Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate Strategy - Essay Example tinuous corporate process which examines the corporate business status and the industry competition in which the corporate is operating in, assessing the competition and setting goals and strategies to meet new challenges. (David, 1989) This paper will therefore look into a mini case for Starbucks Company which is trying to enter the Indian market. The main issues that will be addressed by the paper will be; entry problem and market entry analysis using porters 5 forces model. It will finally give a briefing note on the case. In the recent past, trading has become increasingly global in some way because of the need to gather and increase the company’s financial base. To achieve greater investments and better market opportunities in the international market, companies are opening new branches in different countries. Starbucks Company is one of the companies that are expanding its market and it has targeted the Indian market. Starbucks Corporation is an American company based in Washington, which buys makes and sell coffees and coffee drinks in many of its international retail outlets chains. Starbucks started as a seller of packaged high quality coffee, today Starbucks has developed to become one of the best companies known for its coffeehouses, giving its customers a place to buy beverages and other food items in addition of the packaged whole bean coffee. The company is given credit on changing how people in America and the world all over perceive and take coffee. (Business Week, 2007) In relation to its expansion plans Starbuck has been eyeing the Indian market which is among the biggest markets in Asia because of the high population the country has. However, the government of India have been taking time in allowing the company to enter the Indian market. Starbucks Company had intended to have a joint venture with an Indian company named New Horizon. New Horizon Company already operates 45 Starbucks retail outlets in Indonesia. The joint venture was a

Fast Food and Childhood Obesity Essay Example for Free

Fast Food and Childhood Obesity Essay In the past decade there has been a rise of obesity in children. I believe along with many credible sources that a lot of the reoccurring obesity problems we face with children have to do with fast food. You could almost say that fast food is kind of like a drug for kids. It is always fun to go out to eat as well as take in food that is high in calories and saturated fat. Although fast food may be a large factor in childhood obesity, it is also safe to say that it’s not the only factor. Are we placing too much blame on the fast food industry for making our kids obese, or is it our fault as parents and caregivers? Fast Food Then and Now Compared to how fast food chains functioned when they first opened and how they operate now you will see a huge difference; not only in their food selection but also in the portion sizes. For example, when McDonald’s first opened in 1955 their cheeseburger was only 1. 6 ounces and now you can get a cheeseburger for almost 8 ounces (Monte, 2008). The sizes are almost a 400 calorie increase—400 calories could be more than one whole meal for a child. Every year portion sizes are essentially getting larger and larger. A small now would have been a medium just five years ago (White, n. d. ). Not only have the portion sizes gotten larger but so has the menu. Fast food chains now have been offering smoothies, sundaes, pie slices, and even cinnamon rolls. They offer more menu options that offer more calories and saturated fats. Along with these they have also gotten better with offering some healthy options too like apples and low fat milk, but who goes to a fast food restaurant to get apples and milk? There are 3,039 possible kids’ meal combinations and out of that only 12 combinations meet the nutrition criteria for preschooler’s and 15 for all other children (Oren Dodson, 2010). The only kind of company who would essentially poison children like that is ones who are trying to make a fast buck and that is the goal for all of these fast food companies. They don’t realize or they do and just don’t care that they are poisoning our youth and even adults. Advertisements For the past ten years or so fast food chains have been advertising to children. Kids spend more time watching TV than any other activity they do besides sleeping (Nestle, 2006). Fast food chains have taken advantage of this by placing most of their ads on programs like Nickelodeon, Disney, and even PBS. They know that if they spend millions on advertising on children networks that they will get their return on investing in them. Children see more than 32% more fast food ads on TV now than in 2003 (Oren Dodson, 2010). In 2009, McDonald’s spent the most out of all the fast food companies on advertising to children. They spent almost 900 million dollars targeting ages 6-11. Subways was in a very far out second spending a little over 400 million dollars targeting 12-17 year olds (Harris, Schwartz Brownell, 2010). Studies have also shown that Hispanics and African American children see more than 50% more fast food ads than white children (Oren Dodson, 2010). With this there are more fast food chains in African American and Hispanic dominated neighborhoods. Family Statistics You can probably assume that every family in the U. S. goes to fast food restaurants on occasion but some go more than others. Studies have shown that families with lesser income are more exposed to fast food than other families who have a higher income (Block Scribner, 2004). With the economy the way it is, much more people are making much less and this is causing more and more families to visit fast food places rather than eating at home. You can go to a fast food joint and spend ten dollars for the whole family to eat rather than spending hundreds of dollars at a grocery store. In an article I just read, less than one third of Americans are eating their meals from scratch; meaning actually cooking and serving them to their families (Voigts, 2005). This was published seven years ago—just think of where we are now! I conducted an interview with my sister, Morgan Dutton, who is an extreme fitness guru, health nut, and she also has children. I asked her what she thought about this obesity epidemic in our youth and she said, â€Å"I cannot believe all of the staggering statistics regarding kids and fast food. I am not sure why parents wouldn’t want their kids eating the healthiest food option rather than the fastest. Kids are starting to get diabetes earlier and it reduces their life span by years. Fast food is essentially killing our kids, it may be slowly but it is happening (personal communication, October 15th, 2012). † Drawing the Line So whose fault is it that our children’s generation is getting more and more obese? Should we blame it on fast food—when can we blame ourselves? As a parent I want my child to live the longest healthiest life they can live and when I take them to places like McDonald’s and Burger King I am basically poisoning their body. It may be fast food that is making them obese but isn’t it our fault for taking them there in the first place? Exposing them to that kind of food especially early on in their life is only going to make it harder for them when they get older and can make their own decisions. Conclusion Rather than placing blame for the obesity problem with our children maybe we should be taking action. You could blame fast food chains for making your kid obese or you could even blame yourself because you took them there. Parent’s need to start making better decisions on what they are putting in their kids bodies because they may outlive their own child. There are so many chemicals and toxins in fast food that people are not aware of. Fast food may be cheap and it may be fast but in the long scheme of things, it is killing our kids.

Musical Expression and Musical Meaning in Context :: Music Philosophy Essays

Musical Expression and Musical Meaning in Context 1. Some preliminaries. There is a growing body of work in the philosophy of music and musical aesthetics that has considered the various ways that music can be meaningful: music as representational (that is, musical depictions of persons, places, processes, or events); musical as quasi-linguistic reference (as when a musical figure underscores the presence of a character in a film or opera), and most especially, music as emotionally expressive. Here I will focus on the last topic, for I believe it will be useful for researchers in music perception and cognition to avail themselves of the distinctions that aestheticians have worked out regarding the musical expression of emotion. Now we often say that music is "expressive," or that a performer plays with great expression, but what exactly do we mean? There are at least two things one may be saying. First, one may be praising a performer for their musical sensitivity, that he or she has a keen sense of just how a passage is supposed to be played. Such praise is often couched in terms of the performer's "musicality" (in statements that border on the oxymoronic, as when one says that a performer plays the music very musically). Such praise may also be couched in terms of expression--i.e., that a performer plays "expressively." I have little to say about these attributions, save that they are often linked to the second thing one often means when speaking of the music or a performance being expressive: an expressive piece or performance is one that recognizably embodies a particular emotion, and indeed may cause a sympathetic emotional response in the listener. Thus if one plays "expressively," this means that the music's particular emotional qualities--its sadness, gaiety, exuberance, and so forth, are amply conveyed by the performer. Before we discuss those emotional qualities a number of other preliminary remarks are in order. When we speak of the expressive properties of music, these are distinct from the expressive properties of sound. Sounds may be loud, shrill, acoustically rough or smooth, and so forth. These acoustic qualities have expressive correlates and may trigger emotional responses, and of course one cannot have music without sound. But musical expression is more than this: it requires the attention to the music qua music, rather than as mere sounds. The opening "O Fortuna" of Carmina Burana may shock (and indeed scare) the listener due to its sudden loudness (especially when the bass drum starts whacking away), but this shock isn't a musical effect--we get the same reaction when we here a sudden "bang" at a fireworks display or when a car backfires.

Poetry Questions Essay

In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s work, â€Å"Nature†, the speaker forces the reader to analyze their core beliefs and values. The speaker asks, â€Å"why should we grope among the dry bones of the past, or put the living generation into masquerade out of its faded wardrobe? The sun shines today also†. By asking this simple question, the speaker is essentially asking the audience why they should accept the beliefs and traditions handed down to them through their ancestors instead of creating their own. This question is furthered when the speaker states, â€Å"There are new lands, new men, new thoughts. Let us demand our own works and laws and worship†. The speaker is making a call to his readers for a change in society. Rather than blindly accept the laws and beliefs from long gone ancestors, the speaker is challenging his audience to be independent thinkers, and follow their own path of discovery, rather than continue to be force fed hundred year old traditions. In the poem, â€Å"Apparently With No Surprise†, the speaker is admiring a flower and suddenly it dies. Through the language in the poem, it seems as though the speaker is questioning whether God oversees life and death within nature. In this poem, nature is portrayed as a brutal assassin, taking the life from an innocent and blooming flower. The Frost is named the murderer, but the speaker says that it has done so in â€Å"accidental power† while at play. The speaker proceeds to question whether there is a God that controls nature’s violent tendancies. In the last few lines of the poem, the speaker answers her own questions, by noting that God is approving of nature’s order, which is reflected in the line that reads, â€Å"The Sun proceeds unmoved to measure off another Day for an Approving God†. The tone of the poem suggests that the speaker things that God is just as malevolent as nature for allowing nature to take its course. 3. The most important characteristic of the landscape in â€Å"Desert Places† is the snow. Frost notes that the ground is â€Å"almost covered smooth in snow†, which gives the reader a sense of coldness and expansive nothingness in an environment that is typically warm and inviting. It seems as though Frost is comparing this desert to himself. By stating that the desert is a â€Å"blanker whiteness of benighted snow with no expression†, Frost gives the reader a sense of emptiness that not only is a characteristic of the snow, but also of how empty and emotionless he feels. Frost ties together the desert and his own emotions in the last few lines of the poem. Frost ties the description of a vast and barren desert with the feelings of emptiness and lack of emotion that he feels about his own life. By ending the poem with the line, â€Å"to scare myself with my own desert places†, Frost displays his fear at his absolute lack of emotion and emptiness. â€Å"Kitchenette Building† uses many terms to explain how life in this urban society feels. Gwendolyn Brooks uses the term â€Å"involuntary plan† to describe the situation that the black speaker is currently in. The â€Å"involuntary plan† describes shady real estate deals that created small, cramped apartments for black tenants from what were previously spacious apartments in white neighborhoods. The speaker is showing the reader how the slum lords have exploited the black tenants in this urban society. The speaker makes reference to the â€Å"garbage ripening in the hall†, which is another way in which the exploitation of the black tenant is made apparent – the simple maintenance of disposing of the trash is ignored by these shady landlords. The speaker also notes that â€Å"we wonder. But not well! Not for a minute!†, which indicates that she doesn’t have the time or the energy to meditate on the problem of exploitation, or any wa y to attempt to change it. As soon as the fifth member of the family emerges from the bathroom, her thoughts shift to more practical things, such as a warm bath. 5. In Allen Ginsberg’s work, â€Å"Howl†, he makes reference to Moloch in an attempt to criticize the society of 1950s America. Moloch refers to a biblical idol to which sacrifices of children were brought. By comparing 1950s American society to this bloodthirsty idol, Ginsberg is painting a clear picture of his view of the era that America had entered into at that time. Ginsberg paints prisons, apartments, and industries as all that is evil with society with the line that reads, â€Å"Moloch! Moloch! Robot apartments! invisible suburbs! skeleton treasuries! blind capitals! Demonic industries!†   Ginsberg is making the point that with the new industrialization of society, the forgotten artists, musicians, and creative thoughts are forgotten, and even given a negative connotation. Ginsberg makes it clear that he believes that the industry with their factories and warehouses only create more of a diversion from the artistic world of colors and music. This point is made though the line that reads, â€Å"Moloch whose factories dream and croak in the fog! Moloch whose smokestacks and antennae crown the cities!† As an artist himself, Ginsberg is forcing society to recognize the apparent evils of the industrialization of his society.6. In Sarah Orne Jewett’s work, â€Å"A White Heron†, the main character, Sylvia is a young girl, who has a love for animals. She is befriended by a hunter, who is tracking a white heron that he intends to kill and add to his collection of stuffed birds. Sylvia perches in a giant pine tree very early in the morning, searching for the heron to make her new friend happy. Sylvia finds the bird nested on a branch not far from where she sits. The bird flies away and Sylvia runs home to tell the hunter where the bird is. Upon returning to her house, however, she has a change of heart and realizes that she cannot tell the hunter where the heron has gone. Though Sylvia obviously has a crush on the hunter, she allows him to go on his way without giving him the location of the heron. Though she is only a child, Sylvia has made a very adult-like choice by electing to save the life of the white heron, and not allowing herself to be coerced into confessing the bird’s whereabouts to the attractive man. Even though the hunter offered Sylvia a $10.00 reward for helping him find the heron, she still chooses to keep silent about the heron’s location. Sylvia realizes that she values life more than any reward she could receive. In William Cullen Bryant’s work, â€Å"To A Waterfowl†, the speaker views a bird in flight and seems to feel an almost spiritual connection with the bird. The speaker admires the bird’s ability to continue on its way, day or night, even with the threat of being hunted by man. The speaker says that, â€Å"All day thy wings have fann’d at that far height, the cold thin atmosphere: Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, though the dark night is near†. In this line, that speaker is almost admiring the bird’s dedication to continuing on its path until it reaches its destination, without stopping because it is tired. This gives the speaker a sense of pushing forward even when things seem hard or one is weary. The speaker watches the bird and imagines it reaching its destination and finding a â€Å"summer home, and rest†, which is the bird’s reward for its dedication. The bird disappears into the sky, and the speaker feels that the bird has been cared for by God. This thought makes the speaker realize that if God can care and provide for a bird, God can certainly guide the path of the speaker.

Ratio Analysis of Starbucks vs Mcdonald’s

Running Head: RATIO ANALYSIS Starbucks Corporation & McDonalds Corporation McDonald’s Corporation McDonald’s Corporation operates in the food service industry. The company has its restaurants in more than 100 countries of the world. McDonald’s, the world’s largest food chain is headquartered in U. S. having an employee population of 390000 (About McDonald's†¦ , 2008). Starbucks Corporation Seattle based, Starbucks Corporation is the leading coffeehouse chain in the world. The company has its operations in more than 44 countries. The main products offered by Starbucks various kinds of drinks, snacks, coffee beans. The company also operates in the field of marketing of music, books (The Company, 2008). Ratio Analysis Ratio Analysis (2007) RatiosStarbucksMcDonalds Current Ratio0. 790. 80 Quick Ratio0. 300. 67 Debt Equity Ratio1. 340. 92 Proprietary Ratio0. 430. 52 Solvency Ratio0. 570. 48 Inventory Turnover Ratio12. 13118. 77 Gross Profit Ratio (%)23. 3434. 69 Net Profit Ratio (%)7. 1515. 67 Return on Proprietors' Funds (%)29. 4515. 67 Earning Per Share0. 912. 06 Current Ratio Current Ratio may be defined as the relationship between current assets and current liabilities. It is also known as working capital ratio or 2: 1 ratio. It is calculated by dividing the current assets by current liabilities. The main components of this ratio are current assets and current liabilities. Current assets of a firm represent those assets which can be, in the ordinary course of business, converted into cash within a period not exceeding one year. Current liabilities mean those obligations which are to be paid within a period of one year of current assets or by creation of current liabilities (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Current ratio of the Starbucks Corporation and McDonalds Corporation is . 79 and . 80 respectively in the year 2007. There is little difference in the current ratio of both the companies. The ratio reflects weak liquidity position of both the companies and it shows that the companies do not have short term solvency. Liquidity position can be improved to some extent and can be made equivalent to industry average. The industry average of current ratio is . 90: 1. Quick Ratio This ratio is also helpful in analyzing short term financial position of a business. Quick ratio is the measure of the instant debt paying ability of the business enterprise, hence it is called quick ratio (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). A quick ratio of 1:1 is considered as an ideal ratio. If the liquid ratio is more than 1:1, the financial position of the firm seems to be sound and good. On the other hand, if the ratio is less than 1:1 the financial position of the firm is unsound. Quick ratio of Starbucks is . 30:1 and McDonald’s ratio is . 67:1. There is high difference between the quick ratios of both the corporations. McDonald’s liquidity position is much better than Starbucks. Overall, the short term liquidity position of both the firms is quite poor because both the ratios are less than the desired norms. For instance, current ration should be 2:1 whereas, it is 1:1 approximately. Similarly the liquidity ratio is much less than 1 as compared to ideal standard of 1:1. Therefore, the companies will face difficulties in current obligations on maturity. Debt Equity Ratio This ratio indicates the relative proportion of debt and equity in financing the assets of a firm. Debt Equity ratio reflects the relative claims of creditors and shareholders against the assets of a firm. The industry average of ratio is . 42:1. Debt equity ratio of McDonalds is . 92:1 which is highly satisfactory as normally the ratio of 1:1 is considered reasonable. The Starbucks ratio is 1. 34:1 which is very high. A high debt equity ratio has serious implications from the firm’s point of view. A high proportion of debt in the capital structure lead to inflexibility in the operations of the firm as creditors would exercise pressure and interfere in management. Proprietary Ratio Proprietary ratio establishes relationship between proprietors or shareholder’s funds and total assets of the business. This ratio highlights the general financial strength of the firm. It is of great importance to creditors since it enables them to find out the proportion of shareholder’s funds in the total assets used in the business. The ratio of Starbucks is . 43:1 and for the McDonalds it is . 52:1. Though, ratios are quite similar but McDonalds again has a better position than Starbucks Corporation. Solvency Ratio This ratio measures the long term solvency of the business. It reveals the relationship between total assets and total external liabilities. This ratio measures the proportion of total assets provided by creditors of the firm i. e. what part of assets being financed from loans (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). The total assets of Starbucks and McDonald’s are more than total liabilities which indicates that the company is solvent. So, the higher the ratio, the grater is the amount of creditors that is being used to generate profit foe the owners of the firm. The difference in both the companies’ ratio is small but still Starbucks has better performance than McDonald’s in terms of solvency. Inventory Turnover Ratio The ratio indicates the number of times inventory is replaced during the year. It measures the relationship between the cost of goods sold and the inventory level. The inventory turnover ratio measures how quickly inventory is sold (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). The inventory turnover ratio of Starbucks is 12 times while McDonald’s ratio is 118 times. McDonald’s has an efficient inventory management. Whereas Starbucks has low inventory turnover ratio and it is unsatisfactory. In general, a high inventory turnover ratio is better than a low ratio. A high ratio implies good inventory management. A very low level of inventory has serious implications. It adversely affects the ability to meet customer demand as it may mot cope up with its customer requirements. Gross Profit Ratio The ratio expresses the relationship of gross profit on sales to net sales in terms of percentage (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Goss profit is the result of the relationship between prices, sales volume and costs. Gross profit margin of Starbucks Corporation is 23% whereas the ratio for McDonald’s is 35%. McDonald’s ratio is high as compared to Starbucks which is a sign of good management. It implies that the cost of production of the firm is relatively low. The McDonald’s has reasonable gross margin which ensures adequate coverage for operating expenses of the firm and sufficient return to the owners of the business, which is reflected in the net profit margin. Net profit Ratio This measures the relationship between net profits and sales of a firm. The net profit margin is indicative of management’s ability to operate the business with sufficient success not only to recover revenues of the period, the cost of merchandise or services, the expenses of operating the business and the cost of the borrowed funds, but also leave a margin of reasonable compensation to the owners for providing their capital at risk (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Net profit ratio of McDonald’s and Starbucks is 15. 67% & and 7. 15% respectively. McDonald’s is generating adequate returns for its owners. On the other hand, Starbucks net profit margin shows inadequate returns to its owners. Overall efficiency and profitability of McDonald’s is higher than Starbucks. Return on Proprietary Funds The ratio expresses the percentage relationship between net profit and proprietors funds or shareholder’s investment (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). It is used to ascertain the earning power of shareholders investment. Return on proprietors’ funds for McDonald’s is 15. 7% and for Starbucks it is 29. 5%. Starbucks has better performance and higher return than the McDonald’s. Earning Per Share The rate of dividend on shares depends upon the amount of profits darned by the firm. Whatever profit remains, after meeting all expenses and paying preference share dividend, belongs to equity shareholders (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). These are the profits earned on equity share capital. The earning per share is calculated by dividing the profit available to equity shareholders by the number of shares issued. This is a popular ratio as it measures the profitability of a firm from owner’s standpoint. McDonald’s EPS is higher than Starbucks which shows that the market price of the firm would be greater. It will also help the company to raise additional capital without any difficulty. This ratio plays an important in comparison of two companies from investment point of view. Investment Decision I would like to invest in McDonald’s Corporation as the overall performance and productivity is high for the firm. The liquidity analysis performed through current ratio and quick ratio reveals that the McDonald’s is better in terms of liquidity position. The company also has satisfactory position in terms of long term solvency. Though solvency ratio of Starbucks is higher but overall McDonald’s has good financial position. Firm is able to quickly convert various assets into cash. McDonald’s has high profit margins which is necessary for the higher returns to the shareholders. It shows that the resources are effectively utilized at the firm. EPS is very high which is necessary for the investment. Thus, investment in McDonald’s Corporation is beneficial and it would give higher returns. References About McDonald's†¦ (2008). Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www. mcdonalds. com/corp/about. html McDonald's Corp: Financial Statement. (2008). MSN Money. Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://moneycentral. sn. com/investor/invsub/results/statemnt. aspx? Symbol=US:MCD&lstStatement=Balance&stmtView=Ann Starbucks Corp: Financial Statement. (2008). MSN Money. Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/statemnt. aspx? Symbol=SBUX&lstStatement=Balance&stmtView=Ann The Company. (2008). Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www. starbucks. co m/aboutus/overview. asp Van Horne, J. C. Wachowicz, J. M. & Bhaduri, S. N. (2005). Fundamentals of Financial Management (12th Ed. ). (pp. 130-133). United Kingdom: Pearson Education.

Operations strategy and competitive advantage The WritePass Journal

Operations strategy and competitive advantage Abstract Operations strategy and competitive advantage , p. 11).   The most important criteria for winners in the hospitality industry centre on service, expertise, trust, knowledge, location, quality, price, reliability and speed.   Once each company enables a strategy that creates the means to meet these consumer expectations, the level of competitive advantage will have been raised in their favour (Hart 2012, p. 11).   The strategy of market penetration employs the relevant qualifiers and winners in order to establish a foothold in the market, making this evaluation critical. Market development uses the qualifiers to expand the reach of the parent company by addressing the emerging wants of the consumer base (Hart 2012, p. 11). The product expansion strategy utilizes the qualifiers and winners to build and expand on the foundation of the existing product line.   In each case the operational strategy is dependent on the consumer assessment.   The areas of cost, flexibility, service and delivery have a tremendous impact on eac h strategy (Rhee 2009, p. 30). The type of order qualifiers and winners are heavily influenced by the expectations of the consumer (Victorino and et al 2005, p. 555).   In the areas of luxury travel and hospitality the focus is on the innovative nature of the qualifiers such as inclusive child care.   Lower economic competitors are less susceptible to service qualifiers as the desire to save money and capitalize on available finance asserts itself (Victorino and et al 2005, p. 555).   With the lower level of spending the nature of the expectations turns to the facilities, including features such as kitchenettes and balconies, rather than the additional services. Associated industries such as the upscale and luxury wine industry base their qualifiers on variety (Verma and et al 2002, p. 11). This approach is not available to the lower end suppliers that must rely on other incentives to match the resources of the upper tier. In this case, winners in the economy sector of the hospitality industry will differ fr om the winners found in the luxury setting (Victorino and et al 2005, p. 555). Hassin (2009, p. 48) describes the area of human resources as a viable segment of order qualifiers and winners for the hospitality industry. Utilizing a series of multi skilled human resources adds a valuable layer of expertise and personal understanding to the operational strategy, ensuring a high level of service. This area of order qualifiers is supported by the Stanley and Wisner (2001, p. 287) study that confirms that the supply chain benefits through the implementation of internal qualifiers. By building on the foundation of good communication with the internal personnel, the perception of an inclusive and effective demeanour is transmitted to the consumer base, benefiting the entire strategy (Hassin 2009, p. 48). Further, the continuous training and development of these personnel will serve to cement their loyalty and skill set, thereby adding to the functional assets of the company. It is vital that the areas of human resources be included during the evaluation of any operati onal strategy (Hassin 2009, p. 48).   Lacking this key area of consideration will diminish the capacity to reach the expected goals. An evolving order qualifier is the application of mass customization based on the utilization of technology (Kumar 2007, p. 1). The ability to tailor a stay or service in the hospitality sector to an individual’s desires has the potential to become a order winner.   This form of qualifier has been made available through the inclusion of online technology that has come about due to the near universal reach of the Internet (Kumar 2007, p. 1).   Yet, while in the beginning this form of service would have been deemed an all-around winner, the sheer availability of   it has caused the consumer base to expect nothing less, making what was once considered a winner now a qualifier. The strategy of mass personalization has given many companies in the service industry a potent tool with which to attract the constantly shifting consumer base (Kumar 2007, p. 2).   With the primary factor of the hospitality service industry being personal service, the only sure way to create order winners is to possess a product or service that the consumer absolutely must have above all others. Verma and et al (2002, p. 470) assert that the area of customer choice provides a wealth of order qualifiers in the hospitality industry. The sophistication of technique and opportunity serves to draw in a substantial consumer base.   Utilizing a consumer choice modelling method enables a tailored approach to each market, providing more relevant qualifiers to the operational strategy (Verma and et al 2002, p. 470). Ritz Carlton Order Winners â€Å"the most important element of their [Ritz Carlton] hotel stay is being pampered† (Wyle 2009, p. 8). This Ritz Carlton experience is designed to enliven the senses, instil wellbeing and fulfil expectations. The hotels approach to the hospitality industry rests in the upscale, luxury avenue (Wyle 2009, p. 6). With a world renowned reputation to maintain, the leadership utilizes the expectation factor to manufacture order winners. The effort to maintain a superior level of customer satisfaction through the anticipation and provision for each need is a long time avenue to meet this goal (Wyle 2009, p. 3). However, this very element can also serve to create obstacles that can serve to slow down consumer acceptance. Alongside the effort to establish a very high threshold of service, the Ritz Carlton is open to the magnified perception of failure when their service fails to meet the consumer perceptions (Drejer 2002, p. 65). With a very real appreciation of the factors that com bine to create order winners, such features as the doorman meeting each and every customer with an open door only serves to frame the offered package. For the Ritz Carlton Company, order winners are centred on the consumer’s perception of efficient and all inclusive service (Wyle 2009, p. 9).   Utilizing a process centred approach featuring the Gold Standard, management takes extra care to create and preserve the feeling of being completely taken care of. Consumer appreciation to this offering can be found in the very high return rate of satisfied customers. Another example of their willingness to meet the needs of the consumer through service was found in the staff ordering specific glass ware for a specific client (Wyle 2009, p. 4).   This attention to detail adds value to the consumer which creates a clear order winner for the Ritz Carlton. With this approach it is the area of quality control, human resources and consumer satisfaction combining to create a process that provides a method for qualifiers to become winners. In order capitalize on the potential to identify internal winners; the Ritz Carlton institutes a Total Quality Management process, with the goal of strengthening the employees (Wyle 2009, p. 4). This approach to order qualifiers provides a well-educated staff to the consumer base, which responds by recognizing the capacity of the talent and purchases the service.   This human resource approach to order winners lays out a specific process for each consumer interaction which establishes a baseline for operations (Wyle 2009, p. 7). With additional features including a personal walk to the room as opposed to pointing, or a smile from each employee, the recognition of the value of the personnel to win continued patronage is apparent. In the case of the Ritz Carlton, which holds the international reputation as the ‘Hotelier to the Kings’, it is necessary to maintain the very highest standard of personnel (Wyle 2009, p. 8).   Coupled with this approach to a human resource centred order winners, is the annual recognition of the best performing employee, which in turns adds gravitas and confidence in the staff and underlying management (Wyle 2009, p. 8). Each of these areas create avenues to order winners for the Ritz Carlton management and is achieved through the recognition of process design, quality, innovation and human resources. The Ritz Carlton recognizes the area of quality as high on their list of competitive priorities (Russel and Taylor 2006, p. 2). In order to capitalize on the full range of opportunities, the leadership has developed a much targeted set of standards (Russel and Taylor 2006, p. 2): Each and every employee is trained and enabled to satisfy any guest’s wish. There is a process in place that creates teams at every level that creates objectives and devises the quality action plans. Each and every hotel has a quality leader. The creation of quality report tracks: Track guest room maintenance Percentage of consumers that do not have to wait. The time spent to achieve the industry best clean room appearance. A guest preference report which is then put into a working database. Utilizing this approach to quality management coupled with comprehensive training serves to create a steady stream of order winners for the Ritz Carlton Company.   This process of customization to meet consumer need is achieved by changing the service or the product designs (Krajewski and Malhota 2010, p. 14).   The Ritz Carlton considers a range of factors in order to create the best possible strategy: Low volume Close customer contact Easily reconfigured processes. The very high standards that are illustrated by the Ritz Carlton are the result of a very well developed, long term strategy (Drejer 2002, p. 61). This strategy has solid basis in theory as the concept of the hybrid model of combining approaches to find order winners is found viable in the research of Hallgren (2011, p. 511).   There is a need to balance between the factors of cost efficiency and overall flexibility. This can be achieved through the utilization of delivery and quality process performance (Hallgren 2011, p. 511). Conclusion This study has assessed the area of order qualifiers and order winners to determine their characteristics in the hospitality industry. The strategies that the Ritz Carlton employs to first identify order qualifiers and their subsequent ability to choose order winners is a demonstration of effective long term strategy coupled with a diverse support infrastructure. This area of study has a direct impact on the entire service industry by demonstrating the very real potential to be found in recognizing the value of identifying qualifiers and winners. Order qualifiers are the criterion that provides the consumers the incentive to buy the offered service or product, with the winners being the methods that have deemed successful.   There is the recognition that there is a limited life span of the winners in the hospitality industry, and the rapid evolution of technology and innovation will continue to provide means for competitors to find a way to appeal to consumers. The Ritz Carlton utilizes the quality and human resources approach to provide their consumer base with a comprehensive, in depth experience that is credited with the creation of a steady stream of order winners.   With specialized training that excels at providing the staff with both the authority and the education to complete the entire range of necessary services, the Ritz Carlton has recognized that to survive and excel in the luxury service industry requires a very high standard of operation. As the evidence in this study revealed, the expectations for the Ritz Carlton are going to be much higher than for more economical competitors, making the segment of training and customer service absolutely essential to progressive operation. Through the advent of positive branding and long term success, the Ritz Carlton has established a high threshold of expectation that requires a strong effort to maintain.   Yet, this achievement has been credited with maintaining the profile of the company. In each segment of the hospitality industry, the opportunity to generate order winners is found most often in the positive interaction with the clientele.   In the end, it will be a combination of practice, policy, experience and resources that will determine the effectiveness of any operational strategy. References Azorin, J., Pereira-Moliner, J. and Claver-Cort\Es, E. 2010. The importance of the firm and destination effects to explain firm performance.  Tourism Management, 31 (1), pp. 2228. Blanco, E., Rey-Maquieira, J. and Lozano, J. 2009. Economic incentives for tourism firms to undertake voluntary environmental management.  Tourism Management, 30 (1), pp. 112122. Byrd, E., Canziani, B., Hsieh, J., Debbage, K. and Sonmez, S. 2012 . Predictors of Repeat Winery Visitation in North Carolina. Drejer, A. 2002.  Strategic management and core competencies. Westport, Conn.: Quorum Books. Godsell, J., Diefenbach, T., Clemmow, C., Towill, D. and Christopher, M. 2011. Enabling supply chain segmentation through demand profiling.  International Journal of Physical Distribution \ Logistics Management, 41 (3), pp. 296314. Hallgren, M., Olhager, J. and Schroeder, R. 2011. A hybrid model of competitive capabilities.  International Journal of Operations \ Production Management, 31 (5), pp. 511526. Hart, M. 2012. Prevention is better than cure: increasing sales revenue by identifying order-winning criteria.  University of Twente. Hassin, A. 2009. The link between operations strategy and human resource management for NGOs working in unstable environments.  Journal of Business Systems, Governance and Ethics, 4 (3), pp. 4349. Krajewski, Ritzman and Malhota. 2010.  Operations Management. 9th ed. Pearson: Pearson Education. Krishna, A. and Dangayach, G. 2012. Service operation strategy: a developing country perspective.Production Planning \ Control, 23 (10-11), pp. 789800. Kumar, A. 2007. From mass customization to mass personalization: a strategic transformation.International Journal of Flexible Manufacturing Systems, 19 (4), pp. 533547. Neely, A. 2002.  Business performance measurement. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Rhee, B., Verma, R. and Plaschka, G. 2009. Understanding trade-offs in the supplier selection process: The role of flexibility, delivery, and value-added services/support.  International Journal of Production Economics, 120 (1), pp. 3041. Russel, R. and Taylor, B. 2006.  Operations Management. 5th ed. Chattanoga: University of Tennessee. Stanley, L. and Wisner, J. 2001. Service quality along the supply chain: implications for purchasing.Journal of operations management, 19 (3), pp. 287306. Verma, R., Plaschka, G. and Louviere, J. 2002. Understanding customer choices: a key to successful management of hospitality services.  The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 43 (6), pp. 1524. Victorino, L., Verma, R., Plaschka, G. and Dev, C. 2005. Service innovation and customer choices in the hospitality industry.  Managing Service Quality, 15 (6), pp. 555576. Wylie, K. 2009.  Total Quality Management A Case Study of a Quality Award Winning Organization. Mà ¼nchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH.

buy custom Radical Revolution essay

buy custom Radical Revolution essay Joel Garreaus Radical Revolution, is a provocative book, which commences with mind-cracking experiment. He gives a scenario where ones daughter returns from her law school as a first year student and talks about her college classmates rather than law works. The most perturbing issue is that these classmates have advanced in various ways. She shows how the enhancement has made an impact on her life. They are internal wireless apparatus, self-healing. In addition, issues of mortality in the revolution on technology and genetics that are changing, either positively or negatively, and human evolution are important. The author describes three scenarios that may have an impact on the human race in the future. In the first scenario is the Heaven, where it is exemplified with illustrious people like Eric Drexler, Raymond Kurzweil, Marvin Minsky, Gregory Stock, Nick Bostrom, Vernor Vinge, and Hans Moravec . The author portrays them to have strong beliefs in the practicality and benefits of genetic engineering over that of cyber exuberance. He uses Vinge to demonstrate the theory of Singularity in which the group purports. They believe that the Singularity theory will prompt transcendence in which intelligence surpasses other forms of human revolution. The second scenario advocates The Hell. Here, the advocate is Bill Joy, who founded the Sun Microsystems. This scenario argues that as the society inclines to genetic engineering, the innovation will have inequalities, and there would be a sprout of the ruling elite. It will have more powers than the other individuals in the society. In the third scena rio, the author focuses on the Prevail in which Jaron Lanier represents this scenario. It analyzes the possibility of Tanscendence in the society, which would be neither predictable nor smooth. The credible scenario is The Prevail scenario as the transcendence depends on more than one individual (Gay 23). The human revolution cannot be predictable under normal circumstances. The most probable is The Heaven scenario. Most scholars and scientists have experimented that there is a strong belief in Singularity in realizing human revolution. Ideally, with the transcendence from the animal hominids to the human hominids that have been experienced, the stage for human evolution in the future has initiated. The Russian philosopher, Nikolai Fyodorov, advocated for physical immortality, radical life extension, and the possibility of resurrection after death. The philosopher analyzed the trends of the human revolution and deduced that, under the same conditions and trends, the society will experience a human revolution. In the current society, there has been tremendous change in the human activities (Chorost 13). This has been facilitated by the immense technological advancement in the past few decades. The trend seems to continue and the possibility of radical life extension and physical immortality are on the way to being practical. However, in order to realize t hese changes, the scientists need to undertake research and encourage the society to embrace technological change. In the near future, the society will shift their focus on technology-knowhow. This will mean that the Information Technology and Computer Science courses will be in demand. The scientists and philosophers will need Information Technology specialist that will enhance the realization of their objective (Chorost 89). For instance, specialists in the sector can only pperform genetic engineering. An individual from other field, apart from Information Technology, may possess knowledge on the genetic impairing in enhancing human revolution. Genetic engineering contribution will improve life of human beings. This will be achieved through its contribution to the health care, agriculture, energy, mining, and a host of other activities in the economy. However, human revolution will not spread smoothly in the society. For instance, genetic engineering will not only bring comfort but also greater health to those who use its products and services. It brings wealth and prestige to the individual who invented the gene and developed the human therapy. Although technological advances have brought benefits, they have also created problems. Human possesses the ability to alter and exploit the natural environment in ways not possible in this changing world. Technology has enabled humans to alter the nature beyond the natural carrying capacity of the Earths ecosystem. The advancement of technology has been a catalyst for globalization and human revolution. Technology has enhanced the interaction between human beings in the realization of a common goal (Gay 129). In conclusion, human revolution is a vital aspect in the current volatile society. The economy is characterized by gradual improvement of the way of life of human beings in the society. Indeed, for better realization of genetic engineering, and overall human revolution in the economy, technology has played a vital role to enhance its achievements. Joel Garreau analysis of the three scenarios clearly outlines the effects that the society will face in the near future. Indeed, human revolution is inevitable. Buy custom Radical Revolution essay

Molecules, Moles and Avogadros Number

Molecules, Moles and Avogadros Number Molecules and moles are important to understand when studying chemistry and physical science. Heres an explanation of what these terms mean, how they relate to Avogadros number, and how to use them to find molecular and formula weight. Molecules A molecule is a combination of two or more atoms that are held together by chemical bonds, such as covalent bonds and ionic bonds. A molecule is the smallest unit of a compound that still displays the properties associated with that compound. Molecules may contain two atoms of the same element, such as O2 and H2, or they may consist of two or more different atoms, such as CCl4 and H2O. A chemical species consisting of a single atom or ion is not a molecule. So, for example, an H atom is not a molecule, while H2 and HCl are molecules. In the study of chemistry, molecules are usually discussed in terms of their molecular weights and moles. A  related term is a compound. In chemistry, a compound is a molecule consisting of at least two different types of atoms. All compounds are molecules, but not all molecules are compounds!  Ionic compounds, such as NaCl and KBr, do not form traditional discrete molecules like those formed by covalent bonds. In their solid state, these substances form a three-dimensional array of charged particles. In such a case, molecular weight has no meaning, so the term formula weight is used instead. Molecular Weight and Formula Weight The molecular weight of a molecule is calculated by adding the atomic weights (in atomic mass units or amu) of the atoms in the molecule. The formula weight of an ionic compound is calculated by adding its atomic weights according to its empirical formula. The Mole A mole is defined as the quantity of a substance that has the same number of particles as are found in 12.000 grams of carbon-12. This number, Avogadros number, is 6.022x1023. Avogadros number may be applied to atoms, ions, molecules, compounds, elephants, desks, or any object. Its just a convenient number to define a mole, which makes it easier for chemists to work with very large numbers of items. The mass in grams of one mole of a compound is equal to the molecular weight of the compound in atomic mass units. One mole of a compound contains 6.022x1023 molecules of the compound. The mass of  one  mole of a compound is called its molar weight or molar mass. The units for molar weight or molar mass are grams per mole. Here is the formula for determining the number of moles of a sample: mol weight of sample (g) / molar weight (g/mol) How to Convert Molecules to Moles Converting between molecules and moles is done by either multiplying by or dividing by Avogadros number: To go from moles to molecules, multiply the number of moles by  6.02 x 1023.To go from molecules to moles, divide the numbers of molecules by  6.02 x 1023. For example, if you know there are 3.35 x 1022  water molecules in a gram of water and want to find how many moles of water this is: moles of water molecules of water / Avogadros number moles of water 3.35 x 1022  /  6.02  x 1023 moles of water 0.556 x 10-1 or 0.056 moles in 1 gram of water

Roosevelt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Roosevelt - Essay Example But it is more likely that the paternalistic notions of the Roosevelt conservationists included a belief that somehow the federal government could enact a balance between traditional and modern America. In this sense conservation legislation was intended to preserve the status of representatives of older America by insuring that they could adapt to the new times (Morris 234). Thus the Newlands Act, which protected the small homemaker from monopoly and oppression by the intrusion of a benevolent government into local affairs, clearly envisaged a society where each man could develop expertise without losing his identity or trampling upon someone else. Since industrialism, with its rapid technological changes and consequent social flux, threatened the maintenance of balanced progress, an enlightened government of experts was needed to insure that modern America somewhat resembled the nation from which it had sprung. Roosevelt received a reputation as a "trust builder". ... Roosevelt spoke of the "square deal" in domestic affairs and of "gentleman's agreements" in foreign policy. This morality in government was perfectly consistent with a consensus of values which affirmed equality of opportunity, the right of the common man, and the democratic political process, while at the same time upholding an open-class society with acknowledged leaders, correct practices, and certain social barriers. In reorganizing the structure of the government, the technocratic paternalists were attempting to insure the "stability of American institutions" in what they recognized as a changing age. In appealing to traditionalist patterns of behavior, such as self-reliance, and eulogizing traditional success models, such as the yeoman farmer, they were articulating America's need to reassert the common elements of her heritage. More moral functions they could not have imagined (Morris 296). The Roosevelt administrators may have recognized that one logical extension of rapid in dustrialization was a new American ethos built upon science and technology, fully urbanized, symbolized by large corporate structures, and ruled by an educated elite, but they were less capable of recognizing that this ethos was far removed from the rural, individualistic, agrarian, egalitarian one of their fathers. As President Coolidge stressed repeatedly, the great American need is not more law enforcement but better general law observance. A square deal involves a just tax system, really a system for nation, state and locality combined; one that is fair as a whole not simply just in spots. The giving of a square deal is an inescapable responsibility of a democratic society. To secure it we shall need the best

What is the effect of attending a private university versus a public Research Proposal

What is the effect of attending a private university versus a public university in regards to employability following graduation - Research Proposal Example This will be in terms of the benefits they will reap from enrolling in either of the two types of Universities. The citation style that I have used in writing report is the APA style. I chose to use this style because it enables me to provide clear evidence on the research carried out. In other words, it enables me to justify my work through previously published statements. I would like to acknowledge the alumni groups for both Universities that helped me collect the information that this report was based on, the principals for the companies that participated in providing information for the report (names have been kept anonymous), and the alumni themselves for volunteering information through questionnaires or personal interviews that aided in producing this report (names have been kept anonymous). The report on the graduate students leaving the two different universities provides an analysis for their trends on employability after graduating for the last five years. The students analyzed are from the University of North Florida, a public University and Jacksonville University, a private University. These universities have had high rates of students gaining employment in the country within the public along with the private sectors. The trends on employability is influenced by several factors: employers’ preference for the students from either type of university and the demand for university degrees in the employment field among others. The report reveals that both institutions provide large amounts of labor to employers within both sectors of the economy. The report recommends that the government should ensure that all students get equal opportunities in education and employment by ensuring both are accessible and affordable to everyone. It also urges employers to employ students based on their competencies and educational levels.

Cause and Effect essay (Only on CAUSE) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cause and Effect (Only on CAUSE) - Essay Example The impact of the rise in fees is seen in the increase in the number of students requesting financial aid or seeking student loans. The hike has begun to put college education nearly out of the reach of a vast majority of middle-class Americans. This means that a lot of the students have to make do with only a high school education, which reduces their job market considerably. A lot of teenagers, especially colored males, find themselves unemployed because of lack of proper qualifications. A large segment of graduates who do find jobs are overwhelmed by the debts incurred as cost of education, and to avoid this situation they try to seek jobs during their education. Since unemployment rates take into account the number of people actively seeking jobs, these students get bracketed as unemployed and not merely as students, raising the count of the unemployed. For those who pass out of the American educational system with a high academic degree, the news is not very good either, and this brings us to our second reason behind the rising rates of unemployment in the United States. Technology has made the world increasingly globalised: the internet has dramatically shrunk distances. Boston and Bangalore are now neighbors, and the level of competition for jobs and businesses is higher than ever before. Places like Bangalore in India, for instance, have a large number of English speaking populace, and the professions of being a doctor and engineer are eagerly sought after. The time in India is exactly the complement of that in the United States; night time in America is day time in India. This means that American businesses can send work down to India at the end of the day, and have it done by morning. This ideal combination of the right education and the time difference has turned India into a prime destination for assignments in the medical and engineering field, making the employment of

Samsung's Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Samsung's Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is corporate governance as a set of guidelines, rules, regulations and procedures which help an organization to run smoothly and take care of the stakeholders. These stakeholders include customers, employees, society, government, members, promoters, investors as well as all other members who are directly and indirectly associated with the organization. As a result of the increasing awareness among consumers and society regarding environment, health and safety, organizations have also started considering investing back into the society. Thus, the concept and application of corporate social responsibility have evolved. The general objective of Samsung’s CSR is to improve the conditions across the globe with the help of its various social programs contributing to the environment as well as people. Corporate sustainability includes environmental, economic as well as social performance of the organization. At present, the company is involved in va rious CSR activities such as, maintaining harmony among the society, people and environment, green management, social contributions, partner collaborations, integrity management and also, environmentally sustainable services and products. Samsung has been focusing on developing the lives of numerous children as a part of its philanthropic umbrella across the globe. The program has supported STEM educational campaigns which are critical for the workforce needs of Samsung. The various products which are utilized from the portfolio of the organization are also a relevant example of the numerous ways by which the needs which are expressed by the educator are met. (Samsung, 2013d). b) Partnerships: In order to contribute to the communities, Samsung has partnered with various government organizations such as, NEEF (National Environment Education Foundation) and PTA (National PTA). Through the involvement with these government agencies, the brand was assured that real needs of these commun ities are met with and it is able to impact the social lives in a practical manner (Samsung, 2013c). It also helps the company to better understand the sensitivities of parents and teachers and execute these programs in an enhanced manner. Also, the

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Company Law - Essay Example Thus the shareholder in a proprietorship company is an individual, the partnership depending upon the number of persons who constitute the partnership and private company (corporation) the number of shareholders who promote and subscribe to the shareholding of that organization. By its nature, conducts of a business obligates its owners to discharge their liabilities to the creditors in the process of running and earning income out of business operations. The degree of responsibilities and viability vary due to the risks involved in accessing capital. Stated otherwise, in certain types of businesses informal rule applies whereas in others informal ones apply but the ultimate objective of all them is to ‘effectively constrain agents (the form of companies here) actions and their growth (North, 1990). The interdependence between the legal and financial rules have further be amplified, for instance, by Cheffins, (2001) and Coffee, (2001) according to whom while the good quality le gal rules could enhance the investments potential for businesses, financial structures can influence the creations of legal norms. In this light, the objectives of this paper is to discuss specific structures under which businesses operate, viz, Sole proprietorship, limited liability, the pros and cons of both the structures and the later in relation to ‘Solomon Case’. This paper would also be finally enlarged with a discussion of limited liability as to how it impacts a company’s directors and shareholders. Discussion An Overview of the UK Corporate Sector The corporate structure of the UK business enterprises is influenced by a number of factors, such as access to bank borrowing, cash, non-debt tax shields, growth opportunities, profitability etc. Business structures are platforms through which capital, goods and persons carry out commercial transactions in a given space wherein the accessibility to capital and size have a distinct impact on the nature of the c orporate forms in which such transactions are facilitated. While one can state that there are three broad choices, via, (i) sole proprietorships, (ii) partnerships (limited liability), (iii) corporations (private or public) for organizing and running of business enterprises. There are various other types of companies such as royal charter, industrial and provident society, company limited by guarantee, community interest company, etc. But proprietorship, partnerships and corporations are the three main types prevalent. Proprietorship Proprietorship businesses are characterized by single owners, at times a one person shows with limited or even the owner performing the role of an employee also. In such a case it acquires the form of self-employment whom for such a reason cannot be classified as real entrepreneurs. Proprietorship entities have certain advantages which makes it a most popular form of business enterprise. Some of such advantages are: a) It facilitates an easy formation b ecause neither is there a need for complying with legal formalities nor any registration of the firm is needed; b) the owner comes up with the requisite capital which ordinarily gets generated either out of their savings and or through the reinvestment of profits generated; c) The owner has total control of the business operations which enables the

Sex and Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sex and Media - Essay Example Given that media tends to be more fiction than fact, sex is often showed in a negative light, presenting negative images and ideas to those that are subjected to such media. The media, such as television shows, presents a falsified, and often brutal, view of sex. From rape to sexual abuse, shows on television have shown it all. While many people are taught that sex is the representation of love in a physical form, media reveals it to be something other than being related to love (Nikunen 108). Some television shows do not directly show the sexual act, preferring to imply it and use the camera to skirt around the scene, but the images are no less graphic. As long as these television shows make their viewer rating known prior to the start of the show, they are allowed to display graphic acts of sexual violence. Rape and sexual abuse are common occurrences in this world, but by displaying them as forms of entertainment, they are only being condoned by society. Sex in media has the great est influence on adolescents. More often than not, this influence is negative, encouraging young people to engage in premarital, underage sex. Television shows like â€Å"Teen Mom† and â€Å"16 and Pregnant† glamorize teenage sex, condoning it for teenagers that watch these shows. Teenagers love the Hollywood lifestyle, and television shows that praise teenage pregnancy is not exempt.

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Company Law - Essay Example Thus the shareholder in a proprietorship company is an individual, the partnership depending upon the number of persons who constitute the partnership and private company (corporation) the number of shareholders who promote and subscribe to the shareholding of that organization. By its nature, conducts of a business obligates its owners to discharge their liabilities to the creditors in the process of running and earning income out of business operations. The degree of responsibilities and viability vary due to the risks involved in accessing capital. Stated otherwise, in certain types of businesses informal rule applies whereas in others informal ones apply but the ultimate objective of all them is to ‘effectively constrain agents (the form of companies here) actions and their growth (North, 1990). The interdependence between the legal and financial rules have further be amplified, for instance, by Cheffins, (2001) and Coffee, (2001) according to whom while the good quality le gal rules could enhance the investments potential for businesses, financial structures can influence the creations of legal norms. In this light, the objectives of this paper is to discuss specific structures under which businesses operate, viz, Sole proprietorship, limited liability, the pros and cons of both the structures and the later in relation to ‘Solomon Case’. This paper would also be finally enlarged with a discussion of limited liability as to how it impacts a company’s directors and shareholders. Discussion An Overview of the UK Corporate Sector The corporate structure of the UK business enterprises is influenced by a number of factors, such as access to bank borrowing, cash, non-debt tax shields, growth opportunities, profitability etc. Business structures are platforms through which capital, goods and persons carry out commercial transactions in a given space wherein the accessibility to capital and size have a distinct impact on the nature of the c orporate forms in which such transactions are facilitated. While one can state that there are three broad choices, via, (i) sole proprietorships, (ii) partnerships (limited liability), (iii) corporations (private or public) for organizing and running of business enterprises. There are various other types of companies such as royal charter, industrial and provident society, company limited by guarantee, community interest company, etc. But proprietorship, partnerships and corporations are the three main types prevalent. Proprietorship Proprietorship businesses are characterized by single owners, at times a one person shows with limited or even the owner performing the role of an employee also. In such a case it acquires the form of self-employment whom for such a reason cannot be classified as real entrepreneurs. Proprietorship entities have certain advantages which makes it a most popular form of business enterprise. Some of such advantages are: a) It facilitates an easy formation b ecause neither is there a need for complying with legal formalities nor any registration of the firm is needed; b) the owner comes up with the requisite capital which ordinarily gets generated either out of their savings and or through the reinvestment of profits generated; c) The owner has total control of the business operations which enables the

Flashbulb memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Flashbulb memory - Essay Example Kennedy was assassinated. Should this individual remember that they were flying a kite on the beach that day, this is an example of flashbulb memory. Flashbulb memory is generally a unique phenomenon for each person experiencing it, with some individuals reporting more negative emotions with an event while others reflect positively on a particular moment in time. As such, there does not appear to be a unanimous belief in the psychological community that flashbulb memories will hold the same value or importance for each individual person. However, the fact that the human mind maintains the ability to instantly recall events from history with unbelievable accuracy tends to illustrate the complexity of human cognitive capabilities. Ask any group of individuals to describe the exact details of a specific day in the calendar year, perhaps a day when the group was in elementary school. Likely, they will not be able to provide details of the event with any kind of clarity. However, utilizing the aforementioned John Kennedy reference, cooking guru Julia Child can easily recall that she and her husband were eating soup at the time of the assassination (Greenberg, 2005). Another disaster occurred in England in which nearly 100 soccer fans were crushed to death during a stadium catastrophe. One month after the incident, all surveyed respondents were able to clearly remember the events of their lives at the moment they heard the news of the stadium disaster (Luminet, Curci, Marsh, Wessel, et al, 2004). All of the aforementioned situations would tend to illustrate that flashbulb memories are created by some form of rememberable stimuli, which engrains the daily events of an individual and links them directly with the tr aumatic or inspirational event. Though there is no clear evidence as to why this phenomenon occurs, however it has been suggested by several researchers that individuals are capable of

Famous Creative Thinkers Essay Example for Free

Famous Creative Thinkers Essay In this assignment there are several great creative thinkers to choose from for completion. After reading through the list James Hal Cone and Grace Hopper became the choices. The reasoning was these individuals were so different in their paths of success, or for better word accomplishments. Both are extraordinary people; however their journeys are profoundly different, however both are instrumental in worthy contributions in society and the world. Throughout this paper we will uncover and discover Cone and Hopper purpose, passion, and for one even pain. James Hal Cone was born August 5, 1938 in Fordyce Arkansas, to Charles and Lucy Cone. Early in Cone childhood he was introduced to religion and had a strong spiritual guidance. James was an intelligent child who went on to graduate from high school at age 16, at which time he became a minister. Cone beginnings started with being brought up in a segregated part of Arkansas, where people of color were discriminated against and treated unfairly. James early in life reflected upon the social injustices of the poor, blacks, and women. Cone took the treatment to heart early along with his religious background and became a minister at 16, starting to address the differences of treatment. During his early life at college he was a minister at several churches. However during his early period of college and ministry the civil rights movement started evolving and he noticed Martin Luther King. Through that introduction of Dr. King he realized his true direction was ministry and attended Theological Seminary getting a M.A. and Ph.D. James acquired four degrees in a seven year span, a man on a mission with an extraordinary mind. Two things directed Hal’s path pain of discrimination and coming to know Jesus. After graduation with his Ph.D. in theology, Hal went on to be a professor of religious studies, still believing in nonviolence. During this period changes came with Malcolm X, northern riots, and Stokely Carmichael’s   call to â€Å"Black Power† (This Far by Faith, 2015). The direction of society from two important men King and X, initiated Hal’s influence of empowering African Americans Christianity from slavery, segregation and justice in society. Hal knew through theology he could address the issue and started writing introducing black liberation theology. What Hal orchestrated was self-worth with assimilation of the black power movement, addressing social and racial justice for black people, freeing them from oppression economically and spiritually. Ideally Hal wanted to empower people through Christianity beliefs; however he addressed the separate treatment of the poor, oppressed and blacks in the Christian community. Hal eventually wrote many books that were supported and criticized because of his criticism of white theologians not addressing the struggle and differential treatment of the African American people as far back as slavery. Hal also went to speak in China and Latin America concerning the lack of address of people of color being oppressed, poor and oppression as Christians. He took a stand against segregation and mistreatment of all people on a theologian podium. James Hal took theology using it as a tool towards the individuality that contributed to the history, existence, and civilization of black people. Hal thinking really was devised from his thought of how can people be Christians, but be ok with the injustices of segregation. With Hal coming of age during the civil rights movement had a major effect on his social consciousness. This was a period (civil rights movement) where it was obvious that black people were being mistreated, even among white Christians. Hal took the stand against the treatment even though it was not a popular decision. For James it became unacceptable for Christians to treat people differently than what the bible taught, â€Å"Love your neighbor as you love yourself†. Even though it appeared Hal writings and views were racially motivated, by earlier content, Hal knew his sentiments was to empower Christian people to realize that in spite of their skin color they were of value and deserve to be treated accordingly. Through it all the process that Hal used to devise his plan of action came from evaluating and analyzing the information obtained from his personal experience, observation and communication. Armed with those factors of critical thinking he creatively started changing how people of color, women, oppressed, and poor people thought about themselves spiritually. Hal later realized that terms used to address white Christians was impropriate  and that he could have addressed the issue differently, still standing on his beliefs, that there should be no racism or segregation in the church. James Hal Cone the pioneer for making people aware of the segregation that should never be acceptable in the theologian Christian community, God created all people equal and God is in respect of no man. Grace Hopper computer scientist and that is speaking lightly of her accomplishments and creativity. Grace Hopper was born December 6, 1906, as Grace Brewster Murray in New York. Born during a period that girl were not normally educated, Grace parents believed just the opposite. Grace was not a traditional girl, on one account she was fascinated with the working of a clock, at seven she dismantled the clock. Her actions were based on how does the alarm clock work? As the story goes she dismantles all the clocks in her home, first sign of her tenacity, innovation and perseverance (Hopper Biography- Mac Tutor of Mathematics, 2015). Grace attended private school and went to earn a college degree in mathematics from Vassar College. From 1928 to 1931 she achieved marriage, along with a M.A. degree from Yale University. Three years later Grace was an associate professor with a Ph. D., however with all her accomplishments her real passion was to join the military. Opportunity presented itself when the United States entered the Second World War, unbeknownst to Grace she was too old and to slight in weight. However not one to take no for an answer she persuaded the Navy to enlist her at the old age of 37, unheard of especially for a woman. Mission accomplished she’s a Navy woman with her first orders to start working on the Harvard Mark I computer, she was elated. The computer took her back to childhood, now she really could dismantle the computer and make adjustments, becoming the first woman to program the Mark I. She is in her element and making strives, moving forward. Grace went on to play a significant role in the creation of the Mark II and III computer program. After retiring from the Navy she developed with a team the UNIVAC computer, along with an upgrade compiler. While still being employed at a computer corporation, Grace and team developed the first English language data processing computer (Hopper Biography –Mac Tutor Mathematics, 2015). Grace was the pioneer behind the first English language computer being in existence. Before the team and Grace developed the language computer, computers were  only mathematically designed. There was only word numbers, no words had come into computer existence. Now computers with business language existed, which people in the computer world thought was not possible. The COBOL (common business – oriented language computer came into existence in 1959 changing the world. Grace had creative ideas before the time frame of computers starting with an alarm clock. With her ability for mathematics, brilliant mind, and education she was able to accomplish the beginning of the computer language, which have gone on to universal success. Grace had no restraints, what she set out to do she did. In spite of the times she had courage, direction, daring, and most important she did not have an established pattern for her creativity thinking. At all levels she challenged herself with a range of ideas; from discovery, defining, designing, and developing the computer with the English language. She was the lady behind the computer bug (Berni Dwan, Irish Times, 2001). Her biggest obstacle was being a female in an area of men and times when women were not so easily accepted in the corporate world, especially the unknown like computers. References Blake, John. â€Å"America’s ‘Angriest’ Theologian Faces Lynching Tree.† CNN Belief Blog. http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/21/americas-angriest-theologian-faces-lynching-tree/?hpt=hp_c1 (accessed April 23, 2012). â€Å"James H. Cone.† Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. http://www.utsnyc.edu//Page.aspx?pid=353 (accessed June 15, 2011). BLACK THEOLOGY AND IDEOLOGY: DEIDEOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS IN THE THEOLOGY OF JAMES H. CONE (Book). By: Hayes, Diana L., Theological Studies, 00405639, Dec2003, Vol. 64, Issue 4 http://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/people/james_cone.html Grace Hopper. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 01:15, Mar 23, 2015, from http://www.biography.com/people/grace-hopper-21406809 http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Hopper.html Programmings amazing grace she developed the first program to translate computer instructions from english into machine language and gave the world the computer `bug. berni dwan looks back at the life and work of grace hopper. (2001, May 21). Irish Times Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/309366344?accountid=358 Famous Creative Thinkers

Auschwitz: Overview of the Concentration Camp Essay -- Germany Hitler

Auschwitz: Overview of the Concentration Camp The Holocaust was one of the most horrifying crimes against humanity. "Hitler, in an attempt to establish the pure Aryan race, decided that Jews, Poles, Soviet prisoners of war, Roma (Gypsies), and homosexuals amongst others were to be eliminated from the German population. One of his main methods of exterminating these â€Å"undesirables† was through the use of concentration and death camps. In January of 1941, Adolf Hitler and his top officials decided to make their â€Å"final solution† a reality. Their goal was to eliminate the Jews and the â€Å"impure† from the entire German population. Auschwitz was not only the largest concentration camp that carried out Hitler's â€Å"final solution,† but it was also the most extensive. It was comprised of three separate camps that encompassed approximately 25 square miles. Although millions of people came to Auschwitz, it is doubted that more than 120,000-150,000 ever lived there at any one time. (Encyclopedia of the Holocaust) On April 27, 1940, the head of the SS and German police, Heinrich Himmler, ordered that a new concentration camp be established near the town of Oswiecim. A short while later the building of the camp in Zasole, the suburb of Oswiecim, was started. The camp was to be called Auschwitz. The first laborers forced to work on the construction of the camp were three hundred Jews from Oswiecim and its vicinity. (Encyclopedia of the Holocaust) After the completion it covered two square kilometers and took approximately one and a half hours to walk around its perimeter. (Feig, 340) On the gate of Auschwitz was a sign in German that read, â€Å"Arbeit macht frei,† which translates into English as â€Å"work makes one free.† (Feig, 334) This was one of the many lies which the Nazis told their prisoners. The first Jews in Auschwitz believed that they were just being taken there to work for the Nazis. As more and more people died word leaked to the outside world about what was really happening at Auschwitz. The Jews and other undesirables were forced by S.S. soldiers to leave their homes and nearly all of their possessions behind to board crowded trains to Auschwitz. Ironically most of the time they had to pay for the train rides that eventually led to their death. The train rides to Auschwitz were an introduction to the treatment that the deportees were to receive at the ca... ...ewly constructed factories such as the German Armaments Works and the German Earth and Stone Works. (Encyclopedia of the Holocaust) Auschwitz was the largest graveyard in human history. The number of Jews murdered in the gas chambers of Birkenau is estimated at up to one and a half million people: men, women, and children. Almost one-quarter of the Jews killed during World War II were murdered in Auschwitz. Of the 405,000 registered prisoners who received Auschwitz numbers, only a part survived; and of the 16,000 Soviet prisoners of war who were brought there, only 96 survived. Works Cited Bauer, Yehuda. A History of the Holocaust. New York: Franklin Watts, 1982. Feig, Konnilyn G. Hitler's Death Camps. New York: Holmes & Meier Publishers, 1979. Guttman, Isreal, Ed. Encyclopedia of the Holocaust. New York: Macmallin, 1990. Hellman, Petrt. The Auschwitz Album. New York: Random House, 1981. Lynott, Douglas Josef Mengele: The Angel of Death Mà ¼ller, Filip. Auschwitz: Three Years in the Gas Chambers. New York: Stein and Day,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1979. Nyiszli, Dr. Miklos Auschwitz: An Eyewitness Account of Mengle's Infamous Death   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Camp. New York: Seaver Books, 1960.

Comparing King Louis XIV of France and King Philip II of Spain :: King Louis XIV, France, King Philip II, Spain

The palace of Versailles was built by King Louis XIV of France and the Escorial was built by King Philip II of Spain. The two kings each had their differences about their beliefs on how to rule, yet there are some similarities. Louis XIV believed in showing off his power and being open. Philip II was a simplistic guy devoted to Catholicism. They both had military to spread their beliefs and ideas. Despite the kings’ beliefs, their palaces reflected their ideals. King Louis XIV was a showy and self-absorbed king. His palace was representative of his personality and ideals. The Versailles palace architecture displayed Louis XIV ideals of secular issues. He cared more about spending money to show off his power. Unlike the Escorial, Versailles was centered on â€Å"The Sun King† instead of religion. At one point Louis XIV stated that â€Å"he was the state†. This statement was saying that Louis XIV represented the center and best of France. An example of this was that King Louis XIV lived in the middle of Versailles. Versailles was also very ornate and had the atmosphere of freeness. However, the Escorial was very basic like Philip II. On the other hand, King Philip II was a more careful and simple king. The Escorial was more compact and closed in unlike the Versailles. Like the Versailles, the Escorial demonstrated Philip II ideals of religious issues. In the center of the palace, where Philip II would spend most of his time, was the church and monastery. Philip II considered himself King of Spain second and Catholic first. He preferred to sit in the monastery to look at historical records rather than Louis XIV’s conception of a king. Both palaces were Catholic but religion had a bigger role at the Escorial Palace. Also at the Escorial palace you saw more military surrounding it as for the Versailles it wasn’t as guarded. While the two kings had many differences their militaries were surprisingly similar. They both had military troops that guarded and walked around the palace. The kings’ military was not only used for protection but also for spreading their beliefs and ideals. Their military was alert and ready to protect if there was to be an attack on the palace. King Louis XIV and Philip II both would have enough troops to go to war and express their thoughts but also enough to protect the palace.

Health Risks Posed by Preservatives Present in Processed Food

Food additives are used in processed food because of the following: 1) to keep the consistency of a certain product, for instance, to prevent it from separating, to keep its even texture, to assist salt to freely pour; 2) to keep the product’s nutritional value; 3) to keep the food’s delectableness, for instance, to prevent it from getting spoiled; 4) to regulate acidity or alkalinity level in the product; and 5) to improve the color and flavor of the product (Benivia.. , 2006). There may be a number of advantages for food additives on processed food; however, there are numerous disadvantages that go along with it as well (The.. 2006). These disadvantages include the following:1) some bring about cancer; 2) some may cause allergic reactions; 3) some may pose hazard to those individuals who are pregnant, those with certain sicknesses like hypertension and kidney trouble, as well as, those who are only between 1 and 12 months old; 4) etc. (The.. ,2006). That being said, a ny researcher will only be left with the question, â€Å"How do I deal with the health risks posed by food additives present in many processed food? There are several things that can be carried out including the following: 1) as much as possible, avoid purchasing and eating processed food by consuming only organic/freshly picked ones, setting up one’s own garden, etc;2) if too busy to purchase organic/fresh food everyday, then read the labels of the processed food, do a little research and check if such are safe, tested not only in animals but humans, as well; 3) read â€Å"health† updates, typically, the â€Å"Food and Drug Administration† issues advisory on food additives proven to be hazardous to one’s health; 4) familiarize oneself with the most common food additives that have been positively associated with negative effects, for example, remember that intake of nitrites results in nausea, or that natural flavors may have free glutamates that may rui n the nervous system, etc; last but not least 5) include antioxidants in the daily diet, since such fights off and releases free radicals in the body which include the preservatives or food additives mentioned (The.. ,2006).

American Aviation During Wwi

U. S. Aviation during World War I American aviation was in its infancy when the United States entered WWI in 1917. Most U. S. pilots were untrained in air combat and using aircraft that were less sophisticated than their enemies. When the U. S. joined the allied forces in April of 1917, it had 56 pilots and less than 250 aircraft, which were all obsolete. In July of 1917, congress appropriated $640 million to form 354 combat squadrons. There were no industries in the U. S. at this time manufacturing aircraft. With a few trial and errors supported by the government, the Bureau of Aircraft Production and a separate Division of Military Aeronautics were established. The new industry produced 11,754 aircraft and the Army set up 27 primary flying schools in the United States. American pilots would not be able to utilize these resources until the end of the war. Many of the sorties flown by U. S. aviators were in foreign aircraft. Some of the airframes used were the Salmson observation airplanes, Spad XIII pursuits, Havilland DH-4's, Breguet 14's, and some French balloons. Although many of these airframes helped win decisive air battles, they were no comparison to the German Fokker. Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer that began producing planes in Germany. The â€Å"Fokker Scourge† had revolutionary armament and was the most feared airframe during WWI. An American pilot by the name of Eddie Rickenbacker recalls in his book â€Å"Fighting The Flying Circus† an opportunity to trade a German pilot his life for his Fokker aircraft. Although the United States aviation units lacked training and sufficient aircraft, they were still able to make a difference in WWI and go on to have air superiority almost one hundred years later. This could be accredited to winning decisive battles and the U. S. being a â€Å"learning organization. † With the employment of balloons and fixed wing aircraft for trench warfare {text:soft-page-break} reconnaissance, the U. S. was able to save thousands of soldiers while delivering bombs and bullets from the sky. American military leadership saw the importance of this resource and has budgeted in reconnaissance aircraft ever since. With trench warfare, a stalemate would often develop with both sides having neither an advantage nor a disadvantage. Having air reconnaissance would prove to be valuable in collecting intelligence on enemy positions. These same aircraft would be fitted with bombs to clear forward enemy trench lines and to destroy their rear supply. Air recon planes were outfitted with an observer who would map out enemy strongholds while documenting the size and weapons of the enemy. Aerial reconnaissance later on becomes one the main focuses of the U. S. military. Reconnaissance aircraft during WWI were large, bulky, and slow. This made it easier for enemy ground troops to shoot down and smaller, faster aircraft to destroy. The Allied and Axis powers both began to send out fighter aircraft to protect these recon planes and to destroy any enemies they came in contact with. This use of smaller, faster, well armed aircraft helped usher in the age of supersonic fighters in modern day warfare. WWI demonstrated the importance of fighters and the U. S. has invested a lot of resources and research into their improvement. The United States was involved in various amounts of strategic battles during the last two years of the war. Some of these battles would mark the beginning of America's race for air superiority and the need for heavily-armed aircraft. At the Battle of St. Mihiel, Billy Mitchell was given control of 1, 4821 aircraft, only 40% being American. â€Å"It was the largest air force ever assembled for a single operation, consisting of 366 observation airplanes, 323 day bombers, 91 night bombers, and 701 pursuits. † Pilots reported the destruction of roads and balloons and {text:soft-page-break} aircraft shot down. The American Air Service being inexperienced in air warfare were undertaking an ambitious air campaign that was unheard of at that time. Although St. Mihiel was not a complete success, Col. Mitchell helped create an independent American Air Force that believes that whatever the opposition is, no mission would ever be turned back. Billy Mitchell took intensive courses on aeronautics taught by allied pilots. â€Å"What they had to say and even more, what they were doing, converted him to a theory of air power still unappreciated in the United States. Billy Mitchell understood the importance of air power and how vital it would be to win future wars. He believed this so much that in 1925, he accused Army and Navy leaders of an almost â€Å"treasonable act of national security† when he did not receive the funds asked for. Mitchell was court-martialed and retired shortly afterwards. He has been considered the father of the U. S. Air Force and B-25 Mitchell was named in his honor. D uring WWI, Germany had established air superiority with its flying command â€Å"The Flying Circus† led by the German Ace, Baron Manfred von Richtofen. The â€Å"Red Baron†, hich he was commonly known, had eighty aerial victories. The Baron and his fleet of Fokker's would be America's biggest challenge in getting the upper hand in aerial warfare. Captain Edward Rickenbacker, of the American 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron, was just the man to take on such a powerful foe and make a difference. â€Å"Eddie† Rickenbacker was America's â€Å"Ace of Aces† who accounted for twenty-six aircraft shot down. Twenty-two of airframes were airplanes and four of them were balloons. On September 25th, 1918, Rickenbacker downed two planes on his lone attack on seven German planes. Rickenbacker received the Congressional Medal of Honor for this in 1931. {text:soft-page-break} Captain Rickenbacker was not only an exceptional pilot, but he understood the importance of having a great airframe in the U. S. Army's arsenal. Rickenbacker, and many other U. S. pilots, only had access to substandard aircraft and in many cases, had to borrow from other countries. During a raid in September of 1918, Captain Rickenbacker and Lt. Coolidge (son of Calvin Coolidge) encountered several German enemies over Grand Pre. Lt. Coolidge, one of the best pilots in the 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron, was shot down. Rickenbacker went on to shoot down several German planes before heading back to Allied territory. Rickenbacker noticed a German Fokker on his way back who's engine had apparently stalled. Rickenbacker found himself in a curious position and decided that instead of shooting him down, he would bring his â€Å"prize† back intact. As the German Fokker began to sail down in the direction Rickenbacker had guided him, another aircraft (Rickenbacker was not sure if it was French or American) came out of nowhere and destroyed the plane. â€Å"So nearly had I succeeded in capturing intact a most valuable Fokker from Germany's most famous Squadron! Captain Rickenbacker and many other American pilots understood the importance of having the upper hand in air warfare. They understood that wars can be won from the sky and great aircraft were needed for this to happen. More pilots lives were lost due to aircraft malfunction than to enemy artillery. Life was short during World War I and Ameri can pilots lived it valiantly. This brought the need for safer, reliable aircraft in the U. S. military. With the military's purchase of 11,754 aircraft near the end of the war, the U. S. was on its way to air superiority. Some of these planes were cut from the budget after WWI, but soon became a focus during World War II. {text:soft-page-break} Aeronautical achievement by the end of World War I, had won favor not only by the American military, but with the American public. H. G. Wells writes â€Å"Every aviator who goes up to fight, will fight all the more gladly with two kindred alternatives in his mind, a knighthood or the prompt payment of a generous life assurance policy to his people. Every man who goes up and destroys either an aeroplane or a Zeppelin in the air should, I hold, have a knighthood if he gets down alive. World War I battles involving aviation helped spark America's race for air superiority. Military leadership recognized the role aviation would play in future wars and protecting our homeland. More funds and resources were generated to acquire the best aircraft and the best pilots. Without American involvement in such battles as the â€Å"Battle of St. Mihiel†, America might have joined the aerospace race even later and met with defeat. Billy Mitchell and Eddie Rickenbacker were also very important players to bring about the new dawn of American aviation, Aerospace Expeditionary Forces.

Urgent Need for Renewable Energy

Introduction In today’s world the most important thing human’s need is electricity. Without electricity most of the modern equipment would not work. Similarly fuel is needed to power transportation devices. Natural recourses such as coal, oil and natural gas are the basis for producing energy for all kinds of devices. Due to the extensive use of these resources they now face extinction. These resources are classified as non-renewable resources.In this report we will discuss different types of resources which can be used as a replacement for producing sustainable energy and also the effects on the environment by burning the carbon based resources.Renewable EnergyRenewable energy is energy which is derived from natural resources such as the sun, wind, tides, streams, rivers, biomass etc. Renewable energy is naturally replenished; it is sustainable energy and does not harm the environment. About 19% of the world’s electricity requirements are met by renewably energy.The differen t types of renewable energy are: Solar EnergySolar energy is obtained from the sun. Sun is a source of light and heat for all living things. It provides energy for photosynthesis, the process of plants creating oxygen. Solar energy can be harnessed and converted to electricity by using solar panels. Sun is also directly or indirectly responsible for most forms of renewable energy requirements, for example – heat causes wind which intern causes tidal energy. Sunlight causes tree growth some of which contribute for biomass energy.HydropowerHydropower is obtained from the force of water flowing downstream. Water is continuously recycled by the environmental cycle of precipitation and evaporation. This cycle cause water to evaporate and fall back down to earth in the form of rain which makes the rivers flow. This water is also stored in dams which are used all around the world to generate electricity by turbines and generators. Also energy can be obtained from tides and ocean wav es which can be harnessed to produce electricity.Biomass EnergyThe most common source of biomass energy is wood. But other sources such as food crops, plants, agriculture and industrial waste, organic municipal components are also used around the world for producing energy. Biomass can also be converted to biofuel which can be used as an alternative to petrol and diesel to run vehicles and heavy machinery. Hydrogen Hydrogen is one of the most common on our planet. However, it is mostly found in combinations with other element in nature. For example – water is two part hydrogen and one part oxygen.Hydrogen is a very good source of renewable energy however the technology needed to extract this element is still in its early stages. Currently the most common way of extracting hydrogen is steam hydrocarbons and reforming. Other methods include thermolysis and electrolysis.Geothermal EnergyThe heat from the earth’s core produces steam and hot water which can be used generate electricity, or for other purposes like home heating and generating power in factories. Geothermal energy can be obtained by digging deep underground reservoirs.Wind EnergyWind energy is the conversion of the power of wind to electricity. Wind energy has been used for over thousands of years to operate mechanical process such as pumping water, grinding, milling etc. to harness wind energy wind farms are created onshore or offshore, wherever there is abundant of wind energy available by using wind turbines. A wind turbine is a machine which converts the wind’s kinetic energy into rotatory motion to by using generators to produce electricity. Wind energy is harnessed in many countries including India, Germany, Denmark and the United States.Reasons for Using Renewable Energy Sources: Using renewable energy saves the environment from the harmful effects of greenhouse gases released in the atmosphere due to burning of fossil fuels. There is abundant of resources available that ar e required for renewables such as the sun, water and wind e available all around the world and thus the cost of setting up the base is significantly reduced which provides a good opportunity for developing nations. Renewable energy resources do not cause military conflicts among nations unlike fossil fuels.Renewable energy sources are Inexhaustible i. e. unlike fossil fuels they get replenished quickly. Using renewable resources we can save fossil fuels for future generations for more valuable means. Harnessing renewables also creates job opportunities in new fields of science and technology. The Fossil Fuel Dilemma Burning of fossil fuels for meeting our energy requirements causes side effects which are becoming a major concern for environmentalists. These side effects include the creation of carbon dioxide, the top greenhouse gas and contributor to global warming.Also ozone layer depletion and Acid rain are a major concern relating to the environment. Due to the burning of fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect the average temperature has risen by one degree Fahrenheit (1 °F). Acid rain The principal cause of acid rain is the release of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere which then react with water molecules to produce acidic compounds. Major contributor to this is human activities such as power and electricity generation. Coal power plants are a major cause to producing these gasses.The natural phenomenon causing acid rain is the emission of acidic gases from volcanos. Ozone layer depletion The ozone layer is a layer in the earth’s atmosphere located about 20 to 30 kilometers above sea level. The ozone layer contains a high concentrate of the gas ozone (O3). The ozone layer’s importance is that it absorbs 97 – 99% of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation, which can damage all forms of life on earth. These ultraviolet rays are the main cause of sunburns and excess exposure to this can cause skin cancer. The ozone layer is st eadily declining by about 4% per decade from the earth’s stratosphere.The most significant tear in the earth’s ozone layer is over the Polar Regions namely Antarctica. This phenomenon is called the ‘Ozone Hole’. The main compound responsible for the ozone layer depletion is Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) commonly found in refrigerants used in air conditioners and refrigerators. Due to the Ozone Hole over Antarctica polar ice caps are melting which is causing the rise in sea levels, leading to natural disasters such as floods in many parts of the world. Global Warming Global warming has become in today’s world perhaps the most complicated issue faced by the world leader.Scientific bodies present warnings for the increasing danger from global warming and ongoing buildup of greenhouse gasses produced mainly by burning of fossil fuels and forests. What is Global warming? Global warming is the heating of the earth surface and increase in its average temperatur e that causes corresponding climate change and it may result from greenhouse effect. This idea was first proposed by Nobel Price-Winning chemist Svante Arrhenius in 1896. He speculated that continued burning of fossil fuels would result in the increase in the earth temperature making it warmer (Global Warming & Climate Change, 2012).What Causes of Global Warming? Scientists have examined all the factors that can affect the Earth’s temperature. Three essential factors can be responsible for recent rapid global warming. These are namely The Sun, Earth’s reflectivity and Greenhouse gases. Out of these three major factors greenhouse effect causes contributes the most to the process. 1. The Sun: As we all know sun is a huge ball of fire. All the climate changes are powered by the sun. It could have played an important role in heating up the temperature of the earth.Studies show that since 1985, the sun has changed in ways that if anything, it should have cooled the planet. Therefore sun alone does not cause global warming. 2. Earth’s reflectivity: Earth’s atmosphere traps 70% of the sun’s energy and reflects the remaining back into space. Changes in how much sunlight is absorbed and reflected may change global temperatures. Scientists have calculated how earth’s reflectivity has changed over time. These suggest that a particular type of pollution especially sulfur-containing particles have had a cooling effect masking the effects of greenhouse gases.Since the industrialization of countries, they began to clean up this pollutant and increase their greenhouse emissions. 3. Greenhouse gases: All scientific evidence point towards one factor only that is greenhouse gases. It is responsible for the rise in global temperature. Greenhouse gases are many chemical compounds found in the earth’s atmosphere. They allow sunlight into the earth’s atmosphere freely. This sunlight when reflected back towards the space by eart h in the form of infrared radiation (heat).The greenhouse gases absorb the infrared radiation and trap the heat in earth’s atmosphere. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas as well as wood contribute mainly to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (How we know human activity is causing warming, 2012). Climate change Assessments generally suggest that the Earth’s climate has warmed over the past century and that human activity affecting the atmosphere is likely an important driving factor.A National Research Council study dated May 2001 stated, â€Å"Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth’s atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and sub-surface ocean temperatures to rise. Temperatures are, in fact, rising. The changes observed over the last several decades are likely mostl y due to human activities, but we cannot rule out that some significant part of these changes is also a reflection of natural variability. † (Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, and Energy, 2004) International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) was founded in 2009 with the support of World Wind Energy Association and Hermann Scheer the president of EUROSOLAR and chair of the World Council for Renewable Energy. It is a worldwide governmental organization and It’s primary focus is to promote widespread use of renewable energy in all forms with a view of sustainable development. At the Preparatory Commission meeting Abu Dhabi was elected as interim headquarters of the Agency. Its main aim is to promote the use of renewable energy and reduce the emission greenhouse gases in the environment.IRENA provides advice and support to governments of both industrialized and developing countries on renewable energy policy, capacity building, and technology transfer (irena. org, 2012). Policies for renewable energies in India: Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources: India’s search for renewable resources that would lead to sustainable development started in early 70’s. Realising the need for concentrated efforts in this segment, the Indian Government established a Commission for Additional Sources of Energy (CASE) in the Department of Science and Technology in 1981.The directive of CASE is to promote research and development activities in the field of renewable energy. CASE was formally incorporated in 1982, in the recently created Department of Non-conventional Energy Sources (DNES). In 1992 DNES became the Ministry for Non-conventional Energy Sources, commonly known as MNES. The Prime Minister of India has declared a target of 10% share for Renewable Energy or 10,000 MW in the power generation capacity to be added during the period up to 2012. The broad objectives predicted in the policy are: Achiev ing the minimum energy requirements via Renewable energy. †¢Providing decentralised energy supply in agriculture, industry, commercial and household sectors in rural and urban areas. †¢Providing grid quality power. Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission: The main goal of this mission is to establish India as the global leader in solar energy. This mission was officially launched Manmohan Singh, the prime minister of India. It is a three phase mission where the 1st phase starts from 2012-2013, 2nd phase from 2013-2017 and 3rd phase from 2017-2022. http://www. nri. org/projects/biomass/conference_papers/policy_material_section_3. pdf) Policies for Renewable resources in US: Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS): It aims and requires electricity providers to provide a stated amount of customer electricity through renewable resources. Public Benefits Funds for Renewable Energy: These are a pool of resources used by the country to provide and invest renewable energy supply proje cts. These funds are generated by charging a small amount on consumer’s electricity charges which is called system benefits charge.Output based environmental regulations: It establishes emission restrictions per unit of any productive energy output, with a aim of controlling air pollution and encouraging renewable energy. Net Metering: It allows the customers whether residential or commercial who produce their own renewable energy/electricity such as solar energy to get compensation for the energy/electricity they produce. This requires electricity providers to ensure that customer’s electricity meter exactly track how much power or electricity is consumed on location/site or reverted to electricity grid.When the electricity produced on location isn’t used then it is reverted to the grid; when on location production isn’t enough to meet the customer’s need, then the customer uses electricity from the grid. So, surplus electricity is reverted back t o the customer at a later stage/time when they else would have paid for it. Financial Incentives: Such incentives are provided in some states to encourage the development of renewable resources/energy such as tax credits, grants and loans. (http://www. epa. gov/statelocalclimate/state/topics/renewable. html) Polices for Renewable resources in Australia:Renewable Energy Target: RET is divided in two portions, The large scale renewable energy target and small scale renewable energy target. These targets make a financial incentive for investment in renewable energy sources through the formation and trade of certificates. Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA): ARENA is a Commonwealth authority which supports innovation that advances the renewable resources/energy technologies which would lead to the increasing supply renewable energy in Australia. (http://australia. gov. au/topics/environment-and-natural-resources/energy)Policies for Renewable resources in UAE: The Ministry of Fore ign Affairs has announced that Abu Dhabi has the target of achieving 7% renewable energy power generation capacity by the year 2020. Abu Dhabi has committed over $15 billion in renewable energy programs. Masdar City Initiative: Established in 2006, Masdar is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Government owned Mubadala Development Company. Masdar is a renewable energy company that functions within the growing sector of renewable energy and sustainable technologies, as well across the technology development and commercialization spectrum.It focuses in 100% renewable energy, developing a carbon neutral city, zero waste, and being the centre of excellence in sustainable technology. 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