep pain as long as it continues. They are unable to relax and feel comfortable until they have been able to eliminate the dissonance or at least reduce it considerably. They can use Self-justification to escape from the discomfort. This is also a major threat to marital satisfaction because both partners tend to justify their behaviour in a way that allows them to be right while either explicitly or implicitly making their partner wrong. Emotional Observation They will be unhappy or semi-happy. They are unwilling to admit their frustration, acknowledge their crumbling marriage and obtain a divorce due to their culture, religion or the children. They constantly experienced a lingering feeling of doubt about the relationship. With that, they attempt to change their opinions to coincide with the behaviour they felt was expected of them and adopted a cheerful attitude towards their marriage to convince themselves that the marriage is working well. On the other hand, this can also make them become stronger in facing any challenges in their life. If they are optimistic, they will make the best of the marriage as the decision is in their hands. They are not able to be the person that they are but who they are might not be the best person. Cognitive dissonance can also reinforce future good decisions or behaviours e.g. more understanding, patient, increase communication between spouse, etc. Conclusion Successful marriage is not about getting their partner to do what they want; its about being who they are. This aspect of cognitive dissonance isnt bad; it can act as a motivation to be true to their deepest values, by making them behave in more loving and compassionate ways. It can help them change the unhealthy attitudes and behaviours. However, cognitive dissonance is most painful to people when some significant part of their beliefs about themselves is threatened. This usually occurs when they have done something that is inconsistent with their image of themselves. If a person has a fairly positive self-concept, believing herself reasonably smart, competent, and moral, she will use self-justification as a way to preserve her positive self-image.

Tourism Industry In Tibet Tourism Essay

Tourism Industry In Tibet Tourism Essay The Tibet Autonomous Region, covering an area of 1.22 million square kilometres, is situated on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the south-western border area of China. It enjoys unique plateau environment. Averaging more than 4,000 meters in elevation, it is always regarded as the highest region in the world and is known as the roof of the world. Tibet abuts on Xinjiang, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan province. It has 3,842 km borders with Chinas neighbouring countries of Myanmar, India, Bhutan and Nepal as well as Kashmir in the south and west (Zhang Zheng 2004). Tourism is playing an increasingly crucial role in Tibets tertiary industry. Even though these is unique natural and culture tourism resources, tourism were developed in Tibet very late. Prior Chinas reform and opening-up policies in 1978, there was almost no tourism in Tibet. After about 30 years, tourism in Tibet has become much more developed, especially after the Qinghai-Tibet railway has been completed and operated. In 2008, there were 2,246,400 tourists visiting Tibet, which bigger than the total number of tourists who went to Tibet between 1980 and 1997(China Tibetology Research Centre 2009). (Figure 2) Figure 2: Changes in Tibets Tourism Revenues and Number of Tourists Between 1980 and 2008 figure 2.jpg Source: Tibet Statistical Yearbook 2009 2.3 SWOT analysis To understanding the characteristics of tourism in Tibet and its internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats, SWOT analysis will be presented. Strength Diverse tourism resources. Tibets long history, splendid culture and its unique plateau environment are all important attractions of Tibet. Regional strength. As Chinas border areas, Tibet borders with India, Nepal, and Myanmar etc. Political strength. The implementation of the strategy for the development of the western region of China gave Tibet powerful political support(Meng Huang 2007). Weaknesses Undeveloped transportation. Lack of overall strategy. Poor infrastructure. The number of hotels, travel agencies and facilities cannot meet the growing demands of visitors (Meng Huang 2007). Opportunities Government support. The Chinese government not only operate some politics but also invest huge amount of money into tourism development of Tibet. Huge demand of tourism market. Domestic tourism demand is growing and some restrictive factors affecting the tourism demand has been alleviated (Meng Huang 2007). Economic development of China. Threats Stiff competition Relationship between development and protection Figure 3: SWOT analysis of tourism in Tibet 2.4 Tourism market These years, the number of tourists visiting Tibet soars. Since 1980, the Tibets tourism market can be separated into three stages. Firstly, from 1980s to 1990s, international visitors dominated the tourism market. However, from 1990s, domestic visitors increased rapidly. For instance, in 1996 the number of international visitors is 2500 while as domestic visitors is 250,000 (Tan 2006). In 2004, the number of visitors even surpassed one million. The third stage is from 2006, when the Qinghai-Tibet railway has been completed and operated. The number of domestic visitors changed tremendously, reaching five million in 2010. 2.5 Proposed growth value 3. Transport system in Tibet 3.1 Responsible agencies and firms The government of China is the main organizer of the construction of Tibets transport system. Since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in October 1949, the state invested huge amounts of funds in Tibets transport construction. The transportation within Tibet and between the autonomous region and other places has been fundamentally changed. Take Qinghai-Tibet Railway project for instance, the Central Government has invested around US$3.17 billion in it. In addition to the investment, Chinese government also drew up a series of new principles and policies to assure that the construction of transport in Tibet will be processed smoothly, among which the western development strategy is the most significant one. With this strategys implementation and the close attention of the regional government, great effort has been taken to support the development of Tibet transport system. 3.2 Existing transport system Before 1949, there was no road in Tibet. Through the gorgeous mountains and vast plateau plains, caravans journeyed on dangerous paths with heavy loads. However, currently, the transportation network is in place, with highway transport as the main part, supplemented by rail and air transportation. Road transportation Since the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, the decades of construction has brought Tibet four inter-provincial roads connecting Tibet with Sichuan, Qinghai, Xinjiang and Yunnan. The major roads include Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Sichuan-Tibet Highway, Xinjiang-Tibet Highway, Yunnan-Tibet Highway and China-Nepal International Road. The travel routes inside the region are formed on a road network with the major roads and their branches. At the end of 2008, including these five national highways, there are altogether 15 trunk lines and 315 feeder lines in Tibet, and the total length of the roads in the autonomous region reached 51,314 kilometres. Over 92 percent of the township and nearly 72 percent of the administrative villages have been connected with roads. Figure 3: Road Map of Tibet tibet-road-map.jpg Source: www.discovertibettour.com/tibet-maps.html Figure 4: Major Trunk Highways Qinghai-Tibet Highway From Xining in Qinghai to Lhasa in Tibet Known as the lifeline of the autonomous region, the highway caries more than 80percent of goods into or out of Tibet. The 2,122 km highway is paved with asphalt. Rising over 4,000 meters above sea level, it crosses the Kunlun and Tanggula mountains. Sichuan-Tibet Highway From Chengdu in Sichuan to Lhasa in Tibet Extending 2,413 km, the highway links Tibet with various provinces in southwest China Xinjiang-Tibet Highway From Yecheng in Xinjiang to Ngari in Tibet Extending 1,179 km, it is the highest highway in the world Yunnan-Tibet Highway Form Xiaguan in Yunnan to Mangkam in Tibet The highway extends 315 km. China-Nepal Highway Rom Lhasa to Friendship Bridge in Zham, Shigaze of Tibet to Kathmandu of Nepal The highway extends 736km. Railway transportation Although covering about one eighth of Chinas land area, Tibet was previously the only province level region not accessible via railway. Qinghai-Tibet railway is the only rail transport to Tibet. Before the opening of the railway, visitors could only reach Tibet by air or road. This railway measures 1963 kilometres from Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, which is the worlds most elevated and longest plateau railway (Cao Lin 2008). Along the way 965 kilometres of the railway are located over 4,000 metres, over 600 kilometres traverse the perennial frozen tundra. At the highest point, the Danggula Mountain pass is 5,072 metres above sea level. Thus, Qinghai-Tibet Railway is often called as railway on the rooftop of the world. However, although it is more convenient and cost-effective, it is the only railway to reach Tibet. Figure 3: Railway from and to Tibet tibet-railway-map.jpg Air transportation The air route over Tibet is the most efficient way for communications between Tibet and the rest of the world. The first air route was started in Tibet in 1956, which is from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, to Lhasa (Pan Liu 2006). Till now, air routes between Lhasa and cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xian, and Guangzhou have been established. In addition, the international air route between Lhasa and Kathmandu, Capital of Nepal, has also been open for traffic. However, there are only five civilian airports in Tibet: Gonggar Airport of Lhasa, Nyingchi Airport, Bangda Airport of Qamdo, Ngari airport and Shigatse Airport, among which Ngari airport and Shigatse Airport were first put into use in 2010. Figure 4: Map of Tibet flight routes map-of-tibet-flight-routes.gif Transportation of cities and towns The cities and towns in Tibet all have certain roads connecting each other. But there arent many transportation vehicles. Its hard to predict which part will be the toughest in a trip. In Lhasa, Shigaze, Zetang and other larger cities, mini-buses, taxis, or tricycles can be chosen. Buses with 35 seats run to all major tourism sites and the price is always 2 Yuan each person with in the unban sphere. There are now over 1,200 taxis in Lhasa and its suburbs. In the urban area, a trip by taxi usually costs 10-15 Yuan. In Lhasa, tricycles will cost from 2-5 Yuan for two persons. They are found near the Barkhor Bazaar. In addition, many hotels in Tibet can rent bicycles. Some scenic spots in Lhasa are not connected with buses yet. Across Tibet, many vehicle companies and travel agencies can help tourists rent vehicles for long-distance journeys. The average cost is 2.5-8 Yuan per kilometre and it differs according to the type and function of the vehicle and the condition of the travel route. 3.3 Deficiencies Since Tibets unique  natural geographical and  economic backwardness, its poor transport infrastructure cannot meet the  requirements of  the rapidly growing  tourists. Transportation  restricts the  overall development  of tourism in Tibet.   Transport infrastructure  is seriously lagging behind. Firstly, the total length of road is short and the density of transport facilities is low. The density of roads in Tibet is only 3.36 km each 100 square km, which is the lowest province among the country, comparing 17.82% of the average density of national roads (Cao Lin 2008). These five main highways connecting with other provinces in China are fragile and easy to be affected by natural disasters. In fact, among these five highways, only Qinghai-Tibet Highway can be open throughout the years, others just can be opened seasonally. Furthermore, comparing with Tibets 1.22 million square kilometres of regional area, the number of airport is too few. During tourist season, domestic routes are obviously insufficient. The only international airline is from Kathmandu to Lhasa. Due to the lack  of other international  non-stop flights, most tourists have to choose Beijing-Chengdu-Lhasa or Shang-Chengdu-Lhasa routes, which greatly increased the length of journey to Tibet and the airfare is considerable high. Lastly, railway line is single. Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the only railway transport in Tibet. Since it was constructed on the average of 4,500- 5,000 metre Tibetan Plateau, the maintenance of it is incredible difficult. The development of transportation in the regional area is uneven. Tibets transport is concentrated in the relatively developed middle area. In contrast,  transportation in southern Tibet and north-western Tibet  is extremely backward. Most of roads are in low quality, even fragile and easy to be influenced by natural disaster. Western Tibet is the most isolated area. Some of areas are still undeveloped. It is urgent need to improve the transport conditions. Low quality of transport services The level of transport services directly related to the tourists evaluation of destination (Su Wall 2009). Tourism transportation services not only include tourism projects, information of destinations and choices of transport, but also include accommodation, catering and other related security during the process of travel (Duval 2007). However, when travelling to Tibet, there would be some problem about traffic cannot depart on time and some tourism project and exact security information cannot be provided to tourists. Strategy In order to enable tourism transportation to adapt to the increasing demand of tourists in Tibet, effective scientific strategies should be made to cope with above deficiencies and to assure the transportation system in Tibet would have further improvement. To meet the rapid development of tourism industry, it is necessary to expand the size of transport network to further improve the transport system. In terms of railway transport, fulfil the capacity of railway transport, expend access to and within the Tibet is of importance. It is proposed to construct more railways, like Yunnan-Tibet Railway, Gansu-Tibet Railway and Sichuan-Tibet Railway. The first regional railway, Shigatse- Tibet was proposed to built, which would be complete in 2014. As for road transport, it is suggested to upgrade level of roads, increase management of maintenance of roads to improve disaster-combat capacity. In the national twelfth five-year development plan, regional government decided to made great efforts to develop road transportation in Tibet. In the Fifth Central Discussion Meeting on the Work of Tibet, central government also decided to accelerate construction of road network, with Lhasa as the centre, five State roads as the branches, and the district, county, township and border defence roads as the basis. Currently, the only way from Lhasa to other tourist attractions is road transport. However, some private road accessing to attractions is in the poor quality, which reduces the accessibility and influences the tourists flow. Some scenic spots in Tibet are not connected with roads yet. Thus, it is crucial to increase access level of these places. As to air transport, according to the principles of rational distribution, it is suggested to increase the number of airport to incorporate all major cities and towns into national air routes network. With the increasing number of tourist, it is necessary to open some routes to Hong Kong, Tokyo or New Delhi and some tourism developed cities. Improve the serves of tourism transportation. According to the situation of Tibet, tourism transport sector should improve the level of roads, choose convenient routes, and provide high quality means of transport. In addition, multi-channel and multi-ticket booking service should be provided to minimize transfer time.

Management Of Financial Resource And Performance Commerce Essay

Management Of Financial Resource And Performance Commerce Essay Management of financial resources is crucial in any business. According to Harrison and Enz (2005, p.72), If financial resources are misused, they will not result in better human resources or superior physical assets and processes. Furthermore, strong financial resources are an even greater importance in the hospitality industry where it is a highly competitive environment and innovations are quickly imitated. If the financial resources are secured, the organization is able to invest in unique, valuable and difficult to imitate capabilities. Consequently, it can gain the competitive advantage. Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) is the worlds largest hotel operator in respect of the number of rooms totaling 585,094 in a 2008 report. IHG mainly operates in the UK, the US, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Moreover, this large hotel operator consists of seven hotel brands including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Stayb ridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. Intercontinental Hotels Group operates its hotels in three different ways- as a franchisor, an owner, and an operator. Since the biggest part of the business is franchising, IHGs focus lies on driving demands for its brands. On a global scale, the hotel operators distribution system includes global advertising, marketing campaigns, call centers, and local language websites (Jones, 2009). Despite having a competitive advantage with its strong brand awareness and diversified properties worldwide, IHG needs to constantly monitor its environment and identify both internal and external factors. In this manner, its national and international strategies can remain well suited to the developing environment and capabilities. While an audit of the business is necessary to analyze Intercontinental Hotels Groups current position, assessing the financial resources and performance carry a greater weight for decision making. 1. EXTERNAL AUDIT Macro (PESTLE) Analysis: Awareness of a changing environment is of central importance in developing and implementing a robust strategy. PESTLE analysis is a framework used for environmental scanning in strategic management and is comprised of political, economical, social, technological, legal, and environmental components. Political and legal factors can affect aspects of the UK hospitality industry. Tax regulations and employment laws can be altered due to the UK elections that recently took place. Hayman describes how the British Hospitality Association has asked the new coalition government to support the UK tourism industry by providing increased investment and reduced regulation (Anon., 2010). Another essential component in the external environment is the economical factor. The effects of recession have severely impacted the overall performance such as hotels occupancy rates and revenues of the UK hotel market. Amongst these effects is the drop in international and national corporate market segment. A third component in the PESTLE analysis is the social factor. UK consumers have decreased their number of trips, number of nights spent in accommodation, and their overall expenditure. Another element in the macro-scanning is the technological factor. The rise of the internet has allowed major hotel chains to invest in websites and direct booking systems allowing consumers to book, view, and review hotels. Finally, the environmental factor is also of importance when analyzing the environment. Corporate Social Responsibility has slowly become integrated in many organizations business objectives. For a hotel to be socially responsible, it must follow through many policies such as abiding by the Energy Consumption laws and engaging with the local community. Micro (Porters 5 Forces) Analysis The factors in the macro-environment analysis can be used to determine how the firms industry environment (micro audit) is affected. Porters five forces of competition framework can be used to analyze the intensity of competition and the level of profitability (Grant, 2005). These five forces include competition from substitutes, entrants, power of suppliers, power of buyers, and established rivals. The threat of substitutes for Intercontinental Hotels Group is high risk. During the recession, many customers were staying at budget hotels, which became increasingly popular amongst the leisure and corporate markets. Since the barriers to entry into the hotel industry are high, the threat of entry involved is low. The barriers included are high capital requirements or entry costs, high fixed costs, no economies of scale, and resistance from the existing market. The power of suppliers is considered medium-risk for IHG. Since furniture and fittings must be of a certain standard relevant t o a hotel, they are purchased in bulk from specialist contract suppliers. On the other hand, there are no switching costs for food manufacturers and processors. Another element of the five forces is the power of buyer, which is high in the case of Intercontinental Hotels Group. The buyers are sensitive to the prices charged by the hotels in the industry. Moreover, they can easily compare not only prices but also quality and ratings via Internet using various websites. Finally, the rivalry amongst established competitors is of high risk. The major competitors of IHG are Hilton Hotels Corporation, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Hyatt Corporation, and Accor. These large hotel chains offer similar products and services, which means customers are willing to substitute. 2. BUSINESS STRATEGY In order for an organization to compete within a particular industry, it must gain a competitive advantage over its competitors by establishing a business strategy (Grant, 2005). The main objective of a business strategy is to link an organizations internal capabilities and the external environment. IHG not only continuously monitors the environment, but also ensures that the strategy remains aligned with external factors. The core focus of Intercontinental Hotels Group is to create Great Hotels Guests Love. In 2009, despite economic hardships, IHG analyzed its operations and capabilities to focus on how to deliver Great Hotels Guests Love. This major hotel chains strategy concentrates on two key aspects: where it chooses to compete and how it will win in the competing market. There are five key priorities in support of IHGs overall strategy. Some of these priorities include financial returns, its people, responsible business, and guest experience. The progress of these priorities is measured to ensure the achievement of Great Hotels Guests Love. Intercontinental Hotels Groups strategy is also pertinent to regional objectives and priorities. 3. INTERNAL AUDIT 3.1 Human Resources: In order for a strategy to be carried out, human resource is required. According to Kaplan and Norton, human capital is the availability of skills, talent, and know-how required to support the organizations strategy (2004). Employees are not only critical to achieving sustainable competitive advantage, but also integral in an organizations business plans. One of IHGs key strategic priorities is to use its people to create a more efficient organization with strong core capabilities. Intercontinental Hotel Groups focus lies in developing skills to support its key goals for responsible business, guest experience and financial returns by managing employee engagement. Approximately 335,000 people are employed globally across IHGs brands including franchised and managed hotels. The business has been balancing cost reduction and restructuring programs while managing engagement for the people and guests during 2009. To achieve Great Hotels Guests Love this organization has developed a clear articulation of its values and the behaviors expected from all employees, as well as creating the right environment for employees so that they can deliver the core purpose 3.2 Mechanical Resources: Another type of organizational resource is non-human assets such as technology and reputation. IHGs central reservation system technology includes the operations of the HolidexPlus reservation system. This system electronically receives reservation requests entered on terminals located at most of its reservation centers, as well as from global distribution systems operated by a number of major corporations and travel agents. There are currently ten global reservation offices available to take hotel bookings from guests 24 hours a day in 26 different languages. IHG generates room sales globally through their branded websites. Kaplan and Norton state that an excellent reputation for performance along social dimensions not only attracts high quality employees, but also enhances the image with customers and socially conscious investors (2004). IHG believes that corporate responsibility (CR) is integral to the way it conducts business and also at the core of its strategy. Moreover, it ass ists in building competitive advantage. Intercontinental Hotel Groups CR strategy is focused in the environment and its communities in order to drive increased value for IHG, owners, employees, and guests. 3.3 Financial Resources: While human and mechanical resources are equally important, the financial component of the strategy is just as crucial in a highly competitive industry such as the hospitality one. The balancing act of both growth and productivity dimensions is the organizing framework for an organizations strategy map. According to Harrison and Enz, strong cash flow, low levels of debt, a strong credit rating, access to low-interest capital, and a reputation for creditworthiness are powerful strengths that can serve as a source of strategic flexibility, which means that firms can be more responsive to new opportunities and new threats (2005). 3.3.1 Analysis of Key Ratios Companies will often track trends of key ratios over several years to compare their numbers against industry averages from a major competitor to assess comparative financial strength (Harrison and Enz, 2005). The following are some key ratios using IHG financial information from its annual report: a. Liquidity ratios help an organization determine its ability to pay short-term obligations such as debts and payables (Bertoneeche and Knight, 2001). i) An example of this is Current Ratio, which can be formulated as follows: Current Ratio= Current Assets/ Current Liabilities 2008: Current Assets= $544m Current Liabilities= $1141m Current Ratio= 0.47 2009: Current Assets= $419m Current Liabilities= $1053m Current Ratio= 0.40 Because the Current Ratio is below 1 for both years, it suggests that IHG is unable to pay off its short-term obligations if they were due at that point. The decrease of current assets is probably due to the recession period. Although this implies that the organization is not in good financial health, it does not necessarily mean that it will go bankrupt. ii) Another example of a liquidity ratio is the quick ratio also known as the acid test and can be figured as shown below: Quick Ratio= (Current Assets- Inventories) / (Current Liabilities) 2008: Current Assets= $544m Inventories= $4m Current Liabilities= $1141m Quick Ratio= 0.47 2009: Current Assets= $419m Inventories-$4m Current Liabilities= $1053m Quick Ratio= 0.39 The difference between current ratio and quick ratio is inventories. Inventory is excluded in quick ratio since some companies have difficulty turning their inventory into cash. In the case of IHG, the quick ratios for both 2008 and 2009 are similar to the current ratios. Since the hotel industry is mostly service oriented, there are not much inventories to turn into cash. b. Profitability ratios are another key dimension to an organizations firm health. According to Harrison and Enz (2005, p.72), They are a common measure of overall financial success. i) One type of profitability ratios is net profit margin ratio can be calculated as follows: Net Profit Margin= (Net Profit/ Revenues)* 100 2008: Net Profit= $262m Revenues= $ 1897m Net Profit Margin= 0.14 or 13.81% 2009: Net Profit= $214m Revenues=$1538m Net Profit Margin= 0.14 or 13.91% For every $1 generated in revenue, IHG made a profit of 13.81% in 2008 and 13.91% in 2009. Even though the net profit and revenues for 2008 are higher than that of 2009, there was a slight increase in the net profit margin. ii) Another profitability ratio is gross profit margin which can be determined as follows: Gross Profit Margin= (Gross Profit/Revenues)* 100% 2008: Gross Profit= $1045m Revenues= $1897m Gross Profit Margin= 0.55 or 55.08% 2009: Gross Profit= $678m Revenues= $1538m Gross Profit Margin= 0.44 or 44.08% Gross profit margin discloses the profit an organization makes on its cost of sales. IHGs gross profit margin decreased in 2009 due to lower revenues and higher cost of sales compared to 2008. This simply shows that the efficiency of operations and product pricing subsided. iii) Return on capital employed ratio compares the profit made by an organization with the amount of money invested. The formula is as follows: ROCE= Net Profit/ Capital Employed Capital Employed= Shareholders Funds + Long Term Liabilities 2008: Net Profit= $262m Capital Employed= $1972m+$1= $1973m ROCE= 0.13 or 13.28% 2009: Net Profit= $214m Capital Employed= $1684m+$156m= $1840m ROCE= 0.11 or 11.63% According to the authors in Business Studies, the higher the ratio, the better indication of performance it is in terms of profit returned for the capital invested (Hall, Jones, and Raffo, 2004). Over the past two years, the ROCE has decreased from 13.28 per cent to 11.63 per cent. This means that less profit was made to cover the capital employed. c. A third key dimension to assessing an organizations financial standing is efficiency ratio, which evaluates how effectively capital is employed within the firm (Bertoneche Knight, 2001). i) Asset turnover ratio reflects how assets are being effectively used to generate revenues. The formula is the following: Asset Turnover Ratio= Revenues/ Total Assets 2008: Revenues= $1897m Total Assets= $3118m Asset Turnover Ratio= 0.61 2009: Revenues= $1538m Total Assets= $2893m Asset Turnover Ratio= 0.54 From this ratio analysis, IHG had a decrease in its asset turnover from 2008 to 2009. For every $1 of assets it owned, IHG generated $0.61 of sales in 2008 and $0.54 in 2009. Since the ratios for both years are relatively low compared to other industries, the organization might not be utilizing its assets to a full potential. However, the profit margin ratio is higher compared to another sector of the hotel industry such as budget hotels. d. Gearing ratios illustrate the long term financial position of an organization. They can assess whether or not a business is burdened by its loans (Hall, Jones, and Raffo, 2004). The formula for gearing is as follows: Gearing= Fixed Cost Capital/ Long Term Capital Long Term Capital= Shareholders Funds + Long Term loans 2008: Fixed Cost Capital= $1972m Long Term Capital= $1m + $1972m= $1973m Gearing= 0.99 or 99.95% 2009: Fixed Cost Capital= $1684m Long Term Capital= $156m + $1684m= $1840m Gearing= 0.92 or 91.52% Since the ratios for both years are higher than 50 per cent, IHG is considered a high geared company. This simply signifies that a much higher proportion of total capital is borrowed. Even though the gearing ratio decreased from 2008 to 2009, IHG is still considered as risky by creditors. After analyzing the key ratios previously formulated and comparing between 2008 and 2009, one can conclude that Intercontinental Hotel Group is not financially fit. Both liquidity ratios, current and quick, decreased from 2008 and 2009 signifying that assets cannot easily be turned into cash. Moreover, the decrease of profitability ratios including gross profit margin and ROCE indicate weakness of the business. The net profit margin, however, did slightly increase from 2008 to 2009. Furthermore, IHGS poor asset turnover ratio shows that the company is not using its assets effectively. Lastly, the organizations high gearing nature also contributes to the fact that IHG is reliant on borrowed business. Overall, it needs to make changes to improve its financial health. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS/ CONCLUSION The utilization of an organizations resources must not only be effective, but also efficient (Pettinger, 1997). While the strengths of IHG management for both financial and non-financial resources can be enhanced, the weaknesses must not be overlooked. In order for IHG to carry out their strategic objective of creating an efficient organization, its human resource management must be committed to several practices such as selective hiring, focus on training and development, communication and information sharing, good level of compensation, and team working (Porter, Smith, Fagg, 2006). In this manner, IHG will be able to achieve positive human resource outcomes, which can lead to quality and productivity. This in turn can heighten the organizational performance in terms of financial outcomes. Furthermore, IHG management can take general action to increase the stream of cash flows and drive value. Increasing business with current customers, expanding global presence, reducing expenses and pursuing complementary alliances can all promote growth. According to DeFranco and Lattin(2007, p.119), Rather than focus on expansion in a single city, some companies elect to expand to new markets. The benefit of this type of growth is that it spreads the risk of expansion over several markets. For example, concierge services can incorporate the usage of iPad to visually assist the guests common questions such as directions. Another example is diversifying related products such as vacation ownership and corporate housing. By doing this, Intercontinental Hotel Group will be able to enhance its product image. Margins can be improved if IHG focuses on restructuring, efficiency, productivity, and cost control. Moreover, increasing inventory turns and getting best conditions from suppliers can aid in lowering the companys working capital. The organization can also optimize asset utilization by either lowering capital expenditures or improving turnover ratios (Bertoneche Knight, 20 01). An example of a capital expenditure is restoring a property or adapting it to a new or different use. In the case of IHG, this can involve renovating or refurbishing one of its hotels. By lowering capital expenditures, the balance sheet can be affected positively. In conclusion, IHG has managed to successfully remain as one of the top hotel chains worldwide, it still needs to constantly be monitoring the external and internal environment to be able to compete in the hospitality industry. As more and more competitors are arising, IHG need to continuously revise and review its strategic objectives, which include human resources, mechanical resources, and financial resources. By evaluating financial ratios, IHG can monitor the performance of its operations and evaluate its efforts to meet a variety of goals. By tracking a selected set of ratios on a regular basis, the organization is able to maintain a fairly accurate perception of the effectiveness and efficiency of its operations (Andrew, Damitio Schmidgallm 2007). Even though the hospitality industry is dynamic and exciting, it poses many challenges such as low profitability, reliance on discretionary income, capital intensive, fluctuating sales volume and labor intensive. IHG has to ensure t hat it is able to overcome these challenges so that it can grow and increase its value. .

Ideal Women :: essays research papers

The American women of today can never be too thin or too pretty. In most cases thin equates beauty, so the present ideal is a thin, fit, radiantly healthy, young woman. In magazines stuffed with models and advertisements, billboards on the highway, and actresses on TV, the message of what women should look like is everywhere. The inescapable presence of these images in effect shapes the image of women today. It is very unfortunate that the media influences American society to the point that it defines the "ideal woman." According to Naomi Wolf, author of the bestselling book, <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=pcZ8g7DjAzA&offerid=6424&type=2&subid=0&url=http%253A//search.borders.com/fcgi-bin/db2www/search/search.d2w/Details%253F%2526mediaType%253DBook%2526prodID%253D2647098" >The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women<IMG border=0 alt=icon width=1 height=1 src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=pcZ8g7DjAzA&bids=6424&type=2&subid=0" >, one reason media is so influential is "advertising is a 130 billion dollar a year industry. The average American watches 30 hours of TV a week and spends 110 hours a year reading magazines. That adds up to exposure to 1500 ads daily" (45). Advertising is a powerful educational force in our culture due to the simple fact of exposure. Eco nomics is also a significant factor in the development of the ideal image. There is a wealth of businesses that depend upon the American desire for thinness to survive. Exercise and diet companies are an example. In order to create a market for their product, they attempt to make women feel inadequate about their own bodies through advertisement. According to Wolf, "the diet industry has tripled its income in the past 10 years from a $10 billion industry to a $33.3 billion industry" (47). Other companies that cater to the current "large" population sell beauty, tactfully. As William Lutz points out in his article, "With these Words I can Sell You Anything," girdles are called body shapers or control garments (158), and in Diane White's article, "Euphemisms for the Fat of the Land," extra-extra large is changed to queen size (176). Either way, it is their diet, exercise, or control product that will get women on the way to the thinner, and better, more popular, sexy ideal. Advertisers manipulate women into thinking their value is dependent on their physical appearance. They appeal to that basic human desire to be wanted, accepted, and sexually attractive, as Charles O'Neill points out in his article, "The Language of Advertising"(163). One reason this "ideal" has manipulated the American society in particular, is that it appeals to some basic American values. Ideal Women :: essays research papers The American women of today can never be too thin or too pretty. In most cases thin equates beauty, so the present ideal is a thin, fit, radiantly healthy, young woman. In magazines stuffed with models and advertisements, billboards on the highway, and actresses on TV, the message of what women should look like is everywhere. The inescapable presence of these images in effect shapes the image of women today. It is very unfortunate that the media influences American society to the point that it defines the "ideal woman." According to Naomi Wolf, author of the bestselling book, <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=pcZ8g7DjAzA&offerid=6424&type=2&subid=0&url=http%253A//search.borders.com/fcgi-bin/db2www/search/search.d2w/Details%253F%2526mediaType%253DBook%2526prodID%253D2647098" >The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women<IMG border=0 alt=icon width=1 height=1 src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=pcZ8g7DjAzA&bids=6424&type=2&subid=0" >, one reason media is so influential is "advertising is a 130 billion dollar a year industry. The average American watches 30 hours of TV a week and spends 110 hours a year reading magazines. That adds up to exposure to 1500 ads daily" (45). Advertising is a powerful educational force in our culture due to the simple fact of exposure. Eco nomics is also a significant factor in the development of the ideal image. There is a wealth of businesses that depend upon the American desire for thinness to survive. Exercise and diet companies are an example. In order to create a market for their product, they attempt to make women feel inadequate about their own bodies through advertisement. According to Wolf, "the diet industry has tripled its income in the past 10 years from a $10 billion industry to a $33.3 billion industry" (47). Other companies that cater to the current "large" population sell beauty, tactfully. As William Lutz points out in his article, "With these Words I can Sell You Anything," girdles are called body shapers or control garments (158), and in Diane White's article, "Euphemisms for the Fat of the Land," extra-extra large is changed to queen size (176). Either way, it is their diet, exercise, or control product that will get women on the way to the thinner, and better, more popular, sexy ideal. Advertisers manipulate women into thinking their value is dependent on their physical appearance. They appeal to that basic human desire to be wanted, accepted, and sexually attractive, as Charles O'Neill points out in his article, "The Language of Advertising"(163). One reason this "ideal" has manipulated the American society in particular, is that it appeals to some basic American values.

Escape from Industrialization in Wells The Time Machine Essay examples

Escape from Industrialization in Wells' The Time Machine      Ã‚      Our society craves an escape from life.   When our tedious jobs bog us down, we escape into a hobby.   When the responsibilities of school tire us, we escape in a vacation.   When world affairs take a frightening turn of events, we escape in a good movie or absorbing book.   There are countless distractions available to lighten our heavy minds and ease our anxieties.   But it was not always as easy as it is today.   What if distractions such as these were available only to a leisured class?   What if the average person did not have the means to escape, even in small ways?   This was the dilemma in late Victorian England.   The people who needed and craved escape the most, the working and poor classes, could not achieve it.   Industrialization had locked many of them into their subservient social positions, disallowing any means of even temporary escape from the harshness of Victorian life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   H.G. Wells' The Time Machine addresses this desire to escape.   The unnamed Time Traveler himself does not necessarily have the desire to escape from Victorian life.   He is wealthy and educated enough to spend his days creating a time machine to satisfy his desire to explore time.   But escapism is addressed in his changing theories about the origin and nature of the Eloi and Morlocks, whom he encounters in his travels.   Related to this theme of escape is the concept of progress not universally yielding good.   The Time Machine speaks to the powerful late Victorian themes of escape and progress, painting a frightening picture of the dystopia that could result from the Victorians' ruthless exploitation of the working class during industrialization.   Begi... ...k. "The Railway God" The Birth of Neurosis: Myth, Malady, and the Victorians.   Simon & Schuster: New York, 1984. 108-122.   "Man or Beast?   The Lasting Effects of Darwin."   Victorian Monstrosities Essay 2.   3 December 2001. http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/rtotaro/ENL4122Essay2.htm Mitchell, Sally. "Class, Tradition, and Money" and "Working Life" Daily Life in Victorian England. Greenwood: Westport, Connecticut, 1996. 19-39, 43-61. Rose, Holly, Toni Veloce, and Bobby Zarnecki. "Feminism and Literature: A Look at Sarah Grand and The Heavenly Twins." Victorian Monstrosities Group Presentation. Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, Florida. 6 Nov. 2001.   Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. New York: Dover, 1991.   Wilde, Oscar.   The Picture of Dorian Gray.   New York: Dover, 1993.  

The History of Domestic Violence Essay -- Violence Against Women Essay

Domestic Violence is a critical issue negatively impacting women in the world today. There has to be something done to prevent this type of abuse from happening. The results of my research revealed that there are many victims that do not know the type of help that is available and there needs to be major improvement in the way domestic violence cases are handled. Based on my findings, awareness and prevention programs should be implemented in every state in order prevent this type of abuse from happening over and over. Also, each program must be monitored to ensure they are following the proper guidelines in order to better serve the victims and their families. Has domestic violence stemmed from the mental abuse suffered by our ancestors that still feel that they need to either be control or control others? According to our history text, â€Å"The first impulse was to think of freedom as a contrast to slavery. Emancipation immediately released slaves from the most oppressive aspects of bondage—the whippings, the breakup of families, the sexual exploitation. Freedom also meant movement, the right to travel without a pass or white permission. Above all, freedom meant that African Americans’ labor would be for their own benefit. One Arkansas freedman, who earned his first dollar working on a railroad, recalled that when he was paid, â€Å"I felt like the richest man in the world.†Freedom included finding a new place to work. Changing jobs was one concrete way to break the psychological ties of slavery. Even planters with reputations for kindness sometimes saw their former hands depart. The cook who left a South Carolina family even though they offered her higher wages than her new job explained, â€Å"I must go. If I stays here I’ll never know ... ...ased play interventions for children (pp. 31-49). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/11086-003. Rosenbaum, A., & Kunkel, T. (2009). Group interventions for intimate partner violence. Psychological and physical aggression in couples: Causes and interventions (pp. 191-210). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/11880-009. Straus, M. (2009). Gender symmetry in partner violence: evidence and implications for prevention and treatment. Preventing partner violence: Research and evidence-based intervention strategies (pp. 245-271). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/11873-011. Sullivan, C. (2006). Interventions to address intimate partner violence: The current state of the field. Preventing violence: Research and evidence-based intervention strategies (pp. 195-212). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/11385-008.

Foxconn and Apple

Subject: Apple and Foxconn controversy from the eye of the consumer Over the last couple years, Apple and Foxconn have been partaking in poor business methods thus causing them a great deal of deserved criticism. The consumer, must decide whether or not to continue buying from Apple because the consumer is what causes Apple to continue to make new products which results in the poor conditions at Foxconn. Foxconn and Apple violate many ethical, moral and basic human principles. The SituationOver the past several years, Apple's major hardware and development contributor, Foxconn, has received a great deal of criticism over their working conditions and benefits. There are over a dozen Foxconn factories in China, all of which employ hundreds of thousands of people. To this day Foxconn remains the leader in electronic component manufacturing. Since 2010, various accounts of mistreatment of employees have arose, causing many controversies. The most significant to date, are the many reporte d suicides of Foxconn plant workers.In early June, the most recent suicide occurred of twenty three year old man. It was the first suicide since Foxconn agreed with the United States and Apple to improve working conditions (Foxconn Suicide, 2012). Prior to this suicide, there had been over a dozen suicides in direct correlation to the poor working conditions and low pay. Various news reports and documentaries arose in 2012 exposes this supposedly giant scandal. Apple, one of the worlds most prominent developers of consumer electronics, is making numerous attempts to fix the current issues at Foxconn. The move comes after Apple, criticized over working conditions at its sprawling chain of suppliers in China, agreed to an investigation by the independent Fair Labor Association earlier this year to stem criticism that its products were built in sweatshop-like conditions† (Foxconn Suicide, 2012). The next several years will be dedicated to making Foxconn a positively labeled corpo ration thus giving Apple is good reputation back. The Impact on a Stakeholder Group (Consumer) As a consistent consumer of Apple products over the last decade, one can only be disappointed in the decisions made by Apple.Of course the consumers were not directly involved in the poor conditions of the company or the deaths of many workers. In reality, we the consumers, are indirectly contributing to the current issues at Foxconn. We choose to purchase their products, buy stocks and invest our hard earned money into a company that chooses to do things the easy way rather than the smart way. In a report written by the Insider Staff in 2012 called Apple, Foxconn and China: The Cost of Manufacturing, they said â€Å"Think of your iPhone you would as a hamburger—the meat was once part of a living, breathing animal.Its life was taken so you could have lunch. This is the price for the type of life we lead, whether it's the price we pay to buy something once living that's now a packag e of hamburger or the price for a brand-new iPhone. † The iPhone, Macbooks and iPods we purchase were all at one point a collection of parts. Thanks to the many news reports, we realize that these parts are stained with the blood, sweat and tears of the many workers just trying to make a living. The consumer is the most affected party in this scenario. We choose to purchase Apple's new products for lower prices and faster shipping.We demand Apple to make newer products knowing that we will then buy them. Through these actions taken by the consumers, it allows for all the problems occurring at the Foxconn factories to continue. Apple does deserve come credit for the attempts they have made to fix all of the previously stated issues. â€Å"There is no question that Foxconn has been scrutinized because it produces products for Apple. Also a few years ago there were a number of suicides at Foxconn factories, which prompted labor groups to start looking into working conditions the re.Apple sent a team to China, including a group led by Tim Cook, who is now Apple's CEO. Apple also hired the non-profit Fair Labor Association to audit working conditions at Foxconn. The group has said that Foxconn has made progress at reducing workers' hours and improving conditions, and that Foxconn and Apple do make an effort to let students know they can resign from Foxconn and still graduate, and link the jobs they do at Apple with their studies† (Adams, 2012). The Fair Labor Association conducted a two week examination of the company to make sure it was up to date on all laws and regulations.Foxconn has raised all workers salaries by 16 to 25 percent. They have chosen to hire tens of thousands of more workers so that never again would an individual die from working a thirty hour shift. The FLA conducts interviews of over a hundred thousand employees to make sure they are content and have no serious, life threatening issues with Foxconn (Poeter, 2012). They correct step s have been taken to regain Apple's status as an ethical and beneficial company, while also fixing all of Apple's supplier companies like Foxconn. Ethical Dilemmas There were many ethical dilemmas after the Foxconn Apple scandal was exposed.A CNN documentary team went there and filmed the companies average work day. On January 29th the CNN report appeared which displayed graphic images of the Foxconn factory. â€Å"The segment graphically showed the suicide nets and the factory, it showed workers reportedly as young as 12 who worked shifts as long as 12 to 14 hours a day, six days a week. It also reported on the death of one worker who died at work after a shift of more than 30 hours. There's no question these condition approach the emotional feeling of slavery, if not legal definition.What's missing from the conversation is that Foxconn builds electronics products for a wide variety of companies, not just Apple† (Apple, Foxconn and China, 2012). All of the previously stated conditions violate countless ethical laws. In an article called Business Ethics- Issues written by Jim Riley, he says that a business can not claim to be ethical if the violate ethical practices such as child labor, production is sweatshops, violation of basic rights and ignoring health and safety issues. Foxconn violated absolutely every single one of these practices.The employed children to work and had them working shifts just as long as your average adult would. The physical conditions of the company were terrible, people were hardly allowed to eat, grime and dirt layered the floors and people worked countless hours shoulder to shoulder. Some have even chosen to compare it to Nazi death camps and the blood diamond controversies in Africa. Due to the constant allegations and controversies, Apple has taken giant steps towards creating a bright future. Apple sent in a Chief Operating Officer to the Chinese facility.The team interviewed more than one thousand workers along with crea ting a 24-hour care center (Sherr, 2011). Since 2007 Apple has audited 288 supplier facilities and even continues to do so even if it mean no longer working with them. Apple has found 91 underage workers in these facilities and will break off any ties to those who choose to overlook the issue. Apple is working hard to establish a good reputation for itself. They are pushing their supplier factories to follow every ethical and business guideline so that we the consumer can be happy and comfortable with the products we are purchasing.Analysis of Solution/Actions The 7 Guidelines for Making Ethical Decisions are a perfect example of the rules in which Apple and Foxconn decided to disobey. Firstly, the TV Test states that managers should always ask, â€Å"would they feel comfortable explain this to a TV audience? † Going back to Foxconn and Apple the clear and most obvious answer to this question is NO. Apple and Foxconn hid every negative aspect of the company for over two years . It was not until 2012 where CNN was allowed to go in and film the factory.If the numerous child workers, poor conditions and suicides were exposed earlier, this issue may have been resolved by now. Instead Foxconn covered up the scandal and allowed it to grow and infest throughout the company. Secondly, every child was raised by the Golden Rule, treat others they way you want to be treated. From the managers perspective, they chose to get things done rather than doing them the right way. What this means is that managers did not obey any ethical rules, rather they pushed workers to the extreme so that they could make as many products as possible.In conclusion, Apple's and Foxconn's violations were unacceptable. However, Apple has taken the right approach in correcting all of the issues at Foxconn. Whether or not it works, Apple has done all they can. Now it lies in the hands of the stakeholders to continue to or not to buy the companies products. Cited Work Adams, S. (2012). Apple' s New Foxconn Embarrassment. Forbes. Com, 8. Apple, Foxconn and China: The Human Cost of Manufacturing. (2012). Channel Insider, 1-2. Foxconn Suicide: Company Says Plant Worker Jumped From Apartment. (2012, June 14). HuffingtonPost.Retrieved  October  7, 2012, from http://foxconn suicide: Company says plant worker jumped from apartment . (2012, June 14). . Retrieved from www. huffingtonpost. com/2012/06/14/foxconn-suicide_n_1596138. html Poeter, D. (2012). Report: Apple Supplier Foxconn Raises Worker Pay at Chinese Plants. PC Magazine, 1. Riley, J. (2012, 9 23). Business ethics- issues. Retrieved from http://www. tutor2u. net/business/strategy/business-ethics-issues. html SHERR, I. (2011, February 15). Apple Says China Partner Made Changes For Workers. Wall Street Journal – Eastern Edition. p. B5.