The Legacy Of The Jim Crow Era - 1917 Words

Phil Robertson the patriarch of Duck Dynasty has little to no knowledge about the events that happen in the Jim Crow era. To see how wrong he is lets take a look at the Jim Crow era. First Jim Crow was the name of the racial class method which operated mainly, but not purely in the south, between eighteen seventy-seven and the nineteen sixty. Jim Crow was more than a series of severe anti black laws. It was a way of life to african americans. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were relegated to the status of second class citizens. Jim Crow represented the legitimization of anti-black racism. Many Christian ministers and theologians taught that caucasian were the Chosen people, african americans were cursed to be servants, and God†¦show more content†¦Sexual relations between african americans and caucasian would produce a bastard race which would destroy The United States, treating african americans as equals would encourage interracial sexual unions, any activity which sugge sted social equality encouraged interracial sexual relations; if necessary, violence must be used to keep african americans at the bottom of the racial hierarchy. Black people where not treated as equal and this continued because the Jim Crow etiquette operated in conjunction with Jim Crow laws . People like Phil Robertson did not see that the Jim Crow laws where mainly there to excluded african americans from public transport and amenities, juries, jobs and school districts . When they passed the 13, 14, and 15th Amendments, the Constitution had granted african americans the same legal protections as caucasian. However, after eighteen seventy-seven, and the election of Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, southern and border states began restricting the liberties of african americans. Unfortunately for african americans, the Supreme Court helped undermine the Constitutional protections of african americans with the infamous Plessy v Ferguson case, which legitimized Jim Crow laws and the Jim Crow way of life.

The Benefits of Juvenile Sentencing to Service Essay

Sentencing to Service (STS) is a sentencing option available to most Courts where a convicted offender works off† his/her fine by performing a specified number of hours of public service work under the supervision of a work crew leader employed by the state or a local corrections agency. Courts may also sentence offenders to STS rather than jail or workhouse time. STS was established in 1986 by the Minnesota Department of Corrections along with several County Sheriff’s Departments, community corrections, Courts and local governments. This program was designed to both free up bed space in a correctional facility as well as provide the Courts of juvenile and adult offenders a means of providing supervised community service.†¦show more content†¦Fiscal year 2007 data on programs receiving state funds indicates that more than 18,000 offenders participated in STS, working almost 976,000 hours. To be eligible for the STS program juvenile offenders can not be convicted of a violent crime, criminal sexual conduct, or gang related crimes. The offender must be at least 14 years of age. The juvenile must not have a history of violence; the court may also look at school records in determining this sentencing option. The Courts must also believe the juvenile will follow through with the program by coming when they are told and being on time. Sentenced offenders are closely supervised by a crew leader while performing various tasks. Projects may include cleaning ditches, maintaining parks, river clean up, trail development, recycling, flood control, storm damage clean up, assisting elderly citizens, and working for many non-profit organizations. Because of budget restraints many of our parks throughout the State today are maintained either solely or in part by active STS crews. STS workers are not paid but rather are compensated with like wages that are applied to fines and/or court costs. Each offender is compensated at the rate of minimum state wage for all hours preformed. Offenders may not financially profit from this program and receive no actual pay. This also offers the offender the option of working off detention time. If offenders were to actually be paid even $6/hour the estimated dollarShow MoreRelatedPunishment Philosophies1704 Words   |  7 Pageswhich justice is applied are determined largely by proposed punishment philosophies. These express various concerns and arguments regarding appropriate sentencing and treatment. The philosophy of rehabilitation dominates the proceedings of juvenile courts, and is heavily scrutinized at an adult level, or when the criminal behavior of juveniles continues to accelerate, but when successful is most beneficial for society. The appeals process advances the fair practice of law, helps ensure the rig htsRead MoreJuvenile Violent Crime And Juvenile Crime Rates1720 Words   |  7 Pagesthey committed. Punishments even included death if the juvenile was deemed to be past the point of help. Later on courts were geared more towards rehabilitation than punishment. Reform movements came along and parents could send their children off to reformatories to live and work as part of their rehabilitation. Due to poor living and working conditions many of these places were closed down. Soon after the Progressive Era, the first juvenile court system was opened in Illinois. The main focus ofRead MoreJuvenile Justice: An Increasingly Complex Problem in our Society1042 Words   |  5 Pages‘Juvenile Justice is an increasingly complex problem in our society’ Table of Contents: Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Legislation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Juveniles and the Law†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Trends†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 Analysis of Law†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 Appendix A†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 Appendix B†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MorePhilosophy of Punishment: Deterrence General and Specific1084 Words   |  5 PagesPhilosophy of Punishment: Deterrence General and Specific Sentencing Model: Indeterminate Sentencing For the philosophy of punishment I chose deterrence, specifically because of the goals and benefit this philosophy. The deterrence punishment is divided in to two separate categories. First on is the general deterrence, the goal of general deterrence is to prevent non-offenders (those who’ve not committed a crime) from committing crimes by exposing non-offenders to the realityRead MoreMaking Poor Decisions : The Sentencing Age For Juveniles1257 Words   |  6 Pagessome juveniles, those poor decisions consist of the commission of criminal offenses, which can automatically set them up for failure in their adult lives. P1 P2 Taking the initiative to change the sentencing age for juveniles will help America not only use funds in a more constructive way, but will also help youth learn from their mistakes without being permanent. In 2004, WSIPP found that those programs such as functional family therapy and aggression replacement training help juveniles controlRead MoreJuvenile Offenders And The United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child1464 Words   |  6 PagesQueensland’s criminal justice system’s ability to effectively balance the rights of juvenile offenders with the society’s need for order, as well as examine different stakeholder perspectives and make justified recommendations about legal issues and their outcomes. 2.0 Legislation The Youth Justice Act 1992 (QLD) contains laws for juveniles who commit offences, or are alleged to have committed offences. Under the law a juvenile is a person who is not old enough, by statutory age of criminal responsibilityRead MoreThe Abolition Of The Juvenile Justice System1748 Words   |  7 PagesIn Canada, the juvenile court was established as a tribunal having the sole jurisdiction to hear, process as well as pass judgments for illegal behaviour that are committed by youths. This is a court system that fully distinguishes youths from adults as far as crime is concerned where their misconduct is labeled as delinquent acts rather than crime (Barry, 1987, p. 476). Youth are presumed to have less understanding of social norms and they are less aware of the long-term consequences of their behaviourRead MoreThe Various Stages Of A Criminal Trial1523 Words   |  7 Pagesenvironment. Court usually impose service in the community for criminals as a punishment without incarcerati on. Sanctions like service work can serve an objective of serving a sentence while under supervision. Alternative sanctions relies on community service, and is an avoidance of becoming incarcerated. One of the many examples for community service is scrubbing of graffiti or cleaning up trash along the highway. In-home detention, or â€Å"house-arrest† is when a criminal or juvenile is detained under watchRead MoreThe Case Of Theft And Simple Assault Essay1212 Words   |  5 Pages In Jack and Diane’s case of theft and simple assault, as a sentencing judge, I would want to know each ones history of involvement in the judicial system, and the result of their intake hearing. This way I would know if they have been through the process before and if they have had any labels placed on them and would benefit from diversion more with relabeling (Champion, Merlo, Benekos, 2013). School attendance records along with any discipline issues to see if they are successful in the schoolRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency Is Defined As A Legal Term1435 Words   |  6 PagesJuvenile delin quency is defined as a legal term describing the behavior of a youth that is marked by violation of the law and antisocial behavior. Delinquent acts fall under two categories: adult-committed crime and â€Å"age-related† crime. Adult related crimes are crimes that an adult would be punished for had they committed the crime. Adult related crimes are considered more serious and may include burglary, drug use, and murder. Sometimes children may get charged as adults depending on the severity

2 Body Paragraphs- Journey of the Magi Free Essays

Journey of the Magi- T. S Eliot Two body paragraphs using PEEAL, including 2/3 good examples This poem, Journey of the magi by T. S Eliot explores the idea that a journey can involve obstacles and challenges. We will write a custom essay sample on 2 Body Paragraphs- Journey of the Magi or any similar topic only for you Order Now The magi are faced with difficulties, hardships and discomforts such as the hostility from the natural world and humans and sleep deprivation. In the first stanza the line â€Å"The ways deep and the weather sharp† an inverted syntax is used to put emphasis on the sufferings and difficulties of the journey. Along with this line in the first stanza a list of complaints are written, â€Å" Then the camel men cursing and grumbling/ and running away, and wanting their liquor and women,/ and the night-fires going out, and the lack of their shelters, and the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly/ and the villages dirty, and charging high prices. :† the use of listing in this stanza conveys to the reader the adversities faced by the animals, men and the magi. Listing creates a accumulative effect, causing the impact and feel of the complications to increase as the list goes on. An assumption about journeys that can be made from this poem is also that physical journeys lead to personal growth or altered perspectives. The magi once they have witnessed the birth of Jesus cannot see anything in the same light anymore. The line in the last stanza â€Å"I should be glad of another death† suggests the persona almost looks forward to his eventual death now that he understands that there is life after death. It could also mean that the persona yearns for another renewal or another moment of new understanding. In the last stanza the line â€Å"but set down/This set down. This:† is an enjambment that places emphasis on the new understanding that the magi have achieved. It is also a monosyllabic line, which arrests the pace of the poem and forces the reader to stop and pay attention to the message of the persona. A great example showing the change of perspective by the magi would be at the end of stanza 3, the word choice of â€Å"these kingdoms† and â€Å"alien† adds to the magi’s feelings of separation from the old world order and â€Å"palaces† in stanza 1 compared to the choice of words in stanza 3 â€Å"places† illustrates the idea of a new perception and outlook on life. How to cite 2 Body Paragraphs- Journey of the Magi, Essay examples

Session free essay sample

For your points of comparison, think of the themes, the subject matter, the compositional structure, historical significance (do your selections reflect their times or are they revolutionary or avian-guard? ) First posting 6. 1 a Baroque. Relate any work of art from the Baroque period found In the Settling text to any piece of music from this same time period. Here is a link to the TOP 10 Baroque composers:http://classicisms. About. Com/do/appropriated/tap/ preprocessors. HTML You do not need to select from this list; as long as your casual selection Is from the Baroque period, you are all set.Remember that you are to compare a BAROQUE work of art too BAROQUE piece of music. I chose the work of art of Elisabeth Veggie-Lubber. The artwork was called Marie-Antoinette and Her Children, which was painted in the year of 1787 with the medium of oil on canvas. This painting took place In Palace of Versailles In the country France. We will write a custom essay sample on Session or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In comparison, I chose the composer Jean-Philippe Rammer and his selected work called Trait. This era had a main focus on Queens and Kings and it is known to be The Age of Kings (pig. 88).This also had significance with the settlement of three important countries and they were Dutch, the English, and the French. In both picture and music I can tell that there is a salutary because they share the same nationalities and it is brought out through painting and music. In the painting it has a focal point on the Queen and her children. She is dressed in beautiful bold red colors and so is her eldest daughter. Her feet are gently placed on a pillow because she Is a family member of dynasty. In the music that I have researched there are bold melodic lines ND harmonies that are pieced together.In Trait, he uses a wide selection of moods and distinct red colors in order to serve a purpose whether it is through music or a painting. Jean-Philippe was considered to be the leading French composer of his time. Second posting 6. 1 b Any time period and any culture. Relate any work of art from the Settling text to any piece of music from the same time period in which the work of art was created. For this posting you are to chose a work or art and a piece of music that is NOT from the Baroque. Chose ANY time period, any culture, and ampere a work of art and a piece of music from that time period.

5 Ways to Express Fear in Spanish

5 Ways to Express Fear in Spanish The two most common ways of saying to fear or to be afraid in Spanish are the verb temer and the phrase tener miedo. Note, however, that this verb and verb phrase arent used in exactly the same way as their English equivalents. Phrases for Expressing Fear Temer is typically followed by: The preposition a and a noun. (No temo a las pelà ­culas de terror. I am not afraid of horror movies.) Sometimes the verb is preceded by a redundant indirect object pronoun. (No le tememos a nadie. Were not afraid of anybody.)The preposition por. (Teme por la seguridad de los detenidos en Cuba. He fears for the safety of the prisoners in Cuba.)The subordinate conjunction que. (Temen que el caos se extienda a los territorios ocupados. They are afraid that the chaos will extend to the occupied territories.) Note that, as in the example, the clause following temer que is usually in the subjunctive mood. (Temerse has a much milder meaning than to fear and frequently is followed by verb in the indicative mood. (Me temo que va a nevar. I am concerned it is going to snow.)An infinitive. (Temen salir de la rutina. They are afraid to quit their routine.) Tener miedo is typically followed by: The preposition a. (Sà ³lo tengo miedo a una cosa. I am afraid of just one thing.)The preposition de. (Todos buscamos à ©xito y tenemos miedo del fracaso. We are all looking for success and we are all afraid of failure.)The preposition por. (Fresita tiene miedo por lo que opinar su madre. Fresita fears for what her mother will say.)The conjunction que or phrase de que, usually followed by a clause in the subjunctive mood. (Tiene miedo que su hermana muera. He is afraid that his sister is dying. Tengo miedo de que aparezca otra chica en tu vida. Im afraid another girl will appear in your life.) Phrases that can be used in a way similar to tener miedo are tener aprensià ³n, tener temor and, less commonly, tener susto. In Spanish it is also common to express the idea of being a recipient of fear. (Me da susto las araà ±as. I am deathly afraid of spiders.  ¿Te metià ³ miedo la clase? Did the class scare you?)

In Pablo Nerudas short exposition, he talks aroun Essays

In Pablo Neruda's short exposition, he talks aroun Essays In Pablo Neruda's short exposition, he talks around about an affair he had as a youngster in his lawn. One day while looking through the fence encompassing his home, he saw a kid like himself who connected and gave him a toy sheep. The kid immediately vanished, so Neruda brought his very own fortune, and left he kid a little blessing in a similar spot. In spite of the fact that Neruda never again observed the kid, he kept the present for the res of his life. From this experience as a kid, Neruda says that he learned one of the best lessons about existence, that is the thankfulness and warmth from someone else, particularly somebody that you don't have the foggiest idea. This at last conveyed Neruda to the poss ibility that all of mankind is more noteworthy than the individual and that we are all by one means or another associated. Consequently, Neruda spent quite a bit of his grown-up life leaving words to individuals he didn't by and by know, demonstrating tend to all individuals of mankind. As RA's, I think we have a duty to show look after our inhabitants and the general population around us. We have all been through semesters at CMU, and I'm certain we've all accomplished those circumstances when you're qui te recently so overpowered with all the work you have and everything that is going on, that occasionally all you need is somebody to demonstrate that you're not the only one in this. It's imperative to demonstrate our occupants that we're here for them and think about their encounters. It will have a tremendous effect in the green beans involvement of our occupants, additionally, it will make a group where our inhabitants can figure out how to think about each other and their companions as opposed to grindi ng away alone. It is imperative that we make a group of companions who energize each other's objectives, rather than a group of people. This was plagiarized. Final Grade: 0

The commercial invoice; the pro forma invoice Assignment

The commercial invoice; the pro forma invoice - Assignment Example Question 2 The amount of risk that a business will bear will depend on whether the business is the importer or the exporter, as well as the particular incoterms that are involved on a particular transaction. For instance, if the business is an importer, the business will incur the least risk if the incoterm being used is CIF, because this will have the least risk (William, 2009). This is because the seller (exporter) will have to take care of the goods on their way not only to the destination port but all the way to the inland destination of the buyer. This includes buying the insurance for the goods as they are on transit. As a result, this means two important things to the buyer, who is the importer. First, is that there is no risk of the goods on transit that the importer will have to bear incase the risk materializes. Second is that even if the risk was to materialize, the importer would be protected because the insurance will pay off the losses. The importance of Cost, Insurance and Freight (named port of destination) is that incase the goods are lost or damaged and the seller was not in a position to compensate the buyer, the buyer doesn’t have to incur the loss because the insurance will pay for the goods. ... The fact that the process by which the US government uses to create money and value for the same money is faulty and needs to be changed is not debatable. However, as Maxwell (2009) says, it can only be hoped that the new technology that is eliminating the issuance of printed money will solve part of this problem. However, this is a problem that will need to be solved and a better mechanism be put in place to avoid the problem that fiat currency is causing. This as McGregory (2009) says, is going to be one of the main things that will have to be solved in the twenty-first millennium for the world economy to succeed. Question 4 Part i FOB – Free on Board to a named port of shipment This incoterm makes sure that the risk of the goods is shared between the two sides of the deal. The buyer assumes the risk after the goods have been loaded for shipping, while the seller assumes the risk of the goods only until the goods have been loaded for shipping. Part ii CIF – Cost, Insu rance and Freight to a named port of destination This incoterm puts all obligation, both transport and insurance of the goods in transit to the seller and makes sure that the buyer is fully protected from any risk or obligation. Part iii CIF – Cost, Insurance and Freight to a named port of destination Same as above, the exporter assumes all risks and costs for shipping the goods. Part IV EXW – Ex Works to a named place of delivery. This incoterm minimizes the obligation of the exporter so that the exporter only has insurance and freight costs only up to the point where the goods are loaded at the port of export. The buyer has to know how to get the goods from the seller’s premises and decide on whether they want to

Who Is Pepsis Biggest Competitor Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Who Is Pepsis Biggest Competitor - Term Paper Example Their products, which include foods, beverages, and snacks, compete with other products from other manufacturers on the grounds of quality, price and their variety of products and their distribution efficiencies. Their success in marketing their products has largely arisen from their success in promoting their existing products, the effectiveness of their advertisement campaigns, their marketing programs, packaging of their products and their pricing strategies (PepsiCo, p.28). Their success has also been facilitated by their increased efficiencies in their production techniques, their trademark and brand development and their protection within the neighborhood, regional and worldwide markets. The company believes that in order for them to be able to compete effectively, their brands and marketing strategies should be strong. They also believe that their innovations and the quality of their products and their flexible distribution channels will allow their company to remain competiti ve in all the markets they deal with (PepsiCo, p.29). The Company uses the straight-line methodology of calculating their depreciation and amortization. According to the company’s 2008 financial reports, the depreciation and amortization of the tangible assets that they own is carried out on a five-year basis. In addition, the company’s 2011 annual financial reports indicate that their country’s tax laws require them to include their depreciation expenses at periodic intervals of five years (PepsiCo, p.36). The Pepsi Company had authorized 3,600 shares of common stock in the year 2011 according to their annual reports.  

Its on Shunsuke Nakamure the Japanese soccer player Research Paper

Its on Shunsuke Nakamure the Japanese soccer player - Research Paper Example other popular soccer players such as David Beckam and Wyne Rooney among others, who have constantly appeared on leading print and electronic media as a result of behaving poorly in the scrutiny of the public eye. Beckam and Rooney have in the past attracted multiple sex scandals, which have continued to portray them in a negative manner even though they are soccer celebrities (Fukasawa 2010 p 13). Probably, this has not been the case with Nakamura due to the fact that he is a dedicated family man, who spends his free time with his family. This he accomplishes by accompanying them in nature walks in parks around the city, failure to which he would participate in bowling activities with his personal friends (Fukasawa 2010 p 16). Drinking of alcohol is considered by many as a major tool for socializing and meeting new friends as well as spending leisure time. However, the soccer guru does not subscribe to this school of thought. Despite the fact that he has the means and access to numerous pubs, it has been observed that he does not participate in drinking activities (Geddes 2009). Instead of doing so, he takes his time away from work to enjoy his hobbies which include and not limited to; playing computer games, watching Japanese movies more so because he is not well skilled in listening or conversing in English. He also plays guitar as well as listening to music and it has also been observed that he is a fan of Kung-fu and horse riding (Fukasawa 2010 p 22). Concentration on these activities can be credited for the player’s lack of media attention outside the football pitch and has also enabled him to remain one of the most respected football stars. It is also necessary to note that Nakamura is always keen on observing healthy diet, in order to maintain his health as well as body shape. He perceives eating of fish, chips and drinking as bad behavior for professional footballers, one that according to him cannot be tolerated and is not popular in his country. He

Field Effects of Climate Change: Literature Review

Field Effects of Climate Change: Literature Review Preliminary review of literature A preliminary review has been compiled to cover on field effects of climate change and agronomical responses to irrigation methods. The literature was reviewed in association mapping studies of durum wheat and for dissection of Global Warming traits. QTL analysis studies for agronomical traits was also reviewed. The literature reviews also covers the current status of research and agriculture status of Mauritania and Senegal. We presented also the material and methods to be used in this study. 1. On field effects of Climate Change The climate change can increase variability and change the seasonality of rainfall, reduce soil moisture, change the dynamics of pests, diseases and weeds, increased heat shock/stress, reduced grain quality or nutrient content. The higher temperatures induce also earlier or extended ripening on the plant. Climate change is projected to have a significant impact on temperature and precipitation profiles in the Mediterranean basin. The incidence and severity of drought will become commonplace and this will reduce the productivity of rain-fed crops such as durum wheat. The major environmental constraints limiting the production of durum wheat in this region are drought and temperature extremes with productivity ranging from 06 t/ha (Nachit and Elouafi, 2004). Changes in total seasonal precipitation and its pattern of variability are both important, and the occurrence of moisture stress during flowering, pollination, and grain-filling is harmful to wheat. Drought at the tillering–booting developmental stages has had a negative impact on durum wheat production (Belaid et al., 2005). Furthermore, crop duration has been shortened by almost one month since 1970 in some areas of southern Morocco. Warmer and drier winters have also exacerbated the effect of some diseases and insects whic h target wheat and are major biotic constraints on production (A Yahyaoui, personal communication). 2. Agronomical responses to irrigation methods The relationships between crop yields and water use are complicated. Yield may depend on when water is applied or on the amount. Information on optimal scheduling of limited amounts of water to maximize yields of high quality crops is essential if irrigation water is to be used most efficiently (Al-Kaisi et al., 1997). The various crop development stages possess different sensitivities to moisture stress (FAO, 1979; English and Nakamura, 1989; Ghahraman and Sepaskhah, 1997). Timing, duration and the degree of water stress all affect yield. Other studies have reported that the relationship between yield and water consumption, including irrigation, is not linear (Yuan et al., 1992). The results of a study showed that crop yields initially improved with increased water consumption, but that beyond a certain water use level yields decreased over irrigation reduced winter-wheat production. (FAO, 2002). The simulated results showed that a single irrigation in wet years, two irrigations in  normal years and three in dry years produced maximum profits. The timing of the irrigations would be: at jointing to booting for the single irrigation, at jointing and heading to milky filling for the two irrigations; and before over wintering, jointing, and heading to milky filling for the three irrigations. (FAO, 2002). Water deficits may also affect crop management and production other than the direct effect on plant growth. The efficacy of many herbicides and other pesticides depends on soil moisture. Plants under moisture stress may not respond to foliar applied chemicals, or in some cases, may be damaged by chemical burns. Nutrient utilization and fertilization practices are influenced by the moisture status of the crop plants. Application of pesticides must be scheduled according to irrigation applications or to moisture stress in the crop.(UF/IFAS, 2008) 3. Association Mapping studies of durum wheat A collection of 134 durum wheat accessions, representative of the major gene pools, was assembled and characterized with 70 SSRs for genetic diversity and level of long-rangelinkage disequilibrium (LD). Results evidenced the presence of a structured diversity and high level of LD (M. Maccaferri et al., 2005). A collection of 164 elite durum wheat accessions suitable for association mapping has been tested for leaf rust response at the seedling stage and under field conditions. The collection has been profiled with 225 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci of known map position and a PCR assay targeting Ppd-A1. Associations showing highly consistent experiment-wise significances across leaf rust isolates and field trials were mainly detected for the 7BL distal chromosome region and for two chr. regions located in chrs. 2A and 2B. Additionally,isolate specific associations and/or associations with smaller effects in the field trials were identified in most of the chromosomes(M. Maccaferri et al., 2009). The genome location of a resistance gene to the stem rust Sr13 was determined in four tet-raploid wheat (T. turgidum ssp. durum) mapping populations involving the TTKSK resistant varieties Kronos, Kofa, Medora and Sceptre. Results showed that resistance was linked to common molecular markers in all four populations, suggesting that these durum lines carry the same resistance gene. Based on its chromosome location and infection types against different races of stem rust, this gene is postulated to be Sr13. Sr13 was mapped within a1.2–2.8 cM interval (depending on the mapping population) between EST markers CD92604 and BE471213, which corresponds to a 285-kb region in rice chromosome 2, and a 3.1-Mb region in Brachypodium chromosome 3. (K. Simons et al., 2010). Association studies were effective for identifying markers associated with host plant resistance to rust and powdery mildew,as well as Grain Yield with five sets of historical breeding wheat germplasm (Crossa et al.2007; Terraciano et al.2013). For the mining of allel that contribute to the tolerance of abiotique stresses, a germplasm collection of 189 elite durum lines was tested across 15 environnements at different regime of water. Association mapping studies with 186 DNA markers identify many of them linked to alleles enhancing adaptation to water stress.(Maccaferi et al, 2011). 4. Association Mapping studies for dissection of Global Warming traits The creation of suitable mapping populations and the development of molecular markers have enabled linkage studies in wheat and many QTLs have been identified for yield under drought environments (Varshney et al., 2006). The coupling of new genomic tools, technologies, and resources with genetic approaches is essential to underpin wheat breeding through marker-assisted selection and hence mitigate climate change. Many traits relating to the plant’s response and adaptation to drought are complex and multigenic, and quantitative genetics coupled with genomic technologies have the potential to dissect complex genetic traits and to identify regulatory loci, genes and networks. Mapping populations have been developed in durum wheat for the study of biotic and abiotic stresses (Blanco et al., 1998; Nachit et al., 2001; Nachit and Elouafi, 2004). Loci for yield, yield components, heading date, plant height, and physiological and developmental traits under drought have also been established in mapping populations (Maccaferri et al., 2008;DZ Habash et al., unpublished data). 5. QTL analysis studies for agronomical traits The genetic basis of grain yield (GY), heading date (HD), and plant height (PH) was investigated in a durum wheat population of 249 recombinant inbred lines evaluated in 16 environments. Among the 16 quantitative trait loci (QTL) that affected GY, two major QTL on chromosomes 2BL and 3BS showed significant effects in 8 and 7 environments. QTL specific for PH were identified on chromosomes 1BS, 3AL, and 7AS. Additionally, three major QTL for HD on chromosomes 2AS, 2BL, and 7BS showed limited or no effects on GY. For both PH and GY, notable epistasis between the chromosome 2BL and 3BS QTL was detected across several environments (Maccaferi et al., 2007). Besides some minor QTLs, one major QTL explaining both reduction of disease severity in the field and increased latency period was found on the long arm of chromosome 7B (Marone et al.,2009).Nine QTL for resistance to stem rust were identified on chromosomes 1AL, 2AS, 3BS, 4BL,5BL, 6AL 7A, 7AL and 7BL (Nachit et al., 2012). 6. Current status of research and agriculture status In Senegal Studies conducted in the 70 and 80 have shown the potential to lead the wheat in particular, in the Senegal River Valley (VFS) but there has been no transfer of results. Analyzing the situation, ISRA has undertaken in recent years, work on wheat and identified promising productive varieties for agro-climatic conditions of the VFS. According to Dr. Madiama Cissà ©, a researcher at the ISRA, the Senegal River Valley has huge potential and with the political willing of the state, Senegal will be a major producer of wheat. A research program was conducted on ten hectares divided between the experimental station Fanaye, located 160 miles from St. Louis, and Ndiole. These ten hectares were used to assess the plant material that comes from Morocco and we found suitable for the cold season and other varieties of Mexico that are being evaluated in order to increase the packet. Today we have over 75 varieties under observation at Fanaye and indicated for intensive cultivation; we will be able to get out a few that are adapted to the Valley. There is also a quarantine which were selected for their temperature tolerance. Technically, the wheat crop is possible. Water is available in the Valley, as this area has not only water resources, but the agro-climatic conditions are very favorable. Thus, in light of the available results, lines of progress is possible by optimizing production techniques to terms should improve the performance of wheat under the conditions of the Senegal River Valley. These performances are conditioned by: Good timing of crop calendar Improved fashion and seeding The optimization of nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate and potassium The weed management Control of pest pressure (pests and diseases) Optimal water management Place the wheat in crop rotations In Mauritania AOAD (Arab Organization for Agricultural deveveloppement) conducts research for the production of wheat in the experimental stage in some areas of the country through the provision of experts to test the degree of adaptation of some varieties of wheat in the Mauritanias environment. Salem Merrakchi, the agricultural engineer who oversees the cultivation of wheat, says that good results are expected in the perimeters have met the technical processes. He says to expect a production of over 3,840 tons of wheat on 1,882 acres, but stresses that some regions have proven to be inadequate for this speculation. Recall that the experience of growing wheat introduced in Mauritania, there are three years, has allowed the use of 6,000 ha in irrigated area and 10,000 ha in rain-fed area with profitability improving season after season. Dr. Walid Al Zaki Yamani, a researcher in the wheat industry and expert AOAD in improving the productivity of wheat cultivation, noted that four experienced variety in Mauritania have a record productivity. Furthermore 29 speculation wheat were tested in four seasons to determine which is best suited to the Mauritanian conditions. Following the results, Mauritania is a fertile land suitable for the cultivation of this species, whether in the area irrigated or rain-fed agriculture. 7. Material and methods Phenotypic characterization In this study the germplasm is a core collection of 380 durum wheat accessions (elite, advanced, wild relatives, and landraces) selected from the ICARDA durum breeding program. The material will be accurately phenotyped for their response to abiotic stresses (drought and heat) and WUE (Water Use Efficiency) under a short cycle. The phenotyping will be conducted along the Senegal River at national experimental stations in Mauritania (Kaedi) and Senegal (Fanaye) were wheat planting will always be performed on lands previously sown with rice to provide indications about wheat-rice crop rotation. We will use the augmented design to control error with 4 checks completely repeated in each of the19 blocks that will accommodate the genotype in a small plot 2.5mx 6 rows. We will record the agronomical responses to short cycle and high temperatures and under various water regimes by annotating on-field data (germination, flowering time, plant height, lodging occurrence of disease and pests) and post-harvest data (yield and thousand kernels weight). Screening for WUE will be conducted in the irrigated trials by providing two water quantities throughout the growing season: ideal amount (500 mm) and sub-ideal (250 mm) and then phenotypic values will be recorded. Genotypic characterization Leaves from this above core collections are collected after growing the 380 lines in the green house. DNA extraction will be effected for the further genotyping. First an approximately 50 PCR-based markers associated with â€Å"drought† traits in wheat will be selected and used in screening the ICARDA core collection to provide a first glimpse at the useful stress tolerance alleles embedded within this collection. In the second time the germplasm will be deeply genotyped with 25,000 markers SNP (Simple Nucleotide Polymorphism) using the AXIOM (Affimetrix) platform available commercially at INRA (Clermont Ferrand). Genetic Studies and statistical analysis We will use GWAS that use the genotypic data in combination with the phenotypic performances to identify the genomic regions and the specific SNP/alleles associated with the response to abiotic stresses. From these associations, the genomic estimate of breeding value (GEBV) can be calculated. This GEBV will allow to design targeted crosses and to merge all the useful alleles found by GWAS in single cultivars. Further, the SNPs found to be associated with the positive traits will be converted into  readily available PCR-based assays through the KASPar technology. These assays will be use in further studies using MAS (Marker Assisted Selection) to tag germplasm with useful alleles of interest. To perform GWAS and GWS (Genome Wide Selection) we need to apply statistical models. In this study we will use a specific software (STRUCTURE, Pritchard et al.2000; TASSEL) in combination with Linear Mixed model witch take on account population structure and genetic relatedness and reduce the rate of false positives. We will use R statistic witch is a free and easily software where all statistical commands will be ran. ANOVA table, chi-square, t-test, F-value, P-value and others statistical tools will allow us to identify differences between treatments and all what we need to know in this study.

Karl Marx Essay -- Communism Communist

KARL MARX: A CRITICAL PROFILE 1. Contribution Like Charles Darwin (1809-82), his contemporary, Karl Marx (1818-83) has had a profound impact on modern thought. This German philosopher, social scientist, and professional revolutionary formulated a theory of social change that influenced most modern forms of socialism and communism. Marx pioneered conflict theory. Motivated by a belief in human emancipation, he tried to discover a way to free people from the social, political, and economic constraints that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Marx used to say: Philosophers explain only; critical theorists translated theory into practice. 2. Early life Marx grew up in Trier, Prussia, the son of Jewish lawyer who converted to Christianity in order to keep his job. During the period 1835-41, he studied (in 1835) law at the University of Bon and he studied (in 1837) philosophy at the University of Berlin, falling under the influence of the idealist philosopher G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831), who interpreted the whole of history as the process by which "Spirit" (and consequently humanity) progressed towards complete self-knowledge and a "rational" and "free" society. Marx looked to Hegel for help in uncovering the principle that would explain historical change; he wanted to know how slavery gave way to feudalism and how feudalism gave way to capitalism. About this time, he joined a group of leftist radical socialists who attacked the Prussian government. He graduated (in 1841) Ph.D. at the University of Jena, but could not obtain a university teaching job because of his subversive views. During the period 1842-48, Marx made his living as a free-lance journalist and political activist. For a while, he wrote for the R... ...e. He predicted the revolutions that came later, but he misread the proletariat altogether; peasants make revolutions, the proletariat do not. Marx's dialectical materialism, combined with semiotics, offers social scientists a powerful tool for studying the political signification of every facet of contemporary culture, including television, film, music, fashion, and sports. They show how people absorb capitalist values via political rhetoric, news reporting, advertising, and public relations. 6. Works Cited Engels, Fr. "Karl Marx's Funeral." 1999. Available at: http://www.ex.ac.uk/Projects/meia/Archive/1883-Death/dersoz1.htm Karl Marx: Timeline (the Marx/Engels Internet Archive). 1999. Available at http://tqd.advanced.org/3376/MARX2.htm Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. 1967. The Communist Manifesto (1848), introduced by A.J.P. Taylor. London: Penguin Books. Karl Marx Essay -- Communism Communist KARL MARX: A CRITICAL PROFILE 1. Contribution Like Charles Darwin (1809-82), his contemporary, Karl Marx (1818-83) has had a profound impact on modern thought. This German philosopher, social scientist, and professional revolutionary formulated a theory of social change that influenced most modern forms of socialism and communism. Marx pioneered conflict theory. Motivated by a belief in human emancipation, he tried to discover a way to free people from the social, political, and economic constraints that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Marx used to say: Philosophers explain only; critical theorists translated theory into practice. 2. Early life Marx grew up in Trier, Prussia, the son of Jewish lawyer who converted to Christianity in order to keep his job. During the period 1835-41, he studied (in 1835) law at the University of Bon and he studied (in 1837) philosophy at the University of Berlin, falling under the influence of the idealist philosopher G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831), who interpreted the whole of history as the process by which "Spirit" (and consequently humanity) progressed towards complete self-knowledge and a "rational" and "free" society. Marx looked to Hegel for help in uncovering the principle that would explain historical change; he wanted to know how slavery gave way to feudalism and how feudalism gave way to capitalism. About this time, he joined a group of leftist radical socialists who attacked the Prussian government. He graduated (in 1841) Ph.D. at the University of Jena, but could not obtain a university teaching job because of his subversive views. During the period 1842-48, Marx made his living as a free-lance journalist and political activist. For a while, he wrote for the R... ...e. He predicted the revolutions that came later, but he misread the proletariat altogether; peasants make revolutions, the proletariat do not. Marx's dialectical materialism, combined with semiotics, offers social scientists a powerful tool for studying the political signification of every facet of contemporary culture, including television, film, music, fashion, and sports. They show how people absorb capitalist values via political rhetoric, news reporting, advertising, and public relations. 6. Works Cited Engels, Fr. "Karl Marx's Funeral." 1999. Available at: http://www.ex.ac.uk/Projects/meia/Archive/1883-Death/dersoz1.htm Karl Marx: Timeline (the Marx/Engels Internet Archive). 1999. Available at http://tqd.advanced.org/3376/MARX2.htm Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. 1967. The Communist Manifesto (1848), introduced by A.J.P. Taylor. London: Penguin Books.

Abortion: Should Abortion Be Legal?

Abortion: Should Abortion Be Legal? Throughout the history people have agreed and disagreed with many significant issues. And in the face of controversial arguments everyone has their very own opinion. Even though it is more likely that reasonable people might agree with a logical argument, there are some that are not very easy to convince because it contradicts their view points. Such is the case of the controversial issue of abortion. To understand better why people support abortion, first we have to comprehend what abortion is.According to the National Right to Life, the term abortion refers to â€Å"any premature expulsion of a human fetus, whether naturally spontaneous, as in a miscarriage, or artificially induced, as in a surgical or chemical abortion. † (www. nrlc. org, March 4, 2013). The definition is only useful to appreciate the real problem more precisely. In this paper I will focus on four key arguments that support pro-abortion; and I will present my opinion on e ach one to evaluate if the argument works or not through the usage of rhetorical thinking.Finally, I will conclude by briefly stating my opinion regarding this issue after analyzing these arguments of the other side of the coin. One of the most talked about arguments that support abortion is â€Å"Abortion is a Fundamental Right. † In Jan. 22, 1973 the US Supreme Court recognized â€Å"A woman's right to choose abortion is a ‘fundamental right’† in the case Roe v. Wade. Lower federal courts had declared†¦ denying a woman the right to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to term violated basic privacy and liberty interests contained in the Constitution.The court concluded that Constitutional rights to privacy and liberty protected a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy. †(NAF. org, 5 March 2013). This is a strong argument because it is about abortion in the terms of its legal premises. The Supreme Court had to give the woman the reason because that is what is written in the Constitution. Besides, it is much easier to let a person win a case than changing the Constitution. Even though the arguments presented in court defended the woman very assuredly.The final decision did not even mention any rights of the potential life that was forming or whatsoever, which is wrong because the woman can do anything that she wants with her body, but the fetus that I inside her is a totally distinct individual with different DNA and factions. For these reasons, this argument is a dilemma because while abortion gives the woman the right to make decisions on her body, it eliminates the legal rights of the unborn child. Another slightly more sensible pro-abortion argument is â€Å"Abortion in the Case of Pregnancy Due to Rape. According to the website Libertarians for Life, â€Å"Pregnancy due to rape acts against the woman's liberty. In some sense, it's a perpetuation of the aggression of the rapist. Regardless of the practical problems of pregnancy, rape is a major trauma, and the pregnancy complicates that still further. † (Walter, 10 March 2013). This argument has a sense of pathos, in the way that it conveys a tragic experience with an undesired pregnancy. The author highlights how keeping the pregnancy could lead to a major psychological trauma.A different but as well as sensible pro-abortion topic is the issue of â€Å"Abortion gives couples the option to choose not to birth babies with severe and life-threatening medical conditions. † According to PROCON. org, â€Å"The X syndrome, the most common genetic form of mental retardation, affects about 1 in 4,000 males and 1 in 8,000 females. One in 800 babies have Down Syndrome, and one in 3,500 babies are born with Cystic Fibrosis. It is not right to sentence a child to life with an acute handicap. † (PROCON. org, 5 March 2013) This argument conveys a lot of sense of pathos.It is effective because the only people that can actually understand this deeply are the parents and family involved. However, I still strongly disagree with taking away an innocent human’s life. Besides, with so many technological advantages, it is sad to see that people don’t test themselves before deciding to have a baby and later find, during the pregnancy, that the baby that’s coming will have a mental or physical disadvantage. In addition, there is no proof that showing that Down Syndrome people feel ‘sentenced’ or in any disadvantage.It is just the parents that see that the baby is different, not the baby himself. Therefore, this should also be considered a hasty generalization because the family and others see that the baby will be born with a disadvantage, they think that the baby will be miserable—but there’s no proof of that. Mary Gordon, a pro-choice woman author of A Moral Choice, gives her opinion and brings up a very important issue in favor of abortion: â€Å"Abortion transformed from a public into a private issue. She stated that â€Å"The RU-486 pill, which can induce abortion early on, exists. † She added that women were going to obtain it whether or not it is â€Å"legally available. † Her claim is that â€Å"If abortion can occur through chemical rather than physical means, in the privacy of one’s home, most people not directly involved will lose interest in it. As abortion is transformed from a public into a private issue, it will cease to be perceived as political; it will be called personal instead. † (Gordon 190).I think Gordon is right at some point—when she softens out the issue that by making a medical rather than a physical abortion it would then become more personal rather than political, some people might even change their view point, just like they did with the morning-after pill. However, I still believe that if there is already a morning-after pill, then there should be no reason for any woman to wait until conf irming her pregnancy in order to take action. Why not taking the morning-after-pill after an unprotected intercourse to avoid any problem on the first place?Time is very crucial in all aspects; women that wait to see if they are pregnant take a very high risk that can lead to either an unwanted pregnancy or worse—an abortion. On the other hand, I think she is trying to cover the sun with one finger. She is exposing a slippery slope fallacy by sort of saying that if people don’t see the problem, then there should be no problem at all, which isn’t true because not by covering the problem, it will make it disappear. Who knows maybe by doing abortions at home there could be more risks involved.In conclusion, I believe that Abortion is a cruel, immature and unfair way to end a pregnancy. No one should end a pregnancy because it is their responsibility to use contraceptives on the first place. If a woman cannot afford to buy contraceptives, then she should control her instincts instead of getting pregnant to get rid of the unborn baby afterwards. Besides, medicine is so advanced nowadays which really makes abortion a despicable choice for an apathetic woman.Even though, I do respect their opinions regarding their â€Å"freedom†, I do not think that they have much of consideration for the lives of their unborn babies. The reasons why a woman could end her pregnancy are endless. There are tons of excuses—some good others not much—that will always come into sight, but if we start taking wise choices from the beginning, then, we will be able to determine that who pays the consequences is not the person that made the damage but the innocent baby that the mom-to-be does not want to give the right to live.Moreover, if abortion was made illegal again, then hundreds of lives would be saved every year. Besides, life is the most valuable gift anyone can have and possibly give. But like the saying goes: to each their own. Since abortion is legal, it is really up to the woman to take a wise and moral decision and to opt for different alternatives before abortion. Works Cited: Gordon, Mary. â€Å"Should Abortion Be Restricted? † Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Political Issues. By George McKenna and Stanley Feingold. 18th ed. N. p. : McGraw-Hill Companies,Inc, 2012. 188-96. Print.Taking Sides Ser. NAF, Staff. â€Å"National Abortion Federation: Pro-Choice and Proud. † National Abortion Federation: Pro-Choice and Proud. N. p. , n. d. Web. 5 Mar. 2013. NRL, Staff. â€Å"Abortion: Some Medical Facts. † Abortion: Some Medical Facts. National Right to Life, n. d. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. ProCon, Staff. â€Å"Abortion ProCon. org. † Abortion ProCon. org.  © 2013 a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 5 Mar. 2013. Walker, John. â€Å"Abortion in the Case of Pregnancy Due to Rape. † Libertarians for Life – Abortion in the Case of Pregnancy Due to Rape. N. p. , 1998. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.

Motzart essays

Motzart essays The classical period produced more instrumental than vocal music, a wealth of serious and comic operas as well as vocal religious music also appeared during this time(Goes 11). One of the best composers of this time was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In this paper I will go through his childhood, his friends and family, and of course his music. Enjoy! Child of the Enlightenment The world that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart entered ceremoniously in 1756 was brimming in change. Historians refer to this era as the Age of Enlightenment, one of unparalleled scientific, philosophical, and political ferment. Within Mozarts lifetime it set in motion forces that would fundamentally alter life not only in his native, Salzburg, but also around the globe. The Enlightenment was not, to be sure, a democratic movement. In France, the absolutism of the Sun King, Louis XIV, continued under Louis XV and XVI. But in Austria, Empress Maria Theresa introduced a greater measure of tolerance and freedom among her subjects, laying a foundation for the democratic revolutions that followed. Wolfgangs father Leopold came from a family of Augsburg bookbinders. He received a solid Jesuit education, more intellectual than evangelical after a year at the Benedictine University in nearby Salzburg; Leopold stopped attending classes to pursue a career as a musician. Leopold figured as Mozarts most important first model. He taught his son the clavier and composition(Hutchings 23). Wolfgangs mother Anna-Maria brought as much talent to her 32-year marriage as did Leopold. Though deprived of a formal education, she was highly intelligent and quick-witted- qualities that attracted the sober and reserved Leopold. Only two of their seven children survived infancy. Wolfgangs musically talented sister Nannerl was five years older. Yet in this painting, the 12-year- old looks like a spinster of seventy-complete with budding ...

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Principles

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Principles Red Cross: Its Mission and Purpose The American Red Cross is a humanitarian, not-for-profit organization that has been organize by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter, as well as the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (The American Red Cross, 2011). The venture provides help to people who became the victims of natural disasters and catastrophe so as to prevent and react to the emergencies.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Principles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross, humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary services, and universality are five main pillars shaping the organization’s main mission and purposes (The American Red Cross, 2011). Hence, the Red Cross has been created to provide assistance to people irrespect ive of race, nationality and social status to prevent and diminish the consequences of disaster. Its core purpose is to support victims of disasters and protect their health (The American Red Cross, 2011). Finally, organization promotes a message about cooperation, understanding, friendship and lasing peace all over the world. The movement remains independent because it is not subject to government and the laws of different countries. Red Cross Crisis in Haiti: Exploring the Facts and Consequences Two years ago, the population of Haiti suffered from a 7.0 earthquake leading to significant destructions and leaving millions of people without home. Minnesota, along with other U.S. states, responded actively to the disaster and donated a significant sum of money for improving the situation in Haiti. Now, the Red Cross has introduced a two-year report on the efforts and actions taken in Haiti to relieve the population (MyFox, 2012). The report presents significant progress in front of se rious challenge, but some of the presented facts can lead to negative publicity concerning the action plan (MyFox, 2012). The point is that the American Red Cross got nearly $ 486 million in donations whereas $ 330 million were spent only on Haiti recovery efforts (MyFox, 2012). One the one hand, many questions arise concerning the remaining sum of money. One the other hand, the Red Cross’s campaign has not been completed yet and, therefore, there are no reasons for rushing in conclusions. Identifying Specific Goals and Their Rationale As the world-known non-profit organization, the Red Cross should introduce a new form of reporting through publicly presenting information about financial matters. In such a way, it is possible to enhance information transparency and accuracy to ensure the population of their donations invested to prevent disasters.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15 % OFF Learn More Specifically, the report does not only improve communication and relation with outside stakeholders, but also attract more investors. Sustainability reporting can also enhance the Red Cross reputation and contribute to effective alleviation of critical situations. Introducing sustainability reporting system can help the organizations several goals. To begin with, the Red Cross can uncover a number of opportunities for development, as well as provide a full picture of existing problems in the country and outside it. Second, organizational performance and sustainability can improve organization’s relation with the most influential investors and monitor all environmental, social, and economical aspects of development influencing the activities and efforts initiated by the Red Cross. Finally, external disclosure of information can increase chances of the organization to create a powerful network for eliminating the consequences of natural disaster s. In addition, the new reporting system can sustain organization’s reputation at an appropriate level and increase its influence all over the world. Defining Steps for Achieving the Established Goals In order to achieve the identified goals, a specific framework should be established. A changing pattern can be introduced through a number of steps. First of all, it is purposeful to identify the main target of the organization, which will be environment, people, community, and human resource management (Global Reporting Initiative, 2011). Second, it is necessary to organize a survey to define how people evaluate the action and effects presented by the organization (Global Reporting Initiative, 2011). Third, organization should focus on the most problematic areas to define the main strengths and weaknesses of those. Finally, the Red Cross should establish effective schemes of responding to disasters, as well as plan the reports on efforts and reliefs within shorter periods of t ime. Introducing a management approach can significantly increase productivity and performance, as well as attract more volunteers to take part in different missions. Reporting about the impact of Red Cross activities on the community should also be launches for the American to have a better idea of the importance of developing the organization. More importantly, the above-presented principles and steps are congruent with the mission and purpose of the organization. The only difference is that it provides a transparent picture of all operations. With regard to the Red Cross crisis in Haiti, the following framework can be presented:Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Principles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduce a detailed report on the financial resources used during the disaster; Provide an account on the remaining sum of money that can be distrib uted for reconstruction of buildings and technological devices for improving safety and quality of life in Haiti. Establish new principle of mutual interaction between people investing money and people receiving help. Specifically, it is important for investors to know how their money is used for eliminating the disaster. Evaluation Plan: Assessing the Outcomes Many companies, including non-profit organization, strive to work out effective strategy for managing people and monitoring daily operations and activities. Because the American Red Cross is a powerful organization possessing a great number volunteers working for them, it is rational to pay attention to such issues as diversity, information exchange, and public influence on the organizational performance. The introduction of the action plan should provide the corresponding correction to the established mission and purpose of an organization. More importantly, the given plan can provide a solid platform for further developmen t in terms of information spread among mass media. The latter should be carefully considered because failure to establish favorable relation with mass media can lead to shaping negative reputation, which can also influence organization’s activities. In this respect, consistence and transparency can help the Haiti population to recover after the earthquake in the shortest possible time. By changing the policy to the employees/volunteers, the organization acquires greater chances to receive recognition and reputation among the external environment. Hence, volunteers will be more concerned with the outside environment; more importantly, they become more consistent while implanting the Global Reporting Initiative principles of managing reports. Indeed, sustainability reporting fully meets the needs of the organization because it is also directed at improving social, economic and environment climate. So, the accomplishment of the defined goal will lead an organization to an upper level of development and provide more incentives to work better. References Global Reporting Initiative (2011). G3.1 Guidelines. Web. MyFox. (2012). What Happened to You Haiti Earthquake Donation? Web. The American Red Cross. (2011). Mission Statement. Web.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Do we have any responsibility to a broader humanity Only to ourselves, Research Paper

Do we have any responsibility to a broader humanity Only to ourselves, family, community, or state - Research Paper Example It is in the context of this global village of a world that this paper examines the scope of responsibility of the individual. In the world of today, is our responsibility only towards ourselves, our families, our community or our state; or should our responsibilities, in whatever aspect of life it may be, be towards broader humanity? Responsibilities are related to various aspects and context of life. Responsibilities can be broadly classified into personal responsibilities, social and political responsibilities and responsibilities related to work or occupation. Personal responsibilities are those which an individual have to carry out for the self or for the immediate family or relatives. A person is responsible for his own good conduct, for the well being of her or his family –children, family partner, siblings, and relatives. It is not that personal responsibilities affect only the self, family or relatives of the person. By carrying out such responsibilities the person contributes towards the community and the state also, albeit indirectly. The orientation of the person entrusted with the responsibility is however limited and do not encompass the broader perspective. Social and political responsibilities are responsibilities that have wider ramifications. These responsibilities are beyond the self or the family and are more directly related to the community, society and the state. Each community or society has its own codes of responsibility which an individual is expected to adhere to. In doing so, the person contributes towards the perpetual sustenance of the community or the society. Similarly, each state has its own constitution, its codes of laws and rules. The constitution of any nation state provides the guidelines to the social and political rights and responsibilities of a person. It is in the case of social and political responsibilities that the perspective of the individual has undergone radical changes in the last decade

SWOT Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SWOT Analysis - Assignment Example External and internal factors that may affect Catering and Ballroom Rental’s growth are therefore discussed forthwith. As a local catering company which serves both private clients and businesses in Doeuvreville and its surrounding towns, Sumptuous Cuisine Catering enjoys a longer term of experience which dates back to 2005. This experience has seen Sumptuous Cuisine Catering run catering kitchens and create itself a niche in setting logistics for upscale events within the region and providing fulltime catering services. This seven year experience has seen Sumptuous Cuisine Catering to create its domain in the perennially competitive market. Likewise, the wide variety of services that make up Sumptuous Cuisine Catering’s services include an array of breakfast cuisines, event staff and managers (logisticians), dinners, lunches, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, appetizers, space and floral designs, musicians and DJs, decor, furniture rentals and event equipment hirin g services, among others. This shows the ingenious dexterity that Sumptuous Cuisine Catering employed in crafting its business plan since the plan fully diversifies risks that come with highly specialization of operations. Sumptuous Cuisine Catering’s factoring of its strengths is also underscored by the cash reserves it not only has, but also plans to use to expand its operations. The same commitment to a tenable working plan is exemplified by the company intending to improve its gross margins to soar above previous levels as a way of preparing for extension. The company anticipates that due to this action, the loyalty of already existing clients is likely to be strengthened. Likewise, the volume of top line sales is bound to grow to more than double by the end of 2012. From the same move, the company expects a threefold rise in net profits, despite the high operational costs that are equally anticipated. Other factors that serve as Sumptuous Cuisine Catering’s source of strength include management expertise that exceed clients’ expectation, balanced expert opinions, optimal sense of professional showmanship and protection of the clients’ interests. Should the company continue to envision these values in its expansion plan, then the company is bound to continue benefitting (Anyim, 59). Despite the intricate expansion plan that Sumptuous Cuisine Catering has, it still has not managed to extricate itself from some weaknesses. Particularly, the protracted chain of operations and the plan to expand mean that the company will sustain extra operational expenses. The need to pay an increased number of employees, open and rent new premises and increase and diversify its operations, translate into high employee turnover and other forms of expenditure. The fact that Sumptuous Cuisine Catering will only have utilized the ballroom on 40% of days at the end of the oncoming three years is also a form of weakness. There are several opportunities that come with the Sumptuous Cuisine Catering plan. For instance, by extending its services to cover outdoor services such parties, banquets and business holidays, the company will have realized increased volume of sales by extending itself in the market. This diversification and extension makes up for the proneness of the market to economic cycles. Sumptuous Cuisine Catering is therefore bound to benefit from the market, given that the American market for

Analysis of Ice Delight Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis of Ice Delight - Case Study Example Most importantly, ICEDELIGHTS occupies its own niche in the market of ice cream, selling Italian "gelati," and company's core competence lies in ability to freeze "gelati" and sell them on the premises of each store location. From financial perspective, ICEDELIGHT constitutes a rather expensive franchise, comparing with other offers available on the market. Simultaneously, this new and unproven venture can yield significant profit in the light of the investment required. Moreover, the purchase of ICEDELIGHTS' franchise guarantees to a franchisee exclusive rights to operate in the entire state of Florida. From the critical viewpoint Rogers, Daniels and Garfield purchasing a rather unproven franchise ICEDELIGHTS risk experiencing liabilities of being new and lacking expertise in retail business. Practically, these aforementioned liabilities are characterized by the many challenges faced by new ventures, which include access to resources and knowledge capital, which larger and more established firms are more equipped to handle (Markman & Baron, 2003).

Human Resources Practice Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Practice Essay 1. Introduction The HR Profession Map was developed using the following design principles: †¢ It describes what you need to do, what you need to know and how you need to do it within each professional area at four bands of professional competence. †¢ It covers behaviours as well as the technical elements of professional competence required in the HR profession. †¢ It is organised around areas of professional competence, not organisation structures, job levels or roles. †¢ The scope of the Map will cover the breadth and depth of the HR profession, from small to large organisations, from fundamental to sophisticated practice, local to global, corporate to consulting, charity to public sector, traditional to progressive. †¢ It has the versatility to be used in part, or viewed as a whole, with the core professional areas acting as the key or centre that is relevant to all. 2. Activity 1 Summarise the HRPM The Profession Map captures what successful and effective HR people do and deliver across their specialist profession, and sets out the required activities, behaviours and knowledge. Covering 10 professional areas and eight behaviours, set out in four bands of competence the Map covers every level of the HR profession, from band one at the start of an HR career through to band four for the most senior leaders. The Map has been designed to be relevant and applicable to HR professionals operating anywhere in the world, in all sectors and in organisations of all shapes and sizes. Professional Areas 1. Insights, Strategy and Solutions 2. Leading HR 3. Organisation Design 4. Organisation Development 5. Resource and Talent Planning 6. Learning and Development 7. Performance and Reward 8. Employee Engagement 9. Employee Relations 10. Service, Delivery and Information Behaviours 1. Curious 2. Decisive Thinker 3. Skilled Influencer 4. Personally Credible 5. Collaborative 6. Driven to Deliver 7. Courage to Challenge 8. Role Model (www.cipd.co.uk) 2.1Insights, Strategy and Solutions Human Resources professionals work from a deep business, contextual and organisational understanding to develop actionable insight, and prioritise HR strategies that make the most difference at any given time. You develop insight-led solutions, prioritised and tailored around a good business, contextual and organisation understanding – identifying opportunities and risks and acting on them. Business Vision and strategy of the organisation Products/services and customer profiles Financial and non-financial performance information Contextual Your sector and related regulations/legislation Political, economic, social, technological and environmental issues. Organisation Structure, processes, governance Culture, values, behaviours Key relationships, stakeholders, how decisions get made This understanding – and the resulting insights – allow us to create prioritised and situational HR strategies that make the most difference and build a compelling case for change. Includes these topics: Building a picture Developing actionable insight Delivering situational HR solutions that stick Building capacity and capability -Working with agility Organisation context determines the influence and priority of stakeholder roles and individuals, it also determines how readily new systems/ applications or methods can be adopted, and whether we can get there. If customers / principal stakeholders come from different contexts, this may systematically shape the goals and requirements 2.2 Leading HR Resourcing Band 1 Human Resources Professionals need to have a good knowledge of the principles and procedures for organisations recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits of labour relations and personnel information systems. A sound knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, modelling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. Motivating, developing, and directing people, as they work, identifying the best people for the job also been able to identify potential for succession planning. . 3. Activity 2 Timely and Effective Service With any organization, we will typically find the customers HR supports are within recruiting, employee relations, training, etc, all pretty much the same, regardless of department, our customers are anyone who uses the HR services we provide we interact with supervisors, managers, employees, external candidates, and external organizations. The way that HR interacts with each of these groups is different depending on what is being delivered, but in the general sense, our customers are all as important as each other. 3.1 Employees Employees want professional HR support from real people and HR need to be responsive and clear about what services we offer. HR need to be easy to contact and able to respond quickly and effectively. Obviously employees require accurate pay and benefits, on time. They also want to be given the opportunity for training and development. 3.2 Managers Managers want an HR function which understands the workforce and can help management balance employee and business needs. They want a proactive HR function which identifies issues before they happen and works with managers to address them. They would like HR to help them with their most challenging people issues including motivation, change and skills development. An HR function which does not understand the business and the workforce completely loses its value. The needs of both employees and managers are sometimes be conflicting. For example, managers require a higher level of production and sometimes longer working hours whereas employees tend to want more time off and more focus on a work/life balance. A good HR department needs to work with both groups to find the best balance. A way of resolving these conflicts is to focus on the overall needs of the organisation, ensuring that the right employees are recruited and retained will help this. The skills and abilities of all employees need to be aligned to their job role and as HR we need to provide development and training to ensure productivity is reached and to manage turnover of employees. Coaching and counselling employees will also help and providing an effective reward and recognition system. 3.3 Recruitment Agencies HR and recruitment agencies are committed to developing and maintaining closer relationships, the outcomes for both parties are more positive, and from a strategic perspective, it’s the formation of these stronger partnerships that bring mutual business benefits and added value. Good reasons why an organisation would use recruitment agencies Gain access to job-seekers (both active and passive)  source candidates from more specific talent pools and match them to an  organisation’s vacancies reduce the time and in-house resources dedicated to recruitment use a range of specialist skills offered by recruitment experts Access specialist services such as screening, filtering and profiling of candidates Gain flexibility in recruitment to meet cyclical/ market demand Get expert opinion about and knowledge of current recruitment legislation Benchmarking purposes – access to salary data and local market knowledge. However in past experience working with some recruitme nt agencies it can become an expensive option as they tend to charge anywhere from 12.5 percentage of the starting salary upwards and a finders fee if the candidate does become permanent. 3.4 Communication Communication Type Advantages Disadvantages Email Easy to send Fairly quick to send Can send 365 days of the year Can send to a group of people at once Email can get stuck in spam and not received Attachments could contain viruses Internet could go down and may not receive mail for sometime Phone call Calls can be made 24 hours a day 7 days a week Get your message across and gain feedback immediately You cannot see each other’s body language Things could get mis-interpreted Costly Fax Can send exact copies of documents Easy to train how to use No immediate response Could misdial number sending documents to wrong person Poor quality of received document 3.5 Effective Service Delivery An effective HR services for all employees is seen as be supportive, not to dilute the responsibility of people management. Also have the ability to coach line managers, especially around managing performance. 3.6 Delivering Service HR should obtain thorough feedback from internal customers, line managers, senior managers and employees. This should cover both what they need from HR, and their user experience of current services. Such feedback could generate a clear and more effective HR function within the organisation. It can provide fresh insights and help the HR function to focus its efforts in these areas could add value to the business. 3.7 Difficult Customers Assuming that the employee provides value to the company and possesses redeeming qualities, there are ways to deal with difficult employees. Most often, managers will simply ignore problematic staffers. Managers who live by this rule hope the problem will just go away; that these people will somehow turn themselves around or stop being troublesome. Ignoring the situation is the wrong solution to what could likely become a progressive problem. It is important to take action as soon as the negative behavior pattern becomes evident when left untouched, this problem will only escalate. (http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/201950#ixzz2h4AjsnQf) 3.8 Resolving Complaints Employee complaints alert us to potential problems within the business Depending on the type of complaint that comes in youre going to want to keep relevant portions of your staff appraised of it while simultaneously safeguarding the privacy of the individuals involved. Its important to be transparent in these situations because employees are probably going to know this on the office gossip vine anyway, says Kelly. They want to see that management is aware of it too and that management does take action and demonstrates a commitment to a higher ethical standard. (http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/handle-employee-complaints.html/1)

Starwood Hotels And Resorts Worldwide Inc Marketing Essay

Starwood Hotels And Resorts Worldwide Inc Marketing Essay Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc is one of the most well recognized corporations in the hospitality industry. Founded in 1991 as a real estate company first under the name of Starwood Capital Partners it developed to be a top hotel owning, operating and hospitality management company. What really distinguishes Starwood from other hospitality companies is its philosophy towards hotel customers, employees and guest services (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Providing unparalleled guest experience, high quality services products, creating team spirit among employees and by using an innovate customer approach it managed to be one of the leading companies in the hospitality industry (ibid.). Performing in the hospitality market since 1993, it developed to a global enterprise with the acquirement of Westin Hotels only 4 years after it first operated. In 1998 Starwood purchased the ITT Group, owner of the Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton brands (ibid.). Today the company owns 992 properties all over the world (appendix 1). The majority of these properties are located in North America, where Starwood has presence with 533 hotels and 298.500 rooms in total. The company has also presence in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Most of the properties are franchised or operated in joint venture with individual hotel owners. Only 63 of the hotels are privately owned. At this moment 145.000 employees work worldwide for hotels managed and operated by Starwood. The Group is consisted by nine hotel brands and one residential and vacation Ownership Company (appendix 2), (ibid.). St. Regis: St. Regis hotels and Resorts are properties which provide high-end service to satisfy the most distinguished and demanding guests, both business and leisure travelers (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). The Luxury Collection: This brand operates unique and exceptional hotels and resorts, usually classic buildings or palaces. The aim of Luxury Collection is to provide extraordinary services and experiences concentrating in the destination (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). W: W Hotels and Resorts is a new brand of ultra modern, fashion and trendy hotels that is now developing throughout the world. W offers services and experiences never offered by any company in the past. Some examples are the WhateverWhenever service and the unique design and internal environment (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Westin, Le Meridien and Sheraton brands are the three historical and largest brands of Starwood. All of them operate in the upper scale of hospitality industry. Le Meridien is the most classic of them and provides a distinctive French style in all of its properties. Sheraton is the largest brand of Starwood and operates business city hotels and leisure resorts, whereas Westin hotels are distinctive for their gracious style and are ideal for those, who seek a superior guest experience (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Four Points is a brand operating medium scale comfort hotels (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Aloft, opened in 2008, is a collection of hip hotels with modern rooms. Aloft is similar in concept with the W brand but with cheaper rates (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Element Hotels and Resorts, also opened in 2008, is a brand inspired by Westin and consists of environmental and nature friendly hotels (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). One of Starwoods key to success is based on its approach towards enterprises development, which generates from the idea of continuously growth, targeting top markets. Therefore there is no surprise that among the corporations future goals is the expansion in China market; a strong financial country with a huge market and many business potentials (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). 2.Financial Assessment Evaluating the financial assessment of a company is possible either by comparing one company to another one of the same industry or by comparing data of different financial years. In Starwoods case, in order to perform companys assessment the second method will be used; comparison of different years. Hence, from year 2008 to 2009 there was a significant decrease in return of equity, falling from 20.3% to 3.8% indicating that Starwood was not able to generate return for shareholders (figure 1). Caused partly by the fall of return of assets from 5.20% in 2007 to 1.80% in 2008 reaching -1.30% in 2009, showing that Starwood didnt use efficiently its assets to generate profit. Referring to return of capital one of its downside is that it doesnt represent something specific about where the return is being generating. Therefore its not a precise choice of financial evaluation (About.com, 2010). Figure 1: Ratio Analysis for 2007-2009 3 Year Annual Ratios (Year End) Fiscal Period 2007 2008 2009 Return on Equity (%) 26,10 20,30 3,80 Return on Assets (%) 5,20 1,80 -1.3 Profit Margin (%) 9.00 6.00 2.00 Gross Margin (%) 28,10 26,40 21,80 Net Margin (%) 8,80 5,60 1,50 Asset Turnover (%) 0.64 0.61 0.54 Fixed Asset Turnover (%) 1.6 1.64 1.41 Inventory Turnover (%) 7.81 6.09 3.74 Debt to Equity (%) 173 216 160 Current Ratio (%) 0.87 0.81 0.74 Acid Test (%) 0.53 0.44 0.35 Coverage Ratio (%) 8.28 4.55 1.48 Note: Euromonitor International, (2010) Our own Calculations Furthermore, a major drop from 8.80% to 1.50% in net margin occurred during the years 2007 and 2009 revealing that not all of its income is converted into profits. Regarding profit margin in 2007 for each dollar of sales Starwood generated $0.09 of profits, when in 2009 for each dollar of sales Starwood generated $0.02. Also, gross margin indicates that the company will retain $0.28 in 2007 for its dollar of revenue, to be able to pay additional costs and expenses, whereas in 2009 retained $0.21 for the same purpose. Concerning net margin there was a gradual fall from 8.80% in 2007, to 5.60% in 2008 and finally to 1.50% in 2009 meaning that finally for every dollar earned by Starwood, the profit is $0.015 (Investopedia ULC, 2010). Additionally, asset turnover remained almost the same. In 2007 asset turnover was 0.64, in 2008 0.61 and in 2008 it dropped to 0.54 showing that a smaller percentage of sales was able to be generated from the companys assets. Therefore fixed assets turnover had also a small decline from 1.6 in 2007 to 1.41 in 2009. Moreover there was also a substantial decline in inventory turnover from 7.81 in 2007 it fell to 6.09 in 2008, whereas we only had 3.74 in 2009 suggesting that the companys inventories are not marketable as they used to (Investopedia ULC, 2010). As far as debt to equity is concerned there was a significant rise in 2008 from 173% in 2007 to 216, but after a year it fell again to 160%. Also, current ratio had a slight decline from 0.87 in 2007 to 0.74 in 2009. Regarding acid test in 2007 it was 0.53 decreased to 0.44 in 2008 and in 2009 reached 0.35, indicating to investors and to Starwood how quickly the assets can be converted to cash in order to pay their current liabilit ies. Finally, coverage ratio from 8.28% in 2007, dropped to 4.55% in 2008, reaching 1.48% in 2009 (appendix 4.2). Hence, the company will be in danger in the future if the coverage ratio remains around 1.0% or falls below 1.0%, because at this case that will mean that it is not able to meet its obligations (Palepu, Healy, Bernard, Peek, 2007). 3.Financial Performance, Forecast Evaluation In order to perform a financial evaluation of Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide Inc. it is necessary to collect information regarding the balance sheet (appendix 7), income statement (appendix 8) and cash flow statement (appendix 9) of the company. Using these financial statements we were able to calculate the financial ratios, that were presented previously and to produce the forecast models (appendix 10 11 12 ). Also, as presented in Figure 2, Starwoods greatest Dividends per Share rate were in 2006. From that year the dividends per share followed a downward flow to 0.90 in 2007 and 2008 to reach the amount of 0.20 in 2010, the lowest for the past 10 years. This could have happened due to new equity issue. Figure 2: Per Share Data for years 2000-2009 Annual Per Share Data (Year End) Fiscal Period 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Revenue per Share ($) 22,43 20,06 23,36 22,89 25,72 27,26 28,20 30,90 32,27 25,20 Free Cash flow per Share 1,60 1,44 2,04 2,29 1,17 1,37 0,61 2,57 0,93 2,01 Earnings Per Share ($) 2,08 0,73 1,78 1,53 1,89 1,92 4,92 2,72 1,80 0,38 Dividends Per Share 0,69 0,80 0,84 0,84 0,84 0,84 13,90 0,90 0,90 0,20 Book Value Per Share 20,48 19,21 20,29 21,54 22,94 23,77 14,19 10,42 8,86 9,87 Note: (Euromonitor International, 2010) Moreover, Starwoods greatest Dividends per Share rate was 13.90 in 2006. From that year the dividends per share followed a downward flow to 0.90 in 2007 and 2008 to reach the amount of 0.20 in 2010, the lowest for the past 10 years. This could have happened due to new equity issue or the decrease of net income from the year 2006 to 2009. Earnings per Share(figure 3) is also a rate that is affected from the relegation of net income from $1 billion in 2006 to $71 millions in 2009. Operational Income is also a factor that indicated that Starwoods financial condition is not in a good position. Figure 3 Note: Our own Diagram Figure 4 Note: Our own Calculation Regarding the forecast models, firstly the moving average model is calculated as well as the weighted moving average model. However these forecasting models are providing predictions only for one future period, in this case for the year 2010. The same situation applies for the exponential smoothing model. After making two assumptions for the value alpha (0.6 and 0.05) it is proved that this model is also not appropriate, because it provides forecasts for one future period. The most accurate forecasting method for Starwood is the linear regression model. After calculating a and b, which are necessary for the formula y=a+ bx (appendix 10.2, 11.2 12.2) the yearly (seasonal) ratio is estimated (Higgins, 2009). After these calculations the estimation of the sales (appendix 10.3), profits (appendix 11.3) and cost forecast (appendix 12.3) was completed. 4. SWOT Analysis Strengths à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Massive investment on Sheraton brand hotels. Starwood spent billions of dollars on renovations and new hotel openings in order to strengthen Sheraton globally and renew its corporate image (appendix 13), (Euromonitor International, 2010). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Hotel ownership: Starwood is selling its properties in return to long year management contracts of the same properties. This tactic is generally called Sale and lease back and is used in order that the company decreases its expenditures for maintaining the buildings. Starwood sold many of the leased, owned or operated by joint venture properties (Euromonitor International, 2010). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program. The loyalty program of Starwood is well known in the tourism and hospitality industry and attracts new customers due to the benefits, innovative services and promotions in partnership with other companies offered to them (Euromonitor International, 2010). Also, to offer more benefits to their customers Starwood has cooperated with American Express to create a Starwood credit card (appendix 14). Weaknesses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Luxury Brand Hotels. Starwoods collection contains only luxury, up-scale and mid-scale brands. There are no economy hotels for business or leisure travelers that dont afford luxury brands. Starwoods competitors are present in budget hotels with brands for example Ibis, owned by Accor and Holiday Inn Express owned by IHG (Euromonitor International, 2010). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ U.S. market oriented. Starwood has a large presence in the United States and that makes the company extremely dependant on the economy situation of the country. The U.S. economy upturns and downturns have direct effects on Starwood (Euromonitor International, 2010). Opportunities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Aloft brand. This new Starwood brand gives the opportunity to travelers that cant afford the other luxury brands to have access to modern hotels with high-tech design and facilities (Euromonitor International, 2010). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Growth in Asia. Asia and especially China are the emerging markets for Starwood in the fore coming years. China is the second largest market right now and Starwood plans to double its presence there by 2012 (Euromonitor International, 2010). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Attraction of wider range of travelers via the social media networking sites. By developing mini-sites in every social media site, Starwood could attract new target groups of customers that never before have used its services or sometimes havent even heard about Starwood brand name (Euromonitor International, 2010) . Threats à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consumer behavior. Starwood, having only a collection of luxury and upscale hotels is reliant to any changes in travelers behavior. Spending for luxury goods and services is usually the first thing that gets deleted or decreased from every business or family budget (Euromonitor International, 2010). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Travel industry downturns. Travel and tourism industry have experienced in the past a lot of uncertain and unexpected recessions due to facts like terrorism, enlarging fuel prices, political instability economic conditions or extreme weather conditions that caused major catastrophes. These effects could still happen anytime in the future. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The above point about industry downturns leads most of the times to less credit availability to the companies. This means that there will be fewer investments in tourism either in forms of renovations or new build hotel openings (Euromonitor International, 2010). 5. Competitive Challenges In general 2008 for the hospitality industry was a good year. More specifically a 5% growth occurred at that time, followed however by a significant fall of 11% during the year 2009 due to the economic crisis. Starwood enterprise was affected by this crisis by a 12% fall in that year. Therefore, one solution to avoid the catastrophe was to lower room rates and cut costs. But what Starwood did was to try and gain customer loyalty. One way to do that was by making him feel like home. Another way to offer 1000 reward points for every night the customer stayed at their hotel (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Starwoods policy was by no means lower the price of the room rates significantly as some of their competitive did. Since it would be very difficult for them to recover after the crisis and the customers would become adapted to the discount room rates. Thus, it would be very difficult for Starwood to raise the room rate prices again. Eventually they would manage to do so, but it would take too much time (ibid.). For 2010 Starwood plans to launch its campaign of rediscover Sheraton, which cost US$ 6 billion in order to renovate and built new rooms, lobbies etc of Sheratons properties. A step, that will give Sheraton and Starwood a leading advantage (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). 6. Future Prospects The unpredictable and unstable economic situation in U.S and Europe resulted to the decrease of Starwoods revenue by 18% comparing the years 2008 and 2009. The weakening economic environment and the general reduction of business traveling led Starwood to offer an innovative promotion through the loyalty program called Preferred Guest. Starwood offered a 50% discount for guests staying from November until January 2010 (Euromonitor International, 2010). The future prospects for Starwood in order to adapt to the always evolving hospitality environment is first to franchise some brands to other hotel operators and owners (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). This means that Starwood could give permission to a 3rd organization to operate and be the master franchisor of its brands in a country or market that Starwood doesnt have prior experience. Second prospect intention is to increase sales booked directly from the companys website. That will lead to higher customer satisfaction and revenue increase. Another intention is to increase the number of guests joining the loyalty program and thereby increase the occupancy rates (ibid.). One final overall intention is to make the most out of what technology has to offer to hospitality and therefore boost the operating efficiency. Even though the information needed for Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide Inc evaluation was sufficient, there were some important statistics missing regarding Starwoods individual hotel brands and internal data for every country that Starwood is operating. Having these records we could have made a more informed report containing future prospects for each particular brand. Furthermore, if we had more information and data regarding taxes, distressed costs, market signaling, companys flexibility and management incentives we could make more efficient financial decisions (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010),. 7. Recommendations Geographic expansion Starwood has already a large presence in North America and Europe covering a wide range of properties, from historical palaces to ultra modern and hi-tech hotels. Starwood is now starting to expand in China, India and other Asian countries. Additionally the company should expand its business to Africa and Middle East but certainly should focus on China as it is the rising economy of our days (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). The Chinese, in a few years, are expected to be the largest number of travelers worldwide both for regional and international tourism. It is rational for any company to have strong presence in this country in order to create loyal guests of the future (appendix 15). Affordable Luxury Starwood created new concepts in hospitality a few years ago when introducing the brands aloft and Element. In that way these two new ideas were offered to new target groups of travelers that in the past would have never chosen to stay in a Starwood managed hotel. Element is the eco-friendly brand of the group while aloft is the first hotel company of the group doesnt concentrate on business travelers but focuses on young travelers that dont want to spend large amounts of money but still enjoy staying in a modern, comfortable and hi-tech environment (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Cost controlling Due to the global unstable economic situation companies and organizations like Starwood should deliberate to reducing their operational costs. This means that hotels should maximize the use of their existing resources and increase their efficiency. To give an example of that (Euromonitor International, 2010). New target groups In the near future Starwood should invest in new hospitality industry segments and new target group of both business and leisure travelers. Generation Y in a few years will have the ability to afford staying in a Starwood hotel. This is the reason why Starwood through the two new brands, element and aloft, should focus on developing them to attract the new generation (Euromonitor International, 2010). Customer experience The key point of success for the existing well-known brands of Starwood is to increase customer satisfaction and make each moment he spends using the services unique. This objective can be achieved from considering customers feedback and trying to adapt to their needs (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). Budget hotel brands A new trend that has been developed the last few years is for hotel chains to adapt low budget hotels. This doesnt mean under any circumstances that the quality standards will be lowered. Only that these specifically brand will provide more affordable services to future hotel guests. Other hospitality chains have recognized the market need for more inexpensive hotels and have already launched their budget hotels (Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2010). 8. References About.com. (2010). Interest Coverage Ratio. Retrieved September 13, 2010, from beginnersinvest.about.com: http://beginnersinvest.about.com/od/incomestatementanalysis/a/interest-coverage-ratio.htm Ashpfoundation. (2009). SWOT Analysis. Retrieved September 21, 2010, from www.ashpfoundation.org: http://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ashpfoundation.org/leadershiptoolkit/swot-analysis-sm.jpgimgrefurl=http://proiecte4.parvezbd.com/swot-de-starbucks.htmlusg=__6eEJug33fGnGxWj8RZmFQl5hfjg=h=371w=368sz=79hl=destart=0zoom=1tbnid=ui8SJD5s Credit Card Offers IQ. (2008). New Changes To The Starwood Amex Card. Retrieved September 21, 2010, from creditcardoffersiq.com: http://creditcardoffersiq.com/credit-card-news/new-changes-to-the-starwood-amex-card/ Euromonitor International. (2010). Starwood Hotel Resorts Worldwide Inc in Travel and Tourism World. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from www.portal.euromonitor.com: http://www.portal.euromonitor.com/Portal/ResultsList.aspx GuruFocus.com. (2010). HOT Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide Inc. ($47.45) . Retrieved August 27, 2010, from www.gurufocus.com: http://www.gurufocus.com/financials.php?symbol=HOT# Higgins, R. C. (2009). Analysis for Financial Management. New York: The McGraw- Hill Companies. Investopedia ULC. (2010). Fixed-Asset Turnover Ratio. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from www.investopedia.com: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fixed-asset-turnover.asp Investopedia ULC. (2010). Gross Margin. Retrieved August 11, 2010, from www.investopedia.com: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/grossmargin.asp Investopedia ULC. (2010). Net Margin. Retrieved August 11, 2010, from www.investopedia.com: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/net_margin.asp Investopedia ULC. (2010). Return On Assets ROA. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from www.investopedia.com: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/returnonassets.asp Investopedia ULC. (2010). Return On Invested Capital ROIC. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from www.investopedia.com: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/returnoninvestmentcapital.asp Miles, D. P. (2009). Hotel Reward Programs: Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). Retrieved September 21, 2010, from pointsmilesandmartinis.blogspot.com: http://pointsmilesandmartinis.blogspot.com/2009/06/hotel-reward-programs-starwood.html Palepu, K. G., Healy, P. M., Bernard, V. L., Peek, E. (2007). BUSINESS ANALYSIS AND VALUATION. London: Thomsom Learning. Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (2010). Company Overview. Retrieved September 9, 2010, from www.starwoodhotels.com: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/company_info.html Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (2010). Company Values. Retrieved September 9, 2010, from www.starwoodhotels.com: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/company_values.html Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (2010). Development Support. Retrieved September 8, 2010, from development.starwoodhotels.com: http://development.starwoodhotels.com/development_support/ Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (2010). Sales Marketing. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from development.starwoodhotels.com: http://development.starwoodhotels.com/sales_marketing/ Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (2010). The beauty of Starwood is the beauty of choice. Retrieved September 8, 2010, from development.starwoodhotels.com: http://development.starwoodhotels.com/brands/ Valane, J. (2009). Starwood Hotels Resorts: Fairly Valued At Current Price. Retrieved September 21, 2010, from seekingalpha.com: http://seekingalpha.com/article/35371-starwood-hotels-resorts-fairly-valued-at-current-price