Traffic Information Surveys

Chapter – 4PRELIMINARY SURVEYS AND DATA COLLECTIONIn the chapter 3, we have discussed about the aim and methodological analysis adopted for the work. In this chapter, traffic studies which are to be conducted and the demand of the studies for explicating the indexes of the mobility are briefly explained. The chapter is organized into two parts which consists of, Preliminary studies are conducted for the informations aggregation and the 2nd portion consists of secondary informations aggregation, which is obtained from assorted beginnings.4.1. Traffic SurveiesThe undermentioned preliminary studies were conducted for developing index.Traffic volume count studySpeed and hold surveiesRoad stock list studyOpinion study4.1.1. Traffic volume count studyTraffic volume count studies are conducted to acquire the accurate values and information about the sum of vehicles go throughing through the study country. Need of traffic volume count study: Traffic volume count studies are used to: [ 6 ]Traffic tendencies can be established by mensurating the traffic volume.To find the one-year travel clip in vehicle kilometres for the bing system and based on it economic justification can be provided for new proposals.Highway user costs, grosss can be estimated.In the present survey, classified volume count studies were conducted at the beginning and the finish of the identified stretch Need for Classified volume count study: [ 6 ]Components of Geometric design of main roads such as breadth of lanes, design of inclines, clearances for overhead constructions ; classs etc. are dependent on the categorization of the vehicles and its volume on the route.Pavement deign, design of Bridgess and design of other substructure installations on the route requires informations about classified volume count.Volume to the capacity, normally termed as V/C ratio can be determined merely on the footing of classified volume count.Classified volume count at peak hours throws visible radiation on the lacks of the systemsTo supply justification for the regulative steps such as, one-way streets, routing of traffic, parking installations.Traffic volume informations is really much of import in traffic, deign, planning, operation and research intents. Traffic volume Count Survey is conducted at identified midblock for 8 hours of the twenty-four hours covering both forenoon and eventide extre mum and off-peak hours. Behavior of the study: Manual traffic counts were conducted at the identified midblock of beginning ( Sunkadakatte ) and finish ( K.R.Puram ) of the stretch selected for 8 hours of the twenty-four hours. At each midblock, both directional classified traffic volume count study were conducted for the computation of public presentation indexs. Analysis of the informations: The traffic volume count informations collected from the field is scrutinized and the values are analyzed, where the information is analyzed. The entire volume is converted to Passenger auto units ( PCU ) as per IRC: 106-1990 to find the volume of the route to its capacity given in the codification.Vehicle TypeEquivalent PCU factors- Percentage composing of vehicles type in traffic watercourseFast Vehicles5 %10 % and above1. Two Wheeler motor rhythm / scooter0.50.752. Passenger auto, choice – up new wave1.01.03. Auto-rickshaw1.22.04. Light commercial vehicle1.42.05. Truck or Bus2.23.76. Agricultural Tractor Trailer4.05.0Slow vehicles7. Cycle0.40.58.Cycle jinrikisha1.52.09. Tonga ( Horse drawn vehicles )1.52.010. Hand cart2.03.0Table 4.1: PCU factors for assorted types of vehicles [ 7 ] ( Beginning: Table 1: Recommended PCU factors for assorted types of vehicles on urban roads. IRC: 106-1990 [ 7 ] ) End product of the survey: The obtained PCU/HR for both Peak and off–Peak hours are analyzed and the Volume/Capacity is calculated for the finding of the public presentation index.4.1.2. Speed and hold surveiesTravel velocity is reciprocally relative to go clip. The travel clip survey provides informations for the sum of clip required to track a specified subdivision of route web. These types of informations provide information about velocity, hold informations. Travel clip and hold features are good indexs of the degree of service that is provided and can be used to mensurate the efficiency of the traffic flow. The velocity and hold surveies yields the informations about mean journey clip, mean journey velocity, norm stopped hold, mean running clip, entire stopped hold and mean running velocity along the stretch studied. Need of Speed and hold surveies:Speed and hold surveies can supply information on the sum, location, nature of hold and cause for the hold. Congestion can be evaluated and can be rectified by traffic and other ordinances.Congestion index, Travel clip index are all dependant on the travel clip, which is obtained by the velocity and hold surveies.Behavior of the study: Out of the assorted available methods for transporting out velocity and hold surveies, drifting auto method / Test-Car technique method is used for the current undertaking. Two trial tallies are conducted to find velocity and hold for both peak and off-peak hr of the twenty-four hours. Analysis of the informations: The volume count informations collected from the field is scrutinized and the information is analyzed. The mean journey clip( in proceedingss ) for all the vehicles in the watercourse along the way of flow Q is given by equation 4.1 and 4.2 [ 5 ] = Ttungsten– ( nY/q ) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4.1 Q = ( na+nY) / ( Ta+ Ttungsten) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦..†¦4.2 Where, Q = flow of vehicles along one way of the watercourse. Na= mean figure of vehicles counted in the way of the watercourse when the trial vehicle travels in the opposite way. NY= mean figure of vehicles catching the trial vehicle minus the figure of vehicles overtaken when the trial vehicle is in the way of Q. Ta= mean journey clip, in minute when the trial vehicle is running against the watercourse Q. Ttungsten= mean journey clip, in minute when the trial vehicle is running with the watercourse Q. ( Mention: Highway Engineering, S.K.Khanna and C.E.G.Justo ) [ 5 ] End product of the survey Delaies along the stretch are obtained and the type and ground for the holds are besides obtained.4.1.3. Road Inventory SurveyRoad stock list study is conducted to update the database of the bing route web. Behavior of the study: For the selected stretch, ocular stock list was conducted and the undermentioned stock lists of the installation have been done.Identified subdivision length.Effective route breadth.Presence of median.Quality of siting surfacePresence of intersection installations.Handiness of foot way installations.Parking installations.Identified subdivision lengthTwo test tallies were conducted from Sunkadakatte to K.R.Puram and back, to find the effectual subdivision length between the beginning and finish and it is has been found out to be 26kms.Effective route breadth.Road breadth available for the vehicular motion is calculated for every 250m utilizing tape and is represented as below in the graph. It is classified as route width holding breadth & A ; gt ; 7.5m, breadth & A ; lt ; 7.5m, Width & A ; gt ; 10.5m. Graph indicates that 41 % of the route in the identified stretch has effectual route breadth & A ; gt ; 7.5m, 25 % has less than 7.5m, and 34 % has greater than 10.5m. Figure 4.1: Road width ClassificationPresence of median.Majority of the route which comes under identified subdivision has median, approximately 86 % of the stretch has average and it is absent or removed for approximately 14 % of the subdivision, due to the building of subway and other infrastructural activity. Figure 4.2: Median HandinessQuality of siting surfaceQuality of siting surface is evaluated by Pavement rating [ 8 ] by ocular observations. Following process is followed to measure the quality of siting surface. 5 Pavement like new 4 Many old ages of service life 3 Near to or necessitating Rehabilitation 2 Should hold been rehabilitated in the last twosome of old ages 1 Should hold been rehabilitated many old ages 0 ago Figure 4.3: Quality of siting surface Based on the above process siting quality is evaluated and is found out to be 3.71 for the full stretch.Presence of intersection installations.For the stretch of 26kms there are about 39 signalized intersections.Handiness of foot way installationsRoad stock list surveies are conducted to mensurate the handiness of footpath length and this has installation has been described briefly under Walkability index in chapter 4Parking installationsParking length on the on-street has been carried out to find the On-street parking index. This installation has been described briefly under On-street parking index in chapter 4.4.2. Secondary Data CollectionThe secondary informations required for the survey is collected from the assorted beginnings and informations collected from assorted authorities sections are as follows:Bangalore City Traffic Police.Accident statistics informations is obtained from Bangalore City Traffic Police.Regional Transport Office, Bangalore. ( RTO )Datas about Vehicles en rollment and the growing of vehicles for the decennaries is obtained from RTO, Bangalore.Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation ( BMTC )Datas abut coach fleet size, figure of agendas, figure of riders carried per twenty-four hours is obtained from BMTC, Bangalore.

Teen Mom Evaluation

Rachel Lee Prof. Goode English 190 October 24, 2012 Teen Mom: An Evaluation Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine. You’re just going to have to change the rest of your life. Many people think teen pregnancy is highly unlikely, until, well, your stomach starts to keep growing outward. The MTV show, Teen Mom, takes us into the lives of four pregnant teenage women who face the challenges and the struggles of having a child early in life.Many people might oppose my view and say that this show is completely worthless and just shows couples who have no idea what they’re doing, but for me, I believe that the show is an entertaining yet positive influence that brings out a visual reality of teenage pregnancy, a pregnancy that can change the rest of your life. One day back when I was around sixteen years old, I was flipping through the channels and stumbled upon MTV’s Teen Mom. The first thing that I realize about the show is that it is a reality t. v. show, which is the type of show I can usually get into.There may be some parts that are scripted, but honestly what reality t. v. show these days isn’t somewhat a little scripted? At first, the show had no effect on me. It was something I would only watch for around ten minutes then I would change to another channel, but before I knew it I had already watched all the seasons of it. Now Teen Mom is a guilty pleasure of mine. So what makes this show so easy for me to watch, and why do I like it so much now? First off, it’s not a show where you have to watch the very first episode and the next one picks off where the pervious one left off.You could watch any episode and understand what was going on. Another reason is that the show is so relatable since it is happening to girls who are around my age. I think back to my group of friends when watching the show and just think about what it would be like to have one of them on it. Also, the point of the show is very straight-forward . A girl gets pregnant while she a teen, she loses friendships, she loses her education, she loses money, and she gains disappointment from her family. Then you try to see how she copes with what happened, and how she continues to live her life, but this time with a child.Another thing that draws me to it is that I am a sucker for cute toddlers, and the show focuses not only on the lives of the couples but also on the child and how they develop through the parents’ struggles. I believe that the show scares teens with the reality of having a child. I think this show could be very practical for people who are in the same situation as the people on the show. I think this show was made to bring about peoples’ awareness of the issue on teenage pregnancy. To me, I think this was the purpose of the show, so the show has practicality.I think the show does a good job of being aesthetically pleasing. Instead of just focusing on one couple who undergoes the struggle of teen pregn ancy, they show the lives of four couples from around the world so you get a difference sense of how different people deal with this. The couples range from being well rounded and proper southern teenagers to teenagers who have no filter on their mouths and no discipline in their lives, which is a reason the show is entertaining for me. Each episode is never the same.There is always some new event going on in the lives of these teenagers, whether it’s a positive event or a negative event. The life of these teens seems to be an up and down rollercoaster that never stops. There is meaning to this show which is to inform people about teenage pregnancy so they will avoid it, and through the episodes you see that these teens learned that lesson, but learned it too late. Ethically, I believe that the show does bring about morally wrong decisions. One of the main women, Amber, is seen as an abusive wife to her husband, Gary.Throughout the season she is seen hitting, slapping, pushin g, and verbally abusing him. When things go downhill, she seems to take it out on him in front of their child, Leah. Also another woman, Farrah is seen in countless fights with her mother, some involving punches to the face resulting in black eyes, so domestic violence and abuse seem to be an issue with the show. Also, another woman on the show has a father who is seen in and out of rehab and prison due to drugs. The father has also been said to have abused his wife throughout the show.With this being said, there are some obscene events that do go on throughout the show that could offend some viewers. If you’re looking for a show that goes into the glamorous lifestyle of a famous family or couple, this probably would not be the show for you, but if you’re looking for a show that provides an entertaining look into the lives of your average teenage couple who deal with an everyday struggle, I would highly recommend this show. Some people may see the show as a comedy, but underneath it all it gives them the hard and scary truth about what it would be like to be a teen mom. Related post: Social Studies SBA on Teenage Pregnancy

SPSS analysis on modern portfolio theory-optimal portfolio strategies in today’s capital market

Abstract This paper provides information on specific ideas embedded in single index model/construction of optimal portfolios compared to the classic Markowitz model. Important arguments are presented regarding the validity of these two models. The researcher utilises SPSS analysis to demonstrate important research findings. This type of analysis is conducted to explore the presence of any significant statistical difference between the variance of the single index model and the Markowitz model. The paper also includes implications for investors. Introduction In the contemporary environment involving business investments, selecting appropriate investments is a relevant task of most organisations. Rational investors try to minimise risks as well as maximise returns on their investments (Better, 2006). The ultimate goal is to reach a level identified as optimal portfolios. The focus in this process is on initiating the portfolio selection models, which are essential for optimising the work of investors. Research shows that the Markowitz model is the most suitable model for conducting stock selection, as this is facilitated through the use of a full covariance matrix (Bergh and Rensburg, 2008). The importance of this study reflects in the application of different models so as to develop adequate portfolios in organisations. It is essential to compare certain models because investors may be provided with sufficient knowledge about how they can best construct their portfolios. In this context, the precise variance of the portfolio selection model is important, as it reflects portfolio risk (Bergh and Rensburg, 2008). Information on the parameters of different models is significant to make the most appropriate decisions regarding portfolio creation. Markowitz is a pioneer in the research on portfolio analysis, as his works have contributed to enhancing investors’ perspectives on the available options regarding specific models of constructing optimal portfolios (Fernandez and Gomez, 2007). Research Methodology The research question presented in this study referred to the exploration of ideas embedded in single index model/construction of optimal portfolios and comparing them with the classic Markowitz model. The focus was on the construction of optimal portfolios, as the researcher was concerned with the evaluation of constructed portfolios with specific market parameters (Better, 2006). Moreover, the researcher paid attention to the stock market price index, including stocks of organisations distributed in three major sectors: services, financial, and industrial (Fernandez and Gomez, 2007). The behaviour of this index was explored through the implementation of SPSS analysis. The data covered a period of seven years, starting on January 1, 2000 and ending on December 31, 2006. It was essential to evaluate the effectiveness parameters of the single index model/construction of optimal portfolios and the Markowitz model. The criteria for the selection of companies included that all organisati ons shared the same fiscal year (ending each year on December 31) as well as they have not demonstrated any change in position. Results and Data Analysis The research methodology utilised in the study is based on the model of single index/optimal portfolios and the Markowitz model. The exploration of the relationship between these two models required the selection of 35 equally weighted optimal portfolios, as two sizes of portfolio were outlined. An approximate number of 10 optimal portfolios represented the first size, which further generated 12 portfolios. In addition, the researcher considered the option of simulating of optimal portfolios represented at second sizes (Bergh and Rensburg, 2008). The criterion of queuing randomise portfolio selection has been used to generate approximate 23 portfolios from the second size category. The researcher selected five and 10 stocks to analyse the data. The portfolio size split allowed the researcher to explore how the portfolio size could be used to affect the relationship between the single index model/optimal portfolios and the Markowitz model (Fernandez and Gomez, 2007). Results of testin g the data are provided in the table below: Optimal portfolio numberVariance of Single Index ModelVariance of the Markowitz ModelOptimal portfolio numberVariance of the Single Index ModelVariance of the Markowitz Model 100.00370.003950.00210.0023 100.00140.001750.00280.0038 100.00210.002850.00420.0051 100.00200.002150.00250.0030 100.00310.003550.00260.0024 100.00190.001950.00330.0038 100.00880.008650.00670.0071 100.00280.003750.00370.0053 100.00250.002450.00380.0043 100.00220.002350.00210.0020 100.00190.002050.00630.0061 100.00230.002650.02120.0202 Table 1: Variance of Five and 10 Optimal Portfolios Based on the results provided in the table, it can be concluded that the variance between the single index model/construction of optimal portfolios and the Markowitz model is similar. For instance, values of 0.0020 and 0.0019 for the variance of the two models are similar. This means that the results do not show substantial statistical differences between the two models. The tables below contain a descriptive summary of the results presented in the previous table: MeasureSingle Index ModelMarkowitz Model Mean0.00440.0047 Minimal0.00210.0020 Maximum0.02120.0202 Standard Deviation0.00370.0035 Table 2: Descriptive Summary of 10 Optimal Portfolios The results in Table 2 were derived from testing the performance of 10 optimal portfolios. It has been indicated that the mean for the single index model of 10 portfolios is 0.0044, while the mean for the Markowitz model is 0.0047, implying an insignificant statistical difference. The minimal value of the single index model is reported at 0.0021, while the minimal value of the Markowitz model is 0.0020. The difference is insignificant. The maximum value of the single index model is 0.0212, while the same value of the Markowitz model is 0.0202. Based on these values, it can be argued that there is a slight difference existing between the two models. The standard deviation of the single index model is 0.0037, while the standard deviation of the Markowitz model is 0.0035, which also reflects an insignificant statistical difference. MeasureSingle Index ModelMarkowitz Model Mean0.00280.0031 Minimal0.00140.0017 Maximum0.00880.0086 Standard Deviation0.00200.0019 Table 3: Descriptive Summary of 5 Optimal Portfolios Table 3 provides the results for five optimal portfolios. These results are similar to the ones reported previously (10 optimal portfolios). The mean for the single index model of 5 optimal portfolios is 0.0028, while the mean for the Markowitz model is 0.0031, implying an insignificant statistical difference. There are insignificant differences between the two models regarding other values, such as minimal and maximum value as well as standard deviation. Furthermore, the researcher performed an ANOVA analysis of 10 optimal portfolios, which are presented in the table below. It has been indicated that the effective score for the single index model and the Markowitz model is almost the same. Yet, an insignificant difference was reported between the two means and standard deviations for both models. ANOVA AnalysisSum of squaresDfConditionMeanStandard DeviationStandard Error MeanFSig. Between Groups.00011.000.003125.0018704.0005399.089.768 Within Groups.000222.000.002892.0019589.0005655 Total.00023 Table 4: ANOVA Analysis for the Variance between the Single Index Model and the Markowitz Model of 10 Portfolios From the conducted analysis, it can be also concluded that the F-test presents an insignificant statistical value, implying that the researcher rejected the hypothesis of a significant difference existing between portfolio selections with regards to risk in both models used in the study (Fernandez and Gomez, 2007). Hence, the hypothesis of a significant difference between the variance of the single index model and the Markowitz model was rejected (Lediot and Wolf, 2003). In the table below, the researcher provided the results of an ANOVA analysis conducted on five optimal portfolios: ANOVA AnalysisSum of SquaresDfConditionMeanStandard DeviationStandard Error MeanFSig. Between Groups.00011.000.004852.0036535.0007618.096.758 Within Groups.001442.000.004509.0038595.0008048 Total.00145 Table 5: ANOVA Analysis for the Variance between the Single Index Model and the Markowitz Model of 5 Portfolios The results from Table 5 show that the variance between the single index model and the Markowitz model of five optimal portfolios is almost the same. Regardless of the stock number in the selected optimal portfolios, there is no significant statistical difference between the single index model and the Markowitz model. The main finding based on the reported data is that the single index model/construction of optimal portfolios is similar to the Markowitz model with regards to the formation of specific portfolios (Bergh and Rensburg, 2008). As indicated in this study, the precise number of stocks in the constructed optimal portfolios does not impact the final result of comparing the two analysed models. The fact that these models are not significantly different from each other can prompt investors to use the most practical approach in constructing optimal portfolios (Haugen, 2001). Placing an emphasis on efficient frontiers is an important part of investors’ work, as they are focused on generating the most efficient portfolios at the lowest risk. As a result, optimally selected portfolios would be able to generate positive returns for organisations. This applies to both the single index model and the Markowitz model (Fernandez and Gomez, 2007). Conclusion and Implications of Research Findings The results obtained in the present study are important for various parties. Such results may be of concern to policy makers, investors as well as financial market participants. In addition, the findings generated in the study are similar to findings reported by other researchers in the field (Bergh and Rensburg, 2008). It cannot be claimed that either of the approaches has certain advantages over the other one. Even if the number of stocks is altered, this does not reflect in any changes of the results provided by the researcher in this study. Yet, the major limitation of the study is associated with the use of monthly data. It can be argued that the use of daily data would be a more viable option to ensure accuracy, objectivity as well as adherence to strict professional standards in terms of investment (Better, 2006). In conclusion, the similarity of the single index model and the Markowitz model encourage researchers to use both models equally because of their potential to generate optimal portfolios. Moreover, the lack of significant statistical differences between the variance of the single index model and the Markowitz model can serve as an adequate basis for investors to demonstrate greater flexibility in the process of making portfolio selection decisions (Haugen, 2001). The results obtained in the study were used to reject the hypotheses that were initially presented. As previously mentioned, the conducted F-test additionally indicates that the single index model and the Markowitz model are almost similar in scope and impact (Fernandez and Gomez, 2007). Investors should consider that portfolio selection models play an important role in determining the exact amount of risk taking while constructing optimal portfolios. Hence, investors are expected to thoroughly explore those models while they select their portfolios (Garlappi et al., 2007). Both individual and institutional investors can find the results generated in this study useful to facilitate their professional practice. A possible application of the research findings should be considered in the process of embracing new investment policies in the flexible organisational context (Bergh and Rensburg, 2008). Future research may extensively focus on the development of new portfolio selection models that may further expand the capacity of organisations to improve their performance on investment risk taking indicators. References Bergh, G. and Rensburg, V. (2008). ‘Hedge Funds and Higher Moment Portfolio Performance Appraisals: A General Approach’. Omega, vol. 37, pp. 50-62. Better, M. (2006). ‘Selecting Project Portfolios by Optimizing Simulations’. The Engineering Economist, vol. 51, pp. 81-97. Fernandez, A. and Gomez, S. (2007). ‘Portfolio Selection Using Neutral Networks’. Computers & Operations Research, vol. 34, pp. 1177-1191. Garlappi, L., Uppal, R., and Wang, T. (2007). ‘Portfolio Selection with Parameter and Model Uncertainty: A Multi-Prior Approach’. The Review of Financial Studies, vol. 20, pp. 41-81. Haugen, R. (2001). Modern Investment Theory. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Lediot, O. and Wolf, M. (2003). ‘Improved Estimation of the Covariance Matrix of Stock Returns with an Application to Portfolio Selection’. Journal of Finance, vol. 10, pp. 603-621.

Tthe Magic Lantern Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tthe Magic Lantern - Essay Example In addition, it is important to present the perspective of the author to be able to understand the priorities and the attention he had given in the different events that he had written about. This is also important in determining the message of every chapter in the book The Author, Timothy Ash Timothy Garton Ash is an author of political and historical subjects. He is known for writing 9 books in the subject referred to as having the perspective of ‘history of the present.’ His favorite topics include the transformation of Europe in the past 3 decades. He is a recognized expert in the subject because he is an Isaiah Berlin Professorial Fellow at the St Anthony College and a Professor of the European Studies in the University of Oxford both located in Oxford. In addition, he is a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution in Stanford University. He is also a regular contributor for the New York Review of Books and the Guardian (Timothy Garton Ash Website – Biography). Timothy Ash published his first book in 1981 entitled â€Å"Und willst Du nicht mein Bruder sein†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which is about West and East Germany. Ever since his first book, he had contributed significantly in the modern history through his different books which includes The Magic Lantern. Most of his writings discuss politics and history in the European region. He presented events in a modern and unique perspective that can influence the public view and interest (Timothy Garton Ash Website – Biography). Analysis of the Book The Magic Lantern is an account of the 1989 revolution that affected the European region. The accounts of the author relayed in the book is include events such as the first free parliamentary election in Poland and the liberation of Czechoslovakia as through the collaboration of the bohemian intellectuals and the Catholic clerics (Ash 11). The book in general presented an account of the challenges of Europe specifically in the period of struggle. The book was focused on 1989 revolutions that resulted to the overthrow of communism. It was considered greatly interesting since the presentation of the author is very personal. He gave accounts of being spectator in an even of the revolutions that took place in the Eastern Europe. Through his manner of writing it can be considered that he has the capability to present a view from the outside of the event and from the inside which had been important in the presentation of the events in the book. The first chapter which is entitled Witness and History serves as the introduction of the book. This is largely about the events in Poland. The chapter can be considered as an initial view of the author’s capability to describe the event which he is observing. Ash was able to present tangible representations of his presence which increases the credibility of his accounts (Ash 11). There are lines that are full of meaning for the author such as â€Å"springtime of only two nations, Polan d and Hungary†¦but the other four states of what was misleadingly called Eastern Europe were still frozen in various kinds of dictatorship† (Ash 13). In the said statement, the Ash can be considered as a historian that uses artistic words and figurative language to mask strong and critical messages in his writing. This can be viewed as either an intelligent method to challenge the intellectual readers or confusing

Strategic Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Strategic Marketing - Essay Example Corporate strategy makers should focus on identifying the synergies existing between different operating units. For this purpose, most successful organizations develop their marketing strategy in tune with the corporate strategy for the whole company. Different companies accomplish this goal in a multitude of ways and there exists considerable debate regarding the method in which the strategies for functional activities of the firm might be coherently developed with the corporate strategy of the firm (Furrer, 2010). However, one action is found to be common among most of the companies around the globe. Their executive board, which is responsible for framing the organizational corporate strategy, consists of representative members from all the functional areas within the firm (Raynor, 2007). The fact that is implied in this context is that the importance of marketing in corporate decision making goes unchallenged. Marketing activities make one of the largest contributions among other functional activities. In this section of the paper, the importance of marketing in corporate strategy is explored. ... Such synchronization might be made and mismatches between the product development strategy and marketing strategy might be minimized if the basic marketing framework is chalked out centrally by the executive board of the organization (Collis, n.d.). Evidence brief (organize the evidence) Corporate strategy making is an important function for any growth oriented firm. Often, marketers and critics make a fine distinction between the ‘business strategy’ and ‘corporate strategy’ of an organization. Commonly, in business terms, business strategy is the set of strategies developed by strategists in an organization in order to ensure that none of the different business ventures of organizations become successful as individual business units. The strategy adopted by a single strategic business unit (SBU) within a diversified organization is known as the business strategy. But, corporate strategy deals with the operations of the organization as a whole. Therefore, bu siness strategy might be considered as a part of the corporate strategy. Discussions regarding corporate strategy are always made parallel to the mechanisms that run within the entire organization (Ignatiuk, 2009). This implies that all functions within the organization have to be considered while making the firm’s corporate strategy. Distinctive components within the corporate strategy link the different parts of the organization and act as the driving force behind enhancing corporate interaction. Various evidences show that a successful corporate strategy is a compilation of seven different strategic fields. Each one of the field is strongly demarcated from one another and each one of them holds a specific importance within the sphere of corporate

History and Organizations of Project Management Essay

History and Organizations of Project Management - Essay Example How did the PM go from 0 to the speed of light in the last few years? Well, technology has surely paved the way, but cooperation among PMs has been the key to understanding the critical need to communicate and integrate work across multiple departments and professions. One of the earliest uses of technology in the field of PM was the introduction of the Gantt Chart. This simple visual aid was introduced in 1917 while Henry Gantt studied the management of Navy ship construction during WWI (The history of project management). Gantt charts, still used today, were complete with task bars and milestone markers and were useful in the scheduling of project duration and manpower. Gantt charts remained a powerful mainstay of the PM profession and according to The history of project management have, "[...] remained virtually unchanged for nearly a hundred years.". Yet, throughout this period some other innovations were taking place. During the 1950s, the Cold War military was making huge demands on technology. Admiral Raborn of the U.S. Navy was responsible for getting the Polaris Missile program operational as quickly as possible (Theory of constraints, 2006). They turned to a man named Williard Fazar and with his help, they developed the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT). PERT was an improvement on an earlier system called CPM that failed to manage random time variations that were critical to the Navy. PERT improvement was able to account for these complex variables and became a network model that allowed for randomness in activity completion times (PERT Chart, 2006). The next four decades were a little boring for Project Management. Some writers introduced radical new theories such as the 1960s book by Johnson, Kast, and Rosenzweig called The Theory and Management of Systems, which compared a modern business to a human organism (Theory of

Hosting the World Cup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hosting the World Cup - Essay Example The World Cup Finals is the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world, with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the 2006 tournament final.[1] With the rising popularity of the FIFA World Cup, fan clubs are being formed, merchandise carrying the popular team's logos is being sold like hot cakes, discussions among sports lovers and children too is centered around the World Cup. As to hosting the World Cup, from 1958 to 1998, since countries from America and Europe had the maximum participation till recently, to avoid controversies, each continent was allowed to host an alternate event. Now, however, FIFA's Executive Committee decides the country which gets to host the game, depending on the members' votes. The popularity of the game has spread world wide, including Asian and African countries. The 2002 World Cup was jointly hosted by Japan and South Korea. This was the first time in its history that it was held in Asia and two countries hosted it jointly. Needless to say, the popularity of the World Cup is growing by the day. Not only football lovers, but intellectuals, housewives and children, irrespective of their age or nationality are interested in the game. With the world becoming a global village, fans are not restricted to any one country. There are fans of the Italian team all over America, Asia and Africa.

AT&T MOBILITY LLC v. CONCEPCION ET UX Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

AT&T MOBILITY LLC v. CONCEPCION ET UX - Essay Example The Ninth Court held a 5-4 decision that was written by Justice Scalia. The majority held that the provision was unconscionable under the provisions of California law as held by the Discover Bank. Laster v. AT&T Mobility LLC, 584 F.  3d 849, 855. This paper will analyze this case by explaining the issues involved, the majority opinion and also provide a stand on whether the minority dissent was better than the majority opinion. In the AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion et ux. case, the Supreme Court in U.S ruled against the use of a state judicial doctrine that made the enforceability of an arbitration agreement limited. This decision dealt a blow to consumers but proved a success to corporations and merchants. The Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) obstructs the application of a judicial doctrine (Discover Bank rule) used in California that gives courts the permission to hold unconscionable class action arbitration waivers in agreements with consumers concerned. The above doctrine applies in cases where the class proceedings involve an adhesion consumer contract, when disputes attract small amounts of damage and that the superior party in the contract has deliberately conned many consumers’ large sums of money. The Supreme Court ruled that the FAA obstructs the California rule, thereby eliminating strong basis for protecting consumers (Sergeant, 2012). This paper will discuss t he AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion et ux. case and the ethical issues in it. Vince and Liza Concepcion made a cell phone agreement contract with Cingular Wireless in February 2002. This contract had an arbitration clause that mandated all claims to be brought in the individual capacity of the party as opposed to a plaintiff or class member in ant representative proceeding or purported class. The agreement gave the service provider permission to make unilateral amendments willingly. AT&T Mobility LLC took over Cingular in 2005 with all its consumer

Research Proposal on contingency leadership theories Essay

Research Proposal on contingency leadership theories - Essay Example Any decision is based on a body of knowledge which is produced through research. By applying the appropriate methodologies and the research method, the body of knowledge can be established and advanced with confidence. Research is basically a systematic method of investigation which increases knowledge. Research relies on facts and experience, data, concepts and constructs, hypotheses and conjectures, and principles and laws (Amaratunga, Baldry, Sarshar, & Newton, 2002). The ultimate purpose of this research is to add knowledge to the already existing body of knowledge, which would facilitate the right decision on the leadership that would suit the situation. Attempts will be made to reach a suitable conclusion to the objectives. Although research has been considered important in every business activity, there is no consensus on how it should be carried out. There are different paradigms for research which are classified under qualitative or quantitative research. Amaratunga et al., suggest that research strategy should be chosen as a function of the research situation. Each strategy has its own approach to collect and interpret data and hence its strategy has its own advantages and disadvantages. As far as this research is concerned, the qualitative method or the inductive method of research is preferable because a lot of literature is available, with diverse opinions and it is essential to understand what is happening. Besides, topic, theory and methodology are closely interrelated. The deductive method would not bring to light the deeper, underlying meanings and explanations of the data collected. Taking large samples would be impractical and small studies over a period of time would help establish facts. It would enable to understand the totality of the situation and multiple methods can be used to establish different views of the phenomena. Leadership research is a conservative field and slow to innovate. Qualitative

Machine Elements in Mechanical Design Essay Example for Free

Machine Elements in Mechanical Design Essay Answers to Selectecj Problems Given here are the answers to problems for which there are unique solutions. Many of the problems for solution in this book are true design problems, and individual design decisions are required to arrive at the solutions. Others are ofthe review question form tor which the answers arc in the text ofthe associated chapter It should also be noted that some ofthe problems require the selection ot design factors and the use of data from charts and graphs. Because of the judgment and interpolation required, some ofthe answers may be slightly different from your solutions. AISI 1080. 28. AISI 5160 OQT 1000 is a chromium steel, having nominally 0. 80 percent chromium and 0. 60 percent carbon, a high carbon alloy steel. It has fairly high strength and good ductility. It was through-hardened, quenched in oil, and tempered at 1000Â °F. 29. Yes. with careful specitlcadon ofthe quenching medium. A hardness of HRC 40 is equivalent to HB 375. Appendix 3 indicates that oil quenching would not produce an adequate hardness. However, Appendix 4-1 shows that a hardness of HB 400 could be obtained by quenching in water and tempering in 700Â °F while still having 207f elongation for gciod ductility. 3. AISI 200 and 300 series 34. A hardness of 750 HB is extremely hard and characteristic of as-quenched high alloy steels, 15. The HRB scale is normally limited to HRB 100. 16. The HRC hardness is normally no lower than HRC 20. 17. The given relationship between hardness and tensile strength is only valid for steels. 18. Charpy and Izod 19. Iron and carbon. Manganese and other elements are often present. 20. Iron, carbon, manganese, nickel, chromium, molybdenum. 21. Approximately 0. 40 percent. 22. Low carbon: Less than 0. 30 percent

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn In his episodic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain fabricates a journey as the platform for the narrators symbolic rite of passage. The protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, discovers the true colors of his individuality, as he voyages through his many adventures and gains priceless experiences. While he matures and advances, Huck discards his disposition as an ignorant and juvenile adolescent craving for joy and peril and becomes a man, being able to firmly identify and establish his morals and ethics. During this intricate process, he develops a comradeship with a Jim, a runaway slave, ultimately learning the true horrors of the flawed society, in which he lives in. As a role in Hucks learning process, Mark Twain realistically utilizes the social perception of whites during the time period to assist Huck in discovering the blemishes of slavery, rejecting many critics assumption that he is a racist. Huck, a thirteen-year-old son of a drunkard, is recurrently strained to survive on his own wits where sometimes it contradicts societys standards and laws. As he seems to trek down the Mississippi River, he also journeys down his inner mentality, as Huck encounters challenges between his social conscience and individual conscience. Huck always seems to look up to the educated, the high and mid-class. He appeared to make himself believe that his judgment was inferior or abased to theirs because he was illiterate, and not truly part of society or a civilized human being. He blindly follows Tom Sawyer, due to the fact that he was educated and brought up in a refined urbane setting. As the novel opens, Huck is forced to be integrated in society and civilization. Though he struggles, he persuades himself to sublime in. In the beginning, Huck is perplexed by the fatuous purpose of religion. As Widow Douglas and Miss. Watson try very hard to reform Huck to become sivilize, he doesnt see the purpose of heaven and hell. Its these first signs of society (religion) that plays an impact on Huck, where he makes a connection that his actions will determine his destination after death. Huck also can be portrayed as an innate philosopher, where he is very skeptical of the societal dogmas (religion) and in fact perceives these ideas in his own ways, as he tries to reform. This is seen with Hucks idea that hell might actually be a better place than the Widow Douglass heaven. Thus this issue only engenders Hucks moral development. When Huck encounters Jim on Jacksons island, and attends his story of a runaway slave, Huck sees Jim as a human being rather than a slave. Huck feels empathy and remorse, as he hears Jims sad tale of his family being ripped apart. Huck, who just wasnt able to properly fully mold with society, and Jim, a run-away slave, both were alienated from society in fundamental ways. Both now in some form freed from the insincerity and injustice of society, but knew this would not last long. When Huck realizes that his fate was wrapped around Jims, he questions the morality of helping a run-away slave, this in which was against law, and breaking a law would lead him to hell. More subtly, Twain criticize the American South for its phony romanticism and hypocritical Christianity. Huck decries the idea that the Christianity of the South is a living contradiction. Huck does not comprehend the fact how society accepts slavery yet ignores the Biblical notion of the equality of all believers. (The Adve ntures of Huckleberry Finn pg1). Nonetheless, Huck conceded and acknowledged that he would go to hell, in which a sacrifice he was willing to make. In further context, Twain in his works is not a racist. In the manner he depicts Jim as a real person, who carries feelings and emotions, shows in fact that Twain is an opponent of slavery. Huck had the common sense to see how slavery was a genuine blight to humanity. Contrarily the so called sophisticated society accepted it, even the good people such as Miss. Watson. Huck matures further as he breaks that mask that society gave Jim, and accepts him as a normal person. Huck refers to Jim, I knowed he was white inside. (Twain, pg 46). It shows how Huck, who was brought up in a very bigoted section of the country, that ingested all the hypocrisy of slavery, was still able to transcend it by just knowing this one nigger, Jim. Furthermore, Hucks character changes as Jim teaches him about friendship. Their relationship becomes tighter, after the Hucks joke about him never had gone missing in the fog. Huck learns that Jim is a person is with feelings, and ultimately Jim induces this movement into Hucks maturity. This is the critical point of Hucks transformation, where Huck apologizes to Jim. Hucks voyage down the Mississippi taught him much, but was mainly a frolic. But once it resumes, when Huck is taken up the Grangerfords, he journeys to the dark side of American civilization. The benevolent family who offer Huck to stay is in a burning feud between another family, the Shepherdsons. Twain uses these two families to employ in some deriding absurdity and to mock an overly romanticizes ideas about family honor. Ultimately, the families sensationalized feud gets many of them killed. Huck truly refutes society once he saw his new friend Buck, be shot and killed. Twain uses this incident to comment on all systems of principle that rebuffs the humanity of another set of people. Huck becomes befuddled in this episode. The Grangerfords are a mix of contradictions where they treat Huck well, but they own slaves and behave more foolishly with other family by killing one other. Is this what society dawns upon? In the denouement, Huck transmogrifies into a full adolescent who now truly believes in his values, and deems that it should not be tractable and tarnished by societys laws. Near the conclusion of the novel, Huck and Tom make an attempt to free Jim who is held captured. After Toms ludicrous plan fails, everyone learns that Jim was actually a free man for weeks (because Miss. Watson, in her will, allow Jim to be free when she died). This idea of freeing a free black man had a special resonance at the time Twain wrote this novel. Blacks during this time had much trouble integrating with society because of the racial subordination that was still present preceding the Civil War. Work Cited The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay. Novelguide.com. December 14, 2009. . Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. United States: Bantum Books, Inc., 1884.

US Role in Middle East Democracy

US Role in Middle East Democracy Democracy is described as a system of government whereby the power is vested in the people by electing representatives who rule them. It is also described as a government of the people by the people. Democracy was started in the ancient Greece and in England after the Magna Carta treaty of 1215. Greece citizens were allowed to speak and vote in the assembly. The Magna Carta treaty, on the hand, delegated some of the king’s powers to the people. The American Revolution is also credited with making a landmark in democracy by the creation of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. Democratic principles require the equal treatment of all people and running an institution in a manner that is deemed impartial and fair. Other principles of democracy include respect to the rule of law and protection of the rights of the minorities (Diamond, Plattner, Brumberg). Democracies have been for and granted as a result of wars, revolutions, and economic circumstances. Tod ay the Middle East and in the greater Arab states’ democracy has been plagued by conflicts and authoritarian regimes exercising total control over the people. In the early 1990’s the United States began emphasizing on the development of civil societies in the Middle East through democratic aid pacts. By the 2009 fiscal year, the US annual assistance in the region surpassed the total amount of democratic aid pacts spent between 1991 and 2001. Though the pacts were categorized as democratic aids, it was not necessarily meant to promote the Middle East democracy rather than stability. Most of the Ngo’s who received US assistance avoided doing any act that could be construed as supporting a regime change (Diamond, Plattner, Brumberg). The US is more concerned about maintaining stability rather than the tenets of democracy. Democracy entails the alternation of power from the state to the people. America’s diplomacy in the Middle East is based on maintaining t he status quo and endorsing sheer stability, rather than upholding the ideals and principles of democracy. Tamara Wittes on Americas role in building Arab democracy In the recent years, the promotion of democracy has been a pillar of the US foreign policy not only in the Middle East, but across the globe. However, the true tenets and principles of democracy have always been evaded and questionable in the US foreign policy in the US. The US has supported authoritarian regimes and dictators to ensure stability and US interest and in return turned a blind eye to regime’s usurping of democracy. The US supported Saddam Hussein in Iran-Iraq war but later turned against him when he was perceived as weak after invading Kuwait, a longtime US ally in the Middle East. The Middle East is known to harbor over 60 percent of the world’s global oil reserves, and thus the US is more inclined to maintain stability in the region by overlooking implementation of democracy by the ruling regimes (Wittes,2008). Democracy is an evolutionary aspect rather than revolutionary. After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the country held its first general election in 2005 to mark a transition from an authoritarian regime to democracy. However, to date, America still maintains a military presence in Iraq not to further the course of democracy but to maintain stability and security crucial to US foreign policy interests. Schools of thought in the US foreign policy international relations in the Middle East believe the country pursues stability at the expense of democracy in the region. When the Bush administration failed to prove Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction after 9/11, the administration used the notion of democracy to invade Iraq to stamp out Al-Qaeda. The use of democracy as an affront to war was based on the notion that, the overthrow of Saddam’s rule would bring a democratic domino effect across the entire Middle East region. The invasion of Iraq was not entirely based on ensuring democracy, but a US policy of maintaining security and stability in the region. The then, US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice on her nomination hearing before the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee in January 2005, announced that one of the administration’s diplomacy priorities is to strengthen the community democracies to fight and alleviate common security threats and ensure stability (Wittes,2008). The US ‘soft democracy promotion’ in the Middle East can be explained in two ways. The US fears it may bring about unfavorable results that may not be in tandem with Washington’s interests. This can be attributed to the election of Islamic factions in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq who oppose America’s liberal democracy in the region. In Palestinian, the US pushed for elections in return for a guaranteed US support for a future Palestinian state. The elections culminated in the election of Hamas, an Islamic group classified as a terrorist organization by the US and EU. Hamas refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist, and it later led to the refusal of the UN, EU, US and Russia to recognize Hamas as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. (Wittes,2008). Witte also articulates that, the US fears a conflict of interest situation with its allies which may hinder co-operation on strategic issues in the region. For example, to openly deman d for the promotion of democracy in Saudi Arabia may constrain its relationship with the US and push towards China or Russia or run the risk of Islamic radicals taking over the country. Principal determinants of the US Policy in the Middle East Since the Second World War, the Middle East has been of essential interest to the United States. Today, the Middle East has evolved to become a permanent US geopolitical interest. The US policy in the region has long been based on economic factors and regional stability. These determinants have been essential to US that they have overridden democracy and the principles of democracy in the region (Dodge, 2008). Middle East’s presence of oil reserves is a key determinant of the US policy and elations in the Middle East. A 1945 US State Department memorandum described Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves as a stupendous source of strategic and one of the world’s greatest material prizes in history. In 2006, 27 percent of the world’s oil came from the Middle East with the US buying over half of it. President G. W. Bush acknowledged this by stating that, ‘America is addicted to oil’ (Dodge, 2008). US’s dependence on the Middle East oil illustrates that the US will always be cautious about taking any aggressive stance that might be upset or strain its Middle East allies. Nonetheless, as the world’s most powerful nation and the biggest economy, the US has a responsibility to protect this vital interest. In return, the US gets favorable oil prices and strategic partners in the region. The vital oil interest in the Middle East makes the US overlook the exercise of democracy in the region, keep supporting the ruling regimes to ensure there is stability in the region. Today, in Saudi Arabia women are not allowed to vote or lead certain key institutions and the US is its biggest oil importer (Dodge, 2008). The US turns a blind eye on this key violation of democracy for fear that democracy may lead to instability in the region. The US instead keeps a diplomatic policy that maintains the status quo in the region to maintain stability and protect this key economic interest . US democracy effects of in respective Middle East states The US and Israel-and the Palestinians The Jewish state is a key US ally in the Middle East since the recognition of the state by President Harry Truman in 1948. Since then Israel has continued to enjoy US support over time. Israel’s support has remained to be a pillar of US foreign policy in the Middle East as the one of the few democratic states in the region. The US policy of the state is based on several factors in that, to ensure stability in the region and a stable ally. However, Israel’s unwavering US support however, pitted it against its neighbour states who viewed it as a threat to Palestine (Dodge, 2008). Israel has over time been accused of violating known international human rights, and the tenets of democracy but the US has however supported the state for the maintenance of stability in the region. The US backed Israel in its military strikes against the Palestinian authority and militants in the Gaza strip and the occupied territories of the west bank during the rule of Ariel Sharon. Subsequently, the US push for democracy in the Palestinian territories led to the election of a religious extremist group with terrorist affiliations. The US preconditioned the Palestinian territories to allow room for democracy and in return the US would support the formation of a future Palestinian state (Dodge, 2008). The elections culminated in the election of Hamas, an Islamic group classified as a terrorist organization by the US and EU. Hamas refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist, and it later led to the refusal of the UN, EU, US and Russia to recognize Hamas as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. The preset preconditions were that the Palestine territories would accept Israel’s right to existence, abandon violence and acknowledge previous Palestine-Israel agreements. In 2007, following a forcible capture of Gaza by Hamas the US responded by imposing economic sanctions on the Palestinian enclave. The US at the same time rapidly increased funding of the West-Bank under the control of Fatah. Fatah was headed by Mahmoud Abbas had received US support in his candidacy for prime minister and president in 2003 and 2005 respectively. The US’s intention of the increased Fatah’s funding was to undermine the Hamas movement and strengthen the Fatah party. This scenario indicates that the US promoted Fatah because there was a viable condition for having a democracy and ensuring in the region (Dodge, 2008). Bahrain In the Middle East Bahrain is an key US ally primarily due to the location of US Navy Fifth Fleet command headquarters situated in the country’s capital and due to Bahrain’s importance to Saudi Arabia as a check to Iran. Bahrain’s ruling government is comprised of the Sunni minority whereas the Shia Muslims, who are the country’s majority are minimally represented in government. The principles of democracy articulate that, in any democratic setting the ruling government must respect and teat the minority in equal measure as the majority. However, the US tends to overlook this aspect for the maintenance of stability in the region. Military aid in the country increased in 2001 from 235,000 dollars to 90.4 million in 2004 (Carothers Ottaway,2010). This was largely attributed to the US’s policy of key Bahrain as an ally and maintaining stability in the region by allowing the continued stay of US troops in the region. Iraq The Iraq invasion of 2003 was based on based on the notion that there was a need to counter US threats and bring stability and the only way viable way to do so was by introducing democracy in Iraq. Saddam’s twenty four year rule was overthrown amid an effort to bring democracy to the country and the entire Middle East region. The introduction of democracy in Iraq was seen as the cornerstone of democracy in the entire region. US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice termed the transformation of Iraq as a key element of a very distinct Middle East (Dalacoura,2005). The fall of Saddam’s Baath party led to a collapse of public order which was highly unanticipated by the US. The collapse gave birth to the formation of Islamic insurgent groups that engaged the US in a war to push them out of Iraq. An extreme shortage in basic necessities such as food and water swept across the country. Insecurity became rampant and majority of the people were displaced, and a new conflict was fo rmed. A conflict between the US military and Iraq insurgents. The collapse of public order threatened stability in the region and led engagement of the longest US war in history. In Saddam’s twenty-four year rule, Iraq largely experienced stability and public order which was constrained by US’s introduction of democracy in the country. After the formation of an elected government, the country privatized all state -owned companies in all sectors except oil and minerals. This was viewed an economic reform of the country. New bilateral agreements were signed to ensure stability in the region (Dalacoura,2005). Jordan Due to its constitutional monarch, Jordan has for a long time been regarded as one of the most stable states in the Middle East. During the Bush administration, Jordan and the US only engage on an ‘as needed’ basis only. However, after the Iraq invasion in 2003, this need be basis changed. The US reviewed its relations with the Jordan and democratic reforms. However, the renewed interest of democracy in US was based on ensuring stability in the region and the significance of maintenance of peace with Israel. An agreement with the US was signed that allowed Jordan to consolidate its debt with the US. In return, Jordan agreed to train Iraq police on its soil to help combat the growing insurgency in Iraq. State interactions between the two countries increased (Carothers Ottaway,2010). Lebanon Renewed calls for democracy in Lebanon led to the country’s first free and fair general elections in 2005. The election resulted in the election of Hezbollah, a terrorist group in government. Election of the group to government led to widespread negative press against the US, but the US still kept maintaining diplomatic relations with the country for the sake of stability. The introduction of democracy in the country by US was perceived as a way maintaining stability by giving people a chance to elect leaders of their choice (Carothers Ottaway,2010). However, the election of Hezbollah faced the US with a dilemma of how to maintain diplomatic relations with the country with a government that representatives with known terrorist affiliations Syria Due to Syria’s classification as a state sponsor of terrorism the US only exercises minimal direct interactions with the state. Syria has been ruled by the Assad dynasty for decades. The Assads practice total authoritarian rule over their subjects. Under the Obama administration, the US threatened to invade Syria to impose democracy and rule of law in the country. The invasion was vetoed by Russia in the UN Security Council meeting. After the veto of military intervention, the US sponsored a revolution to topple that Assad government by supplying weapons to the revolutionary groups Documents on Democracy. (2014). A general election was held in 2014, and Bashar al-Assad won by a landslide victory. 88.7 percent of the electorates elected him even after been opposed by the US. Though the US did not explicitly acknowledge Assad’s election it recommended the people for participating in the election. References Carothers, T., Ottaway, M. (Eds.). (2010). Uncharted journey: promoting democracy in the Middle East. Carnegie Endowment Dalacoura, K. (2005). US democracy promotion in the Arab Middle East since 11 September 2001: a critique. International affairs, 81(5), 963-979. Dodge, T. (2008). US foreign policy in the Middle East (pp. 214-235). Oxford University Press. Documents on Democracy. (2014). Journal Of Democracy, 25(4), 180-185. doi:10.1353/jod.2014.0078 Diamond, L. J., Plattner, M. F., Brumberg, D. (Eds.). (2003). Islam and democracy in the Middle East. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press. Wittes, Tamara Cofman (2008). Freedom’s unsteady march: Americas role in building Arab democracy. The Brookings Institution

Physics of Cross Country Skiing :: physics sport sports ski skiing

Cross Country Skiing has existed since prehistoric times. The oldest pair of skis were found to be over 4500 years old. Skiing was used as a way to travel or hunt during the winter season. The skis were designed not so much for speed but to keep the skier on top of the snow. Traditionally, the skis were made of wood, the poles were made of bamboo with leather hand straps. The boots were also made of tough leather and were fastened to the skis with sinew made from animal hides. Skiing was believed to have originated from the Scandinavian countries and this fact is complimented by active skiing lifestyle that we see today. When a man by the name of Jackrabbit Johansson came to North America in 1900, he introduced skiing to locals. Skiing has evolved into a sport that has been proven to be one of the most physically demanding compared to any other sport. In Scandinavia, it is a way for families to connect with each other on the weekends, and to give the children some way to spend their endless energy during the week. Coming from Canada, I noticed that the American school system incorporates sports such as cross country skiing into the curricular activities. This is a good way to give students the option to explore their physical capabilities which may lead them to an active lifestyle or may even lead them to Olympic success. Just being outside brings about a positive mood, especially if you are out with your friends andjust having a good time.Cross Country Skiing is a lifelong sport that anyone can enjoy because the excitement can bring you up to levels you never thought possible. Wax is used in Cross Country Skiing to reduce the amount of contact between the skis and snow, or to produce the proper friction to help the skier propel him-/herself forward. Glide wax is applied to the base of the skis (but not in the 'kick-wax zone') which is in the most contact with the snow. This enables the skier to travel at faster speeds. This part of the ski is always in contact with the snow.Most glide-waxes contain a substance called paraffin which is insoluble with water (meaning that the was will remain on the skis the entire duration of your excursion!) There are two types of glide wax: hard and soft wax The hard wax is generally used in colder temperatures because it provides a good resistance to the firm cold ice crystals.

Physiological Adaptations of the Plesiosaur for ?Holding its Breath? :: essays research papers

Physiological Adaptations of the Plesiosaur for ‘Holding its Breath’ One hundred and fifty million years ago, large aquatic species of reptile such as the Plesiosaur dominated the ocean, and were pre-eminent predators of the sea. The branch of now extinct Plesiosaurs, or ‘near lizards’, evolved into variant closely related species specialised to take different niches in the food chain. Such species of Plesiosaur include the phenotypically similar Plesiosauroid and Pliosauroid. The physiological adaptations of the long necked variant, the Plesiosauroid, as it relates to deep sea diving, will be addressed in depth. Oxygen breathing lungs are a universal trait of class reptilia. As such, it would have been necessary for the Plesiosauroid - a marine reptile, to return to the ocean surface to inhale air. Oxygen expenditure in reptiles is proportional to strenuosity of locomotion (Frappell, Schultz & Christian, 2002). Therefore the Plesiosauroid must have held physiological traits that enabled the species to avoid oxygen deficit while hunting deep-sea dwelling prey. This essay will outline the hypothesised respiratory, circulatory, pulmonary and sensory attributes of the Plesiosauroid as they relate to diving. These hypotheses will be supported by investigating the physiological adaptations of the Plesiosaur’s biological analogues, and the prospect of similar adaptations in the former will be speculated upon. Reptiles have a low metabolic rate: they consume energy, and therefore oxygen, slowly. According to Robinson (1975), Plesiosauroids were enduring swimmers with lower flipper aspect ratios and drag-causing long necks. Massare (1988) made the same conclusion, since the hydrodynamic properties of the Plesiosauroids indicate the species moved no faster than 2.3 metres every second. Therefore, the species was confronted by a conundrum: it sought to dive hundreds of metres to hunt its prey yet was constrained, by virtue of its body shape, to travel at slow speed. Invariably, the animal would have been required to forgo oxygen for periods of more than a minute, while keeping the presence of mind to hunt. Fortunately, when making its descent of hundreds of metres, the Plesiosauroid would have been able to exploit traits possessed by many of the reptile class. Many reptiles hold the ability to temporarily slow their heart rate to reduce their oxygen consumption, via bradycardia. This effect may be caused by low temperatures, such as is found deeper in the ocean, or may be voluntarily triggered by the animal. There would be no need for the Plesiosauroid to retain all of its oxygen-consuming faculties during the long descent.

University Success

Grand Canyon University strives to support student learning by creating an online community. A â€Å"community† feeling inside an online course can help me as well as other students stay motivated. Online classrooms have the same characteristics as a traditional classroom; however, the class instructors direct course materials through a Grand Canyon University online portal. The course instructor presents topic-based questions to the students in the classroom forum that allow collaboration of student and instructor thoughts, debates, and experiences. The online interaction between classmates as well as instructor creates a virtual community where classmates and instructor can rely on each other while helping each other to stay motivated. The online classroom relies on collaboration between students and instructor in order to promote successful learning experiences. Collaboration in an online classroom consists of student responses to the instructor’s questions. As students post their individual thoughts, other students respond to them adding their own perspectives, experiences, and knowledge. Once the conversations volley back and forth thru ought the course’s main forum true collaboration begins. According to the text University Success E2, â€Å"The keys to avoiding isolation are communication, collaboration, and networking† (Grand Canyon University, 2012). It is evident that collaboration in both an online and a traditional classroom is dependent on instruction, participation, as well as feedback and it is most effective when students participate several times a day. It is imperative that students are aware that they are responsible for their own collaboration by participating in interactions with other classmates and the instructor through the class wall, individual forum, e-mail, or chat rooms. A major advantage that comes from effective collaboration is the skills that students gain from being actively involved in the classroom that is necessary for almost every career. My future career as a teacher depends on effective collaboration among my peers and me as it ensures professional development and school improvements. Some students use collaboration to network beyond the classroom. For instance, networking with family, friends, coworkers, Twitter, Facebook, or other discussion forums opens up portals to further collaboration with non-GCU students. Further collaboration expands the students’ minds as well as offers more information or perspectives. Furthermore, networking is beneficial to professionals in any career field because it expands professional knowledge, keeps professionals abreast of new business trends, offers career and personal opportunities, as well as provides business leads.

Abolitionism – Summary

Abolitionism Abolitionism in the United States was essential to causing the Civil War during the nineteenth century. Many abolitionists in the North, such as Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, felt that slavery was a sin against God and published newspapers and pamphlets to share their views. Other abolitionists, such as John Brown, felt that the only way to abolish slavery was to forcefully free the slaves. However, people in the South did not see what was so wrong about owning a person as property and felt that these newspapers and pamphlets were an attack on their way of life.Sectionalism began to form as tension between the Northern and Southern states grew. Soon enough, war broke out between the states and the Civil War had begun. Abolitionists such as John Brown, Frederick Douglass, and William Lloyd Garrison were major contributors to the movement to abolish slavery. John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry opened many people’s eyes to the issue of slavery. Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave spoke of his life as a slave and showed how bad slavery really was.He also published his own newspaper called the North Star which informed the public of slavery. Also, William Lloyd Garrison published the famous abolitionist paper, the Liberator which demoted slavery and promoted African American rights. He also began the American Anti-Slavery Society which was the first organization to demand an immediate end to slavery. Other publications such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe also contributed to the rise of abolitionism. By contributing to the rise of abolitionism, these abolitionists also contributed to the start of the Civil War.Tension between the Northern states and the Southern states grew as the rise of abolitionism increased. The more the Northern abolitionists protested, the more the Southerners felt their way of life was being attacked. There were many pamphlets and newspapers being published, as well as speeches being given by abolitionists which demoted slavery. The Southern citizens were outraged and responded in violence. The tension grew between the Northern states and the Southern states and sectionalism began to form. This tension soon exploded and the Civil War started.The protests led by abolitionists along with their newspapers and pamphlets resulted with numerous violent outbreaks between the Northern and Southern States. These outbreaks then lead to the beginning of the Civil War. The United States Congress also greatly contributed to the Civil War. When the American Anti-Slavery Society sent petitions to Congress which called for an end to slavery, they ignored it. Instead of addressing the issue at hand, Congress imposed the gag rule. The gag rule stated that Congress would not accept any petitions from the American people that dealt with slavery.When Congress deliberately avoided addressing the issu e of slavery, the problem was never solved. So abolitionists kept protesting and the tension between the Northern and Southern states grew until finally civil war between the states broke out. The cause of the Civil War was clearly abolitionism. The movement to end slavery in the United St1ates caused violent uprisings, the formation of sectionalism, and tension between the Northern and Southern states. These actions were further aggravated by Congresses ignorance towards petitions, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, and the many publications of the North Star and the Liberator.The abolition movement caused many issues which were essential to starting the Civil War. Images: †¢ â€Å"Influence of Prominent Abolitionists: The African-American Mosaic (Library of Congress Exhibition). † Library of Congress Home. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. loc. gov/exhibits/african/afam006. html. †¢ â€Å"Africans in America/Part 4/Portrait of Frederick Douglass Clos e-up. † PBS. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2962b. html. †¢ â€Å"A Bio. of America: The Coming of the Civil War – Maps. † Teacher Professional Development and Teacher Resources by Annenberg Media. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. ttp://www. learner. org/biographyofamerica/prog10/maps/. †¢ â€Å"John Brown Picture. † Google Images. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://images. google. com/imgres? imgurl=http://www. steveisler. com/Civil%2520War/files/images/129. jpg&imgrefurl=http://www. steveisler. com/Civil%2520War/files/civilians. htm&usg=__psTkgJR9weRvEVOmWzIHozbJMH0=&h=1348&w=1138&sz=254&hl=en&start=6&tbnid=3YEu_IfLWnkvzM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3DJohn%2BBrown%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG. †¢ â€Å"Anti-Abolitionist Cartoon. † The Liberator Files. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. theliberatorfiles. com/liberator-photo-gallery/. â€Å"Remembering Black Loyalists – Gordon, an American Slave. † Nova Scotia Mu seum. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://museum. gov. ns. ca/blackloyalists/18001900/people1800/gordon_lg. htm. Information: †¢ â€Å"American Anti-Slavery Society – Ohio History Central – A product of the Ohio Historical Society. † Ohio History Central – An Online Encyclopedia of Ohio History – Ohio Historical Society. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. ohiohistorycentral. org/entry. php? rec=832. †¢ â€Å"The American Experience | John Brown's Holy War | People & Events | The Secret Six. † PBS. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/amex/brown/peopleevents/pande06. tml †¢ â€Å"William Lloyd Garrison. † PBS. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1561. html. †¢ â€Å"William Lloyd Garrison and The Liberator []. † Ushistory. org. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. ushistory. org/us/28a. asp. †¢ Abolition. The McGraw-Hill Companies Glencoe. Print. †¢ â€Å"Harpers Ferry. † PBS. Web. 0 3 Jan. 2010. http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2940. html. †¢ â€Å"John Brown, Abolitionist, Harpers Ferry. † Civil War, American Civil War, Reconstruction. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. civilwaracademy. com/john-brown. html. †¢ â€Å"Frederick Douglass. † PBS. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. pbs. rg/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539. html. †¢ â€Å"The American Experience | John Brown's Holy War | Timeline (1884 – 1910). † PBS. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/amex/brown/timeline/index. html. †¢ The Liberator Files. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. theliberatorfiles. com/. †¢ â€Å"Biography of Frederick Douglass-Champion of Civil and Women's Rights. † Frederick Douglass Speeches-Seminars on Race Relations and Gender Equity. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://www. frederickdouglass. org/douglass_bio. html. †¢ Abolition – Camp Followers. Vol. 1. Milestone Documents in American History. Print. †¢ The McGraw Hill C ompany: Glencoe. Print.Primary Source Documents: †¢ â€Å"America Singing: Nineteenth-Century Song Sheets. † American Memory from the Library of Congress – Home Page. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. http://memory. loc. gov/cgi-bin/ampage? collId=amss&fileName=as1/as113410/amsspage. db&recNum=0&itemLink=D? amss:3:. /temp/~ammem_xpav::@@@mdb=mcc,gottscho,detr,nfor,wpa,aap,cwar,bbpix,cowellbib,calbkbib,consrvbib,bdsbib,dag,fsaall,gmd,pan,vv,presp,varstg,suffrg,nawbib,horyd,wtc,toddbib,mgw,ncr,ngp,musdibib,hlaw,papr,lhbumbib,rbpebib,lbcoll,alad,hh,aaodyssey,magbell,bbc,dcm,raelbib,runyon,dukesm,lomaxbib,mtj,gottlieb,aep,qlt,coolbib,fpnas,aasm,denn,relpet,a

Queen Elizabeth Ra Speech

Queen Elizabeth Rhetorical Analysis Essay Queen Elizabeth’s purpose with her speech is to help boost morale and show her support for the troops. She achieves this by speaking with such tenacity and by appealing to her soldier’s sense of nationalism. Elizabeth says she’s willing to lay down her life for the country she loves, as the men in front of her are about to do. Through this statement she is able to establish a connection with the troops, an example of Pathos, as she appeals to their love for England.The reason for this is to show the troops that she respects each one of them for the price they may have to pay for such a noble sacrifice. At the end of the speech she calls her enemies the enemies of God, England, and her people, and uses the word my in front of all three examples. The use of â€Å"my† shows that she takes ownership of these things and, as all good owners should do, shows that she plans to protect these things. Another way Elizabeth co nnects to her troops is by offering them monetary rewards for their actions.She also says that they are guaranteed by the word of prince, because in this time period, men were superior to women. Although she is Queen and it matters little that she’s a woman, the use of â€Å"prince† is highly significant because she basically refers to herself as equal to a man. This makes her men see her equal and respect her even more. Queen Elizabeth uses these ways to connect to her troops in order for them to be able to fight well in the upcoming battle.

Nonverbal Behavior in France

The culture which I have chosen to select for examples of nonverbal behaviors typically associated with that culture would be the French. The French culture proved to be rich and plentiful in a variety of interesting nonverbal behaviors. One of the more classical French gestures would be the French pout. The French pout expresses disgust, disdain and many of what was described as â€Å"just about any negative emotion beginning with â€Å"dis† (French, 2007). To pout or â€Å"faire la moue† one pushes their lips out while bringing them back in, in a facial expression like a smooch or what could look like a quick pucker. According to my research, a bored facial expression is common to accompany this pout look. The nonverbal action or behavior for â€Å"let’s get the hell out of here† is represented by holding one’s hands out, with palms down while smacking one hand down onto the other (French, 2007). The word for this nonverbal action in French is â€Å"On se tire.† One of the other nonverbal gestures in France is in expressing your disbelief at what another person is saying to you, one would use his index finger, pull down the skin under one of your eyes while saying â€Å"Mon oeil!† In the research I read on this expression it stated that it was the same as if to say in America, â€Å"my foot† (French, 2007).   I personally never heard this expression so perhaps it’s not as commonly used now as it once was. Lastly, I chose a nonverbal expression that seemed kind of unusual to me. According to one of the sites I used, in French if you were saying someone was lazy you would hold out your hands, pull on an imaginary hair supposedly growing out of your hand while saying â€Å"Il a un poil dans la main† (Welcome, 2000). In the French culture, their nonverbal language and behavior can be used for ordinary conversation or for vulgar gestures. Much of the nonverbal language can look familiar while some of their nonverbal language can look unfamiliar to those outside of France. However, it has to be stated that the French definitely have a variety of interesting nonverbal expressions that can be used to enhance their conversations. References (2007). French Language. Retrieved April 14, 2007, from Understanding and Using French Gestures Web site: http://french.about.com/library/weekly/aa020901a.htm (2000). Welcome to the French website. Retrieved April 13, 2007, Web site:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.lerc.educ.ubc.ca/LERC/courses/489/worldlang/french/frenchcuHandcomm.html            

Psychology (Personality) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Psychology (Personality) - Essay Example The types of questions asked by lay people include the following. What is a personality clash Do people with opposite personalities find each other attractive Can someone have little or no personality Academic questions are also of interest to the lay person, and might include the following. Does personality change much over time What causes (shapes, determines) an individual's personality What are the fundamental dimensions of personality To what extent do personality differences (alone) determine such things as health What causes a person to be an introvert or extravert (more likely an ambivert) Can neurotics be cured effectively Personality psychology is often a child of its investigative method. The couch and the laboratory use different methods, and hence develop different concepts and theories of personality. Personality psychologists, unlike many of their biological and cognitive colleagues, are often 'whole-person' psychologists, not focusing exclusively on beliefs, emotions or cognitions. Many have tended to ask 'big' questions, such as the following. What is the relative importance of the past, the present and the future to the development of personality What motivates human behaviour How important is the concept of self How consistent is human behaviour (Hergenhalin, 1994). As Cook (1984) notes, there are many different and important reasons for studying personality - obviously to gain a scientific understanding, but also to assess people accurately and to try to change people. He also argues that some theories look at the development of personality and others examine the structure of personality, w hich attempts to get below the surface of observable trait-type behaviours by examining biological, phenomenal or motivational factors. Carver and Scheier (1992) argue that, whereas some personality theorists (especially trait theorists) are interested in the structure of personality, others are more interested in its functioning. Both are important, but the result is often the development of separate theories and approaches. Personality theorists and researchers have influenced and have also been influenced by many other disciplines. Indeed, there is evidence that personality differences are related to different interests in psychology. Thus Zachar and Leong showed that pure (scientific) vs. applied (practitional) graduate students had quite different personalities. Pushing graduate students into strong practitioner-personality orientations to become scientists makes as much sense as trying to convert an introvert into an extravert. However, introverts may benefit from some training and social skills, just as practitioner-orientated graduate students can learn to think and evaluate their interventions scientifically without having to become a practising scientist. (Zachar and Leong, 1992, p.676) Sociologists and anthropologists have influenced some personality theories by discussing what goes on 'outside, around and among' individuals, rather than what goes on inside them. Lately, however, it has been biologists and geneticists whose ideas and discoveries have most influenced personality research. Certainly this trend looks likely to continue. Behaviour genetics, cognitive neuropsychology and multivariate statistics probably represent the most influential contributions to the discipline at the moment (see Section 1.11). Personality psychology aims to provide viable

Anaysis of the Impact of LGBT Market Dissertation

Anaysis of the Impact of LGBT Market - Dissertation Example Impact of LGBT Market 19 3.11. Pink Money and Valuation 22 Topic Page No. 4. Research Methodology 23 4.1. Collection of Data 23 4.2. Limitations of the research 23 5. Finding and Analysis 24 5.1. Answer to the research question 1 38 5.2. Answer to the research question: 2 39 5.3. Answer to the research question: 3 40 6. Conclusion 41 7. Bibliography 42 8. Research Questioners 45 9. Appendix 48 1. Introduction: Decades after invisibility and reaching critical mass, a breakthrough was achieved on July 1991 article in the conservative Wall Street Journal, when they termed the lesbian and gay community "a dream market."At present, the American market is anticipated to be valued at $835 billion in 2011 -- based primarily on U.S. population growth and with a steady 7% representation of gays and lesbians within the overall population. (Comercialcloset; 1) In 2004, Commercial Closet reported that around 36% of Fortune 100 companies endorse their products and services as well as advertised di rectly to the lesbian and gay market. Today, American corporations use up about $307 million annually in gay print media. According to the report published in the Gay Press 2011 from Rivendell Marketing and Prime Access, which tracks 109 U.S. gay press publications. Apart from that, it has to be noted that much more is spent on sponsorships and online advertising. The amount spent in online advertising is not calculated while the report of Gay press is published. If we consider that amount, then the overall amount will increase many fold. (Comercialcloset) Approximately, another $27 million is spent in online gay media, an estimated $20 million on Viacom-owned LOGO gay network, and over $6 million more spent annually on sponsorships in the gay community, as per 2006 and 2007 Commercial Closet reports. Very few numbers of advertisers, for example, companies like IBM and American Express, have sought the business-to-business market, targeting around 800,000 to 1.2 million gay and lesb ian-owned businesses. It is very important that one should remember that the so called "gay community" or "gay market" is not monolithic -- it is more like a union of individuals with identities and presence as diverse as the general population of any country. (Comercialcloset) Gay men may live in different countries, in different cities all across the world, they may be traveling truckers, own a home in the suburbs with a partner and child, they may be in a retirement home, or they could be struggling in any particular part of the locality or the society. Lesbians may own a vegetarian restaurant in Northampton, they may run a major media company, own a home in the suburbs with a partner and child, or they could be working at a discount store. But the bottom line is for any organization they are also a target audience and the increasing number making them more and more relevant for the world business community to think upon and look upon. Like everyone else, they face issues of race , class, ethnicity, sing always, be certain whom you want to speak to with your message, do good research, select your media outlets with care, and spend enough money to do your brand justice. One has to remember that "brand loyalty" is earned over time, not overnight. If this huge population could have been tapped then the potential of earning a huge market share is absolutely evident for all the organizations. (Comercialcloset) 2. Research Question: Our main objective of this paper to find out how the increasing purchasing power

Tescos Competitive Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tescos Competitive Marketing Strategy - Essay Example As the discussion highlights  Tesco commenced its trading activities in 1924in UK and as on date, it is having more than 2979 stores in UK, and it earned net revenue of  £43 billion in 2012 with UKs net profit being  £ 2.5 billion in 2012. In UK, Tesco is the leading supermarket and about one-third of UK’s selling space and 66% of total sales all the supermarkets in UK are catered by Tesco. Tesco is having hypermarkets, convenience stores and superstores.From this paper it is clear that  Tesco’s core strategies are as follows: to concentrate more on the UK’s core ; to become the world leading retailer in online   sales and stores; Tesco is a market leader in food items and wants to be stronger in other products also; to concentrate to develop the retail services in all our markets; to develop and own high-value brands.  Tesco is having its operations in the following countries viz. USA, Europe –Turkey, Czech Republic , Poland ,Hungary, Slovakia and Republic of Ireland, Asia – India , China , South Korea , Malaysia and Thailand.  In the last two decades, Tesco had witnessed teething issues in its aggressive marketing plans.   Tesco witnessed a fall in sales due to well structured and impregnated supermarkets in the UK, a lot of impediments in getting plan approval for its large superstores, witnessed cutthroat competition from Safeway, Asda & Sainsbury.  Tesco’ growth and success over the past three decades rest upon its transformation of image and strategy.. Tesco has to change its marketing strategy to sell various kinds of customers namely lower, middle and upper class consumers with an inclusive offer stratagem, and their market strategy is to sell high quality products at a realistic price. In 1998, it introduced the finest range of premium products and was followed by the introduction of Tesco’s Organic range, which was introduced in 2006. Later, it introduced Tesco’s Healthy Living â€Å"range of products and in 2008, it introduced â€Å"Value â€Å"range products to attract the price-conscious clients, mainly to meet the confronts thrown by the recent economic recession. Tesco is able to attain high revenues by developing a vast range of own brands. Tesco has shifted its core business strategy to maximise the customer’s value from that of maximising shareholders’ value. (Aaker & McLaughlin 2010:128). Tesco has evolved a diversification strategy footed upon on four core areas: expanding and innovating in the main UK grocery market and diversify into segments like convinient stores; expanding into non-food businesses like health, clothing , beauty , DVDs , CDs and diversified into developing into its own non-food Value and Finest ranges; diversified into retail service provinces like personal finance for utilities and telecoms by signing joint ventures with local players ; it concentrated into its international expansion, which successfully accounted for one-fourth of its sales in the year 2008-09 . (Aaker & McLaughlin 2010:128). Global Positioning According to Sheth, a company’s marketing strategies should be fine-tuned in the phase of

Child labor in the U.S. and around the world Research Paper

Child labor in the U.S. and around the world - Research Paper Example On the other hand, in sub-Saharan Africa this age stands at 18 years in most countries. This age is normally enshrined in the law of a given country and employers are expected to consider it when providing employment opportunities. Nonetheless, employers capitalize on the cheap labor provided by children leading to abuse and exploitation. This development has triggered many international human rights organizations to protest about the practice as it is both inhumane and exploitative (Whittaker, 2004, p. 13). History of Child Labor in U.S Child labor in the US dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries when children provided labor in family farms, industries, mines, and plantations. This was most rampant during the industrialization process when industries needed large labor supply. Industrialization implied that adult strength was no longer a per-requisite to the operation of the machines (Child Labor in U.S. History). Factory owners realized that they could effectively and economical ly utilize the services of children in their factories in order to cut down on the cost of production. This is because hiring children was much cheaper as compared to hiring adults (Hindman 25). Plantation farming and mining were other economic sectors attracting child labor. By the mid of 19th century, child labor was widespread across the world. Children were used mainly to provide labor in farms and factories. Most of these children worked for estimated 12-18 hours per day, six days a week, as a way of earning income. In addition, it most of these children began working before they attained the age of 10 years. They engaged in activities such as tending of machines in spinning meals or hauling heavy loads. At this time, most of the factories had not implemented... Child labor in the U.S. and around the world Economic disparity between the rich and the poor has pushed many children out of school in a bid to secure some income for their families. It is currently estimated that there are 215 million child laborers globally. Of this total, 114 million (53%) are in Asia and Pacific, 14 million (7%) are in Latin America, and 65 million (30%) are in sub-Saharan Africa (ilo.org). These working conditions violate the minimum age laws in the affected and involve abuse such as child trafficking, forced labor, and illegal activities. Children providing labor are deprived the opportunity to engage in children activities such as play and education. Child labor is fuelled by rising cases of poverty, which forces children to look for alternative sources of income. This draws them to provide labor especially in commercial agriculture, mining, domestic service, manufacturing, and fishing. Illegal activities involving child labor include prostitution, child soldiers, and drug trafficking. In this research paper, I seek to explore on the child labor as a practice. My primary objective is to indicate that child labor is both inhumane and less significant to economic growth and development and, therefore, should be discouraged at all costs. Child labor is inhumane and should be discouraged at all costs. It remains an illegal activity that every individual should stand up in arms against. It deprives the children the right to education in addition to lowering their self-esteem.

Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror Research Paper - 1

Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror - Research Paper Example The writ of habeas corpus demands that a prisoner be presented by whoever is holding him or her before the judge at the judge’s request. The writ of habeas corpus is an absolute protector of human rights threatened by wrongful detention and incarceration. As such, it was a strategy through which the founders of the nation promoted the separation of powers and maintenance of equilibrium between them. The writ of habeas corpus can be traced back to the English common law that checked on the excesses of the government against human rights. In the United States, the writ of habeas corpus has been questioned by various Presidents from Lincoln to Bush regime portraying elements of abuse of power. This paper explores the writ of habeas corpus in the context of war on terror and also explores if the move by the president is aimed at protecting the citizens or if it points to abuse of power because the president is the commander in chief. The Historical Evolution of Habeas Corpus Engli sh History of Habeas Corpus Habeas corpus has an ancient English history and seems to have predominantly originated from Anglo-Saxon common law (The Rutherford Institute, 2013). According to Shaw (2009), â€Å"Habeas corpus is an ancient remedy whose original purpose was to contest detention by the king† (Shaw, 2009, Para 7). ... One of its curbs on the sovereign’s power reads, in part, ‘No free man shall be seized or imprisoned†¦except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land’† (Shaw, 2009, Para 7). The law in question was â€Å"The Great Writ† from which habeas corpus descended. The enforcement of habeas corpus became predominant during the time of Magna Carta and formed an essential component of the unwritten common law, which were expressly accepted. The Act of habeas corpus in the English law was enacted by the Parliament in 1679 (Rudolph, 2013). The English courts were empowered by this historic Act. As a consequence of the Act, the courts could now issue Writs of Habeas Corpus irrespective of whether the courts were in session or not. Despite being riddled with high levels of hypocrisy in 17th century, Habeas Corpus Act established itself as a major empowerment tool for human liberty in countering excessive exercise of power by the state. The writ of habeas corpus was expanded during 19th century to include individuals held by exclusive private processes other than the state (Rudolph, 2013). American Development of Habeas Corpus By the time Revolutionary War was taking place in America, the Writ of Habeas Corpus was already established in all the colonies of Britain and was perceived as a fundamental legal protection of civil liberties of citizens. In Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution of the United States, it is stated that â€Å"The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it† (Shaw, 2009, Para 7). Despite the fact that other common-law writs were recognized in the British Empire, only the writ of habeas corpus