Sci241 Week 1 Assignment Healthy Eating Plan.Doc Essay Example

Sci241 Week 1 Assignment Healthy Eating Plan.Doc Essay Assignment: Healthy Eating Plan Alexander Ingram SCI241 1/26/2011 Instructor Lisa Goodson, Ph. D. Balancing nutrition is one of the most important things to do in one’s day besides hygiene. I have had my current eating habits analyzed and read the nutrition of them. I have read the good and poor aspects of my diet. On food diet websites that share links, I have found the food guide pyramid that is a tool for diet planning. The Food Guide Pyramid is a guide for planning diets that meet nutrient requirements and recommendations for health promotion and disease prevention. It was designed to help consumers make food choices that together add up to a healthy overall diet. University of Phoenix (UOP 2011) My current eating habits have been documented on a somewhat food diary that I keep track of on a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)(2011) website called http://www. mypyramidtracker. gov . On this food pyramid tracker, I can compare my nutrition to my activity and see the health of what I already eat. On this web site, I enter my diet for each day and my each activity and the time of each for the day I am logging to the tracker. We will write a custom essay sample on Sci241 Week 1 Assignment Healthy Eating Plan.Doc specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sci241 Week 1 Assignment Healthy Eating Plan.Doc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sci241 Week 1 Assignment Healthy Eating Plan.Doc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer After processing all this information, I can how my activity counters the calories I have consumed on that day. For the activity and time entered for it, one will receive a rating on their activities. With these results, I can build my own custom Food Pyramid that meats the nutrition I should have. The Pyramid is built around five food groups: Bread, Cereal, Rice, Pasta; Vegetable; Fruit; Milk, Yogurt, Cheese; and Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, Nuts. Foods within each of these food groups supply similar nutrients. For example, foods in the Bread, Cereal, Rice, Pasta Group provide carbohydrates and B vitamins; those in the Milk, Yogurt, Cheese Group provide protein, calcium, riboflavin, and vitamin D. By choosing a variety of foods from each group according to the serving sizes and selection tips provided with the Pyramid, you can get adequate amounts of all the nutrients you need in the proportions recommended for a healthy diet. UOP (2011) With my current activity and diet I have found the best of the nutrients of my daily diet on Pyramid Tracker. USDA (2011) My daily activity time of 360 minutes of construction work, xpends a total calories of 2783, with a grading of 100 good. I currently, already have a daily balance for food of 1 cup of green, black and kidney beans each. I also have 2 cups of white long grain rice, 3 cups of whole wheat noodles, 1 large potato, 1 cup of potato soup, and for dinner or swapped between which is lunch, ? lb hamburger with mayo and tomato on a bun and 2 links of polish sausage. The Nutrients of my current eating habit are of an intake of 3734 calories, the recommended calories are 3662. With the other nutrients, I have high Protein, Sodium and Carbohydrates compared to the recommending. Almost all of my vitamins are low in the comparison, so with more research, I will find a way to decrease my high good nutrients to counter the raise in which vitamin nutrients I am lacking on. I may be able to hold my current diet and counter the low vitamins with vitamin pills a good grocery store may contain. The nutrients in food provide energy, structure, and regulation. There are six classes of nutrients that we need to stay alive and healthy, to grow, and to reproduce: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals. The amount of each we need varies. Water, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins are needed in large amounts. These are considered macronutrients. Macronutrient requirements are measured in grams (g) or liters (L). Vitamins and minerals are needed only in microgram or milligram (mg) amounts. They are considered micronutrients. Although we tend to think of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins as single nutrients, there are actually many different types of molecules in each of these classes. Carbohydrates include starches, sugars, and fiber. Some high-carbohydrate foods like potatoes, asta, and white bread contain mostly starch; some, like oatmeal, berries, kidney beans, and broccoli are high in fiber; and others like cookies, cakes, and carbonated beverages are high in added sugars. Foods that are high in fiber and low in added sugar tend to be higher in nutrient density, containing more vitamins and minerals per calorie than low-fiber, high-sugar foods. There are several types of lipids that are important in nutrition. The ones we hear most about are cholesterol and saturated and unsaturated fats. Consuming a diet high in cholesterol and saturated ats, from foods like butter, meat, and milk, increases your risk of developing heart disease. Consuming a diet high in unsaturated fats from foods like vegetable oils, olives, and avocados lowers your risk. Protein is also not a single substance. There are thousands of different proteins in your body and your diet. All of these are made up of units called amino acids. Different combinations of amino acids are linked together to form different types of proteins. The amino acids we eat in animal products better match our needs than do the amino acids from plant proteins such as those in rains and legumes. However, both plant and animal proteins can provide all the amino acids we need if the diet is chosen wisely. Water, unlike the other nutrient classes, has only one member. Water makes up about 60% of an adult’s bod y weight. We can’t store water so body losses must constantly be replaced by water in the diet. In the body water acts as a lubricant, a transport fluid, and a regulator of body temperature. Vitamins are small organic molecules that must be consumed in the diet to maintain health. There are 13 different vitamins. Each provides a unique function in the body, from maintaining vision to helping blood to clot. Minerals are inorganic elements. Like vitamins, they are needed for a variety of diverse functions such as keeping our bones strong and transporting oxygen in our blood. We consume vitamins and minerals in almost all of the foods we eat. Some foods are natural sources of vitamins and minerals: oranges contain vitamin C, milk provides calcium, and carrots give us vitamin A. Other foods have vitamins and minerals added to them; breakfast cereals often have almost 00% of the recommended intake of many vitamins added to them. Dietary supplements are also a source of vitamins and minerals for some people. UOP (2011) I intend to use this entire nutrient and diet information to gradually balance my personal diet to almost match the recommended nutrition I found through these resources. I am using measuring tools for food and reading the nutrition info on most foods before preparation. I will event ually blend good nutrition into my natural days. References: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2011) MyPyramid. ov is your access point for the USDA food guidance system. http://www. mypyramid. gov/pyramid/ and http://www. mypyramidtracker. gov for tracking my eating habits. University of Phoenix (UOP)(2011) University of Phoenix is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (ncahlc. org). Retrieved January 29th of 2011 from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/classroom/ic/classroom. aspx, week 1 reading materials I have gained some of the strongest information. (Chapter 1 and 2) http://www. ehiedu. org/flash/pdfs/w68761c2. pdf

A Critical Discussion of Research Methods and Approaches The WritePass Journal

A Critical Discussion of Research Methods and Approaches Introduction: A Critical Discussion of Research Methods and Approaches Introduction:Research Philosophy:Theoretical Perspective:Research Approach: Inductive and Deductive ResearchResearch Methodology/ Strategy: Case StudyReferencesRelated Introduction: Progressing further from the literature review, a research methodology is proposed and formulated concentrating on the design, implementation and careful analysis of the data to achieve the main research objective which is to analyse what staff at Asda think of the electronic training and induction which takes place within the company.   This would be carefully analysed in further details. Research Philosophy: Saunders et al (2007) defines research philosophy as the manner in which knowledge is being developed and interpreted.   Literature by Saunders et al (2007) indicates that there are three important variables that must be considered when looking at a research philosophy.   These are Ontology, Epistemology and Axiology respectively. Ontology is mainly concerned with the nature of reality; it raises questions on how the world functions and various views that people hold within.   Whereas, Epistemology is the way knowledge is demonstrated and how it can be justified.   Axiology is a branch of philosophy which studies judgements about value and it stresses upon that what role the researcher’s value play in the research.   (Saunders et al 2007). This research is taking place in Asda store in Edinburgh and the philosophical approach it will adopt is Epistemology.   Epistemology as defined by Baker and Foy (2008) is the branch of philosophy which is concerned with the nature of knowledge and mainly concerns at what does and what does not constitute as warranted knowledge. According to Easter-by-Smith et al (2004), adopting a research position is vital in research because of the following reasons.   First, it helps to clarify the research design.   Second, it identifies which design will work and which will not.   Third, it allows the researcher to stay within the research objectives and also indicate some limitations of a particular research approach and last it can help the researcher to introduce his or her personal experiences in the research process.   However, there are two philosophical positions that have emerged from within the rank of Epistemology.   These are Objectivism and Constructivism.   (Saunders et al 2007) Further, Johnson and Clark (2006) argues that the most important issue is not which philosophical space the research occupies but on how well the research is reflected and defence against the alternatives the researcher could have adopted.   More so, the theoretical perspective history presents a graphical illustration of the philosophical positions below: Theoretical Perspective: Objectivism as an epistemological stance holds the view that social entity exists in reality and is independent of people’s perceptions.   However constructivism is opposite to objectivism.   Truth and meaning do not exist in some external world and people construct their own meaning in different ways, even in relation to the same phenomenon.   (Remeyi et al 2005) This research will mainly adopt a constructivist approach because it is about looking at people’s views and beliefs.   However, there is a very little element of objectivism in the research as to look at past figures and study the previous trends of young and older workers beliefs and views.   Therefore, focusing mainly on constructivism thus, making it fairly justifiable for using this constructivist approach.   This correlate with the theoretical perspective of interpretivism.   Saunders et al (2007) defines interpretivism as an epistemological approach which is necessary for the researcher to understand the difference between the humans in the role as a social actor.   This approach is adopted by those who regard the business world as too complex to permit the discovery of definite laws.   According to Saunders et al (2007), interpretivism refers to way people make sense of the world around them, which bears different perceptions of the way people judge, think a nd feel about organisational operations.   However, proponents of interpretivism are criticised for undermining the general ability of research findings.   Reasons for adopting this philosophical approach is that the staff at Asda is going to base and construct their own understanding and knowledge on electronic training and induction which is offered to them therefore they will have their opinions and feelings about it and whether they like it or not. Remeyi et al (2005:104) nicely summarised the underpinning features of objectivism and constructivism in the table below:- Objectivism Constructivism Basic beliefs: World is externally and objectiveObserver is independent World is socially constructed and subjectiveObserver is part of what is been observed Focus on meaning Researchers should: Focus on factsLook for causality and fundamental lawsReduce phenomena to simplest elements Formulate and test hypothesis Try to understand what is happening Look at totality of each situation Preferred methods: Operationalise concepts so they can be measuredTake large samples Use multiple methods to establish different views of phenomena Small samples investigated in depth or over time Source:Remeyi et al (2005:104) Research Approach: Inductive and Deductive Research There are two major approaches to a research development namely induction and deduction.   Deductive approach is similarly to that of the scientific research.   It involves the development of a theory which is subjected to a rigorous test.   (Collis and Hussey2003) Deductive approach in a research works from a more general to more specific and conclusions can be drawn from an available theory. (Saunders et al 2007). For instance: Herzberg’s Two Factor theory can be used to identify job satisfaction within a workplace. Inductive approach on the other hand works the other way round moving from much specific to broader generalisation and conclusions are based on the facts identified in the research findings.  Ã‚   The purpose of this is to get a feel of what is going on so as to understand something in a much better way.   (Saunders et al 2007) Inductive approach will be suitable for this research because the research objectives are context specific, gathering general ideas and views of people and the research will be carried out to get a better understanding of the workplace systems and finally conclusions will be arrived from the research findings. Research Methodology/ Strategy: Case Study According to Remeyi et al (2005) research strategy provides the overall direction of the research and has identified several research strategies namely action research, case studies, forecasting, survey, ethnography, grounded theory and archival research. Robson (2002) defines case study as a strategy for doing research which involves an investigation of a particular existing fact within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence.   Morris and Wood (1991) states that the case study strategy is of a greater interest if the researcher wishes to gain a rich understanding of the context of the research and the process being enacted.   Case study strategy also generates answers to the questions, for this reason the case study strategy is often used in explanatory and exploratory research. For the purpose of this research, the researcher will focus on case study strategy.   The use of this strategy will comfortably accommodate better understanding and provide rich picture of the current situation and training systems in place within Asda. Purpose of the Research: Descriptive, Exploratory or Explanatory: The classification of the research purpose most often used in the research methods is among one of the following: exploratory, descriptive or explanatory.   However, the research project may have more than one purpose.   (Saunders et al 2007) Robson (2002) points out, that the purpose of enquiry within the research can also change over time. Descriptive Study: Robson (2002) states that, the aim of descriptive research is to portray an accurate and exact profile of people, events or situations. Exploratory Study: An exploratory study is very valuable way of finding out what is happening or to seek new insights, to ask questions and to assess phenomena in a new light.   It is a very useful if the research is about clarifying and understanding of any problems and there is also a willingness to change direction in exploratory study.   (Robson 2002) Explanatory Study: This involves a research which focuses on studying a situation or a problem in order to explain the relationships between variables.   (Saunders et al 2007) This research is going to use exploratory study because it involves getting a general understanding of electronic training given to staff in Asda and exploring any problems within the workplace faced by the employees finally willing to make any adjustments according to the needs and requirements of the employees. Qualitative and Quantitative Data: Saunders et al (2007) describe qualitative data as non-numerical data and which has not been quantified.   Carter and Litter (2007) hold the view that qualitative research enables the researcher to rely on words rather than using numerical data when carrying out the investigation.   The researcher can pose open the questions about the nature of things as they happen in real life rather than putting out to test already established hypothesis. However, on the other hand quantitative data as described by Saunders et al (2007) as numerical data that have been quantified and it is the data that can be measured. Carter and Little (2007) describe quantitative data as data which is based on facts and figures. This research is mainly focused on Qualitative method because it involves describing things for instance getting feelings of staff over induction and training method used in Asda which is the main objective of this research.   The qualitative data will be collected from interviews to get a general feeling of things.   However, there is also little Quantitative analysis involved within the research because the researcher will gather some numerical data by giving out the questionnaires in order to access the effectiveness of electronic induction and training.   Previous figures can also be collected from management for accessing the effectiveness of e-training but the main focus still relies on the qualitative analysis.   Quantitative data can be represented by using pie charts, bar charts or reports.   Easterby-Smith et al (2004) states that the combination of both methods of research enhances and maximises the quality of the research. Data Collection Methods: This research is based on a realistic philosophical stance based on inductive approach, the research strategy being a case study, the purpose of the research being exploratory using both qualitative and quantitative analysis but mainly emphasising on qualitative analysis.   Data collection methods are simply how the information is gathered.   There is a wide range of data collection methods available namely:   surveys, sampling, questionnaire, observation, interview, focus groups.   (Easterby-Smith et al 2004) However for the purpose of this research the researcher is going to use three methods to collect data (questionnaire, semi-structured interview and focus group discussions) for the purpose of triangulation. Questionnaires: A questionnaire is a set of carefully prepared questions designed with the aim of collecting reliable data from selected participants.   (Remeyi et al 2005) Oppenheim (1992) defines a questionnaire as a tool for collecting and recording information about a particular issue of interest.   It is made up of a list of questions and it should always have a definite purpose which is related to the objectives of the research.   Questionnaires are commonly used to gather straightforward information relating to people’s behaviour or to look at basic attitudes and opinions of people relating to a particular issue.   The questionnaire can be designed using both open and closed ended questions to get both qualitative and quantitative data. For the purpose of this research, the researcher will distribute the questionnaires to the permanent staff specially focusing on staff that has been to both electronically and classroom based training sessions.   Reason for using a questionnaire is that it will enable the researcher to get a clear picture about the effectiveness of e-training.   A sample size of about 30 staff will then be chosen.   This will include 25 shop floor workers, 2 team leaders, 2 line managers and 1 personal training buddy.   The questionnaire will be in the form of both open and closed ended questions to get a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data.   The questionnaire is focused to those employees and managers who can share and express their views in interviews and focus group discussions. Further, Cohen et al (2000) states that advantages of a questionnaire is that the feedback is anonymous which encourages openness and honesty and it gives the opportunity to each employee to participate.   The use of questionnaires gives the following advantages: it is cost and time efficient in collecting and analysing data.   However, questionnaires also possess some sort of difficulty for example open ended questions may require the respondent to give detailed answers which may be a challenge to some respondents whereas, closed ended questions may limit the in-depth enquiry of relevant information.   (Easterby-Smith et al 2004)  Ã‚  Ã‚   The researcher will carry out a pilot test using five questionnaires to check that the questions are easily understood and that there are no particular problems relating to the length, sensitivity and sequence of questions. One to one Interviews: According to Easterby-Smith et al (2004) one to one interviews can take various forms: structured, semi-structured and unstructured.   This requires a face-to-face conversation between the interviewee and the interviewer and the sequence of questions are open ended. This research will adopt a semi-structured interview.   Remeyi et al (2005) states that semi-structured interview provides an opportunity to probe complex issues in a relaxed atmosphere. The reason for carrying out the research in a semi-structured interview technique is because it provides quick and rich evidence because the respondent can provide detailed insights of facts.   Participants for the semi-structured interview will be selected on the basis that they have gone through both electronic and classroom trainings programmes.   The sample for the interview would be five members mainly: 1 personnel manager, 1 departmental manager, 1 line manager and 2 shop floor workers.   The interview questions will be drawn out from the literature review however; the researcher may add any relevant questions or drop any issues which may seem inappropriate while conducting the interview. Focus Group Discussions: A focus group discussion is a group of people who have been brought together to discuss a specific topic in depth.   According to Saunders et al (2007) focus group discussions involves the use of comprehensively group interaction whereby participants are chosen because they have something to contribute on the topic.   A focus group can precede both quantitative and qualitative data. The researcher will use focus group discussions as third method to gather data.   Reasons for doing a focus group discussion is because one session of a group discussion produces a large amount of information in a relatively short period of time.   The research will involve five participants in the focus group discussion; 1 line manager, 1 team leader, 1 training buddy and 2 shop floor workers and the sessions will last for 25 minutes. Triangulation: According to Wolf (2010:145) ‘’triangulation refers to the combination of different research modes or looking at the same topic from different angles.’’ As stated above, three methods have been adopted for this research.   They will better explore the outcome of the e-training process thus enhancing validity.   The reason is to provide broader breadth and depth of the research objectives and also offer greater clarity about the gaps in philosophical commitment during data collection and analysis levels.   (Cox and Hassard 2005) Validity and Reliability of Research Design: Validity and reliability are very important criteria in evaluating a research.   According to Joppe (2000), validity determines whether the research truly measures that which was intended to measure or how truthful the research results are.   Remeyi et al (2005) refers to validity as representing a good fit between theory and reality, in the same sense that when a description of a process is evaluated; best fit between theory and reality can be traced.   The primary reason for considering this is to indicate how the research will be accepted as a piece of academic writing. Since the research will include little bit of quantitative data, statistical validity will be very paramount to ensure consistency and integrity.   Also validity of qualitative data will be prompted whether the researcher has gained full access to knowledge and information about the case study.   (Remeyi et al 2005) Reliability is that similar observations should be made by researchers on different occasions and the concern is that how replicable the study is.   (Remeyi et al 2005)  Ã‚   This is achieved by keeping the data which is been collected safely and to enable others to investigate if any doubts arise in the research results.   This provides transparency and trust in the philosophy, approach and methods used in collecting and analysing data since they are open for scrutiny.   (Remeyi et al 2005). Research Ethics: The researcher will bear in mind the ethical issues; these will be in accordance with research ethics framework presented by the University of Bolton Institutional Repository and also the Economic and Social Research Council: to ensure the design and the research itself will respect honesty and quality standard.   Its been guaranteed that the intended used methods shall be clearly understood by the participants and privacy will be respected in terms of when gathering data and anonymity of respondent.   Finally, the author will observe the widely cited suggestions given by Remeyi et al (2005) relative to the theft of ideas, choice of sampling, obtaining assistance from others, misrepresentation of work done and lastly to avoid illegal and unlawful conducts with the entities of the organisation being studied. Evaluation of Overall Research Design: The research philosophy, approach, strategy and methods adopted for the research are judged by the researcher as the most suitably fit for the research objectives.   However, the researcher is aware of the lapses in the research design and these might cause hindrance in convincing conclusions.   The researcher has envisaged the following possible limitations and has outlined backup plans. Firstly, the issues could rise in the inclusion and exclusion of sampling criteria may rise constraints in the research design.   For example: age discrimination and ethnicity might be a problem and overall logistic costs and general feasibility of the research design can hinder the collection of sufficient data.   Also selected participants maybe unavailable due to being absence, some participants being on sick leave, workers taking pre-booked holidays and most importantly the busy schedule of management may cause disruptions in the research.   In addition, the current management within the department might be altered through transfers hence; this might slow down the research process completely. Secondly, the sample of 30 participants may not provide a broader picture of the electronically based training and induction in Asda. Thirdly, errors and non-responsive attitude of the participants might cause problems in the sample representation. Furthermore, by using a case study strategy it makes it difficult to generalise the outcomes of the research since it may not present a wider view of the store or Asda organisation.   This can raise questions about the validity and reliability of the research.   Also, the time available to carry out the research is limited.   This limits the collection of vital information through semi-structured interviews and focus groups discussions which might cause some loop holes in the research process. Accurate and appropriate data collection analysis tools maybe difficult to find sometimes.   Again, since the purpose of the research objective seems to be limited and focuses on a more tangible issue such as technology; this might limit participants interest in the research thus can cause setbacks in the research process.   Equally important is that access to vital information about the personnel department might cause constraints in the research itself; as stated by Wolf (2010) it is common for researcher to encounter accessibility difficulties during the data collection stages of their research. Finally, the research project is the first independent project carried out by the researcher of such magnitude, although the author has written essays for up to three thousand words but this may cause inaccuracies in the overall research design. The use of questionnaires will target wide sample size, this will ensure appropriate response.   Interviews and focus group discussions will enable the researcher to obtain valuable information for limited time since management will be involved. As data analysis and interpretation of data is concerned, the researcher will apply simple co-efficient method by comparing between samples, the higher co-efficient reflecting higher score and vice versa.   (Cavusgil and Das 1997) With regards to internal and external validity of the research, the author will ensure causality between the research objectives, literature review and the research design and also ensure that the research design matches with other research patterns. In addition, triangulation has been adopted to provide richness in the data collected.   Similarly, the author will follow the recommendations provided by Gilbbert and Ruigrok (2010) to ensure external validity; generality in external setting does not mean that case study should give up generalisability but the key is to distinguish between statistical and analytical generality. With respect to ethical concerns, the research will guarantee transparency through careful documentation and organisation of the research process with relevant materials to be kept secured to facilitate retrieval for any further investigation. Furthermore, the author will ensure for the sample criteria all cultures are respected.   Inclusion criteria will follow the provisions of Equality and Discrimination Act 2010.   The author will use random sample in order to avoid any representation errors. Also with regards to accessibility, the author will keep closed contact with the management.   More so, the author works within the company as a seasonal staff during the holidays and has been working there for three years so this makes it easy for the management and employees with regards to communication flow so the communication gap has been eliminated.   The issue of cost especially travelling and other logistics from Bolton to Edinburgh will be handled since Edinburgh is the author’s main UK residency place. In short, the research design coupled with the research objectives and the literature review are fundamental in critically evaluating the process of electronic training and induction in Asda Edinburgh. References Baker, M.A., Foy, A. (2008) Business and Management Research, 2nd Ed, Argyll: Westburn Publishers Carter, S.M., Little, M. (2007) Justifying Knowledge, Justifying Method, Taking Action: Epistemologies, Methodologies and Methods in Qualitative Research, Journal of Qualitative Health Research, vol.17, no.10, pp.1316-132 Cavusgil, S.M., Das, A. (1997) Methodology Issues in Cross-cultural Sourcing Research – a Primer, Marketing Intelligence and Planning Journal, vol.15, no.5, pp.213-220 Cohen, L., Manion, L., Morrison, K. (2000) Research Methods in Education, 5th Ed, London: Rouledge Falmer Collis, J., Hussey, R. (2003) Business Research: A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students, 2nd Ed, Basingstoke: Macmillan Cox, J.W., Hassard, J. (2005) Triangulation in Organisational Research: A Representation, Organisation Science Journal, vol.12, pp.109-133 Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R., Lowe, A. (2004) Management Research: An Introduction, 2nd Ed, London: Sage Publications Gibbert, M., Ruigrok, W. (2010) The ‘What’ and ‘How’ of Case Study Rigor: Three Strategies Based on Published Work, Journal of Organisational Research Methods, vol.13, no.4, pp.710-737 Johnson, P., Clark, M. (2006) Business and Management Research Methodologies, Sage Publications Joppe, M. (2000) The Research Process, The Quantitative Report Journal, vol.8, no.4, pp.597-607.   Available from: nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR8-4/golafshani.pdf  Ã‚   [Accessed on 25th April 2011] Morris, T., Wood, S. (1991) ‘’Testing the survey method: continuity and change in British industrial relations’, Work Employment and Society, vol.5, no.2, pp.259-82 Neuman, W.L. (2000) Social Research Methods, 2nd Ed, London: Allyn and Bacon Oppenheim, A.N. (1992) Questionnaire Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement, 2nd Ed, London: St. Martins Press Remeyi, D.W., Money, A., Swartz, E. (2005) Doing Research in Business and Management: An Introduction to Process and Method, London: Sage Publications Robson, C. (2002) Real World Research, 2nd Ed, Oxford: Blackwell Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A. (2007) Research Methods for Business Students, 4th Ed, Harlow: Pearson Education Wolf, F. (2010) Enlightened Eclecticism or Hazardous Hotchpotch? Mixed Methods and Triangulation, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, vol.4, no.2, pp.144-16

Slavery Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Slavery - Assignment Example Senator Calhoun justifies the Southern states’ democratic right to own slaves. Senator Calhoun affirms Slavery benefits both the slave owners and the slaves (Niven 49). Slavery benefits both the White slave owners and the African American slaves. In terms of physical, intellectual and moral standards, the Senator states that those living in Africa have not reached any success compared to the African American slaves who were brought to the United States. Senator Calhoun equates the Southern White slave owners as equal in status with the Northern White American. The North American Whites freed their African American Slaves. On the other hand, the South American White Owners decided to hold on to their personal properties, the African American slaves. The Senator goes further by stating that the White Slave owners treat their Southern Slaves far better than societies in other countries treat their paid employees. Consequently, Senator Calhoun boasts that the Southern American States’ White owners treat their African American Slaves better than other societies treat their employees. As a resident of one of the Southern States, Senator Calhoun proudly states that the Southern White Americans treat their slaves far better than the White people from other communities treat their African American employees. Everyone is entitled to one’s opinion. Senator Calhoun is entitled to his preference for the institution of slavery. Senator Calhoun believes that removing the slaves from the Southern slave owners would bring hardship to the White slave owners. With the slaves, the White slave owners of the South will be forced to work in the farms and other labor activities. The senator is creating a false impression that God had destined the African American people to be the slaves of the White Americans. In the same manner, Senator Calhoun insists that it is a god given right for the White Americans to use the forced African

Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics Research Paper

Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics - Research Paper Example What brings about such illusions in the traditional metaphysics is the predilection of past human understanding of sourcing for the natural, untouched things, that is, to harbor an array of concepts to its perceived conclusion even when the ultimate prize is unachievable by the mere natural senses. Kitcher suggests that an individual’s understanding may reveal that complete things are made up of small parts or pieces, and sensibility may prompt human understanding to arrive at a smaller section of any particular whole item; but only understanding suggests that disintegration into parts has to dawn on something too simple, an item that human beings could never notice by the use of mere senses (547). Future metaphysics therefore will utilize senses data and explore other ways of unearthing the rationale behind what mere senses cannot notice. Technically, reason as the epitome of future metaphysics, may generate concepts of the natural world, such as the concept of the general suitability of adages of action, which do not fall short of providing adequate information with regards to the natural environment, since they do not mention anything relating to the environment, only how it should be. But in its philosophical employment, reason seems to provide vital, deeper insight s into the world that the traditional metaphysics relying solely on human senses or on incompatible perception could not resolve. According to Allais this analysis of traditional metaphysical shortcomings best explains Kants theoretical approach in the text, where he delivers an array of incompatibilities between the nature and extent of sensibility as influenced by reason, on the one hand, and the affectations of limitless understanding, on the other (183). In classical conceptions of the text, Kant argues that all the pretensions of traditional metaphysics were structured along these lines. In this critical text, the philosopher singles out a number of metaphysical

Applications in Corporate Finance (Buidalot from a corporate finance Essay

Applications in Corporate Finance (Buidalot from a corporate finance perspective) - Essay Example The company lacks cohesion in terms of pulling the efforts of different subsidiaries together and this is the main reason why it is performing poorly. Therefore, there are certain issues that should be taken into account by Buildalot in order to improve its operations as going to be shown in the recommendations section of the report. 6 Market economy 6 Market competition 6 Equity capital structure of the company 7 PEST analysis 7 Major construction projects 8 Office building construction 9 House building construction 10 Business operational issues 11 Mayo project issues 12 Corporate social responsibilities 13 Financial statement analysis 13 Trend analysis 13 Ratio analysis 14 Recommendations 16 Referencing 18 Bibliography 20 Introduction This report deals with business analysis of Buidalot from a corporate finance perspective. This is an Ireland based Construction Company and it has been experiencing cash flow difficulties due primarily to the slow selling of houses and offices in th e Mayo development project. This study will assess the major issues affecting different sectors of business in this construction company. A detailed SWOT and PEST analyses of the situation of the company will be conducted to evaluate the causes of the problems it is currently facing. This study will also evaluate the financial situation of different projects being undertaken by the company through business strategy techniques and financial strategy techniques like re-forecasting, cost of capital, net present value and business valuation. Then appropriate recommendations will be provided at the end of the report in order to effectively deal with the issues raised. Background of the company Buildalot is a 50 year old construction company and it is based in Ireland. The company was incorporated 30 years back as a group of companies. This consists of different wholly owned subsidiaries that operate in different segments of the construction industry. The three major segments that are the main focus of the company’s business include the following: major construction projects, house building construction and office building construction. The subsidiary that operates in major construction projects is based in different countries but it mainly focuses on Ireland. Office building subsidiaries undertake projects related to office constructions. It operates in Europe and Middle East along with successful penetration in the home country of Ireland. The company House building subsidiaries also operate internationally. The company initially used to engage in residential house building in Ireland and it started construction of these major segments after incorporation about 30 years ago. Situation analysis (SWOT) Basically, SWOT stands for strengths (S), weaknesses (W) while on the other hand the external environmental factors are regarded as either opportunities or threats. The aim of performing a SWOT analysis is to critically analyze all the internal and external fac tors’ that may affect the operations of the organization (Strydom, 2004). The table below summarises the SWOT analysis for Buildalot. Strength Weakness 1. The current ratio of the company’s working capital is high 2. The fixed asset turnover of Buildalot is also high 3. Employees are able to deal with

Strategic Business Management And Planning For Amazon

Strategic Business Management And Planning For Amazon 1. INTRODUCTION Strategic management can be defined as the set of decisions and actions that result in the formulation and implementation of plans designed to achieve a companys objective(Pearce, J.A and Robinson, R.B., Strategic management: formulation, implementation and control, McGraw-Hill ) This essay is based on the study of Amazon.com. I started by talking about the E-commerce and a brief history of Amazon. Then I moved on to the strategic thinking of the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, and the strategies he used to make Amazon so successful and the strategy implementation. To analyse the company I used PESTLE and SWOT analysis. Financial ratios are used to analyse the companys financial position and financial performance. Finally I conclude the essay by giving my suggestions about the companys future. The material is taken from different journals, articles and books and all the material is properly referenced. 2. AMAZON.COM (AN E-COMMERCE GIANT) E-commerce is extremely competitive and dynamic market. Firm in this market is constantly changing and challenges. He and his strategy in order to investigate the change of life and has to compete with rivals. important factor is customer service and satisfaction. Amazon is the first company who started online book retailing service. The name has become synonymous with e-commerce and is one of the few Internet brands recognised the world over(The Economist 2000). Amazons superior customer service is one of the secrets behind its success; I would argue it also has a first mover advantage. First movers or pioneering firms enjoy higher market share derived from substantial and enduring sales advantage. (Robinson,1988) and (Lambkin,1988). The Amazon.com model is very simple and beguilingly attractive (Fortune,1997). According to the Amazon model: expensive inventory and brick and mortar warehouse are not needed by the new age retailer and all that is needed is a website to present a face to greet customers and takes their orders. Other parties handle the capital-intensive aspects of stocking inventory. Why Amazon.com I will continue to amazon.com because it is a little different and various people are not aware of this, he worked as a search engine as well. Would you like to listen to Britney Spears? (After all, one has to!) and type you are looking for new albums.Based only type of research can take account of the Amazon to work almost 100% of the time. Amazon Books, CDs, DVDs and video works well because it is what we call a uniquely identified. users can easily find a unique item identified, because they know what they want. BUSINESS STRATEGIC PLANING ( MODELS, CONCEPTS AND TOOLS) Strategic planning is to create a vision for the future management and direction to life. He has acted in accordance with the mission statement that focuses on the umbrella business organizations. This is an effective procedure to determine its short-term results with long-term goals. Strategic planning answers three big questions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where are we now? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where are we in the future? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What should be the focus now, so that it is more likely that we would be where we want to be in the future? This is a simple process with the incredible power of your organization and to bridge the gap between long-term vision and day-to-day tactical switch gap. What to answer three basic questions that the teams develop action plans for their first step in that direction now! Now it is the daily, weekly, monthly, and during this quarter. Design team processes are as valuable as the plan. (Some states have become even more important.) Single-manager will try to implement your company time and tried to run away and sit down to create a vision, mission, strategy and goals. such plans are generally very good, all very intuitive and smart CEO. As an alternative, the Director-General may hire a planning consultant. The hard truth is that the best plan is one that would indeed be implemented. This is why the plan, the team always beat the team plan. If youre in the middle of the short-term crisis, as all out to promote a new product out the door youll have to wait until every member of the planning team will be suspended for two days. On the other hand, if you are a long-term crisis for months planning meeting is a great opportunity to make a few steps back, and the choice of situations. Maybe the only way out of crisis mode to invest in changing the status quo, improving infrastructure, developing new markets, new products, creating a competitive strategy that will replace the team above their heads, to set the legacy products, markets, customers and employees share. Strategic planning is not about predicting the future, read the crystal ball, or call psychic hotline. Strategic planning is to ask what future actions will be developed in the future they want. If you will be in five years? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Not where you think you will. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There is no place that you would predict. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where do you want to be. JEFF BEZOS STRATEGIC THINKING Schuler and Jackson, 1987 classify business strategy into three types: cost reduction, innovation and quality enhancement (source: Schuler and Jackson,1987). I agree with Jackson and Schà ¼ler (1987), when Bezos was innovative and use it as a strategy. But it does not only focus on innovation and growth, and expand your knowledge not only helps to a large market share but also to compete with rivals, as well as a major player in an alliance..As according to Porter and Fuller : By strategic alliance firms gain the benefits of economies of scale, access to scarce knowledge and skills and spread the risks of research and innovation. (Porter and Fuller,1986) At one place during his interview, Jeff Bezos says, Our vision is that we want to be the worlds most customer -centric company and a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online. (Hof and Robert D, 1999) and we are not a book company, we are not a music company, we are not a video company we are not an auctions company: we are customer company (Hof and Robert D, 1999). As the online marketing and sales, insurance transactions are very curious as to why customers want to buy online. Jeff Bezos attention to the safety and security of customer transactions increased confidence and self belief. Customers personal information, including name, address and credit card information is encrypted, which is impossible to read and can be safely travel over the Internet, resulting in increased customer facilities. Bezos believes the sign, taking into account the interests of business success. This is why it is named after the Amazon river in the world to become the worlds largest online bookstore, and we see this day. This is not surprising given the fact that the company spends approximately 40 per cent of its revenue on brand building (Margolis, 1999) due to its firm belief that customers first and foremost look for trusted brands when they deal online (Hof and Hemelstein, 1999). Competitive Advantage Competitive advantage is a factor, or combination of factors that the organization is more successful than other organizations in a competitive environment, and can not be easily copied by its competitors. Strategy Process of Amazon.Com In the search for sources of sustainable competitive advantage, JEFF BEZOS has realized that business performance depends not only on the formulation and successful implementation of a given strategy but also on the process by which competitive positions are created or maintained. (i) Innovation: The main strategy used by Jeff bezos is customer-focused innovation. As Pearson and Robinson (2000) argue that some firms find it profitable to make innovation their grand strategy. (Pearson and Robinson 2000).Thats why he had great focus on continuous innovation, by introducing new technologies to enhance customer experience. Because customers expects continuous change and new products and services. Bezos believed in innovation as a key to success and to compete with competitors. According to (Pearson and Robinson,2000) most growth oriented firms appreciate the need to be innovative (Pearson and Robinson 2000). According to Bob de Wit and Ronley (1998) innovation requires brooding, tinkering, experimentation, testing and patience, as new ideas grow and take shape (Bob de Wit and Ronley,1998). Rigid and continuous innovation in the electronic commerce has been Amazons heritage. (ii) Diversification: Another strategy Jeff Bezos used for the Amazon is diversification. He used both product diversification and business diversification. From time to time he introduced new products in order to meet customers needs and demands. Thats the reason today Amazon has millions of customers who visit the website and satisfy their needs. According to Pearson and Robinson (2000) firms seeks balance in their portfolios between current business with cyclical sales and acquired business with counter cyclical sales between high-cash/ low opportunity and low-cash/high opportunity businesses or between debt-free and highly leveraged business (Pearson and Robinson 2000). I agree with Pearson and Robinson (2000), since Bezos had seen opportunity and growth in new businesses e-g, toys, jewellery, games and health and beauty etc. Bezos is seen quite successful in the business diversification, which obvious from his popularity of current business position. As Johnson and Scholes (1993) argue that firms whi ch diversify by building on their core business do better than those who diversify in an unrelated way (Johnson and Scholes,1993). (iii) Human resource strategy: Human resource plays important role in the success of a business. As Pearson and Robinson (2000) states that a firms ability to attract and hold capable employees is essential to its success (Pearson and Robinson,2000). Bezos had great focus on strengthening of management team and for this he appointed many senior managers and directors from time to time. Since business strategy and HR strategy has a significant effect on the organizations performance, so in order to achieve high performance, their must be linkage between these two strategies. Bezos is seen quite successful in doing this. (iv) Acquisitions: Another strategy Bezos used for the growth of the business is acquisitions. According to Pearson and Robinson (2000) the acquisitions of one or more similar firms eliminate competitors and provide the acquiring firm with access to new markets (Pearson and Robinson 2000). I do agree with Pearson and Robinson as Bezos acquired many firms to support expansion into the European market place. Bezos acquired many other dot COM companies providing different services to its customers. I can argue Bezos this strategic thinking helped him to reduce competitors and maked Amazon no 1 in the world. (v) Joint ventures Jeff Bezos also used joint ventures for the expansion and growth of his business. According to Bartlett et al (2004) multinationals used joint ventures extensively as a way not only to navigate through bureaucratic processes but also to learn about new markets (Bartlett et al,2004). Amazon had joint ventures with key Internet players, which provide a huge customer base and an opportunity to grow in the new markets. Bartlett et al (2004) argue that executives look for growth in the big emerging markets, they tend quite naturally to focus on the size of the opportunity and the challenges that lie ahead (Bartlett et al 2004). I think Bezos had joint ventures because he saw an opportunity for growth. 5. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION The successful implementation of strategies will require invariably require some degree of change in the organizations resource profile (Johnson and Scholes,1993). Jeff Bezos used innovation and continuous growth as main strategies in his business, which he achieved through continuous technology improvement and expansion in the form of acquisitions and joint ventures. It is seen that many strategies fail because of lack of management interest. It is vital that in order to implement a successful strategy, necessary resources should be allocated to it, also the internal and external factors play major role in the success of strategy. It arent what you do, its the way that you do it- thats what gets results (Anon, 2003). Jeff Bezos is quite successful in implementing the strategies at right time as the timing of a strategy is vital, if one is to get in before a rival aiming for a market advantage with a similar idea (Anon, 2003). Amazon , the biggest online retailer in the world, is working harder to bolster its European Union presence through expanding its distribution network and reaching into new markets, the Financial Times reported. (Source: (CORPORATE IT UPDATE via COMTEX) 4 January 2011) Because of its strategic position in the region, it is much attracted by multinationals from all over the world including United States, and Germany etc. Lastyear, Amazon added 11 distribution centres to its network and Goldman Sachs analysts say that all but two were located outside the US. According to their research, there were three European, five Chinese and one Japanese opening in 2010. Amazon added an Italian website to the ones it operates in France, Germany and the UK, and acquired Spain-based Buyvip for nearly USD100m (EUR75m). Amazon is currently boosting staff numbers in Luxembourg, where its European headquarters are based. The group is looking for experts in logistics and shipping to ensure the smooth progress of the expansion and raise the efficiency of the distribution network. Technological Factors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the biggest online shopping site and e-commerce one of the most widely known on the Internet. Jeff Bezos founded in 1995, it had 11 employees by years end. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Within four years, has more than 1,600 employees and four million customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 1990, Amazon has more than four million names of CDs, videotapes, DVDs and games for free. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It is still a new business lines, including toys, electronics, software, electrical appliances and home improvement products, online auctions and services to increase data center à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ (Amazon Elastic Computer Cloud) datacenter services from Amazon Web Services Amazon.com company developers. The server is running Windows Server, OpenSolaris, and various Linux operating systems and database applications and Web servers. Amazon programming interface (API), applications can be increased or decreased ability to process the request (the flexible in the title) Amazon.com à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recent Key Inc. April 7, 2010 Amazon launches beta version of new Internet services March 18, 2010 Amazon.com s Kindle launch in March March 12, 2010 Dr. Oswald, a product released to the pharmacy musclecar February 25, 2010 Amazon launched a new generation of e-book reader Kindle February 23, 2010 Microsoft, Amazon.com patent cross-license, sale Legal Factors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The right questions to be appointed as Amazon.com, the e-tailor. (Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London Friday, March 21, 2003). There are conflicts in the HP iPAQ Pocket PC cost. demand that the site took hours and when they return, low prices have been removed and replaced with the truth. Environmental Factors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In the Amazon, we are always looking for ways to reduce our environment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Buying online is generally more environmentally friendly than traditional retailing. Is Amazon.com a model for the future of retailing? E-commerce was invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1744, but they Mailorder time. The only difference between the catalog Franklin (who sold books) and Amazon. Amazon using the computer and wrote a letter to Franklin. I remember when I first e-commerce, whatever. All I hear is no one intends to kill the store to go shopping .. no one to go to the center of it only. Sit at home and for what. Wrong. Shopping is a social activity, is a big difference between sitting at home clicking around with your friends and get the center of a cappuccino, get your nails and evaluating dressed funny. Or in the case, go to the tool department of Sears and cigar humidor shop. Amazon and other e-retailers in place. The best way is to compare a number of objects in a very short period of time. What you can find things online that are available on the spot. But the future of retailing? No AMAZONS FUTURE (Nature, Scope and Need) We see that though Amazon has a strong position in the market, but still there are weaknesses and threats that it is facing. Surviving as well as establishing and maintaining a competitive position in the online market place requires a constant strategic re-orientation and organizational evolution (EfthymiosConstantinides, 2004). According to Riolli-saltzman and Luthane-commerce companies can be successful if they combine future orientation with organizational adaptability and flexibility (Riolli-saltzman and Luthan,2000), Amazon needs to have constant change in business strategy as Kippenberger argued strategy formulation is determined by time or circumstances therefore there is no one best way to form strategy. (Kippenberger,1998) Since online consumers are concern about the trust, so Amazon need to offer other communication channels e-g telephone, post etc. Customers trust can be build in this way. One cant say that it will become the Wal-mart of the Internet. Because its overall aim is to provide low cost products and services to customers and good relation with its suppliers, while Wal-mart true strength has been its ability to squeeze suppliers (Economist,2000) and also there is huge difference between the profitability of Amazon and Wal-mart. Amazon needs to implement new marketing strategies that will help to increase customers base, awareness of product and services and strengthen the brand name. A continuous innovation through creating specialized software would be helpful to business. Since human resource play an important role in the success of a business, so to motivate and retain employees, some sort of reward system not just for executives but for ordinary employees is also needed to be introduced and also the ability to attract and hire the qualified personnel. There will always be a threat of competition, but if Bezos keep growing by making alliances and investments, this not only can drive the competitors out but will also help to maintain its position in the market. Finally to me Amazons business model seems the right model and its future is bright. CONCLUSION From SWOT AND PESTEL analysis we see that Amazon.com has great advantage and strong position over its competitors. There are many opportunities to grow but also there is a need of a good business strategy to follow. The economic condition of Amazon.com is getting better after becoming the part of the European Union and the business is growing in the world. To me the future of Amazon looks bright and many development opportunities are available to it.

We Must Educate the Children of Illegal Immigrants Essay example -- Cr

Immigration laws have been a subject of debate throughout American history, especially in states such as California and Texas, where immigrant populations are high. Recently, some citizens have been questioning whether we should continue to educate the children of illegal immigrants. While this issue is steeped in emotional controversy, we must not allow divisive "us against them" rhetoric to cloud our thinking. Yes, educating undocumented immigrants costs us, but not educating them would cost us much more. Those who propose barring the children of illegal immigrants from our schools have understandable worries. They worry that their state taxes will rise as undocumented children crowd their school systems. They worry about the crowding itself, given the loss of quality education that comes with large class sizes. They worry that school resources will be deflected from their children because of the linguistic and social problems that many of the newcomers face. And finally, they worry that even more illegal immigrants will cross our borders because of the lure of free education. This last worry is probably unfounded. It is unlikely that many parents are crossing the borders solely to educate their children. More likely, they are in desperate need of work, economic opportunity, and possibly political asylum. As Charles Wheeler of the National Immigration Law Center asserts, "There is no evidence that access to federal programs acts as a magnet to foreigners or that further restrictions would discourage illegal immigrants" (qtd. in "Exploiting"). The other concerns are more legitimate, but they can be addressed by less drastic measures than barring children from schools. Currently the responsibility o... ...re in school, we can make sure they are inoculated properly, and we can teach them the facts about health and disease. Do we really want thousands of uneducated children growing up on the streets, where we have little control over them? Surely not. The lure of the streets is powerful enough already. Only by inviting all children into safe and nurturing and intellectually engaging schools can we combat that power. Our efforts will be well worth the cost. Works Cited Edmondson, Brad. "Life without Illegal Immigrants." American Demographics May 1996: 1. "Exploiting Fears." Admissions Decisions: Should Immigration Be Restricted? 7 Oct. 1996. Public Agenda. 10 Feb. 1999. http://www.vote-smart.org/issues/Immigration/chap2/imm2itx.html. McCarthy, Martha M. "Immigrants in Public Schools: Legal Issues." Educational Horizons 71 (1993): 128-30.

Avon Corporation Case Study

In order to begin to understand the industry in which Avon functions as well as the specifics around the introduction of the new EAS drive, I used the 5Cs analysis to outline the company’s current situation. Situation Analysis via the 5Cs: Company * Avon manufactured a number of electrical products * Sold products to both end users and OEMs * $6M in sales annually of the AVDC drives, lost sales to EAS drives Collaborators * Distributors and OEMs  ­ Avon could establish many more relationships once they can compete in more than just the AVDC drives, and can address the more price sensitive side of the market Customers * Three types of adjustable speed drives: MAS, EAS and AVDC, with different applications and price levels * Some of Avon’s customers required EAS drives for their business and Avon lacked this line Competitors * 7 companies manufactured MAS drives, with 2 accounting for 50% of sales (gross margins of 20%) * 5 companies manufactured EAS drives, with 1 major player (gross margins of 50%) * 4 companies manufactured AVDC drives Context * Avon’s new EAS design was different but not patentable and could be replicated by a competitor in approximately 2 years * For m any of the MAS and EAS companies, the drives were its major product Based on this analysis, it is clear that the competitive landscape is going to play a key part in determining initial pricing of the new drive. There are a number of existing players in the space who will want to defend their territory. In order to build a bigger market for the EAS drive, Avon will have to steal customers from both the MAS manufacturers, existing EAS drives in the marketplace as well as potentially cannibalize some of their own AVDC sales. The total market size of all drives was $269M, with the MAS segment accounting for more than 50%. However according to the research performed, if the new EAS drive was introduced at the MAS price of $3750, than the EAS market would grow to $135M. Avon estimated that they could take 50%

J. Robert Oppenheimer

J. Robert Oppenheimer was born on April 22, 1904, by his mother Ella, and his father Julius. The house in New York that Oppenheimer grew up in was a very luxurious place for the time period. Oppenheimer became an abnormally repulsively good little boy as stated by his father. His father was a German immigrant who made his money by importing textiles into New York City. At the age of 5 Oppenheimer went on a trip to visit his family home in Germany, where his grandfather lives. His grandfather Ben gave him a small bag of minerals, which triggered a hobby that was to last for years Mineralogy. Oppenheimer was to spend hours-collecting samples, and cataloguing and polishing them. By the age of 11 he had been elected a member of the New York Mineralogical Club. About a year later he delivered his first paper there. His parents said that there was no doubt that he was clever, and at school a star. Although both his parents were Jewish, they rejected orthodox Jewish society and culture. They sent Robert, and later his brother Frank (who was 8) to the school run by the New York Society for Ethical Culture. The schools founder was another German immigrant, Felix Adler. He believed that human values did not make a person, nor did they make them less important. He taught that man should form his own attitudes towards the unknowns, and lifes mysteries. Oppenheimer was very hungry for knowledge, so he decided to take up something that involved a lot of thinking. He was very interested in Greek. In fact he would stay after class and read a book by the name of Homer and Plato. By the age of 11 he was able to challenge an older cousin of his to ask me a question and I will answer you in Greek. He had absolutely no taste for sports. He was driven everywhere as a child, attended by servants, and even teachers became critical to his avoidance of physical activity. Felix Adler once l...

New Years Greetings in German, Region by Region

New Year's Greetings in German, Region by Region When you want to say Happy New Year to someone in German, you will most often use the phrase  Frohes neues Jahr.  Yet, when youre in different regions of Germany or other German-speaking countries, you may hear different ways to wish someone well in the new year.   Augsburg University in Bavaria conducted a study to find out which New Years greetings dominated certain regions in Germany. The results are quite interesting, with some areas of Germany sticking with tradition, while others offer variations of the greeting. "Frohes Neues Jahr" The German expression,  Frohes neues Jahr  literally translates to Happy New Year. It is widely used in German-speaking countries, particularly in the northern and western states of Germany. This phrase is most common in northern Hesse (the home of Frankfurt), Lower Saxony (including the cities of Hanover and Bremen),  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (the coastal state along the Baltic Sea), and  Schleswig-Holstein (the state that borders Denmark). As often happens, some Germans prefer a shorter version and will simply use  Frohes neues. This is especially true in many areas of Hesse and in the wine country of Mittelrhein. "Prosit Neujahr" It is becoming increasingly more common for many German speakers to use  Prosit Neujahr  instead of the traditional Happy New Year. In German,  prosit  means cheers and  neujahr  is a compound word for new year. This phrase is scattered regionally and is often used in the area around the northern city of Hamburg and northwestern Lower Saxony. You will also likely hear it in many parts of western Germany, particularly around the city of Mannheim. There is also a smattering of its usage in the southeastern region of Germany in the state of Bayern. This may be due, in part, to an influence from eastern Austria and Vienna, where  Prosit Neujahr  is also a popular greeting. "Gesundes Neues Jahr" The German phrase  Gesundes  neues  Jahr  translates to Healthy New Year. You will hear this greeting most often when traveling through eastern regions of Germany, including the cities of Dresden and Nuremberg as well as the Franconia region in the south-central part of Germany. It may also be shortened to  Gesundes neues. "Gutes Neues Jahr" Meaning Good New Year, the German phrase  Gutes neues Jahr  is also popular. This version is most often used in the country of Austria. In Switzerland and the German state of  Baden-Wà ¼rttemberg in the southwest corner of the country, you may hear this phrase shortened to Gutes neues. Its also possible that youll hear this saying in the state of Bavaria, which includes Munich and Nuremberg. Yet, its most often concentrated to the south, closer to the Austrian border. Standard New Year's Greeting If you are unsure of which greeting to use or find yourself in an area of Germany not described previously, you can use a few standard New Years greetings that are widely accepted. They are: Alles Gute  zum  neuen  Jahr! Best wishes for the new year!Einen  guten  Rutsch ins  neue  Jahr! A good start in the new year!Ein glà ¼ckliches  neues  Jahr! Happy New Year!Glà ¼ck und Erfolg  im  neuen  Jahr! Good fortune and success in the new year!Zum neuen Jahr Gesundheit, Glà ¼ck und viel Erfolg! Health, happiness, and much success in the new year! Use one of these phrases, and you cant go wrong, regardless of where you find yourself throughout Germany or German-speaking counties.

Has terrorism ever succeeded in changing political reality Essay

Has terrorism ever succeeded in changing political reality - Essay Example To those subjected to that terror under the blade of the guillotine or through other, slower methods of torture, that was a rather dubious honor. The paradox remains today in any attempt to discover whether or not terrorism has achieved its political ends. Webster’s dictionary defines â€Å"terrorism† as â€Å"the use of terror and intimidation to gain one’s political objectives† (Websters, 1995). This is a fairly rational and non-judgmental definition of the word, and perhaps because of the objectivity of the statement, virtually every country in the world could be said to have used â€Å"terrorism† as a tactic many times. Every war uses terrorism on a massive scale according to this definition. Those people that are defined as â€Å"terrorists† today just happen to be rather ineffective in their killing methods (compared to sovereign countries) and have a purer political ideology than most of them. Al Quaeda killed around 3000 people on 9/11/2001, the Madrid bombers killed 192 people on 3/11/2004 and the London bombers killed 52 on 7/7/2005 (White, 2005). These figures would have been laughably small for any of the countries that deliberately bombed one another’s civilian populations in WWII. The German, American, Japanese and British authorities would have had severe questions for any bombing mission that came back with these paltry numbers. By way of comparison, more than the total 9/11 deaths die every month on American roads. So neither the method of killing, nor the numbers seem to suggest that â€Å"terrorist† is an easily definable word. This situation is complicated by the fact that all terrorist crimes would be crimes whether one precedes the word with terrorist or not. Killing another human being without justification is a criminal offence in Britain (Homicide Act, 1977), and so is attempting to kill them or to cause injury to them. The question that needs to be asked when dealing with

Market imperfections and failures Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Market imperfections and failures - Assignment Example Imperfect competition in the market generates asymmetric information and dampens the level of welfare in the society. Discriminations made by the monopolists in the market not only hamper the social utility, but also engages in misallocation of resources. Efficient allocation of productive resources helps to the economy to reach a Pareto optimal stage. However, in the real world, corruption and strategic business initiatives of certain firms in the industry have reduced the level of competition in the economies of most of the nations (BIS, 2013). Public authorities of the countries are now taking active initiatives to augment the level of market competition in the economies (CIA, 2013). The Competition Law or Policy adopted by a country helps to promote the level of market competition by imposing special rules and regulations on the anti-competitive practices conducted by the contemporary corporate firms. This paper would focus on the Competition Policy of U.K and would show how the objectives of the policies are related to the microeconomic theories of market. The learnt from this paper would help to analyze the negative impacts on an economy due to the lack of proper market competition (Hubbard, 2008). ... to protect the interests of the consumers in the country (Mankiw and Mark, 2006). The two main factors that were checked by this law were: Abuse of Market Power Collusive Behaviour The first competitive policy instruments in U.K were introduced about fifty years ago. The Department of Trade and Industry, The Director General of Fair Trade and the Competition Commission of the country had introduced their first competitive policy instruments (Woodford, 2001). Over time, subject to the external changes in the market, the terms and conditions of the policy have largely changed in U.K. Finally, in 1988, the Competition Act was again modified and adopted as the approach of ‘prohibition’ to prevent dominance in the marketplaces of U.K (Manne, 2012). Objectives The primary objectives of the Competition Policy in U.K were: 1. The Policy was the basis for the concepts of the Fair Trade Act 1973. Thus, one of its objectives was to serve the interests of the public (Assael, 2005). 2. The Policy aimed at providing guidance and constraints to the discretionary power of the ‘decision makers’ in the market. 3. It aimed to promote and maintain the market competition. 4. To assure that consumers received quality products at a good price. 5. To augment innovation and productive efficiency in the market. 6. Assure balanced distribution of employment and industry in U.K. 7. To enhance the competitive powers of the domestic companies of U.K. in order to easily compete with the foreign companies (OECD, 2002). Objectives Relating to Microeconomic Theories This context of the paper would highlight that the goals or the objects of the Competition Policy introduced by U.K. are based on the theories of microeconomics, which