The Mystery Of Vampires Cultural Connections - 2293 Words

Vampires: Cultural Connections The actual definition of the word vampire and it origin is still mysterious as the creature it is used to described but one thing is certain that there are debates as to where the word came from. From the earliest mention of the creatures being present in early Mesopotamian texts, to Eastern Europe, the creatures that are revenants or beings that have returned from the dead and that feed off the living. In folklore this creature is prevalent in stories from Eastern Europe as well as lands to the north as well as Africa and Mesoamerica. 1. Early Beginnings In order to explain things around them, early civilizations would often create stories on things that could not be explained. This had been seen in the creation of the world as well as why people die and what happens after. The vampire can reasonably be seen in this category, where an explanation would be needed to explain the spread of a disease or why a village would be suffering constant death. In folklore, the vampire in most cultures especially ones that were Slavic, would have been the undead and mostly looking grotesque as well as appearing as having just returned from the grave. (Orlomoski 5)(Barber 40) One of the major points in the case of the vampire, in most of the stories from Eastern Europe, the creature will have returned from the dead to feast on the living with only certain methods that would repulse or kill the creature. There are several distinctions between the vampires ofShow MoreRelatedThe Origins of the Species by Charles Darwin Essay examples2012 Words   |  9 PagesGothic fiction emerged in the late eighteenth century and it was an extension of Romanticism. The principal characteristic of Gothic is the account of terrifying situations with elements like the sublime, madness, mystery, death, supernatural and horror. But as all the literary genres it underwent a transition. 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The strap-on (Lonehead , ONLINE SOURCE, NO PAGE NUM) persona, the irrelevance of grounding identity in communal agreement, and the wholesale appropriation of the other (Stone 83) open the self to new territories of signification, connection, desire, and empowerment. 2.3. The Avatar in Practice Who use an avatar, and to what end? A survey of the avatars and virtual bodies inhabiting the web reveals a colony of extremely generic, homogenous representations rooted in prevailingRead MoreThe Fiction of Literature: Folk Tales, Fan Fiction, and Oral Tradition in the Internet Age2388 Words   |  10 PagesTolkien’s works, in the words of Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey, â€Å"ha[ve] become part of the mental furniture of the culture†¦ [They are] a story that everybody kn[ows] about, even if they c[a]n’t remember ever reading or hearing any version of it.† This cultural awareness of a story is the direct result of the adaptations and additions Tolkien described. 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Database+Coursework Database 101 Free Essays

Area Film and Literary Society (MLFS) provide groups and events for local people. All participants must be members (who pay an annual fee) or their guests who may attend events. Fees vary from one group to another. We will write a custom essay sample on Database+Coursework Database 101 or any similar topic only for you Order Now In addition members may have a reduction in fees depending on their type of membership. For example Individual members pay 100% fees and Concessionary members pay 50%. There are also Household members and a special category called Friends of the Society. The Society hosts a number of groups which meet monthly. Members can join one or more groups; currently these include Film, Science, Reading and Poetry Groups. A paper record is held for each member, an example of which is given below. Member details| Event talents| Member No1022 NameJay PatelTelephone020 8888 3333AddressHigh Rd, London Member type Individual | Ability Code| Talent | | 01 Poetry 05 Science| membership records| Session (year)| Group code| Group name| CoordNo| CoordName| Feepaid| Date paid| 2007-2008| 01 | Poetry | 102| Carol Duffy| ? 0| 19/09/07| 2008-2009| 01 | Poetry | 102| Carol Duffy| ? 60| 02/09/08| 2008-2009| 06 | Reading| 111| Jane Austen| ? 75| 03/09/08| 2009-2010| 05 | Science| 181| Marie Curie| ? 90| 03/09/09| * | * | * | * | * | * | * | Note that the group code and the ability code are both based on the same domain of values. The latter represents members’ talents which the Society may make use of – this is described later. One group of a particular type (such as Poetry) will be run each year, assum ing there are nine or more members who want to join a group. Each group is run by a coordinator, who may change from one year to the next. In addition to the above, the society holds the address and telephone number of each coordinator. Besides groups, the society also holds one-off special events, such as lectures, films, art exhibitions and musical evenings. Events do not relate to particular groups: they are open to all members and their guests and are organised by one of the coordinators. Events will be led by an outside speaker, or sometimes a member (who have special talents as shown in the example record above) will act as the speaker. Each event will have only one speaker (whether an outside speaker or a member speaker), but a speaker may speak at a number of events. Details will be held of the event name, the date, and venue and outside speakers (name and telephone number). The Society will keep records of members who attended events and the number of guests for each member per event. 1a) Entity-relationship model mapped to a relational database If you need to revise this topic, see Text Book Chapter 3. Produce an Entity-Relationship Model using UML notation for the above case. Convert to a relational model by specifying the primary and foreign keys, mapping any one-to-one relationships into relations, and decomposing any many-to-many relationships. This is the Relation diagram and the diagram which you should submit. Note that there is no need to include the type of each attribute. State any assumptions that you may need to make particularly about optional and mandatory relationships. Note that assumptions are about how you have interpreted the scenario, not about the E-R modelling process. The ERD is not trivial – it involves at least 10 entities. I suggest you start by each member of your group concentrating on different parts of the ERD and then coming together to discuss. Remember: * databases hold historical information, not just details of current records * to work out cardinality of relationship use ‘two sentences each starting with the word one’ * check all attributes; they should be atomic (single-valued) * check primary/foreign key links (remember the foreign key goes on the ‘many side’) * decompose any m:n relationships 1b) Validate the model Checking for connection traps Examine your model and identify one potential trap (fan trap or chasm trap) – if present. Consider whether this may cause a problem to your model and re-draw if necessary, arguing your case either way. Supporting the functional requirements Validate the model to check it can support the following functional requirement i. e. specify the access path by listing the appropriate relations (taking into account the correct relationships) from your diagram: ‘List all members by name who have ever belonged to the Science group, who have a talent for music and have attended an event with Goldie as the outside speaker. ’ How to cite Database+Coursework Database 101, Papers

Wal-Mart Marketing Strategy-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Marketing Opportunity of a Premium Segment of Wal-Marts. Answer: Introduction Wal-Mart is a hypermarket giant in the retail industry of American origin. Since 1945, they have expanded their market since and have captured the international market too. But the international digitalisation and globalisation is making people used to the online purchase option rather than making them visit a physical store. Therefore, the company is planning to open an exclusive store in the country to counter their image of a reasonable store. They are also focusing on creating a different image of themselves through this plan. The report contains the current market analysis and the strategic advantage that the company may have and which can be used by them in their new premium shop. Therefore, the present situation analysis will give an insight for the company personnel on which competencies and strong points to focus on. The PESTLE and SWOT analysis of the company gives the insights that they are relevant to make the Brick and Mortar store (Rezaei 2015). This premium store would incorporate the consumer behaviour outcome aspect of the company that would help to increase the visibility and revenue of the company. The legal issues that the company had faced will be ensured to avoid in the new store. The environmental and legal aspect will also be made sure to overcome in this new process. Their incorporation of new marketing strategy would be needed to achieve a successful plan for Wal-Mart. The evaluation here suggests that the company uses traditional print media advertisements as well as the social media for advertisements and recent ecommerce website is organised and optimised. Therefore, the segmentation, targeting and positioning of the Wal-Mart customers are also outline in the second part of the assignment. The recommendations based on the objective of the of SMART goals are also highlighted in the assignment. Situational Analysis PESTLE The PESTLE analysis of shows the external environment features that directly or indirectly affects the company or the industry. Political The political environment of US is very volatile. But the market is stable for the retails. The import and export policies regarding logistics and supply chain are favourable for the retails to source better materials. However, the company had faced legal issues regarding gender discrimination in their staff. Also US is has more growth in the services which would only provide as an advantage for the retail. Economical - the GDP (gross domestic product) of USA as of 2017 is 2.3 % (estimated). Which is slightly less at the moment but a rebound is expected in 2018. The capital asset leverage is also expected to rise pushing the sector to more invest in industry, increasing the sales. The supercentres are gaining advantage in the country. He employment sector is also facing different challenges in US Social As with the rise of supercentres where people can get anything and everything. It provides Wal-Mart a strategic advantage as it has been seen that many local stores are towns are either getting acquired by Wal-Mart or shutting down. In addition, Wal-Mart does employs a large section of labour in the country. Technological USA is technological hub for the worlds business centres. The services industry has only gained the momentum because of the technological innovation in the country. Wal-Mart is well equipped with technological advances. They use the machine language and big data analysis in drawing different conclusion in consumer behaviour. The warehousing systems are fully automated and makes the sourcing of materials efficient in their outcome. The online website of their consumer durables and non-durables have become very important, though they have more visibility or presence through their brick and mortar stores. Legal the legal framework of the country is very strict with their regulation. Therefore, the company should consider the regulations regarding the product liability and distribution chain as well as food industry regulations before opening the brick and mortar store. The property insurance for emergencies should be incorporated for liability insurance. The legal and tax implications for food and consumer durables should also be considered. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration), CPSC (Consumer product safety commission) and EPA (Environmental Protection) regulations should be incorporated in the regulations of the store. This is of utmost importance as the company has faced legal issues and had to pay 80 million dollar for using hazardous materials and for wastage of resources. Environmental the environmental aspect of America is also regulated to maintain the balance of usage of resources. The series of environmental measures are to be considered before increasing the efficiency in the company. The energy expenses and efficiency should also be considered in maintaining the environmental laws of the country. The focus should be in increasing organic sales, which can also be used for corporate social responsibility. The packaging and energy expenses should also be reduced in this new plan of events. SWOT analysis Strength It is one of the biggest wholesalers in the international market. There are no rival of equal measure of the company Wal-Mart is one of the most important players in introducing the flagship product. It also has cost leadership in the market as well as the reputation is also good in the market in proving the necessary products The company has been in the business for the last fifty years, therefore, the company has more significant experience in marketing products Weakness The major weakness of the company lies in the competitiveness in the industry. The players are more equipped with the competencies that the market needs. Tesco and Costco have become the brands of the local market. They pose threats for Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has shown reduction in store sales as well as 8 stores have shut down The urban spaces are showing lesser and lesser sales through their physical store and getting more visits in the online store. Therefore, the set up of the outlets are not catching attention of the company. Opportunities The company has more chance of being successful in the international market. They can also expand as they have the greatest network of logistics among the suppliers and outsourcing capability that can serve as an advantage in the company In the future years, the company can use societal marketing to contribute to the economic development in USA or in other neighbouring countries. As the company has recently expanded in the ecommerce industry, they can explore more in the ecommerce sector. Threats The employment sector has shown growth in the recent years. People are becoming conscious about their health, rejecting the fast food from their health routine. The major competitor of Wal-Mart Tesco and Costco has exclusive clothing sections and alcohol department advantage in the company and therefore challenges the Wal-Mart. The consumer durables department of Wal-Mart also has less profitability in the company Competitive advantage Being in the industry for more than 50 years they have gathered more experience, maturity in dealing with their suppliers, building a good workforce relationship. This provides Wal-Mart a great competitive advantage. This also provides the company with efficiency and confidence as well as reduced labour cost for them. This also provides them a proper advantage in their organisational skills (Chandra 2015). The basic and good old-fashioned retailing is also their Unique-selling proposition in the company. They are also customer-oriented company. They also invested more than 1 billion investment in the customisation as well as in hiking the wages as well as in training. The important part of their organisation is the employing a large part of their population. The company is also improving the grocery section and including more organic fresh produce as the people are becoming more aware of their health, which is being reflected in their buying behaviour. Enhancing the shopping experience of their customers and flexibility of the company has been the focus of their company. They provide latest customer experience for their retail outlets customers. Sustainability in their competitive advantage is also incorporated in their business strategy. Their everyday low pricing strategy has served them well in the years. The drive out costs and economies of scales is also part of their strategic locations wide through the company. Their internal assets and good reputation has provided them a proper guarantee among their customers. The hub and spoke network of the companys distribution system is also known to provide them an efficient process and good market position as market leaders. Electronic data exchange system has improved their communication process in their companys different location and helped in developing a proper communication system with their suppliers and distribution centre as well as inventory control Evaluation of their marketing strategy Wal-Mart uses different marketing medium for their product range. As their range of products are huge in number, its compels them to use different medium of marketing tools. They mostly use the digital medium and television advertising for consumer durables. For consumer non-durables, they uses the advertising medium digital medium like website of the company. The company is also known to attract customers from their through TV, Radio and newspaper advertisements. They invested more than 3 billion for marketing of the company. Monthly circulars and newspaper advertisements of the company attract customers (Chandra 2015). Different monthly newspaper circulars attract customers through different discounts and offers in their clothing sections. The newspaper advertisements of their durables are also part of their marketing strategy. The marketing budget is controlled through the advertisements agency and marketing consultants. Interactive marketing strategies and sales of the company ha ve shown better performance comparing with their competitors. To reduce the wastage in the company they have adopted green logistics strategies for transportation. This ensures that the efficient use of resources and contributes to the green marketing systems. The have also incorporated green packaging in their company. Wal-Mart is very much into the social marketing concept and corporate social responsibility is the main source of their marketing and communication system. They also house the different major brand of products, that are Sams Choice, Great Value, Equate and Play Day. The additional home line brands that are marketed through the popular magazine. The home trends and decor accessories plays a vital role in the company. The Canopy, Dura brand, Premark and Puritan are former brands of the company that supplies the automotive structure of the company to source materials. They are also regarding the relationship marketing in some of the products that are of high range. The company also uses the social media and constantly engages the customers through their Face Book and Twitter channel of the organisation Segmentation The company has a larger range of product that cannot be targeted to a specific profile. The product portfolio contains home appliance and fixtures and furnitures of that must be targeted at a different part of customers. Other clothing segment of the company must be targeted at much younger generation rather than that of fixtures buyers. The geographic segmentation according the most trafficked area of domestic and consumer durables buyers is also in the profile of their customers. Segmentation of the company according the urban and suburban area should also be kept in mind. The company is facing problems regarding the companys visibility in the urban area supermarkets, some of which having been closing down eight of their outlets due to rise in the cost of company. The demography of the customers of Wal-Mart are Bachelors, Newly married couple or mid aged wives and a full nest of 1, 2, 3 children of married couple. The solitary survivors of in labour force. For the income group is a wide range for Wal-Mart as it contains lower and middle-income groups. However, for World-Lux it should be of higher income groups. As a behavioural segment, the degree of loyalty is also divided in hard core loyals and switchers among the users. The brick and mortar that the company is looking to open in the USA should also consider this behavioural profile of customers. Therefore, they should also focus on the rich segment of USA. As this would decrease their customer, acquisition cost (Gupta 2014). The benefits sought segment is the cost advantage segment of the customers. The lifestyle of the Wal-Marts customers is also cross cultural and young and Rubicon. These features should also be incorporated in their target profile of the customer. Targeting The target customer of Wal-Mart has an annual income of $20,000 to $25,000 currently. This is an average income of the population in America. Wal-Marts customers contain all income groups of USA. This profile of customers should be indirectly targeted. The premium part of their brick and Mortar should involve the rich and well off segment (Lesse and Schwartz 2015)t. The rich millennial that have more than an income of 50,000 thousand dollars should also be targeted. As social media has become the main tool of marketing that would include youth as a target customers as well. Therefore, the company should also focus on the millennial with more than 50,000-dollar income. Positioning As belonging to the better and richer target market, the positioning should be parallel to that. These would include superior design, differentiated product in the market. For example, the luxury brand like Gucci, Armani have premium segment customers only, and their marketing strategy is focused into that with channels too through personal relations and interactive marketing through marketing personnel. The design superiority of the companys product should be highlighted to those customers who are willing to buy the products. The point of parity of their products should be focused in the garment as they hold the most chances of redefining the parity. The point of difference of this marketing strategy should be unique selling propositional element of World Luxs strategy. The marketed product should be sourced from the premium boutiques designers as well as the ambience experience of the company (Verhoef 2015 Recommended objectives and goals (SMART) SMART objectives and goals of the company and what should be the objective of the according the specific, measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound values are given in the following discussion. Specific - the main objective of defining the process and specifying the goal and why the specific goals have been chosen is defined in this process. For marketing goals of World Lux, the premium retail of sector has been chosen. The target market would be rich millennial for the company, as well as the person should have a more than 50,000 dollar earnings. The retail outlet would have a premium range of product portfolio, carefully chosen from the best suppliers that would help the organisation in meeting the premium choices of the customers. The sourcing from the suppliers, with Wal-Marts efficiency in logistics and supply chain would help them in focusing on this demography of the customers. Gauging their behaviour with their already efficient customer relationship management department can be used in this process. The more focused goal of this premium store is to attract the customers of USA to buy from the brick and mortar site. They gets unique and effective customer experience in buying from the retail outlet rather than shopping online from the website. This is the specific marketing objective of the company. To promote the product to their customers they should also use their social media channel. Measurable to determine the success factor off the World Lux, the company must ensure the key performance indicators for some of the initial years. This would give an insight for the company to gain the long term benefits opportunities from tis business. The primary key performance indicators are total sales revenue, Profitability against the last month, Earnings measured from volume of sales (Reyhle and Prescott 2014). The increment in the revenue with the exact percentage should also be considered in the measuring variables. The marketing approaches of the company through different channel. For online media marketing the click through rate and click per second would apply to be the measurement of World Luxs visibility in the target audience. The organic marketing would be useful for this purpose. The market share of the company is to be calculated as to gauge the increment in the share too. An efficient or effective customer measurements to gauge the new and repeat customer visits in the store would also help in the process. Achievable - This would provide to get knowledge of their competitors as well setting a reasonable target for their company. Some of the achievable target are increasing their market share by 10 %. As Walmart has more integrated network comparing their global competitors they can use it for this premium subsidiary to increase their visibility in international market. Customer acquisition to be increased by 12 % which is also achievable. Relevant - setting a realistic target for this premium retail would be necessary. The boom of ecommerce is surely to affect the retail industrys outcome and therefore, it would be necessary for the company to use the historical data of another premium retail and analyse their performance in order to get more insights in their performance. Time bound the above objectives are to be achieved by initial two years after opening of the retail store. The timeline for increasing the market share would be first five years after existence. Recommended marketing strategy based on the application of marketing mix Based on the analysis of the companys marketing mix Product the company has a supermarkets portfolio of products. Therefore, the World Lux should focus on their most selling part of their product range. The premium retail should focus on the clothing market and babys product market, where the company can have the greater opportunity to increase their revenue. The main competitor of the company is Target which can challenge their position in the premium sector as Target itself is a premium retail. Place As per the geographic segmentation the premium retail must be in the most trafficked area. The Capital, Washington D.C and its neighbouring urban area is also suitable for the place. This will also be near headquarter of the company. The convenience of the customers should also be kept in mind (Goworek and McGoldrick 2015). Price - As the company will belong in the premium retail, the pricing strategy should consist of market skimming strategy. This would help the company to recover the initially rising variable cost. A strategic balance between thee prices like, where they can charge more and in which product in retail they can charge less should be formulated. For example, for an exclusive shopping experience in the consumer durables the company can charge more but in the grocery shops they can mitigate the expense of their customers by offering reasonable pricing (Swoboda et al. 2015). Promotion both of the traditional as well as modern medium of pricing should be used in the company. The high end magazines, physical demos, relationship marketing, paper circulars, television, hoardings should be used in promoting about their retail products. In addition, the modern marketing medium like through Face Book, Twitter, You Tube channels should be used as well as a different website for specifically for the premium retail should be used in this process. Conclusion Therefore, it can be concluded that the Walmart has different competitive advantage available. Though the company s facing some challenges as being in the maturity stage, they are also looking to increase their customers satisfaction through different strategies discussed above. Part 1 of the assignment suggests that the situational analysis of the company and the marketing environment and their influencing factors (Goworek and McGoldrick 2015). The factors are utilised in the analysis. Though gender discrimination issues and illegally wasting resources have challenged the company they bounced back from that state and regained their position. The next part of the assignment consists of the recommendation part of of their different marketing objectives and goals. The SMART goal are clearly defined and suggested as per the analysis. . The main goal of this premium store is to attract the customers of USA to buy from the brick and mortar site. They gets unique customer experience in the ir purchase from the retail outlet rather than shopping online from the website. Based on this specific outcomes the key performance indicators are given in the company. References Chandra, P.S., 2015. Impact of Service Quality on Customer SatisfactionA study on Reliance Fresh Retail stores in Andhra Pradesh State.ELK Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Retail Management,6(3), pp.27-42. da Silva, S.S. and Oliveira, M.A., 2014. Development of marketing and retail simulators for Business games.Revista Eletrnica de Estratgia Negcios,7(1), pp.242-262. Dimitrova, B.V., Rosenbloom, B. and Andras, T.L., 2017. International Retail Expansion: Whats Ahead?An Abstract. InCreating Marketing Magic and Innovative Future Marketing Trends(pp. 861-862). Springer, Cham. Fernie, J. and Sparks, L., 2014.Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan page publishers. Flint, D.J., Lusch, R.F. and Vargo, S.L., 2014. The supply chain management of shopper marketing as viewed through a service ecosystem lens.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management,44(1/2), pp.23-38. Goworek, H. and McGoldrick, P., 2015.Retail marketing management: Principles and practice. Pearson Higher Ed. Gupta, P., 2014. GLOBAL TO LOCAL: MARKETING OF RETAIL SERVICES IN RURAL INDIA VIS-A-VIS URBAN INDIA.International Journal of Retailing Rural Business Perspectives,3(3), p.1152. Ko, E., Hwang, Y.K. and Kim, E.Y., 2013. Green marketing'functions in building corporate image in the retail setting.Journal of Business Research,66(10), pp.1709-1715. Lesser, J.A. and Schwartz, M.L., 2015. Impact of Marketing Trends on Retail Employee Perceptions of Organizational Climate, Job Satisfaction, and Job Motivation. InProceedings of the 1986 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 471-471). Springer, Cham. Magrath, V. and McCormick, H., 2013. Marketing design elements of mobile fashion retail apps.Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal,17(1), pp.115-134. McEachern, M.G., 2017. Driving Circularities in the Food Supply Chain: The Sustainable Role of Alternative Food Retail Enterprises (AFREs). Pan, Y. and Zinkhan, G.M., 2015. Determinants Of Online Patronage Behavior In A Retail Setting. InProceedings of the 2002 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 102-102). Springer, Cham. Parsons, A.G. and Descatoires, E., 2016. Retail marketing: A novel research agenda.Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ),24(2), pp.102-107. Pousttchi, K. and Hufenbach, Y., 2014. Engineering the value network of the customer interface and marketing in the data-rich retail environment.International Journal of Electronic Commerce,18(4), pp.17-42. Reyhle, N. and Prescott, J., 2014.Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business. McGraw Hill Professional. Rezaei, S., 2015. Segmenting consumer decision-making styles (CDMS) toward marketing practice: A partial least squares (PLS) path modeling approach.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,22, pp.1-15. Rukuni, T.F., Shaw, G., Chetty, Y., Kgama, P., Kekana, P. and Rogers, K., 2017. Viral Marketing Strategies and Customer Buying Behavioural Intentions at Retail Store in Johannesburg.Business Management and Strategy,8(1), pp.59-83. Shetty, S.M., 2016. Customer Data Analytics-Revolutionizing Marketing and Customer Retention in Retail and e-commerce. Swoboda, B., Berg, B., Schramm-Klein, H., Pop, N.A. and Dabija, C., 2015. Does the Impact of Retailer Attributes on Store Image Vary Between Retail Formats? Insights from the Romanian Grocery Retail Market. InMarketing in Transition: Scarcity, Globalism, Sustainability(pp. 328-328). Springer, Cham. Verhoef, P.C., Kannan, P.K. and Inman, J.J., 2015. From multi-channel retailing to omni-channel retailing: introduction to the special issue on multi-channel retailing.Journal of retailing,91(2), pp.174-181. Yu, W., Ramanathan, R. and Nath, P., 2014. The impacts of marketing and operations capabilities on financial performance in the UK retail sector: A resource-based perspective.Industrial Marketing Management,43(1), pp.25-31. Zhang, Y., Gao, Y., Li, X. and Wang, D., 2015. Research on Operating Performance and E-business Marketing Strategy in Retail Enterprises based on Online Shopping.International Journal of Security and Its Applications,9(11), pp.87-96

Self Confidence Essay free essay sample

What is self- confidence? The dictionary defines self- confidence as freedom of doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities. My definition of self- confidence Is believing In yourself. Many people lack the self-confidence and self-esteem needed to live a happy and healthy life. Self-confidence Is satisfaction In oneself. This must be present in peoples daily lives in order for them to believe that they have the ability to do anything. At this point In my life I am trying to gain the esteem I need to truly be happy. Self-confidence Is something that cannot be taught.It Is up to someone to decide how much belief that they possess Inside of themselves. I am at the point where I realize that I must first believe In myself before others will believe In me. Nobody teaches us to be happy or sad. They are natural feelings that come along as we develop mentally, physically, emotionally and psychologically. We will write a custom essay sample on Self Confidence Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Self- confidence can vary In different aspects such as: fake, temporary, or true confidence. False self- confidence is when someone talk big and acts like a big shot, but in reality they have zero self- confidence.It can be both negative, for people who take it overboard, or positive, for people who try to build their self- confidence. The quote fake it till you make it, is also relevant to false self- confidence in a positive manner basically saying they are going to build up their confidence no matter what. False self- confidence can also show that you are over- confident. Some people fake self- confidence to not look weak or scared to others. By faking your self- confidence, you can also gain your true confidence, which is the positive effect. Another aspect of self- confidence is emperors self- confidence.Temporary self- confidence happens when you get some sort of achievement and get excited while believing in yourself. When you achieve an award, opportunity, etc. , you start taking the confidence you have then, too far and then take a risk. Taking a risk in this temporary emotion can lead to many negative and/or positive solutions. Temporary self- confidence can help you achieve or lose an accomplishment(s). Also another aspect of self- confidence is true self- confidence. True self- confidence is confidence that does not count on recent achievements or exults.It has to do with a strong sense of inner trust. True self- confidence has a person doing the right thing, no matter the outcome of their actions. People with this type of confidence act in their best interest and trust and understand that doing the right thing, has positive results. Self- confidence Is a belief you have In yourself and your abilities. There are three aspects of self- confidence: false, temporary, and true self- confidence. False is self- confidence when you talk big, but do nothing when Its time for action. Temporary self- confidence Is when an event or achievement gives you a boost and that boost can makes you take a risk. True self- confidence Is when you actually believe In your capableness, trusts yourself, and makes you do the right thing. All these aspects of self- confidence come back to the mall definition. These aspects also have a positive and/or negative effect on the person and their confidence. Self- confidence Is the ability for you to believe In yourself, so do It while you can. Self Confidence Essay By Johanna-Khan belief in yourself and your abilities.My definition of self- confidence is believing in happy and healthy life. Self-confidence is satisfaction in oneself. This must be do anything. At this point in my life I am trying to gain the esteem I need to truly be happy. Self-confidence is something that cannot be taught. It is up to someone to decide how much belief that they possess inside of themselves. I am at the point where I realize that I must first believe in myself before others will believe in me. Vary in different aspects such as: fake, temporary, or true confidence. False self- right thing, has positive results.Self- confidence is a belief you have in yourself and self- confidence. False is self- confidence when you talk big, but do nothing when its time for action. Temporary self- confidence is when an event or achievement gives you a boost and that boost can makes you take a risk. True self- confidence is when you actually believe in your capabilities, trusts yourself, and makes you do the right thing. All these aspects of self- confidence come back to the main definition. These confidence. Self- confidence is the ability for you to believe in yourself,

50 Free Social Media Marketing Templates To Get More Done

50 Free Social Media Marketing Templates To Get More Done Social media can be a time suck, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools and templates, social media can be a powerful platform to connect with your audience. At , we’ve published tons of content helping marketers execute social media marketing more easily. Most of those posts include some useful templates and other resources. And in this post, we’ve gathered 50 of our best social media templates, all in one handy ZIP file you can download. These templates will walk you through everything you need to plan, execute, and measure a complete social media marketing strategy. Grab your templates now, then read through this post to learn how to use em all. in oneplace. Save 20 hrs this week alone and every weekafter. If youve ever kicked the tires on , nows the time to see what its reallylike. Schedule Your Demo Success! Your download should start shortly. Clean up the chaos with your editorial calendar! With , youll Save time with blogging, social, and email think HOURS every week Schedule your social posts in batches and increase your posting frequency super easily Get your sht together and hold yourself accountable to publishing like the boss you are! Now’s the perfect time to start your 14-day free trial to see for yourself! Start Your Free Trial

Bald Soprano Research Paper

Now these people with no concrete definition to their being are to live in this gigantic world to the best of their ability. Their lives aren’t normal ones. Ionesco brings out the absurdity in his characters by excluding any solid foundation or motivation for living on earth. One very important form of guidance on life’s journey is Time. If there was no concept of time then all chaos would ensue and no one would know when anything is to be done. It is also a key factor to know how to live and work alongside time: to work with it, not against it. Will they be able to live in some sense of normality or will they be off on their own supernova to be absurd for evermore. Through the use of symbolism, irony and dialogue, Eugene Ionesco’s, The Bald Soprano conveys the idea that life is a never-ending cycle to express the absurdity of the human condition. The cycle of life is symbolized through the clock to reveal that the characters are stuck in an endless loop of time. The clock seems to take on a life all its own. It seems to decide when it wants to ring and how many times. The clock rings in a way that is quite shocking to the audience. This is because in the real world a clock does not normally ring 17 times. Nor is it normal for it to shoot out random times that don’t even go in order. In only one moment â€Å" The clock strikes seven times. Silence. The clock strikes three times. Silence† (The Bald Soprano 2). There seems to be no set regimen for time to follow. Time in the play is unorganized and almost absent in its common purpose. In no possible way could these characters even have the smallest possible chance of some normal routine when they have no constant to guide them through. Yes, Time is present but it is not the way in which we calculate it. There is no repeating pattern in this aspect and yet it still proceeds on which causes an endless loop of lunacy from which they cannot escape. The peculiar thing about it is the characters are not even finding it odd, as this is their notion of normalcy. In the play â€Å"the abnormal is treated as if it were thoroughly normal† (knowlson). And its funny because they don’t even realize that it never rings the same way or goes in a repeating pattern. The clock is random. It intrudes illogically. There is no logic in the Smith’s lives. The concept of reality is being distorted and no ounce of sense remains. The characters are flat, broad and general, which clearly emphasizes the absurdity of the human condition: trying to find a meaning and purpose to life. Even the primary characters last name, which is Smith, is so plain and typical. The plays cyclical structure accentuates repetition of the illogical happenings in the incompatible world in which the Smiths, Martins, the Maid and the Fire Chief live in. The play includes a â€Å"circular trajectory that ends where it began† (Kraus), thus causing the whole disordered cycle to start over and where the characters are involuntarily perplexed for all eternity. The characters live in a world of irony. They are lost in a continuum of memory loss without even realizing that they are losing their minds. Considering they don’t realize, they have no recollection of what has been going on around them and therefore not knowing what their purpose is in being where they are. This constant back and forth concept is for one, ironic because they have no memory of no longer having memory, but it is also mind-boggling. Mrs. Smith says, â€Å"We were expecting them. And we were hungry. Since they didn’t put in an appearance, we were going to start dinner without them. We’ve had nothing to eat all day† (The Bald Soprano 4). Mrs. Smith said she and Mr. Smith were going to eat but they didn’t. The characters can’t even remember what decisions they made and can’t remember to follow them. There is no stable element to guide them along a steady path. In the real world our memories our like our personal book of stories that hold the events that have happened in our lives. It defines us as a person of who we are in the past as well as who we are now. We as humans also interpret things we experience differently and remember things in different ways. Though we rely on our memory and mind quite heavily, who says it is a reliable resource to begin with? Ionesco is pointing towards the idea that our minds can’t possibly do everything for us as well as remember anything and everything we want it to. Unreliability of the memory is a concept that Ionesco wants us to take a look at, and that is a natural human failure that is part of our absurdity. As seen in The Bald Soprano the mind isn’t always a dependable tool that is conducive to everyday living. Our experiences make up our life’s journey and define our being. Ionesco’s characters do not know who they are and their purpose for living. At the end of the play the two couples switch places. The Smiths become the Martins and the Martins the Smiths. This results â€Å"in a da capo conclusion [with] the words that had been spoken by the Smiths at the beginning of the play [are now being spoken by the Martins]† (Knowlson). It’s ironic how they repeat the story but as different people but with the same name, because what is the purpose of having a name and being somebody if anyone can be anyone? Ionesco brings out inconsistency, which is a major factor in the play and possibly a factor in our lives. Without consistency the lives in which we lead would lack substance and meaning. Ionesco suggests the idea of a normal daily schedule in which a human being can follow and keep order is a necessity. The human condition may seem absurd at times because what really is the point in doing the same thing everyday for as long as we live? The answer is, the consistency in the constant never ending cycle is life, which is why we are living. There may be nonsense in the play but somehow it leads to sense. The ironic statements due to memory loss show the absurdity in which humans possess. Mr. Smith is one who can be categorized as so. Without his memory he puts out ironic phrases without even putting thought to it and this leads to a lack of sentence structure. The play is made up of dialogue that sometimes seems to lack a sense of logic. The language in the play decreases in substance as the play progresses. The â€Å"language flows independently from meaning† (Feal). The words are not communicating what they seem to say but rather the underlying meaning, which is found in the way the language is used or how really how it is informally used. Language and meaning march to the beat of a different drum. The words are separate entities that work independently yet together to convey Ionesco’s view on language, which is that it is made out to be more than what it is really worth. Language is used as a communicator and the order, or lack of it, in which words are placed, conveys a message of pure insanity. The characters â€Å"actions contradict words, and [their] words contradict [their] actions. Even the title is misleading, since there is no bald soprano in the play† (Esteban). Ionesco writes where there is meaning in no meaning, so he probably intended on writing with meaning all along. The characters talk just to talk and they really have nothing of importance to say. As the play drags on while the structure becomes less and less until dialogue has lost all value and â€Å"made into mere exchange† (Knowlson). The words on the page are out of content and have become particles of matter that are floating in the air. The more they talk, the less they are actually communicating and this is causing the precious tool of language to no longer articulate. Like when Mr. Smith states â€Å"The pope elopes! The pope’s got no horoscope. The horoscope’s bespoke† (The Bald Soprano 17). The play starts out with sentences that make no sense at all then it breaks down to just words without meaning until finally all that is left is a bunch of frenzied sounds. The characters have gotten quite angry that they lost all ability to communicate that their chatter swells up into mushy sound. They live in a never-ending cycle of insignificant discourse. This is Ionesco pointing out the absurdity of how humans converse. The Bald Soprano is a piece under the genre of the Absurd. It is very easy to see why. In this genre a common aspect is that the characters are rapt in an endlessly repeating cycle. This cycle usually leads nowhere as it is a cycle with no beginning and no end. Ionesco uses this cycle to emulate life. Life is filled with a bunch of meaningless things that fill our everyday lives. Banana. When something is of meaning we know because we have experienced the everyday typical life of a human. Broadway. Dreams. Goals. That’s what we are. Well that’s what we should be. Life is pretty much repeating. Repeating. Repeating. Repeating. We have a set way of doing things and we follow it. We repeat these actions to fill up our lives with substance so that there is at least something there to start with and so that we have the ability to move forward and continue. Think of it as muscles. Muscles give our body substance to stand up and it is what allows us to move as well as other necessary functions. In our world we use a clock to stay in touch with time. Time. Timing. Bad timing. Time is a fundamental concept that guides humans through life, gives structure, as well as ages and heals. We also say funny things sometimes and we do use a language to communicate. It is how we use all these things that matters. Bald Soprano Research Paper Now these people with no concrete definition to their being are to live in this gigantic world to the best of their ability. Their lives aren’t normal ones. Ionesco brings out the absurdity in his characters by excluding any solid foundation or motivation for living on earth. One very important form of guidance on life’s journey is Time. If there was no concept of time then all chaos would ensue and no one would know when anything is to be done. It is also a key factor to know how to live and work alongside time: to work with it, not against it. Will they be able to live in some sense of normality or will they be off on their own supernova to be absurd for evermore. Through the use of symbolism, irony and dialogue, Eugene Ionesco’s, The Bald Soprano conveys the idea that life is a never-ending cycle to express the absurdity of the human condition. The cycle of life is symbolized through the clock to reveal that the characters are stuck in an endless loop of time. The clock seems to take on a life all its own. It seems to decide when it wants to ring and how many times. The clock rings in a way that is quite shocking to the audience. This is because in the real world a clock does not normally ring 17 times. Nor is it normal for it to shoot out random times that don’t even go in order. In only one moment â€Å" The clock strikes seven times. Silence. The clock strikes three times. Silence† (The Bald Soprano 2). There seems to be no set regimen for time to follow. Time in the play is unorganized and almost absent in its common purpose. In no possible way could these characters even have the smallest possible chance of some normal routine when they have no constant to guide them through. Yes, Time is present but it is not the way in which we calculate it. There is no repeating pattern in this aspect and yet it still proceeds on which causes an endless loop of lunacy from which they cannot escape. The peculiar thing about it is the characters are not even finding it odd, as this is their notion of normalcy. In the play â€Å"the abnormal is treated as if it were thoroughly normal† (knowlson). And its funny because they don’t even realize that it never rings the same way or goes in a repeating pattern. The clock is random. It intrudes illogically. There is no logic in the Smith’s lives. The concept of reality is being distorted and no ounce of sense remains. The characters are flat, broad and general, which clearly emphasizes the absurdity of the human condition: trying to find a meaning and purpose to life. Even the primary characters last name, which is Smith, is so plain and typical. The plays cyclical structure accentuates repetition of the illogical happenings in the incompatible world in which the Smiths, Martins, the Maid and the Fire Chief live in. The play includes a â€Å"circular trajectory that ends where it began† (Kraus), thus causing the whole disordered cycle to start over and where the characters are involuntarily perplexed for all eternity. The characters live in a world of irony. They are lost in a continuum of memory loss without even realizing that they are losing their minds. Considering they don’t realize, they have no recollection of what has been going on around them and therefore not knowing what their purpose is in being where they are. This constant back and forth concept is for one, ironic because they have no memory of no longer having memory, but it is also mind-boggling. Mrs. Smith says, â€Å"We were expecting them. And we were hungry. Since they didn’t put in an appearance, we were going to start dinner without them. We’ve had nothing to eat all day† (The Bald Soprano 4). Mrs. Smith said she and Mr. Smith were going to eat but they didn’t. The characters can’t even remember what decisions they made and can’t remember to follow them. There is no stable element to guide them along a steady path. In the real world our memories our like our personal book of stories that hold the events that have happened in our lives. It defines us as a person of who we are in the past as well as who we are now. We as humans also interpret things we experience differently and remember things in different ways. Though we rely on our memory and mind quite heavily, who says it is a reliable resource to begin with? Ionesco is pointing towards the idea that our minds can’t possibly do everything for us as well as remember anything and everything we want it to. Unreliability of the memory is a concept that Ionesco wants us to take a look at, and that is a natural human failure that is part of our absurdity. As seen in The Bald Soprano the mind isn’t always a dependable tool that is conducive to everyday living. Our experiences make up our life’s journey and define our being. Ionesco’s characters do not know who they are and their purpose for living. At the end of the play the two couples switch places. The Smiths become the Martins and the Martins the Smiths. This results â€Å"in a da capo conclusion [with] the words that had been spoken by the Smiths at the beginning of the play [are now being spoken by the Martins]† (Knowlson). It’s ironic how they repeat the story but as different people but with the same name, because what is the purpose of having a name and being somebody if anyone can be anyone? Ionesco brings out inconsistency, which is a major factor in the play and possibly a factor in our lives. Without consistency the lives in which we lead would lack substance and meaning. Ionesco suggests the idea of a normal daily schedule in which a human being can follow and keep order is a necessity. The human condition may seem absurd at times because what really is the point in doing the same thing everyday for as long as we live? The answer is, the consistency in the constant never ending cycle is life, which is why we are living. There may be nonsense in the play but somehow it leads to sense. The ironic statements due to memory loss show the absurdity in which humans possess. Mr. Smith is one who can be categorized as so. Without his memory he puts out ironic phrases without even putting thought to it and this leads to a lack of sentence structure. The play is made up of dialogue that sometimes seems to lack a sense of logic. The language in the play decreases in substance as the play progresses. The â€Å"language flows independently from meaning† (Feal). The words are not communicating what they seem to say but rather the underlying meaning, which is found in the way the language is used or how really how it is informally used. Language and meaning march to the beat of a different drum. The words are separate entities that work independently yet together to convey Ionesco’s view on language, which is that it is made out to be more than what it is really worth. Language is used as a communicator and the order, or lack of it, in which words are placed, conveys a message of pure insanity. The characters â€Å"actions contradict words, and [their] words contradict [their] actions. Even the title is misleading, since there is no bald soprano in the play† (Esteban). Ionesco writes where there is meaning in no meaning, so he probably intended on writing with meaning all along. The characters talk just to talk and they really have nothing of importance to say. As the play drags on while the structure becomes less and less until dialogue has lost all value and â€Å"made into mere exchange† (Knowlson). The words on the page are out of content and have become particles of matter that are floating in the air. The more they talk, the less they are actually communicating and this is causing the precious tool of language to no longer articulate. Like when Mr. Smith states â€Å"The pope elopes! The pope’s got no horoscope. The horoscope’s bespoke† (The Bald Soprano 17). The play starts out with sentences that make no sense at all then it breaks down to just words without meaning until finally all that is left is a bunch of frenzied sounds. The characters have gotten quite angry that they lost all ability to communicate that their chatter swells up into mushy sound. They live in a never-ending cycle of insignificant discourse. This is Ionesco pointing out the absurdity of how humans converse. The Bald Soprano is a piece under the genre of the Absurd. It is very easy to see why. In this genre a common aspect is that the characters are rapt in an endlessly repeating cycle. This cycle usually leads nowhere as it is a cycle with no beginning and no end. Ionesco uses this cycle to emulate life. Life is filled with a bunch of meaningless things that fill our everyday lives. Banana. When something is of meaning we know because we have experienced the everyday typical life of a human. Broadway. Dreams. Goals. That’s what we are. Well that’s what we should be. Life is pretty much repeating. Repeating. Repeating. Repeating. We have a set way of doing things and we follow it. We repeat these actions to fill up our lives with substance so that there is at least something there to start with and so that we have the ability to move forward and continue. Think of it as muscles. Muscles give our body substance to stand up and it is what allows us to move as well as other necessary functions. In our world we use a clock to stay in touch with time. Time. Timing. Bad timing. Time is a fundamental concept that guides humans through life, gives structure, as well as ages and heals. We also say funny things sometimes and we do use a language to communicate. It is how we use all these things that matters.

Primal Leadership The Hidden Driver of Great Performance Essay

Primal Leadership The Hidden Driver of Great Performance - Essay Example These two factors has a great impact on the overall of a company. For example, a reckless boss would create a toxic organization that had underachievers who did not take opportunities presented before them. The eventual result will be a profit or loss. On how emotional intelligence affected performance, data from Hay Group data was availed. The authors discovered that emotional intelligence was carried thorough an organization similar to electricity through wires. The mood of the executive was contagious and it spread quickly thorugh out the business. It is imperative to note that the mood of a leader and his accompanying behaviors are directly linked to the success of the business. So, his primal task is emotional leadership. A leader should ascertain that not only is he regularly in an optimistic mood so that his followers may feel the same way.Even though some days may be difficult, he should know that primal leadership demands more that putting face, it requires him to determine, through reflective analysis how emotional leadership will determine the moods and the actions of the

Unconventional Warfare in the Southern Philippines Essay

Unconventional Warfare in the Southern Philippines - Essay Example Any effort to defeat terrorism must look at the underlying causes to be effective. This paper gives a brief background discussion on several causes which impel people to resort to terrorist methods in order to fully understand how some counter-terror operations are successful while others are not, despite massive logistical support given to these operations. It also gives an astounding example of tentative successes against terror groups such as the ones operating in the southern regions of the Philippines which is located in Southeast Asia. There are obvious lessons to be learned there which can hopefully be replicated elsewhere. Presently, there is no accepted international legal definition of terrorism. Countries may have their own laws against terrorism but a common feature of all these laws is that terrorism is considered as a criminal act. As such, it is punishable by the harshest sentence possible that can range from long prison terms, a life sentence or even capital punishmen t. The layman's definition of terrorism is that of an act or a series of acts designed to sow extreme fear in the population. It is actually a form of coercion backed up by the threat of physical violence. Discussion Most terror groups today belong to network-type of organization. This kind of set-up allows for each tiny group (a terror cell) composed of just a few people to operate in a manner independent of the main organization which makes it difficult to track down other terror cells. There are varied reasons why people resort to terrorism and among them are the following: a feeling or perception of being marginalized within the larger society, to fight against injustice, for political autonomy, religious freedom or ethnic recognition. With this list in mind, it is too easy to see that military means alone cannot defeat terrorism if the underlying causes that had caused it to rise in the first place are not adequately addressed by the government. This paper is a reflective essay on a military assessment article written by Sgt. Major William Eckert, an American military service member of the Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF) in the Philippines. His article described how the US military in cooperation with the security forces of the Philippines (the Philippine military and the police forces) have achieved a good measure of success in the fight against terrorism which could be used as the model for other forces operating elsewhere in the world's global hot spots. In his own words, the battle against terrorism in this Asian country is a war for peace and prosperity. It has also gained the attention of senior military leaders impressed by its decent gains (Eckert 1). In essence, Sgt. Major Eckert's position paper is a claim that the battle against these terrorists is a battle of ideas. In other words, the only effective way to defeat terrorism is fight its idea (which serves as its recruiting tool by exploiting real or imagined grievances) with a much better idea – that the way to prosperity is to maintain peace by addressing the perceived inequalities felt by the minority Muslim populace within much larger predominantly Catholic Philippine population. The most-telling result or achievement of

Evaluating the Historical Capital Budgeting Method Essay Example for Free

Evaluating the Historical Capital Budgeting Method Essay Currently AES employs Project Finance Framework. Project finance tends to be used in projects with tangible assets with predictable cash flows in which construction and operating targets can be easily established through explicit contract. The key to AES projects financing lies with the precise forecasting of cash flows. In effect, the possibility of estimating cash flows with an acceptable level of uncertainty allows for allocation of risks among various interested parties. The ensuing certainty in cash flows allows for high level of leverage and enables project assets to be separated from the parent company. Let us now take a closer look at the pros and cons of the Capital Budgeting System currently in place. Principal Advantages Non-Recourse The separation of the parent company is structured through the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). This SPV is the formal borrower under all loan documents so that in event of default or bankruptcy AES is not directly responsible before financial creditors. Instead, their legal claims are against the SPV assets. Maximize Leverage Currently AES seeks to finance the cost of development and construction of the project on highly leveraged basis. High leveraged in non-recourse project financing permits AES to put less in capital to put at risk permits AES to finance the project without diluting its equity investment in the project. Off-Balance Sheet Treatment AES may not be required to report any of the project debt on its balance sheet because such debt is non-recourse. Off balance sheet treatment can have the added practical benefit of helping the AES comply with covenants and restriction relating to borrowing funds contained in loan agreements to which AES is also a party. Agency Cost The agency costs of free cash flow are reduced. Management incentives are to project performance. Most importantly close monitoring by investors is facilitated. Multilateral Financial Institutions One of the four constituents that have contractual arrangement with the SPV in a typical project are the banks (an integral part group of financiers that include share holders, insurers, equipment manufacturers, export credit agencies and funds). Among these banks there are multilateral financial institutions (like IFC, CAF and etc). Presence of these institutions as financiers helps in raising capital from these institutes at lower cost and secondly it is also read as a positive sign by commercial banks. Drawbacks Projects V/S Division The company is not only expanding its geographical boundaries, but it is also diversifying its business through backward and forward integration. The current financial model does not provide the AES with the big picture, which now constitutes more number of variables that are being influenced by multiple factors due to the increase in depth and breadth of the organization. Complexity Financing of projects requires involvement of a number of parties. They can be quite complex and can be expensive to arrange. Secondly it demands greater amount of management time. Macroeconomic Risk The current methodology employed by AES for capital budgeting does not take into account the exchange rate risk. This risk will be of higher magnitude in the developing countries because of their unstable monetary and fiscal policies[2]. As we have seen that fluctuation in exchange rate has greatly hurt the AES business and they were unable to mitigate this risk as they haven’t anticipated it. This risk becomes important when the exchange rate fluctuation affects balance sheet items unequally. Thus keeping check on the foreign exchange rate requires timely adjustment of both the items of revenue and expenditure, and those of assets and liabilities in different currencies. Political Risk: This is another important factor which the current financial management system does not take into account. This will be of significant importance when it comes to investing in developing countries where frequent changes in government policies occur. Does this system make sense? The financial strategy employed by AES was historically based on project finance. This approach solely took into account those factors that minimized AES exposure to the project and achieved the most beneficial regulatory treatment thus ensuring availability of financial resources to complete the project. The model worked well for the domestic market as well as for the international operations, provided the opportunities undertook by AES were either in the sector of building and running a power plant or simply buying an existing facility and upgrading it and then operating. The underlying assumption over here was that the symmetrical and asymmetrical risks faced by the project were more or less same irrespective of its geographical location (Refer to Exhibit 3). However when AES started diversifying the breadth of its operations by incorporating other offshoots of energy related business and transforming from a cogeneration to a more utility organization with majority of expansion occurring in developing economies. This diversification of business increased the symmetrical risks like business risk, a classic example of which we see in Brazil where AES experience shortfall in demand /sales volume due to Energy Conservation Policy of Brazilian government and this had a chain effect on debt servicing capacity of the SPV as well the stock price of the parent company. Other factor that current model was not able to include was the risk of devaluation of currency in developing economies which resulted in significant losses due to the inability of the company to survive its international debt obligations. Expansion in developing economies also exposed the business to political risk where the policies change erratically with changes in government. Hence we see that the geographical diversification of business causes asymmetrical risk to increase causing bimodal behavior in the result. Project financing becomes less recommendable as a symmetrical risk becomes more manifest. This constitutes a problem for emerging countries where these risks tends to be at the forefront. Lal Pir Project Valuation Scenario 1: Pakistan In order to calculate the value of project for the Lal Pir project in Pakistan, we first need to calculate the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) using the new proposed methodology. For this we have followed the approach given in exhibit 8 of the case. The first step is to calculate the value of levered ? using the formula and information given in the case[3]. The value of the levered ? comes out to be 0. 3852 or 38. 52%, which essentially means that our project is not very highly correlated to the market return. Using this value of ? we now calculate the cost of Equity (refer Exhibit 4A). We have used the return on U. S. Treasury Bond (i. e. 4. 5%) as the risk free return in calculating the cost of equity. The cost of equity comes out to be 0. 072 and similarly, using the risk free return and the default spread (given in exhibit 7a of case) we calculate the cost of debt which comes out to be 0. 0807. It is important to note that the cost of debt and the cost of equity also need to be adjusted for the sovereign spread (0. 0990 for Pakistan). Once we have the adjusted costs of equity and capital we can now calculate the WACC for the project using the formula given in case where we essentially multiply equity and debt ratio with the adjusted costs of equity and debt respectively[4]. The WACC in this scenario comes out to be 0. 1595 or 15. 95%. However, now we need to adjust this WACC for the risks associated with doing the project in Pakistan and we do this by using Table A given in the case. We know that the total Risk Score for Pakistan is 1. 425 and since there is a linear relationship between business specific risk scores and cost of capital[5] we need to adjust our WACC by 7. 125% thus making our final WACC 23. 075%, using which we calculate our NPV (refer to Exhibit 6) from the year 2004 to 2023, and it comes out to be negative $234. 34 million. Scenario 2: USA For USA similar calculations are made to calculate the WACC (Exhibit 4B). However there are two things that are different. First we see the sovereign spread is equal to zero. Secondly, in this case we would need to calculate the business risk using the information given in exhibit 7a of the case (refer to Exhibit 5). This score comes out to be 0. 64 and using this score, our business risk comes out to be 3. 23% and adding it to our calculated value of WACC, we get our final WACC of 9. 64%. Using this we calculate our NPV for USA which comes out to be negative $ 35. 92 million (refer to Exhibit 7). Adjusted Cost of Capital and Probabilities of Real Events in Pakistan In calculating the adjusted cost of capital for Pakistan the WACC is adjusted for six common types of risks: Operational, Counterparty, Regulatory, Construction, Commodity, Currency and Legal. We can clearly see from table A given in the case that besides construction there is a probability of all these risks actually effecting the project in Pakistan. In these, the highest probability is that of currency risk and the legal risk. The adjusted cost that we have calculated is adjusted by the total risk score for Pakistan. There is a linear relationship between the total risk score and adjustment to the cost of capital, i. e. a score of 1 leads to an adjustment of 500 basis points in the WACC. When we calculate the WACC for Pakistan through traditional formula it comes out to be 15. 95%, however in order to incorporate the risk factor associated with Pakistan we need to adjust it for the Total Risk Score, which in this case is 1. 425. So we simply multiply this by 500 and we find out that we need to adjust our WACC 23. 075%. Since this 23. 075% is adjusted using the total risk score we can safely assume that it incorporates for the probability of the afro-mentioned six types of risks in WACC with respect to Pakistan. Discount Rate Adjustment: USA v/s Pakistan As mentioned earlier the discount rate is adjusted based on the total risk score of the country. This total risk score is compiled from 6 main types of risks, the probability of which varies from country to country. If we simply compare the risk scores for USA and Pakistan[6], we can see that there is a major difference between the risk profiles of both the countries. For instance, while currency, regulatory and legal risks are significantly high in Pakistan, they do not exist in the USA at all. Also we see that operational, counterparty and commodity risks are higher in USA as compared to Pakistan. Similarly when the respective WACCs of the two countries are adjusted for their risk we see that the adjusted WACC for Pakistan (23. 075%) is much higher as opposed to that of USA (9. 64%), which essentially implies that Pakistan is inherently a riskier country to invest in as opposed to the USA and any investments made in this region would have to cross a higher hurdle rate than if they were made in the US region.

Carl Friedrich Gauss Essay -- essays research papers

Carl Friedrich Gauss   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This report is on Carl Friedrich Gauss. Gauss was a German scientist and mathematician. People call him the founder of modern mathematics. He also worked in astronomy and physics. His work in astronomy and physics is nearly as significant as that in mathematics. Gauss also worked in crystallography, optics, biostatistics, and Making mechanics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gauss was born on April 30, 1777 in Brunswick. Brunswick is what is now called West Germany. He was born to a peasant couple. Gauss's father didn't want Gauss to go to a University. In elementary school he soon impressed his teacher, who is said to have convinced Gauss's father that his son should be permitted to study with a view toward entering a university. In secondary school nobody recognize his is talent for math and science because he rapidly distinguished himself in ancient languages. When Gauss was 14 he impressed the duke of Brunswick with his computing skill. The duke was so impressed that he generously supported Gauss until his death in 1806.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gauss conceived almost all his basic mathematical discoveries between the ages of 14 and 17. In 1791 he began to do totally new and innovative work in mathematics. In 1793-94 he did intensive research in number theory, especially on prime numbers. He made this his life's passion and is regarded as its modern founder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gaus...

Custom Fabricators Case Solution

I. Problem: How can Custom Fabricators, Inc. (CFI) prevent a possible business takeover of the Mexican suppliers and at the same time, ensure long-term profitability? II. Assumptions: 1. The case is set on the current year. 2. The Mexican suppliers will win the bid and production will move to Mexico. 3. In case CFI would switch to contract manufacturing, the contracted volume of units that they will produce is within the range of their production under lean manufacturing. 4. Orleans would shoulder the cost of shipping products from Mexico to CFI only. III. Alternatives: Based on the opportunities of CFI, the group has identified three alternatives for the company to implement: a. Work closely with Mexican suppliers This involves establishment of effective communication lines (e. g. through Internet, video conferencing), assigning a representative to monitor quality of products to be shipped, sending quality control machines to Mexico or asking Orleans to require the Mexican suppliers to conduct quality check before shipment. b. Differentiate product and/or expand market This involves developing more advanced products (e. . touch-screen elevator control panels) or expanding its target market (e. g. instead of just supplying control panels for elevators it can also create ones for ATMs, safety vaults etc. ) c. Switch to contract manufacturing This means instead of producing outputs only when Orleans needs it, CFI would now have a fixed production per month that they would need to deliver. IV. Analysis: First, let us identify the major is sues in the case. Currently, CFI has several strengths that help them establish a competitive advantage. First is the company’s proximity to the construction site and to the Bedford plant which serves as its supplier as it was able to keep the transportation costs minimal. Another one is its customer intimacy. Because CFI knows exactly what Orleans needs and when to provide it, it is able to cater to their customer’s demands in time with good quality products. Having been in the business for over 15 years, CFI was also able to set up efficient operations which helped them on becoming a lean manufacturer. It also has loyal and skilled employees that are satisfied in their job. Lastly, its business has also been profitable with a high profit margin of almost 30%. However, the company also has several weaknesses that we must take into consideration. First, CFI is a private company which means it has limited financing options and relies heavily on its revenues as generated by its operations. Also, because it wants to maintain its good relationship with its employees it could not reduce labor cost. Because of Orleans’ increasing efforts to reduce costs, the company faces the threat of having the production of raw materials moved to Mexico because of the cheaper labor costs there. If that would happen (and this paper assumes that it will), CFI might have problems with shipping back items that are not of par quality in addition to possible problems in communication. Moreover, there is also the threat of competition as Orleans might look for other suppliers in Mexico to continue to lower costs and since CFI couldn’t lower its costs anymore, Orleans might just source totally from Mexico. Now, let us analyze each of the alternatives. The first one is to work closely with its Mexican suppliers. Through this, CFI will be able to ensure the quality and secure shipment of units to their company. It would also lessen chances of error in production and delivery and decrease waiting costs for the unit replacements. However, there is the uncertainty of soliciting cooperation from the Mexican suppliers and sending a representative or a quality control machine in Mexico is costly. Moreover, the Mexican suppliers might gain knowledge of CFI’s efficient production process which increases the risk of business takeover. If CFI will differentiate its product, it would be able to lessen its dependence on Orleans as it would be able to get more customers and therefore generate more income. Also, there is a lesser risk of business takeover as their product will increase competitive advantage as it was able to provide more value for a small additional cost. This can also be related to the alternative of market expansion as its differentiated product could open new market opportunities for them. However, it should also be considered that this alternative requires more investment in R&D and other equipment. Also there are risks of market failure and having problems in meeting demand due to its limited capacity. Lastly, we have the alternative of switching from lean manufacturing to contract manufacturing. This would help CFI develop economies of scale and receive fixed income or stable inflow of revenues. Because of this, it will be able to better allocate its resources and might even reduce labor costs as it would generally need less workers. CFI can also use its excess capacity to cater to other customers or work on other products. However, this can also be a factor against them because Orleans might be reluctant to have it as a contract manufacturer thus increasing the risk of CFI being replaced by a Mexican supplier. In addition to that, this alternative also comes with termination costs and decrease in competitive advantage. V. Plan of Action: After analyzing the position and the possible alternatives of CFI, we created an action plan that takes into consideration the long-run costs and benefits of each option and its technical, operational and economic feasibility given the current capacity, resources, and opportunities of the company. Based on the analysis, CFI could undertake several alternatives but each should be implemented at the right time. Here is the proposed action and contingency plans for the company: Short-term (1-2 years) Assuming that the production of raw materials will move to Mexico, the best immediate action that CFI could undertake is to work closely with the Mexican suppliers. The company might not be able to lower its costs anymore but they could still ensure that the products that they create are still of good quality and are able to meet the demand. Moreover, we see that it is unlikely for Orleans to eliminate CFI in the supply chain as it would be more costly for them to look for new Mexican suppliers considering that they already established a good business relationship and developed the efficiency caused by over 15 years of working together. Long-term (More than 2 years) To address the issue of ensuring long-run profitability knowing that CFI couldn’t compete with Mexican suppliers in terms of cost, it can try to differentiate its products to enhance its competitive advantage. Since the company has a high profit margin and loyal workers that produce when there is only a demand for it, it could use these as additional investment in R&D and be used to cater to other consumer demands. Because of this, it would be impractical for Orleans to eliminate CFI in the supply chain as they would get more value from it that they couldn’t just get anywhere easily. Moreover, CFI could also see get an opportunity to expand its market for its unique selling proposition therefore increasing its profitability.

Abnormal Psychology Critique

Changes in impairment level, functional status, and use of assistive devices by older people with depressive symptoms. Dayao, Arveene L. BS Psychology II – 01 Manila Tytana Colleges To be submitted to : Ms. Sheila Laine Dela Paz Date submitted : January 30, 2012 ABSTRACT This study sought to understand how functional status, impairment level, and use of assistive devices change over 3 years for older adults with depressive symptoms. I further explored factors that predict change in severity of depressive symptoms. During 3 years, participants experienced ncreased physical disability, a decline in severity of depressive symptoms, and an increase in the total number of assistive devices owned. A significant number of older adults will experience a decrease in depressive symptoms over 3 years, despite an increase in physical disability. They also will obtain more assistive devices as they age. The specific issue that stands out in the journal is relative to the various changes in impairment level, functional status and use of some suggested assistive devices that could be used by older people who suffer symptoms of depression. I do very much agree how the author ouched the subject and explained depression among the older people. There is nothing from the journal article that I disagree about. The points presented by the author about the existence of this feeling of depression among the older people are true and satisfactory. The second journal that I have, Suicide In Older Adults : Nursing Assessment Of Suicide by Linda Garand, PhD, APRN, BC, Ann M. Mitchell, PhD, RN, AHN, BC, Ann Dietrick, MSN, APRN, BC, Sophia P. Hijjawi, BSN, RN, and Di Pan, BSN, RN, is somewhat parallel to my first journal. This second article talks about suicide in older adults.It is being discussed here that suicide and attempted suicide is associated with depression, psychosis and substance abuse among younger individuals, yet among older adults, depression and co morbid medical cond itions play important contributory roles. Same as what was being talked about in the first article. The issue that attracts my attention is on the prevalence of suicidal behaviors in older adults and lays a foundation for understanding the role of risk factors in the prevention of suicide. Just like in the first article, the issue focuses more on depression on older adults.It has been proven that the older adults are the one that easily get depressed than the younger ones. Just as no single factor is universally causal, no single intervention will prevent all suicides. The multi-dimensionality of suicide presents great challenges, but also has important implications for prevention. Suicide in late life must be understood as a complex combination of interactive effects in which mood disorders take a central role. Our ability to more precisely target preventive interventions will hinge on a better understanding of those relationships. Until then, urses and others must be diligent in t he identification of older adults at risk for suicide. Subgroups of older adults at high risk for suicide include those with depressive illnesses, previous suicide attempts, physical illnesses, and those who are socially isolated. Therefore I can say, that major depression is the most common diagnosis in older adults (of both sexes) who attempt or complete suicide. This study used data from Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Aging Consumer Assessment Study, a longitudinal study of coping strategies of elders with disabilities.Seventy-three participants with depressive symptoms were interviewed at baseline and 3 years later. I believe that the author used the most appropriate method because they have come about with good results. And thus, there is no other appropriate or suitable way to test the depressive symptoms of older people than having a study or conducting a survey on a rehabilitation center. For me, application through conducting tests would be the best idea to p rove whether the issue is correct or not. The journal article fully and clearly explains what depression is all about that affects the lder people. It is notable that depression happens to some people more especially the old ones who are said to be prone to the disorder. Upon relating the topic to my course, such situation is under the field of Abnormal Psychology. The field is of great importance to students taking up Psychology course like me who would desire to pursue the field of Clinical Psychology. As depression is common and could happen to everyone, this study is applicable to all. Through it, we shall have a clear idea of the appropriate way to do if ever we meet or experience a feeling of depression.Above all things, this will be a great help to me who would really like to be a successful Clinical Psychologist in the future. REFERENCES Mann, William C. , et al. â€Å"Changes in impairment level, functional status, and use of assistive devices by older people with depressi ve symptoms. †Ã‚  AJOT: American Journal of Occupational Therapy  62. 1 (2008): 9+. InfoTrac Custom 100 Titles. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. Document URL http://find. galegroup. com/gtx/infomark. do? &source=gale&srcprod=SP00&prodId=SPJ. SP00&u serGroupName=phmtc&tabID=T002&docId=A208219498&type=retrieve&contentSet=IAC-Documents&version=1. 0 Agree, E. , & Freedman, V. (2003). A comparison of assistive technology and personal care in alleviating disability and unmet need. Gerontologist, 43, 335-344. American Psychiatric Association. (1994). 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Multidimensional functional assessment of older adults: The Duke Older American Resources and Services procedures.Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Fillenbaum, G. G. , & Smyer, M. A. (1981). The development, validity, and reliability of the OARS Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire. Journal of Gerontology, 36, 428-434. Folstein, M. , Folstein, S. E. , & McHugh, P. (1975). â€Å"Mini-Mental State†: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189- 198. Gilson, B. S. , Gilson, J . S. , Bergner, M. , Bobbit, R. A. , Kressel, S. , Pollard, W. E. , et al. (1975). The Sickness Impact Profile: Development of an outcome measure of health care.American Journal of Public Health, 65, 1304-1325. Hamilton, B. , Granger, C. , Sherwin, F. , Zielenzy, M. , & Tashman, J. (1987). A uniform national data system for medical rehabilitation. In M. Fuhrer (Ed. ), Rehabilitation outcomes: Analysis and measurement (pp. 137-147). 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(1967). Manual for the Depression Adjective Check Lists. San Diego, CA: Educational and Industrial Testing Service. Mann, W. , Llanes, C. , Justiss, M. , & Tomita, M. (2004). Frail older adults' self-report of their most important assistive device. Occupational Therapy Journal of Research: Occupation, Participation, and Health, 24, 4-12. Mann, W. , Ottenbacher, K. , Fraas, L. , Tomita, M. , ; Granger, C. (1999). Effectiveness of assistive technology and environmental interventions in maintaining independence and reducing home care costs for the frail elder ly.Archives of Family Medicine, 8, 210-217. Noel, P. , Williams, J. , Unutzer, J. , Worchel, J. , Lee, S. , Cornell, J. , et al. (2004). Depression and comorbid illness in elderly primary care patients: Impact on multiple domains of health status and well-being. Annals of Family Medicine, 2, 555-562. Ottenbacher, K. , Mann, W. , Granger, C. , Tomita, M. , Hurren, D. , ; Charvat, B. (1994). Inter- rater agreement and stability of functional assessment in the community-based elderly. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 75, 1297-1301. Pollak, N. , Rheult, W. , ; Stoecker, J. 1996). Reliability and validity of the FIM for persons aged 80 years and above from a multilevel continuing care retirement community. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 77, 1056-1061. Pollard, W. , Bobbitt, R. , Bergner, M. , Martin, D. , ; Gilson, B. (1976). The Sickness Impact Profile: Reliability of a health status measure. Medical Care, 14, 146-155. Pollock, B. , ; Reynolds, C. (20 00). Depression late in life. Harvard Mental Health Letter, 17, 3-5. Pollock, B. , ; Weksler, M. (2000). Clinical update: How to recognize and treat depression in older persons.Geriatrics, 55, 67-7 . Raccio-Robak, N. , McErlean, M. , Fabacher, D. , Milano, P. , ; Verdile, V. (2002). Socioeconomic and health status differences between depressed and non-depressed elders. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 20, 71-73. Radloff, L. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385-401. Radloff, L. , ; Locke, B. (Eds. ). (1986). The community mental health assessment survey and the CES-D scale. In M. M. Weissman, J. K. Myers, ; C. E. Ross (Eds. , Community surveys of psychiatric disorders (pp. 177-189). Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Raskin, A. , Schulterbrandt, J. , Reatig, N. , ; McKeon, J. (1969). Replication of factors of psychopathology in interview, ward behavior, and self-report r atings of hospitalized depressives. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 148, 87-96. Roelands, M. , Van Oost, P. , Buysse, A. , ; Depoorter, A. (2002). Awareness among community- dwelling elderly of assistive devices for mobility and self-care and attitudes towards their use. Social Science and Medicine, 54, 1441-1451.Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, ; National Institute of Mental Health. (1994). Mental health: A report of the Surgeon General— Executive summary: Chapter 5–Depression in older adults. Rockville, MD: Authors. Retrieved February 13, 2003, from http://mentalhealth. org/features/surgeongeneralreport/chapter5/sec3. asp Schiller, J. , & Bernadel, L. (2004). Summary health statistics for the U. S. opulation: National Health Interview Survey, 2002. Vital Health Statistics, 10(220) 1-101. Tomita, M. , Mann, W. , & Fraas, L. (2004). Predictors of the use of assistive devices that address physical impairments among community-based frail elders. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 23, 141-155. Verbrugge, L. , & Sevak, P. (2002). Use, type, and efficacy of assistance for disability. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 57B, S366-S37 . Wechsler, D. (1955). Manual for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. New York: Psychological Corporation.Westfall, P. , ; Young, S. (1993). Resampling-based multiple testing: Examples and methods for p-value adjustment. New York: Wiley. Wilcoxon, F. (1945). Individual comparisons by ranking methods. Biometrics, 1, 80-83. William C. Mann, OTR, PhD, is Chairperson and Distinguished Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, P. O. Box 100164, Gainesville, FL 32610-0164; [email  protected] ufl. edu Jessica L. Johnson, MA, OTR/L, is Research Assistant, RERC-Tech-Aging, Rehabilitation Scie nce Doctoral Program, University of Florida, Gainesville.Lisa G. Lynch, MHS, OTR/L, is Occupational Therapist and Owner, Creative Therapy Works, Inc. , Lake Worth, FL. Michael D. Justiss, PhD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. Machiko Tomita, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Samuel S. Wu, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, University of Florida, Gainesville.