The war on terrorism in Afghanistan has been the longest...

The war on terrorism in Afghanistan has been the longest war in the history of the United States of America, the war that nobody wanted is finally coming to an end. Ever since the September 11th attack on the twin towers in the heart of New York, the United States has led a 13 year long war on terrorism in the war-torn country, Afghanistan. The ending of the war is a major turning point in the history of America and Afghanistan. The ending of the war will be the greatest test on the people of Afghanistan to see how they will take their country into their own hand and decide its fate. The future of Afghanistan is that it will not be stable enough to run on its own due to the high level of poverty, high levels of corruption and limited†¦show more content†¦Afghanistan will remain unstable due to its high levels of poverty and once the high poverty levels decrease the instability of the country will also decrease. Corruption in Afghanistan tends to run in every which way, from the country’s massive heroin production industry and exportation, to government officials taking bribes and finally to the everyday bribes of the average citizen. Due to the high levels of corruption in Afghanistan, corruption will always be a major factor to consider when predicting the outcome of the country’s future success. According to Transparency International, a global civil organization leading the fight against corruption, Afghanistan has been rated 175/177 out of the 177 countries around the world involved in the organization’s research as highly corrupt. â€Å"Afghanistan is categorized as Highly Corrupt† (Transparency International), but what is the meaning of corruption really? Corruption is a dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving some sort of bribery. Based on past experience, Corruption takes place in all sorts of places and levels of the social class system in our society, from the governmental procedures and treaties to the average daily routines of the average citizen, especially in Afghanistan. Bribery is a common occurrence in Afghanistan, from paper work in immigration offices to getting out of sticky situations likeShow MoreRelatedGlobal War On Terrorism And Terrorism1367 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal War On Terrorism   Ã‚  Ã‚   The attack executed in the United States on September 11, 2001 was one of the worst attacks and acts of war ever seen in U.S. history. On that day 2,996 innocent people were killed, over 6,000 people were injured, and about $10 billion in structural and infrastructure damages was caused. The cost added up to $3 trillion in total.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Global War on Terrorism is a metaphor of war referring to the global military campaign led by the United States of America. The war isRead MoreThe War Of Afghanistan And Afghanistan1154 Words   |  5 Pages The War in Afghanistan Joseph Kemna HIST 102 American History since 1877 American Military University Dr. Lilia Anand 25 January, 2015 The War in Afghanistan Most people think of the War in Afghanistan as a war that the United States have been fighting over the last decade. But the truth is that Afghanistan has been a country familiar with war for over the last 35 years. Afghanistan became an independent nation in 1921 and The United States formally recognized Afghanistan as a countyRead MoreThird, Terrorism Damaged The Concept Of The Land Of Opportunity.1264 Words   |  6 Pages Third, terrorism damaged the concept of the land of opportunity. The terrorism factor has changed the American approach to immigration as much as the immigrants approach to America. For the Americans, immigration has become a threat to the United States rather than an opportunity and an advantage. 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The second war which began in 2003 was due toRead MoreThe Utilization Of Terroristic Tactics1027 Words   |  5 PagesTerrorism, within modern society, has become a common strategy employed by various radical groups throughout the world. The utilization of terroristic tactics originated in Russia during the 19th century as a response to an autocratic Russian system that was believed to be well overdue for refinement. During this time, terrorism remained within its place of origin and was a carefully directed phenomenon. Thus, most acts of terror were aimed at specified targets who were chosen systematically, ensuringRead MoreThe War Of Afghanistan During The United States1767 Words   |  8 PagesThe War in Afghanistan is the longest war in the US history, lasting from 2001 to present, nearly 15 years in the running. Once the two planes, United Airlines Flight 175 and American Airlines Flight 11, hit the World Trade Center in New York, the US was brought into the Afghanistan war. Mainly this war was to end terrorism in the middle east, and in the whole world. President George Bush sent troops into Afghanistan for two reasons, ending terrorism, and finding the one who caused the horrific tragedyRead MoreThe Algebra Of Infinite Justice Essay1399 Words   |  6 PagesHung Truong English 1A Professor Frank Spinelli Essay #1 The algebra of infinite justice essay By achieving a countless number of spectacular accomplishments in all aspects, the United States of America has become the most powerful nation in the planet. Especially, there is a factor that cannot be missed when referring to the elements that make the America so â€Å"America†, the military. The US government spends a great percentage of its budget for the military and the national defense system. In fact

A Search for Hope - 930 Words

Famous English poet and playwright William Shakespeare uses â€Å"hope† in King Richard III as â€Å"True hope is swift, and flies with swallows wings: Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings† (Shakespeare). Shakespeare likens â€Å"hope† to wings that elevate people during its existence, a power which strengthens people. During my research different sources, from academic writings to visual sources, discussed how the result of an aim is affected by â€Å"hope†. The results that I gained from my research have shown that people can’t achieve their dreams in the lack of hope. Hope is the irreplaceable element of success. The dictionary gives a basic meaning of hope, but the explanation of the word is deficient. The Oxford dictionary, an online dictionary which is created by The Oxford University, defines hope as â€Å"to want something to happen and think that is possible†(Hope). The denotation by The Oxford dictionary vitiates the true meaning of the word â€Å"hope†. â€Å"To want something to happen† (Hope) can be the explanation of require/desire, however, simplifying hope like that would be ignoring the effects of hope which are beyond desiring. After the requirement, having hope for the aim would help in the process of achieving. Defining second part of hope as â€Å"to think something is possible† (Hope) would be insufficient because hope can make people believe and attach themselves to their aim even though in the situations which are called impossible. With this belief, hope can make peopleShow MoreRelatedA Search for Hope and Meaning729 Words   |  3 Pageshave with the 10,000 dollar inheritance. Walter dreams of starting a liquor store. Beneatha dreams of going to medical school and Mama dreams of buying a new house. The second part of the play speaks about the loss of the family money and the loss of hope over their dreams. Finally, the third part is about the perseverance of the family even through their terrible hardship and their fight for pride even in the hardest of times. It is in the middle of the second and third progression that the conversationRead MoreSearch For New Hope : Hieu Nguyen1315 Words   |  6 Pages In Search for New Hope: Hieu Nguyen The Vietnam War was an expensive and fatal conflict, which happened within the North and South Vietnam regions. The Northern communist government and their southern allies, the Viet Cong, were heavily against South Vietnam and their benevolent allies, the United States. And their main purpose of the Vietnam War was to reassemble the country of Vietnam under the rule of communism. From the perspective of the Viet Cong, the conflict against the South and UnitedRead More Hopeful Hell: The Search for Hope in a Post-Apocalyptic World2426 Words   |  10 Pagesdescription. Cormac McCarthys speculation of the end of the world, however, ensures that evil is not victorious. The biblical allusions Cormac McCarthy addresses in The Road illuminate a sense of hope in a bleak, empty world. Despite a grim first impression, the repetitive imagery of ash represents hope according to symbolism found in the Bible. Ash becomes a natural setting, described throughout the whole book, with a seemingly melancholy mood. McCarthy introduces ash within the first pages: â€Å"EverythingRead MoreHow Do We Differentiate Ourselves?1336 Words   |  6 PagesHow do we Differentiate Ourselves? Foundation Level In the B2C market, Search Alert will be the first company with the technology that sends parents reports of their children’s internet usage. However, Search Alert will be competing against existing technologies that include, internet blockers and Windows 10 internet browsing detection. Internet blockers can be set up by parents in order to automatically filter websites that do not allow their children to visit certain sites. Windows 10 internetRead MoreImagining Argentina Imagery896 Words   |  4 Pagesof Imagining Argentina that, without hope, life is meaningless. Thornton heavily emphasizes the image of the Holocaust during Carlos’ stay at Amos and Sara’s refuge. Amos shares his and Sara’s experiences in Auschwitz with Carlos through his â€Å"...picture of people with no hair who looked like skeletons...either crying or laughing.† (78) The skeletons in the photograph, Amos and Sara, were liberated from the concentration camp and survived by maintaining hope in a future despite all the horrors thatRead MoreVictor Frankls Life and Work Mans Search for Meaning Essays1390 Words   |  6 Pagesback at his home in Vienna. He later reconstructed his book and wrote a different book, â€Å"Man’s Search for Meaning† in nine days. Viktor Frankl later died on September 2, 1997, of heart failure. Mans Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl is a story that talks about the need for hope in future especially to people who are facing trouble and disillusionment in life. The story emphasizes on the need to have hope and faith in God and not in man. The story covers on the life history of Frankl who spendsRead MoreAnalysis of Mariah Carys Hero858 Words   |  4 Pagesher thoughts of hope through: a metaphor of a long road, a hero that can be found in oneself, and a realization that life will go on. Mariah first expresses the thought of hope by giving the metaphor of a long road in the song. She expresses that life is a â€Å"long road when you face the world alone, no one reaches out a hand for you to hold†. She is saying that life is like a long road that sometimes you have to travel it on your own. In these times you may feel like there is no hope and no hero toRead MorePostmodernism and the Matrix952 Words   |  4 Pageshis realizations whereas the postmodernist offers a light or hope in conclusion. There is still a sense of foreboding for the postmodernist concerning science and technology. However, they are able to forge past their distrust, accept it as a logical progression, and begin to embrace some elements of advancement. Postmodernists have also lost faith in transcendence and spirituality, but to counter this loss they search and find hope in mystical forces or worldly treasures. Objective reality doesn’tRead MoreDirections In Search Marketing E ssay840 Words   |  4 PagesCurrent Directions in Search Marketing - Its all About Content Authority It has been said many times that the most important factors in search engine optimization are content, links, device usability and technical SEO. Of those four aspects of search engine optimization, three are taken up with a single thread. That thread is, authority. Content Quality content is content that is read, enjoyed and widely circulated because it is believable. By believable, I dont mean that it is necessarilyRead MoreOnline Search Market In China Case Study856 Words   |  4 PagesThe online search market in China is quickly changing and developing. Baidu has ruled the market for online search engines for an extensive amount of time, and it still holds a significant share. At the start of the new millennium, Google began to offer its search services in a Chinese-language format with the hope of furthering its mission â€Å"to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.† Disappointingly, the website was consistently unavailable for â€Å"about 10

Small Business Financing

Question: Discuss about the Small Business Financing. Answer: Introduction: When a small business is set up it is likely to have a bank loan as it is easier to approach the bank and get finance instead of issuing bonds. Banks are the lender of the last resort and are present to help the small business that drives the business forward (Brigham Daves, 2012). On the other hand, issuance of bonds needs regular interest to the lender and for a startup, it might be a risky concern. If too much of bonds are issued and the business fails to cement its place in the market, it might lead to bankruptcy and hence is riskier. It is the reason small business goes for a bank loan. When you apply for a loan, the loan officer gives you the option of posting collateral in return for a lower interest rate. What is the rationale of the loan officer? The lower interest rate is provided because the collateral is kept with the bank. This provides a sense of security to the bank. In the case of any default on the loan, the bank will use the collateral to cover the loan amount. Collateral is a mechanism to keep the risk at bay. This can be cited as a secured loan where the parties to procure loan has the security (Choi Meek, 2011). Moreover, the loan officer justifies his act and provides the company with sufficient collateral so that in any contingency, the bank does not suffer. Explain how a rise in interest rates makes banks balance sheet riskier. The interest rate risk brings variation in the rates and reduces the earnings, as well as the value of the banks. As banks are the financial intermediaries it faces interest rate risk in several manners. When the rate enhances, the difference that is observed can lead to changes that are unexpected in nature in terms of cash flows, as well as earnings that are spread among various assets, liabilities and instruments that are off balance sheet (Carmichael Graham, 2012). Moreover, the balance sheet depicts immense risk because if the volatility is observed it will lead to losses of the banks and hence riskiness is observed. As the manager of a financial institution, what steps could you take to reduce the risks referred to in question 3? The best way to reduce the interest rate risk is to have a dominance on the competitive pressure, treasury and other activities that pertain to the investments. Banks can manage the interest risk only when it has a strong command over it. The step that can be taken is to constraint the lending and deposit functioning. This will help in beating the market risks and interest rate contracts can be controlled in a proper manner. The changes in the portfolio can be traced and accordingly the bank portfolio is determined (Brigham Daves, 2012). Supposed that a government decides to regulate more heavily the issuance of financial securities, like stocks and bonds Give an argument that this action will raise economic growth in the split land. When more of financial securities like bonds and stocks are issued it is done with a target that the overall economy will get a strong boost. This action has a direct bearing on the growth prospects. It is basically a strong step towards the growth facility because when this tends to help the business that is new to the arena. Hence, it is a step towards promotion of new business and supporting the old ones (Parrino et. al, 2012). Overall, it can be said that this will raise the level of economic growth because the business will be injected with finance facility. References Parrino, R., Kidwell, D. Bates, T 2012, Fundamentals of corporate finance, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Carmichael, D.R. Graham, L 2012, Accountants Handbook, Financial Accounting and General Topics, John Wiley Sons. Choi, R.D. Meek, G.K 2011, International accounting, Pearson . Brigham, E. Daves, P 2012, Intermediate Financial Management , USA: Cengage Learning.

Why Jd Company Is so Successful free essay sample

Why â€Å"JD† is so successful in its marketing? If we focus on the needs of consumers, an organization creates a business that can outclass its competitors. The goal is also being closer to consumers and providing exactly what they want, for at last, trigger their purchase. This kind of business carries out research to find the needs and wants of consumers. It then uses the findings to design products and marketing strategies to satisfy these needs. JD is a British company using a specific marketing to grow and develop themselves. First, they evaluate the consumers’ needs. So, they product exactly what consumers want to buy; consumers like especially the design of products. We can say that JD adapts its marketing mix with the different consumers’ needs. Marketing mix is a general phrase used to describe the different kinds of choices organizations have to make in the whole process of bringing a product or service to market. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Jd Company Is so Successful? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The 4 Ps is one way, probably the best-known way of defining the marketing mix. These 4 Ps are the parameters that the marketing manager can control, subject to the internal and external constraints of the marketing environment. The goal is to make decisions that center the four Ps on the customers in the target market in order to create perceived value and generate a positive response The 4 Ps : * Products  : * Brand name * Functionality * Styling * Quality * Safety * Packaging * Repairs and Support * Warranty * Accessories and services * Place  : * Distribution channels * Market coverage (inclusive, selective, or exclusive distribution) * Specific channel members * Inventory management * Warehousing * Distribution centers * Order processing * Transportation * Reverse logistics * Price  : Pricing strategy (skim, penetration, etc. ) * Suggested retail price * Volume discounts and wholesale pricing * Cash and early payment discounts * Seasonal pricing * Bundling * Price flexibility * Price discrimination * Promotion : * Promotional strategy (push, pull, etc. ) * Advertising * Personal selling amp; sales force * Sales promotions * Public relations amp; publicity * Marketing communications budget Since it s foundation in Manchester, JD opened several stores in new locations and developed its business in Scotland, UK, Ireland, France, and all around Europe. Since then JD became an international company. Besides, the company focuses on young prospects to realize their products. They help business environment and touch a large target, consumer’s trainers, sport fashions, and JD uses also the image of popular brands like Nike and Adidas to become popular as well. JD doesn’t depend to manufactures because they have bought power and knowledge of manufactures. . Otherwise, JD is using different pricing strategies: marketing penetration, competitive pricing and strategic pricing. JD’s company buys its products in large volume, it explains that’s why the units’ costs are cheaper and JD stays in competition. We call that : economies of scale. The company is also playing in the events field. In fact, JD makes a special shopping experience to their customers a few times in a year, by creating a fun atmosphere for the consumers in an exciting place. The purpose is to trigger customers’ purchase. To conclude, with that mix marketing strategy, today the â€Å"JD Sports Fashion Group† has over 500 stores in the UK, Ireland and France, and a reputation for stocking the most exclusive and stylish lifestyle products.

The Science of Nicotine and Weight Loss

The Science of Nicotine and Weight Loss Many people have health-related questions about chemicals. One of the most common is whether nicotine promotes weight loss. Were not talking about smoking- which involves a complex set of chemicals and physiological processes- but using pure nicotine, which is available in over-the-counter products intended to help people quit smoking. If you search for information about the effects of nicotine, youll find all sorts of research on smoking, but relatively little on the health effects of this one specific chemical. Nicotines Effect on the Body A  Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS),  such as the Sigma Aldrich MSDS for nicotine,  indicates nicotine is a naturally occurring isomer that is an acetylcholine receptor agonist. It is a stimulant that causes the release of epinephrine (also known as adrenaline). This neurotransmitter increases heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration, and also produces higher blood glucose levels. One of the side effects of nicotine, especially at higher doses, is appetite suppression and nausea. In other words, nicotine is a drug that raises your metabolic rate while suppressing your appetite. It activates the brains pleasure and reward center, so some users may use nicotine to feel good instead of, for example, eating donuts. These are well-documented biological effects of nicotine, but they dont give a firm answer regarding whether or not the drug helps with weight loss. There are some studies that indicate that smokers may lose weight. Limited studies have been conducted regarding weight loss and nicotine use, in part because of the perception that nicotine is addictive. Its interesting to note that while tobacco is addictive, pure nicotine actually is not. It is the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) in tobacco that leads to addiction, so people taking nicotine who are not exposed to monoamine oxidase inhibitors do not necessarily suffer addiction and withdrawal from the substance. However, users do develop a physiological tolerance to nicotine, so it might be expected that, as with other stimulants, weight loss from nicotine use would be most successful over a short term, losing effectiveness with chronic use. Sources Audrain, Janet E., et al. â€Å"Relationship between Obesity and the Metabolic Effects of Smoking in Women.† Health Psychology, vol. 14, no. 2, 1995, pp. 116–123.Cabanac, Michel, and Patrick Frankham. â€Å"Evidence That Transient Nicotine Lowers the Body Weight Set Point.† Physiology Behavior, vol. 76, no. 4-5, 2002, pp. 539–542.Leischow, S. J. â€Å"Effects of Differing Nicotine-Replacement Doses on Weight Gain after Smoking Cessation.† Archives of Family Medicine, vol. 1, no. 2, 1992, pp. 233–237.Neese, R. A., et al. â€Å"Metabolic Interactions between Surplus Dietary Energy Intake and Cigarette Smoking or Its Cessation.† American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 267, no. 6, 1994.Nides, Mitchell, et al. â€Å"Weight Gain as a Function of Smoking Cessation and 2-Mg Nicotine Gum Use among Middle-Aged Smokers with Mild Lung Impairment in the First 2 Years of the Lung Health Study.† Health Psychology, vo l. 13, no. 4, 1994, pp. 354–361.Perkins, K. A. â€Å"Metabolic Effects of Cigarette Smoking.† Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 72, no. 2, 1992, pp. 401–409. Pirie, P L, et al. â€Å"Smoking Cessation in Women Concerned about Weight.† American Journal of Public Health, vol. 82, no. 9, 1992, pp. 1238–1243.Schwid, S R, et al. â€Å"Nicotine Effects on Body Weight: a Regulatory Perspective.† The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 55, no. 4, 1992, pp. 878–884.Winders, Suzan E., et al. â€Å"Use of Phenylpropanolamine to Reduce Nicotine Cessation Induced Weight Gain in Rats.† Psychopharmacology, vol. 108, no. 4, 1992, pp. 501–506.

Reliable guide to thesis writing

Reliable guide to thesis writing Thesis writing There are a lot useful guides to producing academic works. All of them provide handy tips which students should follow in order to write superior papers. Below, there are reasonable steps to preparing an exclusive thesis. If you follow them, you will avoid major difficulties in completing this assignment. Missing the key idea Some students do not consider formulating the main idea of a thesis paper important. This is a big mistake. You should understand that this work is not an adventure story where the ending discloses valuable information. When producing this piece of writing, you should present its topic in the opening paragraph. Thus, readers will clearly understand what they are going to learn about. Paper significance When writing thesis papers, it is of great importance to explain why the subject is worth exploring. Thus, your work will be considered complete. It is not good to make readers guess why the selected topic matters. Moreover, they will never know what advantages they will get from reading your piece of writing until you let them know about it. Scientific approach It is very important to explain why you have used particular research methods for examining the topic of your thesis for research paper. You need to state the reasons for which the provided mechanism is effective. Key features There may be a few works discussing the same issue. Thus, you need to explain properly how your thesis for a research paper differs from other papers. You should use the set expressions and words that will help convince readers that your piece of writing is unique. Other academic works When producing a thesis research paper, it is necessary to provide readers with information about the previous works analyzing the matter. In this case, the purpose of writing your paper will be quite clear. When presenting the results obtained before, you need to show that your research is more detailed. It will add weight to your research thesis. If you do not understand how to write such type of paper, turn to our professionals for assistance. Uniqueness of the essay You should tell readers how your work contributes to a particular academic field. Since you are the author of the thesis, you are the only one who knows its strong points. Therefore, if you explain everything clearly, readers will understand that your piece of writing provides relevant information about the discussed matter. That is why you should make every effort to present sound arguments about how useful your paper is. Show that readers will benefit greatly from analyzing it.

Corporate Strategy Master Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Strategy Master - Assignment Example By July 2008 as a consequence, major banks and other financial institutions around the world had reported losses reaching $435 billion. The problem on sub-prime mortgages was exacerbated by the steady depreciation of the US dollar, whose value against the euro, for example, crossed the $1.48 threshold in November 2007 to settle at $1.50 (Phillips, 2007). While the US Federal Reserve showed no intention of intervening to strengthen the dollar, banks stopped issuing covered bonds and the London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) hit a premium for treasury bills not seen since the dark days of the first oil crisis in 1987. The continued weakening of the US currency gave banks and financial institutions little incentive to sell dollars, completing the scenario for rising global inflation. Such a climate of uncertainty in the global economy, specifically in the banking sector, serves as backdrop for this paper as it examines the corporate strategies by which HSBC Holdings plc, one of the worl d's largest banking and financial services organisations, can emerge a winner through the use of appropriate models and tools of analysis. HSBC Holdings plc is the mother company of a wide array of banks and financial institutions that include the HSBC plc in UK; the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. and Hang Seng Bank Ltd. in Hong Kong; HSBC Finance in France; the Household International and HSBC Bank USA NA in the US; HSBC Bank in Brazil; Grupo Financiero HSBC in Mexico; and the HSBC Private Banking Holding (Suisse) SA in UK, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Monaco, Luxembourg, Singapore and Channel Islands. The Group's corporate strategy finds expression in the marketing pitch attached to its logo that proclaims HSBC as "the world's local bank." This campaign to differentiate the HSBC brand was launched in 1999 and started to guide all banking operations in 2005. The strategy projects HSBC as a financing institution with an international pedigree and world-class expertise, which sophistication is nonetheless used for the full benefit of the smallest local clients and their communities. In effect, the HSBC based its strat egy not only on product leadership and operational excellence but also on customer intimacy, the three value disciplines that drive corporate strategy (Green, 2003). That sort of makes the Group a high-street bank that serves low-end clients as a matter of preference. The banking clientele composed of ordinary people is a market segment usually identified in an RFM analysis to formulate a firm's corporate strategy. RFM stands for recency, frequency and monetary value and is often conducted to analyse customer behaviours and define market segments. In essence, RFM analysis asks how recent and frequent are the transactions done for a particular

Business skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business skills - Essay Example Therefore setting strategies is among the high priorities that a firm should make. According to Growth Online (n.d.), the strategy in the case of a firm includes market strategy, product and services strategies, and organizational strategies; people Strategies, and financial Strategies. After a firm has spent so much time and resources planning, and formulating strategies, the firm should figure how to implement them. This is because: For these strategies to succeed there are some essential steps to take. First, a firm needs to create an environment that can carry out the strategies successfully, second, allocate enough resources to strategy essential activities, third, create policies that will encourage strategy implementation, fourth, employ the policies, fifth, tie rewards to results, and finally utilizing strategic leadership (Rothwell & Kazanas 2003). Strategies are only applicable in the imperfect completion sort of an environment. When an environment turns perfect, the idea of strategies no longer works since there is free entry, perfect communication and firms deal in same products (Kazmi 2008). Perfect competition provides a standard for measuring the market behavior in terms of price and production (Gale & Sabourian 2005). Each firm in the market is so small that its operations do not affect the prices in the market (Williams n.d ). The market price is standardized due to the many competitors dealing in the same product hence there is no room for a firm to make super-profits (Klein 2007). The firm will operate within the earlier set standards to be able to remain in the market. This makes it hard for individual firms to set their own strategies when they enter in the perfect competitive market (Gale & Sabourian 2005). Perfect competition however is a rare occurrence. The highly probable event is that the market is imperfect allowing room for individual firms to set strategies to enhance profitability. The

The Land of Enchantment by Marian Russell Essay Example for Free

The Land of Enchantment by Marian Russell Essay The book titled â€Å"Land of Enchantment† by Marian Russell (1845-1936) is an account of her travels along the Santa Fe Trail as a child during the 1850s and 1860s. The book is addressed to her daughter in law, Miss Hal Russell, to whom she dictated it in the 1930s. But, the aim of the book, according to the author is â€Å"to preserve to posterity the truth and the warmth of an unforgettable period in American history; the stirring decades in which sturdy pioneers blazed trails across a strange and wondrous land of prairies, plains and mountains†. Hence the book may be considered as addressed to all future generations of readers who are fascinated by the American West and in particular the Santa Fe trail. It was published in a limited edition in 1954 and due to high ratings by leading critics, the demand for the book far exceeded the stock. The Santa Fe Trail was historically a popular route in New Mexico that was used for commercial travel across the West. As such it was used more frequently by merchants than by emigrants. It was rare to find women on the Santa Fe Trail and this makes this account by Marian Russell a very special one. It is one of the few firsthand accounts by a woman of life on the Santa Fe Trail. The book brings to life nineteenth century New Mexico from the eyes of a seven year old girl. Adding more color to the accounts are Mrs. Russell’s memories of several well-known western figures.   This book is truly a historical account of the Santa Fe Trail. The book is a first-person account of the author’s travels and hence the book is highly authentic. Moreover, the meticulousness of the details included in this travel account provides the book with a high degree of value as a historical book. Marian Russell was the third and last child of William and Eliza St. Clair Sloan, who were of Scottish ancestry. She was named after Lady Marian Wallace whose tragic story touched her mothers heart. In this book, the author traces her life story from 1848 to 1936. During this period, she moved from St. Louis to California with her mother. The travel took her across the Santa Fe Trail – the historic nature of which is best brought out through Russell’s words: â€Å"It led from our eastern seaboard to the waters of the blue Pacific. If we could but measure it by the tears and the smiles it has known we would never be able to trace its way through American history†. The style of writing is very simple but very colorful. The author uses descriptive words to bring the scene before the readers: â€Å"†¦as we bore westward, the deer and the antelope bounded away from us. There were miles and miles of buffalo grass, blue lagoons and blood-red sunsets and, once in a while, a little sod house on the lonely prairie-home of some hunter or trapper†. She also includes minute details such as the freight charges during that period in time.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The freight rate to Santa Fà © was $10.00 per hundred pounds. Teamsters and drivers were paid $25.00 per month plus rations†. The narrative is partly child like and partly adult in perspective as this is an account of the experiences of a small child dictated in an adult voice. The author talks about the dangers due to native Indians on the Santa Fe Trail. She recounts with horror the night when the Indians attacked the camp she was staying in and stole a herd of two hundred army horses. During this account, the author also gives deep insights to the culture of the people she met. The Indians she noticed valued some relatively small worth articles such as charms and disposed easily of some things of real value. These charms could be in the form of a war bonnet or a breech clout or even just a smooth pebble from the river. But charms were never for sale. Apart from Indian culture, she also gives accounts of the animals and plants along the route: big spiders, centipedes, scorpions, spiders, rattle snakes and lizards. There was also a variety of cactus that resembled trees, wild asters, scarlet honeysuckle, and night blooming poppies. Her poetic way of perception binds the reader’s interest in the book: â€Å"Sometimes a cactus, an old bone or a bunch of red grass caused the desert mirage to assume gigantic proportions†. Through her dialogue with Captain Aubry, Marian Russell traces the history of New Mexico. She also includes great details on Fort Union. She describes Santa Fe as a place full of â€Å"donkeys, goats and Mexican chickens†. During her stay at Santa Fe and Albuquerque, she gives accounts of Mexican food, their housing, their lifestyle, the legends they believed in, the Mexican Mandolin, their dressing style, the tragic story of Mrs. Adelaide Wilson, and the faith of the Catholic nuns. She crisply notes: â€Å"The old Mexican was pure Spanish and Indian, and often the Indian blood predominated; a class of people as colorful as the land in which they lived†. Thus, the book â€Å"Land of the Enchanted† by Marian Russell is a must-read for anyone with a fascination for Mexican history and culture. With the kaleidoscopic nature of details included, the book will be highly informative from many viewpoints: science, history, sociology, archeology, spirituality and humanity as well. Bibliography: Russell, Marian (1981). Land of Enchantment: Memoirs of Marian Russell along the Santa Fae Trail. University of New Mexico Press, 1981

The Weimaraner: a Superior Breed Essay -- Dog Breeds, choosing a dog

When choosing a dog, I would choose a Weimaraner because they are some of the most playful, intelligent, athletic, beautiful, and loyal dogs that exist. Personality is one of the greatest aspects of these kinds of dogs. They are playful, smart, loving, and affectionate. Weimaraners have very strong and individual personalities of their own. These kinds of dogs are so smart and special that they have personalities and intelligence that may rival that of human beings. They need to be treated as a member of their people and family. The dog's athletic prowess is apparent in their genetic makeup. Their great physical structure is designed through their breeding for the purpose of being the very best gun dog. The Weimaraner's beautiful and shiny coat, tall stature in the best individuals of the breed, and their lean, strong, and sometimes almost wiry appearance indicates all of the breed’s superior athletic ability. Weimaraners are strong, fast, and excellent jumpers. Their intelligence enables the dogs to use their physical gifts better than other dogs whose physical abilities may approach or rival the Weimaraner's. These special dogs also have a need for constant human companionship. They are loyal to their people and are a fun loving breed which can be mischievous. That makes it fun and challenging for anyone who is able to provide the needs of the Weimaraner in order to be its life long partner or companion. The dog requires a variety of admirable qualities in a person to lead them correctly, and one must be physically fit to keep up with the dog and provide all of its needs, which includes giving the dog lots of walks and exercise. Weimaraners need a fenced yard with a tall fence they cannot dig under. They need to sleep i... ...o keep fit, these are the perfect dogs. Their excellent physical structure built for speed and enduring beauty makes them a perfect companion that keeps going persistently. Getting kisses from such a cute face with those long ears is endearing. The Weims’ loyalty and protectiveness make the leaders of these dogs feel special too. Their advanced learning skills and natural qualities bred for the hunt make them a pleasure to owners who want the best of all things from a large dog. Learning new things with the dog keeps the relationship between the dog and its leader full of growth and also keeps the relationship interesting. Weimaraners are perfect for young people who are looking for a new addition to their family that the leader can love and teach. Weimaraners are a great reward in themselves for all of the love and happiness they give to their people and family.

Brand Management Sara Lee: The Unno Launch Essay

1. What were Grupo Sans’ brands and what brand identity did they have? Grupo Sans, a leader in Spanish underwear market in 1970s and 1980s, was founded in 1960 in Matarà ³. Becoming a part of Sara Lee Corporation, the multinational company with the biggest at that time textile division in the world, in 1991, contributed to the growth and development of the company, and has led to the fact that 9 years later(in 2000) Grupo Sans’ income accounted for more than one-fourth of Sara Lee’ income in Spain. Source: Google Images Name Year Target Group Values Name Year Target Group Values Name Year Target Group Values Abanderado 1963. 1st underwear brand of Grupo Sans. Men and young boys. Was the market leader for men’s underwear in Spain by the year 2000. Traditional, solid, masculine, attractive price, best materials. Princesa 1969. 2nd underwear brand of Grupo Sans. Young girls and grown-up women. Traditional, feminine, attractive price, best materials. Princesa 1969. 2nd underwear brand of Grupo Sans. Men and young boys. Comfortable, sophisticated, attractive price, best materials. Love at first sight! As we can see, all 3 underwear brands of Grupo Sans shared the same values: to provide their customers with the highest quality product at an affordable price. A distinctive feature of the underwear of the group was conventionality of products, which was important for the main target audience: adults and the elderly. This led to the fact that although with existing brands Grupo 1 Sans managed to become the market leader in Spain with market shares of 35% in slips and boxer shorts, 45% in men’s T-shirts, 23% in women’s T-shirts, 15% in panties, and 37% in baby’s romper suits, there was a gap in target audience between 15 and 35, who perceived the underwear as too traditional and nonfashionable, and thus didn’t want to buy it. That, and several other factors, have led the management of the company to the decision to create a new, non-traditional and modern brand of underwear – Unno. 2. When and why was the Unno brand launched? The year 1994: Here comes digital era with cell phone and Internet businesses. A new generation of brands had appeared in Spain, all attacking the youth segment and bombarding it with new concepts, new technologies, and new brands. Suddenly the understanding comes that youth is the segment that consumes most and, with the advent of social networks and other modern means of Source: Google Images communication, represents opinion leaders. Meanwhile, Grupo Sans faced difficulties in achieving further growth due to static situation on domestic market, at which 90% of sales were made. Spain had the lowest birth rate in Europe and there was zero population growth. Moreover, underwear quality was constantly improving and it took longer for garments to wear out. That is why Group Sans had to target teens in underwear industry in order to increase profit and achieve further growth. It could be made by means of line extension of the group’s traditional brand (such as Abanderado, for example) or by creating a new brand, which would specially address young people aged 15 to 35. The problem with first choice was described by Josep Maria Sans: â€Å"Boys growing up wanted their own brand once they became teenagers. Abanderado couldn’t satisfy that need because the kids had worn the same brand as children and it was also what their parents wore. The same was true of the Princesa brand in the case of girls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That is why in 1999 the company decided to adopt a new concept, and establish a new brand Unno which became successful due to several reasons: 1) Employing the seamless garments now possible with the new technology 2) Simple and understandable for teenagers brand name â€Å"Unno†, which communicated that the product was the first, the best and unique. 3) you?† 3. Was it really preferable to laungh the Unno brand than to ext end one of the existing brands (Abanderado and/or Princesa)? The marketing campaign, with slogan â€Å"Are you wearing it, or aren’t At the moment of the launch of the new line of underwear that used the new technology, Grupo Sans was facing a dilemma: should the new line be launched as an extension of one of the group’s existing brands (Abanderado, Princesa and Ocean) or should it be launched under an entirely new brand that the company would create from scratch? 3 Given the fact that Grupo Sans’ brands have a big share of the underwear market and both are well-known brands by the consumer, the initial thought would be to extend either of these brands to launch the new solution. However, as strong as these brands were at the moment of the launch, they were targeting very specific segments: while Abanderado targeted adult men and boys, Princesa targeted adult women and girls. This meant that, even if these brands were very successful in these segments, it could be hard to extend them onto other target segments such as the one Grupo Sans identified: young adults between 15 and 35 years old. This new segment didn’t want to wear any of the other brands because they saw them as â€Å"something their parents wear†, something uncool and boring. As the following positioning map shows, none of the existing brands could easily be extended to cover the targeted segment. Moreover, if one of the brands was to be repositioned in order to fit the new segmentation, its sales from existing customers could drop significantly. In addition to this, Grupo Sans wanted the new line to be perceived as something innovative and cool and decided to give the new line the highest priority in the company. Therefore, it made more sense for them to launch the new product and new technology under an entirely new brand: Unno. That way, they could focus on building the brand from scratch and making sure it was perceived the way they wanted. 4. How would you assess Unno as a brand name? Makes think of leader Brand â€Å"the first to do something† Unifies brands for women and men Short, â€Å"cool† name – just what teenagers want May lead to confusins â€Å"Unno† or â€Å"You no† in English, for example Unno – one piece Sounds Italian – this is good for fashion industry The goal of launching the Unno brand was to create a new product line that was perceived as something modern and innovative. We believe that the name Unno fits perfectly with this goal because of several reasons. First of all the word â€Å"Unno† is an alteration of the word Uno, which means one in Spanish. This is perfectly in line with Grupo Sans’ strategy for the new brand: to be the leader in the new technology and in the new segment they target. Moreover, it can be associated with being the first to get into this market, being the first mover. In addition to this, the brand â€Å"Unno† also signifies the unification of Grupo Sans’ male and female brands. As a name, Unno sounds cool and is short enough for people to remember easily. Young adults, Unno’s main target, will feel identified with the brand and the name will help them perceive the brand’s image. Moreover, the name sounds very Italian, which can be beneficial thanks to the positive perception of Italian fashion. Finally, the name â€Å"Unno† perfectly portrays the new technology Unno represents. A one-piece garment that feels like you are not wearing anything. It becomes one with your body. 5. What were Unno’s main communication objectives in 1999 and 2000? Why? Even though there were specific communication objectives in 1999 and 2000, the main objective of Unno’s advertising was to sell the concept of a one-piece garment that moulded to the body’s shape, didn’t leave marks, and stretched to fit. The brand was communicating the idea that comfort was the main product benefit, and that it was like not wearing anything at all. Unno’s communication was also aimed at achieving brand awareness for being the first and only brand selling this kind of product at that moment. But, advertising and commercials were not exactly the same in 1999 and 2000. In 1999, the year of the new product and brand launch, the main communication objectives were to inform about the benefits of the new technology used in the new product. The company focused on letting people know what were the benefits and the garment qualities of the Unno innovative underwear. These garment qualities were mainly that it was seamless and hugged well the body, so it was pretty well related to the idea of 6 â€Å"selling comfort† to people. In order to communicate all these features and create brand awareness, most commercials had a very long audio which exposed the main benefits of the new technology. Moreover, advertising was made using provocative images as to attract people’s attention and make them know the brand and the product. The year after, in 2000, something changed. The fact that they had ran out of stock, made the company feel that not as much communication efforts were needed, so they decided not to allocate as many resources as they did while the brand’s launch and to shorten the length of the audio in commercials. So, in general terms, communication changed in the sense that less was spent on it and adverts got short, but the slogan was kept the same as the company wanted to keep on communicating what were the productâ₠¬â„¢s benefits and to generate brand awareness. The reason why the company was communicating such things was mainly to educate customers about the new technology and its benefits, in order to make them first try the product and then wanting to change from the traditional underwear to the seamless and hugging one. They decided to communicate it in an innovative differentiated way, with the half-naked models in ads, to attract people’s minds in order to recognize the product and create brand awareness. This kind of advertising was done due to the fact that they were targeting the young people segment and had to find a non-traditional way to advert non-traditional underwear. On the pictures below we can see the kind of provocative advertising that the company was doing, as well as the slogans: â€Å"Are you wearing it or not?† â€Å"You’ll feel as if you’re wearing nothing†

Multiple types of laws Essay

During last week’s session multiple types of laws were introduced and their differences were discussed. One of the types of laws that were discussed were civil laws. Civil laws were created to â€Å"compensate parties and businesses for losses as a result of another’s conduct† (Melvin, 2011). This means that these laws were created for certain types of conduct against another party to be handled civilly between them. For any type of offense that is handled civilly, the defendant will need to repay the plaintiff for any loss suffered. Another type of law is criminal law. Criminal laws â€Å"are a protection of society and the violation of criminal laws results in penalties to the violator such as fines or imprisonment† (Melvin, 2011). This means that these laws were created to protect all of society against criminals that disrupt the peace of others. Another type of law that we focused on was â€Å"Common Law†. Common law, also known as â€Å"Case Law†, is a basic system to ensure that cases with similar commonalities are treated fairly and consistently. For example, imagine that you are the victim of a reckless driver who side swipes your car, and the judge is now responsible for deciding whether the defendant is liable for the damages in question. The judge will listen to the statements in court and refer to common law in other cases to ensure that the party is fairly dismissed or prosecuted, depending on the verdict. The type of law that many people have heard of is statutory law, also known as written law. Unlike Common Law, Statutory law is made by legislature and written down (hence the â€Å"aka† written law). Statutory Law is a concept in order to underscore the distinction between laws that a governing body makes and case law. If looking for an example of Statutory Law, you do not have to travel too far, or fast I should say; posted speed limits. This means that the speed limit is â€Å"formally† (and literally in this case) written and enacted. Another law that was discussed last week was substantive law. â€Å"Substantive law is the statutory, or written law, that defines rights and duties, such as crimes and punishments, civil rights and responsibilities in civil law†Ã‚  (Melvin, 2011). This law defines and regulates individual’s rights. Some example substantive law is the law of contracts, torts as we talk about in the last lecture along with real property and the essential substance of rights under the law. Substantive law and procedural law are the two main categories with the law. Procedural law sets the rules and methods employed to obtain one’s rights and in particular how the courts are conducted. This law basically defines and creates rights limitations under which society us governed. References Melvin, S. P. (2011). The Legal Environment of Business. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Historical Art Periods A Critical Evaluation of Baroque and Rococo Artistic Styles

Historical Art Periods A Critical Evaluation of Baroque and Rococo Artistic Styles It is of fundamental importance that the essential elements and characteristics of art periods be understood especially after the noteworthy realization that these periods marked or were caused by important social conditions and events in historical context.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Historical Art Periods: A Critical Evaluation of Baroque and Rococo Artistic Styles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There exists numerous art periods in the history of civilization, with some evolving as a continuation of earlier art periods while others evolved as a response to preceding art periods (Minor, 1999). It is the purpose of this essay to compare two such art periods, namely Baroque and Rococo, with a view of establishing their characteristics, social triggers and the relationship between the two. Although no major contemporary books on the baroque artistic style and period has been released in the recent past, it still remains an important era in the historical calendar of art. Conceived in Italy in the late 16th century, the style was adopted by other European countries such as France, Germany, and Spain, culminating to its replacement by a subsequent art period in early 18th Century (Laurie, 2001). Baroque covers a broad spectrum of styles and artists. According to Minor (1999), Baroque art period was characterized by intrinsic artistic consistency, grandeur, and distinctiveness. It is imperative to note that the demands for new forms of art in 1600 led to what is now identified as the Baroque. As such, the Baroque artistic style and period was a reaction to previous artistic styles, specifically the Mannerist art of the 16th century, which appealed to the witty and intellectual qualities only (Laurie, 2001). Unlike its predecessor, the application of Baroque artistic style turned deliberately to an intuitive appeal designed for the senses. According to Laurie (2001), although Baroque artistic styles bears the characteristics of simplicity, sensuous richness, and obviousness on the outside, it is powerful, direct, awe inspiring, resplendent, and dramatic within. The art and architecture of this particular period echo an often peculiar style characterized by ornamental decorations and flamboyant concepts especially in churches and palaces. During the Baroque era, the aesthetic ideal penetrated practically all facets of the European way of life – from architecture to music, furniture designs and fashion (Laurie, 2001).Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Baroque artistic works generate a sentiment of movement, energy and tension. According to Palmisano (n.d.), the arts present strong contrasts of both light and silhouette, with an immeasurable amount of space being clearly manifest. In addition, Baroque art is characterized by passionate spirituality and realism. Paint ers during this art period used monochromatic color to draw paintings with an infinite distance to represent eternity. The Baroque period of art was initiated by a multiplicity of social conditions, namely â€Å"†¦the Protestant Reformation, the rise of the Mercantile System, absolutism or imperialism in government and advances in science (Palmisano, n.d., para. 1). The Baroque art faded out in late 1700 as it progressed into a more delicate Rococo artistic style. The superseding of Baroque by Rococo art began in France in the late 1720’s, particularly for interior decorations, paintings, and other forms of decorative arts (Laurie, 2001). Rococo period is thought to be one of the shortest in the history of art periods as it faded away in the late 1750’s, giving way to the neoclassic style. The short lifespan not withstanding, Rococo is broadly recognized a key period in the development of European art. This art style was particularly spread by French artists and imprinted publications, and readily found acceptance in catholic-dominated regions in countries such as Germany and Austria. The Rococo art period is characterized by many artistic styles and forms. Generally, â€Å"Rococo art and architecture are characterized by very ornate, fanciful themes and a light air†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Smith, 2010, para. 1).it is also characterized by the use seashells, fussy detail, whimsical scrolls, complex compositions, playfulness and certain superficiality to generate a flowing artistic design. This particular style utilizes pastel colors to generate a light but decorative complexion. In addition, the Rococo artwork and style is characterized by shell-like shapes on a variety of architectural and artistic designs ranging from hotel suites to ballrooms and typical side tables (Laurie, 2001). Rococo art is known to incorporate the symbolic nature of plants, animals, and other related themes in its design. The social conditions prevalent in France during the 1720s, namely the rise of the middle class, deep consciousness for fashion, and the sudden death of Louis XIV initiated the Rococo art period There exist several similarities and differences between the two artworks. First, it is worth noting that Rococo art period came as a reaction to the Baroque art rather than a continuation of the former period. Other art historians view Rococo art as the degeneration of Baroque artistic period (Laurie, 2001).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Historical Art Periods: A Critical Evaluation of Baroque and Rococo Artistic Styles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Both artistic styles attempted to express some form of authority or power, with Baroque art being used by the aristocracy to express imperialist orientations while Rococo was used by the French aristocracy and elite as a fashion statement. According to Marquit (2006), both styles were also characterized with elaborate design , more color and more feelings than preceding styles. There are, however, broad differences in the two art styles. First, while Baroque art works were both heavy and ornate, Rococo’s artistic designs were characteristically ornate, fanciful and light (Smith, 2010). Rococo art was known to utilize pastels and other elements to make the artworks extremely light and lacy while Baroque art employed dark, heavy colors. Second, Rococo art refers to capricious rounded lines that countered the heavy, straight lines prevalent during the Baroque period. Third, the Baroque art is much more religiously oriented than Rococo art owing to the social conditions prevalent during its initiation. Forth, â€Å"†¦Rococo art was on a whole more frivolous and optimistic than Baroque art† (Marquit, 2006, p. 2). Lastly, the Baroque artistic style was mainly focused in Europe while rococo art easily blend with other exotic artistic styles prevalent during the period. It is imperative to no te that social, political, economic and artistic factors informs the decision on whether to continue with a particular art period or deviate from it. The Baroque period evolved because of the existing social conditions especially in the Catholic Church and the Italian aristocracy. The church felt particularly threatened by advances in science that often contradicted its teachings. As Such, Baroque art was used by the church to reach out to the unintelligent masses in the hope of convincing them about Christianity (Laurie, 2001). But there was need to deviate from this form of art when attempts to convince the masses on Christianity were no longer tenable. There exists numerous works of art for each of the historical art period discussed above. For instance, Giovanni Bernini, undoubtedly the most outstanding sculptor of the Baroque era, came up with the famous sculpture known as the Ecstasy of St. Teresa (Marquit, 2006; Economic Expert.com, n.d.). His sculpted art pieces combined bot h the physical and the spiritual. This piece portrayed a religious theme as a direct result of both the inquisition and the Catholic Church spirited attempt to maintain its immense influence in the face of rapidly increasing scientific advances that seemed to contradict some of the teachings offered by the church.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Jean-Antoine Watteau was perhaps the most prolific painters of the Rococo art period. His ‘fete galante’ painting, depicting delightfully dressed young individuals idling away their free time in a wonderful, idealistic, pastoral setting attracted many in the French aristocracy (Laurie, 2001). The relationship that exists between the two pieces of art discussed above is that of appeal to a certain group or class of people. The later piece of artwork follows in the footsteps of its predecessor in attempting to communicate the feelings and statuses of the French aristocracy. It should be remembered that the Ecstasy of St Teresa sculpture attempted to reach out to the uneducated masses during the reformation period (Laurie, 2001). As such, the relationship present is that of trying to communicate certain ideas, concepts, and world views as demanded by the existing social conditions. The Rococo art period had great historical significance although it was characterized by a v ery short tenure in the calendar of art periods. Rococo architecture, decorations, and designs are still used today, thousands of years after it was supplanted by neoclassic art period (Laurie, 2001). The physically lighthearted furniture, decorations and use of pastels that evolved during this particular art period changed the course of art in ways that had not been previously witnessed (Minor, 1999). Although Rococo art was received with skepticism in Britain due to the fact that it was largely French, it found its way into other civilizations where it was uniquely used or blended with other forms of art to produce masterpieces that were and still are major centers of attraction. In Germany, the Rococo designed Sanssouci Palace built in 1747 still remains a major attraction for tourists (Laurie, 2001). All in all, it can now be revealed that Baroque and Rococo are two distinct art styles even though former scholars believed that the latter was a refinement of the former. While the re exist several similarities as discussed in this essay, the themes and general perceptions of Rococo art style seems to insinuate that it is, indeed, independent of Baroque art (Marquit, 2006). However, both periods of art are important milestones in historical context since through them; art has been able to evolve to its present day state. Reference List Economic Expert.com. (n.d.). Baroque. Web. Laurie, S.A. (2001). A History of Modern Art. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Marquit, J. (2006). Style differences between Baroque and Rococo art. Web. Minor, V.H. (1999). Baroque and Rococo: Art and Culture, 1st Ed. Prentice Hall. ISBN: 0810941082 Palmisano, B (n.d.). The Baroque period of art. Web. Smith, S.E. (2010). What is Rococo Art? WiseGeek. Web.

When Should You Lie at Work

When Should You Lie at Work Lying is wrong. We’ve got that rule down pretty well. But what if sometimes a tiny wee fib actually might be much less wrong than telling the truth? What if it could, in fact, protect you from job-related disaster? We’re not advocating lying often, or really much at all. But here are 3 situations in which, on a case-by-case basis, it might be okay not to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but.1. You’re looking for a new jobEspecially if you’re only looking because you fear (with good reason) that your company is about to start making layoffs, or pay cuts, or that your department might be due for a shake-up. It is possible to get fired from your old job merely for looking for a new job. Keep your cards close to your vest. Tell your prospective employers to refrain from contacting your current employer as a reference if you can get away with it as well.2. You don’t really want to go team-building bowlingYou’ll have to go to lots and l ots of happy hours and dinners and parties, particularly if your company is a social one. But every once in a while, it’s perfectly reasonable to need a night to yourself. Try to do this sparingly, and make sure not to overuse your go-to excuses. But it is important to take time for yourself, and sometimes a vague fib about a prior commitment can do the trick without offending anyone.3. You have a gap on your resumeWait, that can’t be right. The very last place you’re ever supposed to bend the truth is on your resume, right? Well†¦it is possible to finesse the truth in small, but potent ways. Not lying, per se, just not volunteering information that could adversely affect your chances.Try formatting your resume to emphasize your accomplishments and skills, rather than to list a precise chronology of your positions. It’s not 100% honest, but it’s not entirely dishonest either. Be prepared to answer any questions honestly in the interview- so ha ve something to say about why the gap is there before you go this route.

Marketing case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing case study - Essay Example The economic down turn had a negative impact on the consumer expenditure and the resultant manufacturers selling prices. The consumer confidence and house building decreased tremendously. The kitchen furniture market reduced rapidly because of house moving. The market value also declined costing the industry more than 250 million pounds. This marketing essay seeks to discuss PEST analysis, target segments and value chain in the industry. PEST analysis PEST analysis is a crucial tool when it comes to marketing process of any organization. It involved identifying economic, technical, political and social influences on the organizational entities. The external factors include uncertainties and risks. Political factors The political or legal set up of the United Kingdom furnisher industry has an immense influence in the mode of regulation that affects the industry. The legislations that are sponsored by the government have the potential to affect the spending power of the consumers. The fiscal policies in the United Kingdom during the recession had a profound effect on the consumer choices in the furniture market (Bruhn & Georgi 2006). The political environment is composed of pressure groups, laws and state agencies that influence the furniture market. The political developments in the United Kingdom have affected all the stakeholders in the furniture industry. Studies show that the legal environment in a market can limit the operations of individuals or organizations (Lopes & Duguid 2010). Therefore, the stakeholders in the furniture industry must understand the United Kingdom’s political system and processes. This is likely to give the stakeholders an enhanced insight into the most profitable business decisions to take in the furniture industry. Government interventions in the running of timber industry affect both the long-term and short term plans of the organization (Lopes & Duguid 2010). The government of the United Kingdom monitors the timber industry to avoid depletion of the forest cover. The government has enacted special legislations that ensure that nature resources are not destroyed for private gain. The furniture market in the United Kingdom is subject to these legislations. The marketing strategy of the timber industry is affected by the government interventions. The government of the United Kingdom has informal and formal rules that play an important role in the timber industry. Some of these laws are the tax policy, environmental regulations and other trade restrictions. Research shows that political stability and tariffs affect organizational profitability (Jerrard & Hands 2008). The government is keen on the role of the forests in fighting climate change. Some of the causes of deforestation include wood extraction, expansion of infrastructure and getting more agricultural land. The government controls the logging process in order to ensure that technology does not lead to compromise in the forest cover leading to neg ative effects on the weather patterns. Technology has enabled the sawyers to harvest up to 4000 tons of timber in a day. Economy factors The economic risks or factors relate to regional trends in the conditions that can have profound effects on timber industry in the United Kingdom. The free market economy, the dynamic inflation rate which is under strict fiscal policies because of the recession and the slow economic growth has a negative effect on the timber and furniture company (Lopes &

El Nino Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

El Nino - Essay Example The water undergoes precipitation processes that cause torrential rains resulting into floods in eastern areas such as Peru, US, and Chile. The events also result into prolonged droughts in western areas such as the Indonesia and the Philippines. The effects of El Nino are not only felt in countries bordering the Pacific, rather, they are felt all around the world. However, the main effects of this phenomenon are felt in the Americas. These effects result into losses worth millions of dollars and also claims human casualties. However, the effects of the El Nino have been greatly diminished as a result of early warning systems and design of buildings and structures that can withstand the effects of heavy floods. Still, more needs to be done to curtail El Nino’s effects, particularly those occurring due to floods. Governments in affected areas need to sensitize persons living on coastlines on the dangers of El Nino besides helping in evacuation efforts if need

The Values of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Values of Life - Essay Example I’m still 23, and I’m in the second year in the university, which I need to use them in order to get my bachelor degree. Accomplishment is a value that drives a person to meet their personal goals and objectives in the sense that, there is that need to be somewhere after going through the education program. In my case, I want to accomplish so much in life, for example, I want to ensure that by the time I get to 30, years I will have a well-established career, and I will be financially stable. Additionally, I will give back to the society by helping the needy as it is the society that has helped in shaping my values. Honesty is a virtue that should be owned by every individual this us because it allows people to move forward and to correct mistakes that were made in the process of achieving goals and objectives. Honesty as a value allows people to have good relationships because there is a creation of the trust, which is very important in the lives of people. Am living in accordance with these value by ensuring that in each and every activity I undertake I am first honest with myself and then to other people. There is a need to treat every individual equally and fairly and by so doing, other people will not feel left out. Being fair means that there is justice when it comes to serving people and also treating them. This value is important to me because it allows me to see every person as an equal which in turn allows me to respect every person despite their social, cultural or economic background. Strength is another value that I have become accustomed to especially through my education because sometimes being a university student is not easy. This is because it requires strength and dedication to ensure that a person completes their course. This is because sometimes school can be frustrating, but with adequate strength, I set my mind to the goals and objectives I want to receive in life.

Theory assessment Essay Example for Free

Theory assessment Essay As a trainer, teacher and assessor my roles are many and varied. As part of my day to day work I may not only deliver lessons but also carry out theory assessments, practical assessments and sometimes interviews. I may have to motivate and liaise as well as guide and assess. I will have to keep records and be a subject specialist as well as liaise internally and impart information and advice sometimes on a personal level. The first impact I play regarding my role is either interviewing possible candidates or meeting and greeting them on the first day of their course. Meeting potential apprentices/apprentices on their first day induction requires me to make a good first impression and aim to create a degree of respect and professionalism from the onset. Geoff Petty says in his book. â€Å"When you go for an interview you put your best clothes on. Employers are affected by first impressions, but so are you as a teacher. We do this because we want to know how to behave towards a person and how we can expect them to behave towards us. It would of course be fairer to suspend judgement, but few of us manage this in practise†. (Petty G 2009) It has been proven (Petty G: 2009) that students’ that don’t look interested in studies or that have a â€Å"don’t care attitude† are more likely to do worse on their course that those that appear bright and willing to learn. This is partly due to our â€Å"first impressions† leading to the student being taught differently even though this may be subconscious. This is when it is important in your role as teacher to be the needs identifier and try to teach to the needs of the students’ as individuals and not to teach to the needs of the class as a whole when designing the learning and implementing it. Every student is an individual that has their own preferred learning styles one of the most common and widely used categorizations of the various types of learning styles is Fleming’s VARK model (sometimes VAK) consisting of visual learners, auditory learners, kinaesthetic learners or tactile learners. Flemming claimed that visual learners have a preference for seeing (think in picture; visual aids such as overhead slides, diagrams, hand-outs, etc. ). Auditory learner’s best learn through listening. Tactile/kinaesthetic learners prefer to learn via experience, moving, touching and doing (active exploration of the world; science projects; experiments, etc. ) Its use in pedagogy allows teachers to prepare classes that address each of these areas. Students can also use the model to identify their preferred learning style and maximize their educational experience by focusing on what benefits them most(Wikipedia. org/learning styles). During my lessons I always try to give students a mixture of learning styles so overall the lessons are more varied. I find this keeps the levels of interest much higher and it caters for the group as a whole, this way each student gets to learn at some point in their preferred learning style, this helps me confirm that they have knowledge and understanding from classroom based auditory and visual learning and that they can demonstrate through practical assessments that they have the skills and ability to perform tasks to a standard which can be deemed competent. I insist my students must understand how, when, where and why they should perform tasks. By giving students as much information as possible I believe this empowers the individual and gives them more incentive for learning. As a railway trainer assessor it is my responsibility to ensure support and guidance is available to help support students with various needs and personal issues, any apprentices who report a problem to me it is my duty to speak to the respective students and help deal with their learner needs, if it is anything regarding personal issues it is then my job to involve the appropriate person that deals with those issues, from the designated safe guarding officer to councillors within the affiliated colleges, chaplains or in some cases if the severity of the matter is such by contacting police. All aspects on quality and diversity must be considered at all times and any issues must be kept confidential as the tutor has a duty of care to his/her students. As a railway assessor I am responsible for a class of up to 26 students as their supervisor/mentor it is my duty to inform the student of any relevant legislation and codes of practice. One of the first subjects covered is Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) giving students information on company safety policies and information regarding fire and first aid. Week one of their initial six week course involves presentations and QA regarding legislation that is applicable to the railway such as COSHH (control of substances hazardous to health), RIDDOR (reporting of diseases dangerous occurrence Regs) as well as HAVS (hand arm vibration syndrome) Noise Regs, LOLER (lifting operations lifting equipment Regs), Railway Regs and manual handling. â€Å"Recording provides the platform from which teachers can base their reporting to others and is a mechanism for evaluating learning and teaching. (highlandschools) One of the most important roles of a teacher (and assessor) is record keeping. From day one it is my responsibility to start with a course register as the course progresses I am responsible for gathering evidence that students produce assessing it, evaluating it, marking it and keeping it filled away safely. Data protection is very important because as a teacher we deal with personal details. Part of my job entails collecting apprentice’s bank details and personal details this documentation needs to be collected and passed on to the wage department safely and securely. Weekly reports are carried out on each candidate this information must be kept in a secure location because any misuse could be detrimental to the welfare of students and break any trust built up between student and teacher. Keeping records is a very important reflexive tool for both teachers and learners. Accurate records taken throughout a course enables both teacher and students to continually reassess the effectiveness of the teaching/learning relationship by giving an ongoing measurement against what the candidate should be learning, what they have been taught, whether or not they are making progress and whether the structure of the lesson plan is sufficient or not. Indications on whether the student needs more additional help can also be highlighted. Holistic record keeping is beneficial as it can give an indication if there is external problems for example poor attendance may be due to a multitude of reasons and as a tutor this gives you an initial warning that there may be an underlying problem with this information you can then look deeper and begin to analyse behavioural patterns to identify whether or not there is any issue that might require the notification of other professional bodies. Keeping accurate records of candidates work is necessary for progress, monitoring student achievement, ability and skill through ongoing assessment is essential to track their progress with the additional constructive feedback helps teachers set realistic targets for the candidate to achieve. Once these targets are met the end product is passed on to the awarding bodies for certification. My personal interpretation is that the role of a teacher is a very varied and flexible one. Structured by lesson plans and course criteria the simple fact that individual students can be so diverse due to background, ability, age, and motive for learning makes the role of a teacher unique each and every day. It is my opinion that there is a great responsibility of a tutor to pass on knowledge in a positive and passionate way, the tutor creates his/her own environment for learning and in that environment all the needs of the learner should be met. The teacher should be able to relate to individuals to develop a good personal teaching relationship and to understand what gets the best results out of each student to maximise learning outcome.

Religious Rationale for the Plague in Rosemary Horrox’s The Black Death

Religious Rationale for the Plague in Rosemary Horrox’s The Black Death After the September 11th, 2001 attacks, prominent religious figures claimed that depraved American lifestyles were to blame for the bombings; Protestant leader Jerry Falwell came forth and stated that the attacks were a manifestation of God’s irritation at impious people. This attitude stems from a reaction to contemporary events, but possesses roots that date back to 1348. Throughout the time of plague in medieval England, priests and other spiritual leaders insisted that mass devastation via disease was a God-sent punishment for decadent lifestyles and impious behavior. These officials claimed that the promiscuous, the scantily dressed, and the flamboyant were all to blame for outbreaks of pestilence. Religious responses to the plague of 1348, found in passages of Rosemary Horrox’s The Black Death, clearly display this sentiment, signifying the fact that standards of propriety and decorum were highly relevant to medieval religious authorities attempting to pin down th e causes of plague. In 1348, religious authorities determined that the immodest behavior of certain groups led to outbreaks of ubiquitous plague. The tendency to regard indecency as the cause of plague is displayed in records of the day. Henry Knighton’s description of a guilty crowd attending the tournaments is a telling example. He laments that, â€Å"they spent and wasted their goods, and (according to the common report) abused their bodies in wantonness and scurrilous licentiousness. They neither feared God nor blushed at the criticism of the people, but took the marriage bond lightly and were deaf to the demands of modesty† (130). As one can gather from this passage, the 1348 religi... ...se of the plague’s presence by delimiting impious behavior according to biblical law, and condemning displays of impropriety. Individuals who failed to adhere to religious dictates regarding frugality and matrimony were blamed for ushering in the disease. Those who ignored social conventions regarding decent dress and gender codes were also accused of inciting God’s wrath and bringing society to ruin. According to excerpts of Rosemary Horrox’s The Black Death, the religious message of 1348 states that human pain and suffering are divine punishment for decadence, licentiousness, and frivolity. It is interesting to note that religious leaders of the 21st century state much the same thing regarding catastrophic events. This leads one to conclude that standards of propriety and decorum will always remain an inherent part of any religious diagnosis for societal ailments.

Ethics Bank Bailout

This paper explores the ethics of bank executives receiving large bonuses despite the fact that they received a bailout. I identify the utilitarian and deontological implications of these executives’ actions. This paper also examines if the executives deserved the bonuses, did the banks need a bonus, and how the banks should have been regulated by the banks.Keywords: bailout, utilitarian, deontologyEthics of Bank Bailout BonusesCurrently the economy is still in â€Å"The Great Recession† largely due to the fallout caused by banks. Banks caused this fallout by giving out home loans to unqualified borrowers.  The banks approved loans they know could not be repaid by the borrower because of the terms such as adjustable rates.These home loans started defaulting; which started a domino effect of bank failures, further driving the economy into a downward spiral. In came the government, armed with astronomical sums of money determined to rescue these large financial institut ions. Enrich, Hilsenrath, and Solomon (2009) state that 700 billion dollars of taxpayer money was used to bailout these banks under the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP).It wasn’t long after these bailouts that these banks continued to reward the executives with large bonuses. Should have these top executives of these major banks that received the bailout money been allowed to receive large bonuses? I say definitely not because it was wrong under the provisions of utilitarian ethics which I believe should have been applied in this situation. These executives were at the helm when these banks failed. Bonuses should be rewards for success not compensation for a title or position. If these banks had enough money to give bonuses then the question of do they really need a bailout should be asked.Furthermore, this bailout money did not belong to the banks to give out as they pleased, it belonged to the taxpayers and the money should have been accompanied by stringent regulation s imposed by the government. A bonus is normally given as a reward for production or as an enticement for favored behavior or performance. On Wall Street a bonus is an equivocal right with no strings attached. Success or failure does not matter. Being an executive in the country’s most powerful financial firms is justification enough to entitle them to a bonus. This is the methodology that these institutions follow.Executives used deontological ethics because they focused on their rights and entitlements as executives. They decided their rights to large bonuses outweighed the importance of righting the economy which affected the entire country. Meanwhile, these are the same executives that were in charge when many American’s retirement plans and investments were depleted or completely wiped out. These were the same executives that oversaw an industry that gave out home loans with impossible repayment terms. It can be argued that the banks caused the entire financial wo es that are still present today.Instead of the institutions terminating their executives for not stopping their organization’s misdeeds they were rewarded. These bank executives drove their institutions to the brink of demise. Yet, they were still rewarded with multi-billion dollar bonuses. How could this be justified or ethical? According to Freifeld (2009), Citigroup Inc. , Merrill Lynch & Co. and seven other U. S. banks paid $32. 6 billion in bonuses in 2008 while receiving $175 billion in taxpayer funds through TARP. That means that almost 20% of the government’s bank bail-out to these banks was used on bonuses for their institution’s executives.The question has to be asked, â€Å"Could the bank bailout have been 20% less to these banks? † An even more interesting question would be, â€Å"Did these banks really need the bank bail-out money? † These executives took an ethical egoistic approach by accepting these bonuses. Andre and Velasquez (198 9) explain that three steps to apply utilitarianism to any situation to decide a moral course of action. The first step is to identify all the course of actions that are available in a situation. The second step is to determine all the beneficial and harmful consequences of each course of action for everyone affected by the action.Finally, the third step is to select the course of action that provides the greatest benefits after the costs have been taken into account. Let’s apply this theory to the bank executives and their choice to receive a large bonus. First step would have them identify all their course of actions available to them, which was to take or leave the massive bonus. Secondly, was to determine all the beneficial and harmful consequences for each course of action for everyone affected by taking or refusing the bonus. Those affected by the taking or leaving the bonus include the executive, the financial institution, and the taxpayers.The beneficial consequence o f taking the bonus for the executive is a very large sum of money. The benefit to the financial institution and the taxpayer is none. The harmful consequence to the executive would be obvious, which would be the loss of a tremendous amount of money. The harmful consequences for the financial institution would be loss of capital that could be used somewhere else more productive and the loss of the government’s confidence. The harmful consequence of the executive taking the bonus would be an increased budget deficit which may lead to higher taxes and loss of federal program funding.Finally, weighing the consequences using the utilitarian theory the greatest benefit would be for the executives to refuse the bonus. The right decision for these bank executives would have been to take a utilitarian ethical approach and not accepted their bonuses. These bonuses hurt the government and the people of the United States by costing the bailout more money than necessary and creating a lar ger deficit. Thus, the act of the executives taking their bonuses was morally unethical under the theory of utilitarian ethics because the consequences were more harmful for the greater population.Instead, these executives prioritized their needs and wants higher than the needs and wants of the people. Financial executives were following the ideology of deontology when they made their decision to take their multi-billion dollar bonuses. According to Alexander and Moore (2008) deontology is based from the word â€Å"duty. † I believe that these bank executives felt it was their duty and entitlement to take the bonus. Also deontologists believe in following the rules even though the act may be considered the right thing to do even if it produces bad consequences (Alexander & Moore 2008).They were not breaking the rules or law when they took their bonuses because there were no regulations or rules against them doing so. They followed the rules and it produced the bad effect of c reating a larger than necessary bailout amount. On the other hand however, the government made the bank bailout loan on good faith. Utilitarian ethics were applied in the decision to give out the loan because they feared the banks would ultimately fail without the money. The choice was made out of consequence. The consequence of failing banks would be a country with an even worse economy and completely ruined financial sector.Thus, the government acted and followed utilitarianism’s theory of the greatest good, for the greater amount of people. The government should have not rushed to give the money to the banks without devising stricter regulations. Restrictions were placed on some executive compensation for participating banks, but did not limit salaries and bonuses (Despite Bailout 2008). If the government had placed limitations regulating excessive bonuses this could have been avoided. Executives would have been able to follow either consequential or deontological ethics b y following these limits imposed.Instead the government through legislation did not impose sanctions against bonuses as part of TARP. By failing to do so they left the door open for banks and executives to make ethical choices on their own. I explored the utilitarian and deontology implications of the bank bailout bonuses. I found that the bank executives should not have taken the bonuses after receiving bailout money from the government by using the utilitarian theory because ultimately the consequences were more harmful than good for greater population. I also explained why executives should not have received the bonuses based on their and their institution’s performance.I also questioned whether the bank bailout money was necessary because the banks had enough money to give out large bonuses. Also discussed was the idea of the government imposing stricter sanctions with the TARP legislation forbidding large bonuses. I also stated that the bank executives could have been et hically right under the pretense of deontology. Deontology’s theories revolve around duties, rules, and obligations (Waller B. , 2008). Therefore, the bank executives felt they had the right and duty to an enormous bonus as heads of multi-billion dollar financial institutions. They also followed the rules by accepting the bonuses.

Basic Legal Environment

Regarding the scenario the best way to go in that situation will be a partnership. The reason for that being, it cause he has little financial skills and management skills. From what I know regarding starting a business. If you do not have the skills or do not know much about the process, then you will need help starting and running the business. Everyone has their own way to of doing things so that decision it really you to you. Just make sure that you make the right one for you and your family. Abstract This paper will address the issues of sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. This will discuss the advantages and disadvantages for all three. This will also discuss which will be the best way to go when starting a business and why. There some advantages and disadvantages to each type of business. Depending on how much say the owner wants to have in the decision making of the business. If it was I starting a business the best would be corporation or ever better a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). The reason for that being is that if anything happens to the business the liability does not fall back on you. There will be hard getting help with the start up cost, because with this type of business in the beginning, creditors will use individual for credit situations. Out of the three types of businesses, the best would be Sole Proprietor because the owner has 100% of all decisions and it is easy to start up, even though all debt falls back to the owner personally. This would be to the best way if you are starting up a new business. As you grow you can easily which it over to a partnership or corporation. Conclusion When starting up a business there are many decisions the make and questions to be asked. If you do not make the right one it can come back on you in the long run. I have learned a lot from starting my businesses that I have started in the past. Now I have a successful business that will go a long way.

Analysis of Netflix Essays

Analysis of Netflix Essays Analysis of Netflix Essay Analysis of Netflix Essay It slightly decreased one year and increased in the remaining three. Firms would like to have a high margin and a high turnover, so it is a mostly positive trend that turnover is increasing as well as the net profit margin. Total Leverage: unfavorable. The trend Is positive because total leverage has increased most years. The higher number, the more debt a company has which means that the company has to pay a higher interest expense. Therefore, the net income will be lower which will in turn lower the net profit margin, affecting the ROAR. Stockholders want ROE to increase, but not strictly due to the leverage increase. The first two years the LEVEL was O, in year 3 it was . 05 and in year 4 it was . 507. This has been a positive trend. Leverage is defined different in the advanced model. Leverage only includes financial obligations in the numerator. It is favorable that LEVEL has increased from O because it does increase the ROE; however, it is important that the company does not borrow more than it can handle. B. Are any of these ratios meaningless because of factors such as negative amounts, denominator close to zero, accounting distortions? There are several ratios that are meaningless. In the Advanced DuPont model the Net Borrowing Cost, the Spread, and the ROE are all not available for 2006 and 2007. This not because the cell is simply empty but because the denominators are close to zero. The cell content looks like this: #DIVE/O!. Also, the Financial Leverage for the same two years is O in the Advanced DuPont Model, which may be why the NBC cannot be calculated. Also, it is important to note that there are no negative numbers in this data. C. Are there any factors that make you think the 2009 ratios are aberrations and that the future may be significantly different? There are a few insignificant factors that make me think the 2009 ratios are abnormal and that the future may be exceptionally different. I think it is important to note that the NBC stays the same into the future. I would think that the net borrowing cost would change as the company borrows money and takes on more debt. Also, total leverage increased from 2. 295 to 3. 333 from 2009 to 2010. I am not sure if the future wall De very Deterrent u tens mummer seems to De RA mere Ashley Schmidt Accounting 411 Professor Bartlett Due: October 14, 2010 Assignment 5-8: Decomposing the Dupont Model Ratios to better understand underlying causality. To better understand the economic fundamentals that are driving Nineteens ROE, we an decompose (analyze) each of the variables in the Dupont Model. Examine the ratios calculated by veal. A. Examine the more detailed margin, turnover, and leverage ratios. What interpretation can you place on each of these detailed ratios? Looking at the financial statements may help you understand what the ratios mean. Margin Ratios Gross Margin: The gross margin measures the difference between sales and cost of goods sold as a proportion of sales. The gross margin of Nineteens has stayed relatively around the same. It looks like it may start to increase in the near future, UT from the data there is not a definite positive or negative trend. The Gross margin in 2009 was . 378 which means that 37. 8% of sales were profit. This ratio is important to watch if you are worried about increased competition, which is something that Nettling will be facing very soon. EBITDA Margin: This ratio has been consistently increasing for Nettling over the past 5 years. It is the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization as a proportion of sales. Depreciation and amortization only represent the allocation of past capital expenditures and even though a firm may look good with this ratio they ay have to reinvest in its capital base to continue to stay in business. We would want to make certain that Nettling is spending/using capital expenditures wisely. BIT Margin: This is earnings before interest and taxes and it provides a valuable summary of operating performance. This margin abstracts from leverage or tax rate effects and gives a clean measure of underlying operating performance. From gross margin to this ration the relation between sales and profits gets weaker. This margin has also been consistently increasing for Nettling over the past five years and is a good indicator of operating performance. Net Operating Margin before non-race. : This margin is net operating income with any nonrecurring expenses AAA Dacca In wanly are statutes Tort tenet tax consequences. This number has not been consistent for Nettling and is probably due to taxes or costs of non-equity capital (like tax adjusted interest expenses and preferred dividends). Net Operating Margin: This is the net operating income with nonrecurring items. The difference between these numbers from year to year is due to nonrecurring items. In some years there was a bigger difference than others due to these items. The nature of these items can be unidentified from the 10-K and should be looked at to ensure that they are unusual and not likely to reoccur. Turnover Ratios Net Operating Asset Turnover: The net operating asset turnover has increased for three consecutive years and it is currently at 4. 068. Net Working Capital Turnover: This ratio measures how efficiently a firm is managing its working capital accounts. It is ideal to create sales with the smallest investment in working capital. This number has increased and should be looked at further, it is currently at 4. 68. Average Days to Collect Receivables: This ratio is simply the average amount of time that it takes Nettling to collect the money that its customers owe. This number has been O for the four years that veal has data. This may be because Nettling is a subscriber based company, so you have to pay when you sign up for its services. However, there should still be a time greater than zero that it takes Nettling to collect because transactions do not happen instantaneously. Average Inventory Holding Period: This ratio is the average number of days that Nettling holds its inventory. The quicker it is turned over the better. The past three years this number has decreased which is positive for the company. Average Days to Pay Payable: This ratio simply takes the average payable to determine how long it takes the company to pay its bills. This ratio has decreased the past three years which is positive for the company because it means that they are paying off their debt faster. UPE Turnover Leverage Ratios- Long Term Capital Structure Debt to Equity Ratio: This ratio is similar to the financial leverage definition that is used in the Advanced DuPont model; however, preferred stock is excluded from the numerator. It provides an indication of the extent of a firms long-term credit commitments. A higher ratio means a higher probability of financial distress. Nineteens debt to equity ratio is relatively low but did sharply increase from 2008 to U. It would a De Denial to Turner Investigate ten reason Enola D ten Susanne increase. OFF to Total Debt: Funds from operations to total debt shows the working capital created or destroyed by the operations of the firm. This ratio directly compares the debt with the flow of funds that will be used to service the debt so it overcomes the horologists that the debt to equity ratio presents.