fidel castro Essay -- essays research papers

The United States of America is a nation that puts stock in majority rules system and has ominous binds with socialist nations. The United States has pursued for decades to improve relations with the nations that don’t practice popular government. History shows contradictions between the United States and tyrants of these disrespectful nations, differences that carried the world to the verge of atomic war. The latest of these encounters included three nations. US of America, Cuba and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). Fidel Castro is a Cuban progressive, who assumed responsibility for Cuba in 1959 also, settled a Communist tyranny. Castro, who was conceived in Mayari, became the pioneer of an underground, against government group. In 1956, he drove a defiance that won expanding famous help. In the long run Castro constrained Batista y Zaldivar, who was the chief of Cuba to escape the nation. Once in power Castro executed and detained a great many political adversaries, nationalized industry, collectivized horticulture, and set up a one-party communist state. In the mid 1960’s Castro straightforwardly grasped Communism and framed close attaches with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), depending on Soviet monetary and military guide affirming constrained financial changes that legitimized a few free undertaking. In Cuba, an expected $1 billion in U.S.- claimed properties were seized in 1960. The Castro government held onto petroleum processing plants, sugar factories, and electric utilities claimed by th...

Preparing for the BMAT (biomedical admissions test) Essay

The biomedical confirmations test was made to help clinical and veterinary schools in the affirmations procedure. A portion of the colleges have considerably more applications than places and most of these applications are solid. The BMAT permits the colleges to sift through the most grounded up-and-comers dependent on test execution. The BMAT test goes on for 2 hours and is part into 3 segments. The assessment test date is 31st October 2008. This article will mean to give you some exhortation and give a diagram to understudies who are anticipating taking the BMAT test. †¢ fitness and abilities (60 minutes) †¢ logical information and application (30 minutes) †¢ composing task (30 minutes) The colleges which at present expect you to take the BMAT are: †¢ The college of Cambridge †¢ The college of Oxford †¢ Imperial school London †¢ The imperial veterinary school †¢ University of focal London Inclination and Skills This area expects to investigate your critical thinking aptitudes, your capacity to comprehend and decipher information and your explanatory abilities. It is different decision for the most. This is the fundamental explanation with respect to why you should figure cleverly, investigate the given information and speculate. Practice is key in this segment. For the critical thinking component of this area take a gander at all the given information cautiously. Here are a few strategies to support you. †¢ Divide and vanquish procedure: Break down any huge lumps of information into littler pieces, making the littler issues which are simpler to tackle and afterward once you have fathomed them assembled the information back and structure an answer. †¢ Trial and mistake: Use various ways to deal with arrive at a last resolution and answer. †¢ Working in reverse: start with one of the potential answers and work in reverse from it. †¢ Incubation: This is a final retreat strategy which only occasionally works. Put the entirety of the beginning subtleties identifying with an issue in your brain picture them and afterward quit concentrating on them and continue with the assessment (speculate). Your inner mind psyche may think of an answer during the remainder of the assessment The comprehension and deciphering subset includes utilizing the data before you, don't make suspicions except if it is fitting to the inquiry. Break down all information given cautiously not forgetting about anything. The information examination subset includes extricating certain calls attention to of the information and utilizing these to make reasonable ends, to offer the response. Contingent upon the beginning information you are given this could incorporate utilizing factual strategies, deciphering charts, bend fitting or in any event, killing undesirable data and organizing said information. Logical information and application This segment endeavors to cause understudies to use their logical information to assist them with addressing questions. Again this segment is different decision, so make educated thinks about when there is a need utilizing the information given. This area additionally requires practice and correction of logical standards so as to score good grades, so we prompt you do some amendment covering the fundamentals of science, science and material science. Composing task The composing task is requesting that you make a paper from a given inquiry. Here are some broad pointers to assist you with accomplishing an incredible score. †¢ Read: Read articles, papers, diaries and book. This will assist you with gaining a comprehension of how to advance consistent idea and will likewise help improve your English composing aptitudes †¢ Partake in bunch conversations/banter discussions: By doing this you will build up the aptitudes that permit you to examine certain circumstances and explanations, notwithstanding building up the capacity to create a reasonable contention taking a gander at the two sides of the circumstance and can assist you with delivering great end. †¢ Good structure: Ensure you have a presentation, Main body and end. By having an allocated exposition structure your thoughts will stream all the more uninhibitedly and will follow an intelligent request that makes it simpler for the peruser to comprehend. †¢ Snappy end and presentation: the presentation and end can be the areas of your paper that offer it to the peruser. Since these are the first and last things they read thus will stay in their brain the longest. An amazingly decent end will stick in the perusers head and perhaps it may assist you with boosting your imprint. End One key viewpoint for correction with respect to the UKCAT is to sit some false BMAT assessments; this will permit you to figure out the apportioned schedule vacancy for the test and along these lines guarantee that you can complete all the inquiries. Some last broad pointers I might want to include are 1. Don’t burn through an excess of time on one inquiry. 2. Create a short arrangement for your composing task, simply calling attention to what you are going to cover and in what request. 3. Ensure you get a lot of rest before the test. 4. In the event that you have time accessible toward the finish of the test use it to look at over your answers.

4) WEBINAR The Fight Against Fake News How to Teach Your Students to be Super Sleuths

(5/4) WEBINAR The Fight Against Fake News How to Teach Your Students to be Super Sleuths (0) When: Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 4:15 pm EDT.   Cant make it? If you register, you will receive a recording of the webinar that you can watch at your leisure. What Well Cover: Information is everywhere and unfortunately, it’s not all trustworthy. As educators, we should make it a priority to teach our students how to determine whether information is fake or not, especially if we strive for them to be lifelong learners. Join Michele Kirschenbaum, In-House Librarian at EasyBib, a Chegg service, as she provides a run-down of different online text features to point out and teach to students, as well as resources and lesson ideas to help promote the fight against fake news. Co-sponsors Mackin and EasyBib, a Chegg service, will also give a short peeks of their citation integration  at the end of the webinar.     About the Presenter: Michele Kirschenbaum is the In-house Librarian at EasyBib, a Chegg service and a school librarian for the New York City Department of Education. She obtained her MLIS from Drexel University and serves as an executive board member on the New York City School Library Association. When she’s not being a rock star in her library, Michele enjoys cheering for the New York Mets and catching live music around New York City. You can find her here on Twitter. Register for the Webinar Below: hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: '222136', formId: 'd3224dc7-dcf0-4fa4-8ccb-927dd078bc33' }); © 2001-2017 EasyBib ® a Chegg ® service. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Terms of Use

4) WEBINAR The Fight Against Fake News How to Teach Your Students to be Super Sleuths

(5/4) WEBINAR The Fight Against Fake News How to Teach Your Students to be Super Sleuths (0) When: Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 4:15 pm EDT.   Cant make it? If you register, you will receive a recording of the webinar that you can watch at your leisure. What Well Cover: Information is everywhere and unfortunately, it’s not all trustworthy. As educators, we should make it a priority to teach our students how to determine whether information is fake or not, especially if we strive for them to be lifelong learners. Join Michele Kirschenbaum, In-House Librarian at EasyBib, a Chegg service, as she provides a run-down of different online text features to point out and teach to students, as well as resources and lesson ideas to help promote the fight against fake news. Co-sponsors Mackin and EasyBib, a Chegg service, will also give a short peeks of their citation integration  at the end of the webinar.     About the Presenter: Michele Kirschenbaum is the In-house Librarian at EasyBib, a Chegg service and a school librarian for the New York City Department of Education. She obtained her MLIS from Drexel University and serves as an executive board member on the New York City School Library Association. When she’s not being a rock star in her library, Michele enjoys cheering for the New York Mets and catching live music around New York City. You can find her here on Twitter. Register for the Webinar Below: hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: '222136', formId: 'd3224dc7-dcf0-4fa4-8ccb-927dd078bc33' }); © 2001-2017 EasyBib ® a Chegg ® service. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Terms of Use

Essay on Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twains classic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, tells the story of a teenaged misfit who finds himself floating on a raft down the Mississippi River with an escaping slave, Jim. In the course of their perilous journey, Huck and Jim meet adventure, danger, and a cast of characters who are sometimes menacing and often hilarious. A hackneyed expression states that one should never discuss†¦show more content†¦This innocence allows Twain to satirize religious sentimentality and superficiality with abandon. Miss Watson and Widow Douglas, Hucks unofficial guardians who try to sivilize him, teach Huck the concept of Christianity. The women emphasis prayer and Providence. Huck recalls, She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it (10). The literal minded young boy believes that he would receive anything he desires if he prays for it. This is made apparent when Huck states, I tried for the hooks three or four times, but somehow I couldnt make it work (11). Further attempts by the two women to explain prayer only leads to more confusion, making Twains point that religious practices, in this case prayer, do not always make sense. To further this point, Twain includes Hucks confusion over Providence. Each of the women explains the concept of Providence differently, actually contradic ting one another. Huck explains what he is taught by saying, I judged I could see that there was two Providences. Thus, Twain criticizes religious philosophy by creating a scenario whereby the two women, and subsequently Huck, have two juxtapose interpretations of a religious concept. Twain conveys his message of how ridiculous it is for two or more people to have different interpretations of the same religious concept and still claim to practice the sameShow MoreRelatedMark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay1103 Words   |  5 Pages Published in 1885, Mark Twain’s American classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, captured the both the hearts and hatred of its audience. While some view it as a masterpiece that successfully blended the American condition in a captivating and interesting manner, others observe it to be nothing more than racist trash. The latter is a shallow misunderstanding of the novel’s purpose and potential enlightening impa ct on its readers. From a more appreciative and open-minded perspective, one wouldRead More The Outcast in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn641 Words   |  3 PagesOutcast in Huckleberry Finn nbsp; One of the themes that has been addressed by writers since the beginning of civilization is the issue of the split between living in society and living by oneself. We see this in that peculiarly American genre of books known as road books, in which the protagonist embarks upon a long journey or period of time away from society in order to find themselves. One of the quintessential examples of this type of book is Mark Twains novel The Adventures of HuckleberryRead MoreMark TwainS The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn Is More1915 Words   |  8 PagesMark Twain s the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is more than just a condemnation of pre-civil war society and its justification of slavery. Twain also uses the novel to challenge the validity of superstition. The main characters, Huckleberry and Jim, are mere marionettes for Twain to express his censure through; he mocks them with their own fears and distortion of superstition. Twain’s representation of superstition throughout the bo ok is indicative of his own thoughts towards the subject. TheRead More The Immature Huck Finn in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1723 Words   |  7 PagesThe Immature Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚  Ã‚   Maturity is not a fickle expression such as happiness or frustration, but rather an inherent quality one gains over time, such as courage or integrity. Before maturity can be expressed, the one who expresses it must have significant confidence in himself, since self-confidence is the root of maturity. Being flexible and formulating ones own opinions or ideas are aspects of maturity, but neither is possible without self-confidence. The greatest aspect ofRead More The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn829 Words   |  4 PagesThe Importance of Friendship in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, One soul inhabiting two bodies. This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twains epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feelRead MoreThe Controversy Over Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn610 Words   |  3 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a controversial book that has raised heated debates across America for the past century. It was ranked fifth most challenging books out of one hundred in the 1990s (Chadwick 2). Although this book is a hot topic, it should remain on shelves, and still be taught in schools. While Huck Finn seems to be only a book of satire, most want this book banned because it is seen as highly racial. â€Å"The reading of Huck Finn is humiliating to back studentsRead More The Final Episode of Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn3016 Words   |  13 PagesThe Great Importance of the Final Episode of Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the things many critics of Huckleberry Finn   just cant seem to understand is the final episode of the novel where Tom returns and sidetracks Huck from his rescue of Jim through a long series of silly, boyish plans based on ideas Tom has picked up from Romantic novels, such as those of Walter Scott.   Critic Stephen Railton dismisses these final chapters as just another version of their RoyalRead More The Public Reception of Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn963 Words   |  4 PagesReception of Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Upon its publication in 1884, Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was met with mixed reviews. Some reviewers called it flat, trashy, and irreverent. Others called it Twains best work yet, hailing his humor and style throughout the novel. Though obscure at first, reviews began to appear in many newspapers throughout the country as more and more became interested in the novel as a result of these reviews. Huckleberry Finn was publishedRead More Escaping Reality in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1306 Words   |  6 PagesRunning From Reality in Huckleberry Finn        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a main target of satire is the romantic view of life. Though the characters and symbols, it is evident that the idyllic views are being disparaged. Some of the people in this book are simply deluded, while others cause major tribulations during their lives. Literary romanticism can be pleasant, but it is not real and can confuse those not sage enough to distinguish the difference between a writersRead More Prejudice and Racism in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1062 Words   |  5 PagesPrejudice and Racism in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn    Despite all the criticism, of racism and other questionable material for young readers, Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is a superbly written novel, which in the opinion of this reviewer should not be remove the literary cannon. Twain’s novel is a coming of age story that teaches young people many valuable lessons and to some extend makes students reexamine their own lives and morals. The most common argument

Monsanto Case Analysis Management Course Work

The case provides some background information about Monsanto which is the world’s largest seed company with annual sales of $11.7 billion. The case tackles the general environment of the company which includes the technological, global, and political legal dimensions. Â  The task environment, comprising of the customers and customers is also addressed as well as the means the company is using to balance the needs of the stakeholders and the environment. The company faces big challenges in developing and introducing GM seeds; these concerns center on the potential harmful effects of the GM seeds on the environment and the health concern of consumers. However these are disputed by research studies, thus reinforcing the case for their adoption. Next, the case deals with ethical issues, which include bribery claims in Indonesia and patent rights violation by farmers. Finally, it focuses on the future of Monsanto. The company has a bright potential to thrive as it is still focused on technological innovations. Nature of organizational environment The external environment of an organization comprises of two components:Â   the general environment and the task environment. The general environment consists of non specific dimensions and forces in the surroundings that might impact its operations. Social cultural, political-legal, international and technological dimensions make up the general environment. On the other hand, task environment consists of specific groups that are likely to influence the organization. These include competitors, customers, suppliers and regulatory agencies (Beauchamp, 2008). Monsanto’s general environment The technological dimension Monsanto has consistently invested in breakthrough technologies in biotechnology. Weeds have been a nuisance to farmers and herbicides that were supposed to kill weed were mostly costly and time consuming. However, Monsanto came up with seeds implanted with herbicide Round Ready, which is able to kill weeds and spare the crops. In order to keep abreast with the needs of farmers, Monsanto continues to invest heavily in research and development. According to the case, the company spends about $ 1 billion annually and uses technology to woo the support of the stakeholders. For example the company has a laboratory that offers the farmers educational tours. Farmers are shown cutting edge technologies, which offers high yield. In this manner the company is able to retain as well as gain potential clients. Through this way, the company is able to stay ahead of competition (Sawayda, n.d) Political- legal dimension Companies have to operate under the watchful eye of the government and legal forces, (Beauchamp, 2008), and Monsanto is no exception. Monsanto is currently under the attention of the American Antitrust institute for alleged anticompetitive practices reported by the competitors. The task environment As discussed above, a company’s task environment consists of competitors, customers, suppliers and regulatory agencies. These have had a love- hate relationship with Monsanto according to the case. The company received much criticism after the introduction of GM seeds and its products. However, the CEO of Monsanto decided to minimize criticism by focusing biotechnology on products that would be used in the production of animal feeds and corn syrup. Farmers are the main stakeholders of the company, and those who purchase GM seeds are able to grow more crops on less land. Monsanto prides itself by indicating that their insect protected corn has raised income in Philippines. However, this claim is disputed by critics. On the other hand, its attempt to introduce their products in Europe has been thwarted by consumers. In addition, Green Peace, which is a secondary stake holder, has been on forefront of fighting Monsanto especially the attempt to promote the GM crops in developing countries. Of specific concerns are: the safety of the GM foods and concerns about environmental effects (Sawayda, n.d) As highlighted above, some of the Monsanto’s stakeholders are the farmers and the Green Peace who have raised concerns about GM food products and the effects on the environment. Specifically, their concerns are based on moral and safety issues. The skeptics argue that biotechnology crops are unnatural with the company controlling everything that goes into the seeds. Critics argue that, since the GM crops are new, their health implications may not be known for years. In addition, the issue of toxicity has been raised, as many Monsanto seeds have genes that allow them to produce their own Roundup Ready herbicide. Nevertheless, one of the components in dispute, glyphosate has been listed by EPA as having low skin and oral toxicity. Other studies have shown that Roundup has no health risks for humans.FDA has come also on the defense of GM food, arguing that GM food is safe to eat. As a result of this, tight restrictions on label have been initiated for rBST milk (Sawayda, n.d) Steps taken to establish an ethical culture Apart from organizational and health issues, Monsanto has to deal with its conduct. Pressure for performance in many organizations force employees to commit unethical conduct and Monsanto has not been without exception. Bribery claim and patent issues have led to ethical and reputational consequences. An ethical culture should be of great priority to the management and the challenge for many organizations is trying to understand how to build one. Monsanto was fined a big chunk of money after some of the managers were reportedly engaging in bribery in Indonesia. After conducting investigations, the company unearthed and reported the bribery to the authorities. In addition to paying fines to the OOJ and SEe, Monsanto agreed to be closely monitored by the authorities. This shows that the company is willing to accept and correct its own mistakes. On the issue of patent rights, Monsanto uses investigators from law firms to investigate suspected violation. A farmer, who is found violating the patent, is fined or taken to court. Establishing an ethical culture As highlighted above, an ethical culture should be a top priority for every business, large or small. Therefore every organization should try to understand what it takes to build one. As a chief executive of a big company like Monsanto, I would take the following steps to establish an ethical culture. Establish an enforceable code of conduct A code of ethics is the foundation of any sustainable ethics program. It should not be based on past mistakes but rather a proactive effort (Malcolm, 2001). Establish an initial and ongoing training The purpose of training is to let employees know what is expected of them. In addition, training helps employees to know that a strong ethical culture protects the reputation of the company and enhances profitability. Maintaining regular communications The aim of regular communication would be to ensure ethics are live. Ongoing conversation or communication makes workers aware and more willing to defend the policies of the company whenever they see problems (Beauchamp, 2008). Establish an anonymous reporting hotline This provides employees with a confidential method of reporting unethical conduct. It is a well known tool in helping to enforce codes of conduct and establishing an ethical culture. Enforcement / action plans A code of conduct has to be enforced and therefore action is necessary when problems arise. Although about 40% of employees have been found unwilling to report unethical behavior, the rate of misconduct can be reduced significantly if by companies with strong reporting and ethical cultures. Rewarding the employees that follow the code diligently Finally rewarding employees that behave well and live the code of conduct is important in establishing an ethical culture. By recognizing and rewarding good behavior, a company can be able to provide a big incentive for the employees to be an integral part of helping to enforce a code of conduct and establish an ethical culture (Malcolm, 2001). References Beauchamp, Tom. (2008). Ethical Theory and Business: International Edition. New York Prentice-Hall.. Malcolm Evans. (2001). Six Steps to Establishing an Ethical Culture. Retrieved 26th September 2010 from http://knol.google.com/k/six-steps-to-creating-an-ethical-culture Sawayda, Jeniffer (n.d) Principles of Management: Monsanto Balances Environmental Ethical Factors.

SWOT and Porter Five Forces Analysis of Royal Dutch Shell Free Essays

Abstract Royal Dutch Shell Plc is the second largest oil company with global operations in more than 80 countries and more than 30 refinery plants. The company has a registered office in London, United Kingdom and headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands and was ranked number one with a market capitalization of 135,511.7million US Dollars as at the close of 11th Tuesday, 2012. We will write a custom essay sample on SWOT and Porter Five Forces Analysis of Royal Dutch Shell or any similar topic only for you Order Now The company’s major strength includes a global presence with globally recognized brands, growing financial strength, significant manufacturing and technological capabilities and diversified portfolio of products. The global operations of the company are associated with difficulties of standardising quality due to varied operational conditions. Furthermore, the company is faced with stiff competition from the leading suppliers in the industry including Exxon Mobil Corporation, Total S.A. and BP Plc. However, the company can use differentiation strategy capitalizing on its globally recognized brands to establish a competitive edge over the competitors. In addition, the company can expand its global presence through striking strategic partnerships with local small companies in foreign markets to enhance penetration in the markets. Introduction Royal Dutch Shell plc commonly known as Shell is an independent company with its registered office located in LondonUK and headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands operating in the oil and gas industry globally (Reuters, 2012). The operations of the company are divided into three main segments including; Downstream, Upstream and Projects and Technology. The Upstream segment combines activities involved in the search for and recovery, liquefaction and transportation of oils and natural gas and wind energy. The Downstream segment is engaged in the activities of manufacturing, distributing and marketing of chemicals and oil products. Finally, the Projects and Technology segment includes all the critical support functions of the company’s core business in the Upstream and Downstream segments (Shell Plc, 2012). In 2011, the company had revenues of 470,171million US Dollars and based on these revenues, the company is ranked as the second largest company worldwide (Bloomberg, 2012). A s at the close of business on Tuesday 11th December 2012, the company was ranked as number one on the FTSE100 Index with a market capitalization of 135,511.7million US Dollars (Stock Challenge, 2012). Shell SWOT Analysis The company has a number of strengths. Firstly, Royal Dutch Shell Plc is a leading company globally in the Oil and Gas industry with global presence in many countries. Consequently, the company derives its strength in this global image in the industry. Secondly, the company has recorded growing financial performance since the 2008/2009 economic downturn. It therefore has a strong capital base for competing in the competitive industry. Thirdly, the company has established strong brands recognized globally like Shell V-Power and the Shell FuelSave. Finally, the company has strong exploration and technological capability as an internal strength coupled with a diversified portfolio of products in the upstream and downstream segments of the company (Shell Plc, 2012). The size and scale of the global operations of company may be a weakness due to the difficulties of the company to control quality and standards of its products since the operational conditions of different refinery sites differ. This also impacts negatively on the administrative efficiency and effectiveness of the company’s management. Exposure to different regulatory regimes through the global presence of the company presents difficulties in formulating uniform policies applicable to the global operations of the company (Shell Plc, 2012). There is increasing awareness and concern for environmental sanity where reduced carbon emission is a necessary consideration for most oil-related products. Consequently, there is increasing demand for liquefied natural gas as a source of clean energy. This is likely to increase the company’s revenues from liquefied natural gas. There are also opportunities for the company to expand to the emerging economies like China through joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions like acquisition of Neste Oil Oyj in Poland (Reuters, 2012b). The economic slowdown in the US and European Union due to the debt crises involving member countries presents a threat to the company’s profitability. Terrorism activities threaten the company’s global functions by increasing related business operational expenses. Increasing strict environmental regulations is also a threat to the current and future operations of the company which will require more efficient and environment friendly exploration and manufacturing technologies. Fluctuating interest rates and the war in the Middle East countries is also a threat to the company due to its global operations. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis of Shell Porter (2008, p.80) identifies five forces that can be used to analyse the competitiveness of a company’s industry of operation. The forces include the threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of suppliers and buyers and rivalry among existing competitors. Royal Dutch Shell Plc has established large scale operations in more than 80countries enjoying economies of scale, global image with established strong brands which makes it hard for new entrants. Therefore the threat of new entrants is low due to the high capital requirements to set up operations. Threats of substitutes are high for the company. This is because oil-related products, chemicals and natural gas produced by different companies are highly substitutable. Major competitor products can be used as substitutes for the company’s products. Therefore, the threat of substitutes for the company is high. Royal Dutch Shell Plc has embraced a vertical integration growth strategy which involves acquiring and merging with companies at different levels of operation and therefore it has significant influence on its supply chain. Furthermore, the company has enhanced its technological capacity through the projects and technology segment of its business (Reuters, 2012). Therefore, the bargaining power of suppliers is low. Oil and gas are essential products in any economy. Economic production processes in an economy make use of oil. This explains why in some developing countries oil supply is under state agencies. Furthermore, the oil industry is characterized by companies coming together to form cartels that would enable them control the market (Bloomberg, 2012). Furthermore, most of the buyers of oil products buy in bulk and therefore loss of one buyer would significantly affect the company’s revenue. Consequently, the bargaining power of buyers is medium. The major competitors of the company include Exxon Mobil Corporation, Total S.A. and BP Plc which have also established global presence in the oil and gas industry (Hoovers, 2012). Rivalry with these companies is high due to branding and differentiation strategies applied by the companies in their operations globally. The companies have established brands recognized globally and major clientele which makes rivalry in the industry high. Conclusion Royal Dutch Shell Plc has established strong brands recognized globally enhancing its image in the global market. Despite the complexities and risks that are associated with the global operations of the company, there are opportunities for the company to expand and grow its operations in the emerging markets. The company can use a differentiation strategy to position its products globally as superior using its brand names. To deal with the risks of globalized operations, it is advisable that the company use strategic partnerships with the local operators in the new markets to enhance its penetration in the markets. Furthermore, the company can establish its competitive advantage increasing its control over the supply chain through more vertical integration mergers and acquisitions. Lastly, to increase efficiency of the company’s operations, there is need for re-engineering of the production process and adoption of new efficiency technologies. References Bloomberg, (2012) Royal Dutch Shell Plc Financial Statements, available at http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=RDSA:LN accessed on 14th December, 2012. Hoovers, (2012) Top Competitors for Royal Dutch Shell Plc, available at http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/competition.Royal_Dutch_Shell_plc.01e84f5552dabef3.html accessed on 14th December, 2012. Porter M. E. (2008) The Five Forces that Shape Strategy, Harvard Business Review, pp.79-94. Reuters, (2012) Royal Dutch Shell PLC: Company Overview, available at http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=RDSa.L accessed on 14th December, 2012. Reuters, (2012b) Royal Dutch Shell PLC: Latest Key Developments, available at http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/RDSa.L/key-developments accessed on 14th December, 2012. Shell Plc, (2012) Our Business: Shell is Organised into: Upstream, Downstream and Projects and Technology, available at http://www.shell.com/home/content/aboutshell/our_business/ accessed on 14th December, 2012. Stock Challenge, (2012) FTSE All-Share Index Ranking as at Close on Tuesday, 11th December 2012, available at http://www.stockchallenge.co.uk/ftse.php accessed on 12th December, 2012. How to cite SWOT and Porter Five Forces Analysis of Royal Dutch Shell, Essay examples

Performance

Performance-enhancing drugs Essay Performance-Enhancing Drugs Artificial Entertainment?At a press conference in April, representatives from various professional sports joined together to discuss the effects of performance-enhancing drugs on their particular sport. Unanimously, the representatives decided that these drugs take away from the purity and natural skill of the sport, and should therefore be declared illegal in all professional and division-one college sports. This rule may go into effect as early as April of the year 2000. It is true that these enhancing drugs give athletes an opportunity to refine their skills, but who is suffering?Assume a businessman wakes up in the morning fatigued due to a lack of sleep the previous night. To improve his performance, he drinks a cup of coffee. The caffeine in the coffee wakes the businessman and prepares him for a competitive day in the business world. Should coffee be seen as a performance-enhancing drug? It is the same concept as an athlete taking a performance-enhancing drug. A businessmans coffee will simply amplify his natural skill in the business world, just like an enhancing drug taken by an athlete will amplify his natural skill in his sport. International Olympic Committee officials are concerned that baseball slugger Mark McGwire is sending the wrong message by using the performance-enhancing substance androstenedione. Androstenedione is an adrenal hormone produced naturally in men and women. It is converted in the liver to testosterone, which is used in muscle production. It is a legal and harmless substance used to improve your workout. After sending seventy baseballs out of various professional ballparks, breaking Roger Maris ancient record of sixty-one, skeptics began associating McGwires success to his use of androstenedione. He was always held back due to injury. In 1992, when androstenedione was not available, he was on track to hit seventy-four home runs before he injured his back. To prove a point, Mark McGwire put his supplements aside for a season. He wanted to show his fans that the skill he has is natural skill, and he does not need androstenedione to hit home runs. As of September 28, 1999, he has 61 home runs. With help from another home run hitter, Sammy Sosa, the excitement of baseball has reached new levels for both the players and spectators. Once again, who is suffering?There is a misconception that an average athlete can take a magical pill, and wake up the next morning hitting home runs, shooting three-pointers, and throwing sixty-yard passes. Performance-enhancing drugs do nothing of the sort. Athletes who take these substances spend hours each day training in order to fine-tune their skills. There is also a misconception that the drugs are detrimental to the athletes health. Recently, studies have shown that all enhancing drugs, with the exception of steroids, increase the life expectancy of the user. Each substance present in the drugs is produced naturally in every healthy person.Assuming that by the year 2001, all performance-enhancing drugs are made illegal in professional and division-one sports, athletes will simply have to be more careful in hiding their use of the drugs. Very few athletes will recognize the rule, and those that do will be the ones who suffer. There are many ways of masking any trace of a performance-enhancing drug. Therefore, an athlete could be taking many supplements and never be penalized. The athletes who have high morals and decide to listen to the rule will be at a disadvantage due to their honesty. Performance-enhancing drugs give athletes an opportunity to make their sport more exciting. If the drugs remove from the purity of the sport, then the purity was lost in the 1920s when vitamins became common to all athletes. Professional sports have created heroes for children all over the world. There is an excitement that has not been seen for years. When something is not broken, why fix it? If you take coffee away from a businessman, he is going to have a long, tiring day. .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 , .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .postImageUrl , .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 , .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86:hover , .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86:visited , .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86:active { border:0!important; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; wid th: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86:active , .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left: 18px; top: 0; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86 .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7c9849ceae181d0365bcbc0096cd5b86:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Endangered Species Essay

UAE after Islam an Example by

UAE after Islam One of the main features of United Arab Emirates is its possession of a very strategic location which helps facilitate its trade and commerce. Within the country, the people are engaged in several occupations such as trading, transportation, fishing and hunting. This an important part of their civil life which, aside from certain developments, remained more and less as the same occupations the people in the country are engaged with through the years. However, unlike occupation which remained relatively stable through the years, there is an important aspect of UAEs culture that underwent radical changes through time. This is in the area of religion. Such changes may be divided between UAE before Islam and UAE under Islamic religion. Need essay sample on "UAE after Islam" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Even before the arrival of Islam, the people in UAE have a developed religion. It may be what people at present consider as primitive, but it is nonetheless a developed and organized religion. They have a deity in the form of a snake. A temple is built for the worship. This is a good evidence of the degree of civilization of these snake worshippers as regards their religion. They were able to create a sacred location where worship of their deity will be performed. Moreover, the existence such temple implies the existence of established rites, customs and traditions of a religious nature that are observed by them. Temples are also usually used to communicate to the deity, thus implying some form of prayer method among the people. Aside from the temple and worship, they also have other established norms and traditions such as in burials. This brings us to the second level of analysis, which is the examination of the status of UAE after the arrival Islam. Islam replaced the old religion practiced by people in UAE. It was facilitated by one of the major features that have characterized UAE for a very long time, its advantages as regards trade and commerce. At that time, the Gulf, in which UAE is a part of, became one of the important commercial centres as well as the industry of the ships. This facilitated the spreading of Islam through the help of Gulf merchants. The inculcation of Muslim faith is characterized not by a peaceful integration of people to the religion. Instead, the birth of Islam in the country is facilitated by blood and loss. The road to Islam that UAE and other countries in the region had to track was paved with battles and conquests. Even from the beginning, Islam was first brought within the country by Amer bin el Aass by fighting all the invaders from the region of Arabian Gulf after the death of prophet Mohammed (PBUH). In the Gulf, this was followed by other battles, some of which are characterized by victories, the others, by losses. Examples of the victories include the victory of the Ottoman sultan, Mohammed Al-Fatih (the Conqueror) to conquest "Constantinople", while examples of the losses include the end of the kingdom of Granada in Andalusia in 1492 and end of the Arabian marine control over the Arabian Gulf, Oman Sea, and a part of the Indian Ocean during the 15th Century. Many of these battles resulted in many d eaths and great loss of properties. Among the enemies against whom the need to defend arose were Portugal, Holland, France, and Britain. The political climate after the introduction of Islam was also affected by the formation of alliances and tribal organizations that are often formed by ruling families. Moreover, the policies of government and people have changed. One important consequence of the developments in the Arab region, including UAE, is their effects on the issues people hold dear. Progress and liberation have become major calls for Arab citizens and attention was given to the desire to achieve modern education, social modernisation and media openness. The Arab development, especially after Islam, has considerable effects on its different parts. An important discussion as regards these effects will be the development of Dubai Emirates, which is an integral part of United Arab Emirates. It is considered as the main portion of the Gulf and like UAE, has achieved a considerable position in trade due to its strategic location. It has also become a main trading in the Gulf owing partly to the success of its pearl-making business. However, as discussed above, UAE has become witness to the crossing of cultures due to its strategic location beside bodies of water used for trade and transportation, and so have its parts. The result is the commingling of the arts and culture of its parts, including the Dubai Emirates thus losing their distinction among each other. Reference David C King 'United Arab Emirates' New York : Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2008. Sultan ibn Muhammad al-Qasimi, Ruler of ShaI riqah'Selected speeches' Sharjah, United Arab Emirates : Al Qasimi Publications, 2016.

Gifts to boo radley Essays

Gifts to boo radley Essays Gifts to boo radley Paper Gifts to boo radley Paper At the end of the novel of Heaper Lees novel To Kill a Mockingbird, many things unravel. An adult Scout says, Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into that tree what we took out of it: we have given him nothing, and it made me sad. Scout is wrong. Scout, Gem, and Dill eave Boo Raddled various gifts as well he gave them. Throughout the novel, Scout gave Boo friendship, a connection to the outside world, and privacy. Although the gifts may not have been material, they are very meaningful to Boo. Nobody can deny that Scout and Boo Raddled had a special bond. Scout and Boo had secret friendship. Neither of them may have realized how much they cared for each other, but the readers they knew. Boo Raddled was a huge part in scouts childhood. In this hidden friendship, Boo had given scout material, and a slight interaction with her. : Scout, she gave Boo the opportunity for Macomb to not see him s the monster they think he is. She wanted to interact with him in more than the childish ways Gem and Dill and various other children were intending. She didnt Just want to go and touch the Raddled house, and at the time she didnt know she actually wanted to see more of Boo Raddled, she wanted to befriend him not Just be the cause of him bursting out of the front door in an annoyed tone for a 10 second glance. She also gave him the experience of watching her and Gem grow up from his own front porch. The chance to see a six year old girl and two ten year old boys fascinated bout his existence, reenacting his personal life, and as they slowly matured Into adulthood. These gifts may have seemed Like nothing to Scout but to a man who spent his life hiding they were his everyday life, his vague connection with the world. Nonetheless, Scout gave Boo a connection to the outside world. He spent all these years concealed in the security of his home. Undoubtedly, Boobs attempts in interacting with them, and watching them, he started to participate in outside world. His first act of participation took place when , Gem and Scout found the knothole in the tree. Boo had been placing these gifts there as an act of kindness, and friendship, proving that he isnt as strange as Macomb presents him as. The gifts were a major part of Scout and Seems day. They were delighted and intrigued by them, until Nathan Raddled filled the knothole with cement. Ending all communication with Boo and the children. Without a doubt Boo found other ways to communicate and show kindness towards the children. Such as wrapping a cold and shivering Scout In a blanket, as she and Gem watched Miss Muddies house being eaten In flames. In addition, Boo also gave Scout and Gem the gift of salvation. He cared enough to save Gem, as a pure act of kindness. Boo was no longer a stranger human being to them. But a friend, a friend who needed distance, a friend who needed privacy, but a friend. Moreover, as Boo was becoming a known person to Scout and Gem, he needed his distance. Even if he did save the childrens lives, he wanted privacy. Scout and Gem they gave him that, they did not tell a soul about what had happened. They kept being saved from Bob Lowell a secret. They kept Boo killing Bob Lowell a secret. If the people in Macomb had found out about how nice of a guy Boo actually was; the owns people would overwhelm with kindness and gifts. Which is why as soon as the danger of Bob Lowell was overcome he went back into his shell. He vanished from the childrens lives once again. As stated in the novel He gently released my hand, opened the door, went inside, and shut the door behind him. I never saw him again. Boo had done his part in having the children grow up. They didnt need him anymore. They had everything they had desired. In the long run, Scout may not have given Boo material gifts but she did give him psychological gifts. She gave him the gift of friendship, by showing him the world isnt as cruel as it seems, and interacting with him. She gifted him a slight connection with the world by exchanging kindness and curiosity. Nevertheless she gifted him the gift he was most pleased with and that was privacy. She never told a soul about him killing Bob Lowell. She left him alone, and he left her. Boo Raddled shaped Scouts childhood, and Scout she formed a smile on a Boo Readers face. A smile and happiness is the best gift anyone could give somebody. Scouts completely correct, she didnt give him a gift, she gave him the experience of a lifetime.

My Own Professional and Personal Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Own Professional and Personal Success - Essay Example My work as an accountant offers a lot of opportunities and brings a lot of challenges as well. I believe that success is invisible, it does not necessarily show but it is a feeling by the person involved. One may not be successful for the eyes of others but may feel that way personally.   Professionally, my job requires extensive effort to fight my way through better opportunities and more challenges. I consider meeting success beginning from the time I was able to accomplish my course at a satisfactory level and achieve my certificate for Certified Investments & Derivatives Auditor. My profession demands high-level capacity for different functions and requires superb output as well. It is already a feeling for me that I am on the right track in the road of success. The skills and knowledge that I gained from my past to present work experiences, aid in improving my full potential and journey towards continual improvement. Personally, my profession shaped me to become a person of integrity. Performing my duties with the utmost class and without any adversative effect on my job interest and to the company is already one big success for me. I believe that pursuit for success should not stop and the drive to achieve it continually should remain.

Evaluate returns predictability Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Evaluate returns predictability - Coursework Example This paper has two sections; in the first section it discusses empirical evidence on the predictability of excess of returns by the technical analysis method, the second section is devoted to evaluating whether return predictability is a good test for market efficiency. Gustafsson (2012) conducted a research on how the stock market performed relatively to the predictions by the technical analysis method in the Swedish stock market. According to technical analysis assumed that successive returns were related. In other words, positive returns in a given time period would be followed by equally positive returns in the same period of the subsequent year. On the basis of the above assumption, Gustafsson (2012) wanted to test the hypothesis that successes in the stock market were independent. Among other tests, the research summarized results from various trading rules to test whether a technical analysis would have been used to accurately predict recurring price patterns and hence returns. The research found out that the comparison between 2001-12-28 and 2011-12-30, the average daily return was 0.0184% for the buy and hold strategy, with a standard deviation of 0.016 and the total number of trading days was 2517. With this statistic, the t-statistic for the buy and hold strategy was 0.58. This study made reached some interesting conclusions from the data. Interestingly, it found out that the introduction of RSI and the RSIstoch that indicates the directional strength of price changes had an impact on the return predictability. Further, the findings lend to the support of the assumption that technical analysis can be used to predict future price movements. This is because; average daily buy-day returns were significantly larger than average daily-sell returns. As such, it meant that the technical trading rules also had a

The Short Stories Of Haruki Murakami English Literature Essay

The Short Stories Of Haruki Murakami English Literature Essay Within The Elephant Vanishes, an anthology of short stories by Haruki Murakami, and The Outsider, a novel by Albert Camus, culture is examined and the reader is invited to see culture as following set rules and routines. Through the protagonists, the reader understands that culture observes these behaviours without question and in doing so are robotic. One of the ways this idea is reinforced through references to food. Food is shown to join people ceremoniously and who you share your food with reveals insights about the culture in which you live. Through the action of the texts and first person narratives the protagonist is established as different to the culture. In the short story, Sleep, the protagonist noted, I went to the living room, switched on the floor lamp beside the sofa, and sat there drinking a full glass of brandy (page 84). Although she enjoys alcohol, she has to drink by stealth. She is restricted in her freedom to enjoy alcohol because her husband does not approve of it. Her husbands occupation as a dentist precludes her from eating chocolates until an accidental reminder of old chocolate flakes wedged between the pages of the book I found a few crumbling flakes of chocolate stuck between the pages (page 90). She was then inspired to free herself from the shackles of her husbands dental fraternity norms. She shamelessly indulged herself on this pleasure impulsively, I felt a tremendous urge to have the real thing (page 90). In Sleep, timing for lunch is precisely at eleven forty, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I looked at my watch. Eleven Forty. Eleven Forty! (Page 91, Elephant Vanishes, Sleep). The typical type of food was, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦minced scallionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦buckwheat noodlesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦dried seaweedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦tofu (page 91). The reference to the exact time and the type of lunch indicate routine. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Cup of coffeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦two slices of bread, spread them with butter and mustard, and had a cheese sandwich (Page 89), something which the protagonist wishes to escape from. It is only when she breaks with the conventional rules that she feels as though she is living. The husband sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper shows the cultural routine of people in their everyday life, While I cleared the table, my husband sat on the sofa reading the paper (page 92). I made my husband his usual coffee (page 89). The protagonist is aware of cultural expectations of which her husband doggedly ad here to living through the same routine every day. Anna Karenina lay there beside him, but he didnt seem to notice. He had no interest in whether I read books (Page 92). The husband did not pay attention to his wifes interests or in the fact that it was his own book, which she was reading. It is the routine and monotony that he is occupied with the protagonist lives through every day doing whatever gives her pleasure. This rarity of freedom inevitably leads her to seeking food for pleasure while the husband, so ingrained in routine, appears robotic. Although food symbolically represents routine in The Outsider, it also establishes Meursault as an outsider of the culture. Both of Mersaults friends, Masson and Raymonds immoral behaviour has the culture classify them as outsiders. Due to their unusual behaviours, when these people meet to enjoy food together, it demonstrates that they encompass similar characteristics of personalities which are deemed unconventional from cultural expectations. The protagonist drinks wine to accompany food with Raymond and Masson (page 53). In this context, drinking alcohol is an acceptable practice and culture, both for men and women where it was observed by Mersault that Marie, his girlfriend à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦shed had a bit too much to drink (page 53). However, the fact that when Marie, commented, Do you know what time it is? It is half past eleven (page 53 The Outsider), a fact acknowledged by Masson when he responded, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the time to have lunch is when you are hungry (page 53 The Outsid er), indicates that for Masson, food is an individuals choice not regulated by expectations of a fixed schedule. At his home, Mersault appears to prefer à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ smoking, and eating chocolatesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ during mealtimes (page 26) The Outsider, while he watched the people below his flat from his veranda. In the text, Meursualt made contemplative observations of people that were dressed differently within the local community that went passed the street, He was wearing a straw hat and a bow tie and carrying a walking-stickà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I understand why local people said he was distinguished (page 25-26). This reveals the distinct behaviour of Meursault alongside the normal behaviours of the culture. Similarly, Meursault was also recognised by the individuals that went passed the street, The local girls, with their hair down, were walking arms in armsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I knew several of the girls and they waved to me. (page 27). Later in the evening Mersault went down to buy some bread and some pasta, did my cooking and I ate standing up (page 28, The Outsider), a posture of which is not dictated by conformist practice. Mersaults behaviour and insights reveal how individuals within the community stand out by their mere appearance that are easily recognisable that identifies them to be different or distinguishable. In addition, Meursault does fix his eating schedule by a particular time. This further confirms that he is an unplanned and disorganized person unlike the robot woman (page 45-46) The Outsider. The robot woman à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦while she was waiting for her hors doeuvre she opened her bagà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦took the exact sum plus a tipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦meticulous task occupied her throughout the meal (page 46) The Outsider. The robot woman contradicts Meursaults character, in that he would rather follow his distinctiveness with regards to most of his decisions about when, how, where and what to eat. The robot women on the other hand, showed the characteristics of order and direction when she ordered her meal, She called Celeste over and ordered her whole meal at once, speaking precisely but rapidly. (page 46) of which afterwards she dived into her bag again and took out a blue pencil and a magazine which gave the radio programmes for the week. One by one, she very carefully ticked almost every programmeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (page 46). From this rigmarole, the robot womans actions seem to follow a set of routine. In the story, The Second Bakery Attack, the protagonists were newly married and did not pre-empt stocking food in their house, Our refrigerator contains not a single item that could be technically categorized as food (page 37). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a bottle of French dressing, six cans of beer, two shrivelled onions, a stick of butter, and a box refrigerator deodorizer (page 37). This is a symbol of how empty their lives are. Although they work, go to bed at set times, conforming to the routines of work, they are metaphorically, unsatisfied. The couples conformist behaviour seems to set them to their hunger. In order to find a cure to break their hunger, the couple opposed convention by robbing Mc Donalds, Attack another bakery. Right away. Now. Its the only way. (page 43). During the robbery, the manager of the store showed typical characteristics of conventionality by the requirements of conformation from the upper authority saying, I cant do that. Ill be held responsible if I close up w ithout permission (Page 46). From this, it shows that the larger majority of the culture such as the manager and workers are similar to the robot woman in that their lives are dictated by order and routine and only a very small proportion of people operate in a non-conformist mode. Finally, in The Wind-up Bird and Tuesdays Women, the protagonist cooks spaghetti for breakfast. He chooses to live outside the routine of the culture and this is reflected by his choice of cooking and eating spaghetti in the morning, Spaghetti?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Its only ten-thirty in the morning. What are you doing cooking spaghetti at ten-thirty in the morning? (page 5, The Wind-Up Bird and Tuesdays Women) asked the woman who telephoned home for ten minutes of his time. In both The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami and The Outsider by Albert Camus, food are focused as a symbol that represents routine or an individuals desire to have freedom. The role of the characters is reflected in the type of food they chose to eat, where and when the repartee of food takes place. When any of these involvements of food varies, one can discern that these characters may be quirky, eccentric or stand-alone in their relationship to the larger culture. (Word Count: 1428)

competition :: essays research papers fc

Examine the concept of competition. Explain how it works in market economies. In what way is it a crucial part of the business environment? 1000 words In this essay I have analysed the different types of competition and market structures, and linked this to a current world example. I’ve discussed the neo-classical and dynamic approaches to competition and have studied Michael Porter’s Five Force model. Systemic and structural competitiveness has been mentioned, and market economies are examined including technical and allocative efficiency. I have assessed the relationship between competition and the business environment, and finally given personal views and come to an argued conclusion. Competition is the process by which two or more firms compete in the same market for a larger market share. This rivalry that exists is very beneficial to firms as is leads to increased efficiency and higher output at given cost levels. The amount of competition in a market is measured using concentration ratios (e.g. the five firm concentration ratio). There are two different types of competition which firms may undertake, price competition and non-price competition. In price competition, firms compete on the basis of price, for example by increasing the price of a good or service, the demand will either increase or decrease accordingly depending on its price elasticity of demand. In non-price competition firms compete in less risky forms of competition other than price, such as advertising and branding. Non-price competition exists in imperfect competition (usually oligopolies). Imperfect competition occurs in situations when there are a number of competing firms (with market power), but the market is without some or all features of perfect competition. The three types of imperfect competition are duopoly, oligopoly and monopolistic competition. Perfect competition on the other hand exists when a market has a large number of small firms, with no one firm influencing price (firms are price takers, not price makers). These firms all sell identical products, with perfect knowledge of the market, which has no barriers to entry. This represents one end of the competition spectrum (see Appendix 1). There are two main views to the concept of competition, the dynamic approach and the static approach (Neo-Classical approach). The first is based on the behaviour of firms and their constant interactions with market structure, which involves change and innovation. The second involves classifying market structure, and the type and amount of competition (mainly on number of firms within the market), to determine the firm’s behaviour.

Teamwork in Business Environment

Teamwork can be simply defined, â€Å"as a state of unity achieved within a group of people working for a specific economic benefit. † It is used to determine the coordination and cooperation of a business venture so as to attain the optimum output of the employees. All around the world we can find various organizations that work in business group having a fixed and well defined set of rules and regulations to ensure teamwork and maintain team spirit in the organization.Looking at the size and vastness of projects in an  organization, necessary work has to be broken down into different departments, even departments are not sufficient enough to handle the burden of work. Thus in departments there arises the need to make different teams of individual that are assigned a common target, so as to accomplish the organizational goal. A team that works together to share common goal stands out to achieve the goals. Teamwork helps in making the task more interesting with the social su pport and cooperation of the employees and hence improving their skills.NewspaperThe old tale of the Japanese samurai warrior takes a new life in today’s generation. The tale talks about the warrior making his sons realize that if they stick together no power can ever defeat them. Likewise, today’s executives consider that their ability to overcome challenges rests most upon teamwork. In today’s world it is necessary for a leader to work in a team so as to overcome the challenges he faces. Irrelevant of the leader’s rank, he or she needs to gather information, relating to the issue at hand, and consider others viewpoints in order to make an appropriate decision.A leader is always thought to be someone who is heroic and unaccompanied, but instead he is the one who works in a team while solving various problems. Gergern, 2007, here, considers Honoree Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense, America and United Kingdom’s former Prime Minister, T ony Blair. Krupp, being one of the best corporate leaders of America, could not do anything, to reduce carbon emissions, alone.It was the partnership that he, along with Jonathan Lash of the World Resource Institute, created with large corporations including General Electric, Duke Energy and DuPont, which was able to put intense pressure on the federal government to reduce carbon emissions. Believing that no country can alone handle climatic change, Tony Blair being a political leader states, ‘If the U. K. stopped using carbon entirely, industrial production from China would make up the difference in just two years.’Thus it is teamwork that helps leaders achieve success in their respective fields of profession. One’s business and well-being can only grow with the advice, support, ideas and help of his or her TEAM. It is very well said by Napolean Hill that â€Å"no man is an island† and no one can achieve its best or highest success if try to do it by itse lf. It is always amusing to hear that Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to scale Mt Everest, or that Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon.True, they were the individuals who raised the flag, but those achievements were not accomplished alone. Both Charles Lindbergh, the first to fly solo from New York to Paris, and Steve Fosset who flew around the world solo before his untimely death, did it in planes they did not build and with the support of thousands of people who made their flights possible. Every successful entrepreneur has dozens of people cheering them on. Every successful endeavor is the result of many people working in concert, giving advice, sharing the vision and encouraging us.Everyone needs his or her â€Å"companions† in success. If you do not have a â€Å"team† then it is very difficult to optimally achieve the task, and if you do not have a coach then you don’t know whether you are heading in correct direction or not. Remember Napolean Hill– â€Å"no man (or woman) is an island. † Or, as the Beatles put it even more memorably, â€Å"We get by with a little help from our friends. † TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) prides itself on the team’s excellent reputation, credibility and expertise.Academic JournalTeamwork is the most important virtue of a good team. It is the most basic requirement for the successful functioning of any organization. Most individuals work in a business environment that requires cooperative team efforts to successfully reach business goals. All business goals can be only achieved by teamwork and full co-operation of all individuals. This makes the ability to work in teams a critical skill set. It is a skill that is required by any one who wants to effectively contribute to an  organizations development.The recent trend towards leaner, flatter organizations, with fewer levels of hierarchy, places even greater emphasis on the need for cross-functional teamwo rk. Team performance completely depends on the synchronized efforts of the individuals who work in a team. A team that works together can achieve all goals in stipulated time, with 100% perfection and zero defects. The concept of teamwork becomes more important when people work in big teams.Also, teamwork and functioning of a team depend on the team leader. A team that cooperates with its leader and follows him can function smoothly; hence a team which works together achieves heights together. The skill of teamwork is very precious to all organizations; all organizations are always in search of individuals who can contribute to the development of a team. These days’ big organizations also organize special activities to develop team spirit within its employees; this benefits the employees as well.Working in a good team helps employees to concentrate better on their work, it leads to better working environment and hence better development of employees. Thus, teamwork is a skill , which is beneficial and necessary for the smooth functioning of any organization. Cooperation between individuals can only help an organization to successfully achieve its goals and good levels of employee satisfaction.Book Extract or ChapterAccording to today’s business environment, teamwork is a very essential part of every organization. Teamwork improves the quality and performance of the organization and provides job satisfaction to the workers. In an organization, teamwork is widespread and provides flexibly to the organization and shows improvements in the other important areas such as employee relations. Basically teamwork helps the organization to achieve its goals. Using effective teams fallibility can be achieved with provides a  better platform for the organization so that it can operate smoothly in this rapidly changing business world.Teams can only be efficient if it has better working relationship which can only be achieved, provided that working together as a combine effort can make an organization flourish that will also help in increasing job satisfaction and quality of work life. Teamwork will also reduce workload as the work has been divided and it is easy for the employee’s to work more effectively and this will lead to organizational benefits.Benefits of Teamwork:Providing social support to employeesEncourage cooperationMake jobs more interesting and challengingImproves employees technical and interpretation skillsWebpageTeamwork is becoming more significant in the workplace as companies have started to notice the benefits that co-operative efforts can provide. While teamwork has for long been present in the workplace with employees, only recently this has shifted towards the upper level management. One trend that has also recently picked up is the ‘lift out. ’ Companies have noticed that certain groups of employees who are exceptional succeed because of the team that they work with. A ‘lift out,â€℠¢ involves hiring a high functioning team that has worked together in the past.This has many benefits; one of the main being the new group ‘can quickly come up to speed in a new environment. ’ (Groysberg, Abrahams, 2006) Employees that have worked together often have fewer conflicts between each other, and each member of a group is aware of the other members’ strengths and weaknesses, making delegation of a given task much easier and more efficient. As a team grows together, having a variety of different strengths within the group allows the group to function as a single unit, capable of much more than individuals performing together.The longer groups work together, the more cohesive they become and their efficiency only increases. The first known ‘lift out’ occurred in 1946 when a Air Force Colonel took nine of his colleagues to the Ford Motor Company, and helped the desperate company pull through some difficult times. Since then, lift outs have bec ome more common, and today the companies have started to realize the full potential that lift outs can bring.While it may harm the company that lost employees, a lift out can be greatly beneficial financially to the company that’s hiring the team. The company can save significantly on training and acquainting the new group with each other, and can directly put the new employees to work. It is crucial in this day and age for firms to encourage teamwork as the internet has simplified communication and made interaction easier. A good team can be a great asset to companies as they increase efficiency while saving them both time and money.ConclusionAnalyzing the sources given above, we can conclude that:Newspaper article 1- Riaa Khurana: In today's generation all leaders, irrespective of their ranks, need to work in teams in order to achieve success. Newspaper article 2- Shantanu Aggarwal: Every business today can only grow if its members work in a team and solve the problems that the business faces by giving in their respective ideas and viewpoints. Academic journal- Akshai Puri: Any existing organization can only achieve success is it has the beneficial skill of teamwork.It is the cooperation between its members that helps the organization achieves their goals. Book extract or chapter- Gaurav Gandhi: Teamwork helps the organization improve its product and job quality. It also helps an employee get full job satisfaction and work efficiently by reducing his or her workload. Webpage- Vivek Talluri: Teamwork should be encouraged as a good team acts as an important asset for companies and helps them increase their productivity.

Questions That Could Be Used For Interviewing Musicians

Questions that could be used in interviewing musicians. 1. When and why did you start playing? I started to sing in a choir at the age of 5. I have always expressed myself through music, so my mom got me into the choir as soon as I was old enough to be able to sing Lyrics. 2. Which instruments do you play? My voice is my main instrument. But I do play a little bit of guitar and piano when I m writing new songs, or when I haven t got an instrumentalist who can back me up.†¨ 3. What was the first tune(s) you learned? Well, the very first tunes I learned was the children s songs we sang at nursery school. But the first one I wanted to learn myself, was Rock N Roll by Led Zeppelin. When Jimi Page played the guitar solo I went crazy, jumped up on the table and danced till I was totally exhausted. 4. Is your family musical? My father used to play saxophone, flute and accordion in his two bands: Radio Balkan and Berits Halsband. My sister is a vocalist and composer. She also plays the piano very well. 5. Describe your family member’s musical interests and abilities. My dad used to be a musician. He was touring with his band back in the days. My mom has a nice voice and a good musical ear. But she didn t take her talent further than singing lullabies for me and my siblings. My older sister attended the same choirs and went to the same music schools as me. She composes and sings as well. She is a big inspiration for me and she has always supported my dreams within theShow MoreRelatedWalt Disney Concert Hall1522 Words   |  7 Pageschosen Chairmanship, Fred Nicholas, began to create subcommittees and outlined the program for the future hall. But the owners and committees still had many questions and concerns about what â€Å"kind of concert hall would best suit the Los Angeles Philharmonic? How many seats were optimal? How would the building shape the interaction between musician and surrounding audience? 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