MARKETING IN PRACTICE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

MARKETING IN PRACTICE - Essay Example Stern estimates that 1% of UK gross domestic product must be spent on tackling climate change, leading to a 25% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. If measures are not taken before then and temperatures increase by 5Â ºC, Stern warns, rising sea levels could put London underwater. The UK will implement a climate change bill, proposing a 60% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 which was highlighted by the Queen’s Speech during the state opening of parliament in November 2007. If global greenhouse gas emissions have not decreased by the end of 2015, then our chances of restraining climate change to within the two degrees " safety line diminish daily. The scientific data demands: the peaking of emissions within eight years, worldwide cuts of 60 per cent by 2030, and 80 per cent or more by 2050. Above two degrees, the possibility of crossing "tipping points" in the earths system will result in the collapse of the Amazon rainforest and the release of methane from the Siberian permafrost is higher. The prospects for carbon recycling are huge primarily through new generation clean WTE, biomass cultivation (which covers the plantation of many trees and grasses depending on local soil and weather conditions) or by directly coursing flue gases through algae cultures to generate fast growing algae by the ton (with oil, ethanol and protein for animal feed squeezed out). The result is that the carbon efficiency of the economy will continue to increase. If regulators and conservation activists convince people that they need the environmentally friendly economy, it will be a big feast for everybody from bio-tech companies to car industry for years to come. The demand for products as diverse as high efficiency ball-bearings, ‘smart meters’, low energy computer monitors, financial services and household goods is driven by climate change. Sainsbury Chief Executive Justin King stated that the market

Legal Environment Surrounding Sale and Purchase of Goods Essay

Legal Environment Surrounding Sale and Purchase of Goods - Essay Example According to Crose & Miller (2011), in any legal undertaking it is good to understand about what is legally right and what is legally wrong in any kind of legal issue. Therefore, it is advisable that Winston understand where his rights were infringed and where he might have failed during contract signing so that he can lay out a base for his legal arguments. This would enhance his chances of winning the case and thus enabling him to obtain compensation. As a plaintiff in this case he also need to understand the courts that will be involved if the case reaches litigation stage and the procedures involved in this stage so that he can prepare adequately. This paper plays a very significant role in explaining these issues and thus it would be of great assistance to Winston. Any kind of legal environment or undertaking is influenced by various factors. According to Meiners et al (2011), some of the factors that influence the legal environment are the needs and demands of the business comm unity, consumers, and the government. In this paper, we start by explaining the issues surrounding these factors. These issues are like the difference between express and implied terms, sales of goods act, difference between consumer and non-consumer sales, and process and procedures involved in the litigation stage of a case. ... These terms are rigid and cannot change to implied term whatever the case that interpret them. They also do not have further categories and we cannot have very many of them in a contract. However, each contract must have several of those terms clearly understood by both parties before signing. All other terms found in a contract, which are not express term, are regarded as implied terms. Unlike the express terms, these terms are subdivided to those implied primarily by factual circumstances of the agreements and those implied primarily by the law (Klass 2010). Also unlike the express terms, the terms implied by the factual circumstances of the agreement can change to express terms depending on the situation that interpret them. They are also found in larger number in any form of a contract. However, these two terms have one similarity, which is that they have to be included in any form of a contract and each party must read and understand them before signing the contract. According t o Klass (2010), when interpreting a contract, a court gives more priorities to express terms as compared to implied terms. This is merely because of their characteristics and their ability to explain the contract and the situation in which the contract was made. The express terms can also reveal some of the factors that made either of the parties to sign the contract. Therefore when signing any form of a contract one should be very careful with the express terms because they can play a very great part in making a case ruled to your advantage in case of any dispute arising from the contract. Sales of goods act The sales of goods act deals mainly with the sales contract

Working with children from birth to age 5 years Assignment

Working with children from birth to age 5 years - Assignment Example They need a safe environment along with proper care to lead a healthy life. This paper aims to provide the basic understanding about the environment which should be arranged for their active learning and safety. This paper is a guideline for the setting for young children from birth to age 5 years. Safety and Health Requirements Safety is one of the main concerns when dealing with children up to 5 years of age. The babies and young children should be prevented from cot death. They must be properly put down for sleep i.e. preferably ‘feet to foo’ position. The temperature of the environment should be normal for the safety of children and the prevention of illness and other issues. Babies should not be left alone at any instance especially for longer periods. Smoky environment is particularly harmful for babies and hence, adults should never smoke in front of them. Children tend to climb furniture, stairs and other surfaces higher than the floor and for a safe environment it is necessary that the baby is kept away from all surfaces which may lead to a fall. A person who can watch the baby all the time can ensure that the baby does not fall. Avoid any objects which the children may put into their mouths. Keep such objects away from the reach of children as they are dangerous for them. Choking and swallowing incidents may be avoided by careful consideration given to tiny objects which a child may spot. The electric cords and outlets should be out of reach of the children. They may get electric shocks either by touching, biting or playing with those electric cords and outlets or by poking metal material in them. The preventions against electrocution are hence, necessary. Placing heavy furniture in front of the outlets, keeping cords way higher than their reach and cover the electric outlets tightly are some of measures to prevent electrocution accidents. All these preventions are necessary to ensure that the children get a safe and sound environment (He berle & Scutella p 44-48). The children from a very tender age have certain physical and health requirements which need to be fulfilled. Parents are advised to send lunch with children so that they are able to study with a healthy mind. The children of a young age need to have their breakfast daily so they can be healthy. Children need an environment in which they can get toys to play with and hence to promote a better learning environment it is necessary some sort of toys are given to them (Tassoni 2007 p.516). Setting needed for an educational environment All over the world it is seen that education has become a primary necessity for every individual. Today the class or race does not matter much but rather the education one achieves has a greater importance. Special students have also been given preference when it comes to studies. Classroom Management Plans are designed to help students to achieve a better grade and better environment to study (Khalsa 2007). Young children have s pecific requirements of these classroom management plans which revolve around the visual environment and the physical arrangement in the class. Visual learning is a way through which the children can be encouraged to study as they are attracted towards the colors and drawings. Similarly walls are also decorated in such a way that the students are attracted to the charts on the walls. Different posters about the classrooms are put on the walls which are there to attract students. These visuals are quite important for the children who are studying these days as this would promote better understanding in the class (Tassoni 2007 p 27-30) Physical arrangement of the chairs on which the children sit are also considered important because it would allow more room to the children. Children at a

Deciding my future Essay Example for Free

Deciding my future Essay A dream is not something to scoff at. Dreams always seem out of reach, a siren call that leads you to new, uncharted waters. Achieving one’s dream would be to reach a true pinnacle of life; however, the road to a dream is fraught with risks. To give achieving this dream your all might be the only way to reach one’s true potential, yet it may also lead to a bitter and disappointing end. With this in mind, I have often put off achieving my own dreams. I was so frightened by the possibility of failure that I dared not even try, instead resigning myself to a life of mediocrity. However, my dreams were given life by the encouragement of my parents to not settle for less. My dreams are not a trifle, an easily obtainable goal. My ultimate goal is to be a leading Video Game Designer, to create adventures and stories that resonate with the world and revolutionize storytelling in gaming. The mere immensity of this task was enough to make me shudder in fear. I looked my dream in the eye and thought it too immense. I would have resigned myself to a life of normalcy were it not for my parents, who did not want me to settle for any less then what I was capable of. They had just discovered a college that was about to open up a new major for Video Game Development, and encouraged me to face my fears and try to achieve my dreams. They pushed me to achieve my dreams, knowing that this college would be twice as expensive as a regular school. This encouragement led me to attempting to try and chase my dreams, to have some hope that what I wanted was possible, and to never give up on my dream. Becoming a game designer is not easy. It is even more difficult if you have dreams as large and grand as mine are. The mere thought of the immensity of this task, and my preconceived notions of my own inferiority, drove me away. However, I realized that, although a dream is rarely the easiest path, and instead it is more often than not the hardest path of all, to not even try to reach ones dream is to give up on life. The path I chose may not be the easiest path, and yet I walk down it knowing full well it might end in heartbreak. I do this knowing that, if I had given up, then I would never have known if I could do it, and spend the rest of my life mourning what could have been. Again, were it not for my parents encouragement, I would never have even attempted to chase my dream. No matter how much you want something, it is impossible to achieve it if you have no hope it could succeed. A sense of hope that what you want could be possible is a vital component to making it possible. This was something I had lacked prior to my parents encouragement. I was so frightened by what I wanted to do, I had no hope it was possible. Without hope, I would not even try, for why try when you are certain you will fail? My parents helped me believe that I COULD do it, that there was a chance, and that chance was all I needed. No matter the odds facing me, I had to have hope that it was possible to overcome. Even when you want something and work very hard, it is all too possible you will fail at first. The old adage, â€Å"If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again† works beautifully in this scenario. No matter how many times you are beat down, no matter how many times I fail in convincing people to work to my dream to companies to invest in my dream, I must perspire. If a dream is weak enough to be broken at the first sign of trouble, then it was never truly one of these â€Å"dreams† of which I speak, so much as it was a passing fancy. A true dream is not something one would ever give up on, and neither should I, for although there are many obstacles I must overcome to achieve my dream, to give up my dream would be to give up on my happiness. The dream of which I seek is a lofty one, and there is little chance it will be easy. However, no matter the cost or hurdle I must overcome, I have decided to reach my dream. This courage to face the impossible would not have occurred however without the support of my parents who have helped me and want me to reach my full potential, so thanks to them, even if I do not reach my dream, I will have tried; and the fact that I will try shall be the greatest gift my parents would ever have given me.

Walter Van Tilburg Clark’s The Portable Phonograph Essay -- essays res

Walter Van Tilburg Clark’s â€Å"The Portable Phonograph,† In Walter Van Tilburg Clark’s â€Å"The Portable Phonograph,† the author makes setting play a major role in understanding the action of the characters within the story. Clark, a writer and an English Professor, lived from 1909 to 1971. During that time, he lived through both World Wars at a relatively young age, which may have influenced this story. Clark has excellent use of setting to make the atmosphere needed and set the proper mood, so this story is credible. To accomplish this, Clark orients the reader to a unique place and time by use of the physical setting and human possessions, and uses symbolism to create a mood that gives the reader insight to how the characters must feel in their surroundings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to understand the behavior and actions of the four characters in this story, the author must describe the place physical place and time where the four characters must survive. The perception of this environment is crucial for the actions of the characters to be appropriate. Clark describes some sights in this decimated prairie, â€Å"The frozen mud still bore the toothed impress of great tanks, and a wanderer on the neighboring undulations might have stumbled, in this light, into large, partially filled-in and weed-grown cavities, their banks channeled and beginning to spread into badlands. These pits were such as might have been made by falling meteors, but they were not. They were scars ...

Family history Essay

English 12 Oct, 02 2013 Cuiyu.He Mr.Wong My Father My father is one responsibility person. My grandmother has four children, my father is the oldest one, and he has two brothers and one sister. They were very poor in their childhood, my father only finished middle school, and then he needs go get a job for his brothers and sister to pay for the school. When my father was teenager, he can do a lot of things such as farming, selling the crops and take care of the family. My Father was born in 1963, has experienced the Cultural Revolution of the 60 s and seventy s life, he has also experienced the Cultural Revolution after the era of reform and opening up in the eighty s and ninety s life and well-off life in the 21st century. I always hear my father say, I was born at right time; when I was born I can have anything. Before China carried out reform and open policy, my father was not enough twenty year old. The whole country was poor at that time, Even the common people to raise a few chickens and sold eggs have a little more money can’t buy buy clothes, include my father’s family. My father remember as he was a child, every sew a new clothes must wait for Chinese New Year, and sewed particularly big, wear in the body doesn’t fit, sewing plan have to grow up when he was three years old can wear, if the fit, the body grow up a year, the clothes will not grow up. Every clothes were wear by brother and yonger brother and then sister in turns. anyway, the youngest children basic can’t wear new clothes, can only wear take down the old clothes, and often the old clothes on pile of patch. When my father was a kid, listen to my grandmother said: â€Å"in order to save money, grandmother just buy 1 cent or 2 cents vegetables, 9 cents of rice, meat, fish is unthinkable, is eat fish oil are not to burn, only 5 per person per month plan two oil, half jins of flesh, Sometime they do not have enough food for everyone, they were only eat sweet potato evey meal; they do not have any pork to eat, and until they would have a chicken to eat must wait for New Year.my grandmother to the balance of the money you gave birth to a child do confined, due to the lack of nutrition, grandmother sometimes faint in the ground, the grandfather’s wages to the 52, 50 RMB, only slightly better family life. In order to reduce the burden of my grandfather, my father took temporary workers, worked at the porters, stevedore, caster, Turner, he only have 28 to 60 RMB a month. After the reform and opening up to a good period, especially into the 21st century, our lives have improved considerably, my father’s income also has in the past 300 RMB rose to nearly 30000 , my father was building our first home in our hometown. In 1997, my father immigrant to the Untied State, he also working hard every day. My father used his whole life for his family, I love him, and He is always my most respected person in my heart.

Marketing Strategy Essay

1. Social media advertisement such as Facebook and Twitter. Through this activity of creating advertisement, their business will be more visible to the public and will be known to the market. People would just hit share and likes, and a possibility to reach to the people who are in need of a dormitory. 2. Flyers and Print ads. Flyers will be given anywhere, like outside the school, crowded area, and offices, along the streets or in any event that the flyers could be distributed. Make sure that the flyers that will be distributed has the information that the consumer needs to know and noticeable to the market. They will post tarpaulins near schools, offices and on their designated target markets. So that people will notice and be aware of this area. 3. Commission based Referrals A form of payment to an agent for services rendered. 4. Word of Mouth Seeding a message or information to a lot of people. So that consumer has an idea were to go if they will find a Dormitory or they will refer it to someone. 5. Text Blast Forward text messages about the Dormitory of those in need and give information about the Dormitory. Action Plan 1. Product Improve services, like security guard. 2. Price Minimum of 2600, max 3500 (fixed price) Price must be affordable especially one of their target markets is students. 3. Place It has laundry area, cafeteria, rooms 4. Promotions Tarpaulin should be place near schools, terminals, along the streets. Flyers must have more specified information and must be given to students, offices, along the streets or crowded area.

Degrees of Freedom for Independence in Two-Way Table

Degrees of Freedom for Independence in Two-Way Table The number of degrees of freedom for independence of two categorical variables is given by a simple formula:   (r - 1)(c - 1).   Here r is the number of rows and c is the number of columns in the two way table of the values of the categorical variable.   Read on to learn more about this topic and to understand why this formula gives the correct number. Background One step in the process of many hypothesis tests is the determination of the number degrees of freedom.   This number is important because for probability distributions that involve a family of distributions, such as the chi-square distribution, the number of degrees of freedom pinpoints the exact distribution from the family that we should be using in our hypothesis test. Degrees of freedom represent the number of free choices that we can make in a given situation. One of the hypothesis tests that requires us to determine the degrees of freedom is the chi-square test for independence for two categorical variables. Tests for Independence and Two-Way Tables The chi-square test for independence calls for us to construct a two-way table, also known as a contingency table. This type of table has r rows and c columns, representing the r levels of one categorical variable and the c levels of the other categorical variable. Thus, if we do not count the row and column in which we record totals, there are a total of rc cells in the two-way table. The chi-square test for independence allows us to test the hypothesis that the categorical variables are independent of one another. As we mentioned above, the r rows and c columns in the table give us (r - 1)(c - 1) degrees of freedom. But it may not be immediately clear why this is the correct number of degrees of freedom. The Number of Degrees of Freedom To see why (r - 1)(c - 1) is the correct number, we will examine this situation in more detail. Suppose that we know the marginal totals for each of the levels of our categorical variables. In other words, we know the total for each row and the total for each column. For the first row, there are c columns in our table, so there are c cells. Once we know the values of all but one of these cells, then because we know the total of all of the cells it is a simple algebra problem to determine the value of the remaining cell. If we were filling in these cells of our table, we could enter c - 1 of them freely, but then the remaining cell is determined by the total of the row. Thus there are c - 1 degrees of freedom for the first row. We continue in this manner for the next row, and there are again c - 1 degrees of freedom. This process continues until we get to the penultimate row. Each of the rows except for the last one contributes c - 1 degrees of freedom to the total. By the time that we have all but the last row, then because we know the column sum we can determine all of the entries of the final row. This gives us r - 1 rows with c - 1 degrees of freedom in each of these, for a total of (r - 1)(c - 1) degrees of freedom. Example We see this with the following example.   Suppose that we have a two way table with two categorical variables.   One variable has three levels and the other has two.   Furthermore, suppose that we know the row and column totals for this table: Level A Level B Total Level 1 100 Level 2 200 Level 3 300 Total 200 400 600 The formula predicts that there are (3-1)(2-1) 2 degrees of freedom.   We see this as follows.   Suppose that we fill in the upper left cell with the number 80.   This will automatically determine the entire first row of entries: Level A Level B Total Level 1 80 20 100 Level 2 200 Level 3 300 Total 200 400 600 Now if we know that the first entry in the second row is 50, then the rest of the table is filled in, because we know the total of each row and column: Level A Level B Total Level 1 80 20 100 Level 2 50 150 200 Level 3 70 230 300 Total 200 400 600 The table is entirely filled in, but we only had two free choices.   Once these values were known, the rest of the table was completely determined. Although we do not typically need to know why there are this many degrees of freedom, it is good to know that we are really just applying the concept of degrees of freedom to a new situation.

Punctuation Rules to Know for Writing Impeccable Paper

Punctuation Rules to Know for Writing Impeccable Paper When a student hears about the punctuation rules, in most cases, his reaction is overwhelmed bewildering. For some, it seems to be very simple, and they assume it can be a subject of intuitive use. For others, on the contrary, the study of punctuation is a too difficult task: there are many nuances and even more exceptions. Both of these cases are united by one thing - the lack of motivation to learn and, as a result, the desire to forget about the existence of punctuation.  Lots of international rules exist too. But, is it the right approach? Is the rule of punctuation just unnecessary thing that will not affect your result? Of course, the answer is no, no, and again no. All those comma laws - it's not dull punctuation rules at all, it is a necessary ingredient for creating the perfect essay. These are powerful tools that will emphasize your opinion and correctly show it in the eyes of the reader. ORDER ACADEMIC HELP NOW Punctuation Rules! Let's Learn More About It However, even such a grand role of these laws does not deny their complexity for studying. Moreover, to master all of these grammar rules is far from the interesting endeavor. The question arises - is it possible to simplify this task? Our answer is yes. Now we will show the simplest approaches to studying the rules of punctuation, which will be a total must-learn for those who can't stand boring studying. Don't hope to do it tomorrow, there is no better time than now. In fact, writing an essay following all punctuation regulations is simply if you know a reliable resource with tips. Pro-Academic-Writers is one of the best of such services, which not only informs but also offers assistance in writing essays. Want to brush up your skills on writing an essay? Here is a wonderful post about 30 Catchy Problem Solution Essay Topics. Or maybe, youre interested in Social Media Essay? All these tips and even more is available here. Plus, you can find other useful information like What Medical Majors to Choose. Punctuation Rules Hacks: How to Master It Quickly and Efficiently There are only a few cardinal punctuation rules, so read, relax and punctuate with confidence. 1. Use Semicolons. Let's start with a semicolon, which is the symbol ";" to be clear. There is nothing difficult to use this punctuation mark - in general, there are two ways for it: To divide two related clauses The semi-colon separates the sentence into two parts. The key point here is that both parts would be complete sentences on their own. To determine if it is possible to use a semicolon in any complex sentence, you must ask yourself if you can split it into a simple one. From the writer's perspective, a semi-colon is a useful way to indicate that two thoughts are related. To separates items in certain types of lists This case, of course, happens less frequently. What is its main essence? We use Semicolon in the list when there are already commas in the list. In simple words, a Semicolon in such cases helps to better divide all objects. Here's an example of proper use to better explain this: Join the event that will feature three orators: Robert, the tattoo firm's CEO; David, a marketing leader; and Nick, a logistics expert. One more note: almost all the time, a list that is separated by semi-colons is preceded by a colonthe ":" symbol. Not clear enough? Read more about punctuation rules about it here. 2. Be Cautious With Commas. A comma (,) is used to show a separation of ideas or to separate plural elements with the structure of a sentence. They bring order out of chaos. But, dont even think about using lots of commas. Use them joyfully. When  comma should be used? When listing similar adjectives and nouns When clarifying the noun. (For example: Paris, the capital of France, is very crowded) To place introductory words and references: (For example: By the way, I’ve seen our former classmates) To divide the parts of a complicated sentence, if they have different subject: (For example: The days were shiny, and we decided to go hiking) Best comma advice ever: If you’re unsure where they go, put a comma when you would naturally pause when reading. If you want to be a comma-master, visit this site with lots of punctuation rules explanation. 3. Punctuation Stays Inside Quotations. Quotation marks ( "" ) are used to mark the beginning and end of a passage that is repeated word for word. They are also used to emphasize the necessary word or indicate the unusual or dubious status of a word. When using quotation marks, make sure that the punctuation marks stays inside the quotations. When the quote is at the end of a sentence, you may be tempted to leave the period on the outside. It may look right, especially when you are issuing another sentence, but don’t do it. PERFECT ESSAYS HERE 4. Keep sentences short The biggest trick in writing a paper is the use of short sentences. A simple and fluent language will make it easier for you to form your opinion and avoid mistakes. Therefore, try to write as short as possible sentences. Bottom Line Mastering this advice you will certainly get good results!  If you do not have time to write an essay yourself, we stand ready to assist you. Our professional writers will assignments of any complexity and you will be guaranteed to receive high grades!

30 Words Inspired by 29 People and An Elephant

30 Words Inspired by 29 People and An Elephant 30 Words Inspired by 29 People and An Elephant 30 Words Inspired by 29 People and An Elephant By Maeve Maddox Thousands of English words may be classed as eponyms, words derived from proper names. Many eponyms derive from deliberate choices to call a product, invention, or scientific discovery after the person most closely associated with it, for example: macadam, guillotine, pasteurisation. Sometimes scientific terms are coined to honor a famous person or a friend, for example, watt, ohm, and dahlia. Other eponyms derive from characters in fiction, mythology, or geographical locations, for example rambo, hermaphrodite, marathon. Eponyms I find especially interesting are those that derive not from a deliberate naming process, but from distinctive associations with specific individuals. Here are 30 eponyms that owe their existence to somethingphysical features, manner of dress, writing style, profession, or behaviorassociated with specific people (and one elephant). The People 1. bowdlerize [bÃ… dlÉ™-rÄ «z, boud-] remove sexually offensive words or passages from a written work before publishing it. From Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825) who published an edition of Shakespeare that left out such things as the porter scene in Macbeth. As preposterous as the idea may seem now, it was a boon to women who had previously been deterred from reading the plays by their parents, husbands, or dread of social disapproval. 2. boycott [boikÃ… t] refuse to do business with with someone. From Charles C. Boycott (1832-1897), the Irish land agent for an absentee landlord. Boycott refused to conform to land reforms supported by the Irish Land League. The League acted against Boycott by preventing his access to stores, postal service and other economic necessities. Boycotting is an important tool in campaigns of passive resistance to unjust social conditions. 3. cardigan [krdÄ ­-gÉ™n] style of sweater that opens at the front. From James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan who is said to have worn a knitted waistcoat to keep warm on campaign. He was one of the commanders in the field on the day of the fatal Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War. 4. casanova [kÄÆ'sÉ™-nÃ… vÉ™] This is one of those many euphemisms for a man who preys on women. One definition is a man gallantly attentive to women. Others are promiscuous man, or philanderer. From Giacomo Jacopo Girolamo Casanova de Seignalt (1725-98), an Italian adventurer who wrote a memoir in which he bragged about his conquests. 5. chauvinism [shÃ… vÉ™-nÄ ­zÉ™m] fanatical patriotism or an intense belief in the superiority of ones own gender, group, or kind. From Nicholas Chauvin, a soldier in Napoleons Army who was a by-word for stubborn loyalty to Napoleons Empire long after Napoleons defeat. Male chauvinism is the belief that men are congenitally superior to women and therefore have the right to set the standards for acceptable female behavior. The adjective is chauvinistic. 6. C-section (shortening of Caesarian Section) medical procedure in which a child is delivered by being cut from the mothers womb. Tradition traces the word to the belief that Roman Dictator Julius Caesar was so born. However, Roman doctors performed the procedure to save a child when the mother died before completing delivery. Julius Caesars mother, Aurelia Cotta, lived to raise her grand-daughter. The word Caesarian for the medical procedure may have more to do with the family name Caesar than with Aurelias son. Caesar comes from Latin caesus, past participle of caedere, to cut. 7. gerrymandering [jÄ•rÄ“-mÄÆ'ndÉ™r, gÄ•r-] practice of dividing voting districts to give unfair advantage to one party. From Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814). The shape of one of the voting districts suggested the body of a salamander, prompting a staffer at the Boston Gazette to coin the word Gerrymander. 8. leotard [lÄ“É™-trd] tights worn for dancing. From Jules Là ©otard (circa 1839-1870), French acrobatic performer who was the inspiration for the 1867 song The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze. 9. luddite [lÃ… ­dÄ «t] opponent of technological progress. From Ned Ludd, an English laborer who was supposed to have destroyed weaving machinery around 1779. Later on (1811-1816) a band of weavers calling themselves Luddites destroyed machinery in the Midlands and northern England. 10. lynch [lÄ ­nch] Originally lynching meant any kind of impromptu justice, chiefly flogging. Now it means to hang someone in a mob frenzy without a trial. From William Lynch, the author of Lynchs Law. The law was an agreement with the Virginia General Assembly in 1782 that allowed Lynch to capture and punish criminals in Pittsylvania County without trial. The county lacked official courts. 11. machiavellian [mÄÆ'kÄ“-É™-vÄ•lÄ“-É™n] characterized by expediency, self-interest, and deceit. From Niccolà ² Machiavelli (1469-1527), Italian political theorist who wrote The Prince (1513). In it Machiavelli argues that the most effective way for men and governments to achieve and maintain power is to act without regard to moral considerations. 12. Mae West [mÄ  wÄ•st] a type of inflatable life jacket. Named for buxom U.S. film star Mae West (1892-1980). 13. marcel [mr-sÄ•l] a hairstyle characterized by deep regular waves made by a heated curling iron. Named for Francois Marcel, 19th century French hairdresser who invented the process in 1872. Can be used as a verb. 14. martinet [mrtn-Ä•t] a military officer who demands strict obedience to regulations; by extension, anyone who demands absolute adherence to forms and rules. Coined from the name of Col. Jean Martinet, a French drillmaster during the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715). 15. masochism [mÄÆ'sÉ™-kÄ ­zÉ™m] sexual pleasure in being hurt or abused. Coined in 1883 by German neurologist Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902), from the name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-95). Sacher-Masoch was an Austrian novelist who wrote Venus in Furs, a novella about a man who enjoys submissive relationships with cruel women. The adjective is masochistic. 16. McCarthyism [mÉ™-krthÄ“-Ä ­zÉ™m] the practice of accusing people of political disloyalty without evidence; the use of unfair investigation methods to suppress opposition. From U. S. Senator Joe McCarthy (1908-1957). Playwright Arthur Miller allegorized McCarthy and his methods in The Crucible, a drama about the 1692 witch hunt and hangings in Salem, Massachusetts. 17. mirandize [mÉ™-rÄÆ'ndÄ «z] to read the legal rights to a suspect arrested on a criminal charge. From Ernesto A. Miranda (1941-1976), a laborer whose conviction on kidnapping, rape, and armed robbery was overturned because arresting officers had failed to inform him of his legal rights. Heres the rest of the story: Ernesto Miranda was retried after his conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court. In his second trial, his confession was not presented. Nevertheless, he was again convicted of kidnapping and rape based on other evidence. He served eleven years in prison before being paroled in 1972. After his release from prison, he made money by selling Miranda rights cards with his signature on them. In 1976, at the age of 34, he was stabbed to death in a bar fight. The man suspected of killing him invoked his Miranda rights and refused to talk to police. He was released and never charged with Mirandas murder. Mark Eiglarsh 18. Oscar statuette awarded for excellence in film acting, directing, etc., given annually since, 1928 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The name Oscar was first applied to the statuette in 1936. The story is that Margaret Herrick, the Academys librarian, reacted to her first look at the statuette with the remark: He reminds me of my Uncle Oscar. Her uncle was Oscar Pierce, U.S. wheat farmer and fruit grower. 19. pompadour [pÃ… mpÉ™-dà ´r, -dÃ… r] hair style in which the front of the hair is swept up and back in a large roll. Named for Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour (1721-1764) mistress of Louis XV. A masculine version of the pompadour brushes the hair up from the forehead. 20. Ponzi scheme [pÃ… nzÄ“] an investment scam by which early investors are paid off from the contributions of later ones. Named for Charles Ponzi, who perpetrated such a scam from 1919 to 1920. The name Ponzi may be eclipsed by that of Madoff to describe such a scheme. Ponzis scheme netted only a few million dollars. Bernard Madoff stole $50 billion from his investors over a period of several decades. 21. quisling [kwÄ ­zlÄ ­ng] traitor; turncoat; enemy collaborator. From Vidkun Quisling (1887-1945) a Norwegian politician who headed a puppet government for the Nazis during the World War II occupation of Norway. 22. raglan [rÄÆ'glÉ™n] having or being a sleeve that extends in one piece to the neckline of the garment, with slanted seams from the armhole to the neck. Named for Fitzroy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan who was minus an arm. The special type of sleeve made his jacket fit better. Usually seen in the phrase raglan sleeve. 23. Reaganomics the economic policies of tax cutting and deficit spending. Named for Ronald Reagan, U.S. President from 1981 to 1989. 24. rubenesque [rÃ… «bÉ™-nÄ•sk] plump or fleshy and voluptuous. From Flemish painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) whose paintings favor that particular female body type. 25. sadism [sÄ dÄ ­zÉ™m, sÄÆ'dÄ ­z-] love of cruelty. From Count Donatien A.F. de Sade (1740-1815), a.k.a. the Marquis de Sade. He wrote novels that, according to the Wikipedia article, explored such controversial subjects as rape, bestiality and necrophilia. He was a proponent of extreme freedom (or at least licentiousness), unrestrained by morality, religion or law, with the pursuit of personal pleasure being the highest principle. The adjective is sadistic [sÉ™-dÄ ­stÄ ­k]. 26. sideburns [sÄ «dbà »rnz] strips of hair at the sides of the face. The word began as burnsides and referred to a style of facial hair that consisted of flaring side whiskers joining in the mustache. The chin was clean-shaven. Named for U.S. Army Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside (1824-81) who wore them. The words elements changed places by the process of folk etymology (false etymology). 27. tattersall [tÄÆ'tÉ™r-sà ´l, -sÉ™l] a pattern of dark lines forming squares on a light background; type of fabric with small and even check pattern. From Richard Tattersall (1724-1795), founder of Tattersalls, a London horse market and gambling rendezvous he founded in 1766. The pattern was a traditional one for horse blankets. 28. Victorian [vÄ ­k-tà ´rÄ“-É™-nÄ ­zÉ™m, -tÃ… r-] In one sense, the adjective can refer simply to the period of history that corresponds more or less to the reign of Queen Victoria of Britain (1837-1901), a period during which Britain led the world militarily, industrially, and politically. In another sense it signifies prudish behavior and social attitudes typical of the time. The phrase Victorian London evokes the image of a city of extremes. On one hand middleclass morality was so uptight that the word limb was preferred to more graphic words such as leg and arm. Ive read that even piano legs were carefully clothed with ruffled coverings for reasons of modesty. On the other hand abandoned children slept in doorways in slums so depraved that police were afraid to go into them. 29. wellingtons [wÄ•lÄ ­ng-tÉ™n] waterproof boots of rubber or sometimes leather reaching to below the knee and worn in wet or muddy conditions. Named for Arthur, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), who also in his lifetime had a style of coat, hat, and trousers named for him as well as varieties of apple and pine trees. ...and the Elephant 30. jumbo [jÃ… ­mbÃ… ] unusually large. In the 1880s jumbo was an English slang word for clumsy, unwieldy fellow. The famous elephant named Jumbo lived in the London Zoo for 17 years and was a great favorite with the English public. U.S. showman P.T. Barnum bought Jumbo for $10,000 in 1882. Thanks to circus advertising, the name Jumbo became a synonym for huge. In those days before animal protection laws, poor Jumbo did not have a happy life. Born in the French Sudan in 1861, he spent some time being exhibited in Paris before going to the London Zoo in 1865. When Barnum offered to buy him, 100,000 English school children wrote to Queen Victoria begging her to stop the sale. To no avail. Read Jumbos sad story at Wikipedia. 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†What is Dative Case?10 Functions of the Comma

Outline and assess the different uses of strategy Essay

Outline and assess the different uses of strategy - Essay Example Rivals can have the same goals and objectives like ours. The nature of goals and objectives may be such that their realisation can accommodate only one individual or organisation or only a few individuals and organisations. Thus, strategy must have something to say on how several rivals should be dealt with so an organisation or individual can outsmart rivals. Resources are only available in limited states of abundance and scarcities. Individuals and organisations must therefore took stock of the most relevant resources for meeting goals and objectives and must establish a resource use policy or resource use combinations consistent with the resources that are available in terms of quantity, profile, and abundance. There are also rivals that can be competing for the same resources as well as in the realisation of the same objectives and goals. Goals and objectives are often pursued wherein there are obstacles to their realisation. The obstacle can be apparent or may only emerge in the course of pursuing the goals and objectives. Thus, strategy must be able to identify obstacles and anticipate the possible emergence of obstacles as goals and objectives are pursued. In the pursuit of goals and objectives, there are stakeholders involved. ... It can involve the combination of various forms of organisations, activities, and tools. III. Use of strategy by firms and non-firms Strategies are used by military organisations, businesses, and non-profit organisations. According to MacMillan and Tampoe (2000, p. 170), a business strategy defines the following: the scope of a business the consumer’s current and future needs that it wants to address within its scope of business the specific capabilities that will give its business a competitive advantage and the general conduct that will allow a business to gain territory within its area of business. Earlier, Porter (1996, p. 64) asserted that the essence of strategy is to choose of activities that are different from what rivals do. It can involve cost leadership, differentiation and focus (1996, p. 67). According to Porter (1996, p. 68), at the core, strategy is â€Å"the creation of unique and valuable position, involving a different set of activities†. It involves p ositioning, positioning trade-off, as well as operational effectiveness (Porter 1996, p. 67-68). Alone, however, operational effectiveness is not strategy (Porter 1996, p. 78). Strategy covers what not to do, making trade-offs in competing, and combining activities (Porter 1996, p. 70). It is about a whole system of activities and not just a collection of activities (Porter 1996, p. 70). Strategy also involves forging a fit among activities (Porter 1996, p. 77). Mintzberg (1987, p. 11) described that strategy have two essential characteristics: they are planned in advance and are developed consciously and purposefully (1987, p. 11). At the same time, however, Mintzberg (1987, p. 11) stressed that the field

Marketing Essentials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Essentials - Essay Example ........................................ 3.2 Porter’s Five Forces – relevant concerns.................................................... 4.0 SWOT and competitor analysis............................................................................... 4.1 SWOT analysis............................................................................................. 5.0 New product idea for H&M...................................................................................... 6.0 Marketing objectives and strategy............................................................................ 6.1 Pricing........................................................................................................... 6.2 Product.......................................................................................................... 6.3 Place............................................................................................................... 6.4 Promotion....................... ................................................................................ 7.0 Segmentation, targeting and positioning.................................................................... 8.0 Three year financial forecast and budget................................................................... 9.0 Metrics and implementation controls......................................................................... ... Main competition such as L’Oreal maintains 41 percent of market share with double-digit growth in sales due to the hedonistic and collectivist characteristics of male target markets in China. Financial forecasts indicate a 29.1 percent profit margin in 2014, which is lower than desired due to the high costs of operational development in manufacturing and research and development that is necessary for a business not familiar with product line extensions and new branding strategies in this product category. Over time, however this profit margin increases due to more streamlined internal systems and better logistical strategy development. H&M represents a total market value of (forecasted) over 89 billion USD in China, offering ample opportunity for revenue growth of approximately 15 to 20 percent year-on year through 2016. 2.0 Mission statement H&M strives to understand the importance of male grooming in a contemporary cultural environment, recognising the professional and socia l implications of maintaining a precise and well-tailored appearance. The top quality H&M for men line provides superior value as best-in-class grooming opportunities with the freshness of modish and elegant style. 3.0 Market overview The male grooming products market has experienced significant and explosive growth since 2004. In 2004, approximately seven billion USD were spent on grooming products specifically tailored for male grooming needs, including hairsprays, conditioners, shampoo and even hair colouring treatments (Hairstyles-7.com 2004). In 2010, one of the most prominent beauty companies, L’Oreal, experienced a growth rate in sales of male grooming products of 30 percent (CBS 2011). It is estimated that demand for male grooming products will increase to a

Political Corruption in America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Political Corruption in America - Research Paper Example The American government has been observed as corruption free from the viewpoint of other countries. Many of these states have contended that such attribute is the reason why America has become a superpower. However, if one is to critically assess the history of the American government, it can be observed that U.S. before was in truth and in fact struggling to eradicate the prevalent problem of corruption in its local and national level of government. Considerably, there have been many political personalities who have been charged and arrested for violating the anti-corruption law. To cite, U.S. Congressman Duke Cunningham in 2005 was charged with having conspired to commit bribery, wire fraud and tax evasion (Rozen 15; Meyers 14). He then decided to resign and relinquish his post. Later on, he was convicted and sentenced to over eight years of imprisonment and ordered to pay a whopping amount of more than one million dollars in restitution (â€Å"Duke Draws† A01). Notably, thi s type of corruption has been referred to as political corruption which poses danger to democracy and good governance and undermines the legitimacy of the government and its democratic values (Gore). According to Heidenheimer and Johnston, â€Å"political corruption involves a public official who violates the public’s trust in a manner which harms the public interest by knowingly exploiting his or her office for clear personal and private gain in a way which runs contrary to the accepted rules and standards for the conduct of public office so as to benefit a third party† (42). In this sense, there are two ideas which can be derived from this definition, corruption and the culture of corruption. There is a culture of corruption if a public officer does a corrupt act because he or she expects to be given a reward.

Financial Reporting in New Zealand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Reporting in New Zealand - Essay Example Therefore, financial reporting provides information that assist investors, creditors, and others assess the amounts, timing, and uncertainty of prospective net cash inflows to the related enterprise. Decision makers' uses information in the financial report on how to base investment, credit and other decisions underlies the objectives of financial reporting. A critical evaluation is done in relation to the usefulness of the financial reporting and the purpose it serves. This paper discusses if the provision of a true and fair view of an entity's financial position and performance is required by law. It shows the importance of conceptual framework and why we use regulations that are part of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) to govern financial reporting in New Zealand. Companies, issuers and all public sector entities in New Zealand are required under legislation to act with accordance with General Accounting Acceptable Principles (GAAP) when presenting their external financial reports. According to New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, they ensure that those involved in preparation of financial reports of entities to comply with General Accounting Acceptable Principles (GAAP) and any nonconformity should be reported. (New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, 2006) Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) are accounting rules that are used to prepare financial statements for publicly traded companies and private companies as well as non profit making organisations. The generally accepted accounting principles operate under a different set of assumptions, principles, and constraints. GAAP ensures that the financial statements are useful to relevant users as they have the following essential qualities. Relevancy: A relevant information assist users of the financial statements to predict the future event in relation to the present and the past. This information must be available before the decision is made, so for this case they make a difference in decision making. Reliability: The information presented in the financial statement should be reliable i.e. if an independent auditor verifies it using the same method; he should be able to get the same result. Comparable: The financial reported should also be able to be reported in the same manner for a different organisation hence one can compare financial results of different companies. Consistent: This means that the same accounting method applied should be the same from period to period should be well explained and justified. This allows comparison of financial statements of the same company of different periods. For GAAP to achieve its objectives, it is usually guided by basic assumptions, principles and constrains. The Assumptions includes: Economic Entity Assumption: There is an assumption that the business is

How does globalization affect cultural imperialism and communities in Research Paper

How does globalization affect cultural imperialism and communities in regard to immigration - Research Paper Example Arguably, western powers have continued to extend their grip all over the world politically, economically and culturally. Labor is very important in our lives as it assures individual survival and the life of species (Arendt 8). This paper presents a very thoughtful discussion on how globalization affects cultural imperialism and communities concerning immigration. The first section provides the negative and positive aspects of cultural imperialism resulting from globalization, and the second part explains whether cultural imperialism has a positive or negative effect on communities of citizens and immigrants. With the increasing globalization and creation of global cities, may people shift to the cities; therefore, population change seen in these cities is as a result of globalization (Martinez-Fernandez et al 214). Arguably, the process of globalization was promoted by the expansion of the humanitarian system since the end of the Cold War (Barnett 723), and with the ongoing globali zation, the major aim of this process is to bring in cultural uniformity all over the world, and leaving no space for diversities. Globalization focuses on imposing American culture and way of life to accepted or embraced throughout the world. Globalization interferes with cultural imperialism and various communities as well as individuals’ lifestyles. Many people are afraid that the spread of globalization leads to the homogenizing different societies across the globe. Globalization entails accepting American culture as the dominant one, for instance, American multinationals such as Coca-Coca and McDonald are some of the most powerful corporations that have spread globally and influenced global consumer culture. These corporations have exerted a strong influence on local character and lifestyle. Arguably, American values have been embraced in various parts of the world, that is, their Hollywood movies, food, clothing, and many more, and this can be described as cultural impe rialism. More so, the spread of globalization through global media and multinational dispensations has promoted the erosion of local cultures and traditions, and this has greatly interfered with individual’s cultural identity. It is in the interest of the United States to encourage the development of a world where their economic and political interests would prevail, a common language is English, and the common values are developed to be in line with the values which Americans are comfortable with. Creating a global culture entails the promotion of a particular lifestyle, and globalization has strengthened the dominance of the world capitalism leading to elimination of local cultures and traditions through a global culture. Arguably, globalization brings about a homogenized global culture and the native cultures eroded, and this global culture leans heavily towards the West; therefore, from a cultural perspective, the process of globalization is largely the spread of American ization. Furthermore, today, we live in a consumers’ society where labor and consumptions is part and parcel of our lives (Arendt 126), and so, globalization has enabled the distribution of high tech machines to various places worldwide so as to make labor and work activities easier,

Financial Reporting in New Zealand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Reporting in New Zealand - Essay Example Therefore, financial reporting provides information that assist investors, creditors, and others assess the amounts, timing, and uncertainty of prospective net cash inflows to the related enterprise. Decision makers' uses information in the financial report on how to base investment, credit and other decisions underlies the objectives of financial reporting. A critical evaluation is done in relation to the usefulness of the financial reporting and the purpose it serves. This paper discusses if the provision of a true and fair view of an entity's financial position and performance is required by law. It shows the importance of conceptual framework and why we use regulations that are part of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) to govern financial reporting in New Zealand. Companies, issuers and all public sector entities in New Zealand are required under legislation to act with accordance with General Accounting Acceptable Principles (GAAP) when presenting their external financial reports. According to New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, they ensure that those involved in preparation of financial reports of entities to comply with General Accounting Acceptable Principles (GAAP) and any nonconformity should be reported. (New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, 2006) Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) are accounting rules that are used to prepare financial statements for publicly traded companies and private companies as well as non profit making organisations. The generally accepted accounting principles operate under a different set of assumptions, principles, and constraints. GAAP ensures that the financial statements are useful to relevant users as they have the following essential qualities. Relevancy: A relevant information assist users of the financial statements to predict the future event in relation to the present and the past. This information must be available before the decision is made, so for this case they make a difference in decision making. Reliability: The information presented in the financial statement should be reliable i.e. if an independent auditor verifies it using the same method; he should be able to get the same result. Comparable: The financial reported should also be able to be reported in the same manner for a different organisation hence one can compare financial results of different companies. Consistent: This means that the same accounting method applied should be the same from period to period should be well explained and justified. This allows comparison of financial statements of the same company of different periods. For GAAP to achieve its objectives, it is usually guided by basic assumptions, principles and constrains. The Assumptions includes: Economic Entity Assumption: There is an assumption that the business is

Sport Policy, Politics and Ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sport Policy, Politics and Ethics - Assignment Example 44). Due to the importance of sport and benefits accruing from it, there are policies that have been developed at country, regional, and international level to provide framework in which sporting activities can take place. Policies are aimed at enhancing physical activity and participation in sport. However, it should be noted that policies of sport are highly influenced by sporting dynamics and shifting instruments and priorities of respective governments. Policy for sport is also aimed at promoting the interests of sport at local, sub-regional, regional, and international levels. Besides, development of sport policy has been informed by the realization that sport can be used as a means of delivering a wide range of policy aspirations such as local economic viability and health improvement among others (Bloyce and Smith, 2009, p. 101). Implementation of policy by for sport by governments is faced with various challenges and barriers. Implementation of sport policy is often faced with barriers and challenges just like are the case with implementation of policy in other respects. One of the main challenges is declining participation among the population in sport. Studies show that participation in sport has been declining significantly in most countries despite its importance (Bodin and SempeÃŒ , 2011, p. 60). Particularly, it has been noted that the participation of those aged over 15 years has dropped dramatically in recent years. Experts argue that this challenge in implementation of sport policy can be attributed to the fact that physical activities in the population has been declining especially after children have attained 12 years of age. The increased number of population suffering from obesity and overweight is a proof that physical activity has been declining. In addition, implementation of policy for spo rt has been faced with various barriers to access; that is, there are barriers

Superconductors & physicist Essay Example for Free

Superconductors physicist Essay Superconductivity was discovered by a Dutch physicist Kammerlingh Onnes in 1911 while studying â€Å"resistivity of mercury at low temperature† (Halliday 1999). To his surprise he found that below a temperature of about 4K mercury suddenly lost all its resistivity that was named by him as a superconductor. Conductors are those substances through which electricity pass to a larger extent. Superconductors are conductors that lose their resistance at a very low temperature. Every conductor possesses resistivity up to a certain extent whereas; superconductors lose their resistivity at low temperature. Superconductors are conductors with zero resistance. Functions and Applications Nowadays superconductors are used by scientists in making different things like noise reduction filters, communication satellites, mobile signal receivers, and other sophisticated and important machines which are extremely useful to us. Extensive researches are being carried out to design superconductors and ceramics to be used future for communication technology (Klauda 2000). Several experiments are conducted to reveal the possibility of cryogenic and high-temperature superconductor technology for use in base transceiver stations (BTS’s) and communication satellites for global mobile communication (Klauda 2000). Super conductors has helped a lot in the medical field by saving and diagnosing a lot of disorders in the human body like introducing MRI(magnetic resonance imaging) in which image is made of the inner delicate parts of the human body such as brain, stomach etc (Uses for Superconductors). Super conductors have also played a major role in advancing the transport system by replacing the huge electromagnets with super conducting magnets thus making it faster. A train operating on super conducting magnet attained an unbelievable speed of 361 mph (Uses for Superconductors). Electric generators composed of super conductors are of great importance because they are much better than the ordinary and typical generators. Super conducting generators produce much more electricity than ordinary generators. Nowadays efforts are made to commercialize these generators in order to fulfill the energy need of the world. Nowadays superconducting transformers have also been introduced to the world. In some countries underground cables including copper are replaced by superconductors making it more efficient than ordinary copper cables. Modern calculations reveal that supper conducting cables are 7000% efficient than ordinary copper cables (Uses for Superconductors). It is believed that in the next decade superconductors will replace electrical appliances in which copper is used. Super conductors are also used in industry to make Ultra high performance filters. Future of Superconductors Superconductors are of high utility in the future. Beside benefits there are also some drawbacks of using superconductors on a larger scale. Superconducting magnets are hazardous to human health thus restricting the commercial usage of MAGLEV vehicles (Uses for Superconductors). Another hitch in the wide usage of superconductivity is its high cost that for several decades restricted the functions of superconductors. Since superconductivity is attainable only at a very low temperature that is achieved in a bath of liquid helium. Since helium is found in very little quantity in the atmosphere is therefore, extremely costly limiting the functionality. After decades of hectic research, liquid nitrogen has replaced helium lowering the cost to a greater extent. References Halliday, David. (1999). Physics (Vol.2 Extended Version, 4th Ed).Robert Resnick, Kenneth S Krane. John. John Wiley Sons, Inc. New York Klauda, Matthias. (July 2000). Superconductors and Cryogenics for Future Communication Systems. Tobias Kasser, Bernd Mayer, Christian Neumann, Frank Schnell, Bachitor Aminov, Arno Baumfalk, Heinz Chaloupka, Serguei Kolesov, Helmut Piel, Norbert Klein, Stefan Schornstein, and Martin Bareiss. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 48, no. 7, 1227 Uses for Superconductors. Accessed August 19, 2008 http://superconductors. org/Uses. htm

SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG)

SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report has been undertaken to come up with the intrinsic value of SSE plc which is operating in energy industry, using shareholder value analysis (SVA) model. The underlying value of the company is estimated to be  £12,122.14m, which is lower than the market value of  £15757.52m (FAME database, accessed on 19th January 2017). The discrepancy of the two values may be explained by referencing to Efficient Market Hypothesis, asymmetric information issue and shortcomings of SVA model. Based on sensitivity analysis, it is determined that SSEs intrinsic value is highly sensitive to changes in operating margin and WACC. It is found out that an adjustment of +2% made towards operating margin and WACC will remarkably change the company value by +86% and nearly -50% respectively. Therefore, analysts should pay more attention to these two variables when employing SVA model. The later section of the report identifies SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG) as a critical financial event, highlighting that the transaction will bring more synergy to the firms operation and enhance its competitive advantage in the energy industry. However, it is imperative for shareholders to keep track of the companys performance to alleviate problems of hubris or empire building. Objectives This financial report is expected to achieve two primary objectives. First, this report aims to provide the valuation and analysis of SSE plc a company operating in the energy industry by employing Shareholder Value Analysis (SVA) technique. Second, SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG) in 2014 will be evaluated with reference to finance theories in Mergers and Acquisitions. 1.2 Report structure This financial report is organized in five main parts: Section I: Introduction This section provides main purposes of the report and briefly describe structure of the report. Section II: Company Profile This section gives an overview of SSEs business activities, its market share and competitive positioning. Section III: Company Valuation This section covers the following contents: Evaluate the appropriateness of SVA model to value a company Perform the valuation of SSE plc using SVA model Provide justifications for variables and proxies used in the model Carry out comparative analysis and sensitivity analysis Section IV: Actual Corporate Financial Event This section critically evaluates SSEs acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group (ESG) with reference to finance theories. Some implications would also be proposed following the event evaluation. Section V: Conclusion This section summarizes the employment of SVA measure in case of SSE and then provide some recommendations. 2.1 Business Description SSE plc (Scottish and Southern Energy plc) is a British energy company headquartered in Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom. SSE was established in 1998 as a result of the merger between Scottish Hydro-Electric and Southern Electric. SSE is listed on London Stock Exchange and it stock forms part of FTSE 100, FTSE 350 and FTSE All-Share. SSEs business covers three segments: Wholesale, Networks and Retail. The Wholesale segment involves power generation from renewable and thermal plant in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe; the Networks segment is responsible for distributing electricity to customer premises in the North of Scotland and the South of England; meanwhile, the Retail segment supplies electricity and gas to residential and business customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland (Financial Times, 2017). Since SSE undertakes both generation and retail supply activities, it is considered a vertically integrated energy business. This makes SSE unique since SSE is the only company listed on London Stock Exchange involved in such a broad range of energy businesses (SSE, 2016a). Market share Regarding Wholesale business, in 2015 SSE had a small market share of 7%, accounting for only a quarter of EDFs share and about half of RWEs share (see Appendix 1). Referring to Ofgem (2016b), in 2015 the market shares of dominant energy producers in the UK remain relatively unchanged compared with these of 2014, which is also the case of SSE. With respect to Retail business, there were over 43 active energy suppliers in Britain by March 2016, most of which offering both gas and electricity supply (Ofgem, 2016a). SSE is included in Big 6 which are widely known as dominant leaders in the market, including British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, SSE, npower and ScottishPower. These companies supply gas and electricity to over 50 million household and businesses in Britain, with 87% share of domestic customers by March 2015 (Ofgem, 2016a). SSE is operating in a very competitive and well-functioning energy retail market. The firms market share in the market for energy supply can be illustrated in Appendix 2 and Appendix 3. By March 2016, SSE had the second largest market share of UK electricity supply market (about 15%), while its market share of gas supply (about 13%) only accounted for approximately one-third of British Gass share. Increasing competition in energy industry and SSEs competitive positioning Out of the three segments, Wholesale and Retail businesses have been facing increasing competition in recent years due to the entrance of new rivals in the GB Energy Supply market. There have been some concerns over barriers to entering wholesale and retail energy market such as the complexity and extent of credit requirements or low levels of liquidity in the market. Despite of these, new entry has taken place (see Appendix 4). The result of new suppliers entry is falling market share of the six large suppliers from 90% to 87% between March 2015 and March 2016 for electricity, and 90% to 86% for gas over the same period (Ofgem, 2016a). Specifically, the entry and growth of new suppliers has led to SSEs market share declining. There is a decreasing trend in the number of energy customer accounts for the past three years (see Appendix 5). In addition to the new rivalries entrance to the market, customers switching is another issue that reduce the market share of six large suppliers. Households are increasingly turning to smaller suppliers, with consumers complaining the sector is slow to pass on wholesale energy cuts and offers poor service. The total number of users switching suppliers in March 2016, 476,528 customers, was the highest since November 2013 (Energy UK, 2016). As the market become more and more competitive, attracting and retaining customers can pose challenges to SSE. However, SSE has a clear strategy to differentiate itself and create value by becoming a market-leading, digital and diversified retailer of energy and essential services. According to SSE (2015a), for the past few years SSE has: Launched its first large-scale advertising campaign for the SSE brand in both Britain and Ireland, known as Proud to make a difference campaign. The campaign has been implemented in many forms from TV, radio, billboards, print media to various digital and social media formats; Overhauled its digital channels in order to create a simple, seamless and intuitive customer experience and provide the best possible service at the lowest possible cost; Introduced a new customer relationship management (CRM) platform which facilitates better customer understanding and tailors communications and propositions to the needs of different customers; Developed and reopened sales channels and processes to ensure compliant growth. Additionally, SSEs commitment to decarbonization means that the firm will continue potential expansion in renewable energy portfolio which are comprised of onshore wind, offshore wind and conventional hydro. Furthermore, SSE is the leader in the UK energy industry to handle customer complaints. According to Energy Ombudsman in February 2016, only four out of 100,000 customer complaints required further investigation in the first three quarters of the year, pointing out the fact that 99.969% of SSEs customer issues were fully resolved (SSE, 2016a). 3.1 Evaluate the appropriateness of SVA Model There are many methods for estimating value of a company, including valuations based on asset, dividend, earnings and cash flows. Among these methods, discounted cash flow valuation is the most technical way of valuing a business as it is heavily dependent on assumptions about long-term business conditions. This measure is especially useful for cash-generating businesses which are stable and mature. Alfred Rappaport (1998) developed a simplified approach of cash flow discounting called shareholder value analysis (SVA). SVA model makes assumptions about steady changes in a number of cash flow factors as they are all relevant to sales level. There are obvious advantages associated with the use of this model. SVA is not subject to different accounting policies used by different companies and therefore can be applied across many business sectors. In addition, firms using SVA must concentrate on the future and customers, with specific focus on future cash flows. On the other hand, SVA is not a perfect model as it contains some shortcomings when being used in practice. Irrational assumptions about value drivers, as well as data unavailability are possible drawbacks that analyst frequently encounter when employing this model. 3.2 Justification of variables and proxies Employing the SVA Model to calculate a companys intrinsic value requires assumptions about a number of key variables. Sales growth might be the most important factor in the model, setting the foundation to come up with other variables values such as operating profit, incremental capital investment and incremental working capital investment. In case of SSE, sales growth is determined after careful consideration of historical growth rates, price forecast and potential future projects. For the last three years, sales growth has witnessed a decreasing trend, which can be explained by a number of reasons. First, energy prices in the UK are influenced by oil and coal prices; therefore, when these commodities prices move upward or downward, they are likely to drive gas and electricity prices in the same direction (Ofgem, 2016b). Since the second half of 2014, there were downward trends in oil and coal prices due to oversupplied markets for these commodities, contributing to declining energy prices and therefore SSEs revenues. The movements of oil price can be illustrated in the following figure: Figure 1: Brent Crude Oil price from 2010 to 2016 (Source: Bloomberg, 2016) Second, there are more and more energy suppliers in the UK market. Levels of new entry have been very high recently: 14 new suppliers became active between April 2015 and March 2016, compared to five between April 2014 and March 2015 (Ofgem, 2016a). The presence of new rivals leads to SSEs declining market share as well as the firms revenue. Third, more and more customers are switching to small and medium-sized suppliers, as shown in Figure 2. If this trend goes on, there will be much pressure on expected revenue of large energy suppliers. Figure 2: Monthly increases in the total number of domestic gas and electricity meters supplied by small and medium-sized suppliers (Source: Ofgem analysis of data provided by Xoserve, DNOs and iDNOs, 2016) From the above data, it might seem that SSEs revenue will be struggling in the next few years. However, there are evidences for investors to believe in SSEs sales growth for at least the next 5 years. First, oil price forecasts by World Bank, IMF and EIU indicate crude oil prices will observe steady increases from 2017 to 2025 (Knoema, 2016) (see figure 4, figure 4 and figure 6). Figure 3: World Bank Oil Price Forecast (Source: Knoema, 2016) Figure 4: IMF Oil Price Forecast (Source: Knoema, 2016) Figure 5: EIU Oil Price Forecast (Source: Knoema, 2016) Second, some renewable projects will be fully operational in 2017 and these will definitely support revenue growth in the next few years. As reported by SSE (2016c), three onshore wind projects under construction are expected to come into operation in 2017, including Dunmaglass (94MW), Clyde Extension (173MW) and Bhlaraidh (108MW). After above analysis has been taken into account, the sales growth is determined as the arithmetic average of the changes in sales over the previous three years, giving the result of 0.82%. This sales growth is reasonable given that SSE is operating in increasingly competitive industry, with customers tending to switch to small and medium-sized suppliers in recent years. The operating profit margin is predicted to be 2.87%, which can be worked out by taking the average of the margins in previous three years. The reason behind this assumption is that SSE is an efficient energy supplier committed to maintaining relatively low operating costs in order to make a fair profit. According to SSE (2015a), SSEs indirect costs per customer are around 20% lower than the average across the rest of the major suppliers. The effect of low operating costs can be demonstrated by stable operating profit margins for the last three years, and it is expected that this trend will continue for the coming financial years. The incremental capital investment of 53% is understandable as the company continues to develop secure, sustainable and low carbon energy infrastructure, given that the energy industry is switching to renewable energy sources. In its interim results for the six months to 30 September 2016, SSE announced it plans to invest a record  £1.85bn of capital expenditure and investment in Great Britain and Ireland in 2016/17 (SSE, 2016b). According to Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE Chief Executive, the firm is making more investment in supporting the modernization of UKs energy facilities, and the total investment and capital expenditure by 2020 is forecast to reach approximately  £6bn. A relatively low working capital investment of 10% is determined since SSEs current assets are just enough to absorb current liabilities in the last few years. Trade and other receivables accounts for a large proportion of SSEs current assets due to the nature of the energy supply business. Meanwhile, current liabilities are mainly comprised of trade and other payables, which is because the company is making heavy investment in renewable energy infrastructure. Simply put, an incremental working capital investment of 10% is appropriate for SSE given that many potential energy projects will be under construction in the coming years. The corporation tax rate of 20% is applied to company profits (HMRC, 2016), and SSEs business is also subject to this rate. Another key variable in SVA is weighted average cost of capital (WACC). The cost of debt is determined as SSEs weighted average interest rate, which is 3.73% for year 2016. Meanwhile, the cost of equity is computed using CAPM model. SSEs beta (0.74) was obtained from FAME database, while the UK Gilt 10 Year Yield (1.40%) collected on Bloomberg website is used as the proxy for risk-free rate; all of these figures were retrieved on 19th January 2017. In addition, the UK market risk premium (5.3%) by Fernandez, et al., (2016) is another key component in the CAPM. Subsequently, a WACC of 4.59% is achieved and this is the required rate of return for SSEs capital providers. In short, the following seven value drivers will be applied in case of SSE: Table 1: Seven value drivers for SVA model Key Drivers Value Sales growth 0.82% Operating Profit margin 2.87% Tax rate 20% Incremental fixed capital investment 53% Incremental working capital investment 10% Planning Horizon 5 Required Rate of Return 4.59% Source: Analysts estimate 3.3 Employment of SVA Model Table 2 illustrates how SVA model is utilized in SSEs case. SSEs revenue of  £28,781m (recorded on 31st March 2016) was increased annually by a sales growth of 0.82% over a 5-year planning horizon. Subsequently, an operating margin of 2.87% was applied to revenues to come up with the firms operating profit. Before arriving at SSEs operating cash flows, a corporation tax rate of 20% was imposed on the operating profit, followed by subtractions of 53% in incremental capital investment and 10% in working capital investment. Afterwards, the present value of future cash flows was estimated by discounting the firms operating cash flows by 4.59% cost of capital. It is noted that SSEs terminal value at year 6+ was discounted twice, the first of which worked out the value at year 5 and the second one brought out the value in present day. After the net present value of  £18,930.7m was figured out, adjustments were made by adding  £360.2m cash and marketable securities, and then deducting  £7,168.8m total debt. After all, SSEs intrinsic value was determined at  £12,122.14m. Table 2: SSEs Shareholder value analysis (unit: million pounds) Year 1 2 3 4 5 6+ Sales 29,018.4 29,257.7 29,498.9 29,742.2 29,987.5 29,987.5 Profit 833.6 840.5 847.4 854.4 861.5 861.5 Associate Profit 206.5 208.2 209.9 211.6 213.4 213.4 Less Tax 166.7 168.1 169.5 170.9 172.3 172.3 Less ICI 125.1 126.1 127.2 128.2 129.3 0 Less IWCI 23.7 23.9 24.1 24.3 24.5 0 Operating Cash Flow 724.6 730.6 736.6 742.7 748.8 902.6 PV of cash flows 692.8 667.8 643.8 620.6 598.3 15,707.4 NPV 18,930.7 Add mkt secs 19,290.9 Less debt 7,168.8 Equity Value SVA 12,122.14 million Actual Value 15,757.52 million FAME access on 19th January 2017 Source: Analysts estimate 3.4 Comparative Analysis SSEs intrinsic value derived from SVA model was  £12,122.14m while its market capitalisation was recorded at  £15757.52m (FAME database, accessed on 19th January 2017), pointing the difference of  £3,635.38m between the two values. One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that all relevant information may not be incorporated into the share price. It could be inferred from Efficient Market Hypothesis (Fama, 1970) that the extent to which the share price is reliable depends on the efficiency of the markets. Under the strong form efficiency, the market value of  £15757.52m will fully reflect all past, present and insider information. On the other hand, if the market is under the weak form efficiency, the market value of  £15757.52m will only reflect the historical prices of the security, and hence lacking reliability. Furthermore, the information asymmetry, e.g. between management and investors and between investors themselves, is another explaining factor. Plesco Sobol (2013) states that investors who are ill-informed about financial disclosures can make unreasonable decisions in their investment. Due to irrational trading behaviours of these investors, share prices may not yield a fair market value. Another cause of the difference between the two values lies in the limitations of SVA model. The constant sales growth every year is not very realistic because the growth depends on potential development and firms strategies, which are subject to annual reviews. In the same manner, keeping WACC (4.59%) constant over 5-year planning horizon is not rational in practice, because the firms capital structure will change over time. Last but not least, the assumptions of sales growth and other key variables depend on each analysts subjective viewpoint. Changing these values by a small percentage might result in considerable change in eventual intrinsic value. 3.5 Sensitivity Analysis The sensitivity analysis performance indicates that SSEs underlying value is highly sensitive to changes operating profit margin. A positive adjustment of 2% made towards the operating margin will result in a substantial increase of 86% in the firms equity value (see Appendix 6). It is worth remembering that SSE is committed to preserve low operating costs so as to gain a fair profit. According to SSE (2015b), the firm has participated in a value program to ensure effective use of people and capital, the overall objective of which is business streamlining and simplification. This program comes with efficiency target, with expected  £100m of annual savings in overheads. In addition, the program involves reduction in offshore wind development as well as disposal of non-core assets. In general, this value scheme is likely to help SSE optimize its investment and re-balance its business. Moreover, it is noticeable that the firms intrinsic value is susceptible to changes in WACC. An adjustment of +2% in the WACC will lead to approximately 50% reduction in the firms equity value (see Appendix 6). According to Fitch Ratings (2016), SSEs equity has been diminishing recently due to the influence of sustained asset impairment losses and generous dividend pay-outs. In agreement with Pecking Order Theory, debt takes priority over equity in case external finance is required (Donaldson, 1961). Because SSEs cost of debt (3.73%) is lower than cost of equity (5.32%), it is appropriate for SSE to obtain  more bank loans to finance its long-term operations, while still making sure cost of capital is kept to a minimum. Particularly Fitch Ratings (2016) claims that SSE has a policy of accessing debt markets, ensuring that its committed borrowings equal to at least 105% of forecast borrowings over a six-monthly rolling period and adequate liquidity will be fulfilled until at least S eptember 2017. 4.1 Background information In the end of July 2014, SSE completed the acquisition of The Energy Solutions Group Topco Limited (ESG), the North west-based provider of energy management services, from Bridgepoint Development Capital for  £66m with an additional  £6m if agreed targets are achieved. Working with private and public sector customers, ESG identify improvements in their management of energy consumption; as well as install, maintain and support building management systems and solutions, saving customers around 20% to 30% of their energy consumption (SSE, 2014). 4.2 Evaluation of the issue in the context of finance theories This acquisition is classified into vertical MA (Mergers and Acquisitions). According to Arnold (2013), vertical MA occur between companies operating in the same industry at different stages of production, i.e. one company acquires another company that is either before or after it in the supply chain process. In case of SSEs acquisition, both SSE and ESG work in the energy industry. SSE involves in all many stages of energy supply chain including wholesale, networks (distribution) and retail; meanwhile ESG engages in the retail business where it is the designer and provider of energy management solutions. Therefore, SSEs acquiring ESG would be a downstream vertical acquisition. So, what is SSEs motivation behind this acquisition? Vertical integration has some advantages, including the attraction of increased certainty of supply or market outlet; reducing cost of search, contracting, payment collection, advertising, communication and co-ordination of production (Arnold, 2013). SSE (2014) states that the acquisition of ESG will strengthen SSEs services in competitive markets for industrial and commercial customers. These services are comprised of electrical and mechanical contracting, lighting services, private energy networks and telecoms, all of which are under the control of Enterprise division which forms part of SSEs retail business. According to Arnold (2013), one of the merger and acquisition motives is synergy in which the two firms together are worth more than the value of the firms apart; hence in this case, ESG will bring commercial synergies to SSEs Enterprise division. SSEs Chief Executive Alistair emphasized that managing energy costs and environmental impact are SSEs big priority for large industrial and commercial customers. Benefiting from ESGs expertise, SSE expects to meet the energy and related demands of these customers in an enhanced manner. It was confirmed that the ESGs existing management team would be in charge of the Enterprise division, and the firm believed that the commitment of the ESG management team and other employees will benefit its customers and the environment in terms of effective energy management solutions delivery. SSEs acquisition of ESG is considered a strategic acquisition in order to achieve external growth. There are two ways to categorize strategic acquisitions: by type of capability transferred and by their relation to corporate strategy (Goold Luchs, 1995). Regarding capability transfer, SSE (2015a) asserts that the acquisition of ESG added new capabilities to the business. (Goold Luchs, 1995) claims that value is created in an acquisition when competitive advantage of one firm is enhanced through the transfer of strategic capabilities including resource sharing, functional skill transfer and management skill transfer. The presence of ESG management team in SSEs Enterprise division will upgrade SSEs capability of strategic planning, ensuring that effective energy management solutions are delivered for the sake of customers. Generally, SSE is expected to benefit from management skill transferred from ESG. Another way to categorize strategic acquisitions is based on their contribution to corporate-level strategy. In other words, acquisitions are assessed considering their connections in maintaining and changing the balance between the firms existing domain and the renewal of its capabilities (Goold Luchs, 1995). An acquisitions contributions are classified into either domain strengthening, domain extension or domain exploration. In light of SSEs acquiring ESG, this would be an illustration of domain strengthening because this acquisition will deepen SSEs presence in retail business, especially reinforcing Enterprise divisions operation. Next, it is essential to see what happened with SSE stock price after the firm made announcement about the acquisition of ESG. Theoretically, when a firm acquires another one, a short-term impact on the stock price of both companies is expected. Specifically, a lot of practical studies point out that the acquiring firms stock price will go down while the acquired entitys stock price will rise (Investopedia, 2016a). With respect to the takeover company, its stock will go down mainly because of a number of uncertainties associated with the acquisition, such as turbulent integration process, lost productivity, additional debt or expense incurred and accounting issues (Investopedia, 2016a). Figure 6 demonstrates SSEs stock prices after the acquisition of ESG was disclosed. Figure 6: SSEs stock price movements after acquisition of ESG (Source: Hargreaves Lansdown, 2014) As can be seen from the above figure, SSEs stock prices witnessed decreases in two consecutive days after the acquisition and this conformed with the empirical studies implication m

Society’s Neglect of the Homeless Essay example -- Argumentative Persu

Society’s Neglect of the Homeless There is a serious problem with the way homeless people are treated. They are not treated as any normal human being is treated. The homeless have been dubbed the outcasts of society and receive practically no assistance from the government. Where is the consideration for these people? Are homeless people considered less than human? Why is it so hard to give a helping hand to somebody who is in need? Is society becoming too self-absorbed or are homeless people just transient to the rest of society? Society does not want to be bothered with the problems of inhumane people living on the streets, when there are enough problems within it. There should be no reason for people to worry about the problems of others. The government is mainly responsible for the welfare of all the people living in its area. In society homeless people are on the bottom of a prioritized list. That is why homeless people are categorized as mentally ill. Nobody wants to deal with the problem, so they make an excuse of a homeless person being on the street because of ment...

A Different Life: Comparison Analyze Essay

To start, I will be comparing the novel Night and the film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. There are many characters that change in emotion and actions during these works. During the novel Night, Elie changed his faith from being a strong Jewish believer in his savior to not being religious and rebelling against his beliefs altogether. In the film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Elsa changes from at the beginning being ok with the move of her family and her husbands actions as a high-ranked German solider to not supporting it at all and basically giving up there relationship because her husband is doing something so wrong. However, to compare these two works of literature, the characters both intended to help someone. Elie wanted to protect and be there for his Father through the whole struggle while Elsa also wanted to protect her son Bruno from growing up to be just like his father. See more: The Issues Concerning Identity Theft Essay Conflicts also occurred during this time. When Elie gave up on his faith, he gave up on his god that he served even though he knew that was the main person that kept him alive and helped him survive. Bruno’s father in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas causes a great conflict when he tries to hide all this from his family by calling the concentration camp a farm. The difference and similarity in these to is that in Night, Elie’s a Jew trying to conquer all these battles while in the film, Bruno’s father is the one causing this suffering upon the Jewish people. Now, you will view my reaction to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Reaction Many emotions went through my mind and body while watching this film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I felt anger. Anger arose in me when I saw that Bruno’s father was hiding the Jewish concentration camp from his family. Sadness also arose in me when Bruno was put to death by the gas chamber before his parents discovered where he was. I felt curiosity when Bruno was so interested to go on an â€Å"adventure† to discover the â€Å"farm†. I was curious to understand why he was so thrilled to go see the camp. I guess since he  was so young and did not understand. I will now explain how I felt about the actions of the characters. The characters acted many different ways during the film and thought different decisions and beliefs during the film. Personally, I disagreed with the main percentage of characters during the film. I didn’t agree with any of the soldiers’ decisions to hold the Jewish people in hostage because they are people just like everyone but express their beliefs differently. I agree with Bruno’s decision to become friends with Shmuel but, they could have at least had Shmuel escape the camp and enjoy life. All these people should just realize that the Jewish people are just like the German people, the only difference is they have different beliefs in their religious lives. If I could, I would tell them to treat others the way they want to be treated. Even thought this happened a time ago, I will compare this to the real world now. Reflection In the real world today, we experience many issues but racism and conviction to faith stuck out most. I have personally experienced racism in my life. For me being an African-American living in a predominately white town it’s easy to be selected out for my big difference. Not only myself, but my family experiences it too. On my dad’s job, his life was threatened by a white person with a gun. Going out to places with my family, being the only black people in the building, and seeing the looks we get from people can really hurt. I pray that African-American’s in present day do not get treated like the Jewish people during the Holocaust or slaves back in the day. In addition, being convicted for your faith is a problem in real life. For myself, I have experienced this but not as bad a Shmuel and his fellow people. Because I am a strong Christian believer in God I may get looked down upon, ridiculed, or talked about but I do not let that bring me down. I stick strong to what I have been taught and raised on my whole life. Nobody should be disrespected or looked down upon because they believe in something different then you. Everybody is a human being no matter what. Through this all, I have reflected on my feelings and learned so much that I will now share. During this piece, I felt many emotions. Like I said before, I felt great anger during this film. I also felt distraught during this. A mother losing her only son for something stupid her husband was doing against another race. I have learned one main theme in this story: Treat others the way you want to be treated. Personally, I wouldn’t have wanted to be treated in anyway like the Jewish people were taught during this time. Considering one of my friends, a teenage from Springhill just passed away. He was remembered for nothing but good things. I haven’t heard one bad thing about him! When I die, I want to be remembered as someone that made a difference, lived a great life, and treated others with respect. The Nazi soldiers in this film will have to live with the guilt of the thousands of Jews that they killed. I could never live with myself if I was one of those soldiers. If somebody in my family were to be dealing with killing the Jewish citizens, I would not associate with them anymore. Having someone, my age, which I actually knew pass away hurts a lot! He wasn’t afraid to express his beliefs or be convicted of his faith even if people acted like the Nazis in this film and ridiculed him. Life is to short now to want to kill, harm, or ridicule somebody for being different. Whether they look different, act different, or believe differently then you may. In my everyday life, I will not disrespect others for something they may do or be different then me. This novel and film actually brought a different way of seeing life in my eyes. I do not see what made the Jewish people so terrible that the Germans had to treat them this way! Every time I do something now, I think would I want this done to me or how do I want to be remembered when I’m gone. Bibliographic Entry: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Dr. Mark Herman. Miramax Film Corp., 2008. Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York: Bantam Books, 1986