Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Managing Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Change - Research Paper Example This is because different employees in an organization have different perspectives and standpoints regarding the best change management strategy. They all believe their own recommendations to be the best possible strategy for the organization (Kotter, 2007). Therefore, choosing the best strategy from all the alternatives suggested can be a very difficult job. Moreover, applying change management processes in culturally diverse background become even tougher considering the fact that the acceptance, tolerance and response to change management strategies vary across different cultures (Dionne, et al., 2002). That is why managers need to have the ability to enforce change and at the same time make sure that the cultural integrity at their organization is sustained. Furthermore, change management is also required while companies consider expanding their business into unfamiliar territories (Todnem and Burnes, 2011). This is where managers have to be extremely adaptive when enforcing any form of change. Successful execution of change management strategies ensures organizational success and it requires managers to be highly aware of their operational environment (Hendry and Pettigrew, 2008). It is with regards to this fact that the researcher will attempt to understand the change management process in Burger King. The fundamental purpose of this study is to see how managers of Burger King have expanded the world’s second largest burger food service retail into the Gulf Region. The study will be conducted on the basis of two perspectives of change management which are the cultural approach to change management and the adaptation versus standardization strategy related to change management. An analysis of such scale will allow the researcher to gauge the importance of change management in the contemporary business environment. The researcher will also be evaluating the success achieved by Burger King after expanding into the Gulf Region through the change

Monday, October 28, 2019

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Essay Example for Free

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Essay The first hydrogen fuel cell was invented in 1839 by William Groves who conducted an experiment that proved electric current could be produced from a electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. He named the invention a gas voltaic battery. For 120 years the technology layed dormant until 1959 when a modified farm tractor was produced with 15 kilowatt fuel cell. In 1966 the first hydrogen fuel cell road vehicle was made, it had a range of 120 miles and a maximum speed of 70 mph. Due to high production costs the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle program was canceled. For thirty years the hydrogen fuel cell was used for space exploration. In 2003 a government initiative was announced to promote the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Hydrogen fuel cells can significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses and theoretically could replace the internal combustion engine. There are a variety of challenges that face further development of the fuel cell vehicle. As of 2014 a total of about 60 hydrogen refueling stations are avaliable to the public worldwide. In the Unitied States there are 12 hydrogen refueling stations 10 of which are located in California. Hydrogen fuel costs 400% more to produce than gasoline. There is a high amount of energy that is needed to make hydrogen into fuel. Hydrogen fuel is stored pressurized form in complex storage tanks. The fuel is kept at a low temperature if hydrogen fuel comes into contact with human skin it can cause immediate frost bite. When there is an improperly designed or damaged valve in a hydrogen vehicle it can cause the tank to over pressurize and explode. Hydrogen fuel is extremely flammable if it comes into contact with an oxidizer such as oxygen it immediately catches fire and burns with an invisible flame. In a car accident a ruptured tank can explode from depressurization. Hydrogen fuel can leak into a cars interior, the driver would be unaware of the odorless gas and be breathing no oxygen if the air conditioning is on recycle causing loss of conciseness or asphyxiation. As of 2014 the range of a hydrogen vehicle is 100 miles on average to 300 miles maximum. A 20 gallon gasoline tank is the equivalent of an 80 gallon hydrogen fuel tank. The National Research Council reported in February 2004 The DOE should halt efforts on high pressure tanks and cryogenic liquid storage. They have little promise of long term practicality for lite duty vehicles. In 2015 Toyota will release its first production hydrogen fuel cell mid size sedan for the price of $70,000. Honda has a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle at the cost of $120,000. There are prototype hydrogen fuel cell vehicle models being produced by a number of auto makers. A May 2008 scientific study in Wired News reported experts say it will be 40 years or more before hydrogen has any meaningful impact on gasoline consumption or global warming, and we cant afford to wait that long. In the meantime, fuel cells are diverting resources from more immediate solutions.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Constable: Weymouth Bay: Difficulty with Landscapes :: essays papers

Constable: Weymouth Bay: Difficulty with Landscapes John Constable was born into a wealthy family in the English countryside. It was originally suspected that he would take over his father’s buisness because his older brother was mentally handicapped. However as his interest in painting grew his mother realized that this was a course he was choosing and he was good enough to pursue. Ironically when Constable turned to landscapes, his mother worried about his finances and urged him to turn to portraiture. In his lifetime Constable rarely sold any paintings despite being inducted into the Royal Academy of Art. Constable has talent, yes, absolutely. I could never capture his landscapes and ‘Weymouth Bay’ is a gorgeous recreation of what Constable saw. It is not an idealized version it is exactly as he saw it. This is where my problem with landscapes begins. I cannot find myself excited by them. It has taken me weeks of procrastination about how to write this paper. ‘Weymouth Bay’ was painted by Constable during his honeymoon in 1816. The scene is Dorset. There is another version of this painting in the Louvre. I think that the painting is easy on the eye. It would have been simpler to write about a Turner because his work in my opinion contains pieces of originality that Constable fails to achieve. His work is straight forward, an almost perfect recreation of exactly what Constable saw. Experts believe that the view in ‘Weymouth Bay’ is from an angle towards the west; west of Redcliff Point. It is a barren picture, the land is empty, cold. If landscape instills feeling of environment, Constable achieves that. When the painting was exhibited at the British Institution in 1819 the New Monthly Magazine wrote that the painting was, â€Å"a clear, well-colored picture.† To this description, yay. I do not aspire to be a critic of art and even now as I type this paper, I find myself increasingly nervous to the hail of criticism I’m opening myself up to. However, as I wandered through the halls of the National Gallery the urge to challenge myself and write about something that caught my eye because of the simplicity of it not because it was thought provoking was too much. Simple is not a bad thing. However if all art was simple it would in my opinion cease to be relevant. But would Constable be a relevant painter today?

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Racial Discrimination Essay

A strong, intelligent man, Martin Luther King Jr., once said, â€Å"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,† and what mattered 50 years ago, was finding a sense of equality in the world. That each person could feel as if they were all equal to one another, without feeling misplaced, but at home. King took a stand for people too scared to let their words be heard, taking on the walls that stood between segregation and equal rights. His strong words gave a sense of realization, that all people, black or white should have equal rights, and feel just as safe and free as all of the others. After a long fight for equality in the world, racial discrimination is still hiding in the shadows, causing much conflict between our many diverse races in the world. In order to solve racial discrimination, every school in America, students and staff, will have to participate in anti-racial discrimination programs, to stop the advancement of racial discriminatio n. James T. Patterson educates his audience in his article, The Civil Rights Movement: Major Events and Legacies that about 7 million slaves were brought to America in the late 1600s. These slaves were sold to North America from the European settlers. Our country became dependent on the slaves for the production of crops, such as tobacco and cotton (Patterson Par. 1). Slavery ended in 1865, after the long battle of the Civil War, which began in 1861. The end of the war granted millions of slaves their freedom, citizenship, and the right to vote, no matter their race. Unfortunately, most white people were not okay with this occurrence, so they created certain laws that were designed specifically to give blacks unequal treatment. Along with these new laws, an organization called the Ku Klux Klan was formed to intimidate and stop the advancement of black people in society. Segregation then came in to play in 1896, when black people were said to be equal to white people in society but were made to be separated by their color. Whites and blacks all had their designated areas, where the different race could not enter. For example, public restrooms had signs outside that  stated which bathroom was for which race to use. Looking from the outside in, there was much realization that specific places for blacks were in bad condition in comparison to places designated to white people. Oppression was the basis of segregation. Two ladies, named Susan Bohmer and Joyce Briggs, defined oppression as â€Å"attitudes, behaviors, and pervasive and systematic social arrangements by which members of one group are exploited and subordinated while members of another groups are granted privileges.† Since black people were separated by the color of their skin, and not given the same rights and privileges as white people, it entitled them to be labeled as oppressed. There are still groups today that experience oppression. (Patterson Par 2). Eventually, in 1964 the Civil Rights Act gave way to protect citizens from discrimination, by prohibiting segregation in schools, public places, and employment. Within the following year, this act created equal voting rights between races (Patterson Par. 4). Robert M. Entant explains in his article, The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America, that after much hardship and fight for equality between races, our nation witnessed the first African American male and female become Secretary of State in 2001. Eight years later, Barack Obama became the first African American to become President of the United States of America. These explicit events gave proof of how far our nation has come to give all races the right to not be discriminated against (Entman 2). Although today many blacks have overcome the white domination, they tend to carry insecurities of their past with them, as they continue to feel lower than the white race. Racial discrimination is still in the shadows of today, but there are many potential solutions that could possibly eliminate racial discrimination altogether, but may take a lot of time. Such as the NAACP group, that started in the year 1909, that was formed â€Å"†¦to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination (Patterson Par. 2)†. My  potential solution will be similar to this organization, as it will be open to anyone that is willing to participate and wants to fight for equality. After the organization is put into action, members will be sent to different schools, from elementary schools all the way to colleges, teaching students about racial discrimination. These visits will include lessons based on the history of racial discrimination, examples of people who have experienced racial discrimination, and how they have dealt with it. Another important part of this aw areness will include involvement from the students. As I will ask them to partake in giving examples of personal experiences involving racial discrimination or inequality. Having students share their experiences will show that they are not dealing with this on their own, but that others have experienced it also, and they can then relate to each other. After each lesson, I will then have everyone brainstorm their own kinds of solutions that they can perform everyday to minimize racial discrimination, so that one day it can hopefully be completely gone. This solution will eventually solve the issue of racial discrimination in the aspect of society and single individuals. Many potential students may not want to participate in the lessons provided, for they feel uncomfortable or just do not care about the problem at hand, but will be forced to partake in the lessons. These lessons will be as mandatory as a math class or English class. They will have no choice in the matter, as they need these lessons to improve racial discrimination rates in our society today. Racial discrimination is a learned accusation, usually influenced by an authority in a person’s life. Even through not everyone recognizes this problem; it is still an issue in many lives. With that said, my solution will potentially give relief to the world, giving everyone the chance to feel equal to one another. This solution may not make dramatic change in a short period of time, but if the students I teach, give effort to making our world an equal place, lives will change. â€Å"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.†Ã‚  This inspiring quote came from the intelligent mind of Martin Luther King Jr., the man who took a stand for equality in the world. After his long fight against racial discrimination his life was taken for standing in the darkness of challenge and controversy. Our world may not be completely healed and safe from our history but we are learning that we are all human, no matter what race we are, or the history that trails behind us. Work Cited Entman, Robert M. The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America.The University of Chicago Press.2000.Web. 2 May 2014. Patterson, James T. The Civil Rights Movement: Major Events and Legacies. The Glinder Lehrman Institute of American History.2014.Web. 2 May 2014.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Porters Generic Strategies Essay

Strategy concerns two factors, deciding where you want a business to go, and deciding how to get there. According to Grant (2010) â€Å"A firm can achieve a higher rate of profit (or potential profit) over a rival in one of two ways: either it can supply an identical product or service at a lower cost, or it can supply a product or service that is differentiated in such a way that the customer is willing to pay a price premium that exceeds the additional cost of differentiation.† This provides the company with a different type of competitive advantage, either cost or differentiation. To attain cost advantage, a firm must aim to be a cost leader, and minimise expenses and outlays at every stage within the value chain. Porter (1985) wrote that to achieve differentiation advantage, a firm must â€Å"provide something unique that is valuable to buyers beyond simply offering a low price† These two strategies form half of Porter’s (1985) generic strategies model, which are contained within the ‘broad’ dimension. Cost leadership requires key strategy elements such as scale-efficient plants, outsourcing abroad (such as HP computers) and a design process that is heavily focused on the manufacturing of the products. Resources and capabilities should include access to capital, tight cost control and specialisation of jobs and functions, with incentives linked to quantitative targets. Alternatively differentiation requires emphasis on branding, advertising, quality, service and new product development. To accomplish this a firm needs superior marketing abilities, creativity, and strong research and development resources. The second, ‘narrow scope’, dimension presents the other generic strategies; cost focus and differentiation focus. Companies using focus strategies will target niche markets and, by understanding the dynamics of that market and the unique needs of the customers within it, develop uniquely low cost or well specified products within that market. Tailoring their products for customers tends to lead to a strong brand image, and companies can rely significantly upon their reputation to maintain sales. This can detract new entrants to niche markets with established suppliers. The key to succeed  within the focus dimension of Porter’s (1985) box diagram is to make sure the company is adding something of value as a result of serving only a niche market. Porter’s generic strategies do have various criticisms. Firstly, it is possible for a company to perform to two strategies and succeed, whilst avoiding becoming ‘stuck in the middle’. Nissan in China, for example, try to cater for the low cost and market whilst also offering automobiles for more elite customers. This has proved hugely successful, with high performance cars such as the GT-R (retailing for as much as  £120,000) selling just as consistently as the Micra ( £10,000). This directly contradicts Porter’s claim that â€Å"the firm stuck in the middle is almost guaranteed low profitability. In addition, many companies enter the market focusing on a particular niche, but then their initial success enables them to expand and utilise other generic strategies. A great example of this is McDonalds, who initially targeted children, with the Happy Meal and the character of Ronald McDonald. They realised they were missing out on a huge segment of the ma rket – adults, so each new advertising campaign became more sophisticated until it catered for all ages. Interestingly, the food that is sold has not changed significantly, just the marketing behind it. Another problem with Porter’s model is that the strategy alone does not guarantee success. For example, a firm cannot generate consistently high profits simply by offering the lowest price due to cost leadership. Low price does not sell products without any other strategy, people may believe that if a product is significantly cheaper, it is therefore of lower quality and not worth buying. The company needs a reputable brand to ensure customers know they are getting value for money and not just being ripped off. Strong marketing is needed to portray the image that the product is at least as good a standard as its competitors while stressing the difference in price. An additional factor is that of imitability. The knowledge provided in Porter’s texts is freely available, so no differential advantage can be gained from them, unless they are interpreted in idiosyncratic ways. Treacy & Wiersema (1995) put forward an alternative approach to attaining  market value advantage. The 3 basic routes were operational excellence, product leadership and customer intimacy. Alternatively Bowmans strategy clock looks at different combinations of price against perceived value of the product. This provides a powerful way of looking how to establish and sustain a competitive position in a market driven economy. However, in a more recent paper, Bowman (2008) argues that whilst Porters generic strategies are useful, they cannot provide all the answers. He claims that at best they are â€Å"food for thought†, and at worst they are â€Å"a substitute for thinking†.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Words of War for Spanish Students

Words of War for Spanish Students Looking for a different perspective on the news of the world? If so, check out one of the many Spanish-language news sources and get an idea of what people in Latin America or Spain or other Spanish-speaking places are reading. If the news is about war, you may find this vocabulary list helpful. War Vocabulary List Alphabetized in Spanish Words below are alphabetized in Spanish; see the next section for the same words alphabetized in English. el alto el fuego - cease-fireel arma, las armas - weapon, weaponslas armas de destruccià ³n masiva - weapons of mass destructionatacar - to attackel ataque - attackla baja - casualty (death)base (aà ©rea, military)  - (air, military) basela batalla - battlela baterà ­a - batteryel blanco (militar) - (military) targetla bomba - bombbombardear - to bombcivil - civilian (noun or adjective)el/la comandante - commanderel combate - combatel/la (no) combatiente  - (non)combatantel conflicto - conflictla Convencià ³n de Ginebra - Geneva Conventionel/la coronel - colonelel criminal de guerra - war criminallos derechos humanos - human rightsderribar - to shoot down, to bring downdestruir - destroyel ejà ©rcito - armyencontrarse cautivo - to be taken captiveestar en control, encontrarse en control - to be in controlla explosià ³n - explosionlas fuerzas aà ©reas - air forcelas fuerzas aliadas - allied forceslas fuerzas armadas (FF. AA.) - armed forcesel/l a general - generalel gobierno - governmentla granada - grenade la guerra - warel helicà ³ptero - helicopterherido - injuredherir - to injurelas hostilidades - hostilitieshumanitario - humanitarianla inteligencia militar - military intelligencela invasià ³n - invasionla marina - navymatar - to killmilitar - military (adjective)el/la militar - soldier, fighterel misil - missilela muerte - deathel objector de conciencia - conscientious objectorla ofensiva - offensivela patrulla (patrullar, estar de patrulla) - patrol (to patrol, to be on patrol)la paz - peaceel/la piloto - pilotel preso de guerra, el prisionero de guerra - prisoner of warla propaganda - propagandaresguardar - to protect againstla resistencia - resistancesacudir - to strike, to hitsangriento - bloodyel/la soldado - soldierel tanque, el carro de combate - tankel territorio - territoryel/la terrorista - terroristlas tropas - troops War Vocabulary Alphabetized in Enlish air force - las fuerzas aà ©reasallied forces - las fuerzas aliadasarmed forces - las fuerzas armadasarmy - el ejà ©rcito(air, military) base - base (aà ©rea, military)attack - el ataqueto attack - atacarbattery - la baterà ­abattle - la batallato be in control - estar en control, encontrarse en controlto be taken captive - encontrarse cautivobloody - sangrientobomb - la bombato bomb - bombardearcasualty - la baja (death), el/la herido (injured person)cease-fire - el alto el fuegocivilian (noun or adjective) - civilcolonel - el/la coronelcombat - el combate(non)combatant - el/la (no) combatientecommander - el/la comandanteconflict - el conflictoconscientious objector - el objector de concienciadeath - la muertedestroy - destruirexplosion - la explosià ³ngeneral - el/la generalGeneva Convention - la Convencià ³n de Ginebragovernment - el gobiernogrenade - la granadahelicopter - el helicà ³pterohostilities - las hostilidadeshumanitarian - humanit ariohuman rights - los derechos humanosto injure - herir injured - heridoinvasion - la invasià ³nto kill - matarmilitary (adjective) - militarmilitary intelligence - la inteligencia militarmissile - el misilnavy - la marinaoffensive - la ofensivapatrol (to patrol, to be on patrol) - la patrulla (patrullar, estar de patrulla)peace - la pazpilot - el/la pilotoprisoner of war - el preso de guerra, el prisionero de guerrapropaganda - la propagandato protect against - resguardarresistance - la resistenciato shoot down, to bring down - derribarsoldier, fighter - el/la militar, el/la soldadoto strike, to hit - sacudirtank - el tanque, el carro de combate(military) target - el blanco (militar)territory - el territorioterrorist - el/la terroristatroops - las tropaswar - la guerrawar criminal - el criminal de guerraweapon, weapons - el arma, las armasweapons of mass destruction - las armas de destruccià ³n masiva

Monday, October 21, 2019

Definition and Examples of Independent Clauses English

Definition and Examples of Independent Clauses English In English grammar, an independent clause is a group of words made up of a subject and a predicate. Unlike a  dependent clause, an independent clause is grammatically complete- that is, it  can stand alone as a sentence. An independent clause is also known as a main clause or a superordinate clause. Two or more independent clauses can be joined with a coordinating conjunction (such as and or but) to form a compound sentence. Pronunciation IN-dee-PEN-dent claws Examples and Observations A clause is a group of words that [contains] a subject and a verb. There are two major types: independent clauses and dependent clauses. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, beginning with a capital letter and ending with terminal punctuation such as a period. A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence; instead it must be attached to an independent clause.(Gary Lutz and Diane Stevenson, The Writers Digest Grammar Desk Reference. Writers Digest Books, 2005)The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.(H.L. Mencken, The Beloved Turnkey. Baltimore Evening Sun, February 12, 1923)In an era when the average man was about five feet tall, the new emperor stood six feet four.(Dale Evva Gelfand, Charlemagne. Chelsea House, 2003)I was born when you kissed me. I died when you left me. I lived a few weeks while you loved me.(Humphrey Bogart in the movie In a Lonely Place, 1950)He was a stocky dark man who wore a snap-brim hat like George Raft. The next morning he hung around the Store until we returned from church.(Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Random House, 1969) Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.(George Orwell, Keep the Aspidistra Flying, 1936)Her hat is a creation that will never go out of style; it will just look ridiculous year after year.(Attributed to comedian Fred Allen)Comedy has to be based on truth. You take the truth and you put a little curlicue at the end.(Sid Caesar, quoted by Karin Adir in The Great Clowns of Television. McFarland, 1988)If opportunity doesnt knock, build a door.(Attributed to comedian Milton Berle)Roy pulled the attic door open, with a mighty jerk, and father came down the stairs, sleepy and irritable but safe and sound. My mother began to weep when she saw him. Rex began to howl.(James Thurber, The Night the Bed Fell. My Life and Hard Times, Harper Brothers, 1933)Quietly he entered the room at the top of the stairs. It was dark inside and he walked with caution. After he had gone a few paces his toe struck something hard and he reached down and felt for the handle of a suitcase on t he floor.(Carson McCullers, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Houghton Mifflin, 1940) Independent Clauses, Subordinate Clauses, and Sentences An independent clause is one that is not dominated by anything else, and a subordinate clause is a clause that is dominated by something else. A sentence, on the other hand, can be made up of numerous independent and/or subordinate clauses, so it cant really be defined in terms of the syntactic concept of clause. (Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, Navigating English Grammar: A Guide to Analyzing Real Language. Wiley-Blackwell, 2014)

Sunday, October 20, 2019

To Kill a Mockingbird Characters

To Kill a Mockingbird Characters Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a tremendous literary achievement, combining a subtlety of voice with a setting and characters rendered with consummate skill. From a young girl imbued with her older self’s perspectives to the inner life of a servant, Lee makes choices with her characters that add impact to the plot’s events and realism to the setting. It’s that realism- the ability for the reader to imagine actually meeting the characters in the book- that makes Lee’s themes of racism, equality, and the trap of poverty so powerful, and why the novel remains relevant and readable today. Scout Finch Jean Louise Scout Finch is the narrator and main character of the novel. The fact that Jean Louise is actually telling the story as an adult decades later is sometimes forgotten, because Lee so perfectly ties the perspective to the younger Scout, who is 6 years old when the story begins. As a result of this technique, Scout is often remembered as a precociously intelligent child who understands the subtleties of events around her more than most children her age. The fact is, it is the elder Scout injecting those insights into the story with the aid of hindsight and mature experience. Scout is a tomboy who rejects traditional feminine roles and trappings. She is adventurous and idealistic, taking her moral cues from her father, Atticus. Even when she does not fully understand scenarios she instinctively defends Atticus, usually by getting into physical altercations. In fact, physical action is Scout’s preferred way of overcoming any obstacle, which is a curious opposition to Atticus’ more cerebral and peaceful approach. Scout’s physical approach to problems reflects her initially simplistic moral outlook: she initially believes that there is always a clear right and wrong in every situation, and triumph in physical combat always results in a winner and a loser. As the story goes on and Scout grows older, she begins to understand more about the world around her, which by necessity makes her less certain about the morality of any particular action. As a result, Scout begins to value reading and education more as she grows older, and begins to see the way physical force can be abused and lead to less certain moral outcomes. Atticus Finch Scout’s widower father is an attorney. Although he is a well-respected member of the community and can seem like a very traditional man of his time, Atticus in fact has many subtle attributes that mark him as a bit of an iconoclast. He shows little intention of remarrying and seems comfortable being a single father. He values education and is intent that his daughter receive a first-class education, and is not concerned with her lack of what many at the time would consider feminine qualities. He indulges his children, allowing them to call him by name instead of insisting on a honorific like father, and lets them more or less roam unsupervised, trusting their judgment despite their young age. Thus it should not be a surprise when Atticus takes his role as lawyer to Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman in the American South in the 1930s, very seriously. It is strongly implied that the town expects Atticus to do very little to defend Tom, and his insistence on taking his role seriously and doing his best for his client enrages much of the community. Atticus is presented as an intelligent, moral man who believes strongly in the rule of law and the necessity of blind justice. He has very progressive views on race and is very perceptive about class distinctions, and teaches his children to always be fair and empathetic to others, but to fight for what they believe in. Jem Finch Jeremy Atticus Jem Finch is Scout’s older brother. Ten years old at the beginning of the story, Jem is in many ways a typical older sibling. He is protective of his status and often uses his superior age to force Scout to do things his way. Jem is depicted by the elder Jean-Louise as sensitive, intelligent, and fundamentally fair. Jem also demonstrates a rich imagination and an energetic approach to life; for example, it is Jem who drives the investigation into the mystery surrounding Boo Radley, the play-acting the children engage in, and the steadily escalating risks involved with making contact. Jem is in many ways presented as the end result of Atticus’ parental example. Not only is Jem older, and thus able to demonstrate how his father has influenced his worldview and behavior, but he shares many of the implied characteristics of Atticus, including a deep reverence for fairness and a decency and respect offered to all other people regardless of race or class. Jem displays difficulty dealing with other people who do not rise to his standard, showing just how hard Atticus has to work every day to keep his aura of calm and maturity. In other words, Jem shows how difficult doing the right thing can be- something that his father makes look easy. Boo Radley If there is one character who encapsulates the broader themes of To Kill a Mockingbird, it’s Boo Radley. A troubled recluse who lives next door to the Finches (but never leaves the house), Boo Radley is the subject of many rumors. Boo naturally fascinates the Finch children, and his affectionate, childlike gestures towards them- the gifts left in the tree knot, Jem’s mended pants- point towards the ultimate lesson that Scout learns from him: That appearances and rumor don’t mean much. Just as Tom Robinson is assumed to be a criminal and a degenerate simply because of his race, Boo Radley is assumed to be terrifying and animalistic simply because he is different. Scout’s recognition of the fundamental humanity of Boo Radley is a crucial part of the story. Dill Harris Charles Baker Dill Harris is a young boy who visits his Aunt Rachel in Maycomb every summer. He becomes best friends with Scout and Jem, who find his sense of adventure and fanciful imagination to be a delightful source of entertainment. Dill is the main driver behind the quest to make Boo Radley come out of his house, and at one point agrees to marry Scout when they are older, something she takes very seriously. Dill serves as an outside point-of-view for Jem and Scout, who have grown up in Maycomb and thus cannot always see their home objectively. Scout expresses a callous attitude towards racism early in the book, for example, but Dill’s reaction is visceral revulsion, which inspires the Finch children to reevaluate their view of the world. Calpurnia Cal is the Finches’ housekeeper and a surrogate mother to Jem and Scout. Whereas early in the novel Scout views Calpurnia as a disciplinarian and killer of fun, by the end of the novel she views Cal as a figure of respect and admiration. Calpurnia is educated and intelligent, and has helped to raise the Finch children to be the same. She also provides the children with a window into the world of black citizens in Maycomb, which is vital to their understanding of the stakes involved in Tom Robinson’s plight. Tom Robinson Tom Robinson is a black man who supports his family by working as a field hand despite having a crippled left arm. He is charged with the rape of a white woman, and Atticus is assigned to defend him. Despite being the accused, Tom has very little to do with the central conflict of the story- just like other members of the black community in America at the time, he is largely powerless, and the conflict is fought between white people. Tom’s essential decency is perceived by Scout when he finally takes part in his own defense, and his eventual death disillusions and depresses Scout.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Yusef Komunyakaa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Yusef Komunyakaa - Research Paper Example His complex background and unique voice show the power of poetry. Throughout his many years at the craft he has risen to become one of the foremost writers of his age. But his work is far from laudatory. Komunyakaa explores many complex and painful chapters in American life, many reflected through his background. He is not afraid to celebrate what is good, but nor is he unwilling to explore what is darkest and saddest about America. Biography Komunyakaa was born in Louisiana in 1947 into a family that was recently from Africa (Cocola, 211). He joined the army when he was a young man and fought abroad. When he returned to the United States, he began writing poetry and publishing and teaching. Over the years, he has won numerous awards both in the U.S. and internationally. His work takes as one of its major themes the dislocations and traumas of African-American life. It uses many of the techniques of this more traditional style to great effect. From the beginning it was clear that Kom unyakaa was a wilful man who saw himself as different. His original birth-name was James Willie Brown, but he changed it to his grandfather's name when he was young (Pereira, 45). His grandfather had been a stowaway from Trinidad. The poet's experience in Vietnam as an American soldier inform many aspects of his work. The Vietnam War was a difficult time for America. It was a war far from home against a people that Americans knew little about. The draft forced many people who would not normally fight in wars to participate. Back home, protests and riots broke out and brother turned against brother. Civil strife was common. For Komunyakaa this experience was a galvanizing one. But he did not see it through the mainstream lens of White America. He is not like other soldiers as his relationship with his country is more complex due to his ethnicity. He did not feel the same in Vietnam as the other American soldiers; indeed, he felt somewhat at home in the alien land (Cocola, 215). Influ ences and dialogue among writers Yusef Komunyakaa has many influences. Jazz is a key one. In a sense, Komunyakaa sees in jazz the same improvisational and emotive capacity of poetry. He also sees jazz as highly dependent on the blues and other traditions (Komunyakaa and Clytus, 121). But he is more formal than many jazz practitioners. He takes as inspiration the work of the Harlem poet Langston Hughes and even a man as remote as T.S. Eliot. Clearly, his own father is an important influence. In his father, Komunyakaa sees just how far he has come and how much he has accomplished in his years on this planet. While he may occasionally criticize America, Komunyakaa clearly recognizes that only in this country can the son of an illiterate man become a world famous poet. My father could only sign His name, but he'd look at blueprints & say how many bricks Formed each wall. This beautiful ending of a poem shows how Komunyakaa sees his own poetry as a product of accumulation and hard work o ver the years. That no single poem or brick stands alone appears to be the lesson he has taken from his father. Like a cathedral starts with a single brick, so a poem starts with a single line. The poet understands that the line cannot be written without education, without literacy, and so he has sought these things out. Writing theories/ style and technique Komunyakaa's writing theories are at the core of his work. A great example is the poem â€Å"Facing It† is an extraordinary journey through war and memory, and is surely one of Komunyakaa's best. At the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, the poet recalls his own horrifying experiences and is overcome with emotion. He remembers his comrades who have died in the bloody fray and his own complex feelings about the war and his place

Annoted Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Annoted Bibliography - Essay Example Banks were existing during that time. There were both private and temple banks. Loans were given out to people with houses being collateral while others were just freestanding religious institutions. There was encouragement of to invest his or her capital in vineyards, and if someone would enter this amount as a debt, the owner was to realize a six percent profit. He further reiterates that the investment idea and advice to the Romans show was an indicator of some degree of financial power during that era. People knew that loans are not grants and can be used for investment purposes. People were told to think of the opportunities brought by the invested funds, whether they have received legitimately or as a loan. Many people took a loan to enhance trading and finance their business activities. Before the industrial revolution, merchants formed a huge population that was a foundation of the capital market in the Roman Empire. In the history of Roman Empire, other assets were functioning in place of physical money. Grains and wines are some of the many commodities that were allowed in making payment, facilitating exchange and trading activities, measuring values and wealth of an individual. The use of coins reduced because of such assets in some sectors of the roman economy. During the last days, the empire, it was an important factor in evalua ting impact and nfluence of the ultimate increase in the coin supply. The article remains a great resource in this research, and I will not do without it. Its content is rich, and provides a provocative content that would be detrimental in research

Friday, October 18, 2019

Criminal Justice System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal Justice System - Essay Example Otherwise, the people would lose confidence in their capacity to protect the people and keep them safe. The most insistent factors that must be considered in the case given are first, the protocol of the police station or simply the rules that they must follow, second, the rights of the suspects and third, upholding justice for the victim. It may seem that all these are very distinct and therefore uncorrelated at first glimpse, but a thorough study will show that they are very much consistent with each other. Given the situation, what I would probably do is to insist to my partner that we redo the interview with me in the room and the same being videotaped. I would make an effort to notify accordingly that affirmative action must be done. This would assert a number of the major things that must be considered in an ethical decision. It would not be far fetch to consider that the confession was coerced. Not to mention that both are minors aged only at 14 years old. â€Å"The ethical t reatment of others requires that we treat them as rational agents who are authors of their own decisions, and not as tools that we may use or manipulate as we like† (Kleinig, 2008). It is by duty that I uphold that justice is served. The mandate for interviews was established for a reason.

The Emergence of Industry Clusters. Theory & Evidence Essay

The Emergence of Industry Clusters. Theory & Evidence - Essay Example According to the researchers, an industry cluster may be defined as a geographical adjacent group of interrelated industrial firms and connected institutions which is linked by unity and harmony. In an organisational form, clusters offer more flexibility to the industrial firms in the ever- changing industrial environment. In other words, the extent along with the nature of link between the customers, the suppliers and the competitors determine the various advantages of industrial cluster with respect to industrial structure. The emergence of industry clusters has made an exceptional mark as well as caused a significant variation in regional financial performance of the United States and Germany. Through the occurrence of pioneering clusters of the companies and industries such as semiconductor industry of Silicon Valley, automobile industry of Detroit and German Laser industry, the researchers observed that the above mentioned industrial units attained strong financial performance d ue to the presence of modernised clusters. Thus, it can be stated that during the emergence of industry clusters lie a significant as well as mention worthy effect upon attaining strong and well organised financial performance which is performed by the industrial units such as semiconductor industry of Silicon Valley, automobile industry of Detroit and German Laser industry. The industry clusters act as a source of local modernisation along with improvement towards geographic attention of various business organisations, industrial firms and related trade institutions that include standard agencies and trading organisations among others. ... rgement, the formation and the progression of industry clusters such as semiconductor industry of Silicon Valley, automobile industry of Detroit and German Laser industry are elaborately discussed. Supportive theories and evidences along with various prescribed policy recommendations regarding the emergence and impact of industry clusters will also be taken into concern in the discussion of this paper. Key Facts of the Industry Clusters There are various factors that are associated with industry clusters that encompass a favourable business situation which is an elementary requirement for activating industrial agglomeration (Klepper, 2009). The factors that include steady macroeconomic atmosphere, government institutional structure, enhanced legal system, and modernised technologies are regarded as a few of the encouraging factors for industrial clustering. The factors that include deficiency of low labour cost, trained labours and professionals, scarcity of advanced physical structu re such as roads, legalised actions and legislations and lack of improved logistics, production methods and innovative business operations eventually act as an obstacle towards industrial clustering (Klepper, 2009). Along with the encouraging factors, there also lie certain major elements that act as a crucial obstacle towards industrial clustering. It has been identified that the two most inspiring and remarkable industry clusters of the United States are especially the semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley and the automobile industry in Detroit (Klepper, 2009). In the early days of semiconductor industry i.e. 1950, Silicon Valley enjoyed maximum financial leverage due to the contribution of its semiconductor industry. However, in the next 30 years, nearly 100 semiconductor companies

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Communitiies Of Practice (COP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Communitiies Of Practice (COP) - Essay Example The CoP could also meet on a regular basis or depends on the common availability of the members. Likewise, due to the advancement of technology, the members could also utilize the computer and internet, i.e. group sites, web pages, e-mail, blogs, wikis, podcasting, and/or file sharing to keep connected and updated.2 The practice of CoP had long been existed throughout the society. In fact, it had been observed and practiced in the classical Greece wherein the Greeks were subdivided and lived according to their shared common interests and beliefs. The people who have the same crafts such as the metalworkers, potters, masons, etc. belonged to the same group because they work and learn together. Each group had their own business function in which they were responsible to share their skills and spread the innovation through training and coaching apprentices/novices. Whilst, each group had shared social purpose wherein they â€Å"worshipped the same god and goddesses and celebrated holid ays together.† 3The practice had been very common; however, the term was only coined recently by Etienne Wenger and Jean Lave. Originally, the term was used to name a group of traditional African tailors who couched and trained their apprentices. 4 Further, the two have concluded that learning could be a two-way process wherein the apprentices could learn from their masters/instructors and vice versa. Since then the two researchers have expanded the CoP concept and had been widely incorporated in organizations, government, businesses, teams, work groups, corporations and among others. Etienne Wenger and William Snyder have considered community of practice as an important instrument because it could improve organizational performance as long as it is implemented accordingly. The advantages of CoP have included its ability to drive strategy. Several organizations have proven this, i.e. the World Bank. Since, they had integrated in their management the concept of CoP; they become â€Å"knowledge bank†5 because they had provided their customers’ high-quality information as well as they gained know-how on economic development. Likewise, the CoP could also start new lines of businesses. An example of this was the one cited by Wegner and Snyder, wherein a group of consultants created a community and they decided to meet regularly at the airport after their engagement with their clients to discuss over their common interests. After a couple of years, this group had established a new line of business that offered financial services due to community of practice. The CoP could also used to solve problems quickly. The practical reason is that members of the CoP could share their problems and could ask the assistance of their co-members to find solution with their problems. In the same manner that their counterparts could extend their help because they knew the problem and they could identify the best solutions to common problems. For example, a man had asked from his CoP on how to improve his writing skills. Since, they share the same interest, many of his expert co-members have responded via net within 24 hours. Luckily, many of them have provided the best and easiest writing techniques. Further, it could also transfer best practices because they â€Å"do much more than work on specific problems. 6 In an organization or company, it was considered as the best and ideal venue for sharing and disseminating best practices and knowledge. One of the most successful examples of

Business Structure Advice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Structure Advice - Coursework Example A market survey can also give you valuable information on how to overcome the challenges, spot the present and the future troubles in the business and discover other opportunities. Financing a business that is just starting is always very difficult. The person in business should know the amount of cash that is actually required to begin and drive the business. You can start a business with the individual money or capital obtained from acquaintances, and relatives (Kurtz, & Boone, 2011). The individual investments show your obligation to the business and also give you a chance to request support from the government subsidy. This subsidy may be a loan for which you are expected to pay back the principal amount including the interest. These business loans are either short term or long term hence it will depend on the size of the business you want to venture in. There are different business structures or forms. You should consider what business form is efficient for your needs depending on whether you want to conduct the business by yourself, or you want to do it with a colleague. According to Pride, Hughes, and Kapoor (2012), an appropriate business form is determined by monetary, individual, law and duty issues. The following types may be suitable for a new business venture: Sole proprietorship: This is a business owned by a single person. The owner is entirely in charge of all its operations. All the earnings from the business are for the sole proprietor. It is possible for the owner to use own assets to remove the debts. Sole proprietorship is advantageous because: it is easy to start, the starting fee is moderately low, the management load is small, the owner is fully in charge and can make his choices in the business, and all the income goes directly to the owner. However, this form of activity has open problems, for instance, if you have debts, the individual resources will be used to remove the debts. There is also no stability in business

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Communitiies Of Practice (COP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Communitiies Of Practice (COP) - Essay Example The CoP could also meet on a regular basis or depends on the common availability of the members. Likewise, due to the advancement of technology, the members could also utilize the computer and internet, i.e. group sites, web pages, e-mail, blogs, wikis, podcasting, and/or file sharing to keep connected and updated.2 The practice of CoP had long been existed throughout the society. In fact, it had been observed and practiced in the classical Greece wherein the Greeks were subdivided and lived according to their shared common interests and beliefs. The people who have the same crafts such as the metalworkers, potters, masons, etc. belonged to the same group because they work and learn together. Each group had their own business function in which they were responsible to share their skills and spread the innovation through training and coaching apprentices/novices. Whilst, each group had shared social purpose wherein they â€Å"worshipped the same god and goddesses and celebrated holid ays together.† 3The practice had been very common; however, the term was only coined recently by Etienne Wenger and Jean Lave. Originally, the term was used to name a group of traditional African tailors who couched and trained their apprentices. 4 Further, the two have concluded that learning could be a two-way process wherein the apprentices could learn from their masters/instructors and vice versa. Since then the two researchers have expanded the CoP concept and had been widely incorporated in organizations, government, businesses, teams, work groups, corporations and among others. Etienne Wenger and William Snyder have considered community of practice as an important instrument because it could improve organizational performance as long as it is implemented accordingly. The advantages of CoP have included its ability to drive strategy. Several organizations have proven this, i.e. the World Bank. Since, they had integrated in their management the concept of CoP; they become â€Å"knowledge bank†5 because they had provided their customers’ high-quality information as well as they gained know-how on economic development. Likewise, the CoP could also start new lines of businesses. An example of this was the one cited by Wegner and Snyder, wherein a group of consultants created a community and they decided to meet regularly at the airport after their engagement with their clients to discuss over their common interests. After a couple of years, this group had established a new line of business that offered financial services due to community of practice. The CoP could also used to solve problems quickly. The practical reason is that members of the CoP could share their problems and could ask the assistance of their co-members to find solution with their problems. In the same manner that their counterparts could extend their help because they knew the problem and they could identify the best solutions to common problems. For example, a man had asked from his CoP on how to improve his writing skills. Since, they share the same interest, many of his expert co-members have responded via net within 24 hours. Luckily, many of them have provided the best and easiest writing techniques. Further, it could also transfer best practices because they â€Å"do much more than work on specific problems. 6 In an organization or company, it was considered as the best and ideal venue for sharing and disseminating best practices and knowledge. One of the most successful examples of

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Literature review - Essay Example The next part, talks about the business structure and the major products and services offered by the company. The company history has been also reviewed highlighting the major achievements of the company over the past years of its business operations. The existing management structure and the corporate governance mechanisms followed by the organisation have also been studied. The business strategies followed by the company and its financial performance in the recent years have also been reviewed in this report. Company Overview EasyJet plc is a UK based organisation which operates its business in the airlines industry. The company is headquartered at Luton, UK and was founded in the year 1995. The airlines operations of the company includes 600 routes and offers its services to around 130 airports located in 30 countries all around the world (easyJet plc, 2012). Apart from carrying passengers the company is also engaged in the business of leasing and trading aircrafts. It has been es timated that the total fleet of aircrafts of the company included around 200 aircrafts as on 24 August 2012. The shares of EasyJet are publicly traded in the London Stock Exchange (LSE) with the ticker symbol â€Å"EZJ† (Yahoo Finance, 2012). Business Description Airlines services are offered by EasyJet plc within Europe. The company runs its business along with its subsidiaries at point-to-point routes on short-haul basis. The company is found to operate across 130 airports spread over 130 countries and has more than 580 routes at present. The company operated fleet mainly consists of Airbus aircraft and some Boeing aircrafts as well. The engines of the aircrafts flown by EasyJet plc are supplied by (International Aero Engines) IAE and CFM international. The maintenance of engines and the aircrafts are mostly undertaken by Virgin, SRT, GE, Aeroton, MTU, Lufthansa Technik, and BF Goodrich. Aircrafts are also obtained on lease by EasyJet provided by various organisations like BOC Aviation, AWAS, GECAS, Royal Bank of Scotland, Nomura Babcock & Brown, Santander, and Sumisho. Purchase of aircrafts by EasyJet plc is mainly financed by the financial institutions like Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Alliance & Leicester, BNP Paribas, HSH Nordbank, Caylon, KfW, PK AirFinance, Natixis, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Royal Bank of Scotland, and WestLB. The major insurers of the company include La Reunion, Global, Canada Life, AIG, QBE, Houston Casualty, and Chubb. EasyJet Switzerland and EasyJet Airline Company Ltd. are the two subsidiary companies of EasyJet plc who are engaged in airlines operations. The aircraft leasing and trading activities are carried on by the other subsidiaries of the company like EasyJet Sterling Ltd., EasyJet Aircraft Co. Ltd., and EasyJet Leasing Ltd. Apart from scheduled airline and in-flight services, the other associated services offered by EasyJet includes online reservations, hotel rooms and car hire facilities. Company History St elios Haji-Ioannou is attributed to be the founder member of EasyJet and his objective of setting up this company was to offer low cost scheduled airlines within Europe. The first aircraft that was wholly owned by the company was provided in the year 1996. The company’s website was launched in the year 1997. Since its inception the company continued to expand its operations all over Europe and started implementing various acquisitions

Monday, October 14, 2019

Comparing Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau Essay Example for Free

Comparing Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau Essay In many works of literature, authors express their viewpoints on society and times in which they live. In the essay â€Å"Self Reliance† by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau, the authors speak out against conformity and materialism in society. Both were romanticism authors during the 1800s. They focused on simplicity and individuality. Both writings can advise teenagers today on the importance of non-conformity and the value of rejecting materialism. In â€Å"Self Reliance†, Emerson discusses being one’s own person and not allowing society to mold someone like a piece of clay; â€Å"Trust thyself† are the exact words he used. Trusting oneself means it is okay to be different if one wants or chooses to be different. It means that one does not have to follow the â€Å"bad† crowd just because everyone else may be choosing to do so. One must know that if they have a good idea and if they believe in that ideaeven if it is different from the norm of societysome people will follow. Emerson also says, â€Å"Whoso would be a man, must be a non-conformist. † This means that to be a true and real person, one must stand up for what they believe in and not allow themselves to be completely changed by society. One must not conform to ways that will cause them to be someone or something outside of their own desires. In the beginning of his writing, Emerson gives us a definition of what he believes defines genius: â€Å"To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men—that is genius. ’ This is his way of saying that every person should know that doing what one thinks is right is the best decision—for him/herself. Every educated person does not conform to society if they do not think that society is going in the right path. Emerson also says that people who have good ideas are misunderstood. In his statement, â€Å"To be great is to be misunderstood†, Emerson is saying that most people who had great ideas in history were misjudged because their ideas were not along with the norms of society’s ideas. Therefore, the societal conformists thought that their ideas were wrong. Emerson gives reasons as to why most people conform to society and try to be the same. He says, â€Å"The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency†meaning that people might follow society because that is what they are used to doing. They are only doing what they saw happening when they were younger. Their parents and other adults probably did the same thing that most people do todayconform. Emerson disputes this reason in his statement by saying, â€Å"But why should you keep your head over your shoulder? Suppose you should contradict yourself; what then? It seems to be a rule of wisdom never to rely on your memory alone†. Relying on the past could be problematic when someone questions things since most were probably brought up a certain way and are used to doing things the same way, but never really knew a good reason why to conform. In â€Å"Walden†, Thoreau explains how having less material things can simply your life. He says, â€Å"Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things† In saying this, he means to own your items and do not let them own you. Thoreau thinks that people have the desire to own things, thus, causing them to have to use all of their time working to own said things. Working all the time means that one can not do the things that one wants to, and that the items that one desires ends up owning them. Through this statement, Thoreau is basically saying that having all these things such as cell phones, iPods, laptops, and televisions are distracting people from the more important things in life such as family, health, and well-being. One of Thoreau’s famous quotes is, â€Å"Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! † This means to make ones’ life as simple as possible. He thinks that the poor are the fortunate ones since they have the least to look after and worry about while the rich have so much to look after that they do not have time for themselves. Living a simple life enables one to be free of commitment and obligations. One only has to worry about one’s self. Both Emerson and Thoreau believe that following one’s own path in life is the best way to go. They believe that being oneself and having a simple life is the best life. Both lessons can be relevant in today’s society by looking at the rural areas that still exist in the United States. Some of these areas still follow the principle of a simple and non-materialistic life. Their lives are not filled with technology and other things that distract most people from life. Young people (myself included), can take away much from Emerson’s and Thoreau’s writings. I could focus on more important things in life rather than wasting lots of time on unnecessary technology such as Facebook and Twitter. We could use technology under moderation and make sure that those things do not take up more time than necessary in our lives.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Signs and Effects of Autism Essay -- Autism Autistic Disorders Ess

The Signs and Effects of Autism Autism is a rare disease that has been noticed for centuries. The purest form of autism (high IQ and almost normal behavior yet still self-contained) occurs in about â€Å"one in 2,000 people†. When the many other forms of autism are added in, the ratio is â€Å"one in 750†. Autism is found in every race, ethnic group, nation, and social standing, although â€Å"males outnumber females by four or five times† (â€Å"Autistic Disorder† – 2). Autism is a broad range of disorders that stretch from mild to severe. There are many theories on the cause of autism, but no definite solution. Because of the broadness of the disease, there are many types and categories. The effects of autism are frustrating, and hard to live with. Since the causes remain unknown, there are no specific treatments that can cure autism. The first signs of autism are shown within the first three years of life. As an infant, parents will notice that the child is distant and does not respond to many things. The baby usually doesn’t develop any bonds with his/her mother or caretaker. When parents go to pick up an autistic child, he/she will seem rigid, limp, and will not do normal things like reach out for the parent. Another symptom is little to no eye contact. As with autism at any age, the child is obsessed with sameness and routines. For example, a child will want to eat the same foods every day at the same time. Inanimate objects also fascinate autistic children, though they do not use them as they are intended. They will play with a single toy for hours at a time. Autism was once thought to be the result of cold and distant parents. If the mother disliked or did not want the baby, it was thought that the baby knew this and would enclose itself in its own world. That theory has now been disproven and ma ny scientists now believe autism is caused by -1- genetics and/or illnesses. There are many stated genetic and biological causes but none seem unique to autism. Likewise, no specific gene has been targeted to cause autism. New evidence reveals that â€Å"the serotonin-transpoter gene† (Rapin, Isabelle – 101) may be related to the cause of this disease. Complications in birth are also taken into consideration. â€Å"Prenatal factors are intrauterine rubella, tuberous selerosis, chromosomal abnormalities, and brain abnormalities. Perinatal factors have little to no ... ...â€Å"Autistic Disorder† – 4). Another way of helping an autistic individual have a somewhat successful adult life is to develop his/her communication skills by age five. With the knowledge of communication he/she will likely improve. Yet, most will still need some sort of help from one or more adults. In conclusion, the broad range of disorders, known as autism, can’t be cured, but they can be helped in many ways. Many autistic people receive help from family and relatives. In an autistic person’s life, all he/she needs is love and understanding. -4- Although they may seem mentally challenged, many are very bright. Many have a higher IQ then what is usual. Autism can be a devastating disorder but to the affected individual, it is his/her normal world. BIBLIOGRAPHY â€Å"Autistic Disorder† McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. CD-ROM. 1998 ed. Campbell, Robert. The Enigma of the Mind. New York: Time-Life Books. 1976 Rapin, Isabelle. â€Å"Autism.† The New England Journal of Medicine 10 July 1997: 97 Wing, John. Reasoning About Madness. New York: Oxford University Press. 1987. Wing, Lorna. â€Å"The Autistic Spectrum.† The Lancet 13 July 1997: 1761-66.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

My Reason :: Personal Narrative Moving Essays

My Reason The process of ending up where I did was a long one. I came to this town merely by chance, not knowing what to expect, or who I would meet. I didn’t have dreams of going to a cool mountain town, or a small city to attend college; I just fell into it not knowing where I would end up. I had good reasoning, coming from a small town, I had good expectations from my prior visits, and I fit into the college life making friends very easily. After months of searching, this is where I ended up. I grew up in a tourist town at the foot of the Rocky Mountain National Park called Estes Park. It is a beautiful mountainous town with an elevation of six thousand feet. (Estes Park is very similar to Flagstaff.) It was a wonderful place to grow up, but by the time we moved from Estes Park, I was ready to go. The town had just grown to be too small for me. From there, at the age of fourteen, I moved down to a much bigger city called Fort Collins. This is where I lived and established a new life for the next five years ahead of me. When my senior year came, and it was time to begin the process of sending in my applications for college, and I was not ready. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life at that point. My mother would pressure me everyday to start looking into colleges (In-state and out), and applying to the ones I liked. My parents had told me of some pretty places they had traveled through in Connecticut, Arizona, Washington, and Colorado. Taking their word for it, I applied to a few. In December, I had finally made a decision. I wanted to go to school in California. San Diego State had become my school of choice. It had a beautiful campus, it wasn’t too big of a school, and it was very close to where my Father wanted to retire. I soon found out that I was too late. San Diego, and most California schools, had their application deadline back in November. So I had to start looking in a different direction. My stepfather decided that he wanted to help out. I had been leaning towards Arizona State University or Northern Arizona University mainly because of my sister.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Gender Identity Essay

Gender identities are determined by biological, social and cognitive learning factors, these occur overtime and more times than most gender identity is determined in childhood and usually by the age of six to seven years of age. Biological factors can play a big role in shaping a child’s physical development, some researchers suggest or believe that the same sex hormones enable sexual organ differentiation in utero of which triggers puberty, later on other gender identity factors are social and environmental factors, some believe a child’s gender identity is affected by the way they are raised and their social environment. These factors can determine a child’s gender identity and whether they become bisexual, heterosexual or other factors and identities. Gender roles and sexism can be identified by social identity like the expectations of a person by what sex they may be like male or female some countries believe women stay home and take care of their husbands and children and stay hidden and silent , other countries like the us women and men are equal and both have basically the same types of careers such as construction workers, and most careers are not limited to gender identity , examples of these concepts is like the middle east women are not allowed to be seen or heard unless spoken to and in no such terms are they permitted to speak to or look at other men for these laws being broken they are punished severly. in the us women and men treat each other equally and women have the same legal rights as men, women are not treated as children were treated back years ago , women in the US live their lives as men do equally. So gender roles depend on what culture you live in. Differences in men and women in social environments and cognitively are very different, and in some cases are the same, men can go to a restaurant or a social club and take considerable risks where a women will be more shy and timid, as for problems when these arise men most likely look for solutions to their problems before talking to a friend or family member about them where a women will contemplate and look for answers with the family or friends they speak to. Men and women’s intelligence levels are basically the same and as for environment men and women’s biological differences may be due to the influences they are around like men watching football together or women at a needlepoint club, and their gender developments, as well as where they socialize men and women are distinctively different and the same but different due to the regulation of their hormones and the way their systems are different and the difference in their brain functions, men and women’s e motions are mechanically different. One biological perspective or evidence suggest that differences in verbal and spatial abilities memory, and aggression are linked, to differences in hormones secretions between males and females this claims gender identity as being influenced re all research by hormonal imprinting before birth, a person’s masculine or feminine traits can be described by whether a person see’s themselves as a man or a women and how society perceives them whether it be stereotyping, or social differences. The masculine and femininity continuums characteristics are defending an opinion or beliefs, being a provider, sexually aggressive, unemotional, logical, rational, intellectual, and stoic adventurous, and competiveness. Being a leader, and being self-sufficient and an organizer and being independent these are the ways of masculinity or feminism traits continuum, these can be described to fall into felinity as well as masculinity these are added traits to the continuum, caring for a child and other people, being empathetic or being indecisive, caring and affectionate, the way females and males differ in many ways men and women are the same, In conclusion to gender identity masculinity and feminism are described as degrees but are not absolute in all people there is no such thing as one hundred percent female or one hundred percent male, this is all a myth we all basically fall in both categories and our gender identity is not decided for us.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

How to Structure a Dissertation

How to Structure a Dissertation?Chapter and Sections Explained | General Structure of a DissertationMany students are confused about the dissertation structure requirements given to them by their tutors, and getting this wrong will affect their final grade. Below you will find an easy to follow guide to structure a dissertation. It is recommended that you create the titles and subtitles before you fill the dissertation with content, and determine how long each chapter will be to make up the required dissertation word count. How to structure a dissertation The following guide gives you the general rules of dissertation structure used for dissertations that include primary research: ? Title Page Make sure that you check the information that needs to be included in the title page. Some institutions ask for the total word count and your supervisor’s name, as well as your personal and course information. ? Dedication This page is often neglected by students, but has an important role in structuring your dissertation. You need to dedicate your work to a person, institution, or cause. As an example, you might dedicate your dissertation to the institution that supported your research. ? Acknowledgements This short part of your dissertation will acknowledge the support and help you received from your tutors, institution, or colleagues. ? Abstract A summary of the dissertation, including purpose and findings. ? Table of Contents ? Introduction This introduces the study and establishes the research context. It should include a statement of the problem under consideration, the objective of the research, what or who is included in the study, and an overview of the structure of the dissertation. ? Literature Review This gives an extensive background to relevant theories. It should explore and critique past research and any explanatory models. It should end with the research questions to be answered by the study. ? Methodology This part of the dissertation structure sets out the way the study was carried out, and should include subsections, such as: i. Research philosophy ii. Approach and strategy iii. Data collection and analysis iv. Issues with access to subjects / data, v. Reliability vi. Validity and applicability vii. Ethical issues and any limitations related to your research ? Results This section sets out the results of your study. The emphasis is upon raw data rather than interpretations and conclusions, and you might want to create tables or/and charts to improve the structure of the dissertation and present your results more clearly. ? Discussion This part of the dissertation discusses the results in a wider context, and links with themes drawn out during the literature review are considered. Further, you will have to critique the theses and theories discussed in the literature review section based on the results of the study. You need to state whether the evidence provides support for the research hypothesis. Each research question is discussed with reference to the evidence. This section also provides a brief recapitulation of the literature review and methodology. ? Conclusion This dissertation section summarises the study. No new material is to be introduced here, but drawbacks of the study can be included, and recommendations for future research can be made. ?References These must be listed in the format approved by your university. ?Appendices This important part of the dissertation includes questionnaires, tables, transcripts of interviews and statistical outputs. As appendices are not part of your total word count , they can be useful for holding information where you are worried your word count is too high. Chapters of a Dissertation Explained The main purpose of the dissertation structure is to present your research and ideas in a logical way. If you know how to structure a dissertation the correct way, you are more likely to get it right the first time, instead of being asked to make amendments for months before it can be accepted by your institution. The introduction’s purpose is to inform the reader about the purpose and setting of the study. The literature review shows your institution that you have completed the required background studies. To state your methodology, you must be aware of different research approaches and methods in your selected academic field. The Results section of the dissertation must be structured in a way that the outcomes are easily interpreted by the reader. You can voice your criticism and reflect on the findings and theories in the Discussion section. In the Conclusion and Recommendations section of the dissertation, you must show that your research has delivered important knowledge for a certain industry or field of study. The Literature Review Structure In this section, you need to compare and contrast the views of different authors on the issue you are researching, highlight the gaps and contradictions in current literature, and demonstrate how your study is related to current and past research. If you are confused about what to include in this dissertation section, ask our our site experts on structuring your literature review. The Correct Dissertation Methodology Structure You will need to state your research philosophy: either positivism, interpretivism, or post-positivism. In the next section, you have to state your research approach, followed by strategy and research design, data collection and analysis methods, and finally the ethical considerations, validity, and generalisability of the research, as well as the limitations of the study. For a full guide on how to structure a methodology chapter, check out our detailed our site guide on methodology structure. How to Clarify the Dissertation Structure Requirements Most colleges and universities publish their guidelines on dissertation structure. You might want to clarify the word count requirements and referencing guidelines for each chapter with your professor before you start working on your dissertation. Remember that each field of study and institution have their own specific requirements for word count, formatting referencing, and chapters, so you must obtain information and should not rely on general information on structuring a dissertation. You might need to seek further advice and guidance on how to structure a dissertation and what to include in each chapter. If you have any specific queries or questions, you can submit your question to the our site support page, and get an expert in your academic field give you further guidance.Do you need help writing your dissertation or thesis? Contact Us TodaySummary Reviewer Admin – Robert Gil Review Date 2017-07-25 Reviewed Item Structuring a dissertation Author Rating 5

Ops 571 Week 4 Team

Riordan Manufacturing Production Plan OPS/571 November 1, 2012 Zachary Burk Riordan Manufacturing Production Plan Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. is a fortune 1000 company with revenues in excess of $1 billion (University of Phoenix, 2012). This wholly owned company is a global plastics manufacturer that employs 550 people with annual earnings of $46 million. Riordan has a reputation for being an industry leader in the industry of polymer materials and has various clout heavy clients such as the Department of Defense and major automotive companies.The company recently went global by relocating its Michigan operation of fan manufacturing to China. This paper will explain lean production and capacity planning for the new process design and supply chain process for Riordan. Strategic Capacity Planning The goal of strategic capacity planning for Riordan Manufacturing's is to maximize the level of output and return of investment. Riordan Manufacturing's should create a small sister plant to C hina in Michigan.If we are able to create a scaled down version of the plastic molding machines from the China plant, the plastic polymers safety storage from this facility can become the regular shipment to the Michigan facility. By creating the Michigan mini-facility Riordan Manufacturing could shift the smaller customized fan orders manufacturing and excess polymer inventory from the Hangzhou facility. By reinvesting in the Michigan facility and the United States economy, Riordan Manufacturing will be better equipped to meet the clients demanding more from Riordan’s Pontiac, Michigan location.It is clear that the China plant sustains an efficient delivery rate and maintains ample safety stock of polymer material. The Hangzhou China plant has a sufficient supply of plastic polymer because the raw material can be purchased locally. â€Å"Customers normally negotiate their yearly requirements for fans in order to obtain the lowest price. They then provide periodic release or ders for smaller quantities against the yearly total throughout the year† (University of Phoenix, 2012). As a manufacturer, Riordan machine hours per shift prove profitable when the number of units per shift performs at optimal levels.The China plant has processes that can be utilized within the company in different ways to encourage increased utilization and productivity at the Michigan plant in the United States. In addition, the China facility has a reliable shipping process that makes shipping the assembled or any raw material to the United States facility seamless. Lean Production Riordan Manufacturing operates a plastics plant in Hangzhou, China that acts as a decentralized unit of Riordan Manufacturing and produces electric fans (University of Phoenix, 2012).Lean Production for Riordan Manufacturing new process design will be done by making sure that they are providing quality products and services. Riordan Manufacturing is a leading name in the field of plastic injecti on molding. A new process design is needed for manufacturing facilities in China. All of their products are shipped to customers, which are expected to be restricted within a timeframe that could lead to a bottleneck. The lean production process will be provided in the new process design improvements that will take the company to a better stage of production and coordination.Riordan should evaluate their review process to make sure that the changes that are needed are in accordance to the data collected from the post project review. Important questions are helpful in improving lean production and improving efficiencies. Lean production requires Riordan manufacturing to implement production strategies that are often an issue for this company. The issues with the current process will be improved through suggestions. Supply Chain Processes Local procurement of materials provides an ease in production at the plant in Hangzhou.Costs are one area that attention is paid so that they can be kept within reason ensuring an affordable product. Throughout the process careful negotiations must be done to ensure there are adequate materials as well as manpower to fulfill the orders that have been placed by customers. The plant has the ability to produce a large amount of stock fans as well as special order merchandise. With specialty orders the process for procurement shift slightly because of the unique nature of the order and the variety of materials that may be used as well.With the procurement of the polymer done locally this also expedites the production process simply because logistics will not be an issue. The necessary machinery for manufacturing is onsite for quick manufacturing times that can quickly move into the production lines for assembly. Assembly leads way into storage for sales. Orders can be filled at the plant as well as shipped directly to the buyer both within China and internationally. Depending on the final destination of the merchandise there are mu ltiple companies that are used to ensure the fastest shipping time to the buyer.Potential trouble could arise if there was difficulty in procuring polymer. If this were to occur Riordan would have to locate the materials that can be transported to the plant to ensure there is no slow in the process. Also if this does become an issue there must be ample stock kept on hand to ensure the plant does not run out of the main item used in the manufacturing process. Conclusion Riordan will face challenges with taking its electric fan operation global. The organization will be to implement carefully planned strategic processes to ensure the success of this transition.Being mindful of their output levels and creating a mini facility in the United States will increase Riordan’s efficiency. By creating lean production processes and utilizing the organization’s local resources for its polymer materials will assist the company in sustaining performance and maintaining the competitiv e advantage. References University of Phoenix: Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. (2012). Retrieved October 28, 2012 from University of Phoenix website: https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/index. html

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

The internment of Japanese-, German- and Italian-Americans during Research Paper

The internment of Japanese-, German- and Italian-Americans during World War II - Research Paper Example This internment was authorized by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 under the Executive Order 9066. The wartime incarceration of the Japanese Americans was the biggest mistake made by the Americans which they can only regret by erecting memorial such as that in the national Capitol which reminds them of the 120,000 Japanese American kept in the concentration camp and 26,000 who served in the US army during World War II or by doing extensive and exhaustive research so as to prove their guilt for the action1. The World War II brought with it a series of actions and events which affected Japanese Americans in many ways. The attack on Pearl Harbor along with the overpowering Japanese offensive through the Pacific as well as the Southeast Asia was a stun to the American military leaders as well as the civilian leaders. The US Navy had long realized that the Japan was the most expected enemy since its defeat of the Czarist Russia in 1905. As a result the American intelligence agenci es had made a pre-war plan to ensure the interning of certain enemy â€Å"aliens†.2 Daniels clearly states that the internment of the Japanese American was merely a â€Å"lawless exercise of power by the executive branch† although both the Congress and the Supreme Court gave an absolution for the action. He also draws a distinction between internment and incarceration; since the notion that the Japanese American citizens were treated like members of the Holocaust in â€Å"concentration camps† was considered an abuse to them it was referred by the Americans as â€Å"Assembly Centers† or â€Å"Relocation Centers†. This shows how the treatment of the Japanese Americans was packed with euphemisms.3 It is also been observed by researchers such as Schidkraut that the impact of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001 has revived the American national consciousness with regard to the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. This compels one to deeply investigate into the role of American identity in response to the terrorist attacks which have taken place so far. US population underwent an ethnic makeup in real and dramatic scenarios which occurred quite rapidly during World Wars. This led to a change in sentiments of the natives during the mid 1990s. The role of media during the World War II was severe and extremely brutal in terms of American national consciousness. This was evident by the following piece of information recollected by Schidkraut, â€Å"During WWII, media commentators said we need not worry that bombing cities in Japan might kill innocent civilians because there was no such thing as an innocent Japanese civilian.†4 Studying from the perspective of the Japanese-American and what they went through when they learnt of this incarceration, several researches reveal how hard it was for the Japanese Americans to pack their bags and leave the comfort of their homes to a seclusion which had no prescribed limit. At first they were taken to the Assembly Centers from where they were to be moved to the relocation centers. For others it was known as either the internment or to be kept in the concentration camps. This was the beginning of the loss of freedom for the Japanese Americans. The Americans started to marginalize any outsider or immigrant from any other country including Japan. They called such people aliens. Those aliens who entered the US legally were eligible to apply for citizenship later

Monday, October 7, 2019

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE OF THE WRITINGS OF JOHN PIPER AND N.T Thesis Proposal - 1

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE OF THE WRITINGS OF JOHN PIPER AND N.T. WRIGHT ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH - Thesis Proposal Example The study of the doctrine of justification5 is considered the cornerstone of Christianity6 by many Christian scholars. It is, according to Luther, the article by which the church stands or falls,7 The challenge between Piper and Wright concerns the implication of their views on imputed or incorporated righteousness on justification8 to Christian faith, especially concerning Soteriology.9 On the one hand, Piper’s perspective is that imputed righteousness on justification does not consist merely of belief in Christ alone for salvation, but also submission of every area of one’s life to Christ’s Lordship.10 Thus, Piper unwittingly affirms both â€Å"faith alone† and â€Å"faith not alone† referring to justification, which according to Lybrand constitutes the intrinsic incongruence of these assertions in his (i.e., Piper’s) practical interpretations and teachings.11 This inconsistency could be explained in the way Piper distinguishes justification from sanctification,12 wherein he proposes that to man is given the right to stand with God on account of faith alone.13 Again, Piper maintains, this is something given. Nevertheless, Piper insists that man must live a life that he considers a deadly battle against sin.14 The manner by which he fights such a battle––according God’s will––constitutes s anctification.15 Also important on Piper’s position is the argument that sin has been fought, and won over with the death of Jesus.16 One might contend that if sin has been won over based on Christ’s sacrifice, Piper would not be able to justify his â€Å"faith not alone† portion of his argument. However, he maintains that the right to stand with God is only achieved by eliminating the sin––the one that was already won over on the cross––by way of dying â€Å"in Christ.†17 This is central to his righteousness imputation theory,18 and distinguishes his position from that of Wright’s who proposes, â€Å"incorporated righteousness† as a more

Sunday, October 6, 2019

United States trade conflict with China Term Paper

United States trade conflict with China - Term Paper Example The U.S. Chinese trade is in great favor of China. The continued trade war between the countries is unhealthy not only for the two nations, but also to the world economy. China cannot be ignored as an economic powerhouse.The international relation between the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America is often referred to as Sino-American relations. Since the beginning of the cold war to date, the relation between the two countries has been pretty cyclical. In fact, many analysts find the relationship not only complex, but also multi-faceted. The two countries cannot be considered enemies by any standards, but yoking them as allies could also be questioned. For a long time, the two countries have had a stable relationship. However, this relationship is threatened by competition and trade policies that have continued to stir controversy. The United States and China have the largest economies in the world. Therefore, any tension between them spills over to other countries and regions consequently affecting the entire world. China has the world’s largest population, while the United States has the world’s largest economy. This makes the two countries to be the largest trading partners in the world. Moreover, the bilateral relationship qualifies to be the most essential one in the 21st century. The two countries are the world’s economic giants and their united efforts towards attaining world peace and economic stability can yield unimaginable results. Amidst the trade tensions, the United States and China have a common stand in many fronts... For instance, while other economists think the United States benefit more from its trade with China and imposing taxes on Chinese products is unjustified, others think the trade has destroyed the United States and its high time the United States took a bold step towards saving its local businesses and citizens from Chinese firms. According to Feigenbaum, the Sino-American trade wars will not end soon. However, the wars will be broadly manageable (Feigenbaum). Schuman, The Time business reporter, takes a rather interesting approach to the issue. He holds that resolving the war between the United States’ government and China will not be an easy one (Schuman). He cites the reluctance of both governments to drop their demands as the major hindrance to striking a consensus. Both governments, for instance, insist on fulfilling public demands, which have been a hindrance to a smooth trade. While the United States insist on preserving local jobs, the Chinese government is interested i n finding market for locally produced products and an avenue for investment. A research by the Queensland University Staff on the probable effects of the United States’ regulation of Chinese imports favored the introduction of strict measures to control Chinese imports (126). The research concluded that setting such measures was inevitable and would be to the advantage of the United States government (126). It further stated that the United States â€Å"pressure should continue† (Queensland University Staff, 126). A sour trade relation between the United States and China is evidently destructive. All the countries stand to lose. The world’s economy is already threatened by this unhealthy competition and rivalry, and it could even get worse. If not resolved, the rivalry will result in

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Financial calculation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial calculation - Essay Example Planning for a new business or expansion of a business today is never again a simple task. Globalization had caused factors that are previously 'foreign' to local business, becomes more and more influencing. Local producers cannot relax and keep producing mediocre quality products as foreign competitors entering the local market. The furniture industry for example, has become an international business rather than local. Local furniture producers in a country as far as Jamaica are threatened by the presence of US competitors ('Globalization and', 2003).The global environment has made planning a more complicated task as non-financial measurements are become increasingly important toward business forecasts. Specific preferences of the industry, habits of international competitors, and other non-financial factors must be considered, to prevent bias reporting of financial forecasts. Nevertheless, financial performance is still the main indicator of corporate success or failure. This is wh y the financial calculation has always been incorporated within academic studies.Financial performance of a corporation can be evaluated by observing financial ratios. Financial ratios are indicators designed to elaborate certain aspects or corporate financial performance. Different aspects are elaborated by different ratios. There are four types of financial ratios, they are:Profitability ratios display the rate of return resulted from company operation over a certain period. The amount of profit itself is not sufficient to describe corporate performance over the period. Excess of revenue over expenses are compared to total sales and corporate assets in order to obtain a ratio that describe how much money resulted from existing assets (Financial Ratios, n.d). Several profitability ratios are profit margin, return on equity and return on total assets: Ratios 2003 2004 2005 Profit margin 30.00% 18.75% 11.67% Return on asset 15.38% 17.44% 7.29% Return on equity 35.29% 31.91% 12.73% According to corporate financial statement, Fine furniture is experiencing a significant decline over the last three years. In order to properly assess corporate performance we actually ought to compare corporate ratios with industrial average. However, comparison of the three periods available has clearly displayed significant downward shift. The ratios indicated that profitability performance decline more than 50% over the past two years. Due to limited data available, we are using end of year numbers to calculate the financial ratios, instead of average numbers. Liquidity Ratios Liquidity Ratios display corporate ability to pay short-term debt. The ratios compare liabilities of the company to existing assets, to see how many assets are available to guarantee each dollar of corporate short-term loan. The most well known liquidity ratios are current ratio and acid test ratio: Ratios 2003 2004 2005 Current Ratio 1.24 1.89 1.57 Acid Test Ratio 0.86 1.19 0.79 Fine furniture displayed average liquidity performance regarding liquidity ratios. The best performance was during the year 2004. Current ratio increases during 2004, but decreases again during 2005. Similar patterns are shown by the Acid Test Ratio. Solvability Ratios Solvability ratios have similar functions to liquidity ratios. However, solvability ratios concern long term instead of short term corporate abilities to meet existing obligations. Solvability ratios include debt ratio, gearing ratio and equity ratio. Ratios 2003 2004 2005 Debt Ratio 0.97 0.95 0.94 Gearing Ratio 0.06 0.08 0.10 Equity Ratio 0.44 0.55 0.57 According to financial statements, Fine Furniture has not seemed to take full advantage of long term debt possibilities. This is revealed by the gearing ratio, which displayed that only a very small portion of the capital is financed using long term debt. However, the debt ratio described acceptable