Management Case Study: 15% Employee Payroll Decrease

I hope all is well since our last meeting. As we have recently been confronted with financial difficulties within Austen Pharmaceuticals, I have given extensive consideration in devising an effective plan for adequately addressing the directive of decreasing payroll by 15% and am prepared to share my prospective solution. As this transition will directly impact the employees, I have met with them to apprise them of the proposed cuts that have been presented and will ultimately take place.In an effort to maintain morale and make this evolution as seamless as possible for the employees, I have incorporated some of their ideas and suggestions in constructing the plan to decrease the payroll while preserving the workforce. After reviewing the most current performance evaluations for each employee, I have established a ranking system that rates each employee based on their overall performance in addition to any individual contributions that they have made which resulted in more efficiency within our division.By rating the employees based on performance, this provides a reference point to determine the most productive employees versus those who are marginal in the event that lay-offs are inevitable. The first step in fulfilling the objective of the plan is to immediately eliminate overtime and have salaried staff help out where possible to complete the work.Next, is to restructure or reduce the amount of hours that each employee works while allowing them to maintain their benefits. The more productive employees will work during peak hours and the average staff will work during  off-peak hours. This will allow for the work to be completed while utilizing our best resources when the workflow is the highest. The final step in the plan is to cut pay for each employee based on their performance. The pay cuts will be based on the rankings providing a 1% cut for the best performance and a 3% cut for those who are within the lower rankings. This will allow for our best per former to be acknowledged for their efforts while meeting the needs of the company. Additionally, this will allow our average performers to maintain employment while striving to improve performance.

Business Law Essay

1.The contract provides that for every day of delay in completion of a commercial building, damages of $1000 are payable. The completion is delayed by 20 days due to the fault of the contractor. How much can the innocent party claim if the actual loss suffered is $22,000? Do you think generally, it is wise for a business to always have a liquidated damages clause? 2.At Your Service Pte Ltd is a big company which provides various travel related services, including overseas tour packages which are designed in-house. Tom, a customer, had booked a special in-house tour for 2 to Bali. Tom had booked the tour as he wanted to go to Bali for his honeymoon. However, subsequently Tom cancelled the booking as he broke up with his fiancà ©e. Tom had paid the sum in full as per the contract. However, the contract also provides that, if a cancellation is received 1 month before departure, 20% of the sum would be forfeited, if a cancellation is received 2 weeks before departure, 50% of the sum would be forfeited, if a cancellation is received 1 week before departure, 75% of the sum would be forfeited and if a cancellation is received at any time less than a week before departure, 100% of the sum would be forfeited. Tom cancelled the booking 3 days before departure. Tom nonetheless wants the full sum he paid returned, on the ground that he has not used any of the services. (Exam 09) 3. Perfect Timing Pte Ltd agreed to sell a machine to Sosway Pte Ltd at $20000. Delivery was to be on the 1st. However, when the 1st came, Perfect Timing Pte Ltd did not supply the machine to Sosway Pte Ltd and repudiated the contract due to various problems on its end. Sway Pte Ltd had wanted to use the machine for the production process. Thus far it had been using another machine for the production process, but on the eve of the 31st (the day before the delivery of the new machine), the old machine was sold and delivered to a third party. As a result Sosway Pte Ltd’s production came to a stand still on the 1st. Sosway Pte Ltd managed to get another similar machine from some other source within 21 days of the breach. (a) What damages can Sosway Pte Ltd claim for?   (b) Is there anything Sosway Pte Ltd could have done prior to entering into the contract which would have improved its position? (c) Does the concept of â€Å"mitigation† make business/practical sense? 4. On the 1st of May, Sweendal Pte Ltd, a van dealership company, entered into a contract with Mind Changers Pte Ltd, under which Mind Changers Pte Ltd agrees to buy a commercial van for $130000. On the 2nd of May, Mind Changers Pte Ltd cancels the order as it cannot get the financing. The market price of the van has remained the same. (a) What are Sweendal Pte Ltd’s remedies? (b) What if Sweendal Pte Ltd collected a deposit of $5000 and the contract provided that all deposits are non-refundable and will be forfeited if the buyer cancels the order? (c) Considering your answers in (a) and (b), would it be wise of Sweendal Pte Ltd to have a non-refundable deposit clause in the contract? 5. Mann Shan is a landlord and has rented out his premises to Payne. The contract prohibits sub-letting. Payne sublets the premises and has earned $30,000 profits in the process thus far. Advice Mann Shan who is unhappy. Market rates for rentals have gone up. 6. Deeva is a famous pop star who has been engaged by Show Off Productions to do a concert in Singapore. Thus far, Show Off Productions has spent $50,000 in promotions and all the tickets have been sold out. After this, Deeva cancels the concert as she has some other more important engagement. (a) Assuming if the concert had gone on, Show Off Productions would have made $200000 in net profits, advise them as to the damages they can recover from Diva. (b) What if the Show Off Productions cancelled the show (after Deeva cancelled it) before any of the tickets were sold and before any expenses were incurred? What can they sue for? Can they sue for damages for lost reputation? 7. J Pte Ltd entered into a contract with T Pte Ltd under which the latter is supposed to deliver some complicated custom made software. Can T Pte Ltd sub-contract part of the job to R Pte Ltd? What if R Pte Ltd, does something wrong in the process – can J Pte Ltd, sue T Pte Ltd in respect of that? If J Pte Ltd did not want the contract to be sub-contracted, what could it have done? Generally, what could be some reasons, why you do not want the contract to be sub-contracted? 8. Generally only parties to the contract can sue and be sued. However, in the following cases, are X and Y parties to the contract: (a)Z is an â€Å"authorized agent† for P type of cars in Singapore. The manufacturer is Y in Germany. X goes to Z and buys a P car. Is there a contract between X and Y? (b)Z sells hand phones and is the authorized agent for Y, a mobile phone service provider. X goes to Z shop and buys a phone and signs up to receive mobile phone service from Y. Is there a contract between X and Y? (c)Z is a maid agency. Y is a maid. X goes to the maid agency and chooses Y. Is there a contract between X and Y? (d)Z is a modeling agency. Y is a model. X goes to Z to get models to perform for an event. The models include Y. Is there a contract between X and Y? 9. Search web sites containing legal/contractual terms. Can you find an example of : (a)a liquidated damages clause .   (b)a clause dealing with or prohibiting sub-contracts or assignments Note: such exercises are important to understand and appreciate that what you are studying is not something just theoretical but arises in real life.

Ealth care process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ealth care process - Essay Example By reviewing the steps and their sequence as to who performs each step, and how efficiently the process works, an organization can often visualize opportunities for improvement. The process mapping tool may also be used to evaluate or redesign a current process. Additional information, including tools and resources to assist an organization that wants to adopt process mapping as an improvement strategy, can be found in the Redesigning a System of Care to Promote QI module. Specific steps are required to deliver optimal health care services. When these steps are tied to pertinent clinical guidelines, then optimal outcomes are achieved. These essential steps are referred to as the critical (or clinical) pathway. The critical pathway steps can be mapped as described above. By mapping the current critical pathway for a particular service, an organization gains a better understanding of what and how care is provided. When an organization compares its map to one that shows optimal care for a service that is congruent with evidence-based guidelines, it sees other opportunities to provide or improve delivered care. In this module, improvement strategies are presented based on what has worked for other health care organizations. Changes are applied throughout an existing critical pathway so it works more effectively. QI strives to enable an organization to achieve the ideal critical pathway, which is one that allows the care team and patient to interact productively and efficiently to achieve optimal health outcomes.

The project management as the system of managing sequence of events Essay

The project management as the system of managing sequence of events - Essay Example While the path that has maximum constrains for the resources needed for the completion is refereed as critical chain. The two major factors that any infrastructure project must be analyzed for feasibility are the Existence of long term demand for the initiative and the existing governance framework are the two important aspects to be considered here. Thus the infrastructure projects are not built with unmet expectations besides linking them with other well functioning infrastructure projects. The stand alone infrastructure development initiatives are very difficult to be very successful (Booz Allen Hamilton, 2002). Infrastructure projects them selves may not directly be revenue generating but they provide necessary support systems which could create centers of high rate of revenue generation. But in the case of ROI the proposals are very clear and clear quantification of the return is possible. The ROI also offers opportunities that could structure the project to attain the benefits in a very quick way. The ISO implementation process for the project management operations shall be planned as per the stipulated ISO standard : ISO 25100. This standard would be able to give necessary guidelines to create a common framework for project operations mainly communication and knowledge transfer across different units of the project team. The process would involve five key different steps namely planning, analysis, design, implementation and maintenance. The planning operation refers to creation of the logical sequence of events explaining how each step in the project information system could be operationalised. This step must foresee the resource requirement and possible threats expected from the system at the time of implementation. This is followed by the analysis where the strength, weakness opportunities and treats of the system would be brought to light. The observations and findings about the project system would lead to the

Case study of Aetna 2000 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Of Aetna 2000 - Case Study Example been purchasing a new business, thus, expanding its range of operations, and in turn having a variety of services in the healthcare sector with its various health products. They also offer a range of financial products and services. The company, due to its acquisition of a number of businesses, operates internationally and even provides pension services. The company is considering reorganizing its structures so that the health services will be grouped as global health, and the financial services will be grouped as global financial. This will facilitate efficiency and cost effectiveness in the company due to the sharing of resources for both local and international operations, as well as the use of technology. Through this, quality will be achieved in the company’s operations. Due to the procedure of its operation and those of the newly purchased businesses, the company is facing so many legal issues, with the government finding out that it is operating against what is legally recommended for such operations. After acquisition of Well Point Inc. business, Aetna went into an agreement to purchase other businesses dealing in insurance products, yet the businesses were operating as non-profit ones yet Well Point is a profit making business. This means that Aetna did not expect to make any profits from the acquisition. The company was involved in the provision of managed health care services. It is provided that for any loss of life, such businesses will be liable, and with this being a law within the nation, the business was obliged to ensure that no loss occurs to their client so that they are not held liable. There has been an increase in the cost of health care in the nation with a very high percentage. This has affected the company because just like other companies in the organization, they are committed to enhancing a reduction of the cost for the benefit of their clients, which may results to a decline in profitability. There is increased competition from

To what extent can management control organizational culture Essay - 1

To what extent can management control organizational culture - Essay Example As such, the management in an organisation needs to provide direction regarding the beliefs, values and behaviours adopted by workers in an organisation. Further, the organisation structure as part of the organisational culture denotes the type of structure that organisations prefer to use in order to achieve their desired goals. A structure in an organisation helps to define authority and can either be vertical or horizontal structure. In a vertical structure, power emanates from the top downwards while, in a horizontal structure, responsibility is divided among teams in an organisation and power is less defined compared to the vertical structure. Consequently, the type of structure adopted by an organisation depends on what they want to achieve in both the short term and long-term basis. However, in any form of organisational culture, the management has a critical role in ensuring the beliefs, values, behaviours and organisation structure is in line with the organisation’s v ision and mission. In this sense, the extent which the management can control organisational culture depends on the cooperation that exist between the management and other employees at the workplace (Alavi et al. 2006). In most organisations, controlling the organisational culture is not an easy task because of the diversified culture in at workplace for instance (Ackroyd & Crowdy, 1990). As such, in order for the management to provide direction in terms of adopting an effective organisational culture, it is important that they understand the needs of their employees. Developing a culture that resonates with all employees in an organisation is a challenging task for the management and thus it is important that the management learn and understand the needs of their employees (Ackroyd & Crowdy, 1990). Further, despite the type of organisation structure used, employees’ cooperation is still necessary to achieve success with various plans in an organisation. Whether an organisation

Evaluation assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Evaluation - Assignment Example 21 REFERENCES 23 APPENDIX 25 QUESTIONNAIRE 25 2.What is the level of ease of navigation in the website http://www.cksp.com.hk/? 25 8.Is it easy to get information from the website http://www.cksp.com.hk/? 27 11.Is the website http://www.cksp.com.hk/ attractive? 27 EVALUATION ASSIGNMENT INTRODUCTION The analysis of usability of a website is of the greatest importance for the organization running. Nowadays, most of the business is conducted by websites across the world. So, the website plays a vital part in understanding the value offering of the organization. The website would be considered as a good, generally based on two factors. They are the degree of usability and the level of visual appeal. There are a host of factors that affect the usability of the website ranging from the information about the architecture, the navigation facilities, the jargon, the kind of terminology being used in the design, the designing aspect of the forms of a user and the layout of the page. However, t he usability may differ from time to time based on the needs of the business. The first part of the writing presentenced the need for a user centred approach in detail. The CBA (Cost Benefit Analysis) was done for the website, and the incorporation of an approach based on the user would present larger revenues for the company. So, this research is dedicated towards the steps for integration of a user based approach in the development of the website of http://www.cksp.com.hk/, after winning the contract. The paper would be divided into a number of sections. The first part of the sections would be used for the specification of the usability goals. This would serve as the benchmark for evaluation of the website. These are the parameters, which would guide the eventual design of the website, by serving as the template. The next part of the paper would focus on the usability criteria by the application of questionnaires. The obtained data would help in the analysis by using the human fac tors which are of significance. The last part of the paper would build a prototype for this application, which would take all the factors into consideration. The last part would present the recommendations for the website and the overall changes that have to be incorporated into the design for an increased interaction with the user. ANALYSIS OF http://www.cksp.com.hk/ USER ANALYSIS AND THE PROFILING For the presentation of a complete kind of the usability in the logical manner, there is a need for the conduct of certain kinds of tests. These tests are necessary, because they play a part in the attainment of the usability

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Business Law - Essay Example There has been no clear cut reason for the separation. The division appears to be more of prestige issue and professionally it is becoming an embarrassment to offer the excuse that the barrister performs a specialized or more professional role. Periodical studies highlight issues that throw the explanation of specialized roles of barristers in poor light (Cohen, Professor Harry; p11). Simply put, solicitors form the backbone of U.K.’s legal system. They come in direct contact with the public who come to them for all legal advises from litigation to commercial work. Litigation forms just a small part of the solicitor’s work that involves â€Å"commercial transactions, corporate matters, land, share and other property dealings† (Legal professionals: barristers, solicitors, executives; 1998). In order to become a solicitor, it is necessary to take a one-year Legal Practice Course (LPC). There are over 30 institutions throughout England who offer the LPC. Thereafter, the law student has to obtain a two-years training contract with a solicitors’ firm (The Legal Professions). Professionally, a solicitor must be a member of the Law Society which oversees his training, practice and the Society also takes up complaints made against the solicitor (Legal professionals: barristers, solicitors, executives; 1998). The role of the solicitor came into existence in 1823 when ‘The London Law Institution’ was formed by several prominent barristers. The name of this institution changed to ‘The Law Society’ in 1903. Women and ethnic minorities were not allowed to be members of the Law Society in those days. Now, half of the legal force in the U.K. comprises women (The Law Society, 2010). The closeness of the solicitors to people and corporations and their distinct efficiencies has enabled them to grow and flourish as individuals or firms. Solicitors have the potential to grow

Problem question in Land Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Problem question in Land Law - Essay Example test (exploring the degree of the item’s attachment to the ground), and the degree of annexation, (the removability) are the main legal tests that would be employed to determine who between K and V should have the rights over the sculptors. Chattels that are physically erected on the land will be considered as fixtures (Luther, 2004; Essert, 2013). In this case, K physically dug the sculptors, the studio and the greenhouse in the piece of land. Some of the properties rest on dug concrete plinths, while others are attached to similar concrete plinths with heavy metal bolts in a manner that make them more of fixtures than chattels (Holmes, 1940; Burn, Cartwright, & Maudsley, 2009). In light of their attachment, V can validly lay claims for the items as being part of the land. V’s claims are supported by the verdict in the case of Holland v Hodgson (1872) LR 7 CP 328, in which the court held that the relatively temporary looms placed on stone foundation were no longer chattels and had been mortgaged with the land as one property (McFarlane, Hopkins, & Nield, 2012; Kearney & Merrill 2013). In the case of Elitestone v Morris [1997] 1 WLR 687, the House of Lords followed the precedent set in Holland, holding that a bungalow resting concrete pillars was part of a realty since the degree of annexation was low. Williamson (2004) has said that in determining whether an item is a chattel or a fixture courts base their argument on the intent of the property owner. Following the ruling in Holland, chattels which are placed on a piece of land to enhance better enjoyment of the items in question remain fittings or while the those which are intended to improve the suitable use of the piece land should be considered as fixtures (Hamza, 2011; Hutchinson, 2010). In light of the argument, K’s studio, the greenhouse and the strategically-placed sculptors would be considered as better use of the piece of land, hence they are fixtures and should be legally retained by V. In

Ethics Scholarship Essay Essay Example for Free

Ethics Scholarship Essay Essay One ethical issue to which I became aware of while in college mainly involved cases illegal drugs, bribery, and cheating. Although there is an existing law against illegal drugs and most schools and universities are very stringent in imposing penalties for illegal activities and other things that are criminal in nature, sadly there are still some students who find ways to break those rules, especially outside the campus. While I am not the one involved in these illegal activities, I felt that I had a moral obligation because two of my classmates were involved. These classmates of mine were actually good people, but unfortunately, they ended up with the wrong company. It took place not very long ago, during a house party held by one of the rich students in the university. This certain student, whom I personally know, constantly held parties in his/her lavish house. My two classmates were not invited because the host of the party didn’t like their introvert nature. They were very shy, had very little friends, and were only interested in playing video games and the like. Nevertheless, as I have mentioned above, they were people who possessed values. The problem is they just lacked social skills. One day in class, I noticed that they were talking to a guy who was a notorious rule breaker in the university and was one of the friend of the rich person mentioned earlier. Later, I found out that they were invited to one of the parties held by the rich person and they were both very excited to go as it was their first time to have the change to mingle with a lot of people. On the night of the party, I was to see them talking to a couple of girls and boys. Although I do not wish to judge them, I was a bit confused because, as mentioned above, they were very shy and were not the type of people who would approach someone for a casual conversation. I felt happy for my two classmates but I noticed that certain things about them started to change in the succeeding months. There were instances that they were absent from class, which was something they never did, and there were also times that they were asleep during a lecture or an exam. After some time, I spoke with one of the two and found out that the reason behind their unusual behavior was because of illegal drugs. This person further revealed that they were invited to the rich student’s party on the condition that they would do the assignments of a group of people who were close to of him/her (rich student). This classmate of mine also told me that they were doing drugs because it was considered â€Å"cool† among their new circle of friends. However, the main problem was that both these classmates of mine were nearly failing a lot of their subjects due to their absences and neglect. Because I was concerned for them, I sought the help of fellow students who were also concerned and together we notified the university officials on condition of anonymity. Although it was the right thing to do, I had an ethical dilemma because as a result of my actions, my two classmates were indefinitely suspended from school and were taken to a rehabilitation facility. I was very bothered at first because in a way, I cost them a lot by revealing their secret illegal activities. But after several months, I realized that it was the only thing to do because I didn’t want their future to be ruined by drugs. Basically, this event has impacted me in such a way that I carefully choose whom I associate with. Although I have a lot of friends, I only trust people whom I am sure would not give in to negative influences and to peer-pressure from the wrong ground. It also made me more vigilant and more careful of people who are trying to be nice to me but actually have ulterior motives. On the business perspective, it made me more cautious in dealing with alleged â€Å"easy money† gimmicks and deals which are perpetrated by people who have questionable backgrounds. In short, it made me wiser and clever in terms of business dealings because now I am more aware of the capabilities of certain people who only claim to offer good deals but in truth, do not offer anything of value at all.

compare and contrast the cultures of the uk and your own country

compare and contrast the cultures of the uk and your own country Compare and contrast the cultures of the UK and your own country It is imperative that every country should promote citizens to protect their cultures and identities. This is because recognition of a nations civilization is extremely important. Every country has a different culture because of national differences and history. Culture can be defined as the values, beliefs and perceptions of a group of people. History, tradition and religion are the main influences on culture. Even though there are some comparisons between the cultures of Saudi Arabia and the UK, there are an even greater number of differences. This essay will analyze some of the main aspects of the cultures such as people, business, sport, food and use of the internet. As far as people are concerned, in both countries the majority of people tend to be friendly and helpful. In the University of Glamorgan it has been seen that all the teaching staff do the best they can to help their students, as was found in previous staff at a university in Saudi Arabia. One of the good cultures of British people is that they tend to smile at passersby. This is also one of the major characteristics of Saudi Arabian culture, partly because of Islam. However, one of the major differences is that in the UK children do not respect older generations. This is likely to be because of their upbringing, where parents did not teach them about respect. (Vexen, 2004) In addition to upbringing, the media plays an influential role by celebrating famous people who behave inappropriately. The contrast is that in Saudi Arabia children must be respectful of older generations. This is because of religious reasons and a good upbringing from their parents. It is important that people i n the UK address the way they raise their children. In relation to business, the similarity between Saudi Arabian and UK businesses is that their objectives are to grow their sales internationally. As a result, business trade is increasingly prevalent between Saudi Arabia and the UK. Despite this similarity, misunderstanding culture can have a detrimental effect on business relations. This was illustrated where, according to â€Å"an Accenture study, two-thirds of 200 US business executives said that miscommunication arising from cultural differences has caused problems when outsourcing offshore.† (Silicon.com, 2006) This study shows an example of a possible impact of not understanding each others cultures in business and trade. Regarding sport, people in Saudi Arabia tend to play football, as do people in the UK. There are many beautiful stadiums in the UK such as the new Cardiff stadium, and the same was found in Saudi Arabia for example King Fahad stadium in Riyadh. The majority of the people watching football in both countries also tend to be interested in playing football. However, it is not allowed for women in Saudi Arabia to play football for religious reasons. Meanwhile, in the UK, England is one of the best womens teams in the world. (Ezine Articles, 2007) Although at the moment there are no women playing football in Saudi Arabia, it is likely they will do in the future with specific circumstances. In terms of food, the majority of people in both countries tend to eat fast food. This is because life is getting faster and busier, meaning people have less time for cooking. For example, people go to McDonalds and KFC to have a quick lunch in both Saudi Arabia and the UK. One of the major influences is globalization. The main contrast is that Halal meat is absolutely essential in Saudi Arabia for religious reasons, while any meat can be eaten in the UK. Halal meat is killed in a humane way, and the UK could adopt eating Halal meat to be more respectful to animals. (Executive Planet, 2007) With reference to use of the internet there is a great demand in both countries. This is because the internet is essential for modern life, covering all needs. In particular the internet makes the world into a global village through easy and fast communications. However, there is a clear contrast between using the internet in the UK and in Saudi Arabia. This is because the media in the UK is almost free of restrictions but in Saudi Arabia the media is under control of the government. For example, according to Alfred Hermidas article, research from the Harvard Law School discovered that 2,000 websites were blocked by the Saudi government. Alfred Hermida writes that â€Å"Most of the blacklisted sites were sexually explicit or about religion. But also caught in the net were sites about women, health, drugs and pop culture.† (BBC, 2002). The reason websites about women, such as iVillage, were blocked was for cultural and religious reasons. It is not allowed in Islam to describe t he bodies of women in general. It is also likely that the websites contained swearing which is also forbidden. Websites about drugs will have been filtered because the use of drugs is prohibited by the law of Islam. Sites containing pop culture are likely to be restricted because they can lead to extra marital relations according to Islam. This is believed to happen because mainly young people will be influenced by the people in the content. In the UK it has been observed that internet users are free to use almost any website they wish. Some websites are dangerous for children, in particular pornographic websites, and it is logical for parents and governments to control them, to protect our children. In conclusion, even though there are some clear similarities between the cultures of both countries, there are also many differences. These differences are largely because of religion and history. In the future it is likely that the relationship between the cultures will change. It is very probable that in the future women in Saudi Arabia will campaign for more human rights, similar to those women in the UK enjoy. Furthermore, in the future we will undoubtedly find more Arabic restaurants in the UK. These changes will be most probably influenced by the internet, hi-tech and migration between Saudi Arabia and the UK. One of the most valuable recommendations is that if we respect each others cultures we will live in an ideal community. My wish is that every citizen in Saudi Arabia and the UK will live in a satisfactory way. References BBC (2002) Saudis block 2,000 websites. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2153312.stm [accessed 18 August 2009] Executive Planet (2007) Your guide to Saudi Arabia. Available from: http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Saudi_Arabia [accessed 20 August 2009] Ezine Aticles (2007) Englands Womens footballers 12th Best In The World? Available from: http://ezinearticles.com/?Englands-Womens-Footballers12th-Best-In-The-World?id=565503 [accessed 18 August 2009] Silicon.com (2006) Cultural differences cause offshoring problems. Two-thirds of execs say its the main reason deals run into trouble Available from: http://services.silicon.com/offshoring/0,3800004877,39160348,00.htm [accessed 23 August 2009] Vexen (2004) An analysis of UK trash culture. Available from: http://www.vexen.co.uk/UK/trashculture.html [accessed 22 August 2009]

Sojourner Truth :: Free Essay Writer

Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth was born a slave named Isabella Baumfree sometime in 1797 in Ulster county, New York. The exact date of her birth is to this day unknown, but it is believed to have been sometime during the fall. She developed her characteristics of courage and dependability from her mother, Mau Mau Bett, at an early age. Isabella was first owned by a Dutch named Charles, who was happened to be a decent slave owner. At his death, she was separated from her mother and auctioned to another set of plantation owners, the Neelys. Isabella was highly mistreated here as they took their dislike of the Dutch community out on Isabella, who spoke hardly a word of English. She was bought and sold three times within the next twenty-four months, the final purchaser being a man named John Dumont for the incredibly low bargaining price of three hundred dollars. Dumont needed more slaves for his New York plantation. He always bragged that Isabella was the hardest working slave on the plantation. Seeing this, he forced her to marry a fellow slave known as Tom. Isabella gave birth to five children within the next five years. Two years before the emancipation act of 1828, in which all slaves within New York were freed, Dumont promised Isabella that if she were to work extra hard the next year, he would set her free a year early. She did just that; she was the even harder working already hardest working slave on the plantation. In her speeches, she spoke of the living conditions many slaves were forced to endure, crowded together into cabins with no privacy, overworked, fed scraps in many cases, and clothed raggedy scraps. Her audiences must have felt the shame as Truth recalled the auction block, upon which men and women alike were frequently forced to strip and stand before potential buyers, who would search their bodies for marks of the whip or of wrist or leg irons, the presence of which would indicate the slave had been frequently punished. The slaves would be forced to endure impersonal and degrading inspections of their teeth, muscles, and other body parts, depending on what the buyer was looking for in the purchase. When the time came, though, Dumont broke his promise. Isabella, realizing she had been tricked, escaped with her infant child in her arms in October of 1827 to the refuge of a Quaker family.

Frank Sinatra :: essays research papers fc

Before Tim McGraw, Led Zeppelin, and even before Elvis Presley there was Frank Sinatra. The man some say "held the patent for the popular song". During his career Ol' Blue Eyes had cut some 1,800 recordings, gathered nine Grammys, and was considered by many critics to be the preeminent singer of this century (CNN, N.Pag). Durring his long career he became on e of the most successful pop music figures of the century. Sinatra’s sophisticated musicianship was evident in his many recordings. (Columbia Encyclopedia). blah blah blah†¦. Frank Sinatra was born in Hoboken, New Jersey on December 12th 1915. (Encyclopedia Americana) He made it through Junior High school but only lasted forty-seven days in senior high. This could be partly due to his attitude toward school, Frank was quoted saying: "To my crowd, school was very uninteresting, and homework was something we never bothered with. The few times we attended class we, we were rowdy. So it isn’t surprising that a bunch of us were expelled." (Madigon 148) After dropping out of high school, Frank Sinatra got his first big break in the music industry with Major Boes and his "Amateur Hour" in 1935, singing in a group called the Hoboken Four. Four years later in 1939, Frank Sinatra got his first radio play on a station out of New York, WNEW. (enc world bio) After having his first Radio play, Frank Sinatra was ready to go after "the big guys". In 1939 He went after big-band leader Harry James, Taking note of Sinatra's slim build an d huge ego, James remarked, "He considers himself the greatest vocalist in the business. Get that! No one's ever heard of him! He's never had a hit record, and he looks like a wet rag, but he says he's the greatest" (CNN, N.Pag). He then signed with Harry James for $75 a week. After seven months with Harry James, Frank Sinatra joined Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra (Enc world bio). With Tommy Dorsey, Frank’s singing career began to skyrocket, with the Dorsey band he had his first big hits, including "I'll never Smile Again" and "In the Blue of Evening" (Grolier Multimedia, N.Pag). These two songs topped the charts in 1943 (Reader’s Companion). The attention Sinatra was getting for his performances caught the eye of the movie industry, and he appeared in more than sixty films. Durring his â€Å"acting years† Frank Sinatra continued to sing as well, and landed at the top of the music charts. Frank Sinatra :: essays research papers fc Before Tim McGraw, Led Zeppelin, and even before Elvis Presley there was Frank Sinatra. The man some say "held the patent for the popular song". During his career Ol' Blue Eyes had cut some 1,800 recordings, gathered nine Grammys, and was considered by many critics to be the preeminent singer of this century (CNN, N.Pag). Durring his long career he became on e of the most successful pop music figures of the century. Sinatra’s sophisticated musicianship was evident in his many recordings. (Columbia Encyclopedia). blah blah blah†¦. Frank Sinatra was born in Hoboken, New Jersey on December 12th 1915. (Encyclopedia Americana) He made it through Junior High school but only lasted forty-seven days in senior high. This could be partly due to his attitude toward school, Frank was quoted saying: "To my crowd, school was very uninteresting, and homework was something we never bothered with. The few times we attended class we, we were rowdy. So it isn’t surprising that a bunch of us were expelled." (Madigon 148) After dropping out of high school, Frank Sinatra got his first big break in the music industry with Major Boes and his "Amateur Hour" in 1935, singing in a group called the Hoboken Four. Four years later in 1939, Frank Sinatra got his first radio play on a station out of New York, WNEW. (enc world bio) After having his first Radio play, Frank Sinatra was ready to go after "the big guys". In 1939 He went after big-band leader Harry James, Taking note of Sinatra's slim build an d huge ego, James remarked, "He considers himself the greatest vocalist in the business. Get that! No one's ever heard of him! He's never had a hit record, and he looks like a wet rag, but he says he's the greatest" (CNN, N.Pag). He then signed with Harry James for $75 a week. After seven months with Harry James, Frank Sinatra joined Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra (Enc world bio). With Tommy Dorsey, Frank’s singing career began to skyrocket, with the Dorsey band he had his first big hits, including "I'll never Smile Again" and "In the Blue of Evening" (Grolier Multimedia, N.Pag). These two songs topped the charts in 1943 (Reader’s Companion). The attention Sinatra was getting for his performances caught the eye of the movie industry, and he appeared in more than sixty films. Durring his â€Å"acting years† Frank Sinatra continued to sing as well, and landed at the top of the music charts.

bill cosby :: essays research papers

Bill Cosby   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bill Cosby was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on July 12, 1937 as William Henry Cosby, Jr. In the 1950’s, Bill Cosby dropped out of high school to join the Navy. He did attend college on a football scholarship at Temple University years later. He also completed his doctorate in education at the University of Massachusetts during the 1970‘s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1965, Bill Cosby married his wife, Camille Hanks. They have celebrated 35 years of marriage, and this year will make 36 years. They had five children: Erika, Erinn, Ens, Evin, and Ennis (who was tragically killed in January of 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today Bill Cosby is one of the richest entertainers in America. His wealth is estimated at about $325 million. Bill Cosby started perform stand-up comedy routines during the 1960s in night clubs. In 1965-1968, Bill Cosby co-stared with Robert Cult in a adventure series called I Spy. He earned 3 Emmy Awards for his performance in I Spy. His success at that time was a true breakthrough for black people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bill Cosby has always provided the world with fresh, clean, family comedy. His comedy albums often received Grammy honors. In the 1980’s, Bill Cosby had the nation’s top-rated TV series, The Cosby Show. The books he has written on the subject 2 the humor in just plain everyday life, starting with the book he entitled, Fatherhood, were successful best-sellers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bill Cosby has a starred in a long list of funny movies. His recent television series, Cosby, has not been very successful. His movie, Leonard Part 6, was a big disappointment, also. Bill Cosby continues to work hard to entertain us with quality humor. He has more successful shows to his credit than disappointments.

Different Types of Markets Essay

What are the conditions for a perfectly competitive market? What are the conditions for a monopolistic market? What are the conditions for a monopolistic competitive market? What are the conditions for an oligopolistic market? How would you explain the differences among these market structures? Identify which market structure your organization competes in and why you think so. Colander (2008) specified that, a flawlessly modest market is a market in which financial services operate unhindered. There are six situations for a perfectly modest market, and they are as follows: both purchasers and vendors are price takers, the amount of businesses is large, there are no fences to entry, firms’ goods are indistinguishable, there is complete evidence, and finally, vending firms are profit-maximizing commercial firms. The situations for a anticompetitive market are as follows: there is only one partnership, which is large in size, this firm has to deliver all of the souk’s stock, there are high walls to entry, there are no close alternates for the good the domination firm produces, anticompetitive market should make up the whole market, the market has to take into explanation that its production result can touch price; its bordering income is not its price, and finally, a monopolist’s bordering revenue should continuously be below its price. The circumstances for a anticompetitive modest market are as follows: the market has several small companies, there are no fences to enter the market, each firm proposals a dissimilar categories of invention to the market, and finally, this market has a normal, downward-sloping demand arc. The situations for an oligopolistic market are as follows: afterward oligopolistic companies have made a choice, they should reflect the response of other companies; there are rare firms in the market, they are equally symbiotic, and finally, they can be collusive or non-collusive.

The Life and Needs of an Elderly

The subject of this study is Evgenia. She is an 86 year-old woman living in one of the Jewish Federation Apartments in New York. She is not a native of America. She came from Ukraine 16 years ago and she also lived in Israel for two years. Evgenia speaks and writes very little English but she is able to communicate whenever she has to.She spent twenty-six happy years of her life with her husband. Unfortunately, he died of stroke at the age of 48. Though she was still young then, she never remarried. After all, her kids were always there for her and her grandkids always kept her occupied. She said that her family was indeed very supportive of her, even up to now.Evgenia has a daughter and a granddaughter who live here in America. She also has a son in Ukraine. She said that her daughter comes to visit her apartment once every week. When she does, she helps her with shopping.At times, her daughter also drives her to dry cleaners and to her doctor’s appointments. She also helps E vgenia find the stuff that she can’t find. Evgenia needs some help at times with organizing her things because she is completely blind.Evgenia became totally blind as a result of her Glaucoma. She was only 36 when she was diagnosed with the condition. To slow down the effects of the condition, she tried various forms of treatment for ten years. However, her condition did not improve.When not one of her treatment plans seemed to work, she decided to undergo a surgery. In 1975, she had an eye surgery in Ukraine but to her dismay, the procedure only made her condition worse. She first lost her vision on the left eye. Overtime, she could no longer see with any of her eyes.When she was 78, Evgenia learned that she has also developed Parkinson’s disease. However, she takes medication for her condition and noted that â€Å"It’s in control†. Evgenia also has Hernia but she explained that the condition hasn’t bothered her yet.Although most people who have E vgenia’s conditions are bed ridden and dependent on aides, this adorable lady isn’t. In fact, Evgenia is very independent. She wants to do things on her own and she doesn’t like it when someone helps her. She walks by herself, makes her bed, and bathes and dresses by herself. She even cooks on her own.Her condition doesn’t hinder her from reading for Evgenia knows brail. She reads a lot and on top of it, she also listens to books and tapes and answers crossword puzzles. She also knits a lot. She knits blankets, gloves, socks, hats, and more.To know where and which colors she will use for her knitting, she keeps her knitting basket in order. She gets by with her daily living tasks because she always keeps her stuff set up in a certain way that she knows where things are and what they are. Evgenia still has a very good memory that she can rely on.Elderly Care Set-upI. The need to move There are a variety of reasons why the elderly has to move away from his family. However, the most common reason is that the relatives are really incapable of caring for their elderly. Sadly, many people see the elderly as a burden. For Evgenia however, the case is quite different.Before she was admitted in the Jewish Federation Apartments, Evgenia lived with her daughter. Her family, as stated previously, was very supportive of her. The problem was that she was not comfortable with the place.Although she liked being around her family, she felt that she needed to be more independent. She noted that her daughter’s house was quite small. She described it as a â€Å"two-storey home with too many steps†, which is not favorable for someone who already had a hip replacement surgery like her.The place also didn’t have a home phone. Since the home was generally not conducive for the life of an elderly, she often hesitated – and even felt afraid – to be alone in the house. What made things worse was that she had no privacy becau se she had to sleep in the same room with her granddaughter.As such, Evgenia then told her family that she wanted to live on her own. Luckily, her daughter said that it was alright for she knew well how independent her mother was.II. Independent living and the patient’s experienceEvgenia has been attending an adult day care, â€Å"Guilt Care†, even before she was living in the Jewish Federation Apartments. She goes to the day care at least five times every week. At the day care, she finds lots of things that she could do. Technically, it serves as a place for socialization and education.There, she knits and lets people read crossword puzzles to her. She also listens to concerts and nurses’ lectures on how the elderly can take care of themselves. She meets with a dietician once a week as well.When she decided to live on her own, she spoke with the social worker from the day care and asked for help. She was then referred to the Jewish Federation Apartments. This r esidence is open to the elderly, aged 62 years old or older.To be a tenant, Evgenia had to complete an application, furnish the requirements, and then have her request stamped and placed on the waiting list. At that time, she didn’t have Medicaid/Medicare and SSI.However, with the help of the social worker, she was able to get the insurance and the SSI qualifications. After a year and a half being on the waiting list, she finally got an apartment of her own.Now, Evgenia has been living in the apartment for a decade. She said that she is very happy there. Living in independent living community has some built-in benefits. The first of which was the fact that there are many seniors with whom Evgenia can socialize with.The second was that the features of the apartments were specifically designed to fit the security, comfort, and safety needs of the elderly. What Evgenia liked more about the Apartments was that it has a huge community room where different kinds of activities are i nitiated – from daily exercises to parties. Evgenia loves to play Bingo on Thursdays.Since the Jewish Federation Apartments is an independent living community, the place does not have a 24/7 medical support service, nor does it provide regular custodial care for the clients. The place is just exactly what Evgenia wants.Since she can take care of herself, she only requires her nurse aid to come only twice a week for four hours plus 15 minutes every morning on weekdays. Her daughter also visits her.III. The care an elderly needsa. Caring for the patient with glaucomaEvgenia’s total blindness was the result of her glaucoma. Treatment against Glaucoma can prevent visual loss, but that only happens if the condition is just at its very early phase. Although Evgenia had undergone treatment, perhaps she only did when her condition was already at an advanced state. Unfortunately, the damage caused by this condition cannot be reversed.In general, people with glaucoma may experie nce depression and anxiety. The loss of vision can render many people helpless and that is why they may need to have a companion always. In the case of Evgenia however, she was able to overcome her impairment.Since she’s smart, she learned brail so she can continue to read. Her sharp memory and her â€Å"orderliness† with her things also compensated for the sense of sight that she lost.While most people who are blind need utmost care and help, Evgenia doesn’t. What she needs is some encouragement which she can gain from meeting and talking to other seniors who also have glaucoma. Apart from that, her relatives and nursing aid can also help her with some household tasks.b. Caring for a patient with Parkinson’s diseaseAlthough Evgenia said that her condition is â€Å"in control†, it must be noted that Parkinson’s disease is chronic and progressive. So this means that it will persist over time and its symptoms will also grow worse. To understan d her case and her health and physical care needs, below is a list of the symptoms that people with Parkinson’s disease can experience (From MayoClinic.com).

Minor setback for a major comeback

All of my family members and friends are counting on me that I will make It that far, all the supporters that eave cheered me on since I could remember. Making my family proud has always been a goal of mines and to make them happy Is my goal. Taking a deep breath, I try to relax as I begin with testing. It felt Like some of the longest hours of my life, and over thinking really affected me hard. Being careful on each question I found myself going pretty quickly, and surprisingly ended faster than I thought.I walked out with heavy confidence that I would pass. Weeks went by and I finally received my test scores. I received a 1270 and wasn't too happy about it, but I was glad that I improved by 50 points since the last time aging the test. I didn't think anything of it until during the beginning of summer my mother told me that I would have to take a summer course for also not doing so well on my placement test. At this point I am feeling stressed out and wondering if will still even b e able to attend college.My head was filled with thoughts that I would be taking some tough courses and struggle with Juggling school and volleyball. I just wanted to succeed in everything that I did. The classes were long and dreadful, and with hopes of having a fun filled summer with no worries at all, there I was taking not only a math class but an English class as well. â€Å"What have I gotten myself into† are the words that replayed in my head each day. My confidence was in the dumps. I had at least two classes each week, rushing from volleyball each time.I could hang out with family or friends but not for long, this truly sucked. It was clear that I didn't belong in there because I did very well. Although, in my math class, we took a test in the end that determined if we were to be placed in either a Math 98 or Math 99 course, and again, I did not pass yet another important test. Feeling even more dressed I eventually found the positive In everything. I told myself tha t I could only move on from there and make things better, that If I wanted to succeed as bad as I wanted to then I would put forth the effort Into doing so.After all of the chaos and hardships It was time to move Into my dorm! The excitement of college was In the air, leaving my house to be on my own gave me a sense of Independence and freedom. My roommates are my team mates which I was very excited about because we could bond and become closer. Meeting so many people from all over the world made me even more anxious for what the year has In tore for me. Double days kicked our butts, waking up at 6 AM to get ready and be to practice thirty minutes early to set up and get our gear on was rough at first.Practicing from 7-10, eating lunch at 1 1 :30, going back to the gym for the last session 1-4 followed by dinner at 5. It was tough to adjust to in the beginning but it slowly made me anxious for our upcoming season. I wanted to work my butt off and show everyone that I could handle it all. Volleyball has been my passion ever since I was 8 years old and I have been waiting for this opportunity nearly all of my life. To play at he collegiate level and compete against teams from all over and ultimately show what I am made of.I cannot get enough of this game! Something that has given me a harder drive is the fact that I am the first in my family to attend college straight out of high school as an athlete. This accomplishment has all of my family supporting and depending on me to do the right things and get through these next four years successfully. As I am sitting in my dorm room I receive a call, and when I look down its my Mom. She starts with asking me how I'm doing and begins to get into news that changes everything.I fall into my chair when she explains how this year I might not be participating on the court, and that a situation has caused me to possibly redstart. Tears fall down my eyes and I am immediately shocked and don't know how to react. My SAT score w as too short of points in my math section and the academic counselors are now realizing it. How stupid I thought, how hard is it to check if everything is all right with my academics, to make sure that I am eligible. I think about how much harder I could've studied, the long nights where my parents would ask me to get my work done.The school days where we had SAT prep and the times where I really focused on passing the SAT. I begin to think about my uncle and how he brought me up into the sport. My family, friends and supporters all were anxious to watch me participate this year and for me to have to think that I have to red shirt now began to cause a lot of tension. This situation has showed me that nothing is ever guaranteed, and the SAT has become my biggest downfall as a student. It has affected me and in the long run I am being held accountable for it. I have nobody else but to blame but myself.On a costive note, I am still allowed to practice with the team but not allowed to t ravel. I will be on the sidelines cheering my team members on and have faith that they will do great things this year. My academics are now a first priority but volleyball is still in the picture. This a blessing in disguise because now I have an opportunity to work on myself and be even more prepared for next year. My scholarship is still going and I am still receiving a free education which I am beyond thankful for. Next year I will be at my best and I will be ready to dominate at the collegiate level.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 12. TIME

â€Å"I HAVE FORESEEN . . . ,† ALICE BEGAN IN AN OMINOUS tone. Edward threw an elbow toward her ribs, which she neatly dodged. â€Å"Fine,† she grumbled. â€Å"Edward is making me do this. But I did foresee that you would be more difficult if I surprised you.† We were walking to the car after school, and I was completely clueless as to what she was talking about. â€Å"In English?† I requested. â€Å"Don't be a baby about this. No tantrums.† â€Å"Now I'm scared.† â€Å"So you're – I mean we're – having a graduation party. It's no big thing. Nothing to freak out over. But I saw that you would freak out if I tried to make it a surprise party† – she danced out of the way as Edward reached over to muss her hair – â€Å"and Edward said I had to tell you. But it's nothing. Promise.† I sighed heavily. â€Å"Is there any point in arguing?† â€Å"None at all.† â€Å"Okay, Alice. I'll be there. And I'll hate every minute of it. Promise.† â€Å"That's the spirit! By the way, I love my gift. You shouldn't have.† â€Å"Alice, I didn't!† â€Å"Oh, I know that. But you will.† I racked my brains in panic, trying to remember what I'd ever decided to get her for graduation that she might have seen. â€Å"Amazing,† Edward muttered. â€Å"How can someone so tiny be so annoying?† Alice laughed. â€Å"It's a talent.† â€Å"Couldn't you have waited a few weeks to tell me about this?† I asked petulantly. â€Å"Now I'll just be stressed that much longer.† Alice frowned at me. â€Å"Bella,† she said slowly. â€Å"Do you know what day it is?† â€Å"Monday?† She rolled her eyes. â€Å"Yes. It is Monday . . . the fourth.† She grabbed my elbow, spun me halfway around, and pointed toward a big yellow poster taped to the gym door. There, in sharp black letters, was the date of graduation. Exactly one week from today. â€Å"It's the fourth? Of June? Are you sure?† Neither one answered. Alice just shook her head sadly, feigning disappointment, and Edward's eyebrows lifted. â€Å"It can't be! How did that happen?† I tried to count backwards in my head, but I couldn't figure out where the days had gone. I felt like someone had kicked my legs out from under me. The weeks of stress, of worry . . . somehow in the middle of all my obsessing over the time, my time had disappeared. My space for sorting through it all, for making plans, had vanished. I was out of time. And I wasn't ready. I didn't know how to do this. How to say goodbye to Charlie and Rene . . . to Jacob . . . to being human. I knew exactly what I wanted, but I was suddenly terrified of getting it. In theory, I was anxious, even eager to trade mortality for immortality. After all, it was the key to staying with Edward forever. And then there was the fact that I was being hunted by known and unknown parties. I'd rather not sit around, helpless and delicious, waiting for one of them to catch up with me. In theory, that all made sense. In practice . . . being human was all I knew. The future beyond that was a big, dark abyss that I couldn't know until I leaped into it. This simple knowledge, today's date – which was so obvious that I must have been subconsciously repressing it – made the deadline I'd been impatiently counting down toward feel like a date with the firing squad. In a vague way, I was aware of Edward holding the car door for me, of Alice chattering from the backseat, of the rain hammering against the windshield. Edward seemed to realize I was only there in body; he didn't try to pull me out of my abstraction. Or maybe he did, and I was past noticing. We ended up at my house, where Edward led me to the sofa and pulled me down next to him. I stared out the window, into the liquid gray haze, and tried to find where my resolve had gone. Why was I panicking now? I'd known the deadline was coming. Why should it frighten me that it was here? I don't know how long he let me stare out the window in silence. But the rain was disappearing into darkness when it was finally too much for him. He put his cold hands on either side of my face and fixed his golden eyes on mine. â€Å"Would you please tell me what you are thinking? Before I go mad?† What could I say to him? That I was a coward? I searched for words. â€Å"Your lips are white. Talk, Bella.† I exhaled in a big gust. How long had I been holding my breath? â€Å"The date took me off guard,† I whispered. â€Å"That's all.† He waited, his face full of worry and skepticism. I tried to explain. â€Å"I'm not sure what to do . . . what to tell Charlie . . . what to say . . . how to . . .† My voice trailed off. â€Å"This isn't about the party?† I frowned. â€Å"No. But thanks for reminding me.† The rain was louder as he read my face. â€Å"You're not ready,† he whispered. â€Å"I am,† I lied immediately, a reflex reaction. I could tell he saw through it, so I took a deep breath, and told the truth. â€Å"I have to be.† â€Å"You don't have to be anything.† I could feel the panic surfacing in my eyes as I mouthed the reasons. â€Å"Victoria, Jane, Caius, whoever was in my room . . . !† â€Å"All the more reason to wait.† â€Å"That doesn't make any sense, Edward!† He pressed his hands more tightly to my face and spoke with slow deliberation. â€Å"Bella. Not one of us had a choice. You've seen what it's done . . . to Rosalie especially. We've all struggled, trying to reconcile ourselves with something we had no control over. I won't let it be that way for you. You will have a choice.† â€Å"I've already made my choice.† â€Å"You aren't going through with this because a sword is hanging over your head. We will take care of the problems, and I will take care of you,† he vowed. â€Å"When we're through it, and there is nothing forcing your hand, then you can decide to join me, if you still want to. But not because you're afraid. You won't be forced into this.† â€Å"Carlisle promised,† I mumbled, contrary out of habit. â€Å"After graduation.† â€Å"Not until you're ready,† he said in a sure voice. â€Å"And definitely not while you feel threatened.† I didn't answer. I didn't have it in me to argue; I couldn't seem to find my commitment at the moment. â€Å"There.† He kissed my forehead. â€Å"Nothing to worry about.† I laughed a shaky laugh. â€Å"Nothing but impending doom.† â€Å"Trust me.† â€Å"I do.† He was still watching my face, waiting for me to relax. â€Å"Can I ask you something?† I said. â€Å"Anything.† I hesitated, biting my lip, and then asked a different question than the one I was worried about. â€Å"What am I getting Alice for graduation?† He snickered. â€Å"It looked like you were getting us both concert tickets -â€Å" â€Å"That's right!† I was so relieved, I almost smiled. â€Å"The concert in Tacoma. I saw an ad in the paper last week, and I thought it would be something you'd like, since you said it was a good CD.† â€Å"It's a great idea. Thank you.† â€Å"I hope it's not sold out.† â€Å"It's the thought that counts. I ought to know.† I sighed. â€Å"There's something else you meant to ask,† he said. I frowned. â€Å"You're good.† â€Å"I have lots of practice reading your face. Ask me.† I closed my eyes and leaned into him, hiding my face against his chest. â€Å"You don't want me to be a vampire.† â€Å"No, I don't,† he said softly, and then he waited for more. â€Å"That's not a question,† he prompted after a moment. â€Å"Well . . . I was worrying about . . . why you feel that way.† â€Å"Worrying?† He picked out the word with surprise. â€Å"Would you tell me why? The whole truth, not sparing my feelings?† He hesitated for a minute. â€Å"If I answer your question, will you then explain your question?† I nodded, my face still hidden. He took a deep breath before he answered. â€Å"You could do so much better, Bella. I know that you believe I have a soul, but I'm not entirely convinced on that point, and to risk yours . . .† He shook his head slowly. â€Å"For me to allow this – to let you become what I am just so that I'll never have to lose you – is the most selfish act I can imagine. I want it more than anything, for myself. But for you, I want so much more. Giving in – it feels criminal. It's the most selfish thing I'll ever do, even if I live forever. â€Å"If there were any way for me to become human for you – no matter what the price was, I would pay it.† I sat very still, absorbing this. Edward thought he was being selfish. I felt the smile slowly spread across my face. â€Å"So . . . it's not that you're afraid you won't . . . like me as much when I'm different – when I'm not soft and warm and I don't smell the same? You really do want to keep me, no matter how I turn out?† He exhaled sharply. â€Å"You were worried I wouldn't like you?† he demanded. Then, before I could answer, he was laughing. â€Å"Bella, for a fairly intuitive person, you can be so obtuse!† I knew he would think it silly, but I was relieved. If he really wanted me, I could get through the rest . . . somehow. Selfish suddenly seemed like a beautiful word. â€Å"I don't think you realize how much easier it will be for me, Bella,† he said, the echo of his humor still there in his voice, â€Å"when I don't have to concentrate all the time on not killing you. Certainly, there are things I'll miss. This for one . . .† He stared into my eyes as he stroked my cheek, and I felt the blood rush up to color my skin. He laughed gently. â€Å"And the sound of your heart,† he continued, more serious but still smiling a little. â€Å"It's the most significant sound in my world. I'm so attuned to it now, I swear I could pick it out from miles away. But neither of these things matter. This,† he said, taking my face in his hands. â€Å"You. That's what I'm keeping. You'll always be my Bella, you'll just be a little more durable.† I sighed and let my eyes close in contentment, resting there in his hands. â€Å"Now will you answer a question for me? The whole truth, not sparing my feelings?† he asked. â€Å"Of course,† I answered at once, my eyes opening wide with surprise. What would he want to know? He spoke the words slowly. â€Å"You don't want to be my wife.† My heart stopped, and then broke into a sprint. A cold sweat dewed on the back of my neck and my hands turned to ice. He waited, watching and listening to my reaction. â€Å"That's not a question,† I finally whispered. He looked down, his lashes casting long shadows across his cheekbones, and dropped his hands from my face to pick up my frozen left hand. He played with my fingers while he spoke. â€Å"I was worrying about why you felt that way.† I tried to swallow. â€Å"That's not a question, either,† I whispered. â€Å"Please, Bella?† â€Å"The truth?† I asked, only mouthing the words. â€Å"Of course. I can take it, whatever it is.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"You're going to laugh at me.† His eyes flashed up to mine, shocked. â€Å"Laugh? I cannot imagine that.† â€Å"You'll see,† I muttered, and then I sighed. My face went from white to scarlet in a sudden blaze of chagrin. â€Å"Okay, fine! I'm sure this will sound like some big joke to you, but really! It's just so . . . so . . . so embarrassing!† I confessed, and I hid my face against his chest again. There was a brief pause. â€Å"I'm not following you.† I tilted my head back and glared at him, embarrassment making me lash out, belligerent. â€Å"I'm not that girl, Edward. The one who gets married right out of high school like some small-town hick who got knocked up by her boyfriend! Do you know what people would think? Do you realize what century this is? People don't just get married at eighteen! Not smart people, not responsible, mature people! I wasn't going to be that girl! That's not who I am. . . .† I trailed off, losing steam. Edward's face was impossible to read as he thought through my answer. â€Å"That's all?† he finally asked. I blinked. â€Å"Isn't that enough?† â€Å"It's not that you were . . . more eager for immortality itself than for just me?† And then, though I'd predicted that he would laugh, I was suddenly the one having hysterics. â€Å"Edward!† I gasped out between the paroxysms of giggles. â€Å"And here . . . I always . . . thought that . . . you were . . . so much . . . smarter than me!† He took me in his arms, and I could feel that he was laughing with me. â€Å"Edward,† I said, managing to speak more clearly with a little effort, â€Å"there's no point to forever without you. I wouldn't want one day without you.† â€Å"Well, that's a relief,† he said. â€Å"Still . . . it doesn't change anything.† â€Å"It's nice to understand, though. And I do understand your perspective, Bella, truly I do. But I'd like it very much if you'd try to consider mine.† I'd sobered up by then, so I nodded and struggled to keep the frown off my face. His liquid gold eyes turned hypnotic as they held mine. â€Å"You see, Bella, I was always that boy. In my world, I was already a man. I wasn't looking for love – no, I was far too eager to be a soldier for that; I thought of nothing but the idealized glory of the war that they were selling prospective draftees then – but if I had found . . .† He paused, cocking his head to the side. â€Å"I was going to say if I had found someone, but that won't do. If I had found you, there isn't a doubt in my mind how I would have proceeded. I was that boy, who would have – as soon as I discovered that you were what I was looking for – gotten down on one knee and endeavored to secure your hand. I would have wanted you for eternity, even when the word didn't have quite the same connotations.† He smiled his crooked smile at me. I stared at him with my eyes frozen wide. â€Å"Breathe, Bella,† he reminded me, smiling. I breathed. â€Å"Can you see my side, Bella, even a little bit?† And for one second, I could. I saw myself in a long skirt and a high-necked lace blouse with my hair piled up on my head. I saw Edward looking dashing in a light suit with a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand, sitting beside me on a porch swing. I shook my head and swallowed. I was just having Anne of Green Gables flashbacks. â€Å"The thing is, Edward,† I said in a shaky voice, avoiding the question, â€Å"in my mind, marriage and eternity are not mutually exclusive or mutually inclusive concepts. And since we're living in my world for the moment, maybe we should go with the times, if you know what I mean.† â€Å"But on the other hand,† he countered, â€Å"you will soon be leaving time behind you altogether. So why should the transitory customs of one local culture affect the decision so much?† I pursed my lips. â€Å"When in Rome?† He laughed at me. â€Å"You don't have to say yes or no today, Bella. It's good to understand both sides, though, don't you think?† â€Å"So your condition . . . ?† â€Å"Is still in effect. I do see your point, Bella, but if you want me to change you myself. . . .† â€Å"Dum, dum, dah-dum,† I hummed under my breath. I was going for the wedding march, but it sort of sounded like a dirge. Time continued to move too fast. That night flew by dreamlessly, and then it was morning and graduation was staring me in the face. I had a pile of studying to do for my finals that I knew I wouldn't get halfway through in the few days I had left. When I came down for breakfast, Charlie was already gone. He'd left the paper on the table, and that reminded me that I had some shopping to do. I hoped the ad for the concert was still running; I needed the phone number to get the stupid tickets. It didn't seem like much of a gift now that all the surprise was gone. Of course, trying to surprise Alice wasn't the brightest plan to begin with. I meant to flip right back to the entertainment section, but the thick black headline caught my attention. I felt a thrill of fear as I leaned closer to read the front-page story. SEATTLE TERRORIZED BY SLAYINGS It's been less than a decade since the city of Seattle was the hunting ground for the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history. Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, was convicted of the murders of 48 women. And now a beleaguered Seattle must face the possibility that it could be harboring an even more horrifying monster at this very moment. The police are not calling the recent rash of homicides and disappearances the work of a serial killer. Not yet, at least. They are reluctant to believe so much carnage could be the work of one individual. This killer – if, in fact, it is one person – would then be responsible for 39 linked homicides and disappearances within the last three months alone. In comparison, Ridgway's 48- count murder spree was scattered over a 21-year period. If these deaths can be linked to one man, then this is the most violent rampage of serial murder in American history. The police are leaning instead toward the theory that gang activity is involved. This theory is supported by the sheer number of victims, and by the fact that there seems to be no pattern in the choice of victims. From Jack the Ripper to Ted Bundy, the targets of serial killings are usually connected by similarities in age, gender, race, or a combination of the three. The victims of this crime wave range in age from 15-year-old honor student Amanda Reed, to 67-year-old retired postman Omar Jenks. The linked deaths include a nearly even 18 women and 21 men. The victims are racially diverse: Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics and Asians. The selection appears random. The motive seems to be killing for no other reason than to kill. So why even consider the idea of a serial killer? There are enough similarities in the modus operandi to rule out unrelated crimes. Every victim discovered has been burned to the extent that dental records were necessary for identification. The use of some kind of accelerant, like gasoline or alcohol, seems to be indicated in the conflagrations; however, no traces of any accelerant have yet been found. All of the bodies have been carelessly dumped with no attempt at concealment. More gruesome yet, most of the remains show evidence of brutal violence – bones crushed and snapped by some kind of tremendous pressure – which medical examiners believe occurred before the time of death, though these conclusions are difficult to be sure of, considering the state of the evidence. Another similarity that points to the possibility of a serial: every crime is perfectly clean of evidence, aside from the remains themselves. Not a fingerprint, not a tire tread mark nor a foreign hair is left behind. There have been no sightings of any suspect in the disappearances. Then there are the disappearances themselves – hardly low profile by any means. None of the victims are what could be viewed as easy targets. None are runaways or the homeless, who vanish so easily and are seldom reported missing. Victims have vanished from their homes, from a fourth- story apartment, from a health club, from a wedding reception. Perhaps the most astounding: 30- year-old amateur boxer Robert Walsh entered a movie theater with a date; a few minutes into the movie, the woman realized that he was not in his seat. His body was found only three hours later when fire fighters were called to the scene of a burning trash Dumpster, twenty miles away. Another pattern is present in the slayings: all of the victims disappeared at night. And the most alarming pattern? Acceleration. Six of the homicides were committed in the first month, 11 in the second. Twenty-two have occurred in the last 10 days alone. And the police are no closer to finding the responsible party than they were after the first charred body was discovered. The evidence is conflicting, the pieces horrifying. A vicious new gang or a wildly active serial killer? Or something else the police haven't yet conceived of? Only one conclusion is indisputable: something hideous is stalking Seattle. It took me three tries to read the last sentence, and I realized the problem was my shaking hands. â€Å"Bella?† Focused as I was, Edward's voice, though quiet and not totally unexpected, made me gasp and whirl. He was leaning in the doorway, his eyebrows pulled together. Then he was suddenly at my side, taking my hand. â€Å"Did I startle you? I'm sorry. I did knock. . . .† â€Å"No, no,† I said quickly. â€Å"Have you seen this?† I pointed to the paper. A frown creased his forehead. â€Å"I hadn't seen today's news yet. But I knew it was getting worse. We're going to have to do something . . . quickly.† I didn't like that. I hated any of them taking chances, and whatever or whoever was in Seattle was truly beginning to frighten me. But the idea of the Volturi coming was just as scary. â€Å"What does Alice say?† â€Å"That's the problem.† His frown hardened. â€Å"She can't see anything . . . though we've made up our minds half a dozen times to check it out. She's starting to lose confidence. She feels like she's missing too much these days, that something's wrong. That maybe her vision is slipping away.† My eyes were wide. â€Å"Can that happen?† â€Å"Who knows? No one's ever done a study . . . but I really doubt it. These things tend to intensify over time. Look at Aro and Jane.† â€Å"Then what's wrong?† â€Å"Self-fulfilling prophecy, I think. We keep waiting for Alice to see something so we can go . . . and she doesn't see anything because we won't really go until she does. So she can't see us there. Maybe we'll have to do it blind.† I shuddered. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Did you have a strong desire to attend class today? We're only a couple of days from finals; they won't be giving us anything new.† â€Å"I think I can live without school for a day. What are we doing?† â€Å"I want to talk to Jasper.† Jasper, again. It was strange. In the Cullen family, Jasper was always a little on the fringe, part of things but never the center of them. It was my unspoken assumption that he was only there for Alice. I had the sense that he would follow Alice anywhere, but that this lifestyle was not his first choice. The fact that he was less committed to it than the others was probably why he had more difficulty keeping it up. At any rate, I'd never seen Edward feel dependent on Jasper. I wondered again what he'd meant about Jasper's expertise. I really didn't know much about Jasper's history, just that he had come from somewhere in the south before Alice found him. For some reason, Edward had always shied away from any questions about his newest brother. And I'd always been too intimidated by the tall, blond vampire who looked like a brooding movie star to ask him outright. When we got to the house, we found Carlisle, Esme, and Jasper watching the news intently, though the sound was so low that it was unintelligible to me. Alice was perched on the bottom step of the grand staircase, her face in her hands and her expression discouraged. As we walked in, Emmett ambled through the kitchen door, seeming perfectly at ease. Nothing ever bothered Emmett. â€Å"Hey, Edward. Ditching, Bella?† He grinned at me. â€Å"We both are,† Edward reminded him. Emmett laughed. â€Å"Yes, but it's her first time through high school. She might miss something.† Edward rolled his eyes, but otherwise ignored his favorite brother. He tossed the paper to Carlisle. â€Å"Did you see that they're considering a serial killer now?† he asked. Carlisle sighed. â€Å"They've had two specialists debating that possibility on CNN all morning.† â€Å"We can't let this go on.† â€Å"Let's go now,† Emmett said with sudden enthusiasm. â€Å"I'm dead bored.† A hiss echoed down the stairway from upstairs. â€Å"She's such a pessimist,† Emmett muttered to himself. Edward agreed with Emmett. â€Å"We'll have to go sometime.† Rosalie appeared at the top of the stairs and descended slowly. Her face was smooth, expressionless. Carlisle was shaking his head. â€Å"I'm concerned. We've never involved ourselves in this kind of thing before. It's not our business. We aren't the Volturi.† â€Å"I don't want the Volturi to have to come here,† Edward said. â€Å"It gives us so much less reaction time.† â€Å"And all those innocent humans in Seattle,† Esme murmured. â€Å"It's not right to let them die this way.† â€Å"I know,† Carlisle sighed. â€Å"Oh,† Edward said sharply, turning his head slightly to look at Jasper. â€Å"I didn't think of that. I see. You're right, that has to be it. Well, that changes everything.† I wasn't the only one who stared at him in confusion, but I might have been the only one who didn't look slightly annoyed. â€Å"I think you'd better explain to the others,† Edward said to Jasper. â€Å"What could be the purpose of this?† Edward started to pace, staring at the floor, lost in thought. I hadn't seen her get up, but Alice was there beside me. â€Å"What is he rambling about?† she asked Jasper. â€Å"What are you thinking?† Jasper didn't seem to enjoy the spotlight. He hesitated, reading every face in the circle – for everyone had moved in to hear what he would say – and then his eyes paused on my face. â€Å"You're confused,† he said to me, his deep voice very quiet. There was no question in his assumption. Jasper knew what I was feeling, what everyone was feeling. â€Å"We're all confused,† Emmett grumbled. â€Å"You can afford the time to be patient,† Jasper told him. â€Å"Bella should understand this, too. She's one of us now.† His words took me by surprise. As little as I'd had to do with Jasper, especially since my last birthday when he'd tried to kill me, I hadn't realize that he thought of me that way. â€Å"How much do you know about me, Bella?† Jasper asked. Emmett sighed theatrically, and plopped down on the couch to wait with exaggerated impatience. â€Å"Not much,† I admitted. Jasper stared at Edward, who looked up to meet his gaze. â€Å"No,† Edward answered his thought. â€Å"I'm sure you can understand why I haven't told her that story. But I suppose she needs to hear it now.† Jasper nodded thoughtfully, and then started to roll up the arm of his ivory sweater. I watched, curious and confused, trying to figure out what he was doing. He held his wrist under the edge of the lampshade beside him, close to the light of the naked bulb, and traced his finger across a raised crescent mark on the pale skin. It took me a minute to understand why the shape looked strangely familiar. â€Å"Oh,† I breathed as realization hit. â€Å"Jasper, you have a scar exactly like mine.† I held out my hand, the silvery crescent more prominent against my cream skin than against his alabaster. Jasper smiled faintly. â€Å"I have a lot of scars like yours, Bella.† Jasper's face was unreadable as he pushed the sleeve of his thin sweater higher up his arm. At first my eyes could not make sense of the texture that was layered thickly across the skin. Curved half-moons crisscrossed in a feathery pattern that was only visible, white on white as it was, because the bright glow of the lamp beside him threw the slightly raised design into relief, with shallow shadows outlining the shapes. And then I grasped that the pattern was made of individual crescents like the one on his wrist . . . the one on my hand. I looked back at my own small, solitary scar – and remembered how I'd received it. I stared at the shape of James's teeth, embossed forever on my skin. And then I gasped, staring up at him. â€Å"Jasper, what happened to you?†

Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans - Research Paper Example Hurricanes basically originate due to the temperature difference between the land and the sea. The peak time of these tropical cyclones is during the September season. The month of May is usually inactive with regard to the tropical cyclones because the temperature difference is the least. The cyclones formed in the Atlantic Ocean in the end of the summer season are referred to as tropical cyclones because they usually originate from tropical locations and one more fact that makes them different from normal cyclones is that their cores or center of the large spiral is warmer as compared to any other part of the spiral at any point of height. The spiral of the cyclone comprises of thunderstorm clouds that are ready to burst out and hence when they move they produce high and strong winds and heavy rainfalls. A special characteristic of tropical cyclones is that they have extremely low atmospheric pressures. Some of the pressures of tropical cyclones are the least that have been recorde d above the seas. Several factors have been found out as the reason for the origination of tropical cyclones but still not all the responsible factors have been discovered and tropical cyclones are a common topic of research and study (Reider, & Connecticut, 1999). The year 2005 was a devastating year with respect to the hurricanes and tropical cyclones that it brought with itself. Each year almost around 10 tropical cyclones originate and around half of them turn into hurricanes and a half of that lie in the severe category but the Atlantic hurricane season of the year 2005 was an extremely active season in which almost 27 tropical cyclones originated and around 17 of them turned into hurricanes and there were 7 hurricanes that fell into the severe category that is of category 3 or above. Among these severe hurricanes one was named Katrina and this was the deadliest hurricane as compared to other hurricanes. Hurricane Katrina has been placed in the category five if the hurricanes

Communication for Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication for Management - Assignment Example First of all, I would allow all my team members to express their individual views regarding a particular topic. Each of the member’s view would be properly listened. Contribution of each of them would be given enough importance. It is crucial to note that differences among group member’s beliefs, values and attitudes are the main source of conflict (Team Building Directory, n.d.). Hence, it is very important to apply this above mentioned strategy. The main objective of doing these would be to make the members feel that their involvements are very much significant in the way of achieving the group’s main target. Secondly, team members would be made involved in the decision making processes. This is likely to make sure that the decisions are not in favor of any particular individual rather they are taken for the overall betterment of the group and its performance. Communication is a crucial aspect which greatly impacts the aspects like ‘conflict’. As a manager of the team I would make sure that all the channels through which communication among the team members including me takes place are working properly. In simple words, there should not be any communication gap between me and my group

Macro-environment challenges of Tesco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Macro-environment challenges of Tesco - Essay Example Tesco launched the different programs to ensure customer satisfaction, and loyalty. During 2006/07, Tesco: launched their Fruit and Veg Pledge - they offered at least five fresh fruit and vegetable products at half price every week during the whole of the year; extended their range ofwhole foods to include an even wider choice of pulses, beans, dried fruit and nuts, breads, oils, cereal bars, breakfast cereals and cooking oils; posted nutritional signpost labelson 6,600 of their own-brand products, making it easier for customers to understand, and ispractical to use; made organic products more affordable, selling them alongside the standard ranges, on the same shelves, instead of in a separate section; increased a range of Value non-food products to make setting up home cheaper; halved the price of energy-efficient light bulbs making them even more cost-effective than traditional light bulbs over their life-span; offered a range of Healthy Living non-food fitness equipment such as skipping ropes, pedometers, exercise bikes and rowing machines to make keeping fit more affordable. Some of the details employed by Tesco on the aspect of effective communication with the customers: Tesco listens to people - It is the largest private sector employer in the UK with over 260,000 staff. The people make Tesco a success and their feedback is very valuable. Tesco listens to suppliers - it takes a partnership approach and believes that open and constructive relationships with suppliers are key to a strong and sustainable supply chain. Tesco listens to communities - Tesco aims to improve the way they consult local communities before building new stores so that they can be sure that they have understood local issues and concerns. (Tesco website) Scenario planning Tesco's... Tesco’s share data sometime showed that there was a sharp increase in the sales of flowers and wine for one week at the start of the summer.   An analysis of their Clubcard data showed that the majority of customers buying these items were families with school age children.   Parents were buying these products for their children to take to school and give to their teacher at the end of term.   With this conclusion, Tesco people were able to ensure that there was a plentiful supply of flowers and wine in their stores at the end of the school term.   Using external research, they found an opportunity to improve the range.   The research told them of a rapidly growing need for Polish & Eastern European products and their growing number of excellent Polish staff helped confirm their beliefs.   As a result of this, they appointed one of their Polish executives who began by listening to customers and held their first ever Polish ‘Customer Question Time’ (in the Polish language) to find out which kinds of products their customers would like to buy.   After talking to Polish customers, they finalized their product selection then sourced the products from a new supplier.Tesco has implemented the in-store TV network in its stores, which is known as the TESCO TV.   Various programs are shown like news and entertainment, as well as promotional information on both Tesco’s own products and suppliers’ branded products.   The suppliers pay to promote their products on TESCO TV as with any advertising medium.  

Effect of trampling on length of Cranesbill leaves Coursework

Effect of trampling on length of Cranesbill leaves - Coursework Example We make the assumption, for instance, that for a given distance along the transect, the soil and other relevant conditions are similar. Moreover, we can take it that if the data is any good, then standard deviations along any point of data collection along the transect (one meter intervals) should be small. This is to be expected too, given that for every measurement point along the transect there is only one reading for the soil compaction level, and several readings for the leaf length. Therefore, if soil compaction is correlated with the leaf length, then one can assume that the variations in length sizes along any measurement point in the transect should be small, or at least not significant enough to cause worry and doubt as to the validity of the data and of the alternative hypothesis being accepted (Statistics Canada 2011). Indeed, looking at the range of the standard deviation along the different measurement points in the transect, one sees that there is somewhat of a variati on along the measurement points, by a factor of 3 in some measurement points compared to others. There are several ways to interpret this. On the one hand, looking at the standard deviation figures, within the measurement points it is not conclusive that the standard deviation magnitudes are enough to cause worry as to the data validity. On the other hand, one can also investigate that maybe the wide variances in the sample data of leaf lengths within the measurement points may have something to do with the standard deviation being large or small. For example, looking at measurement point 8, or the measurement of leaf lengths at the point of eight meters from the start of the transect, one sees that the standard deviation is unusually large, in fact larger than any other standard deviation figure for the rest of the measurement points. Examining the data for this measurement point, one sees that compared to the other measurement points, there is a wider variation of measurement data for leaf lengths (1.5; 2.8; 2.8; 2.7; 2.3; 2.5). Looking at the measurements of leaf lengths at point 0, where the transect begins, one sees that the variation in measurements is somewhat smaller, or to put it another way, the leaf lengths are closer to each other, or varies less in comparison to measurement point 8 (1, 0.8; 0.8; 0.7; 0.7). This is borne out by the computed standard deviation for this measurement point, which is about a factor of three smaller than the standard deviation for point 8. The point is that within the measurement points, the standard deviation for the measurements vary in magnitude, and in some measurement points quite larger in comparison to the other measurement points. Judging by the standard deviation alone therefore, one comes to suspect whether the correlation between soil compaction and leaf length exists, and if the established correlation is valid. Of this, more will be said with regard to the inherent limitation of the study (Statistics Canada 2011; Wolfram Research 2012) Looking at ambient data, or data that is related to soil quality or pH, soil temperature, and the amount or intensity of the light present, this paper makes the assumption that more study needs to be done to either factor in or discount each of these variables as being correlated or associated with leaf length.

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 16

Essay Example Every year organizations adopt various strategies, launch different products and services, run recruitment process and pursue various other activities. All these activities are basically either or indirectly directed to one goal which is making profit. These activities are very usual in business environment. However, the interesting fact is that there are several unusual activities which are pursued by the organizations in order to make profit. In simple language profit is nothing but the excess of revenue after deducting the total expenses from it. Profit of an organization depends on various internal and external environmental factors. If current world business environment is concerned, organizations from all over the world have seen how difficult it could be to make profit in adverse situations like financial meltdown. The global financial turmoil that started from mid 2008 and still continuing has been proved to be the most difficult period for most of the organizations in the world especially in the developed countries. Many of the global companies which are operating for several years have struggled to make profit and most of them have failed to make profit in this period. The main reason behind this is the sudden fall in demand of almost all the goods and services as the financial condition of the people around the world was badly affected. As a consequence of lowering of overall demand organizations’ revenue has fallen drastically and hence they struggled to make profit. In order to overcome this situation and get the organization back to profit making track managements have performed several activities. They came up with new pricing strategies; they reduced the workforce of the organization, they even sold one or two of their units. What is important to notice is that organizations were involved in several activities which they usually do not perform and

Business Plan Master Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Plan Master - Assignment Example The reason for having chosen Ireland is that in Ireland many hardware and software manufacturers are located and Ireland is considered somehow the European "Silicon Valley". Profits4U's primary targets are large hardware and software corporations such as HP, IBM & Microsoft. The next target will be the medium-sized companies in multimedia and software, areas that have great development potential. Profits4U's goal is to be positioned as a trustful sales & marketing company. Profits4U's competition is mostly the sale and marketing in - house departments. An indirect competitor could be some management consulting firms such as Arthur Andersen etc. but as mentioned these companies are indirect competitors since they are generalists and they do not implement niche marketing. In addition, due to their sheer size, in many cases their projects are executed by junior consultants and not by their senior personnel. Profits4U in terms of price will be positioned as a brand name company meaning that its prices will be quite high. The high prices can be justified due to Profits4U expertise in sales & marketing and more specifically in sales & marketing of software and hardware product. Mrs. Clara Bauer and the rest of the management team are former executives of high tech companies specialized in sales and marketing. The management is consisted of 3 partners aiming to reach 5 partners. AccoAccording to the company's estimations the profits will reach the $65,000 by the third year 3 with a net profit margin of 6%. Profits4U plans to ask for bank loan of $130,000 t and ask for an additional one of $50,000 in order to invest it in long-term assets by 2010. There is no anticipation of cash flow problems. 1.1 Mission To provide hardware and software manufacturers a first class solution to business development on a national and international level. The competitive advantage of Profits4U is its expertise, confidentiality, professionalism and contacts. Profits4U can be combined with the internal sales and marketing people and at the same time be a cheaper way to develop new markets. It can be a real alternative to internal resources and it offers senior practical experience, know-how, contacts, and confidentiality. The customers should know that working with Profits4U is an efficient, economical and more professional way to develop new business rather than working solely with internal staff. The focus will be business development in the European and Latin American markets. 1.2 Keys to Success 1. Excellence in sales and marketing. 2. Generate new sales leads. 3. Provide apart from sales expertise market research and project consulting. 1.3 Objectives 1. The sales turnover should be $550,000 in 2009 and $1 million in 2011. 2. The desired gross profit margin will be higher than 70%. 3. The desired net income will be more than 5% of sales by 2011. 2.0 Start-up Summary The initial expenses (among them legal costs, logo design, stationery and related expenses are included) are estimated to reach $18,350. The short term assets (office,furniture etc.) are estimated to reach $32,000 and have as start up cash the amount of $25,000 . The details are included in the following table. Start-up 3.0 Services 3.1 Competitive Comparison The competition comes in several forms: 1. In - house sales and marketing personel. The competitive advantage of Profits4U is that the managers of the internal departments do not