The Government of Athens and Sparthans

The country of Greece in 400-500 B.C. was led to greatness by two great city-states. These city-states were Athens and Sparta. These two states were as different as night and day. They were rivals and very diverse. As you read you will find out their differences between their form of culture and government. The city-state of Athens adopted a form of government which is now called democracy. Democracy is when the government is ruled by the people. This government consisted of an assembly , a jury , and there was a council of 500 men over 30 . The council decided such matters as to declare war or to spend money. The council was used to make decisions for the Athenian government. All men that were citizens were able to participate in an assembly , hold office , vote , and serve on a jury. Slaves could not do any of these things because they were not counted as citizens . The Athenian government was as similar as the American government today (Meigas 32). Unlike the government of Athens the government of Sparta flourished as an aristocracy . This type of government is when a place is ruled by a small number of people from the upper class . There was a Council of Elders , an assembly , and the five ephors. The Council of Elders was made up of two kings and 28 men over the age of 60. This council decided on making laws. The assembly was made out of all male citizens over 30. The assembly did many things. It elected government workers and voted on laws that were introduced by the Council of Elders. The ephors were selected by the assembly. The ephors were overseers. They controlled slaves , conducted business with foreign countries , and negotiated with the kings (Hornblower 35). The men of ancient Athens were very educated. From their childhood until the ages of six or seven the men were taught home by their mother or a male slave. After the age of seven they attended a normal day school. At school they learned drama, public speaking, reading, writing, and mathematics . When they reached the age of fourteen they attended a higher school for four more years. At the higher school they learned more math , more science , and things about the government. When the men reached the age of 18 the were required to attend military school for 2 more years. The Athenian men were skilled architects , poets , and artists. From them is where we get great works known as The Odyssey and The Iliad by the writer known as Homer (Meigas 123). The men of ancient Sparta were very cunning , slick , and strong. During their childhood the Spartan men were taken away from their parents. Being taken away at the age of seven , they were sent to military school. If a child was not strong , he/she was left on a cliff to die of exposure. In the military school they lived in barracks. They were taught survival skills , the endurance of pain , discipline , and toughness at the school. They were given little food and were encouraged to steal. If they were caught stealing they would get a beating. They were also beaten up by older children in fights , so they could become tough and strong. At the age of 20 the Spartan men finally became soldiers. Once they got married , they were only allowed to live in their own homes with their family at the age of 30. At this age they were considered equals. The military service for the Spartan men ended at the age of 60 (Connolly 230). The Athenian women were very literate and educated. The women were not counted as citizens and they were not allowed to hold property. The women received the same education as the Athenian men did. Although the education was the same, the women were not allowed to leave the household. They did not go shopping or to run errands. Their husband did most of these things. The main job of the women was to run the household. She managed the family†s money , the children , and the slaves. She also spun wool and created artistic pottery (Hornblower 145). In Sparta the lives of women were unlike the lives of any other Greek polis. The Spartan state didn't take the academic education of a female seriously. The physical education that the women had was very tough and grueling. They learned gymnastics and aerobics. They also had more freedom then women of other city-states. They were able to move from place to place , do the shopping , and control the house. They also had a lot of freedom from their husbands because their husbands lived in barracks. Most of the time the Spartan women worked on fields and were medics to the injured Spartan soldiers. They were considered as mothers to all Spartan soldiers (Connolly 260). This is how the culture and the government of the Greek city-states of Sparta and Athens was different. Each state had a different type of education and a different momentum of how the government wanted their polis to be. These city-states again were very diverse and different. In my writing you saw how different they were.

The ways in which Shakespeare portrays the themes of love in Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night is a comedy set in ‘Illyria,' a Mediterranean country. However, amongst the well-timed comical scenes, Shakespeare has other emotional predicaments intertwined with a variety of characters. Such predicaments are due to misleading identities and different love themes throughout the play; including love between grieving siblings, and the counts and countess' of Illyria. The main plot of the Twelfth Night revolves round the three main characters, Viola, Orsino and Olivia who speak in rhyming couplets. Each of the main characters form a ‘love triangle' which expresses the main love themes in the play including Elizabethan courtly love, real selfless love and overwhelming love. The love between each character that form the love triangle is such that the love and affection is directed one way around the triangle; Viola loves Orsino who believes he loves Olivia who also impetuously believes she loves Viola. Outside the love triangle are the minor characters who speak in pros and show a further variety of different love themes but expressed in a light-heartened manner. These include self love and love based on a mutual agreement. All the characters in the play are all connected through different love themes. Orsino's love for Olivia is also known as ‘Elizabethan courtly love' familiar to Shakespeare at the time the play was written. This type of love is described as a man of a high status courting an unattainable woman to be rejected, so the man can therefore wallow in self-pity and act melodramatic. Orsino explains the different ‘symptoms' of his infatuation for Olivia to Viola, explaining how a typical lover should behave and giving advice about love even though, ironically, he has had little success. Viola recognises Orsino's infatuation for Olivia and questions his love for her. Viola is correct to questions Orsino's obsession to be in love as he has little interaction with Olivia until the final scene, but still believes he loves her. Orsino show's fickle mood changes believed to be experienced when in love, which Feste describes clearly.Love Poem â€Å"I have unclasped to thee the book even of my secret soul.† â€Å"O, then unfold the passion of my love†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ for thy mind is a very opal.† True, selfless devotion is another ‘side' to the love triangle in Twelfth Night. Viola expresses pure love and tremendous loyalty to Orsino, sacrificing her own happiness for Orsino's. Viola conveys her love with intense speaking and use of dramatic irony. Shakespeare allows the audience to witness Viola's distress so the play becomes more and more intense with the Viola and Orsino scenes. Viola tells Orsino of her love for him in an ambiguous manner, so he never suspects her feelings for him. â€Å"My father had a daughter loved a man, as it might be perhaps, were I woman, I should your lordship.† â€Å"I am all the daughters of my father's house, and all the brothers too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"A little, by your favour†¦ Of your complexion†¦ About your years, my lord.† Sebastian and Olivia both show impetuous emotions through the play. Olivia immediately falls in love with Viola, who is the identical twin to Sebastian. Once Sebastian enters the play he is mistaken for Viola which further shows evidence that both Sebastian and Olivia have impulsive emotions as Olivia still accepts she loves Sebastian although he is not Viola and Sebastian falls immediately falls in love with Olivia, which may be seen as blind love. Olivia's impulsive nature is not just expressed with her love for both Viola and Sebastian but also when she announces her seven-year morning for her brother. The audience sympathises with Olivia's painful rejection by Viola, and her difficulty to tell Viola her true feelings. It is also clear of Olivia's unfamiliarity with rejection as she desperately tells Viola she may change her feelings for Orsino if Viola returns. â€Å"I love thee so that, maugre all thy pride†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Love between siblings is also apparent in the play. Once Viola is rescued from drowning she immediately feels she has lost her brother, Sebastian. Her impulsive manner towards the sea captain, shows the strong bond her and her brother have. Shakespeare uses a dreamy, pensive quality when describing Viola's distress for her loss, and for her new independence and helplessness, which the audience can try and relate to. â€Å"For saying so, there's gold.† â€Å"And what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium.† Antonio, who rescued Sebastian from drowning, develops a protective love for Sebastian, which could be interpreted as homosexual. Antonio expresses great respect, loyalty and selflessness when trying to help Sebastian. He offers his purse to Sebastian, which also shows great trust and friendship. â€Å"My kind Antonio, I can no other answer make but thanks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Haply your eye shall light upon some toy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"With viewing of the town; there shall you have me.† Another bond through friendships, apart from Feste, Maria, Fabian and Sir Toby who are all work colleagues, is between Viola and Orsino who are also work colleagues, but develop an trusting relationship. Viola is Orsino's confidant and this reveals his personality to her, only further enhancing her love for him. Sir Toby and Maria show flirtatious behaviour throughout the play, as well as playful behaviour at Malvolio and Sir Andrew's expense. It is clear they both enjoy each other's company and share the same sense of humour and feelings towards other characters. The love between these two characters maybe described as practical love for a mutual benefit. If Sir Toby were to marry Maria he would have a companion who looks after him and Maria would have a higher status, marrying a knight. The audience understands the relationship between these characters and accepts them as a couple. â€Å"MARIA: My name is Mary, sir. â€Å"SIR ANDREW: Good mistress Mary Accost- â€Å"SIR TOBY: You mistake, Knight: ‘accost' is front her, board her, woo her, assail her.† Malvolio, Olivia's servant, believes it is entirely possible for a countess to love a steward, so doesn't doubt the phoney letter conveniently placed in front of him by his vengeful work colleagues, who believe he has abused his power over them. In fact, the major reason Malvolio can so easily believe Olivia would and could love him is due to his obsession for power and to exercise that power over the other characters such as Sir Toby. He is described as having self-love by Olivia, which again allows him to so easily believe the letter is genuinely from Olivia although it instructs him to wear â€Å"yellow stockings† and â€Å"cross-gartered.† The letter refers to four letters â€Å"M, O, A, I† which Malvolio instinctively believes are reference to his name. â€Å"†¦ in yellow stockings, and cross-gartered†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"O, you are sick of self-love, Malvolio†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ and perchance wind up my watch, or play with my – some rich jewel. Toby approaches; courtesies there to me-† Sir Andrew has the audience's pity and sympathy throughout the play due to his naive and innocent nature. Sir Andrew is encouraged by Sir Toby to be optimistic about Olivia's feelings towards him. Sir Andrew's hopeless love for Olivia is futile and at the end of the play he is still alone, which Shakespeare has used to further enhance the sympathetic attitude of the audience. â€Å"I was adored once too.† Shakespeare interconnects all the minor and major characters through misleading identities and a variety of love themes, which I have tried to outline. The major characters speak in rhyming couplets whereas the minor characters speak in pros, making a clear distinction between the two types of characters as well as the different range of love themes expressed by the different characters. â€Å"I music be the food of love, play on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come, sir, you peevishly threw it to her†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

Payroll Accounting Project

CHAPTER 7 Note to Instructors Depending upon the availability of time and your goals in teaching the payroll accounting course, you may use the Payroll Project in one of several ways: 1. Assign only the preparation of payroll registers and posting to employees’ earnings records. 2. Assign (1) plus recording the entries in the general journal and posting to the general ledger. 3. Assign (1) and (2) plus completion of the quarterly tax reports. 4. Assign the complete project. . Appendix A uses the same practice set with the computer-assisted approach. If students are completing the project using Appendix A, it would be helpful to have them complete one of the payrolls manually. This would provide a better understanding of the operations that are being performed by the computer. Chapter 7 consists of a simulation, or practice set, for payroll accounting. Students will apply the knowledge acquired in this course to practical payroll situations.This simulation is a culmination of t he information presented in the textbook. Learning Objectives After completing the simulation, students should be able to: 1. Prepare payroll registers. 2. Maintain employees’ earnings records. 3. Journalize and post payroll and payroll tax entries. 4. Complete federal, state, and city tax deposit forms and journalize the transactions. 5. Prepare various quarter-end and year-end payroll tax forms. 6.Make the accrual entries for the payroll at the end of a year. Payroll Project Solution (p. 7–24) JOURNAL 20– Oct. 9 Payroll Cash 12 11,058. 80 Cash 11 11,058. 80 Oct. 9 Administrative Salaries 51 2,307. 69 Office Salaries 52 3,353. 08 Sales Salaries 53 3,600. 00 Plant Wages 54 4,902. 00 FICA Taxes Payable—OASDI 20. 1 878. 09 FICA Taxes Payable—HI 20. 2 205. 37 Employees FIT Payable 24 1,012. 00 Employees SIT Payable 25 434. 82 Employees SUTA Payable 25. 1 11. 33†¦ [continues]

Nonverbal Communication Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nonverbal Communication Paper - Essay Example We use it almost in half of our communications daily subconsciously. We communicate nonverbally when ever we smile, gesture to come in, widen our eyes or clasp our face. We are unaware about it but use it to convey our emotions nonverbally. When speaking to an audience the speaker sends verbal as well as non verbal messages. The eye contact and gestures send messages of their own. â€Å"If the body language opposes with the words you are speaking the entire speech becomes worthless (Toastmasters int’l, 2011, p 3).† There are many biological factors on which the audience judges a person by many means other than the words being spoken. Facial expressions A person can unknowingly express a thousand words by facial expression. A smile or a frown express the extent of delight in the meeting nonverbally. As nonverbal gestures can vary throughout cultures but the smile, frown or a grunt are known to be the same globally. Gestures Intentional gestures such as waving or pointing or using the fingers to point out numbers are an important way to communicate nonverbally. Other gestures can vary according to regions. Paralinguistic This is another way to judge the speaker. The tone, loudness, pitches in the voice separates the actual tone being used otherwise. When the speaker uses loudness to emphasize on something it means enthusiasm and need for acknowledgement while a sullen voice would not be hesitant to point out the lack of interest by the speaker. Posture This apart from the speaker shows a lot about the listener. The body language shows exactly what is going on in the mind of the listeners, crossing the arms and legs would indicate as being in a defensive position while gazing at objects in the room around indicates that the listener has lost interest in the communication and is no longer attentive. Eye contact Maintaining eye contact is a symbol that means the speaker wants to be heard attentively. Blinking too often might send a message of feeling l ost and unsure about the situation. Every region or country has its own language, verbal and nonverbal. It is the traditions and culture that differentiates the nature of nonverbal communication. In America a handshake with a female or a male, means greeting the visitor warmly, while in eastern culture if a man shakes hand with a woman that may refer to harassment. â€Å"An American politician in his visit to a neighboring country once used gestures thinking to make a positive effect but actually emerged enraging the community (Hesselgrave & Culbertson, 1976).† In America people use gestures to convey their messages more than talking out loudly in public or when to pass on secrets. They usually make gestures with their hands and fingers or use facial expressions to communicate nonverbally. It is commonly notices in their films and other events of people using gestures when passing messages and not arousing curiosity of others around them. Also this is considered more appropri ate mode of communication between people who are present in extremely noisy places and are at a distance such as in concerts and clubs or huge gatherings where talking or shouting would seem pointless. â€Å"Sometimes young people have their own special gestures that only they and their friends understand.† (Gestures, n.d.). Some of the gestures might be used to communicate friendly messages while others may also be used

Theories and Paradigms of International Business Activity Essay

Theories and Paradigms of International Business Activity - Essay Example Being a master of the ‘rules of the game’ or, more specifically, the rules in the alliances and acquisition entails an ability to navigate, solve and work around these variables otherwise the objective of globalising the organizational operations is doomed to fail. This paper will explain some of the most important variables why forging alliances or partnerships and the acquisition of foreign companies are legitimate and effective strategies. Leveraging Reputation Alliances and acquisition are tools for companies to leverage their brand and their reputation (Kotler and Pfoertsch, 2006, pp.255). For example, when Lenovo acquired IBM’s personal computer (PC) business, the organization was able to enhance its reputation, establishing its own global brand in the process. IBM is a global leader in the technology industry and its products such as the ThinkPad laptop series, enterprise technologies, and other patented technologies are popular the world over and equated w ith quality, premium branding and innovation (Gupta, Wakayama and Rangan, 2012, pp.195). This is explained by the theoretical model called â€Å"springboarding†. The idea is that for companies to effectively expand overseas, it is necessary to design a strategy that is typified by activities that can capitalize on the reputation of others in order to compensate for its absence in the organization, its products and its global brand. It is equivalent to the concept of exporting of goods through â€Å"piggybacking† or taking advantage of the â€Å"carrier†, in order to successfully enter a market, survive in it and claim sizable market share (Gilligan and Hird, 1986, pp.103). â€Å"Springboarding† or â€Å"piggybacking† work during an acquisition and is also achieved when forging alliances with established companies in a location that the organization intends to penetrate. This strategy is more important for companies located in non-traditional FDI co untries. The reason is that these economies do not have well developed institutions as well as a viable domestic market necessary to support an outward expansion. China has recognized this dilemma especially when it took into consideration the fact that it lags behind major global economic players in terms of outward FDI (Taylor 2002 and Zhang and Filippov 2009). What distinguished the country from other non-traditional investing states is the manner by which the country aggressively pursued a policy of internationalisation for its national firms (Bell 2008, pp.254). Favorable business, political and financial landscapes, featuring state support, has lead to a conducive environment that fosters the growth of MNCs. Other developing economies do not have this advantage. That is why there is huge opportunity for MNCs coming from these countries because the strategy allows the high degree of exploitation of the ownership-specific competitive advantages in foreign countries (Luo and Tung , 2007, pp.485). When Lenovo started expanding in Japan, its market share was estimated to be around 5 percent but when the forged an alliance with the Japanese firm NEC, which commenced in January of 2011, the figures

Finance Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance Ethics - Essay Example We shall address their views regarding such decisions and issues. Ford deals in automobiles that find a market all over the world. The success of the company is dependent on a number of stakeholders as viewed from the perspective of production of the end product. All stages of production call for integration of a couple of elements that move in the same direction (Preston, 1995). Employees are key stakeholders in this company. They feature in various departments and segments of the organization. Production process would need personnel in the form of engineers and technical experts. There would be a need for administrators, marketers, assistant managers and a whole range of other staff members. The organization would have to steer them towards achieving goals of the organization without ignoring other stakeholders (Preston, 1995). Financiers of the company are in the form of banks and shareholders. Their role is key in having the entire company on its feet. Hiring of personnel, making purchases from suppliers, marketing, and advertising are all dependent on funds generated and availed by suppliers. Another key stakeholder of this company is the target customer. The company has a moral duty to have their needs first by providing quality automobile and after sales attention. Their opinion and regards about the item bought is an area of concern for the buyers. Their suggestions define the success of the company (Harrison, 2010). Suppliers to Ford Motors complete a segment of the success puzzle. They avail resources to the company for the production process. Structural materials in the form of tires, metallic items, and other requirements make production happen. Ford Motor Company thrives in a community that is on its receiving end of the matters that come with production. The company has to be a good citizen to execute production responsibly. Governmental bodies have a stake

Discussion Form Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion Form - Assignment Example The article brought in pricing concerns that would allegedly be affected by the merger, specifically with other Modelo brands. Finally, the third article indicated that compliance with settlement provisions to the merger deal conforms to the merger regulations posed by the DOJ. The merger was originally perceived to bring the respective market shares of each of the organization’s respective brands to a staggering 46% of the U.S. market. As such, it was identified that the merger would benefit the firms involved through dominance and entrenched leadership in the U.S. beer market; as well as the ability to control market prices. A maverick firm is described to exhibit a pivotal role in a merger transaction through its potentials for influencing pricing strategies. As such, Modelo was identified as a maverick firm in terms of its ability to significantly affect the prices of competitors in the beer market through a previous joint venture that the manufacturing organization had forged with. The primary concerns of the DOJ is that if the merger application, in its original conditions would be approved, there would be perceived increases in the market prices of beer due to the elimination of Modelo as a previously independent competitor. The market definition of the merger is a merger for beers in the U.S. market. Since the merging organizations were noted to assume number 1 and number 3 positions, respectively, the merger would definitely consolidate their respective market shares and would dominate the beer industry. Their consolidation was perceived to violate anti-trust regulations in terms of jeopardizing competition in an equitably fair playing field. Their union could be perceived to tantamount to the creation of a monopoly through the apparently large market share that these two organizations would create after the merger. One strongly believes that there are

Human Resurces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Human Resurces - Essay Example As a new intern, I was always impatient over such realities but learnt to allow myself time to adapt to my new environment. I observed that the workers who had mentors became accustomed to standard routines at a much faster rate than those who, like myself, for one purpose or another did not. I observed that interns with mentors were inspired by their mentors’ confidence in their abilities and made more efforts to learn about their new organisations than did the rest of us. Their mentors also invested time in coaching and encouraging the interns, thus transferring their work skills to the new workers (Forster 2005). It was obvious that organisational objectives can only be accomplished through the collective input of all employees, regardless of rank. Reflective and Reflexive Practice In most of my placements, I was a part of a team or group that was responsible for accomplishing certain objectives. I would have a time for personal reflection during which I considered my role in the group work and how to best accomplish my responsibilities. After this, I was able to put the gleanings from personal reflection into practice. I would then express my ideas about my emerging awareness about my role in group sessions. In each of these team sessions, team members shared on how they believed that their contributions would affect the realisation of company goals on a daily basis. After sharing with others about such experiences, the interns would then return to implement the suggestions from the group session, and then reflect all over again (Hofstede 2003). As interns, we all benefited from the collective practices suggested as well as the individual actions taken by all of us. My personal ideals actually influenced how I interpreted corporate decisions and policies. At times my personal values were at odds with some organisational maxims. At such time, I would actively seek for the opinions of other who I knew had also experienced some measure of conflict durin g the integration process. From them, I learnt that this is a perfectly normal occurrence which is faced by almost all interns during their orientation. These ‘older’ workers also helped me to discover ways in which I could make company ideals my own or change my own views to suit them. Reflexivity is descriptive of the process whereby a person’s self-awareness is developed to the place where reflection is swiftly followed by a response with no time in the middle (Guest and Conway 2004). Reflexive employees will make be confronted by problems and quickly find solutions for them with consistency. When such personnel come across policies that they oppose, they possess the vital self awareness to recognise their disagreement and express it in a comprehensible manner to all (Brooks 2003). This is a quality that I took time to develop during my internship. It only came after I had understood the basic functions of company operations. Moreover, it was obvious to me tha t this was a vital part for employees to be able to relate well with colleagues as well as accomplish their tasks (Debra and Quick 2006). Training was not the only thing that resulted in the reflexive trait being witnessed in employees; each individual employee had to learn at his or her own pace. Some researchers have in the past claimed that training and development practices in organisations ought to be combined as equal

Characters from Alice Hoffman's Saint Helene Essay

Characters from Alice Hoffman's Saint Helene - Essay Example The main character of the novel is Saint Helene though of course. The characters are set in the era of candles and lights made out of paper bags, sand and candles. Helena’s mother takes the authority in the house of replacing every melting pot of white wax with fresh candles. However it is shown in the beginning that Helene’s indifferent to her surroundings. Helene went to a high school called Middleborough High till her junior year. She was known to be a quiet recluse girl who had been dejected by the people around. Her companionship was very little. She was barely known her school. Whatever little was she known, she was known as someone who would spend her entire afternoon in a cafeteria filling paper pages. That was all people knew about her. The whole school used to look down upon her. The girls around her used to thank their stars that they are not Helen. That is the kind aura with which Alice Hoffman has set the character of the book in the beginning of the novel. To many she is unrelatable. She is not your routine girl. She hardly cares about her exterior and how she appears to the outside world. She is known to be fat, ugly, sorrowful . she has no friends. People think she is lost in her own world and the girls in her school find relief in the fact that they are not HER. ... However, she is a strong person from within. She puts a tough fight against the insulting connotations sent her way by her peers and school people. (Hoffman) As the story progresses her character is shown to evolve. Slowly and gradually she is redeemed in her eyes and in the eyes of people around her. She gains confidence, holds her ground and starts becoming more viable and acceptable by the society that was around her. The evolution in the character was phenomenal. It’s the best character in the book and makes inroads into this world without having the most appealing features or the most charismatic habits. She is by far the best character that this story has to offer. Bibliography Hoffman, Alice. Saint Helene.

Modern Business Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modern Business - Annotated Bibliography Example 'Chandler, A D', International Encyclopedia of Business and Management, 1996, pp.612-7 C.J.Schmitz, The Growth of Big Business in the United States and Western Europe, 1850-1939 (London: Macmillan, 1993) M E Porter, 'The Competitive Advantage of Nations', Harvard Business Review, March-April 1990, pp.73-93 f. You should note that the following are classics on the course's topic matter and know of their existence, but it is not so essential to read them directly: A.Gershenkron, Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective (Harvard University Press, 1962) S.Kuznets, Modern Economic Growth: Rate, Structure, and Spread (Yale University Press, 1966) D.C.North, Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance (Cambridge University Press, 1990) M.Weber, Economy and Society (1917) g. Useful sources of on-line information, statistics, and national surveys will, however, be particularly useful: United Nations - Statistics Division: www.unstats.un.org/unsd/snaama/Introduction United Nations Conference on Trade and Development: www.unctad.org/Templates/StartPage United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations: www.unctc.unctad.org/aspx.index.aspx World Bank: www.worldbank.org International Monetary Fund: www.imf.org Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development: www.oecd.statsportal Central Intelligence Agency: www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook Institute of Management Development: www.imd.ch/wccc World Economic Forum: www.weforum.org Research and development: http://www.finfacts.com/irelandbusinessnews/publish/article_10003718.shtml All of these organisations also provide statistics and publications in hard copy. The World Economic Forum publishes...Baumol etal., Convergence of Productivity: Cross-national Studies and Historical Evidence (1994) B Dornseifer and J Kocka, 'The Impact of the Preindustrial Heritage: Reconsiderations on the German Pattern of Corporate Development in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries, Industrial and Corporate Change, vol 2 (1993) P.Krugman, 'Competitiveness: A Dangerous Obsession', Foreign Affairs, March-April 1994, pp.28-44, and 'Proving My Point', Foreign Affairs, July-August 1994, pp.198-203. Reprinted in P.Krugman, Pop Internationalism (MIT Press, 1996), pp.3-33. [382 KRU] A.L.Kallenberg, The Comparative Study of Business Organizations and their Employees', in C.Calhoun (ed.), Comparative Social Research vol. 12 (1990) [SL offprint. NB. This is shelved under Kallenberg not Calhoun.] R.Fitzgerald and C.Rowley, 'From Hands To Resources: Explanation, Perspective And History', in Human Resources and the Firm in International Perspective, Vol.I (London: Edward Elgar, 1996), [SL 331 HUM] B Dornseifer and J Kocka, 'The Impact of the Preindustrial Heritage: Reconsiderations on the German Pattern of Corporate Development in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries, Industrial and Corporate Change, vol 2 (1993) J Williams, C Haslam, and K Williams, 'Bad Work Practices and Good Management Practices: the Consequences of the Exte

Apple Inc. Business Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Apple Inc. Business Analysis - Essay Example The reasons of investing as mutual fund manager in Apple are given, and the paper concludes with a summary of the business analysis. Apple Inc. Business Analysis. Company Background. Apple was incorporated in California in 1977. Apple Inc. and its subsidiaries develop, manufactures and sells its products including personal computers, media devices, mobiles, and digital music players. The Company also sells various related software, peripherals, services, networking solutions, and third party digital content and applications. Apple products and services comprise of iPod, iPhone, Mac, Apple TV, Mac, a portfolio of professional and consumer software applications, iCloud, the Mac OS X and iOS operating systems, and a variety of accessory, service and support offerings. The Company also sells and delivers digital content and applications through the App Store, iBookstore, iTunes Store, and Mac App Store. The company sells its products globally through its online stores, retail stores, and direct sales force, as well as through third-party cellular network transporters, retailers, value added resellers and wholesalers. Also, the Company sells various third-party iPod, iPhone, Mac, and iPod compatible products, including printers, application software, storage devices, headphones, speakers, and various other peripherals and accessories, through its retail and online stores. Apple sells its products to consumers, education, small and medium sized businesses, enterprise and government customers (www.apple.com). The Effects of Recent Economic Trends on Apple’s Business. The performance and operations of Apple depend significantly on global economic conditions. Uncertainty about worldwide economic conditions poses a risk as businesses and consumers postpone spending in response to unemployment, tighter credit, negative financial news and/or declines in asset values or income, which could have negative effects on demand for companies’ services and products (A ndreas, 2011). The Company usually increases prices on goods and services sold outside the United States; this is aimed to offset the effect of appreciating U.S. dollar in these markets, thus affecting the demand of Apple products. Other factors that affect the demand of Apple products and services include; conditions in the mortgage and real estate markets, increases in fuel and energy costs, labor and healthcare costs, unemployment, access to credit, and other macroeconomic factors affecting the spending behavior of consumers. Andreas (2011) notes that the global financial crisis and the debt crisis in Europe have led to new or incremental tightening of the credit market, low liquidity, and extreme volatility in fixed income, currency, credit, and equity markets. This has affected the Company’s business, including the financial instability of outsourcing trading partners or their inability to obtain credit to finance development and/or manufacture products resulting to prod uct delays. The crisis has also, has affected Apple customers, including channel partners by making them incapable to access credit to finance purchases of Apple products. Strategies of Adapting to Changing Economic Conditions. Economic recession provides opportunities to companies of starting new businesses, innovate and manufacture new products, and build and strengthen customer loyalty (Andreas, 2011). Apple operates in a highly competitive and highly volatile industry,

Therapeutic Cloning Essay Example for Free

Therapeutic Cloning Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cloning is the practice of creating a genetically the same copy of an original creature. And although it seems like twentieth-century idea, cloning is actually a part of natural processes, and had taken place many decades before though it was attainable. Since a variant of the cloning process plays such a large role in stem therapies, it’s worth taking a look at how cloning processes work (Cohen, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most public attention has been focused on the area called reproductive cloning – reproducing an entire creature be it frog, sheep, dog, or human being. As the twenty-first century unfolds, it is far more likely that what has been called therapeutic cloning – cloning used to cure disease – is going to have a more immediate impact on all our lives. Your chances of getting a cloned liver are greater than your chances of seeing a cloned you (Avise, 2004). Therapeutic Cloning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Relative to genetic testing, therapeutic cloning is a technology very much in its infancy. Whereas we can plausibly predict, that genetic testing methods and the scope of such tests will dramatically improve in the proximate future, a like projection in the case of therapeutic cloning is more of a stretch. This view notwithstanding, analysis of current regulation of therapeutic cloning does have something to gain from postulating a future world in which therapeutic cloning is in clinical application (Savulescu Hendrick, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One likely application of therapeutic cloning is in the treatment of leukemia, and more broadly in various types of tissue and organ transplantation. Therapeutic cloning is important for four seasons. First, there is a shortage of tissue for transplantation. Second, there are problems with compatibility of transplanted tissue form another individual, requiring immunosuppressive therapy with serious side effects. Cloned tissue would be compatible without the infectious risks of xenotransplants. Third, the role of transplantation might be expanded to include common diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Fourth, cloning may prove to be a cost-efficient means of preventing disability and morbidity, and of promoting distributive justice (Shannon, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In considering the ethical aspects of therapeutic cloning there are two separate issues: should embryos produced during in vitro fertilization (IVF), which would otherwise be discarded, be available for research (with the consent of the couple who produced them); and, should we deliberately create embryos for use in research? It is difficult to argue against using embryos that would otherwise be discarded. The main ethical issue raised by both the production of ES cells and therapeutic cloning, is that of destroying embryos for the purposed of research or tissue for transplantation. If the embryo is considered to have a moral status similar to, say, a child, them embryo research would normally be wrong. On this view, IVF and almost any termination of pregnancy would also be wrong. A less absolute position would be that what is wrong with destroying embryos is a need to respect human life in general. But that wrong need to be balanced against the value of such research. Furthermore, for every live birth, up to five embryos will miscarry. In attempting to have a child by natural conception, we implicitly accept that this loss is a price worth paying to produce a new life. If the loss of embryos is an acceptable price to pay to produce a new life, is it not also an acceptable price to pay to save an existing life (Avise, 2004)? Tissue Therapy via Therapeutic Cloning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   More than 40 years elapsed since Joseph Murray and his colleagues at a Boston hospital successfully transplanted a kidney between identical twins. This landmark approach was later extended by the medical community to other organs (e.g., heart, liver, lung, and pancreas) and to transplants involving more distant relatives and unrelated individuals. Transplants between unrelated individuals are especially challenging because, unless ameliorative actions are taken, the immune system of a transplant recipient sooner or later rejects the alien cells. To alleviate this problem, donor and recipient typically are matched as closely as possible for genes underlying immune responses, and immune-suppressive drugs also are administered. Such procedures are fairly common and have saved many lives. Nonetheless, modern transplantation surgery remains risky due to inherent immunological intolerances of patients to foreign tissue (Cohen, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, many research professionals are excited about â€Å"therapeutic cloning,† a new genetically modified (GM) approach that in theory should avoid the immunorejection problem. In this procedure, genes in cells to be transplanted originate from the patient, who therefore serves in effect as both donor and recipient. Because the donor and recipient tissues have identical genotypes, presumably the immune system would not recognize the implanted tissue alien. Another reason for enthusiasm about therapeutic cloning is that this research gives scientists welcome opportunities for basic research on human genetic disorders as they unfold during cell and tissue development (Bellomo, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The notion of therapeutic cloning for tissue or organ reconstruction in humans traces to the development of nuclear-transfer cloning methods for sheep and other farm animals. As applied to human cells, the procedure might work as follows: A suitable cell is removed from a patient and its nucleus is inserted physically into an enucleated egg. The egg then begins to multiply in a test tube, and, from the developing mass, pluripotent cells (those that possess a capacity to differentiate into multiple tissue types) are induced to grow replacement cells needed by the patient. Nerve cells might be grown to treat Alzheimer’s disease or spinal cord injuries, skin cells could be used to repair burn damage, retinal cells for macular degeneration, pancreatic cells for diabetes, hematopoietic cells for leukemia, neuroglia cells for multiple sclerosis, and so on. When returned to the patient’s body the cloned cells in such tissues or organs ideally would repair or replace the damaged body part, without evoking immunological rejections (Avise, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Several technical challenges must be overcome before this approach is medically viable. First, nuclear transfer (NT) techniques developed for farm animals will have to be improved and adapted to our species. Second, cells in the proliferating mass must be generated in such a way that they indeed are pluripotent at the outset. Third, the developmental potential of those flexible cells then must be channeled to produce the specialized kind of tissue that the patient requires. Fourth, methods must be devised to put those now-dedicated cells together properly to make therapeutically useful tissue or organ. This may take place naturally when the cells are placed in a patient’s body, or in some cases it may be accomplished initially in vitro. For example, replacement skin tissue for burn victims might be constructed by seeding the cloned cells onto sheets of a polymeric scaffolding substance. Finally, tissue therapy must be conducted such that the cloned cells do no harm when returned to the patient. It would be disastrous, for example, if even a few cells in the transplanted tissue began to divide in an unregulated, cancerous fashion (Shannon, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of course, ethical issues will have to be addressed as well. When the initial oocyte created by NT begins to divide into two cells, then four, then eight, and so on, when does the cloned mass become a new human being worthy of protection under the law? Opponents of therapeutic cloning often contend that an individual arises at the exact moment that the first appears, such that any sacrifice of an early cell mass, even for medical purposes, is tantamount to slaughter. Proponents of therapeutic cloning view this notion as nonsense. How, they as, can a few amorphous cells be granted legal rights that take precedence over those of sentient human beings is desperate need of cell therapy? Remarkably, in US society, most of the debate over the possible legalization of therapeutic cloning hinges on this one emotion-laden philosophical issue (Bellomo, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In such public discussions, a common error (or often, an intentional argumentative ploy) is to equate therapeutic cloning with reproductive cloning. Although the initial laboratory steps in the two procedures are identical – both begin by inserting a cell nucleus into an unfertilized egg – that is where the similarity ends. In reproductive cloning, the GM egg would be re-implanted in the womb and allowed to grow into a fetus and baby, the intent being to generate a fully functional and independent human being genetically identical to its predecessor. In therapeutic cloning, the early clump of pre-implantation cells that comes from the GM egg would be grown in vitro and used to produce replacement tissues for medical rehabilitation (Avise, 2004). Elimination or Treating Heritable Diseases via Therapeutic Cloning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although therapeutic cloning does not reproduce an entire organism to develop in utero and live life outside the womb, one motivation for reproductive cloning might be therapeutic. Reproductive cloning could allow genetic engineering interventions to correct defective genes before they have a chance to exert detrimental effects. Correction at the earliest stage would also free germ or reproductive cells and hence subsequent generations from carrying the defective gene (Savulescu Hendrick, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Certain genetic disorders may enhance certain universal human vulnerabilities, such as those to infection, bleeding, and aging. Beyond increasing these, everyone has inherited vulnerability to some disease or diseases. We would all like to be free from the threat of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and Alzheimer’s disease. Therapeutic cloning might substantially improve the treatment for these diseases since therapy for these is currently limited by the availability or immunocompatibility of tissue transplants (Avise, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Among the genetic disorders, some are so highly heritable and horrific that we might wish to employ reproductive cloning to enable the use of genetic engineering to correct the defective gene. That would free the clone and all subsequent generations from their ravaging impact (Savulescu Hendrick, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, reproductive cloning is an inefficient and error-probe process that results in the failure of most clones during development. For a donor nucleus to support development it must properly activate genes important for early embryonic development, it must properly activate genes important for early embryonic development and suppress differentiation-associated genes that were transcribed in the original donor cell. Inadequate â€Å"reprogramming† of the donor nucleus is thought to be the principal reason for the developmental loss of most clones. In contrast, reprogramming errors do not appear to interfere with therapeutic cloning, because the process appears to select for functional cells (Shannon, 2005). Ethics of Therapeutic Cloning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Can therapeutic cloning be ethically tolerable? Debates about the theory of proportionality, the slippery slope and the principle of subsidiarity here center again in a little dissimilar way (Savulescu Hendrick, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is uncertain whether the principle of proportionality offers a believable a priori opposition against therapeutic cloning. If it is well thought-out suitable to make embryos for study aiming cryopreservation of oocytes; in vitro maturation of oocytes and the like, then it is contradictory to decline therapeutic cloning in advance as being disproportional (Avise, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A consequentialist opposition, as a slippery-slope disagreement, is that therapeutic cloning will unavoidably direct to reproductive cloning. This objection firstly presumes that reproductive cloning is necessarily and categorically wrong, a premise still debated. Clearly, it would be premature, if not criminally irresponsible, in view of the serious health risks for children conceived by cloning to start clinical trials on reproductive cloning right now. But what if, somewhere in the future, these risks could be controlled? Would cloning then still be entirely baseless – even if it were ‘safe’ – then it is practical to exclude reproductive cloning, and not to forbid other, non-reproductive, relevance of cloning (Bellomo, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Are there suitable alternatives to therapeutic cloning? First, it is important to note that therapeutic cloning strictu sensu, starting with the first clinical trials, will not come up soon. Much basic research is needed, about the question whether it will be possible to control the differentiation of human embryonic stem (hES) cells in vitro. This study can, and ought to, be made with additional IVF embryos. At the same time, research into potential ‘embryo-saving’ alternatives for therapeutic cloning should be stimulated. For the relative ethical examination it is once more essential to evade the drawback of one-dimensionality. Amongst others, the following options are suggested in the literature: a) the use of adult stem cells; b) transferring a human somatic cell nucleus into an enucleated animal egg; and c) the direct reprogramming of adult cells, i.e., to reprogram an adult cell to make it revert to it unspecialized state so that it can then be influenced to develop into a specific type of tissue (this involves the development of undifferentiated cells without the need to create an embryo) (Shannon, 2005). Summary and Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cloning can be divided into therapeutic and reproductive cloning. Therapeutic cloning is the use of cloning technology to produce, for example, tissues for transplantation to people with disease. Reproductive cloning is cloning to produce a liveborn offspring (Avise, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The possibility of therapeutic cloning focuses on the concept of stem cells. Stem cells have the ability to develop into different mature cell types. Totipotent stem cells are cells with the potential to form a complete animal if placed in a uterus. They are early embryos. Pluripotent stem cells are immature stem cells with the potential to develop into any of the mature cell types in the adult (liver, lung, skin, blood etc.), but cannot by themselves form a complete animal if placed in a uterus. Human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines obtained from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst or pre-implantation embryo have recently been established. ES cells are pluripotent. Possible future clinical applications of human ES cell technology include: hemopoietic repopulation (‘bone marrow transplant’); treatment of diseases or spinal cord injury; screening of drugs; and as vectors for gene therapy (Cohen, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We should distinguish reproductive cloning with a therapeutic intent from therapeutic cloning to produce stem cells. Most of us are familiar with the nightmare scenario of reproductively cloning a person in order to use him as possession for â€Å"spare parts.† Parents who conceive children in the hope that the new child would be a good match immunologically to donate an organ needed by an existing child contribute to this image. With a child cloned from the original, there would be no doubt that the needed organ would perfectly match the recipient immunologically. Creating a person to be a source of spare parts is not what therapeutic cloning is about (Bellomo, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therapeutic cloning provides hope for cures or better medical treatment for people with many diseases. These include many of the genetic disorders for which reproductive cloning with a therapeutic intent might be entertained, but they also include diseases that are not necessarily genetic. A therapeutic cloning, cells are extracted from an embryo to clone specific bodily tissues for medical use, particularly transplantation. Type I or juvenile diabetes is one example of a disease that might be cured by therapeutic cloning to produce stem cells. Without contradiction, we can condemn reproductive cloning and at the same time, if we choose, support research with embryonic stem cells (Cohen, 2002). References: Avise, J. C. (2004). The Hope, Hype Reality of Genetic Engineering: Remarkable Stories from Agriculture, Industry, Medicine and the Environment. New York: Oxford University Press US. Bellomo, M. (2006). The Stem Cell Divide: The Facts, the Fiction, and the Fear Driving the Greatest Scientific, Political, and Religious Debate of Our Time: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Cohen, D. (2002). Cloning. Brookfield, Connecticut: Twenty-First Century Books. Savulescu, J., Hendrick, J. (2003). Medical Ethics and Law: The Core Curriculum. New York: Elsevier Health Sciences. Shannon, T. A. (2005). Genetics: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy : a Reader. New York: Rowman Littlefield.

Early Literacy and Numeracy Development

Early Literacy and Numeracy Development Describe the learning context The children aged five years old were matching, writing number symbols and copying number words (for those who can) from 1 to 10 as they created their number book with stamps. The children used stamps to quantify the numbers based on the number symbol reflected on each page. Five children sat around the table, getting ready for the activity. Child A began stamping number one on one page, followed by two, then three on subsequent pages. Child B also began stamping on the pages. Child A saw Child B who had more than 6 stamps on the number ‘5’ page told Child B. â€Å"you are wrong, is number 5†. Child B looked at me and I told Child B, â€Å"it’s alright, let’s do it again.† I asked Child B as I pointed to the number symbol â€Å"What is the number?† â€Å"5† replied Child B and Child B printed two stamps on the page. A while later, Child A has completed printing stamps on the number book and began copy writing of the number words. Child B then completed the stamping of number with my assistance. Child B mumbling counted it while printing the stamps reflected on the page. Then, Child B moved on to copy writing on the number symbols. When the children have completed, they had a sharing session on their number book. Analyse the learning for conceptual ideas I have explored in the readings Based on the above learning context, the analysis of the following numeracy and literacy ideas are observed. Sociocultural context has happened in this small group learning. Rogoff’s three foci of analysis – personal, interpersonal and community provide a useful tool for analyzing young children. It emphasized how children’s thinking is incorporated with and constituted by the setting, collaboration, signs and cultural tools (Robbins, 2007). From the personal focus of analysis, we can observe how Child A transforms during the course of the activity, and how Child A collaborate and relate to others (interpersonal focus of analysis) in the setting (contextual focus of analysis). Vygotsky described Child B’s muttering as ‘private speech’. He appeared to be giving himself guidance and reassurance that his written answer was correct, showing a development in his cognitive thinking as he selected, matched and gave himself confidence (Ahmed, n.d.). Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) describes the area between the child’s level of independent performance and what the child can do with support (Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding, n.d.). From the observation, Child A has reached her level of independence of understanding the quantifying of numbers and thus, she pointed out to Child B’s correction that he had six stamps on the number page five. Children learn these number names by imitating adults and as they practice counting, they often say nonconventional sequences of number names (Reys, Lindquist, Lambdin, Smith, Rogers, Falle, Frid, Sandra Bennett, 2012). Children reflecting counting principles may show confusion when counting, however, with encouragement and opportunities to count, children will develop efficient counting strategies with any specific directions (Clements Sarama as cited in Reys et al., 2012). Child B is observed to face difficulties in counting beyond five, thus, with assistance and encouragement from the teacher, he was able to complete counting one to one correspondence up to ten. Child A’s pointing of the number symbols to Child B assists in her recognition of symbols. Child A in this case is more knowledgeable other (MKO), who has a higher ability level than Child B, in creating the number book (McLeod, 2014). This is useful to Child B as he attempts to store knowledge and information making a connection of the symbol to the word. Eventually this knowledge will be stored as symbolic representation and classified under different categorizations, as proposed by Bruner (McLeod, 2008). Number symbols are essential prerequisites for children to move on to more sophisticated mathematical algorithms that include the use of symbols for relations, operations and punctuations. Children must make meaning of what they are learning so that they can understand the reasoning behind the operations (Sperry, 2009). However, understanding of mathematical concepts has to be built first to help children further their understanding and learning in abstract terms, such as symbols. As such, Child B is making meaning of the symbols and number words, connecting the two, constructing his own mental image and understanding and modifying his previous knowledge, after interaction with his peers, therefore creating a new schema (McGee Richgels, 2008). The speech of the children served different purposes, as described by Halliday (as cited in McGee Richgels, 2008). Child A’s use of regulatory language attempted to control Child B’s actions by highlighting his errors to communicate information by guiding and giving the correct information to Child B. Literacy practices are important to everyday lives of children and it does not take place in isolation to other social practices and interactions with adults and peers (Makin, Diaz McLachlan, 2007). Conceptualisations about literacy must take account of the social practices which include listening speaking, writing, viewing and critiquing (Makin et al., 2007). From the observations the children were engaged in speaking, listening to others, as well as writing of the numbers symbols and words. According to Vygotsky, he emphasized that learning occurs through social interaction and he viewed that language is an important tool for communicating with the world (McLeod, 2014). Through the interaction between the children and the teacher, the children developed number sense and picked up literacy skills. Lesson Plan – Enhancing this learning situation with a new literacy and a new numeracy outcome in the same lesson plan Lesson plan for the five years old Literacy Objectives The children will be able to: Use words in the proper sentence structure Write number symbols Copy writing or spell out three letter word such as ‘ten’. Response to questions and answer appropriately Numeracy Objectives The children will be able to: Use one to one correspondence Counting in sequence from 1 10 Compare long, short and same using the children’s names and more or less. Answer questions to demonstrate an understanding of How many objects up to 10. Social Objectives The children will be able to: To be able to build up their self-confidence by giving them opportunities to present in front of the class individually or in groups. To be open-minded and be receptive to suggestions Introduction Introduce the counting number book titled Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews to the children. Read the story to the children. Teacher to give out strips of paper with the children’s name written on it. Using the cooperative learning strategy, round table, each chair is labelled from one to ten and children will go to the number after they counted the letters on their names. Teacher will have a discussion on whose names are long, short or they are the same. Main Activity Read the story to the children again. This time, teacher will demonstrate the story by stopping with each picture and counting the black dots. Teacher to ask questions such as, â€Å"How many dots do you need to make the eyes on a fox? In a large group, teacher to ask questions and have them to demonstrate on the board. For example, teacher will have a picture card with two missing dots on the eyes of a dog and five missing dots on the balloons. Encourage the children to come forward to complete the pictures. Then, have the children to respond by asking, â€Å"Which one has more dots? How do you know?† Then, children to take turns to paste the correct number symbol to the number of dots on the board. Teacher to encourage the children to come out with creative ideas how on the dots can turn into based on the number of dots given. A book with five pages, including the cover and back of the book will be provided for children Then, in pairs, children to create their very own story about the 10 black dots. Using their creativity, they will design their cover page with the title and their name on the front. Children will use black dot stickers to make their own story through drawing and they will write their story line on each page. For example, â€Å"1 one dot can make a clock.† They will have to through the numbers in sequence. For those children who are still developing writing skills, they are encouraged to write the number words and symbols. Closure Once completed, using round robin, children will take turns to read their story to the class. At the same time, their peers will share their thoughts about their friend’s story on how they feel about it and the teacher will record the responses in LEA. This forms part of their peer assessment. The teacher will then document the responses and leave the children’s story at the learning area for children to revisit their work. Discussion with numerous links to the readings to justify the literacy and numeracy content in your lesson plan In the lesson plan, cooperative learning strategy is used as to get the children create interest in learning. Cooperative learning strategy does benefit the young children as it encourages group processes, foster social and academic interactions among peers and rewards successful group participation (Lyman Foyle, 1988). Linking back to Rogoff’s three focus of analysis, the cooperative learning strategy helps the child to move from being aware of him or herself to becoming aware of other children. In one of the research findings, it had shown that cooperative learning activities do improve children’s relationship with peers, especially from different culture. When children begin to work on task, cooperation can open up opportunities for sharing ideas, learning how others think and react to problems and practising oral language skills in small groups (Lyman Foyle, 1988). It also promotes learning dispositions and positive feelings towards school, teachers and peers. Joh n Dewey also believed that children learn best for highlighting the positive social value of education and the importance of educators where educators listened to the children then facilitate them through activities (Hill, 2012). Based on the lesson plan, a story book is used to enhance the learning situation with a new numeracy and literacy outcome. Early childhood educators have been increasingly recognized the potential of using storybooks and picture books to introduce mathematics learning for children even though the children may not immediately relate it with math concepts and ideas (Flevares Schiff, 2014). Taking in from Vygotsky’s sociocultural perspective, some books have created a space for interaction and sharing or ideas presented by or analysed through the illustrations and text Flevares Schiff, 2014). Bringing in shared literature mathematics engages and socializes children into literacy aspect of shared reading and learning and the books can also be a springboard to address math concepts both at school and at home Flevares Schiff, 2014). In the lesson plan, children not only learn about numbers, they also learned to identify high frequency words, number words as they read and as well as practicing their writing skills. van den Heuvel-Panhuize and Elia (2012) have furthered explained that children’s books have an important role in teaching mathematics as the authors either refer to children’s books as a learning setting in which children can come across mathematics or as a tool that enhances to the learning of mathematics. In another study, it supports the idea that reading picture books to children has a lot of potential for mathematical ideas to children even without any prompting or any instructions (van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, van den Boogaard, Doig, 2009). With reference to the lesson plan above, the storybook sets as a basis to introducing one to one correspondence, number sequencing and as well as reading and listening skills. Howard Gardner appealed multiple intelligences are used concurrently and it balance each other as individuals developed skills (Brualdi, 1996). In the lesson plan, several intelligences are observed: Mathematical intelligence is seen where children used their logical thinking skills to work on number sequencing and one to one correspondence; Linguistic intelligence is used when children practice their speaking skills during the sharing session, writing their story, number words and symbol. Interpersonal intelligence is observed as the children work together, giving ideas objectively, creating their story and as well as intrapersonal skill where children build up their confidence level and speaking skills during their sharing session. References Ahmed, M. K. (n.d.). Private speech: A cognitive tool in verbal communication. Retrieved 1 March 2012 from http://www.iuj.ac.jp/faculty/mkahmed/privatespeech.html Brualdi, A. C. (1996). Multiple intelligences: Gardners theory. ERIC Digest. Flevares, L. M., Schiff, J. R. (2014). Learning mathematics in two dimensions: a review and look ahead at teaching and learning early childhood mathematics with children’s literature. Frontiers in psychology, 5. Hill, Susan. (2012). Developing early literacy: assessment and teaching (2nd ed). South Yarra: Eleanor Curtain Publishing. Lyman, L., Foyle, H. C. (1988). Cooperative learning strategies and children. ERIC Digest. Makin, L., Diaz, C. J., McLachlan, C. (Eds.). (2007). Literacies in childhood: Changing views, challenging practice (2nd ed). Elsevier Australia. McLeod, S. (2014). Lev Vygotsky. Retrieved 10 March 2015, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html McLeod, S. (2012). Simply Psychology. Retrieved 10 March 2015, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html Reys, R. E., Lindquist, M. M., Lambdin, D. V., Smith, N. L., Rogers, A., Falle, J., Frid, Sandra. Bennett, S. (2012). Helping children learn mathematics. Australia: John Wiley sons Australia. Robbins, J. (2007, August). Young children thinking and talking: Using sociocultural theory for multi-layered analysis. In Learning and Socio-cultural Theory: Exploring Modern Vygotskian Perspectives International Workshop 2007 1(1), 46-65. Sperry Smith, S. (2009). The language of math: communication and representation. In early childhood mathematics (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson. van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, M., van den Boogaard, S., Doig, B. (2009). Picture books stimulate the learning of mathematics. Australian journal of early childhood, 34(3), 30-39. van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, M., Elia, I. (2012). Developing a framework for the evaluation of picturebooks that support kindergartners’ learning of mathematics. Research in mathematics education, 14(1), 17-47. Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2015, from http://www.toolsofthemind.org/philosophy/scaffolding/ Names: Loo Si Hui (25687514) Page 1

observing smoking reducing stress and anxiety

observing smoking reducing stress and anxiety To observe either smoking reduces stress and anxiety. Like mostly smokers said that when they are under stress or anxiety and they smoke a cigarette then their stress relieved and they feel fresh and relaxed. In my research I would like to find either this is true or not. To observe persons psychological condition with smoking habit. In many studies it is shown that smoking habbit is also related to mental condition. I would like to find that students who smoke, whats their perspectives for smoking. To observe does smoking affects the general health of a person. I would like to find out whether the students who smoke have some health problem or not. Are they having any health problem after they starts smoking? Introduction Smoking is to inhale smoke of burning tobacco in the form of cigarettes, cigars etc. Some people occasionally smoke to relief their stress but smoking, as a habit is a physical addiction. Habitual smoking is also called psychological addiction by health experts. In the whole world, almost in every nation there is a warning written on every packet of cigarette that it is injurious to health. In spite of that lot of people find smoking is quite attractive. In UK approximately 120,000 people died every year due to smoking. Smoking is the major reason for sickness and early deaths. On an average non smokers live 10 yrs more than the smokers (webarchieve.nationalarchives.govt.uk.).So a smoker dies 10 yrs early as compare to a person who never smoke in his life. Tobacco contains more than 4000 chemicals, 69 of which known to produce cancer.90% lung cancer deaths are due to smoking. Main three components of tobacco are-nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar. All three of them cause diseases. Nic otine absorbs in blood stream and effected brain in 10 seconds. If a person is habitual smoker, whenever the level of nicotine drops in blood, withdrawal symptoms like craving, anxiety, restlessness, headaches arises. These are relieved when the person smokes. Thats why person smokes regularly to keep these symptoms away. Otherwise the smoker becomes anxious and irritable because of the withdrawal effect of nicotine. Tar contains many contents which produce cancer. Tar contains irritants which damage the lungs which are a major vital organ of human body; by constricting the bronchioles and destroying the cilias which protect lungs from dirt and other infections. Smokers do not sit long hours for doing their work, they need a cigarette break. With this, they feel relaxed and energetic to do their work. People usually smoke at different times in a day .Smokers thought the situations which are not positive; they made them less stressful with smoking a cigarette. Smokers feel pleasure i n smoking. But smoking produce critical health risks for smokers and the persons surrounding them. Because the family members and friends of a smoker who breathe second hand smoke also harm their general health. In this proposal we discuss about the smoking and its perceptions among university students. We discuss the facts that why students attract towards smoking. Does smoking really help to reduce the stress in students? Does smoking affect their general health? These all we discuss in our research proposal. Literature Review According to Stephen J. Heishman (1999), the 3 factors which influences smoking or are influenced by smoking habit, are stress, weight gain and performance. Addiction of nicotine is very complex process which includes biological, psychological and other factors also. If nicotine addicted person withhold nicotine, his attentional and cognitive abilities would be diminished, but these are reversed if nicotine is given to that person. In stress, smoking is eminent, but there is not any specified evidence that smoking reduces stress. In average the weight of smokers is 3-4kgs less than peoples who dont smoke and after quitting smoking weight gain is also in same manner. According to Carol Brown (2004) the use of tobacco is high in people having mental health problems. Use of tobacco is one of the preventable causes of bad health and early deaths in Scotland. According to Scottish Executive (2000), nearly 13,000 persons died each year from diseases occurs due to tobacco like diseases of heart and cancers of different parts of body (Callum, 1998).According to ASH Scotland (2004), there are many critical health risks related to passive smoking. In Scotland, sickness related to smoking costs the National Health Service around  £ 200 million per year. According to McNeill (2001), smoking risk is more among persons with mental health problems as compare to other people. According to Meltzer et al. (1996), surveys shows smoking rates were higher in people having mental problems like in people suffering from psychosis than general population. According to Wendy Wang and Paul Taylor(April8,2008),when smokers asked for their habit of smoking they usually say ,it relives our stress, but 50% of them experience stress frequently as compare to others who never smoke or smoke once and now quits. The survey also shows that smokers are more sad and unhealthy as compare to non smokers or persons who quit smoking.45% of smokers said that they are healthy as this percentage was63%in non smokers and little less in former smokers. Six out of ten current smokers satisfied with their family life whereas this ratio was seven in ten in non smokers. Satisfaction in job is also low in current smokers. According to Andy C Parrott (1999), smokers oftentimes say that smoking helps to relieve their stress whereas the level of stress is quite more in smokers. Dependency on nicotine looks as to modify stress. This resulted irregular mood pattern shown by smokers, during smoking they have good moods and bad otherwise when not smoking. The smokers require nicotine for feeling normal. According to Piasecki (2006) addiction rate is very high in tobacco smoking. Likewise withdrawal of nicotine, tonic desire is basic reason for ex-smokers, who were struggling to maintain abstinence. If a person strike again and again with high stress levels his smoking habbit also raised(Steptoe,et al. ,1996) and stressful activities were essential risk factors for chances of relapse in former smokers(Cohen and Lichtenstein,1990;Mckee,et al.,2003).Study in human laboratories shows that exposure to stress or imagination of provoked markers raises the desire of smoking in smokers who are habitual(Perkins and Grobe,1992;Erblich,et al.,2003). According to American Journal of health behaviour (2006) vol.30 (3), the usage of tobacco in US is highest in adults between 18-24 yrs of age. Most of them are college students. Use of cigarette smoking increased by 28% in the year between 1993-1997. Around 50% of college students tried smoking within that previous year and around 1/3rd are using tobacco currently. Approximately 70% of students of colleges tried tobacco in their life. A recently done study of 224 students of college showed the tendency to take risk, depression, self efficacy were decisive of smoking behaviour. Other study of 636 adult students shows that the college students using tobacco shows lower physical activities and raised depression symptoms as compare to non smokers. Moreover young adults who are in depression use tobacco for improvement in their mood. According to Wegner, Schneider, Carter and White (1987) numerous studies shows inhibiting negative or indifferent thoughts having a rebound effect. So if a person suppresses a single thought he may think about, that thought comes in his mind more quickly. For example people usually attempt to discontinue smoking by avoiding thinking about smoking. Whereas this strategy rises his thoughts of smoking and makes quitting difficult. According to Salkovskis and Reynolds (1994) study, in which contestants decrease or give up smoking by observing their thoughts about smoking. The study shows suppression, raised thoughts of smoking comparison to monitoring. However these results show that thoughts suppression made quitting much challenging. But in this study they were not said that suppression raises smoking. According to Heath Martin (1993); Chassin et al. (1994, 1996) ,Kendler et al.(1999) so many studies done in past two decades suggested that people with the history of smoking in their close relatives were continual smokers than other ones who had no history in their family. Several studies showed that persistent smoking habbit definitely had heritable element. For e.g. Heath Martin (1993) found heritability approximately of 0.53, whereas Kendler et al. (1999) found it as 0.72. These studies show the value of environmental and hereditary factors in habbit of persistent smoking but this did not clarify mechanism that shows relationship of family history and persistence. Hypotheses Smokers thought that smoking reduce stress. Smoking plays a chief role in mood elevation of a person. Generally if the parents smoke, their adult children are more attract towards smoking habit. The family members and friends of a smoker, who breathe the secondhand smoke, also harm their general health. Method Design: This is a Quantitative study of smoking habit and its perceptions among the university students. It is in the form of questionnaire. Dependent Variable: Stress, Psychological status Independent Variable: Age, Gender, smoking habit Participants: The participants are mostly the students of University of Bedfordshire who belongs to different religions and different nations. There will be 25 participants, in which 20 would be male participants and 5 would be female participants. The age of the participants is between 20-40yrs. Procedure: Each student gives a full questionnaire in which options are there and they have to tick the best option according to their choice and they are requested to give answers wisely. Questionnaire is given to each participant personally and told him or her the purpose of test. Before the participants fill the questionnaire, total information regarding the purpose of study and other related information will be given to each participant. This information is also given to the participants that this data remains confidential. This collected data will be used only for study and research purposes and not given to any other organization. After the general introduction regarding name gender etc. the participants asked to select the category of smoking-smoking in the present time, or smoking in the past years and now quitted. Then they start the main Questionnaire. Data analysis The data is collected from students of University of Bedfordshire and analyzed by SSPS. Either a significant relation exists in between the variables is studied by ANOVA. Ethical Consideration The university has accepted the request of survey in their campus. The participants are clearly mentioned about data protection and told them that this data will be used for study and research purpose only. The participants are clearly mentioned that they are free to ask any type of question before the data collection. This is clearly told to the participants if they have any problem during the research they can withdraw any time .The data collected from the students is not given any other party.

Private Schools vs. Public Schools Essay -- Education

(Thrust for Educational Leadership 1999) wrote: Voucher proponents claim that public school educators could learn a lot from private schools and their "superior" practices and outcomes. However, a report from the non-partisan Economic Policy Institute has found that the most important variation between schools lays in the type of community in which they are located (affluent, suburban, inner-city), not whether they are private or public. Researchers conducted case studies of eight public and eight private elementary schools in California to determine whether there are any identifiable and transferable private school practices that public schools can adopt to improve student outcomes. They discovered: †¢ Private elementary school employees are not necessarily more accountable to parents than are public school personnel. †¢ Private school expectations for student outcomes are not more clearly defined. †¢ Private schools do not provide more meaningful evaluation, supervision or mentoring of teachers, nor are they more selective in hiring teachers than their public school counterparts. Private schools also did not necessarily have more flexibility in firing teachers. †¢ Private schools do not necessarily focus more on issues such as values and behavior. †¢ Private school innovations do not necessarily stimulate improved practices at the public schools with which they compete. The report found that inner-city private schools shared more characteristics with public schools in low-income communities than with affluent suburban private schools. Likewise, suburban public schools had more in common with suburban private schools than with urban public schools. The researchers conclude that the report's findings "could have importan... ...erybody can get on a team in a smaller school." Similarly, a child who needs more individual attention might benefit because "it can customize a child's experience a little more." Finally, I think it is up to each parent to establish what is best for their children. Some children need more attention than others and they learn better in smaller classrooms. What ever route you choose make sure your children are getting a good education. References (1999). Differences between public, private schools overstated, study finds. Thrust for Educational Leadership, 29(2), 4. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database. Lawrence, L. (1997, April 28). The pros and cons of public vs. private schools. Christian Science Monitor, p. 12. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database

Factors to Childlessness :: Reproduction, Sweden

Factors associated with the trends in childlessness: (1000 words ) Trends in marriage, trends in formation of family—Drawing from the literature. Role of voluntary and involuntary factors (1000 words ) Is childlessness due to infertility or by circumstances or choice?- Drawing from the literature. The risk of childlessness is increased with the delay in the first birth. The reproduction span is also reduced and so is the number of children. Changes in educational level also leads to postpone ment of fertility.(Olah and Bernhardt 2008). High tolerance towards childless ness is found in the Post modern values dominant in Sweden propagate the importance of leisure and friends in life and children though considered important , are not needed for a fulfilling life (Olah and Bernhardt 2008). The tertiary educated women in Sweden is seen to have higher rates of childlessness than others(Olah and Bernhardt 2008 Sweden observed highest female labour force participation in Europe and was considered as the major reason for the fertility decline in 60s and 80s in Sweden along with the post modern values and contraception use which provided more control over childbearing to the women(Olah and Bernhardt 2008)) Contradictory to the above, Sweden , who is the forerunner in the second demographic transition, has observed the European highest and Sweden lowest fertility trends which have fluctuated greatly in 1960s and 70s (Olah and Bernhardt 2008).With the dominance of the post modern values in this increasingly secularised society, Sweden boasts of having one of the highest ideal family size in the European union and childlessness is relatively low (Olah and Bernhardt 2008). Sweden also has the highest amount of labour force participation in the entire Europe and the education among women is also as high as the men(Olah and Bernhardt 2008). There is an important role played by the family policies in Sweden in keeping the fertility level high, which are based on equality across social groups and gender (Olah and Bernhardt 2008). The eligibility to parental leave and other benefits is linked to the labour force attachments and thus the family policies play an important role in the changes in t he fertility rates(Ola and Bernhardt 2008). Some researchers attributes enhanced economic status and educational attainment have contributed in delays in marriage and childbearing and increases in divorce and single motherhood(Danziger and Ratner 2010) please refer more to source Claudia Goldin (2006) describes women’s enhanced engagement in the economy as the most remarkable change in the labour markets in the 20th century.

Absorption and Variable Costing, Inventory Management

Absorption and Variable costing are very important tools for cost accounting. Both of these costing methods allow you to see the cost of your inventory, in a different way. For example the absorption method allows you to assign all costs to the product, while variable costing allows only variable costs to be assigned to the product. Inventory management is extremely important as well because it ties into efficiency and lowering your costs so that your company can be as profitable as it can in operations.Throughout this paper I will discuss the importance of both costing methods, how it is implemented as well as using the income statement for costing. Most companies don’t necessarily look at the costs of all departments; they break down the departments into separate entity’s called profit centers. The companies do this because by breaking down each department they can see if there are any problem areas that they should correct, involving the performance of the individual profit centers. To look at the overall company’s performance, most people find it useful to look at the income statement.However, this income statement is of little use for determining the viability of the individual business units or segments. Instead, it is important to develop a segmented income statement for each profit center. That is why these two costing methods have been developed. One of them is based on variable costing and the other is based on absorption costing. They are costing methods because they refer to the way in which product costs are determined. Product costs are inventoried; and they include direct materials, direct labor and overhead.Period costs are expensed in the period they are incurred. These are usually selling and administrative expenses or other expenses to run your company day to day. The one difference between the two costing systems is fixed factory overhead. Absorption costing is a costing system that assigns all manufacturing cost to the produce, including fixed factory overhead. Absorption costing includes direct materials, direct labor, variable overhead, and fixed overhead. The four costs define the cost of the product. Under absorption costing, fixed overhead is viewed as a product cost, not a period cost.Fixed overhead is assigned to the product through the use of predetermined fixed overhead rate and is not expensed until the product is sold. Absorption costing has product costs of direct materials, direct labor, variable overhead, and fixed overhead. While the period costs include just selling and administrative expenses. Variable costing assigns only the variable manufacturing costs to the product; these costs include direct materials, direct labor, and variable overhead. As you can see variable costing stresses the difference between fixed and variable manufacturing costs.Fixed overhead is than treated as a period expense and is excluded from the product cost. The reason for this is because fixed overhead i s a cost of staying in business. After the period is over, any benefits provided by this capacity are expired and are not inventoried. Fixed overhead of any period is than seen as expiring in that period and is charged in total against revenues for the period. The product costs for variable costing include direct materials, direct labor and variable overhead. The period costs include fixed overhead, and selling and administrative expenses.Now we move onto the relationship between the variable costing income and the absorption costing income. The relationship changes as the production and the sales change. If you sold more than was produced, variable costing income is greater than the absorption costing income. But if you sold more than you produced that would mean that you were selling the beginning inventory and units produced. Under the absorption method, the units that are coming out of the inventory have the fixed overhead from the period attached to the inventory.So the amount of the fixed overhead expensed by absorption costing is greater than what the current period’s fixed overhead by the amount of fixed overhead flowing out of the inventory. The variable costing income is greater than the absorption costing by the amount of fixed overhead coming out of the beginning inventory from the current period. But if the production and the sales are equal than there is no difference between the two reported incomes. The income relationship is consider to be that if production is greater than sales than the absorption income is reater than the variable income. But if the production is less than the sales than the absorption income is less than the variable income. So than if the production equals the sales than the absorption income is also equal to the variable income. The differences between the absorption and variable costing are the recognition of when the expenses are occurred. The recognition of the expenses associated with the fixed factory overhea d. With the absorption costing, the fixed factory will than be assigned to the units produced.This actually presents two problems, first, how do we convert the factory overhead applied on the basis of direct labor hours or the machine hours into factory overhead applied to the units produced? Also, what is than done when actual factory overhead does not equal applied factory overhead? Now we move onto the variable costing and the segmented income statements. The variable costing is a useful tool in preparing a segmented income statement because it gives us useful information on the variable and fixed expenses. A segment can be considered a division, department, product lines, customers class among other things.In the segmented income statements, the fixed expenses are broken down into two categories; direct fixed expenses and the common fixed expenses. The additional subdivision highlights controllable versus the non-controllable costs and than enhances the manager’s ability to evaluate each segment’s contribution to the overall firms performance. The direct fixed expenses are the fixed expenses that are directly traceable to a segment. They are sometimes referred to as avoidable fixed expenses, because they disappear if the segment is eliminated.Two or more segments jointly cause common fixed expenses. These expenses persist even if one of the segments to which they are common is eliminated. The segment margin is a profit contribution that each segment makes toward covering a firm’s common fixed costs. The segment should be at least able to cover both of its own variable costs and direct fixed costs. A negative segment margin drags the firm’s total profit down. Segment income statements are useful in management decision-making. The reason so is so that you can run your company at the most efficient level, while raising your profit margin.This is a very interesting topic because it helps show the importance of inventory control and how it affects your operating income. The inventory management is very key to a company. The reason for this is because when your costs are to high and your profit margin is too low than there is probably a reason of your inventory being to high or the overhead being to high. The stress of inventory management cannot be understated for many companies but especially manufacturing companies. Apart from the product cost of the inventory, there are other types of costs that relate to inventories of raw materials, work in process, and the finished goods.Inventory must be bought, received, stored, and moved. The inventory related costs include the demand for a product that is known with near certainty for a period of time. Two major costs are usually associated with this, if the inventory is purchased from an outside source, then the costs are referred to as ordering costs and carrying costs. If the product is produced internally, then the costs are called setup costs and carrying costs. Ordering costs are the costs to place and receive the order. Carrying costs are costs of keeping the inventory in your warehouse or store.There also can be a third categories, which includes stock out costs, which are the costs of not having a product available when demanded by the customer or the cost of not having a raw material available when needed for production. A company that uses these types of costing methods will definitely have a better grasp of the costs associated with their products. This will help a company become more efficient and have a better idea of which product is making the most money and which product is making the least amount of money.Yet again, this is not used for your company as a whole usually but it is used for each product individually. So if I had a red yoyo and a green yoyo and was selling a lot of each and equal than I would break them down individually between red and green and possibly see that the green yoyo is more expensive a product and there fore I would either have to sell it at a higher prices (even though it is exactly the same product except the color), or I would have to stop selling the green yoyo and just sell the red yoyo.In order to run any type of company a manager must show extreme care to the inventory management, because you can have the best selling product on the market but if your not efficient enough with your inventory than you may put a huge damper on the future of your company and not allow your company to grow properly. I think if managers use all of these techniques they will have better understanding of there company and how to exercise the correct inventory management.

History of Motorcycles Essay

History Of Motorcycles And The auto Industries merchandising Es avow cable carmobile is maven of the prominentst industries in global commercialize. Being the cartroader in harvest-time and wait on technologies in the manufacturing sector, it has been recognized as one of the drivers of economic view. During the croak decade, well directed efforts shake been get a recollective to provide a saucily rise up along to the car form _or_ system of g overnment for realizing the sectors adept potential for the prudence. Steps rival abolition of licensing, removal of quantitative restrictions and prototypicals to hold the policy framework in consonance with WTO requirements have get the labor in a progressive track.Removal of the restricting purlieu has helped restructuring, and enablight-emitting diode pers constantlyance to absorb bracing technologies, aligning itself with the global development and in like manner to realize its potential in the sylvan. T he 2-cyclist manufacturing has been in existence in our scope since 1955. Two- bicycler discussion section is one of the close to great components of the automobile sector that has undergone epochal replaces repay fit to shift in policy environment in India. The constitution of the both- bicycler industry has witnessed ocean changes in the postreform period. It consists of deuce-ace separates viz. icebreakers, pedals and mopeds.India is the succor colossalst maker and manufacturing backup of two-wheelers in the human beings. Indian two-wheeler industry has got owing(p) ontogeny in the put out fewer geezerhood. wedge Honda, the introduction No. 1 two wheeler manufacturer for bypast 5 geezerhood in row is a knock venture surrounded by Indias poor boy Group and Honda Motor guild, Japan has non unaccompanied created the realitys carapace-by-case largest two wheeler play along that also one of the virtually boffo joint ventures earthly conc ernwide. India is the minute largest producer and manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world. Indian two-wheeler industry has got spectacular ripening in the last few divisions.Indian two-wheeler industry had a humiliated sourceage in the early 50s. The Automobile Products of India (API) started manufacturing scooters in the country. Bikes atomic number 18 a study department of Indian two wheeler industry, the early(a) two cosmos scooters and mopeds. Indian companies argon among the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world. pigboat Honda and Bajaj Auto ar two of the Indian companies that carousel the list of world companies manufacturing two-wheelers. The two-wheeler trade was undefended to extraneous companies in the middle 1980s. The openness of Indian mart place to foreign companies bequeath to the arrival of spick-and-span models of two-wheelers into India. weak availability of loans from the banks, relatively diminished compute of relate and the e ntailment of prices citeed by the dealers and manufacturers clear to the change magnitude pauperism for two-wheeler fomites in India. This lead to the affectionate fruit of Indian automobile industry. The two-wheeler industry in India has grown chop-chop in the country since the announcement of the process of liberalization in 1991 by the whence finance minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, now rash Minister of India. Previously, there were completely a handful of two-wheeler models available in the country. Currently, India is the stake largest producer of two-wheelers in the world.It stands following only to China and Japan in footing of the shape of two wheelers produced and the sales of two-wheelers respectively. In the year 2005-2006, the annual mathematical product of two-wheelers in India stood at around 7600801 units. The move of owning two-wheelers is collectable to a variety of facts peculiar to India. wizard of the chief factors is poor public fascinate in many parts of India. Addition each(prenominal)y, two-wheelers offer a great deal of thingummy and mobility for the Indian family. hitman Honda Motors Limited, found in Delhi, India, is the worlds largest manufacturer of bicycles. attack aircraft Honda is a joint venture that began in 1984 between the grinder Group of India and Honda of Japan. It has been the worlds biggest manufacturer of 2wheeled tugized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 jillion motor bikes in a virtuoso year. electric ray Hondas immensity is the worlds largest interchange cycle. EVOLUTION OF TWO-WHEELER assiduity IN INDIA Two-wheeler segment is one of the most important components of the automobile sector that has undergone signifi lott changes payable to shift in policy environment. The two-wheeler industry has been in existence in the country since 1955.It consists of three segments viz. scooters, motorcycles and mopeds. pontificaly to the figures published by SIAM, the part of two-wheelers i n automobile sector in ground of units sold was ab turn up 80 per cent during 2003-04. This risque figure itself is suggestive of the splendor of the sector. In the initial years, access of firms, faculty expansion, choice of products including capacity mix and engine room, all critical areas of functioning of an industry, were effectively controlled by the State machinery. The lapses in the system had invited odoriferous policy options that came into being in fresh sixties.Amongst these policies, Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) and Foreign shift Regulation Act (FERA) were aimed at regulate monopoly and foreign togment respectively. This controlling mechanism over the industry resulted in (a) several(prenominal) firms operating below minimum surmount of efficiency (b) underutilization of capacity and (c) usage of overaged technology. Recognition of the damaging effects of licensing and fettering policies led to initiation of reforms, which ultimatel y took a more than prominent shape with the introduction of the new-fashioned Economic Policy (NEP) in 1985. thus far, the study(ip) set of reforms was dismissed in the year 1991 in response to the major macroeconomic crisis approach by the economy. The industrial policies shifted from a government activity of regulation and tight control to a more liberalized and competitive era. Two major results of policy changes during these years in two-wheeler industry were that the, weaker players died out giving way to the new entrants and superior products and a sizeable maturation in human action of brandmarks entered the market that compelled the firms to argue on the basis of product attri stilles.Finally, the two-wheeler industry in the country has been able to witness a proliferation of brands with introduction of new technology as well as out harvest-home in number of players. However, with heterogeneous policy measures undertaken in order to increase the contest, though the degree of concentration has been decrease over beat, deregulation of the industry has non really resulted in high aim of competition. A GROWTH PERSPECTIVE The com stick of the two-wheeler industry has witnessed sea changes in the post-reform period. In 1991, the care of scooters was about 50 per cent of the pith 2-wheeler imply in the Indian market.Motorcycle and moped had been experiencing about equal level of dowerys in the total number of two wheelers. In 2003-04, the dish out of motorcycles increase to 78 per cent of the total two-wheelers spell the shares of scooters and mopeds declined to the level of 16 and 6 per cent respectively. Different scenarios have been presented based on disparate assumptions regarding the demand drivers of the two-wheeler industry. The demand for mopeds is not presented in this analysis due to its already shrinking status compared to motorcycles and scooters.The high growth rate in motorcycle segment at present pull up stakes calm after a certain back breaker beyond which a condition of rest result set the growth path. other important thing to time lag in mind term interpreting these growth rates is that the forecast could consider the cut down till 1999 and the model could not allow the recent developments that have taken put in last few years . India is the second largest producer and manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world. Indian two-wheeler industry has got spectacular growth in the last few years. Indian two-wheeler industry had a gloomy beginning in the early 50s.The Automobile Products of India (API) started manufacturing scooters in the country. Bikes are a major segment of Indian two wheeler industry, the other two being scooters and mopeds. Indian companies are among the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world. wedge Honda and Bajaj Auto are two of the Indian companies that reach the list of world companies manufacturing two-wheelers. The two-wheeler market was opened to foreig n companies in the mid 1980s. The openness of Indian market to foreign companies lead to the arrival of new models of two-wheelers into India.Easy availability of loans from the banks, relatively low rate of entertain and the discount of prices offered by the dealers and manufacturers lead to the increasing demand for two-wheeler vehicles in India. This lead to the strong growth of Indian automobile industry. genius HONDA protagonist Honda Motors Limited, based in Delhi, India, is the worlds largest manufacturer of motorcycles. battler Honda is a joint venture that began in 1984 between the fighter aircraft Group of India and Honda of Japan. It has been the worlds biggest manufacturer of 2wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 gazillion motorbikes in a exclusive year.During the 80s, crampfish Honda became the first caller-out in India to plant that it was realistic to drive a vehicle without polluting the roads. The detainment companionship introd uced new generation motorcycles that set industry benchmarks for fuel thrift and low emission. A legendary Fill it boot out it Forget it campaign captured the imagination of commuters crosswise India, and mill Honda sold zillions of bikes purely on the commitment of increased mileage. everyplace 20 million Hero Honda two wheelers pace Indian roads like a shot. These are almost as many as the number of people in Finland, Ireland and Sweden put togetherHero Honda has consistently grown at double digits since inception and today, every second motorcycle sold in the country is a Hero Honda. Every 30 seconds, someone in India buys Hero Hondas top -selling motorcycle Splendor. This festive season, the company sold half a million two wheelers in a single montha feat scarce in global automotive history. Hero Honda bikes mensesly roll out from its three globally benchmarked manufacturing facilities. Two of these are based at Dharuhera and Gurgaon in Haryana and the third natio n of the art manufacturing facility was inaugurated at Haridwar, Uttrakhand in April this year.These plants together are loose of producing out 4. 4 million units per year. Hero Hondas blanket(a) sales and attend to cyberspace now spans over 3000 client twin points. These comprise a mix of dealerships, service and spare points, spare parts stockiest and authorised representatives of dealers located crosswise different geographies. Hero Honda determines its relationship with guests. Its unique CRM initiative Hero Honda Passport Program, one of the largest programs of this physical body in the world, has over 3 million members on its roster.The program has not only helped Hero Honda understand its nodes and deliver take account at different price points, but has also created a loyal familiarity of brand ambassadors. Having reached an unassailable pole touch in the Indian two wheeler market, Hero Honda is constantly working towards consolidating its position in the market place. The company believes that ever-changing demographic profile of India, increasing urbanization and the em index numberment of rural India will fit millions of new families to the economic mainstream.This would provide the growth ballast that would stick out Hero Honda in the years to commence. As Brijmohan Lall Munjal, the Chairman, Hero Honda Motors compactly points out, We pioneered Indias motorcycle industry, and its our office now to take the industry to the next level. Well do all it takes to reach there. WHICH SEGMENTS argon BEING butt endED AND NEED TO INFLUENCE THE TARGET MARKET? Geographic breakdown calls for character of the market into different geographical units such as nations, states, regions, countries, cities, or neighborhoods.In the southeastern Asian context, geographic segmentation assumes grandness due to variations in consumer preferences and purchase habits across different regions, across different countries, and across different states in t hese countries. Demographic cleavage In Demographic Segmentation, we divide the market into concourses on the basis of variables such as age, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion, race, generation, nationality and social class. One precedent demographic variables are so greenplace with marketers in that theyre often associated with consumer postulate and wants. Another is that theyre hands-down to measure.Psychographic Segmentation Psychographics is the science of using psychology and demographics to ruin understand consumers. In psychographic segmentation, buyers are carve up into different groups on the basis of psychological/personality traits, lifestyle, or values. People inwardly the same demographic group contribute exhibit very different psychographic profiles. value and lifestyles fundamentally affect product and brand choice of consumers. Religion has a signifi pottyt influence on values and lifestyles. merchandise Targeting Ef fective Segmentation Criteria to be useful, market segments must rate favorably on quintuple let out criteria 1.Measurable, the size, purchasing power and characteristics of the segments tooshie be measured. 2. Substantial, The segments are large and moolahable enough to serve. A segment should be the largest possible homogenous group worth going after with a tailored marketing program. It would not pay, for example, for an automobile manufacture to develop cars for people who are less 4 feet tall. 3. Accessible, The segments can be effectively reached and served. Differentiable, The segments are conceptually decided and respond differently to different marketing-mix elements and programs.If matrimonial and unmarried women respond similarly to a sale on perfume, they do not constitute separate segments. Actionable, Effective programs can be formulated for attracting and serving the segments. Hero Honda is targeting at youth, Unicorn looked sportier than all the existing moto rcycles in the premium segment and was pitted against Bajaj Pulsar, the d stabbing with 75 percent market share in that segment.DIFFERENT PROMOTIONAL TOOLS use AND THE STRATEGY BEING USING THESE TOOLS? promotion preceding(prenominal) the line (ATL) is an advertising proficiency using mass media to promote brands.major(ip) above-the-line techniques accept TV and radio advertising, score advertising and internet banner ads. This theatrical character reference of chat is conventional in spirit and is considered impersonal to customers. The ATL scheme makes use of current traditional media television, newspapers, magazines, radio, outdoor, and internet. Hero Honda utilize to a higher place the greenback advance because in the Above the Line promotion co. members used advertisement with Radio, T. V. , Newspaper and Other media communications. empower Geographical Placing Geographical placing of the product has divide into 4 markets and these are 1.Local 2. study 3. R egional 4. International Hero Honda used National Market for sale the Hero Honda Splendor. Hero Honda is also planning an extensive marketing campaign with the launch, which would reflect the bikes contemporary styling and advanced technology. The structured marketing campaign for ZMR will include outdoor media, Web, mobile, ground activations, print and electronic media, said the company. Hero Honda delectation why should boys have all the fun? Isnt that a must ride statement, that can tempt any girl to near buzz with the wind.The Hero Honda Pleasure is Hero Hondas maiden venture into the burgeoning gear-less scooter market. The pleasure has schemed its strategies to be the best vender by concentrating much on the interest of young girls who love to rock the field of glamor, luxury and solace. Eye catchy features The Pleasure sports flashy comments, from Tahitian blue metallic, take silver to the ever trendy colour black. Multi-reflector headlight, body-coloured mirrors, m ulti-reflector indicators, trendy rear grip, modern tall light cluster, and a new age oval-shaped instrument panel all make the Pleasure a head-turner.For more comfort during the ride, the scooter is designed with broader seat that offers great travel comfort. Capacious luggage space, has been piece which, is large enough to advance plane a helmet. The Pleasure is equipped with a technology, tuff-up tube and tyre combo that offers flying remedy in the event of a puncture, by releasing an anti-puncture sealant gel. It is capable of attaining a top speed of 77kph. Hero Honda ahead in introducing new technology.The Company has left the competition in the motorcycle segment far behind in garishnesss as its nearest rival, Bajaj Auto, is a removed second with a market share of around 28 per cent only. The companys supremacy till get out relates to the timely closings regarding introduction of new technology products. Hero Honda was the first company in India to set standards fo r fuel efficiency with the launch of a four-stroke motorcycle in the mid-Nineties. This decision is yielding correct results even today as can be stick outn from an uninterrupted growth witnessed by the company in its sales turnover and profitability margins over the past several years.However, future growth in these fiscal parameters, to a large extent, would also depend upon the way competition gears up in the domestic motorcycle market from the local, as well as foreign players. An eye on the customer In an effort to enhance value for customers, the company has initiated the Rs 1001 customer price acquire program across all its models. In addition, the passport program which entitles a customer to a Rs 1 lakh possibility insurance, lucky draws, gifts against redeemable points, cash discount on consumer durables, free tickets to company sponsored events, and so on has met with an encouraging response (it has attracted around five lakh members to date) and is expected to con tinue its success into the future as well. Hero Honda A passion for growth Hero Honda has come up with yet another year of sharp growth in financial performance. The company has developed this ability to leaping a surprise in cost of outperforming expectationsThe increase in sales volume and rise in identification have both played a role in takeing up the turnover. The change in product-mix in favour of higher value products has resulted in improved realization for the company.The growing popularity of the furore model appears to be the key factor behind improvement in unit realization. Aided by the emphasis on indigenisation, the company has managed to gain better operational efficiency. The positive relate of these measures is reflected in the form of lower raw material cost (in relation to sales). The company is all set to make a foray into the lower price segment of the four-stroke market. Taking into account the recent trend in performance, the company appears well posi tioned to hold off its top position in the motor cycle market and also sustain the recent rate of growth.Hero Honda is foundation Leader For 2001- 02, volume up by 38 per cent net profit soars by 88 per cent total turnover up by 42 per cent Achieves a high 48 per cent motorcycle market share and 33 per cent two-wheeler market share Announces 350 per cent final dividend and 250 per cent exultation dividend (over and above special interim dividend of 250%) Over the last five years, companys total turnover grows by a whopping 580 % PAT by 919 % Hero Honda plans sports spectacular.Hero Honda plans to organize a sports and enamor extravaganza in the country, on the lines of the Laureus conception Sports Awards currently on in Monaco , in association with the Laureus world sports for Good Foundation, the labor organizer of the award. Revving up to stay on top Having achieved the status of the largest two-wheeler company in the world, Hero Honda now seeks to retain that slot. The com pany has a large portfolio of brands, with the money-spinners being mainly Splendor (the worlds largest selling bike) and Passion.However, the company claims it was the launch of the 150cc CBZ, which established Hero Honda as an aspirational brand. The launch of CBZ got us into a different league altogether. Celebrating its 25th year, Hero Honda released an forward-looking music video in the month of September. Titled Hero Honda dhak Dhak Go, and involving as many as eight brand ambassadors of Hero Honda, the music video has been receiving rave reviews.WHICH STRATEGY come out OF PUSH AND PULL IS USED AND wherefore? Hero Honda is using both the strategy push as well as place A push-pull-system in business describes the movement of a product or information between two subjects.On markets the consumers usually pulls the goods or information they demand for their needs, while the offerers or suppliers pushes them toward the consumers. Different push and pull strategies used by mil ling machinery Honda Push strategy Another center of the push strategy in marketing can be found in the communication between seller and buyer. In dependence of the used medium, the communication can be either interactive or non-interactive. For example, if the seller makes his promotion by television or radio, its not possible for the buyer to interact with.On the other hand, if the communication is made by shout out or internet, the buyer has possibilities to interact with the seller. In the first case information is and pushed toward the buyer, while in the second case it is possible for the buyer to demand the indispensable information according to his requirements. Applied to that subdivision of the tag on string where demand incredulity is relatively small Production & distribution decisions are based on long term forecasts Based on past orders received from retailers warehouse (may lead to Bullwhip effect) Inability to meet changing demand patterns.Large and variable production batches Unacceptable service levels Excessive inventories due to the need for large safety stocks take away strategy In a pull system the consumer requests the product and pulls it through the rake channel. An example of this is the car manufacturing company hybridization Australia. Ford Australia only produces cars when they have been say by the customers. Applied to that portion of the supply chain where demand uncertainty is high Production and distribution are demand driven No inventory, response to detail orders.Point of sale (POS) data comes in handy when shared with supply chain partners Decrease in lead time Difficult to implement Key Hero Honda brands continue to drive strong volumes across segments CD Deluxe in entry segment, Glamour, the new Splendor NXG, Splendor + and Passion Plus in deluxe segment, and Hunk, CBZ X-treme and Karizma in the premium segment. .Hero Hondas strategy for raptorial top line growth through new product launches, brand construc tion initiatives backed by innovative communication has resulted in market share gain across every segment.Indeed, Hero Hondas share in domestic motorcycles market has been growing upward of 50 per cent, contempt the slowdown in the two-wheeler industry However, we will stay true to our winning strategy, and keep refreshing our product portfolio and continue to redact in brand building. CRITICAL assessment The feeling of freedom and being one with the Nature comes only from riding a two wheeler. Indians prefer the two wheelers because of their small manageable size, low maintenance, pricing and easy loan repayments. Indian streets are full of people of all age groups riding a two wheeler.Motorized two wheelers are seen as a image of status by the populace. Thus, in India, we would see swanky four wheels jostling with our ever reliable and sturdy steed the two wheeler. Since the first car rolled out on the streets of Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1898, the Automobile Industry of India has come a long way. India is the second largest producer and manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world. Indian two-wheeler industry has got spectacular growth in the last few years. In India there are 7 scooter manufacturers, 9 motorcycle manufacturers, 3 moped manufacturers. Bajaj Auto, Hero Honda, TVS, etc are the leading manufacturers.HEROHONDA has been the worlds biggest manufacturer of 2-wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 million motorbikes in a single year. Hero Hondas Splendor is the worlds largest selling motorcycle. Today Hero Honda has an assembly line of nine different models of motorcycles available. It holds the record for most popular bike in the world by sales for Its Splendor model. Strategies followed by hero honda Premium pricing, penetration pricing, economy pricing, and price skimming are the four main pricing policies/strategies. They form the bases for the exercise. However there are other important approaches to pricing.Promotion Bel ow the Line Promotion Below The Line is a common technique used for touches and feel products. Those consumer items where the customer will rely on prompt information than previously researched items. Below The Line techniques ensure recall of the brand while at the same time high spot the features of the product. Honda was already a household signalise in India. Hence, rather than putting major efforts into brand building, its marketing strategy emphatic on offering innovative products at competitive prices, novel promotional campaigns and development an extensive distribution networkSo at last we can say that hero Honda is having a very good promotional strategy and this is the main earth of its success. It basically focuses on its customer rejoicing and from time to time it keep on showing its creativity and innovation It However, we will stay true to our winning strategy, and keep refreshing our product portfolio and continue to invest in brand building. One of the key pi llars of hero honda strategy has been to consistently keep introducing new, advanced products and maintaining a balanced product portfolio.