Substitution and Income Effects Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Substitution and Income Effects - Research Paper Example The objective of this paper is to analyze the fluctuations over the purchase behaviors of individuals with relation to the ‘income effect’ and the ‘substitute effect’ when the gasoline prices go high. Theoretical Perspective From a theoretical perspective, the substitute effect essentially refers to the effect over the purchase decisions which take place as a result of the changes in terms of price of the commodities. When the price of a particular commodity increases, the individuals tend to purchase the substitutes of that commodity which would cost them less than the earlier one. One of the major impacts is on the purchasing power of the individuals which seems to be lower when the price of the commodities rises. This can be regarded as a consequential effect to the fact that the fixed budget is less flexible than the prices changes of the commodities which, in turn, tend to determine the consumption capacity of that particular individual or household. In this context, though the budget of the consumer does not alter, the increase on the prices tends to present a circumstance as if the individual has lowered his/her budget with similar consequences to a decrease in the income of the individual. Therefore, the individual responds according to the fluctuation in the purchasing power which is termed as the income effect (Samuelson, 1980). This particular relationship between the budget, substitute and price changes can be apparently witnessed from the diagram represented below: Source: (Iowa State University, 2012) As can be witnessed from the above diagram, q1 and q2 represent the original product and the substitute products respectively. The graph represents that for purchasing 18 units of product q1 and q2, the individual has to spend 8 units and 4 units respectively increasing the probability to consume q2, provided all other factors such as quality are assured (Iowa State University, 2012). Discussion The discussion henceforth wil l address the critical situation over a year when the prices of gasoline have been assumed to increase by 100%. 1. You drove less and purchased less gasoline The reduction in the driving distance is expected to result in a lesser consumption of gasoline. Over a year, with the speedy hikes in the gasoline prices, i.e. by 100%, it becomes quite likely that a budget constraint shall be witnessed. Consequently, as substitute of gasoline, especially in the case of automobiles that are quite constricted, an apparent occurrence of income effect is bound to take place. It is in this context that by reducing the driving distances, the expenditure in terms of gasoline can also be reduced substantially mitigating the constraint of lowered budget due to rapid price increases. 2. You ate out less often In this situation, the consumer responds to the increase in gasoline prices by avoiding gasoline consumption needed to travel with the purpose of having food outside. In this context, the reaction of avoiding travel for outdoor fooding can be regarded as a result of income effect. It is in this context that by avoiding extra gasoline consumption for such luxurious or rather such recreational causes, savings can be augmented proportionately and, likewise, the budget flow can be made flexible by a certain extent. 3. You spent less to

Sony China Market Segmentation Essay Example for Free

Sony China Market Segmentation Essay Sony VAIO is the best computer that serves the needs of every customer and is not comparable at all. From the conducted 760 surveys, 18 percent are grouped in the segment of entertainment lovers. Then 88 percent of all the entertainment lovers plan to by a laptop within the next 12 months, according to Exhibit 8. Therefore, there are approximately 120 entertainment lovers likely to purchase a laptop within a year, of who about 8 would buy a Sony. In the Clues report there is an equally distribution across segments, although the problem is that the sample size is not sufficiently large and the gap between the last column of each segment is not obvious enough, which may make comparison more difficult to conduct. For the Compass report, the advantage is that the sample size is good and diversity of respondents is taken into account. There are clear gaps between the final results of each segment. However, the disadvantage is the bound for segmentation is unclear, which can cause confusion in selecting target segment. Mr. Lopez, as your market strategy is focused on the current loyalty and interest in Sony, the target of segmentation is to retain existing customers while at the same time grow the share of customers Sony’s products. Therefore, we believe that Sony should segment the market from a global perspective. Consequently, the Compass report, which segmented the market by purchase motivations, would be a better foundation under this marketing strategy because it involved a much larger base of respondents from various countries and regions of the world. It took much more diversified factors into the investigation of motivations behind buying decisions, which offered a crucial facilitation to the company to expand its foreign markets. With reference to the Compass study data in China shown in table 2, the best segments to be targeted are Techonosocializers, performance seekers and status focused customers, as the probability of purchasing a Sony computer within the next 12 months by these segments are relatively high than the remaining three segments. The motivations of buying decisions made by the three segments are to capture information from multimedia access, to facilitate online social networking and to reflect the social status of an individual. These motivations can be best served by Sony brand.

The Effects of Television Violence on America Essay -- essays research

America has the highest crime rate in the world. Along with that crime rate is also the very high violence rate. Why is violence becoming and everyday event in our society? When you flip on the television and tune into the news, the highlight of every show is somehow directly related or connected to violence. We see it every evening and perhaps say "Oh my gosh" and then forget all about it two minutes later. Or perhaps we don't even make any comments at all, just a simple grunt or â€Å"Oh, how terrible†. This numbness to violence is very scary and real. It makes you blind to the fact, that America has the most crime and violence. Why not Switzerland or Australia? Are we not as civilized and advanced as they are? I believe it is this numbness to violence that has made America such a violent place. When I think back to my childhood and remember television I remember watching such programs as "Sesame Street", "Mr.Rogers", and "Scooby - Doo". I have nothing but pleasant memories filled with happiness, peace, understanding, and learning. When you watch children's programs today you see senseless violence often as the first means of solving a problem. The classic view of "good" versus "evil" is the basis of many of these shows, with violence as the answer. When children watch these programs they often imiatate the actions and "morals" of these characters. Children do not know what "good" or "evil" really is, how can they? This world is not broken into "good" and "evil". "Evil" to children is what opposes them, what does not agree with them, or any other person or thing that poses a possible difficulty. Children must be taught that there are differences in this world. This world is filled with many people ho... ...tion to this problem is censorship. Censorship not at the governmental level, nor at the state level, nor at the cable company level, rather at the level of the parents. They and they alone are the ones who need to decide what is best for their children. When I was a child my mother was always there to tell me what I could and could not watch. Of course when I was smaller I hated it, but now that I am older and a mother myself, I am so grateful and thankful that my mother censored what was fed into my brain. As parents I believe that we are solely responsible for what show we allow to be seen in our households. We have to take the responsibility of censoring what is fed into the minds of our children. And if montoring doesn’t resolve the issue of what is seen by our children we can always do what Peter Goddard said â€Å"You can turn the damn thing off, you know.†

UN Peacekeeping Essay -- International Politics, Conflicts

Even though, the UN charter does not mention the creation of a peacekeeping force, it has become a major instrument to deter violence and conflict since WWII. Particularly, after Cold War, international peacekeeping has climbed to the top of the agenda of the United Nations (UN) and many national governments (Druckman, et.al, 1997). As result, the UN peacekeeping currently operates in more than 60 disputed areas. Are these peacekeeping are effective in sustaining peace and stability? Or they are not? What are the scholars’ perspective on success and failure of peacekeeping? Did they agree or have divergent perspective? Peacekeeping operations can help to resolve conflict without bloodshed. But, scholars have competing perspective on the role of peacekeeping in resolve conflict. Scholars have also main differences in perspective of peacekeeping effectiveness. On the one hand, they see the contribution of peacekeeping to larger values such as world peace, justice, and the reduction of human suffering. On the other hand, they see limited or absence of contribution peacekeeping (Druckman, et.al 1997). Most observers see how peacekeeping has proven its value in stopping hostilities, maintaining cease-fires, restoring some degree of trust, and involvement of peacekeeping in sustaining peace significantly and substantially (Fisher, 1993; Doyle and Sambanis, 2000; Hartzell, Hoddie, and Rothchild,2001). The U.S. office of General Accounting (1999) also describes the success of the UN peacekeeping for the last fifty years. On the other hand opponents of peacekeeping point the dramatic failures of peacekeeping. Scholars such as (Fortan, 2005; Greig& Diehil, 2005) described little effect of the UN peacekeeping. Therefore, there is no ... ... of post Cold War. However, peacekeeping missions have become an increasingly well-used tool of international diplomacy and conflict resolution. ‘Globally, the deployment of military personnel in PKOs â€Å"surpassed record highs† in 2009, rising by about 9% over the year, with a total of more than 200,000 military, police and civilians in the field’ (CIC 2008, p.2). Again, the increasing choice to peacekeeping continued, with little understanding of its appropriate application and effectiveness. Scholars, however, disagree on the context of peacekeeping operation and how its impact should be evaluated (Druckman, et.al, 1997). In fact, it can be argued that the absence of what peacekeeping â€Å"missions can accomplish and determining the extent to which they have, in fact, achieved goals† (p.150) also created disparity among scholars about effectiveness of peacekeeping.

Algebra Writing Assignment

Joey Dolce Mr. Moore Algebra 2 28 September 2012 Algebra Writing Assignment The articles written by Roger C. Schank oppose the standard way of educating the young minds of America. The articles explain why, Algebra, Chemistry, Physics, History, and more academic subjects are useless in developing a young teenagers mind and growth. Although Roger C. Schank makes valid points about his arguments, I disagree with him on most of his opinions. Even though math is not a strong subject of mine I think math is used in someone’s everyday life.When making a decision math helps me think of the different possibilities and outcomes to make the best possible decision. Math is involved in many of the jobs society has to offer today. Engineering, construction, computer programmer, financial advisor, market analyst, and many more all include the involvement of math. Roger C. Schank criticizes the way subjects are taught in school. I think he forgets that since our nation has instituted the ide a of curriculum into the classrooms in 1892 America has advanced tremendously.We would not have advanced this much if the subjects taught in the classrooms were so useless and unimportant. Furthermore, Math is heavily involved in a nation’s economy and finances. Almost all economic decisions regarding a nation has math included in it. Whether to produce more of one good then another or how much money a nation should spend on its military is based off equations that math has given us. Not only does math help a nation but it also helps in small ways, such as in a family. If a couple decides to have kids, they should decide if they are financially ready for the kids.Will they have to make sacrifices on vacations or new appliances to have a child? All these decisions are solved through some sort of math. In, conclusion I believe that algebra is a very important part of life. Not only does algebra help you with life but mostly of all the subjects taught in school help you in some shape or form. In each subject, you learn new vocabulary, build on your writing skills, and learn better ways to study and prepare. All these skills taught in these subjects can help you prepare better for your future. Test: â€Å"Study Guide Algebra†

Ablenet Equals - Math Curriculum for Differing Ability

Ablenet Equals - Math Curriculum for Differing Ability Compare Prices Equals is a special education mathematics curriculum designed for a range of disabilities. There are resources for teaching children with disabilities, like Touch Math, but this is probably the only curriculum designed specifically for children with serious differences. Its strength is the fact that it reflects the breadth of the mathematics curriculum most states cover in their standards. Its weakness is that it is somewhat unwieldy, and really needs the support of training and ongoing leadership from a curriculum specialist or coordinator. Assessment Divided into 12 Chapters the curriculum ascends from attending, to fractions, covering calculation, geometry, problem solving, and functional math skills. Designed to accommodate students from the severely disabled to the mildly disabled, the program can support students alongside typically developing students, possibly entering junior high with similar competencies to their peers. It can also help more severely disabled students to build a basic level of mathematical literacy, without perhaps the same level of skills. Equals provides its own assessment program with flip books and test booklets which can be easily administered and scored. The program also provides guidelines for matching scores to the place were a disabled student will need to begin the program. For children who have acquired some math skills, they may be able to start in chapter 3 or 6. For children with more serious disabilities, they may need to start at chapter 1, and may move more slowly through the curriculum. Differentiation Each lesson begins with a warm up, continues with exploration at the three levels (severe, moderate and mild disabilities.) Each lesson continues with Introduce and Connect which builds on prior knowledge, Teach, Problem Solving and Close, with the lesson presentation providing for each of the three levels. Each lesson is followed by problem solving, work stations (learning centers) and games. The program comes with a complete set of high quality math manipulates and materials. The materials include work mats, designed to structure instruction using the manipulates. Brightly colored and attractive, they provide a good alternative to pencil and paper, as well as accommodating different means of responding, from placing counters on the chart, to using eye gaze to identify the correct response. A printed set is included in the boxed curriculum set, but are also on the CD Rom provided by the publisher. The scope and sequence lay out the differences as well, suggesting a mildly disabled students needs three days to cover a lesson, whereas a severely disabled child might need three weeks to master the same material. Equals also provides strong materials to support functions skills, such as money, time and measurement. Resources The kit includes an attractive set of high quality materials to support instruction. Rather than cheesy, poor quality counters, the kit includes well made items available through Abilification. Obviously, Ablenet wanted to provide materials that should hold up and provide service for years. Which is good, since at $1,700 a kit, this is not cheap materials. The kit also comes with a CD Rom with printable resources: the work mats, the activity cards, all the paper resources required for the program. Obviously new, the CD is not easy to use. When you open the CD its hard to see which icon you should click on: I recommend files. The others require that you save the documents before you can open them. Im sure that this will be worked out in future editions, though its a bit of a challenge now. I hope your district is also willing to invest in a color printer for your desk. I know a lot of districts are trying to save toner costs by making everyone print to a shared laser printer, but these materials will be most attractive for visual learners if you can make them in color. Recommendation This is a great program for a district that is going to make the commitment to support the materials with workshops, training and trained curriculum specialists. Like Everyday Math, the materials provide lots of concrete support to help scaffold the cognitive challenges of math for disabled students. Like Everyday Math, teachers need to understand the different conceptual structures they are using to support deeper math understanding. This is also not cheap materials. At $1,700 a classroom, its a major economic commitment on the part of the district. Still, if a district uses the program to parallel the main curricular materials, it has the potential to bring mildly disabled students to a parallel place with typically developing students by middle school. The disadvantage of Touch Math is that it often locks kids into a single strategy for doing functional math. The strength of Equals is that it provides broad mathematical instruction. But buyer beware: it does not free a special education teacher from the need to collect data and be attentive to functional math skills, especially those needed to thrive in the community. So, if you think Equals may work for your district, and you can get the commitment of your special education director and the powers that be, contact Ablenet and check it out. Compare Prices

International Coastal Clean-up Reaction Paper Essays

International Coastal Clean-up Reaction Paper Essays International Coastal Clean-up Reaction Paper Essay International Coastal Clean-up Reaction Paper Essay International Coastal Clean-up Reaction Paper Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup is the world’s largest voluntary attempt for ocean’s wellness. Each twelvemonth. 1000s of voluntaries from around the Earth participate. uncluttering dozenss of rubbish from coastlines. rivers and lakes and entering every piece of rubbish collected. On a beautiful. hot. sunny and a small spot showery Saturday. we participated in the Annual International Coastal Cleanup at Freedom Island near the Manila-Cavite Expressway. It started at 8:00 am and was good organised. We brought our ain bags. baseball mitts and even sticks to catch the trash with. We patrolled the beach looking for litter and found chiefly little pieces like bottle tops. coffin nail butts. places. slippers. plastics and froths. It was saddening to see how much plastic you really find on a comparatively clean beach. I can non believe of a better topographic point to be than on the beach and took the autonomy of taking dips in the sea to chill off every now and so so it barely felt similar work at all and most of all. it felt good to be assisting out. We cleaned for a good two hours and at midday. we were offered drinks and participated in a group exposure for recollection and certification intents. We are all connected to the ocean. And we’re all responsible for the rubbish we leave behind. whether we mean to or non. We joined this planetary motion that is giving back to the ocean. spent merely one twenty-four hours of taking rubbish from our beaches and waterways. I can non believe of a better topographic point to be than on the beach and took the autonomy of taking dips in the sea to chill off every now and so so it barely felt similar work at all and most of all. it felt good to be assisting out. We cleaned for a good two hours and at midday. we were offered drinks and participated in a group exposure for recollection and certification intents. We are all connected to the ocean. And we’re all responsible for the rubbish we leave behind. whether we mean to or non. We joined this planetary motion that is giving back to the ocean. spent merely one twenty-four hours of taking rubbish from our beaches and waterways. I can non believe of a better topographic point to be than on the beach and took the autonomy of taking dips in the sea to chill off every now and so so it barely felt similar work at all and most of all. it felt good to be assisting out. We cleaned for a good two hours and at midday. we were offered drinks and participated in a group exposure for recollection and certification intents. We are all connected to the ocean. And we’re all responsible for the rubbish we leave behind. whether we mean to or non. We joined this planetary motion that is giving back to the ocean. spent merely one twenty-four hours of taking rubbish from our beaches and waterways. I can non believe of a better topographic point to be than on the beach and took the autonomy of taking dips in the sea to chill off every now and so so it barely felt similar work at all and most of all. it felt good to be assisting out. We cleaned for a good two hours and at midday. we were offered drinks and participated in a group exposure for recollection and certification intents. We are all connected to the ocean. And we’re all responsible for the rubbish we leave behind. whether we mean to or non. We joined this planetary motion that is giving back to the ocean. spent merely one twenty-four hours of taking rubbish from our beaches and waterways.

Free Essays on Rashoman & Other Stories

â€Å"The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of great moral crises maintain their neutrality,† according to Dante Aleghieri, just how seared Ryunosuke Akutagawa is, however, is anyone’s guess. Rarely does it occur in the course of human events that an author of Akutagawa’s analytical genius is able to live without persecution from without, in Ryunosuke’s case, however, the distress came from within. Almost as an impartial umpire he seems to desire taking society over his shoulder and carrying it back, kicking and screaming, into its more moral past, yet at the same time realizes the selfish hypocrisy of his own aspirations and perhaps it is this own reality that drives him to his eventual end. He sees the best men of his generation mining coal and pulling rickshaws, he sees Western ‘civilization’ forcing them to work jobs they hate to buy stuff they don’t need, he sees, in short, the destruction of an idealized tr aditional Japanese culture by a very different west. Part of Akutagawa undoubtedly wants to view the Westerners influence upon Japan as immoral and corrupt, yet he sees the Janus-faced duplicity of his position, who is he to define morality? What right does he or any other member or group in society have to judge morality? Nevertheless one can’t help but apply one’s own values to any and all situations in some sort of self-absorbed ethnocentristic trial of values, something that, without fail, always makes us out in the wrong, and Ryunosuke is human, just like everyone else. No wonder he was so despondent as to take his own life, he was repulsed by what he saw and was, himself, what he was nauseated by such a deep-seated inconsistency is not one easily overwhelmed. Upheaval seems to be the late theme of Japan and its artistic community; the Meiji Restoration turned Japan every which way, just as Akutagawa and his contemporaries did to Japanese literature. As Ryunosuke demonstrates to h... Free Essays on Rashoman & Other Stories Free Essays on Rashoman & Other Stories â€Å"The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of great moral crises maintain their neutrality,† according to Dante Aleghieri, just how seared Ryunosuke Akutagawa is, however, is anyone’s guess. Rarely does it occur in the course of human events that an author of Akutagawa’s analytical genius is able to live without persecution from without, in Ryunosuke’s case, however, the distress came from within. Almost as an impartial umpire he seems to desire taking society over his shoulder and carrying it back, kicking and screaming, into its more moral past, yet at the same time realizes the selfish hypocrisy of his own aspirations and perhaps it is this own reality that drives him to his eventual end. He sees the best men of his generation mining coal and pulling rickshaws, he sees Western ‘civilization’ forcing them to work jobs they hate to buy stuff they don’t need, he sees, in short, the destruction of an idealized tr aditional Japanese culture by a very different west. Part of Akutagawa undoubtedly wants to view the Westerners influence upon Japan as immoral and corrupt, yet he sees the Janus-faced duplicity of his position, who is he to define morality? What right does he or any other member or group in society have to judge morality? Nevertheless one can’t help but apply one’s own values to any and all situations in some sort of self-absorbed ethnocentristic trial of values, something that, without fail, always makes us out in the wrong, and Ryunosuke is human, just like everyone else. No wonder he was so despondent as to take his own life, he was repulsed by what he saw and was, himself, what he was nauseated by such a deep-seated inconsistency is not one easily overwhelmed. Upheaval seems to be the late theme of Japan and its artistic community; the Meiji Restoration turned Japan every which way, just as Akutagawa and his contemporaries did to Japanese literature. As Ryunosuke demonstrates to h...

Electoral college Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Electoral college - Essay Example Their understanding being that the electors sent by the individual states would most likely prevent the election of an individual who threatens to consolidate power within the federal government. The Electoral College really favours the states, since it ensures there is more attention to the less populous states which would otherwise be at the risk of being sidelined and ignored by the presidential candidates. This means that if people elected the president directly, candidates would more likely shift their attention to population-rich states such as Texas, California and New York rather than small states like Nevada, Wisconsin and New Mexico. Another better argument for Electoral College is that it produces clear winners, and contrasts sharply with the popular vote which has always remained quite close in almost all presidential elections. The Electoral College is a disadvantage to the individual voter since it violates the rule of one person, one vote, which actually would be the best rule of a vibrant modern democracy. All in all the Electoral College has always helped magnify the scope of the incoming candidate’s victory and for someone entrusted with the most high-profile job in the world, an additional boost of legitimacy cannot be

Allowing Gay Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Allowing Gay Marriage - Essay Example This is wrong for many reasons, not least of which is the infringement on basic human rights. For many years marriage was between a man and a woman, both of the same races, for the purpose of having children and raising a family. That definition has changed a great deal. For example, the law criminalizing the marriage of two people of opposite races has been abolished. Yet we still cling to the definition of marriage that includes â€Å"a man and a woman† as though it were the only thing in the world that mattered. Why is it so difficult for us to accept change in a fluid world? We do not require people in married relationships to be the same race, in fact that would be discriminatory on more than one level. Yet we find it impossible to step beyond what is considered the definition of marriage. It is generally accepted that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and that homosexuality is both unnatural and a recent invention. This idea is wrong, however. In fact homosexual tendencies have been observed in over 1,500 animal species, including dolphins, lions, and the dwarf chimpanzee which is one of humanities closest relatives. These homosexual tendencies range from life long partnerships, as with some birds, to single sexual interactions. In fact humans have accepted homosexuality for thousands of years. The first recorded homosexual couple dates back to 2400 BCE in ancient Egypt. These men were Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep, and are depicted in Egypt’s most intimate embrace on the walls of their tomb. There have been numerous other cases of the acceptance of homosexuality in Greek and Roman times as well. We can see from this that homosexual tendencies are neither unnatural nor a new invention. What other arguments are there, then, against same-sex marriages? Unfortunately, the arguments are numerous, if a bit unfounded and full of rhetoric. The most

Training Effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Training Effectiveness - Essay Example Employees are supposed to be equipped with some form of expertise such as knowledge, skill and attitudes regardless of the position he/she holds in an organisation. At the same time, it is not necessary that one should have all the expertise that the organisation demands from time to time. He/she may have to equip himself/herself with the current needs of the organisation that strives to maintain its survival amongst its rivals. This calls for imparting knowledge and training to all employees irrespective of the status/position. Training and development has become a necessity in the present day organisation as they have to meet many challenges posed by their environment in general and competitors in particular. Induction training is meant for employees who join the firm for the first time. In fact, the firm is known for its excellence in training programs and its induction training programs is one of the trainings recommended by Retail Industry Awards, 2004 (our people). At this juncture, it is desirable to have a deep knowledge about the training programs conducted by the firm and its effectiveness. The study mainly seeks to investigate how successful are the training programs of the firm to be reflected in the employee performance and organisational development. Employee training and development is one of the fascinating areas for researchers who are interested in exploring new insights from human resource development and workers’ empowerment. Modern organizations have realized that employee performance is a prerequisite for organizational success and as a result training and development programs are vital for organizational survival and success. ... ayeed Omer Bin reveals that business performance depend on high performance, which in turn is depended upon the employee training and development (Sayeed 1998). The present literature review covers only the recent studies and papers that have been published through books and academic journals in and outside the country. In a case based study undertaken by Amitabh Kodwani Deo and Singh Manjari entitled 'Towards Effective Training and Development in Indian Public Sector Enterprises', the authors argue that employee training is an effective tool in improving the individual and organizational performance. The authors further remind that training can result in employee and organizational performance only when the active participation from employees is made and the organization offers a congenial and learning environment Kodwani and Singh (2004). In another case study of S. Sudha to explore the effectiveness of training to the employees and the organization, it is explained that the imparting of training is performance oriented in the sense that training requirement of an employee is determined on the basis of his/her performance at the work (Sudha 2006). The study also finds that training is essential as a learning environment alone can influence the behaviour of employees. Alan Barrett and O'Connell Philip J undertook a study in 2001 to examine the productive effects of training through a survey research. The study includes all types of training such as general training and special training. The authors tried to observe the results of the study after a statistical analysis by which the positive impact of training was tested. It was found that there were no positive impacts on productivity out of specific training (Barrett and O'Connell 2001). C. Ostroff, in his study

About Hp company Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

About Hp company - Research Proposal Example any’s major product lines comprise personal computing devices, enterprise servers, related storage devices, printers, and imaging products (HP 2008). The company has been declared by market research firms Gardner and IDC as the largest global seller of personal computers surpassing its closest rival Dell Inc. After having long commanded the industry, the latter has been taken over by 3.9% gap in market share. During 2006, HP generated annual sales of $91.7 billion then jumped to $104 billion the following year making it as the first information technology company to exceed the $100 billion sales mark (HP reaches 100 billion 2008). As opposed to other competing firms in the information technology industry like Apple, HP consumers are the middle and lower income consumers who opt for more affordable products. Even in its establishment, the company has long been committed in serving these consumers who are more price-sensitive and prefers more affordable products with lesser features. The company serves households and small and medium enterprises worldwide, always tailoring its products in order to suit the evolving needs and demand of the buyers. The success of HP can be traced to its ability to price its product more competitively in the market. It should be noted that the company’s sales have been generated by ensuring that consumers’ have an affordable choice in order to suit all their computing needs. The mere size of the company is also an advantage. It should be noted that since the business organization caters to a lot of markets worldwide, it is able to distribute it cost more efficiently through economies of scale. The large number of output that it produces in its plants allows it to distribute fixed cost thereby making its unit production cost relatively lower. This makes it possible for the company to charge prices which are more competitive than its other rivals in the industry. The company’s reach and exposure to both industrialized and

Discuss the factors that contributed to the birth of the renaissance Essay

Discuss the factors that contributed to the birth of the renaissance in italy - Essay Example Additionally, the renaissance was a period when people rediscovered learning by changing their attitudes about themselves and their surroundings, and it was an exciting time of new inventions, and great discoveries, magnificent buildings, and beautiful art (Yeland). Renaissance goes forth from Italy because many of the forces that were slowly but radically transforming the medieval thinking into modern thinking were more active than in other places in the world; this paper will dwell on exploring factors that contributed to the birth of renaissance in Italy. One of the factors that largely contributed to the birth of renaissance in Italy was Italy’s geographical location (â€Å"The Italian Renaissance†), which strategically placed the country in contact with the Byzantines and Arabs who had long preserved classical knowledge and culture, thus, putting it in a better position to absorb the Greek and Roman heritage. In that case, Geography gave Italy an advantage over Nor thern Europe because it enabled the country to amass wealth and build capacity to break off from the feudal system because, stretching into the Mediterranean sea and strategically situated at the heart of Europe and the Byzantine empire, Italian cities took part in international trade and market economy. In this regard, Italy came in contact not only with the massive flow goods, but to also with the extensive flow of ideas much earlier than other places in the world, thus, flourishing both economically and intellectually. A second causal factor attributable to renaissance was the new secular hunger for discovering texts, which had long been ignored that arose in Italy in the 14th century; secular readers developed an appetite for seeking out, reading and spreading old works, majorly classical writings, on a large scale, thus, new libraries sprung to facilitate access to books. Many significant writings of the classical works found their way back into Europe both by merchants who exp loited the new interest in older texts and by the incoming scholars who had been invited to teach in Italy. The fall of Constantinople was also a reason that saw the influx of many Greek scholars with their precious manuscripts into Italy, which inevitably led to the pervasive dissemination of the Greek classical texts all over Europe thus sparking off the renaissance subsequently. The birth of the printing press also sparked the Italian renaissance because it made it possible for the almost forgotten old classical texts to be mass produced, thus reaching large audiences at the same time, allowing renaissance to develop in return. Additionally, the political context in Italy, which was characterized by the need for display and administration, can be attributable to the onset of renaissance because the massive changes in styles of art including the outlook of artists required support of the wealthy patrons (Wilde). Artists were keen to explore their renaissance ideas were well suppor ted to produce masterpieces by the new rulers of the Italian cities who sought to assert themselves through conspicuous display with ostentation, including all forms of art and creativity. Nevertheless, development of humanism, a new form of thinking and

About Hp company Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

About Hp company - Research Proposal Example any’s major product lines comprise personal computing devices, enterprise servers, related storage devices, printers, and imaging products (HP 2008). The company has been declared by market research firms Gardner and IDC as the largest global seller of personal computers surpassing its closest rival Dell Inc. After having long commanded the industry, the latter has been taken over by 3.9% gap in market share. During 2006, HP generated annual sales of $91.7 billion then jumped to $104 billion the following year making it as the first information technology company to exceed the $100 billion sales mark (HP reaches 100 billion 2008). As opposed to other competing firms in the information technology industry like Apple, HP consumers are the middle and lower income consumers who opt for more affordable products. Even in its establishment, the company has long been committed in serving these consumers who are more price-sensitive and prefers more affordable products with lesser features. The company serves households and small and medium enterprises worldwide, always tailoring its products in order to suit the evolving needs and demand of the buyers. The success of HP can be traced to its ability to price its product more competitively in the market. It should be noted that the company’s sales have been generated by ensuring that consumers’ have an affordable choice in order to suit all their computing needs. The mere size of the company is also an advantage. It should be noted that since the business organization caters to a lot of markets worldwide, it is able to distribute it cost more efficiently through economies of scale. The large number of output that it produces in its plants allows it to distribute fixed cost thereby making its unit production cost relatively lower. This makes it possible for the company to charge prices which are more competitive than its other rivals in the industry. The company’s reach and exposure to both industrialized and

The Persuasive Message Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Persuasive Message - Assignment Example During the Reclassification Program, six extra workers were transferred to my department from Public Relations department (two employees) and from Financial Monitoring department (four employees), and made work under six experienced workers. However, extra workplaces for employees on reclassification have never been specifically prepared and equipped due to their new positions. New workers of External Relations department have stayed on their previous workplaces in Public Relations department and Financial Monitoring department on a fourth floor, room 403 and 404 correspondently. Due to the nature of reclassification process, extra workers tend to experience problems and seek the advice of experienced personnel who they were made to work upon, and experienced workers often have to leave their workplaces and go on a fourth floor to consult new workers. Conversely, new workers have to go on a second floor to receive the qualified advice. Therefore, despite the encouraging first statist ical results of the Reclassification Program, I’m forced to ask you to reconsider working conditions of External Relations department and consolidate both its qualified and new workers within a single floor and a single

Gender Roles in Society Essay Example for Free

Gender Roles in Society Essay What is gender role? Gender roles can be linked closely to the Bible as the relations between men and women as both intuitive and sensual. Biologically gender is not determined; however, as a result of sexual characteristics of either men or women, it is established socially. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations gender is a central organizing principle of societies, and often governs the processes of production and reproduction, consumption and distribution. Gender issues focus on women and on the relationship between men and women, their roles, access to and control over resources, division of labor, interests and needs. Gender relations influence family well-being, household security, planning, production and many other aspects of life including the way we think or feel according to one’s gender. For this reason the definition of gender role today should be revised and predefined because the meaning it once had is no longer comparable with the Bible. Many countries have experienced huge turmoil and revising of its traditional gender roles within the last generation. These changes in gender roles affect the home, the workplace, and the school, plus they affect all walks of life to some degree. Gender role is a commonly discussed subject in society and many may argue about the true role of a man or a woman. Society and culture are also very important in relation to this subject. This means different societies and cultures may produce children and later, grown men and women, who have quite different views of a man or a womans place in the world around them, often determined by their cultures gender stereotypes. Gender roles are attached to persons according to their gender. So, what are men’s and womens roles in society? Should they be equal or do they have well defined roles they should play? In this day and age, people like to be intolerant by attempting to make the two sexes equal. Most people feel that it is unfair to say that women can do certain activities better than men and men can do other activities better than women but God actually made men and women differently and has given them different roles in life and society. God has made men and women to fit certain roles He has defined. The Bible talks a lot about Gods roles for men and women. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, talks about Creation and how sin entered the world. When God created everything, it was perfect and good. Right after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, God kicked them out of the perfect place he had made for them called the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:16-19 says: To the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you shall bring forth children; yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. Then to Adam He said, Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread. This is God’s first example of roles to women and men. It was meant for men to take care of land and work it for food to provide for his family and women would bear children and take care of them and raise them while their husband worked. Again, a man and woman’s role is well defined in a home. They are both made for each other and to grow strong as one. A woman has quite a unique role to fill. She is made as a companion for her husband because without a wife a man is alone and she is the only one who can provide the companionship needs. She should give her husband affection because he needs it just as she needs it also and only she may know the husband in such a way to provide the kind of affection he needs. A wife is there to give physical needs because God made man and woman to rely on one another. Also a woman should bear children for her husband to make a family that they can all love and appreciate. Most mothers spend more time with her children and her influence on their character development is great because they see her the most. Lastly, every woman should be a keeper at home and this requires diligence and the kind of care only women can provide. It is a place of honor among God and His people. â€Å"A woman should be a guard, and ruler and keeper of the affairs of the home† (Prov. 31:13-15). There is nothing wrong with a woman working, as long as it is done in the right way it is honorable. All women, whether married or not, can look to the worthy woman for guidance for living godly lives. In God’s pattern we do not see slavery, but freedom, honor, and true beauty. However, all women shall strive to fulfill their God given roles in their own families, so as to gain honor for themselves, for their families, and for God. In addition, a man’s role in society differs quite differently from a woman. The man is the key to making the family work the way God intended. God puts the responsibility of having a Biblical family on the man. On top of that, men are under a lot of job pressure because of the failing economy which makes it harder to provide for the family. Many men never had a role model in their home. There should be Godly men helping their off springs to become who they ought to be for the glory of God. Men should love their family as Jesus loved the church; he is to also love the members of his family as he loves his body. He is to nourish it. He is to cherish it. He is to take care of it. Thats the way God wants a man to love his family. Eph. 5:23 says, â€Å"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body. † Notice that it didnt say the head over the wife; it said the head of the wife. It is not dictatorship. A man is not the dictator in the family but the man is to protect and provide for his family. Being a good provider is not enough as men have a spiritual responsibility. They should get their family in church each Sunday and take every opportunity to help them learn about Jesus Christ and to grow in their relationship with Him. Men should obey the word of the Lord and ask the Lord to help him be the man he should be. Many of men have failed to lead their family like they should. However, if he is the man, the father, the kind of husband God wants him to be, and if he lifts his family to be everything God wants them to be, one of these days he will reap a good harvest in his children. However, the shifting of gender roles in the past thirty years has been huge. It has happened so quickly that men and women are still trying to sort out what the new roles and rules mean to them although women are no longer expected to be the keepers of the house, in reality, they are in most families and although men are generally open to the successes enjoyed by the women they share their lives with, some still find it hard to celebrate a woman’s triumphs because they feel it attenuates their own. Even though the Bible clearly states the role of a man and a woman many individuals may argue this because the Bible was written a long time ago and they feel such implications do not apply anymore. Yet, the Bible is the word of God and his word is always right and should be abided by no matter how we may feel. Historically, it is important also to note that cultural differences flourish in the emphasis of one’s gender role and in certain societies such assumption in accepted gender norms can also play some part in the definition of gender identity. It will take time to sort out all the assumptions of the changing gender roles of individuals, but new expectations should result in better lives, better relationships, better schools, and better workplaces.

Formulating A Research Problem Management Essay

Formulating A Research Problem Management Essay This section of the report is devoted to delivering a complete account and description of how the whole research was carried out, encapsulating the process involved along the way. Nevertheless, this section is pertinent in order to establish the credibility of the research by revealing the knowledge and mastery of the methodology utilized in the research (Clare and Hamilton 2003). Thus, according to Clare and Hamilton (2003) methodology comprises discussion of the research design, which includes strategies for carrying out the study, the participants engaged, how they were chosen and ethical concerns. Moreover, it contains the information of what data were gathered and how the data were sort out, evaluated and accomplished. Thus, methodology of a study represents how the researcher reports the problem and answers the attendant questions (Taylor and Bodgan 1998). Nonetheless, the research study adopted here is categorized as a descriptive study as it endeavours to pronounce analytically a condition, problem, occurrences, or make available information about the situation of a community or looks into attitudes towards an issue (Kumar 2011). However, describing the research process in the following stages allows the systematic unfolding of the study so that judgements could be made as to the credibility of the research. 3.1 FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM Formulating a research problem is the initial and most relevant stage in the research development as it constitutes a possibly problematic work (Kumar 2011). Besides, it does not basically involve selecting a topic, but approaching it purposefully (May 2003). Subsequently, it actually reveals what is intended to be investigated in a comprehensive and explicit manner since the entire research process is greatly influenced by the approach involved in formulating a research problem. Consequently, this problem can arise in a number of ways such as- by finding an unanswered theoretical problem, by detecting an empirical inconsistency, or by merely looking into how some supposedly understood part of social involvement or organization actually works (May 2003). However, in this present research relevant literatures that dwell upon how change is managed in project-based organization were reviewed as it is evident in the previous section emphasizing particularly on construction organization, which is a key example of a project-based organization (Bresnen 1990). Nevertheless, the rigorous and careful review of these relevant literatures unfolds a common feature amongst themselves which led to the formulating of a research problem represented in the form of a research question, which is How can change be managed effectively in a project-based organization to align with its organizational strategy, goals and objectives?. Moreover, the core function of formulating this research problem is to make a decision on what is to be investigated. Hence, the research problem is assessed taking into consideration the availability of financial resources, time, expertise and possession of knowledge in the field of study (Kumar 2011). According to Kumar (2011 pp.47), in the course of selecting a research problem, a list of factors are considered to make sure the study is practicable and motivation maintained throughout the period of the research. These factors include: Interest: Since a research attempt normally consumes time, consists of difficult task and probably faced with unanticipated issues, a great deal of interest in the research problem is necessary to stay motivated and devote substantial time and energy till the end of the research process. Magnitude: Reviewing several relevant literature helps in building up the knowledge base about the research process, however in the context of this research, possessing a vast knowledge about how change is managed in project-based organization enables the picturing of process involved in reaching the end of the anticipated study. Subsequently, the research problem is narrowed down to what is practicable, precise and clear. Hence, effective utilization of time and resources is considered when choosing a research problem. Measurement of Concepts: In formulating the research problem, the concept employed is ensured to be clear about its indicators and measurements. Nonetheless, in the research, factors such as communication, motivation, managerial support and culture are utilized in describing the concept of how change can be managed in project-based organizations. Thus, this does not hinder the development of other measurement procedure as the study evolves (Kumar 2011). Moreover, information in this research is acquired by the measurement and analysis of the variables; hence they are dependent on the purpose of the study. Level of expertise: A particular level of expertise is required for the proposed study, though added knowledge could be achieved from other literature sources and in the course of carrying out the investigation itself. Relevance: The selected research problem is of great significance as it contributes to the present body of knowledge. Hence, it is useful and its relevance keeps the interest of the study focussed. Availability of data: This is also considered in the formulating of the research problem since the availability of sufficient data from secondary sources enhances the drawing of insights that would be an immense influence in the execution of the research process, thus serving as a guideline for the current study. Ethical issues: In the quest of carrying out a research the target population may be unfavourably affected by the investigation either directly or indirectly. Nevertheless, how ethical issues affect the sample size and how ethical issues can be overcome is considered in the formulating of the research problem. 3.2 DESIGNING A RESEARCH STRATEGY A successful research requires a design in which its constituents function harmoniously together, upholding efficiency and effective working in the course of a research process (Maxwell 2005), thus a faulty or inconsistent design leads to a poor setup or eventually failure. Nonetheless, different conceptions of design is being utilized in several studies, some present the design as a simple sequence of steps or task involved in carrying out a study, while some shares the opinion that a research design should consist of circular and recursive stages (Marshall and Rossman 1999). However, the common features that exist amongst these conceptions of design is that they all contain the basic sequence of stages from the formulating of a research problem to the conclusion or establishment of theories. Subsequently, the research design adopted in this current study is reflective in nature and it operates through every phase of the task. Thus, this is typical of a qualitative study where all the activities such data collection and analysis, development and modification of theory, going into detail and changing of the research questions, and detecting and addressing validity threats are generally occurring in a simultaneous pattern, each inducing all of the others (Maxwell 2005). As a result, the design of this research in question is a continuing practice that involves re-examining the different components of the design and assessing their implications on the success of the overall research. Consequently, in the pursuit to carry out this current research, key components of a qualitative research design according to Maxwell (2005) are considered as follows; Goals: This study is carried out to develop an improved way of managing change in project-based organizations as new practices are implemented in the organization. Hence, the research looks into the issue of social human and organizational behaviour in project-based organization towards the adoption of new practices and maintenance of the existing ones. However, this research is actually embarked upon to understand the complexity of project-based organization and how its decentralized nature affects the spread of new ideas. Conceptual Framework: The conceptual framework utilized in the current research is based on the combination of the theoretical foundation of both Kotters (1995) eight-steps and Aiken and Kellers (2009) nine-insights. Nevertheless, these theoretical foundations were chosen in the sense that it creates analytical viewpoint of the relationship existing among the factors such as communication, motivation, managerial support and culture that have been acknowledged as relevant to the research problem (Sekaran 2003) according to the first chapter of the report. Moreover, the theoretical foundation flows rationally from the documentation of preceding research in the area of the research problem as seen in the literature review section. However, by incorporating personal views based on the insights drawn from other publications or research report, taking into considerations the scope of a construction firm in the context of a project-based organization, a scientific basis is developed for inv estigating the research problem (Sekaran 2003). Consequently, the theoretical framework as seen in Table 1 deliberates on the interrelationships in the midst of the variables which is seen as factors that is fundamental to the underlying forces of the condition being studied. Research Questions: The research question in this study is embedded in terms of the conceptual framework to which the theoretical foundation adopted is strongly reinforced (Wengraf 2001). However, in formulating the research question, due consideration is given so as to establish a relationship between the theoretical foundation and the empirical findings it seeks to reveal. Thus, the central research question developed in the quest of this study is How can change be managed effectively in a project-based organization to align with its organizational strategy, goals and objectives?. As a result, four theory questions are designed to broaden the scope of the central research question, besides, these theory questions are not interview questions, they govern the production of the interview questions, thus formulated in the theory language of the research community, while the interview questions are formulated in the language of the interviewees (Wengraf 2001). A sample of these question s is evident in Appendix 1. Furthermore, these central research, theory and interview questions collectively pose questions that the study is meant to answer. Methods: The method of research applied in this study is qualitative, which constitutes interview studies utilizing open-ended interview questions to investigate the research problem, thus follow a more deductive approach (May 2003). Nevertheless, the research adopts a structured approach in the sense that all the components of the research process such as the objectives, design, sample, interview questions are predetermined. However, the structured approach is more suitable since it define the extent of the issue or phenomenon (Kumar 2011), which is How can change be managed effectively in a project-based organization to align with its organizational strategy, goals and objectives?. In the quest to achieve easy access to the prospective interviewees, letters were written to different construction firms in the U.K. Nonetheless, these letters were put forward to them via email and posting. A sample of this letter is seen in Appendix 4. Consequently, after the efforts through the email and posting proved abortive, several phone calls served as an alternative means of contacting the interviewees and confirming the receipt of the despatched letters. Subsequently, a breakthrough was achieved when a senior manager of a construction firm agreed to grant the permission for the interview. As a result of the latter, the interview was held via the telephone at different periods due to the busy schedules and availability of the interviewees. However, substantial data were gathered and transcribed as seen in Appendix 2 and 3, thus serving as a source of information utilized in the development of the primary field framework as evident in Table 1 and the analysis of the researc h outcome in the subsequent chapter. However, this research being theoretically devoted selected a carefully targeted sample that is well positioned to light up the issue under investigation (May 2003), thus the sampling strategy adopted made available a competent way to get answers to enormous questions utilizing relatively small population. Subsequently, to achieve the practicability of this study a construction firm is chosen as a key example of a project-based organization in the U.K (Bresnen 1990) and described by Lindkvist (2004) as being a radical project-based organization. Nevertheless, the interview is based upon the implementation of Visual planning tool, which is a new project management tool utilized by the construction firm based in the U.K and involved in various construction projects. The senior manager, who is responsible for the implementation of the VP aided in facilitating the interview, hence avoiding the issue of obtaining fabricated answers from the interviewees. In the context of this investigati on, a construction firm form the basis from which the sample is drawn (Clark et al 2000). In the light of the above, this research utilizes a non-probability sampling known as convenience sampling (Clark et al 2000). Moreover, in the context of this research, convenience sampling is not a sample in the sense that the selection is done based on the distribution of several characteristic (Clark et al 2000), rather the sample is chosen because they share certain very clearly defined core characteristics as seen in the case of the senior manager and two site managers chosen for the purpose of this research. Thus, the sample is selected based on the variation in significant factors under investigation (May 2003). Consequently, the success of the interview study is highly dependent on the aforementioned assembling of theoretically grounded questions and accessible interview schedules. Thus, the interviewees who offered to contribute intimate information about their lives and time were given a clear, comprehensive and reassuring guide throughout the process of interviewing (May 2003). However, these interview questions were sent to the interviewees via email prior to the main interviewing to serve as a guide during the interview sections. In the analytic process adopted in this study, the extant conceptual framework developed from the data gathered in the course of qualitative interview, and as evident in Table 1 suggests a set of predetermined categories (Symon and Cassell 1998). Thus, these set of predetermined categories are as follows; Communication Motivation Managerial Support and; Culture. However, the extant conceptual framework based upon the theoretical foundation of Kotters (1995) eight-steps and Aiken and Kellers (2009) nine-insights reveals the emerging factors embedded in the aforementioned categories. Hence, the interrelationship among the variable that are fundamental to the changing aspects of the condition being examined (Sekaran 2003), which entail how change is managed in a construction firm will be discussed in the fourth chapter, where the outcome of the research will be analysed. Validity: Subsequently, the theoretical framework developed from the data gathered during the qualitative interview conducted could offer a conceptual foundation to proceed with a further research and also gives rise to testable theory that can be developed to examine whether the conclusion reached or theory formulated in this research is valid or not (Sekaran 2003). Thus, a quantitative method based upon the extant theoretical framework is recommended for further research. 3.3 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS Fundamental ethical issues were considered in the course of this research. However, the confidentiality and anonymity of the interviewees highlighted in the letters distributed is carried over into the writing-up of the reports. Thus, the identities of the interviewees are represented in a disguised form, while the information and data gathered is reported anonymously (Clark et al 2000). Nevertheless, the construction firm under investigation point out that the privacy and confidentiality of their business secrets and practices be protected by avoiding the recording of the conversation via the telephone and present them with an evidence of the research findings in a short report, thus ascertaining the relevance of the research to the construction firm in question (Symon and Cassell). On the other hand, promises of anonymity such as that present in the letter despatched, permitted the interviewees to express more reality about their view concerning the attendant question put forward t o them (Symon and Cassell 1988). Moreover, the interview ends normally as the interviewees complete their responses, besides the interview was conducted at different times due to busy schedules and availability of the interviewees. Hereafter, commendation is put forward to the interviewees for the time and energy contributed to the interview. In the light of the above, this section reveals how the entire research is carried out and why the methods employed were adopted, thus making sense of the research credibility by demonstrating the understanding of the methodology utilized in the study. Consequently, it highlights the ethical concerns arising from the research and how they were addressed. Hence, lay emphasis on what data were collected and how they were handled, evaluated and accomplished, which will be discussed in the subsequent chapter.

Warren Buffet :: Berkshire Hathaway

Warren Buffet Warren Buffet was born August 30, 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska. He lived much of his life in Nebraska and later moved to Washington D.C. At 11 he purchased his first stock which he ended up making a five-dollar profit on this investment. He got his bachelors degree from The University of Nebraska. For some time he attended Wharton’s School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. This institution is rated as one of the top five business schools in the nation. His Masters of Science in Economics was completed at Columbia University. Shortly after completing college Warren founded the Buffet partnership. This was all accomplished by the age of 25. Had someone invested $10000 with Warren back in 1956 it would worth an astounding $95 million today. Warren Buffet is worth over 27 billion dollars at the age of 69. Investing in other well-known companies made much of his money. He has major holdings of American Express, Coke, and Walt Disney just to name a few. He is also rumored to own as much as 20% of the world’s supply of silver. Today Warren Buffet is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Some of the other companies included under the Berkshire name are Geico Insurance, Berkshire Hathaway Life Insurance Company of Nebraska, Borsheim’s, and Dairy Queen. Berkshire is based out of his hometown of Omaha Nebraska. There have been many books written about Warren’s investment strategies and his life in general. He has never written a book himself. I found a few books he helped co-author including one that was nothing but quotes and sayings he has come up with over the years.

The Jealous and Selfish Characters of Shakespeares Othello :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Jealous and Selfish Characters of Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the play Othello, there are many jealous and selfish characters. Each of the characters at one point or another let their jealousy take over. It seems like they all have these plots and plans on how to hurt another character in the play either physically or emotionally, as an act of selfishness, so that they can feel better about themselves. One main character who seems extremely jealous in this play is Iago. Infact, probably the most jealous. Many bad things happen because of Iago. The first bad thing that Iago did, was tell Barbantio (Desdamona's father) that Desdemona has married Othello, the Moore. Iago was mad at Othello, because Cassio had made Othello a higher position and not Iago. Iago thought that he was the one who qualified for the position as general, not Othello. Iago was jealous because of this, so he decided to tell Barbantio about Desdemona and Othello. This was bad, because Barbantio did not know yet, and something like that should have been said by his own daugh ter, not someone who was not part of the family. The way Iago went about telling him was also bad. He called to his house in the middle of the night. He yelled it to Barbantio from downstairs into his window in a rude manner. " quote from Othello here." He wanted Barbantio to be upset about what had happened, and most of all, he wanted Barbantio to be mad at Othello and do something bad to him. This was an act of selfishness on Iago's side. Iago's main reason for doing all this, was not to inform Barbantio, but to make everyone dislike Othello so that he could become general. Roderigo also helped out with telling Barbantio about Othello and Desdamona's eloping. The reason Roderigo did this, was not to let Barbantio know for his purposes, but merely for his own selfish reasons. Just as Iago did. Roderigo was in love with Desdemona and wanted to marry her. When he found out that Othello had already married her, he wanted to get rid of him so that he would still have a chance with her. I think that Roderigo may have known that he did not have a chance with Desdemona and that she really did love Othello, and that made him very jealous. He did not like Othello because of this, and that's why he wanted to destroy his reputation.

Childrens literature

Are children better off now than they were 50 years ago? Comparing childhood today with childhood 50 years ago, there are many dramatic changes. There are new forms of media such as television and the internet. Family structures and emphasis on values today are nothing like they were 50 years ago. It was odd if a family did not sit at the dinner table together. Today there is so much going on it is odd to sit at the dinner table together.Even people's life goals and utlook on life are much different. It is no wonder with all the changes that people believe life for a child is much harder today than it was 50 years ago. Children 50 years ago lived a much more sheltered life than the children of today. A young person's family should be the strongest influence in their life. It is more work to raise a child today and parents seldom take responsibility for their child's actions. We need to monitor their friends, their internet use and their phone conversations to keep them on the right t rack. 0 years ago, mom's stayed home to take care of the ids and dads went out to work to provide for their families. Life was much more simple back then, although they did not have all the resources that we have today. Today we rely on daycare settings and babysitters to take care of our children as more and more moms have to work outside of the home. In children's literature books the fairytale of the moms staying home to care for the children and the dads going out to work is portrayed. Lecture 3 Does children's literature influence a child's perspective on society and their role in it?The books that are read to children and the books that they read themselves can alter who they become when they become adults. Rather than not reading to a child at all it is important to explain to a child that children's literature is fun to read and the books are mostly fairytales. I think children's literature is important because it reflects a time in which it was written and the changes of so cial values such as gender, race and sexual orientation. Generally, past societies viewed woman as the homemakers, cooking, cleaning and caring for the children, while the men went out o work and were the providers for their families.This view was past from generation to generation eventually leading to gender role stereotypes. This portrayed women as inferior, unintelligent, emotional and needy whose only role was to cook, clean and care for the kids. Social views toward woman have changed. Though still not equal, the perception of a woman's roles today appears less stereotyped than in the past. Unfortunately gender stereotypes still exist in children's literature today though maybe not as much. Today, the typical stereotypes are that boys are tough and girls re weak.Children's literature portrays boys being adventurous and playing sports and girls dressing up or playing with dolls. There are plenty of children's books that that girls have to work Just as hard as boys and that ther e education is Just as important because the fairytale of women staying home to care for the kids is almost non existent. Racism has been another issue in children's literature. Children's literature reflects a time of prejudice attitudes and racial content. Children's literature early on depicted certain races in unethical ways, maybe not on purpose.Children's literature has come a long way with teaching children that being different is not always bad. I believe that children should be taught from an early age the importance of acceptance. The world has become so diverse that people need to realize and teach their children that there are all different kinds of people especially due to migration and multi-cultural marriages. Sexual orientation is another big reflection in children's literature books. For the most part, alternative families were greatly forbidden by past societies.I think this is one topic that is probably still a battle over same-sex marriages and homosexuality. I w ould think that some if not most people would think these kinds of books would have a negative effect on a child, but again children need to learn that it is not always bad to be different. They need to be taught how to deal with different situations. Children should never be restrained from reading literature that might contain offensive content because is shows them hardship, differences and ignorance that people have had to overcome throughout their lives.This would Just remind them of how lucky and fortunate that they are today. This would show them Just how far we progressed in changing life in a positive way. Although racism, stereotyping and prejudices are still present today, every child if properly brought up can contribute to the cause of ending this. Giving children literature that shows them what the past was like can teach them why racial diversity and cultural relativity is so important today. Children of all races and ethnicities can benefit from reading literature of the past and present

Marketing Report Bokomo Foods Essay

1.0. A report presenting market data in order to inform a cereal company Bokomo Ltd. To consider whether to expand more in the United Kingdom market. 2.0 Executive summary. This is a short report, containing marketing data on both the cereal market and a specific business, Bokomo UK. The data was obtained from secondary marketing research. Bokomo ´s website was one of the main reference guide. With the findings and analysis, it was recommended that Bokomo should expand their own brand products more in the UK. The PEST analysis of the UK grocery industry included in this report was used to highlight the external factors that can affect Bokomo’s operation and interpret how these factors will influence Bokomo. Furthermore, through the market analysis it was found that Kellogg’s and Weetabix mainly lead the cereal industry, followed by Nestle and Jordans. These companies have a wide range of brands targeted at different consumers, and they have customer loyalty, which can make it harder for newer companies to enter this sector. As mentioned before, in the cereal market there are a large variety of targeted consumers like children, women, and families. The main key trends in the market are convenient snacks and consciousness towards health. Apart from that, own branded labels are also gaining popularity as they offer consumers the same product at a cheaper price. SWOT analysis allowed us to devise the company’s internal analysis. Strengths included their well-known reputation and customers such as large food retailers (Tesco ´s), to which they sell manufacture and packaging services. Weaknesses consist of the negative aspects the company faces, including their not household name, and general negative publicity they face in this complex sector. Opportunities were devised from the social factors from the PEST analysis as changes in consumer tastes and trends are opportunities were this company can benefit from by meeting those needs. These were also  an important part of the report as it affected the final recommendations for the company. Threats included the financial recession and increasing levels of immigration. Bokomo Foods is a major cereal producer in the United Kingdom, established around 80 years ago. Despite not being a household name, is a UK leading cereal maker and the company has achieved diversity by producing a range of own-label products. Furthermore, they manufacture branded products for large companies, as well as branded packaging services like Bag in Box, Pot or Pouch. All of these services are for leading retailers such as Tesco ´s, Sainsbury ´s and Morrison’s, among many others. 3.0 Introduction + Aim. This is a report whose aim is to present market data in order to inform Bokomo plc. a cereal company, whether further expansion in the UK market is beneficial at this time. The report will identify and analyse the current business situation, using SWOT analysis, and review the macroeconomic perspective of the general UK grocery industry using PEST analysis. The SWOT analysis will help us examine the specific company factors, as it is essential to understand these in order to relate them back to the PEST and market trends. Both internal and external factors affect how Bokomo will operate now and in the future. 4.0 The grocery market environment – PEST analysis 4.1 Political Political factors have a great influence on the analysis of external factors since they are determined by the degree of government intervention in the economy. The political situation in the UK is stable. Her Majesty’s Government, led by Prime Minister David Cameron of the Conservative Party, is mainly concerned about the financial crisis affecting economies all over the world and to strengthen the economic position of UK globally. Through employment legislations, the government encourages retailers to provide a mix of job opportunities from flexible, lower-paid and locally-based jobs to highly-skilled, higher-paid and centrally-located jobs (Balchin, 1994). Migration has a large impact on the grocery industry, as it provides new customers, as well as opportunities for supermarkets to cater to the different culinary cultures of immigrants. Migration also leads to a change in size of labour pool, which could have an effect on the availability of workers. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show some 503,000 people came to live in the UK in the year ending June 2013, compared with 517,000 people the previous year (ONS.gov, 2013). 4.2 Economic Economic factors are important to consider in regard to the UK grocery market, as they are highly influential to demand, costs, prices, and profit. One of the most influential factors on the economy is high unemployment level, which decreases the effective demand for many goods, adversely affecting the demand required to produce such goods. Unemployment in the UK is at 7.1% as of January 2014, according to BBC. Another highly relevant economic factor is the grocery market size and the market growth. IGD forecast that the UK grocery market value will be worth  £205.9bn in 2018, a 21.3% increase on 2013 (IGD.com, 2013). This is beneficial news to Bokomo, since any expansion would be possible in regard to the availability of area in the market to expand. Another market characteristic of importance is the amount of spending on groceries in regard to overall retail expenditure in the UK. The grocery market’s share accounts for 54.9p in every  £1 of UK retail spending (IGD.com, 2013). 4.3 Social According to Askew (2013) sales in the cereal industry have been under pressure in these past years, especially due to the changing social trends and habits of consumers. Even though sales in this market have been stable, growth has been slow. Traditional breakfast habits have changed and people consume fewer cereals because of a busier lifestyle. Also increasing number of consumers skip breakfast. An increase in female workers has also had an impact on this, which is why competition for convenient options is growing  more each time. An increasing number of people now look for easy and quick alternatives to sitting down and eating. However, they expect to receive the same nutrients and healthy benefits with these convenient options. A growing number of women now pay special attention to what they are eating, checking the labeling, nutritional information and ingredients of each product. Increasingly, women have a greater concern with their weight and healthy eating. Lately, the demand for children’s cereals has declined because of the sugar content it has. Cereal companies use marketing to their advantage and attract kids with unhealthy products. Their main source has been television adverts and most of the cereals for children have high sugar content with low nutritional value, a fact of which more parents are aware. Apart from consumer concerns about health, they are also becoming more aware of the environment. In this specific market, many cereal companies now control their water use, energy use, waste produced, etc. Most of them also pay close attention to the packaging of the product, like using recycled packaging. Another social factor that affects the grocery market in general is the diverse culture in UK. There are so many people with different cultures that do not choose cereals as their first choice for breakfast; instead they have their own eating habits. Therefore, it is important for the producers in the grocery market to understand the needs of the entire population and meet them. Furthermore, supermarket own-brand products have gained a lot of popularity because of the economic downturn. As consumers have limited spending power, they prefer spending on a cheaper product that allows them to get the same benefits. 4.4 Technological In the present technological age, everyone, from personal to professional  interaction, is highly reliant on technology. Therefore, technological advances are important for the development and maintenance of business culture. Advances in technology have allowed the grocery industry to grow. An excellent example is the demise of Blockbuster, who was reluctant to explore online options, and their consequent refusal to buy Netflix and to adapt to changing trends lead to their bankruptcy and final closure on January 14, 2014. Online grocery shopping holds 11% of the distribution channels of the UK grocery market and predictions suggest online sales in the US will grow by 15% in 2014 to  £189.3 billion, while in Europe, sales are expected to rise by 18% to  £131.2 billion. Online shopping has helped people spend their day more efficiently and reduced the effort of having to carry heavy grocery bags. Technological advances at the supermarket has contributed to more efficient customer service and stocking efforts. The adoption of Electronic Point of Sale (EPoS), Electronic Funds Transfer Systems (EFTPoS) and electronic scanners have greatly improved the efficiency of distribution and stocking activities, with needs being communicated almost in real time to the supplier (Finch, 2004). Devices such as the self-checkout machine and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) have permitted the grocery industry to grow and accommodate customers in an effective way. 5.0 Description of product specific market 5.1 Main competitors The leading cereal brands and the biggest competitors of Bokomo cereals in the UK are Kellogg’s and Weetabix, reported Companies&Markets (2013). Kellogg’s arrived in the UK in 1922 and since then has maintained its position in the market, by focusing on innovation and expansion of their products. In 2012, it had 32% of value share, leading in the UK cereal market offering a wide range of products. Over the years, Kellogg’s has expanded to over 180 countries in the world and has around 39 brands of cereals. Weetabix, on the other hand, was launched in 1932; it has been a  long-standing brand and has fought its competitors to stay in this position in the UK. Weetabix has also introduced many different brands and has been innovating to adapt to consumer preferences over the years. Also Jordans, a breakfast cereal company based in Bedfordshire, founded in 1855. Although, the company produced its first cereal in 1981 called Original Crunchy, it was in the years between 2000 and 2005 when it faced rapid growth and became one of the largest cereal brands in the UK. Its great focus over the years has been on the packaging, to make it stand out in grocery stores and it is also known to be included in the â€Å"healthy, natural cereal segment† Moreover, Nestle formed in 1990. It was launched as a joint venture between General Mills and Nestle S.A. and named Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW). They offer the traditional cereals, as well as a range of brands including the world-known Cheerios. 5.2 Targeted consumers Cereal companies target many different kinds of people, although the easiest group of people to target has been children. BMSG (2013) stated they do it through advertisements on television, and somehow try to grab their attention by creating colourful, animated images and providing gifts in the cereal box each time. Another group targeted in this sector are the women because of their increasing concern for health and weight loss. Along with the children, women also form a big part of the consumers of this market. Nowadays, there are so many brands that have launched low-fat cereals and cereal bars also. Some also provide some advice, tips and dietary plans, Nytimes article (2010). Generally, families in the UK are also targeted consumers because some families still sit and have their meals together and believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Apart from that, families are more concerned with what they are eating, especially making sure that the smaller ones eat healthy (Marketingmagazine(2010) Unlike maybe some students at university who would not pay so much attention to their breakfast, particularly not on a daily basis. 5.3 Key trends in the cereal market Marketingmagazine (2008) stated A rising key trend in the cereal industry is the quick and convenient ‘good to go’ snacks, like cereal bars. Cereal bars have gained a lot of popularity among a wide range of audience in recent years because people not having time for breakfast. Due to this reason, there has been a significant decline in the sales of the cereal market. Companies have been mostly focusing on this convenient aspect of the market so that people don’t just skip breakfast entirely and their business doesn’t face a loss. As health also plays a crucial role in this market and recently people are more conscious about what they are putting in their body, convenient snacks are the best option as they cover both points. Nowadays, ‘good to go’ snacks are not just used for breakfast but also during the entire day as an alternative to other unhealthy snacks. As a result of the sudden popularity of these snacks, now there are a great variety of them in different formats. On the other hand, the popularity of own branded labels is growing in the grocery market. It saves consumers a significant amount of money and they offer a similar or better quality product. It has resulted in a much higher level of competition in the market. 5.4 SWOT Analysis Bokomo website (2014) 5.4.1 Strengths Bokomo is UK’s leading cereal maker; this is a major strength as they have established a firm position in the British cereal market. They operate in various markets inside the cereal industry, providing food manufacture, retailing and catering. Bokomo can provide tasty, fresh cereal products any business is looking for, at a very competitive and cost-effective price†. British company (although owned by South Africa’s Pioneer Foods) with substantial manufacturing plants in Wellingborough and Peterborough. This means Bokomo has the resources and specialist expertise to offer unique flexible manufacturing and packaging services. Companies needing a brand-new  breakfast cereal raced through New Product Development (NPD) or an innovative production line set up in record time can contact Bokomo. This makes them have an advantage as nowadays there are many organisations looking for branded cereal products. Bokomo is a world-class player, and in order to maintain that s tatus they need world-class facilities. They have two factories in the UK, specifically in Wellingborough and Peterborough. These factories offer them a cutting-edge manufacturing plant, in other words, the latest, high quality, reliable and sustainable facilities. This leads to the production of high quality products. Food standards are also controlled and supported by SAP business information software, which makes customers feel more confident and secure with the products and services Bokomo delivers. Bokomo ´s experts in the management team and the company ´s aim of constantly innovating and removing old production facilities has helped them produce large quantities of high quality products very efficiently and to the shortest imaginable lead-times. Their customers know Bokomo as a business that main objectives is to offer high quality products. This has been maintained by using high quality ingredients and top experts in recipe formulation. They are one of only 2 manufactures that produce wheat biscuits in the Northern hemisphere enabled them to have the largest control and knowledge of this production process. Even if Bokomo UK is based in the United Kingdom, they have also diversified. Geographic market diversification has enabled them to sell in many countries around Europe, Scandinavia and even as far as the United States of America or the United Arab Emirates 5.4.2 Weaknesses Bokomo stated â€Å"you’ve possibly never heard of us† – this means that individual customers do not know them as their own – branded products is very niche, and they are more specialized in producing in a business to business way. This is a very common weakness for companies that operate Behind the Brand. Constant changing of consumer’s tastes (opting for cereal bars, instant porridge or other breakfast solutions) can be considered a weakness, as its difficult and expensive to innovate and keep up to meet their needs. Difficulties to compete with well known brands cereals  products such as Corn Flakes, Crunchy Nut, Special K. Have to create a delicious product that attracts customers quickly and expensive to implement the R&D and marketing. On the other hand it can also be considered and opportunity. Negative publicity to which ready-to-eat cereals have been subjected due to their high sugar content 5.4.3 Opportunities Social trends are important opportunities for Bokomo. Customers aiming towards healthy living or any other lifestyle changes means there is an opportunity towards which research and operate in. They have achieved and been keeping up to date with this as they have many products related to this trend. Great health benefits, such as products enabling the final consumer to control cholesterol levels. Multi-grain flake is another trend and potential opportunity for Bokomo. Consumers are changing their tastes towards healthier goods, and leaving behind old-fashioned sugary confections. Consumers are also increasingly purchasing Branflakes as they are considered to be great for supporting a healthy digestive system. Another trend â€Å"busier schedules†, people are increasingly feeling they have no time to spend on having breakfast and snacks. Bokomo muesli is available to cater for the increasing demand for â€Å"breakfast on the go†. They offer them in bags and boxes, which facilitates the final customer to transport to their work place. This is an example of an opportunity for Bokomo because if they keep-up to date with trends, they will become more efficient and desirable for large retailers to purchase their products, and everyone will benefit form the sales. UK retailers are also focusing on added-value products: Add value by introducing natural minerals and vitamins into whole grain wheat and making the final product more healthy and nutritional. Own-label share of the business mix for large supermarket retailers. It is a main direction for Bokomo to go towards to as they can increase considerably their business operations, as the focus is now towards manufacturing own-label and branded products. Bokomo has realized the immense potential for expansion as the large retailers keep increasing the sale of this type of good. ‘One-stop’ shopping, or shopping in large supermarkets were customers can find any type of product in the same building has been  beneficial for Bokomo as these businesses are their main clients. If they increase their sales, Bokomo will also benefit from this, as they will sell them more and so increase revenue will mean increase levels of profitability. 5.4.4 Threats The cereal industry offers products which are considered to be relatively expensive, which can be easily replaced with simpler breakfast choices such as bread. The financial recession has been a main factor for the decrease in expenditure, specially concerning families, as there are other much cheaper products to replace the cereals and cereal bars. High unemployment has made a substantial impact on the demand for such goods, adversely affecting the demand required to product those goods. Increasing levels of immigration specially in the UK, has meant that they do not have the same culinary cultures and so those breakfast products will not satisfy the needs and wants of everyone. 5.0 Recommendations With the above analysis it is better for the company to target smaller retailers where their own labeled products won’t be affected by competitive brands like Kellogg’s, and when they achieve this they should concentrate more on developing their own branded products around the UK. As mentioned above in the SWOT analysis, cereal products are considered to be expensive due to the added value implemented on them so it would be better to decrease these levels of adding value and start off with lower prices, in recession periods. 6.0 Limitations Bokomo website allowed us to obtain up-to-date and official information and statistics of the company. The information was limited because the company sold themselves and emphasized on its positive aspects because they have to promote their brand to the consumers. A part from this we also used other sources including, online articles about food industry, which helped us, get an un-biased view of the company and the cereal market as a whole. The  drawback of using other sources or secondary research was that the methods used were unknown so we examined the most official and valid sources. 7.0 References Askew, K. 2013. Breakfast cereal: Are cereal sales going soggy? [Online] Available at: http://www.just-food.com/analysis/are-cereal-sales-in-developed-markets-going-soggy_id123417.aspx Bainbridge, J. 2010. Sector insight: Breakfast cereals | Marketing Magazine. [Online] Available at: http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/990662/sector-insight-breakfast-cereals Bainbridge, J. 2008. Sector Insight: Cereal bars | Marketing Magazine. [Online] Available at: http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/817580/sector-insight-cereal-bars Balchin, A. (1994) Part-time Workers in the Multiple Retail Sector: Small Change from Employment Protection Legislation? Employee Relations, Vol. 16 Iss: 7, pp.43 – 57 BBC News. 2014. UK unemployment rate drops to 7.1%. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25841570 BERKELEY, C. 2013. Cereal companies leverage online marketing to target children with sugary products | Berkeley Media Studies Group. [Online] Available at: http://w ww.bmsg.org/newsroom/news-releases/cereal-companies-leverage-online-marketing-to-target-children-with-sugary-products Bodimeade, M. 2013. UK breakfast cereals market dominated by Kellogg’s and Weetabix. [Online] Available at: http://www.companiesandmarkets.com/News/Food-and-Drink/UK-breakfast-cereals-market-dominated-by-Kelloggs-and-Weetabix/NI6602 Bokomo.co.uk. n.d. About | Bokomo. [Online] Available at: http://bokomo.co.uk/about Business News Daily (November 22, 2013) PEST Analysis: Definition and Examples, Available at: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5512-pest-analysis-definition-examples-templates.html Euromonitor.com. 2013. Breakfast Cereals in the United Kingdom. [Online] Available at: http://www.euromonitor.com/breakfast-cereals-in-the-united-kingdom/report Igd.com. 2013. UK Grocery Retailing. [Online] Available at: http://www.igd.com/our-expertise/Retail/retail-outlook/3371/UK-Grocery-Retailing/ Internetretailing.net (March 18, 2014) UK retailers expected to make