Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart - 1033 Words

Introduction Chinua Achebe is a famous Nigerian novelist in worldwide. Things fall apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel published in 1958, the year after Ghana became the first African nation to gain independence. And this novel is one of the first African novels to gain worldwide recognition. (Phil Mongredien, 2010) This novel presents people a story of an African Igbo tribal hero, Okonkwo, from his growth to death. The fate of Okonkwo also indicates the fate of Africa caused by the colonization from Europe. Chinua Achebe devoted a large segment of this novel to describe Igbo’s traditions, and because he grew up in a missionary teachers’ family, this novel focuses on the conflicts between Igbo’s traditional customs and Christianity instead of weapons and wars, and show how religion separate and destroy the clan. After reading this novel, the most impressive thing I would like to talk about is the reasons of why the tribe had fallen apart. Summary The story happened around 1900 in Umuofia, a village near lower Niger. Okonkwo is a respectable leader in his clan. He is strong, brave and doesn’t like to show emotions, because he thinks emotions represent weakness. His personality is affected by his father Unoka, who is a lazy, improvident man. Okonkwo is ashamed of him, so he always tries to be strong. He already had two titles when he is young, and his goal is to achieve the highest title. So it is him to look after Ikemefuna, the boy sacrificed to the village by theirShow MoreRelatedChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1719 Words   |  7 PagesThings fall apart is a classic novel written around the turn of the century, the novel focuses on the protagonist who we can also call a hero, Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a wealthy and respected leader within the Igbo tribe of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. Strong individual with a passionate belief in all the values and traditions of his people. Chinua Achebe presents Okonkwo as a particular kind of tragic protagonist, a great man who carries the fate of his people. Okonkwo is a man who is inflexible andRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart883 Words   |  4 Pagesdehumanize the native population and convince themselves that they are helping. Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart attempts to correct these misguided views of African societies by portraying a more complex culture that values peace, and the art of conversation. Achebe also tries to portray the idea that not all European people they come in contact with are aggressive, and misconstrued in their view of the African societies. Achebe tries to show us the value of his society through repeated views into conversationsRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1410 Words   |  6 PagesTeddy Manfre Ms. Blass ENG 209-001 April 24, 2017 Things Fall Apart In 1958, Chinua Achebe a famous Nigerian author publishes one of his most famous novels Things Fall Apart. The novel takes place in a Nigerian village called Umuofia. During the time that this novel is published Nigeria is being criticized by the Europeans for being uncivilized. In response, Achebe uses his brilliance in this novel to express the valued history of his people to his audience. His focus in the novel is on the pre-colonizedRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1015 Words   |  5 PagesIn his novel Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe utilizes his distinctive writing style in order to accurately capture the culture and customs of the Igbo people despite writing his story in a foreign language. Five aspects of Achebe’s style that make his writing unique is the straightforward diction present in dialogue, the inclusion of native parables convey Igbo life authentically, the inclusion of native Igbo words and phrases, detailed descriptions of nature and the usage of figurative languageRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1702 Words   |  7 PagesTitle: Things Fall Apart Biographical information about the author: Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. He had an early career as a radio host, and later became the Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria. After moving to America, he became an English professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Achebe has won numerous awards for his poetry and fiction, including the Man Booker prize and Commonwealth Poetry Price. He currently teaches at Bard College. Author: Chinua AchebeRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesCulture is an Important Element of Society Chinua Achebe is the author of when Things Fall Apart while Joseph Conrad authored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture isRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1248 Words   |  5 PagesChris Lowndes Ms. Cook A.P.L.C. 21 October 2015 We Are Family: Hardships in One s Family in Things Fall Apart Specific attributes correlate with each other to help create or not create the ideal strong family. However, through those attributes arise conflicts and major disputes. This issue of trying to achieve and create a strong family is of immense importance in one’s life, especially in Chinua Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, a milestone in African literature. For instance, the father leaves his legacyRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pagescertain degree of the priest class, libation, holidays, creation stories, divine systems of punishments and rewards. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is a story of tragic fall of a protagonist and the Igbo culture. Achebe demonstrates different examples and situations of where an African culture, in the instances of tribal religions, did certain things because of their tradition is and the way they developed into. African cultures pondered life mysteries and articulated theirRead Mo reChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1314 Words   |  6 PagesChinua Achebe masterpiece â€Å"Things Fall Apart† (1959) is the classic story of Okonkwo, a young man who strives to be revered by his village and family but because of his own internal character flaws meets his own demise. In the Igbo culture, family traditions are an important narrative throughout the novel. Okonkwo, the protagonist character of this story, begins with many attributes of what would be concluded as a hero with his cultural society. He is hard working, a material provider, feared andRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay983 Words   |  4 Pages The author Chinua Achebe, in the novel, â€Å"Things Fall Apart,† shares extreme diversity between the female and male characters residing in Umofia. Okonkwo, the male leader of the tribe, carries qualities such as power and manliness, as all men are expected to. As for the females they are commonly referred to as being weaker for child bearing and more responsible because they are expected to cook, clean, and take care of their children. Although the traits of the Igbo culture vary in the determination

Mesopotamian Literature The Civilization - 1005 Words

Civilization came a long way since what it first was. Human creativity was the root of the evolution of civilization. The basics of human survival in the Stone Age were creating fire, heat, clothing, and food from the surrounding resources of the lands. There were also many different cultural aspects among people in this age. In early Mesopotamia, the Mesopotamians and the Egyptians had a communal outlook on religion. Although their religious outlook was the same, they viewed the world in many different ways that in fact affected their thoughts, art, and literature. The Mesopotamians had a very basic pessimistic belief on their world and viewed the gods as a way to win at life and to handle their desires. Mesopotamian literature was†¦show more content†¦To compare and contrast Mesopotamia and Egypt, Mesopotamia introduced more of a literacy value to the civilization including formal law codes, city planning, architecture, and many institutions. They became very advanced in i rrigation, farming, pottery, bronze and copper. Mesopotamia was becoming very complex in their ruling system and money systems. They were ruled by a king and used silver to trade and buy goods. On the other hand, a pharaoh whom was seen as god and worshipped had complete power over the entire country of Egypt. Due to their complex geographic structure along the Nile River, there was a lot of slave labor. Although both had many differences, they both enjoyed religion and art, relied on rivers for transportation, importation, and exportation. They each had slaves to do the labor from their complex civilizations and also had the same stratification of social contrasts between peasants on the bottom and landowners well above and beyond at the top. Other similarities included writing, law and communication (Comparison of Early Mesopotamia and Egypt). As civilization evolved, the classical Greek period was an age filled with questions, democracy, design, tragedies, and even a new found love, the Olympic games. Much of the basics of evolution began in the eye of the Western culture in Ancient Greece. The romans conquered the Greeks and their philosophies and concepts were spread almost throughout all of Europe. After the Roman Empire fell,

Argumentative and Persuasive Current State Essay Example For Students

Argumentative and Persuasive Current State Essay Laws on Human Cloning Cloning Argumentative Persuasive EssaysCurrent State Laws on Human Cloning California Cal. Health Safety Code, 24185 to 24189. Bans efforts to create a human being by utilizing somatic cell nuclear transfer for the purpose of, or to implant, the resulting product to initiate a pregnancy that could result in the birth of a human being. Ban is to expire January 1, 2003 unless extended by legislature. Louisiana La. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 40 1299.36 to 1299.36.6. Forbids any person to clone or attempt to clone a human being, and forbids a health facility or agency to allow any individual to clone or attempt to clone a human being in a facility owned or operated by the health facility or agency. Clone is defined as in California law, to involve an intent to initiate a pregnancy. However, a separate state law prohibits intentionally destroying a viable fertilized ovum, and requires that no in vitro fertilized human ovum will be farmed or cultured solely for research purposes or any other purposes. La. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 9, 129, 122. Whether this prohibits use of cloned embryos for research depends on how courts will interpret the phrase fertilized human ovum. Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws 333.16274, 333.16275, 750.430a. Forbids any individual to engage in or attempt to engage in human cloning, applying civil penalties (up to a $10 million fine) and criminal penalties ($10 million fine and up to ten years in prison). Human cloning means the use of human somatic cell nuclear transfer technology to produce a human embryo. 333.16274(5). This law clearly forbids creating a cloned human embryo for any purpose, including research. A separate state law also forbids using a live human embryo for nontherapeutic research if the research substantially jeopardizes the life or health of the embryo Performing such research is a felony. 333.2685 (1), 333.2691. Rhode Island R.I. Gen. Laws 23-16.4-2 to 23-16.4-4. Bans use of somatic cell nuclear transfer for the purpose of initiating or attempting to initiate a human pregnancy, as well as the creation of genetically identical human beings by dividing a blastocyst, zygote, or embryo. The law seems to ban cloning by nuclear transfer only if done to initiate a pregnancy. However, a separate law prohibits the use of any live human fetus, whether before or after expulsion from its mothers womb, for scientific, laboratory research, or other kind of experimentation. R.I. Gen. Laws 11-54-1(a). An analysis commissioned by the National Bioethics Advisory Commission interprets this law to ban research on in vitro embryos altogether, apparently including cloned embryos. NBAC, Ethical Issues in Human Stem Cell Research, Vol. II, pages A-4, A-10. South Dakota S.D. Codified Laws 34-14-16 to 34-14-20. Under this law it is a crime to conduct nontherapeutic research that destroys a human embryo or that subjects a human embryo to substantial risk of injury or death. Nontherapeutic research means researc h that is not intended to help preserve the life and health of the particular embryo subjected to risk. A person also may not use for research purposes cells or tissues that the person knows were obtained by performing such harmful nontherapeutic research. Human embryo is defined as a living organism of the species Homo sapiens at the earliest stages of development (including the single-celled stage) that is not located in a womans body. The law applies to human embryos regardless of whether they arose from fertilization, so it certainly bans experimental cloning in which human embryos are destroyed, as well as any use of cells or tissues obtained by destroying them. Given the current survival rate of human embryos created by cloning, it also has the effect at present of banning the basic research in human cloning designed to prepare the way for attempts at cloning for live birth. Virginia Va. Code Ann. 32.1-162.21, 32.1-162.22. The law forbids human cloning, defined as the creati on of or attempt to create a human being by transferring the nucleus from a human cell from whatever source into an oocyte from which the nucleus has been removed. It also forbids anyone to implant or .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 , .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .postImageUrl , .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 , .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87:hover , .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87:visited , .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87:active { border:0!important; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87:active , .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87 .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u31fc4c8c60081b631a067ae2946d7a87:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Styrofoam and Clam Shells as Tiles Essay

The Slave Dancer Essays - Racism, African Slave Trade, Slavery

The Slave Dancer The Slave Dancer It all began in the cold month of January, 1840, in New Orleans. Fog laid a heavy blanket on the streets and alleyways of the city. Rain steadily engulfed the seaside locality, and the sound of drunken riverboat men and the slaves celebrating their festivities surrounded the area. New Orleans was where Jessie Bollier lived, and was the place where he was captured on that dark January evening. Jessie then found himself aboard The Moonlight, the slaver with its towering sails and masts, cabins and storage space under the deck. These were places where Jessie had to'dance the slaves' and where the captain and crew would spend many weeks living in fear of the slaves, of each other, and of getting caught. In the Bight of Benin, on the rugged coasts of Africa, where the multitudes of slaves were captured and mistreated. The crew then made their way across the Atlantic once again to land in the Gulf of Mexico. The Moonlight was anchored there and stayed because it was here where the ship submerged. Two of the survivors washed up on the shores of Mississippi, who were Jessie and Ras meet Daniel, their soon to be friend. Ras was a slave Jessie befriended while on the ship. The Slave Dancer is written through Jessie's eyes, and projects a depressing, melancholy mood. It is the tragic song of the slaves and the mistreatment of Jessie and the slaves. The hero of the story is the thirteen year old boy, Jessie Bollier. "He's a fearful runt," comments Captain Cawthorne. He is brought on board the slaver to make the slaves dance, to keep them healthy. Jessie innocent and does not fully understand his purpose. "My life had turned upside down. My friend was a man who pressganged me. I disliked the man who befriended me." Jessie does not realize what is going on within him. He does not realize that these men, these women, and children are slaves...are owned. He does not perceive the cruel treatment of the slaves, but does not know why. Jessie himself puts it best, "My stomach rebelled." The antagonist is surprisingly Jessie, but after the voyage. He went through many changes after the excursion. "At first, I made a promise to myself: I would do nothing that was connected with the use of slaves...but everything I considered bore the imprint of black hands." In the war between the states Jessie fought for the Union. He moved to Rhode Island and began a new life. However, he could never forget his horrible past. He was in continual search for his slave friend, Ras, wherever he made his way. He had matured in a way all of us should look up to. He matured in the light of love, strength, wisdom, and loyalty to his heart and to peace. There were various secondary characters in The Slave Dancer because there were so many important roles. Captain Cawthorne, the captain of The Moonlight, was a short, very moody, very ambitious man. He was respected-a fine seaman. The captain's purpose was to guide the ship to Africa, and trade rum, tobacco, and other items in exchange for slaves. he was then to bring them to Mexico to sell to the Spanish and return to Charleston without getting caught. It is known that the captain must have a first mate. In this case it was the lucky Nicholas Spark. He kept to the captains side like a shadow. Spark was a very thin man with a "paper voice." Nicholas got into a fight with a black slave while aboard the ship and shot him. The captain was furious, so he dropped Spark into the deep waters below. There was Adolph Curry who's main reason for traveling on the ship was to cook. Jessie described him as,"...a terribly thin man. His skin was the color of suet except for uneven patches of salmon along the prominent ridges of his cheekbones." Another member of the crew was Ned Grime who was older than the other men. Ned was a carpenter and somewhat a doctor. Grime talked as if he had nothing to do with the trading of the slaves, yet he was paid the same amount as the rest of the men on the slaver. Ned once said, "My heart's not in it." Claudis Sharkey was the man who captured Jessie off the streets of New Orleans and wrapped him in a big sack. He was tall with a black beard. Claudis told Jessie the "illegal" truth

Island Ions Review Essay Example

Island Ions Review Paper Essay on Island Ions Without hope, imbued with the authors manner of narration, I put down the book. Without hope to experience what else the emotions I put this book. Without hope, accept this interpretation of religion I have postponed this book. Without hope to understand I put this book. We will write a custom essay sample on Island Ions Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Island Ions Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Island Ions Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer And its all very sad. Mindful of the impression made on me, Father Forest, I am very sorry that did not happen with the Island of Iona. And everything seems to be: is connectedness of all with all; there are lines stretched through time and space; has a philosophical calculations; It has an unusual starting point of the narrative; is metaphysics events But it all seemed to cut down with an ax, and the ax cut down the details well, did not want to work as part of a complex mechanism, which is conceived as a product. Wooden spring unwilling to push the plot, wooden metaphors axis does not allow the gears to rotate thought wooden pendulums not able to ensure synchronization of the entire system. As a result, the wooden characters, and strive to stop and stop with him every possible reader activity. Framed it all in a wooden tongue body, carved so rough that the reader now and then pierce thorn novopridumannyh words and psevdoarhaichnyh speech speed. With no hopes of returning to this book, I urge you, the future readers, to refute my arguments and give me back my faith in the great writer A. Kim, considerably shaken after reading one quarter Island ions.

5 Steps to Determine Your LinkedIn Profile Focus by guest blogger Jill Schaefer

5 Steps to Determine Your LinkedIn Profile Focus by guest blogger Jill Schaefer You are a multi-faceted human being and yet you only get one LinkedIn profile (or two if one of them is in a second language). Perhaps you are unsure where to focus as a professional and thus how to present yourself in your profile. The question â€Å"Who am I?† is an important one for job seekers and professionals, and it’s not always easy to answer. You: The multi-talented All of us are good at MANY things; but the fact is you can’t be everything to everyone- especially as a job seeker. As Martin Yates, CPC, author of the famed Knock ‘em Dead series, elaborates in Knock ‘em Dead 2012: The Ultimate Job Search Guide, â€Å"People get hired based on their credentials not their potential†¦ Decide on the job that will be the easiest sell for you and the easiest buy for an employer.† In the almost two years that I have been writing LinkedIn summaries for The Essay Expert, I have encountered clients who attempt to be all things to all people. They want to highlight their experience in A, B, and C industries and their accomplishments at X, Y, and Z jobs, AND promote their small business- all within the space of 2,000 characters. Sound familiar? You may think this broad-ranging type of summary says, â€Å"I’m dynamic and versatile.† In reality, most readers interpret it as, â€Å"This person is confused, random, and indecisive.† 5 Step Plan Here’s how to convey focus and strength in your LinkedIn summary: Step 1: Pick one thing The first step to finding your LinkedIn focus is to zero in on the PRIMARY job that you’re after or the PRIMARY professional pursuit you want to come across loud and clear in your profile. How do you do that? Back to Martin Yates’ words of wisdom. â€Å"Based on the skills you possess today, what is your primary job target?† Step 2: Find job descriptions for your target job or profession. Identify keywords. Look up 3-5 job descriptions for your target job category. For example, if I am looking for a marketing or communication manager position, I would go to indeed.com, monster.com, or careerbuilder.com to find posted positions, such as Marketing Communications Officer or Marketing Services Manager, that employers are actively recruiting for. You don’t have to limit yourself to a certain geographic area for this exercise. The point is to learn what job title is most commonly used and what language employers use to describe the job’s requirements. What is the problem a person in that role must solve? What skills would an ideal candidate have? (Note: If your target job requires you to do things that you hate, go back to Step 1.) Copy and paste the contents of the job descriptions into an electronic file or print them out. Highlight mandatory skills from the job descriptions. What keywords- the words that LinkedIn recruiters and hiring managers would search on- keep popping up? Hint: â€Å"team player† is not a keyword phrase, â€Å"alliance management† is. Learn more about keywords in Brenda Bernstein’s Baffled by choosing keywords for your LinkedIn Profile HEADLINE post. Make a list of the most common keywords from the job descriptions. You might want to use Wordle.net to help out with this part. Step 3: Identify your accomplishments With your target job position in mind,   create a list of your top five relevant accomplishments. Organize each accomplishment into a Situation/Action/Results format: Briefly DESCRIBE THE SITUATION or problem. List the ACTIONS YOU TOOK to amend the situation. Describe the RESULTS YOU ACHIEVED. Use quantifiable statistics and metrics, if possible. Step 4: Evaluate how you match up Compare and contrast the similarities between the job descriptions and your accomplishments. How do you match up? If you do, great! If not, it’s time to re-evaluate whether you have matching experiences or successes in the areas that are important to an employer. Step 5: Be THAT person Make sure everything you say about yourself on your LinkedIn profile supports your ONE target position or singular professional objective. Don’t muddy the waters by including keywords from everything that you’ve ever done in your working life. Keep it focused. Remember if you decide today that you’re most qualified to be a genie and tomorrow you decide you’d rather be a zookeeper, you can change your LinkedIn profile accordingly. It’s a living document that reflects who you are as a professional right now. Once you’ve updated your LinkedIn profile, start monitoring the â€Å"Who’s viewed your profile?† section on the right side of your LinkedIn home page. How many times has your profile appeared in searches over the past few days? If your hits are in the single digits, change a few keywords, reassess, and repeat until your numbers go up. Feeling lost? The Essay Expert is here to help you find your professional self. We have helped many a client with multiple professional personalities benefit from a focused, successful LinkedIn summary. About Jill Schaefer: Jill is a professional copywriter and freelance writer who lives in Madison, Wisconsin. She specializes in environmental communications, connecting with clients, giving LinkedIn profiles a makeover, and producing compelling copy. View winning LinkedIn summaries Jill co-wrote for The Essay Experts clients: Shashi Dosaj | Marissa Keller Outten | Michelle Henry

Job Interview at Bevchain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Job Interview at Bevchain - Research Paper Example The beverages include beer, wine and spirits. The major companies that utilize the service of Bevchain include Lion Nathan, Heineken Lion, Little Creatures Brewing, Fine Wine Partners, Brown Brothers of Milawa, McWilliam’s Wines, Bacardi Lion, Diageo Australia, and Campari Australia (ibid). Bevchain is a joint venture between Lion Nathan Limited and Linfox Australia Private Limited (ibid). Financial performance of Bevchain Admittedly, the company shows a fluctuating growth in revenues over the last few years. Its net profit in the year 2002 was AUD 9.5 billion. Then, the profit fell to AUD 7.5 million in 2003 followed by a sharp rise in the following years. By the year 2007, the profit rose to AUD 16.1 billion. That means revenue exhibited a 10% growth (Bevchain Pty Limited, IBIS World, 2011). Lion Nathan and Bevchain 1. Will Lion Nathan increase its share in the joint venture? 2. Will Lion Nathan decide to invest more in developing Bevchain infrastructure? 3. Will Lion Nathan introduce the same system in other nations too? Questions about Bevchain 1. Will the company continue its present growth rate in future too? 2. Is there a possibility of competition in this supply and warehousing business? 3. What new technology is likely to be introduced in future? Responsibilities of supervisor 1. Does the supervisor have the ability to evaluate the performance of the assigned personnel? 2. Is the supervisor able to maintain proper records of supplies both entering and leaving the warehouse? 3. Is the supervisor able to plan and direct inventory and stock control programs? Answers 1. As a warehouse supervisor at Toys R Us Australia, I had the biggest challenge in the form of my former peers who were supposed to report to me. As I got promotion to the post of supervisor, my peers at first found it a bit difficult to get used to the situation. So, my every effort to implement newer strategies was met with resistance and criticism. 2. In that situation, the way out for me was to have one-on-one discussions with my equals-turned subordinates. I talked to each of them and discussed about my new responsibilities, what I can say about, and what I cannot say about. Also, I took care to socialize with them so that they remain aware about my unchanged personality and the new roles. 3. One day it became necessary to have one extra B-double loaded and sent to a customer. It required an hour of extra work for the employees. As I understood the need, I immediately discussed the matter with the team leaders. The team leaders urged their team members about the situation and requested those employees to volunteer one hour of work who can afford to do so. It was found that due to the good level of communication I had with the warehouse employees, they were happy to do the extra work. 4. I managed to effectively develop the feeling of teamwork in the employees whom I supervised. First of all, I managed to improve communication both with the managers and the e mployees. Secondly, I managed to reduce the degree of resistance that used to come up from some employees. Also, I managed to introduce effective methods of measuring productivity which effectively identified time-wasters. 5. There was an employee in the warehouse who believed the management was not adequately concerned about employee issues. So, he used to be a time-waster. As I came to know this, I took care to socialize with him as I could. After making him understand that the management

Data Analysis - International Market Research & Forecast Background Assignment

Data Analysis - International Market Research & Forecast Background - Assignment Example Foreigners are made to obtain visa before making their way into the company. At the same time, the visa is made to stay almost 60 days before it cab be realised officially. All businesses are expected to register with investment promotion Authority. All the information concerning taxes and tariffs are provide by the IPA, only upon request. Obtaining information this way was encouraged since the national websites do not provide up to date information. Food items are not literary prohibited therefore they are permit-less. All of Port Moresby’s population estimation is 307, 643. It has a media age of 22, which reflects on cultural lifestyle. This is because younger generation are moving into the city, while the older generations stay at home. Its currency is PGK; it is also notable that public transport is by PMV. Here buses and taxes are the main transformational means that is currently servicing the whole area of Port Moresby. Communication in this town is by phone and social Medias. This is made possible since many are using smart phone technology as well as landline, which is mostly used by the business people. English is the main language; however, other known languages are the Tok Pisin. A widely used and well understood language also the Hiri Motu and Creole languages. In the country, it should be noted that several generations are dwelling less than one roof, despite of the house hold structures being of extended calibre. Here, elders are respected. The main religion is Christianity, and the most popularly one are the SDA. Further, it should be noted that the families are valued and then close knitted. Lastly, many people in this area reside in settlements or villages, sustaining themselves through farming, fishing as well as hunting. Recently, the internet has been upgraded from dial up connections to a speed wireless broadband. The unlimited wireless cost usually amount to almost K100 a month.

Ecotourism in Washington DC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ecotourism in Washington DC - Essay Example The organization has some strategies, which are put in place for ensuring that the environment upon which it exists is sustainable and at the same time, the environment is upheld in the expected way. One of the ways through which this is done is with regards to the disposal of wastes that come from the institution. This is especially bearing in mind that most of the disposable products which come to the environment may be of danger to the environment and the people in it. These elements, according to the institution ought to be disposed in a manner, which will bring about the upholding of proper environmental standards within and around the institution. The institution also supports the aspect of practices, which bring about developments in the community in which it exists. In the course of people ought lives there to be the aspect of giving back to the society. This is because there are benefits, which people realize, and it would be beneficial to let other people also share these b enefits. The main intention of volunteering is for the purpose of bringing improvements to the lives of people. One thing, which should be noted, is that the act of volunteering can also be regarded as a way of serving the community. There are various ways through which voluntary services can be realized in a community. This may be done on an individual level or as a group. In the present world, voluntary services have moved from just an act, which is conducted by individuals as opposed to back in the days. Currently, organizations also engage in the acts that are meant to bring about service and benefit to the community. In the corporate world, this may be termed as corporate social responsibility. Which such organizations can bring about the elements that are associated with volunteering through various ways. For example, these individuals may opt to visit places where there exist less fortunate individuals. Another way that this can be made possible is by sharing things, which wi ll be beneficial to the recipients of the voluntary service. These acts are majorly to do with organizations and firms that want to engage in such services. Likewise, there is the aspect to do with personal feeling, which a person gets to experience at the thought of having volunteered something for the purpose of helping another person. Through voluntary activities. lives can be changed. This change is not only experienced by the people receiving the service. There is also the personal gratifying feeling, which the person giving the service receives. These are some of the things, which the organization greatly supports. The main idea is that there ought to be the development of the individual person, the environment and the community in general. With these revelations, there are various programs, which the organization is in support of. These are majorly those, which assist the young children and the old people in the society. In this case, the charity organizations will be orphana ges and houses for the elderly. Some of the ways through this assistance is realized is through the provision of health services and other services that will lead to the bettering of the lives of the people therein. Similarly, the organization engages in interactive days where

Equilibrium Equality Demand Supply

Equilibrium Equality Demand Supply Equilibrium means a state of equality between demand and supply. Without a shift in demand and/or supply there will be no change in market price. In the diagram below, the quantity demanded and supplied at price P1 are equal. (Baryla, 1995, 13) At any price above P1, supply exceeds demand and at a price below P1, demand exceeds supply. In other words, prices where demand and supply are out of balance are termed points of disequilibrium. Changes in the conditions of demand or supply will shift the demand or supply curves. This will cause changes in the equilibrium price and quantity in the market. Consider the following example. The weekly demand and supply schedules for T-shirts (in thousands) in a city are shown in the table below: Price ( £) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Demand 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Supply 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 Demand 2 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 Supply 2 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 The equilibrium price in the market is  £5 where demand and supply are equal at 12,000 units. If the current market price was  £3 there would be excess demand for 8,000 units. If the current market price was  £8 there would be excess supply of 12,000 units. A change in fashion causes the demand for T-shirts to rise by 4,000 at each price. The next row of the table shows the higher level of demand. Assuming that the supply schedule remains unchanged, the new equilibrium price is  £6 per tee shirt with an equilibrium quantity of 14,000 units. The entry of new producers of T-shirts into the market causes a rise in supply of 8,000 T-shirts at each price. The new equilibrium price becomes  £4 with 18,000 units bought and sold. Assuming there is pure competition in the market place, and no government intervention, we are able to focus on how the price mechanism determines the equilibrium price in the market. Markets can be effective at resolving the basic issues of what and how much to produce at a certain price level although left to operate on its own, the market can still create unsatisfactory outcomes. When markets do not produce the desired outcome, it is known as market failure and when this occurs, governments may intervene in the market. (Baryla, 1995, 13) How the price mechanism brings about the equilibrium price in the market can be determined assuming we have pure competition in the market place and no government intervention. Simply put, the concept of pure competition mean that no participant in the market has the power to influence market outcomes directly, such as by setting prices. The price mechanism is the interplay of the forces of supply and demand in determining the market prices at which goods and services are sold and the quantity of which is produced. The quantities of goods and services demanded and supplied is regulated by the prices of those goods and services. If the price of a commodity for sale is too high according to consumer demand, the quantity supplied will exceed the quantity demanded. If the price of a commodity is too low according to consumer demand, the quantity that is demanded will exceed the quantity supplied. There is one price, and only one price, at which the quantity demanded, is equal to the quantity supplied. This is known as the equilibrium price. (Belkin, 1976, 57) The market forces of supply and demand interacting to determine the equilibrium price which at this price the market clears and eliminates any excess supply or demand is the price mechanism in action. (Brown, 2000, 66) There is no tendency for change at the equilibrium point. In this way it is said that the market mechanism, besides being the natural consequences of the forces of supply and demand, provides the most efficient economic outcomes possible without any explicit coordination. Although markets can be effective at resolving the basic issues of what and how much to produce, left to operate by it, the market can still create unsatisfactory outcomes. For goods and services in product markets, the market price may be considered to be too high or too low. From the free interplay of demand and supply, the equilibrium quantity that results may also be considered too high or too low. Some goods and services may not even be produced at all. Market failure occurs because the price mechanism takes account of the private costs and benefits of production, to producers and consumers, but does not take into account the impact of an economic activity on outsiders. For example, the market may ignore the costs imposed on outsiders by a firm polluting the environment. Governments may intervene in the market when market failure occurs. The market determined price for some commodities may be thought by the government to be too high or too low. The government may therefore intervene in the marketplace in order to apply either price ceilings, where the government imposes a limit on how high a price can be charged for a product, or price floors, the minimum price that can be charged for a particular commodity. (Geltner, 1995, 119) Affecting the distribution of income, the manner in which income is divided among the members of the economy, is the main reason for influencing prices in this way. Price ceilings will redistribute money from sellers to buyers, whereas price floors will redistribute money from buyers to sellers. In conclusion, the market forces of supply and demand interact with each other to bring about market equilibrium, clearing the market of excess demand or supply. In this way, it is said that the market mechanism achieves consistency between plans and outcomes for consumers and producers without explicit coordination. Government intervention is very important in providing the desired outcomes of the society. Overall, market equilibrium is determined by the price mechanism, supply and demand curves, surplus and shortage, increases and decreases in supply and demand curves, market behaviours and government intervention. (Hendershott, 1997, 13) References Baryla, E.A., Zumpano, L.V. (1995), Buyer search duration in the residential real estate market: the role of the real estate agent, The Journal of Real Estate Research, Vol. 10 No.1, pp.1-13. Belkin, J., Hempel, D., McLeavey, D. (1976), An empirical study of time on the market using multidimensional segmentation of housing markets, Journal of American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, Vol. 4 No.2, pp.57-75. Brown, G., Matysiak, G.A. (2000a), Real Estate Investment: A Capital Market Approach, Financial Times Prentice-Hall, Harlow, . Brown, G.R., Matysiak, G.A. (2000b), Sticky valuations, aggregation effects and property indices, Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Vol. 20 No.1, pp.49-66. Geltner, D., Mei, J.P. (1995), The present value model with time-varying discount rates: implications for commercial property valuation and investment decisions, Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Vol. 11 No.2, pp.119-35. Hendershott, P.H. (1997), Uses of equilibrium models in real estate research, Journal of Property Research, Vol. 14 No.1, pp.1-13. Janssen, C.T.L., Jobson, J.D. (1980), On the choice of realtor, Decision Sciences, Vol. 11 No.April, pp.299-311.

French and idian war Essay

The French and Indian War alter the political, economic, and ideological relations between the Britain and its colonies by being in debt that lead to tax laws, mercantilism and the way people felt about Britain’s control over its colonies. ***After the French and Indian War, the colonizing of the North America changed greatly. The English took over most of the North America land. English colonies had dominated the new world(Doc. A). This took a toll on the political relationship between the American colonists and Britain because this lead to the Proclamation of 1763. Britain believed they owned every land that they touched and this made conflict with the Native Americans. The Native Americans believed that they â€Å"had no right to settle† and they must † insist on removing them†(Doc A). The Britain created the Proclamation of 1763 thinking of decreasing the conflict but this added on to resentment in colonists’ hearts. ***Some political changes that included Britain’s abandonment were their salutary neglect policy. After the French and Indian War, England was seriously in debt and needed new ways to increase their status. England began to regulate trade and create tax laws on commonly used items. Even though Britain made these changes to ‘increase in territory†(Doc F), the colonists felt as if they were treated unfairly. *** Since of the taxation, the colonists and Britain’s relationship decreased rapidly. Some Acts that the Britain created forced the Americans to ship their raw materials to Britain and also buy the finish products only from their mother land. This encountered mercantilism which made Britain rich. At this point, colonists were fed up and decided to fight back. The Stamp Act was the last straw for the colonists. As Benjamin Franklin claims, the colonists wanted to â€Å"set it repeal’d’ which meant the colonists were eager to put a stop in Britain’s footsteps. As the colonists practiced non- consumption and non- importation and boycotted destroyed the economic relationship between the Britain and its American colonies even more. ***Colonial ideological values changed enormously toward the Britain because of their greed and the colonists proven that they could unite as one during their boycotting rival and stand up for what they believed in. As a soldier wrote, â€Å"we are debarred Englishmen’s liberty†(Doc D). From this dairy, this showed that Americans had resentment in their hearts toward Britain. ***Britain’s greed of land, controllment, and royalty destroyed many relationships along the way. The Native Americans feelings toward Britain were if they should’ve not been there in the first place. The American colonies felt as if Britain needed a stop in their footsteps and unite as one to fight off Britain’s crown.

Are You a Good Communicator

Are You a Good communicator? | Are you A Good Communicator ? | Sharice Vanlanham| | HCA/230| 3/31/2013| Robert Smiles, PhD. | †Effective listening skills are an asset in our professional and personal relationships. † †The good news is that with the right know how and a little practice, these skills can be developed. † By Marian K, 2011. â€Å"Communication combines both speaking and listening, and there is no point of one without the other. If you only send out clear messages, but fail to receive and comprehend them, and then you failed to communicate effectively.For good communication, you need both good speaking and effective listening skill†. For example â€Å"effective listening strategies involve putting in place a number of practice’s to start an effort to block out distractions and focusing on what the speaker is saying. Also effective listening consist of understanding and correctly interpreting body language which is important because t he message can only be interpreted correctly when it is received along with the body language in person. In order to developed effective listening skills, a person must put the above mentioned points into practice.One can play out effective listening activities, such as role plays†, with a friend to help you practice effective listening. Quality interpersonal relationships are important in the health care industry because effective communication in health care is crucial for health care professionals. According to Joey Papa contributor, â€Å"interpersonal communication must be clear, thorough and comprehensive. The health care industry survived on collaborate communication efforts between doctors, nurses, specialists, insurance companies and many other individuals. â€Å" Interpersonal communication is the glued that holds industry together. † † It provides a safeguard of customer satisfaction and can prevent a medical mistake with huge repercussions. † In fact â€Å"communication is an essential key ingredient in today’s medical field, as numerous professionals and patients strive to build a trusting and open relationship with each other†. â€Å"The main purpose is for one to build the kind of relationship that result in improved patient care and outcomes. Therefore listening and empathizing response skills, enables us to respond to patients and others in a caring and respectful manner†.Defensive relationships is â€Å"defined as that behavior which occurs when an individual perceives threat or anticipates threat in the group†. â€Å"Defense arousal prevents the listener from concentrating upon the message, not only do defensive communicators send off multiple value, motive and affect cues, but also defensive recipients distort what they receive†. â€Å"As a person becomes more and more defensive, he or she becomes less able to receive the motives and values and emotions of the sender†.For e xample A rude doctor directly challenge a nurse question idea’s or knowledge in public while devaluing the nurse’s knowledge. Supportive communication is when communication emphasizes a problem or a situation and its potential solution or possible changes, in instead of focusing on the other person involved and their personal traits or characteristic’s, by taking that approach, the communication can be more effective because the other person doesn’t feel as defensive. Supportive communication is better to use in the health care field because it requires a non-judgmental attitude.The person your speaking with should know she can express her feelings without fear of condemnation or retaliation, also its good for health care because its practice’s empathy, so the person you are talking to understands what are situations is and what he or she is going through and when a patient becomes more friendly and warm to trust enough to talk to. Assertive commun ication is a form of behavior characterized by a confident declaration or affirmation of statement without need of proof, this affirms the person’s rights or points of view without either aggressively threatening the rights of another.Assertive style is most likely appropriate in health care because it helps professionals feel good about themselves and others, and leads to the development of respect with others while increasing self-esteem. Using assertive communication in the work environment helps reduce stress on others and it protects patients from being taken advantage of by nurses or doctors along reducing anxiety. We all use assertive communication behavior at times, yet being trained in assertive communication increase appropriate behavior towards others. Reference: www. buzzle. com www. healthy. net

Grammar Exercise on Denotation and Connotation

Grammar Exercise on Denotation and Connotation This exercise will help you distinguish between the denotative and connotative meanings of words. In addition to reviewing the glossary entries for denotation and connotation, you may find it helpful to read the introduction to Choosing the Best Words: Denotations and Connotations. Instructions In each of the following sentences, the italicized word has a fairly neutral connotation. For each word in italics, list two synonyms (words with similar denotations): one with a negative connotation and the other with a positive connotation. Example Sometimes my thin friend annoys me. Negative connotation: scrawny Positive connotation: slim When you have completed the exercise, compare your answers with the sample responses on page two. I recognized the familiar smell of my roommates cooking.Scrapple is an inexpensive meal.Kevins interest in model cars has turned into a hobby.Uncle Henry lives in a hut deep in the woods.Phileas Fogg was an adventurous traveler.We stopped for lunch at a diner in West Virginia.My parents are committed, conservationists.My old laptop has finally died.In a quiet and stealthy way, Bartleby moved into the lawyers chambers.The teacher was mildly intimidated by Merdines assertive behavior. Sample Responses to the  Denotation and Connotation Exercise I recognized the familiar  smell  of my roommates cooking.negative connotation:  stenchpositive connotation:  aromaScrapple is an  inexpensive  meal.negative connotation:  cheappositive connotation:  thriftyKevins interest in model cars has turned into a  hobby.negative connotation:  obsessionpositive connotation:  avocationUncle Henry lives in a  hut  deep in the woods.negative connotation:  shackpositive connotation:  cabinPhileas Fogg was an  adventurous  traveler.negative connotation:  foolhardypositive connotation:  courageousWe stopped for lunch at a  diner  in West Virginia.negative connotation:  greasy spoonpositive connotation:  cafà © or bistroMy parents are committed  conservationists.negative connotation:  tree huggerspositive connotation:  environmentalistsMy  old  laptop has finally died.negative connotation:  decrepitpositive connotation:  venerableIn a quiet and  stealthy  way, Bartleby moved into the la wyers chambers.negative connotation:  sneakypositive connotation:  cunningThe teacher was mildly intimated by  Merdines  assertive  behavior.negative connotation:  bossypositive connotation:  confident

Company Risk Avoidance Plan

Company Risk Avoidance Plan Risk management is an essential aspect of modern business aimed at ensuring the profitability of diverse ventures for the business owners. In this report the discussion presented will focus risk avoidance strategies that can be used in the management of companies, avoidance of risks associated with securities regulations, avoidance of risks associated with accountant liability and avoidance of agency associated risk.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Company Risk Avoidance Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Oren, Risk Avoidance involves setting of margins and thresholds that are used to avoid unacceptable risk where acceptability limits are typically established by experts (2001). In the management of companies risk avoidance may be as a result of poor decision making. For managers interested in mitigating risks one approach could be the use of decision analysis tools (Oren, 2001). These tools will pro vide several scenarios taking into consideration objective and subjective information as well as the decision maker’s preference. The tool can then be used to identify the best alternative. It has been reported that the approach has been successfully implemented in various decision making contexts such as product development decisions, assessment of investment options, etc. Another approach that can be used by management with a view to Risk Avoidance is to enlist the services of regulatory bodies. BGP technology is a biotechnology company and as such the products produced pose some degree of risk to the public. Regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) perform a set of expert designed tests that are highly reputable (Oren, 2001). The FDA approval seal on the company products is one essential component that management can use to avoid legal risks associated with products. Upon approval of a product in case of any complaints about the drug the company can share the blame with the FDA. The environmental protection Agency (EPA) can also be called upon by management to carry out inspection on facilities and provide certification on emission levels and toxic waste management (Oren, 2001). With regards to regulation of securities the management of the company can avoid risk by implementing strategies such as hedging. Hedging is a strategy that avoids risk by spreading the risk or financial consequence associated with a particular risk (Oren, 2001). In this approach the management will make an investment portfolio that selects companies whose trading outcomes are correlated so as to reduce the overall variability. An area of risk avoidance that has been the cause of much debate in recent years is the degree of liability a company should commit to in the case of a company agent. In the scandals that saw companies such as Enron fall, investors lost huge sums owing to the poor decisions by the auditors and the company directors. Following su ch losses constructs such as proportionate liability have been established to avoid risks associated with company agents (Faure, 2009).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result of such actions it has been observed that many firms have stopped provision of audit services within high risk business categories (Linville, 2002). This scenario has led to a situation where on very knowledgeable and well capitalized firms are ready to risk undertaking audit activities. These new regulations have further raised the costs associated with auditing. One advantage of such measures is that they have led to a decline in litigation against firms with deeper pockets that were typically the target of litigation in earlier times (Faure, 2009). This is possibly through the increased motivation by agents to fully comply with industry regulations thus leaving very little room for er ror. Nevertheless despite the disadvantage of increased cost the proportionate liability regulation has helped in regulating industry players with regards to compliance. For successful implementation of the proportionate liability entity the various agencies associated with a business entity must be properly classified. An agent is a vehicle that can be used to perform a specific function on behalf of the business entity. Categories that typically are categorized as agents include legal services, accounting services, trading companies, etc (Peterson, 2007). In light of current legislation in the SEC, agents and principals are required to comply with specific regulations in a view to protection of client interests. It has been established that for the agency to perform their duties well adequate incentives must be offered to ensure that the agent does not under perform (Peterson, 2007). This suggests that to avoid risk selection of agents should be done with care and results from the regulatory bodies within those industries used to confirm performance criteria. In addition to hedging with regards to investment on the stock market another possible solution that could be used in the avoidance of risk by BGP technology is making improvements in the Business Process Management (BPM) cycle. BPM is an essential aspect that can be used to improve the competitive advantage by ensuring the smooth flow of all business processes. A biotechnology company such as BGP is likely to be involved in manufacturing. Through appropriate analysis of the supply chain adjustments can be made to ensure product prices are maintained and profitability is sustained (Muehlen Ho, 2006). An example of improvement of the business processes in this case could involve the use of hedging in the supply chain. It is likely that the cost of raw materials fluctuates and affects the cost of the finished products.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Company Risk Avoidance Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Just as in agriculture a hedge fund can be established using a suitable price for raw material (Oren, 2001). This fund thus acts as a buffer protecting the company from changes in prices. This can ensure that the company can withstand the risk associated with increases in cost of raw material. Though the material provided in this report is not conclusive, it attempts to highlight various risk avoidance schemes. These schemes are among several risk avoidance schemes that can be used in addressing issues related to management, securities, accountant liability and agency associated suits. References Faure, M. (2009). Tort Law and Economics. Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. Linville, M (2002). CPAs’ Awareness of Litigation Risk. Academy of Accounting and Financial Studies Journal, 6(3), 11-21. Muehlen, M. Z. Ho, D. T. (2006). Risk Management in the BPM Lifecycle. Business Process Managemen t Workshops, 454-466. Oren, S. (2001). Market based Risk Mitigation: Risk Management vs. Risk Avoidance. White House OSTP/NSF Workshop on Critical Infrastructure Dependencies, 1-10. Peterson, C. L. (2007). Preemption, Agency Cost Theory, and Predatory Lending by Banking Agents: Are Federal Regulators Biting off More than they can chew? American University Law Review, 56(3), 515-549.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Microeconomics - Essay Example This is illustrated by the diagram below. c) In order to achieve a socially efficient level of coal gas mining, policies that promote the underground water system understanding, interconnectivity and the gas extraction and processing life cycle should be adopted. Secondly, policies that demand absolute scientific knowledge of the industry and its potential impacts on the society matter. These to enable a comparison of efficient coal power generation and the societal efficient production requirements to minimize the adverse effects on the society. a). The key most barrier to entry that would help to establish and keep Monsanto’s market power in the United States seed market is the patenting of the Monsanto seeds that prevents farmers from stocking other seed companies. The high cost of entry into the seed industry as a result of the high prices charged by Monsanto is another significant barrier to entry. New companies would find it very expensive to incur high entry costs that may be risky given the established Monsanto Company. The policies and the high prices are the significant barriers to the entry of other companies into the industry. b). If the United States Department of Justice investigations resulted in the cancellation of the Monsanto patents as an anticompetitive practice in the seed industry, a number of resultant effects would be experienced. Firstly, the level of competition in the US seed industry will most likely increase as more seed companies will be able to venture into the industry with reduced barriers to entry. The farmers will have a choice between varieties of the seed companies for their seed markets. Secondly, the supply of seeds is likely to increase with increased number of seed companies into the industry. As a result, the prices of seeds in the market will be driven down by the increased supply, and this would reduce the

A New Tunnel under the Thames Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A New Tunnel under the Thames - Essay Example 7. Include a set of drawings of your proposed tunnel, including a. a detailed cross section, b. a long section c. a map showing your suggested new road layout and d. a map indicating remedial works to minimise the impact of the extra traffic on the surrounding areas. 8. The site designated for the northern access (between Galleons Reach DLR and the river) is currently a brown field site with possible contamination, which includes an infestation of Japanese knotweed and some fly-tipping which may contain asbestos. Explain the procedures needed to bring the site into a condition suitable for construction. A new Tunnel under the Thames Introduction A tunnel is a subversive vessel, entirely covered a part from openings for entrance and exit, usually from both ends. A tunnel can be constructed for foot passage, rail, vehicle traffic, or a canal. The new Thames river crossing will allow closing of the Wool Wish Ferry. The bridge will relieve congestion for people living adjacent to Blackwa ll. This marks the location of Thames Gateway Road Bridge that was scrapped by the mayor in 2008, following the rejection of the plan by the Inspector at a Planning Inquiry. The tunnel, which will run from Greenwich Peninsula to the royal Docks, is expected to have a capacity of up to 2400 cars per hour in each route. While the link is very much worthy and will perhaps help reduce the severe overcrowding in the city, it will tamper with Blackwall Tunnel, making the suggestion for a Gallions Rach ferry a laughable alternative for the Thames Gateway Bridge. In addition, it raises questions with regards to the future of the current Woolwich Ferry. Supporters of environmentalists are likely to criticize the scheme of the tunnel, alleging that it would bring problems to people of London by creating more traffic, noise and more pollution. Furthermore, if the leaders in this region want to make London one of the world’s greenest capitals, their policies should be much focused (Irsha d, Wagner & Mussger, 2003). Since the era when Brunel made the first Thames tunnel, which was called Rotherhithe Tunnel, the tunnel construction has undergone great breakthrough, especially between 1825 and 1842. Tunnel constructions during these times were done through a rectangular safeguard with a miner revealing the face. The dimensions of the shield were 29ft high and 33ft wide, with brick coating after the miners and an arch brick being constructed. Nonetheless, tunneling will remain a risky activity since the conditions can never be certain, regardless of the number of boreholes that are taken. Furthermore, it is not uncommon to find tunneling gaining more prominence in the next few decades. The proposed Thames Tunnel will occupy a distance of 25 kilometers from west London. It will be 67 meters below the ground and will widely follow the direction of Thames River. According to the environment agency, this tunnel will link 34 of the most contaminated sewer outflows (Munfah 20 03). CDM requirements CDM regulations background Areas where CDM is applicable and those areas where it is not applicable General health and safety practices and laws Recognition of accident prevention, causation and prevention. Risk management practices Control procedures and reviewing and monitoring requirements Roles of different professional Land/engineering survey Land surveyors establish and give recommendations on the

Inequality, Hate Groups, and Tolerance Paper Essay

Inequality, Hate Groups, and Tolerance Paper - Essay Example (d) Hate is irrevocably linked to violence. Hate group members are not illiterate, but are well read, well organized, ruthless and armed, and coordinate their acts with like-minded partners. The ‘fourteen words’ are remarkable in their psychological appeal to instincts of survival and protection of children. 3 (a) Alex Curtis, based in San Diego, is one of today’s most influential white supremacists. He has effectively harnessed the media, through his website, e-mail lists, telephone hotlines and magazine, to disseminate his message of violent hatred of minorities. His group stands for the employment of any means to foster hate and violence against Jews, Blacks and all minorities. (b) Alex Curtis’ group feels that the U.S. Government is a Zion Occupied Government, which is manipulated by the Jews and is actively engaged in the marginalization and elimination of white Anglo-Saxons. The origin of White Power Music was marked by violent conflicts among extremists, the most high-profile one being the one between Swedish Nordland and British Ragnarock. In 1997-98 the industry was curtailed by Government actions in the U.S., Britain and Europe. The industry has reorganized and its’ message of violent racism is spreading its’ tentacles all over the world. There is growing cooperation among the leading players, who are (1) William Pierce: leader of the U.S. Nationalist Alliance and the owner of Resistance Records. (2) National Socialist Black Metal: anti-Christian, racist, Skinhead music (3) Hammerskin Nation: premium label for American skinhead bands, extremely violent (4) Blood and Honour: Swedish based, owner of Ragnarock with links to neo-Nazi political parties. (f) Stormfront is the oldest hate website, whose webmaster is Don Black, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan. Its’ philosophy of white supremacist beliefs considers Jews, Blacks and other minorities to

Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health and social care Essay Example for Free

Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health and social care Essay Unit 201 – Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health, social care or children and young people’s settings. Describe the terms and conditions of own contract of employment. Probation period: When I joined Children 4 Most I was told I was on a 6 month probation period, This means that the management are able to terminate my contract if the company is unsatisfied with my working standards. Place of Work: I was also told that I may have to work at other locations for the nursery’s needs. Pay arrangements: My pay is  £433 a month which is paid Into my bank account in or around the 23rd of each month. I am also entitled to  £150 bonus every 3 months; this is given to each staff member if they haven’t had a sick day or been late to work in the 3 month period. Contracted Hours: My hours of work are 35 hours a week, A Monday to Friday arrangement. Holidays: My holiday year runs from the 1st of April to the 31st of March. I am entitled to 28 days holidays which include the days I have to take for Bank Holidays. Holiday Pay: Holiday pay will be at the normal rate pay. Notice period: If I choose to leave within my first month of being with the company a notice period is not permitted, However If I have been working with the company longer than 1 month a 1 week period will be provided, If I will have been with the company longer than 6 month’s a 4 week notice is required. Confidentiality: Should I breach this it may result in my contract being terminated. However if a child is believe to be in need or at risk of suffering harm, Legal advice should be obtained. Describe the information which needs to be shown on your pay slip. My salary should be shown and the hours which I have worked, Also the rate of my pay for example 433.3300. Also the date of the payslip, the tax code and employee number, The net pay and also my name. Total gross pay, Gross for tax, Tax paid, Earnings for National Insurance and also My National Insurance number. Explain what could happen when not carrying out the correct requirements of your role. If I didn’t carry out the correct requirements the children may not get the correct care that should be given. The nursery may also receive a visit from OFSTED and they may close down the nursery or change the rating for example from outstanding to pass, Parents may also take their children out of the nursery which may cause the nursery to close down. Explain how your role contributes to the overall delivery of then service provided. I provide all the correct care to ensure all the children’s needs are all correctly met and that they are happy and learning to all of their abilities. I have lots of responsibilities around the nursery from maintaining care of the children to protecting them and encouraging them with their learning. I also have to monitor the children and check the register frequently and carry out head count checks every 30 minutes. I also have close bonds with the parents and when carrying out activities making sure the safety aspects are all addressed and followed. If the correct care wasn’t provided, overall care may be dropped and accidents may happen. Explain how you could influence the quality of the service provided by – following the best practice within your work role. In a great position to influence a quality of care by setting standards of care, I show respect towards the children at all I times, I allow each child to have one and one time with me and I also allow each child to talk when they would like something. I deal with private situations with great respect for a example toilet routines, I encourage each child to close the toilet door behind them and I encourage each child to wipe themselves independently and pull up their clothing before they have opened the toilet door. Identify the personal information that must be kept up to date with your employer. The information includes: * name * address * date of birth * sex * education and qualifications * work experience * National Insurance number * tax code * details of any known disability * emergency contact details Explain agreed ways of working with employer. Without a job description you wouldn’t be able to apply for the job as you wouldn’t know what roles and responsibilities the job would entitle. Your employer will also have agreed on your pay and the benefits you may or may not get within the job for example a company car, you will have agreed to this by signing a contract.

The Attack on Pearl Harbor :: World War II WWII WW2

The Japanese planned a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and struck at 7:55 A.M. on December 7th, 1941. This attack led to President Franklin Roosevelt asking Congress for a Declaration of War. This was the event that led to the United States entering World War II. The United States was mad at Japan for invading Manchuria in 1931. We were worried about the Japanese military. That is why President Roosevelt moved our Pacific Fleet to Pearl Harbor. After many months of talking, the Japanese broke off negotiations with the United States on December 6, 1941. We had made an offer to them and they never replied to the offer. The U.S. knew that the Japanese were probably going to attack us soon. We didn’t know where the attack would be. Most military officers thought it would be in the South Pacific. They were partly right and wrong. Nobody really thought the Japanese would attack our fleet at Pearl Harbor in the east even though we knew it was possible for an aircraft carrier attack to hit there. The Japanese secretly sent a large naval fleet toward Pearl Harbor. It was the largest fleet of its type in history. The purpose of the mission was to wipe out the U.S. Pacific Fleet so the Japanese could continue to take control of the South Pacific area. Our fleet was the only real threat to their military plan. When the Japanese planes left the aircraft carriers to attack Pearl Harbor they were detected by our radar operators. The radar operators assumed they were either a large group of birds or some U.S. planes out on a training mission. The first attack by the Japanese started at 7:55 am. Our ships were lined up next to each other. This made them easy targets for the Japanese pilots. In just a short period of time, five of our eight destroyers were sunk and the rest badly damaged. A second wave of Japanese planes also attacked Pearl Harbor. They continued to attack our ships and also attacked our airfields. One type of ship they didn’t sink was our aircraft carriers. They looked for them but never found them. They were out doing some training missions. The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor destroyed 188 airplanes.

Deception Point Page 108

Exhausted, Tolland looked up at the underbelly of the thundering tilt-rotor airplane. Deafening gusts pounded down off its horizontal propellers. As Rachel rose on a cable, numerous sets of hands pulled her into the fuselage. As Tolland watched her dragged to safety, his eyes spotted a familiar man crouched half-naked in the doorway. Corky? Tolland's heart soared. You're alive! Immediately, the harness fell from the sky again. It landed ten feet away. Tolland wanted to swim for it, but he could already feel the sucking sensation of the plume. The relentless grip of the sea wrapped around him, refusing to let go. The current pulled him under. He fought toward the surface, but the exhaustion was overwhelming. You're a survivor, someone was saying. He kicked his legs, clawing toward the surface. When he broke through into the pounding wind, the harness was still out of reach. The current strained to drag him under. Looking up into the torrent of swirling wind and noise, Tolland saw Rachel. She was staring down, her eyes willing him up toward her. It took Tolland four powerful strokes to reach the harness. With his last ounce of strength, he slid his arm and head up into the loop and collapsed. All at once the ocean was falling away beneath him. Tolland looked down just as the gaping vortex opened. The megaplume had finally reached the surface. William Pickering stood on the bridge of the Goya and watched in dumbstruck awe as the spectacle unfolded all around him. Off the starboard of the Goya's stern, a huge basinlike depression was forming on the surface of the sea. The whirlpool was hundreds of yards across and expanding fast. The ocean spiraled into it, racing with an eerie smoothness over the lip. All around him now, a guttural moan reverberated out of the depths. Pickering's mind was blank as he watched the hole expanding toward him like the gaping mouth of some epic god hungry for sacrifice. I'm dreaming, Pickering thought. Suddenly, with an explosive hiss that shattered the windows of the Goya's bridge, a towering plume of steam erupted skyward out of the vortex. A colossal geyser climbed overhead, thundering, its apex disappearing into the darkened sky. Instantly, the funnel walls steepened, the perimeter expanding faster now, chewing across the ocean toward him. The stern of the Goya swung hard toward the expanding cavity. Pickering lost his balance and fell to his knees. Like a child before God, he gazed downward into the growing abyss. His final thoughts were for his daughter, Diana. He prayed she had not known fear like this when she died. The concussion wave from the escaping steam hurled the Osprey sideways. Tolland and Rachel held each other as the pilots recovered, banking low over the doomed Goya. Looking out, they could see William Pickering-the Quaker-kneeling in his black coat and tie at the upper railing of the doomed ship. As the stern fishtailed out over the brink of the massive twister, the anchor cable finally snapped. With its bow proudly in the air, the Goya slipped backward over the watery ledge, sucked down the steep spiraling wall of water. Her lights were still glowing as she disappeared beneath the sea. 131 The Washington morning was clear and crisp. A breeze sent eddies of leaves skittering around the base of the Washington Monument. The world's largest obelisk usually awoke to its own peaceful image in the reflecting pool, but today the morning brought with it a chaos of jostling reporters, all crowding around the monument's base in anticipation. Senator Sedgewick Sexton felt larger than Washington itself as he stepped from his limousine and strode like a lion toward the press area awaiting him at the base of the monument. He had invited the nation's ten largest media networks here and promised them the scandal of the decade. Nothing brings out the vultures like the smell of death, Sexton thought. In his hand, Sexton clutched the stack of white linen envelopes, each elegantly wax-embossed with his monogrammed seal. If information was power, then Sexton was carrying a nuclear warhead. He felt intoxicated as he approached the podium, pleased to see his improvised stage included two â€Å"fameframes†-large, free-standing partitions that flanked his podium like navy-blue curtains-an old Ronald Reagan trick to ensure he stood out against any backdrop. Sexton entered stage right, striding out from behind the partition like an actor out of the wings. The reporters quickly took their seats in the several rows of folding chairs facing his podium. To the east, the sun was just breaking over the Capitol dome, shooting rays of pink and gold down on Sexton like rays from heaven. A perfect day to become the most powerful man in the world. â€Å"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,† Sexton said, laying the envelopes on the lectern before him. â€Å"I will make this as short and painless as possible. The information I am about to share with you is, frankly, quite disturbing. These envelopes contain proof of a deceit at the highest levels of government. I am ashamed to say that the President called me half an hour ago and begged me-yes, begged me-not to go public with this evidence.† He shook his head with dismay. â€Å"And yet, I am a man who believes in the truth. No matter how painful.† Sexton paused, holding up the envelopes, tempting the seated crowd. The reporters' eyes followed the envelopes back and forth, a pack of dogs salivating over some unknown delicacy. The President had called Sexton a half hour ago and explained everything. Herney had talked to Rachel, who was safely aboard a plane somewhere. Incredibly, it seemed the White House and NASA were innocent bystanders in this fiasco, a plot masterminded by William Pickering. Not that it matters, Sexton thought. Zach Herney is still going down hard. Sexton wished he could be a fly on the wall of the White House right now to see the President's face when he realized Sexton was going public. Sexton had agreed to meet Herney at the White House right now to discuss how best to tell the nation the truth about the meteorite. Herney was probably standing in front of a television at this very moment in dumbfounded shock, realizing that there was nothing the White House could do to stop the hand of fate. â€Å"My friends,† Sexton said, letting his eyes connect with the crowd. â€Å"I have weighed this heavily. I have considered honoring the President's desire to keep this data secret, but I must do what is in my heart.† Sexton sighed, hanging his head like a man trapped by history. â€Å"The truth is the truth. I will not presume to color your interpretation of these facts in any way. I will simply give you the data at face value.† In the distance, Sexton heard the beating of huge helicopter rotors. For a moment, he wondered if maybe the President were flying over from the White House in a panic, hoping to halt the press conference. That would be the icing on the cake, Sexton thought mirthfully. How guilty would Herney appear THEN? â€Å"I do not take pleasure in doing this,† Sexton continued, sensing his timing was perfect. â€Å"But I feel it is my duty to let the American people know they have been lied to.† The aircraft thundered in, touching down on the esplanade to their right. When Sexton glanced over, he was surprised to see it was not the presidential helicopter after all, but rather a large Osprey tilt-rotor airplane. The fuselage read: United States Coast Guard Baffled, Sexton watched as the cabin door opened and a woman emerged. She wore an orange Coast Guard parka and looked disheveled, like she'd been through a war. She strode toward the press area. For a moment, Sexton didn't recognize her. Then it hit him. Rachel? He gaped in shock. What the hell is SHE doing here? A murmur of confusion went through the crowd. Pasting a broad smile on his face, Sexton turned back to the press and raised an apologetic finger. â€Å"If you could give me just one minute? I'm terribly sorry.† He heaved the weary, good-natured sigh. â€Å"Family first.†

Dramatic irony in Of Mice and Men Essay

The major irony in Of Mice and Men is that George kills Lennie because of their friendship. George kills Lennie to spare him from a worse death. George complained about Lennie and his defects, but realizes his importance only after his death. Once Lennie is dead, George loses the weight of responsibility Lennie caused him, but he is also lonely. Also, Lennie and George’s dream to own their own farm that is carried out throughout the novel dissapears with Lennie’s death. George and Lennie dream of owning a little farm of ten acres with a windmill, a little shack, an orchard and many animals. The dream keeps them going and makes their work easier but also solidifies their friendship. The dream that leads them on will die with Lennie’s death. The dream of Lennie and George is one of the types of American Dream popular in American fiction. Their dream is that of wealth and land, the desire for a home, and to work their own land. For Lennie in particular it is to have responsibility for once, to look after the rabbits, and to finally have a sense of self worth. Yet the irony in Of Mice and Men is that the dream seems a mirage, it will not be achieved. George and Lennie try to deny their social class and role in the world, but the outcome will prove this dream to be unreachable. George and Lennie only own their arms and the friendship between them. Lennie’s retardation causes irony in the novel. Despite the fact that Lennie is fundamentally good, a grown child, he harms those that surround him. This can be seen when he kills the mouse because he stroked it too hard. Yet, the killing of the mouse was caused by his affection for it, and his liking its soft fur. Similarly, he kills the puppy, and eventually Curley’s wife. All these acts occur not due to hatred or the intentional desire to harm, but due to his childish affection, and love for the mouse, the puppy and Curley’s wife. Lennie is simply too slow to realize his own strength and his retardation is the cause of his death. Despite the fact George tried to keep him out of trouble, Lennie eventually puts himself in a situation from which he cannot be saved. All Lennie can do is kill him to avoid him a worse fate. Ironically, it is also love that causes Lennie’s death. George kills him to save him from linching. And once again, their is irony in George’s situation  at the end of the book. Despite the weight Lennie was to his friend, because of to his mental retardation, George is alone and lonely at the end of the novel. Through these feelings he realizes the worth of his friendship with Lennie, that was greater than the problems caused by his retardation but that still caused his death. Loneliness troubles many characters in Of Mice and Men, including Candy, Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Slim. Their desire for human company makes them human and makes George and Lennie unselfish and good in their friendship that is stronger than their social condition. In Of Mice and Men, the fundamental irony is that no matter how elaborately George and Lennie plan their future, and regardless of how strongly they hope and dream their plan wil not happen. George and Lennie are forced to work the land of others, dreaming for the day they will own their own farm. They work hard to reach their dream, yet the effects of Lennie’s retardation, despite him being good, will cause them not to achieve their dream. George and Lennie’s friendship is what makes them unique, yet did not stop their sad destiny. Despite the fact that Lennie is a weight for George, George always ends up defending him but cannot do anything to save him in the end and his forced to kill him. He kills him for love and this is another element of irony in Of Mice and Men. But once Lennie is dead, George is lonely and despite his attachement to his dream of owning a farm he has to realize his dream has died with Lennie, because it was their dream, not his own.

Battle of King Mountain in the American Revolution

Battle of King Mountain in the American Revolution The Battle of Kings Mountain was fought October 7, 1780, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Having shifted their focus south, the British achieved a decisive victory in May 1780 when they captured Charleston, SC. As the British pushed inland, the Americans suffered a string of defeats which allowed  Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis to secure much of South Carolina. As Cornwallis moved north, he dispatched Major Patrick Ferguson west with a force of Loyalists to protect his flank and supply lines from local militias. Fergusons command was engaged by an American militia force at Kings Mountain on October 7 and destroyed. The victory provided a badly needed boost to American morale and forced Cornwallis to abandon his advance into North Carolina. Background Following their defeat at Saratoga in late 1777 and the French entry into the war, British forces in North America began pursuing a southern strategy for ending the rebellion. Believing that Loyalist support was higher in the South, successful efforts were made to capture Savannah in 1778, followed by General Sir Henry Clintons siege and taking of Charleston in 1780. In the wake of the citys fall, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton crushed an American force at Waxhaws in May 1780. The battle became infamous in the region as Tarletons men killed numerous Americans as they attempted to surrender. American fortunes in the region continued to decline that August when the victor of Saratoga, Major General Horatio Gates, was routed at the Battle of Camden by Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis. Believing that Georgia and South Carolina had effectively been subjugated, Cornwallis began planning for a campaign into North Carolina. While organized resistance from the Continental Army had been swept aside, numerous local militias, particularly those from over the Appalachian Mountains, continued to cause problems for the British. Skirmishes in the West In the weeks prior to Camden, Colonels Isaac Shelby, Elijah Clarke, and Charles McDowell struck Loyalist strongholds at Thicketty Fort, Fair Forest Creek, and Musgrove Mill. This last engagement saw the militia raid a Loyalist camp that guarded a ford over the Enoree River. In the fighting, the Americans killed 63 Tories while capturing another 70. The victory led to the colonels discussing a march against Ninety-Six, SC, but they aborted this plan upon learning of Gates defeat. Concerned that these militias could attack his supply lines and undermine his future efforts, Cornwallis dispatched a strong flanking column to secure the western counties as he moved north. Command of this unit was given to Major Patrick Ferguson. A promising young officer, Ferguson had earlier developed an effective breech-loading rifle which possessed a greater rate of fire than the traditional Brown Bess musket and could be loaded while prone. In 1777, he led an experimental rifle corps equipped with the weapon until being wounded at the Battle of Brandywine. Ferguson Acts A believer that militia could be trained to be as effective as regulars, Fergusons command was composed of 1,000 Loyalists from the region. Appointed Inspector of Militia on May 22, 1780, he relentlessly trained and drilled his men. The result was a highly-disciplined unit that possessed strong morale. This force quickly moved against the western militias after the Battle of Musgrove Mill but was unable to catch them before they withdrew back over the mountains into the territory of the Watauga Association. While Cornwallis started moving north, Ferguson established himself at Gilbert Town, NC on September 7. Dispatching a paroled American into the mountains with a message, he issued a stark challenge to the mountain militias. Ordering them to cease their attacks, he stated that if they did not desist from their opposition to the British arms, and take protection under his standard, he would march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword. Commanders Armies: Americans Colonel John SevierColonel William CampbellColonel Isaac ShelbyColonel James JohnstonColonel Benjamin ClevelandColonel Joseph WinstonColonel James WilliamsColonel Charles McDowellLieutenant Colonel Frederick Hambright900 men British Major Patrick Ferguson1,000 men The Militia Reacts Rather than intimidate, Fergusons words sparked outrage in the western settlements. In response, Shelby, Colonel John Sevier, and others gathered around 1,100 militia at Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga River. This force included around 400 Virginians led by Colonel William Campbell. This rendezvous was facilitated by the fact that Joseph Martin had cultivated positive relations with the neighboring Cherokees. Known as Overmountain Men because they had settled on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains, the combined militia force made plans to cross Roan Mountain into North Carolina. On September 26, they began moving east to engage Ferguson. Four days later they joined Colonels Benjamin Cleveland and Joseph Winston near Quaker Meadows, NC and increased the size of their force to around 1,400. Alerted to the American advance by two deserters, Ferguson began withdrawing east towards Cornwallis and was no longer at Gilbert Town when the militias arrived. He also sent a dispatch to Cornwallis requesting reinforcements. Uniting Forces Appointing Campbell as their nominal overall commander, but with the five colonels agreeing to act in council, the militia moved south to Cowpens where they were joined by 400 South Carolinians under Colonel James Williams on October 6. Learning that Ferguson was camped at Kings Mountain, thirty miles to the east and eager to catch him before he could rejoin Cornwallis, Williams selected 900 picked men and horses. Departing, this force rode east through constant rain and reached Kings Mountain the following afternoon. Ferguson had chosen the position because he believed that it would force any attacker to show themselves as they moved from woods on the slopes to the open summit. Due to the difficult terrain, he elected not to fortify his camp.   Ferguson Trapped Shaped like a footprint, Kings Mountains highest point was at the heel in the southwest and it broadened and flattened towards the toes in the northeast. Approaching, Campbells colonels met to discuss strategy. Rather than simply defeat Ferguson, they sought to destroy his command. Moving through the woods in four columns, the militia slipped around the mountain and surrounded Fergusons position on the heights. While Sevier and Campbells men attacked the heel the remainder of the militia moved forward against the rest of the mountain.  Attacking around 3:00 PM, the Americans opened fire from behind cover with their rifles and caught Fergusons men by surprise (Map). Advancing in deliberate fashion, using rocks and trees for cover, the Americans were able to pick off Fergusons men on the exposed heights. Conversely, the Loyalists position on the high ground led them to frequently overshoot their targets. Given the wooded and rough terrain, each militia detachment effectively fought on its own once the battle commenced. In a precarious position with men falling around him, Ferguson ordered a bayonet attack to drive back Campbell and Seviers men. This was successful, as the enemy lacked bayonets and withdrew down the slope. Rallying at the base of the mountain, the militia began ascending a second time. Several more bayonet attacks were ordered with similar results. Each time, the Americans allowed the charge to expend itself then resumed their attack, picking off more and more Loyalists. The British Destroyed Moving around the heights, Ferguson worked tirelessly to rally his men. After an hour or so of fighting, Shelby, Sevier, and Campbells men were able to gain footholds on the heights. With his own men dropping at an increasing rate, Ferguson attempted to organize a break out. Leading a group of men forward, Ferguson was struck and dragged into the militia lines by his horse. Confronted by an American officer, Ferguson fired and killed him before being shot multiple times by surrounding militiamen. With their leader gone, the Loyalists began attempting to surrender. Shouting Remember Waxhaws and Tarletons Quarter, many in the militia continued to fire, striking down surrendering Loyalists until their colonels could regain control of the situation. Aftermath While casualty numbers for the Battle of Kings Mountain vary from source to source, the Americans lost around 28 killed and 68 wounded. British losses numbered around 225 killed, 163 wounded, and 600 captured. Among the British dead was Ferguson. A promising young officer, his breech-loading rifle was never adopted as it challenged the preferred British method of warfare. Had his men at Kings Mountain been equipped with his rifle, it may have made a difference. In the wake of the victory, Joseph Greer was dispatched on a 600-mile trek from Sycamore Shoals to inform the Continental Congress of the action. For Cornwallis, the defeat signaled stronger than anticipated resistance from the populace. As a result, he abandoned his march into North Carolina and returned south.

Give a concise description of how AZN is financed, with reference to the different sources of capital and gearing levels Essay Example

Give a concise description of how AZN is financed, with reference to the different sources of capital and gearing levels Essay Example Give a concise description of how AZN is financed, with reference to the different sources of capital and gearing levels Essay Give a concise description of how AZN is financed, with reference to the different sources of capital and gearing levels Essay Analysis of AstraZenecas (AZN) 2001 annual report1 reveals that the company is financed by all the traditional methods. The sources of finance which are employed to fund AZN operations comprise of; ; Creditors due within one year (short-term). ; Creditors due after more than one year (long-term). ; Capital and reserves (Capital and Reserves). : A detailed break down of the sources of finance employed are detailed below in Table 1 AstraZenecas Sources of Finance. and Diagram 1 Ratio Analysis of AstraZenecas Financing. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m % % Sources of Finance 2001 2000 Variance Variance Total Financing Creditors due within one year Short term borrowings 150.7 88.7 62.0 41.1% 1.3% Current instalments of loans 75.4 62.0 13.4 17.8% 0.6% Other creditors 4,337.3 4,706.3 -369.0 -8.5% 36.0% 4,563.4 4,857.0 -293.7 -6.4% 37.9% Creditors due after more than one year Loans 447.2 444.4 2.8 0.6% 3.7% Other creditors 107.0 208.5 -101.4 -94.7% 0.9% 554.2 652.8 -98.6 -17.8% 4.6% Capital and reserves Called-up share capital 307.0 311.3 -4.2 -1.4% 2.6% Share premium account 235.2 165.5 69.7 29.6% 2.0% Capital redemption reserve 6.3 2.1 4.2 66.7% 0.1% Merger reserve 304.9 304.9 0.0 0.0% 2.5% Other reserves 1,035.2 1,021.8 13.4 1.3% 8.6% Profit and loss account 5,002.8 4,899.3 103.5 2.1% 41.6% Shareholders funds equity interests 6,891.5 6,704.9 186.6 2.7% 57.3% Minority equity interests 25.4 14.8 10.6 41.7% 0.2% Shareholders funds and minority interests 6,916.9 6,719.7 197.2 2.9% 57.5% Total Financing of AZN 12,034.5 12,229.6 -195.1 -1.6% 100.0% Table 1: AstraZenecas Sources of Finance Diagram 1: Ratio Analysis of AstraZenecas Financing Creditors due within one year. Creditors due within one year are individuals or companies to whom AZN owes sums of money to within one year. For AZN these include goods and services2, taxes and short-term loans (includes bank overdraft). Further analysis3 shows that AZN have à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½150.7m of short-term borrowings from the bank, the break down is shown in Table 2. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m % Short term borrowings 2001 2000 Variance Variance Bank borrowings Fixed securities 15.5 14.8 3.7 4.5 Secured by floating charge 5.6 7.7 -2.1 -37.5 Unsecured 128.9 64.1 64.8 50.3 Total 150.0 86.6 63.4 42.3 Other borrowings (unsecured) 0.7 2.1 -1.4 -200.0 Total 150.7 88.7 62.0 41.1 Table 2: Detail of Short-term borrowing. Examination of Table 1 and Table 2 shows that short term borrowing makes up 3.3% of all creditors due within one year. Current instalments of loans make up 1.7% and other creditors 95% of creditors due within one year. In relation to the overall financing of AZN creditors due within one year made up 37.9% of total financing. Creditors due after more than one year (long-term). Loans and other creditors make up AZN due after more than one year. Loans make up 80.7%, whereas, other creditors make up 19.3% of creditors due after more than one year. Table 1 shows that creditors due after more than one year accounts for only 4.6% AZNs total financing. Shareholders Funds The scrutiny of Table 1 makes obvious that AZN is financed 57.3 % by Shareholders funds. The relationship between ordinary shares to other forms of long term financing can be extremely important. It is advisable to establish the ratio/percentage for this relationship as will show the level of debt that is currently financing the AZN, see table 3. Table 3: Relationship between ordinary shares to other forms of long-term finance. It can be suggested that AZN is a low-geared company; this assumption is based on the 6.1% outcome of the gearing ratio equation, table 3. The ratio of 6.1% reveals that AZN are financed by 6.1% debt and long term finance. The low gearing ratio means that AZN have a higher dependence on equity finance. A low rate of debt means that at bad times AZN will still have enough left over for ordinary shareholders after payment of interest on debt items. Another way of analysing debt would be to establish the interest cover of interest4 to be paid by AZN on their loans. The interest cover equation would show how many times AZN would be able to cover the interest to be paid with AZN profit before interest and tax5. Table 4: AstraZenecas Interest cover. The interest cover equation reveals that AZN are very comfortable, as they are able to cover interest payable 47.3 times. b) Has the companys financial structure changed significantly during the year. AZN have done well to reduce their long-term creditors from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½208.5m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½107m in 2001, this is a 94.7% reduction of AZN creditors. Additionally, AZN have reduced short-term creditors by 8.5% from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4,706.3m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½7,337.3 in 2001. However, with further analysis of AZN balance sheet6 unveils that the reduction in short-term and long-term creditors may have been to some extent financed by current assets and an increase in long-term loans. The balance sheet shows that AZNs current assets have reduced by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½466.2m from 2000 to 2001. The 6.7% reduction in current assets is due to a 10.0% decrease in short term investments from 2000 to 2001 and a 4.8% reduction in cash from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½719m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½496.5m in 2001. In addition, there has been a 0.6% increase in the value of long-term loans AZN have, from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½444.4m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½447.2m in 2001, this may have been used to fund the payment of long term creditors. However, the release of cash and short-term investments and the increase in the long-term loans may have been a consequence of a 2.6% increase in fixed assets and a 12.4% increase in stock. AZN in 2001 increased tangible fixed assets by 8.4% to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,809.2m and increased fixed asset investment by 52.2% to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½16.2m, this accounts for the 2.6% increase in fixed assets. The 12.4% increase in stock from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,482.4m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,691.5 in 2001 is a result of AZN purchasing 31.8% more raw materials and consumables in 2001 and the 10.4% increase of finished goods and goods for resale. Table 5 reinforces that AZN have a higher level of stock in the warehouse in 2001 in comparison to 2000 because the acid test ratio reduced by 6.1% in 2001 from 2000. In addition, AZN have repurchased à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½756.3m shares in 2001 which is mostly likely done because AZN had a high level of cash they wished to dispose of. However, the one weakness of AZN in 2001 is that debtors have decreased by 9.2%, hence, this illustrates that working capital in 2001 is weak in comparison to 2000. The decrease of debtors from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2,7887 in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2,554.9 in 2001 indicates that customers of AZN are taking more time to pay their debts. In addition, AZN are paying creditors (short and long term) 9.6% quicker in 2001 in comparison to 2000. Liquidity ratios would be able to show how effectively AZN are able to pay its creditors, expenses, loans falling due etc. at the correct times. Failure to ensure the payments are covered effectively could mean AZN would have to close down. The current7 and acid test8 ratios will illustrate how liquid9 AZN is in Table 5. 2001 2000 Variance Variance % Current Ratio 1.52 1.52 0.00 0% Acid Test Ratio 1.15 1.27 -0.07 -6.1% Table 5: AstraZenecas liquidity comparison from 2000 to 2001 The rule of thumb for the current ratio is that the figure should always be above 1, otherwise the company does not have enough assets to meets its liabilities, therefore, insolvent. Table 5 shows that AZN has a desirable current ratio, it shows that AZN is able to cover its liabilities 1.52 times with its current assets. The current ratio has remained consistent between 2000 to 2001. However, the current ratio also includes AZNs stock and this could distort the ratio. The acid test ratio takes into account. Table 5 shows that there was a 6.1% decrease in the acid test ratio from 2000 to 2001. This indicates AZN in 2001 have more stock that is piling up in the warehouse. In relation to Table 3 AZNs gearing level in 2001 was 6.1% compared to 6.2% the previous year, see Table 6. Table 6: Relationship between ordinary shares to other forms of long-term finance. The reason why AZNs gearing level has decreased by 0.1% in 2001 is due to the revaluation of reserves which accounted for a negative à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½348.6m. c) Do you consider the level of financial gearing to be appropriate for a company of this type? AZNs level of financial gearing stands at 6.1, this is considerably low in comparison to the industry sector average10, which stands at 38.65. A comparison of gearing levels of AZN to other companies in the pharmaceutical industry is shown in Table 7, Company 2001 Gearing British Biotec 2.96 Johnson Johnson 3.16 Pfizer Inc 3.87 Celltech Group PLC 5.43 Astra Zeneca PLC 6.49 Merck Co., Inc. 9.84 Shire Pharmaceutical 10.54 Drew Scientific Group PLC 13.89 Eli Lilly and Company 15.10 Industry 38.65 Table 7: Industry Gearing level analysis. The level of gearing is at an inappropriate level taking into consideration the nature of the pharmaceutical industry whereby large sums of finance are required to undertake business activities, however, AZN like other pharmaceuticals are money rich companies, hence, requiring less external borrowing. It can be assumed that AZN is a money rich company because in 2001 AZN repurchased à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½756.3m shares, which suggests that AZN has a high level of cash that they wished to dispose of. As it has been suggested that AZN have and inappropriate gearing level according to the industry average, but, when the gearing of AZN is compared to the other companies in table 7, the level of gearing is seen as being appropriate. The average gearing of companies in table 7 is 7.92, hence, AZN is 22% below the average, however, it can be suggested the level of gearing is seen as being appropriate in comparison to the average of table 7 and because it is able to cover interest payable 47.3 times. Diagram 2: Industry Gearing Level comparison. 2. a) By reference to the companys five-year record describe the companys earning per share history. Earnings per share (EPS)11 is frequently used to view performance. It indicates how much of AZNs profits can be attributable to each ordinary share. EPS can be seen as a better comparison of performance rather than profit. This is because acquisition or the issue of new shares does not effect EPS, hence, providing a more true reflection of AZNs performance. AZNs EPS12 for the last five years 13can be seen in Table 4 and in Diagram 2. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 EPS à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1.25 1.24 1.08 1.01 1.02 Variance à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m 0.01 0.15 0.07 -0.01 0 Variance % 0.6% 12.5% 6.5% -0.7% 0 Table 8: AstraZenecas Five-year earning per share history. The five-year EPS history of AZN as shown in Table 6 shows that EPS took a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.01 loss from 1997 to 1998 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.01 from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.02. Nevertheless, since 1998 AZN has seen an in crease in EPS in each year from 1998. The biggest increase in EPS was in 2000 when EPS increased à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.15 (12.5% on 1999 EPS) from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.08 in 1999 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.24. Finally, there was a slight increase in EPS on 2000 in 2001, AZN EPS saw an increase of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.01, taking EPS to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.25 in 2001. According to Merrill Lynch, Morning Meetings Notes 4th February 2002, state that AZN is estimating EPS midway between à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.06 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.17 range for 2002 and Merrill and Lynch14 estimate à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.11 EPS for AZN in 2002. Diagram 3: AstraZenecas earning per share year on year comparison. The EPS of AZN are compared to other companies in the same industry in the table below. EPS à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 2001 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 2000 GlaxoSmithKline 0.72 0.69 Drew Scientific -0.06 -0.04 United Drug PLC 0.41 0.34 Table 9: Pharmaceutical industry EPS comparison. Table 9 shows that AZN have overall a better EPS in comparison to other companies in the same industry. AZNs EPS in comparison to GlaxoSmithKline is 42.4% higher in 2001 and 44.0% higher in 2000. b) Similarly, review the companys five-year dividend policy. A shareholder in AZN obtains their reward in the form of a share of the profits, known as a dividend. A five-year record of AZN dividend payment to shareholders can be examined in Table 4 AstraZenecas Five-year dividend history. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 Dividends à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.49 0.49 0.49 0.55* 0.51* Variance à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.04 0 Variance % 0.0% 0.0% -11.6% 7.3% 0.0% Table 10: AstraZenecas Five-year dividend history15. It would be unfair to compare the dividend payments for the years 1997 and 1998 as Astra AB and Zeneca Group PLC merged to form AZN and as a result would give a distorted picture of AZNs dividend payments per ordinary share, as shown in table 10 and diagram 4. Table 10 shows that AZN from 1999 to 2001 have kept dividend payments at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.49 per ordinary share. The possible explanation why AZN may have kept their dividend consistent is because if the payments were increased in one year, investors would expect an increase in dividends every year. Diagram 4: AstraZenecas dividend year on year comparison. Dividend cover compares the amount of profit earned per ordinary share with the amount of dividend earned, hence, illustrating the proportion of profits that could have been distributed to what was distributed. Table 11 shows a three-year dividend cover comparison. 2001 2000 1999 Dividend Cover 2.4 2.1 0.9 Variance 0.3 1.2 0 Variance % 12.5% 57.1% 0 Table 11: AstraZenecas three-year Dividend cover year on year comparison. The dividend cover of AZN shows that there has been an increase from 1999 to 2001. The dividend cover increased 57.1% from 0.9 times in 1999 to 2.1 times 2000. Once again, there was a 12.5% increase on 2000 figures in 2001 taking the dividend cover to 2.4 times. Investment analysts regard a high dividend over as a reassuring measure of the safety of the current dividend levels. Dividend yield seeks to assess the cash return on investment earned by shareholders; this enables comparisons to be made with other investment opportunities available to shareholders. The dividend yield for AZN at close of Friday 16th March 2002 was 1%, this suggests that investors would get more return on their money in a bank or building society or maybe investing in a different company. c) Obtain the companys PE ratio from the Financial Times. Asses how the PE ratio reflects the historic performance shown in points 2. a) and 2. b). The Financial Times website reported the P/E ratio for AZN as 34.04. This ratio indicates that the price of the shares is 34.04 times the earnings (i.e. profits). In other words, it gives an idea a to the number of years it would take to cover the price out of the companys earnings. The price-earning ratio (P/E ratio) reflects the relationship between the share price and EPS of AZN. Like EPS the P/E ratio is considered to be a key ratio by stock market analyst. The P/E ratio is calculated as seen below. A good P/E ratio is vital for a firm because it gives an indication of the confidence of investors in the expected future performance prospects and quality of earnings of the company. The P/E reflects the historic performance as discussed above with the increase in the year on year earnings per share. As the company merged in 1999 the overall prospects of the company evolved further, hence, investors were confident with the future earnings of AZN. A breakdown of AZNs average P/E ratios in previous years is shown in table 12 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 AZN 26.8 29 66.6 30.8 25.1 22 16.8 13.7 Table 12: Average P/E ratio analysis 1994-2001 A share price with a high P/E ratio is one that has a high price compared with its earnings. AZNs average P/E ratio in 2001 was 26.8, with EPS of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.25 and dividends of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.49, this indicates that investors confidence of the companys ability to maintain and improve earnings in the future is strong. d) How does the PE ratio compare to other companies in the same industry sector? Can you suggest reasons for your companys comparative level of PE ratio? The Financial Times16 reported the pharmaceutical industry P/E ratio to be 33.31. AstraZenecas P/E ratio at present is above the industry average, as seen in table 13. Company Name Company P/E Ratio Industry P/E Ratio Drew Scientific Plc -3.90 33.31 Merck ; Co Inc 20.90 33.31 Eli Lilly and Company 23.00 33.31 Johnson ; Johnson 24.40 33.31 Shire Pharmaceuticals Plc 25.40 33.31 GlaxoSmithKline Plc 33.23 33.31 Astra Zeneca Plc 34.04 33.31 Pfizer Inc 34.20 33.31 Table 13: 15th March 2002 P/E ratio industry comparison. Comparing the P/E ratio over a period of time, table 14, shows that AZNs P/E ratio has been stronger in comparison to the companies, and these P/E ratios are reflected in AZN dividend payments and EPS. Company 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 AZN 26.8 29 66.6 30.8 25.1 22 16.8 13.7 JOHNSON JOHNSON 27.5 25.3 31.3 32.2 24 22.5 20.1 15 DREW SCIENTIFIC GROUP PLC -19.6 -33.4 -27.1 -64.3 0 0 0 0 BRITSH BIOTEC -6.9 -8.2 -7.3 -23.5 -57.6 -34.2 -8.7 0 PFIZER INC 33.1 67.2 49.7 68 35.1 25.2 21.1 16.2 ELI LILLY CO, 32 29.2 34.4 39.8 0 23.9 19.5 14 MERCK CO., INC. 24.2 25.6 30.3 30.6 24.9 22.6 19.6 14.4 CELLTECH GROUP PLC -48.6 -7.3 21 -65.5 -28.4 161.1 0 0 Table 14: P/E ratio 1994-2001 industry analysis. Diagram 5 illustrates the statement that AZNs P/E ratio has been strong in relation to others in the industry. Diagram 5: P/E ratio industry comparison 1994-2001. AZNs P/E ratio is the second highest in the industry behind Pfizer at the moment in comparison to other companies in the Pharmaceutical Industry. As a whole the main players in the industry such as GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Pfizer also have similar P/E ratios. The P/E ratio is higher in comparison to other companies in the same industry. This is due to many reasons, firstly AZNs dividend policy has remained consistently high for a number of years and as a result the citys assessment of AZNs quality of earnings and business prospects has an impact on the P/E ratio. Secondly, the company as a whole has endured consistent growth and the companys previous track record has again impacts the companys P/E ratio. Thirdly, the pharmaceutical industry as a whole has been less affected by the recent economic downturn in comparison to other industries, thus AZN has been able to maintain the level of share price and P/E ratio. Fourthly, another reason for the P/E ratio is also related to the companys balance sheet gearing whereby AZN has a low level of gearing in comparison to other companies. This low level of gearing has made the company more attractive to investors as less of their money is used to finance interest and debt repayments. Finally, since the merger of Astra Zeneca the average P/E ratio overall has increased this has been due to the upturn in company fortunes and prospects since the merger becoming one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world with a established senior management team committed to continuing success.