The Consequences Of Climate Change Environmental Sciences Essay

The job of clime alteration affects the full universe and this is one of the major planetary jobs. The impacts of clime alteration are diverse and could be damaging to one million millions of people across the universe, peculiarly those in developing states, who are the most vulnerable. Many of the effects of clime alteration will hold negative economic effects. The figure of terrible conditions events, for illustration, is likely to increase and escalate as a consequence of clime alteration, which could ensue in one million millions of dollars in economic harm yearly. Climate alteration refers to an addition in mean planetary temperatures. Natural events and human activities are believed to be lending to an addition in mean planetary temperatures. This is caused chiefly by the addition of â€Å" nursery † gases such as Carbon Dioxide ( CO2 ) . The rise of planetary temperatures have been accompanied by alterations in conditions and clime. We can see many negative effects of c lime alteration such as oceans warming and going more acidic, ice caps runing and sea degrees lifting. Recently, human activities have released big sums of C dioxide and other nursery gases into the ambiance. The nursery gases effects come from the combustion of fossil fuels to bring forth energy. Furthermore, deforestation, industrial procedures and some agricultural patterns besides emit gases into the ambiance which contributes a batch of negative effects to our nature. Harmonizing to the US bureau, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) ( 2010 ) , there are seven indexs which show an addition in a heating universe which are troposphere temperature, humidness, temperature over oceans, sea surface temperature, sea degrees, ocean heat content and temperature over land. In contrary, there are three indexs that result in the decreasing of temperature which are sea ice, glaciers and snow screen. Climate alteration contributes a batch of negative effects because o f the addition in planetary temperature which leads to the thaw of ice, effects on agribusiness and alterations in conditions forms. First of wholly, the effects of planetary heating and clime alteration can be black. In fact, world have already witnessed and keeps witnessing negative effects of planetary heating. Climate alteration occurs due to increase of planetary temperature. Global heating caused by air pollution is increasing the sum of C gases, besides known as nursery gases in the Earth ‘s ambiance. The termA greenhouseA is used in concurrence with the phenomenon known as the nursery consequence. Energy from the Sun drives the Earth ‘s conditions and clime, and heats the Earth ‘s surface. In bend, the Earth radiates energy back into infinite. These gases are hence known as nursery gases. The nursery consequence is the rise in temperature on Earth as certain gases in the ambiance trap energy. Greenhouse gases act like a cover around Earth, pin downing energy in the ambiance and doing it to warm up. This phenomenon is called the nursery consequence and is natural and necessary to back up l ife on Earth. However, the physique up of nursery gases can alter Earth ‘s clime and consequence in unsafe effects to human wellness and public assistance and to ecosystems. Harmonizing to Anup Shah ( 2012 ) , six chief nursery gases are carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) , methane ( CH4 ) ( which is 20 times as potent a nursery gas as C dioxide ) and azotic oxide ( N2O ) , plus three fluorinated industrial gases: hydro fluorocarbons ( HFCs ) , per fluorocarbons ( PFCs ) and sulphur hexafluoride ( SF6 ) . Water vapor is besides considered a nursery gas. Greenhouse effects besides have positive effects because without them, heat would get away back into infinite and the Earth ‘s mean temperature would be a batch colder. However, if the nursery consequence becomes stronger, so Earth might no longer be suited for worlds, animate beings and workss to populate in. Human activity has caused an instability in the natural rhythm of the nursery consequence and related procedures. As a conseq uence, the ice caps start to run and increase the sea degree might finally submerge some little islands and gnaw the surface of the mainland. The addition in planetary temperatures leads to the thaw of the snow screen and glaciers in mountains and both poles. If the glaciers melt, the sea degrees will besides lift. Initially, the rise in sea degree would increase merely by an inch or two. But even a modest rise in sea degrees could do deluging jobs for the houses, workss and edifices that are situated in the low-lying countries. There has been much concern about the possibility that planetary heating will do the polar ice caps to run and deluge many coastal metropoliss. In short, if both polar ice caps melted, sea degree would so raise plenty to deluge many coastal countries and alter the universe ‘s coastlines. Furthermore, climate alteration gives a batch of negative effects on agribusiness. The high temperature of the Earth causes the fertile lands to go wastes and unsuitable for agricultural activities. Harmonizing to NOAA ( 2010 ) , climate alteration affects agribusiness on dirt procedures, harvests and grasslands and farm animal. First, effects on dirt procedure. The possible for dirts to back up agribusiness and distribution of land usage will be influenced by alterations in dirt H2O balance. It will increase in soil H2O shortages, for illustration dry soils become even drier. The increased demand for irrigation could better dirt workability in wetting agent parts and diminish poaching and eroding hazard. Second, effects on harvests. The effects of increased temperature and CO2 degrees on arable harvests are more susceptible to altering conditions and field veggies will be peculiarly affected by temperature alterations and H2O shortages will straight impact fruit and vegetable produc tion. Last, there are effects on the grasslands and unrecorded stock. Poultry and unrecorded stock could be exposed to higher incidences of heat emphasis therefore act uponing productiveness. It will increase in disease transmittal by faster growing rates of pathogens in the environment. Therefore, we have to unify in happening positive solutions for these immediate jobs. On the other manus, extreme conditions forms may go more common. The rise of mean temperature produce a variable clime alteration. There are many critical effects of utmost conditions forms such as windstorms, heat moving ridges or drouths, storms with utmost rain or snow and dust storms. Harmonizing to George E. Mash ( 2000 ) , utmost conditions caused by C dioxide ( CO2 ) from autos, industries and power workss, trap heat near the Earth ‘s surface. More heat means more energy. Adding so much energy to the ambiance creates the potency for more extremes. Washington occupants experienced conditions extremes in the autumn of 2006. First, record rains churned up rivers and caused landslides and inundations around Western Washington. Then, as the H2O began to unclutter, a record cold with ice and snowfall paralytic parts of the west side of the province. That was closely followed by record gale force air currents, 14 deceases, extended belongings harm, and yearss of power outages f or 1 million places and concerns in Washington. Climatologists say utmost conditions events will go more common as our clime heats up. In add-on, drouths can impact us on less summer H2O for farms, metropoliss and woods. Worlds, animate beings and workss can non populate with limited H2O supplies. In that instance, we will hunger for H2O if the drouths maintain go oning. Besides, irrigation will be less due to earlier high river flows and diminishing dirt wet. Furthermore, less H2O for metropolis municipal H2O beginnings will impact industries, concerns and householders. With a 3.6 grade heating, drouths will happen more often. To forestall from non holding adequate H2O supplies, we must take safeguard stairss to forestall it from happens. Conservation patterns can assist cut down demand for H2O. Municipalities and irrigation territories need to seek new storage countries to flush out the flow and demand for H2O. If inundations become more utmost and frequently occur, warmer tempera tures result in more winter precipitation falling as rain instead than snow throughout much of the Pacific Northwest. This alteration will ensue in higher winter watercourse flows with more inundations, less winter snow accretion and earlier spring snowmelt. In contrast to more rain when we do n't necessitate it, there will be less H2O when we do necessitate it. Significant decreases in summer watercourse flow will adversely impact husbandmans who rely on irrigation, occupant and summertime hydropower production. These alterations are likely to increase bing struggles among viing H2O users, made worse by a regional population addition. In decision, we must united and collaborate with each other in order to salvage our female parent nature from the addition in planetary temperature and changing of conditions forms that are progressively widespread. We must take safeguards in order to protect our Earth from utmost clime alteration. There are assorted effects due to climate alteration such as the snow runing in the Arctic is increasing, lifting sea degrees, shriveling land size, natural catastrophes such as inundations, drouths and forest fires and increasing wellness job and affects on cosmopolitan life affect the end product of agricultural merchandises. Therefore, we must take safeguards in order to forestall clime alteration. Among the steps that should be implemented to turn to clime alteration is holding an consciousness run on environmental attention. In add-on, the usage of eco-friendly energy beginnings should be given precedence. Education about the environment should be emphasized in school and environmenta l instruction is besides of import to the older coevals is implemented as a few of them are merely concerned with wealth and net income entirely. Furthermore, information about the effects caused by clime alteration and the impact of environmental pollution should be widely disseminated in assorted ways. The governments should make research diligently on how to cut down planetary heating. Reforestation and recycling plans besides must be done instantly. We must cut down C monoxide emanations by cut downing the usage of private vehicles. By taking a assortment of safeguards, our Earth will be safe from the menace of clime alteration.

Employee Empowerment Essay

Employee empowerment is one of the management practices in today’s corporate business environment. It is a habit of allocating ideas, profit, recognition and control the costs with employees. According to the management theory of Kanter, mentioned by Rodriguez (2011) that by sharing power it will not only improve personal job satisfaction but also benefit the organization as a whole. The involvement and participation will allow them to gain greater job satisfaction and more committed to the organization’s goal (Lashley 2001). However, this management style also has some drawbacks like all leadership styles. One of the most important benefits of employee empowerment is the improvement in productivity in an organization. Employees who are empowered are more dedicated to the organization because of their active engagement. They are more responsible for the outcomes of their action, and better able to achieve job demands in an effective manner. In fact, commitment, accounta bility and the intention of fulfilling job demands are the qualities of an empowered employee (Kelleher, 2013). A satisfied employee will do their job successfully and also meet their personal target. Furthermore their responsible actions will make the success for the company and fulfil mutual commitment. That means by meeting personal targets the organisations economy is also boosted (Watson 2012). Engaged employees are dedicated to their job and have enthusiasm about their responsibility that means they love to do their duty. Another benefit is that empowered employee can have a great contribution to reduce the costs for an organization.For example, when employees have the authority to deal with customer complaints when they occur, and have the freedom to suggest a solution to the problem, that makes the employees self sufficient. This is efficient as it has less reliance on higher management approval (The Saylor foundation 2014). As a result, the organization encourages the employees to think creatively and critically which will allow them to communicate with their colleagues regarding the related problems and share innovative ideas, so it can cuts the cost of training and any overhead costs in some cases (Lashley 2001). For instance, a problem which can be easily solved by an empo wered employee could in other circumstances end up in court or compensation which could cost a lot of money for the company. The efficient use of resources by the employees can also reduce the cost. Even so, the work environment has a significant effect on how effective the employees can use the resources (Lashley 2001). The  three main desired aspects of work environment are, namely: undisturbed environment, easy accessibility and sufficient appropriate equipment to perform their job. For instance, comparing to construction work where people need protective uniforms for their job, in business there must have a computer network with Wi-Fi. These will make the employees independent and maximize the productivity of the company. The employees fell valuable and important, so there will be long-term employees who are loyal to the organization and this will reducing employee turnover costs (Owen.et.al.2014). However, the three main areas of concern regarding employee empowerment are as follow. Firstly, in a time of changing ownership or uncertain situation, it could make the decision making process lengthy (HE ATHFIELD 2014) because the rules and regulations can be different from previous as either the new management is coming or the condition is unstable where company might close down. Secondly, it could drive to disorder because the empowered employees have different solutions (HEATHFIELD 2014) for the same problem which may breach conduct according to the company policy. Thirdly, by empowering the employees the private information of the company become unprotected, this could damage the company if exposes because of the personal greed of the employees (HAMLIN 2014) while the information might be valuable to the competitors or it can create embarrassment. Though there are some disadvantages of employee empowerment, the increasing productivity and cost effectiveness can make this management style desirable for employees to work and mangers to control. Throughout the following paragraph the roles of mangers in past and present , will be discussed and how modern managers can apply these roles to find a possible solution for the problems faced by empowered environment. The role of the manager varies from company to company and time to time. However, the main responsib ilities are planning, organising, delegating, observing and evaluating (MURRAY 2014). In the past, the traditional style of management was disciplined and strictly following a chain of command. It was driven by the power of order(Gollakota,2014),but it has been developed over time.The modern managers support empowerment because it develops product and services more effectively, increases the satisfaction with colleagues, and overall it leads to create a unique place of work with advanced performance capabilities. SOURCE By applying these management skills modern managers can be able to make solutions for the  problems of employee empowerment.Fon instance, in a case where the ownership due to change and the situation is unstable,the modern managers can assure the employees about management support to recover the difficulties.Also,the managers should be able to make an adjustment(Liraz,2014) about the changes so that the employees are always up to date with the situation and sufficient training has been given to manage the situation with confidence. In an empowered environment where the solutions from employees varies from customers to customers, a modern manager can be mor e communicative about sharing the innovative thoughts and ideas by organizing frequent staff meetings with feedback.As a result, the employees are known from their colleagues about all the possible solutions to complains made by customers and also customers will have a choice. Also, there will not have any misunderstanding between the customers about the received solution from a company.Furthermore,though it seems impossible to protect a company’s secret information modern managers can use their initiatives with the help of technology.Such as, a special type of software called â€Å"content management† allows the employees to access the data according to the length of employment, to add on, DLP-Data Loss Prevention can be used for inspecting sensitive outgoing data in a company’s network (FORD 2011). Overall, due to the protection of data managers can closely monitor the activities of the empowered employees and also can make a law which will not allow to bring the personal technologies at work so it could ensure the safety of company’s secret information. There are different ways of developing the employees. For example, Managers have to be passionate about their job (SCHAPPEL 2013) because if they do not show any attention or spirit, they will not be able to motivate the employees to contribute to the targets. Also, managers should always have appreciation for the employees so the employees feel they are valuable to the company.HEATHFIELD (2014) states, as an employee they wish respect and favour to support their thinking. So managers should give recognition for an achievement, but if employees are likely to follow a wrong direction managers can resolve that with a positive attitude. Furthermore, HEATHFIELD(2014) says, managers could involve the employees in the decision making.For example, promotions of new product, or improvement meetings, which will make them feel more involved than in their usual job responsibility.Furthermore Schappel (2013) emphasised on how the  mangers can make the work place comfortable for the employees t o work .After allocating the task managers can observe the progress, also give guidance and support if needed. The managers can share the target and forecast with the employees. As they could have a better idea not only to support and share the target but also a possible solution for overcoming any difficulties that could occur. Moreover, by sharing thoughts they can make it achievable as a team (HEATHFIELD 2014) (SCHAPPEL 2013). To empower the employees is not an easy task because it needs a atmosphere of belief and cooperation from the management of a company ( Quast,2011).Also management should have the practice of welcoming any failure from the employees so that the lessons will help others in future development. Employee empowerment is considered to be the best way to keep customers satisfied, because the employees have the authority to take a possible solution for a situation and their main priority to keep the customer satisfied 11 (Quast,2011).Though this management style can be time consuming for some organizations because of the traditional frame of management and also the dependenc e on managers for every instruction,however, the creativity, teamwork,communication and innovative ideas from an empowered employee can help to achieve success and challenges from competitors. No referencein conclusion Reference list: 1.RODRIGUEZ, P,F. , 2011. Management Theory of Rosabeth Moss Kanter: Understanding Kanter’s Change model to benefit your company [online]. [viewed 21 April 2011]. Available from: http://www.business.com/management/management-theory-of-rosabeth-moss-kanter/ 2.LASHLEY,C.2004.Empowerment.Burlington.Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann 3.Kelleher.B.2013.Who’s sinking your boat? [Online video].[Viewed 24 Aug 2014]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4nwoZ02AJM 4 Watson.K.,2012.How Employee Engagement Can Boost Profits[online].[viewed 23 march 2012].Available from: http://www.yoursmallbusiness.co.uk/how-employee-engagement-can-boost-profits.html 5. THE SAYLOR FOUNDATION.,The Benefits Of Empowering Employees [online].Available from: http://www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/BUS208-5.2-The-Benefits-of-Empowering-Employees-FINAL.pdf 6 Owen E and Richason IV.2014. What Are the Benefits of Practicing Employee Involvement & Empowerment?[online]. Available from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-practicing-employee-involvement-empowerment-1842.html 7.Kristen Hamlin,2014.The Pro & Cons of Empowerment in an Organization.Available from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/pro-cons-empowerment-organization-13397.html 8. MURRY,A.2014. What do Managers do? (The wall street journal)[online](Europe Edition)Available from: http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/what-do-managers-do/# 9. Gollakota.S.2014.Traditional Vs Mode rn Management – Matrix Organization [online].Available from: http://www.citehr.com/200930-traditional-vs-modern-management-matrix-organization.html 10. Liraz.M.2014. How To Develop A Strategic Plan.[Online].Available from: http://www.bizmove.com/general/m6c.htm 11.Ford,J.,2011.The Leaky Corporation.[Online].[Viewed 24th February].Available from: http://www.economist.com/node/18226961 12. Susan M. Heathfield(2014). Top 10 Principles of Employee Empowerment[online].Available from: http://humanresources.about.com/od/managementandleadership/tp/empowerment.htm 13. SCHAPPEL.C.2013. 7 actions that create more effective managers.[Online].[Accessed 24 December 2013]. Available from: http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2013/12/24/7-actions-that-create-more-effective-managers/ 14.QUAST,L.2011. 6 Ways To Empower Others To Succeed. Online]. [Accessed:28 February 2011] .Available from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2011/02/28/6-ways-to-empower-others-to-succeed/ AUOBLC. 2012. Overview of Kanter’s Theory on Structural Empowerment [online]. Available from: http://structuralempowerment.weebly.com/kanters-theory.html FORD, J. 2011. The Leaky Corporation. [Online]. [Viewed 24th February]. Available from: http://www.economist.com/node/18226961 KELLEHER, B. 2013. Who’s sinking your boat? [Online video].[Viewed 24 Aug 2014]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4nwoZ02AJM LASHLEY, C . 2004. Empowerment.Burlington.Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann HEATHFIELD, S, M. 2014. Top 10 Principles of Employee Empowerment [online]. Available from: http://humanresources.about.com/od/managementandleadership/tp/empowerment.htm

Types Of Driver By Age

There are many types of drivers that we all encounter on the road, and they are often classified by age. While the term â€Å" driver † can be applied to just about anyone behind the wheel, the way a person drives often changes with age. You can expect to find these drivers on the road near to you: teenage drivers, middle-aged drivers, and slow but steady elderly drivers. At the age of 16-20 years old, teens are more concerned with looking cool than with driving responsibly.Teenage drivers have lack of driving experience, and a distraction of using electronics. They want to be seen driving while on their cell phones and have the loudest stereos. Teenage tend to use electronics while driving, and they do no know that it is a huge distraction. They impress each other by driving recklessly and being faster than their friends. Therefore, teenagers are very dangerous on the road when they are driving. The second type of driver by age is the middle-aged driver.They tend to tailgate your car and also have a super speeding that will result in accidents. These drivers have the uncanny ability to squeeze through the smallest openings as they weave through every car that gets in their path. They always seem to be in the biggest hurry as they drive waiting for the opportunity to pass your car. They also have The third type of driver is the elderly or old age driver. Older drivers are more like to cause traffic citations and get into accidents as their driving abilities changes with age.They have also slower reflexes and poorer vision. Their reflexes are slower, thence, is very difficult to them to react quickly if they have to avoid any accident. Older drivers can also have any eye condition that can interfere with their ability to drive. In conclusion, drivers come in many different forms and each carry their own characteristics no matter how old they are. Therefore, each person must be responsible and careful when driving, regardless of the type of driver who is.

Prescription Health Care Costs and its Effects on the Elderly Essay

Prescription Health Care Costs and its Effects on the Elderly - Essay Example ribed in case of the elderly and the price are these drugs are more compared to the older drugs thus adding additional burden on the elderly (Berndt et al, 1998). However, those who rely on a fixed income are vulnerable towards price inflation of prescription drugs due to which they either skip doses or at times even forgo the prescriptions which can have an adverse affect o their health (Berndt et al, 1998; Safran et al, 2005). According to a national survey report on prescription drug adherence by the elderly more than one-quarter of elderly did not adhere to the prescription due to the associated high costs. The non adherence was more prominent among those without drug coverage, low-income groups and those with complex chronic illnesses (Safran et al, 2005). The introduction of public health insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and private-employer insurance programs has not seen a significant reduction in prescription drug adherence by the elderly. These programs cove r only partial medical services for the elderly and do not cover the costs of outpatient prescription drugs (Safran et al, 2005; U. S. Healthcare, 2010; The cost of Prescription Drugs, 2001; Shang & Goldman, 2007). This coupled with the rising inflation and global economic recession in the recent years has only laid excess strain on healthcare expenditure due to which the costs have outweighed the benefits (U. S. Healthcare, 2010). The increase in the costs of prescription drugs has been mainly associated with the emergence of expensive state-of-the-art technology in drug production and for the development of such high-end drugs the costs will have to be shared with the consumer. Factors such as larger prevalence of chronic and long-term illness coupled with longer life spans have increased the demand for such drugs. Additionally population ageing and administrative costs also add up to the health care costs (U. S. Healthcare, 2010). Public health insurance programs such as Medicare

Country Assessment - PORTUGAL and ARGENTINA Research Paper

Country Assessment - PORTUGAL and ARGENTINA - Research Paper Example FDI in Portugal has been on the increase since 1990s due to increased involvement of Portuguese firms in international market. The average FDI figure for the past decade ranges from â‚ ¬21 million and â‚ ¬32 million and in 2008, the gross FDI was â‚ ¬31.9 million. Low wages in Portugal is one of the key factors which attract FDI in Portugal. Currently, foreign enterprise forms an important source of exports and employment in the country. Argentina does not have a record of good FDI levels and the figure have also been decreasing from USD 24 billion in 1999 to a virtual dry up. In 2009, this figure was $ 4.9 billion (IMF, 2010). Portugal has been experiencing a steady growth in its PPP since 1980. Since 2004, this figure has been over $20,000. According to IMF (2010), Portugal had a PPP of 23,113.858 in 2010. On the other hand, the growth of PPP in Argentina has not been steady though there is a general increase. For example there was a decline between 1998 and 2002 followed by a sharp steady increase till 2008. In 2010, its figure stood at $15,603.132. Portugal has not had a steady growth in its GDP. For example there was a -1.3% in 2004 followed by an average of 1.15 over the next four year and -2.60% in 2010. This figure is estimated to be 1.0% in 2011. Apart from a -14.70% recorded in 2003, Argentina’s GDP has been experiencing a good positive growth with an average of over 8.0%. However, this figure dropped to 6.80% in 2009 and 0.90% in 2010. The figure for 2011 is projected to be 7.5% (IMF, 2010). International Trading and Issues Most of Argentina’s exports are processed agricultural products, making up 54% of the total exports. Other exports sectors are industrial manufacturers, fuels and energy. Its major trade partner is Merscor. Others are US and Asian nations. Argentina adheres to most trade treaties and international agreements relating to intellectual property. However, in 1997, its pharmaceutical patent law was unsatisfactory causing the US to suspend 50% of its GSP benefits. The principal exports for Portugal are wood and paper products, fabrics, clothing and textile. Principle imports include machinery and transportation equipment and minerals. Its trade policy is similar to that of other EU members (Alguacil et al, 2008). Business regulations Importation of certain merchandise are restricted or totally prohibited in Portugal to protect its economy and security while some are subject to restrain under import quota. Exporters are required to ensure they get correct information indicating that a Portuguese importer has availed the correct information to allow submission of necessary information concerning goods labeling, packaging among others. It should also indicate proper arrangements for entry of goods into Portugal (US Department of Commerce, 2010). Argentina also restricts importation of certain goods for sanitary or safety reasons though restrictions also apply to used vehicles and their parts. S ocio-economical factors affecting international companies. Argentina has been experiencing social problems like wide-spread poverty, unequal income distribution and worsening public safety which has damaged the investment environment. It has made foreign investors to be hesitant in investing in Argentina. A notable percentage of Portuguese people also operate in a low socio-economic status. However, international companies are attracted to Portugal due to its low wage rates and relatively low levels of

Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette Term Paper

Strategic Planning at the Chronicle Gazette - Term Paper Example Introduction The goal of this paper is therefore to provide succinct visions to the management of chronicle newspapers about the current states in newspaper industry and project the trends in the next decade. The report analyses the current states of newspaper publishing industry, problems facing newspaper publishing, causal factors and how they impact on the newspaper industry. In addition, the paper also defines external assessment and internal assessment to determine the reasons as to why there is rapid decline in the circulation and revenues and the counteractive measures and technologies to be embraced to toughen their market position. Furthermore the appropriate strategies to be adjusted by chronicle newspaper so to be able to handle the challenges and procedures involved to deal with the challenges. In the past years, The Chronicle Gazette has been the leading newspaper especially in the urban setting with over 200,000 customers. However, in the years, the newspaper sells has been reducing and this has greatly impacted negatively on the revenue of the newspaper. Indeed there is great need for the company to revise it business strategies so that it can survive in this competitive world. State of the newspaper publishing industry today Data on declining circulation and revenue The Chronicle Gazette is first-rate newspaper with over 200,000 customers and is the main newspaper read among the urbanites. In the recent years, newspaper subscription has been dwindling steadily and its estimated that, in the past eight years, subscription had declined by over 30% and advertising revenue by over 25%.Reduced advertising revenue has affected the daily operations of the newspaper industry for example maintenance of equipments and staff allowances. Status of newspaper leaders Financial problems in newspaper publishing industry have been swiftly declining advertising revenues and it’s estimated that from 2006, the revenue accrued from newspaper sell has been falling by over 40%. Trends in 2010 remained negative with less severe rate of revenue loss of over 6%. In reference to the released figures from Audit Bureau of Circulation, The Wall Street Journal tops all U.S newsp aper with over 3.5% incremental sum paid circulation in 2010. The journal continues to expand it circulation and it leads other newspapers by selling over two million newspapers a day. The main rival of jounal circulation the USA Today is in the second position having fallen by over400, 000 copies. In terms of online sites, over400, 000 paid digital readers have registered with wall street journal placing the journal at the top of paid online site four times or more than Detroit free which hold the second position. In spite of the setbacks, USA Today has benefited for having over 400,000 paid digital readers. The New York Times, the third placed Newspaper had over 10% fall in income revenue because of untargeted or poor advertisement methods which declined by nearly 6% in 2010. However, there was 11% rise in online advertisement which accounts to over15% of company revenue. Why newspapers are facing declining circulations and revenues There are many reasons why customer subscription and revenue has fallen. These can be Classified into two categories; External assessment Internal assessment External assessment This involves the assessment of factors outside the industry which impacts either positively or negatively to the operation and the accrued profit of the industry. They include Economic forces Social, cultural,

Morris, note on sculpture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Morris, note on sculpture - Essay Example He was in the forefront of art movement in America which included process art and land art. His major works included â€Å"notes on sculpture†, anti-Form, creation of minimalist key exemplars like rectangular beams and cubes which had no figuration. I would characterize Morris’ status in art history as an influential art personality who changed the industry of art. This is due to his works that introduced indeterminacy and temporality in the field of art. According to Morris, (3), Morris defines the most fundamental components of sculpture as to include: mass which has to do with the bulk of the sculpture. This is important because it defines the sculpture’s edges the second one is space. This is that air around the given solid sculpture. It is important for linking separate sculpture parts and defines the sculpture edges. Additionally it can provide areas of emptiness in the sculpture when enclosed by a part of the very sculpture. Color, dimension, flatness and texture may also be some important elements of a sculpture including shape. Gestalt is a term used to refer to a pattern or configuration of elements that are unified as a whole. As such it implies some pattern. Morris used pyramids, cubes and polyhedrons that are regular to achieve this. He asserted that this forms when used can result in to one achieving a very strong sensation of Gestalt. Gestalt, thus he described to be patterns or even configurations that the whole is considered to produce greater significance that is better than when the parts are individually considered and are also different. Gestalt is generally the pattern brought by the whole and not an individual piece of the whole. Indeed Morris claims that sculptures exist in a situation and not as self-contained forms. This he asserts by arguing that sculptures communicate situations that the artist needed to depict (Morris, 17). As

Placement Report at Abacus Business Advisors, Ltd Essay

Placement Report at Abacus Business Advisors, Ltd - Essay Example Abacus Business Advisors, Ltd. (Abacus) was reportedly incorporated on March 17, 2010. Just two years in operation, this corporation is classified as private company with three partners:   Ishtiaq Mahmood Farooqui, the Director and Accountant with expertise in accountancy, book-keeping and transactions involving tax consultancy; Ejaz Farooqui, also the Director and Accountant share the same expertise with Ishtiaq Mahmood Farooqui; finally, Yomtov Eliezer Jacobs, was the Director whose expertise was in company formation. As such, his directorship was already classified as inactive at current times.Location and Contact Numbers  Abacus is currently located at 9 Norville Terrace, Headingley Lane, Leeds in the United Kingdom. It is classified as a private organization that offers accounting and auditing services; as well as tax consultancy services. Its contact number is 0113 225 2026 and 0113 274 5508. It currently advertises its services through online sites such as the SeekAccounta nt.co.uk,   TouchLocal.com, among others.Placement Job DetailsMajor Accounts and Responsibilities  In my first week, the first few days were spent in orientation of the organization’s accounting system. I had to be familiarized with their system to enable facilitation of filing, encoding, and working on basis accounting responsibilities: book-keeping, bank reconciliation, among others. I was made to start off with sorting out bank reconciliation in the first few weeks. I worked through the organization’s general ledger accounts.... It is classified as a private organization that offers accounting and auditing services; as well as tax consultancy services. Its contact number is 0113 225 2026 and 0113 274 5508. It currently advertises its services through online sites such as the SeekAccountant.co.uk, TouchLocal.com, among others. Placement Job Details Major Accounts and Responsibilities In my first week, the first few days were spent in orientation of the organization’s accounting system. I had to be familiarized with their system to enable facilitation of filing, encoding, and working on basis accounting responsibilities: book-keeping, bank reconciliation, among others. I was made to start off with sorting out bank reconciliation in the first few weeks. I worked through the organization’s general ledger accounts that contained records of their cash and check transactions. Likewise, I worked through bank statements to reconcile and counter check that the cash and check transactions during the perio d under study to perfectly reconcile with the balances shown in both the general ledger and the bank statements. It was initially a difficult task given the details that one needs to check and countercheck these balances (bank versus book). Likewise, adjustments had to be made in terms of deposits in transit, any outstanding checks issued but not yet recorded by the bank, and the occurrence of some bank errors (as it normally happens). In addition, I had to adjust the balance in the company’s books in terms of the need to deduct bank service charges, NSF check fees and fees for the issuance of checks. I also noted the need to add interests earned and any notes receivable, as identified. After comparing the accuracy of the balances, I finally had to prepare journal entries to

Harvard referencing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Harvard referencing - Essay Example Available from: http://www.unn.ac.uk/central/isd/cite/index.htm (Accessed: 21 May 2004). University of Liverpool/Laureate Online Education (2007) Lecture notes from Managing People Module Seminar 4 [Online]. Available from: University of Liverpool/Laureate Online Education VLE (Accessed: 28 February 2007). Fedchak, E. & Duvall, L. (1996) An engineering approach to electronic publishing, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Multimedia Software Development, 25-26 March, Berlin. Los Alamitos, California: IEEE Computer Society Press, pp.80-88. Al-Madhoun, M. & Analoui, F. (2004) Developing SME managers under fire: negotiating obstacles and weaknesses in Palestine, Journal of Management Development, 23 (5), pp.479-495, IngentaConnect [Online]. Available from: http://www.ingentaconnect.com (Accessed: 9 June 2005). 5. Podcast University of Liverpool/Laureate Online Education (2007) Lecture notes from Managing People Module Seminar 4 [Online]. Available from: University of Liverpool/Laureate Online Education VLE (Accessed: 28 February 2007). Pears, R. & Shields, G. (1995) Cite them right: referencing made easy [Online] Northumbria: Northumbria University. Available from: http://www.unn.ac.uk/central/isd/cite/index.htm (Accessed: 21 May 2004). University of Liverpool (n.d) Referencing and Developing a Bibliography using the Harvard Method. Available from: http://www.liv.ac.uk/library/ohecampus/referencing/referencing.htm. (Accessed: 8 July

What this country (US),state or school needs more than anything else Essay

What this country (US),state or school needs more than anything else - Essay Example The gravest threat our country is facing lies to the turning point of extremism and technology. Our rivals have candidly acknowledged that they are in a quest for weapons of mass demolition, and evidence shows that they are doing so with fortitude. The United States will not let these efforts be successful. We will assemble our defenses in opposition to ballistic missiles and other ways of delivery. We will work together with other nations to refute, contain, and restrain our enemies’ hard work to acquire treacherous technologies. We will also augment our self-defense; our country will act using all ways against all forms of intimidation in time before they are wholly formed. We should be ready to crush all our enemies’ plans; we will use the best astuteness and proceed with consideration. If we will not do our best, history will criticize those who saw this approaching danger but failed to take action. In the new globe we inhabit, the only course to peace and defense i s the path prompt action. The unfolding upheaval over the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear aspirations, and the subsequent steps presented to the United States in dealing with this dispute is a debate that has taken a long period of time to conclude. With the exception of Iraq, no other disaster today so bedevils American policy makers, for a long period this case has provided the international community with irrefutable proof that the Iranian regime is pursuing a massive, multi-faceted endeavor, and in spite of United Nations censure (Kerr 37). In and of itself, the possibility of the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism acquiring the world’s most dangerous technology will be deeply troubling. These weapons, if manufactured can lead to both the mass destruction of property and loss of lives. Among the solutions to this issue are; military action that is deeply problematic. The use of force on Iran’s nuclear

Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Warming - Essay Example Many of the living creatures cannot bear this change and the result is open in the form of dead. According to the scientists, main causes of the global warming are the greenhouse gases those are produced by deforestation and burning the fossil fuel. History of global warming Scientific research on global warming itself was the result of many influences, and the interesting thing is that these influences include misconceptions to government pressure and findings. In 1896 a scientist from Sweden presented a new idea the burned fossil fuels such as coal, which is the reason to increase the carbon dioxide gas on atmosphere. And the increase in the level of Carbon dioxide increases the average temperature on the earth. In the 1930s, people of United States and North Atlantic region realized that these regions have much warmed during the previous half century. At that time many of the scientists argued that the change in the climate is just a phase of some moderate natural cycle. The cause of this change was not described by anyone at that time and referred that condition to â€Å"unknown causes†. At that time one unique argument was made by Guy Stewart Callendar who was an engineer. He insisted that the greenhouses are the main cause of global warming. At the start of 1950s, few scientists worked on the Guy Stewart Callendar’s claims with the help of new improved methods and calculations. After that some new studies in 1961 also proved that the level of carbon dioxide is rising day by day. Over the next few decades scientists used simple models and specific calculation to measure the climate change. At that time General predictions with the help of calculations and computer models made. In 1967 more calculations by scientists suggested that the rise in the level of temperature might be little degree in next century so there is no need for any policy for this purpose. But at that time some scientists forced for official attention and government funds fo r more research purposes. In the early 1970s, it was noted that there is a rise in the climatic changes. This term referred to â€Å"environmentalism†. The rise in environmentalism raised public doubts about the global warming. At that time some scientists raised the point that human activities was the main reason for increasing the smoke and dust elements into the atmosphere and these elements block sunlight. Factors that brings rise to global warming At earlier times scientists had used a certain methods and calculations to measure the change in climate, but in 1970s they were using many techniques about the factors that can cause influences in the change of climate. Improved computer models with improved calculations were used to measure the jumps in climate level. With the help of these models scientists take information that how these jumps could happen. Researchers had to know that the one other factor that can causes the global warming was unexpected discovery, the res ult of this discovery stated that the level of gases was rising, which would add seriously to global warming. At the end of 1970s global temperature has evidently began to rise. The scientist those were researching on that began to warn the world that these changes could be dangerous if proper security measures are not taken. At the main time Corporations and individuals who opposed these thoughts spent large amounts to convince people that there was no problem at all. After these issues the world governments decided to create an

Ebay Problems in Asian Markets Essay Example for Free

Ebay Problems in Asian Markets Essay This paper will identify some of the reasons why E-Bay has problems in the Asian Markets as an internet auction provider. After examining articles from Philip Kotler and David Gertner as well as Moon Ihlwan among others, this paper will provide my answers about why did EBay want to expand globally as well as why any of these Asian nations wanted their business? It will explain some research explored about what types of Entry decisions the company used in the Asian Markets. Utilizing the knowledge gained about the history of global business. Answering the question about the problems that EBay has in the Asian market will allow me to discuss and apply concepts of the global market learned in module one in support of my answers. Lastly this correspondence will assess how EBay’s Marketing Mix assessment of the Four P’s assisted them in the global marketing strategy the company adopted for the Asian Markets? Why did EBay want to expand globally and why did nations wanted their business? The reasons EBay decided to expand globally were various and resulted in an overall loss for the San Diego, CA based company headed by the former CEO at the time and California Gubernatorial candidate, Meg Whitman. Some of the decisions made and acted upon by the company’s leadership were akin to the way Meg Whitman ran her political campaign. Instead of researching the culture and traditions of the places they chose to do business and working on an image of being local or at least embracing local cultures and traditions; they chose to feed issues with money. In Whitman’s case borrow millions of dollars from herself to try to resolve the issue of losing as a candidate. Getting back on subject, the countries that eBay chose to expand globally in, were like all nations; ones that needed jobs. EBay sought the cheaper labor wages as a win-win situation for themselves or some instances the prediction of a high level of success due to their business reputation. Getting into the market was not difficult as the new market fell in line with what these countries wanted in ordered to develop their economies; while in turn enhancing domestic quality of life for their citizens. EBay felt compelled to expand globally to remain competitive as the US domestic market share was becoming mature resulting in stagnant profits and overall growth. As all companies looking to globally expand eBay was investing in Asia to increase profits by gaining a positive entry into this new market share however there was no need to create a new market. The majority of the countries they chose had local internet auction industry established already. EBay’s ultimate goals were to introduce their open auction business model at an international scale starting in places like Japan, China and South Korea to take advantage of these nation’s emerging economies in order to increase wealth. Entry Decisions Through the struggles in gaining entry into these emerging market areas, EBay learned that they must adapt as well as embrace some of the new technologies and products offered by their competitors in the Asian domestic markets in order to be successful or at least competitive in the market. The beating they took in Asia was not just from Chinese and South Korean competition, but from two US based competitors in Yahoo and Google. A current domestic alliance with Yahoo against the giant Google has not resulted in any increase in positive business in the global market share as Yahoo is continuing to gain more shares of the market through its ventures with local competitors. EBay market entry decisions were integral to their failure in Asia. As ascertained from a case study published May 2008 about EBay’s Strategy in Japan 1, â€Å"†¦they entered the Japanese market late after Yahoo Japan had already established and failed to retain customers. It took them two years to concede the failure of the EBay Japan and instead of making a deal with local investors they finally folded in 2002. Ironically, in 2007 EBay made a deal with Yahoo Japan to share internet sites and products in Japan in a joint web site called â€Å"Sekaimon† 1. Their failures in Asia has eventually led to layoff of workers in countries like Taiwan and shutting down of several sites in Asia while rerouting customers to US based sites to maintain a virtual presence. In 2006 EBay’s South Korean venture Internet Auction was bested by a South Korean competitor named Gmarket whereas they equaled or eclipsed EBay’s profit share in South Korea that year. Gmarket also produced innovating products to the internet auction industry such as making shopping via internet fun and using tie-in promotions. Excerpts taken from a Moon Ilhwan internet article in Business Week2, further explain the stiff competition EBay had in South Korea from Yahoo and the local upstart, â€Å"Gmarkets business model places less emphasis on an open auction format than eBays. The company offers goods that one can order at fixed prices, with an option to negotiate prices with a seller on an exclusive basis. This allows buyers to conclude deals instantly instead of requiring them to wait until all bids are completed in open auctions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"†¦another tie in marketing program is a lottery called lucky auction. It gives buyers chances to buy everything from LCD televisions to T-shirts at a fraction of the market value. A seller promoting an MP3 player, for example, invites consumers to bid for two of them within a given price range—usually less than 10% of the retail price. Then Gmarkets computer picks two bids at random to decide the winners. Others visitors can buy the MP3 pla yer at a special offer price. The seller attracts consumers, while Gmarket happily hauls in commissions. Another incentive at Gmarket is that retailers can offer online links to their own mini homepages within the site, issue discount coupons, run joint mileage points programs, and use an internal messenger service called G-messenger for instant chatting with sellers. Some shops listed on the site have also drawn traffic by promising to donate 10 cents to a favored charity every time a product is sold†¦Ã¢â‚¬  2 Thus far EBay has attempted joint ventures and mergers to enter the Asian market share and has met negative results. This has had a negative effect on their overall performance to expense ratio in their stock valuation from 2000 thru the present time but has not deterred management from continuing to compete for a market share in Asia. An ongoing joint venture with Yahoo keeps EBay with a foot in the door of the foreign market and continues the strategic alliance against Google. EBay has expanded to Southeast Asia to see what they can obtain in Singapore, Malaysia and through operations in the Philippines. Currently they are doing promotional sites in Thailand and Vietnam to gauge future profits in those nations as well. EBay’s use of the Four P’s in their marketing mix assessment EBay’s use of the Four P’s in their assessment of their global market strategy was regretful in Asia when in comparison to Yahoo’s success. Lost on the EBay leadership was the desire to be a part of the local market and understanding cultural diversity of each Asian nation they wanted to establish a market. From my personal experiences going to countries such as Japan, South Korea, Guam, or the Philippines for business this is vital to earning shares of the Asian market and as a personal prospective as well. Yahoo’s co-founder, Yang is a male businessman of Chinese-Taiwanese descent which had to give Yahoo an edge in Japan, China and South Korea over EBay’s CEO at the time Meg Whitman; who was female, Caucasian descent and unaware culturally of how to gain the confidence of local leaders and business persons. 3 The product that EBay had to offer was nothing innovative to the Asian market as there was already a local variant of online auctions/internet industry thriving in Japan, China and South Korea. Timing and placement of EBay’s business model was late and over reaching as Yahoo already was established in each of the locations chosen and early profits resulted in a false analysis of future outcomes for EBay in Asia. Promotions used on the global EBay sites had advertising geared globally instead of locally which went ignored by local customer’s. More emphasis toward local advertising of domestic interests could have attracted and retained their customer base. Lastly, pricing of their product which was part of the business model was somewhat excessive and confusing. So when an upstart company like Gmarket introduces something simple like, fixed prices and special deals the customer’s internet shopping experience just became more simplified to use and less time to use resulting in a more desirable overall product than EBay was offering at the time. The EBay pricing system had customer’s waiting out the end of a bidding process which still did not guarantee the customer the outcome desired if they were outbid. EBay’s management’s inflexibility hindered the local management’s ability to make decisions that would help them get more of the local market share and build from there in their own country and marketplace. 3 Discussion EBay’s ventures in expanding to a global market were incurred several surmountable challenges. As stated in the lesson the Asian market share is vital and profitable for many companies. As the research depicted one of EBay’s primary challenges was completion at several levels; global and local/domestic competitors all vying for a market share of the internet auction industry. EBay attempted to manage market entry problems long after their original business model was viable in the region, by adapting lowering or waiving fees for its services to keep up with the competition from Yahoo, Google, Chinese stall worth Internet Auction and South Korean upstart GMarket. EBay failed to incorporate some of the local technical innovations that likes of GMarket produced for its customer base such as, local advertising on the sites, fixed price so that internet shoppers could get what they were shopping for and not have to outbid others and wait for the outcome of who actually won/bought the products advertised. History was another problem for EBay, they did not study the culture and traditions of the places they chose to enter the market at. Cultural traditions and business practices are conversely different in China which operates under quasi-governmental entities, and Japan and South Korea where they operate under version of the â€Å"Free Market† concept. Along with not understanding Asian cultures the company did not attempt to adapt its global business model to the local market when incorporating its management and leadership philosophies to the region. This resulted in a management and leadership staff overseas that would not be capable of maturing as a team to meet the local demands of the market. Just being in the region did not give EBay the advantage they seemed it would, thus their own inflexibility and lack of foresight contributed greatly to the problems they are facing in the Asian market. To EBay’s credit they have not thrown in the towel and have remained in Asia through joint ventures and are actually conducting promotion in Southeast Asia (Thailand and Vietnam) as well operations in Singapore, the Philippines and other places.

Analysis of Saddam Husseins Trial

Analysis of Saddam Husseins Trial Frank Kopeski On March 19 2003 The United States along with allied forces invaded Iraq and marked the start of the Iraq War. The Conflict later received the name Operation Iraqi Freedom by the United States. The invasion consisted of 21 days of major combat operations in which a joint force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and overthrew the Baathist government of Saddam Hussein. The invasion phase consisted primarily of a conventionally fought war which concluded with the capture of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad by American forces. On December 13 2003 US troops Cptured Saddam Hussein. He was taken into custody for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. With success of detaining the Iraqi President this raised a very important question. What do we do with him? Since his crimes were committed in Iraq it would only make sense that a trial be held there. The Iraqi Interim Government ended up conducting the trial. The United States Established the Iraqi Interim Government after the invasion. The Coalition Provisional Authority voted to create the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST), consisting of five Iraqi judges. The United states Depart of justice aided in the investigation. The DOJ also aided in the setting up of the trial. The most challenging part for the US in Aiding the trial was to not get entirely involved. This became very difficult especially during the trial. The first trial began before the Iraqi Special Tribunal on October 19th 2005. At this trial Saddam and seven other defendants were tried for crimes against humanity with regard to events that took place after a failed assassination attempt in Dujail in 1982 by members of the IslÄ mic Dawa Party. A second and separate trial began on 21 August 2006, trying Saddam and six co-defendants for genocide during the Anfal military campaign against the Kurds of northern Iraq. Saddam may have also been tried in absentia for events dating to the Iran–Iraq War and invasion of Kuwait, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. During the trial Saddam appeared confident. He denied all charges and stated he was just doing what any good president would do. On November 5 2006 Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging for the killing of 148 Shiites from Dujail, in retaliation for the assassination attempt. No further action was necessary and Saddam was ordered executed within 30 days of that date. When sentenced to death Saddam stated â€Å"Long live the people. Long live the Arab nation. Down with the spies. God is great. Saddam Hussein is executed on December 30 2006 at about 6:05am. He was hung at an Iraqi army base in Kazimain called Camp Justice. After his execution all other charges were dropped. On January 15 2007 Saddams co-defendants, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, his half-brother and Iraqs intelligence chief at the time of the Dujail killings, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, who issued death sentences to Dujail residents as head of a Revolutionary Court, were also sentenced to death by hanging. The former Iraqi vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan is originally sentenced to life in prison. However, his sentencing changed to death by hanging on 12 February 2007. Ramadans execution took place on March 20th 2007. Many Viewed the trial as a joke, Stating it as a â€Å"show trial or a Kangaroo Court Human Rights Watch stated that Saddams execution follows a flawed trial and marks a significant step away from the rule of law in Iraq. Amnesty International stated that the trial was unfair, Many believed that the US had heavy influence on the court; this includes Saddams legal counsel Khalil al-Dulaimi. Khalil stated, This court is a creature of the US military occupation, and the Iraqi court is just a tool and rubber stamp of the invaders. Although many felt that the US had too much influence in the trial others believed that they didn’t have enough. The trial seemed to have one goal in mind, and that was revenge. Because the US did not have final say in how the trial was conducted the trail was not entirely modeled after our system which has the one goal of justice. For example every time a judge would sway towards Saddams side or agree with him on a statement the judge would be replaced with a new judge. This happened many times. Another example was the way the execution was conducted. The date and place of the execution were secret until the sentence was carried out. The execution was completely absent of respect. Every aspect of the execution was fueled by revenge. He was ridiculed and humiliated which portraits a powerful message. Although his sentencing in many aspects is just, the conduction was not. This runs a huge risk of retaliation which can cause problems in the future. Currently we are finding out that ISIS is a major problem. ISIS (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) is an extremist, jihadist group that aimed to set up an Islamic state in Sunni Arab-majority areas of Iraq. Many are former Baathists who seek retaliation. Raouf Abdul Rahman the Kurdish judge who sentenced Saddam Hussein to be executed has himself been captured and executed by ISIS. He was killed by the militants in retaliation for the killing of Saddam Hussein. Martha Minow discussed three issues that were present during the Nuremberg trials that are similar to those in Saddams trial. The three aspects Minow points out that deserve critiquing are retroactivity, politicization, and selectivity. Retroactivity is explained as defendants being charged with charges that were not announced before the start of the trial or didn’t exist before the trial. It violates the rule of law because of the laws commitment to apply clear, preexisting norms. The second aspect is politicization constructing a group of different institutions and political pressures that get rid of personal independence and norms, such as they did in Nuremberg with the format of the trial, being base on five different countries that all have different laws and political pressures. Lastly she points out selectivity, which is picking out targets that could be charged with violations. Prosecutorial discretion is reflected off of identification of offenders and who is held res ponsible. It also reflects the chance of finding and arresting offenders. It is based off of who is selected to be held responsible for the crime at hand. Retroactivity could have played a role in Saddams Trial. This is because the new Iraqi government was just formed. When Saddam was in power his actions would not be considered a crime under his government, but with the newly formed Iraq his actions were criminal. In a way this could be seen as retroactive. The next aspect is politicization; The US played a major role in constructing of the trial. Many aspects of it were not the norm of Iraqi culture. This put political pressure on the trial that many did not agree with. Lastly it was difficult to decide who exactly was responsible for what crime. Many crimes committed were done by Saddams or those working under him but some weren’t exactly clear who was responsible. , Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti and Awad Hamed al-Bandar were executed for crime committed during the Dujail kill ings. The argument can be made that they were acting under Saddams orders. This process of figuring out who is responsible can be seen as selectivity. The goal of these tribunals is to find justice. This tends to be very difficult do without being bias due to the nature of war. Justice is guided by truth, reason and fairness. This is all for the good of the people. Although some may disagree, revenge isn’t justice. . In times like this it is hard to determine what is right and what is wrong. There is a fine line between cruelty and justice. This is a perfect example of how justice can be a double edged sword. Its situations like this that we need to learn from the past in order to move forward for the future. Work Cited Minow, M. (1998). Between Vengence and Forgiveness. Boston: beacon press books. America at a Crossroads: The Trial of Saddam Hussein, PBS Jun 4, 2014 ANDRE WALKER, http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/06/23/Saddam-Hussein-Judge-Executed-By-ISIS. 23 Jun 2014.

According to Raz, the sources thesis is essential

According to Raz, the sources thesis is essential According to Raz, the sources thesis is essential to the authority of law. Does it follow from his account that authority is at heart a matter of power (as a sceptic would maintain) rather than a rational virtue? Can Raz avoid this conclusion and remain a positivist? It is contended that Raz and his articulation of legal positivism remains intact after careful analysis, if somewhat buffeted by the arguments inherent in the question as posed. To fully appreciate the concept of authority as Raz develops it, one must first consider how Raz has defined the sources thesis and its relationship to the authority of law. The source thesis as developed by Raz is the culmination of his logical progression in the development of a flexible and comprehensive tool to define legal positivism. Raz fashions a three headed thesis comprised of social, moral and semantic components, of which the social thesis is the most important.[1] Raz emphatically states that what the law is and what it is not is a social fact –his corollary proposition is that a rule is only a legal rule if it meets a social condition.[2] Raz proceeded in his analysis to articulate how the social thesis becomes a cornerstone for the justification of law as a social institution, a concept tightly allied by Raz to three elements that determine the true existence of such systems – efficacy, institutional character and the source of law. In this context, Raz elevates the source thesis to one of both complexity and prominence. It is submitted that Raz in his definition of both efficacy and institutional character as separate tests that identify the existence of a legal system, in fact renders them as sub-compartments of his source thesis. Raz is certain that the source thesis, an acknowledgement that all law is fully determined by its social sources, is the most important element of a legal system.[3] He defines his social sources as including any extraneous 'interpretative sources'[4] that may exist in a society. Raz stipulates that a law has a source if its contents and existence can be determined without resort to moral arguments. Raz thus includes both legislation and a wide range of societal facts as defining the law and its authority. The Raz definition of law as an aggregation of community and societal custom, habits, and shared perspectives is a far cry from the seminal Austin concepts of legal positivism, ones centred upon the notion of a irrefutable ‘sovereign power’ that promulgates law as a command that is reciprocally enforced by sanction, all crisply delineated from any moral considerations.[5] In contrast, it is plain that Raz perceives the authority of the law in less stark and more indirect terms than Austin would have accepted. The source thesis as posited by Raz has two functions. The first is its utility in categorising and systemising the interconnected aspects of law (a purpose that all legal positivists from Austin onwards would endorse). The second function is to provide publicly ascertainable standards that are binding upon society.[6] The state power as contemplated by Raz to achieve these legal societal purposes is held in a collective sense by the community; there is no supreme and authoritative sovereign lawgiver in the Raz model. However, it is equally plain that Raz does not attribute ‘rational virtue’ to his concept of authority. By definition, virtue is a moral consideration and therefore one that Raz and positivists generally would not permit to enter the authority equation. On the subject of unvirtuous law, Raz suggested that ‘†¦Even a bad law, as the inevitable official doctrine, should be obeyed for as long as it is in force, while lawful action is taken to try and bring about its amendment or repeal’. It is submitted that this perspective internalizes authority to within the society, consistent with Raz’ thesis that law is fully determined from social sources.[7] Raz considers the question of power in relation to law in another sense that bears upon the present question. Raz has stated in a number of his works that consistent with the source based notion of all law, the authority to create or administer the law must be either legitimate or de facto.[8] The use of the term ‘authority’ has a strong power connotation; legal systems may only claim legitimacy through an implicit or express assertion that the system possesses the power to maintain such authority. The power to adjudicate legal issues and to the ability to maintain regulatory and enforcement systems places the legal system in a position of supremacy within a society, but it is a supremacy derived from societal forces and desires and not a sovereign influence in the Austinian positivist sense. It is submitted that in the Raz interpretation of the institutional character of the law, the legitimate legal system will inevitably reflect the social fact of the society. In this fashion Raz closes a philosophical loop in his conclusion that ‘†¦conformity to moral values or ideals is in no way a condition for anything being a law or legally binding. Hence, the law's conformity to moral values and ideals is not necessary[9]. It is this proposition that cements the Raz position as one within the positivist camp. Bibliography George, Robert P., (ed.) The Autonomy of Law: Essays on Legal Positivism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999) George, Robert P. What Is Law? A Century of Arguments. First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life Apr. 2001:23 Raz, Joseph. Ethics in the Public Domain: Essays in the Morality of Law and Politics (Revised ed.) (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995) Raz, Joseph. Practical Reasons and Norms (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979) Raz, Joseph. The Authority of Law: Essays on Law and Morality (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979) Footnotes [1] The Authority of Law: Essays on Law and Morality (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1979), 37; see also Practical Reasons and Norms (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002), 161, 162 ibid, 40 [2] ibid, 43-46 4 ibid, 47 [3]5 Austin, John. The Province of Jurisprudence Determined (New York: B. Franklin, 1970), 6 Raz, 51 [4] [5]5 Austin, John. The Province of Jurisprudence Determined (New York: B. Franklin, 1970), 6 Raz, 51 7Joseph Raz, Ethics in the Public Domain: Essays in the Morality of Law and Politics, Revised ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995) [6] [7] [8] Ethics, 216 [9] Ethics, 217

Aluminium :: essays research papers

Aluminium The history of Aluminium use Aluminium is now one of the most widely used metals, but one of the hardest to refine due to it's reactivity with other elements. Even as late as the turn of the century, Aluminium was considered very valuable and in turn expensive, even more expensive than gold. In some cultures, when a function was held (for example, a party) by wealthy people, only the most honored guests would be given Aluminium cutlery, the others had to make do with gold or silver cutlery. A Description of the Aluminium ore, including a list of it's contents Pure Aluminium oxide is known as alumina (Al2O3). This is found as corundum, a crystalline. Aluminium can also occur as cryolite (Na3AlF6). Traces of other metal oxides in Aluminium oxide tint it to make it form stones (often precious) for example: chronium gives a red colour to rubies, and cobalt makes the blue in sapphires. How Aluminium deposits are formed Aluminium (like many other metals) is not found in it's pure form, but associated with other elements in rocks and minerals. An aluminosilicate such as felspar (KAlSi3O8) is the main constituent of many rocks such as granite, which is quartz and mica cemented together with felspar. These rocks are gradually weathered and broken down by the action of carbon-dioxide from the air dissolved in rainwater forming ‘kaolin'. This is further broken down to form other substances, ultimately resulting in the formation of Aluminium deposits. Where and how Aluminium is mined? Aluminium is never found in it's pure state until it has been refined. Aluminium is made when refining alumina, which is in turn found from the ore ‘bauxite'. Bauxite is often mined in the opencast method. Aluminium deposits are found in many countries, but the countries with significant deposits include: Guinea, Jamaica, Surinam, Australia and Russia. How is Aluminium refined? One method is the ‘electrolytic process'. This is performed when a low voltage current is passes through a bath containing alumina in the molten form. The alumina is broken down into Aluminium metal which collects at the bottom of the bath at one electrical pole, the cathode, and the oxygen which reacts at the other pole, the anode, to give carbon-dioxide and some carbon-monoxide. The uses and properties of Aluminium Aluminium is now the second most widely used metal, after iron.

The Jealous Husband by Robert Browning :: essays research papers

The Jealous Husband That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now: Frà   Pandolf's hands Worked busily a day, and there she stands. 5 Will't please you sit and look at her? I said Frà   Pandolf'; by design, for never read Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance, But to myself they turned (since none puts by 10 The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, How such a glance came there; so, not the first Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 'twas not Her husband's presence only, called that spot 15 Of joy into the Duchess's cheek: perhaps Frà   Pandolf chanced to say 'Her mantle laps Over my lady's wrist too much,'; or 'Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint Half-flush that dies along her throat';: such stuff 20 Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough For calling up that spot of joy. She had A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad, Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. 25 Sir, 'twas all one! My favor at her breast, The dropping of the daylight in the West, The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule She rode with round the terrace—all and each 30 Would draw from her alike the approving speech, Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame 35 This sort of trifling? Even had you skill In speech—(which I have not)—to make your will Quite clear to such an one, and say, 'Just this Or that in you disgust me; here you miss, Or there exceed the mark';—and if she let 40 Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse –E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt, Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without 45 Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands As if alive. Will't please you rise? We'll meet The company below, then. I repeat, The Count your master's known munificence 50 Is ample warrant that no just pretense Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, 55 Taming a sea horse, thought a rarity,

Sample questions and Exam

Sample questions Note: The purpose for providing sample questions is to show the format of questions that will be given in the midterm exam. The midterm exam will have more of both true false questions and short answer problems than those presented here. For more short answer problem types please look at the exercises sets. True-false questions: T Consider the two statements: I. X is an inferior good. II. X exhibits Giffen’s Paradox. The following is true: II implies I, but I does not necessarily imply II. F T F Suppose that at current consumption levels an individual’s marginal utility of consuming an extra hot dog is 10 whereas the marginal utility of consuming an extra soft drink is 2. Then the MRS (of soft drinks for hot dogs)—that is, the number of hot dogs the individual is willing to give up to get one more soft drink is 1/5. If the price of X falls, the budget constraint shifts inward in a parallel fashion. T F T F Suppose a cup of coffee at the campus coffee shop is $2. 50 and a cup of hot tea is $1. 25. Suppose a student’s beverage budget is $20 per week. The algebraic expression represents the budget constraint. Suppose a cup of coffee at the campus coffee shop is $2. 50 and a cup of hot tea is $1. 25. Suppose a student’s beverage budget is $20 per week. Suppose the student simply prefers more caffeine to less and that the tea sold has exactly one-third the caffeine as the coffee. The student will buy a mix of coffee and tea. T F (The student will buy only coffee) T F In economic theory, the demand for a good must depend only on income and its own price and not on the prices of other goods. T F If two goods are substitutes, then an increase in the price of one of them will increase the demand for the other. 1 T F If consumers spend all of their income, it is impossible for all goods to be inferior goods. A good is a luxury good if the income elasticity of demand for it is greater than 1. A rational consumer spends her entire income. If her income doubles and prices do not change, then she will necessarily choose to consume twice as much of every good as she did before. A consumer has the utility function U(x; y) = min(x,2y) If the price of good x is zero and the price of good y is p; then the consumer's demand function for good y is m/2p. Suppose a teenager likes both rap music (R) and country music (C) with a set of preferences so that U = C1/2R1/2. Point (C, R)=(100, 1) makes the teen the happier than point (C, R)=(25, 25). If a person’s indifference curves can be represented as a straight line, the person views the goods as complements (but not perfect). T T F F T F T F T F Short answer problems 1. Walt consumes strawberries and cream but only in the fixed ratio of three boxes of strawberries to two cartons of cream. At any other ratio, the excess goods are totally useless to him. The cost of a box of strawberries is 10 and the cost of a carton of cream is 10. Walt's income is 200. How many boxes of strawberries does Walt demand? Ans: Walt demands 12 boxes of strawberries. (NOTE that the utility function is U=min{2x,3y}) 2. Fanny consumes only grapefruits and grapes. Her utility function is U(x; y) = x3y6; where x is the number of grapefruits consumed and y is the number of grapes consumed. Fanny's income is 48, and the prices of grapefruits and grapes are 1 and 3, respectively. How many grapefruits will she consume? Ans: 16 3. Katie Kwasi's utility function is U(x1; x2) = 2(ln x1)+ x2. Given her current income and the current relative prices, she consumes 5 units of x1 and 20 units of x2. If her income 2 doubles, while prices stay constant, how many units of x1 will she consume after the change in income? Ans: 5 3. Suppose a new healthcare initiative for the working poor will be paid for with a reduction to the earned income tax credit. Suppose the average working poor family has income of $12,000 from work and an additional $4000 from the EITC. If there are two goods, H (healthcare) and C (all other consumption), what will be the equation for a budget line with the EITC? (Let prices of all goods and healthcare be normalized to 1). Ans: C = $16,000 – H 4. Suppose a teenager has $20 and likes both rap music (R) and country music (C) with a set of preferences so that U = C1/2R1/2. Suppose that the iTunes price of a rap music song is and the price of a country music song is . What is the greatest level of affordable utility? Ans: v50 3

External Environment Analysis Essay

The Coca-Cola Company owes the success of its internal operations to its principles of corporate responsibility. The firm has incorporated an apt ethics program; this will guide their employees, and ensure them growth, achievement, and satisfaction for their jobs. In order to make this possible, The ideology of corporate responsibility is moderated and promulgated by the Public Policy and Corporate Reputation Council. The Council is comprised by a group of senior managers from each beverage and bottling company in the industry. It ascertains the risks and opportunities that each company in the industry encounters. The PPCR Council advises beverage companies in their employee management and operations. Feasible business strategies are generated in order to achieve growth and progress for beverage companies like the Coca-Cola Company (The Coca-Cola Company,2008). The firm believes there is no Coke without the presence of its prolific employees, which is the major force behind more than satisfactory results for the growth and progress of the company. Its operations are bolstered by innovative thinking, unique perspectives, and operational excellence of the workforce, which sustains profit margins of the firm as well as its image. With this in mind, the company recognizes the crucial role of its workforce plays in its worldwide operations. The Coca-Cola Company puts a premium on job satisfaction. The firm ensures that the Coca-Cola workplace is an environment where people can generate excellent input and augment their performance while enjoying what they do (The Coca-Cola Company,2008). Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Supplier Power Coca-Cola’s suppliers have been clamoring for increased prices for raw materials used in manufacturing their products. Usually, these suppliers are responsible for the prices of raw materials to increase. Suppliers have gained the notoriety of manipulating the cost of raw materials, which generates a deliberate effect on the firm’s part. Suppliers are more manipulative whenever the number of suppliers is low. This gives the handful of suppliers to raise the price of raw materials, which in turn leaves firms line Coca-Cola’s no further options to purchase commodities of lower cost. An international brand like Coca-Cola’s is usually responsible for improving the working conditions within their factories (Foust, 2006). The firm provides the much-needed technical assistance, which help augment the performance of both factory workers and shop floor employees. Buyer Power Buyer power is also considered the spending capacity of the consumer. In the athletic shoe industry, the buyer power is strong. This aspect simply states that the buyer or the consumer has always has a â€Å"say† on the price of particular good. Furthermore, buyer power is considered crucial due to the fact that it has a deliberate impact on the industry. However, softdrink companies like Coca-Cola’s has a discreet mutual arrangement regarding the aspect of buyer power. These intangible mutual contracts between the firm and its consumers have been apparent for quite some time now (Foust, 2006). Firms have been empowering consumers to augment their buyer power. Buyer power has a relationship with supplier power as well. A firm like Coca-Cola’s opines for the cost of raw materials it acquires from its suppliers. Buyer power is quite a delicate matter to elaborate on. The asymmetry between the buyer and the industry generates a bevy of discrepancies, which contributes to an inconsistent market condition and prevents forward integration. Barriers and Threats of Entry Perennial rival companies like PepsiCo and RC Cola are not the only ones who pose a threat for the company. Neophyte softdrink companies both domestic and international are always attempting penetrate the industry will also have a deliberate effect in the industry. The outcome will be a fluctuation in percentage of the market share of softdrink companies. Coca-Cola’s does its part through studying potential market segments to entice. Firms that tend to enter and exit a market are subjected to nominal profits (Foust, 2006). Competitive Rivalry Coca-Cola’s always strives to survive in a competitive industry through the aid of its competitive advantage. For the plethora of softdrink companies, competition always matters in order to bolster profitability. Coca-Cola’s augments their advertising and marketing strategy by its charismatic approach to its advertising. The global softdrink industry is highly competitive (Foust, 2006). The company has to compete with national and domestic retailers such as discount store chains, department stores, independent retail stores, and internet retailers that cater to a particular market segment of similar merchandise. The company has encountered stiff competition in Asian markets, which range from regional to national chains. Threat of Alternative Products & Substitutes The apparent threat of alternative or substitute products is a common adversity for Coca-Cola’s. A number of softdrink companies have always attempted to overwhelm Coca-Cola’s ‘s market share through attempts in cheaper price movements in order for consumers to consider other brands aside from Coca-Cola’s. The subject of price elasticity surfaces whenever the price change of an alternative product affects as the demand for such product. The industry where Coca-Cola’s thrives is saturated by a bevy of substitute products, which to tend to constrained the ability of these companies to make an increase in prices. The softdrink industry is always sporadic and innovative in terms of manufacturing products, which can draw consumers to purchase their products. The outcome is a letdown in sales for the Coca-Cola Company (Foust, 2006). Reference The Coca-Cola Company. (2008). Governance & Ethics. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/citizenship/governance_ethics. html The Coca-Cola Company. (2008). Engagement. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://www. thecoca- colacompany. com/citizenship/engagement. html Foust, D. (2006). Queen of Pop. Business Week. New York: Aug 7, 2006. , Iss. 3996; pg. 44 Foust, D. & Byrnes, N. Gone Flat. (2004). Business Week. New York: December 20, 2004, Issue 3913: page 76

Critical Path Analysis: Its Use and Limitations Essay

Introduction As firms begin to realize the need to improve on their project management capabilities, many companies and software developers have charged to fill this need by offering tools and techniques for a variety of projects. Some are tools for portfolio management, and some focus on particular disciplines within the project management field. Tools for resource planning, task and time management, communications management, resource allocation, or other project needs abound. Being a mature academic and practical course, Project Management has developed many tools and methodologies to assist in the planning, execution, evaluation and closeout of various types of projects. Varied tools can be used throughout many categories of project needs, while some tools are specific to certain types of projects. Some of the benefits of using project management tools and techniques as opposed to general management procedures, as mentioned in this week’s lecture, are that they have been proven to work particularly in a project environment and the uniformity of terms and approaches allows for better understanding and communication between members of the project team and the stakeholders. Tools such as Decision Trees, Cost-Benefit Analysis and programs such as Agile and Prince2 have proven to be particularly useful in producing best practice and expert results for projects that have employed them. CPA Utility and Limitations Critical Path Method (CPM) or Critical Path Analysis (CPA), as a project management tool, operates as the basis for a project work schedule, and likewise of resource planning illustrating shortest possible time to complete a project. The tool outlines critical events noting their sequencing, precedence relations, and strict timing requirements (Shtub, Bard and Globerson, 2005:395). The authors further note that PERT and CPA approaches treat ‘Finish to Start’ precedence relations using ‘zero’ as lag time between finish of last activity to start of next task along the critical path. The CPA map shows what activities cannot begin without accomplishing the preceding task, it is dependent on and also defines parallel tasks or ‘non-dependent’ tasks which can be performed simultaneously. By plotting activities using circles to represent activities noting earliest start (EST) and end times (LFT), and arrows showing sequencing of tasks, CPA clearly defines the flow of tasks, timings and therefore resources that must be allocated to accomplish activities and timelines. CPA has similarities to a GANTT chart as both tools show tasks that need to be done and the corresponding time to accomplish each. However, unlike a GANTT chart, CPA activity timings are not drawn to scale in that arrows represented with the same length may correspond to differing measures of time (e. g. same size arrows may represent 1, 2 or 4 weeks). A GANTT chart will have the tasks on a vertical axis while the time required for each task is easily identified along its horizontal axis. For both GANTT and CPA, the plan’s ‘critical path’ is the longest and has no spare time or ‘slack’/’float’ in any of the tasks. If any delays between dependent tasks in the critical path are encountered, the whole project will be delayed unless the manager makes changes to bring the plan back on track. Bringing a project back on track may be done by possibly adding resources to cut delivery time of tasks (‘crashing’) affected by the delay. Obviously, adding or re-allocating resources usually mean additional costs to the project. A sample for a 10-week computer project using a CPA map is as below. Upper left numbers within nodes represent the EST and lower left numbers on nodes represent LFT. Number on the right is the activity number and task description and duration is along the arrow lines: Source: www. mindtools. com In managing a project, a CPA map allows the project team to monitor attainment of goals and assists the project manager to see where corrective action is required to get the project back on course. Shtub, Bard and Globerson (2005:381) reiterate preparation and use of the tool requires a complete understanding of the project’s goals and structures. As most projects will have a number of stakeholders with different requirements, it must be assumed that a thorough knowledge and understanding of all these requirements are known and considered by the project manager in order to utilize a CPA approach. Moreover, considerable expertise is required in order to estimate the duration of each project task as performance and resource allocation are dependent on the accuracy of the ame. While CPA is recognized as an important part of project management, projects which may not benefit from use of this tool are those where there is a requirement for high flexibility in project tasks and schedules. ‘Project Flexibility’ is described by Maylor, (2010:86) as the capability of a project to adjust to changes. As CPA assumes that activity times are ‘deterministic’ – having a predictable outcome as all of its causes are clear and rigid, it is unlikely that the CPA tool can easily take in many adjustments during the execution stage without jeopardizing the project. Since only parallel tasks are afforded time slack within the plan, a project may experience detrimental delays and spiralling costs should situations arise where the schedules are not met, or resources cannot be re-allocated to a later or earlier timeline. In particular, R&D projects, where results of new technology or a new drug cannot be easily predicted, or may need further testing and numerous changes, may suffer from a very rigid CPA map. Moreover, project work on innovations will not have the benefit of historical basis for correctly estimating time requirements of many tasks involved which is ssential in using the CPA. The United States Food and Drug Administration (2004) comments, â€Å"A new product development toolkit — containing powerful new scientific and technical methods such as animal or computer-based predictive models, biomarkers for safety and effectiveness, and new clinical evaluation techniques — is urgently needed to improve predictability and efficiency along the critical path from laboratory concept to commercial product†. This lack of knowledge and systems in drug research and development negatively affects the proper implementation of a CPA as a project management tool. Conversely, Construction industry projects benefit widely from the use of CPA maps as there is a considerable body of knowledge, experience, and repetition in many of the tasks performed in such projects. Another weakness in the utilisation of the CPA tool highlighted by Woolf (2008) is the observation that there is as yet no â€Å"universally accepted definition of the term ‘critical path’†. He argues that this lack of consensus poses a problem in determining what is critical, nearcritical, or non-critical in nature when preparing a CPA map. Since parallel tasks falling outside of the critical path can still have grave effects on the total project should they fall behind in schedule, Woolf argues there is nothing ‘non-critical’ about a parallel activity which has -17weeks as float. It is suggested ‘criticality’ must be measurable and objective, free from comparisons which will make it subjective. Moreover, as a completed project is one unit, it is contended all tasks within the project are important/critical and contributes to its completion. This agreement in understanding and measure of terms is an important issue as one of the advantages of utilising tools and methods is its universality of understanding. In the case of R&D and highly innovative tasks in projects, this question poses an issue as unknown tasks at the start of the project which may arise and have significant implications on the project would not have been accounted for in the ‘critical path’. Shtub, Bard and Globerson (2005:382) cite overdependence on the CPA as a potential threat to project success. When pressure in sequential schedules is the primary focus, a team may cut short or totally exclude certain tasks in order to stay within timelines. This negative manner of management can be harmful to the project’s final outcome. This last observation though is not a weakness of the tool itself but is a case of weak project management. Conclusion and Recommendation: As with any tool, the user’s skill is key to its effective employment and management. CPA has been proven to be a valuable tool in project management for determining: Activities which must be performed, sequencing, prioritising, and timing Tasks which can be performed parallel to save time. The shortest time a project can be successfully delivered What and when resource will be required Remedial measures will be required and when during the performance of the project. As such, it is an integral part of the project management toolbox which can be harnessed efficiently in a variety of complex projects with proper inputs derived from experience, research, modelling and sound judgement.

Miles Davis Essay

Jon Davis Perspectives in American Jazz Ben Martinson December 10, 2009 Miles Davis: The Last Pioneer in American Jazz Miles Davis represents the pinnacle of modern American Jazz. He was one of the foremost pioneers in the inventions of cool jazz, hard bop, free jazz, fusion and techno. He was, arguably one of the most influential figures in music, pushing the boundaries of what was commonly known as jazz into new directions that most people thought was impossible. Davis was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton, Illinois to Dr. Miles Henry Davis, a successful dentist, and Cleota Mae Davis. Davis’ interest in music was sparked at the age of 13 when his father bought him a trumpet, and arranged lessons with accomplished local musician Elwood Buchanan. Oddly enough, Buchanan discouraged Davis from using vibrato in his music, which was a characteristic that Davis carried throughout the entirety of his career. Interestingly, his mother, Cleota Mae Davis, played blues piano but kept this facts hidden from her son. Because of his proficiency with the trumpet, he was accepted into the Julliard School of Music to study classical music. Davis quickly realized that the classical form was not for him, and desired a more non-traditional approach. Davis made the decision to drop out of the Julliard School because they were not accepting of his non-traditional approach. Davis focused on imperfect melodies in order to distract the users away from the composition of the music, and to concentrate more on the deeply rooted meanings in the music. Davis stated in an interview, â€Å"It's [music] always been a gift with me, hearing music the way I do. I don't know where it comes from, it's just there and I don't question it,† (Miles Davis Properties). After Davis dropped out of Julliard, he got to experience the greatest privilege that any musician of the time could hope for. He received the chance to play with the band of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Davis’ performance was rapidly perfected by the influence of Parker and Gillespie (Miles Davis). He saw his first studio time under Parker and Gillespie with Savoy records in September of 1945. This represented a major change of pace for Davis, because he was now qualified to record as a solo artist. Savoy Records offered to sign him as a band leader, where he soon excelled to the point of starting his own nonet called the â€Å"Miles Davis Nonet. † Davis often came off as arrogant or rude because he demanded absolute perfection in all rehearsals and performances from his band members. These demands may have been rooted in the slaps on the knuckles he received as a child from Buchanan. Davis had rapidly become one of the most famous musicians of the time, and had no intention of slowing down. Davis enjoyed a rapid, lifestyle of fame success, and debauchery. His lifestyle began to catch up with him at the peak of his career when heroine became a severe problem in his life. Heroin addiction was not uncommon for musicians during the 1940s and 1950s. It is speculated that his addiction to heroin may have been influenced by both Parker and Gillespie, the two men that made him into a star (Miles Davis). However, the difference between Davis, Parker, and Gillespie was that Davis rid himself of his addiction to heroin by locking himself into a room until he was completely free of his habit and prepared to perform again. Davis rapidly got back to the world of jazz by performing at the Newport Jazz Festival in July of 1955. This performance was one of his best live shows, and proved to Columbia Records that he was ready to record one of his bestselling albums of all time, Miles Ahead. This album featured legendary collaborations between Gil Evans and Davis. It created the new sound of Miles Davis that moved away from Bebop, and more towards unheard of genres of music. In August of 1959 Davis’ success continued with the release of his most successful album, Kind of Blue. This album went on to earn quadruple-platinum success, and to be the best-selling jazz album of all time. â€Å"It never and entered my mind† is my favorite track by Davis. It is the first track on Davis’ album, Workin’ performed by the Miles Davis Quintet. The track features Davis playing a very cool, relaxed trumpet solo, with a walking scale on bass. The scale is a riff and it repeats the entire song. First and foremost when listen to this piece, I just feel extremely relaxed. The song carries a heavy romantic tone to it that one cannot help but fall in love with. It is very much like most of his early trumpet playing because it lacks vibrato, and is overall an extremely smooth piece. On September 28, 1991, one year after receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Davis died at the young age of sixty-five from a stroke, pneumonia and respiratory failure. Davis’ music has been, and will continue to be popular and one of the most sought after names in American Jazz. His influence on other genres spans wider than most people realize because of the amount of techniques and styles that he experimented with. No audience is out of reach of Davis’ music because of his uses elements of rock, pop, electronic, jazz and so many more genres. His self-discipline, talent, and love for music have earned him 9 Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, stars on the Hollywood and Saint Louis Walks of Fame, and a Knighthood in Paris. These and countless other honors, combined with his record sales are proof of the popularity, influence, and success that Davis will enjoy for years to come in the fields of cool jazz, hard bop, free jazz, fusion and techno. Davis was a stickler for perfection and poured himself into every song he created and performed, and many musicians have him to thank for the success he has brought them. Works Cited Miles Davis Properties, L. â€Å"Miles Davis. † Miles Davis. 9 Nov. 2009 http://www. milesdavis. com/. Miles Davis Quintet. Workin' Rec. 1956. Prestige, 1987. â€Å"Miles Davis. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 2009. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 9 Nov. 2009 http://www. rockhall. com/inductee/miles-davis. NPR, Ken Burns, and Columbia/legacy . â€Å"Miles Davis. † 9 Nov. 2009 http://www. pbs. org/jazz/biography/artist_id_davis_miles. htm. Ouellette, Dan. â€Å"Miles Ahead. † Billboard119 (2007): 48-49. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Pickler Memorial Library, Kirk sville. 9 Nov. 2009. Keyword: Miles Davis. Paradowski, Robert J. â€Å"It's About That Time: Miles Davis on and Off Record. † (2005). EBSCOhost. Pickler Memorial Library, Kirksville. 9 Nov. 2009. Keyword: Miles Davis.