Things They carried Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Things They carried - Essay Example Each soldier has personal items that reminded him of life at home. This shows that the war was brutal and death was imminent. The author recounts how he was called to service. He explains how he tried to elope to Canada due to personal conviction that the war was not justified. However, fear of criticism and alienation made him adhere to the call. According to him the war was wasteful and he considers himself a coward for engaging in a war that was not justified, in his own sense. In the war, the deaths of comrades keep reminding survivors of the imminent danger. However, the soldiers are psyched up by their obligation to the country. They try to keep their dead friends alive in their minds by engaging in stories about them. The narrator uses fictional characters to represent real aspects of the war. The main characters are used to perpetrate the themes that the author wants to express. The characters include; Tim O’Brien, Mitchell Sanders, Kiowa, Bob â€Å"Rat† Kiley, Norman Bowker, Henry Dobbins, Curt , Bobby Jorgenson, Lemoned Lavender, Jimmy Cross,   Lee Strunk, Dave Jensen, Azar,. The named characters were members of the Alpha Company. He takes on a narrative format to express various themes that were pertinent in the war. It shows the suffering and hard decisions that soldiers had to make. The soldiers suffer physical and emotional burdens while at war. The theme is manifested symbolically through the heavy loads that they carry. They are perturbed by the status of their family, love relationships, fear and responsibility. For example, Dobbins carries his girlfriend pantyhose, an indication for longing of love. Jimmy carries a map which is a show of responsibility, just to name a few. Death claimed most of his of colleagues and was damaging to the emotions of the soldiers. Truth is another theme that is manifest in the novel. Though the

Evaluating Chinas one child Policy Essay Example for Free

Evaluating Chinas one child Policy Essay During the 1970s, China felt the indenting need for a drastic policy that would be able to control its ever-expanding population and to begin development in its country and thus the one child policy was born, if the policy had not been instituted china would have faced severe famine and starvation as it would not have been able to cope with rapid growth. The policy was administrated in September 1981 and they called it ‘birth planning’ by which families were given a maximum limit of one child per family however in rural areas, couples were allowed to have two children and this was to help need on agricultural land and farming; those who try to breach this law would face severe consequences. The policy was considered as one of history’s ‘most ambitious pieces of social engineering’ as quoted from The Economist since the policy heavily intervened with families plans for the future and affected how most chines families would function in terms of having children. The policy governed by the Chinese government was said not to last no longer than a single generation and yet here in 2013, the policy still continues to proceed and there are little or no signs of a new policy or removal of this policy from the country. Administration Of Policy The policy in china was very drastic and therefore it contained many punishments for anyone who tried to breach the policy and the government also deployed many forces of administration to make sure that people were being monitored and that no one was trying for a second child. There were family-planning workers in every single workplace to grant families the ability to have a child if they had been on the waiting list and also at this point the couple would be presented with a special card which gives them authority to claim governmental benefits such as free education, free kindergarten facilities, free healthcare etc. on birth of the child. Police called the ‘granny police’, who were not actual police but represented the role of making sure woman were practicing using contraception and to had the objective of reporting on pregnancies so that the local authority would be able to work out whether a family is trying to have a second child illegally. Female women were also given education on the use of contraception and this was to try minimising the amount of unexpected pregnancies. Family planning officials levy huge fines of up to ? 20,000 from those who try to have a second child and this fine account for the estimated value of public services that the forbidden child would have received over its lifetime. Furthermore, in some areas the couple would have been stripped of their house, jobs and even the ability to live in a particular area of the country. Also in earlier time they would have been forfeited their rations and clothing benefits. Furthermore, women would have been given forced steralisations or contraceptive pills and their chances of being able to have children ever again would be removed if they were found guilty of trying to have a second child and this would impose that they would never be able to have a child even if they decide to migrate to another country. This kind of steralisations was only existent in certain provinces of China and it is currently completely abolished from all parts of china as it was considered to unforgiving for a punishment. Changes Generated by The One Child Policy. Without need to say, the obvious: the one child policy had caused a drop in the fertility rate in China. From the starting point of the policy in 1981 to now the birth rate has dropped from an above average 2. 9 to 1. 7 and this has lead to understand that the policy was successful and that it has tackled one of the country’s main concern which is an ever-expanding population. Furthermore, this drop has claimed to prevent up to 400 million births, which would otherwise have kept China’s population at 1. 7 billion currently compared to the 1. 3 billion that it actually is today. However, despite showing a drop in birth rate after the beginning of this policy, there are statistics that show that China’s fertility rates fell drastically during the 1970s and that the policy did not influence the drop in birth rates much. This suggests that the fertility rate was naturally decreasing so there was no need for the policy. This suggests that the policy did not control the country’s population greatly because the fertility rates had dropped severely just before the commencement of the policy. Therefore the implementation of such a severe policy has now indented Chinese people’s concept of families and even if the policy was to be removed people will still continue to have few children and this would not have been the case if fertility rates were allowed to naturally decrease to make the population eventually stable much alike how most other countries have progressed through the demographic transition such as Russia, Germany and Japan. The rapid fall in fertility rate just before the one child policy is clearly shown in the graph that is on the previous page; the graph was taken from the GapMinder webpage which holds information about the world demographic and thus is very reliable. Another negative impact of the one child policy was a case of female infanticide. In fact, this is an interesting concern as it has lead to china presenting a population where there are about 120 Chinese men for every 100 Chinese women and thus there is a shortage of women. There was a severe amount of female infanticide for several reasons. Firstly a male child was seen as more superior for the use on farmland and for the use on agricultural land as men were seen as stronger characters compared to women. Secondly, only the male would be able to carry forward the family name and in China there was a great cultural desire to carry forward a family name to keep the family advancing through generations. Finally, men are usually the main income-earners, either because they are more employable or earn higher wages for the same work, or because they are able to do more agricultural work in subsistence economies. Since male babies have a greater income potential, they are more desired over females and thus female births were usually abandoned or killed. There are some stories of extreme discomfort where female babies have been flushed down toilets and drowned, as they were not considered valuable to Chinese family. Furthermore, the shortage of females in China has lead to a generation where there are â€Å"too many men†, and this was caused by the desire to have a male child in the family. The result of the one child policy has meant that there are 1000 million women whom would else be existent if the policy wasn’t introduced and thus this social engineering has converted the a balanced gender country into an imbalanced country with more men. This has lead to desire to import woman known as human trafficking where women are smuggled using from Burma and North Korea and the women are used as prostitutes or sold as wives and domestic servants in parts of china. This is a negative outcome of the policy by which women are used inappropriately and are illegally imported from other countries. Furthermore, it is expected that by the year 2030 there could be up to 20-30million bachelors in chine whom are unable to find a partner and this would further increase the desire and temptation to want female prostitutes and this will create an illegal transportation of women to china from neighboring countries. Another disadvantage of the policy is that a generation of not enough children is developing in china and this results in not enough children to look after parents which could mean that the country could grow old before it is able to develop it’s economy and becoming rich by limiting the mouths to feed as it is trying to do so using the one child policy. In china this lack of children is called the ‘4-2-1’ dilemma and as The Economist suggests this is where each couple has the job of looking after four parents and one child. This creates a dilemma as the couple’s parents become aged and need the help of the couple and thus the couple have the cost of having to look after their parents all on their own as they would not have any siblings and thus china has created a problem for families trying to develop as they will have a shortage of money to spend elsewhere in the economy to try boost the countries development stage. The imbalanced structure of china’s population also hints that the working force will come to an end by 2020 and therefore this would mean that the country would not be able to further develop and this has again raised pressure on the Chinese government to introduce further amendments to the one child policy. For example, Hu Jintao suggested allowing more than one birth but between longer gaps and also the scrapping of the birth quota so that couples could still have a child even if the maximum number of children in a certain area is reached. This would help to regain a large population of workers in the future generation to continue with the countries development without having to deal with another expanding population. The article presented by The Economist has dealt with many defects of the one child policy including the extortionate amount of female infanticide, the illegal need for a second child, female imports, ‘4-2-1’ issue and the fact that the country could have still developed without the policy as statistics showed that fertility rates were naturally decreasing as people become more educated and this would therefore have reduced to country’s large population and allowed the country to develop as the government would have to feed fewer people and also if the policy had not been introduced there would not be effects one some females lives who have been sterilized permanently after the birth of the first child because this would prevent the mother from having another child ever. Also, the Chinese government are now unable to scrape the policy because they have not alternatives that could be administrated on the scale of the one child policy and therefore the government suggests ‘we will stick to the family-planning policy for decades’ and this implies that the removal of the policy would have a considerate difference on China’s population and that it could possibly improve the gender imbalance which is not of great interest to china as demographers suggest the removal of the policy would suggest a rapid increase in population once again and this would mean that the country would not be able to achieve its goal which is to become a well developed country with a high GDP. The charts below show what would happen to china’s population and its structure by 2050 if the policy was to be removed and as the first graph clearly suggests, the one child policy has been heavily successful in maintaining a smaller population and emphasis should be placed on the fact it is just a smaller population. Although, the population is smaller the structure of the population between men and women and groups of elderly, working class as well as those under 15 is highly imbalanced and as the chart on the right clearly imposes, if the policy was removed the demographic structure will become more balanced once again.

Expression of Self-worth in Homer’s Iliad Essay -- Iliad essays

Expression of Self-worth in Homer’s Iliad The story of the Trojan War as played out in the Iliad is perhaps most gripping for the focus on the role of the individual; the soul is struck by the very concept of a decade-long war and a city-state razed to the ground for one man’s crime and one woman’s beauty. As such, the dynamic between Helen, Paris, and the Trojan people they have doomed is a fascinating one. For while Prince Paris is hated by all of Troy, his right to keep Helen is challenged by none. This is seen mostly clearly in Book III, after Paris has been spirited away to safety by the goddess Aphrodite; the book ends with Trojans and Greeks alike united in scorn for Paris and his consort. In Book VII, however, at the war council of the Trojans, when a defiant Paris refuses to yield his prize, no man questions his right to do so. This puzzling contrast, between the anger of the many against the crimes of the one and the rights of the one against the will of the many, presents insight into key themes of Homer’s epic. The passages in Books III and VII highlight the unique way in which the Iliad focuses on property rights as perhaps the highest expression of individual self-worth, the violation of which demands complete redress. Book III paints Paris at his lowest: a posturing coward contemptible in his weakness. When he seems in danger of losing a duel against his rival Meneleus—a duel that promises to end the war without further bloodshed—Paris is snatched up by his protector Aphrodite and promptly forgets all about the two armies camped at the walls. The reader is thus united with both armies in scorn for the prince when Homer describes Paris and Helen losing themselves in lust while the fragile treaty strai... ... domain of his property that they are willing to die to uphold it, even for a prince they despise. In the relationship between Paris and the Trojan people with respect to his ownership of Helen, Homer demonstrates the subtleties of a culture that celebrated the heroism of the individual while simultaneously acknowledging the power of the fates in human affairs. To strenuously fight for one’s rights in the face of opposition is to court disaster, as Agamemnon, Achilles, and Paris all discover, and yet in doing so, one is able to rise above the herd of lesser men and become a truly heroic individual. It is a remarkable irony of Homeric Greece that the path to immortality often began with an obsession over the seemingly petty matters of material ownership and property. Works Cited 1. Homer, Iliad, trans. Robert Fagles (New York: Penguin Books, 1990).

The Past, Present and Future

Throughout the last 50 years, humanity has witnessed many changes that have attired and changed our lives in many ways. The emergence of technology in our lives, for example, has caused life to become simpler by making connections easier between people. Changes such as these have caused many differences between each generation. Whilst comparing the life of our generation and our parent's generation we can see that various aspects have changed Like technology, education and life style.Through the last two decades we've witnessed a rise In aspects that we laden know of before. Technology Is an Issue that our generation was greatly Influenced and affected by. Through the Internet new ways of connections, were brought to the table making life easier for our generation. In the olden days one had to go through uphill efforts In order to simply contact another person, however nowadays due to social media, connections between people are Just one click away. The swift and easy going interacti ons that social media Imposed on us changed the way of life between the two generations completely.Likewise: education is one of the aspects that blossomed in our modern days causing dissimilarities between this generation and the past generation. Due to the common awareness that we have been exposed to regarding the importance of education in life, education has become more easily accessible for people of different classes of the society. Numbers of educated people in our generation has increased tremendously comparing to our parent's generation. Educational institutions have now new and more technological ways of teaching.On the contrary education in the past generation was limited to the local institutions; international schools and universities were few and too expensive. Also, the education method in the past generation differs from the methods we're using now; our parents' educational system mainly depended on spoon-feeding. In these days we are taught to think more critically , deeper, and outside the box. Another aspect that changed between the two generations is their lifestyles. Due to media and the globalization of media our perspective and opinions about various issues have changed.For example, because of open portrait of sex, alcohol and drugs in movies, our generation view these somehow controversial topics as mediocre, In our generation these issues are being practiced more abundantly while in the past these issues were viewed as immorally. Also you can clearly see differences In the smallest details of our life like music. For Instance; the past generation's taste In music was more appropriate, inspirational, motivational and positive storytelling than this generation's.Songs like â€Å"Man In the Mirror† had a positive meaning behind their lyrics â€Å"I'm starting with the man In the mirror. I'm asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer. If you want to make the world a better place. Take a look at yourse lf, and then make a change. † Michael Jackson. â€Å"Man in the Mirror. † Race. May 1987. Bad. Michael Jackson, Quince lyrical kinds of music, like Electronic Dance Music. Artists like Michael Jackson, The Battles and Affair aren't as popular as they were before.Also, words like â€Å"Rave† â€Å"PLURAL† and â€Å"#Damselfly† are now being used despite the fact that they weren't known before. To put it in a nutshell, we can easily see the differences of our generation and our parent's generation in many aspects like technology, education and lifestyle. It's natural, and as Jim Morrison said â€Å"Each generation wants new symbols, new people, new names. They want to divorce themselves from their predecessors†. We can easily relate that the next generations will be even more different than our generation.

Hamlet tragedy

Hamlet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. The story recounts the acts how Prince Hamlet takes revenge on his uncle Claudia, v. Who has murdered King Hamlet, then taken the throne, and married to his mother, Queen Gertrude. Shakespeare was successful making a puzzle surround Hamlet which reveals so many important ambiguities that even the audience of all times cannot resolve with certainty. One of those ambiguities Is whether Hamlet seems be more determined or more metaphysical freedom.In my perspective, I believe Hamlet is more on the determined did. He Is â€Å"a product tot many factors that have made him what he Is, and which continue to shape all of his behavior. † (Washburn. Pop) In the very first words of speech to court. Claudia quickly mentions of â€Å"our sometime sister. No†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ our queen. † â€Å"mirth in funeral. † â€Å"dirge in marriage,† and â€Å"taken to l. Ii. 814). All those words like splashing cold water straight o n Hamlet's face. He know he is going to loss everything along with his mother. Queen Gertrude. Ho he is deeply in love with. That speech destroys family. Love. Hope. And confidence in his life. As a result, the sadness left over inside him causes the indignation and anger toward King Claudia and Queen Gertrude. Hamlet's worst fears about Claudia are also confirmed from this point because he obviously notices his uncle's motive and purpose. In the darkness. The ghost comes to rouse Hamlet to revenge his death. HOW can this nonphysical soul affect only Hamlet and his friends' physical nervous systems, but the entire characters?Washburn points Out â€Å"only physical things can affect Other physical things† (Washburn, pop) I believe the scene Hamlet and the ghost is a determined plan Let's say in other words. After the court, Hamlet meets his three friends. They have a change to talk about the story of how his father is murder. After all, Claudia has committed a sin, that sin mu st to be returned with punishment. Hamlet must be the man who would inherited the throne as what he is meant to be. The plan of retributive luster s causally determined by Hamlet and his friends.He now carries both Internal and external forces of: â€Å"That ever I was born to set It right! † (Hamlet, l. V. 21 1) Metaphysical libertarians believe that Hamlet is not pretending to be a madman. His behavior is â€Å"not coerced or constrained by anything† (Washburn, 950) because he actually has mental issues. I agree that he is certainly mad and upset over his father's death and his mother's remarriage. But he is not crazy. He just does too good of pretending to be mad as he suggests.Imagining you fall into the same Pl your uncle does not suspicious about you? Significantly, he declares, â€Å"l am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw† (Hamlet, al. Ii. 402-403). Hamlet knows himself is mad at certain time, and the rest he can distinguish between things that do not resemble each other. Therefore, an over acted madman is also determined by his plan and his actual madness. Washburn also says that: â€Å"our thoughts and actions are determined because we know that all events are causally determined. (Washburn, pop) Similarly in this case, Hamlet's thoughts and actions are mainly determined after a simultaneous tragedy of his father's death and his mother's hasty marriage to his uncle. Furthermore, all of the sudden do not happen by chance. It is causally determined by Claudia, who stands behind all those tragedies with evil ambitions of power and sexuality. In other rods, it is reasonable to believe that Hamlet's behaviors are mostly determined from those horrible external forces, rather than metaphysical freedom. Question 2. So that in the first place, I put a general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that acetates only in death. † (Hobbes, pop) I agree that humans (socially) have â€Å"a restless desire of power. † They want the power of obtaining not only some current apparent good but also more future apparent goods, because they naturally want to satisfy themselves with better quality and quantity. Even thought, those desires are such different things; humans of all times still seek and acquire â€Å"power after power† in order to assure their satisfactions and avoid aversion of death.Humans do not need power to live among each other; however, without such desires they will stop and believe themselves to be complete satisfactions. Therefore, it may repel the human civilization, which causes uncounted loss in social. â€Å"Competition of riches, honor, command, or other power, inclined to contention, enmity, and war; because the way of one competitor to the attaining of his desire to ill, subdue, supplant, or repel the other. † (Hobbes, pop) I believe this state of chaos might happen during Hobbes' s ocial when human totally lacked of knowledge, moral, and law.Radical freedom enables them to complete their desires by harming others with â€Å"contention, enmity, and war. † Human in current social is different. They may have â€Å"desire to kill† to â€Å"obscure the glory of the other. † However, an improved social with higher knowledge and stronger law prevents them from making those evil desires; in order to make â€Å"a restless desire of power† become lately â€Å"competition of riches, honor, command, or other power,† which pushes a pressure on human kind to create more and more of better good. If any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies; and in the way to their end, which is principally their own conservation, and sometimes their delectation only, endeavor to destroy or subdue one another. † (Hobbes, pop) In history of the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, t he vast China nation is like a giant cake for the more powerful countries. The power rulers at the mime are the USA, the I-J, Germany, Japan, French, and Russia.They all want to occupy China, and make it their own. â€Å"From fear of death, or wounds† (Hobbes, [4], pop) these six counties turn enemies into partnerships so that everyone can afford to own exclusive piece of China. This example goes against Hobbes' theory, which indicates â€Å"if any two men desire the same thing† they are not necessary to become enemies. There is no need for an end of destroying or subduing one another. The modern social is arming to this point, where the same desire can end with satisfaction.

Ipl Strenght and Weakness Essays

Ipl Strenght and Weakness Essays Ipl Strenght and Weakness Essay Ipl Strenght and Weakness Essay The bidding process for the eight franchises that will compete in the Indian Premier League has officially begun with the release of the prospectus for the inaugural Twenty20 competition beginning in April 2008. The tender inviting bids for the franchises will be announced sometime in December. Potential franchisees can submit bids for more than one city-team and must state the total fee they are offering for a franchise for the first ten-year term. The auction of players will immediately follow the awarding of the franchises. The prospectus also laid out the manner in which the IPLs revenue would be shared with the franchises. The franchises will receive 80% of the television revenue over the first two years, 70% in the third and fourth years, 60% between years five and ten, and 50% from the 11th year onwards. In addition, they will also receive 60% of the sponsorship revenue during the first ten years, after which they will receive 50%. Of the total amount to be distributed, 20% will be divided based on the final league positions of the franchises while the other 80% will be shared squally. The IPLs distribution model, which is based on their current forecasts for the first contracts for centralized television and sponsorship agreements, should be adjusted should the forecasts change. The competition comprises 59 matches and spans 44 days with each franchise playing the other on a home and away basis. The top four teams qualify for the semi-finals, the winners of which will contest the final. The two finalists will in turn qualify for the Champions Twenty20 tournament, which has been provisionally scheduled for October 2008. Each franchises squad will have a minimum of 16 players and no more than four international players, drawn from the pool of contracted players, may play in a particular match. Four Under-21 players and four players from the franchises catchment area must also be part of the squad, though these can be the same players. Our first round-up of the IPLs finances shows the league generated $209 million in revenue in its second season, for an aggregate operating profit (earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation) of $89 million. The average franchise is worth $67 million, a 31% increase in just one year. The Rajasthan Royals, winners of the leagues first championship, has risen in value by 71%. This despite the uncertainty and logistical headaches caused by moving this years entire 59-game slate, including the final, to South Africa with only three weeks notice. (After terror incidents, the Indian government was anxious about providing security as parliamentary elections coincided with the month-long season. The IPL was conceived in 2007 near some hallowed ground for sports: in Londons Wimbledon suburb. There, Lalit Modi, representing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the governing body of Indian cricket, and Andrew Wildblood, an executive at sports management powerhouse IMG, discussed the disconnect between crickets worldwide popularity and the lack of commercial success of any domestic league. Their solution: a franchise ownership structure modeled after top U. S. sports leagues. Since then , the league has grown at breakneck speed. In January 2008, eight IPL teams were auctioned for a combined $724 million (to be paid in 10 annual installments to the nonprofit BCCI, an umbrella for the IPL). Just three months later, the Redskins First Ladies of Football were flown in to shake their pom-poms at the sold-out opener. Proceeds from the auction, as well as portions of national media and sponsorship deals, are reinvested, mostly in Indias aging (as far back as the 19th century) cricket stadiums, including some of the 10 rented by IPL teams for $100,000 per match. How successful was that first season? The 2008 semifinals and final drew 62 million viewers in India, with a per-match average of 11% of the nations total cable audience. In the months that followed, Modi, now IPL commissioner, opted out of TV deals with Sony and World Sports Group, risking nearly $1 billion of guaranteed payments over the next nine years. The gamble paid off, to the tune of a 98% annual increase from those broadcast partners, both of which deemed the IPL too valuable a property to lose. One reason the league is so TV-friendly is its format: Matches are held under Twenty20 rules that speed up each contest to about three hours (a traditional cricket match can last days, with tea breaks). The format is sweeping cricket worldwide. Revenue from TV, mobile and digital rights deals totaled $100 million for the latest season, of which teams split an 80% share equally. They also divvied up 60% of the $40 million in league sponsorships, including a cool $10 million from the leagues title sponsor, DLF, Indias largest real estate firm, and $5. million from motorbike maker Hero Honda. Despite playing 5,000 miles away, Indian companies actually increased spending on team sponsorships, which grew by 60% to a collective $60 million. Ground staff scurried to change signage before every match so that none of the floating teams advertisers were underrepresented. Ticket sales did not go as smoothly. The move led to a 75% drop in gate receipts, as prices were slashed to fill up stadiums to make the product more appealing on TV. That must have worked: This year, the finals telecast reached 24% more viewers in India than in 2008. Even Modi is surprised by how quickly the league has grown. At the beginning there were not many bidders who were conscious of the fact that the league would succeed, and they had to bid on total blind faith. There was no history, everybody was writing against it, there was no support for it, he says. Then the first season averaged 58,000 fans per match (80% more than a typical Major League Baseball game), and new investors clamored to climb aboard. In February, an ownership group that includes Lachlan Murdoch, the son of media baron Rupert Murdoch, sold a minority stake in the Rajasthan Royals to investors fronted by actress Shilpa Shetty in a deal that reflected the rapid value appreciation. Just last year, the Royals were auctioned for a league-low $67 million over 10 years. While speculation about the IPLs long-term viability drove prices down at the franchise auction, the leagues early success has now translated to unrealistic valuations in the other direction. Not helping is a misguided study frequently cited by cricket officials that calls the IPL a $2 billion business. Perhaps one day, but certainly not yetour cumulative valuation amounts to barely one: The Delhi Daredevils will play for a share of a $6 million purse in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League this fall, on top of receiving $500,000 just for participating in the tournament. Since up to half of team revenue is accrued by dint of gate receipts, local sponsorships and merchandisingrevenue streams of which teams share little with the leaguemarket size plays a major role in making some franchises more valuable than others. Take the Mumbai Indians, who play before a robust corporate base in Indias largest city. The Indians are the IPLs most valuable team, worth $80 million for the owner, oil and gas giant Reliance Industries and company chairman and largest shareholder Mukesh Ambani, Indias wealthiest man. Sensing Mumbai as the IPLs signature brand, akin to the English footballs Manchester United or baseballs New York Yankees, companies from outside of India, like Adidas ( ADDDY. PK news people ) and MasterCard ( MA news people ), have been quick to sponsor the team. Over two seasons, Mumbais $43 million in revenue tops the IPL. Some of the IPLs cachet comes from its owners: Khan uses the resources of his film company, Red Chillies Entertainment, to promote Kolkata and expand the teams reach into new markets. His strategy is paying off. Polls consistently rank the Knight Riders as Indias most popular team, and theyre already more valuable than two teams that were sold at higher auction prices only a year and a half ago. Such hands-on management is a far cry from the Stanford Super Series, the defunct Twenty20 competition between the English national team and all-stars from around the West Indies that was bankrolled by alleged Ponzi schemer R. Allen Stanford and thought to be competition for the IPL. Instead, after only one year, the SSS joined an alphabet soup of failed cricket ventures, including the IISC, WSC and APC. Cricket has been played internationally for 165 years and was once a contest at the Olympics. With 104 nations as members of crickets governing body, its one of the most popular sports in the world. But before the IPL, professional leagues had never truly been run as a business. Most leagues around the world are operated by nonprofit entities and teams owned by athletic clubs with thousands of members; often, making money is a low priority. Says Donald Lockerbie, chief executive of the USA Cricket Association, [English cricket] is as traditional a sport as there is. Its essentially a club membership drive. National teams have always been crickets top draw. But private franchise ownership coupled with the commercial possibilities of the new, abbreviated version of the game in Indias cricket crazed marketplace has upended the sports established order. Its also made Modi into crickets most influential (if polarizing) figure, for whom profit always trumps tradition. A brash and charismat ic promoter, hes the subcontinents answer to Don King. In April he hired around-the-clock security after reportedly receiving death threats from the mob, the gambling operations of which stood to take a hit from the season moving to South Africa. Unfazed, Modi is already laying the groundwork for the IPLs next chapter. We plan to have another shorter [season] that will move around the world, with a main league that will stay in India, he says. Another plan to boost league coffers is to add more teams. IMGs Wildblood projects expansion as early as 2011 with the IPL adding one or two more squads. Unlike in the early days, bidders will have a sense of the leagues long-term prospects. I think a lot of people discounted the fact that there was any value, Modi says. Not anymore.

advantages Essays - Software, World Wide Web, Computing, Free Essays

advantages Essays - Software, World Wide Web, Computing, Free Essays 2.0 Importance of Facebook now days: According to this research Facebook is a lawful activity in every country of the world, and from a small child to a busy professional business man Facebook is an addiction to all of them. Facebook has become a part of daily routine of people and for some people part of their hourly routine, people of all ages use Facebook for following different purposes. 2.1 Communication: The main purpose of this social network is communication; the main logo of Facebook is "connect and share with the people in your life". Facebook allows its users to chat, talk and share their daily life activities with their friends and family. 2.2 Entertainment Due to the advance features of this network entertainment has become as equal purpose as communication; as a member logs into his Facebook account his attention is readily diverted towards different entertainment stuff like time line applications, online game applications, picture jokes, funny videos and other interesting content. 2.3 Source of Earning Facebook is also used as a source of earning by people i.e. Facebook is one of the most visited websites on internet so it is an excellent website for advertisement and offers about brands and products, therefore Facebook is also used for marketing of business and hence it assists people in earning money. 2.4 Data Storage and Information Some people also use Facebook as data storage i.e. to store their memorable photos and videos on internet as in case their compute data gets corrupt or lost. Facebook is also sometimes used to obtain information about famous people, locations, cultures and events. Facebook also keeps people up to date about the world. 3.0 Usage of Facebook by people of different ages and different regions According to the research carried out Facebook population is made up of Millions of people around the globe. As compared to males, females lead the population on Facebook; young adults aged 18 to 25, possess the most population of the Facebook due to their interests in chatting, entertainment, cyber dating and other youth stuff. After this age sector Facebook is heavily populated from people aged 26 to 34, due to the same interests as of young adults. The rest of the population is covered by people of different ages including children and people over 45. Coming to the regional statics of Facebook usage, Facebook is a lawful activity in every country of the world. America has the most Facebook users of the world, Brazil has the second most users of Facebook in the World and third country with most Facebook users is India. Ireland possesses 59th position in relevance to the Facebook population. All these statistics show that Facebook is huge and on the present day it is the most popular social network and one of the most visited website on internet. 4.0 Advantages and disadvantages of Facebook: Today the world has become a place of instant communication with the help of social networks like Facebook, twitter, Google plus etc. and by other means of communication like emails and telephones. Facebook is the most popular social network on internet and its use is rapidly increasing, according to research carried out Facebook is the most popular communication tool used, followed by SMS and email. "Facebook is the most popular social network in the world, with over 350 million users, so it should come as no surprise to discover that people are using it as a primary tool for communication," said Hazel Butters, CEO of Prompt Communications. As far as communication and sharing Facebook is considered as an excellent tool, but problems arise when Facebook becomes an addiction. Facebook has become a part of daily routine of people and for some people part of their hourly routine and hence they are moving away from their daily healthy activities by spending hours on Facebook. Teens especially are being accused of constantly logged in their account, some specialists narrate that this develops social skills in them which are essential in practical life. But other people believe that this disturbs their studies and their healthy outdoor activities. Privacy is another issue with Facebook, although the social network offers the users full control of their private information

5 Cases of Extraneous Hyphenation with Numbers

5 Cases of Extraneous Hyphenation with Numbers 5 Cases of Extraneous Hyphenation with Numbers 5 Cases of Extraneous Hyphenation with Numbers By Mark Nichol The combination of numbers, spelled out or in numerical form, and hyphens is a volatile mixture that often confuses writers. Here are five sentences in which hyphens are erroneously inserted into constructions that do not require them, with explanations and corrections. 1. â€Å"Four-percent of adults may have ADHD.† There’s no reason to combine four and percent. The writer might have incorrectly extrapolated from the use of fractions in the same type of construction (â€Å"One-third of respondents agree with the statement†), but the sentence should read, â€Å"Four percent of adults may have ADHD.† 2. â€Å"Astronomers say an object five-times bigger than Jupiter is the first planet outside our solar system to be imaged.† The reference to the exoplanet’s magnitude of size in comparison to Jupiter requires no linking hyphen. The misunderstanding perhaps arises from the fact that â€Å"five times† modifies bigger, but bigger is an adjective, not a noun, and words combining to modify adjectives are not hyphenated. The correct form is â€Å"Astronomers say an object five times bigger than Jupiter is the first planet outside our solar system to be imaged.† 3. â€Å"This monk began his vow not to speak with a 2-1/2 year walk up the coast.† Writers often erroneously insert a hyphen between a whole number and a fraction in a mixed fraction. It’s not necessary, but it is required between the mixed fraction and the noun that follows when they combine to modify another noun, as in this example: â€Å"This monk began his vow not to speak by taking a 2 1/2-year walk up the coast.† (2 1/2 is considered a single element, so omit the intervening hyphen.) Note, too, the slight revision to eliminate the suggestion that the monk conversed with a 2 1/2-year walk up the coast. 4. â€Å"The electrified border, 10-feet-high, is to be completed across the border with India.† If this sentence used the phrase â€Å"10 feet high† as a modifier preceding â€Å"electrified fence† (â€Å"a 10-foot-high electrified fence†), the hyphens linking the elements as a unified description would be valid. But in a simple reference to physical dimensions, no hyphens are necessary: â€Å"The electrified fence, 10 feet high, is to be completed across the border with India.† 5. â€Å"You must have a keen sense of how to capture the attention of the 18-34 year-old news junkie.† This sentence tries to observe the basic rule about connecting the numbers in a range (preferably with an en dash rather than a hyphen) but errs in its failure to recognize the special case of suspensive hyphenation that overrules that usage. The sentence refers to a demographic cohort consisting of 18-year-old news junkies and 34-year-old news junkies and all news junkies in between. When using a range involving a number compound, elide most of the first element, retaining only the number (spelled out or in numeral form) and a hyphen, followed by a letter space: â€Å"You must have a keen sense of how to capture the attention of the 18- to 34-year-old news junkie.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for â€Å"Help†Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements20 Names of Body Parts and Elements and Their Figurative Meanings

Compare coming of age ceremonies for Christanity, Judaism and Islam Research Paper

Compare coming of age ceremonies for Christanity, Judaism and Islam - Research Paper Example Notably, this practice is valued and honoured by all the three religions given its importance in a religious setup. ‘Coming of Age’ is a very important function in the history of religion as it dates back as old as the religions. This is a fundamental stage in one’s life that is initiated and conducted differently by different religious institutions. Coming of Age represents the transition process to adulthood from childhood in the society. The nature and the age of this transition often vary from one religion and divide to another, but with some aspects being similar. In nearly all the three religions, this transition is commonly associated with the sexual maturity age or early adolescence. However, in other religions like Judaism, ‘Coming of Age’ is only associated with the religious responsibility and age. The attainment of this age marks an important stage of an individual within the religious institution. It is after the ‘Coming of Age’ period that a believer crosses over to adulthood with full responsibility and getting more spiritual recognitio n within the group (Coogan, 2003). Being an adult after undergoing this ritual gives the member the rights, responsibilities, and obligations that had been limited. Christians, Judaism, and Islam conduct ceremonies to mark this important occasion that comes with benefits and other adulthood packages, which are strictly served for adults. As notes the Rite of Passage Institute of Cleveland, â€Å"The final entrance into adulthood has been provided from time immemorial by the ‘coming of age’ ceremony†¦.. It marked a critical expansion moment, the entrance into larger responsibilities, large privileges, larger secrets, larger institutions, and larger understandings.† (Coogan, 2003, pp.67) The Western Christians and the Roman Catholic Church conduct the ‘Coming of Age’ ceremony differently.

Explain The Term Structure Of Interest Rates Essay

Explain The Term Structure Of Interest Rates - Essay Example Interest date data for bonds with different maturities date is published frequently and investors can use it to determine the term structure of interest rates. Some of the most popular interest rate data sources are the Wall Street Journal, Federal Reserve Bulletin and websites like Bloomberg and CNN. The term structure can be verified at any point in time by using published data from renowned sources. Yield curves are drawn using this published data on interest rates. There are short term and long term interest rates. Since long term interest rates have an element of maturity risk premium (MRP), they are usually higher than short term rates. When researching on the term structure of interest rates, it is important to have knowledge of commonly used terms like the Yield to Maturity (YTM), which is defined as the expected rate of return on a bond held till maturity (Brigham and Ehrhardt, 2010). Another concept which is discussed with YTM is that of the zero coupon bonds (or discount b onds). A zero coupon bond is a financial asset which at the date of maturity T, pays its holder a lump sum amount, with no coupon payments before the date of maturity (hence the name zero-coupon). The YTM at time t of a discount bond with maturity T is the constant and continuously compounded rate of rate of return at which the price of the bond accrues from time t to time T and pays one currency unit to the holder at time T. The YTM is also referred to as the spot rate and the notation R (t, T) is used for it. Spot rates are short term interest rates and the term structure of interest rates depicts the relationship between spot rates and their dates of maturity (Gibson, Lhabitant and Talay, 2010). Interest rates are not only used in discounting and pricing for zero-coupon bonds but also other financial derivatives because their prices are sensitive to interest rates. If we go beyond the scope of an individual investor, we can see that interest rates are also important to corporatio ns. This is because when corporations are doing project appraisals, they use interest rate for computing the net present value and the discounted payback period for a project. The cost of capital which is of prime importance to corporations also depends upon interest rates (Benninga and Wiener, 1998). It will be useful to specify the type of interest rate before discussing investment decisions and discounting. There are two main types of interest rates: simple interest rate and compound interest rate. Simple rate of interest is interest on a lump sum principal amount and it does not itself earn interest. Quite contrary to this, is the compound rate of interest which itself earns interest. Investment decisions and discounting are all predominantly based on compound interest rates (Kelly and Tracy, 2010) Long term interest rates are an average of short term interest rates. The relationship between short and long term interest rates involves expectations. For example, if it is expected that short term interest rates will fall then the long term interest rates will fall below the current short term rate. The contrary situation is also valid: if it is expected that short term interest rates will increase then the long term interest rates will rise above the current short term rate. These two situations are possible only because long term rates are derived from short term rates. It is a general perception that long rates are greater than short rates and this is termed as the ‘

Prepare an equity research report comparing the financial performance Assignment

Prepare an equity research report comparing the financial performance of your chosen retail company with the financial performan - Assignment Example Through prudent risk management and optimum allocation of resources and assets, the company has been able to withstand financial difficulties and turmoil and has been able to portray sound and stable financial outlook. Today the company now has over 900 stores worldwide which cater to wide demography of customers across the globe. The company was founded by the name of John David stores in 1981 with one shop in bury. In the financial year of 1989 the first London store was opened in Oxford Street. One of the most important landmarks in the history of the company was the floatation of its equity stock in the year 1996. At this point of time, the company had around 56 stores. Subsequent to the issuance of equity in the market, the revenue growth of the company started increasing with rapid pace. The company acquired affiliations with international sports brands such as Addidas, Nike and Reebok and thus it was able to establish substantial present in the retail industry. The company not only focused on organic growth but it also expanded through merger and acquisitions. In the financial year 2002, JD sports acquired nearly 200 stores and the highlight among them the acquisition of first sport, a renowned sport retailer. In the financial year 2005, the company was also able to purchase more than 70 stores from Allstores which further established its position as the leading UK retailer in sports wear merchandise. The primary operations of the company reside in UK, Ireland and in France. 1.2 Overview of the current operations In the financial year 2012, the company acquired Blacks, another leading sports retailer in the industry. With the acquisition of Blacks, the JD group comprises of four divisions being Sport Fascias, Fashion Fascias, Outdoor and Distribution. The current primary business of the company is retail and the other businesses of the company acts as support activities. JD Sports have made substantial investment in brands, business, multi-channel and ot her infrastructure to improve and enhance the financial outlook of the company. The company has also made substantial investment in the current year for expanding its business to greater horizons such as Spain, Ireland and France. The company was able to open its first store in Spain in March 2012. The following is a brief financial analysis of various operational segment of the company: 1.3 Sports Fascias The Sport Fascias of JD sports plc comprises of JD, Size, Chausport, Sprinter and Champion sports. During the financial year of 2012, the revenue of the company increased by 16.3% and its market share also hiked as compared to the prior years. The gross margin of the company, however, experienced a marginal decrease from 51% (2011) to 50.8% (2012). This decrease was primarily due to the lower margin business of Champion and Sprinter. The operating profit of the segment experienced a hike of about ?1 million. 1.4 Fashion Fascias The fashion fascias comprises of Bank, Scotts and Gec il Gee. During the current financial year, the total revenue of the company increased by 13.2% and the gross margin of the segment decreased by marginally from 49% to 48.5%. 1.5 Outdoor After the acquisition of Blacks, a new reporting segment by the name of Outdoor has been created. At the time of the acquisition, the operations of Blacks were in adverse position and it required a considerable efforts and time of the managements to bring them to a reasonable position. The acquisition took place three months

Endangered Species Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Endangered Species - Research Paper Example -Many organizations are working together to ensure that these species do not get extinct. Endangered Species As the world is developing it is seen that several conflicts have arisen within the environment itself. These conflicts relate to the loss of natural surroundings such as the rain forests and Arctic ice. Moreover another trend which has been related to the development of the world is related to the extinction of certain species existing in the world. The organisms or species which are at risk of extinction are known as the endangered species. These species are the ones who are believed to get extinct because of the environmental and human factors involved. The species getting extinct are not limited to the developing nations of India and Pakistan but also spread to the developed world. It is for this purpose that many organizations have been formed all over the world to decrease the number of endangered species all over the world. The International Union for Conservation of Na ture is one organization dedicated to find solution to decrease the effect of environment on the endangered species. In 2010 the IUCN estimated the figures of the endangered species to be around 33 to 39% of all the species living in the world. This essay would further revolve on the aspects of the endangered species and would put forward the environmental effects that these endangered species pose in the society (IUCN 2011; WWF 2011). Periods of Endangered Species The extinction of the species dates back to many centuries when the dinosaurs and other such species existed. A Permian extinction is noted down to be dated back to around 250 million years when around 70% of the terrestrial animals along with 96% of the marine animals vanished. Similarly the age of dinosaurs came to an end because of the Cretaceous extinction which took place around 65 million years back. And when the experts analyze the current situation of the world it is seen that a great part of the species still rem ains endangered and this can create an extinction wave to occur all over again. The number of endangered species are increasing everyday because of the environmental and human factors involved at every stage. Earth is being developed at a rapid rate and this is creating difficulties for the species to survive. It is at this point that many states have realized the importance of the endangered species and have created laws to minimize the number of these species (Walsh 2009). Problems faced by the endangered species The endangered species are the most at risk when it comes to the issue of extinction. Extinction of this species can not only affect the habitat of the species but can also affect the ecosystem as a whole. An ecosystem can remain stable if all the species in it remain in a balanced environment. Thus a balanced ecosystem is necessary for the survival of everyone involved within the pyramid of the system. Human beings are involved with the ecosystem and thus they should mak e sure that the endangered species do not get extinct. Human factors are affecting the endangered species in different forms. Some experts relate the endangered species to the varying environment of the world which includes the climate. Climate change is being witnessed all over the world and this is harming the integrity of the species living in a habitat. However this climate change can be directly linked to the factors contributed by the human beings.

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management - Essay Example Strategically, a firm that has a monopoly wants to keep any competitors from entering the market and can do so through force, lobbying, or collusion. A firm that owns a monopoly wants to keep other companies out of the market so they can set the price of the product in order to maximize profit. In monopolistic competition, the price that other firms set for the product is not as much of a concern for the firm strategically because there is product as well as brand differentiation. Therefore a firm can set its price without being influenced too much by competitors. In the long run, monopolistic competition becomes more and more like perfect competition. In an oligopoly, strategic decisions made by a firm are heavily influence by competitors because there are only a few sellers who control the market. A firm in this market structure often uses the same tactics as a firm who has a monopoly on the market to maintain or increase market share. Competition is fierce in this type of market w hich leads to lower prices and higher production. 2. Economic Factors If a firm believes that the benefits of entering or exiting a market outweigh the costs, their desire to do so will increase. Some economic factors that affect a firm’s desire to enter and exit a market are market growth, profit sustainability of that market over time, industry life cycle considerations, technological opportunities, barriers to market entry, and the number of competitors in the market. A growing market is more appealing to new entrants as is a market where growth does not appear to be slowing down any time soon. On the other hand, a declining market where there is no growth on the horizon is conducive to exiting. A market where product innovation is high also indicates that it is profitable to enter that market, whereas a market where product innovation has pretty much run its course is not a positive sign. Also, a â€Å"first-mover† has a better chance of making a substantial profit as opposed to someone who is trying to enter a market that has been around for a long time. Therefore, new markets are a good signal that entry will be profitable. Barriers to entry, such as the financial cost of entry, also discourage entry into a market. Conversely, the costs of exiting a market can discourage a firm from exit. As an example, Amazon.com entered the book selling market because they knew they could offer more books online than other bookstores could at brick and mortar stores. They entered the growing market of e-commerce and although it took them a while to turn a profit, they are now one of the most profitable e-commerce bookstores and also offer a wide variety of products now besides just books. As the e-commerce industry has grown, Amazon.com has grown as well. 3. Barring Entry In the internet marketing world, barriers to entry are relatively low. Basically anyone can learn about e-marketing and look for clients who need help with increasing their rank in searc h engines and so forth. However, it seems that larger companies in this industry have greater economies of scale. This is because they can generally produce more content, links, social media, and so on in order to generate more traffic than a very small internet marketing company with only a few people can. There are relatively low benefits in attempting to bar someone from entering this industry because it tends toward perfect competition where there are low barriers to entry and relatively low start-up costs. So the best way to

Endangered Species Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Endangered Species - Research Paper Example -Many organizations are working together to ensure that these species do not get extinct. Endangered Species As the world is developing it is seen that several conflicts have arisen within the environment itself. These conflicts relate to the loss of natural surroundings such as the rain forests and Arctic ice. Moreover another trend which has been related to the development of the world is related to the extinction of certain species existing in the world. The organisms or species which are at risk of extinction are known as the endangered species. These species are the ones who are believed to get extinct because of the environmental and human factors involved. The species getting extinct are not limited to the developing nations of India and Pakistan but also spread to the developed world. It is for this purpose that many organizations have been formed all over the world to decrease the number of endangered species all over the world. The International Union for Conservation of Na ture is one organization dedicated to find solution to decrease the effect of environment on the endangered species. In 2010 the IUCN estimated the figures of the endangered species to be around 33 to 39% of all the species living in the world. This essay would further revolve on the aspects of the endangered species and would put forward the environmental effects that these endangered species pose in the society (IUCN 2011; WWF 2011). Periods of Endangered Species The extinction of the species dates back to many centuries when the dinosaurs and other such species existed. A Permian extinction is noted down to be dated back to around 250 million years when around 70% of the terrestrial animals along with 96% of the marine animals vanished. Similarly the age of dinosaurs came to an end because of the Cretaceous extinction which took place around 65 million years back. And when the experts analyze the current situation of the world it is seen that a great part of the species still rem ains endangered and this can create an extinction wave to occur all over again. The number of endangered species are increasing everyday because of the environmental and human factors involved at every stage. Earth is being developed at a rapid rate and this is creating difficulties for the species to survive. It is at this point that many states have realized the importance of the endangered species and have created laws to minimize the number of these species (Walsh 2009). Problems faced by the endangered species The endangered species are the most at risk when it comes to the issue of extinction. Extinction of this species can not only affect the habitat of the species but can also affect the ecosystem as a whole. An ecosystem can remain stable if all the species in it remain in a balanced environment. Thus a balanced ecosystem is necessary for the survival of everyone involved within the pyramid of the system. Human beings are involved with the ecosystem and thus they should mak e sure that the endangered species do not get extinct. Human factors are affecting the endangered species in different forms. Some experts relate the endangered species to the varying environment of the world which includes the climate. Climate change is being witnessed all over the world and this is harming the integrity of the species living in a habitat. However this climate change can be directly linked to the factors contributed by the human beings.

Software engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Software engineering - Essay Example Development of programming languages was at the initial stages and much work has to be in field of software technology. The hardware equipment used in programming were huge and weighed in tons. To operate one computer more than 10 persons were required. The space required for it was just like an auditorium. The expenses on maintenance were sky high. It was very time consuming effort for even to do simple mathematic calculations. Research on development of software technologies was given more importance and works on these issues were employed. Many companies realized the importance of development of software technology and many research institutes were developed accordingly. After the development of some programming languages like FORTRAN the importance of programming concepts were realized and companies like IBM, Microsoft, Apple, etc., invested heavily on the development of these technologies. The problems faced by these companies were: Development Time problem: In the development of large systems sometimes technology goes through a generation change from the time it was first conceptualized to the tie of delivery. Sometimes systems have to be reprogrammed completely. System User Interface problem: At the time of initial designing of the technology many associated operational procedures were neglected. This resulted in delay in the development process and need of other additional requirements. Additional hardware as well as software was frequently needed to meet the requirements. These problems can be prevented through operational timelines. Test and Integration problem: In the early stages of software development insufficient thought was given to integration and testing. Appointing experienced programmer and conducting tests at all levels can avoid problems. Maintenance problem: The expenditure was huge for the maintenance. The best way to cut costs is to design the code in such a way that changes can be accommodated frequently. Software development life cycle (SWDLC) models were used in developing a software product. SWDLC models helps in understanding the problem, design of a solution and tests on the solution can be performed in an operational environment. Some of the SWDLC are generic waterfall model, department of defense model, spiral model, NASA model, incremental developmental model, evolutionary prototype model, reuse and automated development models, etc. SWDLC process goes through five phases. They are (1) requirement analysis, (2) design specification, (3) coding and unit testing, (4) test and integration and (5) acceptance test. The people involved in software development process are: 1. Operators/Users: These are the end users who use the final products of the software system. Directly or indirectly users are involved in the development of software products. Keeping user's requirements in mind companies develop the final product. Since users are the key to the success of the final product most of the companies takes user's conceptions and develops the product accordingly. 2. Client: Client may be a person or a firm

Kohler Company Essay Example for Free

Kohler Company Essay Kohler is one of the largest and oldest privately held companies in America. It started by manufacturing plumbing fixtures, famously inventing the first modern bathtub, and soon after began manufacturing small engines and generators. Today the company is also in the furniture and luxury resort business. Most of the company’s shares are held by members of the Kohler family, however 4% of the outstanding stock is owned by outsiders. Herbert Kohler Jr. , the CEO and Chairman of Kohler, would like to do what he can to keep Kohler stock within the Kohler family and its interests. This led to the 1998 recapitalization. In this restructuring of equity, family members and permitted transferees (Kohler Trusts, Kohler Foundations, ect. ) were given the option to exchange their stock for several different classes of stock, such as common stock, non voting stock, Series A and Series B. The shareholders not classified as a permitted transferee would either have to sell their shares for what an independent firm determines fair market value, or dissent and allow fair market value to be determined by a legal proceeding. The fair market price offered by Kohler in 1998 was $55,400. Kohler’s stock recently fetched between $100,000 to $135,000 and the two largest outside shareholders recently bought a combined 93 shares right around $100,000. So Gen, a mutual fund and largest outside shareholder, believed market value per share could be $400,000. Because of this discrepancy in price; outside shareholders decided to file suit against Kohler claiming the price of $55,400 undervalued the stock and was not fair market value. It is now April 2000 and Herbert Kohler Jr. must decide whether to settle with the plaintiffs or go to trail in 2 days. It was very possible that the court would determine fair market value to be much higher than price offered. Herbert also must consider that the IRS will use a court determined share price to determine the tax liability of Herbert’s deceased brother’s estate. The share price will also affect the way the Kohler Foundation could operate, since by law it must annually pledge %5 of its assets, which is mostly Kohler stock. Analysis: Much of the share price was driven by the speculation that Kohler might soon go public. Herbert thought this was the primary reason the shares were extremely overvalued. However, the assumption of a future IPO was inaccurate. One of the core values and strengths of Kohler is the private classification of equity. Kohler considers it a competitive advantage to not have to disclose its financial position to the public. Not only does it give away proprietary information to competitors, but public reporting also affects the way a company can make decisions. Kohler feels that many of the business decisions that made Kohler a success, such as investing in cast iron production at a time when the industry was moving away from it, would not have been possible if they were accountable to pubic shareholders. Without the possibility of an IPO a lower share price than what share prices recently traded for was could be justified. However, Herbert must also consider the effects of having the valuation be determined in court. The first drawback to this is how costly legal proceedings are. On top of lawyer fees and court costs, it could be very expensive to reconcile and audit all financial documents as well as pay for expert opinions concerning the valuation. Since there is no standard or correct metric to value a company, there is increased risk as to how the court will value the company. If Kohler decides to continue with the trial they are leaving themselves, the Kohler Foundation, and the Kohler estate open to a lot of uncontrollable risk. Recommendation: I recommend Kohler offer to settle with the plaintiffs at $140,000. Kohler should settle outside of court to mitigate the risk and cost associated with the trial. While the price is not ideal, settling outside of court allows Kohler to control the price at a manageable level. This will be the best way to hedge against risk and lookout for the interests of Kohler, the Family, and its charities. In order to settle Kohler must offer a price of $140,000 to give the mutual funds the return on investment they desire. Since the purpose of mutual fund is to create value for their investors, they are probably more than willing to take the matter to court if they feel they are not receiving a fair return. The per share price of $140,000 will give the mutual funds roughly a 20% return on investment which should be enough for them to consider the offer favorable.

Overcoming Cultural Differences And Understanding Organisation Culture Commerce Essay

Overcoming Cultural Differences And Understanding Organisation Culture Commerce Essay What is culture? Culture is something you belong to. Here a few definitions of the word culture. Geertz describes culture as a system of shared meaning, (Griffin, 2003, p. 273), Pancanowsky said culture is not something a organization has, a culture is something an organization is. (Griffin, 2003, p. 273) Philipesen describes culture as a socially constructed and historically transmitted pattern of symbols, meanings, premises, and rules.(Griffin, 2003, p.420). In this case study EUROCOM Systems is a German organization and SOFTCOM is an IT organization in New Zealand.EUROCOM Systems is taking over SOFTCOM. According to the above definitions about culture, we can see that EUROCOM Systems and SOFTCOM are two different types of organizations with two different cultures. Firstly their languages are different, and also the German organization has a very traditional management style. Their staff are expected to wear traditional business suits and ties and keep to fixed daily working hours. The New Zealand organization has an easygoing and relaxed atmosphere, including a dress code and flexible working hours that suit their customers. There are also other problems that could happen in the new organization. As the case study mentions that EUROCOM will send their own managers to New Zealand. These managers have to face a new environment, so could have a lot of anxiety. During the takeover, it will be two different countries with different cultures merging together; obviously this could cause culture conflict. How can these cultural differences be overcome? The above provides two hypotheses, using some theories to help to achieve the hypotheses. Agenda-Setting Theory Maxwell McCombs Donald Shaws Agenda Setting Theory uses framing where they select a feature and put this into the mind of people making them think about it. For example, SOFTCOMs flexible working hours change to fixed daily working hours. If at lunch time or outside working hours, the customers has some software problems needing speciality help, who can serve them to figure out the problems. Does the customer have to wait until the speciality staff are back from lunch? No, no one has the patience when they have a problem. They want the company solve the problem at once. As no one can run a business without customers, SOFTCOM should put those points to frame the cultural differences, and let EUROCOM think about by changing SOFTCOM culture it may cause many problems, and even lose customers. Social Penetration Theory Cultural approach to organization Theory Social Penetration Theory is when the onion is peeled by layer the two nationalities will soon be friends and appreciate each other. (Griffin, 2003, p. 133) Once they penetrate well below the surface, the Germans and New Zealanders will become close. Story and ritual (Using the metaphor) can help to understand an organization culture. So in this case, SOFTCOM can tell some stories through ritual that will help EUOROCOM Managers to understand SOFTCOM culture. Below is an provide an example combining these two theories. When the managers of EUORCOM come to New Zealander at first, they might feel uncomfortable and not know what to say to SOFTCOM staff, but after a few days they will start to know each other. Also SOFTCOM can provide some rituals such as a party or a BBQ, and by corporate stories, collegial stories or personal story telling increase their relationships and help them understand the SOFTCOM culture. Understanding organization culture Communication theories: Information Systems Approach to Organisations Cultural Approach to Organizations Face-Negotiation Theory Narrative Paradigm Theory From the case study, it seems that SOFTCOM Systems is a culture system and belongs to Individualistic culture. EUOROCOM Systems is an information system and belongs to collectivistic culture. Below are some theories to identify the statement, and also will provide a strategy for SOFTCOM to keep the unique features of the organisation. Information Systems Approach to Organisations Theory According to Weicks Information Systems Approach to Organisations theory, every organisation as living organizations that must constantly adapt to changing environment in order to stay alive. (Griffin, 2003, p. 259). Weick talks about the information and how it relates to the organisation, whereas organisation systems depend on the information system. Weick considers in his theory the hierarchy structural of the organisation. Every employee is put on different levels of positions. The boss is at the top, flows down to the associate managers, along the path to the next level will be the workers at the lower level. From this hierarchy structural, Weick forms up the chain-of-command lines of communication. Information is pushed down from the top, where the boss is, down to his associates and from the associates to the workers below. Information flows in the organisation. Cultural Approach to Organisation Theory Geertz and Pacanowskys theory of the Cultural Approach to Organisation base on Information Systems Approach to Organisations theory, but they state that culture is not something that an organisation has; culture is something an organisation is. Geertz describes culture as a system of shared meaning, (Griffin, 2003, p. 273), From the above explanations of the two theories, we can see EUOROCOM is an information system, because the boss at top level pushes information down to the next level associates, and to the workers. The workers do not have a chance to raise opinions to the managers. As the case study said the EUOROCOM organization has a very conservative management style. SOFTCOM is a culture system. As EUOROCOM the boss from the top pushes the information to the next level and to the workers. But SOFTCOM have effective communication and a shared meaning about the information. The case study says SOFTCOM has an easygoing relaxed atmosphere, which is why SOFTCOM is an innovative and creative software development. Face-Negotiation Theory According to Ting-Toomeys Face- Negotiation theory, she distinguishes national cultures within collectivistic and individualistic categories. (Griffin, 2003, p. 436). Collectivistic culture means where people identify with a larger group loyalty thus acting from a We-identity. The collectivistic culture has a high context communication or message. Individualistic culture means where people look out for themselves and their immediate families thus acting from an I-identity. The Individualistic culture has a low context communication Using these definitions we can see that EUOROCOM is a Collectivistic culture, because the EUOROCOM System values collective needs and goals over individual needs and goals. In EUOROCOM, staff behaviour is controlled by the company, for example, the EUOROCOM System boss asked the SOFTCOM staff to wear traditional business suits and ties everyday, and they had no choice, but to do it no matter whether they want to it or not. EUOROCOM has a very high context on sending messages from their boss to staff. The power gap between the boss at the top and his associates below is wide. It is hard for the worker to communicate their thoughts to the top level. The SOFTCOM system is an individualistic culture; because SOFTCOM treat every person as unique. SOFTCOM has a very low context communication between their boss and staff. Its a narrow hierarchy structure. The power gap between the boss at the top level and his associates below (the workers of the organisation) is narrow. In other words, communication between the workers is easy and they help each other, not like the high context communication staff of EUOROCOM Systems. So their company is conducive to more innovation than EUOROCOM. How can the take over be effective? In the case study EUOROCOM will create a more disciplined culture in the new organization which means the Germans will run the merged organisation to their collectivistic culture. How could the New Zealanders persuade the Germans not take away the unique features of SOFTCOM? Here using narrative paradigm theory could persuade EUOROCOM to keep the SOFTCOM system, so that SOFTCOM will not lose the unique features of the organization. Narrative Paradigm Theory Using Walter Fishers theory Narrative Paradigm would be effective. Fisher says that people are storytelling animals and to reason to others we use stories. SOFTCOM could persuade the Germans and point out that the organisation is living in its own culture and they do their own work according to the features of the culture of their organisation and their effect on the society. So they can use their customers to tell a story to EUOROCOM to persuade the Germans to confirm the takeover without taking away their unique features. Customers might say they are familiar with the service that SOFTCOM gives them because SOFTCOM serve them on their own way. If EUOROCOM takes that away, loss of customers could turn out to be true which EUOROCOM would not want to happen for the sake of the organisation.

Living with Computers :: Essays Papers

Living with Computers Ergonomics is the study of the physical relationships between humans and their tools, such as computers. Office chairs should be adjustable in height and should have lower-back support and arm rests. Desks that allow proper keyboard height and special ergonomic keyboards have been developed to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, a type of repetitive stress injury. To avoid damaging your eyes, avoid starring at the screen for long periods, position yourself from the monitor between two and five feet from your eyes, make sure no bright lights reflect off your screen, and use a monitor that has a relatively large screen without noticeable flicker. The computer industry has become know the fast pace rate of obsolescence, with both hardware and software being replaced every couple of years. Some of the leading toxic wastes coming form homes and offices are heavy metals used extensively in batteries, such as cadmium. Although some experts recommend leaving computers on all the time, this practice was shown to consume unnecessary amounts of electricity. One response has been the development of energy star equipment, which conserves electricity even when left on. Our legal system is gradually developing a code of laws to provide a legal framework for working with computers and on the Internet. The most prevalent breach of law in cyberspace is software piracy, the illegal copying or use of a program. Copyright laws relevant to computers and software are covered by the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Software Piracy and counterfeiting Amendment of 1983. Instead of building copy protection into their programs, most software developers discourage privacy among organizations by offering site licenses and network versions. Software viruses are parasitic programs that can replicate themselves, infect computers, and destroy data. Users can protect their data and software by using an anti-virus program. Hardware is sometimes stolen for the value of the data stored on it rather that for the value of the machine itself. Government, legal professionals, and computing professionals continue to debate computer-related ethical questions and attempt to develop laws that protect the freedoms of computer users while limiting immoral or illegal use of computers. Few actual laws, however, have been created or enforced to requiring computer users to let their own sense of ethics guide them.

Macbeth-How Was the Witches Ported in Polanskis Movies and Shakespeare’s Book

Choose one principal character in the Shakespeare play you have studied compare the presentation of your chosen character in the play with the presentation of the same character in an adaptation of the play . Use examples from both the play and adaptation in your response. The Character I have chosen are the Witches . The witches have a big effect in the play, not only are they evil, but this is emphasized by the hate against witches and witchcraft in Elizabethan times. In the book the witches are first portrayed as scary and dangerous because of the surroundings thunder and lightning on a moor is an evil image: we associate thunder and lightning with scary and dangerous things, also the moor is a very lonely place. One of the witches asks the other witches â€Å"when shall we three meet again, In thunder, lightnig or in rain† By the witch asking this it makes the reader think why would they want to meet in dangerous weather, maybe they witches like the scary weather. The Witches language is also very evil and powerful. â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair; hover through the fog and filthy air† This quote tells me that the Witches have a hatred for anything good, and their love for things good. Shakespeare could have used internal rhyme to emphasise the evilness. When Macbeth meets the witches at first they greet him as â€Å"Thee thane of Cawdor† and even more as †That shalt be king† This shows that the witches are not normal human creatures because they could be suggesting that they can see into the future. In Polanski’s movie the witches are first seen on the beach burying a hand, a rope and a dagger these items could be representing Macbeth’s future. The hand could represent the witches forcing Macbeths hand. A rope because the Thane of Cawdor was hanged. Finally the dagger because Macbeth stabs Banquo and king Duncan. Macbeth also see’s Banquos ghost carrying a dagger. Also in the movie the witches are portrayed as ugly and are dressed poorly, this could mean that they don’t care about they’re appearance. Overall the witches might not be all evil because they never lied to Macbeth, they just gave half truths.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leaflet Essay

There are many forms of prejudice and discrimination and it can be experienced by anyone at anytime. This booklet is designed to help parents understand the impact it can have on children and young people and why as a school we do not accept it in any form, be it from a fellow pupil, a member of staff or outside professional or a parent/guardian or family member. Who is most at risk? The children and young people most at risk from prejudice and or discrimination are:- * The disabled * Those with Special Educational Needs * Those who speak a language different from the majority * Those from a different culture, ethnicity or race * Those who appear differently (red hair, glasses, birth mark etc) * Anyone new to school * Anyone who has an high or low ability * All children according to their gender Different forms of prejudice and discrimination. There are many different forms of prejudice and discrimination and they may experience one or more of these at any given time. * This can include name calling. * Being left out of activities or groups. * â€Å"Dumbing down† so as not to be labelled a â€Å"swat or geek†. * Being left out because they have a lower ability and are classed as â€Å"stupid†. * Those from a poorer background may suffer because they cannot afford to go on school trips. * Being picked on because they look different, i.e. being called â€Å"ginger nut or carrot top† because they have red hair or â€Å"specky four eyes† because they wear glasses. * Any one new to school may experience being left out because they have no friends and peer groups have already been formed. * Girls and boys can be discriminated against just because of their gender, â€Å"girls are not supposed to play football† and â€Å"boys shouldn’t play with dolls or dance†. All of the above are forms of prejudice and discrimination and not everyone will realise this and may have experience it or been the abuser. The effects prejudice and discrimination can have on children and young people. There are many affects that these forms of prejudice and discrimination can have on the victim. They range from mild to severe dependent on how long, severe the abuse and the state of mind of the victim. They may feel unvalued, lack in confidence, withdraw into themselves, they won’t volunteer for activities so as not to draw attention to themselves, they may have difficulty focusing and low self esteem and all this impacts on their friendships and family life. The longer this goes on the more withdrawn they become and they can then turn self harming or drink and drugs (young people) and in very severe cases they could commit suicide. The impact our values and attitudes have. The way we behave around children and young people with regard to our attitudes and values have a huge impact on the children and young people we live with, work with and care for. The way we interact with these children and young people is very important because they are not born with attitudes; attitudes are learnt from those who have a significant input in their lives. It is our job as adults to set an example to them and the earlier the better. * How can we expect them to do something if we are not prepared to do it ourselves? * Whatever our religion/beliefs we should show them that it is alright to be curious about other religions and beliefs, diversity is part of our everyday lives. * Other cultures can teach us different views and rituals (so increase our awareness of why they may do things differently). * We should encourage our children and young people to experience different activities (be it a girl playing football or a boy dancing). * We are all individuals and should be treated as such. * A child with special needs or a disability is still a child with feelings and emotions. * If we are gifted and talented and learn easily doesn’t mean we are not fun to be around. * If we have special needs and need extra help with things it doesn’t mean my feelings cannot be hurt. In school it is important to promote Anti-discriminatory practice to the children and young people in our charge so that they are aware that it is not acceptable behaviour. It is important to teach them that we are all different and unique and that this is a good thing. We have to teach them to respect one another’s diversity and empathize with those who are different (those who are the victims of prejudice and discrimination) who they may be abusing or know to be the victim of abuse. We must teach them to value each other as individuals and value each other’s opinions and rights to be different, and teach them that we are all equals. As a parent/carer, professional or even a pupil it is our duty to report any form of prejudice or discrimination that we experience or witness, whether it be from a member of staff, an outside professional, a parent/carer or a pupil. You should always challenge prejudice and discrimination and you should tell whomever it is that it is unacceptable to express their views in this way, be it to you or someone else or indeed to the pupil themselves. It is not acceptable to discriminate against another person and if it carries on you will report it to the relevant senior member of staff in line with the policies and procedures set out for your setting. Support must be provided to the victim of the abuse and they must be encouraged to respond with positive action. Extra help may be needed to help them recover their self esteem and confidence. Wherever possible get the abuser to apologise to the victim and if possible get them to empathize with the victim. So if you see it, experience it or hear it, report it!

Obesity and the Media Essay

Although advertisers and the media have a huge impact on the issue of childhood obesity, the parents have the final call on what their children eat and don’t eat. It is the parents who give in to their children’s whining and give them what they want just to please them. Childhood obesity starts when the children are old enough to realize that they can get their way when they cry for something. It is the parents’ responsibility to lead by example and teach their children healthy eating habits at a young age. If the parents have unhealthy eating habits and include fast food and fried food in their diet on a regular basis, it is likely that their children will do the same. Kids will get accustomed to eating whatever is made available for them in their home. It is the parents’ job to provide healthy snack options so that their children can get used to healthy habits at early ages. When children are first attracted to the fast food ads at a very young age, it is often because they are attracted to the toys such as the ones offered in â€Å"happy meals.† Another reason why fast food is so popular is because it is a quick and easy meal when people are busy or don’t feel like cooking dinner. My solution to these issues would be to create a fast food chain that offered healthier options. That way, when people want to drive through and order something quick, they would be able to do so while still eating healthy. These restaurants would also offer children’s meals that include a toy, which would promote staying active, and eating healthy. The advertisement that I created is for a healthy fast food restaurant called Chick-A-Dees. This restaurant would offer all natural foods, rather than deep-fried options. The ad uses bright colors and cartoon characters to get children’s attention. It also promises a toy with every kid’s meal and advertises a jungle gym for kids to play on when they come to the restaurant. If restaurants opened that made healthy food seem exciting and fun to kids, they would definitely be more likely to want to try it or even like it. The advertising of toys that are included in kids’ meals at fast food restaurants is a main reason that young kids want to go to these places. However, there are many other toys for children that are advertised on television everyday, which encourage unhealthy eating habits. Among these are: the Easy Bake Oven, Popcorn Basketball, Smores Stick, Marshmallow Gun, Girls Gourmet Candy Jewel Factory Oven, 1000 Piece Candy Jigsaw, Counting Cookies, Mix and Match Doughnuts, and McDonalds Drive Through Food Cart. (The Toy Zone) All of these toys cause children to associate unhealthy eating with fun, which is a main contributing factor to the issue of childhood obesity. The KidsHealth article makes a great point about how parents need to act as role models and demonstrate to their kids proper serving size, how to enjoy treats in moderation, and exercising regularly. This is so true; bad habits start when the child is very young, and over time they become more difficult to squash. The article mentions some habits that parents should get their kids used to such as: have regular family meals, serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks, be a role model by eating healthy yourself, avoid battles over food, and involve kids in the process. Regular family meals have a huge impact on preventing unhealthy eating habits. If the family makes it their goal to sit down for dinner together even 4 days a week, it would make all the difference. As the article titled Childhood Obesity states, â€Å"children are getting more of their food away from home.† Making family meals a regular part of the routine would prevent the family from turning to the easy option of fast food, or eating out at restaurants where they serve countless courses and portions that are much to big for one sitting. The KidsHealth website also suggests that parents stock up on healthy foods. Having fattening or sugary snacks available for kids to snack on when they’re hungry will only add to the issue. There are plenty of healthy and organic snacks that are really tasty also, and if kids get used to eating them while they’re young, they will never know the difference. Making sure your child has breakfast is also an important factor to a healthy diet, as stated in Childhood Obesity. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and necessary for a healthy metabolism. The article pretty much covers all the issues and solutions that I would like to obesity in children. If I were to add something to it I would say that it is so important that parents are involved in their child’s life. This gets even more important as they grow into teens, so it should start when they are children. Parents should know if the child is having problems in school, trouble making friends, being bullied, etc. All of these issues can contribute to the child turning to food for comfort. Another idea that the article didn’t mention is parents buying their children toys that encourage healthy activity rather than laziness or unhealthy eating. Instead of buying a videogame or and Easy Bake Oven for example, get them things to play their favorite sport with. If the child isn’t into sports, and would rather play video games, encourage active games like Wii Fit or Dance games. Getting involved in the activity is a great way to encourage it. I don’t think that the media has exaggerated the issue of childhood obesity in our society. It is a huge problem and we see it everyday, no matter where we are. The media needs to start promoting less of the unhealthy habits and show more advertisements for healthy eating and games and toys that involve activity. In order to prevent obesity and diseases that are linked to it, parents must encourage and demonstrate healthy eating habits as well as teaching their children to stay active. The prevention must start when the child is young, and remain steady and continuous as they grow. http://www.aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/ http://www.thetoyzone.com/2010/15-toys-that-will-make-your-children-fat/

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 13

Sociology - Essay Example Looking at the daily newspaper and the stories of violence between white Australians and Lebanese-Australians or violence perpetuated against Indian students in Victoria, one senses that racism is an ever-present aspect of the social condition here in Australia. Seeking to explore social stratification and racism through my personal experiences working in this country, the following will discuss this concept with relation to major sociological theories. Following this I will apply the issue of social stratification to modern Australian society and conclude with an overview of the major issues discussed. What have been my experiences with racism here in Australia? Have there been positive aspects about race here? What emotions and symbols are associated with my racial experiences in this country? How has this impacted your life? What could have happened differently and what would I change about race in this country? These questions and many more will be explored in relation to my anal ysis of racism and social stratification in Australia. I now turn to an analysis of social stratification through an exploration of the major sociological theories (Shaefer, 1998: 254-266) Functionalism, one of oldest theoretical perspectives within sociology, focuses on the individual within society and seeks to apply scientific method to the social world. Furthermore, Functionalists argue that society is in fact an organ and espouse what is described as the organic unity of society. Thus, social systems exist for Functionalists because institutions themselves serve a variety of purposes (re: functions). Social systems are homeostatic and work to maintain equilibrium. Equilibrium is achieved, according to this theory, through socialization, where members of society are taught basic values and norms of society. Social control mechanisms – also known as sanctions – help maintain social equilibrium and keep individuals within the social unit in check.