Design and analysis (aerodynamics) of the new engine cover for open Lab Report

Design and analysis (aerodynamics) of the new engine cover for open wheel climb race car in by using CFD (computational fluid dynamics). [2500 words] - Lab Report Example At first, the investigation will revolve around the models of turbulence like Shear Stress Transport (SST) and Spalart Allmaras (SA). These models are the best suited for the Computational Fluid Dynamics research. In practice, the Spalart Allmaras (SA) model meritoriously produce good Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations in relation to performance on the cost and stability. The model is suited for meshes without structure. However, Shear Stress Transport (SST) is on the basis of k-epsilon and k-omega baselines. K-epsilon is for the parts of the body that are a bit far from the wall while K-omega model is applicable on the parts near walls. The design model, will have a design of low level engine covers for the new car in a way of cutting down the area at the front of the car. On the basis of the nature science, the new model is created in a way of reducing the coefficient of the drag as one of the aerodynamic forces. This on the assumption that the engine cover is capable of reducing the drag as a result of a decreased area at the front of the car. The small area at the front induced by low height engine cover aids in decreasing the parts of vortices and turbulence near the engine covers and cockpits. This way, the rear wing is capable of developing an excess downward force, on condition the flow is continuous. The vital fact thus is knowledge of the best way to decrease the vortices and turbulence (complex flow). The lab was also effective in perfoming Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation on the helmet. This is the first design established in the process which incorpiorates the engine cover as a way of investigating the regions of flow near the cockpit in each section. The design of the second car is aimed at discovering new ways on basis of high hill engine cover. In accordance to the first simulation result, unstable airflow is developed. A high

Microsoft office SharePoint Essay Example for Free

Microsoft office SharePoint Essay Microsoft office SharePoint server which is shortened as MOSS is an integrated Microsoft server that provides the following services; business intelligence share board, web content management, enterprise search, enterprise content services and shared business processes. Microsoft office SharePoint was introduced after SharePoint portal server SPS. Microsoft office SharePoint is a program that has elevated Microsoft office from merely being used on the desk top to being used online (Hillier, 2005). Compared to Microsoft office that can only be used on the desktop, Microsoft office SharePoint makes it possible for a server to share the information online. SharePoint is basically a website that can be displayed on the internet with an interface which displays libraries and lists in a protected database. The key word in Microsoft office SharePoint which is ‘share’ literally means connecting with people and sharing with them information, documents and files. SharePoint contains a number of tools that can be utilized for any small personal work or a wide range of business services. SharePoint services can be customized very easily using web based management interface or alternatively by using the Microsoft SharePoint designer software. There are also 40 pre-built application templates that assist in organizing the various components of the web. They are designed in a way that enables them to accomplish various specific tasks assigned to them. Some of these applications are blog, bug database, project tracking and wiki. Microsoft office offers a wide range of products that form part and parcel of its current technologies. These technologies include; Windows SharePoint Services 3. 0 (WSS), Search Server 2008 Express, Search Server 2008, Forms Server 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 MOSS Standard, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 MOSS Enterprise, Microsoft Office Groove Server 2007, Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer. All this products have been designed to fit in the modern business communication. They enhance the process and method of data sharing and ensure that business enterprises are informed of the current happenings in the business society. The features are easy to use and flexible when it comes to change and expansion. Importance of Microsoft Office SharePoint Microsoft office SharePoint has various benefits that make it preferred for use. The application improves people’s productivity by enabling them to receive information needed via the internet (Adams, 2007). It enhances their capability to create and organize the information and documents which makes their jobs easily manageable. Using the Microsoft office SharePoint, the server will find it easy to manage and track documents that he or she is using. This is due to the enhanced document management features that enable the server to countercheck and even change them. The modified features also enable the user to restore past information and determine the kind of users that access certain files. Microsoft office SharePoint has also enhanced the use of Microsoft office. The menus that were previously available on Microsoft office have been modified making it easy to navigate it. Microsoft office suit which is among the tools in SharePoint increases the speed of the user to use the applications without having to apply new skills. SharePoint has a variety of applications that enable the user to choose the one that is most suitable for him/her. The work spaces available enable the server to design an application that will provide solution to the problem at hand. A collaboration environment has been made easy to build and design as it takes minimum time. The share based SharePoint solution cuts down on the time and effort needed to find such solutions. Microsoft office SharePoint reduces complexities as it enhances the information stored and reduces on the general management costs. The information stored within the site is so easy to manage that it does not require the user to have extra skills. Microsoft office SharePoint enables the user to secure his or her information in a design that seems most appropriate for them (Lachev, 2005). This is due to the applications that enable the user to identify security measures in accordance to the document or file. He/she is also able to create security according to the user groups and teams who can also control the kind of information that they receive according to the defined parameters. File sharing using Microsoft SharePoint is highly improvised. It has facilities such as version history, document check in and check-out and storage which allow the user to browse the state of past files and documents stored and reinstate them to the position he/she desires. It has also a recycle bin that enables the user to retrieve the files that were earlier on deleted. Microsoft SharePoint is designed for both large scale and small scale use. The site can be increased as desired by the user at any time. This allows him to easily expand his operations whenever he feels the necessity to do so. The applications in Microsoft SharePoint are flexible and also multifunctional. The information stored in SharePoint can be customized in any form to suit a specific function and purpose. It can also be used for a wide variety of functions due to its flexible nature. Therefore, it is suitable for any type of business organization that may wish to use a number of applications. There are six main features on which Microsoft office SharePoint server is built on. They include; collaboration, portal, enterprise search, web and enterprise content management, forms driven business process and business intelligence. Pillars of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Collaboration Microsoft office SharePoint integrates work spaces, surveys, wikis, forums, blogs and tasks which boost the working of the Microsoft 2003 windows. The new features enhance partnership and the sharing of knowledge between different parties. Some of the applications that can be used to enhance partnership include; blog tronix, eTouch, social text, automatic, suited two and base camp (Foster, 2008). The features can be customized and used for different share groups as desired by the server. Through such facilities an organization can easily identify business partners around the world that may be engaging in similar activities. They are also able to identify customers and clients that are interested in their products. Portal Portal is a site that can access everything that is related to enterprise. In the new version of the 2007 windows, the name portal server is no longer used. Even though some of the features used have not been changed much, there are some modifications to the portal that include master pages, improved search facilities, improvements on the visual studio and a pluggable single sign-on architecture that improves flexibility. The website is based on the profile of the user (Luckett, 2008). Portal enables a personal user to create a site where they can customize them according to their needs. Portal allows the user to make changes to their profile and receive information and updates in a desired format. Enterprise Search Search on SPS 2003 was a bit hectic and made the process of searching different content stores difficult. Microsoft office SharePoint has provided a solution to this problem due to the new features that enhance searching. MOSS 2007 has an ACL-aware that has the ability to search for people and even expertise using both remote and local data stores. Business managers and other developers can effectively index their data and search in accordance to the line of business that they are dealing with. The best bets search features have added a new wave of intelligence to search procedures that make it exciting and reliable. Enterprise search enables a user to access specific information either from stored files or on the site. The facility is designed to suit the search criteria of the user and avoid the inconveniences of spending a lot of time in retrieving data. Web and Enterprise Content Management Microsoft office SharePoint server provides a wide variety of services that enhance the management of documents. Some of these services include; content type base policies, rich descriptive metadata, check in and out document locking, role based access controls at the library of the document and auditing. The contents received via the web can also be effectively managed and recorded. The features can be developed for use both for single or multiple uses depending on the nature of the work being dealt with. It is now easy for different business partners to exchange and transfer content materials as they desire. Locking facilities enable the user to withhold certain information from reaching certain groups and generally makes him to take complete charge of what is in the site. Forms Driven Business Process Microsoft office SharePoint has an XML driven info path that can be used on various systems including portable wireless devices. This improves on the rate and extent of communication between business partners, customers and clients in a business. The different stakeholders of the company or organization can access the information they want without having to go through a long process (Ferguson, 2002). It also makes it possible for the business management to determine specific information that can be accessed by the wide variety of stakeholders. The InfoPath is still being developed to have the ability of handling many more features. This feature has enhanced flexibility in business operations and ensures that a business man is kept informed no matter their current location. They are also able to comfortably carry out their business transactions despite their locations. Business Intelligence Microsoft office SharePoint server has improved business intelligence through the web based dash boards excel services and excel web base services, data respiratory integration and line of business integration. SharePoint server is used to take business to a higher level due to the improved work group facilities that it provides. Microsoft office SharePoint was developed in 2003 and a new version launched in 2007. Features are continuously being improved as businesses continue to enjoy the services that improve their operations. Companies and organizations are discovering new business opportunities that will expand their operations. With continuous developments that SharePoint is promising, online business partnerships will be greatly enhanced and a secure storage facility ensured. The Capability of Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft SharePoint has indeed been of great relive for business enterprises especially as it enhances the sharing capabilities of data. The share based portals enables businesses to make them be a one stop enterprise destination. The interfaces are dynamic and a lot of time is saved through; enterprise 2. 0 function ability has calendars and other interactive properties which enhance communication. It also has an integrated presence that makes it possible for a user to effectively communicate with another user that has been tagged and authorized (English, 2004). It has an improved interface and usability that enhances interactions, makes it smoother and ensure updates are received on time. Navigating data on site has been made simpler and made the discovery of contents easier. Administrators on site can easily role up certain information from sub sites and transfer it to other portal. It makes it easy to retrieve information on the website and Users who are within the SharePoint environment can now share information from an external RSS feeds. This reduces the possibility of the information being redundant and enhance corporation among different team members. Microsoft office SharePoint has leverage and security architecture that ensures sensitive business information is kept out of unauthorized view groups. SharePoint contains configurable features that make it possible for the user to give a site a definite description, differentiate web parts and XML endpoints. The 2007 version of Microsoft office SharePoint is compatible in NGES 2. 0. This facility makes it easier for an enterprise to effectively communicate with the customers. Most companies that have adapted the use of RSS to manage vital business information have discovered how versatile the technology is. RSS in combination with Microsoft office SharePoint server are proving to be very economical and reliable confirming the deliverance capability of enterprise 2. 0. The 2008 version of the Microsoft office search server that is referred to us 2008 express has been greatly enhanced to ensure that the number of files indexed are not limited. However, there is a limitation on stand-alone installations in that it cannot be scaled out to a cluster. Microsoft office SharePoint designer makes it possible for a developer to change data from external sources like Microsoft SQL server without necessarily having to code it against the NET framework (Webb, 2007). Despite the various compliments of Microsoft office SharePoint, it is criticized on the grounds that its tools are not well integrated for developers. Its customized software architecture is also viewed as complex and differs at a higher degree with the other ASP. NET-based web applications. Therefore, there is a need for Microsoft to improve other versions to make them reliable for use by developers. Microsoft office SharePoint 2007 has been designed to effectively work with other technologies, servers and programs. For instance, it is possible to create PowerPoint slides using Microsoft office SharePoint that can be stored in a library. The stored slides can be viewed by other users who can select their desired slide and receive notifications on the same. Updates can also be automatically set so that the new released versions on the SharePoint are received by the user. The different products of Microsoft office SharePoint have been designed to meet the current business needs. It has made the sharing of information between different groups across the borders easier. This sharing of information has made different business enterprises to be updated of the current happenings in the market and thus making informed decisions. The 2007 version of Microsoft office SharePoint enables users to create their own SharePoint sites that they can personally manage and use as they desire. They are also able to share such information with other people throughout the organization. An organization has different departments in which the administrator may desire to communicate different information, Microsoft office SharePoint server 2007 understands such diversity and makes it possible for the administrator to comfortably send specific information to various departments. SharePoint server ensures that only the right people are able to access certain information. Microsoft windows SharePoint services are technologies that have been modified in Microsoft windows SharePoint server. The services are specifically designed to ensure effective networking among business stakeholders. It ensures productivity on the work done by enabling the users to make informed decisions. Microsoft office SharePoint server depends on the services of Microsoft office SharePoint services 3. 0 technology that provide a wide variety of services such as site administration, libraries and site customization. All the features that are available on windows SharePoint services 3. 0 have also been integrated in office SharePoint server. Even though some features are similar Microsoft office SharePoint server 2007 has additional features that relate to different scenarios in publishing and enterprise. Conclusion Microsoft office SharePoint is basically a site that connects business organization with their employees, customers and partners. It was mainly designed due to the varying needs in the business field. The different products of SharePoint enable the server to customize information in a particular way as he/she desires and send it to prospective recipients. Maximum security is guaranteed for the user who may either desire to share certain information with specific people (Langfeld, 2004). It enhances the work of the managers who are able to effectively coordinate the work within their organization. They are able to create a site where different categories of employees are able to access information and receive the necessary updates. It also enables employees to create sites that will keep them updated on their work performance and progress. An employee is able to assign the work and effectively manage his time due to the calendar features that are provided in Microsoft office SharePoint. Modern technology is making interactions and communications easier. Even though it comes with various challenges and shortcomings, Microsoft office SharePoint is still going through improvements (Hillier, 2007). Various research programs are still being done on the features and new features are being added to ensure that the facility serves people better. Improvements being done on SharePoint make it easier for the server to apply them without having to acquire extra skills. As the years move on, technology is inventing more products that can be utilized on SharePoint. These services are exciting to business organizations and companies that have come to realize how the work of managing files and documents can be much simplified. Hence, they are looking for more promising advances on SharePoint that will further enhance communication with their stakeholders. REFERENCES Adams S. (2007): Pro SharePoint solution development, California: Apress pp39-41 English B. (2004): Microsoft SharePoint products and technologies resource kit, Michigan: Microsoft Press pp987-989 Ferguson R. (2002): Special edition using Microsoft SharePoint Portal Serve, California: Que, Publishing pp601 Foster K. (2008): SharePoint Best Practices, Louisiana: Lulu. com pp134 Hillier S. (2007): Microsoft SharePoint, New York: Springer pp27-30 Hillier S. (2005): Microsoft SharePoint, California: Apress pp17-22 Lachev T. (2005): Applied Microsoft Analysis Services 2005, Greenville: Prologika Press pp9 Langfeld L. (2004): Microsoft SharePoint 2003 unleashed, Michigan: Sams pp44-47 Luckett R. (2008): Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, New York: McGraw-Hill Professional pp 453 Webb J. (2007): Essential SharePoint 2007, Massachusetts: OReilly pp7-11

Ghost Light :: essays research papers

Ghost light refers to the superstition that one small bulb should always be left on so that no theater is ever totally dark--and thus vulnerable to "ghosts." A reader of Frank Rich's memoir Ghost Light is likely to conclude, however, that the title refers to the author's attempt to exorcise his miserable childhood. The son of Frank Rich Sr., whose family had been in the shoe business in Washington since the Civil War, and Helene Rich, a teacher, was born in 1949. Members of the family led seemingly ordinary lives in Somerset, Md. There, according to Rich, all the houses looked alike, dads went to work, moms stayed home and television perpetuated the myth that all families were happy. While he was in grade school, Rich's parents split up, making him the first kid on the block to bear the stigma of coming from "a broken home." Both parents subsequently remarried, and, in a telling detail, neither Rich nor his younger sister, Polly, was invited to either parent's second wedding. Rich is venomous on the subject of his stepfather--a crude and violent man with a vicious temper--but acknowledges that thanks to his affluence the family went to the theater often. The protagonist in Rich's life is his mother (described as a Judy Holliday, not physically but emotionally); her death was tragic. The driver of the car in which she was killed was Rich's much-loathed stepfather. Rich, writes freely of having been a lousy athlete, an insomniac and a loner. What pleasures he had in childhood came from theater--listening to recordings of musicals ("South Pacific," "The Most Happy Fella" and, while in bed with measles, "Peter Pan") and reenacting shows in the miniature theaters he created out of shoe boxes from his father's shop. For lighting, a desk lamp was put into service; pillowcases became curtains. He saved playbills (even ones found in trash cans for shows he had not seen), analyzed album covers and memorized lyrics. For his third-grade talent show, Rich sang "You Gotta Have Heart." Educated in public schools, where he claims classes were undemanding, Rich was blessed with teachers, librarians and friends who abetted his passion for theater, for reading and for writing. At the age of 8, he published a neighborhood bulletin that announced the arrival of babies, puppies and new cars. He also wrote a "book" titled "A World All My Own," about a boy who lived in a big box.

Compare and Contrast the Demographic Perspectives of Thomas Malthus and Karl Marx with respect to the causes and consequences of population growth Essay

â€Å"As we venture further into the 21st century, the global population seems to be growing at an alarming rate. By 2030 the world is to home of estimation 8.3 billion, as compared to 6.12 billion just 30 years prior.† (UN 2008) This quote speaks to the increasing population growth that the world is facing right now. A demographic perspective is an understanding of how the causes of population are related to the consequences. Thomas Malthus and Karl Marx are population theorists who are concerned with the control of the population, modernization and economic growth, to name a few. Firstly, Poverty was one of the leading problems that both sociologists saw would come out of the population growth. However they both ascertain it to two different causes. â€Å"Population growth is generated by human beings who like other species are driven by a special urge to reproduce.† (Malthus) Malthus posited that it was due to persons in poverty with all their free time and their timeless passion that poverty is on the rise. He believes that persons in poverty because they have nothing to do during the day just engage in sexual activity and reproduce causing population growth at an exponential level. On the other hand Marx attacked the writing of Thomas Malthus retorting that â€Å"free time to have sex† wasn’t the cause but in fact the cause was an exploitation of the workers by the owners of the means of production. He attested that the specific relations of exploitation which obtained at that time between wage workers and capitalists, and the antagonistic relations between the landed and the industrial interests, changing them into the operation of the natural law of necessity that manifests itself through positive checks to population growth. Furthermore Marx and Malthus differ in opinions on if society continues to increase can they survive i. e. feed themselves. Malthus in his essay on the Principle of Population (1798), Malthus presented a startling idea. He theorized that the population grew exponentially (i.e. 2,4,6,8 etc), whilst food supply grew arithmetically (i.e. 1, 2, 3 etc). This idea, dubbed the ‘Malthusian Equation’, was seen as proof that the world population would inevitably outstrip food supply. The result, he believed, would be human anarchy. The population would thus be dramatically reduced, as many ‘the majority being poor’ would die from starvation. This can be supported with the study in Calcutta; India which has witnessed unbridled population growth. In the streets of the city, which are notorious for being the dirtiest and most densely populated in the world, thousands starve to death. (Musapha, 2006). However Marx did not feel the same way as he disputes Malthus’ statement about society not being able to last. Marx postulates that the food supply is not threatened by over-population. He claims that with the use of technology it is possible to produce food and other goods needed to meet the demand of a growing population. Therefore the growing population would survive as technological advancements would make it possible. Nevertheless the issue of over-population is a key issue to be discussed. These two sociologists see differing arguments when it comes to over-population. Malthus believes that over-population would lead to famine, pestilence and war which would act as a natural limit to human population increase. In order to combat the imminent demise of the human race, Malthus suggested preventative and positive checks. He was particularly critical of the poor, who he saw as thorns in the side of society. He was a strong advocator of the abolition of the â€Å"Poor Law†, a welfare system which he believed encouraged the poor to reproduce themselves. He saw no reason to pay the poor as they wouldn’t be able to ameliorate their position and would continue to be a ‘parasite’ on society. Instead he advocated that the money be given to the upper classes, so they could contribute to high society: art, science etc. He believed strongly that it was the poor who were to be eradicated and the rich to take the dominion of the world and carry on the rich legacy. In Herbert’s Spencer this was â€Å"survival of the fittest†. On the contrary Marx’s most robust criticism of Malthus’ theory is the latter’s opinion that the poor are culpable for the global demise. He believes that it is not the poor that is to be blamed for the population surge, but the rich. He believes that in an effort to accumulate and expand capital growth, the rich rely heavily on the poor to reproduce themselves. This is because when there is a large labour force but a scarcity of jobs the worker, in his desperation for employment, will work for anything. Thus the capitalists are able to keep wages very low and a â€Å"reserve army of labour† is endangered, who will work at anytime for anything. The bourgeoisie brainwash the proletariat into thinking that large families will result in greater chances of employment, and as a result, population sees a marked expansion. Therefore, in Marx’s eyes, Malthus’ theory in the capitalist’s attempt to rectify social phenomena and blame the poor for something that is not their fault. In closing, both the Malthusian and Marxist theories on demographics have their similarities and differences. There are tenets of their ideas coming through in all aspects of modern society. However, to apply only one to the current situation is a flawed approach, as there must be a combination of the best elements of the two.

Porter Analysis IKEA

In United States as in Sweden, we can observe there are some companies operating in the furniture industry and there are many on the market retailers like Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Costco, Euromarket, etc†¦ The import of products from China for all these companies allows them to sell at low cost. These elements therefore tell us that the furniture industry is very competitive. There is an analysis of the rivalry of IKEA in this sector: IKEA works in a highly competitive industry highlighted by other low priced furniture producers like Galiform (England), Wal-Mart (USA), Euromarket (USA), Argos (England), and others. IKEA has wisely attempted to compete by entering the markets that typically pose the largest competition, such as China and Japan » (Caplan, 2006). IKEA reach a wider market to increase his customers and his market share. The company is, in the world, the leader in the industry of discounted furniture. For the customers, IKEA is the most in delivering the complete pack age, there are equivalent to those of furniture IKEA but value for money, IKEA is leader. The trust in customers about product quality, the global brand name and the design very popular design has given IKEA a competitive edge.To conclude, IKEA diversify this products with the food, textile and mobile industry so we can add Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda for UK food or Virgin, Vodafone and O2 for mobile to the list of IKEA’s competitors. Threat of New Entrants: Capital requirements – The need to invest large financial resources make it difficult for a competitor to enter a new market, because they have to commit money up front with no guarantee of returns in the end. This positively affects IKEA, in a short term because any new entrants will have to invest a large amount of capital in order to compete with them.IKEA has already a vast supply chain and its brand is already unique and known in a large scale and a new entrant in the furniture market would need a very lar ge amount of money to establish its brand and practice low prices as IKEA do. Supply-side economies of scale – â€Å"Economies of scale are factors that cause the average cost of producing something to fall as the volume of its output increases†(The economist). IKEA is positively affected by supply side economies of scale, because it is large enough for it. They make economies of scale as they use better technology and they also have a very large supply chain.Due to this, when new competitors enter this market, they will have a higher cost of production, because they have smaller economies of scale. Demand side benefits of scale – â€Å"Network effects arise in industries where a buyer’s willingness to pay for a company’s product increases with the number of other buyers who also patronize the company†(Harvard Business Review). This is a good point to IKEA as it has a large number of customers than the new entrants. The customers would prefe r to buy IKEA products than the products of the new entrant.Incumbency advantages independent of size – IKEA has an advantage because they have an established brand, this is a strong competitive advantage in a short term compared to new competitors. In this case entry barriers in the furniture market are high; this is an advantage to IKEA. On the other hand, IKEA stores are not present in many small towns; this is an opportunity for the new competitors to move into small and midsized cities where there are smaller stores and less selection. Even though it is not easy because new entrants would have to provide a large supply chain.Threat of Substitute: The threat of having substitutes in the home furnishings industry seems very low as there is no specific product, which can substitute the furniture. If we look at the definition of â€Å"substitute† proposed by Jean-Marc LEHU, we can say that in the industry of furniture manufacture, probability of substitutes is almost impossible. Possible threat of trend changes exists, i. e. there is growing orientation towards greater manufacture of furniture made from other materials than wood, that is, various metals, plastics and glass.However, despite the reduction of wood in furniture manufacture in the past years, wood is expected to stay one of the most important raw materials for furniture manufacture, because of its advantages when compared with other materials. As the market is becoming more environment concerned many firms are giving slogan to go green. But the basic functional demand has remained the same. So it is safe to say that there are no threats of substitutes. Buyer power: When we speak about buyers who are concentrated, we understood that there are few buyers and many sellers.In the home furnishing industry, there are indeed many sellers, of different sort, like furniture retailer, department store or big brand too. But in the same time, the number of all consumers is not comparable. Nowada ys, each person in the world needs home furnishing, never mind the country or the social status. So we cannot say that buyers are concentrated in the home furnishing industry. When the home furnishing industry concerns individuals, they don’t buy large volume except for special occasions. Home furnishing concerns purchase of something reflective or rather useful.We cannot buy home furnishing the same way as we buy food. Conversely, companies can buy easier large volume than individuals, but they don’t represent the bulk of buyers. As mention previously, there are many home furnishing stores around the world in order to satisfy or attract more and more consumers. These numerous competitors are in different sectors in office their size. Each company have to make their different with their price, products and service as add value, to response buyer’s needs. The most of the companies in the home furnishing industry try to make the difference in having low price to l ure buyers.For consumer, when a product, that he wants, it’s too expensive or not at his taste, it’s really easy for him to go to other stores. And buyers know that there are numerous alternatives sellers that give them power. Switching costs means that if a consumer compares the similar product from one seller to another seller, there is not a high difference of price. Indeed, in home furnishing industry, we cannot that the entire price are practically in the same price. We can remark too that the most of the products are similar that means they’re â€Å"standardised†.We can take the example of a whisk in five different stores (four presents in Ireland and one in France) Stores Price IKEA 6â‚ ¬50 Debenhams 5â‚ ¬ Mark & Spenser 7â‚ ¬50 Woodie’s DIY 5â‚ ¬ Alinà ©a 5â‚ ¬90 That chart show that all of the stores have practically the same price for exactly the same product. So we can say that buyers have a high power of negotiation with the several alternative sellers, the low switching costs and with the products that are standardised. Supplier Power: The supplier power in the home furnishings industry is quite low for numerous reasons.According to a French documentary, the number of supplier all over the world is huge. Most of these suppliers are located in the developed countries (Japan, Australia, Europe, Canada†¦). Each company has its own supplier. The suppliers have no influence because they can be substituted. (Gà ©rard Poitou-Weber, 2007). Yet, the customers in this industry are fragmented. The companies of this industry are implanted worldwide; every country has at least 5 companies of home furnishings that informed us how this market is developed.It appears that the suppliers of every home furnishings store are neither powerful nor famous. Each company is provided by different suppliers. The biggest companies have at least 500 suppliers from 20 or 30 countries (El pais, 2006). Based on this inform ation, we can suppose that it could be difficult for a supplier to become a key competitor. Of course, they still can integrate the market, but it’ll on a small scale. Suppliers have not that much power because they depend a lot on the companies they provide.It’s the companies from home furnishings industry which decide who will be their suppliers and they have a lot a choices. Most of the suppliers would go bankrupt without IKEA, M&S or Alinea. Big companies nearly impose the price of the items they want to buy from the suppliers (Alexandre DEBOUTE, Le Figaro, 2010). To conclude, the example of IKEA’s suppliers can illustrate the lack of power for the suppliers. The Franchisor IKEA Website provides us a large amount of figures that can show the low power of their suppliers.Ikea owns 338 stores but have about 1300 suppliers from 53 different countries. None of them can seriously think about integrate the market and try to compete with IKEA. IKEA also owns manufa cturing company like SwedwoodManufacturer. So it is evident that IKEA can threats the suppliers to enter into their business. In a nutshell, the supplier power in the home furnishings industry can be defined as quite low because of the numbers of suppliers, the numbers of home furnishings companies and the status of the biggest companies.

How and When to Paraphrase Quotations

How and When to Paraphrase Quotations Paraphrasing is one tool writers use to avoid plagiarism. Along with direct quotations and summaries, its a fair use of another persons work which can be incorporated into your  own writing. At times, you can make more impact by paraphrasing a quotation instead of quoting it verbatim. What Is Paraphrasing? Paraphrasing is a restatement of a quotation using your own words. When you paraphrase, you restate the original authors ideas in your own words. Its important to differentiate paraphrasing from patchwriting; patchwriting is a form of plagiarism in which a writer directly quotes portions of a text (without attribution) and then fills in the gaps with their own words. When Should YouParaphrase? Quoting a source directly can be powerful, but sometimes paraphrasing is a better choice. Usually, paraphrasing makes more sense if: the quotation is long and wordythe quotation itself is poorly writtenthe quotation itself is technical or uses difficult-to-understand or obsolete language An Effective Method of Paraphrasing a Quotation: Before you begin paraphrasing, its important to fully understand the quotation, its context, and any important cultural, political, or hidden meanings. Your job, as a paraphraser, is to accurately convey the authors meaning as well as any subtext. Carefully read the original quotation and make sure to understand its central idea.Note down anything that grabs your attention. If you feel that some element (word, phrase, thought) contributes to the central idea of the quotation, make a note of it.If there are any words, ideas, or meanings that are unclear, look them up. For example, if youre paraphrasing the work of a person from a different culture or time, you may want to look up references to people, places, events, etc. that are not familiar to you.Write a paraphrase in your own words. Meticulously avoid using the original words, phrases, and expression. At the same time, make sure that your words convey the same central idea.If you need to use an interesting word or phrase from the original text, use quotation marks to indicate that it is not your own.Cite the author, the source, and the date given in the text, to credit the owner of the quotation. Remember: Though the words of the paraphrase are your own, the thought behind it isnt. To not mention the authors name is plagiarism. How does a Paraphrase Differ From a Summary? To the untrained eye, a paraphrase and a summary may look alike. A paraphrase, however: May restate  just a single  sentence, idea, or paragraph rather than  an entire  text;May be shorter than or just as long as the original  text;May be used in the context of a wide range of written  materials such as an essay, letter to the editor, article, or book;describes the original text in different words without omitting details. A summary, by contrast: is an abridged version of the entire original text.must be shorter than the original text.always eliminates details, examples, and supporting points.

Quirino Grandstand Hostage Drama Essay Essay Example

Quirino Grandstand Hostage Drama Essay Essay Example Quirino Grandstand Hostage Drama Essay Paper Quirino Grandstand Hostage Drama Essay Paper Essay Topic: Salvage the Bones I. Introduction Although the history of snatch and hostage-taking is a really long one. it is merely comparatively late that there has been a systematic effort to understand the effects. both long-run and short-run. on persons and their households. This is an of import issue for clinical and academic grounds. The advice of mental wellness professionals is sought with increasing frequence with respect to the strategic direction of surety incidents and the clinical direction of those who have been abducted. There is grounds to propose that how best to assist those who have been taken surety is a sensitive and complex affair. and those who deal with such persons should be every bit good informed as possible since such events can hold long-run inauspicious effects. peculiarly on immature kids. The Manila surety crisis. officially known as the Rizal Park hostage-taking incident occurred when a dismissed Philippine National Police officer took over a tourer coach in Rizal Park. Manila. Philippines on August 23. 2010. Disgruntled former senior inspector Rolando Mendoza of the Manila Police District ( MPD ) hijacked a tourer coach transporting 25 people ( 20 tourers and a tour usher from Hong Kong. and four Filipinos ) in an effort to acquire his occupation back. He said that he had been summarily and below the belt dismissed. and that all he wanted was a just hearing and the chance to support himself. Negotiations broke down dramatically about 10 hours into the stand-off. when the constabulary arrested Mendoza’s brother and therefore incited him to open fire. As the shot began. the coach driver managed to get away. and was shown on telecasting stating â€Å"Everyone is dead† before being whisked away by police officers. Mendoza and eight of the sureties were killed and a figure of others injured. The MPD’s failed deliverance effort and gun-battle with the highjacker. which took around 90 proceedingss. were watched by 1000000s on unrecorded telecasting and the cyberspace. The Filipino and Hong Kong authoritiess conducted separate probes into the incident. Both enquiries judged that the victims had been unlawfully killed. and identified the Philippine officials’ hapless handling of the incident as the cause of the eight hostages’ deceases. The assault mounted by the MPD. and the ensuing shoot-out. have been widely criticized by initiates as â€Å"bungled† and â€Å"incompetent† . and the Hong Kong Government has issued a â€Å"black† travel qui vive for the Philippines as a consequence of the matter. II. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY It was August 23. 2010 when the whole universe alarmed in one of the most tragic surety taking happened in Quirino Grandstand Manila. Philippines. Many people were sad and shocked to what happened in the said event. At approximately 9:30 in the forenoon. dismissed committee constabulary officer Rolando Mendoza took surety 25 tourers from Hongkong and some Filipino staff who were in a coach to go forth Fort Santiago for Manila’s Rizal Park. The resulting surety lasted 11 hours and ended with nine persons. including the surety taker. dead. 1 and the other sureties were injured. Harmonizing to the study Mendoza is a hard-working and sort. He received tonss of award for being courageous and loyal to his profession. Mendoza said he was summarily dismissed without the chance to decently support himself. and that all he wanted was a just hearing. 2 and to acquire his occupation back. He did this manner merely to acquire attending the authorities functionary. As we all know Media is the most likely beginning of information for most people. In this sort of state of affairs it is really unsafe occupation for the media because he has to set himself in a topographic point that should be right. 3 but in what happened in the Quirino Grandstand Hostage taking crisis it seem that many media people were blamed because they reported beyond the bound. We are in the fact that a media individual serve as entree of information of issues that are of public concern even if they are at hazard. There were many media oversights in that incident. Towards the eventide of the surety taking. many media webs were covering the surety taking crisis unrecorded. Among none of them did it look to hold occurred to that irresponsible coverage of the event could be lives. 4 Some of them during the surety event reported the unconfirmed information. they revealed the constabulary and military personnels motion and many more oversights that caused the choler of Mendoza. III. BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS ( HOSTAGE TAKER AND CAPTIVE/S ) IV. MOTIVES IN THE INCIDENT Taking sureties has a long history as a method. with variable effectivity. of procuring grants from persons. administrations and authoritiess. More late. it has become a popular maneuver among terrorist administrations. Although the resiliency of persons should neer be underestimated. there is grounds that being taken surety can hold digesting effects. peculiarly on kids. Persons vary in how they cope with such an experience. both during and subsequent to it. The literature demonstrates that the research base is limited. and many of import inquiries remain to be answered. Hostage-taking is an country of clinical and scientific involvement. Apart from the demand to set up the most effectual post-incident intercessions for single sureties and their households. there are chances to develop farther penetrations into the kineticss and effects of unequal power relationships. V. PROBLEMS The ideal equipment of a SWAT squad more or less are as follows: communicating setup. armour waistcoat. helmets. gas mask. handguns. assault rifles for close one-fourth conflict. handlocks. synchronized tickers. field glassess. telescopes. dark vision goggles. buffeting random-access memories. ladders. ropes. stun grenades. tear gas. fume grenades. stick visible radiations. torchs. limelights. telescopic gun sights. hydraulic knuckleboness. bolt cutters. glass shutter explosives. fire asphyxiator. fireman’s ax. concatenation saw. SWAT new wave. baseball mitts. woodworking tools. acetylene torch and rain cogwheels. There was deficiency of equipment on the portion of Manila SWAT to manage the state of affairs. Although they had their basic arms such as their armour waistcoat ( the effectivity are already in deep inquiry ) . their rifles. handguns and Kevlar helmets but still by criterions. these are non equal to turn to the surety crisis state of affairs. It is really apparent that they were non even transporting with them torchs but all of the clip they were describing and kicking that the inside of the coach was dark. The deficiency of equipment already put the breaching operation into a via media. The component of surprise was gone that resulted into a stall that lasted for erstwhile thereby jeopardizing lives. The uncertainty sing the effectivity of their armour vest contributed to the apprehensiveness of the SWAT members to hotfoot inside the coach during the assault. The Manila SWAT was non merely ill-equipped but they were non trained in different sorts of state of affairss. In fact they had to practise on the really twenty-four hours of the surety state of affairs. The preparations of the Manila SWAT as provided by the Manila Police District are non updated and simulated operations were conducted. if of all time conducted. was a long clip ago. They don’t even cognize the consecutive Numberss of their guns at an instant question. They train on their ain personal history. Skill acquired through preparations diminishes after some clip and demands to be invariably updated. VI. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM VII. Decision The grounds presented for the decriminalisation are evidently overpowering. In a nutshell. by all criterions. Gen. Magtibay was an unqualified commanding officer. organiser and director. To exceed this off. he was besides grossly and recklessly insubordinate at a most important minute. One is tempted to set the whole incrimination on the surety fiasco upon him. if non for the every bit inexplicable oversights and indecisivenesss committed by both his higher-ups and work forces all throughout the surety crisis. specifically on scheme. intelligence. coordination. and deployment. But it is without inquiry that he carries the biggest answerability for the black and homicidal result of the surety crisis. As such. it stands to ground for the Senate and the House of Representatives to give decriminalisation of libel a opportunity. Honestly. as an person I got pissed off because those people tasked to manage the state of affairs didn’t do it by the book. First and foremost to be considered is the safety of the sureties which as viewed was neer the order of precedence of those people expected to salvage same. In all hostage-taking play that I’ve known. neutralizing the hostage-taker is no. 1 in the docket. which if ab initio done could hold prevented the slaughter. I merely hope this won’t go on once more. but if it does- merely neutralize the hostage-taker one time and the play will stop! It’s such a black and hideous event that the merely positive thing we get out of the experience is to larn something from it. From that Learn we have to our errors. . VIII. Recommendation The probe study besides recommended administrative or condemnable charges for 15 persons and organisations. including Manila city manager Alfredo Lim. Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno. ombudsmen Merceditas Gutierrez and Emilio Gonzales III. authorities undersecretary Rico J. Puno. retired Philippine National Police main manager general Jesus Verzosa. National Capital Region Police Office manager Leocadio Santiago Jr. . Manila Police District head overseer Rodolfo Magtibay. MPD surety negotiant Orlando Yebra. SWAT commanding officer Santiago Pascual. journalists Erwin Tulfo and Mike Rogas. and three broadcast medium webs. The IIRC recommended that an administrative instance be filed against negotiant constabulary Superintendent Orland Yebra and that possible condemnable liability should be determined. but the Palace merely recommended disregard of responsibility without any recommendation on possible condemnable instance. The IIRC besides recommended that Chief Inspector Santiago Pascual be held apt for gross incompetency and possible condemnable action. but the Palace affirmed the gross incompetency instance without recommendation for possible condemnable liability. The filing of administrative and condemnable instances against Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. but Malacanang said that Lim should be held apt for simple disregard of responsibility and misconduct. Charges be filed against several personalities but the recommendation was revised when it reached Malacanang. IX. Reference1. First Report of the INCIDENT INVESTIGATION and REVIEW COMMITTEE on the August. 23. 2010 Rizal Park Hostage-taking Incident: Sequence OF EVENTS. EVALUATION and RECOMMENDATIONS. Incident Investigation and Review Committee. September 16. 2010. pp. 9–10. 16. 22. 24. 2. †Hong Kong criticizes managing of Manila surety crisis† . Reuters. August 23. 2010. hypertext transfer protocol: //www. reuters. com/article/2010/08/23/us-philippines-hostage-hongkong-idUSTRE67M35B20100823. Retrieved July 14. 2011. 3. Mair. John ; Blanchard. Ben ( August 24. 2010 ) . â€Å"Philippines defends handling of coach surety crisis† . International Business Times. 4. hypertext transfer protocol: //uk. ibtimes. com/articles/45880/20100824/philippines-defends-handling-

Poems to Read on Thanksgiving Day

Poems to Read on Thanksgiving Day The story of the first Thanksgiving is a familiar one to all Americans: After a year filled with suffering and death, in the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims at Plymouth had a feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. This feast is surrounded by legends of the local Native Americans joining in the celebration and groaning tables of turkey, corn and some form of cranberry dish. These foods are the bedrock of the traditional American Thanksgiving dinner, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It was not an official holiday until President Abraham Lincoln declared it so in 1863, although it was unofficially celebrated before that time by many Americans. It is a time for families gathered together to reflect on all the good things of their lives and an appropriate moment to read eloquent poems to mark the holiday and its meaning. The New-England Boys Song About Thanksgiving Day by Lydia Maria Child This poem, more commonly known as Over the River and Through the Wood, was written in 1844 and depicts a typical holiday journey through New England snows in the 19th century. In 1897 it was made into the song that is more familiar than the poem to Americans. It very simply tells the story of a sleigh ride through the snow, the dapple-gray horse pulling the sleigh, the howling of the wind and the snow all around, and at last arriving at grandmothers house, where the air is filled with the smell of pumpkin pie. It is the maker of the images of a typical Thanksgiving. The most famous words are the first stanza:​ Over the river, and through the wood,To grandfathers house we go;The horse knows the way,To carry the sleigh,Through the white and drifted snow. The Pumpkin by John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier uses grandiose language in The Pumpkin (1850) to describe, in the end, his nostalgia for Thanksgivings of old and bounteous love for pumpkin pie, the enduring symbol of those holidays. The poem begins with strong imagery of pumpkins growing in a field and ends as an emotional ode to his now elderly mother, enhanced by similes. And the prayer, which my mouth is too full to express,Swells my heart that thy shadow may never be less,That the days of thy lot may be lengthened below,And the fame of thy worth like a pumpkin-vine grow,And thy life be as sweet, and its last sunset skyGolden-tinted and fair as thy own Pumpkin pie! No. 814 by Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson lived her life almost entirely isolated from the rest of the world, rarely leaving her home in Amherst, Massachusetts, or receiving visitors, except for her family. Her poems were not known to the public in her lifetime; the first volume of her work was published in 1890, four years after her death. So its impossible to know when a particular poem was written. This poem about Thanksgiving, in characteristic Dickinson style, is obtuse in its meaning, but it implies that this holiday is as much about memories of previous ones as about the day at hand: One day is there of the seriesTermed Thanksgiving DayCelebrated part at tablePart in memory- Fire Dreams by Carl Sandburg Fire Dreams was published in Carl Sandburgs 1918 volume of poetry, Cornhuskers, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1919. He is known for his Walt Whitman-like style and use of free verse. Sandburg writes here in the language of the people, directly and with relatively little embellishment, except for a limited use of metaphor, giving this poem a modern feel. He reminds the reader of the first Thanksgiving, conjures up the season and gives his thanks to God. Heres the first stanza: I remember here by the fire,In the flickering reds and saffrons,They came in a ramshackle tub,Pilgrims in tall hats,Pilgrims of iron jaws,Drifting by weeks on beaten seas,And the random chapters sayThey were glad and sang to God. Thanksgiving Time by Langston Hughes Langston Hughes, famous as a seminal and hugely important influence on the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, wrote poetry, plays, novels and short stories that shed a light on the black experience in America. This ode to Thanksgiving from 1921 invokes traditional images of the time of year and the food that is always part of the story. The language is simple, and this would be a good poem to read at a Thanksgiving with children gathered round the table. Heres the first stanza: When the night winds whistle through the trees and blow the crisp brown leaves a-crackling down,When the autumn moon is big and yellow-orange and round,When old Jack Frost is sparkling on the ground,Its Thanksgiving Time!

Historical Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Historical Writing - Essay Example Yet not all interpretations of the past are deemed valid as some are simply beyond the burden of evidence and fair interpretation of the historical record is neglected. To communicate a sound interpretation of a historical phenomenon, "an eye witness account" should come within the period. Ash's extremely readable book is a detailed recount in essay form of the political transformation and revolution of Eastern Europe. He wrote about the events that politically transformed Poland, Hungary, Eastern Germany and Czechoslovakia which teaches us lessons against communism and glorifies the struggle for freedom. With his account of the revolt in Budapest and Hungary, the events that exactly took place with the fall of the Berlin wall continue to captivate and inform readers. The happenings in Prague were given out in vivid detail with personal accounts of the leading anti-communists figures. The long and elaborate observations however failed to explain the failures of the earlier movement to destabilize communism which could have completed the fifth part which summarizes his observations and a few drawn out conclusions of the first four chapters. The second section of the book traces the changes in Eastern Europe, however failing to discuss how the revolution became logical in an era that defies prediction. His theories drew out the summary in three words-"Gorbachev, Helsinki and Toqueville", who all set the stage for a revolution. His unique work, managed to create a storytelling atmosphere that combined facts and analysis into a highly readable and enjoyable piece of work that critically dubbed the Magic lantern as "sensational, scholarly and literary. Reviews have treated his work as a "history of the present" that invites dissenting opinion on the issues concerning a certain time frame that allows history to complete its course. Eventually issues would sooner or later add up to form part of the whole saga that critics were quick to point as Ash's error in writing a somewhat historical piece just after several months of the actual event. We begin to agree with the critics on the sound idea that to recount past history of a certain period, a particular time frame is designated to create a full picture of the results after the tangible and unforgotten era. However, we may be led to believe that Ash was never aiming for the perfect account of the unpredictable. History and journalism has never set a standard within which to form as a guide in the chronology and conclusion in writing historical events and. Ash's writing was more of an art akin to creative journalistic writing and may not be taught to follow the elements of a structure d history. His exact account leaves us facts and interesting fragments of his travels along the chronology of an important chapter of recent events. We are not approaching the modern age with our first few steps--we are in a journey towards scientific advancement and treating literary and journalistic pieces with a degree of control would relegate the writer's efforts into nothing but a sham. Ash was merely raising his ideas and account of the

How does John Lewis profit sharing with their employees benefit the Literature review

How does John Lewis profit sharing with their employees benefit the company - Literature review Example When the employees get the feelings of ownership, they increase their contribution toward the business profitability. The profit sharing approach works best when the business and the management educate the employees in understanding the business challenges hence work hard to get solutions. There are two way communications that create a hardworking culture; employee involvement and flat management (Melton, Smith & Yates 2008). In this strategy, the employer provides the employees cash and bonuses. The employer pays the workers extra money depending on either their individual level of performance or the company’s performance level. The management will have to deduct the extra payment as an expense but will pay income tax from that amount (Latta 2005). A company can also award the performance-based incentive in the form of deferred compensation plan. In such a strategy, the employer will add a bonus amount to a pension scheme followed by a deduction of the contribution. The employee will then have to pay the income tax that the contribution amounts to when he/she receives the money from the trust. Various researches indicate that cash reward strategies give better productivity motivation than the deferred compensation plans. The difference is explained by the immediacy resulting from the positive behavior reinforcement (Hallman & Rosenbloom 2003). The last method that a business can use in this strategy is the stock option. Developing companies can use this process, but should be in markets that are growing fast. The company awards the employees the opportunity to buy shares at a specified period at a set price. The employees wait until the company executes the plan in order to start getting the benefits. The company offers stock option as a bonus to employees for inclusion in the profit sharing plan (Gitman & Joehnk 2005). One of the major benefits of this strategy is that it is cheap and flexible while implementing. The employer can

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

Summation - Essay Example The uprising, Intifada, lasted for almost 5 years and aimed at establishing a self-governing Palestine state. Secondly, another internal clash in Middle East occurred amid Iraq and Kuwait. The war was referred to as the Gulf war after being internationalized (Cleveland, 2004). Another event that Middle East experienced was the external intervention of outside countries such as US, directly involved in the regions affairs. The outside intervention resulted to consequences still felt in the modern days. The US military intervention in the region was caused by a fundamental change experienced due to alteration of international balance of supremacy because of the closing stages of Cold War (Cleveland, 2004). Iraq faced challenges from the occasional US aerial bombardment and the unstable economic sector. Moreover, the Gulf War resulted to a closer relationship amid Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The 2 states were enforced to make a dual decision making for the pro of the future (Cleveland, 2004). The event resulted to both peace and uproar in the region, for example, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia solved their differences, and Israel and Palestine continued to fight. USA was perceived as an intruder who was concerned with her own wellbeing instead of the welfare of the region. The participation of US military in Gulf War was perceived to be biased and ended the relationship amid allies of Iraq and

Survey Results and Scores Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Survey Results and Scores - Research Proposal Example According to Coffman (2000), organizations need to have clear definitions of the work expectations from the employees. The author argues that while the explicit tasks are clearly spelled out, the implicit tasks must also be defined clearly. If these functions and tasks are not defined clearly, then it leads to a de-motivating gap between expectancy and performance. So while the employee feels that the work done has been as required, the manager or supervisor may have expected something more and this leads to statements such as 'I expected you to this also and not wait for my request". This is a somewhat favorable response to have gotten. The next question got a rating of 3.7 and the result can be interpreted on the lower level of Agree. Daly (1985) has emphasized the importance of having the right materials, at the right time and with the right people. The researcher had conducted extensive reviews about the productivity norms between German and British manufacturing firms and the conclusion was that the German industries were far ahead in productivity than the British forms. The main reason was that the proper tools and materials were provided to the workers on time and this lead to optimum use of the workforce. The same logic can be used for RBN and the rather lower score suggests that improvement needs to be done with regards to the availability of software tools and testing systems. The third question received a low score of 2.9 and the score is interpreted as Somewhat Agree. Singh (1994) has argued that fresh recruits, typically who are fresh out of college or who have put in a couple of years of service come with preconceived notions of a high profile challenging work and they come with a mission to change the world. When such recruits are faced with a rather sedate and regular works that may not involve very high level of work, the recruits face a type of disillusionment, which gradually builds into resentment. They feel that they are capable of doing a much higher level of work. After some interval of time of the new joiners do not see any change in their work content, they tend to look for other openings. While organizations cannot change their work processes to suit the likes of their employees, they need to bring in measures such as job rotation that will offer some kind of a change in the lives of the employees. The fourth question got a pretty low score, and that is not to be taken as a good sign for the company. It has been given a low score of 2.9 and the score is interpreted as Somewhat Agree. The low score shows that there is discontent over what the employees feel about rewards and recognition. Bishop (1987) has given details about a survey in which 150 HR employees ranging from executives to hourly employees from some of the nation's 1,000 largest companies were surveyed to understand how the employees rate the work satisfaction. In the survey, 47 percent said that recognition and praise were very important for job satisfaction. Next came promotions that ranked 26 percent and then came perks at 7 percent. The author concludes that employees are most worried about recognition from the managers and praise for a job well done. There is some dispute about the concept of a job well done and employees may raise complaints about the partisan attitude of managers when it comes to recognizing

Winslow Homer and his Eight bells Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Winslow Homer and his Eight bells - Essay Example The essay "Winslow Homer and his Eight bells" explores Eight bells of Winslow Homer. Some major artists create popular stereotypes that last for decades; others never reach into popular culture at all. Winslow Homer was a painter of the first kind. Even today, 150 years after his birth, one sees his echoes on half the magazine racks of America. Homer was not, of course, the first ‘sporting artist’ in America, but he was the undisputed master of the genre, and he brought to it both intense observation and a sense of identification with the landscape — just at the cultural moment when the religious Wilderness of the nineteenth century, the church of nature, was shifting into the secular Outdoors, the theater of manly enjoyment. If you want to see Thoreau's America turning into Teddy Roosevelt’s, Homer the watercolorist is the man to consult. That’s perhaps the most apt description of the man who have been a sincere chronicler of natural life in fin de sià ¨cle eighteenth century America, almost in a similar way that Thomas Hardy’s Edwardian poems related to that of England. But Homer was also in elements when he drew the sea, especially how humans react and relate to it when the water universe is at its most fierce. Homer’s place in Amercian art is secured though he was largely a self-taught artist who in the beginning of his career worked as a commercial illustrator. â€Å"†¦(Homer) received little instruction from masters or in art schools. He has studied nature faithfully and he has found his way.

Survey Results and Scores Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Survey Results and Scores - Research Proposal Example According to Coffman (2000), organizations need to have clear definitions of the work expectations from the employees. The author argues that while the explicit tasks are clearly spelled out, the implicit tasks must also be defined clearly. If these functions and tasks are not defined clearly, then it leads to a de-motivating gap between expectancy and performance. So while the employee feels that the work done has been as required, the manager or supervisor may have expected something more and this leads to statements such as 'I expected you to this also and not wait for my request". This is a somewhat favorable response to have gotten. The next question got a rating of 3.7 and the result can be interpreted on the lower level of Agree. Daly (1985) has emphasized the importance of having the right materials, at the right time and with the right people. The researcher had conducted extensive reviews about the productivity norms between German and British manufacturing firms and the conclusion was that the German industries were far ahead in productivity than the British forms. The main reason was that the proper tools and materials were provided to the workers on time and this lead to optimum use of the workforce. The same logic can be used for RBN and the rather lower score suggests that improvement needs to be done with regards to the availability of software tools and testing systems. The third question received a low score of 2.9 and the score is interpreted as Somewhat Agree. Singh (1994) has argued that fresh recruits, typically who are fresh out of college or who have put in a couple of years of service come with preconceived notions of a high profile challenging work and they come with a mission to change the world. When such recruits are faced with a rather sedate and regular works that may not involve very high level of work, the recruits face a type of disillusionment, which gradually builds into resentment. They feel that they are capable of doing a much higher level of work. After some interval of time of the new joiners do not see any change in their work content, they tend to look for other openings. While organizations cannot change their work processes to suit the likes of their employees, they need to bring in measures such as job rotation that will offer some kind of a change in the lives of the employees. The fourth question got a pretty low score, and that is not to be taken as a good sign for the company. It has been given a low score of 2.9 and the score is interpreted as Somewhat Agree. The low score shows that there is discontent over what the employees feel about rewards and recognition. Bishop (1987) has given details about a survey in which 150 HR employees ranging from executives to hourly employees from some of the nation's 1,000 largest companies were surveyed to understand how the employees rate the work satisfaction. In the survey, 47 percent said that recognition and praise were very important for job satisfaction. Next came promotions that ranked 26 percent and then came perks at 7 percent. The author concludes that employees are most worried about recognition from the managers and praise for a job well done. There is some dispute about the concept of a job well done and employees may raise complaints about the partisan attitude of managers when it comes to recognizing

Physical capitals and financial capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Physical capitals and financial capital - Essay Example nited States Decrease Increase - Exchange rate changes Increase Increase Note: In the red above, an increase in wealth makes AD increase; a decrease in wealth makes AD decrease. This is how you should format each table. SECTION TWO a) Physical capital differs from financial capital in a number of ways. By definition, physical capital is an already-manufactured tangible asset that is used in production. On the other hand, financial capital refers to equity that is used by business owners to purchase resources that are required in producing goods and services. Different from financial capital, physical capital can be acquired by building it, purchasing it or renting it. Financial capital can be acquired through borrowing and selling of ownership stake within an organization. Examples of financial capital include bank loan and corporate bonds, while that of physical capital include motor vehicle and machinery. b) The distinction between gross investment and net investment is based on ca pital depreciation. Gross investment refers to total amount of investment that does not incorporate any depreciation while net investment refers to investment that incorporates depreciation. Therefore net investment can simply be defined as gross investment less capital depreciation. The difference between gross investment and capital investment can be illustrated mathematically as follows. Net Investment = Gross Investment – Depreciation Gross investment = Net investment + Depreciation c) The three main types of markets for financial capital include Loan markets Stock market Bond market d) The price of a financial asset and interest rate has an inverse relationship. The prices of financial asset do always increase with decrease in interest rate. This can be explained well by considering the relationship of a financial asset such as bond with its interest rate. For example, let’s assume company X issues a new bond that has a face value of $1000 with an interest rate of 7%. If in the same year the general interest rates increases to about 8%, buyers will not be willing to pay the $1000 face value with an interest rate of 7%. Therefore, in order to sell the bond, company X will have to issue its bond at a lower price, that is, at a discount that will enable the new bond holder to generate an 8% interest. In this scenario, the price of the bond will fall to approximately $ 875. Similarly, if the interest rate falls to 6%, the price of the bond will be much higher than $1000. The bond will be valued at $1166. This is illustrated in the diagram below. e) When firms are involving in decisions to make investment, they normally consider a number of

Catherines determination and is getting angry Essay Example for Free

Catherines determination and is getting angry Essay Now she has admitted to herself, not only to Rodolfo that she is afraid of Eddie. She is trying to escape Eddie and her feelings for him because she could picture what would happen if she stayed. It would be an awkward situation with Eddie and Beatrice keeping an eye on what she is doing. Although Eddie is not Catherines father, he is a very strong father figure to her and the man of the house. The immigrant community is very much a patriarchal society, parallel to Italy. The father and male is an authority figure. Eddie is very protective of Catherine in both positive and negative ways. Eddie really loves and cares for Catherine, and will do anything to protect and look after her, but his love for her is obsessive and possessive. Eddie feels he should choose her husband, as was the done thing in Italy, but Eddie cannot let go of Catherine. Up to the end of page 44 Rodolfo reassures her that they wont be living in Eddies house for much longer and tells her about his ideas for the future, to stay in New York legally, marry Catherine, have their own house and find a better job. Yet Catherine is still interested if he had to go and live in Italy because they had to, would he? Rodolfo, at this point, is getting quite aggravated by her persistence in wanting to go to the country he desperately left, to escape his problems. After they argue about this for a little, this makes the audience more involved in their fight. It makes the audience want the best for the couple but they cant solve their differences because they are only watching. Rodolfo is seemingly surprised at Catherines determination and is getting angry. Maybe this is a test to see if Rodolfo really does love her. If he does, he would marry her whenever, wherever. Rodolfo tries again to tell her. Rodolfo ~ No; I will not marry you to live in Italy. I want you to be my wife, and I want to be a citizen. Tell him that, or I will. Yes. And tell him also, tell him yourself, please, that I am not a beggar, and you are not a horse, a gift, a favour for a poor immigrant. I believe this small speech is very suspicious because first of all he says he wont go to Italy, he will only be her husband if he marries her in America probably because he wants to be a citizen. Then he jumps straight to Eddie, who hasnt been mentioned for a while. It is clear that Eddie lies behind the mood of Catherines. He wants her to tell Eddie that he is not a beggar, yet Rodolfo doesnt explain why he cant do it himself. Even though Catherine is trying to calm Rodolfo as the dispute continues, Rodolfo feels the need to get things off his chest, and Catherine doesnt make any attempt to defend her suggestion. This is because she knows deep down he is right and is making up an excuse for indicating it to Roldolfo. He speaks again about how bad poor Italy is compared to, the land of hope glory, America. Now Rodolfo, again, brings up Eddie. The audience are, at this time, very emotionally involved and might take sides to the characters. They might even relate to this situation making it even more dramatic and effective. When Rodolfo asks why she is afraid for him and her reply is I dont know, it shows that she is unsure of her feelings toward Eddie because Eddie cant explain his feelings for her. Catherine ~ Its only that I- He was good to me, Rodolfo. You dont know him; he was always the sweetest guy to me. He razzes me the time but he dont mean it. I know. I would just feel ashamed if I made him sad. Cause I always dreamt that when I got married he would be happy at the wedding, and laughin- and now hes- mad all the time nasty. Tell him youd live in Italy- just tell him, and maybe he would start to trust you a little, see? Because I want him to be happy; I mean- like him Rodolfo- and I cant stand it! This confession shows the audience how a usually private Catherine is truly feeling inside. Catherine finally explains to Rodolfo the real situation between her and Eddie and what happened before the cousins came. Catherine really wants the two important men in her life to get along so she tries to explain Eddies unpredictable character to Rodolfo. Catherine explains about him criticising her all the time because she really wants him to understand. She describes her dreams of her wedding and thinks of a way of gaining Eddies trust. But the idea of moving to Italy has changed, because originally it was meant for her and Rodolfo to have a new life but now it has been replaced as a way of satisfying Eddie. It could show minor feelings for Eddie. Rodolfo realises how this whole situation is really making Catherine miserable and I think Rodolfo feels really sorry for her so doesnt challenge her again. He knows she has had enough. Catherine says that she loves Rodolfo, but he then replies with comment, which again, has a hint of humour. Rodolfo ~ Then why are you afraid? That hell spank you? He dismisses her personal confession. This could be put down to him not taking Catherine seriously and might imply that he is using her. I think that Catherine at this point will be (secretly) at breaking point with Rodolfo because he isnt making any effort to understand her situation. He isnt taking her thoughts into consideration and is making it out to be some kind of a joke. But maybe it was just a nai ve, honest question. Catherine ~ You dont know; nobody knows! Im not a baby, I know a lot more than people think I know. Beatrice says to be a woman, but- With Catherine bringing up the subject of Beatrice its obvious that the conversation between Beatrice and Catherine earlier on in the play has been playing on her mind. She must have been thinking about what Beatrice said to her and tried to act on the advice given. It is Beatrice who is quick to keep the ball rolling in a conversation and to help gloss over and neutralise difficulties and reactions in the many conversations. Beatrice is very attentive and she develops as Catherines mediator in the play and it is very much as a pacifier how the audience sees her. Now she is absent from this scene Catherine might feel bitter towards her because she is not here to watch her. Maybe this is another sign of Catherines insecurity. Next, I think there is a slight bit of jealousy on Catherines part. She starts complaining about Beatrice and her cold nature towards Eddie. I believe that she is trying to change the subject so they dont have to talk about Eddie anymore. She says she knows Eddie inside out and she doesnt understand why Beatrice is told her to make a stranger out of him. She dont know why I have to do that? She is showing that she loves Eddie almost as deeply as she loves her. Maybe, again, her acting nai ve and it always gets used against her. But she might not be acting on it. Rodolfo tries to explain the situation to her by using a metaphor to help her understand. They stop fighting and decide to go to bed with each other. They both know they cant fight each other because neither of them can win, they dont know enough about each other. Now Eddie is in the apartment and drunk the audience gets a sense that something exciting yet unpredictable may happen. Eddie looks impatiently in the kitchen for Beatrice who is asleep and Catherine enters from a bedroom, the atmosphere must be very tense and quiet in the theatre making the play more realistic.

Discuss Controversial Figure Thomas Cromwell History Essay

Discuss Controversial Figure Thomas Cromwell History Essay In this paper I would like to discuss Thomas Cromwell which was a controversial figure. Some people called him the ideal statesman of Tudor England, the other people called him most corrupt Chancellor. Cromwell was one of the most outstanding personalities of the English Renaissance era, which had ahead his time. Lets start from the biography of Thomas Cromwell. He was an important political personality in medieval England, he was the first counselor of King Henry VIII in 1532-1540., He was the chief ideologist of the English Reformation, one of the Anglicanism founders. He was born in 1485 in the family of tavern and brewery owner Walter Cromwell. His grandfather was a blacksmith. In addition, the father of Thomas Cromwell hadnt sober and honest behavior. There is evidence that he not only had a violent temper, but was accused of fraud. But Thomas and his older sister, Katherine were quite different people. As a teenager, after a conflict with his father, he left not only his home in the village of Putney (now part of London), but also the country. The thirst for adventure and a desire to see the world made him a French mercenaries in the Italian army from which he soon deserted, leaving the battlefield. After the army he went to live in Florence and employed to work at the banker whose name was Friskabaldi. Such start of young life made him possible to get on his feet quickly and travel to Rome. However, inquisitive Cromwell interested not only in finances. He enthusiastically watched the political life in Florence, where he met with the writings of Machiavelli. Later, he often followed the recommendations of the Emperor author. A few years later he moved to Holland, where he worked as a sales agent of English merchants in Antwerp. Approximately in 1513 Thomas Cromwell returned to England with a sufficient amount of money and began to live in London, at first he traded fabrics and wool, and then became one of the most famous lawyer in England. Such situation gave him the opportunity to meet with Cardinal Thomas Wolsey Lord Chancellor of King Henry VIII, so that he became his secretary and manager of pontifical estates. The most famous act in that capacity à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ was the abolition of the small monasteries. In 1529 he became a member of Parliament, and after the fall of Wolsey succeeded his officials under the kings court. Cromwells career abruptly went up in 1533 when he became Chancellor of the Exchequer, and then in the 1536 he became Lord Privy Seal. However, the real power of Cromwell was given him by the Kings friendship and confidence. Cromwell had undoubted talent for management, some historians regarded him as the founder of the revolution in the governments control scheme. If earlier decisions were made in accordance with the wishes of the King (sometimes ill-advised and inconsistent), then Cromwell had developed a system of departments with used control techniques. Not all researchers agree with this statement, but, no doubt, Thomas Cromwell played a leading role in monasteries destruction. Harshness with which Cromwell enforced the secularization of church property, gave him the nickname the hammer of monks. Widespread closures of monasteries almost cost Thomas Cromwells career. In 1537 in the north of England, began the rebellion of Catholics, called the Pilgrimage of Mercy. The main demand of the rebels was the execution of Cromwell. However, the rebellion was suppressed. All segments of society hated him, they often guided by a completely opposite intentions, there wasnt such segment of society, which support or sympathy he could count on. For ordinary people, he was the organizer of the bloody persecution suppressor action against the new levies, the hardships that had befallen peasants after the closure of the monasteries. For the nobility, he was an upstart a commoner, which did not take rightful place at court. Catholics (especially the clergy) didnt forgiven him the break with Rome and the subordination of church to the king, plundered of church lands and weal th, Lutherans patronage . And those, in turn, accused the minister in the pursuit of new, true faith, and in condescending attitude towards Catholics. The Scots, Irish, inhabitants of Wales had a lot of claims to Cromwell. Cromwell played a leading role in establishing the rule of a monarch over the church, in the empowerment of the royal Privy Council, whose rights were extended to the north of England, Wales and Ireland. Cromwell filled the lower house of parliament by creatures of the yard and turned it into an instrument of the Crown. He was able to dramatically increase revenue of coffers at the expense of confiscation of monastic lands, and taxation of trade, development of which he encouraged by skilled protectionist policies, Thomas Cromwell managed to increase British influence in Scotland, a significant expansion of the British crown estates in Ireland, the final incorporation of Wales. Analyzing the literature I can say that Tomas Cromwell greatly influenced King. What else could King claim from the Minister, which not only handles all the orders of the king, but tried to guess his desires and anticipate the plans to which he had not yet figured out? However, the success of Cromwell jaundiced narcissistic Henry, he got into a huff by his minister intellectual superiority. The influence of Cromwell testified Henrys inability to get out of a painful divorce case, to reorganize the state and church affairs in the spirit of royal absolutism. The minister was a living reminder about the second marriage of King, the infamous process and the execution of Anne Boleyn, which he wanted to bring to eternal oblivion. More than once it seemed to Henry that Cromwell prevented him from appling his public capacity, prevented him to be among the major politicsof his era Charles V and Francis I. Thomas Cromwell made a great contribution to a difficult divorce of Henry VIII. The first wife of Henry VIII was Catherine of Aragon. Henry was still young when he married her, she was a widow of his brother Arthur. Katerina was a Spaniard, she was strict in religion and morals, with calm nature, which didnt correspond to rapid temper of the king. The only thing that spoke in favor of Henry it was his beauty, mind, love to science, amorous, but none of these qualities she did not appreciate. She married him because the marriage was approved by the pope. But the blessing of the pope did not save her from unhappiness. Henry could not long remain faithful to his wife. A great admirer of the female, he was constantly moved from one subject of passion to another, until finally he stopped on the court lady, Anne Boleyn, who didnt want to live together without marriage, and demanded the marriage and Henry chose the divorce with Catherine. However, the king met with resistance! Everybody were against divorce: the Father, and Catherine, and trusted people of the King. But Henry has already managed to learn all the charm of tyranny and said he would not retreat from his decision. Divorce in medieval dynastic tradition was a quite common phenomenon, so Henry was not particularly doubt in his success, but the question of Henrys divorce had been delaying for six years. King has repeatedly tried to make Ekaterina to divorce with him, or retired to a monastery, but she skillfully and firmly reflected his attack. Henry was hoping for the Popes order of invalidity of marriage on the grounds that the King married his brothers wife. Thomas Cromwell proposed Henry divorced Catherine without the Pope permission. Why, he said, the king did not want to follow the example of German princes and with the assistance of Parliament declare himself the head of the national church? This idea seemed very attractive, and soon he returned to persuade himself. Henry, following the advice of Thomas Cromwell, decided to break with the Pope and declared himself as a head of the English Church, asked to help the domestic court. To give the case a legal nature, the council was convened, chaired by Archbishop of Canterbury. Cathedral decided or rather, Henry decided, by means of Archbishop, who blindly did his will that the head of the English Church, will be king. Often, but erroneously stated that Cromwell wanted to make Henry the absolute monarch. Cromwell acted through the House of Commons, that is why the decisive factor was the adoption of the Parliament reform (1529-1536). Thomas Cranmer rightly wrote in 1537 to Strasbourg reformer Wolfgang Kapiton: In all that has hitherto been achieved in the reformation of religion and the clergy, only Cromwell did more than all the others together. Five-year legal reform led the authority of the Pope in England replaced by supremacy of the king over the English church. Cromwells efforts to abolish the legal independence of the church began with the adoption of the Supplication of the Commons Against the Ordinaries, which said about restricting the right of clergy to assert ecclesiastical laws without the consent of the House of Commons, and the arbitrary and abusive acts of ecclesiastical courts were criticized, which were often unfair to the laity. The King complained the Speaker of the House that the prelates during his ordination sweared allegiance to the Pope. On May 15, 1532 council adopted an appeal of the clergy, asking the king the protection from the House of Commons and giving the council control of his legislative activities in return for his patronage of the ecclesiastical courts. The next day, Thomas More resigned from his post as chancellor. By the end of the year the stopping payment of annatto act to Rome was approved , and the Pope, because of the threat, made Thomas Cranmer as Archbishop of Canterbury,. In March 1533 Cromwell prepared statement of overriding Act to limit appeals. The famous preamble to the Act reads: The Kingdom of England is the Empire under the sole rule of the Supreme Head and King, who has the imperial dignity and the imperial throne, and whom society consisting of people of different classes and conditions of various titles and the foundations of spiritual and secular, after God is obliged by natural and humble obedience. Act held that issues relating to the activities of the king, sent for consideration to the Supreme Church Council, the highest legal authority, and no further appeal beyond the Kingdom, for example in Rome were impossible. Resistance to the Henry church upheaval was surprisingly weak, but on the altar of change were two victims: Bishop John Fisher and the layman Sir Thomas More. Fisher and More could not make a compromise with their conscience and to sign the Act of the rule, because it rejected the authority of the Pope. In February 1536 the reformist parliament received from Cromwell inspectors reports about monasteries and approved the first act of elimination. Henry was forced to limit the number of monasteries, due to economic reasons, as well as for religious reasons and because of the anticlerical the House of Commons mood. In adopting the act in 1536, Parliament abolished the small communities with an annual income of less than 200 pounds. Most of the larger monasteries were forced to obey the King. Monastic lands transition to the hands of the nobility contributed to further strengthening of this class and his participation in the governance of the country, while at the level of local governance became dominate the rich esquires. Profits from the land sale and other property were used for the pensions of certain former monks and nuns for the content of the new diocese, new schools and colleges as well as to enrich the royal purse. In 1539, to strike up relations with German Protestants, Cromwell persuaded the king to marry Anne of Cleves the sister of a German duke. Alas, the bride did not like Henry. Circumstances allowed the leaders of the Catholic party at the yard Thomas Duke of Norfolk and Bishop Stephen Gardiner to convince a suspicious king in the unreliability of his most loyal ministers. He was arrested and executed in confidence in the Tower of London in 1540. After that, his head was welded and installed on a stake on London Bridge. Reformer Tomas Cromwell made a great contribution to the formation of the Anglican Church. Renowned British historian Thomas Babington Macaulay called the Anglican Church fruit of unity of government and Protestants, i.e., the result of the consent of both parties in the views of the church. Alliance between the Crown and Protestantism was not easy and was characterized by periods of tension and regression. Obviously, Henry VIII believed in the possibility of destruction the relation with Rome without any changes in church teaching and worship. The king maintained a conservative theology, and in the period from 1532 to 1540 was forced to choose between the radicals, led by Cromwell and the Conservatives, led by the Duke of Norfolk and the Bishop of Winchester by Stephen Gardiner. At first, followed by a period of elevation of radicals, and after the fall of Cromwell in 1540 the Conservatives. Henry tried to act as judge in the competition of the parties, as later in the same century , his daughter Elizabeth maintained her position over the Anglican and Puritan parties. As a consequence, the Reformation in England developed by universal course via media, as nowhere else on the continent, with the possible exception of Sweden. Summing it up I would like to stress that a small portion of society has learned for himself the benefit of the Reformation. These were the new people, the emerging class of capitalists and bureaucrats who have acquired property, without noble birth. As a result of the Reformation there were such large changes in class composition of society, which it hasnt known throughout their history.

Huck Finn :: essays research papers

I personally find the book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to be a anti-racist book. That is my opinion for these reasons, it was one of the first books of it’s day to show a black man as a true person. Secondly it showed the truth of how cruel southern society was. And last, the realism the book tried to show throughout the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was one of the first books of it’s day show a black man as a true person. There are many examples of this throughout the book, such as when Jim discusses his family and how he wants to go be with them. Jim also shows feeling, for example when Huck and Jim get split up on the rafts Jim worries about Huck, and is concerned for him. Jim also show honesty and dedication, an example is towards the end of the book when Jim sacrafices his freedom to help Tom and the doctor after Tom has been shot. So you see the book shows that black people are human beings that have emotions and feelings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book also shows the true cruelty of southern society. There are many examples of this in the book. Like the Sunday school discussing how setting blacks free was a deadly sin. And the constant negro sales throughout the book. And how black people had no respect and weren’t looked upon as human beings. So what Mark Twain is trying to tell the reader is how cruel the south was to blacks and how ridiculous the southern society was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think the book also tries to show realism of what the south was like during it’s slave years. Many people think that when Mark Twain uses the word â€Å"Ni__er† he is being racist. But really Twain is trying to

Home Depot †Executive Summary Essay

The Home Depot (Ticker: HD) is the world’s largest home-improvement retailer along with being an American Fortune 50 company. The company operates 2,259 retail building supply/home improvement â€Å"warehouse† type stores all across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Home Depot has over 340,000 team members and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. The average store size is just over 100,000 square feet along with an additional 24,000 square feet set aside for seasonal gardening. Target Group The Home Depot’s two main customers are at home â€Å"do-it-yourselfers† and contractors. The main products and services offered help solve the wants and needs of customers involved with home construction and maintenance, renovation and remodeling. Competitive Environment The competitive environment for the home-improvement industry is broken into three major players: The Home Depot, Lowe’s and local retailers. They compete with local retailers that specialize in nearly every product and service offering. The Home Depot and Lowe’s are both â€Å"all offerings† locations spread throughout North America. Over the past decade Home Depot was stickily focused on expanding the store count and business lines whereas Lowe’s was focused on store count growth and perfecting their supply chain and internal technology. Past Growth Over the past 13 years The Home Depot has more than doubled its store footprint. It was aided by two major factors; First being that the home improvement and building industries were growing quickly providing a constant demand for product. Second, funding was easy to receive and it was relatively cheap because of low interest rates. Management began to â€Å"empire build† with their now sold professional supply business (now known as HD Supply) and cut costs in their big box stores to help reduce costs. With the reduction of cost came the reduction in customer satisfaction. Return to Retail Noticing that customer satisfaction rating had severely slipped because of stock outs and poor team member engagement with the customer a new initiative was proposed. Marvin Ellison, Executive Vice President, U.S. Stores, proposed the â€Å"FIRST Relaunch†. The program focuses on putting the customers first, by â€Å"Do(ing) the unexpected†. The operational plan focused on customer service, being in stock on all products and creating a better store appearance (inside the physical store and within the community). In efforts to focus on customer service, more employees were hired and trained. Upper management also equipped each team member with more technology (PDA’s, walkie talkies, etc). There was a companywide initiative to integrate Hispanic merchandise, marketing and staffing. Home Depot switched to a regional distribution system while upgrading their internal information technology infrastructure to better keep stores’ inventory stocked properly. This major overhaul materialized into The Home Depot’s stock outs dramatically decreasing. To create a stronger public image, Home Depot created The Home Depot Foundation which helps with community home building, disaster relief and veteran job placement assistance. These initiatives have greatly improved customer satisfaction and recognition in the community by increasing ratings from 55% to 75% (2008 to 2012). Current Economic cycle Home Depot has clearly set itself up to be successful in the recent upswing in the housing markets. Their technology upgrade has proven to be successful in keeping stores stocked and employees more engaged with helping the customers. Management has responded to the late spring, summer, and early fall build up in construction needs by resorting to hiring part time and seasonal workers while still giving them the proper training to satisfy the customer. Management The current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Frank Blake, is often credited with the company’s turnaround ever since taking the helm. He sold the professional supply business (now known as HD Supply) to help the company focus on their core competencies. Blake also helped implement the customer first initiatives. All while cutting his own pay and switching his  future pay to stock and options, which are based on The Home Depot’s performance. Financial Position Since Home Depot has slowed their store expansions, cash reserves have grown to match total debt due in 5 years. Sales have increased steadily since the industry lows in 2008. Cash from operations have also steadily increased to match market high 2006-07 levels. A large portion of the cash flow each year has been focused toward share repurchases and steadily increasing their yearly shareholder dividends. Lending Risks The Home Depot is in the heart of an uncertain housing environment. The sales and financial results each year are closely tied to the consumer spending money on construction and housing maintenance. If the economic environment were to deteriorate it is likely many consumers would hold off on simple maintenance projects, which is currently the bulk of store sales. The housing market has seemingly bottomed but it still remains unclear to if the recent increase in housing sales is going to last.