Breast Cancer Cancer And Cancer - 1115 Words

One out of eight women around the world develops the most common disease called Breast Cancer. In the United States, about 200,000 women suffer from this disease and it causes more than 40,000 death each year. Breast cancer is a cancer cell (malignant tumor) that forms in the breast. The cancerous cells grow in the breast and then invade the healthy cells and the surrounding tissues of the breast and it can also spread into other parts of the body. Breast cancer is more common in women but men can also get it too. One of the reasons that males are less likely to develop breast cancer because males have less estrogen and progesterone hormones which is a higher risk of breast cancer cell to grow. There are many risks factors that can cause†¦show more content†¦According to Stephanie R. Land (2014), Cigarette smoking, physical activity, and alcohol consumption have been implicated in previous studies as risk or protective factors for cancer at a number of organ sites. Cigarette smoking, long known to increase the risk of lung cancer, is also associated with increased risk of many other cancers, including those of the colon and breast (1-10). There is an inverse effect of cigarette smoking for endometrial cancer, especially among postmenopausal overweight or obese women (due possibly to an antiestrogenic effect of smoking; refs. (11-16). Physical activity seems to be a protective factor for many cancers (17-21). Alcohol consumption has been associated with increased risks of breast, lung, and colon cancer, among others (22-24). The evidence is stronger for some of these associations than others, and the generalizability across populations varies as well. Every women is different so they develop different types of breast cancer. Breast cancer occurs under two categories: invasive and noninvasive. Invasive breast cancer is cancerous cells that can break through breast tissues and spread into different parts of the body through bloodstreams and lymph nodes. Noninvasive breast cancer is cancerous cells that stay in only one area of the breast and it cannot extend in other surrounding tissue. Other types of breast cancer are; Paget s disease of the nipple, phyllodes tumor, mucinous carcinoma, sarcoma of the

Holy War Inc Book Review Free Essays

string(70) " foreign troops and what they see as ungodly secular rulers† \(7\)\." In Peter Bergen’s Holy War, Inc, the reader is ushered through a head-spinning trip around the globe that serves to highlight the far-reaching effects of Al Qaeda, a terrorist organization that Bergen likens to a Multi-national holding company. While Bergen makes reference to similarities between the management of a Multi-national Corporation and that of al-Qaeda, it is seemingly not the primary focus of the book nor does it serve as a particularly suitable metaphor, especially in light of the events that have transpired since the book was released. Despite the title of the book, Bergen does a fine job setting a backdrop to the organization and illustrating how it operates in an increasingly technologically intertwined world system, as well as outlining factors contributed by the West. We will write a custom essay sample on Holy War Inc Book Review or any similar topic only for you Order Now It seems there are few people on the planet who are as qualified as Peter Bergen to tackle as complex a task as explaining al-Qaeda to the masses. It is a feat he has clearly accomplished though, evidenced by the fact that the book became a New York Times best seller, was named one of the best non-fiction books of 2001 by The Washington Post, and has been translated into eighteen different languages. Bergen has traveled extensively through Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to report on bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. In 1997 Bergen brought the Western world bin Laden’s first television interview as a producer for CNN. It was in this interview that Western audiences first heard bin Laden’s declaration of war against the United States (1). Due to his extensive travel and research, Bergen displays an understanding and empathy, if not flat out admiration and sympathy for the Muslim struggle. He spends virtually no effort in further vilifying the terrorists, but concentrates rather on explaining the history and motivation behind the attacks with vocabulary that is, at times, nearly poetic. This ranges from the description of the â€Å"hopelessly brave warriors who†¦suffered so much for their faith† during the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, to the moving experience of watching Muslim men at prayer. He reflects on how â€Å"the act of collective worship woven into the fabric of daily life is something we have almost entirely lost in the West (2). My personal favorite however, is his description of Pakistan during Ramadan where the â€Å"mornings were chilly, but by midday the sun had warmed the velvet breezes that blew the turning leaves off the trees† (3). Apart from the eloquence employed in his writing, it is still most surprising the great lengths Bergen went through to assemble a case of innocence for Khaled al-Fawwaz, the man who had first arranged CNN’s meeting with bin Laden and who was incidentally arrested by British authorities while Bergen was in London. Khaled is still being held in Britain fighting extradition to the U. S. for his involvement in the bombings of the two U. S. embassies in East Africa despite Bergen’s construct of innocence (4). Bergen does not excuse the terrorist acts performed by al-Qaeda and the Taliban, but certainly works to explain to the Western world the factors and policies that have contributed to their justification for violence. He is critical of the U. S. Government from the outset of the book where he examines U. S. ulpability for placing extremists in power and for providing an arsenal of weapons still employed by Afghan extremists today. During the brutal Afghan war, the U. S. provided political and financial support as well as stinger missiles (via the Pakistani government) to the Hizb party headed by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an Islamic extremist who â€Å"consistently placed the long-term goal of Islamic revolution over resistance to the Soviets†(5). Bergen identifies Ahmed Shah Massoud, a moderate Islamic general as having been a better choice of leaders, but as they say, hindsight is 20/20. More importantly, Bergen seeks to establish the ignorance on which the United States’ policies have been formed. An Army Supervisor told Bergen that in his eight years in the Middle East that he had heard daily of how U. S. policy was â€Å"dead wrong†. Though these are not Bergen’s own words, it seems this is the overriding message he seeks to convey. He makes it abundantly clear that the Muslim world has not made war on our culture, but rather on our politics, particularly pertaining to the occupation of Saudi Arabia. He explains the fundamental difference between U. S. and Islamic thought: the concept of the ability to separate the sacred and secular. In a land where the â€Å"separation of church and state† is held as a value, it is difficult to conceive a system where politics and religion are one in the same. As difficult as it is for us to imagine policy being dictated by religion, it is equally as difficult for them to perceive an occupation as anything less than an attack directly on Islam itself. In fact, our policies are rarely grounded on moral principal, much less religion, unless there are first grounded in national interest. In the eyes of al-Qaeda, U. S. occupation of Saudi Arabia, a most holy place in the Islamic faith, is akin to â€Å"sending Jihad to the Vatican† (6). Every military move the West has made in light of the Saudi occupation only furthers the belief that the U. S. seeks to dominate the Muslim world. This includes military activity in Somalia and other predominantly Muslim countries in Africa, to the support of Israel, to the ongoing occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq. A little more than a year after this book was released, the U. S. and Saudi Arabia agreed that it was in both nations’ best interest for U. S. forces to leave the area. It does not seem, however, that this is having the effect on bin Laden that Bergen and U. S. policy makers had hoped for. According to the BBC’s Arab affairs analyst Magdi Abdelhadi, bin Laden will not be satisfied until all Muslim societies are â€Å"liberated from foreign troops and what they see as ungodly secular rulers† (7). You read "Holy War Inc Book Review" in category "Papers" Bergen further discourages American occupation by making note of Afghan history, marked by numerous foreign invasions that have consistently, and brutally been averted by Afghan warriors to the demise of their attackers. Bergen states that the â€Å"British came to realize that to occupy Afghanistan was to invite disaster (8)†, a sentiment echoed last year by Saudi Prince Turki Al-Faisal in his assessment of the Obama Administration’s goal to extract U. S. troops from Afghanistan. He states, â€Å"Nobody, throughout history, has ever succeeded in [conquering Afghanistan]. Go back to Alexandrian times and more recently to Soviet times. Afghanistan has always been the deathbed of invading armies. â€Å"(9). Support is given to these ideas rather than to the title, which I imagine was cooked up by Bergen’s publisher as a means to sell books to its target market, the capitalist West. There is no doubt that bin Laden and his family have been extraordinarily successful in their business ventures, funneling a great amount of the resulting wealth into terrorist organizations. To say, however, that al-Qaeda acts as a â€Å"multi-national holding company† is a stretch, at best. Bergen himself defines the structure of a holding company as â€Å"controlling partial or complete interests in other companies†(10). Even this limited definition does not seem to apply to al-Qaeda’s methods, but when the definition is extended out further, it seems to become even less applicable. A holding company provides a means of concentrating control of several companies with a minimum of investment and risk to the holding company. This would suggest that the product, which in this case would be varying brands of Jihad, are simply managed and controlled by al-Qaeda, when in fact they are the organization doing the exporting of a particular brand of Jihad. Bergen contradicts his own thesis in his discussion about the nature of the organization in regards to intelligence gathering. He states, â€Å"The bin Laden network is by contrast a loosely affiliated transnational group with a more diffuse organizational structure that makes it hard to penetrate†(11). Bin Laden knows business and has surely employed many of his organizational management skills to al-Quaeda, but that does not a business make. It is true that al-Quaeda is â€Å"as globally minded as any other national company† (12) and has attracted a â€Å"polyglot† of followers (a word Bergen employs multiple times) but what this really speaks to his observation that â€Å"bin Laden’s organization†¦is as much a creation of globalization as a response to it† (13). Bergen acknowledges that umma the world community of Muslims, is a value long held by the Islamic faith. Globalization has simply shored up that value. If al-Quaeda were the top-down corporation that Bergen suggests, it would be a machine whose components could be easily disabled. In 2009, Bergen gave testimony before the U. S. house of representatives that â€Å"Al Qaeda has sustained and can continue to sustain enormous blows that would put other organizations out of business because the members of the group firmly believe that they are doing God’s work and tactical setbacks do not matter in the short run. 14)† Perhaps the organization is approaching the point that Bergen predicted in the closing of the book, where our victory in the war on terror is defined by a reversion of terrorist threats similar to the â€Å"status-quo of pre-9/11, where terrorism was an irritant for American Policy Makers, but not the major national security concern†(15). Or perhaps as he suggests it is â€Å"devolving into local franchises† (16), though it seems this metaphor would have been more fitting from the beginning. In fact, in Bergen’s Senate testimony he says of the organization: Indeed, it is my assessment that the al Qaeda organization today no longer poses a direct national security threat to the United States itself, but rather poses a second-order threat in which the worst case scenario would be an al Qaeda- trained or -inspired terrorist managing to pull off an attack on the scale of something in between the 1993 Trade Center attack, which killed six, and the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995, which killed 168. While this, of course, would be tragic, it would not constitute a mass casualty attack sufficiently large in scale to reorient American national security policy completely as the 9/11 attacks did (17). This suggests al-Quaeda as something less of a franchise but rather more of an inspiring business model. While there are still terrorists who have been directly trained by al-Qaeda, or employees if you will, the preeminent threat stems from those who are inspired by the group’s successes. To carry the corporate metaphor out further, these are the people who decide to open their own shoe store after learning about the successes of Nordstrom. I would most certainly suggest this book to others, particularly Americans who tend to be apathetic toward foreign policy. A move toward understanding the collective psychology of the group is infinitely more productive that blind defiance. It is a superbly written book especially in light of the intertwined cast of characters who were often difficult to keep track of, given their travel in and out of regions and with lengthy names consisting of strings of consonants unfamiliar to the English-speaking world. It would be difficult to put these globe-trotting, name-dropping narratives could together in any less complicated manner though, unless one were to rename individuals such as â€Å"Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman† as â€Å"Abe† for instance, but I suppose that would wholly undermine the book’s authenticity. When certain individuals reemerge in the plot, Bergen is often kind enough to remind the reader that of where they had first appeared, such as the case of Ramzi Yousef who was mentioned briefly in two chapters. Bergen reminds that reader that he was the fellow who had an early mishap with some explosives he was experimenting with, resulting in smoke pouring from his Manila apartment (18). Given all the Arab names in the book, the Oh-I-remember-that-guy-now tactic proves rather helpful. Bergen leaves the reader with quite a lot to chew on and digest in regards to foreign policy and trade by expressing a liberally optimistic worldview. Any hope seems to lie in closing the gap of ignorance in the West toward Islam as well as the Islamic world’s blissful denial of the damage done to the West by Islamic radicalism. For instance, the results of the poll of Muslim countries cited by Bergen found that the U. S. attacks on Afghanistan were perceived as unjustified. It was a bit more revealing that the same poll showed that the terror attacks on the U. S. were perceived as equally unjustified and that 61 percent did not even believe that Arab terrorists carried out the 9/11 attacks (19). Bergen seems confident though that the Democratic Islamic Movement holds potential stating that, â€Å"any number of political models are possible in an Islamic environment† (20) and that as long as governments are stabilized, extremism will hold less appeal. I don’t know that Bergen would have written this book has he thought the West could not have a positive role in creating that stabilization. He admonishes the U. S. government and Middle Eastern countries for working in cooperation against al-Quaeda and for establishing trade policies that benefit unstable regions. This type of cooperation is paramount in his view. Bergen closes along the real thesis of the book, which has nothing to do with terrorism as a multinational corporation, and everything to do with explaining Muslim sensibilities and how deeply the U. S. continues to offend them. His exhortation is for the U. S. to behave in a manner that looks toward peace rather than ignorantly and haughtily labeling the entire region as an â€Å"axis of evil†. Readers of this book will hopefully walk away with an understanding of the motivation behind al-Quaeda as well as our own national propensity toward the pride that has motivated unthinkable offenses toward the Muslim people. Bibliography (1) â€Å"Biography. † PeterBergen. com. Web. 18 Mar. 2010. . (2) Bergen, Peter. Holy War, Inc. . New York, NY: Simon Schuster, 2002. p. 153. (3) Holy War, Inc. p. 150. (4) â€Å"US Most Wanted Terrorist Suspect in New Extradition Fight in Britain – Telegraph. † Telegraph. co. uk: News, Business, Sport, the Daily Telegraph Newspaper, Sunday Telegraph – Telegraph. Web. 17 Mar. 2010. . (5) Holy War, Inc. p. 72. (6) Holy War, Inc. p. 101. (7) â€Å"BBC NEWS | Middle East | US Pulls out of Saudi Arabia. † BBC NEWS | News Front Page. Web. 17 Mar. 2010. . (8) Holy War, Inc. p. 53. Bibliography (Cont. ) (9) â€Å"Cornell Chronicle: Saudi Prince on U. S. -Saudi Relations. † Cornell Chronicle Online. Web. 17 Mar. 2010. http://www. news. cornell. edu/stories/April09/PrinceTurkiCover. gl. html (10) Holy War, Inc. p. 32. (11) Holy War, Inc. p. 120. (12) Holy War, Inc. p. 83. (13) Holy War, Inc. p. 200. (14) â€Å"Articles – Congressional Testimony: Reassessing the Evolving Al Qaeda Threat to the Homeland. † PeterBergen. com. Web. 18 Mar. 2010. . (15) Holy War, Inc. p. 245. 16) Holy War, Inc. p. 238. Bibliography (Cont. ) (17) â€Å"Articles – Congressional Testimony: Reassessing the Evolving Al Qaeda Threat to the Homeland. † PeterBergen. com. Web. 18 Mar. 2010. . (18) Holy War, Inc. p. 222. (19) Holy War, Inc. p. 227. (20) Holy War, Inc. p. 238. http://www. peterbergen. com/articles/details. aspx? id=411 Cornell University, Chronicle Online. April 24, 2009. Saudi Prince Hopes Obama Wi ll End Region’s conflicts. George Lowery http://www. news. cornell. edu/stories/April09/PrinceTurkiCover. gl. html 2 How to cite Holy War Inc Book Review, Essays

International Economic Development Growth and Productivity

Question: Discuss about theInternational Economic Development forGrowth and Productivity. Answer: Introduction: This assignment is basically a literature review of the article The Impact of Research and Development on Economic growth and Productivity in the U.S. States. The research and development (R and D) has a significant impact on both the output and the total factor productivity (TFP) in the long run. According to this article, the average R and D elasticity for the private sector in U.S. states from the year 1963 to 2007 is 0.056-0.143. The question addressed here is why the states with higher human capital have more R and D elasticity than other countries and what the R and D spillover effects are across the states (Blanco 2016). Theoretical Background: Research and development (R and D) means the process that the corporate companies use to develop their existing goods and procedures or the expansion of new commodities and procedures. The R and D activities may vary between the companies but the main model of these activities remains same. Moreover, the R and D activity has a positive spillover effects on the innovation and the total factor productivity (TFP). In this article, the empirical methods have been used to determine the long term effects of R and D across the states of U.S. Along with the R and D performance, the TFP of the U.S. was also considered. This article provides an analytical description of the effect of R and D and TFP on economic growth. To determine the effects, different types of econometric models have been used in the analysis part. The main research question is to identify the effects of R and D on the economic growth and productivity (Francombe and Hoffman 2013). Methodologies Used in this Paper: The paper is basically a literature review based on a peer reviewed academic article. The article has used secondary data on output, R and D, physical and human capital, labor. To estimate a production function, a regression model has been taken. Moreover, an autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) has been used to estimate the short run dynamics of the variables. Moreover, the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimator is used to determine the parameters of the long run relationship between the SGDP and TFP. The PMG estimator is good for two reasons. It provides an appropriate common ground between conventional fixed effects estimates for using the panel data and the Mean Group (MG) estimator. These are the methods used in this article. Relevancy/ Contribution: This part of the article summarizes the whole thing. The first part of the article introduces the topic of the article and it provides a summary of it. The main focus of the article is on the impact of R and D development on economic growth. The next part of the article provides the theoretical background of this issue. There are some variations in the R and D elasticity across the states. The human capital also plays a vital role in this context. The state with higher human capital will have higher R and D elasticity. When the TFP is lower, then there would be no effect on R and D activities (Mori, Kanda and Notomi 2013). Key Findings: This part of the assignment describes the main findings of this article. The relationship between the investment in R and D capital and productivity leads to the following results. The first conclusion derived from the article is that all estimated specifications reflect that the R and D of a state has an important impact on the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP) through the TFP in future. Secondly, it was found that the R and D does not have major short run effects on the productivity. It does not matter that whether the R and D is introduced within the states or in other states. It focuses on the long run linkage between the R and D investment and growth of the economy. Another conclusion is that the strong indication of positive R and D spillovers among U.S. states reveals the fact that every dollar spent on R and D has a marginal effect of around 11% on average (Kurihara and Hanakawa 2013). Critical Review: This part of the assignment provides the critical review of the article. In recent years, there has been significant progress towards R and D activities. The measures of R and D are kept as an asset by the firms. The R and D should be allotted in such a way that the overall rate of return is very high (Wang et al. 2013). Moreover, the technological change is a significant determinant of the long-term productivity and it also improves the standard of living over time. One of the main criticisms of the endogenous growth theory is that it failed to explain the conditional convergence (Harper, Jones and Marcus 2013). Paul krugman also criticized the endogenous growth theory. One paper argued some significant issues about the rate of return to R and D. The technological opportunities and R and D, both are interrelated. The firms which have high R and D are likely to have strong technological opportunities. Similarly, firms with low R and D have weaker technological prospects. The firms of pure competitive market generally do not spend money for R and D since they dont receive normal profits. There are some industries like software, computer and robotics which spend a significant amount of money for R and D purpose. Due to the changing technologies worldwide, they have to do the R and D activities (Noyes et al. 2013). There are some challenges associated with this R D technology. Firstly, it requires a high cost. Moreover, it takes a long period to manufacture a new product. Also the outcomes are uncertain. Sometimes it cannot be predicted that whether the customers requirements will change during the lengthy R D method. The R and D model developed by Paul Romer provides the theory of endogenous growth. According to this theory, this endogenous growth model is also Pareto inefficient (Gil 2014). Reference List: Blanco, L.R., Gu, J. and Prieger, J.E., 2016. The Impact of Research and Development on Economic Growth and Productivity in the US States.Southern Economic Journal,82(3), pp.914-934. Francombe, M.H. and Hoffman, R.W. eds., 2013.Physics of Thin Films: Advances in Research and Development. Elsevier. Gil, H., 2014. Competitive Regional Development as a Synthesis of Endogenous Growth and Economic Geography. 27(2), pp.339-362. Harper, C., Jones, N. and Marcus, R., 2013.Research for development: A practical guide. Sage. Kurihara, M. and Hanakawa, M., 2013. Mega-ton Water System: Japanese national research and development project on seawater desalination and wastewater reclamation.Desalination,308, pp.131-137. Mori, Y., Kanda, H. and Notomi, T., 2013. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP): recent progress in research and development.Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy,19(3), pp.404-411. Noyes, J., Gough, D., Lewin, S., Mayhew, A., Michie, S., Pantoja, T., Petticrew, M., Pottie, K., Rehfuess, E., Shemilt, I. and Shepperd, S., 2013. A research and development agenda for systematic reviews that ask complex questions about complex interventions.Journal of clinical epidemiology,66(11), pp.1262-1270. Wang, W., Luo, Q., Li, B., Wei, X., Li, L. and Yang, Z., 2013. Recent progress in redox flow battery research and development.Advanced Functional Materials,23(8), pp.970-986.

On the banks of the Neva Review Essay Example

On the banks of the Neva Review Paper Essay on On the banks of the Neva This example of elegant, elegance of prose talented woman. A magnificent monument erected on the Silver Age of paper. Example of what should be a memoir, to be interesting, exciting, and not forced to quietly yawn of boredom. In my opinion, Odoyevtseva entered the history of literature, not as a poet, her memories overshadowed her poetry . Do I have to regret it? I think it is not necessary. On the pages of her memoirs revive Gumilyov, Akhmatova, Gippius, Merezhkovsky, Taffy, Blok, Yesenin, and many other talented people of a bygone era .EE memories are only its interpretation of what he saw, uslyshennogo. They are thin, delicate, sophisticated, friendly. I believe her. I feel her sincerity. I feel her humanity. The story draws to impossible, the two volumes On the banks of the Neva, On the banks of the Seine avidly read in one day. Even not known to me until then figure poets take on the majestic aura arouse interest and desire to learn, prochustvovat. Contributes to this magnificent collection of poems, chosen by the author. We will write a custom essay sample on On the banks of the Neva Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on On the banks of the Neva Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on On the banks of the Neva Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I do not know whether to impute to her reproach, but his personal life with Georgi Ivanov, it describes very delicately, avoiding awkward moments. Napr.fraza abandoned her, I was not jealous, whether such strikes are unlikely to scratch, but Odoyevtseva tactfully silent about the reasons to get her to this proiznesti.Navernoe it right, you should not throw off geniuses from their pedestals. What I personally can not forgive her (I certainly dramatizing, but still boyish in me ineradicable) so it remarry after the death of her husband. In order to perpetuate this beautiful story of an alliance between it and Georgi Ivanov, it is just before the story had no right to remarry. Of course, my statement comical. I am sure that there were reasons for the marriage of a property, not the desire to save another poet, I think it was, and material calculations, including (this is only my speculation), tkv memoirs said that they in the end of life they lived very poorly, almost starving. And I can well understand a lonely woman at the age of the remaining one, with virtually no means of livelihood. But I just want to dismiss it, to erase these events To summarize:. Brilliant memoirs of a brilliant epoch, written by the brilliant woman! I bow.

Operational Strategy and Improvement Paper

Operational Strategy and Improvement Paper Operations strategy is concerned with setting broad policies and plans for using the resources of a firm to best support its long-term competitive strategy. A firm's operations strategy is comprehensive through its integration with corporate strategy. The strategy involves a long-term process that must foster inevitable change. An operations strategy involves decisions that relate to the design of a process and the infrastructure needed to support the process. Process design includes the selection of appropriate technology, sizing the process over time, the role of inventory in the process, and locating the process. The infrastructure decisions involve the logic associated with the planning and control systems, quality assurance and control approaches, work payment structures, and organization of the operations function. Operations strategy can be viewed as part of a planning process that coordinates operational goals with those of the larger organization. Since the goals of the larg er organization change over time, the operations strategy must be designed to anticipate future needs.130731-D-NI589-149A firm's operations capabilities can be viewed as a portfolio best suited to adapt to the changing product and or service needs of the firm's customers (‚Â ¶, 2).In the business world, organizations have to compete with companies that produce similar goods. To be successful against the competition, an organization must have a competitive strategy. Without a competitive strategy, the company would have a difficult time in competing successfully for the duration. The strategy of an operation is based on how the competitive environment is changing and what the business needs to do in order to meet the future and current challenges. The development for a business of the operations processes and human resources has to be on a platform that would give the business a leading edge. Once the company has a clear understanding of the direction they are...

Black Fly Beverage Company Essay Example for Free

Black Fly Beverage Company Essay Black Fly Beverage Company is a small beverage company based in London Ontario. The company has achieved recent success in the selling and promoting of their first alcoholic beverage, the cranberry/blueberry vodka cooler. The immediate success of this product presents two critical issues that the company must address. These critical issues are: †¢Black fly must expand its product mix in order to capture a larger market share in order to compete with larger established brands within the market place †¢Black Fly must also address capacity issues that will arise with an increase in demand or introduction of a new flavor Analysis. Current Situation Black Fly’s cranberry-blueberry vodka cooler has been well received by consumers due to its natural tasting ingredients and no chemical sweeteners producing a premium product different than existing similar beverages. The company now must take this opportunity to give their consumers another product to further explore the brand. Attempting to penetrate deeper within their current product will not allow its customers to further explore their favorite brand of vodka cooler. This will cause Black Fly to begin to lose their customers to other competing companies that offer multiple products and flavors (see exhibit 9). Black Fly also must also address the company’s capacity issues in order to allow them to meet the LCBO’s average order lead-time of seven days. At full capacity Black Fly is meeting the required lead time with minimal margin of error to account for delays, however, during the holiday season, which will occur as early as next month, the company will not be able to keep up with the increase in demand and will fail fulfill the LCBO’s order in time (see exhibit 7). Options The first option available to Black Fly would be to expand its product mix with the addition of a new flavor to compliment their existing cooler. The company will be able to take advantage of economies of scale through the current production; therefore a minimal cost of $30,000 will only be needed to cover development and merchandising fees. To cover this initial cost Black Fly will have to sell an additional 127 cases a month to break even, an increase of 10. 58% (see exhibit 2). It has been projected that adding another flavor to the product line could increase sales by 50 to 75 percent. This projected increase in sales would produce an annual expected ROI of 373% and 609% respectively (see exhibit 5). If however sales increased by only 10% due to the risk of cannibalization of their original recipe then the expected ROI would be -5% (see exhibit 5). This increase in sales however will put additional strain on the company’s current capacity (see exhibit 8). A second option to Black Fly would be the addition of a new specialty spirit-based product called â€Å"Spiked Ice†. This packaged ready to freeze cooler would be a non-competing product to the already successful cranberry-blueberry vodka. An advantage to this product is that there is no other product similar to it out in the marketplace. The LCBO has also committed to sell 8,000 cases of the product over the four summer months, which would produce revenues of $277,200 (see exhibit 3). Over this four month period this option will produce an ROI of 15% (see exhibit 6). To produce â€Å"Spiked Ice† the company however will have to purchase expensive machinery costing $500,000 and spend an additional $40,000 on merchandising and product development. To cover these costs Black Fly would have to sell an additional 7,585 cases of â€Å"Spiked Ice† (see exhibit 4). This may prove difficult as this new product is very seasonal producing higher sales in the summer months and potentially smaller sales in the fall and winter months, a time in which the LCBO has not committed to sell this product at this time. Another disadvantage to this option is the space that this new machinery would occupy in the already small warehouse. Black Fly’s current facilities cannot produce â€Å"Spiked Ice† and the original vodka simultaneously which would result in Black Fly loosing monthly revenues of $23,641 (see exhibit 1). Recommendation It is apparent that Black Fly must attempt to offer a variety of products to enhance its product mix and to keep current customers from trying other flavors offered by other competitors. At this time the best way to proceed with this will be to launch a new flavored vodka to compliment the already successful cranberry-blueberry vodka. The low initial costs and economies of scale gained through this option will allow Black Fly to introduce this new flavor quickly and efficiently to capitalize sales during the upcoming holiday season. To help address the concern of future capacity issues it would be recommended that Black Fly hire two more part-time workers and to run the production process seven days a week. This will be possible due to the expected high ROI associated with this option. This increase in production will allow the company to complete six full runs amounting to 3000 cases within the seven day lead time required by the LCBO ( see exhibit 10). In the future it will become necessary to upgrade to a larger facility and at that time it would be beneficial to begin producing â€Å"Spiked Ice†, however at this current time, given the company’s limited time in the market, it is suggested that Black Fly only pursue the launching of a new flavor. After the company has received sales from the holiday season the company will then be able to better address the possibility of relocating to a new warehouse and address their plans for â€Å"Spiked Ice† for the upcoming summer months. Black Fly Beverage Company. (2017, Feb 27).

Nursing Leading Change in Practice and Alterations in Child Health Essay

Nursing Leading Change in Practice and Alterations in Child Health - Essay Example There were assessments of the current reality in practice and of the benefits of the desired state of practice, and these seemed to have motivated them (Maslow, A.H., 1970). This conceptualization of the vision and efficiently communicating them others were of particular importance, and these would have provided the staff with a clear visualization of a better and more ideal future state of practice. This would have provided the staff with a sense of direction and of common purpose where trust and respect to the person would have motivated them. A positive work environment was created successfully that empowered team building (Carlopio, J., Andrewartha, G., and Armstrong, H., 2005). Likewise, there was resistance to such changes. Analyzing these, I can say that resistance developed from technical concerns, psychosocial needs, and a threat to position and power (Tappen, R.M., 2001). The technical concerns were actually valid in some cases. Some raised the issue of time factors to spend time in researching in a busy work area. Lack of confidence in the staff's ability to critically evaluate empirical research and a work environment that did not support evidence based practice were also common. Inadequate research resources and limited authority or power to change practices were the reasons of the third category (Kotter, J.P., 1999). 1. Evidence-based practice must be an institutional guideline. Hospital authority should assume leadership. 2. The staff should spend more time in critical thinking exercises and finding evidence for practice. Should such a change come as a suggestion from the staff, the leader should not discard it. 3. Extracting evidence from research must be an important curricular activity, and the nursing education authority must initiate. 4. Resources must be provided, and hospital authority would initiate and implement the process. Reference List Carlopio, J., Andrewartha, G., and Armstrong, H., (2005). Developing Management Skills: A comprehensive Guide to Leaders. Australia. Pearson Education. 406-411. Kotter, J.P. (1999). Leading change: The eight steps to transformation. In Conger, J.A., Spreitzer, G.M., & Lawler, E.E. (Eds.). The Leader's Change Handbook. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Maslow, A.H. (1970). Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper & Row. Tappen, R.M. (2001). Nursing Leadership and Management: Concept and Practice. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis. Activity2: Change Situation and Stakeholder Analysis Sentence: Nurse-administered analgesia is often inadequate and dissatisfying due to nurses' ignorance about pain management and reluctance to change practice based on evidence. When changing practice based on the findings of research, it is very natural that the person who is leading this change would face resistance from the stakeholders. Change management strategies and a change plan would facilitate successful implementation of the research findings. Reflecting on this, I conclude that the implementation of change plan that I made as a leader, was one of the most difficult tasks in my career, and although initially felt apparently easy, as things went on, I could have a better

Accounting and finance for managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Accounting and finance for managers - Essay Example The Return on Capital Employed ratio is used to analyse a company's position in terms of the return or profit it gains on the funds invested by the company's shareholdersIt shows the effectiveness of the company's management It shows the effectiveness and performance of the company's management to obtain more returns on the shareholders' investment. It is of importance to the company's management as well as investors and shareholders being a performance indicator for the company. The ROCE ratio for the Glaxo Smithkline plc is 102.78%, which shows that the company has been able to utilise the funds invested by shareholders in an profitable manner.The Asset Turnover ratio reveals the management's efficiency in utilising the company's assets towards sales and revenue generation (Meigs & Meigs, 1993). It is of particular interest to company's management in evaluating their policies and the revenue generation. The Glaxo Smithkline plc's asset turnover ratio is 90%, which shows that the sa les generated by the company proved to be 90% utilisation of the company's assets. It is a sign of an above-average performance of the company's management.The Gross Profit Margin Percentage evaluates the percentage of profit earned by a company on sales after the production and distribution activities (Mcmenamin, 1999). This ratio analyses the company's profit margin before accounting for various operating costs. This ratio is of critical importance to both the management and investors, in order to keep an eye over the company's income level and profit margin. The gross margin percentage for the company in consideration is 78.83%, which indicates that the company only loses about 22% of its sales revenue in the production and distribution activities. It is an indicator of the company's gross profitability. Net profit percentage 21.7% The Net Profit Marin Percentage ratio shows what percentage of profit a company earns on its sales (Mcmenamin, 1999). This ratio analyses a company's profitability after taking into account all the operating costs. The importance of this ratio is the same as that of gross profit percentage. The net profit percentage for Glaxo Smithkline is 21.7%, which means that the company loses about more of the gross profit in various selling and administrative expenses. Therefore, the company needs to revise its operating costs in order to gain much out of the actual gross profit. Current Ratio 1.5: 1 The current ratio measures short-term liquidity of a company in terms of its ability to pay off its short-term debts and liabilities (Meigs & Meigs, 1993) (Mcmenamin, 1999). It shows how much liquid assets a company owns against its short-term liabilities and obligations. The current ratio is of extreme importance to a company's short-term creditors for the purpose of a better evaluation of the company's liquidity position. The current ratio for this company is 1.5: 1, which means that the company owns about $1.5 worth of assets to pay off its short-term liabilities worth $1. Quick Ratio 1.3: 1 Quick ratio reveals the liquidity position of a company after keeping aside the value of stock (Meigs & Meigs, 1993). Therefore, it gives a quick review of a firm's liquidity position in terms of cash or the assets that can be quickly convertible into cash. It is of particular interest to the short-term creditors and suppliers of the company, as they need to evaluate a company's liquidity position and analyse how feasible it is for them to do business with the company. The quick ratio for this company is 1.3: 1, which means that after keeping aside the value of stock, the company still has $1.3 worth of assets to pay of its liabilities worth $1. Also, the difference between current and quick ratio shows that not most of the company's capital has been tied up in stock. Gearing Ratio 78.05% The Gearing ratio is an analyser of a company's long-term liquidity or solvency (Meigs & Meigs, 1

Aims And Objectives Essay Example for Free

Aims And Objectives Essay Aim:To create a marketing plan to acquire new customers; primarily students and increase market share. Pamper Me has a large client base but is lacking student consumers. This marketing plan will offer marketing objectives and strategies in order to increase this market share. Pamper Me is not situated on a ‘regular walk to university’ so innovative and strategic recommendations will be required for successful delivery. Objectives: Research and analyse the current customer base to determine the student : non-student ratio Research will be carried out via interviews with current employees and questionnaires to potential customers Discover student salon-usage trends, with regards to amount of students as a percentage of the whole, and their salon preferences Once the questionnaires have been completed the data will be collated and analysed. This acquired primary data will give us an insight student trends and insight into the most effective marketing strategy Research/Discover from students, what their wants/needs are from a salon Pamper Me may not currently be meeting the needs of the desired student consumers. Collated data from primary and secondary research will advise us on how to increase the number of students using this salon Define main competitors to the business and map out their market physical positioning Primary and Secondary research will be carried out in the area surrounding Pamper Me in order to locate the competition. The marketing plan may suggest to mirror competitor strategies if these seem to increasing the student percentage of consumers. Analyse current marketing strategies with a view to creating a new and improved strategy Current marketing strategies in place by Amara may not be sufficent or beneficial to Pamper Me. A new approach may be needed and it is vital that  all employees understand the new strategies once they are in place. To create or identify a Unique Selling Point (USP) for the business based on their expertise and specialties Currently Pamper Me’s USP is that it provides private and noninvasive treatment rooms for religious women. This isnt widely know by the community so a recommendation must be suggesting in order to increase the awareness of this. Religious students may not know that there is a salon the adheres to their faithful rules. Implement a marketing strategy that can inform and attract students to the salon We must research and analyses what inspires students to spend money on beauty treatments. As students dont have a high level of disposable income it is important to implement a marketing plan that is constructive and beneficial for students.

Eugen Bleuler and Emil Kraepelin - Pioneers in the Study of Schizophren

Eugen Bleuler and Emil Kraepelin - Pioneers in the Study of Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a complex syndrome characterized by cognitive and emotional dysfunctions including delusions and hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior, and inappropriate emotions. Since there is no cure to this disorder, clinicians rely on the DSM IV to differentiate between symptoms. The symptoms of the disorder can disrupt a person’s perception, thought, speech, and movement in almost every aspect of daily functions. Mental health clinicians distinguish between positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms. Positive symptoms include active manifestations of abnormal behavior, which hallucinations and delusions fall in. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are alogia and avolition. Rambling speech, erratic behavior, and inappropriate affect are some of the symptoms that are outlined under the disorganized content. The foundations of schizophrenia lye within two noted psychologists by name of Eugen Bleuler and Emil Kraepelin. Emil Kraepelin first combined several symptoms of insanity that had previously been separated in its own distinct disorder. The first symptom of insanity is catatonia, which is an alternate immobility and excited agitation. Hebephrenia is the second symptom, which details silly immaturity and emotionality. The third symptom of insanity developed by Kraepelin is paranoia, defined as delusions of grandeur and persecution. All three are unified together by the term de...

History of Filmmaking Essay

The main problem with assigning national identity to films is the enticement to pick movies to fit the premise. Hardly ever does a director present any significant standards by which particular films have been chosen for analysis. To give a specific example, one merely has to consider the Japanese instance of Kurosawa Akira whose movies regularly received positive commendation both overseas and in domestic ratings, yet several of Akira’s films remain difficult to get to to the mainstream Japanese viewers. Another problem for assigning national identity to films is the relative lack of engagement with modern social and political concerns or conditions. It’s pretty evident with Australian films (Nadia Tass, Malcolm and The Big Steal). Australian movies do not create a point of plainly and continually pondering over national identity. They take the method of conveying tales in a local context and allowing inquiries of national identity work out themselves in the backdrop through the working of their diverse and unlikely narratives. The issue of â€Å"what does it mean to be Australian? is responded upon by illustrating various Australians, in unusual situations, with several problems. In my humble opinion, studies with this stature helps shine a ray of light on how and why the nation pass on a meaningful masterpiece in their local perspective, the focal point should be on reputation within the related/state/area as the major norm for selection.. Whether they have established vital praise at ‘key film festivals’ is another material connected to ‘art house’ films, which is frequently not a fine statistic of admired appeal and consequently not a superior indicator of community communication.

Better Business Bureau Essay

In the business world there must be certain checks and balances in place that ensure that the open marketplace maintains its integrity. One of these mechanisms that directly relate to my chosen field of business is a nonprofit organization called the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau was founded in 1912 and consists of over one-hundred and twenty independently incorporated local organizations throughout the United States and Canada. The purpose of this organization is to ensure that the marketplace remains ethical so that consumers and sellers of consumer goods and services can establish trust. The Better Business Bureau collects data on a particular business’s reliability, alerts the buying public to potential fraud, provides invaluable insight into a business’s ethical business practices, and acts as arbitrators between consumers and business disputes. Companies that meet and maintain the Better Business Bureau’s ethical standards may be invited to obtain membership with the organization. Becoming a member of the Better Business Bureau has the benefit of having an additional selling point to advertise to potential consumers because the Better Business Bureau is revered for honesty and trustworthiness. A high rating from the Better Business Bureau could potentially be the force needed to induce a consumer to purchase your products or services. Companies become members with the Better Business Bureau because the marketplace has more potential to flourish if the consumers trust the businesses that want to serve them. Also, alignment with the Better Business Bureau has the benefit of demonstrating to consumers a business’s commitment to a conducting business in a trustworthy marketplace. Third, members of the Better Business Bureau have the opportunity to network with those in industries similar to their own and attract people from all over the United States. Finally, members get absolute access to any and all of this organization’s services and information. Members get all of the latest news and information about the Better Business Bureau as well as industry specific insider information. As a potential marketer, it would be imperative for someone to recommend that businesses seek to obtain Better Business Bureau membership status.

Free Essays on Gambling In Arkansas

Casinos in Arkansas: It is not What They Will Do to Us, but What They Will Do for Us What could casinos do for you, whether you gambled or not? Well, NPR (National Public Radio) had a story on some Choctaw Indians that lived in Neshoba County, Ms. NPR reported that in the 1960’s the Indians were economically depressed. They were so depressed that sixty percent of them did not even have indoor plumbing. Then they open up a casino and soon another. They brought prosperity to themselves and surrounding counties. The Choctaw’s are Mississippi’s second largest employer. Iowa’s casinos provide thousands of dollars into the state. Since 1991, the RDA (Riverboat Development Authority) has awarded $33,931,755 in grants to various no-profit organizations. Education received $7,577,480 just in grants. My wife and I visited Iowa last month. You can tell that Iowa is putting their casino tax dollars to work. The streets are well maintained and wide. None of this happened overnight. The support for riverboat gambling support was sixty percent then the support raised to eighty percent in 1999. Tunica is doing so well that they have plans on opening their tenth casino. The casinos have brought more than just 320 million in gaming taxes into the state. They have brought 2.5 million in room and restaurant taxes. The casinos have brought so many jobs to Tunica that they have a shortage of workers. If casinos can provide all this prosperity for other states, why does Arkansas not have any casinos? Arkansas has a horse track in Hot Springs, and a dog track in West Memphis. Gambling is already here in Arkansas, but the Arkansas State Law states: anyone who sets up a gambling device at which money or property can be won or lost by chance, shall be deemed guilty or a misdemeanor. The way the law reads the horse tracks and dog track need to shut down, unless Arkansas does not consider them as a gambling device. However, th... Free Essays on Gambling In Arkansas Free Essays on Gambling In Arkansas Casinos in Arkansas: It is not What They Will Do to Us, but What They Will Do for Us What could casinos do for you, whether you gambled or not? Well, NPR (National Public Radio) had a story on some Choctaw Indians that lived in Neshoba County, Ms. NPR reported that in the 1960’s the Indians were economically depressed. They were so depressed that sixty percent of them did not even have indoor plumbing. Then they open up a casino and soon another. They brought prosperity to themselves and surrounding counties. The Choctaw’s are Mississippi’s second largest employer. Iowa’s casinos provide thousands of dollars into the state. Since 1991, the RDA (Riverboat Development Authority) has awarded $33,931,755 in grants to various no-profit organizations. Education received $7,577,480 just in grants. My wife and I visited Iowa last month. You can tell that Iowa is putting their casino tax dollars to work. The streets are well maintained and wide. None of this happened overnight. The support for riverboat gambling support was sixty percent then the support raised to eighty percent in 1999. Tunica is doing so well that they have plans on opening their tenth casino. The casinos have brought more than just 320 million in gaming taxes into the state. They have brought 2.5 million in room and restaurant taxes. The casinos have brought so many jobs to Tunica that they have a shortage of workers. If casinos can provide all this prosperity for other states, why does Arkansas not have any casinos? Arkansas has a horse track in Hot Springs, and a dog track in West Memphis. Gambling is already here in Arkansas, but the Arkansas State Law states: anyone who sets up a gambling device at which money or property can be won or lost by chance, shall be deemed guilty or a misdemeanor. The way the law reads the horse tracks and dog track need to shut down, unless Arkansas does not consider them as a gambling device. However, th...

Isadora Duncan harmony with dance Research Paper

Isadora Duncan harmony with dance - Research Paper Example Her free flowing pattern of dress is said to be influenced by the Greek style (Lomask, 1997). Her unrestricted and graceful movement of body has given her a special place in the works of various artists like writers, sculptors, painters, actors, musicians and film makers (Uminski, 2007). However, Duncan was overtly criticized by the narrow minded section of the society according to which she was far too advance than the era in which she was living (Uminski, 2007). Brought up in poor apartments, Duncan spent her childhood dancing alone on the beaches (Lomask, 1997). Hardships in her life made her stand up for deprived children and distressed women (Lomask, 1997). The maestro wanted to perform for mesmerizing the souls of the less privileged rather than for minting money (Lomask, 1997). This was clearly reflected in her costumes and make up. The dancer has clearly stated: (Duncan, 1927) When I speak of my School, people do not understand that I do not want paying pupils; I do not sell my soul for silver. I do not want the rich children. The have money and no need for Art. The children I long for are the orphans of the war, who have lost everything, who no longer have their fathers and mothers. As for me, I have little need of money. Look at my costumes. They are not complicated; they did not cost very much. Look at my decors, these simple blue curtains I have had since I first started dancing. As for jewel, I have no need for them. A flower is more beautiful in the hands of a woman than all the pearls and diamonds in the world. Collaborating Artists: Edward Gordon Craig & Constantin Stanislavski Isadora Duncan had an umpteenth number of artistic collaborators. Edward Gordon Craig and Constantin Stanislavski were considered as the chief collaborating artists for Duncan. The dancer met Craig, an actor, director, designer and graphic artist for the first time in Berlin in December 1904 (Zavrel, 2003). In the same year, Duncan opened her first dance school in Grunewa ld and her group was later known as the â€Å"Isadorables† (â€Å"Chapter 2†, n.d.). The two of them met again in Duncan’s recital, a Chopin program which was conducted in a simple background (Zavrel, 2003). Craig was highly impressed by Duncan’s performance and fell in love with her. Their love gave way to Duncan’s first daughter, Deidre who met with an unfortunate death in 1913 (Craig, n.d.). Craig eventually parted away with Duncan whom he used to call â€Å"Topsy† in 1907 (Craig, n.d.). A couple of years ago, both Duncan and her stage designer, Craig were brought into discussion (Holroyd, 2009). According to Holroyd, Duncan’s â€Å"nine-minute pas de deux with Craig is a wonderfully sustained and ingenious piece of erotic interplay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Holroyd, 2009). During her tour of Russia between 1904 and 1907, Duncan first met Constantin Stanislavsky, the popular Russian theatre director who had deep admirations for the dancer (à ¢â‚¬Å"Chapter 2†, n.d.). At that time, Stanislavsky was occupied with Method of acting (Uminski, 2007). It has been stated, â€Å"The famous Stanislavsky Method of acting is nothing more than a device for switching on at will what Isadora called the ‘motor in my soul.† (Mazo, 2000:52) The director sponsored Duncan’s school in Russia where she had plans to educate children in dance (Uminski, 2007). In 1908 Isadora introduced Craig to Stanislavsky who offered Craig to direct their production of Hamlet (Edward Gordon Craig,

Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Art - Assignment Example This is just one detail that illustrates the more rugged lifestyle that he lives. His clothing also shows that he is not a well-dressed, civilized man of the eastern states, but instead wears leather and rough cloth as well as a beaten hat in a mixture of white man’s fashion with more Indian-style garb. He is not dressed for comfort or good looks, but rather for utility and difficult terrain and weather. The emotion in the picture has two polar ends. The rider is relaxed and wears an expression of serene dismay and his gaze is drawn to some object of concern. His horse, in contrast, is in a position of motion and exhaustion. The horse’s visible eye is bloodshot and wide-open, and also focused on something to the left that seems to be alarming. To add to the scenario, the rider clutches a rifle in his right hand. The overall idea seems to be that his life is a struggle, and that he lives dangerously. The painting is not so much detailed as blurred, and again suggests motion rather than stillness. Thus, Deas conveys an image of a man who lives on the go and is constantly looking over his shoulder while armed, representing the man of the Rocky Mountains and his daily

Conspicuous Consumption in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Conspicuous Consumption in America - Essay Example As the report declares Marx’s theories of the fetishism of the commodity informs Veblen’s ideas of possessions having the capability of conferring an abstract noun upon its owner and by the middle of the twentieth century the advertising world had perfected the ability to translate this capability to consumers; at the same time the US economy began depending ever more heavily upon consumption of non-essential goods. Veblen’s â€Å"honor† eventually transformed into something else as the economic divide between rich and poor shrank alongside the growth of the American middle class. That something is called â€Å"status† and advertising works around the clock to convince consumers that status is something they can buy. Marx almost seems to be describing contemporary advertising tactics when he describes how a commodity can be fetishized. â€Å"The mystical character of commodities does not originate, therefore, in their use-value. Just as little does it proceed from the nature of the determining factors of value† This paper stresses that the major shift in the concept of conspicuous consumption from Veblen’s time to contemporary society is that when Veblen coined the term only the wealthy engaged in it; nowadays Americans situated at every point along the economic spectrum freely and willingly engage in consumption that is purely, and all too often only, conspicuous in nature. One needn’t be an economist to figure out that economic growth will be sluggish at best if the primary driving force is a low-profit endeavor.

Key Success Factors for Supply Chain Management Excellence at the Essay

Key Success Factors for Supply Chain Management Excellence at the Textile sector (or similar) - Essay Example Efficient supply chain management holds great importance in the textile industry as excellence of the industry largely depends upon sourcing of quality raw materials and proper placement of the final goods in the shelves of retailers so that the products can be easily accessible to the targeted audience group (Yip and Hult, 2012). In this era of globalization, establishing strong supply chain has become inevitable for the global as well as national players in order to manage complexities in global sourcing of raw materials and supplying the apparels and other finished goods to the customers all over the world (Lysons and Farrington, 2012). In fact, ensuring effective supply chain management helps the market players in the industry to achieve competitive advantages over other players. The objective of the research paper is to identify the key success factors in supply chain management that leads to create excellence in the textile sectors. For the purpose of analysis, the textile indu stry of the United Kingdom will be examined. The concept of supply chain management has gained considerable attention mainly after globalization and massive trade liberalization. According to Basu and Wright (2010), as a result of rapid expansion of cross border trade, the global industries subsequently understand the importance of supply chain management as it is becoming necessary for them to procure information, capital and raw material and present their manufactured products all over the world. Such global acquisition of materials and distribution of products would not have been possible if very strong supply chain has not been incorporated. Koprulu and Albayrakoglu (2007) have defined supply chain management as the integrated process that facilitates the associated organizations to break all the barriers of resource procurement and obtain the best possible resources for the business. According to them,

Learning How To Write Well English Language Essay

Learning How To Write Well English Language Essay The desire to learn how to write and read started earlier than my preschool year. Growing up in a family where respect and education were the primary focus for their offsprings, it wasnt only a good thing for my youth but has helped me later in my life. I was taught that learning is not only obtaining skills and knowledge, but the ability to apply the new understanding, such a asking for food when I felt the pain of hunger. While, later in my life I was educated that learning is the ability to contextualize the variety of contexts which vary from region to region, institution to institution, and between groups with different social-economical backgrounds. Learning how to write well, it all started in primary school. Primary school was the place where I created my foundation for writing well. This foundation was build on by different writing exercises, such as course handbook and writing workbooks in and out of classroom. I learned to copy definitions of literary terms in my notepad and memorize them, without considering its larger meaning. This helped me learn writing skills and knowledge in multiply lesson types. Dictation exercises were another form used in school to advance my writing skills and knowledge. Being a verbal thinker, dictation was one of my preferred ways of learning how to write well. This form of writing helped me visualize the structure and grammar mistakes I made during the writing process. As my education advances, I use written feedback from professors and peers to understand the expectations which they have. Through this method, I not only become more familiar with my writing, but it helps me improve my generati ve thinking. Helps me develop ideas in writing from different points of view, and assists on improving my initial thoughts. Learning vocabulary skills in the context of writing started as early as elementary school. Completing practice workbooks and exercises on short stories I read during class. And create a dictionary with new words I came across in children books and other words presented by my teacher. Visual activities prepared by the teacher, were practices which I had to find in use in my children books in my local library, this meant reading a great quantity of short story books, and getting familiar with the plot concept and theme in the context of writing. To help me bring my knowledge to test, my teacher would require me to write a short story of my happiest moment during a weekend. The combination of visual and integrated activities provided ways for me to put my understanding to use in the context of larger writings. I can clearly say that this form of teaching was effective in learning how to use vocabulary in writing. What if, peer and self-evaluation were parts of activities? I believe it would have helped me improve my writing mechanics and vocabulary which could be used later in class discussions. Depending upon any other approach rather than the visual and integrated activities would not have been affective, because integrating larger goals in the context of writing would have been too much. Integrated and visual activates worked in none-linear and separated form, both were effective on making me understand the context of writing in the smaller scale. With the necessary skills and knowledge, I was ready to learn how to become reflective about my own writing performance. With skills and knowledge such as, strategies on approaching writing tasks, discussing prompts which support cognitive thinking, it was time for me to explore and extend literary understanding beyond the initial interpretation, and most importantly achieve creative thinking beyond the initial thoughts. Dictation was the answer to this stepping stone. Dictation is nothing more than a class exercise which helps students develop grammar, writing communications and improve listening comprehension. Using this learning device I have been able to diagnose and correct grammatical mistakes, learn punctuation, and develop my thoughts. This form or this learning device has helped teachers analyze and address the grammatical and comprehension weaknesses in students such as myself. The most important benefit on using this learning device is the ability to make corrections myself or my teacher. Dictation activities exercised were a combination of traditional spelling and punctuation problems to ac tivities where personal opinions were tested. Besides its benefits, dictation was a form of losing time on noticing language mistakes that are overlooked and commonly made. By reading and writing more literature these common mistakes would be improved. Dictation is not widely issued in English teaching systems, because it is considered an older technique. In comparison, most European countries still use dictation as a technique for teaching and improving students in grammatical and comprehension skills. In addition to dictation, professors feedback gives me an opportunity to improve and analyze my work. Getting the facts right is what writing well is all about. If the reader or the audience is misinformed, feedback is what the writer gets in response. If the point is not reached in writing the feedback is not a critique, but an explanation on how well the writing expectations are met, and what can be done for improvements. Receiving written feedback helps me understand the expectations of my audience, and helps me understand and meet the expectation of my own writing. This method has given the ability to improve my initial thoughts to thoughts which are expected by the audience. I expect written feedback of any form in my writing, because this puts my writing in a particular way to an end or makes me repeat it. Positive punishment (lower grade) makes me put an end to the way I write and or positive reinforcement (better grade) makes me repeat my writing in a behaviors term. Although feedback is one of the most important forms on learning how to write well, there are still problems a ssociated with this approach. First, the written feedback I receive most of the time is hard to interpret due to the illegible handwriting, including un-clear terms and symbols. In addition, the implemented time on feedback is crucial. The majority of time I receive late feedback and time doesnt permit to apply the changes to my writing. This issue can be solved if the institutions increase the time constrains available for feedbacks. Paying attention to the written feedback I receive is improving my skills in writing well. Feedback is more than often provided by experienced writers, which can have no end when learning the skill on how to write well. Therefore, learning how to write well is not only obtaining the skills and knowledge, but is the ability to apply the skills and knowledge to meet the audience expectations. However, as I have shown visual and integrated activities are used on building the foundation to writing well. Enhancing vocabulary terms and using it on writing was the main concentration of these activities. Class dictation has been the most beneficial method to my learning, as it helped me perfect my writing skills and raised awareness of problematic areas in my writing. Given that dictation activities provide the opportunity to compare written work with a professors work. As my writing advances, Im become a better writer, and the writing process is becoming less painful when I receive written feedback. The fact that this method is the most preferred way for many students including myself to achieve excellent writing; it clearly shows the importance written feedback have on students. Most of the time peer feed back indicates the type of error but not the place of error; this significantly improved my ability to find the error and help avoid the wrong initial thought. All in all, using course workbooks, dictation and feedback Ive been able achieve skills on how to write well.

The author uses symbolism that contributes to the success of the text E

The author uses symbolism that contributes to the success of the text is Lamb by Bernard Mac Laverty A novel in which the author uses symbolism that contributes to the success of the text is â€Å"Lamb† by Bernard Mac Laverty. The author uses many different symbols, including the pinball machine, fish, birds, lamb and many more, to very effectively emphasise points he is trying to make and hint at how the novel will end. One of the first symbols used in the novel by the author is the symbol of the bird. Brother Benedict is described like a bird alot. The line â€Å"Benedict sat waiting with a bird like tilt of the head, sharp, owl-like† gives a very vivid description of Benedict. It gives the reader the impression that he is twitching like a bird, waiting on the right moment to pounce, the words â€Å"before he pecked† continue this idea. â€Å"A chicken eying a seed† is another line which continues the idea of looking at his mark, waiting on the right moment before he pounces. Birds also are made out to be nasty creatures who bring sadness and pain. The author refers to the â€Å"depressing screech of gulls†, which means exactly what it says, that the noise made by the gulls are depressing. Another symbol which is used throughout the novel is the symbol of the pinball machine. â€Å"His dread of the steel ball thumping hollowly into the depths of the pinball machine, the inevitability of it despite the frantic flicking of the small rubber wings unable to reach† is a line which shows that no matter how hard you try in the end you will always fail. â€Å"Funnelled towards the act he had decided upon† also shows this inevitability, that even though he had chosen to kill the boy for his own good, there was no longer any other options, ... ...choice. The myth of Daedalus and Icarus turns out to be highly symbolic in the novel. It is significant because in the myth Daedalus is responsible for his son’s death while trying to save him from the captivity the king held them in, while in the novel Michael is responsible for Owen’s death, and he is saving him from a life of deprivation and suffering that he would live when they were finally found by the police. In conclusion, Bernard Mac Laverty’s use of these symbols is very effective as it reveals alot about how the novel will end, by providing hints to what is going to happen and the reasons for the event. The way the author uses symbolism to hint at what will become is very effective as alot of it is not really noticeable until a second read of the novel. All in all the authors use of symbolism contributes highly to the success of the novel.

Explain the Way in Which You Would Establish Ground Rules with Your Learners, and Which Underpin Behaviour and Respect for Others

Having explored the three methods of setting ground rules during session 2 of PTTLS course, it is evident that for the ground rules to be effective, determining the appropriate method of ground rules setting is crucial to informing how the learners will be likely to respond to the ‘ground rules’ and how this will later affect the session or sessions to be delivered. The three methods of setting ground rules offer advantages and disadvantages depending on the context of the lesson and the dynamics of the group. For example the teacher led process provides the teacher with a clear set of uniformed rules and offers the teacher an opportunity to consider issues which may otherwise have been overlooked such as the learning environment and health and safety issues. Although rigid in approach, using this method could offer the teacher more control of the group by notion of a hierarchal order within the class. The teacher would take on an authoritarian role with the learner having to adhere to the rules set. In an ideal situation the teacher would be able to invoke the rules when the group did not behave in a way that was appropriate to outcomes expected by the teacher. Unfortunately this authoritarian approach could also result in the learner becoming disengaged and de motivated presenting the threat of the learner becoming disruptive especially as they have not had the opportunity to discuss their feelings on how they would like to have their learning environment managed. This presents the teacher with the task of having enforce a set a rules which the disruptive learner has no ownership or commitment to and consequently places the teacher in a difficult position of having to find alternative strategies to enforce boundaries which the individual feels is acceptable. The learner led method offers the students the responsibility to form their own rules and provides a forum for the learners to discuss and share their learning needs with their peers resulting in the rules being drawn based on the consensus of the group/class. The advantages of this make it easier for the teacher to enforce the rules if learners fall off track by gently revisiting the rules as and when needed without appearing a disciplinarian allowing the teacher to develop a good relationship with the learners. The learners would have no choice but to adhere to the rules as they would be bound by their own principles. This method does fail to acknowledge the teachers experience in understanding the dynamics of groups and how the teacher could provide a valuable contribution to ground rules which consider the needs of individual learners. This method may also inhibit the teacher from delivering an effective lesson as consideration may not have been applied as to whether the rules are suitable for the teaching environment. For instance taking into account the actual content of the lesson to be delivered and forgetting to include the health and safety of the learners. In establishing an effective set of ground rules for my learners, I would consider a method that offers the teacher the opportunity to create a learning environment that is safe, efficient and stimulating for the learner (Armitage, A, et al, Teaching & Training in Post Compulsory Education, OU, 2007). This would be implemented through getting the learners to negotiate their own ground rules with assistance from myself. I would take charge of facilitating the discussion to ensure all learners had an opportunity to contribute, and to ensure the inclusion of crucial rules which allow me to effectively deliver my session were also included. This would also incorporate aspects of health and safety. I would promote and encourage the learner to identify rules that would respect and value their own needs and that of their group allowing the learners to display respect for themselves, one another and the teacher. I anticipate that by adopting this approach this will provide learners with an opportunity to express their own willingness reasons for wanting to learn, resulting in increased levels of motivation and commitment to the sessions. For the learners this method would promote ownership of the rules, as they would have to adhere to their own set of principles as opposed to principles set by me, therefore allowing me the opportunity to better manage any behavioural concerns in the event that learners steered away from the agreed rules set.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 19

The dealer's house sat away from the road, just like all sinister houses should, I suppose. My biased perceptions aside, there was actually little else about the house that was all that creepy. It was big and expensive-looking, spreading out lazily on beautifully manicured lawns, visible to me even at night. In a region where yards were at a premium, that much land signified a great deal of money. Unlike Bastien's place, this house had no similarly well-to-do neighbors. This house was in a class of its own; it could not be part of a mere suburban neighborhood. â€Å"Where are we?† I asked, because it seemed like the kind of naive, starry-eyed question I should be asking. Alec had met me downtown and then driven me out to this place in his own car. We were about twenty minutes outside the city. â€Å"This is where the guy lives,† he told me happily. His mood improved as we got closer to the house. â€Å"He'll hook you up.† The car followed the long, sinuous driveway and came to a stop by the garage. In an oddly chivalrous way, he opened the car door for me and gestured that I follow him inside. Glancing back at his beat-up Ford Topaz, I couldn't help thinking that being an immortal drug lord's lackey should pay better. Alec led us through a side door in the house, and even I was taken aback at what I found inside. The first word that came to mind was lush. And not the drunk kind either. I meant in the opulent sense, the kind of lush you sink your teeth into. The walls, floor, and ceilings consisted of gleaming dark hardwood, almost like we were inside a lodge – say, a lodge that cost seven figures. Beams of that beautiful wood crisscrossed the open, cathedral ceiling. Jewel-toned oil paintings in gilt frames hung on the walls, and I had enough of a sense for the value of art to recognize they had not come from Bed Bath & Beyond. We crossed out of the foyer and found more of the same in a large living room. Its focal point was an enormous fireplace whose brick faà §ade stretched to the ceiling. A multicolored stained-glass landscape hung above the fireplace's opening, and flames from the roaring fire – along with several strategically placed candles – cast the only light in the room. Nothing electrical. In that dim, flickering lighting, I sensed the man before I saw him. The same unfamiliar immortal signature from the concert carried to me, coupled with something else. This close to him, I noticed how much he felt like the crystals. Or rather, how much the crystals felt like him, as if they were pale, fractured versions of the masterpiece. The whole vibe from him felt weird but not quite as discordant as the crystals themselves had. â€Å"Alec,† said a creamy voice, â€Å"who is your lovely friend?† The man unfolded from the couch, standing in one fluid motion. I now saw the same features as before: flawless tanned skin, long black hair, high cheekbones. He also wore the same hot Victorian couture, complete with another of those gorgeous silk shirts that billowed around his arms and showed smooth skin through the V-neck. â€Å"This is Georgina,† said Alec, voice quaking with nervousness and excitement. â€Å"Just like I said.† The man glided to us and took my hand in both of his. â€Å"Georgina. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.† He drew my hand to his lips – which were full and pink – and kissed my skin. He held my hand a moment, letting his dark eyes bore into mine, and then he slowly straightened up and released me. â€Å"My name is Sol.† I turned off all my impulses to make snappy jokes and/or maul this guy, instead opting for stunned innocence mingled with a little fear. â€Å"H-hello.† I swallowed nervously and looked down at my feet. â€Å"You've done well,† Sol told Alec. â€Å"Very well.† I didn't have to see Alec to tell he was practically melting with relief. â€Å"So†¦does that mean†¦I can, you know†¦?† â€Å"Yes, yes.† Unless I was mistaken, a slight note of irritation underscored that pleasant voice. â€Å"Afterward. Go upstairs now. I'll summon you when I'm ready. â€Å" Alec started to leave, and I grabbed his sleeve, still playing frightened maiden. â€Å"Wait – where are you going?† He smiled at me. â€Å"I'll be right back. It's okay. You wanted more, right? Sol's going to get it for you.† I must have truly looked terrified because he squeezed my arm reassuringly. â€Å"It's okay. Really.† I bit my lip and gave him a hesitant nod. His eyes held mine for a moment, and something very like regret flickered across them. Then he left. â€Å"Come sit with me,† intoned Sol, taking my hand again. He led me to a sumptuous couch by the fire. Warmth from that orange glow spilled over me, and the flames were reflected in his dark eyes. I sat down gingerly, scooting back because the cushions were so big. We sat there quietly. He smiled expectantly, and I gave him a faltering smile back. â€Å"Alec said you could give me more†¦you know†¦of that stuff.† â€Å"You enjoyed it then?† â€Å"Yes. Oh yes. It made me feel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Immortal?† â€Å"Y-yes, that's it. Please. I need more. I can pay you†¦whatever you want.† He waved a hand carelessly. â€Å"We'll discuss such mundane matters later. For now, let's see if we can't satiate your hunger.† He leaned over to a small table and lifted up two goblets. Goblets. How quaint. â€Å"This should tide you over until we can arrange a larger batch.† I took the cup from him. It felt heavy, like gold. Nothing but the best if you were going to drink the food of the gods, I thought. They held a dark red liquid. If the crystals felt like a weak approximation of Sol, the aura radiating off of this cup felt like mega-Sol. It was intense and strong, making the vibe from the crystals seem like a total nonevent. Maybe that was what happened when ambrosia liquefied. I realized then he'd been waiting for me while I pondered. â€Å"Drink up.† I hesitated, not having to feign apprehension this time. Drink up? What should I do? If I didn't drink, my cover might be blown, and I still hadn't had â€Å"provocation† to smite this bastard or whatever one did to someone with a dart-arrowhead-thing. Carter and Jerome had said ambrosia wouldn't hurt an immortal; they'd even said an immortal could resist its nasty effects to a certain extent, much longer than humans. That didn't necessarily make me feel better, though. I preferred to be in my normal range of skills to deal with this, but it looked like I didn't have that luxury. I couldn't delay any longer. Smiling shyly, I brought the cup to my lips and drank. He did the same. Who could tell? Maybe personality amplification would help me out here. Maybe I had a secret Amazonian alter ego lurking within me who was dying to jump out via the ambrosia and bludgeon this guy with a goblet. Once Sol started drinking, he didn't stop. He tipped the cup back until he'd consumed it all. I followed suit. The stuff really didn't taste so bad. In fact, it tasted sweet, almost sickeningly so. Weirdest of all was its consistency. Thick. Almost viscous. â€Å"There,† he said, taking my empty cup. â€Å"You'll feel better soon, and then we can talk reasonably.† He shifted into a more comfortable position, long legs stretched out and relaxed. He had a slim build and delicate features. His narrow fingers wound one of his black curls around it. â€Å"Tell me about yourself, Georgina. What do you do?† â€Å"I, uh, work in a bookstore.† â€Å"Ah, you're a reader then.† â€Å"I try to be.† He inclined his head toward a wall covered in books. â€Å"I'm a reader myself. There's no greater pursuit than improving one's mind. â€Å" He started talking to me about some of his favorite books, and I smiled and commented as appropriate. As we talked, I began to feel†¦well, for lack of a more descriptive term, good. Really good. Almost like I was buzzed from an excellent liqueur. My limbs tingled a little, and a warm sense of euphoria burned through me. I heard myself laughing at one of his jokes. I almost sounded genuine. â€Å"You're very beautiful,† he suddenly said, and I wondered when he'd moved so close to me. I had to blink to stay focused. The room spun slightly, and my hands and feet kept delaying in obeying my orders. Sol reached out and touched my cheek, trailing those graceful fingers down my neck. â€Å"Your beauty is a gift.† I tried to move, mainly to see if I could actually manage it, not to avoid his touch. Honestly, his touch was pleasant – extremely pleasant. It made my pulse pick up a little. I could, I soon discovered, still move. I was just a little sluggish. â€Å"Shhh,† he crooned, placing a restraining hand on my wrist. â€Å"Don't be afraid. Everything will be all right.† â€Å"W-what are you doing?† He had an arm around my waist now and was moving his mouth toward the spot where my neck met my shoulder. His lips, when they touched flesh, were warm and full of promise. I trembled a little under that kiss and tried to figure out what was going on here. The short answer, obviously, was that something had gone wrong. I felt dizzy and disoriented enough to be at a frat party over at U.W. On top of that, this immortal – this strange immortal I barely knew – suddenly seemed more alluring than I'd imagined possible. Hadn't I come here to kick his ass? Why was I making out with him? Was this what ambrosia did to me? Were these my core traits – the power to get buzzed and take pleasure in sex? To become even easier than I already was? His hands moved down and unbuttoned my shirt so they could slide down and cup my breasts, which were just barely covered by the black mesh bra I'd bought with Dana. He kissed me directly now, his mouth pressing against mine. As his tongue delicately slipped between my lips, I tasted a sweetness akin to the ambrosia. Bottom line: it needs to be self-defense. So Carter had said, but suddenly I didn't really need much defending – unless it was from myself. My own hands were moving without my conscious knowledge to unfasten his pants, and our bodies were becoming entwined together on the soft cushions. Self-defense. Self-defense. Why self-defense? What was I forgetting here? Ah, of course. The dart. I pushed through the red haze muddling my senses, forcing clarity. The dart. The dart would stop Sol somehow, stop him from continuing to spread the poison of ambrosia. It would stop him from hurting people†¦like Doug. I battled through my disorientation and pulled my mouth away from Sol's, attempting to squirm the rest of the way out of his grasp. I won a little room but not much. He was still close. â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I gasped out. â€Å"Don't do this. Stop.† Sol, regarding me with surprised amusement, shushed me. â€Å"You don't know what you're saying.† â€Å"I do. Stop.† I wriggled one arm free, one arm that then snaked to the pocket containing Carter's pouch. I needed the other arm free too, but Sol was holding it. Looking down, I suddenly saw that his wrist was bleeding. How had that happened? I hadn't caused it. â€Å"Georgina, you are about to be honored above all mortal women. Lay back. Stop struggling. No harm will come to you. You will enjoy this night, I promise.† He moved his mouth back to mine, and again that blazing euphoria swelled within me. A traitorous moan of pleasure caught in my throat. Taking this as submission, Sol's grip on my restrained arm lessened, and I shifted it away just enough that both of my hands now touched the pouch. Yet, it was a hard battle. My motor control still wasn't all it should be. Kissing him, in that moment, seemed much more important than some silly pouch. My mind didn't want to focus on anything else. But I forced it to. Through sheer strength of will, I pushed the physical pleasure out of my head and instead replayed every consequence of the ambrosia I'd seen: Casey's devastation, Doug's wild swings from darkly frenetic exuberance to even darker depression, and finally his limp body in the hospital. Mortals are fragile things. Very fragile. And Sol played with them as if they were nothing. The smoldering coal of my anger began to burn again. He's a stronger immortal than you. Preying on you – especially when you belong to Jerome, so to speak – is a big no-no. You would be justified in protecting yourself. Again, I pulled my mouth away. â€Å"Stop,† I said again more firmly. â€Å"I want you to stop. Stop doing this.† â€Å"I'm not going to stop,† Sol snapped. Anger marred his honeyed tone. His breath was heavy, and his chest heaved with exertion. He – or I – had removed his shirt, and I had a perfect view of that unprotected skin. â€Å"I'm not going to stop, and believe me, once I start, you won't want me to stop either.† My fingers moved to open the pouch; the other hand slowly readied itself to reach inside. The ambrosia in my system dulled my reflexes, but I kept battling through it and sized up where in his chest his heart would be. â€Å"I've asked you three times to stop. Once should have been enough. No means no.† â€Å"No means nothing from someone like you.† He laughed a little, still not taking me seriously. â€Å"What's wrong with you? I thought you wanted to be immortal.† My hand was inside the pouch, pulling the dart out. Sol and I both felt its power at the same time, just as he realized what I was. His eyes widened, but I didn't give him time to react. I didn't think or falter. Just as Carter had ordered, I simply took action – well, with a cheesy punch line, of course. â€Å"Been there, done that,† I said, slamming the dart into his heart. For half a beat, Sol froze, unable to believe this was happening. And that's when things got messy.