Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Microeconomics - Essay Example There is a huge demand for Australian iron ore in China due to the high quality of the ore. The high Chinese demand for iron ore has also led to the hike in prices of iron ore in the world market (Rutkowski, 2010). All these have benefited the export of iron ore from Australia especially the Western provinces. According to reports China serves the biggest market for Australian export and the value of export of iron ore from west Australia was $13.82 billion in 2007. This was almost 60% of the net export of Australia (Zpryme: Emerging Markets Group, 2008). The wage rate has also increased steadily in Australia with mining being the highest paying occupation. A study of the regional developments in Australia shows that West Australia is the second state with the highest average annual wage at $70,101. The surge of export is expected to continue in the future. As a result it paints a bright picture for the forecasts about GDP growth. Australia has an unemployment rate of 5.2% which is v ery close to full employment and in the mining regions of Western Australia it is 4.7% (Australian Regional Labor Market, March Quarter 2011). Impact of increasing demand for iron-ore The high demand for steel by China has led to a rise in the global price. The global iron market uses an annual benchmark system for pricing. By this system the iron mills enter into a contract with the producers of iron ore for a period of one year and that price is followed for all transactions till the next year when the prices are revised. Iron is a very important component in all the manufacturing goods. So the iron mills want to ensure that there is no random fluctuation in prices that destabilizes the market. However in the rise in iron ore prices at a fast rate from $37 per ton in 2004 to $101 per ton in 2009 has led the major iron ore manufacturing countries like Australia, Brazil, and China to lobby for a shorter period of contract. This will allow the companies to revise the prices sooner an d thus make higher profit. The Chinese demand for iron ore is exogenous and depends on the global demand of steel. In other words the demand for iron ore in China does not depend on the price of the iron ore but on the global demand for steel. This is evident from the fact that in the previous years we have seen a simultaneous rise in the price of iron ore as well as demand for the ore in China. Therefore, though a short term contract will lead to an increase in the cost of production it will not necessarily reduce the demand for the Chinese steel (Rutkowski, 2011). For this reason, though Chinese steel mills are trying to negotiate the short term contracts, but their high demand for steel to continue operations has made them unable to have advantageous ground in these negotiations. We shall explain the logic with the help of a diagram. d d’ s’ P’ P s d’ s’ d O q q’’ q’ In the above diagram, we have tried to show the effect on the price of iron ore for a shift from short term to long term contracts. A long term contract fixed the price at a level p for any quantity. As a result the supply curve PS becomes inelastic. An exogenous rise in demand for goods shifted the demand curve from dd to d’d’. Since the price remains fixed, the equilibrium quantity rises from Oq to Oq’. However a short term contract would make the supply curve more elastic. Regular revision of

Monday, October 28, 2019

French Existentialism Philosophers Essay Example for Free

French Existentialism Philosophers Essay Part A: Gabriel Marcel’s Philosophy on Problem and Mystery Part B: Simone De Beauvoirs Philosophy on why there is a moral obligation to overcome oppression (our own and that of others) and why is an existentialist ethics an ethics of freedom Part A: Gabriel Marcel is known to be one of the more religious philosophers who was a French Existentialist. He was a committed Catholic Philosopher and he believed that by being connected to others he will be connected to god. He believed that philosophy should be about hope and wanted to portray the more positive aspects of human characteristics through his writings and thoughts. Marcel has a belief that problems and mysteries were two separate ideas where problems exist outside and apart from ourselves and mysteries were unsolved queries that were more internal to one’s self. For example determining what a body is, is a problem and determining what my body is, is a mystery. He believes that we can use primary and secondary reflections in order to seek a solution to the problem or mystery being faced with. Primary reflections use analytical skills to separate the thinker from the problematic object in order to find a resolution. Separating the thinker from the problem is important in order to effectively reflect and create intellectual and moral means to a solution. Primary reflections use means of abstracting data and using it in order to manipulate the world and deal with the problem that is not always black and white or a right or wrong answer. Primary reflection approaches problems from an objective standpoint where the thinker is separate from the problem while the secondary reflection begins with the experience of existence within the problem and is used with reflection of a mystery. The secondary reflection is open to contemplation by looking at it as a unique presence. The existence within the world is not a problem that needs to be solved because humans and their bodies are intrinsically related to the world and they are in relation to each other, not objects or problems that can be manipulated. Marcel believed that Philosophy is a part of reflecting on a mystery and the mystery requires participation of the person reflecting because it is an experience of presence itself. A mystery involves you as an intrinsical part of the question wh ich is a question of yourself and requires a solution by secondary reflection. A question becomes a mystery when it takes itself into the subject. Marcel believes that humans are increasingly becoming defined by their problems which cause alienation of themselves from themselves and also causing separation from others. The questions of â€Å"being† and humans are mysteries within the Marcel philosophies. When something is recognized as â€Å"not being† it cannot be a mystery. As humans we have a need for â€Å"being† with â€Å"ontological exigence† which consumes â€Å"being† upsurges of joy, happiness, hopefulness, expectations and desires. â€Å"Being† as a human means existing and experiencing the world and the subjects within it. Having something means exercising power over that thing by possession and rights to those possessions. By having rights over a possession can also enables that person to have the ability of disposal of that subject as well. Having something is different from experiencing that thing, for example having a body is different form experiencing your body because you cannot rid yourself of your body without ceasing to be. Life is not identical to a person’s â€Å"being† because â€Å"being† is the whole self which is more than life and it is what a person aspires to be. Humans can only evoke the fullness of â€Å"being† by engaging with others and coming together as a community. Marcel promotes the idea of living I-Thou which opens up and enhances a person’s â€Å"being† which God being the ultimate Thou. The I-Thou idea requires a person to be open to the â€Å"being† of others within their lives and not living only for themselves. Marcel has an interesting stance on the subject of love and how it should be defined. He believes that love has to do with inner subjectivity and it is about seeking and experiencing the â€Å"being† of the other. Love is not about possession or having another person which is commonly thought to be the main definition of what love means. Marcel believes that a self does not love, but it is the self that is constituted by love. When we attach predicates to a thou we limit our love for another and it’s trust and faith which constitutes love in the â€Å"being† of the other. I always thought that love had to do with possessing and labeling a person or subject as yours. However, Marcel’s philosophy on love has changed my point of view into believing that love is about fully accepting a person as who they are instead of trying to possess them and changing them into being an object of your desire and control. Part B: In Simone Beauvoir’s writing of The Ethics of Ambiguity she begins to elaborate on ethics and the importance of a moral obligation to overcome oppression. Moral acts and willing one’s self free is an obligation of a person in order to become a moral person. With moral freedom a person is not free unless they can deal with free individuals. We all should strive for our freedom as well as the freedom of others and the freedom of all. The freedom to choose is shaped by social and political freedom of people. Beauvoir believes that in order to free all we must take a stand for justice especially in the political sense. We ought to respect freedom when it serves freedom, but not when freedom distances itself from itself. For example when freedom is used in the oppression and the abuse of others, we ought not to respect it in cases such as a dictatorship oppressing the freedom of its people. Oppressing an oppressor is justified even when it requires violence and in cases of people rising up and rebelling the person or the system that has been oppressing them it is justifiable. In such cases casualties of war with sacrifices is justified when fighting for freedom because it makes it a just war. Simone Beauvoir states â€Å"the truth is that if division and violence define war, the world has always been at war and will always be; if man is waiting for universal peace in order to establish his existence validly, he will wait indefinitely: there will never be any other future.† (Beauvoir ) With this she means that if the only reasons for war are for violence to annihilate the other opponent because of division then war will never end and people will never reach complete liberation. However, oppressing and oppressor should never be driven by blind faith. The actions must be considered fully well and deliberate over choice. Each circumstance should be considered on a case by case basis and analyzed by practical problems. Ethics emphasize physical and social interaction in relation to other human beings because of freedom. Authentic morality involves engagement with the world that is not abstract intellectualism. People who sit by and talk about the problems and the circumstances that accustom the world are not engaging with the world directly. Beauvoir stresses that in order to achieve authentic morality people must do something to engage with the world not intellectualize the problems within it. Humans have a moral commitment to liberate the oppressed individuals because it causes limited liberation of their own freedom. Oppressed individuals may not even know that they are being oppressed and this why it is important for others to enlighten them and help them become liberated from their situation. With an oppressed individual, their own judgment that they are oppressed is what counts and this is why it’s an obligation of others who recognize the oppression to give them knowledge of their situation. Oppressed people are cut off from the future without the power of liberation to decide what is next for them in their lives. With liberation a person must be able to question values and oppressed individuals are not able to do this. Being oppressed does not gain moral character because character is not built by suffering. A person cannot say that they are a strong person because they have been accepting oppression and the suffering that comes with it. A person is strong when they take a stand for their liberation and fight for their own values as well as the liberation of others. However, power is limited within liberation, Beauvoir enforces this by stating that â€Å"to be free is not to have the power to do anything you like; it is to be able to surpass the given toward an open future; the existence of others as a freedom defines my situation and is even the condition of my own freedom.† (Beauvoir ) Power is a foundation of moral freedom and in order to engage the world a person must have power, but it is a limited power. Not only individuals of the world, but state also has an obligation to ensure that it’s people have a minimum level of well-being because this is necessary to freely act within the world. External help is needed in order to alleviate oppression and once an oppressed individual is placed within the presence of freedom they must pursue freedom for themselves and one cannot force freedom upon them or it would not be recognized as freedom at all. Works cited Beauvoir, S. D. The Works of Simone de Beauvoir. Zuubooks.com, 2010. Print. Marcel, Gabriel. A Gabriel Marcel Reader. 1st edition. St. Augustines Press, 2011. Print.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

American Literature :: essays papers

American Literature American literature during the first half of the nineteenth century took many forms and ideas that still effect our ever so changing society today. Henry David Thoreau was among the notable writers during this time, and his impact of American literature will not soon be forgotten. His perseverance, love for nature, and humanitarian beliefs helped to mold the ideas and values of early American history. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12 in 1817. His parents, both abolitionists of slavery, were John and Cynthia Thoreau. During his childhood years his parents, along with Henry’s older siblings John Jr. and Helen, often took the family on long walks though the valleys and hills of Concord. The seeds of Henry’s love for nature were planted during this time. As a young school boy, at the Concord public school and later at the Concord Academy, many of his peers sought after him as loner who took everything too serious. In 1833 Henry’s parents had save d enough money to send him off to college at Harvard University. Even though he barely passed the entrance exam, he would later become one of the top students in his graduating class. In 1836 financial and health problems forced Thoreau to postpone his studies at Harvard and seek a job. He taught school for a semester in Canton, Massachusetts and returned to Harvard in the Spring of 1837. He took a full load of classes that Spring and Summer semesters and graduated in August of 1837. After graduating Thoreau had no idea what he wanted to do with his education. After debating over many different careers he finally concluded that teaching would be his calling. He landed a position at Center School in 1837 in Concord, however he resigned two weeks later after many teachers and students complained of his teaching methods and strictness in the classroom. Over the next year he worked many small jobs around Concord, and also became friends with Ralph Waldo Emerson. The elder Emerson influe nced Thoreau in his belief in Transcendentalism. â€Å"Thoreau was indelibly marked by his mentor’s philosophy† (Sanborn 122). In 1838 Henry and his brother John started their own public school in Concord. John taught English and math, while Henry taught science and foreign languages. The brothers had completely different teaching methods and often times came at odds with each other.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Perception of Happiness in Families :: Happiness Essays

Guccione begins by discussing the uninteresting perception people have with the lives of happy families. Using a quote from Tolstoy, Guccione shares past data of how people are taught to believe that all happy families are alike, while happy families share a uniqueness through their melange of misery. This discussion prepares you for her thesis, which explains how happy families struggle and work for the lives they graciously enjoy. Her thesis is marked by examples of myths, which she dismisses through her research. Successful families, according to her research, must develop skills in negotiating and coping. Guccione also mentions that not all happy families are alike. In fact, each is happy in its own way. She stresses how successful families earn their happiness and that it is not simply known to them. There were three sections of the body in Guccione's essay. The first part of the body discussed the notion of boundaries among families. Balance was another key term and she uses the living call as an example: "Families must be strong enough to allow integrity and and interaction within, yet be permeable to the outside." Guccione's research also led her to the importance of family members feeling that they are an intimate part of a group. She stresses that a frequently encountered problem is families where no one belongs, "where people come and go" as she puts it. Guccione then takes you into the life of a woman, Peg, who now lives an extremely happy life with her family. Previously, Peg had severe problems with her family and was unhappy. However, by creating a balance, she was able to negotiate and cope with the problem. The section closes with Peg, the difficulties she lived and the ones yet to come. Overall, she expresses relief in knowing that hard work leads to happiness. The second part of the body enters the world of single parents, how they cope with life in order to reach true happiness. Guccione begins by showing her research of how happy families posses a mutual thread; "the ability to maintain the balance between individual freedom and the need people have to belong to a group." She also encourages families to help each individual member reach their own potential. Guccione then tells the tale of Marie, a single mother raising her two boys, aged 11 and 13.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Cheat Sheet for Strategic Management

M&A & Restructuring Strategies. Merger: Two Firms agree to integrate operations on relatively equal basis(usually 1 dominates another in mkt share/size/asset value) Hostile takeover: (delivers higher shareholder value than friendly acquires)(Preannouncement returns of hostile takeover anticipated with increase in bidder & target's share price). Diversification creates value by using excess resource. Restructuring used to correct with ineffective mergers/acquisitions. M used as means of growth to potentially lead to strategic competitiveness. ?ing ext env affect type of M used. M used cuz of uncertainty in competitive l. )Increase market power due to competitive threat 2)Spread risk due to uncertainty 3)Shift core biz to diff mkts 4)Manage industry & regulatory ? s. –> Increases strategic competitiveness & value. Shareholders of acquired firm earn above avg returns while shareholders of acquiring firm earn ~0 returns. Reflects investors' scepticism of projected synergies. Reaso ns for Acquisition 1)Increased mkt power(horizontal,vertical,related, sbjct to regulatory review & financial mkt analysis)able to sell good/service above competitive levels/costs of its primary or support activities lower than competitors.Buy competitor/supplier/distributer to Increase size, resource & capabilities. Horizontal Acq helps to exploit cost-based & revenue synergies. Better Most effective when integrate assets with acqed firm. Vertical Acqsitions controls additional parts of value chain. (CVS/Caremark)Related acquisitions(acqing firm in related industry). Create value thru synergy by integrating resource & capabilities. 2)Overcome entry barriers. Help gain immediate access to international markets. Higher the barrier, higher chance firm will acquire. )Cross-border acquisitions(made btwn companies with HQs in diff ctys) global M declined in financial crisis. Chinese companies seek horizontal cross-border acqtns of natural resource. India seek access to pdt innovation capa bilities & new br/distribution channels. 4)Cost of new product development & increased speed to mkt. Gain access to new pdts & to current pdts new to firm. Pharmaceutical firms. 5)Lower risk than developing new products. Acquisitions may become a substitute for innovation. Acquisitions shld always be strategic than defensive 6)Increased Diversification.Diff for companies to develop pdts that differ from current lines for mkts in which they lack experience. Acquisition strategies used to support unrelated & related diversification stgies. More related firms are, greater prob acq is successful. Horizontal & related acqs contribute more to strategic competitiveness. Cisco. 7)Avoid excessive competition 8)Reshaping firm's competitive scope(Lessen dependence on specific mkts) 9)Learn & developing new capabilities. Broadens their knowledge base & reduce inertia. Acquire good talent through cross-border acqtns.Seek to acquire diff but related & complementary capabilities to build own knowl edge base. Biological Drugs, AstraZeneca. Problems in achieving Acquisition success Greater success accrues to (select right target, avoid high premium by doing due dilligence, integrate operations,retain human capital to underst& target firm's operations) 1)Integration difficulties (cultures,diff financia & control systems, working relationships, resolve problems of status of acqed firm's executives) 2)Inadequate evaluation of target.Due diligence – Potential acquirer evaluates target firm for acquisition. Done by investment bankers,accountatnts,lawyers,mgmt consultants. Without due dilligence, purchase price is made by pricing of other ‘comparable' acquisitions than rigorous assessment of where,when,how mgmt can drive real perf gains. â€Å"bidding war† 3)Large & Extraordinary debt. Firms increase debt to finance acqtns. E. g. Junk Bonds. High debt increases chance of bankruptcy, downgrading credit rating & firm may divest some assets to relieve burden to remai n solvent. )Inability to achieve Synergy. Assets worth more when used tgt than seperately. Created by efficiences from EOS, EOSC & sharing resources. Private synergy(combining & integrating target firm & acquiring firm's assets yield capabilities & core competencies that couldn't be developed by integrating either firm's assets with another firm. Transaction costs to acquire & create synergies (indirect & direct) 5)Overdiversification Related diversification outperforms unrelated.Related diversification req more info processing, thus being overdiversified with smaller no. of biz units than unrelated. Scope created by over diversification causes mangers to rely on financial than strategic controls. Tendencyfor acquisitions to become substitutes for innovation. 6)Managers over focus on acqusitions Managers need to: search for viable c, complete due dilligence, prepare negotiations & manage integration process, can divert attention. 7)Too large –> Bureaucratic controls, stifling innovation.Effective Acquisitions Complementary Assets/resources(meet current needs to build competitiveness, high synergy & competitive advantage), Friendly acquisitions(lower premiums,faster & effective integration), Due dilligence(overpayment avoided), Maintain Financial slack(Acquired firm has slack, financing is easier/cheaper), Low-moderate debt(lower risk/financing cost),Sustained emphasis on R of acqing firm (maintain LT CA in mkts), Acqing firm is flexible (faster/effective integration for synergy) Restructuring (firm ? s its set of biz or financial structure).Deal with failure of acquisition/? s in ext or int env. Downsizing (reduction in no. of employee/operating units but may change the composition of biz in company portfolio) used when paid too high premium, reduce duplicate functional jobs. Downscoping(divesture,spin-off to eliminate biz unrelated to firm's core biz) Refocus on core biz Leverage Buyouts(party buys all of firm's assets with debt to take firm private). Restructure & sell. Management buyouts, Employee buyouts, whole-firm buy outs(purchase whole than part of firm). MBOs lead to downscoping, strategic focus, improved performance.Downsizing-;reduced labour costs(ST) -; loss of human capital/lower performance(LT). Downscoping-; reduced debt costs/emphasis on strategic controls(ST)-;higher performance(LT). LBOs-;emphasis on strategic controls/high debt cost(ST)-;higher performance/risk[creates ST & risk-averse managerial focus](LT) International StrategyRationale for international diversification is to extend product life cycle. 4 benefits of using international strategy: 1)Increase market size (size of international mkt affect firm's willingness to invest in R&D to build CA in that mkt.Firm prefer to invest more in cty with scientific knowledge&talent to produce value creating product & processes 2)increased EOS & learning (Firm able to exploit core competencies through resource&knowledge sharing btwn units & network partners across bo rders. New learning opportunities. BUT, firms need to have strong R&D system to absorb knowledge) 3)develop CA through location(lower basic cost of gds/services. Gain access to critical supplies/customers. Reduce liability of foreignness if low cultural distance) 4)return on investment (Generate above-avg ROI) International BL Strategies(cost leadership, differentiated, focus, integrated).Determinants of National Advantage: 1)Factors of production. Basic Factors. Advanced Factors(digital comm systems & educated workforce). Generalized factors(highway system/ss of debt capital). Specialized Factors(skilled personnel in specific indsty). 2)Dem& conditions(nature/size of buyer's needs in home market for industry's gds/services) Large mkt sgmt produce dem& to create scaleefficient facilities. 3)Related & Supporting Industries (Italy's leather-processing industry provides leather to produce shoes. Supporting indstry & design services contribute to success of shoe industry.Cameras & copie rs are related industries in Japan) 4)Firm strategy, structure & rivalry(Germany technical training system for continuous product & process improvements. Italy designers. Japan cooperative & competitive systems facilitate cross-functional management of complex assembly operations. US compt btwn computer & software producers increase development). The factors are likely to produce CA when firm develops & implements an appropriate strategy that take advantage of distinct cty factors. International CL Strategy (scope of firm's operations thru pdct & geog diversification) Unilever Multi-domestic Strategy.Decentralized decisions to SBUs. ! less knowledge sharing for firm as a whole =(no economies of scale,costly. Global strategy(centralized control at home office. SBUs interdependent to achieve integration across bizs) EOS. =( forgo growth opp in local mkts. CEMEX Transnational Strategy Flexible Coordination is required-Building shared vision & individual commitment thru integrated netwo rk. Starbucks China Environmental Trends :Liability of foreignness relative to domestic competitors. Regionalization(more similar culture, legal social norms)EU & NAFTA promotes regionalization.Internatonal Entry Mode 1)Exporting (exporters must establish some means of marketing & distribution) ! high transportation costs, tariffs, less control of products, pay distributer fee,diff to market competitive product/provide customization to international mkt, Exchange rates volatility. 2)Licensing (purchase right to manufacture/sell firms pdts by paying a royalty)~exp& returns based on prior innovation. low cost, low risk ! little control, low returns. 3)Strategic Alliances(uncertain env) ~shared costs/risks/resources, gain access to new technologies, no tariffs! roblem integrating btwn partners (2 cultures) 4)Acquisitions(quicker) ~quick access to new mkt ! high cost(debt), complex negotiations, prob merging with domestic operations 5)New Wholly Owned Subsidiary(Green Field venture) ~Ma x control, potential above-avg returns ! complex, costly, time consuming, high risk. Export,licensing & strategic alliance good for early market development. Joint venture/greenfield venture -> IP rights not protected, high need for global integration, growing no. of competitors. Strategic competitive outcomes 1)Enhanced returns.Decrease initially, then increase. Diversifying geographically into core biz areas positive effect on stock price. Offshore outsourcing created sig value-creation opp as firms move into flexible labor mkts. 2)Enhanced innovation. Exposure to new pdcts & mkts. Opp to integrate new knowledge into operations. Generation of resources to sustain innovation. Risks in international environment 1)Politcal Risk. Govt instability/regulations/corruption/conflict/war/conflicting & diverse legal authorities/potential nationalization of private assets/? s in govt policy 2)Economic risk.Govt oversigh & control of economic&financial capital/weak IP rights&protections impact FDI/terrorism/investment losses from political risk/security risk of foreign firms acquiring key natural resources or strategic IP. Cooperative Strategy(shared objective) Strategic alliance(firms combine resources&capabilities to create CA) Leverage existing resource/capabilities to develop additional resources/capabilities for new CAs. Collaborative/relational Advantage-CA developed through a cooperative strategy. 3 Types of Strategic Alliances: 1)Joint Venture.Siemens AG & Fujitsu -> Fujitsu Siemens Computers (Own equal % & contribute equally. 2 or more firm create legally independent company to share some resources/capabilities to develop CA). Optimal when firms need to create a CA that is diff from individual advantages & when highly uncertain hypercompetitive markets are targeted. 2)Equity. Baidu & Japanese telecom operator NTT DOCOMO (2or more firms own diff % of company they formed to create CA, e. g. many FDIs such as companies from multiple countries are making in China) 3 )Non-equity. HP (2 or more firms develop contractual relationship to create CA.Firm DOES NOT establish separate independent company thus don't take equity positions)-; less formal, fewer commitments & no intimate relationship. E. g. licensing/distribution agreements & supply contract. Reasons firm develop Strategic Alliances Allow partners to create value they couldn't develop alone & to enter markets faster with greater penetration. Firms lack full resources & capabilities to reach their objectives. Slow cyclemkt: Gain access to restricted mkt. Establish a franchise in a new mkt. Maintain mkt stability(establishing st&ards). Fast-cycle mkt: Speed up development of new goods/services.Speed up new market entry. Maintain market leadership. Form an industry technology st&ard(). Share risky R&D expenses. Overcome uncertainty. St&ard-cycle mkt: Gain mkt power(reduce industry overcapacity). Gain access to complementary resources. Establish better EOS. Overcome trade barriers. Meet competi tive challenges frm other competitors. Pool resources for large projects. Learn new biz techniques. BL Cooperative Strategy 1)Complementary Strategic Alliances (Vertical, horizontal) -firms share r&c in complementary ways to develop CAs. More value-creating than other strategies.Vertical(from diff stages of value chain e. g. Nintendo) Horizontal(same stage(s) of value chain to create CAs. ) 2)Competition response strategy(to competitor's attacks). Becuz they can be diff to reverse & exp t operate, strategic alliances are formed to take strategic than tactical actions to respond to attacks. 3)Uncertainty reducing strategy (new pdt mkts/emerging economies 4)Competition-reducing strategy (explicit/tacit collusions) Tacit collusion – Firms in industry indirectly coordinate their production & pricing decisions by observing each other actions/responses.Results in output below fully competitive levels & above fully competitive prices. !reduce service quality, on-time performance. Mu tual forbearance- Form of tacit collusion where firms dont take actions against rivals they meet in multiple mkts. Assessment: R integrated MUST be VCRN. vertical strategy have greatest probability of creating sustainable CA. CL Cooperative Strategy. Firm use this strategy to diversify in pdts offered/markets served. Diversify by means other than M. Require fewer resource commitments, greater flexibility. 1)Diversifying S/A !Highly diverse network of alliances can lead to poorer performance by partner firms. 2)Synergistic S/A(create EOScope across multiple functions/bizs btwn partners) 3) Franchising (contractual relationship to describe/control sharing of its R with partners) Advantages: Attractive strategy for fragmented industry(retailing,hotels,motels) where large number of small/med firms compete without one having a dominant share. Assessment: Alliance costs needs monitoring. International Cooperative Strategy 1)Cross-border alliance(firms with HQs in diff nations decide to co mbine some R to create CA & value).Incentives: limited domestic growth opp, foreign govt economic policies. China & India have strong preference to license local companies. Strategic alliance with local partners help firms overcome liability of foreignness. Operational advantages due to local market information. Network cooperative strategy (several firms form multiple partnerships to achieve shared objectives) Particularly effective when formed by geographically clustered firms. Gain heterogeneous info & knowledge from multiple sources. ! lock in partnerships precluding alliance with others.Stable Alliance network (mature industries where dem& is constant & predictable) Built primarily to exploit EOS/EOScope existing btwn partners e. g. airline industry Dynamic Alliance Network (frequent product innovations & short pdct lifecycle) Competitive risks: Inadequate contracts. Misrepresentation of competencies. Partners may act opportunistically. Partners fail to use their complementary resources. Holding alliance partner's specific investments hostage. Risk&Asset Management Approaches:Detailed contracts & monitoring. Develop trusting relationships -> create value.Managing cooperative strategies: Cost minimization(Firm develops formal contracts with partners specifying how strategy is to be monitored & how partner behavior is controlled) Opportunity maximization(Maximize partnership's value-creating opportunities) Corporate Governance – Set of mechanisms used to manage the relationship among stakeholders & to determine & control the strategic direction & performance of organizations.. It is concerned with: Strengthening effectiveness of company's board of directors. Verifying transparency of firm's operations. Enhancing accountability to shareholders.Incentivizing executives. Maximizing value creation for stakeholders & shareholders. Separation of Ownership & Managerial control. Allows each group to focus on what it does best: Shareholders bears risk that fi rm's expenses exceed revenue (shareholders will hold a diversified portfolio to diversify risk). Managers formulate & implement strategy & decision-making. Agency relationships(between firm's owner & top-level managers) Managerial opportunism seeking self-interest with deceit. An attitude & set of behaviors. Prevents maximization of shareholder's wealth.Product Diversification as Agency Problem 1)Diversification increase size/complexity & thus managerial compensation. 2)Reduces manger's employment risk as a firm & its managers are less vulnerable to reduction in dem& associated with a single/limited no. of product lines/bizs. 3)Managers have control of firm's free cash flows which they invest to diversify instead of giving to shareholders. Shareholders like a diversified position between dominant & related-constrained diversification strategies. Shareholders prefer riskier strategies & more focused diversification. Managers prefer higher levels of product diversification.Managers ma y prefer level of diversification that maximises firm size & compensation while reducing employment risk. Agency costs – sum of incentive/monitoring/enforcement costs, individual financial losses incurred by principals because of agents. 3 internal governance mechanism 1)Ownership Concentration (No. of large-block shareholders & total percentage of shares they own) X Diffuse ownership (large number of shareholders with small holdings & few large-block shareholders) Large-block shareholders are active in their dem&s that corporations adopt effective governance mechanisms.Ownership of many modern corporations now concentrated in h&s of institutional investors than individual shareholders. Institutional owners (financial institutions that control large-block shareholder positions) They are powerful governance mechanism. They have both size & incentive to discipline ineffective top-level managers. 2)Board of Directors (group of elected individuals to formally monitor & control ma nagers in order to act in owner's best interests) Insiders – Firm's CEO & other top-level managers. Related outsiders – Individuals not involved with firm's daily operations but have relationship with firm.Outsiders – provide independent counsel to firm & may hold managerial positions in their company. Outsiders have no firm info & thus emphasize use of financial than strategic controls to evaluate firm. Shifts risk to managers who make decision to maximise their interest & reduce employment risk. Enhance effectiveness of BOD 1. Increase diversity 2. Strengthen internal management & accounting control systems 3. Establish consistent use of formal processes to evaluate BOD performance 4. Creation of ‘lead director' 5. Compensation of director, reduce stock options. )Executive Compensation Use LT incentive plans. Effectiveness: don't link pay to financial outcomes. Manager may focus ST effects to enhance pay. Other factors also affect firm's performance whic h are not under manager's control. Market for Corporate Control (external governance mechanism. The market is a set of potential owners seeking to acquire undervalued firms & earn above average ROIs by replacing ineffective top-level management teams) Used only when internal controls fail. â€Å"Golden parachutes† help them leave while â€Å"Golden hellos† help them to get in the door of the next firm.Hostile Takeover Defensive Strategies â€Å"Poison pill† allows shareholders to convert their rights into large no. of common shares if anyone acquires more than set amount of target's stock to dilute percentage f shares acquiring firm must purchase at premium. Litigation – Lawsuits that help target company stall hostile attacks e. g. antitrust,fraud. Greenmail – repurchase of stocks from agressor at premium for agreement to no longer be targeted for takeover. Standstill agreement – Contract btwn parties in which pursuer agrees not to acquire a ny more stock for specified period for a fee.Capital structure change – Dilution of stock, making it costly for bidder to acquire e. g. recapitalization, new debt, share buybacks, stock selling) Corporate charter amendment – Ammendment to stagger elections of members to the BOD of attacked firm so that all are not elected same year, preventing bidder to install new board in same year. Corporate governance in Germany: 2 tiered board structure, place responsibility of monitoring & controlling managerial decisions & actions with separate groups. Banks exercise sig power as source of financing. Power sharing includes representation from community & unions.Corporate Governance in Japan: Cultural concepts of obligation, family & consensus. Close relationship btwn stakeholder & company through cross-shareholding can negatively impact efficiencies. Keiretsus: Strongly interrelated groups of firms tied tgt by cross-shareholdings. Banks are highly influential with firm's manager s. Global Corporate Governance: Relatively uniform governance structures, moving closer to US corporate governance model. Organizational Structure & Control. Organizational Structure – Specifies firm's formal reporting relationships, procedures, controls, authority & decision-making processes.Curcial to match structure with strategy! Controls guide the use of strategy, indicate how to compare actual results with expected results, & suggest corrective actions to take when the difference is unacceptable. Strategic Controls – Largely subjective criteria intended to verify that the firm is using appropriate strategies for theconditions in the external environment & the company’s competitive advantages. Strategic controls are concerned with examining the fit between: What the firm might do (opportunities in its external environment) What the firm can do (competitive advantages).Evaluate the degree to which the firm focuses on the requirements to implement strategy: B L:primary activities. CL(related): sharing of knowledge, markets, technologies across bizs. Financial Controls objective criteria used to measure firm's performance against previously established st&ards. Focus on ST outcomes. ROI, ROA, EVA(economic value addedmarket based measure). ! produces risk-adverse managerial decisions. Essential for unrelated diversification! Simple Structure (owner manager makes all major decisions & monitors activities) Few rules, limited task specialization, basic tech system.Functional Structure(CEO & limited corporate staff make decisions. Functional line managers present. functional specialization from active sharing. ! impedes comm. & cordination among functional areas. Multi-divisional Structure. Operating divisions represent separate biz / profit center. Top corporate officer delegates responsibilities for daily operations & business unit strategies to division managers. ~Ties together all operating divisions. Enables more accurate monitoring of p erformance of each unit. Facilitates comparisons between divisions.Stimulates managers to look for improvements. Matches between BL strategies & Functional Structure 1)For cost leadership strategyWalmart (simple reporting structure, few layers in decision-making & authority, centralized in a staff function. Job specialized.. 2) For differentiation strategy. Complex & flexible reporting relationship, freq use of cross-functional product development teams, strong focus on mkting & R&D. Few formal rules & procedures. Jobs not specialized. Decentralized. 3)For integrated cost leadership/differentiation strategy.Diff primary & support activities emphasized. Match between CL Strategy & Multi-divisional Structure(M-form) 1)Cooperative form for related-constrained. Centralized at corporate office; Extensive use of integration mechanism; emphasis on strategic criteria; linked to overall corporate performance. Frequent direct contact btwn division managers. Liason roles in each divisions redu ce time integrating with work occurring in other divisions. Matrix Organization might be formed(dual structure combining both functional specialization & biz product or project specialization.Cooperation among divisions implies loss of managerial autonomy -> managers hesitatnt to cooperate. Use strategic controls to evaluate manager on how well they cooperate. 2)SBUForm for related-linked strategy ! coordination between SBUs is hard. Diff to communicate complex biz model to shareholders. 3)Competitive form for Unrelated Diversification Strategy Decentralized to divisions; no integration mechanism; emphasize on financial criteria; linked to divisional performance. Finance & Auditing & Legal Affairs 2nd tier. Divisions 3 tier. ~internal competition creates flexibility; resources allocated to most potential division.Challenges the status quo & inertia. Motivates efforts due to funding if u are an efficient division. Matches btwn International Strategies & World-wide structure 1)Worldwi de Geog Area for Multidomestic Strategy. Decentralization to business units in each country. No integration mechanisms. Informal coordination ! inability to create global efficiency 2)Worldwide Product Divisional Structure for Global Strategy. Aims to gain EOS & EOSC;Centralized. Integrating mechanism important(e. g. Direct contact btwn managers, liaison roles btwn departments). inability to quikly respond to local needs & preferences; difficulty in coordinating decisions across borders. 3)Combination Structure for Transnational Strategy Global Matrix. ~flexibility in designing products & responding to customer needs. ! employee accountable to 2 boss. Difficult to be simultaneously loyal to both. Can be member of several functional or product group teams. Difficult & time consuming for approval. Hybrid Structure. (some divisions oriented to products while others oriented toward market areas) Matches btwn Cooperative Strategies & Network Structures.Strategic network (group of firms f ormed to create value by participating in multiple cooperative arrangements) can be a form of CA when operations create value that is hard to imitate. Used to implement BL, CL & International Strategies. Strategic center firm(main firm) does: Strategic outsourcing, seek ways to support members effort to develop Core competencies, Manage development & sharing of technology-based ideas(req formal reports of technology-orientated outcomes of their efforts),Emphasizes principal competition are btwn value chains & between networks of value chains.Centralized. Strategic network for BL Cooperative Strategy(horizontal,vertical Chp 9), CL Cooperative Strategies & International Cooperative Strategies(Distributed strategic networks -Several regional strategic centre firms are included in dist network to manage partner firms' multiple cooperative arrangements)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

More Answers to Questions About Apostrophes

More Answers to Questions About Apostrophes More Answers to Questions About Apostrophes More Answers to Questions About Apostrophes By Mark Nichol 1. In a reference to the amount of medication provided to an outpatient, I read â€Å"three days’ supply for acute or chronic noncancer pain; seven days for cancer pain or palliative care.† Should days be singular in this expression, or plural? I can’t decide whether it applies to three individual days, one at a time, or a single amount dispensed for three days. And in the second phrase, supply is implied after â€Å"seven days.† Should days after seven also have an apostrophe? â€Å"Three days’ supply† is equivalent to â€Å"a supply for three days,† and the supply essentially â€Å"belongs† to the unit of time, not to the segments of time that constitute that unit, so the construction should be in plural-possessive form, as shown. Also, yes, â€Å"seven days† is an elided form of â€Å"seven days’ supply, with the repetition of supply implied, but the apostrophe should not also be omitted. However, the elided form â€Å"seven days’† is still awkward, and I recommend using the full phrase: â€Å"seven days’ supply.† I also advise replacing the semicolon with a comma and or. 2. Are the apostrophes in this sentence correct?: â€Å"The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’s 2006 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses revealed that nearly 15 percent of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses happened in the retail trade sector.† Yes, they’re correct, but the use of two consecutive apostrophized proper names followed by the title of a survey is cumbersome. I recommend relaxing the sentence somewhat to â€Å"The US Department of Labor’s 2006 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, conducted by the department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, revealed that nearly 15 percent of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses happened in the retail trade sector.† There are still two apostrophes, but at a distance from each other, and one of the proper names is also removed from the long train of capitalized words, and the awkward form Statistics’s is avoided. 3. Please settle a disagreement. A friend told me that adding an apostrophe and an s to Joe and Jane in the following sentence is wrong, but I think it’s correct: â€Å"Many celebrities, instead of marrying other famous people, choose to settle down with average Joe’s and Jane’s.† With rare exceptions (such as in the saying â€Å"Mind your p’s and q’s†), an apostrophe should not be employed when creating a plural form, and pluralizing a proper noun is not one of those cases. Simply add an s to each name: â€Å"Many celebrities, instead of marrying other famous people, choose to settle down with average Joes and Janes.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Farther vs. FurtherCapitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and MovementsApostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns

Monday, October 21, 2019

Going Green Essay

Going Green Essay Going Green Essay Operations Management 12/21/2012 Going Green and the Building Industry The popularity of green living has increased significantly over the years. No industry has been impacted more by green initiatives than the building industry. â€Å"In 2010, a third of all new commercial construction was green, amounting to a $54 billion market for commercial green buildings† (Pentland, W.). With this discussion we will review how green initiatives have shaped and continue to shape the operations of the construction industry. â€Å"By 2015, green buildings in the commercial sector are expected to triple, accounting for $120 billion to $145 billion in new construction and $14 billion to $18 billion in major retrofit and renovation projects† (Pentland, W.). To understand how building operations have been impacted by green demand we need to review these green building objectives and initiatives. Founded in 1993, The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is the authority set in place to coordinate and monitor the nation’s sustainable building practices. It is committee based, member-driven, and consensus-focused. To assist in the administration of these practices the USGBC has set up a green building rating system known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). LEED rates projects based on some of the following initiatives; Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy Atmosphere, Material Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation. LEED projects are qualified into the following certifications Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Designing and building a Gold or Platinum project will have significant more development expense and commitment than Certified and Silver projects but the reward and recognition have substantial benefits. Consumer and business demand are trending toward sustainability, energy efficiency, and overall green living practices. Many tenants are even willing to pay a premium for space in green buildings. One of the benefits is that employees will be more productive (Pentland). Devel opers are responding to and meeting this demand. Google also understands consumer needs. Google has offered a $3 million grant to the USGBC to support green building efforts. With this grant the USGBC plans to conduct further scientific research on building materials along with pushing for more material content transparency (Post, N. Catinella, R.). Traditional data centers have a high energy demand and commercial buildings as a whole are responsible for consuming a great amount of energy derived from fossil fuels. HP has the goal of developing/operating a data center that would consume zero net energy from the grid over the facility lifetime. The center is slated to have 30% greater efficiency and sourced renewable power. Through this project HP is stating they are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and focusing on clean renewable energy (Post, N.). Modifying and retrofitting existing buildings to improve building efficiency is also a growing trend. President Obama and former President Clinton have introduced legislation to support retrofitting existing buildings through the Better Buildings Initiative (Easley, C.). This initiative is primarily targeted to large hotels and retail establishments. The synergy here is trifold; these buildings will lessen their carbon footprint, increase efficiency and lower annual operating costs. Green building is a trend that is now becoming the norm and developers are following suit through client demands. Architects, Engineers, and Consultants have also had to embrace the green building design in order to satisfy the demand. Some Architectural trends include designing open floor plans to increase daylight harvesting, roofing components with high solar reflective indexes to keep buildings cooler, drought tolerant landscaping, and requiring the use of sustainable/renewable materials. Mechanical and Plumbing Engineers are focusing on issues like water

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Understanding Sexual Dimorphism

Understanding Sexual Dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the difference in morphology between male and female members of the same species. Sexual dimorphism includes differences in size, coloration, or body structure between the sexes. For example, the male northern cardinal has a bright red plumage while the female has a duller plumage. Male lions  have a mane, female lions do not. Examples of Sexual Dimorphism Male elk (Cervus canadensis) grow antlers, while female elk do not have antlers.Male elephant seals (Mirounga sp.) develop an elongated snout and fleshy nose that they inflate as a sign of aggression when competing with other males during the mating season.Male birds of paradise (Paradisaeidae) are noted for their elaborate plumage and complex mating dances. Females are far less ornate. In most cases, when size differences exist between the male and female of a species, it is the male that is the larger of the two sexes. But in a few species, such as birds of prey and owls, the female is the larger of the sexes and such a size difference is referred to as reverse sexual dimorphism. One rather extreme case of reverse sexual dimorphism exists in a species of deepwater anglerfish called the triplewart seadevils (Cryptopsaras couesii). The female triplewart seadevil grows much larger than the male and develops the characteristic illicium that serves as a lure to prey. The male, about one-tenth the size of the female, attaches itself to the female as a parasite. Resources and Further Reading Folkens P. 2002. National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. New York: Alfred A. Knopff.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Linen textile Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Linen textile - Research Paper Example However, most of the finds of early flax cultivation relate to the Iron Age. They show that perennial narrow-leafed flax was cultivated all across Europe as far as Scandinavia. (Gunnsdottir). In ancient Egypt, Flax was grown on a large scale in the 4th millennium BC. Ancient Egyptians used Flax for making gowns and tunics. The fine bandages with which, the mummies were wrapped were also made of Flax fibers. Its frequent use by ancient Egyptians could be attributed to its extremely fine quality and durability. â€Å"Amazingly enough, when the tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses II, who died in 1213 BC, was discovered in 1881, his linen wrappings were in a state of perfect preservation† (World Linen). Likewise, the linen curtains in King Tut’s tomb had not warped away a bit. Textile industry was the main promoter of the economy of Egypt during the Islamic period. Tennis and Alexandria provided linen fabrics to the Byzantine Empire. Linen tunics were worn by people of ancient Greece. Summer tunics of ancient Romans were also commonly made of linen. Linen was largely employed as a clothing staple in the middle ages. Most of the undergarments were made in linen since it wa s comfortable to wear and felt cool and light to wear. It was also easily washable. Linen was also woven at home for making dresses for women. Flax was brought to Europe, America and India as trade routes expanded. Linen was used in a whole range of ways in the past and is still an extremely stylish and luxurious fabric. Some of the most frequently used types of linen were butchers’ linen, heavy bleached linen and damask. Today, linen is used for making both ordinary and fashion wear. In the contemporary age, France, China, Belgium, and Holland are the four prime producers of the linen textile. They have been named here in order of their production level with France producing the largest amount of linen and Holland producing the least of the four. On a yearly basis, France produced 64000 tons of

Friday, October 18, 2019

Consumer Protection Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Consumer Protection Law - Essay Example Imputing liability upon a Seller purely on the basis of goods not conforming to the exact description of the good offered for sale may not be applicable unless and until it can be proved that the buyer relied upon such a description in arriving at a decision to purchase the product. The description of the good is to be taken into account when determining whether the goods are of a satisfactory quality. In the case of Varley v Whipp3, it was held that in every case where the buyer has not had the opportunity to see the goods before purchase, the goods will be deemed to have been bought by description. The old pot ornament would, therefore, have been expected to conform to its description and photograph as laid out in the advertisement, which states â€Å"old pot ornament, in good condition for its age.† But the goods received by Chris show the ornament not conforming to the description. The question of goods sold which did not match their description arose in the case of Beale v Taylor4 where the defendant had advertised his car as a 1961 Herald convertible, however, the actual car comprised two parts welded together and only one of these parts came from the 1961 model rather than the entire car. As a result, the car that was delivered to the buyer was held to not conform to its description and the Court allowed the plaintiff to secure damages. The question of description also arose in the case of Andrews v Hopkinson5 where the dealer’s description of the item in question as a â€Å"good little bus, I would stake my life on it† was held to be a contractual term because it formed a part of the description that was set out in the advertisement for the goods. Similarly, in the case of Couchman v Hill6, a statement made about the heifer sold was that it was â€Å"unserved† and the Court held that every item in the description which forms a component part of the identity of the object sold is a condition for which the seller can be held li able.

What effect did World War II have on the nation's industries, and how Essay

What effect did World War II have on the nation's industries, and how did the war revolutionize the U.S. economy both immediately and in the long term - Essay Example Women came out to work in masses. Nearly 19 million women were employed in various jobs in 1944. Most of the money the women earned went to savings, improving the economy of the country preposterously.1 When the soldiers started to return home after the war, the families were eager to spend on happy reunions. Also thousands of men returning from the battlefields needed employment. This led to massive increase in the consumer products market.i There were just 8 shopping malls in the U.S. by the end of the war, which increased to over 3500 by 1960. The Eisenhower era2 which prevented another catastrophic atomic war boosted the growth of several industries which transformed into huge corporate companies in the later part of the century.ii The rapid emergence of the equality in rights propaganda in the post war period, led to the framing of Civil Rights Act of 1964, the most revolutionary legislative piece in the U.S history. It eliminated all racial, ethnic and gender based discrimination in the working area, making the country a haven for labor

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Immigration, visa, I 20, I94, staying in status, ICE, SEVP, SEVIS Essay

Immigration, visa, I 20, I94, staying in status, ICE, SEVP, SEVIS - Essay Example The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is one of the bodies that ensure the security of the nation by making sure all those who enter the nation will not endanger the country in any aspect, in any form or manner. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State to monitor non-immigrant students. To further this role, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is used to store information about the arrival and departure of non-immigrant students, exchange visitors and their dependents. Studying in the United States is both a privilege and an opportunity however, one has to stay within the rules and regulations contained in the contract, where an individual binds himself with the country as a visitor. The most important of which is staying in status. Before the student’s visa expires, he should leave the country as agreed upon otherwise, the student will definitely suffer a great loss. Such record will affect one’s further applications for travel to the country in the

SAM 451 UNIT 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SAM 451 UNIT 5 - Assignment Example lso indicates that the cholera occurrences have also been directly hampering tourism in Cuba, which contributed around 2.5 billion to the US economy in 2011 (Orsi, â€Å"US issues advisory for Cuba over cholera cases†). As the report directly indicates the interrelation between cholera cases and tourism development of the Cuban economy, it can be referred as creative statistics. Another statistical report, published in the article titled, â€Å"ACT: Third of high school grads not college ready†, postulates increasing trend of high school graduate students deciphering their unwillingness to go to college. According to the latest survey, it was found that 31% of the students in the US are not ready to go to college, mainly owing to their educational lacunas of learning and applying at the college level. The article further reported that this decline in students’ willingness to go to college, may in future expand the gap between students’ perceptions and abilities with that of the projected job statistics (Elliott, â€Å"ACT: Third of high school grads not college ready†). Hence, imbalances in the US society might be caused owing to fluctuations in the job market, as a consequence of students’ unwillingness to pursue college level studies. This also addresses a creative field of economic development, and thus can be affirmed as a creative statistics illustration. Elliott, Philip. ACT: Third of high school grads not college ready. The Associated Press, 2013. Web. 24 May 2013.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Immigration, visa, I 20, I94, staying in status, ICE, SEVP, SEVIS Essay

Immigration, visa, I 20, I94, staying in status, ICE, SEVP, SEVIS - Essay Example The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is one of the bodies that ensure the security of the nation by making sure all those who enter the nation will not endanger the country in any aspect, in any form or manner. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State to monitor non-immigrant students. To further this role, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is used to store information about the arrival and departure of non-immigrant students, exchange visitors and their dependents. Studying in the United States is both a privilege and an opportunity however, one has to stay within the rules and regulations contained in the contract, where an individual binds himself with the country as a visitor. The most important of which is staying in status. Before the student’s visa expires, he should leave the country as agreed upon otherwise, the student will definitely suffer a great loss. Such record will affect one’s further applications for travel to the country in the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Impact of capital structure on financial performance of real estate Essay - 1

Impact of capital structure on financial performance of real estate firms listed in Chinese - Essay Example n considered as a prominent industrial pillar of the national economy of China as it has fully impacted the employment, labour productivity, savings and total investment. The industry has a huge multiplier and hence it has the potential of being an important economic stimulus. Through employment, many households can afford a considerable high quality of life and in addition, pay tax for the government programs. Saving and investment has realized a lot of wealth creation and increased per capita income (Marketline, 2014). The real estate industry is essentially related to leasing and renting of residential and commercial properties. The paper is aimed at assessing the real estate companies that are listed on the Chinese stock exchange; correspondingly, background research has effectively focused on real estate development in Asia-Pacific region. Market analysis suggest that on average the Asia-Pacific real estate industry has witnessed growth of 13 percent between 2009 and 2013 while China alone witnessed growth as high as 16.8 percent. Moreover, the paper conducts a tour that is intended to find out the relationship between the capital structure and financial performance of the listed companies. Guo and Huang (2010) monitored that the growth rate of Chinese economy has been moderately high and consequently, it has become an important choice of foreign direct investors. Foreign capital has been a great source of Chinese economy and since real estate is an essential pillar of the national economy, large scale foreign investment flows therein. Guo and Huang (2010) observed that in most Asian economies, the stock market and real estate market are interdependent and integrated. Guo and Huang (2010) scrutinized the association between stock market and real estate market in China and recognized unidirectional relationship thereof. Studies suggest that since 2003, China witnessed heavy capital inflow as a result of liberalisation and the inflow was too huge to be

Simon says Essay Example for Free

Simon says Essay Need some ideas to entertain the kids? Whats in the bag? is a great game to play on a rainy day or even at the kids birthday parties! You can make it suitable for whatever age group you are entertaining, which is one of the reasons this game is a perfect game for any time of year! Number of players: 1 to lots What you need: non-transparent bag lots of household objects Activity: A great guessing game that you can make entirely age appropriate. Put a few things in the bag from around the house like paperclips, a coin, a lime, a toy car, a dog biscuit, a rock, etc. Let your child reach into the bag and choose an object. Encourage them to feel it, roll it in their hands and imagine what it might be. Ask them to guess before pulling it out. For older children, make the objects less defined by their shape. Hide and Seek No list of indoor games would be complete without Hide and Seek, now would it? In this classic game, one person (â€Å"It†) covers his or her eyes and counts aloud while the other players hide. When â€Å"It† is finished counting, he or she begins looking for the hiders. The last hider to be found is the next â€Å"It. † Warning: this game is often a source of giggle fits. Families with older children might want to take things up a notch and play Hide and Seek in the dark. Just to be safe, make sure there are no loose items on the floor. If you want, allow â€Å"It† to carry a flashlight or turn the lights on once â€Å"It† finishes counting. Treasure hunt Kids love finding hidden objects — especially when there’s a prize at the end. Simply write your clues on some slips of paper — get creative. Place the first clue somewhere easy to find, like inside your child’s snack or cereal bowl. Then leave as many clues as you like around the house, making a trail to the final clue. Instead of a prize, the treasure hunt can lead to various coins around the house. This way the kids get to collect all the coins and put them in their piggy banks in the end. Picnic memory game Former preschool director and grandmother of three, Marsha Colla, has some innovative games up her sleeve, including this fun and simple verbal memory game, which, Colla says, â€Å"challenges the children and makes them giggle. † To play, everyone sits in a circle. The first player says, â€Å"In my basket for the picnic, I packed†¦,† and then says what item he or she packed. The next player then says, â€Å"In my basket for the picnic, I packed†¦,† and then recites what the first player packed and adds his or her own item to the basket, and so forth. Simon Says This traditional favourite will never get old. To start, choose one player (probably a parent for the first round) to be Simon. The rest of the players will gather in a circle or line in front of Simon as he calls out actions starting with the phrase â€Å"Simon says†: â€Å"Simon says†¦touch your toes. † The players then have to copy Simon’s action, touching their toes. If Simon calls out an action without uttering the phrase â€Å"Simon says,† the kids must not do the action. If a child touches his toes when Simon didn’t say†¦, he or she is out of the game. There are lots of great ways Simon can trick players into doing actions when Simon didn’t say: Simon can perform an action without uttering a command, for example, or he can perform an action that doesn’t correspond with the command. Fun! The last player left in the game wins and becomes the next Simon. Touch-and-feel box Most preschoolers flock to the classroom sensory table as soon as the teachers pull it out. So there is little doubt they will love this entertaining challenge. Find a shoe box or any box that has a lid on it. Cut a hole in one of the sides of the box —large enough for your child to fit her hand in. If you want, get creative and decorate the box with glitter and question marks. When you’re ready to play, put an item inside the box and have your children guess what it is. They can ask questions about the item if they need to, or you can offer clues. Get as ooey-gooey as you wish (fresh pumpkin seeds or slimy spaghetti are great choices for Halloween), or use such simple objects as a brush, a toy, a piece of fruit. To make it competitive, you can give a point to the first child to name the object. What creature am I? game This is a fun kids party game that will have your little ones laughing as they are challenged to solve the riddle of what animal they have been given. Its a great learning game too as kids find out all about the different animals, large and small, that live in our wonderful world. Number of players: 2+ What you need: Old nature magazines or newspapers with animal pictures Scissors Glue Cardboard Safety pins Activity: Cut pictures of various animals out of the magazines or newspaper. Glue the pictures to a piece of cardboard to make them sturdier like playing cards. Punch a hole in the centre top of the card and use a safety pin to attach a card to the back of each childs shirt or dress. Give the kids some starter questions to ask each other to get clues as to the animal on their outfit. Enjoy as they learn about animals of all types. Animal cards Inspire their imaginations with a fun game of animal cards. This easy kids activity is a great year-round art and craft project and will let your kids imaginations take flight as they create and invent new and amazing creatures! Number of players: 2+ What you need: index cards crayons or markers Activity: Start by placing the index cards horizontally on a table with the blank side up do two rows with one row stacked directly on top of the other. Encourage your child to draw a head on the top card and a matching body and legs and feet on the bottom card. Let them create as many as they can think of. A number of games can be played with the completed batch of cards. Let your child mix the heads and bodies of the different animals to create hilarious creatures. Or, turn them over and play a game of match each player gets to choose two cards and if they match, they are a pair and count as one match. This is repeated while the players get more familiar with what is on the underside of each card and more and more pairs are matched. The one with the most matches wins! Doggy, doggy wheres your bone? Doggy, doggy, wheres your bone is a fun kids party game that will engage and entertain kids of all ages. You can play indoors or outdoors, as a family or with friends. This kids activity is a winner every time. Number of players: 4+ What you need: simple object, for example a paperclip or coin chair blindfold (optional) Activity: One child is chosen to be IT and plays the role of the dog. He or she sits in a chair with their back to the group. A paperclip or coin is placed under the chair. This is the bone. While the dog is turned backward with his or her eyes closed (blindfold is optional) someone quietly steals the bone and hides it usually they just sit on it or hide it in their cupped hands. Then everyone sings: Doggy, doggy, wheres your bone? Somebody stole it from your home. Then the dog has three chances to guess who took it. If the dog guesses right, then he gets to do it again. If he guesses wrong, than the person who had the bone gets a turn as the dog. Usually, all of the children will try to look guilty by sheltering their laps or holding their hands together as if they have the bone. Hot potato Hot potato is a party game guaranteed to get the kids and grown-ups laughing. Play with the whole family or leave it to the kids as they discover the fun and excitement of racing the music to pass the potato! Number of players: 5+ What you need: music small beanbag or stuffed sock Activity: Arrange the children sitting in a circle. Pass a beanbag around the circle to music, pretending that the beanbag is a very, very, very hot potato. When the music stops, the person holding the beanbag is out. The music starts again and the remaining children continue passing the hot potato until the music stops. The last person in the circle is the winner. Scavenger hunt This is a great party game that all children will love as they can play it outdoors or indoors. There is lots of searching and finding involved! What you need: items to hide make sure there is as many as one item as there are kids. So, ten kids, ten buttons. paper bag pen Activity: Give each player a list of objects to find and collect within a determined length of time. Write the list on a paper bag, which can then be used for collecting the items. The list can be made up of items like a piece of string, a flower, a leaf, a stone etc. The first to collect all items on the list is the winner. Sleeping lions Sleeping lions is a great birthday party game and kids activity to help them wind down after an exciting day. Your children will learn to be still and calm down in the process. Definitely a favourite end-of-day party activity essential! Number of players: 5+ Activity: Have all of the children (except one or two hunters) lie down on the floor in sleeping positions. Once they are settled, they are not allowed to move you might use the language freeze so they fully understand the object of the game. The hunters walk through the room and try to make the sleeping lions move by making them laugh, telling them jokes, and so on. However, the hunters are not allowed to touch the lions. Once any lion moves they are tapped and get up and join the hunters. The last child still on the floor wins! Statues Kids love to dance like crazy but when the music stops they have to freeze into statues! See who laughs or giggles first as there will be plenty of smiling children playing this classic kids birthday party game. Number of players: 3+ What you need: music Activity: Have the children spread out in a room or on the patio. Start the music and the children can go nuts dancing and being silly. Stop the music and all of the children must freeze in whatever position they are in. Watch the children for any movement the first person to move goes out. Then restart the music and repeat until only one person is left the winner! Bean bag throw This is a fun activity is suitable for kids of all ages that is perfect for birthday parties as well as a backyard game. What you need: Small bean bags (or make your own using socks, dried beans and rubber bands) Activity: Purchase bean bags suitable for tossing, or create your own with dried beans, socks and rubber bands. Draw a pony or a heart on the side of a cardboard box (or print and cut out one of the pictures from our online Colouring Book. Cut a hole in the box, large enough for the bean bags to be thrown through easily. Place the box about ten feet away and give each child several chances to toss the bean bags through the hole. Alternately, you can place images of ponies directly on the floor and try to land the bean bags on the ponies. Fingers out Never worry about the kids getting bored in the car again. Simply have them play Fingers out and they will be kept busy with this fun guessing game. Number of players: 2+ Activity: Have the kids face each other and put out one hand each. One the count of three, the children should extend between one and three fingers. The kids will shout out a the number of fingers they think they and the other player will show. It will be a number between one and six. Once the fingers have been revealed, add them up and whichever child has guessed the number correctly scores two points. The closest guess scores one point. Follow the leader Discover the natural born leaders at the party with this simple game that everyone can play. With actions to suit every age group, this classic party game is sure to please. Number of players: 4+ What you need: a group of children Optional: an obstacle course Activity: Line children up and designate one leader who they are to follow around. To begin with, you may want an adult to lead so kids get the idea. Its up to the leader to decide the actions or paths the children take. Begin with simple actions like: hand on heads star jumps sit down stand up If an obstacle course is available, take the kids on a journey. The children can climb over, under or around things makes for even greater excitement. Change leaders and give every child a go at leading the others.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Importance of Internal Communication within an Organisation

Importance of Internal Communication within an Organisation Introduction What is internal communication? Internal communication in simple words is communicating with all the possible way and channels of communication within the organisation, there may be many departments, offices all over the country or globe, which includes ample of mass working, but the focus of this internal communication system should be that every person eligible for any new updates/upgrades or any other kind of change in the organisation which keeps on happening from time to time basis should be well communicated with all these mentioned above. Internal communication does not only mean communicating in some of the official ways such as meetings or conferences or updating through news letters or with putting just a white paper with some prints on a notice board where there are chances of it being neglected/oversight. As mentioned, it is not one way communication, hence here it is not only the top level management who communicates with the other but its the other way where there are constant interactions between all the levels of management with a valid meaning related to the working of the organisation. With all the communication ways such as meetings, memos, telecommunications, etc body language, pleasantries and gossip also play a very important role. How significant is internal communication? Internal communication is significant for building a strong block of the organisational culture. Internal communication system is designed in such a way that it should reach all the possible candidates in the organisation. These days the most priority in the organisation is effective internal communication. The more effective the internal communication within the organisation the more quick it is to communicate any changes happening in the company. Hence it then becomes easy for all the interactions between all the levels of management. Personal interaction is also an important key in the internal communication system. The best thing about this is again that communication flows in all directions rather then up to down or vice versa. Change within the organisation. Change being the only constant in every part of life, has to occur every place and any time in all the sections. Big firms it may be manufacturing based or service industry, all have multiple processes which functions and goes through thousands of transactions and activities every day. Greater the functioning of any organisation the more it tends to change policies and practices of particular process depending on the invention of technology and its implementation in the process from time to time. Development, expansion and diversification of the organisation also have a great impact of change in it. Government laws, change in the method of production, servicing methods, outside environment etc changes the overall functioning of the company. Change is also necessary for the organisations to grow in future. Old Hence the organisation in this perspective should make it a point that all the possible changes happening in the company are conveyed to all the candidates working for that particular part where the change has taken place. Steps involved in change and how communication should be handled at each level Clarity is the message to be delivered: The change is first communicated/known to the top level management or the immediate supervisor who is responsible for that part of work where implementation of the change happened is a necessity and should be conveyed to all related to it. These people who are responsible for sending message across should be clear about the message which is to be transmitted among others. Method: The method chosen for delivering the message should be proper i.e. should be accessible to all the people and by proper channel where all of them can understand its operation. In all it should suit the circumstances. It should be kept in mind that when the message is sent by the sender, after receiving it, the receiver should be open to communicate back in case of any doubts or questions to be raised regarding the same matter. Communication technology systems or other communication materials are available to use throughout the department/process where the message of change has to be conveyed. Complicated way or using hi-fi modern technology for communications may be a problem for some people, hence should be avoided in considering the steps for communication. Communication should be in a simplified, concise and precise form so that all the people can understand and actively take part. ( Ref. http://humanresources.about.com/od/changemanagement/a/change_lessons2.htm ) Effective internal communication Effective internal communication is where all the candidates, they may be the managers, employees or the volunteers who actively participates and are focused on the goals of the organisation and all involved has the same object to be established. Effective internal communications builds a strong bridge to efficient working and growing of the organisation. It also helps the working staff to identify the change properly and accomplish goals and missions, thus making a difference in the overall effort and efficiency of the company. Everyday effective communications reduces conflicts and contradicting ideas which and gives emphasis to what is important for the organisation. All the companies may not get all the benefits of the effective internal communication but its still helps the organisation build a strong culture where people involved are working towards a common goal. Different Communication Supports There are many types of communication supports that can be used within the organisation. They can be classified into many categories. Communication can be verbal, non-verbal, visual, audio and many others. CD-ROM/Pen Drives/Hard Drives/Flash Sticks :- Important or confidential communication are communicated by these devices personally. It can be used to transfer graphics, video, audio, codes, final statements, etc. Letters/memos/reports: this is based fto convey short meaningful message where some feedback is expected and this category can be classified as a interactive one. Meetings: Three or more people meeting personally, for growth of organisation and many other perspective. Manuals: Large volumes of information is reffered by manuals which are paper based documents. Audio tape/CD: Playback used for the training or any other stuff which uses cassette/CDs. Video: Playback of videos for explanation of the product or for a training purpose as well where VCR/DVD and other video players are used. Printed materials: Prints are taken on paper to distribute certain information. Fax: Copying the paper through telephonic systems from one place to another has been one of the important means of communication all over the world. This is one of the fastest means to send and receive documents. Intranet: The use of internet and web technology used within an organisation assumptions are made that audio and video cannot be transferred but is majorly used for business transactions and to send and receive files which convey a business meaning. Radio: Advertising of the organisation can be done through the broadcast of radio voice transmissions. E-mail: One of the best n modern means of communications to receive and send messages instantly all over the world within less than minute. This way of communication is used to also send documents, audio and videos. Video conferencing: Meeting of people with video and audio from a long distance for a business purpose. TV: Television can be used for many purposes of communications. Marketing and Advertising is done on a large scale all over. It is also used for visuals all over the organisation. Video conferencing is also uses TV as a means to see and communicate all over the world. One-to-ones: Face to face, meeting of two people, interviews, group discussions, debates, etc. Phone: Conversations between two or more people within the organisation or outside. ( Ref :- http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Tools/commtool/frameset.htm ) Impact of change in the communication process Any changes in the organisation has to be conveyed to all the people who are responsible for the implementation of the change happening. How to communicate this change is a point where the management has to have a proper plan/strategy. Change in this context can be confidential or general. Proper means of communication should be selected to communicate the change. There can be possibilities where the change cannot be communicated with the present communication means/tools in the organisation. Purchases of new communicative products may b necessary. Different means are supposed to be used communicating at each level of management, it is not necessary that all the change taking place is to be conveyed to all the employees. Hence it should be filtered and proper channels should be used accordingly. Example: Bank of America, where in the voice process there happens a lot of changes within short interval of time. It is based on the counselling/customer service/collection to/from the customers who has mortgage with the band. Different rules/programs/fluctuations in the interest rates/refinancing of loans etc used to take place very often. Communication in this context of change is not that easy for the managers as the schedule fixed for the working employees are logged in on the system and are on calls all the time of their shift. In between that they cannot be communicated with any urgent change. Hence the very next day/after the shift there is a briefing arranged for all the teams working under this process. This may lead to irrelevant/old information being conveyed to the customers as of that date and hence for some time being. Therefore, there is a big impact of change on the communication process which leads to passing of wrong information throughout the chain. Impact of change in the organisation makes communication a necessity calling a meeting to discuss as how to communicate this change. Hence this change to be communicated also starts with a communication process as meeting in this case. It starts when one feels uneasy or concerned about the situation of change within the organization or outside the organisation. Then one realises that some action needs to be taken to CHANGE the present situation. Studying the situation in depth and make a plan to convey the CHANGE for betterment . Implementing the plan by suitable action. Reviewing the situation and continuing the process after communicating it with all the employees responsible and give the training if required for the implementation of this change. ( Fenil Shah :- Senior Manager ATLASCOPCO ) Obstacles or challenges that can be met through the different communication supports used in an internal communication system in a context of change. Sender :- When the sender is not able to properly understand the change and still communicates. Either the message communicated is not proper or it has not been put down properly. Medium/channel :- Wrong selection of medium to send the message. Interruption or signal failure or server problems leads to improper internal communication. This regards in delay of message or inaccuracy of message to be communicated. Oversight :- Notices put up on the board may be overlooked by certain employees which gives a negative impact on the work where that particular change is to be implemented. Improper regard :- Management takes lightly to communicate this change on time resulting in delay or sometimes does not communicate due to overload of work and hence forgetting to convey the change. Language :- Language should be easy and in proper context so that everyone understands it. Audio :- Disturbance/Unclear audio may not convey message clearly which leaves a doubt of the listener. Fear :- Small employees who did not understand the change message may have the fear to go to the immediate supervisor and clear the doubts may be because of the fear of being insulted or improper relationship. Poor Listening Poor listening can sabotage any attempt at communication. We all do it: we hear a little and then fill in what we think the rest will be, without really listening to whats actually being said. Information source :- The source of information is the human mind. It is possible that if this source does not want to communicate the message as it has to be. There are chances he may make some alterations in the change which has to be made within the process. There are many other stages where loads of obstacles interrupt the communication process when there is a change. The statges may be lined as follows :- Outgoing message Transmitter Outgoing signal Channel Incoming signal Receiver Incoming message Destination ( Ref :- http://facta.junis.ni.ac.rs/lal/lal99/lal99-05.pdf ) The challenges that can be met when dealing with an international team Language :- Language can be a big challenge when dealing with the international team. Even if the language is the same, accent of speaking may have a huge difference which at once may be difficult to understand. Incase of language being different, it is very difficult then to communicate directly but should rather have a common team who deals with the translation of language and then forwards it to the people concerned. Example :- Bank of America, where in the voice process there is a special Spanish team to deal with the customers who does not know the language English. Culture :- time and space, personal responsibility and fate, face and face-saving, and nonverbal communication are much more complex than it is possible to convey. Each of them influences the course of communications, and can be responsible for conflict or the escalation of conflict when it leads to miscommunication or misinterpretation. A culturally-fluent approach to conflict means working over time to understand these and other ways communication varies across cultures, and applying these understandings in order to enhance relationships across differences. ( Ref:- http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/cross-cultural_communication/ ) Time Difference :- Communication may not be possible at all time when dealing with the team abroad. This is because of the time difference between the countries all over the world. Hence communication then becomes a problem for communicating or discussing some urgent business matter. Also in this case, getting a response for a certain message would take time and wont be quicker in cases urgent. These may bring limitations to the communication process as a whole. Recommendations Communicate consistently, frequently, and through multiple channels, including speaking, writing, video, training, focus groups, bulletin boards, Intranets, and more about the change. Communicate all that is known about the changes, as quickly as the information is available. Make clear that your bias is toward instant communication, so some of the details may change at a later date. Tell people that your other choice is to hold all communication until you are positive about the decisions. Provide significant amounts of time for people to ask questions, request clarification, and provide input. If you have been part of a scenario in which a leader presented changes, on overhead transparencies, to a large group, and then fled, you know what bad news this is for change integration. Clearly communicate the vision, the mission, and the objectives of the change management effort. Help people to understand how these changes will affect them personally. (If you dont help with this process, people will make up their own stories, usually more negative than the truth.) Recognize that true communication is a conversation. It is two-way and real discussion must result. It cannot be just a presentation. The change leaders or sponsors need to spend time conversing one-on-one or in small groups with the people who are expected to make the changes. Communicate the reasons for the changes in such a way that people understand the context, the purpose, and the need. Practitioners have called this: building a memorable, conceptual framework, and creating a theoretical framework to underpin the change. Provide answers to questions only if you know the answer. Leaders destroy their credibility when they provide incorrect information or appear to stumble or back-peddle, when providing an answer. It is much better to say you dont know, and that you will try to find out. Leaders need to listen. Avoid defensiveness, excuse-making, and answers that are given too quickly. Act with thoughtfulness. Make leaders and change sponsors available, daily when possible, to mingle with others in the workplace. . Communication should be proactive. If the rumor mill is already in action, the organization has waited too long to communicate. Provide opportunities for people to network with each other, both formally and informally, to share ideas about change and change management. Publicly review the measurements that are in place to chart progress in the change management and change efforts. Publicize rewards and recognition for positive approaches and accomplishments in the changes and change management. Celebrate each small win publicly. (Ref :- http://humanresources.about.com/od/changemanagement/a/change_lessons2.htm ) References (http://humanresources.about.com/od/changemanagement/a/change_lessons2.htm) (http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/cross-cultural_communication/) (http://facta.junis.ni.ac.rs/lal/lal99/lal99-05.pdf) (http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Tools/commtool/frameset.htm )

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Essay --

Pump Up that Seawater! A Remix of Traditional Freshwater Hydro Systems Hydroelectricity is a super clean energy source that emits minimal pollution. However most dams and structures used to gather hydroelectricity can be placed in limited locations. This is because hydroelectricity today requires two reservoirs of fresh water. It is well known that freshwater is very limited while we have an abundance of seawater, which many scientists believe is supposedly a waste and can’t be used for anything. To harness hydroelectricity to its fullest so that it can provide an abundant source of energy, a hydro system that is much less site-specific is required. Hydroelectric plants can be placed in only so few places, because there are few sources of freshwater. Although hydroelectricity uses renewable resources and releases little to no pollutants, existing hydroelectric plants in total give very little energy and are site specific compared to other sources of energy, it not cost effective and usable in limited areas. We can tackle the problem of limited areas for hydroelectric energy plants by using seawater instead of freshwater. We actually have an infinite amount of ocean water, unfortunately we don’t have an infinite amount of freshwater. Like traditional freshwater hydro systems a seawater pumped-storage hydro would work very similar. Extra electrical energy from nuclear energy, fossil fuels, or renewable energy power plants are used during times of low power demand to push water uphill to be deposited in reservoirs as potential energy. Then, when demand peaks, the reservoirs are opened, permitting water to pass through hydroe lectric turbines to produce the electricity needed to meet power demand. The key modification for saltwa... ...ean, where World watch is currently working with three governments to produce Sustainable Energy Roadmaps, it could be a practical solution to consider. With limited supplies of fresh water, tremendous renewable energy potential on and just off its coasts, and limited energy storage capability, seawater pumped-storage hydro could provide the Caribbean with tremendous benefits. Protecting the environment is crucial for this generation and future generations. My idea may make green energy more popular and benefit the environment. Using blah, blah, blah would blah, blah, blahs. Reducing costs and blah, blah, blah, the simple, efficient, and blah, blah, blah that I developed should encourage more people to switch to renewable resources and support this and my cause. Such a change would make the environment cleaner, healthier, and more enjoyable for generations to come.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Compare and contrast of package holiday and travel alone Essay

When people decide to plan a vocation, there are two kinds of travels, package holiday and travelling alone. Package holiday means that travel agency organizes everything, while travelling alone needs people to plan by themselves. Naturally, there are compares and contrasts that reflect the characteristics of two arrangements. No matter what kind of travel it is, the primary compares of travels are the purpose and cost. As to the purpose of travel, both people choosing package holiday or travelling alone have the similar aim. Generally speaking, people want to experience culture different, relieve their stress, or gain more motivation and energy to live via this approach. Therefore, even though people choose different methods, their purpose of travelling are alike. Meanwhile, the cost of two ways are same to some extent. Because whenever and wherever you go, it must take money, time, and energy. For example, there were many news that somebody tried the poor travel, however, their trips still took their time and energy at least. As a result, the cost of travel is unavoidable. In conclusion, the common aspects of two kinds of travel are the purpose and cost. Whilst, the contrasts of two choices are mainly about freedom and safety, interest and convenience of the travel. Most people who travel alone generally cite freedom as the great motivating factor: freedom to please themselves, go where and when they want, change their plans on a whim when they hear about something that is a ‘must’ to see, and to accept spontaneous invitations by locals.(Pemela Bradley 2009) However, when enjoying freedom, safety is less guaranteed naturally. Companies that offer tour packages are completely aware of situations in a particular place, the risks and the safe zones and hence you can enjoy a safe holiday.( Helen Troy 2013) That is the first difference. In addition, two types of travel have disparate entertainment. By choosing a holiday package, you actually get rid of all activities, starting from booking flight tickets, checking out accommodation availability at hotels and booking rooms.(Helen Troy 2013) Conversely, You don’t have to rely on an often ill-informed guide to lead you around on a  leash, and there’s the surprise and thrill when you find something you weren’t expecting, like the time I became lost and ended up in a small Bavarian village with a monastery that contained a library with tens of thousands of Medieval manuscripts.( Pemela Bradley 2009) As a conclusion, the contrasts of two kinds of travel are present in the different extent of limit and pleasure. Finally, both package holiday and travel alone have their pros and cons, they are similar or different in some way. Their purpose and cost are alike, meanwhile, the former is safer and more convenient, the latter is freer and more enjoyable. Therefore, the choice between package holiday and travel alone can be the reflection of people’s preference for travel.