Research Design Challenges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Design Challenges - Essay Example It is due to the fact that, according to Slavin (1985), "most of the time, students work independently, and they are continually in competition with one another for grades, praise, and recognition" (Slavin, 1985, p. 5). And as each one of us may agree, for an intellectually-endowed student, it would be difficult to be paired with a low-performing classmate, considering the fact that it would not cause the former to gain intellectual benefits from the latter. In a similar way, the low-performing student would find it intimidating to be paired with a highly-competitive classmate, where the former is perceived to be having a hard time in coping with the latter's exemplary abilities. These challenges only typify the proposition that the classroom environment and the schools in general are least characterized by cooperative activities (Slavin, 1985). In regard to the aforementioned facts, conscientious implementation of the research design is hereby warranted in order to meet those challe nges. Furthermore, adequate orientation and information dissemination pertaining to the purpose of cooperative learning- to help each other achieve the goals (Kennesaw State University., 2009) - will surely enhance the confidence of both classifications of students (the achievers and the low-performing ones), thereby promoting cohesiveness. The target audience for this study would encompass the students and individuals who are most likely in

Chicken parm sub Essay Example for Free

Chicken parm sub Essay Chicken parm is the best sub on the planet earth. I used to eat it when I was little my mom used to make for me every Sunday. I used to have it with Pepsi. When we were done we used to go on a bike rides. Me and my family dont do the bike riding any more. When we ate it we say funny old storys about are family. When my friends come over I ate with them but the storys got embarrassing. This is what I like to do when I eat chicken parm. Chicken parmigiana (also referred to as a parmi[1] or parma[2]) is a chicken dish based on the Italian Parmigiana, and is regularly served in Australian pubs.[3] The meal consists of a breaded chicken breast, or chicken schnitzel, covered with a tomato-based neapolitan sauce and cheese. Variations include the addition of a slice of ham or bacon.[4] The dish is typically served with a side of potato chips and salad, although there is some dispute as to whether the chips should be served under or next to the chicken.[5] Size is considered to be a major part of the chicken parmigiana,[5] and increased competition has led to a greater focus on the size of the meal.[3][6] Some restaurants hold competitions with prizes for people who successfully finish a large chicken parmigiana, such as the Parmageddon which was held in an Adelaide Hills pub.[7] The popularity of the chicken parmigiana led to a specialised chicken parmigiana restaurant opening in Melbourne,[5] and the chicken parmigiana is the subject of reviews on dedicated websites which compare the dish as purchased from various pubs within a region.[2][1][5][8] Other meals have also taken on the chicken parmigiana theme, including pies and Subway sandwiches.[9][10] This dish was adopted by the Australians it is originally from Italy. In Italy it was served with pasta, and sometimes garlic bread

the spanish american war :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Spanish-American war was the first and biggest step that the United States of America took toward imperialism. It was the war that secured the US as the most powerful country in the world. This war was a benefit to the USA because we gained land, gained respect, and taught a lesson to one of our enemies. In addition to this, the losses that we suffered were almost nothing compared to other conflicts or wars. The Spanish-American war was by no means for the sole purpose of gaining land and respect, the United States freed an oppressed country and took pieces of land that were better off under US control. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Imperialism was a popular trend among the large, powerful countries. Imperialism is defined as â€Å"The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations† Imperialism cannot be said as either good or bad, but as a general rule; If you live in an annexed country, imperialism is not good, if your country annexes smaller ones to gain profit, land, and respect, then imperialism is good. The United States was not much of an imperialistic country until we won the Spanish-American war. As a result of this war, we annexed Guam, The Philippines, and Puerto Rico. This is the point at which the US becomes and imperialistic nation, and though it was a hard struggle to keep these annexed countries under control and eventually gave them all back to their rightful owners. The importance of taking these countries is that we then could have coal st ations around the world to fuel our navy, and we got respect from other countries around the war. This respect and intimidation helped the allied powers defeat the central powers during World War II. Ever since the US became the most powerful nation after the Spanish-American war, we have retained the title. One reason why the Spanish-American war was good for the US is the relatively small losses we had. 332 Americans were killed and 1642 were injured, and 2957 died from disease. These numbers amount to a total of 3289 soldiers killed because of the Spanish-American war (McSherry). This seems like many casualties, but if one compares it to any other war, it is almost nothing, considering there were 15 million battlefield deaths in the Second World War (Ash 71).

Math Coursework - The Fencing Problem :: Math Coursework Mathematics

The Fencing Problem Aim - to investigate which geometrical enclosed shape would give the largest area when given a set perimeter. In the following shapes I will use a perimeter of 1000m. I will start with the simplest polygon, a triangle. Since in a triangle there are 3 variables i.e. three sides which can be different. There is no way in linking all three together, by this I mean if one side is 200m then the other sides can be a range of things. I am going to fix a base and then draw numerous triangles off this base. I can tell that all the triangles will have the same perimeter because using a setsquare and two points can draw the same shape. If the setsquare had to touch these two points and a point was drawn at the 90 angle then a circle would be its locus. Since the size of the set square never changes the perimeter must remain the same. [IMAGE] The area of a triangle depends on two things: the height and the base. The base is fixed in this example so the triangle that has the biggest height, i.e. the middle triangle, will have the biggest area. The middle triangle turns out to be an icosoles triangle. I am going to focus only on icosoles triangles. I have constructed a formula linking all three sides in and icosoles triangle. [IMAGE] X X X=any number which is greater than 250 and less than 500 ======================================================== 1000 - 2X Using Pythagoras theorem I can find and equation linking a side to the area. ====================================================================== ÂÂ ½(1000 - 2X)ÂÂ ² + HÂÂ ² = XÂÂ ² HÂÂ ² = XÂÂ ² + (X -500)ÂÂ ² H = height X 500 - X XÂÂ ² - (500-X)ÂÂ ² H Area 251 249 1000 31.6 7874.1 300 200 50000 223.61 44721.0 333.33

Medias Effect on Violent Behavior in Society

Children's use of media is socialized mostly in the family (cf. Bryant, 1990). Television is an essential part of family life. Viewing occurs mainly with other family members, especially for young children. For instance, in one longitudinal study, more than 70% of the time that 3- to 7-year-old children spent watching general audience programming occurred with a parent (St. Peters, Fitch, Huston, Wright, ; Eakins, 1991). Moreover, television habits are formed early. The amount of television viewed is somewhat stable from age 3 onward, probably because it depends on family patterns that do not change readily (Huston, Wright, Rice, Kerkman, ; St. Peters, 1990). The process of learning is composite and multifaceted. The child should negotiate a series of vital tasks as he or she grows. The child must protect a sense of attachment to mother, father, and family (Bowlby, 1988). Then the child must move through the phases of separation and individuation (Mahler, Pine, ; Bergman, 1975). Here, the baby begins to move toward being a person (i.e., toward developing an internalized world of thought, emotion, and judgment that will facilitate the baby to be autonomous and self-regulating). From there, the child must start to deal with his or her issues of sexual identity, competition, power, and insertion in the group, elements that Freud (1933/ 1964) termed the Oedipal phase. The relationship between unconscious fantasy and the growth of the personality can be understood from the following: The growth of the personality occurs with the maturation of the perceptual apparatus, of memory as well as from the hoarded experience and learning from reality. This process of learning from reality is connected with the development and changes in unconscious fantasy. There is a constant struggle with the child's invincible fantasies and the encounter of realities, good and bad. (Segal, 1991, p. 26) It is also been asserted by experts that media is somewhat unethical for children. Television with its extreme reaching influence spreads transversely the globe. Its most significant part is that of reporting the news and sustaining communication linking people around the world. Television's most prominent, yet most stern feature is its shows for entertainment. Violence in entertainment is a main issue in the growth of violence in society, Violence is the exploit of one's powers to mete out mental or physical injury upon another, and exemplars of this would be rape or murder. Violence in entertainment attains the public through television, movies, plays, and novels. On July 26, 2000, officers of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry issued a â€Å"Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children,† which was subsequently endorsed by both houses of the United States Congress. At this time, well over 1,000 studies—including reports from the Surgeon General's office, the National Institute of Mental Health, and numerous studies conducted by leading figures within our medical and public health organizations—our own members—point â€Å"Overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children. The conclusion of the public health community, based on over thirty years of research, is that viewing entertainment violence can lead to increases in aggressive attitudes, values, and behavior, particularly in children†¦.† (Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children, Congressional Public Health Summit, July 26, 2000). â€Å"The effect of entertainment violence on children is complex and variable. Some children will be affected more than others. But while duration, intensity, and extent of the impact may vary, there are several measurable negative effects of children's exposure to violent entertainment†¦. We in no way mean to imply that entertainment violence is the sole, or even necessarily the most important factor contributing to youth aggression, anti-social attitudes, and violence†¦. Nor are we advocating restrictions on creative activity. The purpose of this document is descriptive, not prescriptive: we seek to lay out a clear picture of the pathological effects of entertainment violence. But we do hope that by articulating and releasing the consensus of the public health community, we may encourage greater public and parental awareness of the harms of violent entertainment, and encourage a more honest dialogue about what can be done to enhance the health and well-being of America's children† (Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children, Congressional Public Health Summit, July 26, 2000). New interactive digital media have become an integral part of children's lives. Nearly half (48%) of children six and under have used a computer (31% of 0-3 year-olds and 70% of 4-6 year-olds). Just under a third (30%) has played video games (14% of 0-3 year-olds and 50% of 4-6 year-olds). Even the youngest children — those under two — are widely exposed to electronic media. Forty-three percent of those under two watches TV every day and 26% have a TV in their bedroom (the American Academy of Pediatrics â€Å"urge parents to avoid television for children under 2 years old†). In any given day, two-thirds (68%) of children under two will use a screen media, for an average of just over two hours (2:05). (PR Newswire; 10/28/2003) Moreover, children at elementary level constantly struggle between fantasy and reality can be seen in the child's deep ambivalence concerning accepting the difference between â€Å"what's real† and â€Å"what's made up.† The child frequently attempts to obliterate differences, particularly those existing between the sexes and the generations. The child wants to be everything; he or she wants to be his or her own cause, he or she wants to be unlimited. The child wants to be a boy and a girl; to be his or her own father and mother; to know everything without learning and so forth. One can readily see that TV (as well as movies and video games) can be experienced as a means to gain the delusion of gratifying those wishes. However, teachers and parents distinguish that fantasy and daydreams persist to play an active, at times predominant, aspect of the child's development all through his or her formative years. In many cases, it is not until early adolescence that we see children able to assimilate their fantasies with rational thought in a way that make certain that external reality takes an increasing hold over perception, reasoning, and behavior. Although many more years are required before the child matures into a person who adeptly and constantly discriminates the internal from the external in a usually integrated fashion. It is this slow and accruing process of thought and fantasy being integrated with the resultant increase in the growth of the personality that seems to undergo the most inhibition when the consumption of media images becomes extreme or defensive. Children's animated cartoons show how outer, media-based images â€Å"mimic† the form of unconscious fantasy. The cartoon is a psychologically charged, exciting portrayal of fantastic (animated) characters. Its form is simple: An underdog (disguised child) comes into conflict with others (the top dog = parents or older children). There is danger, threat of destruction or death that is conquering in a magical and effortless fashion where pleasure and laughter are the outcome. The Coyote wants to eat the Roadrunner; Elmer Fudd wants to shoot Daffy Duck. Throughout complex and irrational activities, the â€Å"victim† triumphs over the â€Å"villain.† Furthermore, there are no real consequences attendant to the use of immense aggression and force. Magically, all characters reappear in the next cartoon and the cycle of conflict and decree, pleasing the child's wish to overcome limitation and smallness, is repeated once more. Further, teacher in classroom can develop the child's ability to be creative, to construct a â€Å"transitional space† (Winnicott, 1978) within which to form new blends of inner and outer, is inhibited to the degree that the child's mind is saturated with media-based images, characters, stories, and inspiration. The child must transform the â€Å"raw material† of both his or her inner and outer world in a pleasing synthesis in order to feel truly knowledgeable and in charge of his or her existence. The passivity by-product of TV viewing leads to a restraint of autonomous inspiration and produces what teachers are seeing more and more: anxious, irritable, angry, and demanding children who are unable to â€Å"play† and who demand to be â€Å"entertained† in a mode that approximates their experience of TV viewing. The use of drugs and alcohol utilize the same mechanisms as TV to achieve their psychological effects. As the substance user's body and mind are chemically altered, deep unconscious fantasies of security, charisma, power, or limitlessness are activated. Hence, Winn (1985) was accurate in describing TV as the â€Å"plug-in drug† as the â€Å"use† of TV to fend off depression, anxiety, and conflict is identical in its function to that of drugs and alcohol. The faction of â€Å"instant gratification† can be seen to plea to the universal wish to be the satisfied infant sucking at the breast: a mere cry, the feed and the bliss of satisfied sleep. The reality is unfortunately much more difficult, for what we see are increasing numbers of frustrated, angry, and uncooperative children, experiencing their wishes as demands, and their hopes as entitlements. However, learning is fundamentally based on more about how to communicate effectively with children on the subject of coping with the intimidating aspects of their environment. It is significant to recognize that some level of fear is suitable and indeed may be important to survival in certain situations. On the other hand, overburdening children with fears of horrendous disasters that are either unavoidable or highly unlikely to threaten them personally may add undue stress to the procedure of growing up. Because television is one of children's main sources of information about the world, we need to be capable to make reasoned decisions about what to expose our children to and when. We also require being able to explain crucial features of life to them in an age-appropriate way that preserves their youthful optimism while encouraging necessary and suitable precautions. Annotated Bibliography Bowlby J. (1988). A secure base: Clinical applications of attachment theory. London: Rutledge. This book offers the recent study in attachment theory. Bryant J. (Ed.). (1990). Television and the American family. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. This book presents a current provides an updated analysis of the interaction between families and television Freud S. (1964). New introductory lectures on psychoanalysis (standard edition, 22). London: Hogarth Press. (Original work published in 1933) The book contains summarizing presentation of some of Freud's later theory, most questioning constructs and a peculiar treatment of female sexuality as well as super-ego formation. Huston A. C., Wright J. C., Rice M. L., Rerkman D., ; St. M. Peters ( 1990). â€Å"The development of television viewing patterns in early childhood: A longitudinal investigation†. Developmental Psychology, 26, 409-420. This book comprises current analysis of educational communications and technology. Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children, Congressional Public Health Summit, July 26, 2000. Also Available At: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jstmtevc.htm This article summarizes a clear relationship between violence in the media and violent behavior in children. Mahler M., Pine F., ; Bergman A. (1975). The psychological birth of the human infant. New York: Basic Books. The work is the revolutionary contribution to infant psychology. New Study Finds Children Age Zero to Six Spend as Much Time With TV, Computers and Video Games as Playing Outside; One in Four Children Under Two Have a TV in Their Bedroom. WASHINGTON, PR Newswire; 10/28/2003. This report presents the findings of a study which took place from September 2004 to July 2005. The article investigated children's use of popular culture, media as well as new technologies in the home in England. Segal H. (1991). Dream, phantasy and art. London: Tavistock/Routledge. This book is about Segal’s ideas on symbolism, aesthetics, dreams, as well as the examination of psychotic thinking also she brings them vibrantly alive in an innovative integration which links them afresh to the work of Freud, Klein, and Bion. St. M. Peters, Fitch M., Huston A. C., & Wright J. C., & Eakins D. (1991). â€Å"Television and families: What do young children watch with their parents?† Child Development, 62, 1409-1423. This word analyzed a number of questions regarding the amount of viewing as well as types of programs children and parents watch alone and together. Winn M. (1985). The plug-in drug: Television, children and the family. New York: Penguin Books. This book is on the subject of the effects of television on children and families.   

Intelligence and Creativity Guarantee Nothing †Philosophy Essay

Intelligence and Creativity Guarantee Nothing – Philosophy Essay Free Online Research Papers Intelligence and Creativity Guarantee Nothing Philosophy Essay One of the realities of human society is that crude intelligence and creativity do not guarantee success. On the other hand, persistence on a certain matter does, as the long fight of women’s rights activists demonstrates. In addition, continuous effort to better one’s self is crucial, as the experience of talented authors like Jane Austen, whose works are products of revising and polishing, show. First of all, the prolonged plight of women’s rights activists clearly suggests that, in order to achieve success, one requires primarily insistence and patience. The cause benefited from the assistance of many intelligent and sophisticated women, but no insightful newspaper article or well-crafted slogan could bring about such a groundbreaking change in society. Conversely, progress was made over time, as the public opinion needed to be re-educated, to be taught to put their entrenched prejudices to the test of reason. Therefore, it was not the spark of genius that the cause needed, but persistence. Or, as Thomas Edison puts it, 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Another example of the need for effort to polish talent, much like an uncut diamond requires a lot of attention to show its full brilliance, is the renowned writer Jane Austen. A variant of her most famous novel, â€Å"Sense and Sensibility†, was given to editors in 1797. But the then â€Å"First Impressions† was not commendable/satisfactory yet, and Jane Austen knew it, so that the universal rejection did not surprise her. However, the writer came back to her novel in 1811, and the revised â€Å"Sense and Sensibility† was now good enough to become a favorite. Consequently, even if the dedication of suffragettes and the talent of a great author like Jane Austen is undisputed, success is not certain. It can be concluded that success does indeed require a spark of genius, but the massive contribution of effort is undisputed. Research Papers on Intelligence and Creativity Guarantee Nothing - Philosophy EssayThe Fifth HorsemanResearch Process Part OnePETSTEL analysis of IndiaHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Free Essays on Grahams Power And Glory

Grahams Power and Glory: Where did it come from? Graham Green was born in 1904 and lived until 1991. Greene was not a happy child; he was mocked and ridiculed by classmates at a very young age. After many suicide attempts Greene left home for hopes of happiness. (Greenland) Greene eventually married Vivien Dayrell-Browning in 1927 and the two had two children, one boy and one girl. Greene was not much a family man. He traveled most of his life leaving no time for family at home. He admits to having over forty seven prostitutes along his travels. He and his wife later separated, but never divorced. (Liukkonen) Going back a little in time during Greene’s years at college Greene published many poems and articles in the Oxford Outlook and in the Weekly Westminster Gazette. From there Greene went on to write 24 novels, eight plays and numerous short stories. Not to forget the films he worked on, including The Third Man, known today as one of the most amazing films ever. (Liukkonen) As all writers, there are people who love every piece written and critics who find something wrong with every piece published by an author. Graham caused quite the uproar with his most famous novel The Power and the Glory. Cardinal Giuseppi Pizzardo had condemned The Power and the Glory for being "paradoxical," (seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true) and the British churchman actually demanded that Greene make changes in the text. (Welborn ) Evelyn Waugh, a dear friend of Greene, said "It was as fatuous as unjust a vile misreading of a noble book", about the Cardinal’s comments. The novel was also condemned by the Vatican in 1953, but the matter was dropped when Greene insisted the fight was not with him, but with the publishers of the book. He figured if it were not a book that was proper enough to publish they would have never published the book. The Matter was then dropped. (Ways of Escape pg. 65-68) So where did... Free Essays on Grahams Power And Glory Free Essays on Grahams Power And Glory Grahams Power and Glory: Where did it come from? Graham Green was born in 1904 and lived until 1991. Greene was not a happy child; he was mocked and ridiculed by classmates at a very young age. After many suicide attempts Greene left home for hopes of happiness. (Greenland) Greene eventually married Vivien Dayrell-Browning in 1927 and the two had two children, one boy and one girl. Greene was not much a family man. He traveled most of his life leaving no time for family at home. He admits to having over forty seven prostitutes along his travels. He and his wife later separated, but never divorced. (Liukkonen) Going back a little in time during Greene’s years at college Greene published many poems and articles in the Oxford Outlook and in the Weekly Westminster Gazette. From there Greene went on to write 24 novels, eight plays and numerous short stories. Not to forget the films he worked on, including The Third Man, known today as one of the most amazing films ever. (Liukkonen) As all writers, there are people who love every piece written and critics who find something wrong with every piece published by an author. Graham caused quite the uproar with his most famous novel The Power and the Glory. Cardinal Giuseppi Pizzardo had condemned The Power and the Glory for being "paradoxical," (seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true) and the British churchman actually demanded that Greene make changes in the text. (Welborn ) Evelyn Waugh, a dear friend of Greene, said "It was as fatuous as unjust a vile misreading of a noble book", about the Cardinal’s comments. The novel was also condemned by the Vatican in 1953, but the matter was dropped when Greene insisted the fight was not with him, but with the publishers of the book. He figured if it were not a book that was proper enough to publish they would have never published the book. The Matter was then dropped. (Ways of Escape pg. 65-68) So where did...

Teaching the receptive skills Essays

Teaching the receptive skills Essays Teaching the receptive skills Paper Teaching the receptive skills Paper This study aims to present some useful techniques to teachers who are aiming to improve the students receptive skills (reading, listening). Researchers and teachers of second languages realized that most of their students were able to ask questions from foreigners but were not able to understand what they had answered. It is one of the various good reasons for teaching reading/listening. Students may actually need to read/listen for their work or study, or they want to read/listen for pleasure. In each case, the process needs to be as easy as possible for them. Exercises focusing on the receptive skills allow the study and practice of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and punctuation, and the reading/listening can provoke conversation and discussion. At first, the teachers main task is to get familiar with the different types of reading and listening activities. In case of reading there are: skimming, scanning, receptive/intensive reading and extensive reading. In the followings I would like to present them separately. Skimming means when students are examining a text rapidly with occasional periods of close inspection, i. e. , quickly running their eyes over the text to get the general idea. In the case of scanning students are locating a specific symbol or group of symbols (e. g. : a date or a name of a person or place). So, students are quickly searching for some particular pieces of information. Receptive/intensive reading means a careful reading aimed to discover exactly what the author seeks to convey; often reading for information; readers need to understand linguistic and semantic detail and pay attention to the text. At last, we speak about extensive reading when readers read for pleasure; readers need to understand all details of the text; speed and skill in getting the general idea are most important (Knutson 1998). According to Harmer (1991; p. 217-228) there are 5 types of listening:   Listening to extract specific information: students listen for specific information at word level (e. g. : filling in charts)   Listening for communicative tasks: asks students to listen in order to perform some kind of communicative tasks which is as much like real life as possible, and which involves students working together to solve a problem (Harmer 1991; p. 219)   Listening for general understanding: students listen to conversations in order to get a general idea of what the main points are Listening for detail: students listen for groups of and phrases at sentence level When the teacher is aware of the different kinds of reading and listening activities, he/she has to select the authentic materials. He/she has to take into consideration some very important aspects. Namely, the topic of the text should be interesting to the students and relevant to their age. The teachers also have to know the students background knowledge, including their experience with the topic, their level of English and the new vocabulary that should be presented. The teacher also has to examine the text, I mean whether it is organized in a clear way or not. He/she has to know the length and the quality of the text. As Brewster (1991; p. 6) points out, Their attention span is limited. Therefore, tasks should be short, varied, motivating and interesting and should offer concrete perceptual support. When all the above mentioned aspects are clear for the teacher, he/she can start the lesson, which is concentrating on the receptive skills. According to the book, Kri ti ti l a Videi ig teachers should spend some time with presenting the topic. That can be done by making the students start to talk about the topic or tell their opinion separately and loudly to the class. The teachers can also ask questions related to the topic in order to encourage a whole class talking (Holli et al. 1996). If you are having a reading/listening lesson, you should work on four different stages, namely: Before reading/listening, during reading/listening, after reading/listening, feedback and guidance. The first one is the stage before learners actually read to listen to the text. The function of this stage is to prepare learners to engage in the text, try to do this as effectively as possible, because it is very important to motivate the students for reading/listening the text. At this stage before reading and listening they will have already formed an idea about the content and type of the text. It is also the time when new vocabulary should be presented and the worksheets should be given out to the students. The teacher has to tell them clearly what there task is. While the students are listening or reading the teacher should circulate among them in order to see how well they are moving on and help them if it is necessary. Then, when the text had been listened or read the teacher should check whether they were able to complete the exercise or not. If it was not enough to listen to or read the text once, he/she lets them do it again. Sometimes I ask them not to write anything on their handouts at the first listening/reading, just pay attention to the text carefully. On the feedback stage the teacher together with the students corrects the handouts. True or false statements are popular ways of checking comprehension, and I think that students also like doing these activities. Every course book includes such activities. My favourite reading exercise is mosaic reading, all the students like it, too. I found this exercise in the book, Mi g 135 i tlet. In this activity students are given different paragraphs of a story. I often give out tales that are cut into pieces (e. g. : Snow White). Students read their extract and choose the main happening of it. While they are reading I am walking in the class and help them if there is an unknown word or phrase. They write a statement, and two questions related to their extract. For instance: We are in a little house where everything is so tiny. Why? Who are living here? When the students are ready they ask their questions and the others are checking their extracts to find the answer. If somebody fins it he/she will tell the class. With the help of these questions and answers the students will be able to build up and take into a chronological order the whole story (Gedeon et al. 2002). The students favourite listening exercise is of course when we listen to pop songs. I try to make this more enjoyable by asking them at the end of a lesson to write down their favourite song on a sheet. Then, I collect them and choose one of them. On the next lesson we will listen to that song. I give out the lyric of the song with some missing words; while they are listening they have to complete the gaps. When we have the complete lyric, they translate it to get the general idea of the song. I use the Internet to find the lyrics of the songs. This study aimed to find ways with which the receptive skills of the students can be improved. The most important a teacher should do is to make the students realize what a wonderful thing it is when we are able to understand a foreign language and read a newspaper that is not written in our native language. References 1. Knutson, Elizabeth M. (1998) Reading with a Purpose: Communicative Reading Tasks for the Foreign Language Classroom ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics Washington DC. uncc. edu/~medomoto/4200/readings/reading_with_purpose. html Retrieved from the World Wide Web: 01-04-2003 2. Harmer J. (1991) The Practice of English Language Teaching, Longman Group UK Limited 3. Brewster J. 1991 Listening and the Young Learner in Teaching English to Children Ed. Brumfit, Moon and Tongue Collins ELT 4. Holli D. Kontri ni H. E. Ti mi r i. (1996) A Kri ti ti l a Videi ig Tanki nyvkiadi , Budapest 5. Gedeon i. Lengyel Zs. Ri dai P. (2002) Mi g 135 i tlet Helikon Kiadi Kft. , Budapest 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our  University Degree Teaching  section.

Culture differences in business relations (report based on case study) Essay

Culture differences in business relations (report based on case study) - Essay Example Both Africa and China can be categorized as collectivist cultures and hence they tend to depend on groups for decision making. However as compared to China, African culture is highly masculine in terms of behavior. They display typical male attributes such as independence, and values inherent in males such as aggressive goal behavior, material possessions, and assertiveness are given precedence over feminine traits such as social relevance and welfare of others. China on the other hand, has a medium feminity culture and value relationships more, which is perceived by the Africans as a sign of weakness. Both Africa and China differ greatly in terms of their attitudes towards management of conflicts within organizations. Since China is a more feminine cultural attributes, more emphasis is given on relationships and almost all business decisions are centered on maintaining and sustaining cordial business relations. China tends to avoid conflicts and use authority and indirect influence in dealing with conflicts. They tend to avoid bringing problems out in the open and strive to resolve them privately. Africans on the other hand implement a direct approach to resolve conflicts, by using rational methods and communication to arrive at a common consensus or agreement. The various challenges encountered by people from different cultural backgrounds include communication problems, problems in amicable resolution of conflicts, problems in achieving a common consensus due to differences in risk taking abilities and attitudes, etc. These cultural differences inherent in people prevent them from understanding others and at times lead to misinterpretation of the thoughts or ideas being communicated (BÃ ¼hrig and Thije, 2006; Gudykunst, 2003). Furthermore the cultural difference in attitudes plays a key role in the manner in which a given task is executed and determines the success / failure of the

Comparison in Sound Velocity Variability over Neap and Spring Cycle in Essay

Comparison in Sound Velocity Variability over Neap and Spring Cycle in Dart and Tamar Estuaries, UK and Its Impacts on Sonar Performances - Essay Example Studies of the variables of sound transmission aid those who need to know how well their equipment will function given different environments. This project entails the planning and execution of an oceanographic survey to determine the differences in sound velocity variables over the neap and spring tide cycles in the Dart and Tamar estuaries, and their impact on sonar-related performances. This study is largely based on research provided by Desiree Batton in conjunction with the Hydrographic Society, The Dart Observatory at the Britannia Royal Naval College and Graham Tattersall of the CEFAS Lowestoft Laboratory, as well as additional research. The tide cycles at the mouths of these two estuaries differ in some factors that influence the movement of sound. This paper plans to show what those factors are and how they affect sonar usage. The report will present data that was ascertained by using the current appropriate techniques and tools. It will analyze the variability of sound velocity, present the results and make determinations based on those analyses and calculations. Several determinations will be necessary to conclude this paper, such as the variations in bottom sound velocity as opposed to the variations in surface sound velocity. For instance the calculations for bottom sound velocity will take the higher level of mixing into account, while the calculations for surface sound velocity will need to look at temperature variables more, especially spring tide. Differing types of measuring equipment will be needed to gain the information required. In addition, time of day and the varying points of tidal activity are considerations that will add into the data. This project is designed to correlate with other projects that focus on sound speed or sound velocity. The need to understand how sound travels through tidal waters, in particular the Dart and Tamar estuaries, is of great significance to ongoing research. The research of A. D. Priestley

Management theory and practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management theory and practice - Essay Example Many people have described management as an art while others have described it as a science. However, all these perspectives management are true with respect to the past writings by those described as managerial pioneers. While others have argued that the management thought began in the early days of industrial revolution while others have argued that it begun well before industrial revolution. However for this discussion, the focus would mainly be based on the patterns and the themes in historical management practices and theory that have existed for quite a long time and evolution of management theory. Diamond (2005), explains that the society has to learn from the past and hence restructure, otherwise it faces threats of collapse. The major developments in research and theory have been very important in the development of the organizations and their management over the last century. First it should be acknowledged that the researchers as well as the developers of the theory and pr actice in management have often treated the organizations as being similar in all perspectives. The managers should therefore be very much aware of the developments in the management practices in the historical perspective since they give insights for better management and continual improvements in management. This paper therefore holds the view that the different theories of management practiced in the past have been influenced by the behaviors of the mangers and the organizations (Rainey, 2009). The development of one management theory is vital for the development of the other since ones a theory is practiced, the behaviors of the organizations and how the managers react with respect to effeteness would be crucial for improvement of a particular theory. The study of the management theory and practice therefore shows that it has evolved over time. This has however been mediated by the impacts and challenges from internal process such as motivations, values as well as the capacity o f individuals in an organization. This evolvement in the development of management practices is important for the managers. The managers can look at how the workers behave and the behavior of the organizations and hence innovatively come up with a unique management system. In this perspective the understanding of the evolution with respect to the management practices is important for the organization. For example the nature of human motivation was not recognized in the development of management theory and management practices in the early development of management theory (Lorenzana, 1993). The development of the organizational theory of management in the history timeline also shows that the organizations have to develop new management tactics based on the complexity and diversity. This includes the rapid changes in the organizational internal and the external environment that influence the way people and managers relate in the organization. The demand for changes is often seen in an organization and hence the changes in the management practice in an organization are important (Rainey, 2009). This is because an organization is growing and hence is likely to face challenges that have to be managed by the managers. This concept is therefore important to the managers since it helps the managers not only to be innovative but also to be able to identify and manage the managerial challenges effectively. It is therefore important for the managers to note that the management system in an organization is constantly evolving due to the dynamicity and the complexity that it gains from time to time. The development and evolution in the theory of managem

Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Methodology - Essay Example Qualitative research methods provide the researchers with rich data and help him to broaden his horizon during the research. Moreover, it allows the researcher to look at the data with several perspectives and conclude it with the one that seems the most feasible in terms of research question and scope. Qualitative research, as mentioned earlier, is mostly used when the researcher is not completely aware about the fact that what exactly is being looked for (McBurney & White, 2009). In this case, the same is very much true. The topic here is the effect of globalization on Saudi Arabia. However, important here to note is that the effects are unknown and hidden and only this research would be able to reveal the same. One may start this research with a narrowed perspective, a presupposition in mind that the globalization may only have affected the GDP, trade volume, services sector and employment levels. A quantitative research method would allow the researcher to check out the relation and impact on all these elements in terms of past and present number. However, what if the researcher’s assumptions are faulty and effects of globalization are widespread on other elements as well. A quantitative research would fail to overcome this problem; however, a qualitative research definitely would. Nevertheless, qualitative researchers are often very subjective (Marshall & Rossman, 2010). Despite the fact that this type of research would provide many perspectives to the researcher, but he or she would definitely pick the one that suits most of him or her, thus leading to biasness. In addition, qualitative research also makes life difficult to conclude something since there is nothing in black and white (Balnaves & Caputi, 2010). Quantitative research is the collection of hard and numerical data that provides absolute, clear picture, black and white picture of the happenings. Unlike qu alitative

Royal Bank of Scotland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Royal Bank of Scotland - Essay Example At the time the controversy was percolating in the banking community there were no existing regulations that will cap bonuses much less the regular compensation of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s most senior officers. Ergo for all intents and purposes senior managers were not violating the law and their obligation to do no fault before the bars of justice. However the ethical standard was not only thrown out the window the sense of propriety of the people involved was put into questions. The board of directors itself populated by either the same people who will receive the bonuses shall of course choose to receive the bonus. It should be noted that there is nothing wrong in getting bonuses however, getting it from a distressed bank or an institution that are not only losing money but will be bailed out by the government. Banks are the very foundation of the economy of the United Kingdom, if its citizens lost its trust and confidence in the banking sector the result would not only be economic dislocation but also total economic chaos. These events would precipitate from the shortage of currency which banks help to balance to ensure that their amount can be sustained by the sum total of the United Kingdom’s assets. Thus it is essential that banks are free from controversy that may cause the subject of the United Kingdom to lose its trust and confidence. The United Kingdom failure to institute immediate sanctions to erring banks and their officers were not enough and cannot be rectified by a mere threat of an increase in taxes on bonuses. Drastic measures such as those implemented by the United States to break down or collapse the banks into several pieces were even lobbied by some legislators from both houses of the United Kingdom. Considering that the government of the United Kingdom owns more than half of the Royal Bank of Scotland, it is therefore in the best interest of the government to protect its interest through the board seats it occupy.   T he bonuses for all intents and purposes may have been given or agreed upon by the board of directors with the senior executives of the bank long before the losses were incurred. Thus, the senior management that was affected was well within their rights to receive the bonuses. However, considering that bonus are supposed to be rewards for a job well done. The bonuses are not only needed but it was never really justified in the first place.

Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Methodology - Essay Example Qualitative research methods provide the researchers with rich data and help him to broaden his horizon during the research. Moreover, it allows the researcher to look at the data with several perspectives and conclude it with the one that seems the most feasible in terms of research question and scope. Qualitative research, as mentioned earlier, is mostly used when the researcher is not completely aware about the fact that what exactly is being looked for (McBurney & White, 2009). In this case, the same is very much true. The topic here is the effect of globalization on Saudi Arabia. However, important here to note is that the effects are unknown and hidden and only this research would be able to reveal the same. One may start this research with a narrowed perspective, a presupposition in mind that the globalization may only have affected the GDP, trade volume, services sector and employment levels. A quantitative research method would allow the researcher to check out the relation and impact on all these elements in terms of past and present number. However, what if the researcher’s assumptions are faulty and effects of globalization are widespread on other elements as well. A quantitative research would fail to overcome this problem; however, a qualitative research definitely would. Nevertheless, qualitative researchers are often very subjective (Marshall & Rossman, 2010). Despite the fact that this type of research would provide many perspectives to the researcher, but he or she would definitely pick the one that suits most of him or her, thus leading to biasness. In addition, qualitative research also makes life difficult to conclude something since there is nothing in black and white (Balnaves & Caputi, 2010). Quantitative research is the collection of hard and numerical data that provides absolute, clear picture, black and white picture of the happenings. Unlike qu alitative

Ripe Figs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ripe Figs - Research Paper Example Although she had to wait only for a few months, she would go into the garden to see how ripe the figs were, to know how much time was left for her to go down the Bayou-Lafourche. The narrator called her â€Å"as restless as a humming-bird†, dancing out to the fig trees to know the condition of the figs. When she would see them ripening, this would â€Å"made her sing and dance the whole long day†. This showed that Babette felt as if she would speed up the natural process of ripening of the figs, by checking out everyday how they were. And every day, she would come back â€Å"disconsolate†, which means that she would feel frustrated enough when she would see that the figs were ripening very slowly. When Maman Nainaine told her that the fips were ripening fast, she said, â€Å"I think they have ripened very late† (400). Her impatience had made her feel that she had waited very long for the figs to get ripened. So, we see that Babette had the weak point of im patience, which made her feel as if time was moving slowly for her. In contrast, Maman Nainaine had a very patient personality. She was practical enough to know that figs take ample time to get ripened. She had told her god-child to wait to go to her cousins, till the figs get ripened. She was in no hurry, which depicted her calm personality. She wanted to make things go according to her wishes. She patiently waited for the ripening of the figs, when Babette would go down to the fig trees every day. In contrast to Babette’s personality, the narrator has called her â€Å"as patient as the statue of la Madone†. This comparison gave a saintly touch to her personality. For her, time had move very fast, like when she said, â€Å"how early the figs have ripened this year!† This was because she was waiting for nature to complete its natural course of action. Hence, we see that

Transformational Leadership Essay Example for Free

Transformational Leadership Essay What are the most important concepts you have learned this week? I have understood that a skillful leader must be an example for his followers. I have realized that the chances to become a leader are not very high and if I don’t become leader I’ll be able to apply my leadership skills to the role of follower and thus will become useful for team work. What would you recommend to your management/leadership based on these concepts? During last week I have realized that to be a leader means to be highly responsible and to be a leader means more than simply giving instructions. Skillful leader may sometime act as follower and it won’t mean that the leader is weak or his followers are stronger. It means that leader should act logically. How will these concepts impact you personally and professionally? The key elements of leader’s success are certainly communication, responsibility, planning, consistency and motivational. After having read lots of relevant materials I have realized that many difficult situations have made me stronger and provided me with leadership characteristics. Thus nowadays I am successfully equipped with all of them at my working place. What is the value-added from these concepts, or what differences can these concepts make to your organization? The value –added from these concepts are the same as in the previous week. They are to reduce misunderstanding, mistakes, miscomputations as well as to increase good communication, mutual respect and motivation of every team member. It is necessary to understand your own virtues and characteristics in order to find out whether you are a natural leader. Describe important references used this week. List the references in proper APA style. Ackoff, R. L. (1999). Transformational Leadership. Strategy Leadership, 27, 20–25. Avolio, B. J. , Yammarino, F. J. (2002). Transformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead. Greenwich, CT: JAI. Bass, B. M. (1990). Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations. New York: Free Press. Bass, B. M. (1990). Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research and Managerial Applications (3rd ed. ). New York: The Free Press. Bal, V. , Quinn, L. (2004). The Missing Link: Organizational Culture and Leadership Development. In M. Wilcox S. Rush (Eds. ). The CCL Guide to Leadership in Action: How Managers and Organizations Can Improve the Practice of Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 163-171. Characteristics of Good Followers. (2006). Retrieved November 5, 2006, from http://www. ssu. missouri. edu/faculty/rcampbell/Leadership/chapter5. html. Clark, D. (2005, April 2). Concepts of Leadership. Retrieved November 5, 2006, from http://www. nwlink. com/~donclark/leader/leadcon. html. Leadership. (2006, November 3). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 5, 2006, from http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Leadershipoldid=85498479. Life Issues In-Focus – Dealing With Stress: Visioform Personal Growth. Retrieved November 5, 2006 from

Starbucks Expansion to China

Starbucks Expansion to China Our group would like to present Starbucks story in China. Starbucks is one of the largest coffee chains in the World, ranked 631 in Global 2000 list of Forbes. The company has a unique style and atmosphere in their coffee houses. We chose China because it is the worlds most populous country with over 1.3 billion people live there and second-largest country by land area. After 1978, the countrys economy were underwent dramatic changes which involved such relief as permission for entrepreneurs to start up their own business and opening the country for foreign investment. It is obviously that Starbucks managers decided to take advantage of such opportunity to expand their business into new region. To evaluate Chinese market the company used several steps of analyses. The initial screening process helped the company answer the question: who might be interested in buying coffee in China? To introduce the Starbucks brand the company begun to distribute coffee for free to guests in several Beijings hotels in 1994. This initiative indicated that there was a strong demand for their products, particularly among foreigners in China. Local people, who strived to imitate the Western lifestyle, also showed interest for coffee drinking. In addition young generation were enchantment by brands and products from the West. These factors led Starbucks managers to learn and understand more about business climate in that Asia country. Next step for Starbucks was to determine financial and economic conditions of China. Companys managers were aware that Chinese Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continuously grew approximately 9 % on an average and a GDP per capita was US$3.800. All these factors led to rising income of middle class. That was undoubted advantage for entering Chinese market for Starbucks. At the third level of screening Starbucks faced with political restrictions. China is highly bureaucratic country with difficult processes of getting permissions and sanctions to start and run business. In order to avoid these challenges the company built and maintain firm relationship with Chinese local partners as well as government officials. In addition, Starbucks Soong Ching-Ling Foundation received $5 million donation from Starbucks to support education in countrys poorest regions. The fourth level of screening involved socio-cultural forces. It showed the biggest challenges for Starbucks, because of the old tradition of tea drinking in China. At the beginning managers didnt know how to accustomed Chinese to drink and appreciate coffee. To acquaint employees and Chinese executives with coffee drinking experience Starbucks provided different training programs for them in which they learned more about coffee and Starbucks culture. The same way the company taught customers about different flavors and types of coffee. Another aspect was Chinese shopping behaviour which was different from the US market. People in China spent main slice of their monthly budget on foods. This also led to success for the company. The fifth level of China screening was focused on competitive forces. As we mentioned before China is a tea country and the share of coffee was low. Little or no competition for Starbucks was considered as an advantage. Chinese people were familiar only with one international brand which was Nestlà ©s Nescafe. However, Nescafe is not a coffee house like Starbucks. As regards local competitions, it was a well-known Chinese brand Li Shen and Japanese brand Zhen Gou Coffee. Having taken into account all the factors of international market assessment which was done by Starbucks we think that it was right decision to enter that market. Despite of all the risks of Chinese economy and vacillating attitudes toward The West culture, there is no doubt that consumption of coffee in China will continue to grow. As a result Starbucks will benefit from it. Question # 2 Although Starbucks encountered several challenges in the process of entering into Chinese market. Starbucks had successfully expanded its business in over 20 large or medium sized cities of China, and opened about 560 storefronts in these cities by 2012. The astonishing achievement owes to its careful marketing assessment and various marketing strategies in different periods. These strategies mainly refer to 2 different modes of entering foreign markets: licensed agreement and joint venture. Licensed agreement In 1998, Starbucks adopted the mode of licensing agreement to license its Chinese partner (Beijing Mei Da), a wholesale distribution company to supply coffee beans to some selected hotels and restaurants. Starbucks realized that local partners can have the best understanding of local cultures customers and some related laws. and they have already established good relationship with local government, so it was easy to obtain the permissions and sanctions required to start and operate business in a bureaucratic country like China. Moreover, Starbucks could also maintain a high standard on the control of production, and achieve a ideal revenue in Chinese market. So licensed agreement was a optimal option for Starbucks to enter into a booming Chinas market in the mid-1990s. Joint venture A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new asset by contributing equity. Starbucks formed a joint venture with different partners at different times when it entered into Chinese market. Starbucks achieved considerable knowledge about the Chinese market conditions and then began to open Starbucks stores in China. The company adopted a strategy of having three different partners to enter different regions in Chinese market. In September 1998, Starbucks entered China under a licensing agreement with Beijing Mei Da Coffee Co.Ltd, which was as their first partner. In 1999, Starbucks formed a joint venture with the Taiwan based Uni-President Group and opened stores in Shanghai. In 2000, Starbucks entered into a joint venture with Mei-Xin International Ltd, it also called Coffee Concepts Ltd. It managed the operations in the region of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Macau, Guangzhou, and other parts of southern China. Based on our market assessment, there are some advantages for Starbucks with joint venture to enter Chinese market. First of all, Starbucks choose a good local partner to form a joint venture which can help it better understand the local laws and negotiate better with the authorities. It is beneficial for Starbucks to obtain required permissions and sanctions so that it can be opened easily. Secondly, local partners know Chinese market condition better than Starbucks; therefore, it is effective and efficient method for Starbucks to adopt a few localization strategies to satisfy different regions of customers. Last but not least, joint venture is a good way for Starbucks to reduce operation expenditure, and it also helps to reduce risks in Chinese market. Question # 3 In many ways Starbucks has changed their business strategies while operating in China. We could simply identify those changes from the case study, library sources and other sources.We have described those changes in the following paragraphs. We want our customers to recognize that were not coming to China just to make money, we are coming to China to build an enduring company that they can trust and they can view as one of their own. (Howard Schultz) Starbucks modified their menu and tried to localize its brand name by selling some food items according to the choice of the Chinese people and selling different kind of tea. They also changed their marketing and pricing strategies based on needs for the Chinese market. Our entry into Beijing is about serving people, building global relationships, and celebrating local cultures over a great cup of coffee. That is the heart and soul of the Starbucks Experience. We are excited to be working with our partners, Beijing Mei DA Coffee Co. Ltd., who shares our values and business philosophy. said Howard Behar of SCI When Starbucks started in China, one of the biggest challenges it faced was to make the consumers accustomed to drink and appreciating coffee. Arrocding to analysts, compared to other countries in which Starbucks operated this task was more difficult in China because of the age old tradition of tea drinking in the country, where coffee was seen as nothing less than a kind of Western invasion. Starbucks, like any other multinational company, had to go through the dilemma of choosing whether to follow Chinese traditional tea or take a big risk of following Starbucks culture of promoting premium coffee. The company chose to opt for its own culture and sell the idea of the Coffee drinking experience. Starbucks started by projecting the stores as a place for social gathering. The stores were also larger in area than the ones in the US, as the idea was to make the customers feel at home, relax and spend more time there. Similarly the company took initiatives to teach the customers about the different types of coffees and how to distinguish between flavors. The customers were given some samples to smell as well as sip and then describe their experience. At times if the customers did not enjoy the sample, the store employees asked them to come back again later for another tasting session or they offered them some other drink that they enjoyed. They also spoke to the customers about the positive effects drinking coffee. For example, they spoke about how drinking coffee helped to change their mood and how it was good to have coffee in the morning. On the other hand as Chinese people were accustomed with tea drinking, Starbucks other business strategy was to promote the benefit of coffee drinking to its customers and distributed free samples of coffees. The company also changed its normal store size to project itself as a place for social gathering. Localization Strategies: Normally Starbucks follows a high standard technique to maintain its stores worldwide. But in the case of China it adapted some strategies influenced by local culture and market conditions to gain Chinese peoples trust and confidence. Small changes were made in the texture, menu and store layout just to match with Chinese culture and food preferences. Within few months of opening the coffee stores, the company started observing that coffee culture is different for Chinese people than US, where people are very busy in their daily lives and they just grab their coffee and leave, but in China coffee stores were more like a place for social gathering where they can sit and talk for hours with their friends and families. Therefore, according to the market needs they had to square bigger stores. In the US a normal size of Starbcks store is about 1,200 to 1,500 square feet whereas in China they started opening stores bigger than 2,000 square feet. It was observed that the Chinese also liked to have some food along with their drink. 5 In response to that Starbucks started offering some popular Chinese foods like, curry puffs, moon cakes, and traditional cookies. Starbucks incorporates another localize strategy in every country they go, by modifying the name of Starbucks to suit the local language, like in China they Changed the name to Xing Bake where Xing represents Star and Bake was pronounced as bucks. Starbucks accepted the reality that maximum people in China like tea more than coffee though young generation is more likely to go for coffee. So they decided different menu for different stores in China. In Shanghai and westernized, the stores a standard menu where they served coffee. And in Beijing stores they introduced different tea-based drinks like coffee-flavored milk tea, green tea-flavored frappuccino etc. to attract more people. Promotional and Pricing Strategies: To promote themselves in China the company chose a different way. It was mostly depended on the people to spread goodwill through word of mouth than commercial advertisements and media products. Their knowledge, organized way of business left a good impression on customers mind. The customers were willing to pay a higher price for the brand name. As a result young, urban Chinese, who solely started to associate visiting Starbucks or being seen with a Starbucks cup, as a symbol of social status. They tried to build their reputation in terms of, product quality, customer service, employee relationship, etc. To enhance the name of Starbucks they had different strategies. From professional to students they had different ways to attract them. They started selling latest DVDs, free access of internet and also use to provide different wireless services so people can feel it like their 3rd home. Starbucks uses the highest quality coffee beans from ideal coffee producing climates. They helped Chinese farmers, made good relationships with their workers and they also made a good reputation in the supply market .As a result of good reputation, good quality and high price they were able to attract people and also maintain their luxury appeal. The company priced its coffees at around US$ 6 for a cup, which was considered by analysts as too costly , even though it was too costly by Chinese standards but they decided to continue with it because in China, high price was directly associated with quality.

The Power of Language in Shakespeares King Lear Essay -- King Lear es

The Power of Language in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚   It is often difficult to gain entry into a work of such complete and dazzling genius as King Lear--reading Shakespeare can sometimes feel like trying to get a good long look at the sun on a cloudless day. And yet there are moments when one comes across passages that, by the sheer force of their lyrical, poetic beauty, leap off the page and resonate so strongly within one's mind that they become a kind of distillation of the entire play. One can read this play again and again, and still be struck anew by Shakespeare's utter mastery over language; surely there is no other writer who had so full a sense of, and who used to such merciless ends, the power of words. In a genre that denies the novelist's luxury of narrative explication, language in its barest, purest form, becomes Shakespeare's precision instrument, and he wields it with a perpetually astonishing combination of force, subtlety and exactitude.    The introductory quoted lines, when brought out of their immediate textual surroundings, form for this reader the kind of distilled illumination suggested in the preceding paragraph. These are the words of the sightless and stumbling Gloucester, as he begs a passing stranger, (who, unbeknownst to him is the son he so belatedly recognizes as faithful), to help him to his own death; by the end of the play, this passage becomes a central paradigm.    Despite the afore-mentioned obstacle (an obstacle the surmounting of which yields so much pleasure and insight) to readerly intercourse with Shakespeare, one can often recognize and trace logical devices he employed in order the more effectively and precisely to communicate his message. The parallel plot of Gloucester and hi... .... Jane Adelman. Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1978. Bradley, A.C. "King Lear." 20Lh Century Interpretations of King Lear. Ed. Jane Adelman. New Jersev; Prentice-Hall, 1978. Colie, Rosalie. "The Energies of Endurance: Biblical Echoes in King Lear. Some Faces of King Lear. Ed. R. Colie & F.T. Flahiff. UniversitV of Toronto Press, 19q4. Hunter, Robert G. Shakespeare and the Mystery of God's Judgments. University of Georgia Press, 19W6. Jayne, Sears. "Charity in King Lear." Shakespeare Quarterly. Spring, 1964. pps. 27-7-288. Knights, L.C. "On the Fool". 20th Century Interpretations of King Lear. Ed. Jane Adelman. New Jersey; Prentice-Hall, 1978. Matthews, Richard. "Edmund's Redemption in King Lear". Shakespeare Quarterly. Winter, 19q5. pps. 25-29. Snyder, Susan. "King Lear and the Prodigal Son." Shakespeare Quarterly. Autumn 1966. pps. 361-369.    The Power of Language in Shakespeare's King Lear Essay -- King Lear es The Power of Language in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚   It is often difficult to gain entry into a work of such complete and dazzling genius as King Lear--reading Shakespeare can sometimes feel like trying to get a good long look at the sun on a cloudless day. And yet there are moments when one comes across passages that, by the sheer force of their lyrical, poetic beauty, leap off the page and resonate so strongly within one's mind that they become a kind of distillation of the entire play. One can read this play again and again, and still be struck anew by Shakespeare's utter mastery over language; surely there is no other writer who had so full a sense of, and who used to such merciless ends, the power of words. In a genre that denies the novelist's luxury of narrative explication, language in its barest, purest form, becomes Shakespeare's precision instrument, and he wields it with a perpetually astonishing combination of force, subtlety and exactitude.    The introductory quoted lines, when brought out of their immediate textual surroundings, form for this reader the kind of distilled illumination suggested in the preceding paragraph. These are the words of the sightless and stumbling Gloucester, as he begs a passing stranger, (who, unbeknownst to him is the son he so belatedly recognizes as faithful), to help him to his own death; by the end of the play, this passage becomes a central paradigm.    Despite the afore-mentioned obstacle (an obstacle the surmounting of which yields so much pleasure and insight) to readerly intercourse with Shakespeare, one can often recognize and trace logical devices he employed in order the more effectively and precisely to communicate his message. The parallel plot of Gloucester and hi... .... Jane Adelman. Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1978. Bradley, A.C. "King Lear." 20Lh Century Interpretations of King Lear. Ed. Jane Adelman. New Jersev; Prentice-Hall, 1978. Colie, Rosalie. "The Energies of Endurance: Biblical Echoes in King Lear. Some Faces of King Lear. Ed. R. Colie & F.T. Flahiff. UniversitV of Toronto Press, 19q4. Hunter, Robert G. Shakespeare and the Mystery of God's Judgments. University of Georgia Press, 19W6. Jayne, Sears. "Charity in King Lear." Shakespeare Quarterly. Spring, 1964. pps. 27-7-288. Knights, L.C. "On the Fool". 20th Century Interpretations of King Lear. Ed. Jane Adelman. New Jersey; Prentice-Hall, 1978. Matthews, Richard. "Edmund's Redemption in King Lear". Shakespeare Quarterly. Winter, 19q5. pps. 25-29. Snyder, Susan. "King Lear and the Prodigal Son." Shakespeare Quarterly. Autumn 1966. pps. 361-369.   

What Works in Reducing Recidivism Essay -- rehabilitate prisoners, Re-

A long-term study conducted by Bureau of Justice Statistics found that the average five-year recidivism rates of 404,638 prisoners released in 2005 is 76.6% among thirty states in America (Matthew, Alexia, & Howard, 2014, p. 1). In other words, most of the released prisoners did not escape the cycle of recidivism and were sent back to the prison after time. This indicates that the present American justice system, which focuses on punishment as Benson (2003) noted, fails to rehabilitate prisoners efficiently and is far from achieving the goal of reducing crime rates (p. 46). What is more, the recidivism of prisoners is becoming a great plague of society, because it not only imposes a threat to public safety but also places an enormous financial burden on taxpayers. According to a survey covering forty states in America, one prisoner would cost taxpayers 31,286 dollars each year on average (Henrichson & Delaney, 2012, p. 9). Thus, 76% of 404,638 prisoners, who re-offended in five years , mentioned in the study conducted by Bureau of Justice Statistics would cost approximately one billion dollars annually. Realizing the importance of rehabilitation, the Prison Fellowship International (PFI), founded by Charles Colson in 1979, provides various rehabilitation programs based on Christianity to offenders and ex-offenders in more than 125 countries all over the world (â€Å"Who we†, n.d.). This paper will evaluate and offer advice to three solutions provided by Prison Fellowship International to rehabilitate offenders: establishing communications between offenders and victims, providing offenders with re-entry program based on biblical education and visiting prisoners regularly. Sycamore Tree project offers opportunities for offenders to c... ..., S. (2011). Experiences of shame and empathy in violent and non-violent young offenders. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 22(4), 551-563. doi:10.1080/14789949.2011.602096 Pithers, W. D. (1999). Empathy: definition, enhancement, and relevance to the treatment of sexual abusers. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14(3), 257-284. Proeve, M., & Howells, K. (2002). Shame and Guilt in Child Sexual Offenders. International Journal of Offender Therapy & Comparative Criminology, 46(6), 657-667. Roys, D. T. (1997). Empirical and theoretical considerations of empathy in sex offenders. International Journal of Offender Therapy & Comparative Criminology, 41(1), 53. Who we are. Retrieved from https://pfi.org/who-we-are/ Wilkinson, R. A., & Unwin, T. (1999). Visiting in prison. Retrieved from http://www.drc.ohio.gov/web/Articles/Visiting%20in%20Prison.pdf

A Second Depression Predicted from History

The factors contributing to the struggle of working class Americans during the Depression are still relevant today. Clues as to the imminent occurrence of a second Depression can be found by comparing the Great Depression to today’s economic climate.The following essay compares contributing factors to the struggles of working class society during the time of the Depression and today. Key factors to be analyzed are; low wages and unemployment rates, unfair tax laws and foreign and American economic influences, as well as American spending.Low wages are as much a problem today as they were during the Depression. One out of four working families in America today are low income; earning wages which are so low that it is nearly impossible for them to survive financially (Waldron, et.al., 2004). Key characteristics in today’s poor include; low-paying jobs, inadequate benefits and little-to-no job advancement opportunities and lack of skills and/or education (2004).Presently t he economy demands high skilled workers, due to the rise in technology. Low paying service jobs are still available and needed by the economy, yet the United States has not taken the proper action to support employees of such jobs and thus their needs and those of their families, go unmet (2004). Lack of proper support by government reduces the chances for families of low paying service jobs to make or plan a solid future.Policies and regulations today are inadequate for the needs of the poor; much like during the Depression. Suggestions for the improvement of poverty-stricken American’s involve the creation of better paying jobs, better access to education, training and health care and better benefits; all these items are available to better paid employees. It is suggested that in order to accomplish these things, Americans must effectively invest public resources (2004).Research has shown that the level of education strongly influence living standards in America; for exampl e, thirty-five percent of low-income families have a parent who did not graduate high school (2004).America’s poor struggle with balancing their wages; the majority of their income is going to housing and utilities, not leaving enough for health care. This is a concern because without health care, America’s poor miss work or lose their job because of illness. The struggles of low-paid workers in America are similar to that of workers during the Depression. Education and skills were as important, and difficult, to obtain today as in the 1930s.As in the 1930s, tax structures and investments affect working Americans significantly. Public assistance varies and is mandated by state; however the maximum amount of earnings allowed by any state in America is so low, that if a family wanted to maintain health insurance after reaching the maximum income level, it is close to impossible. Some states only allow a maximum yearly income level of ten thousand dollars. Once reaching t he maximum amount, public assistance is no longer available. There were similar concerns of how to help America’s poor during the Depression.The Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s demonstrates the struggles and political policies which affected the poor during the Depression. During the Dust Bowl migration, families from Oklahoma and surrounding states headed for California during the Depression, in search for a better life in the growing agricultural state (Gregory, 2004). The Depression affected everyone, but especially farmers in Oklahoma and surrounding states; the severe drought made it all the worse.Unemployment rates were high across the country; farmers and those in the city experienced joblessness. The poor were often discriminated against by states; many states were unwilling to allow the poor to relocate to their states (Gregory, 2004). California, for example, set up a boarder patrol to keep poor migrants out of the state. It wasn’t until 1941, that the Supre me Court decided that states had no right to restrict fellow Americans from migrating to their state (2004). Â  There were attempts by some counties to help educated farmers; as well as give minor health care services.

Anything

What are the key event, trends and turning points which you think will be occurring over the next 5 years? Ampang Jaya Municipal council has a very bright vision which Is to make the Ampang Jaya Municipality prosperous and harmonious by 2015. The vision was created suitable as the function of MPAJ itself which is to serve the community within the Ampang Jaya area.In order to realize and achieve the vision, Ampang jaya Municipal Council were very struggling to adapt with and move along with the advancement of technology to ensure a very strategic town planning an be well use. Besides that, Ampang Jaya Municipal council also develops Its creativity and innovative sense so that it will contribute towards the achievement of world class organization that may facilitate the customers demand especially the residents in the Ampang Jaya area.Proudly, Ampang Jaya Munucipal Council shows lot of their effort by combining their strength as a prestigious organization with the vision stated as a dr ive to make sure Ampang Jaya Municipal Council will move forwards and Improve its accountability integrity and transparency towards a strategic town planning in the next five years ahead. SWOT ANALYSIS OF MPAJ Swot analysis Is an analytical method which is used to Identify and categorise significant internal strength and weaknesses and external sucha s opportunities and threats factors faced either in a particular arena, such as an organisation.It provides Information that Is helpful In matching the firms' resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates and is therefore an important contribution to the strategic planning process. It Is used as a dynamic part of the management and business development process. Strength of MPAJ Ampang Jaya Municipal Council Is an organization that provides services to the esident along Ampnag Jaya area. The organization plays crucial roles to ensure that all the resident living well with all the Important Infrastructure and transportation available.Firstly, the strength of Ampang Jay Municipal Council is it focuses on the environment. It means that, the organization was fully taken responsible to ensure that the environments within Ampang Jaya area are well organized and preserved. MPAJ had launch campaign to create awareness with the Involvement of public in gotong-royong every month and the Planning unit department adopt systemauc approach in designing a landscape in Ampang Jaya.No one shall diminish the environment of the area, As example, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council are held responsible to ensure there is company that will loaded up the garbage throw by the residents so that the area will be clean. This Is parallel with the maln function of MpaJ which is to serve the publics and manage the Ampang Jaya territories. Next is, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council Provide variety of facilities and services and act as an 1 OF3 enTorcement Doay wltnln tne area.I ne scope ana responsl I t D II les 0T tne pr ovide a good surroundings and environment to the the Ampang Jaya residents. Through all the budgets given by the government, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council shall play it roles as good as they should be. MPAJ enhance their role by providing and build various infrastructures, services and e-services. As example, MPAJ are held the accountability to facilitate the area with a well organize hospital facilities, transportations, food court, mosque and public bath and many more.This is regards as MPAJ strength because of their role to facilitate the area are goes well acting up as the enforcement body that will be respected by many publics. As example, MPAJ may rite a compound letter to the premises of food courts if the premises were not following the exact procedures in opening the premises such as cleanliness. Weaknesses of MPAJ Along with much strength that exists within the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, the organization also has it weaknesses. First, the weaknesses of the MPAJ is , th e staff of the organization were lack of quality measurement.It happens and can be seen when the quality of services offered is not in line with the vision of MPAJ. The vision of MPAJ is to make the area harmonious and integrated by 2015 but still, there are oopholes in the organization where some staff was not giving all the cooperation to help achieving the vision stated. This can be prove by an articles written in a newspaper where the residents of Taman Teratai ask MPAJ to take urgent action against badly cracked and collapsed drain walls that lead to soil erosion.Regards to these matters, MPAH should take an immediate action to supervise, monitor and ensure that all the residents in the area are being take care of. This had shows the commitment stated by the organization are not well spreading within the organization. Besides, many issues had been arising regarding MPAJ. This issues arise had tarnished the MPAJ's image and reputation especially when it indicates that the staff are lacking in the integrity values. Bureaucratic in nature lead to discipline problem, unaccountability and corruption issues within the organizations.As example, the most hottest issues pertaining MPAJ of the year is the cases of former MPAJ enforcement director Capt (R) Abdul Kudus Ahmad was sentenced to 11 years and 10 months Jail and RM370,OOO fine for accepting bribes totaling RM59,OOO. This is the strongest weakness of MPAJ that had tarnished its reputation. Opportunities of MPAJ As a public organization, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council able to take and grabs many opportunities that came ahead of the organization. This opportunities came, thanks to the globalization that created many chance for the MPAJ to improves its lack and maintain it's prosperous.First, the opportunities that came beneath MPAJ organization is the growth of the technologies where the advancement of technologies lead to better productivity and efficiency of the MPAJ function. As example through the advancem ent of technology many technological devices has been adopted to provide an excellent services to the Ampang Jaya residents. As example, is the usage of modern machine conducted by expertise to beautify the town can be very useful tools for MPAJ.I nreats to M Every organization has threats that make the organization to be alert more with the surroundings. The threats that have been surrounds by the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council is the mentalities of the citizen around the Ampang Jaya area itself. The demands of the citizens are sometimes beyond the limit that can be reach and realize by the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council. The demands from the citizens are above the MPAJ expectations. As example, are the high citizens' expectations that emand everything to be settled within MPAJ authorities.It is an alarm that chain the public organization where the organization cannot fully fulfilled the demand. Besides that is the migration of the citizens into the Ampang Jaya area. This migration c reat more surplus and induce to the overpopulation problems thata later on creating more social issues and conflicts. It in hard to monitor the overcrowded and the possibilities to prevent and maintains its peace is more complicated. The illegal activities may take place and it will be difficult to combat the crime as overcrowded made it hard to settle things up.Tthe Ampang Jaya area is not abig area and nowadays it still can afford its population but in the future, the effects of globalization may trigger more the mirgation and create overpopulations. This later on will require the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council to provide more facilities, transportation and others accomodation but yet, the problem is it may surpass the limits of Ampang Jaya Municipal Council to cope with all the demands. MPAJ's Stakeholder Basically, stakeholders are an individual, group, organization that directly or indirectly get involve with the MPAJ activities.The Amppang Jaya Municipal council's takeholders i s consist of state government such as Office of the State Secretary and Office of State Treasury, federal government such as Housing and Local Government, Department of Public Service, MPAJ themselves which includes members of the council. Besides that is the customer that act as the important stakeholders which is residents, visitors, tourists, government agencies and private, residential owner or business premises. The non organizational organization also acts as the stakeholders of the Ampang Jaya Municipal council together with the Business Community and Concession Company.

Russians As the Others in 1920s and Early 1930s Hollywood Essay

Russians As the Others in 1920s and Early 1930s Hollywood - Essay Example The movie can be used as a symbol of the fate of Russians in Hollywood. It must first be understood that Russians had very limited success in Hollywood with the possible exception of Kirk Douglas whose parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. But this was because Douglas had no accent issues as he was trained at American Academy. However the rest of the actors of Russian descent had marginalized success in Hollywood as their accent forever sealed their fate and they were limited to either smaller side roles or at best character actors. They couldn't make it to the mainstream roles. Freaks (1932) is a sign of that fate. The movie is symbolic of what happened to those Russians who tried to enter the Hollywood. In this movie, the only Russian born actress, is the leading female character of Cleopatra played by immensely beautiful Olga Baclanova. Baclanova had arrived in USA with Moscow Theatre group. Her first love was stage and that is what she was doing when a role in Freaks was offered.

Efficient Data Mining Classification Technique Essay

Efficient Data Mining Classification Technique - Essay Example Therefore, the concept-evolution problem would be effectively addressed in this thesis along with data reduction and class balancing issues. This research project aims to study the shortcomings of existing novel class detection, data reduction, and class balancing data mining techniques in terms of their accuracy, efficiency, and applicability to real life applications of multi streaming data. The aim of the research is also to provide alternate solutions to overcome those drawbacks. My thesis aims to propose a general model and algorithm that will be tested on synthetic data and well known real data sets e.g. KDD Cup 99 network intrusion detection (KDD), Auslan [Kad02], and EMG [Kol05]. Classification, clustering, and aggregation are some of the data mining hot topics that are of extreme value in all engineering and scientific areas, such as, biological, physical and bio-medical sciences. Diversified nature of escalated data along with its composite aspects and multiple autonomous sources is a major issue in data mining that leads to the need for the development of real life applications. The motivation behind this study is offered in the following paragraphs: The first issue the thesis is going to address is that of evolving data, which represents a challenge for classification. The effective and efficient methods are needed by the growing and dynamic data streams, which are considerably different from the static data mining methods. The concept drift and infinite length are considered to be the well-studied features of data streams. Across data stream mining, to address the infinite length [Fan04] and concept-drift[Cha07][Kol05] [Wan03], diverse methods have been suggested in the literature. Yet, the data streams have two another challenging characteristics, known as, feature-evolution and concept-evolution, which are ignored by the present methods.

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day - Essay Example The association of the idea of youth can be seen as a period of regeneration, whereby such beauty is much livelier and more colorful than the summer's days. Summer is described as the "eye of heaven5" with its "gold complexion"; the imagery of the summer is simple and vivid. The language is rather plain, and Shakespeare has chosen not to apply too many literacy devices. Alliterations, repetition, etc. would restrict his use of different words and so create boundaries. By avoiding such linguistic devices, Shakespeare is able to express his beloved's beauty openly and more eloquently. His chosen mellow words combine to produce the full impact of the regular rhyme scheme- (day/Maie), (shines/ declines6). This emits a powerful sense of unrestrained behavior, such as "rough windes", which contrast with the images of summer. When Shakespeare describes the powerful image of "Rough windes" and how they "shake the darling buds of May", he is utilizing in the first stanza, powerful metaphorical devices in order to show a change. He implies that his beloved does not suffer from these winds as summer does. Therefore, the beloved's comparison to summer and winter is expanded more pleasingly and lyrically. The final couplets which conclude the sonnet, bring everythi... His chosen mellow words combine to produce the full impact of the regular rhyme scheme- (day/Maie), (shines/ declines6). This emits a powerful sense of unrestrained behavior, such as "rough windes", which contrast with the images of summer. When Shakespeare describes the powerful image of "Rough windes" and how they "shake the darling buds of May", he is utilizing in the first stanza, powerful metaphorical devices in order to show a change. He implies that his beloved does not suffer from these winds as summer does. Therefore, the beloved's comparison to summer and winter is expanded more pleasingly and lyrically. The theme of youth is carried forward through the third quatrain, expanding the concept that youth will possess eternal beauty and perfection, and shall never "fade7". Shakespeare creates this illusory idea, telling the beloved that beauty shall never be erased; he uses summer as a metaphor for her beauty. "So long as men can breath or eyes can see, So long lives this and this give life to thee" The final couplets which conclude the sonnet, bring everything together, reinforcing the idea of love and poetry in a positive and rich tone. His last comparison is full of pride and positive reinforcement - a belief that his poem and his beloved will last "so long as men can breathe or eyes can see", unlike the summer days. The final couplets provide a new, yet connected concept; differing from those earlier comparisons and concluding and claiming that his beloved has been immortalized through the sonnet. Missing Dates (1940) William Empson Slowly the poison the whole blood stream fills. It is not the effort nor the

Financial Statement Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Research Paper Example 2.1.1 Which three (3) assets are most significant to the company? Using the notes to the financial statements, discuss the accounting methods used to value assets. What method(s) do the companies use to value inventory? What depreciation method(s) do the companies use to value property, plant and equipment? How are accounts receivable valued? The most significant assets of Home in 2010 included merchandise inventory, Property and equipment and other current assets constituting about 26%, 62% and 3% of the total assets respectively. Compared to 2009, the most significant were merchandise inventory, Property and equipment and other current assets constituting about 25%, 63% and 3% of the total assets respectively. The companies appear to have inventories and property as top two most significant assets for both years and this should describe the nature of the industry that they are in. The three most significant assets of Lowe for 2010 would include merchandise inventory, Property and long-term investment constituting about 24.7%, 65.5 and 3% of the total assets respectively. Compared to 2009, the most significant were merchandise inventory, Property and cash and cash equivalents constituting about 25%, 68.2 and 1.9% of the total assets respectively. For Home depot on the other hand, Bother company value their inventory using lower of cost or market under first in first out (FIFO) basis. Both companies used the straight-line depreciation method Receivables are valued by both companies using fair value. The three of the most significant liabilities to HD include the following: Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Long-term Debt. For HD There have been no significant change to liabilities from 2009 to 2010 except on deferred tax which decreased by 15%. The three of the most significant liabilities to LOW include the following:

Hariharan N The Musical Genius Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hariharan N The Musical Genius - Essay Example This gave way to many concerts, television performance and even TV serial such as â€Å"Junoon†. In 1994, he received the Best Album of the Year Award for the song Abshaar-e-Ghazal. In 1998, he was awarded as the â€Å"Best Male Playback Singer† by the Tamil Nadu State Government Film Awards for his song â€Å"Mere dushman mere bhai†. All of the awards however were nothing compared to the milestone that he achieved in the year 1996, the time when his fusion album ( Indian-English ) â€Å" Colonial Cousins† made him a celebrity. It was a collaboration between Bombay-based composer/singer Leslie Lewis and him. It was popular due to the fact that it : "Colonial Cousins" became the first Indian act to be featured on MTV Unplugged and also won the pair a string of national and international awards, including the MTV Indian Viewers Choice award and US Billboards award†( Hariharan mysticamusic.com ) The popular album showcased Harahan’s musical prowess as a co-writer , musical scorer and artist. This is a hard combination to beat even amongst young artists of today where singing is the only forte one has. What was outstanding about Harihan is that he was able to â€Å" scale the song Hamsathwani raga in three octaves, hitting the lowest and highest notes with equal facility. His other songs like â€Å"Feel Alright â€Å" is a perfect example of fusion wherein he was able to sing the English lyrics yet in typical Indian folk style.

Whole Foods Essay Example for Free

Whole Foods Essay Whole Food’s chief elements of the strategy are to position the company as a market leader in the natural and organic foods, expand the brand internationally, provide the highest quality, and be the best food retailer in every community in which Whole Foods stores are located. Is Whole Foods’ strategy well matched to market conditions in the food retailing industry (one of the criteria for a winning strategy discussed in Chapter 1)? Whole Foods’ strategy is definitely well matched to market conditions. Currently, there is a huge demand for healthy food. People are more health conscious, expect taste and quality, and look for convenience in shopping. Whole Foods is able to address all the current trends through its strategic vision. The CEO John Mackey’s vision was for Whole Foods to become an international brand, carry the highest quality natural and organic foods, and be the best food retailer in every community. The products are free of pesticides, hormones, and other genetically engineered products that could affect health, community, and agriculture. In addition, Whole Foods is recognized by the USDA as being a Certified Organic grocer by Quality Assurance International. This means that all their products are grown organically; the products are grown without the usage of pesticides, fertilizers, bioengineered organisms, growth hormones, or antibiotics. Whole Foods had successfully addressed the economic conditions of 2008; as sales dropped due to the recession, Whole Foods executives changed the company’s strategy to better match the economic downturn. For instance, they reduced prices of certain foods, offered family sized meals, offered coupons, and managed to cut certain products’ costs. Based on the financial statement data in case Exhibits 9, 10, and 11, how well is Whole Foods Market performing? Use the financial ratio information in Table 4.1 of Chapter 4 (pages 98-99) to assist you in calculating a revealing set of` financial ratios and interpreting them. According to Exhibits 9, 10, and 11, there is an increase of their net income from $136,351in 2005 to $203,828 in 2006. In 2007 and 2008 Whole Foods net income decreased gradually, in 2009 net income increased to $146,804 due to the change in the company’s strategy. According to Yahoo finance net income has been increasing since 2009; in 2011 the company’s net income was $342,612. Whole foods’ balance sheet shows total assets of $3,783,388 and total liabilities of $2,155,512 in 2009. In 2011 total assets were $4,292,075 and total liabilities were $ 1,300,770. Ash The cash flow data shows a net cash provided by operating activities of $587,721 in 2009. Also, the company has invested $386,283 in 2009 as part of the growth strategy. Based on these recent information Whole Foods has recorded a strong financial performance. Fiantial Ratios 2009 Gross Profit Margin= Revenues-Cost of goods sold= $8,031,620-$5,277,310=34.3% Revenues $8,031,620 34.3% is the percentage of revenues available to cover operating expenses. Current Ratio= Current assets =$1,055,380= 1.54 Current liabilities $684,024 Since the current ratio is greater than 1, Whole Foods is able to pay current liabilities using assets that can be converted to cash in the near term. Debt to assets ratio=Total debt = $2,155,512= 0.057 Total assets $3,783,388 This ratio is very low, in other words the company’s operations are not financed through the use of debt.