Reflective Diary on “Presentation”

Presentation As I know from my lecturer in class of Enterprises Development, presentation is a â€Å"performance, and like any actor, you must rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. † I don’t find myself as a good in presentation as presenter. Though I rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, my presentation goes wrong during middle of performance. That time I found myself in hell, which makes me and my group disappointment. I have tried to improve my presentation skills lot, achieved some positive act in myself but still with problems. I am so glad and very thankful to my lecturer that providing clear information about how to do presentation?She provided us with lot of information about presentation which can help us in develop personal skills for presentation. During our last class, we all student are surprised to know that she choose three student for presentation. Through their presentation she said us about positive and negative about presentation. And from that presentation, I found that as Presenter it is very important to engage with audience, asking question, keeping eye contact, using hands, making sure the audience to understand and need to enjoy sharing knowledge on clear topic make presentation attractive and better.From my classmate’s presentation in class, I learned that preparation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication are very importance for performance as speaker in presentation. Presentation is simply a means of communication which can be adapted to various speaking situation, such as talking to group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team. I remembered that when there was a group presentation in class it was always a pressure in my head. But, now knowing all this I would do my best for upcoming group presentation for this year.

Local Lit Foreign Lit Essay

In this chapter one of the most important early steps in a research project is the conducting of the literature review. This chapter will explain how review of related literature is very important in conducting a study. This is also one of the most humbling experiences you’re likely to have. Because you’re likely to find out that just about any worthwhile idea you will have has been thought of before, at least to some degree. A literature review is designed to identify related research, to set the current research project within a conceptual and theoretical context. The greatest emphasis on research journals that use a blind or juried review system. The literature review will help to find and select appropriate measurement instruments. It will readily see what measurement instruments researchers used themselves in contexts similar to the study. Finally, the literature review will help to anticipate common problems in the research context. It can use the prior experience s of others to avoid common traps and pitfalls. 2.1 Related Literature Local Literature The Department of Education said Monday â€Å"it’s all systems go† for the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE), adding that it expects some 1.5 million fourth year high school students from both public and private schools to participate. â€Å"The annual conduct of the NCAE gives the students and the parents an idea on the field of endeavor most suited to the graduating students thus, allowing for better decision on their choice of career,† Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said. A major part of the exam consists of the general scholastic aptitude test. It also measures a graduating student’s potentials or inclination in such areas as technical-vocational aptitude, entrepreneurial skills, nonverbal ability and occupational interest. The test components are: scientific ability, mathematical ability, reading comprehension, verbal ability, manipulative skills, clerical ability, non-verbal ability and entrepreneurial skills. The exam results are at best recommendatory and are not a requisite for admission to college. There were 717,232 students or 58.62 percent who obtained high aptitude in entrepreneurship. Some 20,307 students with high general scholastic aptitude scores and 22,879 students with high results in technical-vocational aptitude became eligible. (James Konstantin Galvez, n.d.) It says in the article that the assessment exam will determine which career path is best after graduation from high school based on the individual test results. The examination will also minimize the mismatch in career choices and skills that has affected many college graduates who were not well advised about what career path they should take. *PMA exam passers eye academy’s 300 slots.The 942 passers of the recent Philippine Military Academy (PMA) entrance exams will still have to battle it out to make it to the 300-strong cast of final cut and fulfill their dreams of being a member of the PMA Class 2013. The PMA entrance examination is the just first step of a highly competitive process for cadet aspirants in the PMA. To secure a slot in the academy, examination passers will then have to overcome the rigid and complete physical fitness test and medical examination set in early October. But the good news is PMA’s officials are reportedly planning to talk with the Armed Forces of the Philippines general headquarters to extend the final cut qualifiers by 30 to 50. Those who will qualify the second stage will be notified by the PMA thru mail, while the complete list of passers will be published in some major national broadsheets and at the PMA website at www.pma.ph. And although the exam is just the beginning, PMA Supt. M/Gen. Leopoldo Maligalig appreciated the 18-percent passing rate this year, only a whisker ahead of last year’s 16 percent. Records show that applicants from Baguio registered the highest passing percentage in the entrance exam at 27 percent with 133 passers. There were 8, 449 regulars and 1,834 walk-in applicants nationwide but only 5, 777 have qualified to take the entrance examinations. 5, 652 completed the battery test in mathematics, English and special PMA aptitude test. PMA, considered the country’s top military institution, has been accepting more than 10,000 to 12, 000 applicants in the past years. Academy’s information officer Lady Capt. Agnes Lynnette Flores, however, noted that there has been a decrease in the number of aspiring cadets as a result of PMA’s more rigid training intended to maintain its reputation of producing high-quality cadets and future true leaders.â€Å"The program is also geared to insulate PMA cadets from politics and to mold them into constitutional soldiers who must defend the fundamental law of the land at all costs,† she said. *MMDA chief: Address job mismatch. Saying the education system is failing to produce the skills needed by the private industry, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando yesterday called for joint public-private collaboration to address the problem of job mismatch. â€Å"The government, schools and private business should get together for an exchange of views on dominant and emerging jobs and the skills needed to fill the jobs,† Fernando said. He suggested human-resource planning to forecast the demand for and supply of critical skills. The planning could be done on an industry basis. Fernando proposed that companies provide the necessary training and retraining, while colleges and universities review their curricula to offer business-friendly courses. The government should also enhance its free training program through the Technical and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) by opening more training centers in rural areas and strengthening its vocational training program. Current opportunities, Fernando noted, are in the fields of information technology, retail, manufacturing, tourism, hospitality and accounting, adding that the call center industry has an opening for at least 60,000 jobs this year. Fernando said the Philippine economy should also continue to grow in order to provide more better-paying jobs that would entice Filipinos to stay in the country. While overseas Filipino workers are providing billions of dollars in remittances for the Philippine economy, their absence in the country also contributes to the brain/skills drain and to dysfunctional families, he observed. Local industries have estimated incurring an additional P1 billion for recruiting and training new workers to replace those who have left to work abroad. Foreign Literature DepEd asked not to rank schools in NAT. The Federation of Association of Private Schools and Administrators (FAPSA) is asking the Department of Education (DepEd) not to rank schools in the National Achievement Test (NAT), saying it is not a healthy competition. â€Å"Our group would not mind the intention of Secretary (Jesli) Lapus provided the outcome would not be published,’’ he added. Kasilag made the appeal after the DepEd administered the NAT to sixth graders and second year high school students last March 5 and 12. â€Å"The conduct of the test had paved the way for ingenious access to leakage. Former DepEd secretary Raul Roco had admitted that questions and answers could bought in the provinces,’’ he said. Kasilag said the NAT, being the precursor of NCEE in the 90’s then NEAT and NSAT in 2000, was the same exam for whose abolition his group lobbied for. Roco abolished the NCEE in a bid to allow more students to enter college. He cited the case of a female student in his school (St. Nicholas school in Marikina) who failed to graduate as valedictorian because she didn’t do well in NEAT exam years back. â€Å"The mother asked â€Å"why should a day’s exam matter most over the entire six years of study in elementary? Schools already have 4 periodicals, 10 monthly tests, countless quizzes and daily assignments, are these not enough?’’ he said. (Shianee Mamanglu, March 18, 2009) The ranking of schools in a publication had proved to be divisive and resulted in unhealthy competition among private schools. Schools that lagged behind prepared rigorously to recover at the expense of regular academic curriculum. Ofcourse, if the result is published it will only cause disgrace to the schools. The conduct of the NAT is not reliable enough to assess the total performance of students, since students, particularly those from the provinces, can buy questions, answers and grades. *Mandatory psych test for leaving OFWs opposed. â€Å"We will also stage various mass actions in national level in the coming weeks to show Malacanang and the House members that there is indeed clamor for this,† he added. Basas, however, expressed appreciation to Secretary Lapus and the entire DepEd in lobbying for the immediate approval of the proposed bill. He also lauded the Senate for the immediate approval of its counterpart proposed law in the Upper Chamber. TDC claimed that since 2001 public school teachers had only two salary increases amounting to P2, 000 combined. Mandatory psych test for leaving OFWs opposed. Manila, Philippines — A coalition of migrants’ rights organizations has opposed the proposal to make psychiatric examination mandatory for leaving overseas Filipino household service workers. Ellene Sana, executive director of the Center for Migrants Advocacy (CMA), said the proposal was made by the Department of Foreign Affairs, citing a study by the Department of Health of mental cases among overseas Filipino workers. She said they got the information from Poe Gratela, private sector representative to the governing body of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), during a consultation meeting on August 6. In Resolution No. 05, Series 2008, the Consultative Council on OFWs (CCOFW), of which CMA is a member, argued that this mandatory psychiatric exam only for household service workers is discriminatory, will be an additional cost to OFWs, and does not guarantee objectivity. *The council also said the test presupposes that the root problem is the workers’ psychiatric disposition. It said this presumption is â€Å"unfounded and illogical.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sound psychiatric test results of a worker cannot guarantee one’s sanity because there are simply too many aggravating factors such as work environment, cultural differences, language barriers, and emotional stress that affect OFWs’ physical and mental conditions,† it said. The council pointed out data which shows that 78 percent of the household service workers deemed mentally unfit were deployed in the Middle East. This indicates that â€Å"what is needed is for the government to look at the working conditions in the Middle East of the household service workers, and not these workers’ mental states,† it said. Instead, the council proposed that the government administer mandatory psychiatric examinations to all government personnel deployed overseas â€Å"to determine their psychological and emotional preparation for overseas assignments, particularly, in handling cases of workers in distress.† *Aside from CMA’s Sana, the other signatories to the resolution are: Fr. Savino Bernardi of the Apostleship of the Sea, Fr. Edwin Corros of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Ecumenical Commission on Migrants and Itinerants, Luis Andres Maya of the Scalarini Center for People on the Move, Fr. Fabio Baggio of the Scalabrini Migration Center,Gwendolyn Valencia of the Philippine Migrants Rights Watch, Carmelita Nuqui of the Development Action for Women Network, Gina Espinosa of Kaibigan Inc., Francisco Aguilar Jr. of the Fil Migrant Workers Group, Mildred Yamzon and Dr. Gloria Itchon of the Women in Development Foundation, and Luther Calderon of Kampi. *Naveed Azim and Imran Naqvi and Kashif ur Rehman. Learning of student can be assessed by objective type and subjective type questions. Educationists and behavioral scientists declare subjective writing skills essential for senior management positions. Investigation revealed that IT professionals who qualified through objective type online examination and lack subjective writing skills could not earn rise in career to top management positions easily. The study considered ability of a student to express knowledge subjectively as the independent variable and higher management position requirements as the dependent variable. It hypothesized better the student of higher level education in his/her subjective expression, more considerable s/he will be for positions at senior management in business organizations. The study selected 100 private companies engaged in the field of Information Technology (IT) in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan who seek OCP or MCSD or MCSE certified professionals. SalonBooker is the leading online scheduling, point-of-sale and business management software for the beauty industry. Thousands of businesses have joined the GramercyOne family to provide online booking to their customers, manage day-to-day operations and drive new business. SalonBooker is completely web-based, which makes it available from any computer with a browser and internet connection, anywhere at any time, even via an smart phone or iPad. With SalonBooker you will be able to manage your business efficiently by integrating multiple systems in to one, save time through intelligent inventory and commission management and track and report across all activities within your business. (http://www.salonbooker.com/) 2.2 Related Studies Local Studies *According to Wikipedia, â€Å"A test or an examination (or â€Å"exam†) is an assessment, often administered on paper or on the computer, intended to measure the test-takers’ or respondents’ (often a student) knowledge, skills, aptitudes, or classification in many other topics (e.g., beliefs). Tests are often used in education, professional certification, counseling, psychology (e.g., MMPI), the military, and many other fields. The measurement that is the goal of testing is called a test score, and is â€Å"a summary of the evidence contained in an examinee’s responses to the items of a test that are related to the construct or constructs being measured.† Test scores are interpreted with regards to a norm or criterion, or occasionally both. The norm may be established independently, or by statistical analysis of a large number of subjects.† (www.wikipedia.com) According to Lee J. Cronbach, â€Å"Test aid in making many sorts of decisions, including selection and classification of individuals, evaluation of educational or treatment procedures, and acceptance or rejection of scientific hypothesis.† (Essentials of Psychological Testing, Cronbach, p.18) According to Wikipedia, â€Å"An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site. It originated as the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dialup bulletin board system. From a technological standpoint, forums or boards are web applications managing user-generated content. People participating in an Internet forum may cultivate social bonds and interest groups for a topic may form from the discussions. (www.wikipedia.com) According to WORDIQ, †An Internet forum, also known as a message board or discussion board, is a web application that provides for online discussions, and is the modern descendant of the bulletin board systems and existing Usenet news systems that were widespread in the 1980s and 1990s. An Internet forum typically exists as part of a website and invites users to start topics and discuss issues with one another. Sometimes, a forum even comprises most, if not all, of the content of a site. Compared to wikis, Internet forums don’t allow users to edit the forum posts of other users; however, administrators and moderators generally have the capability of doing thisâ€Å". (www.wordiq.com) Foreign Studies College student retention programs tend to focus primarily on students in their first and second year of college as this is the time when the greatest number of students withdraws from postsecondary education (ACT 2004). Such programs vary substantially in design and execution. Examples include: Early alert, assessment, and monitoring systems to identify students at risk of dropping out for early intervention; Freshman Seminar; and HORIZONS. Organizational Theory practices, designed to create an institutional culture conducive to student retention, are another means of encouraging college student retention. Improving college retention rates may have broad impacts: students who complete college degrees have been found to be less likely to need the support of social services, generate higher tax returns, put less stress on the criminal justice system, and have better health status and improved parenting skills. Expected Beneficial Outcomes, Increased college retention rates, increased graduation rates, Evidence of Effectiveness ACT-Student Retention 2004 indicates that emphasis on retention strategies over the past several decades has not had a substantial impact on college retention overall. However, such programs have been effective in some venues and for some students: Dale 1995 reports that 85% of students participating in HORIZON, a Purdue University based student retention program, were retained compared to only 47% of non-enrollee peers. Participants indicated that belonging to a support network, having assistance with effective study methods, and tutoring were most important to their decision not to leave school. According to Wikipedia, â€Å"Career assessments are tests that are designed to help individuals understand how a variety of personal attributes (i.e., interests, values, preferences, motivations, aptitudes and skills), impacts their potential success and satisfaction with different career options and work environments. Assessments of some or all of these attributes are often used by individuals or organizations, such as university career service centers, career counselors, outplacement companies, corporate human resources staff, executive coaches, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and guidance counselors to help individuals make more informed career decisions.†

Artemis Temple Essay Example for Free

Artemis Temple Essay She presided over the transition of a woman from virgin (parthenos) to married woman (gyne) and protected the virginity of those who were unmarried or wished to remain virgins (2). Artemis also oversaw marriage, childbirth and assisted with child-rearing (3). Virginity was especially emphasized in the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus: only virgins and men were allowed access and married or sexually active women were excluded under penalty of death. Artemis is commonly regarded as a fertility goddess, mostly because of the multitude of ‘breasts’ that cover her cult image (4). This essay will discuss three aspects of the Ancient Temple of Artemis, the style, the restoration of its architecture and its importance. The temple of Artemis was built around 550 BC and was the first temple to be entirely of marble and the largest temple ever built. The temple was financed by the wealthy king of Lydia and was designed by the Greek architect Chersiphron. Marshy ground was selected for the building site as a precaution against future earthquakes. The foundation was laid on a bed of packed charcoal and sheepskins, the column drums and architraves moved from the quarry, relates Vitruvius, by fitting them with large wheels and then, like rolling axles, having them pulled by oxen (5). It resembles the classical Greek temple: a stoic rectangular structure with mighty columns (6). The temple measured 350 by 180 feet and from the outside, its most striking feature was its more than 100 marble columns. Since it was built in the Ionic architectural style, the columns were decorated with sculptural reliefs at their bases and rosettes in their capitals (7). There were two rows of columns stretched across the front of the temple, standing about 21 feet apart and extending from the front to the back of the temple at 17 feet apart. The door in the pediment — along with two windows — was intended for Artemis’ own use (8). Inside the temple was the statue of Artemis herself, which was built from gold, silver, ebony and other stones. The temple brought in merchants, kings, and sightseers, many of donated jewellery and other treasures to Artemis and her temple. Its splendor also attracted many worshipers and pilgrims, strengthening the cult of Artemis (9). Since she was an influential figure, her fame went higher as soon as her temple was built. The Temple of Artemis was a very famous and attracted visitor from far and near. Its purpose was both a religious institution and market place. The market place itself had small models of the temple and its goddess Artemis for the fellow tourists as souvenirs to take with them. The columns at the front were decorated with intricate sculptures. It was built to honor Artemis as inside the temple was an inner room called the sanctuary that housed  a magnificent statue of the goddess. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt several times, each time it was built more impressively than the time before it. The first time it was destroyed was on the night of July 21, 356 BC, a man named Herostratus set fire to the temple in an attempt to immortalize his name (10). It caused the roof to cave in, the columns collapsed, and the statue of the goddess crashed to the ground. After the town created a law stating whoever mentioned his name would be put to death immediately. In the following two decades the temple was restored with the help of Alexander the Great. But then again in 262 AD, the temple was destroyed by the Goths and later swamped by floods, but still the residents of Ephesus vowed to rebuild it (11). However this time it was not rebuilt due to the high construction costs. A little later the temple began to lose its importance and many people were switching to Christianity and the town was completely isolated. There were attempts made to reconstruct the temple, but so far only a couple columns have been erected upon the remaining foundation. Artemis Temple. (2018, Oct 30).

Financial Crisis Effects on America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Crisis Effects on America - Essay Example This essay stresses that the effect of the crisis evolved to a number of countries, and by the mid of 2008, the economic crisis had spread over an appreciated region, worldwide. Many countries with emerging economies felt the influence of the recession that had its manifestation in a number of ways including increased poverty level. Among the countries that experienced a hard hit were the South Africa, Turkey and Mexico. Some like China, however, managed to have a fair time during and after the recession since it records an appreciated rate of economic growth. This paper declares that the recession had emanated from a number of factors and got policymakers and investors unaware. Multilateral agencies and analysts of economic situations underestimated the effect of the financial crisis and the great depression, at the beginning. Signs as the high current deficits, mainly in the United States and United Kingdom, were a clear show that the economy was at under challenge. The lax financial regulation in the United States, coupled with the loose monetary policy experienced were among the different various signs of a financially unstable period. However, after Lehman Brothers experienced a collapse, the situation received attention from policymakers and investors. Investors, for instance, revised their strategies. Noteworthy is the transmission effect of the financial crisis to the country’s real economy. The effect of the real economy on occurs through five notable ways. The wealth effect on the real economy relates to the reduction in n et worth of households. The crisis experienced had considerable effects on the well-being of households in the United States. A significant number of households experienced financial distress because of the reactions to economic stress. The first three quarters of the crisis in 2008 experienced a substantial reduction in asset values for households (Bernanke 2008, p.1). The reduced stock value also reduced the net worth of households. There was a nota reduction in the prices of houses, as well. A significant percentage of households had little value in ownership of stock market holdings. Direct ownership of equities went down to a low record in 2008. Mutual fund holdings reduced and initiated the effect of reduced household net worth. The reduction in prices of stocks triggered a significant hit on households nearing retirement period. The wealth effect also reduced the level of consumption among since there was high need for households to make savings. The need for savings was prom pted by the urge to make up for the reduced value of wealth and maintain the level of life that households had, prior to the crisis. The confidence effect of the economic crisis relates to the implications on the portion of the population that lost wealth and experienced a reduction in asset value. May citizens underwent losses in the stock market. Other people experienced unstable credit ratings while others lost employment. These affected their level of commitment and prompted keenness in consideration of financial commitments. Their confidence level reduced remarkably, as they gained caution regarding the possibility of

Global Warming speech by Marcus Gibson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Warming speech by Marcus Gibson - Essay Example The speech has been delivered where it tends to be more convenient to pass the message and the audience is encouraging.Furthermore, it encourages everyone to be walking shorter distances rather than using vehicles which pollute the environment. The speech has not ignored the negative challenges but has acknowledged all the aspects. It has tried to lead the audience in understanding the speech being delivered. Compelling the audience in practicing the safety measures against preventing global warming has been emphasized. This is by encouraging them to do the very simple thing like walking for short distances rather than using their vehicles. Furthermore, the speech is more obliged and focuses on achieving the best from the audience. On delivering the speech, the person engaged the audience by using eye contact and movements. This is with the fact that they the audience may provide visual support and encouragement during the delivery of the speech as they are considered to be the focal point. In addition, the speech on Global warming has been delivered in the manner that at that time every person has been willing to fight and prevent it. The writer focused on using rhetoric questions in delivering the speech. For instance, â€Å"If we don’t prevent global warming by ourselves, who will?†This made the audience to be livelier and contribute by providing good listening skills. Moreover, the speech being delivered focused on the key issues making it be precise thus delivering the intended message to the audience. The persuasive attempt in delivering the speech was more effective.

Guardian ad litem Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Guardian ad litem - Assignment Example In this regard, the GAL must need to consider certain essential factors while investigating a child. A few of the major factors to be considered while asking questions to Cathy have been provided hereunder. Understanding the needs and ensure to defend the child from any type of physical and emotional harm Comprehending the views of the child and her relationship with each parent and/or other people Identifying possible changes on the child while being separated from the parents Considering practical problems of the child in terms of contacting his/her parents Considering and understanding of the child’s personal and psychological characteristics including cognitive and physical behaviors among others. Therefore, it can be affirmed that the aforementioned considerable factors would be more beneficial for both Cathy and the GAL to share along with understand the feelings while asking various types of questions (UC Davis School of Law, â€Å"In the Child’s Best Interest?à ¢â‚¬ ). DISCUSSION OF LEGAL TERMINOLOGIES With reference to the guiding principles that are often represented by the Federal and State Statutes, it can be viewed that certain essential policies ensure to protect and serve paramount interests of the child. A brief discussion about the legal terms or standards determining the best interests of the child i.e. Cathy have been provided hereunder. Ala. Code  § 12-15-101 (LexisNexis through 2012 1st Spec. Sess.). The Federal and/or State Constitution tends to protect the child from different emotional or physical harms and ensures to select appropriate individual amid the parents with whom the child is likely to be stayed (UC Davis School of Law, â€Å"In the Child’s Best Interest?†). In relation to the case scenario, the GAL should highly focus on justifying and understanding the emotional along with the physical characteristics of Cathy and making effective decisions of identifying appropriate parent. Moreover, the provi sions in this legal terminology also ensures the deliverance of fundamental rights and needs incorporating adequate care, food, appropriate medical care facilities, cloths along with other remedial elements of the child. D.C. Code Ann.  § 16-2353 (LexisNexis through 7-18-12). With reference to the sections of the Federal and State Statutes, the court is authorized to protect the child through applying standards concerning the rights and responsibilities of the parents. Moreover, the section also tends to ensure extent feasibility of the child’s opinions regarding his/her own personal interests (UC Davis School of Law, â€Å"In the Child’s Best Interest?†). Therefore, it can be stated that the primary roles of the parents generally include adequate care and welfare of the child along with proper arrangement of shared responsibilities to nourish the child as per her basic needs. Moreover, maintaining effective cooperation amid the parents has also been identifie d to ensure serving best interests of the child. Fla. Stat. Ann.  § 39.810 (LexisNexis through 2012 Sess.). In order to act with the purpose of serving paramount interests of Cathy, the guiding principles of the Federal and State constitution can also ensure keeping the child in a suitable custody with a relative or any close caregiver (UC Davis School

Individual case study analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual case study analysis - Essay Example Government spending was reduced and the ‘National Wage Partnership Programme’ was signed. As a result, wage increases were limited at 3 percent for three years. The comparative low wages and the fact that it was not rising, as in other countries, attracted FDI. With lower wages and higher productivity than the rest of Europe, Ireland attracted foreign direct investment (FDI). The economic transformation, that was taking place in the country, where a direct result of the political transformation. The protectionist policies, tariffs and subsidies, had created an economy where exports fell and per capita income was low. There was no FDI and the economy in general was bleak. However, as political powers opened up the economy to foreign trade and investment, the economy improved. In the 1980’s, the government was following a fiscal policy that was conservative, to meet with the criterion set by the Economic and Monetary Union. The annual budget deficit and the level of national debt were lowered to create the environment for FDI. Whereas previously the government was involved in key sectors such as energy, communication and transport, by the early 2000s, government involvement got limited to the state-owned enterprises such as Aer Lingus (airlines), electricity distributor ESB, natural gas distributor Bord gas, etc. With the opening up of the market, particularly with its exports to the US rising, the Irish GDP grew at a rate of 9.9 percent during 1996 and 2000. That the political system of a country can influence the economy through appropriate policies and laws can be best demonstrated through examples. The growth of the Irish economy in computer software was a result of the government’s responsiveness and political will. When Microsoft decided not to locate a key web hosting operation in Ireland in 1998, because of the insufficient connectivity, the government responded by

My favorite brand( NIKE shoes ) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My favorite brand( NIKE shoes ) - Research Paper Example Nike, founded in January 25th 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight as Blue Ribbon Sports, is an American multinational enterprise headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, the designs, develops, manufactures and markets footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services. Valued at 10.7 billion USD, it is the most valuable brand among sports businesses and as of 2012, had more than 44,000 employees worldwide (Carbasho & Westport, 2010). It is quite easy answering people who ask what type of shoes I prefer (as it is clearly Nike), what I find particularly engaging is answering why I like Nike Shoes in a single sentence since it is a topic I could go on about for a whole day. Nike shoes are amazing in a plethora of ways and reasons. First of all, I like Nike Shoes for the wide variety that they offer. If you visit a Nike shoe store, guaranteed you will find a myriad of confusing choices to pick from. And if you’re not the disciplined type, you could easily go on an impulse buying spree. Nike shoes come in different amazing designs, colors, sizes, and so on, for all sexes. Virtually all tastes and preferences are catered for in a Nike store. It’s nearly impossible to miss something that strikes (or even something to gift to a special one on a special occasion). Secondly, Nike shoes elicit deep passion in me for the relative comfort they offer. Wearing Nike shoes is almost as comfortable as walking naturally barefoot except that your feet are now protected. So long as you pick a suitable size, you will always find Nike shoes designed for utmost comfort and protection. No pinches or sore toes at the end of that morning exercise, unlike other brands I’ve come across. In addition, Nike shoes offer durability unlike any other. Whether it is rigorous exercises or calm walks, Nike shoes will serve you for a good period of time before fading away/ aging. They are built tough to match any purpose. From my

Equity and Trusts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Equity and Trusts - Essay Example Because of the implementation of the principles of equity, the concept of Trust was invented. Trust is said to apply in circumstances in which an individual places his/her trust in another person to run his/her affairs2. Such relationships based on trust are fully governed by the principles of Equity. The concept and principles of trust have since been used in the legal system to handle a number of situations particularly those dealing with pension funds, charities and family relationships among others. There are certain technical terms that one must be conversant with for the best understanding of the concepts of Equity and Trust. Among these terms are proprietary estoppels, secret trust and fiduciary, purpose trust, fixed trust, discretionary trust, resulting trust charitable trusts, personal remedies and constructive trusts. Similarly, it is vital that all the elements of cases related to trust and equity such as proprietary estoppel should be clearly understood and determined. Among the cases that have emphasized the relevance and applications of Equity and Trust in the legal system is Thorner versus Major [2009] UKHL 18, [2009] 1 WLR 776 which this paper explores among other related cases decided earlier. There are certain elements that must be addressed, understood and proved for a proprietary estoppel claim to be successful. First, proprietary estoppel refers to legal claims built on the basis of any rights to possess, inherit or use a property such as land and house3. These claims are mostly caused by disputed transfers upon the death of the owner of the property in question. There are numerous steps or stages into which proprietary estoppel may be divided, more so regarding the causes of these estoppels. Foremost, a party or an individual may represent or assure the other that he/she intends to transfer the ownership of a property without any legal effects or

Employment Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employment Relations - Essay Example Therefore, this present study seeks to critically evaluate this premise in order to establish whether it is a valid truth or not. While evaluating this statement, relevant theories and evidence with respect to the different formats of employee involvement and participation will be looked analysed, and additionally, some quote examples will be presented in order to illustrate the arguments presented within the paper. To begin with, it is critical to define the three key terms that appear on the title of this essay and this include employee involvement, which has been described by Blyton and Turnbull (2004), as the creation of an environment within the workplace whereby employees have an impact on the actions and decisions that relate with their roles and responsibilities. Bach (2005) on his part described employee involvement as the equal participation of workers in the decision making of how work is to be done, improvement of work performance, setting of objectives, planning and moni toring of their work performance. Secondly, Blyton and Turnbull (2004) described employee participation as a part of employee involvement that is intended to provide workers with the opportunity to influence and in certain circumstances play an active role in the decision making process of issues that affects them. As for employee empowerment, Ezzamel and Willmott (1998) simply defined it as a manipulation tool or management control that is critical in the attainment of full organisational potential. Alternatively, Bach (2005) described employee empowerment as management strategies for sharing decision-making power between the management and the employees. Employee involvement and participation does not empower employees It is noted that in the writings by Bach (2005) the term ‘empower’ means giving power to another party and hence giving the same party some form of independency. The statement suggests that employee do not gain power through involvement and participatio n in the work processes that includes the decision making process. Edwards and Wajcman (2005) lamented that the acts of involvement and participation do not transfer power to the employees. This is because it is still the powerful managers who get to decided and even design how employees will be involved in the actions and decision that relate to their job and to what extent they can participate in the decision making process within an organisation. Therefore, from the simple fact that powerful managers are the ones who get to set the extent or design of employee involvement and participation it definitely means that employees do not even have an actual power in their involvement and participation since it is the managers who set these on their own terms. From the definition of the term employee involvement and participation, it is evidently clear that in the strategies, employees are only meant to contribute or state their opinions or views regarding matters that affect their jobs. Therefore, it is not as if they are taking full charge of matters affecting their jobs, which could have meant that they are fully empowered through involvement and participation. Hyman and Mason (1995) further added that by contributing to a process it means that one does not have full control over the process. With reference to the writings by Lashley (2001), he argued that in the current

Dbq Regarding the Literary Responses to World War 1 from 1914 to 1928 Essay Example for Free

Dbq Regarding the Literary Responses to World War 1 from 1914 to 1928 Essay Historical Context: World War 1 (1914-1918) was a war that was inevitable, but almost entirely underestimated. As the war dragged on for four years and millions of lives were expended in the name of victory, many were greatly impacted culturally, mainly Europeans and Americans. In what was known as the lost generation, many poets and writers developed new forms of literature in response to the devastating consequences of the war. DBQ Prompt: Identify and analyze the various European and American literary responses to World War 1 created during the war and in the decade after the end of World War 1. Document #1 - Source: Paul Valà ©ry, French poet and critic, â€Å"The Crisis of the Mind,† evaluation of European mind and civilization (1920). - - The storm has died away, and still we are restless, uneasy, as if the storm were about to break. Almost all the affairs of men remain in a terrible uncertainty. We think of what has disappeared, and we are almost destroyed by what has been destroyed; we do not know what will be born, and we fear the future, not without reason†¦ Doubt and disorder are in us and with us. There is no thinking man, however shrewd or learned he may be, who can hope to dominate this anxiety, to escape from, this impression of darkness. - Document #2 - Source: Roland Leighton, British soldier serving in France, letter to fiancà © Vera Brittain (1915). - - Among this chaos of twisted iron and splintered timber and shapeless earth are the fleshless, blackened bones of simple men who poured out their red, sweet wine of youth unknowing, for nothing more tangible than Honour or their Countrys Glory or anothers Lust of Power. Let him who thinks that war is a glorious golden thing, who loves to roll forth stirring words of exhortation, invoking Honour and Praise and Valour and Love of Country. Let him look at a little pile of sodden grey rags that cover half a skull and a shine bone and what might have been its ribs, or at this skeleton lying on its side, resting half-crouching as it fell, supported on one arm, perfect but that it is headless, and with the tattered clothing still draped around it; and let him realise how grand and glorious a thing it is to have distilled all Youth and Joy and Life into a foetid heap of hideous putrescence. - Document #3 - Source: Ernest Hemingway, American author and expatriate, â€Å"The Sun Also Rises,† expatriate character adventure (1926). - - Youre an expatriate. Youve lost touch with the soil. You get precious. Fake European standards have ruined you. You drink yourself to death. You become obsessed with sex. You spend all your time talking, not working. You are an expatriate, see? You hang around cafes. - Document #4 - Source: F. Scott Fitzergerald, American writer, â€Å"This Side of Paradise,† examines post-war morality with fictional love plot (1920). - I simply state that Im a product of a versatile mind in a restless generation-with every reason to throw my mind and pen in with the radicals. Even if, deep in my heart, I thought we were all blind atoms in a world as limited as a stroke of a pendulum, I and my sort would struggle against tradition; try, at least, to displace old cants with new ones. Ive thought I was right about life at various times, but faith is difficult. One thing I know. If living isnt seeking for the grail it may be a damned amusing game. - Document #5 - Source: Eleanor Chaffer, French woman, poem â€Å"Lost Generation† published in a newspaper (1921). - - Look not for the flower of innocence in these eyes, - Gravely and silently they have looked on death, - Seen terror rain down from unfriendly skies, - Learned while yet infants how frail is mans breath. - They have turned from a landscape where the ground - Is poisoned and destroyed: give them a toy - And it is held in their hands with no sound - Of childish mirth. This solemn-faced small boy - Is older than his father: in his face, - Wisdom is the ghost that will not leave; - The world to him is a wild and dangerous place; - No covert here where he may hide and grieve. - Look well on these, and on the world we made - As heritage for them — and be afraid! Document #6 - Source: Wilfred Owen, English poet and soldier, Dulce et Decorum Est, addressed to his mother, written 1917, published later (1920) - - If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory That old lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori - Document #7 - Source: D.H. Lawrence, English novelist and poet, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, fictional protagonist has a love affair, examines structural morale (1928). - - Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically. The cataclysm has happened, we are among the ruins, we start to build up new little habitats, to have new little hopes. It is rather hard work: there is now no smooth road into the future: but we go round, or scramble over the obstacles. We’ve got to live, no matter how many skies have fallen. - Document #8 - Source: Kathe Kollwitz, German expressionist artist, The Survivors (1922), by Kathe Kollwitz - .

Strategic Management of ExxonMobil

Strategic Management of ExxonMobil Strategic Management Abstract Proper business modelling requires in depth analysis of the business conditions that affect the performance of the business enterprise. This analysis must be objective and very informing in terms of highlighting the prospects of business growth and forecasting the position of the business by using the current growth opportunities and strengths too. A growth oriented business franchise must take into account the four facets involved in the SWOT criteria, critically analyse them and establish a framework for propagating growth through the inferences of SWOT criterion. ExxonMobil, being a multinational oil company with immense business interests has plenty of business variables that directly stand on its way to greater growth. Conversely, the business has humongous opportunities and cardinal pillars on which it stands to inspire its growth in the industry. This report is tasked with the examination of these key factors and opportunities of growth and offer the recommendations to capitalize on these factors in order of importance. In contrast, the report shall examine the threats and weaknesses of these variables with a view of turning them into opportunities for the business. Introduction The growth of a Company depends on its successfule formulation and implemtation of strategy. Formulation of strategy cmusttake heed of the envinromental forces impacting on he organisation. This paper analyses ExxonMobil Oil Company position in its operatig markets and through a careful analysis of Strenght, Weaknesses pportunities and threats. The comapnuy operates in the oil sector and as such the company’s strategy has a long term focus, heavy fixed costs, low margins and huge economies of scale. The company has experienced consistent grwth in sales and profitability. The present strategy is based on cutting edge research and development to develop upstream units coupled with an efficient system of distribution structured to reduce costs. The companyalso emphasises on superior customer service to maintain customer loyalty. Competition in the oil sector is ntense and as such firms rely on customer loyaty to bind customers to their products. Griven that the company operates in an iduusry where several players sell perfectly substitutable products, each of the players invests in quality and customer service to driv profitability (Andersen 2009). The industry is characterised by huge fixed costs and thin operating margins. Thus, firms have to sel excessive quantities of poduce to break even. Profitabiliy therefore relies on economies of scale. Besides, environmental concersn have a huge impact on the firm’s profitability. Mistakes in production can result in huge oil spills and resultant fins bythe authorities. Extreme violations of the operationsl codes can result in denial of operating licence. ExxonMobil Company operational analysis ExxonMobil has two main operating segments namely upstream and downstream. Upstream operation include all activities involved in exploration, driigng and pumpting fossil fuels from beneath to the surface for onward processing. Downsteam operatios involve the processing distribution and marketing of hydrcarbons. The company was formed in 1999 and hasrealised consistent growth in sales and profitability to become on e of the largest producers in the word. The compsny now handleds 3% of global energy output. The company is aslo the second largest (by market capitalisation) listed firm in in the US (Vassilou,2009). The company has capacity to produce 6.5 million barrels of crude daily, a relativey huge amount relative to the other players in the industry. The ccompany has operations in more than 100 countries under its various brands and has 37 refineries (Exxon, 2007). The firm’s annual growth in capacity stands at 17% and has enough resources to invest in efficient production (E xxon, 2009). Organization structure of the company ExxonMobil has a strict staffing policy throughout its operational divisions. The firm has a favoured brand name that allows it to attract talented employees. This offers the comaony an edge against the competition (Exxon Company 2007). The firm’s is to hire highly motivated and skilledstaff to drive its strategy (Exxon Company 2009). Berberoglu (2008) explains that ExxonMobil has an organisation structure s that is fashioned along the concept of autonomous gobal operaitons. The company has eleven (11) separate divisions each operating globally. These divisions are organied in a manner that they offer the much needed synergy in the business. The global merger of the former 2 energy giants Exxon and Mobil offers the company expanded reach in markets, global playing field in terms of resources and a harmonised pool of human resources with differtnt abilities and orientation to drive the mered entity’s strategy. Following the merger, the firms combined upstream companies were moved to Houston where a significant amount of the company’s upstream businesses are located. These includes functions such as esearch and development, exploration drilling and production. Downstream operations weremoved to Virginia including such functions as marketing, engineering research, production of lubricants etc (McLeish 2008). Methodology This paper builds a case of trategic orientation of the company based on the findings of the SWOT matrix. The paper utilises interpretative analysis to determine the firm’s competitive strengths and weaknesses as well as its weakmesses and strengths. The following is the firm’s Swot matrix. SWOT Analysis Strengths Private ownership Being a private company, ExxonMobil the government has minimal governeent control. It is therefore driven by the key aims of profits as opposed to state’s social interests. It therefore suffers form minimal state interference experienced by the National Oil Companies. NOCs suffer from extreme redtape and subversion of profitable causes in the interests of state (Omeje 2008). Leadership in environmental conservation The company has minimal violations of environemental code of condust as laid down by the varous environmental agencies in its various operating markets. However, concerns over global warming have resulted in the increased scrutiny of its producton oerations especially deep sea drilling and emissions. This presents the company with no immediate operatonal problems. Strong research and development team The company has a strong asset base. This is crcuail in the industry owing to the high fixed operational costs experienced in the sector. The company reinvest an average of 16% of its revenue in its opreations to boost capacity its capacity for research and development and output. Thefirm has the capacity to acquire promising business operational units to grow its business. Competitive labor force Human resource offers firms the most potent form of competitive advantage. The company attracts huge talent of labour force due to its sting brand and reputation as a good employer. This offers the company ability to execute its strategy. Weaknesses Litigation The company’s 1989 Alaska oil spill and its sponsorship of research pubications hurt the firm’s image and resulted in numerous law suits and other contingent liabilities that could cost the firm billions in claims. The company’s sales experienced a dip following concerns of irresponsibility. The oil spill also pushed the firms operational costsup by 11%. This led to the company’s adoption of new, more expensive technologies to gaud against such violations (Porter 2008). These measures continue to ngatively impact the firms profitability. Rising production costs Following the firm has aging oil wells and its new oil finds are deeper and moer expensive to drill (ExxonMobil, 2009). This means that the per unit production costcontinues to rise over even as other costs such asmarketing and distribution rise (Vassiliou 2009). While rising nergy prices have largely compensated for the rising production costs,increased regulatory costs and taxes have offset such gains. High fixed costs The iniial cost of production is very high. Exploration, drilling and maintenance of oil wells makes firm’s incur excessive costs. The company has to recoup the high costs by operating in large scale. The firm cannot sell at high prices due to competition and thherfore it has to rely on economies of scale to driv its profitability. High fixed costs mean that the company experincesa disproportionate fall in profits if sales decline (Porter 2011). Limited human resource pool Despite the firm’s prefeed position as an employer, there is a shortage ofquaified talent in selected areas that are critical to firm’s productivity. Most of the firm’s new hires require excessive training to orient the to the training environement (Mondy, Noe Gowan 2005). Opportunities Tax breaks Energy companies earn tax breaks from the government. Being a private listed company, ExxonMobil qualifies for annual tax breaks and subsideies by the federal government (Pennell et al. 2008). Strategic organizational growth through mergers and acquisition The company has a comprehensive strategy of buying promising business ventures. These venetures not only have the potential to add value but also enable it capture key markets and customer groups. The company has a high capital base and other resources that enable can enable it undertake mergers and acquisitions without having to extert unnecessary pressure on existing business. Improvements in drilling technology to lower costs and conserve environment The company has the capability to ensure environmental safety through safer, more technologically advanced operations. The company has necessary technology to find oil in previously impossible conditions and bring it to the surface at significantly lower cost. Newer innovations like shale gas drilling Shale Gas drilling (called fracking) promises to transform the fortunes of the company. Shaleis cheaper and easier to explore than conventional fossil fuels. Access to talent pool The company enjoys goodwill among proffessionals due to its preferred emplotyer status. Besides, the company has operations spanning various markets makimg the company access variously talented and diverse talent groups. Threats Difficult regulatory frameworks The firm’s main operating units face different and challenging legal, political and regulatory frameworks in their various operating units. Changes in business regualtions can severely disrupt the form’s output. Concerns of global warming Global concerns of a warming planet put the continued reliance on fossil fuels in doubt in the long term. The company’s investment in other renewable energy sources that pose no threat to the envieoentmen are yet to bear fruits. Restrictive labour laws in key markets and assertive labour unions Labor laws in is key perating markets are extremely restrictive. Besides, employees have protective labor unions that make it hard to implement policies. Ucertain political climate Changes in political leadership can have maret impact on the firm’s operations. For instance, a change of fgovernement in the US can result in denial of licences to drill in offshore areas where the company pderives significant oil deposits. (Reinecke Strobenreuther 2008; Mondi Gowan, 2005; Powel, 2013). Increased costs of Global warming The firm’s costs of operation are likely to rise as the effect of global warming take their toll. This will be more pronounced especially in the low-lying areas where the firms drilling operations are more exposed to extreme weather (Environment, 2012; Coll 2012; Vernon, 2012; Prahalad Hamel 2010; Smith 2012). Technological know how The energy industry depends heavily on technological advancements to drive production and efficiency (Powel, 2013). There is a real possibility that competing firms can strike low cost deposits and sell at a lower price effectively driving the firm from its market leadership position. See the statistical comparison below (Detsche Bank and Wood Mackenzie) Justification for SWOT analysis SWOT analysis helps indicate the firm’s state of operation. Once a firm identifies tee variables under SWOT, the next step is to take advantage of its strengths to overcome its weaknesses and to take advantage of opportunities. This positions the firm at a point of competitive advantage. Shortfalls of the SWOT analysis SWOT analysis does not prioritize the competing opportunities making it hard to pick the most appropriate (Ringland, 2014). This makes it ineffective for analysis. In addition to lack of prioritization, SWOT does not offer solutions or alternatives to the firm’s weaknesses and threats. The general rule of thumb is to use the company’s strength to counter threats and exploit opportunities. However, without prioritization, it is difficult to know the threats to tackle or opportunities to exploit first. Recommendations Establish operations in emerging markets to drive growth and profitability as well as spreading risks (McDonald Meldrum 2013). Invest in green energy to guard against losses from environmental (Vernon, 2012).disasters (Madrigal, 2011). Invest in staff training to boost performance Invest in research and development to drive down operation costs and raise efficiency Conclusion The company should use its strengths identified in the SWOT analysis to overcome its weaknesses and take advantage of its opportunities. It should spread its risks by establishing more operations in emerging markets. Besides, the company should invest in green energy to guard against losses from environmental disasters. Lastly, the company should invest in staff training to boost performance as well as in research and development to drive down operation costs and raise efficiency (Everard Burrow, 2010). References Andersen, B 2009, Business process improvement toolbox, ASQ Quality Press, Milwaukee. Berberoglu, B 2008, Turmoil in the Middle East imperialism, war, and political instability, State University of New York Press, Albany, NY. Coll, S 2012, Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power, Penguin group US, New York. Environment 2011, United Nations, New York. Everard, K Burrow, J 2010, Business principles management, South-Western Pub, Cincinnati. Exxon Company 2007, U.S.A.s Energy outlook, 1977-1990, Exxon Corp, Houston. Exxon Company 2009, U.S.A.s energy outlook, 1980-2000, Exxon Corp, Houston. Madrigal, A 2011, Powering the dream: the history and promise of green technology, DA Capo Press, Cambridge, MA. McDonald, M Meldrum, M 2013, The complete marketer 60 essential concepts for marketing excellence, Kogan Page, London. McLeish, E 2008, Energy crisis, Stargazer Books, Mankato, Minn. Mondy, R, Noe, M Gowan, M 2005, Human resource management, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Omeje, K 2008, High Stakes and Stakeholders: Oil Conflict and security in the World, Ashgate Publishing, Burlington. Pennell, N, Lavery, G Fowler, R 2010, The Low-Carbon World Is Already Here Five Imperatives for Succeeding in an Era of Carbon Constraints. Booz and Company, New York. Porter, M 2011, ‘From competitive advantage to corporate strategy’ Harvard Business Review, vol. 65, no. 3, pp. 43–59. Porter, M 2008,‘The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy’,Harvard business Review, Vol.5, no.2, pp. 23- 37. Powell, T 2013, ‘How much does industry matter?An alternative empirical test’, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 323–334. Prahalad, C Hamel, G 2010, ‘The core competence of the corporation’, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 68, no. 3, pp. 79–91. Reinecke, N, Sohn, M Strobenreuther, H 2008, Sustainability: The carbon imperative, Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, New York. Ringland, G 2014, Scenario Planning: Managing for the Future. John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, NJ. Sampson, A 2009, The seven sisters: the great oil companies and the world they shaped, Viking Press, New York. Smith, T 2012, Renewable energy resources, Weigl Publishers, Mankato, MN. Vassiliou, M 2009, Historical Dictionary of the Petroleum Industry, Scarecrow Press, Lanham, MD. Vernon, R 2012, The Oil crisis, Norton, New York.

Volkswagen International Strategy

Volkswagen International Strategy INTERNATIONAL MARKETING STRETEGY Companys Snapshot. Volkswagen AG. is a German automaker that operates in the global automotive industry as a manufacturer and distributor. Volkswagen of America is one of its subsidiaries that is based in the United States. The Groups principal activities are to design, manufacture and distribution of cars and other vehicles worldwide. The Groups activities are carried out through two divisions: Automobile and Financial services. The Automobile division comprises the development of vehicles and engines, as well as the production and sale of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, trucks and buses. The Financial Services includes dealer and customer financing and leasing, banking and insurance activities, vehicle rentals and the fleet management business. Overview of Volkswagen Group of Companies. It is Europes no one car maker. The Groups main product lines include the Volkswagen Passenger, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Bentley ranges of vehicles. Volkswagen aims to increase its focus on core business, reduce production costs, and enhance profitability. To achieve these goals, the company is considering various strategic and business development initiatives such as divesture of the non core business segments, adapting modular strategy in production process, restructuring, and introduction of new models. Company at a Glance. Major Industry: Automotive Industry. Sub Industry: Diversified Automotive Mfrs. 2008 Sales: 113,808,000,000 (Year Ending Jan 2009). Employees: 357,207. Market Cap: 30,656,317,749. Share Type: Stammaktie. Stock Data: Current Price (12/30/2009): 76.58 In Euro. Revenue generated in the year 2008:113.808 BLN EUR. History. It was in 1930 when Ferdinand Porsche had just set up an automotive design company, which became known as the Porsche Buro in Germany. In the early 1930s the German car industrys made mostly luxury cars. In those days it was not possible for everyone to afford a car. An average German could afford nothing more than a motorcycle. In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to build a small inexpensive car at the request of Adolph Hitler. Hitler required a basic vehicle capable of transporting two adults and three children at 100km/h (62mph). And this car would be available at the price of a motorcycle. By then an already famed engineer, Porsche was the designer of the Mercedes 170H, and worked at Steyr for quite some time in the late 1920s. He landed two separate Auto fà ¼r Jedermann (car for everybody) projects with NSU and Zà ¼ndapp, both motorcycle manufacturers. Neither project come to fruition, stalling at prototype phase, but the basic concept remained in Porsches mind time enough, so on 22 June 1934, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche agreed to create the Peoples Car for Hitler. Changes included better fuel efficiency, reliability, ease of use, and economically efficient repairs and parts. The intention was that ordinary Europeans would buy the car by means of a savings scheme, which around 336,000 people eventually paid into. Volkswagen honoured its savings agreements in West Germany after World War II. Prototypes of the car called the KdF-Wagen appeared from 1936 onwards. The car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine. The VW car was just one of many KdF programs which included things such as tours and outings. The prefix Volks- (Peoples) was not just applied to cars, but also to other products in Europe; the Volksempfà ¤nger radio receiver for instance. On 28 May 1937, the Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH was established by the Deutsche Arbeitsfront. It was later renamed Volkswagenwerk GmbH on 16 September 1938. Erwin Komenda, the longstanding Auto Union chief designer, developed the car body of the prototype, which was recognizably the Beetle known today. This let to the production of the car Beetle. Only a handful of cars had been produced before the 2nd WW started in 1939. Post war existence owed to a British major Ivan Hirst who took control of the bomb chattered factory. Hirst intended to dismantle the factory and ship it to Britain. No British car manufacturer was interested in the factory as it lacked the fundamental technical requirements of a motor car. The company survived by producing cars for the British army. Volkswagens were first exhibited and sold in the United States in 1949, but only sold two units in America that first year. On its entry to the U.S.market, the VW was briefly sold as a Victory Wagon. Volkswagen of America was formed in April 1955 to standardize sales and service in the United States. Volkswagen advertisements became as popular as the car, using crisp layouts and witty copy to lure the younger, sophisticated consumers with whom the car became associated. Even though it was almost universally known as the Beetle (or the Bug), it was never officially labeled as such by the manufacturer, instead referred to as the Type 1. The first reference to the name Beetle occurred in U.S. advertising in 1968. Although the car was becoming outdated, during the 1960s and early 1970s, American exports, innovative advertising, and a growing reputation for reliability helped production figures surpass the levels of the previous record holder, the Ford Model T. On February 17, 1972 the 15,007,034th Beetle was sold. Volkswagen could now claim the world production record for the most-produced, single make of car in history. By 1973, total production was over 16 million. VW expanded its product line in 1961 with the introduction of several Type 3 models, which were essentially body style variations based on Type 1 mechanical underpinnings, and again in 1969 with the larger Type 4. These differed substantially from previous vehicles, with the notable introduction of monocoque/unibody construction, the option of a fully automatic transmission, electronic fuel injection, and a sturdier powerplant. In 1964, Volkswagen succeeded in purchasing Auto Union, and in 1969, NSU Motorenwerke AG (NSU). The former company owned the historic Audi brand, which had disappeared after the Second World War. VW ultimately merged Auto Union and NSU to create the modern day Audi company, and would go on to develop it as its luxury vehicle marque. However, the purchase of Auto Union and NSU proved to be a pivotal point in Volkswagens history, as both companies yielded the technological expertise that proved necessary for VW to survive when demand for its air-cooled models we nt into terminal decline as the 1970s dawned. Volkswagen was in serious trouble by 1973. The Type 3 and Type 4 models had sold in much smaller numbers than the Beetle and the NSU-based K70 also failed to woo buyers. Beetle sales had started to decline rapidly in European and North American markets. The company knew that Beetle production had to end one day, but the conundrum of replacing it had been a never-ending nightmare. VWs ownership of Audi / Auto Union proved to be the key to the problem with its expertise in front-wheel drive, and water-cooled engines which Volkswagen so desperately needed to produce a credible Beetle successor. Audi influences paved the way for this new generation of Volkswagens, known as the Polo, Golf and Passat. Companys mission statement. Provide a quality product. Create a safe environment. Enhance productivity. Eco Friendliness. Volkswagen projects. Engineers at Volkswagen are constantly working to produce cars that offer great performance with better fuel economy and fewer harmful emissions. It is involved in developing Resource efficient vehicles such as its BlueMotion models, researching into alternative powertrain technologies and in supporting projects for environmentally sound driving. Golf BlueMotion SE for example, is currently one of the most fuel efficient cars of it class, with CO2 emissions of just 107g/km. Volkswagen was one of the first companies to become a member of the Business and Biodiversity Initiative in February. They use recycled and recyclable materials where possible and the most environmentally friendly construction techniques. They are constantly working on developing fuel efficient vehicles which have minimum impact on the environment. The company engages in a multitude of projects relating to biotopes, the environment and protection of the species, and supports research programs. Marketing Strategy. Volkswagen uses double marketing to position its brand. Double Marketing is NOT stuffing multiple messages into one campaign. Its running multiple campaigns on different messages concurrently.Coke was the only company that typically tried this, because of their huge marketing budget by engaging different ad agencies and pitting them against each other. Many times they would run different ad campaigns at exactly the same time. This is close to Double Marketing, but the campaigns didnt really work together. In the span of the last few months, they have launched the edgy Unpimp my ride campaign about design, control and the obeying your fast for the GTI as well as the safe happens jarring TV ad spots for the Jetta. Companys major emphasis is on easier availability of its products. And to make that possible it has 44 production sites all over the world. Its major marketing strategy is branding its products into different segments of production lines. Its brands go from Skoda (economically priced family vehicles) to Rolls Royce. Use of Latest Technology. Blueprinting is the latest technology used by Volkswagen. Blueprinting is the exact science of engine rebuilding. The careful measuring, fitting, and balancing done during the blueprinting process creates an engine that returns improved performance, fuel economy, and dependability. The engine becomes, in essence, brand new. Engine blueprinting is the process of setting every tolerance in the engine to its optimum value. Volkswagen also uses recycled and recyclable materials where possible and the most environmentally friendly construction techniques. Volkswagens Competitors. Ford, Toyota, Mercedes and General Motors are the major competitors. Out of which Volkswagen claims that Toyota is its major competitors. Company Sales Revenue(Year 2008) Loss (%) General Motors $148,979Billion 8% Ford $146277Billion 11% Mercedes $23.8Billion 7% Toyota $204352Billion 8% Volkswagen made a profit of about 1.2 Billion in the year 2008. Their sales revenue was 113.808 BLN EUR. SWOT Analysis. Volkswagen AG Strengths Strong Market Share Strong RD Activities Strong Brand Equity Geographic Diversification Strong Growth Prospects Volkswagen AG Weakness Limited Liquidity Position Declining Market Share in Sector Volkswagen AG Opportunities Strategic Alliances Demand for Fuel Efficient and Hybrid Vehicles Growth Opportunities in Emerging Markets Volkswagen AG Threats Intense Competition Global Economic Slow Down Stricter Emission Standards Conclusion. Volkswagen is successful mainly because of manufacturing automobile parts, rather than waiting for the manufacture of a new car and launching it. Most of the major brands that they own were purchased by them. People were to some extent aware of those brands. But they did not hold much bigger market value. REFERENCES: Volkswagen Chronicle Volkswagen Beetle History 1938 to 2003 Jpost.com Volkswagens American assembly plant Rumors.automobilemag.com Companiesandmarkets.com Corporate information snapshots IBISWorld . Institute for Sustainability and Technology Polic

Death Penalty as an Effective Method of Punishment Essay -- Argumentat

Death Penalty as an Effective Method of Punishment An issue that has continually created tension in today's society is whether the death penalty serves as a justified and valid form of punishment. Whenever the word "death penalty" comes up, extremists from both sides start yelling out their arguments. One side says deterrence, the other side says there's a potential of executing an innocent man; one says justice, retribution, and punishment; the other side says execution is murder. Crime is an evident part of society, and everyone is aware that something must be done about it. Most people know the threat of crime to their lives, but the question lies in the methods and action in which it should be dealt with. In several parts of the world, the death penalty has been apportioned to those who have committed a variety of offenses from the time of ancient Babylon to present-day America. The Roman Empire made use of the death penalty liberally, as did the Church of the Middle Ages. As history tells us, capital punishment, whose def inition is "the use of death as a legally sanctioned punishment," is an acceptable and efficient means of deterring crime. Today, the death penalty remains an effective method of punishment for murder and other heinous crimes. There is debate over the morals and effectiveness of such a harsh sentence. Most commonly, the death penalty is challenged as a violation of the Eighth Amendment, which says that the U.S. cannot use "cruel and unusual" punishment. Due to the fact that "punishment" is a legal infliction of suffering, it must be somewhat "cruel.† As for being unusual, it is anything but, due to the long history of its usage. People will plunder, take advantage of others, and commit cri... ...does not violate the cruel and unusual punishment clause. Capital punishment has proven to have good benefits upon the country in determining the consequences that criminals deserve. This is needed to ensure the safety and moral values of society. If this is the case, there is no need for us to consider the expenses involved in the death penalty. Certainly human lives are more important, for it may easily be yours. We should not abolish capital punishment, but hold our country accountable for properly exercising the death penalty upon those who deserve it. Works Cited Anonymous: "Death Penalty and Sentencing Information in the United States." Internet. "Death Penalty Statistics," North Carolina Attorney General's Office. 1997. Nancy Jacobs, Alison Landes, and Mark A. Siegel. Capital Punishment, Cruel and Unusual?. Wylie: Information Plus, 1996.

The Characters of Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Wuthering Heights Essays

The Characters of Wuthering Heights At first glance, Wuthering Height shows us conflict between a landlord, Heathcliff, and Mr. Lockwood. Heathcliff, one of the novel's main characters, is portrayed as an uncompromising, sadistic bully, and produces a desire in Lockwood's character to find out more about his past. Bronte uses Lockwood's character to pull in her main narrator, Nelly Dean. Nelly was a first-hand witness to Heathcliff's story and so proceeds to relate the history, as she remembers it, to Lockwood. It appears very soon, after the start of the story, that Nelly Dean is the protagonist. She appears more than happy to stir the conflict, which goes a long way in keeping the story interesting and moving right along. Wuthering Heights is set in the "remote moors of Yorkshire" (680), on that "bleak hill-top" where "the earth was hard with a black frost" (686). Almost all the characters in this story have a very frosty, antagonistic side to them and Nelly introduces us to Catherine and Hindley, when they were children, on the eve of Heathcliff's entry into the family. Nelly appears to make this story-telling as straightforward as possible, but her feelings for Heathcliff are not disguisable.When she made the step from playmate to the children's nursemaid during the measles episode, her feelings toward Hindley and Catherine hardened and she softened so much toward Heathcliff that "Hindley lost his last ally." Heathcliff "was the quietest child that ever nurse watched over. The difference between him and the others forced me to be less partial. Cathy and her brother harassed me terribly, he was a uncomplaining as a lamb..." (702). Nelly developed alternate feelings for Catherine: "she put us all past our patience fifty times and oftener in a day." "She was much too fond of Heathcliff." "In play she liked, exceedingly to act the little mistress...but I would not bear slapping and ordering; and so I let her know" (704). The class distinction, after the measles, became a clear, hard line: Nelly, on the servant side with Joseph, and Catherine and Hindley on the side of the owners of servants. This further hastened Nelly's spiteful feelings toward Catherine when Mr. Earnshaw died. Hindley came home with a new bride, and Nelly was physically installed in the servants' quarters and Heathcliff was installed with the animals in the stables. In her story up to now Nelly has portrayed herself as a concerned member of the family that has finally been relegated to where she knew she would end up anyway, a servant.

Good Style is a Reflection of a Writer Making Good Choices :: Writing Style Styles Essays

Good Style is a Reflection of a Writer Making Good Choices When putting pen to paper or typing on a keyboard in order to write something, a writer makes decisions. These decisions will result in what will be the writer’s finished work and will unintentionally reflect what the writer knows about writing style. In just trying to convey his or her ideas, a writer will follow rules of grammar and spelling as well as various advice accumulated through formal and informal education. If the writer has a good understanding of what they’ve learned, it will come out in their writing. After reading William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style: Toward Clarity and Grace, I’ve learned that style is the culmination of many factors. Beginning in elementary school, people learn the basic, concrete rules of grammar. These aren’t so much elements of style as they are the foundation of writing. While necessary, a person can have perfect grammar but poor style. Many of the rules mentioned in the first chapter of Strunk and White, such as, â€Å"The number of the subject determines the number of the verb,† (9) are those that remain fairly rigid. If a writer didn’t follow this rule, and the number of subject and verb didn’t match for instance, the mistake would be glaringly obvious to the reader. Williams also discusses this toward the end of his book in a section titled â€Å"Real Rules.† Here, he includes rules such as not using double negatives and not substituting adjectives for adverbs (180). These rules are the building blocks of writing and that is why a writer would be looked down upon if he or she were to break them. Therefore, when writers break rules like thi s, it is usually to make a point by doing so. After these concrete rules, one begins to learn rules that are a little fuzzier in their application. These are rules that should be followed but can be broken given the right circumstances or if it is done systematically. For instance, Rule 14 in Strunk and White states, â€Å"Use the active voice.† What this means is using active verbs as opposed to inactive ones to prevent boring the reader.

Department Stores

A department store is a retail establishment preferring wide range of commodities, usually including ready-to-wear apparel, fashion goods, beauty necessities, yard and household goods and further on. Numerous department in which it is divided such as merchandising, advertising, marketing, services, accounting and financial department usually handle it. The first department store in the retailing history was Bennett’s in Derby, it opened in 1734 and it remains in the same building since it’s opening. The origin of department stores is related to the industrial revolution in the 19th century and the growth of a consumer society.A wealthy class was growing, dragging with a constantly changing fashion, which created an enabling environment for the expansion of stores in that area. Today, department stores are mainly part of a retailing chain, usually a main department store is located in strategic area of a big city and the others are all around the city, country or sometim es the world. But we can still find independent retailers. â€Å" Vision without action is a day dream. Action without vision is a nightmare. † – Japanese proverb. This applies to marketing. Indeed, establishing a procedure in marketing without planning it in advance will lead to ruin.Before initiation, a plan should be well prepared from it’s begging to its end leaving to chance any step. For a successful marketing plan the contractors have to initially think about the aim. All factors must be taken into consideration before starting the procedure. JC Penney’s case is a relevant example. When the American department store launched its new pricing strategy consisting in the suppression of discounts, heavy promotions, coupons and replacing it by every day low price. The chief executive underestimated the importance granted by costumers to sale and special discounts, which made its plan a big failure.In the fashion industry, when a company needs to launch a new product or line they develop a marketing plan. These plans explain the strategy that will be followed and the details of the procedure in order to legitimize the costs, which will be implied on the company. We can count the main type of marketing plans: the strategic one, where the decision is up to the senior management and the plan is designed to achieve a long-range goal (at least five years), for example a ?10 billion investment plan for Japan’s premier department store, Isetan Shinjuku, based in Tokyo.The outlet has been completely redesigned and transformed into a fashion museum presenting a combination of art, music and films while maintaining its primary function as a department store. The second type is the functional planning, which is a short-term plan up and is up to the middle mangers in key business areas but supervised by front line mangers.This is the kind of marketing planning is used during the Christmas period with the window displays in the biggest de partment stores, such as Galleries Lafayette in Paris or Selfridges in London, they team up with fashion houses and designers for displays with recurring themes including architecture, fairy-tales and scale play. We can also count the operational planning, a short-term action plan developed by supervisors or front-line mangers to accomplish a specific goal, for example: the case Macy’s plan to open on thanksgiving, while all of its competitors are closed on that day.The goal here is to be the only department store open, generate a tremendous profit in one day. Finally, there is the contingency plan, aiming to get a back up plan ready to cope an anticipated situation if it ever occurs. All of these plans need to be efficiently prepared step by step. According to Phillip Kotler, there are six essential steps for a successful planning. The first one is the situational analysis, where the company examines the Macro forces to highlight its strength and weaknesses. Although these f actors can play in the favour of the company, sometimes they can also be barriers in the smooth running of a project.Then comes objectives setting, in order to set its objectives a company have to take into consideration it's stakeholders, company reputation, technology and other matters of concern. Then, once the goals are set a timetable has to be held to avoid any mishaps. Then the strategy, by choosing which strategy will be pursued to complete the task successfully. The company then sets its mode of action and the path that will be followed during the project. After that comes the tactics, this step is meant to plan what is called in marketing the 4Ps (product, price, place, promotion) but also to schedule the strategy into a calendar.And finally the controls, which lasts throughout the project, since it aims to ensure the effective conduct of each part of the marketing plan and if not then find a solution to remedy the situation. All of these plans differ from one company to a nother according to its positioning goal. The positioning of a company is what distinguishes it from its competitors, so the ideas in costumers mind when they think about that company. As we can see in the perceptual positioning map above, the customers may see department stores that sell the same product as different.Thereby, the Italian department store, Rinascente, is considered as one of the most fashionable department stores across the world. However, the German department store Kadewe which is ranked equally fashionable is perceived as more luxurious while Debenhams despite the fact that the fashion perception it granted is as high as the two previous stores its luxury perception is lower than both of them. Nowadays, these marketing plans include immense use of technology to improve and facilitate their performance. â€Å"Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven.I don’t think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without talking about the other. † – Bill Gates. Reaching that goal is made possible by the numerous advantages of technology. One of them is social media. Based on telecommunication and social interaction, it is the best way to disclose information and to advertise, but in the same time get live feed back about it. Indeed, markets behaviour is changing, how they are known for talking but not listening and now a new strategy is being implemented known as buzz monitoring. This consists of tracking relevant conversations through the Internet that will allow the  company to get an idea about its level of popularity amongst people, but also what comes to their mind when they think about it. However, a scientifically developed panel is still more effective than social media listening to gather data but then social media is more relevant because costumers are discussing with each other. Indeed, they don’t always trust what the company says to them since it is a part of their strategy to o nly reveal the best about it self, but costumers will talk about their experience and what they honestly think about it as they don’t have any interest in hiding the truth.The beauty department store Sephora belongs to those who knew how to make profit from social networks. Indeed, it manifests its presence in all of the most popular social medias – such as Facebook, micro blogging as Twitter, photo-sharing websites as Pintrest, smartphone photo-sharing application as Instagram, video-sharing websites as YouTube and further more. It takes advantage by finding the purposes other than advertising and buzz monitoring.The department store figured out that customers want beauty advices and tutorials both in store and online, so it started sharing experts’ knowledge and guidance, which will then boost sales. It also promotes loyalty programmes via social medias, offering exclusivities to followers which was obviously a successful marketing plan to gain followers since they count more than 5 million fans on Facebook and more than 1. 8 million followers on Google+. But technology is not used by department stores only for advertising and maintaining a relationship with customers; it is also used for selling purposes.E-shopping makes life easier by a greater availability of products, constant sales and discounts and international shipping. However, the relevance of department stores websites for shopping is still questionable. Indeed, when a retailer selects a brand to work with, it can’t also select the products that will be displayed under that partnership and the brand won’t display all of its collections in the department store. Since then, when it comes to online shopping the brand’s own website is more attractive as there are considerably more options.In the pictures below we can see the example of Adidas and Galleries Lafayette – the French department store- website. While the retailer only sells four bags for both men and women, in the brand website customers can shop up to 218 bags and that’s only for women. The maintenance of this relationship between the business and the customer is based on the principal of communication. Communication is the process of transferring information between senders and receivers, using one or more written, oral, visual, or electronic media.â€Å"The art of communication is the language of leadership.† – James Humes Whatever the idea one person has, even if it is the greatest ever, it won’t be useful for the company if the person doesn’t know how to communicate it, how to explain it and make other people understand what it means. Whether addressing to a superior or an employee if there is a misunderstanding the project will be doomed to failure. Also, for some positions in the workplace one needs to deal with costumers who don’t have the same level of expertise, in such situations good communication skills will be usef ul to explain intricate things in a simple way.Likewise, the higher the hierarchical position, the lower are the technical skill requirements and the greater are the good communication skill needs. This is explained by the fact that important positions implies dealing with more important people, who are more punctilious when it comes to the way you talk or behave near them. Tough, to be an effective communicator it is necessary to master the different stages of the communication process: To manage this process successfully a behavioural equilibrium has to be found.There are three main types of behaviours: Passive Behaviour involves saying nothing in a response, keeping feelings to yourself, hiding feelings from others, and perhaps even hiding your feelings from yourself. Aggressive Behaviour involves expressing your feelings indirectly through insults, sarcasm, labels, put-downs, and hostile statements and actions. And the third type is Assertive behaviour, which is a balance betwee n both of the preceding behaviours. It involves describing your feelings, thoughts, opinions, and preferences directly to another person in an honest and appropriate way that respects both you and the other person.It is the latter, that is most recommended to adapt in the workplace. Then, the sender needs to decide which communication tool is the most suitable one to the audience and the situation. When it comes to business-to-business communication e-mails are faster, efficient and direct. They say enough without saying too much. While Faxes mark certain indifference since they are limited to the strict minimum. Usually, they should be accompanied with a phone call to give further information or at least show interest from the sender’s part to the receiver.Phone calls can also be used for other purposes; it is a good way to show concern but also to show respect. This leads us to the audience-centred approach which consists in getting to know the audience we are dealing with which is known as the  «you  » attitude. This ability to relate to the need of the others is one of the keys of success of manager leaders. It works both in the Business-to-Business communication and Business-to-Customer communication. In the example below, we can see the example of an advertising campaign of the French department store Galleries Lafayette.The model on the signboard is dressed like the  « perfect  » Parisian, with the beret, the white top and blue pair of jean’s and in addition to amplify the French spirit, on the foreground of the scenery an accordion is shown. All of this staging is meant to flatter Parisian, which are proud of their identity and make them feel that the department store is made for them. Communication skills may also be useful when it comes to marketing communication. Marketing communication is defined as the media tool used to reach a market; it refers to the promotion part of the â€Å"marketing mix† and the â€Å"four Psà ¢â‚¬  (Price, place, product and promotion).It also refers to the different strategies used while making the promotion of a certain product. The marketing process is divided in five steps: Here, marketing communication starts in the second stage and goes until the fourth one and its primary purpose is to create value for customers and build customer relationship because without customers a company has no reason to exist. To achieve that goal numerous tools can be used. Advertising is one of them, provides a direct line of communication to your existing and prospective customers about your product or service.As here for example, with Harvey Nichols advertising campaign called THE NEW BREED which plays on the luxury stereotype of the handbag dog replacing the traditional Chihuahua by a bull terrier to promote its new involvement into an accessible fashion  « The new breed  ». Public relation is also a tool of marketing communication. Building and keeping good relationships with m edia is important for the brand/store’s image and reputation. But the art of good public relation also involves being able to manage successfully and adverse publicity.Another tool is sales promotions, commonly used to increase sales in short term, it attracts new customers interested in lower price, which can later become loyal customers depending on their experience in the department store. For example, the British department store Selfridges runs every year  « Christmas comes early  », which consists in Christmas sales earlier than its competitors so it can attract its concurrent customers since they can do their Christmas shopping earlier without paying the high price.To make their promotion, companies use more and more direct mail, which consist in an e-mail address of the receiver by its name and selling him products destined for its target group depending on information the company collected about him in its database. The Internet marketing – as seen previou sly – also used very much by retailers to sell and promote their products. Sponsorship is a form of indirect marketing that consists of paying an organisation, which will use your brand logo and this way generate publicity.Below are Macy’s areas of sponsorships in 2011 according to IEG Research. Competition in the retailing world has very quickly grown during the last century. Today, to face the concurrence retailers resort to strategies aiming to bring them to the top. To reach that aim different tools are used and mainly communication that builds relationship between department store, stockholders, partners, employees and customers.

To Kill a Mockingbird Growing Up

The novel To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee is about a young girl named Scout and her brother, Jem, growing up in the small, southern town of Maycomb, Alabama. Scout and Jem live with their older father, Atticus, and spend their summers playing with their friend, Dill. They have many neighbors, and one is an older woman named Mrs. Dubose. As the siblings grow older, they begin to drift apart and new disagreements begin. Yet, as Jem begins change, he starts to think more maturely about feuds with his sister and opinions towards his neighbors. For example, in the tire incident, Jem realizes that Scout is in trouble and tries to help her. In addition, in the flower incident with Mrs. Dubose, Jem fs anger causes him to try to defend Atticus. Jem thinks that he is acting very maturely during the tire incident and the flower incident with Mrs. Dubose. Jem thought he was being responsible during the tire incident because he took care of Scout. When Jem, Scout, and Dill are playing in the yard one day, Scout decides she wants to be pushed in the tire. As Scout and Dill are arguing over who will go first, Jem arbitrates, and awards Scout with the first push. Jem then accidentally rolls the tire into the Radley yard. Jem is frightened and says,  gScout, get away from there, come on! h (37). This quote shows that Jem is taking on some responsibility for Scout. When he pushes her into the Radley fs Yard, Jem feels angry about what Scout had said earlier, so he wants to get revenge. Yet, when Jem sees Scout lying on the ground he immediately feels worried and scared for her, and tries to get her to come to safety. As Jem grows up, he begins to develop new views on situations. Scout fs situation during the tire incident reminds Jem that he needs to take on full responsibility of his sister. Jem thought that the most mature way to express his feelings about Mrs. Dubose was to cut off all of her flowers. When Jem and Scout are returning home one day they walk pass Mrs. Dubose fs house. As they walk by her yard, Jem runs into her garden and cuts off all of her flowers because of what Mrs. Dubose said earlier about Atticus. Scout tells us that,  gHe did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off every camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned, until the ground was littered with green buds and leaves. He bent my baton against his knee c h (103). This quote shows that Jem was feeling very hurt by what Mrs. Dubose had said about his father. To Jem, Atticus seems feeble and old, so, when threatened, Jem feels it is his responsibility to protect him. In the book, when Mrs. Dubose talks about Atticus, Jem just ignores her and walks away, but finally he decides to get revenge. He does this by,  glittering the ground with green buds and leaves. h Jem tries to hurt something Mrs. Dubose loves like she attacked Atticus. Mrs. Dubose fs harsh words make Jem feel that it is his job to defend Atticus. As To Kill a Mockingbird progresses, Jem takes definitive steps toward maturity with his actions in the tire and flower incidents, for example. He would later go on to repair the flowerbed he destroyed, and take greater care to protect Scout. Through his actions, we can see Jem develop a sense of morals and responsibility that would prove to be a lifesaver. scout and Jem Finch are growing up in the tired old Alabama town of Maycomb. Their father, Atticus, is the local lawyer and as a single parent tries to raise his children with honor and respect to their individualism. With the Depression on times are hard, and there is no money to be found anywhere in town. To amuse themselves Scout, Jem, and their best friend Dill begin a relentless campaign during their summertimes to get Boo Radley, their reclusive, legendary neighbor, to come out of his house. They concoct endless schemes and even go so far as to create a play that details Boo's life. Atticus forbids them to have anything to do with Mr. Radley, urging them to let the poor man be. Atticus is a good man, and one day takes on a case that affects him personally. A black man, Tom Robinson, is accused of beating and raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Most of the county is convinced immediately that Tom is guilty of the crime, and begin to look at Atticus in a very negative way for actually defending him and trying to do right by him. Scout and Jem begin to get tormented over their father at school, and Atticus begs them not to get riled up over the town's prejudice. As the trial begins it becomes apparent to Scout and Jem that there is no way that Tom Robinson could have beaten and raped Mayelle Ewell, as he's a cripple. Atticus proves that to the jury, and Scout and Jem are astonished when Tom is slapped with a guilty verdict anyway. They begin to realize that many people in town are very prejudiced against blacks, and their hearts are saddened by it. It'?s hard for them to understand how people can be so mean to each other, and they both begin to see that, even in court where things are supposed to be unbiased, men's hearts bring in their own hatreds. It isn't much longer that Tom is shot and killed for trying to escape while in prison. Jem especially takes the whole affair hard, and it takes him a long time to come to grips with the jury's decision, and Tom's death. After the trial has died down Bob Ewell, Mayelle's father, begins threatening Atticus for embarrassing him in court, and resolves that he'll get him back one way or another. Atticus is convinced that he's all talk, and passes it off as such. Time crawls past, and finally Bob Ewell is good to his word and attacks the children Halloween night with a knife. He breaks Jem's arm and almost kills Scout, but Boo Radley, of all people, comes to their rescue and saves them. The sheriff, Heck Tate, hushes the whole thing over so Boo Radley will not be dragged into the spotlight, and Scout is thrilled to finally get to meet the man they for so long fantasized about. As she walks him back home, she realizes that all this time he was watching them from his front porch windows, and just for a little while she is able to stand in his shoes.