GDP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

GDP - Essay Example As per the UN system, presentation of statistical record of GDP is the basic requirement for receiving financial loan or World Bank aid. The positive change in the GDP level, after consuming such loan is an indication that the financial aid has really helped the country. Around a few decades back, the military might was an indicator that displayed the country’s superiority and well-being perfection. However, now it is the economic independence and power, which has taken this place. Hence, an administrator or chief executive of any country is judged by the change in GDP levels that the person could manage, while heading the affairs of the country. During 1930s and 1940s, Gross National Product (GNP) became the tool to measure the country’s progress and prosperity level. GDP has carried this legacy to measure the nation’s living standard in terms of Gross Domestic Product. GDP is a good tool to analyze any country’s output and consumption data. This gives an indication of the goods produced in that country along with the rate of consumption of these goods by the people of specific country. However, this measurement was more accurate during the days when different nations had closed economy. With globalization, the world trade has received new boost, which encourages almost all nations to throw open its economy. This has resulted in synchronization of world economies. Hence, GDP can now be seen as a tool that measures economic prosperity of any nation in terms of change in the volume of trade conducted by the country within a specific period. However, GDP does not take into consideration the amount of domestic work for calculating the figures. The early inventors of GDP like Simon Kuznets and John Maynard Keynes did not take into account the amount of work done for doing different domestic chores like dish washing or laundry and

Desktop Publishing for Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Desktop Publishing for Business - Assignment Example The sub-headings to be included, the topics that require to be covered extensively and the ones to be glossed over, have all got to be taken into consideration. DTP offers a lot more flexibility for a person while creating printed materials but the new age student still needs to grasp the importance of learning how to utilise and understand basics of design principle elements like space , texture, value, balance so that he/she can create an effective design layout. Design Principles: What is a design? A design can be said to be â€Å"a plan for arranging elements in such a way as to best accomplish a particular purpose† (Faimon & Weigand 2004: 13). A design is a creation of elements such as line, shape, colour, value and texture and is integrated with principles such as unity, variety, emphasis, balance and scale making it a design principle as a whole. Only when there is a proper integration of both design and principle, we can call it a successful design principle. The desig n principle can be said to be a form of communication through visual means. To communicate effectively, we have to use precise and correct language and likewise in visual communication, the designs we use will determine the efficacy of our communication. An examination of the individual components that make up the design principle in the given brochure, which include balance, white space, contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity reveals balance, in terms of design implies a distribution in visual weight of objects, colours, texture, and space. If we could arrange the designs on a linear scale, then both sides would have to be balance to make the design look and feel stable and if we arrange the design radially, then also the elements are arranged around a central point and may be similar. The rule of thirds is another interesting mode of presentation but looks to be more confusing to a layman when compared to the symmetrical and the asymmetrical mode of presentation. The white space is the empty space left between words or in margins. It is the absence of text and graphics. It can help to follow a layout easily, highlight a certain element or help rest the eyes. All the elements of white space have been very effectively portrayed in the BMW brochure and the best way to utilize it has also been communicated. Avoiding rivers of white space and claustrophobic presentation makes the point clear that a design element has to remain uncluttered to be effective and eye-catching. Contrast forms the crux to a dynamic design, which creates visual interest and enhances the organization and hierarchy of your content. Contrast involves making two or more elements very different (e.g. heading and text). The contrasts shown in the brochure proves weak and the effectiveness could have been better if bright colours were used instead of just black and white images. Black and white does create contrast but all the images look repetitive and uninteresting. â€Å"Repetition w orks with pattern to make the artwork seem active† (Principles of Design 2011: 1). Whenever the elements of a design are repeated, the elements of design create symmetry and unity within the artwork. Repeating certain visual elements of the design throughout, improves visual impact, consistency, and strengthens

Activity Based Costing (ABC) Advantages and Disadvantages

Activity Based Costing (ABC) Advantages and Disadvantages Activity Based Costing which is popularly known as ABC system has been considered as an economic map of an organizations expenses and profitability based on organizational activities according to Kaplan R; and Cooper R. An activity is an event, task or unit of work with a specified purpose, for instance, designing a product, setting up machines, operating machines, and distributing products; by Horngren, Foster, Datar. According to Kaplan R.S Cooper R; ABC system came in the mid-1980s to meet the need for accurate information required by managers about cost of resources demanded by individual products, services and customers. It emerged as competition moved from local to global and from the efficient use of direct labour and machines. Absorption Costing also known as full costing is a traditional costing system developed in the 1900s, by which overheads incurred within a period were absorbed into the products by Kilgour D. The traditional absorption costing was introduced at a time when technology was simpler, competition was local, products were standard and not customised products and services, speed, quality and performance were not measurement for success in reference to Kaplan R.S Cooper R. Importance of Absorption Costing System or Activity Based Costing: According to Horngren, Foster Datar, the importance of a costing system should depend on whether the company is producing one type of product and therefore could allocate all overhead costs using one cost pool and one cost rate or whether the company is producing different kind of products and therefore need a system which could enable it apportion the total cost of resources accurately according to their usage of those resources. As companies began to expand and delve into producing variety of products, they began to notice that some products place more demand on their resources than others. It became important to absorb overhead when products which are not the same but required different production processes or jobs which although the use the same facility but at a length of time according to Terry L. To ascertain how to apportion overheads to products or services, traditional absorption costing involves two stages; the first stage is the allocation and apportionment and the second stage is the use of absorption rate to absorb overheads into products. Overhead Allocation: Terry L; overhead allocation is the assignment of all cost incurred to a single cost unit, centre account or time period. Overhead Apportionment: This is a case where the costs incurred could not be identified with only one cost centre therefore the cost is shared between the cost centres using that service, for instance, lighting cost would be shared between all the cost centres using a suitable basis, Terry L. It is important that the basis upon which costs are apportioned are relevant, fair and equitable; Terry L. Overhead Absorption Rate: This is usually calculated at the beginning of a period therefore it is based on budgeted costs and production volumes, AAT units 89. The formula is as follows: Total overheads of cost centre Total number of units of absorption base applicable to cost centre According to Terry L; before calculating absorption rate, the absorption base chosen has to reflect the characteristics of the given cost centre. The basis most commonly used are direct labour hours for a labour intensive cost centre and the machine hour basis usually used where the cost centre is highly mechanised. With exception of the above two basis, other basis include; Direct wages, Direct material, Prime cost and Cost unit. ABC System: Activity Based Costing began in a manufacturing setting but has been more service -oriented than product oriented. Service Industries as much as manufacturing industries need ABC system to connect the cost resources they supply to the revenues earned by the individual products and customers serviced by these resources in reference to Horngren, Foster Datar. ABC System has three key features are: (1) With the system all costs used by a product whether variable or fixed in the short-run or overheads(indirect costs)in the long-run are identified by creating cost pools as ABC is focused on long-run variable costs for instance as Terry L; said, costs for supporting activities like stock handling, production scheduling and so on. Cost Pool: Classifying all related costs to a particular activity together according to Terry L. (2) The second feature of ABC system is; An amount of an activity performed in each cost pool is recognised as a basis of allocation for instance, set-up hours as a measure of set up activity. Horngren, Foster, Datar. (3) The third feature is that costs in a cost pool can sometimes be traced directly to products. Horngren, Foster, Datar. The Differences Between Traditional Absorption Costing and Activity Based Costing. The differences between the two costing system are easy to notice. Below are lists of some of them: The traditional absorption costing was introduced at the time when technology was simple, there was only local competition and not global, when products were standard not customised, from Kaplan S.R Cooper R. ABC system emerged at the time when competition had become global and fierce and had shifted from the efficient use of labour hours and machines, by Kaplan S.R Cooper R. The traditional costing uses mostly two allocation bases to allocate overheads to products; direct labour basis for a labour intensive company and the machine hour basis for a highly mechanised company. These two bases would not capture the demand of a particular product on the resources of the organisation. There are no cause and effect relationship to an allocation base with the use of this method, Horngren, Foster, Datar. With ABC system, costs of activities within the organisation are more accurately measured because the cost pools are properly structured with specific activity cost allocation bases which became cost drivers for the cost pool. Cost Driver: factor influencing the level of cost from Terry L. In the traditional absorption system, absorption rates are based on predetermined figures thereby giving rise to under and over absorption of overhead. Under absorption arises when the estimated overhead is less than the actual overhead. Over absorption of overhead arises when the overhead absorbed exceeds the actual overhead ; from AAT Study text units 89. The measurement required to implement ABC system are costly as the system demands that management should estimate costs of activity pool, identify and measure cost drivers for the cost pools to serve as allocation bases; from, Horngren, Foster, Datar. The use of ABC system will require its activity cost rates to be updated regularly and a detailed ABC system consumes time, is difficult to understand and operate, Horngren, Foster Datar. Illustration : As an illustration of the differences between traditional absorption costing and activity based costing,with attention to set up activity, the effect of allocating all overheads using direct labour hours as against an ABC emphasis on individual activities, the name of the company shall be called Z. Z produces two kinds of lenses for an automobile company. The first product is a simple lenses, the second product is called complex lenses. Set ups involves trial runs, fine tuning, adjustments, wrong set-ups cause quality problems such as scratches . Each set-up requires different resources depending on the complexity of the operation. Complex lenses are produced in small batches because the mold has to be cleaned more often. Horngren, Foster Datar. According to Horngren, Foster, Datar, set-up data for simple lens and complex lens are: Simple Complex S3 lens CL5 lens Total (1) Quantity produced 60,000 15,000 (2) Lens per batch 240 50 (3) No of batches (1/2) 250 300 (4) Set-up time per batch 2hours 5hours (5) Total set-up hours (3)*(4) 500hours 1500hours 2000hours Direct manufacturing labour hours 30000hrs 9750hrs 39750hrs Z recognises total cost of set-ups comprising of allocated costs of process engineers, supervisors, set-up equipment of  £300,000. Solution: The table below shows how the set-up costs have been allocated to simple and complex lenses using direct labour hours and setup hours: Setup cost per direct labour hours: (300,000/39750)= £7.54717 Setup cost per setup hours: (300,000/2000)=  £150 Simple Complex Total S3 lens CL5 lens Cost allocated using direct labour hrs:  £7.54717* 30000;  £7.54717*9750  £226,415  £73,585  £300,000 Cost allocated using setup hrs:  £150*500;  £150*1500  £75,000  £225,000  £300,000 Implementing the Activity Based Costing System: The choice of implementing Activity Based Costing depends on the managers after evaluating the advantages and disadvantages, controlling the amount of details required and cost. ABC system enables management to see their existing and predetermined cost of activities and business processes which then equips them with knowledge of the cost and profitability of the various products, services, customers and operating units according to Kaplan S.R, Cooper R. There are several steps the company could take to change the existing costing system. These are: Step 1: List all the activities of the company performed by indirect and support Resources, for instance, material handling, schedule production and so on. Step 2: Find out how much the company is spending on each activity in the company. Step 3: Indentify the companys products, services and customers, Kaplan S.R, Cooper R. Step 4: Charge support overheads by their usage of the activity with emphasis on the Cause-effect relationship. Recommendation: ABC system is recommended since it provides more accurate product Costs. The system has been used successfully in some service industries Such as the Cooperative Banks to identify profitability, product mixes, Improve efficiency and satisfy customers, Horngren, Foster Datar.

American Racism Exposed in Poems by Langston Hughes and Sherman Alexie

American Racism Exposed in Langston Hughes' "Let America Be America Again" and Sherman Alexie's, "Capital Punishment" The issue of racial discrimination has become societal norm in America. Poems like Langston Hughes' "Let America Be America Again" and Sherman Alexie's, "Capital Punishment" show the injustice that still exists. Both poems speak to the prejudice that is accepted and current in America's past and present. Alexie and Hughes, both from minority groups, have seen the ugly face of racism. Both poems have many similarities, including the obvious tone of anger. The pieces also have their differences, while Hughes poem speaks from the viewpoint of one of the oppressed; Alexie's speaker is just a witness. Both writers draw attention to the injustices that minority groups face daily in this land of the free. Sherman Alexie, A Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian, grew up on a reservation in Washington yet attended a high school where he was, as he so eloquently said, "the only Indian...except for the school mascot."(Alexie) Even though he was a star basketball player he still faced the torment of his schoolmates due to his heritage. This injustice influenced Alexie to compose the poem, "Capital Punishment." This poem tells the story of an Indian who was sentenced to death, the story is told from the perspective of the cook who prepares his last meal. The line "I am not a witness" is repeated throughout the poem, it is said after Alexie addresses a sensitive societal issue. Topics concentrated on are prejudice, homosexuality and clearly capital punishment. Alexie uses subtleties at first, alliterating to his stance on capital punishment but by the end of the poem the anger and frustration is prevalent. The speaker o... ...ure. Not only does Hughes reject the idea of "the American Dream" he discards the proposal that America is the land of the free. Would America properly function without the oppressed, the people who work 50 hour weeks at minimum wage, the people who created this "America?" Without those people the comfortable lifestyle most of us know would be gone. So, the poor, colored and those of a different nationalities are denied chances to succeed to keep the traditional values. Both poems address the widespread societal issue of racism that is so prevalent in America. Hughes and Alexie seem to agree that judgment of others has been the disgrace of our nation. If the color of a man's skin did not have such a great value in our society maybe then America could be everyone's. Not just the rich white man's but the immigrants, the Africans, the Indians and the poor.

How Far Do You Agree with the View That the Kite Runner Is a Celebration of the Bond of Brotherhooh

How far do you agree with the view that The Kite Runner is a celebration of the bond of brotherhood? Brotherhood is a strong theme throughout the book and there is evidence supporting that it is a celebration of the bond of brotherhood but also that it isn't. I think that The Kite Runner could be seen as a celebration of the bond of the brotherhood because of the relationship between Amir and Hassan. Although there are signs of disloyalty by Amir there are also signs of brotherly love between them.Amir shows that he cares for Hassan when he says ‘then he [Ali] would remind us that there was a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could break. Hassan and I fed from the same breasts. ‘ In this quote Amir implies that because he and Hassan fed from the same breast, they are like brothers. This shows that he does see a connection between he and Hassan. However, this is ironic because they are brothers in a way because they s hare the same father.When Amir says ‘But we were kids who had learned to crawl together, and no history, ethnicity, society, or religion was going to change that either. I spent most of the first twelve years of my life playing with Hassan', It shows us that Amir does love Hassan and they are close, however later on in the book he oppose this statement when he forces Hassan away. Ten years after Amir leaves Hassan he says ‘I wish Hassan had been with us today', this tells us that although he drove Hassan away, he misses him and wishes things had turn out differently.We know that Amir memories with Hassan are his happiest memories as when Baba asks Amir to think of something good, Amir has an flashback of a memory with Hassan. Hassan shows most of the signs of brotherhood through his undying loyalty towards Amir, Hassan is a loyal and caring friend to Amir. He shows this before he is raped when Assef says â€Å"But before you sacrifice yourself for him, think about this: Would he do the same for you?Have you ever wondered why he never includes you in games when he has guests? Why he only plays with you when no one else is around? I'll tell you why, Hazara. Because to him, you're nothing but an servant. ‘ We know that Amir wouldn't sacrifies for Hassan as he is a Hazara for him and his servant. This shows the reader that Amir believed it wasn't right to stay with someone of your own race and also because of Amir being of a higher social class.The ‘father-son' relationship between Amir and Baba doesn't agree with the brotherhood of celebration because at the beginning of the novel, Khaled Hosseini gives an impression to the reader that Amir is looking for the love, respect and approval of Baba he felt he has never had. Whereas Baba feels that his son is not living up to his physical, social, religious and cultural expectations and provides little time for him.However, as the novel unravels the strength of the relationship between these tw o key characters increases and Amir's is constantly eager for Baba's attention producing positive results in the relationship. With Amir feeling that â€Å"Baba hated me a little† and Baba feeling that Amir is one of those boys â€Å"who won't stand up for himself and becomes a man who can't stand up to anything†, the reader is able to understand the sketchy relationship between Amir and Baba – through the depiction of the characters and their interaction.

Gloria Jeans Essay

Gloria Jeans’ is well known due to it is made by 100% natural ingredients which include home-made cookies, muffins, and any other sweet desserts. 1) Economy The point here is that Gloria Jeans’ can not set a price that is too high because competitors will be attracted by potential profits and will follow by a lower price. After having taken all the important factors into consideration, there are five-price fixing approaches seem appropriate. 1.Cost Based pricing One of the centred objectives of this project being to become the market leader in functional drinks, Gloria Jeans’ is willing to stay among the top competitors if not becoming the greater by achieving a certain target profit this could be obtained by establish a price that will largely cover variable and fixed costs while bringing tremendous profits 2.Value Added Pricing Competitors and potential substitutes prices can also be part of the strategy. Having a higher price could make customers aware of the additional benefits and the higher quality of coffee. 3.Value based pricing The company sets its target price based on customer perceptions of the product value. The targeted value and price then drive decision about product design and what cost can be incurred. As a result of pricing begin with analysing consumer needs and value perceptions and price is set to match consumer perceived value. 4.Market Penetration Pricing The company can set a low price for a new product in order to attractive a large number of buyers and a large market share. 5.Break-even Pricing The company has to make some strategies for break-even prices, setting prices to break even on the cost of making and marketing a product or setting prices to make a target profit. According to the report of Su, Chiou and Chang (2006), the case study of Starbucks coffee displayed that Western culture adoration can influence the coffee consumption of Taiwan. Kim (2002),point at consumer behavior have significant influenced by the  product-of-origin and brand image. Hao(1998), states that superior brand has become the most important element to enhance value-added products and it also is a strategy. The brand image and product-of-origin would important factors, they would provide insights on cross-culture marketing. 4ï ¼â€° Demographics According to the survey, women more desire to drink coffee than men (Jones, 2006).There is no significant difference between two groups of people. Coffees are all thousands of years ranging from adults or even older. It’s hard to resist the appeal of Coffee, and there is great opportunity to tea growing up. In addition, the social behaviour are one of the factors segmented coffee products in the market Because of different group has different demand for their need and wants. The high salary people may more focus on their healthy or willing to pay higher prices. 3ï ¼â€° Political and legal Doing coffee business there is no risky for the company because of it does not related any political and legal

INFORMATION NETWORKS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE essay

INFORMATION NETWORKS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE essay INFORMATION NETWORKS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE essay INFORMATION NETWORKS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE essayLeadership skills are very important for the successful professional development and effective performance as the leader of an organization or a team. At the same time, successful performance of managers requires diverse managerial skills in a combination with managerial ones. Such a combination allows maximizing the effectiveness of the manager’s performance. Project managers should be particularly concerned with the effectiveness of their performance management that means that they should have well-developed managerial and leadership skills. At this point, it is possible to refer to the project management skills successful project managers need developed by Wu, who conducted the extensive research in the field of management to assess basic skills which are essential for successful managers.First, a successful project manager should be knowledgeable about technology. Basically, I have a good knowledge of technology and I wou ld assess my proficiency in this field at the medium level and I would grade my knowledge of technology as 7. I can use technologies available to project managers at the moment and apply them in projects. However, I may face difficulties while using a new technology.As for my ability to recognize what I do not know, I would grade it as 8. This ability is quite important but not determinant for a successful project management. The identification of what I do not know helps me to determine the way for my further professional development. The identification of persisting gaps helps me to close them as they keep working on my professional development. My focus on issues that I do not know helps me to keep progressing.Furthermore, experienced in management generally that means the ability to handle regular administrative responsibilities is very important. In this regard, I am quite proficient. At the moment I believe that my ability is basically average since I need to expand my profess ional experience in the development of my managerial skills. The acquisition of project management skills will help me to become a successful manager. However, the acquisition of the new experience contributes to the further professional progress and helps me to enhance my professional performance.Leadership skills are crucial for the successful performance of project managers. In this regard, I have quite well-developed leadership skills. At the moment, I can perform functions of the leader. In fact, I have already had the experience of leadership, when I headed a project team twice. In such a way, I have expanded my leadership skills that are very helpful in terms of the development of effective project management skills.Organizational and political skills are basically equally important like leadership skills. I have well-developed organizational skills but I believe I have less-developed organizational and political skills compared to my leadership skills. This is why the develo pment of my organizational skills is one of my priorities because I can develop my organizational skills to become more effective organizational skills.Communication skills are important for the effective project manager but my communication skills are under-developed at the moment. This is why I am working to enhance my communication skills which help me to communicate successfully with my subordinates and colleagues as well as other stakeholders in the course of the project manager.At the same time, a good project manager should have not only well-developed managerial or leadership skills but also personal traits which may help one to be a successful project manager. Wu distinguishes the following personal traits as key personal traits required for the project manager, including honesty which is particularly well-developed for me; positive outlook, which I have also quite well-developed; and perception/insight, which I have to enhance at the moment. These personal traits are impor tant for my professional development and for my work as a project manager to perform successfully.Thus, the successful project manager should match basic managerial and leadership skills. In addition, project managers need to have well-developed personal traits which may help to perform successfully, such as honesty, positive outlook and perception/insight. These skills are very important for the enhancement of the performance of a project manager. In such a way, focusing on the development of skills defined by Wu.

Homeschooling with Dysgraphia

Homeschooling with Dysgraphia Parents of children with special needs often worry that theyre not qualified to homeschool. They feel that they dont have the knowledge or skill to meet their childs needs. However,  the ability to offer a one-on-one learning environment along with practical accommodations and modifications often makes homeschooling the ideal situation for special needs children.  Ã‚  Dyslexia,  dysgraphia, and dyscalculia are three learning challenges that may be well-suited for a homeschool learning environment. Ive invited Shawna Wingert to discuss the challenges and benefits of homeschooling students with dysgraphia, a learning challenge that impacts a persons ability to write. Shawna writes about motherhood, special needs, and the beauty of everyday messes at Not the Former Things. She is also the author of two books, Everyday Autism and Special Education at Home. What unique challenges do students with dysgraphia and dyslexia face? My oldest son is 13 years old. He started reading when he was only three years old. He is currently taking college-level courses and is quite academically advanced,  yet he struggles to write his full name. My youngest son is 10 years old. He cannot read above a first-grade level and has a dyslexia diagnosis. He participates in many of his older brother’s courses, as long as they are verbal lessons. He is incredibly bright. He, too, struggles to write his full name. Dysgraphia is a learning difference that affects both of my children, not just in their ability to write, but often in their experiences interacting in the world. Dysgraphia is a condition that makes written expression extremely challenging  for children. It is considered a processing disorder – meaning that the brain has trouble with one or more of the steps, and/or the sequencing of the steps, involved in writing a thought down on paper. For example, in order for my oldest son to write, he must first bear the sensory experience of holding a pencil appropriately. After several years and various therapies, he still struggles with this most fundamental aspect of writing. For my youngest, he has to think about what to communicate, and then break that down into words and letters. Both of these tasks take much longer for children with challenges such as dysgraphia and dyslexia than for an average child. Because each step in the writing process takes longer, a child with dysgraphia inevitably struggles to keep up with his peers - and at times, even his own thoughts - as he laboriously puts pen to paper. Even the most basic sentence requires an inordinate amount of thought, patience, and time to write. How and why does  dysgraphia  affect writing? There are many reasons that a child may struggle with effective written communication, including​​: Graphomotor processing  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ trouble with the fine motor coordination required to manipulate a writing instrumentAttention disorders  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ difficulty planning and seeing writing tasks through to completionSpatial ordering  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ challenges in organizing letters and words on the written pageSequential ordering – difficulty in determining the logical order of letters, words, and/or ideasWorking memory – trouble recalling and holding onto the information the writer is trying to communicateLanguage processing – difficulty in using and comprehending language in any format In addition, dysgraphia often occurs in conjunction with other learning differences including dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder. In our case, it is a combination of several of these difficulties than affect my sons’ written expression. I am often asked, â€Å"How do you know it’s dysgraphia and not just laziness or a lack of motivation?† (Incidentally, I am often asked this type of question about all of my sons’ learning differences, not just dysgraphia.) My answer is usually something like, â€Å"My son has been practicing writing his name since he was four years old. He is thirteen now, and he still wrote it incorrectly when he signed his friend’s cast yesterday. That’s how I know. Well, that and the hours of evaluations he underwent to determine a diagnosis.† What are some of the signs of dysgraphia? Dysgraphia can be difficult to identify in the early elementary school years. It becomes increasingly apparent over time. The most common signs of dysgraphia include: Messy handwriting that is difficult to read  Slow and laborious writing  paceInappropriate spacing of letters and wordsTrouble gripping a writing instrument or maintaining grip over timeDifficulty organizing information when writing These signs can be difficult to assess. For example, my youngest son has great handwriting, but only because he painstakingly works to print every single letter. When he was younger, he would look at the handwriting chart and mirror the letters exactly. He is a natural artist so he works very hard to make sure his writing â€Å"looks nice†. Because of that effort, it can take him much longer to write a sentence than most children his age. Dysgraphia causes understandable frustration. In our experience, it has also caused some social issues, as my sons often feel inadequate with other children. Even something like signing a birthday card causes significant stress. What are some of the strategies for dealing with dysgraphia? As we have become more aware of what dysgraphia is, and how it affects my sons, we have found some effective strategies that help minimize its effects.   Writing in other mediums – Often, my sons are better able to practice the art of written expression when using something other than a pencil. When they were younger, it meant practicing spelling words by writing them in shaving cream on the shower wall. As they grew, they both graduated to using Sharpie markers (making grip much easier) and then finally onto other implements.Allowing larger text – My sons write much larger  than the lines on the college ruled paper in their notepads. Often, they write even larger than the wide ruled paper in their elementary notepads. Allowing larger text size enables them to focus on the sequencing and motor skills associated with writing. Over time, as they have become more comfortable, their written text has become smaller.Occupational therapy – A good occupational therapist knows how to help with pencil grip and the fine motor skills required for writing. We have had success with OT, and I would highly recommend occupationa l therapy as a starting point. Accommodations – Speech-to-text applications and programs, offering additional time for written testing, allowing keyboarding for taking notes, and taking frequent breaks are all accommodations we employ to help my children write more effectively. New technologies have become an invaluable resource for my children, and I am grateful we live in a time where they have access to these types of accommodations. ThoughtCos Eileen Bailey also suggests: Using paper with raised linesBreaking writing assignments into smaller tasksNot penalizing students for spelling or neatness on timed writing assignmentsLooking for fun writing activities   source Dysgraphia is a part of my sons’ lives. It is a constant concern for them, not only in their education, but in their interactions with the world. In order to eliminate any misunderstandings, my children are aware of their dysgraphia diagnoses. They are prepared to explain what it means and ask for help. Unfortunately, all too often there is an assumption that they are lazy and unmotivated, avoiding unwanted work. It is my hope that as more people  learn what dysgraphia is, and more importantly, what it means for those it affects, this will change. In the meantime, I am encouraged that we have found so many ways to help our children learn to write well, and communicate effectively.

American Government Journal Topics

American Government Journal Topics Journal topics can be another method  for students to learn about American Government. The following topics can be used in Civics and American Government courses: Democracy to me means†¦An alien has just landed. Explain to that alien the purpose of government.Identify a need in your school that you believe should be addressed. Write in your journal what changes you believe should be made as if you were presenting this to your principal.Describe what you believe life would be like in a dictatorship.What questions would you specifically like to ask the President of the United States?Taxes in this country are†¦If I could add an amendment to the constitution it would be†¦Capital punishment is†¦Which is more important to your daily life: local government, state government, or federal government? Explain in our journal why you answered as you did.The state of _____ (fill in your state) is unique because†¦I consider myself (republican, democrat, independent) because†¦Republicans are†¦Democrats are†¦If you could step back in time, what questions would you ask the founding fathers?Which Founding Father or Foundin g Mother would you most like to meet? Why?What three words would you use to describe America? Explain how you plan to participate in government as you grow older.Public opinion polls are†¦Imagine that the school board has decided to eliminate your favorite program from school. For example, they might have decided to do away with art classes, band, track and field, etc. What could you do to protest this move?A president should be†¦

British Prime Ministers Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Prime Ministers - Coursework Example This essay discusses how the British Prime Ministers in recent reign used different styles of leadership in strengthening their position, as well as their weaknesses. Each Prime Minister used different leadership style, each of which greatly impacted the decision making process to the main issues and policies (Heffernan 2005, p. 605). Fundamentally, the Prime Minister may be considered free of political influences, hence, influence by the common majority. The five prime Ministers considered here are Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and David Cameron. Margaret Thatcher Margaret Thatcher won three victories in the general election between 1983 and 1987, where she enjoyed the majority of the large commons. She was referred as a mobilizer and innovator. Thatcherism is a term coined from the neo-liberal economic mission and policies that she used in restoring Britain. This extends to include the aggressiveness and militant bearing of the prime minister. The leadership style was personal in nature where the prime minister dominated the cabinet. The aggressive leadership style enabled her to be vigorous and thorough, and not an authoritarian. Despite the endless accusations of Margaret Thatcher leadership, her leadership was the most dominant. Some critics argue that she was dictatorial, and this is considered unfair. Her perfectionism drive instilled the desire control in her. This style of leadership coupled with challenges in delegation is related to issues of gender. The vulnerability as the first female prime minister in UK sharpened her urge to control. Thatcher alleged the masculine leadership style never deterred her from exploitation of her status as a female. The cabinets consisted of exclusively male ministers, and this further emphasizes on the exemplary position held by the Prime Minister. The leadership style by Thatcher was characterized by a high degree of skills in switching between the genders roles, and hence considered an expert gender-bender. Her toughness enabled her confound her male colleagues. When n ecessary, Thatcher used her feminine charms to enable her get away with the political stratagems and ploys (Nunn 2002, p. 56). She was most concerned with her appearance especially her clothes and hair. She relished and loved her leadership as the British prime minister. John Major John Major was a British conservative and a politician. He served as the British Prime Minister from 1990 t0 1997. Though Major was a more disappointment when compared to Thatcher, he was the most preferred as the successor of Margaret Thatcher. His leadership style stark-contrasted to that of his predecessor, Margaret Thatcher and had a more inclusive cabinet. Some of his successes include signing of agreements with European Unions and bring IRA ceasefire that established the Good Friday Agreement. The accusations on government sleaze and the party divisions dogged his premiership. The 1995 criticisms of his leadership compelled him take the unprecedented step of resigning as the leader of his party. Des pite his victory, he remained unpopular where the party failed in uniting behind him (Heppell 2007, p. 471). His moderate political stance and mild-mannered style enhanced his theoretical placement as conciliatory party leader. He did not succeed in uniting the Euro-rebels. It was during his premiership that the economy in Britain recovered from 1990-1992 recessions. The prime Minister maintained low profile after leaving the office (Heppell 2007, p. 473). Tony Blair Tony Blair served as British Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007. He is among the highly respected leaders worldwide. Sources indicate that Blair was self-centered and

Political ideologies a comparative approach Research Paper

Political ideologies a comparative approach - Research Paper Example Anti-rationalismIn should be realized that fascism was borne mostly after the Second World War. Given this situation, fascism was necessitated by the upheavals and thus became anti-rationality. This is corroborated by what Friedrich Nietzsche said that human being is motivated by nothing other than the ‘will power’ and not the rationality of the mind. Fascism then seemed to have consumed this as their driving force and a core belief. In another instance, the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini also coined a slogan from the same belief and believed in ‘Actions not talk’ and that the state of inactivity is analogous to death. Mussolini devalued the intellectual life and described it as cold, lifeless, and dry. This connotation shows how fascism was against rational and objective minds. StruggleThe other core principle of fascism was the struggle, those who subscribed to the fascism believed in the role of struggle to achieve the desires and liberation. Given the context in which the movement was borne (after the Second World War), it is understandable that the movement was hatched in the aftermath of a struggle and had to follow suit. Leadership and ElitismFascism appreciated the endowment of different people with different abilities and believed in the role of elitism as the ruling class even if they are the minority. Fascism contradicts the conventional political thoughts and radically believes in the rejection of the principle of equality. In Fascism, there was the belief of three castes of leadership in the society.... Given the context in which the movement was borne (after the Second World War), it is understandable that the movement was hatched in the aftermath of a struggle and had to follow suit. Leadership and Elitism Fascism appreciated the endowment of different people with different abilities and believed in the role of elitism as the ruling class even if they are the minority. Fascism contradicts the conventional political thoughts and radically believes in the rejection of the principal of equality. In Fascism, there was the belief of three castes of leadership in the society; the one who possess the unrivalled authority was regarded as the first layer and the warrior forming the second class and finally the masses that majorly comprised of those described as the inert, weak, and ignorant with a characteristic unquestionable obedience (Rejai, 1995). Socialism Even though fascism and socialism had different ideological difference and became rivalries, fascism had unexplained affinity for socialism. Both Mussolini and Hitler showed great involvement in the socialist ideology and this can be manifested by their role in socialism. Hitler developed the philosophy of socialism and Mussolini at some point became the editor of the Avanti newspaper that was owned by the socialists. Fascism also believed in ultranationalism as their core principle. These core principles define the beliefs of the fascism that reigned in most of the countries soon after the Second World War (Rejai, 1995). Core Beliefs of Feminism Feminism has been defined as the collection of the likeminded ideological and movement that are aimed at giving women equal right in the social, political, and economic issues

Uchina Guchi Preservation as a Viable Language Research Paper

Uchina Guchi Preservation as a Viable Language - Research Paper Example This statistics has left many researchers across the globe active on the possibility of some of the languages becoming extinct. Extinction of languages is a threat to any society that uses or which the language belongs to. These researches have led a revelation that there are several languages that are no longer inexistence due to certain reasons related to the original speakers, as well as, the authority that ruled the speakers. An example of the most affected languages is Uchina Guchi. Without the language, communication in the Islands would be literary shunned. Communication is the core and fundamental tool on which progress rely. Without communication, people will not conduct business. There would be no exchange of ideas. There will be no learning or education. These reasons prompt for the preservation of Uchina Guchi language as an important and viable language. Statistically, the languages remained are roughly about 5,800. This leaves an important question: how can 5% of the world population speak 5,800 languages? Further research depicts that two-thirds of the 5,800 languages are in great danger of extinction. The research also shows that in every two weeks, one of the two-thirds of the languages become extinct. The danger of such losses never goes unnoticed. Many of the indigenous minority language speakers struggle to retain their mother tongues. The same is true with the Ryukyu Islands, which is situated between Taiwan and Kyushu. One of the languages that face the dangers of becoming extinct is the UchinaGuchi language, also known as the Okinawan language. Okinawa is one of the endangered languages of the Ryukyu Islands. The UNESCO (United Nation Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) recognizes six languages spoken by the Ryukyu Island dwellers. The languages are, Kanigami, Amami, Uchinaa, Miyako, Yonaguni, and Yaeyama. According to the UNESCO, The most endangered languages in the list are

Miranda Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Miranda Act - Essay Example Nevertheless, unexpectedly, every single one of these studies was carried out within the period of the Miranda resolution, and none has been repeated afterward. Hence, the entire literature on the impact of the Miranda Act on individuals and law enforcement personnel originates from studies that were carried out during the early years of Miranda (Cassell & Fowles, 1998). Because the more enduring effect of a court resolution is more relevant to academics than its immediate impacts, as expressed by Leo (1996), it is astonishing that no academic has investigated the effect of the Miranda Act in almost three decades. The Miranda Act has been the most contentious and the most condemned case of the Supreme Court in the United States criminal justice (Fridell, 2006). Even though nobody has methodically studied the continuing impacts of Miranda on collective awareness, court cases, or law enforcement methods and behavior, the subject matter of Miranda’s effect is still a root of cont ention among academics and practitioners (Leo, 1996). Despite the unending debate between liberal and conservative scholars of the Miranda Act, law enforcement personnel have effectively adjusted to the provision of Miranda of ‘pre-interrogation constitutional warnings’ (Leo, 1996, 628) in recent years. A significant portion of the law enforcement community respects the ideals and logic of Miranda and does not challenge its legitimacy anymore. Law enforcement personnel, according to Cassell and Fowles (1998), like detectives and police officers, nowadays have also embraced the legitimacy of the Miranda Act and accepted its importance as a representation of police competence. In Miranda vs. Arizona, the United States Supreme Court declared suspects within detention - or a logical custodial condition - have to be recommended of their right to stay silent, that no matter what they state, could be utilized against them and that they have a right to a legal representative. O nce a legal representative is called, police force can only utilize statements made with the presence of a legal representative as proof in any trial (Wise, 1996). The case involves is about a 13 years old boy of North Carolina, charged for two break-ins within Chapel Hill. The boy was dragged from his classroom and was inquired by police officials along with school officials in a closed conference room. Finally, the boy admitted to the break-ins. Just after the admission, the investigator notified that he did not have to talk with him and that he was allowed to go, court proceedings mentioned. After that, the boy was permitted to go home; however, a police official armed with a warrant later looked around within his home for the items stolen (Gardner & Anderson, 2009). Two adolescent appeals were filed, charging him with â€Å"breaking and entering and with aggravated burglary. His public advocate encouraged to suppress his statements and the evidence derived from them† (Sch malleger, 2001), declaring that he had been cross-examined within a custodial situation without being provided Miranda advices and that his statements were unconscious. The legal representative of trial refused the proposal. Studies on the effect of the Miranda Act used various methodologies, such as interviews, secondary data analysis, and participant observation. The common agreement of these studies is that after adapting at first to the new directives promulgated in the Miranda resolution, law enforcement abided by the rules, but not the essence, of the

Globalization within my Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Globalization within my Community - Essay Example The term â€Å"globalization† is of rather recent vintage (traceable to academic commentators in the 1970s), and has come to convey a variety of political, economic and cultural connotations (Scheuerman, 2006). Contemporary notions of â€Å"globalization† have transcended the purely economic approach of Karl Marx, or the spatial concept of the annihilation of distance by John Dewey. Instead today, it implies the attributes of deterritorialization, which refers to a delinking of activity from its site, of social activities taking place irrespective of geographical location of the participants, or across vast distances between them, such as is made possible by electronic means of communication. Secondly, globalization also implies the growth of social interconnectedness across geographical and political boundaries, which are not haphazard but predictable and regular. This entails the effect of events and activities in distant places that exert a force and impact on local and regional endeavors far removed from the origin of the activity (Tomlinson, 1999 in Scheuerman, 2006), an example of which is the networks of financial institutions and markets that make possible international business activity . Thirdly, globalization also refers to the speed or velocity of social activity, which refers to the time element while deterritorialization and interconnectedness which were concerned with the spatial element. Fourthly, globalization is a long-term process, yielding persistent and relatively permanent effects in the social context. Finally globalization is a multi-pronged process that affect economic, political and cultural arenas of social life, as previously mentioned. Somewhat removed from the metropolitan areas of New York City and downstate New York, my community is commonly referred to as rural, evoking visions of pastoral settings, picturesque small towns and quaint family

Alex Ovechkin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alex Ovechkin - Research Paper Example Like most hockey players, Ovechkin found his love for the game at a very young age.   He was two years old when he first picked up a hockey stick  in Moscow department store. Whenever he saw a game on television he would drop what he was doing and not allow his parents to change the channel. He soon became obsessed with hockey and rarely missed a televised game. He was yearning to soak up every ounce of knowledge he could. His parents say they knew he would be an athlete when Alexander chose to run up the steps to their apartment rather than take the elevator. He began playing hockey at the age of 7, having been introduced to it formally by his older brother Sergei. In 1992, he started playing for Dynamo youth team. Unfortunately, most of the other players on his team had already been playing hockey for some time. Alex was especially concerned when the coach asked the team members to skate backward figure eights. He was not familiar with how to skate backward at all. But, his coa ch still noticed his enormous talent. During this time, Alex’s favorite team was Moscow Dynamo. His hero was Alexander Maltsev, the club ’s greatest star. Maltsev retired a year before Alex was born, but through stories and TV highlights, the boy decided that Matsev was his man. At one point, his parents were no longer able to get Alex to hockey so Sergei stepped in and made sure that he could get his little brother wherever he needed to go.   He was one of the first to notice the talent in Alex, and he wanted to be sure he was able to use it. Unfortunately, years later an event would happen that would change Ovechkin’s life forever.   His older brother Sergei, in his early 20?s at the time,  was tragically killed in a car accident.   To this day Ovechkin still credits his brother for introducing him to and pushing him to continue playing hockey.   Many say his passion for the game comes from this tragic event and to this day, when he scores, Alex will often kiss his glove and point to the sky in a salute to his brother. As Alex moved up the ranks of Moscow Dynamo’s competitive youth hockey program, he began to draw attention with his powerful skating and quick, accurate wrist shot. He was a hard worker and though very offensive-minded, he was a devoted team player. Alex could raise spirits with a goal, a pep talk or a good back-check. He had that extra dimension as a person and was a player who was clearly the product of a terrific sports family. Before becoming a professional, Ovechkin was already making a name for himself in the Dynamo Moscow  system when at 11 years old he broke Pavel Bure’s record of 53 goals by scoring 56 of his own. He began his professional hockey career at the age of 16 for Russian hockey power Dynamo Moscow  during the 2001-02 season.   By the time he was 18, he won the  Russian Superleague award for the best left-wing  in the league for the 2003-04 season and was the youngest pl ayer ever to lead Dynamo Moscow in scoring. This was his breakthrough. He netted 23 points in 53 games and was voted the Superleague’s top left wing. At first glance, his stats did not seem to warrant superstar talk, but this perspective soon changed. Comparisons to Ilya Kovalchuk, the Russian star drafted first overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2001, were inevitable. The two were indeed similar players, although Alex was a bit more of an end-to-end performer. Kovalchuk, by contrast, was never known for his

Globalization within my Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Globalization within my Community - Essay Example The term â€Å"globalization† is of rather recent vintage (traceable to academic commentators in the 1970s), and has come to convey a variety of political, economic and cultural connotations (Scheuerman, 2006). Contemporary notions of â€Å"globalization† have transcended the purely economic approach of Karl Marx, or the spatial concept of the annihilation of distance by John Dewey. Instead today, it implies the attributes of deterritorialization, which refers to a delinking of activity from its site, of social activities taking place irrespective of geographical location of the participants, or across vast distances between them, such as is made possible by electronic means of communication. Secondly, globalization also implies the growth of social interconnectedness across geographical and political boundaries, which are not haphazard but predictable and regular. This entails the effect of events and activities in distant places that exert a force and impact on local and regional endeavors far removed from the origin of the activity (Tomlinson, 1999 in Scheuerman, 2006), an example of which is the networks of financial institutions and markets that make possible international business activity . Thirdly, globalization also refers to the speed or velocity of social activity, which refers to the time element while deterritorialization and interconnectedness which were concerned with the spatial element. Fourthly, globalization is a long-term process, yielding persistent and relatively permanent effects in the social context. Finally globalization is a multi-pronged process that affect economic, political and cultural arenas of social life, as previously mentioned. Somewhat removed from the metropolitan areas of New York City and downstate New York, my community is commonly referred to as rural, evoking visions of pastoral settings, picturesque small towns and quaint family

Global Forces Essay Example for Free

Global Forces Essay Introduction This case highlights how the European Brewing Industry is striving to grow and gain competitive advantage worldwide. In line to achieve this there have been a lot of innovation, acqiusitions, mergers and of course rebranding of beer products in the Industry. Companies are further trying to reduce operational costs for improved profit. It is therefore imperative that we analyze the global forces in this industry. 1.A PESTEL ANALYSIS (i)PESTEL FACTOR: Political: Firstly I noted that there have been strong campaigns by Governments to stop drunken driving. This might affect the consumption levels for the beers. More especially when there are functions such as weddings and parties, because during such functions Drivers are tempted to drink as functions unfolds. Also people may start avoiding taking beer from Pubs and restaurants since they are required to drive home from such places. Political effects are further emanating from the Government campaigns against binge drinking or overindulgence on alcoholic beverages, hence discouraging consumers from pubs or any social clubs. This may act as catalyst in the reduction of business opportunities for the brewing companies. I further noted that Governments regulate on how packaging for beer should be done due to environmental issues. For example Denmark the use of Bottles is instead of cans. Politically some this may affect the profitability of some brewing companies in Europe. Economic: The Government’s regulations to restrict alcohol consumption in terms of drunken driving and excessive consumption have really helped in increased sales of beer in supermarkets. As indicated in the case statistics shows that sales increased to 66% in 2005. The shift to Chain Stores has worked to the advantage of the brewing industry as the use cut-price on beer which, attract people to buy the commodity. This scenario or should I simply economically the brewing companies would survive as they are assured of more sales though this is indirect business. However there have been little growth in consumption of alcohol or in a nutshell a shift in demand to the developing economies such as China and Brazil. This requires that the brewing industry in Europe should move its investments to overseas markets. Social Factor: Discouragement of binge-drinking affects some people socially as they are denied happiness that comes with alcohol consumption. Furthermore the highly publicized issues of alcohol effects on Health and fitness cause consumption levels to go down. Due to such awareness people chose to socialize without taking any alcohol in some set ups. Technology: I note from the case the due technological advancement has led to the introduction of new products tailored to peoples tastes such as fruit flavored beers and extra cool lagers. In European brewing industry, it is the technology that makes the products attractive as labeling on packages communicates how good the beers on sales may be and also changes to packaging styles is made easy with technology. It is also clear in the case that there have been economies of scale in brewing and distribution of alcoholic beverages as machineries as readily available due to advancement in technology in Europe. Environment: As stated above the Government’s regulations toward environmental protection affect the brewing industry in the European markets either positively or negatively as they have to change packaging to the preferred bottles than cans. The aim is to sustain the environment hence even consumers are always conscious of such laws as they buy beers. Legal factors: My analysis is that the Brewing Industry in Europe is affected negatively as there are laws to curb binge drinking and drunken driving. I have noted that brewing companies have had low sales a result as people are required to buy their products from chain stores and consume it from homes instead of social clubs or pubs. My conclusion after carrying out the PESTEL analysis is that the Brewing Industry in Europe has potential to grow as there are well established companies that able to merge with other organasations either overseas or locally. Also most brands are well known world over hence able to survive any effects that may impact them negatively due to PESTEL factors. (ii) FIVE FORCE ANALYSIS Threat of New Entrants: The threats of new entrants is low in the European markets due to the following reasons campaigns by governments to curb drunken driving and strong awareness about the effects of alcohol on people’s health makes the business an attractive. It is also a known fact that in areas where there are business leaders who are well established it is difficult for the new entrants to survive as customers switching costs maybe very high. Also the high packaging costs for the product makes it unpredictable as to whether the new entrant will be able to survive. Also the switching cost of customers may be high due to ready established relations and confidence that customers have in some existing brands. Further the upcoming economies such as China or Ukraine makes it very unattractive to establish such a business in Europe as there could less business opportunities. Threats of Substitutes: The threat of substitutes is very high. This is because raw materials are readily available such as barely and other fruits, therefore very is for any orgsanisation to come up a product that my act as substitute. Further Water Industry is taking its shape such that they are now supplying bottled water. This acts as substitute to quench someone’s thirsty, considering that there campaigns for health living and people are now avoiding alcohol to keep fit. Also Laws that govern drunken driving compel customers more especially motorists to take water as a substitute instead of Beers. Moreover due to technological advancement it is very easy to produce substitute products such as Juices that may be appealing to consumers and such is obtaining in the European Markets as these can be consumed in clubs and Pubs. Lastly the move to high consumption of wines in the United Kingdom than usual beers makes it very clear that the threats of substitutes are high. Supplier’s Bargaining Power: It is clear that the suppliers bargaining power is high. For example it noted that the Packaging industry is highly concentrated in Europe and is dominated by international organizations, as such there are no substitutes to packaging hence suppliers of such materials are on the advantageous side. In addition suppliers are on good side in Europe due to the fact that production costs in the Brewing Industry are there is need treat the supplier’s well in order to operate effectively and efficiently. This gives supplier high bargaining power. Buyer’s Bargaining Power: I can simply say buyers are consumers of the products under discussion. In this context their bargaining power is very. This is because they have a wide choice of such products, this means they able to choose which brand or change at any time. Since there are a lot of substitutes available the switching costs are low hence no impact on them. Further customers would survive whether they consume the product or not. They choose when to buy and when not to, this mean that there is no concentration of buyers. Hence their bargaining power is low. Competitive Rivalry: The competition in this industry in the European Market is high. This is due to the fact that consumption levels have been reducing hence all producers have to sell their products to a reduced number of customers. Furthermore there are a lot of new brands arising from emerging markets such as fruit flavored and other exotic beers from international markets. What make competition much high are the distribution channels. The beers are distributed through supermarkets and it’s up to the brewing companies to do a lot of advertising in order to catch the consumer’s eye while shopping in supermarkets. In my conclusion I have noticed the Brewing Business in Europe is very ugly for the new entrants. It is therefore incumbent upon the existing companies to take up survival strategies such merging with others or acquisitioning of shares in the emerging markets such as Russia, China and Baltic Countries. They should also endeavor to re-brand themselves and try to enter other international markets such as Africa where customers are easily attracted to beers from overseas and there are less entry barriers. 2.Impact of trends on the four companies (a)Heineken in Netherlands: This company is named the biggest in European Beer Industry. However in order to survive the flooded market its target is to go in to international markets and use the local companies that they may acquire to introduce their beer. Transferring of Knowledge and technology is another way it aims to strengthen its new markets. The impact is that this company would grow they take up survival measures in the manner outlined above. (b)It’s strength : It holds five percent of sales in Asia-Pacific and 17% in Americas this puts in a good position when it comes to business share in a market where there is high competition. Heineken is better placed in terms of strength has it is the producer of worldly known brands such Heineken and Amstel. Due to family controlled aspect it becomes stable and independent in terms of business growth even in international markets. Economies of scale gives makes it strong considering that brewing is costly in Europe and in a nutshell it is secondary to non in brewing industry in Europe hence claims its strength in these area. Form the case I have deduced that the other strength is that they have a vision or simply where they want to be regardless of the competition industry where they operate from. I also noticed that another strength that Heineken has, is financial capacity to implement new projects as fast as possible as funding is always available for such. Heineken’s Weaknesses: Firstly weakness that, I have picked that they are unable to be innovative due family controlled. This means they may lack new ideas as the family may always influence decision making to suit their investments thus may be compelled to do things in the same manner hence lagging behind. This may result in non existence of new product development in the organization. A high price of Packaging Materials is another weakness at Heineken. They have no control or other sources for such materials this more reason why they complained of 11% price escalation. (ii)Grolsch (The Netherlands) (a)The impact if these existing business trends will cause Grolsh to push for mergers with other international organizations as it commands other brands such as US Miller and flavored beers such as grapefruit. It is also clear that it may require channeling much of resources to branding and innovation since that’s its strategy in line to survive. They believe that better looking product will attract a lot of business such green bottles and swing tops. (b) It’s Strength and Weakness One of its strength is long existence. It is on record that it was established in 1615 hence experienced hence may attract customer royalty as issues of closure may not easily arise. It has further embarked on centralization hence increase in terms of production volume which results in reduced cost. Grolsch also supplies variety of products this is strength as it gives it competitive advantage in the market in which it operates. Furthermore the other strength is its innovation in order to achieve its strategy. It’s Weakness Though its brewery is centralized it is single, thus pose a high risk in that in case of any challenges there can be no production at all. It also lacks financial muscle for example in 2005 when their colleagues Heineken made amassed 11.8 billion British Pounds Grolsch’s income from sales was only 313 Million Pounds hence very easy to fold. (iii)InBEv (Belgium/Brazil) (a)Impact of these trends: Even though InBev is the largest brewer in the world with a huge financial power it cannot survive with the existing trends in European markets. How can it survive? For it to stay alive it should strive to acquire other well established companies in the world. Since the world is more global now its strategy should be to built more global brands and increase it efficiency via purchasing and technology. The trends have impacted positively on InBev has it now sets its direction to growth through the above. (b) InBev’s Strengths The first strength is that it is the largest in the world; it is ranked either number one or two in about twenty lands. It has a sound financial position hence able to establish businesses anywhere in the world. In addition InBev is already established in emerging markets such as Chine and Brazil though acquisitions. It has well known brands such Beck’s and Stella Artois InBev’s Weaknesses Lack of analysis before acquiring other companies, for example it acquired a certain company whose brands were declining in terms sales, such acquisitions may turn out to be loses. (iv)Scottish and Newcastle (UK) (a)Impact of trends on the organization: Due to the business trends Scottish and Newcastle should be able to a lot of acquisitions in the UK being the market in which it operates; this would act as a point of growth. In line to gain competitive advantage the changing trends has pushed this company to invest in the fast growing markets such as Baltic Beverages where it has put fifty percent and China in CBC twenty Percent. (b) Scottish and Newcastle’s Strengths: It gains its strength by possessing strong brands such as John Smith, Baltika and Fosters. The strength are also drawn from its investments in fast growing economies such as China and Baltic nations, this may result in profitability regardless on competition in Europe. They are also market leaders in France, the United Kingdom and Russia as observed this is a very good strength for Scottish and New castle as competitive advantage is not easily achievable in these areas. It’s Weaknesses: Scottish and Newcastle’s financial position is not adequate for the high completion it is exposed to in this industry. My conclusion in to this assignment is that the Brewing Industry in the European Markets is highly competitive hence the need for companies to be innovative them to survive. There is also need for bigger companies to adopt strategies of acquisitioning of small ones so that they may expand their brands. Companies in this industry also need to spread their web to other countries if they are to gain competitive advantage. Bibliography HUNGER DJ/WHEELER TL (5th ed) (1992) Essentials of Strategic Management Global Forces. Online available from: www.opp.com. [Accessed 13 September 2012] 3H Strategy and international business. Online available from: www.dur.ac.uk. [Accessed 13 September 2012]

The Business Model Of The BBC

The Business Model Of The BBC The business model of the BBC is quite complex as it is funded by the government through TV licence fees, however, it is expected to be many things:  [3]  private and public, profit and non-profit making, a respected and responsible national institution as well as a nimble entrepreneurial entity. The BBC could be defined as an  [4]  intersect organization which demonstrates its conflicting objectives. The BBCs mission is to  [5]  enrich peoples lives with programmes and services that entertain, inform and educate through its various forms of media communication, that is to say, its purpose is to provide a value for money service to the public. It provides value for money through a variety of shows, for example, regarding ethnic minorities which other channels would not consider and also there are a wide range of channels which are dedicated to specific age groups such as CBeebies for kids and BBC Four focuses on documentaries whilst there are different radio stations for various genres of music thus conveying the diversity of the BBC appealing to all kinds of people including minorities through radio, television and internet. This value is also extended through the use of BBC iPlayer which enables viewers to catch up on watch again episodes such as Top Gear. The BBC prides itself on delivering innovative and informative programmes through the revolutionary technology of internet, digital and satellite communications. The BBC claim their vision is to be  [6]  the most creative organisation in the world and their goal is clear which is to be a global icon. They also wish to represent an independent view point on issues such as politics and be a proud representation of Britain. Their main objective is not to earn significant profit but to be globally recognized as a top quality producer of innovative programmes and services via a wide range of mediums and offer the best news coverage in the world. The BBC provides a wide range of shows from entertainment to sports coverage to educational programmes. It is also committed to earning profit through the sale of educational books and TV shows whilst also doing charity work. In addition, the cooperation is dedicated to research and development which has lead to a strong presence on the internet and BBC radio and television are available in over  [7]  99.4% of UK homes. It is mainly based in London, however, through the leadership of  [8]  Mark Thompson he has decided to diversify and move employees to Manchester to change the stereotype of their image as a London cooperation. I think that the present situation is viable; however, a few changes could be made which I will mention later. I believe that the current situation is tenable as the BBC is universally renowned for its productions which will generate cash flow though the sale of programmes and the sheer number of people who watch their news coverage which covers sport to politics. The BBC has done very well as it moulds itself to different areas and markets of the world to appeal to certain people through e.g. BBC world or releasing a BBC channel in Arabic. The cooperation has also divulged itself into the technology side making all its information and programmes easily and readily accessible which will hopefully meet the demands of the people in the ever evolving technology based world we live in. The BBC have the upper hand over BSkyB in the sense that their brand image is internationally recognized and their unique selling point is the originality of its programmes which must carry on as they enri ch peoples lives. Also the plan to go digital must stay on course as when this is complete they will be able to compete with BSkyB as the BBCs services do not need a satellite box and dish. Due to the current situation, the BBC must make slight changes to their business model because of the emergence of BSKYB which has dominated the UK market recently. They are now competing with hundreds of channels thus resulting in less guaranteed viewers because the BBC has  [9]  traditionally taken programmes from internal or external sources and fitted them into their schedule via their two channels to meet the needs of the audience therefore they could make more specific channels like BBC education. Firstly they need to do this because it will be able to compete against the plethora of new channels but also to convince people that satellite television is not necessary as the BBC has it all. However the BBCs income is fixed as the licence fee is set by the government so as its other main competitors are using this profit to expand and increase their range of services whilst the BBC is falling behind therefore the BBC must find new ways of generating more of a cash flow to keep up with its competitors possibly through online advertising. In addition, thanks to the growth of broadband one is now able to stream TV through their computer and access content easily which provides a further threat to the BBC but to which they have taken to their advantage whereby they have introduced BBC iPlayer which has attracted 41 million requests in December 2008 alone. With regard to the future, the BBC cannot carry on being all things to  [10]  everyone this is not viable as they are mainly government funded hence they cannot expected to meet the needs of everyone. I think this does not allow it to focus as there is no clarity because you cannot be all things to all people it is virtually impossible and it is not viable at all due to the increasingly competitive market but needs to be careful as its budget is very limited. The BBC needs to be efficient and the job cuts might be justified as they need to ensure their financial stability and future ambitions. Michael Porter highlights three generic positions which can be implemented to create a competitive and profitable advantage: Cost leadership, focus and differentiation. Cost leadership strategy underlines the fact that the company must become the lowest cost producer but produce a given level of quality which the consumers are happy with. This strategy is illustrated via  [11]  Toyota which supplies quality cars which are low in cost but have marketing skills to use a premium pricing policy. A differentiation generic strategy offers a product or service to consumers which are unique whereby they believe it is better than their rivals. This can be done through creative programmes, strong sales team and developing brand strength. The focus strategy is a middle ground line taken whereby the organization cannot take on either strategy therefore they focus on a narrow and elite market. This will create a relationship in the long term with specific consumers and the organization must provide whenever needed. Out of these three strategies the BBC does have a bit of each strategy; nonetheless, I believe that the main strategy utilized by the company is differentiation with a hint of cost leadership. The main strategy is differentiation because the BBCs brand image is internationally recognized and is well known for its quality programmes. The hint of cost leadership is that they have attempted to minimise cost as much as possible through mainly redundancies and also through the TV licence only costing  £142.50 per year, although an increase, is relatively cheap in comparison with rivals. Through the culmination of these strategies this would provide customers real value for money as well as discouraging potential entrants. 12Porter claims that the main ingredient needed is clarity in combination with one of these strategies. He goes on to say that the companies that do not follow this model do not necessarily fail, however, they fail to maximise and optimise their resources hence this does not put them in a comfortable situation which could have been avoided. Due to the fact that everyone must have a TV licence for their television sets the licence the BBC must provide good value for money and cater to peoples needs. Through differentiation strategy the company is able to grab a hold of the market through customer loyalty and if the quality is to the consumers satisfaction will discourage potential entrants. I believe this is the generic strategy as the BBCs main income comes from TV licence fees so it needs to be unique and this strategy can be only maintained if the BBC carries on offering creative and innovative programmes. There are five industry forces in a competitive market according to Michael Porter: Barriers to entry, Buyer power, Supplier power, Threat of substitutes and Rivalry. With regard to the five industry forces mentioned, the entry barriers of differentiation strategy gives the opportunity to deter potential entrants through customer loyalty in the hope that you gain some kind of monopoly in the market. Buyer power is a strength of differentiation because large buyers have less power to negotiate due to fewer alternatives. The cooperation will also find it easier to pass on supplier costs to consumers as they are willing to pay that bit extra. The company will be well protected from the threat of substitutes due to the consumers attachment of the differentiated company. The brand loyalty will keep consumers from rivals and put the company in a strong position. Overall the strong points of differentiation strategy are that it ensures customer loyalty with guaranteed quality which will discourage and one can pass on costs to the consumer because of their affiliation to the service. From the companys point of view of the company it guarantees consumers and secures stability in the long term. Leadership plays a key role in providing the vision and direction that structures the way in which the company will work in terms of strategy.  [13]  Leaders are expected to deliver and achieve what they set out to do and they also are expected to establish standards and motivate the employees to achieve maximum potential whilst also being totally committed. A leader must act in the interests of everyone and achieve quality communication between all staff. Taking this into account I will now analyse the leadership of the BBC with regard to Mark Thompson. The director-general, Mark Thompson, has decided to pull out of the so called ratings war but as the BBC is a public service broadcaster this should not be its priority. I see this as a strength as it will allow the BBC to make original and refreshing programmes that will offer a range to viewers. As the BBCs revenue comes through the governments implementation of the TV licence this again gives the BBC an advantage because it provides it with assured revenue and stability which guarantees job security for the staff and also ensures that BBCs priority are the viewers and not to gain profit. Another positive is that the government does not intervene in affairs of the BBC which permits the BBC to work in its own way and be unconstrained. Thanks to the leadership of Mark Thompson the BBC is to become more diluted through the  £200 million investment in the new BBC base in Salford Quays which will diversify and dilute its London influence in the hope that it will be seen as more Britis h. The BBCs commitment to technological advancement is a major strength as the demand is growing and it has certainly provided through the launch of BBC iPlayer and the completion of the switchover to digital throughout the whole country. The technology will also enable the need for fewer job requirements and possibly render some staff to leave which will ease the financial situation. The Director-General has also highlighted the need to have no imitation programmes and the return to in depth current affairs coverage which will please viewers as they want something unique. The BBC must also ensure it keeps its coverage of certain sports which attract a wide range of viewers and are extremely popular such as Wimbledon tennis championship, Formula 1 coverage and Match of the Day. Mark Thompson has been a great leader to the BBC as he always sent out emails to staff to underline his aims and objectives which give employees a sense of unity demonstrating his clarity of objectives and communication. When the salaries of executives at the BBC were revealed, Thompson immediately proposed the pay of the top 20 executives to be frozen for the next three years including his salary but also the suspension of bonuses for managers. He has done extremely well when the BBC has received so much abuse and attempted to resolve the issue without kicking up a fuss and enforcing absol ute standards: the sign of a leader. Mr Thompson is courageous and is not afraid to do what others might not, he recognized that redundancies were needed and so that is what he did this could be perceived as ruthless or rather, putting the companys interests at heart. The decision to dilute and diversify from London is in my opinion a weakness of leadership of the BBC as London has always served as an excellent hub to the company and is at the centre of everything. In a way Mr Thompson has contradicted himself because he claims that he wants to dilute the London influence by relocating staff to ensure there is evenness (2004) but a year later he decided that substantial job losses (6,000) were in order from different regional offices then why did he not make redundant those 1,800 going to Manchester. In reality Mark Thompson is a great journalist, however, one cannot expect him to be a great leader as well and this has been exposed during his time through various incidents, Brand-Ross incident and reporting of the war in Iraq, which have put the BBC under some serious pressure and abuse from the media. In 2007, the BBC were faced with losses and shortfalls of up to  £2 billion thus announcing the speeding up of the relocation of staff to Manches ter, nevertheless, I cannot understand how this ploy is supposed to help the situation and further the announcement of up to 3,000 redundancies is clearly not going to help the situation. I think that this is bad decision making and shows the desperation and weakness of the leadership of the company. As well Mark Thompson has shown a lack of control with the regard to the pay of executives at the BBC, it is  [14]  claimed that top 47 paid executives salaries range from  £190,000 to more than  £600,000 which is astonishing even though the BBC has had to lay off more than 2,000 staff. This shows real weakness on behalf of Mark Thompson including the running and decision making in the cooperation as well. I think Mark Thompson is a very direct leader and always has clear objectives or solutions. His main strengths are arguably communication, although, not in person and acting in the interests of the company exhibited by the restructuring of pay and focus on technology. In my opinion, his main weaknesses are his lack of experience and enthusiasm which sometimes leads to uncertainty and does not boost morale of staff. On the basis of what I am told, the priorities of the leadership should be to resolve the job redundancy levels before strikes might severely cripple the company. As the BBC have decided to divulge more into technology they must ensure that it is fully functioning with no problems due to the fact that they have a history with these sort of issues: electronic accounting system which deletes invoices. Probably the most important priority is to complete the move to Manchester to convey that they are serious and committed to diluting the London influence. I believe that there are two main priorities which are key to resolving the BBCs future and ensuring its stability. There needs to be a restructuring of the wage bill at the top of the company the salaries that have been quoted regarding executives and performers are excessive due to the BBC being a public service broadcaster. Through restructuring the wages this will free up some funds and put the interests of the company at heart. Also more attention is needed towards staff as they are at the hub of what the company does and by creating a sense of unity will hopefully move towards optimum performance because without the staffs capabilities and willingness nothing can be achieved. The relocation to Manchester must be completed as soon as possible because this will demonstrate the devotion and the ability to achieve their objectives. In addition, the BBC must stick to its aim to go digital which will help with their increase in the use of technology and provide consumers with a wide variety of ways to keep up with programmes and watch them in the highest quality possible. The BBC has had to deal with an array of issues over its time and there are situations which could have been handled differently. The slowness of the relocation to Manchester is a problem because firstly it shows that the BBC are not serious about diluting their London influence and also if the staff are not onboard then the move will not reap its expected rewards. In addition, the magnitude of redundancies that are occurring at the company does not reflect well on the situation and creates an unpleasant vibe with staff possibly leading to strikes causing turmoil. When the BBC releases technology it must be fully functional because people lose confidence and trust. If there are any issues that give consumers an excuse to purchase an alternative and then the cooperation will acquire a bad reputation. The other issue is the pay and behaviour of executives and presenters. The executives pay is outrageous and upsets the public as their licence fee money is being wasted on the salaries of overpaid executives further damaging the BBCs image. It is clear that one of the main problems that could have been tackled in a different way is that of the relocation to Manchester. There is no problem with the idea itself, however, there seems to be a lack of drive and determination to progress by Mark Thompson and the move only seems to lead to further redundancies. In summer 2008, it seemed as if the BBC were not serious about relocating which gives us a reflection of the ambition of Thompson to complete this move of certain departments. I believe the relocation should have been completed by now and this is a sign of weakness for the BBC because they have been funded by  [15]  millions of public and private money so there should be no excuses. Also the fact that they are now offering  [16]  generous relocating packages to London staff is absurd because they are employees of the company hence they should either agree to it or not. On the face of it, it seems a pretty desperate move by the BBC as employees should be excited about moving into a modern base and that is the way I believe the BBC should have tackled it in order to convince employees to move through the excitement factor of being a part of something special. Culminated with all this there are lay-offs occurring in order to save money and then we see them offering these charitable packages. Also I believe there is a contradiction because the majority of these redundancies are to come from different regional offices so the idea to become more British by relocating to Manchester will not work as other offices will have fewer employees. If they want the BBC to become more British then they should employ people from other regions rather than relocating London based staff but the BBC defend this  [17]  position claiming they need their experience and ironically some of them will not even move. I believe that the redundancy issue should have been tackled by more London based staff facing the sack. In my opinion, the BBC are taking the relocation in the right direction in the sense that this move needs to be completed as soon as possible and they need their experienced London staff to ease the transition. It is now paramount to complete this move and if the relocation package speeds things up then it is a positive move. The desired outcome would be that everything is up and running by 2011 because it has taken too long. Despite the BBCs previous track record regarding technology which has caused them numerous problems the release of BBC iPlayer sparked several issues and frustrated viewers all over the country.  [18]  100,000 people registered for the iPlayer during its first weekend of release which demonstrates the popularity of BBCs media and this problem could have easily been remedied through applying various tests and ensuring a pretty much flawless version. I believe if it had been fully functional when released the BBC would have gained applause and restored the confidence of the nation in them. The desired outcome of this case is very simple which is to have a fully functioning media player which provides viewers with what they want and the ability to carry out any function that was promised. The BBC has become shrouded lately in controversy and has been accused of bias which affects their global iconic image and their supposed independent view point on issues. Taking the Brand and Ross incident, this has damaged the BBCs integrity and generated massive media attention once again denting their image. This issue should have never arisen in the first place if the BBC had been more stringent and set out the rules with these two presenters the idea would have never popped into their heads as it clearly was unprofessional and uncalled for. It was a very daft and unnecessary incident which has smeared BBC radio twos reputation. The BBC would hope now that this sets a precedent and is now a warning to those others to not generate such extreme media pressure needlessly. Last of all, the BBC must now tackle the issue to do with salaries of executives and presenters which it has dealt with to a certain extent. The issue initially begun because Mark Thompson himself is earning an incredible amount,  [19]  Ã‚ £647,000 basic salary, which sets the standard that other top executives can as well. The BBCs way of tackling this issue was to publish the salaries to show their cautiousness with licence payers money because once the MPs expenses came to the light they were bombarded with complaints. This could have been tackled by completely restructuring the pay of the whole company which is unlikely to occur or simply not revealing the salaries. The second option is the easiest and seems sensible because the BBC should have known that when they released these figures it would cause mass uproar as they are a public service broadcaster. Taking into account everything, the best but not easiest solution is to restructure the pay of executives as they have don e with certain presenters such as  [20]  Graham Norton who earned  £2.5 million a year before agreeing to a pay cut and Bruce Forsyth. This will certainly ease the financial pressure on the BBC by reducing the magnitude of redundancies and manage the  £3.6 billion budget to maximum efficiency. Overall, the BBC has had its ups and downs but that is possibly down to the management and leadership of Mark Thompson. He is a respected journalist, however, this does not mean that he will be an implausible chief executive and this has been reflected in some of his decisions. The main two issues that must be resolved are the completion of the move to Salford Quays and the financial structure of the company with regard to executives and presenters. If both of these are achieved the BBC will be able to do what it does best which is to provide innovative and informative programmes and ensure value for money for licence fee payers.

Eleanor of Aquitaine Essay example -- History Historical Rulers Queen

Eleanor of Aquitaine When viewing the Middle Ages, it is often assumed that women had little if no political power. However, there are certain women that still stand out in the minds of historians, regardless of whether they are queens or commoners. These women ruled vast domains either directly or indirectly, and have influenced many other women to do the same. One such figure was Eleanor of Aquitaine. Although her name is rarely mentioned in history books, her lineage can be found in almost every noble house in Europe. She not only embodied the virtues of a noble woman, but she was also a charismatic strong leader. Her opinion was often heeded in matters of state as well as personal struggles. Truly a remarkable woman, she has shown what being a cunning and graceful queen can do for a country. Eleanor was born in 1122, to William X and Anor of Aquitaine. Eleanorà ­s father, the Duke of Aquitaine, ruled a large plush kingdom that was rich in wine and rolling verdant hills (Dahmus 179). The young Eleanor grew up in a court of Troubadours who sang of courtly love and women. Her grandfather, William IX, is credited as being one of the first Troubadours who brought lyric poetry to life, and her own father continued the tradition (Dahmus 180). Eleanor, having been blessed with good looks, is attributed with being the subject of many of these verses and of inspiring men to sing to women of high station (Consort). These happy times however, were short lived when at the age of five, Eleanorà ­s father died (Troubadour). On his deathbed, her father requested that she be given to Louis VI in order to wed one of his sons (Dahmus 181). This was done, and Eleanor and Louis VII were wed in the summer of 1137. Although this seemed to be... ...to wield power while obeying her husbandà ­s commands. Few men or women in history were able to better utilize their many talents in order to accomplish their goals. Works Cited "Consort of Love and Letters." 1 Apr. 1998. <http://spectrum.net/dede/eleanor.htm> (A word of caution to the readers: Lyn Reeseà ­s Women in World History suggested this web-site. It was written by a high school student and could contain errors) Dahmus, Joseph. Seven Medieval Queens. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1972. Duby, Georges. Women of the Twelfth Century. Great Britain: The University of Chicago Press, 1997. "Eleanor of Aquitaine." Women in World History Curriculum. Ed. Lyn Reese. 1999. 16 Apr. 2000. <http://www.womeninhistory.com/EofAreturns.html> "The Troubadourà ­s Daughter." Suite 101. <http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7545/Eleanor.html>