Coursework on Budgets Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On Budgets - Coursework Example Budgets are prepared in definite procedural definitions. They can be prepared for the business as a whole; they may fall under designated departments. Budgets can also be prepared for functions of the organization such as sales, production or even for the asset utilization of the organization (Hammonds, 2006). A budget can as well be prepared for the resources of the company such as financial resources and even other resource items of the organization such as cash, capital expenses, relevant purchases of the firm and not excluding labor. Work force is the most vital for any firm to run since it is that which supports production and without production there can be nothing much to brag about involvement in business (Label, 2010). Why budget? A budget is not just a tool that can be used for any mere business operations. They are not mere calculations that are simply drawn, calculated and findings just presented. They are elaborate plans hence involves a construction of a plan that is ge ared for use for a quite a longer duration and hence a tool for financial management (Gowthorpe, 2005). A business that operates without a budget is as good as dead since it is likely to experience management difficulties in the organization. Therefore, the main objective of a budget is to help in aiding an organization set objectives or targets to be achieved in specific period in time or time span. After targets are set, they are the guidelines of the business operations. They are the driving force for the business. This is as a result that the business will make all the necessary efforts to ensure that they either fully o r partly achieve these targets (Donovan, 2005). A case in study is where a firm decides that it intends to sell 100000 units of a product in a certain definite financial period for example a year, the firm will obviously make all the necessary arrangements to ensure that the firm will achieve the set target. The arrangements may entail even putting forth a elabo rate and efficient production plan which will ensure constant supply for the sales target. It is true the management will make all the necessary efforts to ensure this objective is arrived at. If the budget is achieved or partly satisfied i.e. about 80% and above. It means that only about 80000 units of sale are made creating room for the analysis of the variation. Then it gives the management a chance to investigate the reasons that this has occurred. In the event that the reasons are identified viable ways of overcoming the causes is exploited to make sure that the problem is eradicated or reduced. This alone is a minimization of the risk of loss of any business. The preparation of a budget is therefore important in the maximization of the profits of the business (Label, 2010). Budgeting principles A proactive and effective budget normally has four basic principles that guide their establishment. These principles entail the following:- One must be conservative in making a budget. Assuming that you were to make budgets far much outside what does not take place. The budget may not be operational on such grounds. Therefore a budget should not be prepared and expecting that the outcome be the same as budgeted. There always has to be a deviation from the normal due to the difference in environments of operation including time line. Another principle is

Hazara people Essay Example for Free

Hazara people Essay 1. Friendship, guilt, redemption â€Å"He knew about Assef, the kite, the money, the watch with the lightning bolt hands. He had always known. ‘Come. There is a way to be good again,’ Rahim Khan had said on the phone just before hanging up. Said it in passing, almost as an afterthought. † (Chapter 14, pg 202). This quote symbolizes how Amir strived to do everything to forget, all he needed to do was to fly to Pakistan and see what Rahim Khan wanted him to do. So thats exactly what Amir did. Rahim Khan tells Amir that there is a way to be good again. Amir knew straightaway what he was talking about. He realizes, that all of those years, Rahim Khan had known about Assef, the kite, the money, the watch with the lightning bolt hands. He had always known. Rahim Khan had knew about Hassan getting raped. He needs to go to Afghanistan and talk about the ‘unspoken secret’ they both knew about. After the phone conversation, Amir keeps remembering Hassan saying ‘for you, a thousand times over! ’ Thinking of this, he knows he has to go to Afghanistan, see Rahim Khan, uncover the secrets and do whatever he asks to ‘be good again’. By this he means that Amir has the opportunity to make up for his betrayal of Hassan by saving his son, Sohrab. Rahim Khan knows what really happened to Hassan and also knows that this has been bothering Amir for years so he is basically implying that Amir can still redeem himself if he goes back to Afghanistan. When Amir ran, he ran from jealousy and fear; fear of Assef and fear of his own reputation as a Pashtun standing up for a Hazara. The negativity of the social setting influenced Amir’s rash decision on betraying Hassan. The prevailing theme of guilt and redemption is weaved through the journey of Amir’s life, influenced by the society, where Hazaras are betrayed. 2. Parental relationships â€Å"Here is another cliche my creative writing teacher would have scoffed at; like father like son. But, it was true, wasn’t it? As it turned out, Baba and I were more alike than I’d ever known. We had both betrayed the people who would have given their lives for us. And with that came this realization: that Rahim Khan had summoned me there to atone not just for my sins but for Baba’s too. † (Chapter 18, pg 238) I chose this quote because not only is it ironic in and of itself, but it also ironically characterizes all the characters in the novel. Amir felt his â€Å"sin†Ã¢â‚¬â€betraying Hassan—made him so different from his father. He has spent much of his life trying to please Baba and mimic his father’s life. It is ironic that now, all these years later, when he discovers he and had father were so similar, it sickens him rather than bringing him joy. In the novel, he continually states that he would’ve never would have dreamed that Baba’s greatest sin would be theft on so many different levels (stealing wife, purity, truth) and gone against the nang and namoos, he so adamantly preached to his son. Amir and Babas relationship changes throughout the novel. The novel starts out with Amir doing whatever he could to win his fathers attention, which includes betraying his best friend, Hassan. He betrayed Hassan for his fathers full attention. He then earns it when Hassan and Ali move out and Baba and Amir move to America. This quote shows that Amir and Baba are very alike. They both betrayed their best friends. Baba betrayed Ali by sleeping with his wife, and Amir betrayed Hassan by not standing up for him while getting assaulted. Then they both try to redeem themselves with doing other good deeds. Baba, running an orphanage, and Amir going back to Kabul to save Sohrab, Hassans son. 3. Maturing â€Å"Earlier in the morning, when I was certain no one was looking, I did something I had done twenty-six years earlier: I planted a fistful of crumpled money under a mattress† (Chapter 19, pg 254) This quote shows how Amir had changed and grew more mature than before. In Kabul, before he had done the same thing to kick out Ali and Hassan. I lifted Hassans mattress and planted my new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it. I waited another thirty minutes. Then I knocked on Babas door and told what I hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies. † (pg. 110) Before, when he put the money under Hassans mattress, it was a coward move. He did it so Baba would get rid of both Hassan and Ali. Amir kept trying to cover up his past and get rid of it by setting Hassan up. He thought if Hassan left, then everything would go back to normal, but it didnt. Now, Amir had a heart. Rahim Khan told Amir to come back to Afghanistan to rescue Hassans son Sohrab. Amir stayed with Wahids family. They didnt have much at all. They served Amir all their food they had. Amir felt guilty for all the riches he had. Living in America, without war, having sanitary living conditions and enough food for meals three times a day. So, when it was time for Amir to leave, he snuck a fistful of money under the mattress. This time, it wasnt a coward who had done it, it had been a loving, but guilty man. Amir was slowly paying back his dues and hardships he had created in the past. 4. Strength of the human spirit â€Å"Then I told him I was going to Kabul. Told him to call the Caldwells in the morning. ‘I’ll pray for you, Amir jan,’ he said. †(Chapter 18 pg 239) Not only did Amir not stand up for himself, he did not stand up for others either (like Hassan when he got raped). Amir didnt dare to say his opinion, to the public, or to Assef that he and Hassan are friends because Hassan is Hazara and always was going to be. Later that changes. He fights for Sohrab, in fact what he really is doing is fighting back for all the times he didnt fight for Hassan, against Assef. In the fight he gets hare lipped just like Hassan, I think thats a symbol. A symbol that says that he has become as brave as Hassan. Another thing that indicates this change is that in the dreams he used to have where he couldnt part his father from the bear he later dreams of himself as the bear. He always admired his father, and his father was very brave. Bears are significant as brave and fearless. Back in Kabul, it seemed like Amir was finally doing something good in his life. After some misgivings, Amir agrees to rescue Hassans son, Sohrab, from an orphanage in Kabul. Amir even fights against a Taliban official who turns out to be Assef in order to save Sohrab. This reminds Amir and the readers that this time it wasn’t Hassan who was in Assef’s fist, it was his son and Amir had to save Sohrab because he couldn’t save Hassan last time. This is action instead of inaction; bravery instead of cowardice; selflessness instead of self-absorption. Perhaps this streak of good deeds will make up for his betrayal of Hassan. Its almost as if the confident Amir combines with the helpless and coward childhood Amir. While saving Sohrab, Amir makes a huge mistake and goes back on a promise to Sohrab. As a result, Sohrab tries to commit suicide. Were watching Amir repeat mistakes from the past even as he attempts to put the past to rest. This is Amir at his best and worst and perhaps this is the real Amir that really combines all the previous versions of him. Hes weak and blind, but also essentially kind. Hes jealous, but in the end only wants to be loved. Even though sometimes during the book, we would want to scream at Amir, but as we know that hes an utterly human character, and can’t blame him for anything. 5. ‘Discrimination and prejudice â€Å"True, I hadn’t made Ali step on that land mine, and I hadn’t brought the Taliban to the house to shoot Hassan. But I had driven Hassan and Ali out of the house. Was it too far-fetched to think things might have turned out differently if I hadn’t? Maybe Baba would have brought them to America. Maybe Hassan would have a home of his own now, a job, a family, a life in a country where no one cared that he was a Hazara, where most people didn’t even know what a Hazara was. Maybe not. But maybe so. † (Chapter 18, pg 238) The Kite Runner tackles the issue of discrimination in Afghanistan with an example of the relationship between Pashtuns and Hazaras. Babas father sets an example for Amir of being kind to Hazara people, even though they are historically not appreciated and persecuted. Baba could have easily sent Ali to an orphanage after his parents death, but he chose not to and picked the decision of raising him in his household. Baba does the same with Hassan, although this is because of the fact that Hassan is actually his son after all. Even in Babas house, the house of best intentions, the class barrier between the Pashtuns and Hazaras endures. Ali is as dear to Baba as a brother. Baba calls him family. But Ali still lives in a hut and sleeps on a mattress on the floor. He tends the garden, cooks, and cleans up after Baba, and raises Hassan to do the same. So strong is Hassans identity as a servant that even as an adult, when Baba is gone, he has no sense of entitlement. He insists on staying in the hut and doing housework. When Hassan dies defending Babas house, he does so not because he feels it belongs to him, but because he is being loyal to Baba and Amir. Discrimination is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Assef tells Amir, Afghanistan is like a beautiful mansion littered with garbage, and someone has to take out the garbage. Like his idol, Hitler, he feels entitled to killing those he deems unworthy of living in his land. He even relishes the term ethnic cleansing because it goes so well with his garbage metaphor. Like Baba, many people do not mention the Hazaras history of persecution. The author shows that the persecution of the Hazaras is not new, but a greatly intensified outgrowth of long-held discrimination. 6. Man’s inhumanity to man â€Å"How could he have lied to me all those years? To Hassan? He had sat me on his lap when I was little, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, There is only one sin. And that is theft When you tell a lie, you steal someones right to the truth. Hadnt he said those words to me? And now, fifteen years after Id buried him, I was learning that Baba had been a thief. And a thief of the worst kind, because the things hed stolen had been sacred: from me the right to know I had a brother, from Hassan his identity, and from Ali his honor. His nang. His namoos. † (Chapter 18, pg 237) Until Rahim Khan reveals Babas secret, Amir thinks he is the only sinner among his family and friends. The biggest shocker to Amir was that Hassan was really his half brother. After Amirs mother died, Baba had slept with Hassans mother and got her pregnant. All along Baba knew that Hassan was his son and Ali covered as his father and the two of them were servants in Babas house. Amir thought about the reason why Baba was so worked up over Amirs mentioning of getting new servants was because he would be losing his son that way. There were so many signs he realizes like the plastic surgery and always inviting Hassan to events. Amir was filled with anger and he felt betrayed by Rahim and especially Baba. The regret is even greater in his life that he had driven out his own half brother and did not even know it, and now there is no way to make things right because Hassan is dead. Amir is shocked, taken back, and deeply hurt. Even before Amir betrays him, Hassan makes him feel guilty simply by being such a righteous person. Amir is constantly trying to measure up to Baba, because he does not realize that Baba is so hard on him because of his guilt over his own sin. Amir feels as though his entire life has been a cycle of betrayal, even before he betrayed Hassan. But having a taste of betrayal himself does little towards redeeming Amir. In Ghazi Stadium, the Taliban skews the words of Muhammad in order to justify murdering the alleged adulterers. The mullah announces that every person should have a punishment befitting his sin. Although he would not want to compare himself to the Taliban, Amir believes this in regards to his own sin. When he tried to get Hassan to pelt him with pomegranates, he was expressing his feeling that in order to be forgiven for hurting Hassan, Hassan must hurt him. When Assef almost kills Amir, he felt healed, as though now that Assef has hurt him, it is fair. He even tells Farid that in the room with Assef, he got what he deserved. In the end, Amir finds out that punishment is not what will redeem him from his sin. It is not even saving Sohrab. In order to make up for his sin and Babas before him, Amir must erase the lines of discrimination he has lived with all his life by giving Sohrab an equal chance at success and happiness.

Beauty Therapy for Wellness | Business Plan

Beauty Therapy for Wellness | Business Plan Part 2 The Business My Background: The idea for this business has been getting planned out in my mind since I first began studying Beauty Therapy at James Watt College. My years of customer service experience, that I gained previous to starting college, in hospitality both in a managerial role and a team member will serve me well and can be adapted to suit the beauty and complementary therapies industry. When I started I knew my end goal was to set up a small business of my own using the qualifications I was to gain, I did not, however realise at the time that I would go on to pursue complementary therapies. During the 3 years I have been studying I went from beauty, to spa route and then onto Complementary Therapies, I have been a devoted student throughout this time and always took on any challenge given to me. I have worked hard throughout this time and as a consequence to the hard work I have done I was offered a job in the 5 star Blythswood Square Spa where I had done my placement, I have been there for almost 2 years now where I have developed my skill and knowledge base, this had allowed me to work with many different people and get a taste of the work I want to do. I have also had the opportunity to witness first hand many excellent working practices, which has given me plenty of ideas of how I can see my business and treatments running. As well as my time in college and the spa I also do work from home with clients I have met through close friends and family members. This has let me build a small client base with whom I can fall back on at quieter times in the beginning of my new venture. I have added a copy of my CV in Appendix 2. The Idea: The idea for my business will be a room in the local health centre in which I will offer complementary therapies. Massage will be the main focus, I will offer limited aromatherapy using pre-blended oils which have been pre-blended and labelled before I get them. The main treatments I will offer will be Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, sports/remedial massage, Indian head massage, aromatherapy (using pre-blended oils) and facials. I will be working closely with the healthcare professionals in the centre in which the business is based and will take referrals from them to try and aid the patients in their healthcare needs. The business will be different from anywhere in the area as there are only salons around, all of which are much more focused on beauty treatment and nails as opposed to massage and complementary therapies. Business Name: My business name will be A Tranquil Touch, tranquil means quiet, calm or peaceful and this is how I intend my business to be. I will aim to always have a tranquil atmosphere, calm staff should I need to expand or get help and always leave my clients feeling tranquil and relaxed. The touch part refers to the massage treatments I will offer. Position to Date: All of my initial research has been fully compiled and as soon as I have purchased the products and equipment needed and register that I am self-employed to HMRC I will be in a position to open. Mission Statement: A Tranquil Touch will be a place of calm and tranquillity, as the name suggests. I will provide the best possible service to my clients through hard work, excellent customer service, high standards and professionalism. I will aim to provide a place and treatment list for which my clients will wish to return time and time again to receive the complementary therapies they need in order to feel their best. Short term objectives: Over the next 12 months I aim to achieve regular visits from existing clients from the health centre and of my own, alongside new faces through recommendations and with successful advertising through Facebook, through promotion, packages and pricelists. Posters will be on display in the health centre, town halls, schools and other public buildings in town, price lists will be available in various locations throughout the various locations as well. To ensure a profitable business in the future and establish a healthy clientele I will advertise as much as I can before opening and in the 1st year updating and drumming up new business through promotions and advertising as and when is necessary. Long term objectives: My aim for the future is to expand the business into an wellness centre, where clients can come to relax, unwind, fine tune their minds and bodies and enhance any medical they are receiving from the NHS. I would hope to have a successful business and employ staff to run a room each in any given day. I would also like to include a beauty room as part of the business to help clients look as good as they feel, trends are fast moving however and while I will strive to continue my own learning and that of my staff, I would take over as a managing role providing treatments as and when possible. I will always be 100% involved in my business, supportive to employees, always looking at things through the customers eyes while providing the best possible client journey for all. Industry Analysis Distribution Chanel: A Tranquil Touch, based within Port Glasgow Health Centre, is a holistic salon with a friendly and relaxed ethos in which provides a high standard of massage services. The method of distribution is direct distribution as the service is coming directly from myself to my clients and they come to the premises. Competition: For A Tranquil Touch I want to set myself apart from other salons in the area that offer a similar type of service. After researching I discovered that there are 4 salons in the surrounding area of Port Glasgow Health Centre, who are my direct competitors. There is a gap in the area for a service which concentrates on complementary therapies, specialising in massage and which is not focused on beauty treatments but looks to improve the health and wellbeing of its clients. After having sent out a questionnaire (included in appendix 3) and speaking to my own clients I have gained through mobile services, I found out that they want a business they can feel confident will provide them with services and treatments to complement and enhance the health care they are receiving from the NHS. Most people seem to be unaware of the added benefits of massage or do not think that beauty salons are the best place to receive these treatments (some examples of the returned questionnaires are included in appendix 4). Direct Competitors Tres Mar: 5 Church Street, Port Glasgow, PA14 5EH are the salon in my area I consider to be my strongest competitors. They offer aromatherapy, reflexology and chiropody as well as massage, facials and sports massage. At the moment they are often fully booked but this mostly with nails, waxing and the other beauty treatments they offer. As long as I keep my prices low I should be able to target my clientele and keep them. I will also offer different opening hours keeping my room open late when they are not in order to target clients after working hours (I have included a copy of the treatment price list in appendix 5). Amethyst Hair and Beauty: King Street, Port Glasgow are the closest salon to the health centre where I will be based, at the moment they do offer facials but have no body massage treatments on their treatment menu as they offer more superficial treatments such as nails, lashes, waxing and hair dressing. This should be of great benefit to me. I may also try and make a link with the salon where we can offer referrals to our clients (I have included a copy of the treatment price list in appendix 5). The other 2 salons in the area are the Relaxation Room and Brown Street Hair and Beauty. Both of these salons are relatively new and also offer mainly beauty treatments, as they are not yet well established within the area and have not done much in the way of advertising I do not see them as a major threat, as long as my advertising is done well I am positive I can establish my business in the area without too much bother in the way of competition. Operational Plan Services: I plan to offer different types of massage which will be Swedish, Aromatherapy (using pre-blended oils), deep tissue, sports/remedial, Indian head, bamboo, hot stones and facials to begin with. I will offer full body and have many options for part body which will be back, neck and shoulders, facial, scalp neck and shoulders, legs and feet, hand and arm, abdominal and chest, neck and shoulders. All massages will be customised to meet the needs of the client and will therefore be bespoke, this is something completely different from that which is offered in any of the surrounding salons and will be my main selling point. Cost: The rent for the room for the 1st 2 months will cost me  £600. The room is in walk in condition and needs no decorating, due to the specialised nature of the business I will need very little equipment which is massage bed at approx  £350, hot stone heater and stones  £100, a hot towel cabinet  £150 and a selection of towels (large and small), face cloths and mitts on which I estimate I will need to spend  £100 to begin with. My other costs will be products and consumables such as couch roll, spatulas, bowls, first aid kit, grapeseed oil, pre-blended aromatherapy oil, cleanser, toner, mask, exfoliator, cotton pads, tissues, massage cream and moisturisers all of which I can get for an approximate cost of  £200 to get me started. I can get all of this from beauty express which will keep my shipping costs to a minimum. As I plan on paying my insurance with my own money I estimate I will need an approximate total of  £1500 to get me started. Legal Entity: The legal entity I will be trading under will be as a sole trader as I will be working for myself, renting a room and solely responsible for starting it up. Therefore, there are no particular legal formalities to adhere to and no planning permission is needed as the business is already established. However, I will contact the HMRC to inform them that I will be self-employed and when I intend to start my business. Health and safety legislations: There is a great deal of legislations which protects both the clients and myself. I must ensure as well as the manager at Twisted Sister salon, to follow the legislations efficiently according to the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974). Health and Safety at Work Act (1974): This forms the basis of health and safety regulations in the UK, this act explains the minimum standards required for health, safety, and welfare in the workplace. This makes sure that all work premises are safe to use. How this applies to me? I work in a specific work area carrying out treatments on clients. Therefore, I am responsible for maintaining my work area throughout each treatment and making sure that it is safe and hygienic enough for my clients and myself. I will check my work area thoroughly such as the cleanliness of the work surfaces and trolleys. I ensure there are no lose wires, spillages and blockages of any of the pathways and that there are no hazards causing risk to any of the employees or customers. The workplace (Health, safety and welfare) regulations 1992: This is to make sure that all those working, maintain the high safety standards of the environment. This includes equipment, ventilation, working temperature, lighting and cleanliness, avoidance of falling objects, safe floors, windows and doors. How this applies to me? I am responsible for my clients comfort and safety. Therefore, it is important for me to check all aspects of the treatment and treatment area. I ensure that the temperature is at the correct working level along with accurate lighting, the light bright enough for me to carry out the treatment safely yet low enough to create a relaxing ambiance. Also, ensure that the area is thoroughly cleaned with disinfectant to reduce the chance of cross-infection, in which can be passed on from person to person, or coming into contact with a contaminated work surface or tool. All tools and equipment which I use is sterilised and disinfected appropriately. All bedding is freshly laundered and changed after each client. Methods of sterilisation and disinfection UV cabinet: These are highly recommended for equipment sterilisation. Tools and equipment can be placed in the cabinet for effective sterilisation. Disinfectants: Ammonia compound disinfectants (e.g. Barbicide) can be used for metal and plastic items such as tweezers and scissors. Follow manufacturers instructions for correct use. Control of substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (2002): This is commonly referred to as COSHH Regulations. These regulations are very important as it is a legal obligation to assess any risks associated with hazardous substances used in the workplace to eliminate or control risks. How this applies to me? To prevent personal harm from hazardous substances e.g. skin irritation, respiratory disease, a COSHH risk assessment is required for such substances as cleaning chemicals. All cosmetic products used in salons must comply with the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 2004, which are enforced by Trading Standards Officers. During the treatments I handle products with care and only use and store them following the manufacturers instructions throughout. Electricity at Work Regulations 1989: These ensure that all equipment and sockets have been checked by a professional electrician. It is important to ensure that any employee uses their own initiative to check the appliances they are using. For example, spotting any worn or exposed wires. How this applies to me? Before my treatment I ensure that the electrical equipment I am using are all checked and maintained in accordance of the manufacturers instructions and recommendations. I ensure that no wires are twisted, worn or frayed and that the plug is not cracked or loose. Once the treatment is over I store the equipment away safely with all the wires fixed securely in its place. Data Protection Act: The client is asked very personal questions during a consultation through specific consultation techniques. Therefore, it is important to ensure that any information given is kept confidential and secure. How this applies to me? I conduct a consultation with my clients before a treatment depending on what they are having to determine contra-indications and to ensure it is safe and suitable for the client. I therefore, ensure that all information that is given remain confidential and protected. I keep all documents and answers from others and are not kept longer than necessary. Amy GrayHNC Complementary Therapiespg. 1

Desertification Essay -- essays research papers fc

The world’s drylands, contrary to popular misconceptions of being barren unproductive land, contain some of the most valuable and vital ecosystems on the planet. These dryland environments have surprising diversity and resiliency, supporting over two billion people, approximately thirty-five percent of the global population (UNEP, 2003). In fact, approximately seventy percent of Africans depend directly on drylands for their daily livelihood (UNEP, 2003). However, these precious and crucial areas are at a crossroad, endangered and threatened by the devastating process of desertification. There are over one hundred definitions for the term ‘desertification’, however the most widely used and current definition is as follows: desertification refers to the land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions due to human activities and climate variations, often leading to the permanent loss of soil productivity and the thinning out of the vegetative cover (U NCCD, 2003). It is important to note that desertification is not the expansion and contraction of deserts or hyper-arid territories, which grow and decrease both naturally and cyclically. French ecologist Louis Lavauden first used the term desertification in 1927 and French botanist Andre Aubreville, when witnessing the land degradation occurring in North and West Africa in 1949 popularized this term (Dregne, 242). The causes of desertification include overgrazing, overcultivation, deforestation and poor irrigation practices. Climatic variations, such as changes in wind speed, precipitation and temperature can influence or increase desertification rates, but they are not catalysts to the process- it is the exploitative actions of humans that trigger desertification (Glantz, 146). The most exploited area historically has been Africa. In the Sahel (transition zone between the Sahara and the Savanna) of West Africa during the period of 1968 to 1973, desertification was a main cause of the deaths of over 100,000 people and 12 million cattle, as well as the disruption of social organizations from villages to the national level (USGS, 1997). As a result of the catastrophic devastation in the Sahel, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 1977, where an agreement was reached to eradicate desertification by the year 2000. Obviously this goal was not achi... ...esertification in Desert Margins.† 2002. . Smith, Olanrewaju, et al. â€Å"Desertification: Myths and Realities.† 10 June 1999. . Sweet, Lois. â€Å"Margins of Hope.† 26 May 1999. . Tiempo Climate. â€Å"Desertification and climate change.† 1993. . UNCCD: Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. â€Å"Knowledge Base.† 19 March 2003. . UNDP: United Nations Development Programme. â€Å"Drylands Development Centre.† 2003. . UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme. â€Å"Drylands.† 2003. USGS: United States Geological Survey. â€Å"Desertification.† 29 October 1997. . Warren, Andrew, et al. An assessment of desertification and land degradation in arid and semi-arid areas. London: International Institute for Environment and Development, 1988. Waser, Katherine. â€Å"The Convention to Combat Desertification Part 1: Africa and the Mediterranean.† 1996. . WHO Africa: World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa. â€Å"Malaria Control.† 19 October 2003. WHO Denmark: World Health Organization. â€Å"Desertification and drought greatly affects Africans’ health.† 10 December 2002. . Wu, Jianguo. Desertification. Phoenix: Arizona State University West, Department of Life Sciences, 2001.

Chemistry Notes

Everything is made of particles. Particles in solid are not free to move around. Liquids and gases can. As particles move they collide with each other and bounce off in all directions. This is called random motion. In 2 substances, when mixed, particles bounce off in all directions when they collide. This mixing process is called diffusion. It's also the movement of particles without a force. The smallest particle that cannot be broken down by chemical means is called an atom. ;In some substances, particles are Just single atoms.For example the gas argon, mound in air, is made up of single argon atoms. ;In many substances, particles consist of 2 atoms Joined together. These are called molecules. ;In other substances, particles consist of atoms or groups of atoms that carry a charge. These particles are called ions. Solids liquids and gases Solid Properties: Definite shape and volume ; Normally hard and rigid Large force required to change shape High Density ; Incompressible Model: ; Closely packed ; Occupy minimum space Regular pattern ; Vibrate in fixed position Not free to move Liquid Properties: ; Definite volume but no shape.Not compressible Occur in clusters with molecules slightly fury Free to move about within a confined vessel WPAD W. Transmigrate crossover Demand: Pu. Researcher's www. PDFWatermarkRemover. Com to remove the watermark Gas Properties: No Fixed volume and no fixed shape ; Low density ; Compressible Very far apart ; Travel at high speed ; Independent and random motions Negligible forces of attraction between them Diffusion in Gases Gases diffuse in different rates. Those rates depend on their factors: 1. Mass of the particles The lower the mass of its particles the faster a gas will diffuse. Why?Because the lighter the molecules†¦ He faster it will travel (obviously†¦ ) 2. The temperature The higher the temperature, the faster a gas will diffuse. Why? Because particles gain energy as they are heated Mixtures, Solutions, and Solve nts Mixture: Contains more the one substance. They are Just mixed together and not chemically combined. Example: Sand and water. Solution: It is when a solute and a solvent mix. The solute dissolves in the solvent making a solution. Example: sugar (solute) dissolves in water (solvent) making a solution of sugar and water. The solubility of every substance is different.To help a solute dissolve you could: ; Stir it Rise the temperature If you add excess amount of sugar in a small amount of water†¦ It won't dissolve as there is no space for it. The solution becomes saturated. Solvent: A substance that allows solutes to dissolve in Example: Water, Ethanol Pure substances and impurities A pure substance is a substance that has no particles of any other substance mixed with it. An unwanted substance, mixed with a wanted substance, is called an impurity. To check if a substance is pure, you have to check its melting and boiling points.A pure substance has a definite, sharp, melting p oint. When a substance is impure, the letting point falls and its boiling point rises. So the more impurity present, the wider and bigger the change in melting and boiling point. Separation methods: Filter – -? Solid from liquid Centrifuge -? Solid from liquid Evaporation -? Solid from its solution Crystallization Solid from its solution Distillation -? Solvent from a solution Fractional distillation Liquid from each other Chromatography solution Separation methods – Different substances from a 1.Filtering Example: A mixture of chalk and water†¦ 1. A filter paper is placed in a funnel, the funnel placed on a flask. 2. The mixture is poured on the filter paper. The chalk (the residue) will remain in the filter paper and the water (the filtrate) will fall down in the flask. 2. Centrifuging This method is used to separate small amounts of solid and liquid. Inside a centrifuge (it's a machine), test tubes are spun very fast so the solid gets flung to the bottom. 3. Ev aporation This method is used to separate a solution in which the solid is dissolved in the liquid. . The solution is heated so that the liquid evaporates and the solid remains in the bottom of the evaporating dish. 4. Crystallization This method is similar to evaporation but here the solid forms crystals then the rascals are left to dry. Separating a mixture of two solids 1. This can be done by dissolving one in an appropriate solvent. 2. Then filtering one and extracting the other from the solution by evaporation. 5. Simple distillation 1. The impure liquid is heated. 2. It boils, and steam rises into the condenser. 3. The impurities are left behind. . The condenser is cold so the steam condenses to the pure liquid and it drops out on the beaker. 6. Fractional distillation . The mixture is heated. The wanted substance boils and evaporates 2. (some of the unwanted liquid will evaporate too) and rises up the column. 3. The substance will condense on the beads in the column causing t hem to heat. 4. When the beads reach a certain temperature when the wanted liquid wont condense anymore (That's the boiling point) it will rise while the unwanted liquid will condense and drop.The wanted liquid will make its way through the condenser where it will condense and drop down in the beaker. 7. Chromatography This method is used to separate a mixture of substances. For example you can use it to find how many colored substances there are in black ink. Steps: 1. Drop the black ink on to the center off filter paper and allow it to dry. 2. Drop water on to the ink spot, one drop at a time. 3. Suppose there are three rings: yellow, red and blue. This shows the ink contains 3 colored substances. The substances travel across the paper at different rates.That's why they separate into rings. The filter paper showing the separate substances is called a chromatogram. This method works because different substances travel at different speeds because they have different levels of attrac tion to it. Uses of chromatography: Separate mixtures of substances ; Purify a substance by separating the impurities from it ; Unit 2: The Atom Identify a substance Atoms are the smallest particles. Each atom consists of a nucleus and a cloud of particles called electrons that whiz around the nucleus. An element is a substance that contains only one kind of atom.The periodic table is the â€Å"map/address book† for elements where each element is given a symbol (E. G. K for potassium). The group of elements that have similar properties are put in a numbered column. For example, if you know how one element in group 1 behaves, you can easily guess how the others in the same group will behave. The rows are called periods. The gig-gag line separates metals from non-metals, with the non-metals on the right. So most elements are metals. A compound contains atoms of different elements Joined together where the atoms are chemically combined.For example carbon dioxide is a compound of carbon and oxygen (1 carbon and 2 oxygen molecules). The symbol for compound is made from the symbols of the elements in it. So the formula for carbon dioxide is CO. Isotopes and Radioactivity You can identify an atom by the number of protons in it. For example, only sodium atoms have 11 protons. Isotopes are atoms of the same element, with different numbers of neutrons. Some isotopes are radioactive. That means its nucleus is unstable, sooner or later the toms breaks down or decays, giving out radiation in the form of rays and tiny particles, as well as large amount of energy.Like carbon-14, a number of other elements have radioisotopes that occur naturally and eventually decays. But the other two isotopes of carbon (like most natural isotopes) are non-radioactive. You can know when radioisotopes decay by looking at there half life. Radiation affects humans as it may causes them radiation sickness but radiation also has some uses. Uses of radiation: 1. Check for leaks in pipes (in dustry) This is done by adding a radioisotope to the oil or gas. At a leak, the radiation is detected using an instrument. Radioisotopes used in this way are called tracers. 2. N cancer treatment (Medical) Radioisotopes can cause cancer but yet also can cure it. Using radiotherapy the radioisotope will decay and give out rays that can kill cancer cells. These rays will be aimed exactly at the cancer cells. 3. To find the age of old remains A tiny percentage of a living thing contains carbon-14 atoms. When living thing dies it no longer takes in new carbon atoms. But existing carbon-14 atom decay over time – we can measure the faint radiation from them. How electrons are arranged The electrons in an atom circle fast around the nucleus, at different levels from it.These energy levels are caller electron shells. The further the shell is from the nucleus, the higher the energy level. Each shell can hold a limited number of electrons. First shell can hold up to 2 electrons Second shell can hold up to 8 electrons The third shell can also hold up to 8 electrons Electronic configuration means the arrangement of electrons in an atom. Argon has the electronic configuration : 2,8,8 Magnesium has the electronic configuration : 2,8,2 Important points: ; The shells fill in order, from lowest energy level to highest energy levelAll the elements in a group have the same number of electrons in their outer shells. These are called Valence electrons. ; The group number is the same number of outer shell electrons ; The period number shows how many shells there are. ; If an element posses a full outer shell, the element become enervative Unit 3: Atoms combining Most elements form compounds because they want a full outer shell and to achieve that they must react with other atoms. For example, sodium has Just one electron in its outer shell.It can obtain a full outer shell by losing this electron to anther atoms and by that it becomes a sodium ion. Now because sodium lost a e lectron†¦ It now has 10 electrons but 11 protons†¦ So it has a 1 positive charge. An ion is a charged particle. It is charged because it has an unequal number of protons and electrons. The ionic bond Sodium and chlorine react together; sodium gives its electron to chlorine. Now both elements have a full outer shell, but with a charge. Now they are ions. Sodium now has 10 electrons but 11 protons so it has a positive charge.Chlorine now has 18 electrons but 17 protons so it has a negative charge. The two ions have opposite charges, so they attract each other. The force of attraction between them is strong. It is called an ionic bond. When sodium reacts with chlorine, billions and billions of sodium and chlorine ions form and they attract each other. But the ions don't stay in pairs. They cluster together so that each ion is surrounded by 6 ions of opposite charges. The pattern grows until a giant structure of ions is formed. The overall charge of the structure is O since 1 positive charge and 1 negative charge neutralize each other.The ionic bonding is only between metals and non-metals. Important notes: Hydrogen and the metals form positive ions Non-metals form negative ions, and their names end in -did ; Group 4 and 5 do to usually form ions because they would have to lose or gain several electrons and that takes too much energy ; Group O elements do not form ions; they already have full outer shells ; Some of the transition metals form more than one ion. Some ions can be formed from groups of Joined atoms. These are called compound ions. Properties of ionic compound 1.Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points. This is because ionic bonds are very strong, so it takes a lot of heat energy to break up the lattice. 2. Ionic compounds are usually soluble in water. The water molecules can attract the ions away from the lattice. The ions can then move freely, surrounded by water molecules. 3. Ionic compounds can conduct electricity when they ar e melted or dissolved. When melted the lattice breaks up and the ions are free to move. Since they are charged, this means they can conduct electricity.The solutions of ionic compounds conduct electricity too because they are also free to move. The covalent bond Giving and losing an electron is not the only way to gain full outer shells since atoms can also share electrons. Covalent bonding is for non-metals only since only non-metals need to gain electrons. A molecule is a group of atoms held together by covalent bonds. When a pair of electrons is shared, it is called a single covalent bond, or Just single bond. When 2 pairs of electrons are shared, it is called a double covalent bond, or Just double bond.When 3 pairs of electrons are shared, it is called a triple covalent bond, or Just triple Covalent compounds A covalent compound is when atoms of different elements share electrons with each other. The molecules in a covalent compound isn't flat because each electron repel each ot her and try to get as far apart from each other. Molecular substances Most molecular substances are gases or liquids at room temperature. Molecular lids are held in a lattice but the forces between the molecules are weak. All molecular solids have similar structure.The molecules are held in regular pattern in a lattice. So the solids are crystalline. When you cool down a molecular liquid or gas the molecules lose energy so they start moving slowly and at the freezing point, they form a lattice (a good example would be ice) Properties of covalent bonding 1. Covalent compounds have low melting and boiling point This is because the forces between the molecules are weak. 2. They do not conduct electricity This is because molecules are not charged, so they cannot conduct, even when melted

Accountancy Test Questions with Answers Essay

Accountancy Test Questions with Answers Essay Accountancy Test Questions with Answers Essay 160. At October 1, Arcade Fire Enterprises reported stockholders' equity of $35,000. During October, common stock of $5,000 was issued and the company posted a net loss of $2,000. If stockholders' equity at October 31 totals $35,000, what amount of dividends were paid during the month? âÅ"” 1. a. $0 2. b. $2,000 3. c. $3,000 - Given 4. d. $5,000 143. Black Keys Company began the year with stockholders' equity of $185,000. During the year, the company recorded revenues of $250,000, expenses of $190,000, and paid dividends of $20,000. What was Black Keys’ stockholders' equity at the end of the year? âÅ"â€" 1. a. $185,000. 2. b. $225,000. 3. c. $245,000. - Given 4. d. $265,000. 134. An income statement âÅ"â€" 1. a. summarizes the changes in retained earnings for a specific period of time. 2. b. reports the changes in assets, liabilities, and stockholders` equity over a period of time. 3. c. reports the assets, liabilities, and stockholders` equity at a specific date. 4. d. presents the revenues and expenses for a specific period of time. 151. Teamboo Company’s stockholders' equity at the beginning of August 2013 was $300,000. During the month, the company earned net income of $70,000 and paid dividends of $30,000. At the end of August 2013, what is the amount of stockholders' equity? âÅ"â€" 1. a. $270,000 2. b. $300,000 - Given 3. c. $330,000 4. d. $340,000 135. If the retained earnings account increases from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, then âÅ"â€" 1. a. net income is less than dividends. 2. b. a net loss is less than dividends. - Given 3. c. the company must have sold stock. 4. d. net income is greater than dividends. 154. Stahl Consulting started the year with total assets of $20,000 and total liabilities of $5,000. During the year, the business recorded $16,000 in catering revenues and $10,000 in expenses. Stahl issued stock of $3,000 and paid dividends of $5,000 during the year. The net income reported by Stahl Consulting for the year was: âÅ"â€" 1. a. $1,000. 2. b. $4,000. - Given 3. c. $6,000. 4. d. $9,000. 149. Misra Company compiled the following financial information as of December 31, 2013: Revenues $170,000 Retained earnings (1/1/13) 30,000 Equipment 40,000 Expenses 125,000 Cash 45,000 Dividends 10,000 Supplies 5,000 Accounts payable 20,000 Accounts receivable 35,000 Common stock 40,000 Misra’s assets on December 31, 2013 are âÅ"” 1. a. $90,000. 2. b. $125,000. - Given 3. c. $180,000. 4. d $245,000. 170. The organization(s) primarily responsible for establishing generally accepted accounting principles is(are) the FASB SEC âÅ"â€" 1. a. no no 2. b. yes no - Given 3. c. no yes 4. d. yes yes 136. Mofro’s Computer Repair Shop started the year with total assets of $270,000 and total liabilities of $180,000. During the year, the business recorded $450,000 in computer repair revenues, $270,000 in expenses, and Mofro paid dividends of $45,000. Stockholders' equity at the end of the year was âÅ"â€" 1. a. $180,000. 2. b. $210,000. - Given 3. c. $225,000. 4. d. $270,000. 168. Auditing is âÅ"â€" 1. a. the examination of financial statements by a CPA in order to express an opinion on their fairness. 2. b. a part of accounting that involves only recording of economic events. 3. c. an area of accounting that involves such activities as cost accounting, budgeting, and accounting information systems. - Given 4. d. conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission to ensure that registered financial statements are presented fairly. 157. At October 1, Arcade Fire Enterprises reported stockholders' equity of $35,000. During October, no stock was issued and the company earned net income of $9,000. If stockholders' equity at October 31 totals $39,000, what amount of dividends were paid during the month? âÅ"â€" 1. a. $0 2. b. $4,000 - Given 3. c. $5,000 4. d. $13,000 145. Centro-matic Company began the year with stockholders' equity of $15,000. During the year, Centro-matic issued additional shares of stock in exchange for cash of $21,000, recorded expenses of

Whats wrong with Overland Park essays

Whats wrong with Overland Park essays Whats wrong with the parents of Overland Park, Kansas? Do you think that your kids will be able to survive on their own one day? Your kids arent a statement to your reputation. Why must you spoil your children? Why do you place your children in a world where they count on mommy and daddy for everything? Do you actually believe that when that day comes, they go off to college you really think theyll survive? No, because whenever they are in trouble or need something guess what youre going to be getting a phone call. Of course every parents says that behind every doing is responsibility. How do your children have responsibility when you give them anything and everything they want at their beg and call without earning it in some kind of way? You may believe/think that your children are a statement to your reputation. Well actually they arent. Your reputation is because of you. Just because you produced them doesnt mean they are the key to people liking you. If you believe that then youll just have to wait till the day comes that your children go out and do something bad and it screws you over. What makes you think that your kids have to drive the nicest cars, wear the most expensive clothing and down right be full of themselves? I dont know how many times I have either known someone or heard about them getting used by so called friends for the things they have. For all the parents out there who tell their children that they are spoiled little brats, well guess what you raised your children to be that way. Has anyone ever told you that Overland Park is one of the richest cities in the world? Some of that is because there are 15,16,17 and 18 year olds driving around in BMWs, Lexuss and other nice expensive cars. So whats wrong with Overland Park you ask? Its everything I just told you in the para ...

Skimming and Cramming

Skimming and Cramming There are many study methods that are used by students while revising for examinations. Some methods are effective while others are ineffective. Effective methods are helpful since they help students to understand and retain a lot of information. Ineffective methods are not only tiresome but also lead to burn out.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Skimming and Cramming specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, it becomes increasingly hard for students using such methods to retain reliable and important information. With that background in mind, this paper shall describe cramming and skimming which are ineffective study methods. Cramming can be described as a study technique which involves trying to absorb a lot of information within a short time. It is mostly used by students who prefer to study when the examination is almost or during the last few days. Due to the pressure involved, it results in poor retention of i nformation for a long duration of time. It then serves the purpose of the examination after which the student forgets a lot of information. In many cases, a teacher gives a long deadline before the date of the test. Due to procrastination, the deadline almost comes to end without the notice of the student. A student may remember about the test may be a day or two before the due date. As a matter of fact, one day cannot be enough to go through all the work the student may have covered. At that particular time, the student tries to go through all the work and to retain a lot of information as much as possible (Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo pp. 216). The brain can be likened to a sponge such that there is need for it to absorb the information slowly. It can also be likened to a water way where water passes through while getting into a dam. A steady flow of water usually has no problem but when a lot of water tries to get through the same entry, damages usually occur due to over flooding and some water also gets lost. The same case happens to brain during cramming. Some information is usually lost and the habit can also be detrimental to one’s health.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Skimming is yet another ineffective study method especially while preparing for an exam. It is a method which involves reading a whole passage, a paragraph or any form of writing with an aim of knowing just the main idea. Therefore, the reader using the method does not read carefully but only searches for the main idea. The reader only focuses on the topic sentence and does not read other sentences that explain or support the main idea. In most cases, skimming is used by a person who is already familiar with the information being read because if material happens to be unfamiliar, the person can miss on important details. For instance, a person skimming through this essay will probably read the first paragraph which is supposed to contain the thesis or the main idea. By so doing, the person will be able to establish that the essay focuses on ineffective methods of study which include cramming and skimming. The next step would involve searching for paragraphs which explain the meaning of each method. In such a case, the reader won’t waste time on reading the explanation part. For that reason, the method is ineffective because there is a lot that is left out. In addition, it is done fast such that there is no time to synthesize a lot of information (Reading Styles Skimming). The essay does not only focus on the description of skimming and cramming but also on why the two are ineffective study methods. Cramming involves trying to read and retain a lot of information within a short duration of time. On the other hand, skimming involves reading quickly through the reading material in order to search for the main idea. In that case, it is clear tha t skimming and cramming cannot be recommended to students reading for examination purposes. Pastorino, Ellen E. and Susann M. Doyle-Portillo. What Is Psychology? Essentials. Stamford: Cengage Learning, 2008. Reading Styles Skimming. 2011. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Skimming and Cramming specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

DIS4, 6, 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

DIS4, 6, 8 - Essay Example Be prepared to discuss. From the first e-Activity, note that the GAO could not issue an opinion on the financial statements of the US government. Evaluate how this could occur considering the requirements of OMB Circular A-123. What steps would you take to alleviate the internal control problems? Differentiate between the requirements for internal controls in government agencies and those in public companies.      As per the requirement of OMB Circular A-123, we can understand the changes took places created much vulnerability in financial reporting system. This emphasized more on the term on â€Å"Internal Control† from the term â€Å"Management Control†. This may exclude many facts which should have reported earlier with obligations. In new requirements â€Å"Defines materiality for the purposes of assessing and documenting internal control over financial reporting†, this option can create loop for many important facts and figure than clearly presenting it in the financial reporting. It has created ambiguity for three different processes, they are: a) security across the government, b) improper payments and c) tax collection activities. To alleviate the internal control, the expense item I would prefer the bring in clear consideration withdrawing the category as reportable status. Clarification on money outflow has to have precisely documented while audited and clearly noted to uplift the fairness of the internal control. There are differences between government agencies and public limited companies. As the objective of report is to assess the clarification being involved in direct transactions, whereas the agencies are the external parties to report have differences in revealing the accuracy asset management revelation. DISCUSSION 2: "Expenditures" Please respond to the following: Under pressure to balance their budgets, governments at all levels have resorted to fiscal gimmicks, such as delaying the wages and salary of government em ployees from the last day of the month to the first day of the following month. In the year of the change, they thereby had one fewer period to pay.   Determine how such a change would affect the reported expenditures of a governmental fund under GAAP. Provide specific examples to support your response. Evaluate the impact of GASB Interpretation No.6, Recognition and Measurement of Certain Liabilities and Expenditures in Governmental Fund Financial Statements on the accrual and payment of the salaries. This expenditure would be accrual for the immediate period of time and then next year upon payment the accrual payable would be reported. This report will be more accumulate big accrual means there is irregularities of payments and the liabilities will move high showing lesser efficiency in the transaction handling. A government allowed accruing or additional fund liability and expenditure provided any financial resources or debt services for payment of liabilities that will be matu re in following year. This indicates under GASB rule is that the time provided is limited and the term early in the following year refers to a short time period –usually one to several days and not more than one month. Liabilities for compensation and claims of salary are generally expected to be liquidated by the available financial sources. If delay it should recognize as governmental fund liabilities against mature payment for each financial period. Unmatured liabilities like compensated absent do not

Influenza Outbreak of 1918. Could it Happen Again; World War I and How Essay

Influenza Outbreak of 1918. Could it Happen Again; World War I and How This War Impacted America. Did it Change the World Forever; Reasons Why the Stock Market Collapsed in 1929 - Essay Example The American involvement in the war is considered the result of several important factors, as follows – first and foremost, here should be mentioned the distinctive pro-American British policy and American elite’s pro-British sympathies, which became a reality after the â€Å"Great Rapprochement† between Britain and the US in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Buchanan, 1999, pp.193-5). Second, the widespread American dislike of militaristic Germany was â€Å"strengthened by the British propaganda†; while Americans generally sympathized with France, believing they owed it a debt (Buchanan, 1999, p.196). The immediate motive behind America’s entry into the war was the sinking of the Lusitania on May 7, 1915 (Buchanan, 1999). However, financial and commercial interests certainly stuck out – by the time of American entry into the war, US banks extended over 2 billion dollars to the Allies (Buchanan, 1999). Consequently, despite the relatively modest contribution to victory on the western front – during the hardest fighting of the war in 1918, the American Expeditionary Force captured 43 300 prisoners and some 1 400 guns – the US received recognition of their power, mainly due to their economic might, as well as the prestige and popularity of Woodrow Wilson (Strachan, 1998).

How is a neuron like atoilet for therhold and all-or none properties Essay

How is a neuron like atoilet for therhold and all-or none properties - Essay Example The neurons are stimulated when they reach a specific level which is known as the threshold. Every neuron has its own threshold on which it can be stimulated. Below the threshold the neuron is not stimulated enough to fire impulses to cause its desired effect. This is known as the all or none property followed by all the neurons of the body. The threshold and the all or none law can be compared to the toilet. When the toilet is in the normal position without any interaction it is known to be in the resting position. This can be compared to the resting membrane potential of the neurons in which the neuron is not firing impulses. Similarly when the toilet has to be flushed the lever is to be pushed hard enough so that the flushing can begin. Same is the case with neurons which have a stimulatory threshold level which can only be achieved if the resting membrane potential has reached the threshold level. As the flush won’t work with the right power the neurons will also not work with the right stimulatory power. When the process of flushing starts it reaches a peak when the water stops being drained after which the water is poured back in the toilet.

International Business strategy - NOKIA on global market Essay - 1

International Business strategy - NOKIA on global market - Essay Example Smartphone manufacturers are competing with each other in terms of implementing new technologies, gaining access to new market, advertising exposure and many others. Few Smartphone are doing legal battle with each other in terms of feature and application counterfeiting (for example Samsung paid huge amount to Apple after losing legal battle of counterfeiting of design and application of iPhone). Some companies are using Android operating system for their Smartphone’s while others are focusing on windows phone. Market saturation is higher for phones not acquired with contract. Fixed costs associated with smart phone market are high due to requirement of investing in latest technologies. Hence it can be concluded that market rivalry is high. Global Smartphone market condition can be explained in the following manner. In future Nokia will face specific threat from counterfeit products. Mobile manufacturers complemented by low resorce capabilities tend to imititate features and design of Smartphone manufacturered by reputed companies such as Nokia, Samsung and Apple. Impact of such threat will increase in future. Market players rely heavily on suppliers providing software and hardware integration. Influence of low cost Taiwanese suppliers is increasing in the mobile manufacturing industry. Foxconn is the Taiwanese supplier for Apple and HTC. Taiwanese suppliers supply HSPA or High Speed Packet Access, evolution data optimizer and touch screen panels to mid and high end Smartphone manufactures. Component source of Taiwanese Smartphone supply can be depicted by using following diagram. Operating systems such as BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone, Android and iOS are essential gears for Smartphone manufacturers. Smartphone manufacturers are relying heavily on their technological partners such as Google and Microsoft. Hence it can be inferred that supplier power is high. Nokia needs to follow respective government rule of different countries

Polio Vaccine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Polio Vaccine - Research Paper Example Polio victims constitute the vulnerable members of the population such as young children, pregnant women and people suffering from low immunity weakened by other medical conditions. Other risk factors associated with polio transmission include visiting polio prone areas, living with people suffering from the infection, working in the laboratory where scientists have kept live polio virus and removing tonsils. Poliovirus enters the environment through feces of an infected person. Transmission occurs through fecal-oral route via contaminated food and water. Additionally, direct contact with a victim can cause the transmission of poliovirus. People who stay close to one another for some time can experience the transfer of the virus from the infected to the new victim since it is highly contagious. The worst symptoms of polio are paralysis and death. Nonparalytic polio causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache and sore throat, vomiting, back and neck pain and muscle spasms, which last for a few days (John & Vashishtha, 2012). Forms of Polio Vaccines The forms of polio vaccines that have been recommended include inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and oral polio vaccine (OPV). Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine IPV consists of a series of injections, which begin at two months after birth and continue until a child attains the age of four to six years. The reason for administering three spaced dozes is to generate adequate levels of seroconversion. Most countries consider adding a booster dose during adulthood. The inactivated poliovirus vaccine is created from inactivated poliovirus. Inactive poliovirus is safe and effective, thus cannot cause polio. Inactivated polio vaccine is made from killed wild-type poliovirus strains of each serotype. Doctors recommend lone dissemination for IPV or

The life of Mark Zuckerberg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The life of Mark Zuckerberg - Essay Example The aim of this essay is to sketch the darker side of Mark Zuckerberg’s personality, which is usually ignored. Mark Zuckerberg is one of the most successful young developers, along with people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates etc. His success story, which started at a very young age and is very impressive, is however not without controversies and negativity. At one hand we see his apparently humble and simple self as he appears in public; on the other hand there is this haughty, selfish and immature side of him. Most of the times, greater focus is attached with his good and humble side, this essay however would highlight the other side of his personality. He developed his first music streaming platform, while he was still in high school. At that time, AOL and Microsoft showed interest in his creation but they were boldly rebuffed by young Zuckerberg. This gives an early example of his haughty behavior. Any other high school kid would have been very excited and rather highly indebted to those great companies for showing their interest but Zuckerberg had graeter plans. After getting into the prestigious Harvard University, Zuckerberg was a step even higher than before. His attitude with his college mates and towards college authorities is not a very impressive one. Apart from finally dropping out of college, he also had to face a lot of controversies and discipline issues while he was still at Harvard. His experiments like ‘facemash’ (a voting site) etc caused a lot of trouble, as in the case of Facemash the server of Harvard crashed and Zuckerberg was summoned in front of committee on disciplinary grounds. Thus being a student, his reckless and disastrous experiments were not much appreciated. Also his dropping out of college to focus on Facebook show his non serious and careless attitude towards studies as no sane person would like to drop out of such a prestigious Ivy League institution. The greatest controversy of Mark Zuckerberg’s

International Business strategy - NOKIA on global market Essay - 1

International Business strategy - NOKIA on global market - Essay Example Smartphone manufacturers are competing with each other in terms of implementing new technologies, gaining access to new market, advertising exposure and many others. Few Smartphone are doing legal battle with each other in terms of feature and application counterfeiting (for example Samsung paid huge amount to Apple after losing legal battle of counterfeiting of design and application of iPhone). Some companies are using Android operating system for their Smartphone’s while others are focusing on windows phone. Market saturation is higher for phones not acquired with contract. Fixed costs associated with smart phone market are high due to requirement of investing in latest technologies. Hence it can be concluded that market rivalry is high. Global Smartphone market condition can be explained in the following manner. In future Nokia will face specific threat from counterfeit products. Mobile manufacturers complemented by low resorce capabilities tend to imititate features and design of Smartphone manufacturered by reputed companies such as Nokia, Samsung and Apple. Impact of such threat will increase in future. Market players rely heavily on suppliers providing software and hardware integration. Influence of low cost Taiwanese suppliers is increasing in the mobile manufacturing industry. Foxconn is the Taiwanese supplier for Apple and HTC. Taiwanese suppliers supply HSPA or High Speed Packet Access, evolution data optimizer and touch screen panels to mid and high end Smartphone manufactures. Component source of Taiwanese Smartphone supply can be depicted by using following diagram. Operating systems such as BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone, Android and iOS are essential gears for Smartphone manufacturers. Smartphone manufacturers are relying heavily on their technological partners such as Google and Microsoft. Hence it can be inferred that supplier power is high. Nokia needs to follow respective government rule of different countries

The life of Mark Zuckerberg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The life of Mark Zuckerberg - Essay Example The aim of this essay is to sketch the darker side of Mark Zuckerberg’s personality, which is usually ignored. Mark Zuckerberg is one of the most successful young developers, along with people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates etc. His success story, which started at a very young age and is very impressive, is however not without controversies and negativity. At one hand we see his apparently humble and simple self as he appears in public; on the other hand there is this haughty, selfish and immature side of him. Most of the times, greater focus is attached with his good and humble side, this essay however would highlight the other side of his personality. He developed his first music streaming platform, while he was still in high school. At that time, AOL and Microsoft showed interest in his creation but they were boldly rebuffed by young Zuckerberg. This gives an early example of his haughty behavior. Any other high school kid would have been very excited and rather highly indebted to those great companies for showing their interest but Zuckerberg had graeter plans. After getting into the prestigious Harvard University, Zuckerberg was a step even higher than before. His attitude with his college mates and towards college authorities is not a very impressive one. Apart from finally dropping out of college, he also had to face a lot of controversies and discipline issues while he was still at Harvard. His experiments like ‘facemash’ (a voting site) etc caused a lot of trouble, as in the case of Facemash the server of Harvard crashed and Zuckerberg was summoned in front of committee on disciplinary grounds. Thus being a student, his reckless and disastrous experiments were not much appreciated. Also his dropping out of college to focus on Facebook show his non serious and careless attitude towards studies as no sane person would like to drop out of such a prestigious Ivy League institution. The greatest controversy of Mark Zuckerberg’s

First Cars Ltd Essay Example for Free

First Cars Ltd Essay Critical path analysis is a method that is used to plan out the many activities involved in a project to be able to find the most efficient way of complete it and how to complete it on time. From a research and development point of view, the decision to go ahead with this project relies solely on the critical path analysis provided by Amy Jones. In light of this, the operations director is rightly concerned about how valuable the data provided by the critical path analysis is. The arguments for and against seem to be balanced. Therefore, I present the most significant argument of how valuable a critical path analysis – which is how Amy’s data allows the business to be have a clear outline of when and where money is spent in the project. This means that the critical path analysis will help First Cars plc with their cash flow which would allow them subsequently to be able to plan out careful spending to ensure they are able to fund the project. This would allow them to under go an investment appraisal before starting the project as they also have specific dates in which each part of the development would be ready. This is vital because of First Cars plc’s limited financial reserves it would mean they would be able workout the payback period and the average rate of return which could mean they are able to work out expected profits for the coming year from the which would mean shareholders would feel happier with the business as they are able to see a clear direction in which the business is improving, but most importantly it will show if the project is viable as they will be able to know how quickly it will allow the business to generate cash quickly to ensure they do not face a poor cash flow situation which could see the business dipping into liquidation. Another potential benefit of using critical path analysis is that it allows such an important project to be planned thoroughly in order to make sure everything is completed properly and on time. This is important because the business has a very clear deadline to make (August 2010) any issues which could mean they are not reached on time would result in the business failing to reach this deadline. Amy makes it clear that it is important to enter this market early to ensure a strong competitive market position because this is so vital it allows the critical path analysis to be used constructively to ensure everyone keeps to the same deadlines, this is because the tasks on the critical path analysis are completed by various other departments meaning the business has a Matrix structure so therefore it is important to highlight how important it is to reach deadlines and a clear outline on what deadlines should be met and how long the project teams have to reach them because there could be confusion due to the overlapping authority which is held in a Matrix structure. On the other hand, there is evidence that makes the credibility of the critical path analysis doubted. The most important argument supporting this would be the accuracy of the information provided in the diagram. In the case study it says ‘information provided by Amy Jones’ because of this it is hard to determine if the numbers are correct. Whilst it is important to remember that this is a completely new venture and there are hardly any competitors there is relatively no previous data to be obtained from competitors, because of this Amy has no where to be able to validate her own data with which could be worrying to the Operations Director because these numbers could have been come up with in thin air with no chance in reality to be reached on time. This concern could stem from the fact that all the data comes from Amy, who is pushing this project extremely hard to get through in to production. As the business is relying on this proposal to put the business ‘back o n to the road of success’ having only a critical path analysis could be of none value at all to First Cars plc. Another argument doubting the value of critical path analysis in this proposal is that most of the activities to take place are not in Amy’s marketing division which could mean she could underestimate the time needed to complete other tasks resulting in the time needed to complete the project being set back by many weeks. Which could mean they do not reach their important deadline of August 2010 which could possibly mean that they have thrown the whole project down the drain; this is because it is extremely important for the business that they reach the deadline if they want to become a strong competitor in the given market. Not only could the project be in jeopardy but the whole of the business if any of the deadlines aren’t met because it would put them in a poor state regarding their cash flow. All in all, even though the argument seems to be relevantly balanced I believe there is a lot to loss on this project, a considerably amount more than what is at stake to be gained. The project is so unsafe for a business which is already struggling to survive. I think that First Car plc needs to hold fire and invest in a project which will guarantee to bring in profits and cash quickly rather than one that is extremely risky with no previous data to compare it on and one that entails extremely high costs – cars could be sitting around for days or even weeks in expensive city centres with staff having nothing to do, I suspect it could be a seasonal business in regards to when someone might want a car and what for. Due to the reasons above I believe that in this case the value of the critical path analysis is extremely poor and that other factors need to be taken in to consideration, I would have liked to have seen more supporting evidence of the payback figures.

The Concepts Of Partnership And Collaboration Social Work Essay

The Concepts Of Partnership And Collaboration Social Work Essay The concepts of partnership and collaboration have become amongst the most critical themes of new Labours social policy, particularly in respect of the delivery of health and social care. (Lymbery, M, 2005) This is the reason why a reflective summary will be produced in which concepts of partnership, the philosophies and the reducing of negative outcomes for professional, client and organization will be discussed in greater depth. Proposals for minimising negative outcomes will also be covered. CONTENT CONCEPTS OF PARTNERSHIP The definitions of partnership according to Collins English dictionary, 1991 is equal commitment or the state of being a partner. Partnership is also defined as a shared commitment, where all partners have a right and an obligation to participate and will be affected equally by the benefits and disadvantages arising from the partnership as defined by Carnwell, R. and Carson, A. in 2008. Partnership defining attributes are trust and confidence in accountability, respect for specialist expertise, joint working, teamwork, blurring of professional boundaries, member of partnerships share the same vested interests, appropriate governance structures, common goals, transparent lines of communication within and between partner agencies, agreement about the objectives, reciprocity and empathy. Antecedents of partnership are as follow: individual, local and national initiatives, commitment to shared vision about joint venture, willingness to sign up to creating a relationship that will support vision and also value cooperation and respect what other partners bring to the relationship. Partnership provides a number of benefits such as social exclusion will be tackled more efficiently, service provision from different organisations will be less repetitive, activities by agencies will be less diluted and the chance of agencies producing services that are counterproductive to each other will be reduced. However, there are also barriers in working in partnership for instance, complexity of relationships, representativeness of wider public, tokenism and excessive influence of the vocal groups, desire of individuals not to be involved in making decisions about their care, threat to confidentiality, role boundary conflicts, inter-professional differences of perspective and threats to professional identity. (Carnwell, R. and Carson, A. , 2008) PHILOPSOPHIES OF WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP In working in partnership, there are few philosophies that underpin partnership working. The philosophies are empowerment, independence, humanity, equity, trust and respect. Empowerment in the context of health and social care is a process through which people gain greater control over decision and actions that will affect their health. (World Health Organisation, 1998) The reason why empowerment is important in the partnership of health and social care context is because they are the vital foundation of developing an honest relationship between client and professional. They also have become accepted principles in social work practice and have received legislative endorsement as the foundation stones of quality relationships between users and providers of community care services as mentioned by Braye, S. and Preston-Shoot, M., in 1993. Without empowerment, a partnership working will not be effective. Independence according to Oxford, 2010 is free from outside control; not subject to anothers authority. Independence in terms of partnership in the health and social care perspective is the ability to make decision that will affect the life of a person without the control of others, be it health professional, family member etc. Other than that, it can also be described as a situation in which a person is not under the power of others. An example for independence in partnership is between a patient and a health professional, the patient should be given the autonomy to choose the choice of treatment that he wants to undergo, not chosen by the professional. Humanity is the quality of being humane according to Oxford, 2010. Equity means fairness. Equity in health means that peoples needs guide the distribution of opportunities for well-being. (WHO, 1998) Equity in partnership means that every client should be treated and given the access to health services equally. The WHO global strategy of achieving Health for All is fundamentally directed towards achieving greater equity in health between and within populations and between countries. This implies that all people have an equal opportunity to develop and maintain their health, through fair and just access to resources for health. (WHO, 1998) A commitment to partnership working can only be fostered if the partnership itself displays openness in the way it conducts its affairs, open book accounting has to be taken to the extreme if a partnership is to be successful. The reason why trust is important in a partnership is because once distrust enters into a relationship, it is bound to fail. As mutual confidence grows at the individual level so it becomes much easier for the partnership as a whole to become more transparent in its working and thus, encourage trust between partners. (Geddes, M., 2005) Trust in the health and care setting is essential because without trust, it is difficult for a client to be open and honest to the professional. Respect in partnership is important because in partnership, partners work together to achieve common goals and this relationship is based on mutual respect for each others skills and competencies and recognition of the advantage of combining these resources to achieve beneficial outcomes. Partnership in the health and social care context can be linked to the key of successful doctor-patient partnerships in which that patient will be recognised as the experts by the doctor. The doctor is, or should be, well informed about diagnostic techniques, the cause of disease, prognosis, treatment options, and preventive strategies, but only the patient knows about his or her experience of illness, social circumstances, habits and behaviour, attitudes to risk, values, and preferences. Both types of knowledge are needed to manage illness successfully, so both parties should be prepared to share information and take decisions jointly. (Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry, 2001) MODELS OF CARE IN RELATION TO PARTNERSHIP PHILOSOPHIES Models of care are made up of two models. They are the medical model and social model. In medical model, their thinking is that the disability of a person is of their own fault, their future is on the result of the diagnosis, they also tend to be labelled, their impairment becomes the focus of attention, assessment, monitoring, programmes of therapy are imposed to them, separation and alternative services are the only options, their ordinary needs are also put on hold, they are also only allowed to re-enter the ordinary world if they are normal enough otherwise it is permanent exclusion and society remains unchanged. (BFI, 2009) In this model, the independence of patient is being violated as their therapy is imposed on them, not their own choice. Their equity is also defied as they are being excluded socially. On the other hand, in social model thinking, the disabled person is valued, strengths and needs are defined by self and others, barriers are identified and solutions will be developed, outcome based programme are designed, resources are made available to ordinary services, training for parents and professionals are also provided, relationships are nurtured, diversity are also welcomed and child is included and society evolves to accept the disable. (BFI, 2009) In this model, the client is empowered such as the NHS Expert patient programme in which client take control of their own live without the relying on others. Another strategy that fosters empowerment is the Prosumers in which providers (the disabled person) are also the consumers (supporting other disabled person as a support team). (Dickerson, F., 1998) THE OUTCOMES RECOMMENDATIONS As mentioned in the working in partnership concept, partnership offers various advantages to different level of service user be it users, practitioners and organisations. Alas, it also has its own disadvantages which both will be looked into briefly. In working with partnership, the advantage is that workload between practitioners will be distributed equally according to ones own expertise. For example, the partnership between family nurses, the supervisor and social worker in safeguarding vulnerable child. If babies and young people who may have been, or are likely to be, abused or neglected. Family nurses will refer a child to social worker as a child in need, when appropriate, and will act on concerns that the child may suffer or likely to suffer significant harm. Family nurses will also receive weekly supervision and together with the supervisor work closely with social worker with safeguarding responsibilities. (HM Government, 2010) This benefit both the service user (in this case is children) and organisation that the practitioners work for as work will become more efficient. The Working Together 1999 initiative sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004. (HM Government, 2010) Partnership with other organisations both involving statutory and voluntary will benefit service users as competition will arise. This will enhance the service being offered by the organisations involved. As an example is the British Red Cross as the voluntary organisation and local department of social work as the statutory. The NHS and Community Care Act in 1990 split the role of health authorities and local authorities by changing their internal structure, so that local authority departments assess the needs of the local population and then purchase the necessary services from providers such as the Red Cross. Community care ensures people in need of long-term care are now being able to live either in their own home, with adequate support, or in a residential home setting. (UWIC, 2010) This adequate support can be obtained from the Red Cross, such as support after being discharged from the hospital until they are fully empowered of themselves to be independent again. Support is imp ortant as seeking help from professional can help client to recover better. This will benefit both client and also organisation. Albeit partnership offers benefits to everyone, it also has its own challenges. One of the major problems of working in partnership is confidentiality. The more people working together on a case, the chances of information to be breached will increase. Along the way, information could also get lost as well. This is because one party will think specific information is not as important as what other parties will think. To overcome this problem in protecting personal data of a client, the 1998 Data Protection Act is the key legislation which covers all aspects of information processed. Additionally, especially in health and social care, to ensure that this act is put into operation, the Caldicott principle is introduced. (Department of Health, 2010) In general, working in partnership is a great way to tackle issues effectively. However, the idea of partnership does not usually work as what is expected ideally in reality. Partnership working can be difficult to do well, it can be costly if not properly managed and it may not deliver the desired outcomes if the aims and objectives are not clear. On the other hand, it can be reduced by having plans and strategies as a guidance that must be revised after a certain period of time by local authority. The principal purpose of guidance is to provide a framework against which to test potential new partnerships and examine existing ones, to ensure that the Authority can be reassured that the partnership under consideration is one which will contributes positively to its agenda. (Rochford District Council, 2009) CONCLUSION Working in partnership in health and social care is beneficial to all service users, inter professional working and organisational that is involved although it has its own negative consequences. These negative outcomes however can be reduced by referring to guidelines and policies that needs to be updated from time to time.

The Three Great Compromises :: essays research papers

The Three Great Compromises The United States of America was founded on the basis of compromise, but what does compromise really mean? According to the Webster's New World Dictionary compromise means "an adjustment of opposing principles". Political systems use compromises in daily life. The Three Great Compromises that occurred early in this nation's government were the Connecticut Compromise, the 3/5 Compromise, and finally the Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise. Were it not for these compromises the United States could still be governed under the Articles of Conferderation. The Connecticut Compromise was the most important compromise in the history of the U.S. government. The representatives from each state were going to change the government totally, from powerful state governments to a powerful central government, which they vowed not to do when they declared independence from England. Rhode Island was so disgusted with the idea of changing the government that they did not even come to the meeting. Finally after all the debating and each state getting their say, they "compromised" on a plan where they would have two governmental houses, one being the House of Representatives and the second being the Senate, with the Senate being the stronger of the two houses. The House of Representatives was based on each state's population, that is the more people in the state the more representatives that state would get. The Senate said that regardless of the state's population each state would get two representatives all with equal say. The 3/5 Compromise was mainly about slaves. The issue in this compromise was should slaves be counted for determining representation for each state? The North did not want them to be counted because they were considered possessions, not citizens, and that meant less representation for them. The South, on the other hand, wanted them to be counted because that meant that they could pass laws more beneficial to the South since they would have more representation. So they "compromised" and said that each slave counted 3/5 of a person. The final compromise was the Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise. The issue here was should Congress be able to regulate trade and should the United States continue with slave trading? The North felt that Congress should control trade and put an end to slave trading. The South was fearful of Northern jealousy of Southern agriculture trade with England, and the South was also wary of Congress

Slaughter House-Five by Kurt Vonnegut :: essays research papers

Slaughter House-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Slaughter house-Five, written by Kurt Vonnegut is a post modern novel, attempting to undermine the reader's expectations. The novel does not have smooth transitions from one event to the next. The reason is, because the novel reflects modern man's life. Since the novel is not smooth it is confusing. This is just like modern man's life, confusing. Another literary device is, it is difficult to follow. When the novel is hard to read the reader cannot enjoy and understand the book. This is how modern society is too(difficult to follow). Another literary device is the novel's characters lack depth. The characters need more descriptive details. This reflects man by saying that man lacks depth and is not well rounded. The book undermines the novel's conventional approach. These are some reasons for the undermining of the reader's expectations. The novel does not have smooth transitions from one event to the next one. "Billy blinked in 1958, traveled in time to 1961." After a chapter, "Billy Pilgrim nestled like a spoon with the hobo on Christmas night, and he fell asleep, and he traveled in time to 1967. When Billy is in 1958, he is busy talking about World War Two. Then suddenly he travels through time to 1967 and he ends up being kidnaped by aliens from Tralfamadore. So when the story changes, the reader's mind has to adjust to the changes. The events just pop up all of a sudden. Modern man always has surprises in life that just pop up just like this novel. In life there is usually no smooth adjustments. It is abrupt and sudden. Billy Pilgrim(protagonist) travels through time in an awkward chronological order. In life people do not adapt to different situations without any problem. In this book, shifting from one situation to another is meant to be poor. The book is difficult to follow. It has many small stories in it. Pilgrim is in World War Two and then he ends up being with aliens from Tralfadamore. Some of these topics are hard to comprehend. This symbolizes modern life since it is difficult to comprehend the understandings of life. For example, Roland Weary is one of Billy's war companions. He kept beating the living daylights out of Billy. The novel mentions that Weary treat Pilgrim like this to discipline him, but he over does it. Is it, because Weary is a psychopath or has something

Marks and Spencer Advertising Strategy Essay

Marks and Spencer is an international multi-channel retailer that has been running for 129 years. It now operates in â€Å"over 50 territories worldwide† and employs â€Å"almost 82,000 people†, (Marks and Spencer plc, 2013). It’s dependence on its origin country; the UK is progressively being reduced due to its international focus. M&S’ UK turnover consists of 54% food and 46% general merchandise, including home ware, clothing, lingerie etc. It is currently growing its e-commerce and has expanded to the finance business with its M&S Bank branch. Clothing has been lately an aspect of concern for the company, as sales of clothing have â€Å"slipped back for the ninth consecutive quarter†, (The Guardian, 2013). This has created a 9. 1% fall in half-year profit. For this reason, according to M&S Chief Executive, they are currently working on having â€Å"more innovation and choice than ever before†, (Bolland, 2013). However, according to retail analyst for the BBC, â€Å"The company is too risk averse and is unwilling to break the mould of its traditional ways of doing business†, (Conlumino, 2013). The affordable fashion market in the UK has been described as â€Å"challenging† by Chief Executive Bolland. The fashion industry requires radical and innovative measures for success, which M&S has not dared to implement until now. Marks and Spencer’s fashion competition is becoming increasingly tough and aggressive. Retailer Next overtook M&S â€Å"as the UK’s biggest fashion retailer, in July 2012†, (Nairn, 2012). Primark, its older rival has â€Å"an expected 5 billion pounds in clothing sales in 2014†, (The Guardian, 2013) this is a very close figure to M&S, with the potential possibility of performing above it. CAMPAIGN STRATEGY Marks and Spencer decided to adopt a fairytale theme for its Christmas 2013 campaign, focusing on its men and women ware collections as well a their lingerie collection playing a strong role. The adverts’ message claims to â€Å"Believe in Magic and Sparkle† and is based on a collection of fairytale stories including Alice in Wonderland, Red Riding Hood and The Wizard of Oz. It encourages the audience to believe in the true Christmas spirits while taking them through a range of mind-blowing and fantasy settings that communicate the wide range of festive products available in the store. The advertising campaign was developed by the advertising agency RKCR/Y&R and also includes its Christmas party food range on the table set during the ‘Tea Party’. The company has tried to emphasize its quality by bringing to the advert loved fairy tales in a glamorous offset. Christmas is a key selling season for M&S and thus their Executive Director of Marketing & Business Director claimed how they wanted to â€Å"recapture the magical essence of Christmas that customers tell is synonymous with M&S†, (Bousquet-Chavanne, 2013). In terms of the media channels, Marks and Spencer â€Å"is shifting its marketing approach to digital first†, (Vizard, 2013). This means that its strategy is launching campaigns online (through Youtube and its Website) before the use of Above The Line advertising (appearing in TW or print), this is a way to engage better with its consumers. The campaign was first launched on the 4th November online and two days after the TV debut took place. The whole campaign had a very strong focus on engaging their target audience through social media, allowing shoppers to vote via Twitter and Facebook on a name for the highland terrier which features in its campaign. The main purpose of the campaign is to create awareness to their target audience and recover primarily in terms of clothing sales (increase them). Further objectives of the campaign are to attract its target market for a bigger range of their products. By integrating food and general merchandise such as clothes and home ware in the advert, M&S aims to take advantage of cross-fertilising across food and clothing, as opposed to other retailers. Finally, the objective of moving to digital marketing is to become multichannel and prove its ecommerce savvy, as according to head of digital store development, â€Å"A â€Å"frightening number† of M&S customers still do not consider it as a multichannel retailer when they are shopping online†, (Zuurbier, 2013). In terms of its target audiences, Marks & Spencer has always aimed to target different age groups, using its advertisements to expand the generations. By using well-known celebrities such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, David Gandy and Helena Bonham-Carter, it attracts customers from different segments, thus the main character Rosie can appeal to every woman, being neither too common nor too unattainable. However, although reaching out to an adult market segment with its range of winter clothes and festive feasts, M&S has widely aimed to target a younger market, thus engaging them in a wide Social Media campaign and well-known models. In terms of its reach, the M&S advert was broadcasted to a mass audience by using ABT advertising and OL advertising. It is currently â€Å"wining the Christmas TV battle in terms of social, with 58. 8 million mentions on Twitter and 160,000 interactions on Facebook†, (Kindred, 2013). The campaign also created a #magicandsparkle hashtag, which allowed the brand to measure further the impact on social networks, with it being mentioned over 3,500 times. The advert is available internationally with 948. 533 views in Youtube and British TV cannels. The advert was first launched on TV 6th of November and is showing at a daily basis currently and until the end of the Christmas holidays (2 months approx). The use of social media has been a key element in this last Marks & Spencer’s campaign for two main reasons. First of all, M&S are trying its best to understad consumers’ tastes and what they really want. Social media allows the company to ‘listen’ to what customers are saying in real time, thus having direct feedback and evaluation of their efforts immediately. Secondly, one of their main current objectives is to expand its online market share, thus they want to be perceived as a ‘multichannel’ retailer for online shopping. According to the head of digital store development, â€Å"A frightening number† of regular customers do not consider it as a main online shopping point, and social media through the campaigns enables a connection between the consumers and M&S online platforms and therefore a direct link to purchase. The media channels have played a crucial role in transmiting their campaign to the desired public. The shift on its marketing approach, by launching campaigns online and on social media before print and TV enabled a closer relationship with the online consumers and a way of creating an experience and a feeling with the campaign. The use of mass media by broadcasting the advert through british TV channels reaches most families that could potentially buy at the physical stores, whereas the online platforms reach audiences that could potentially make purchases at the E-store. The main aim of the campaign was to attract customers of all demographic groups and promote the new products that the company is offering. M&S image is in search of improved quality and consistency, and they wanted to transmit this to their audience. However, the key issue in this campaign is whether it really communicated a clear ‘message’ and whether it is appeals to the correct target market. M&S, being a multi-department store with different product and option offerings, should thoroughly consider how the different product rages and collectoos are segmented. Usually, M&S was using its ads to span the generations, always including different groups. However, by trying to appear as a ‘improved quality’ brand and creating an advertising campaign featuring actual and trendy celebrities, there is a high risk of detering its core group of older and more simple shoppers. In terms of attracting the younger audience, there is a high risk involved because this segment is yet not convinced about M&S products being for them, so the efforts to attract this dangerous and risky segment might loose focus on their main and loyal customers. A controversial question on this topic is whether the use of celebrities such as the model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and David Gandy are associated with the image and main values of the brand. M&S is usually chosen by consumers who regard the brand as trustworthy, caring, straightforward and wise, being their old heritage a plus for consumer loyalty. Although the celebrity endorsement can create a high amount of awareness and the models can appear as desirable, the brand is unnecessarily being elevated more than necessary, and going a complete different way to its all-time values. It is therefore questionable whether the ‘all things to all ages’ appeal is reflected in the advert. The AIDA model can be used to evaluate the four main points of an advertising campaign, regarding Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action. The process is used by marketers to ensure that the desired result occurs from the campaign and M&S campaign follows all of the steps: Attention: By presenting the beautifully-made video with well-known celebrities it is catching the audience’s attention. The use of its fairytails theme can help purchases identidy the problem of needing the products offered by the firm to complete its christmas holidays. Interest: Once M&S had the prospects’ attention, the way to maintain the interest in the campaign was to keep the audiences engaged by creating social media activity and repeating the story in different media channels. Desire: In the desire stage, the range of products showed in the advert are exposed on a way that are tempting and desired by the customers, so that they want to purchase de product. Action: The final step was to persuade the prospects to take immediate action. By using online platforms, creating a direct link to purchase and by limiting the range of products to the christmas season, M&S is creating sense of urgency by encouraging action within a specific time frame. This call to action is essential for the advert to influence the growth in sales. Marks and Spencer has been suffering from decreasing sales throughout the last years, and instead of focusing on targeting a unclear market segment, it should promote its heritage and history, which is why it is stil considered to be number one multi-department store in the UK. The advertising campaign is beautifully made and has exquisite production values and gorgeous sets but it does not appeal to the right audience. There is an unclear linkage between the advertising and the heart of the brand as experienced by the stores. The celebrities do not represent what the clients are neither what they want to be, as they are unreachable and extravagant. The magical essence of the advert and the ‘high glamour’ that it wants to communicate has nothing to do with the brand. M&S should focus on one emotional point that can reach its most loyal clients, whereas this advert looses focus by trying to appear and image that is nothing to do with the brand. Even though M&S has captured a lot of attention, the call to action remains unclear, although impact on sales cannot be analysed until after Christmas.