Financial Analysis of Amazon.com Inc.

This paper seeks to analyze the financial statements of Amazon. com Inc. for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 by interpreting its profitability, liquidity, leverage and activity ratios and comparing the same with industry averages. This will also analyze the company’s growth rates, valuation ratios (price) and dividends and will employ horizontal and vertical analysis in process as needed. 2. Analysis and Discussion 2. 1 Profitability Return on equity of Amazon. com Inc. shows many things about the past performance of the company in the past five years.The continued decrease from 2005 through 2007 appears noticeable but the rates are still very high. . From 145. 93% in 2005, it has hugely decreased to 44. 08% in 2006 and further to 39. 77% in 2007. Such level of profitability is still very for purposes of determining a company’s profitability. Compared to industry average of 24. 9%, the company’s ROE is still higher. See Exhibit I in the Appendix. The range of 39% t o 145% return on equity encourages investors as it would mean that for every $100 investment, the investors expect returns of about $39 to $145. These rates could be viewed as something unprecedented for a company like Amazon.com Inc.. Its level of ROE is something that must be the envy of many other companies such as EBay Inc. , Enable Holdings and Friendly Auto Dealers, Inc (Yahoo Finance, 2008). It may be noted that return on equity is solved under the formula where net profit is divided by the total stockholders equity. When compared to an average rate of 1. 5% US base rate (Housepricecrash, 2008 ) if money was invested in a bank, the company’s would seem to offer more than twenty fold and it is something very difficult to find and would therefore make it very attractive to investors.The company’s return on assets for the years 2006 through 2008 ranges from 4% to 9% and which appears to be obviously lower that its ROE. The same may be observed in relation to the co mpany’s net profit margin for last three years and has not even exceeded 5% in any period. However, ROE must be superior in declaring the profitability of Amazon as compared to all other profitability ratios. Operating margin which measures within the range of 3 to 5% for the three years, represents the margin after deducting cost of sales or services and operating expenses.Things to be added or deducted still are other income(s). The ratios mean that the management of Amazon. com Inc. is doing well that it must thank its employee’s participation of employees in delivering value to customers. The net margins of the company for the three years are lower than operating profit margin, due to the additional deductions of interest expenses. The profitability ratios such as return to equity, operating profit margin and net profit margin have the capacity to show historical profitability but investors would base also their decision on estimates of the future.Since conditions change, wise users of financial information may just give more values to estimated cash flow in the future for valuing their investments in terms of dividends to be received from the company. This appears to be found in the case of Amazon as proved by high debt equity as would be discussed later in relation to its profitability. 2. 2. 2 Liquidity Liquidity enables a company to meet its currently maturing obligations. It is measured using the current ratio and the quick asset ratio.Current ratio calculation uses current assets to be divided to current liabilities while quick assets ratio is almost the same except that the inventory and prepaid expenses are being removed from the current assets to have a new numerator but the denominator is the same. Quick assets therefore normally include cash, marketable securities and accounts receivable and the use of quick asset ratio is very much relevant for one intending to have higher form of measuring liquidity. In such case, one would prefe r quick asset ratio over that of the current ratio.As applied now, the current ratios of Amazon. com Inc reflected 1. 39, 1. 33 and 1. 54 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively while the quick asset ratios for same years are 1. 02, 0. 95 and 1. 19 for the same years respectively. See Exhibit I in the Appendix. Both ratios showed fluctuating trend where decreased was first noted and then increase followed after. The company’s liquidity may be considered to be still very high since current ratios average more than 1. 3 while quick asset ratio averages about more than 1.0 for the last three years. It current ratio for 2007 is very close to industry average of 1. 8 while its quick ratio of 1. 02 is not very far from industry average of 1. 6. Both its liquidity ratios are better when compared with S&P 500 index. See Exhibit I in the Appendix. The good liquidity appears to be a result also of good profitability of the company as observed earlier in terms of very high return on equity. 2. 2. 3 Leverage ratios Financial leverage or solvency refers to the company’s capacity to keep it stability over the long term.Generally measured by the debt to equity ratio, with the formula of having the total debt of the company divided by its total equity; a good financial leverage assures investors that the company is not to just to exist in the short term but it must also have a long life to recover long term investments which takes years to produce the needed returns. The debt to equity ratios of Amazon. com Inc. are 4. 42, 9. 12 and 14. 02 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively. These ratios are however not as good as industry average of 0. 32. See Exhibit I in the Appendix .The ratios are indeed very high since the ratio of more than 4. 0 means that the value the company investments is not matched by what it borrows by about more than 400%. Remarkable Improvement were however recorded from 2005 through 2007. This must be due to its very high prof itability. This could mean that the company is expanding business as noted its net fixed assets reflecting growth rates of 25. 06%, 22. 53% and 67. 91%, the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively. See Exhibit I in the Appendix. In other words, expansions are getting financed hugely from operations which is a sigh of a healthy company.Good solvency is a proof of good capital structure and for Amazon. com Inc. the same could be attainable as shown in the very remarkable improvement if its debt to equity ratio which cut more than half that on 2006 in 2007. Given also its very good liquidity as analyzed earlier, the company must be declared to have clean bill of health in financial terms. 2. 2. 4 Efficiency ratios The company’s profitability is being supported by its good efficiency ratios. Inventory turnovers for three years are very much higher than industry average and such efficiency is indicative of its better performance than competitors.Even its collection period and recei vable turnover are definitely above industry and S&P 500 index. No wonder the massive improvement in leverage ratio for two years is more than justified. 3. Conclusion Amazon. com is growing very remarkably in term of revenues, fixed assets, and net income. The increase in net income of more than 60% in 2007 is not easy to disregard and the fixed assets growth averaging more than 20% for the last three years could only mean an expanding company under a very favorable condition in the industry.Its profitability ratios, liquidity ratios, leverage ratios and activity ratios are very favorable to the company. Its profitability is sustaining not only its liquidity by keep improving is highly leverage financial condition. Although, 2007 liquidity and leverage ratios are not as good as industry averages, the chance that they could be improved soon by company’s profitability is very big given its higher than industry average ROE for the last three years. The activity ratios in terms of inventory turnover and receivable turnover in 2007 are higher than industry average which could only support for the company’s very high profitability.

Expressive Art Essay

â€Å"The Last Supper† found on page 101 is Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece created using tempera on pitch, gesso and mastic as medium. The subject matter of the painting, as the title suggests, is the last meal of Jesus Christ together with his twelve apostles. â€Å"The Last Supper†, strikes its audience with an instant depiction of the momentous scene where (through John) Jesus states, â€Å"Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me†. The last supper or the meal is characterized by the presence of leavened bread, fish, herb and wine. In addition to this, there are twelve glasses and several plates present; all made from metal that untypically portray the supper of conservative Jews. All the items found in the table or supper are nonobjective arts; they do not represent any other objects. â€Å"The Last Supper† presents a pyramidal composition, where an impression of stability is presented to the audience. Twelve models representing the twelve apostles are divided into groups of three, each having distinct expressive characteristics. Bartholomew, James (the younger) and Andrew, found on the left side of the table, shows expressions of fear or horrification. Andrew provides the most expressive reaction as he holds his hands up, as if expressing a gesture of â€Å"let’s calm down†. Judas, Peter and John form the next group, where Judas’ face is in shadow while cunningly holding a small bag which represents money or his betrayal. Furthermore, both Judas and Jesus reached for bread at the same time. On the other hand, Peter clutches a knife which is pointed away from the back of Judas while his other hand is placed on John’s shoulder. It seems like Peter is asking John, who in return leans towards him, â€Å"Who does he say it is? † In â€Å"The Last Supper†, John is represented by an effeminate model or character due to his modest nature. Christ on the other hand, who is the only calm individual in the scene, is located on the center, serving as the center of balance between the groups of apostles who are in turmoil. Three windows are behind him, where the biggest is placed directly behind him, which may represent a halo. Four doors with varied sizes are placed on each side which gives an impression of space or point of view. Thomas, James (brother of Jesus) and Philip are seen next to Jesus. Thomas who is pointing upward seems to doubt the announcement of Jesus. His other hand is placed on the table between the two apostles as if looking for solid evidence. James and Philip are stunned. James is observed to be looking at the left of hand of Jesus while Philip looked like asking, â€Å"Is it me? † Matthew, Thaddeus and Simon, the last group, all looked surprised or startled. Matthew and Thaddeus seem to be asking Simon about the announcement, who in return answers with his hands showing a gesture of â€Å"I don’t know†. Contrary to Leonardo da Vinci’s â€Å"The Last Supper† is Rembrandt’s â€Å"Three Crosses† created using drypoint and burin technique which can be found in page 78. Due to the technique used by Rembrandt (with an emphasis on using lines), the print is black and white. By engaging on the colors used, a feeling or atmosphere of stark and harsh can be felt. This is an effective method especially since the subject matter is the dramatic death of Jesus Christ on the cross at Golgotha. Moreover, it is the narrative representation of â€Å"darkness covered the earth†, an account of the Crucifixion made by St. Luke. The colors or technique emphasizes on the representation of violence, sadness and hope during the said event. Black represents the dark, evil, lack of wisdom or ignorance. Black served as the background, as if representing how darkness covered the earth. On the other hand, white represents light, the sacrifice of Jesus to save mankind or removal of darkness through Christ. The lines provide emphasis to the light which shined on Jesus Christ and the two murders. Moreover, the light seems to be descending from the heavens or from one light source because of the lines. On the contrary, â€Å"The Last Supper† and â€Å"Three Crosses† are similar, in the sense that both shows confusion among the crowd or apostles and Jesus Christ is the center or cause. Reference â€Å"Art as an Expression†. (2008) Retrieved June 1, 2008.

Financial Outcomes Essay

Wal-Mart is known as one of the world’s leading discount retail chains. Much of its profits and success depends on its stock prices. This paper will examine three different scenarios in relation to the organizations initiative to repurchase its own stock in the market in order to retire it. There are three potential outcomes that the organization can encounter including: 1) the stock price goes down because the balance between debt and equity is distributed thus making interest rates on new debt rise. 2) The stock price is not affected because of the benefit of less shareholders is equal to the negative factor of not having the liquidity. 3) The stock price goes up because there are fewer shares outstanding. To begin with, the paper will examine the history of Wal-Mart to gain a further understanding of where the organization came from and where it is heading in the future. Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart in 1962 in Bentonville, Arkansas. It was one of the first of its ki nd- the discount retailer. Walton worked closely with his vendors to keep his prices competitive. Eventually, Walton was able to strike deals due to buying in bulk keeping his prices low. Walton then expanded his retail chain in the 1980’s to include warehouse buying by developing Sam’s Club. Since its initial opening in the 1960’s, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club have gone global and expanded the discount chains overseas in areas such as Asia, Mexico, Canada, and South America. In 2008 there were over 590 Sam’s Club locations in the US and 100 internationally. In 2006, Wal-Mart had nearly 7000 locations worldwide (Wal-Mart, 2010). Management’s Initiative Wal-Mart released their annual report for 2009 and they could not be more proud of the performance that Wal-Mart has done for the fiscal year. The Wal-Mart teams from around the globe have challenged a difficult economy in the retail market, yet Wal-Mart reported net sales of more than $405 billion for the year with the international sales exceeding $100 billion. This is the first time in the company history where the international sales have hit such epic proportions. Wal-Mart is still looking to make things better especially to their stockholders. The initiative that the management is currently concentrating is the retirement of some of the outstanding stock. Previously the board of directors has authorized management to repurchase  Wal-Mart’s stock in the open market but with many restrictions. The latest initiative is driven by the board’s authorization to repurchase $15,000,000 worth of stock in order to retire it. There is no time expiration to this authorization and management will be looking for the right conditions to repurchase the stock. Possible Outcome #1 Debt to equity gives the proportion of the amount of assets that is financed by debt versus shareholder’s equity. A debt to equity measures the leverage of a company. Currently, Wal-Mart’s debt to equity ratio is 0.52 or 52%. Basically, meaning that 52% of Wal-Mart’s operations are financed through debt and as a result must pay interest on this financing that it is receiving. If the organization’s assets can generate a greater return that it would without the debt being incurred, the debt cost would make no sense. On the other hand if interest is low enough and at the right proportion debt can actually lower the total cost of capital. Management’s initiative to repurchase the stock is likely to affect the balance between the amount of equity and the amount of debt on Wal-Mart’s statements. If one examines the annual report of Wal-Mart, it is noticeable that the amount of new debt is very close to the amount spent on repurchasing stock. It is apparent from this that Wal-Mart is shifting its debt ratio. Because Wal-Mart’s cost of debt has been quite low, it is possible that additional debt may actually increase the cost of future debt. If investors perceive that this is the most likely outcome, then the outcome of management’s initiative to repurchase stock will actually reduce the price of Wal-Mart’s stock. Therefore, first possible outcome is that Wal-Mart’s stock will decline in price if management repurchases stock on the open market. Possible Outcome #2 Another possible outcome for Wal-Mart is that the stock price may go up due to this program. According to the initiative, on February of 2009 Wal-Mart reactivated the repurchase of their shares. At that time, there was five billion dollars left in the initiative to repurchase stock. If the conditions are right, according to the book value the stock price should go up after the repurchase. After the repurchase of the stock, there will be  less common shares outstanding and therefore the total assets minus the total liabilities divided by now a lower number of shares will result in a higher price per share. Investors value the stock based on the size of future cash flows from the company. Another indicator that the stock will go up is the size of the income per share. According to Wal-Mart’s statements, in 2005 the net income per share was $2.41, in 2006 that number went up to $2.68, in 2007 it went up again to $2.71, in 2008 it went up to $3.13 and in 2009 to $3.39 (Wal-Mart, 2009). Another interesting fact that may contribute to a rise in price of the stock as a result of a repurchase is to look at the gain for the remaining stockholders from a different view (that may be a little unorthodox). In 2005, before the repurchasing the net income was $10,267 and in 2009 after the repurchasing it was $13,400, which is an increase of 30.5%. One may say that the stock price went up because of this factor alone. Nevertheless, if one also looks by how much â€Å"Net Income Per share of common stock† went up he will find that in 2005 it was $2.41 and in 2009 it was $3.39, which is an increase of 40.66%. It is interesting to see that an increase of 30.5% in net income resulted in an increase of 40.66% in the income per share over the same time period. This amplified effect must be the result of the repurchase program, which would likely cause price rise in the stock when additional repurchase happens. Possible Outcome #3 Both outcome #1 and outcome #2 have valid points. It is true that investors value future cash flows. The theory in outcome #2 was built on the fact that investors would value the stock more because more net income would be per share. On the other hand, outcome #1 based its theory on the fact that if the debt ratio is disturbed interest cost will rise and future cash flows can decline, which would cause investors to value the stock less. Possible outcome #3 is that both outcome #1 and #2 will happen offsetting each other’s affect. If both would offset each other the price of the stock would not be affected by the initiative. Some investors would value the fact that there are less outstanding shares and would begin entering a long position. On the other hand, other investors would worry that outcome number #1 will occur and would take the short position. It is possible that the price would remain relatively the same because of this. The Most Likely Outcome Currently, Wal-Mart’s debt ratio is reasonable and most analysts have a strong buy or a buy recommendations for Wal-Mart. Considering the vast size of Wal-Mart’s balance sheet the size of the initiative (15,000,000) will not affect the debt ratio significantly. Because the debt ratio will not be affected significantly outcome number one cannot have a very strong affect. On the other hand, when Wal-Mart repurchases its stock it not only changes the balance between debt and equity but it also sends out a message. Psychologically, repurchasing its stock, Wal-Mart is sending out a message that management believes in Wal-Mart’s future success and thus believes that should there be a need Wal-Mart can reissue share at a higher price than at which they where repurchased. Combining the affect of the increased future cash flows for shareholder and the psychological affect it is most likely that outcome #2 will occur; it is likely that the price of stock will rise due to m anagement’s initiative to repurchase Wal-Mart’s stock. Conclusion As one can see from this example, any initiative that management takes can have important outcomes. It is also often possible for the outcomes to be very different from what management intended. It is important that management considers each outcome and the probability that it will occur. In this case, management has repurchased stock in the past and can therefore look at what happened then and use that as historic data to try and draw conclusions about what will happen after this repurchase. References Wal-Mart. (2010). Walmartstores.com: History Timeline. Retrieved from http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/7603.aspx Wal-Mart (2009) Annual Report. Retrieved on July 29, 2010 from http://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReports/PDFArchive/wmt2009.pdf

Businnes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Businnes - Essay Example It is the case that only approximately 10% of the population of the UAE can trace their lineage back to the original inhabitants of the land, and the influx of a significant number of foreigners has in a way represented a kind of dilution of culture. However the economic crisis has seen a large number of foreigners return to their home countries which in a way has caused the nation to reevaluate their own national identity. Coincidentally, right at the beginning of the financial crisis the nation opened their doors to the Cultural and Scientific Association, which is devoted to the promoting of Emirati culture. From this perspective, one could argue that with the outflow of foreigners would not necessarily have a culturally negative or positive effect, rather it may prompt discussions as to how the Emirates view their culture and how to preserve their culture. With this in mind one must question how originally, the influx of foreigners had affected the culture of the UAE. Without question, if approximately 90% of the population coming from foreign nations there would ultimately be an effect on the cultures and traditions of the UAE. Many things are influenced by the influx of foreigners such as the clothing that people wear, the food that people eat and the pastimes that people partake in. In the case of sport, there are a significant number of cricket players owing to the large influx of nationals from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India. According to Nayar (2011) there is a significant quantity of cricketing clubs that are training to learn a Sri Lankan style of bowling. What is interesting from this point is that Cricket is not a sport that is traditionally played in the UAE, moreover adopting a Sri Lankan style of bowling is a testament to the globalization of sport. From the arts perspective, Abu Dhabi will be home to the Middle Eastern c ontingent of the Louvre (Which will showcase a number of foreign pieces). Without

Statistics class Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Statistics class - Assignment Example The manager’s speculation that the true population proportion of customers who live in urban area exceeds 40% does not seem to be correct as the hypotheses testing shows that the proportion of customers may be around 40% or lower. The confidence interval also has a very high range of values and so it means that the proportion can be between 30% to 58% of the customers. The manager’s speculation that the average number of years lived in the current home is less than 13 years does not seem to be correct. The mean number of years lived in the current home is around 12.26 years. This shows that an average customer does seem to spend at least a decade in the same house and because of that will be more inclined to shopping things from the same department store over the years because of convenience. The confidence interval is (10.85, 13.67) and we can be 95% confident that on average a customer would live in the same house for an x number of years that is between those two intervals. The manager’s speculation that the average credit balance for suburban customers is more than $4300 does seem to be correct. The null hypothesis was rejected as the test statistic was higher than z-value during the hypotheses testing. It shows that urban customers also have a high amount of credit against their name and we can be 95% confident that on average an urban customer’s credit amount would lie between $4299.65 and $5051.02. 5) Because the sample size of the data is large enough (n> 30), the Central Limit Theorem will apply, and no assumptions have to be made about the population of the credit customers. The sampling distribution of the sample mean of credit customers will be approximately normal regardless of the distribution of individual credit customers. The confidence interval level is (0.30, 0.58). It means that we are 95% confident that population proportion of customers who live in urban area lie between the lower and the upper limit of the

Reflection and refraction Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection and refraction - Lab Report Example The diagrams demonstrate the concept of reflection and refraction. In the diagram above, a light ray strikes the mirror at a specific point, and the reflected ray is projected. The law of reflection state that the angle of incidence (i) and the angle of reflection (r ) are equal. The experiment demonstrated specular reflection because it involved the use of smooth surfaces to demonstrated the behavior of light waves. The experiment aided in confirming the three laws of reflection (Strong 8), which include: The refraction experiment involved the observation of how light waves behave as they travel through air and water. Generally, the incident ray is partially reflected and refracted. Theoretically, the concept of refraction is explained Snell’s law, which states that the ratio of the sines of the angle of reflection and the angle of reflection are equivalent to the ratio produced by the phase velocities in the two media in which the wave travels (Dekker 168). The change in the direction as light travels from one medium to the next was observed when the straight pencil observed in water appeared bent at the water surface. The pencil was placed in a slanted position because refraction cannot occur if the angle of incidence is zero degrees. The pencil appeared slant as shown in Fig 2 because the light rays bend as they pass from air into water. The speed and wavelength of the light rays changed while the frequency was constant. When the bent rays reach the eye, they are interpreted as straight lines of sight. The straight lines of sight interpreted by the eye intersect at a position that is higher than the actual origin the rays. Thus, the water appears shallow and pencil much higher than its original depth. The behavior of light in different media is explained by the refractive index. Reflection and refraction concepts have been applied in the field of thin film

Corporate Finance ------ Analytical report Essay

Corporate Finance ------ Analytical report - Essay Example Let's begin by taking a closer look at the board of governors and what its members do. Together, management and the board of governors have the ultimate goal of maximizing shareholder value. In theory, management looks after the day-to-day operations, and the board ensures that shareholders are adequately represented. But the reality is that many boards are made up of management. The company Adobe Systems Inc., has a good balance between internal and external board members. Other good signs within Adobe Systems are the separation of CEO and chairman roles and an assortment of professional expertise of the board from accountant, attorney and executives. It's boards comprised of the current CEO (who is chairman), the CFO and the COO, along with the retired CEO, etc. This does not necessarily signal that the company is a bad investment, but, as a shareholder, it should question whether or not such a corporate structure is in shareholder best interests. The interaction between Financial Markets and Corporate Governance Corporate governance is merely one feature of the superior framework of macroeconomic policies, global capital, products and labour markets, competition, cultural norms, ethics, tax policy and diverse state regulatory systems. The expansion of global capital markets has shaped the potential for superior access to a bigger investor pool. However, the prime attraction of long-term patient capital, if it is domestic or international, the ability to offer corporate governance systems that are clearly expressed within regulatory and legal frameworks that support contractual and ownership rights. The importance of global capital markets and the governance debate continues to a purely property based regime with private property by which resources are used efficiently in our society. Global Financial markets focuses on the need to protect those property rights under vastly differing legal and political regimes, correlating shareholder protection and developed external capital markets. Capital markets are key to economic development. Economies, particularly in those nation states that are emerging or transitional, need foreign capital to make the investments necessary to generate wealth. Developed market economies also require additional capital to meet product and other market changes, and to ensure that they are globally competitive. Transparency of Corporate Governance Norms Provide Market Information Accounting principles differ from country to country, with differences often reflecting varying business practices, reporting practices and disclosure preferences. For corporate governance to be effective, official regulation of public disclosure will produce company information that is accurate, complete and timely. Interestingly and transparency of corporate governance norms are widely accepted capital market requirement. Disclosure and transparency requirements allow shareholders to monitor the use of their equity capital, enhancing board accountability mechanisms. Institutional investors such as pension funds are increasingly likely to use these transparency guarantees

Critically discuss the ways in which technology has made globalization Essay

Critically discuss the ways in which technology has made globalization possible - Essay Example Therefore we can integration perspective to define globalization as a process of integration, which can take international form depending with the stakeholders and the purpose of integration, which arises from interchange and/or exchange of ideas, views and aspects of culture and socialization, products and the holistic human development in relation to the external world (Boudreaux, 2008, 2). Technology on the other hand can be defined as implementation of an idea, thought or invention in the process of making, modifying and using of techniques in relation to knowledge of tools and machines in order to solve a prevailing problem or condition. Technology seeks to improve existing tools, crafts or machines to a new set of efficient ones; systematically analyse the methods of organization to achieve a certain predefined goal, and/ or evaluate an applied input/ output model relations in order to perform a specific function (Macintosh, 2011, 4). The diversity of human knowledge and the ne ed to solve emerging issues in daily activities has necessitated techno-progressivism, a stance of active support for the convergence of technological change in a bid to merge it with socio-economic changes. In addition the need by the human species to convert natural resources into simple tools and applications was followed by the innovations and critical thinking that was necessitated by the need for â€Å"leisure class† and to control the environment that one is in. From this we can deduce that globalization has been propagated by the need to human species to understand; control, comprehend, integrate and to some point analyse the external environment with an aim of being part of it. In this paper we shall critically analyse the ways in which inventions, innovations and technological/industrial revolutions have made globalization possible; evaluation of its impacts on cultures and cultural exchange, international trade, health, and global workforce, and evaluate drawbacks of technology. Innovations and Industrial Revolution Industrial revolution in this sense can be viewed in form of rate at which innovations in science and technology have helped in transition to new manufacturing processes; mechanization of traditional methods of production from manual to machinery, the effects of global output as a result of this increased productivity, and the analysis of major turning points in our daily activities. For instance, innovations to improved efficiency of water power and new chemical manufacturing in industries have improved textile production, improved economies of scale in blast furnaces in smelting and production of iron related commodities through substitution of coke by coal which is cheaper and more effective, and advancement from steam engines to petro-driven and atomic energy sources that have revolutionized industrial operations. This has led to increase in output due to economies of scale, increased profitability and expansion of firms which has necessitated international trade; a prerequisite for integration and globalization through exchange of ideas, goods and skills across nations. Technology and Communication As discussed earlier, globalization involves exchange of ideas,

Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Language - Essay Example Kincaid finds displeasure in the speech incompetence of the Antigua young people and the island at large for adopting the language of its colonizers. Baldwin highlights the development of Black English and the role it plays in society. This paper will compare the view of the two authors concerning the role of language. Baldwin’s essay draws the attention of the reader. He elaborates the situations preceding the development of Black English. He offers background information about the status of people of color as slaves. Slavery brought them together in the American continent. These slaves came from different parts of Africa. Because of their diversity, they spoke different languages. These slaves shared only one thing and this was the sad reality about the plights due to slavery. Slavery presented them with a need to communicate. The white man was not willing to educate the people of color unless it was for his benefit. There was a dire need for people to learn a language that would promote communication. Circumstances of being under slavery presented them with similar interests. They needed to have one voice for them to conquer the wits of the white people. They had to develop a unique form of communication so that the white man could not automatically understand. As Baldwin explains, any word spoken, revealed a lot about an individual’s life. ... The black people used language to express their grievances. In the unique language that resulted, blacks used expressions that depicted the passion for living life despite the circumstances that they were facing. For example, the author elaborates one of the words they used that had great significance in later years. The word jazz resulted from the black man’s creativity and was essentially applicable in sexual contexts. It was a unique way of the black man’s expression. In addition, Baldwin illustrates the effect of Black English among the white people. The word ‘jazz’ mentioned above influenced the music of an entire era. White Americans used the word to define the musical in which jazz music was common. They referred to it as the jazz age. Black English proved its potential to influence the culture of the white people. It was initially a language used by the oppressed to express their experience, but it delved deeper into influencing both the black and w hite culture. With time, whites borrowed words from this language to include in their culture. From the essay, it becomes evident that the core role of language is to present its speakers with a mode of communication that enables them to describe their experience. A society without language cannot achieve common goals. According to Baldwin, it is obvious that if the slaves brought to America could speak a similar language, history would be different. The slavery era would have been shorter. Baldwin reckons the reader to examine the role played by Black English. It has built the black community in the United States binding them closely. Through a common language, they have written history of slavery and described their struggle for liberty. Evidently, one

Designer Babies Essay Example for Free

Designer Babies Essay How would you like your baby to be? Tall, blonde, smart or sporty? There is now technology which enables us to do this. â€Å"Designer babies† is now an up and coming technology as more and more people are looking into using it to create their â€Å"perfect† child. In this day and age the topic of designer babies is very controversial between people. Some people see it as wrong, that a baby should choose how it lives its life. Not their parent before the baby is even born. Of the U.K’s population doesn’t agree with designer babies, as it’s not the parent’s choice to play with their child’s genetics. However in some cases this is families only option to do this because if they already had a child who need a bone marrow transplant. Scientists can make the siblings match so this designer baby can give some of their own bone marrow to the brother or sister. Most people opinion of creating a designer baby for the purpose of saving another child life is that it’s okay. But only if it’s for these purposes not for cosmetic reasons. It seems if this technology takes off, that we will have a perfect world. Which will make it even harder to get jobs as if everyone is smart then how will people know who is better for the job or if everyone is sporty, who will do all the jobs that require people who are very intelligent. The thing is they don’t know what will happen n the future. There is enough unemployment as it is, never mind adding thousands of smart and sporty people into the mix. On the other hand it is to be said that it can make people live longer. And society thinks if it can make us live longer why it can’t mean that hopefully diseases such as lots of cancers, heart diseases and bowel inconveniences could be wiped out if the genes that give us the diseases are taken out of our future generation before birth. At this point in time they don’t know how the child will turn out later in life. If there is any effects. This is something they don’t know. This is a worrying though, that so many people are having babies this way and there is no real proof that the baby will have no lasting effects or that it will like a perfect normal life. Although people are happy that they can choose the way their child will look like, be like and think like. For some people it’s the only way they can have children. As some parents are infertile so are unable to have children without the help of scientists. Society’s view of this is that if it’s the only way and it’s what you really want. Why not? To conclude I feel that designer babies are the way forward for our society. As it will hopefully in the future be able to cure certain diseases. Also it enables parents with ill children to modify their next child’s genes to save the child they have at the moment

Social Impact Of Technology Information Technology Essay

Social Impact Of Technology Information Technology Essay From the development of Stone Age to modern technology era, mankind is proving best in invention and innovation of new and latest technology. Technology is a system based on the application of knowledge, manifested in physical object and organization form for attainment of specific goal (Volti, 2006). Advancement in technology has changed the existence of human civilization. Its not only the material benefits are being observed, even analytical thinking and outlook is immensely changed. Directly or indirectly everyone is obsessed to technology. As a fact that every coin has two side advantages disadvantages, this truth is also observed in technology. Does technology going in right way or it will ruin our entire society..? Headway in computer technology proves to be boon for whole humanity. First freely programmable computer was being invented in 1936 by Konrad Zuse (bellis, n.d.) than after great advancement of computer technology was being observed till date resulting in palmtops and micro mini laptops with high capability and storage. Compute is nothing but electronic device to carry out calculation and computation along with program accessibility. Firstly the concept of computer was developed to carry out calculation and in early stage computer was with limited functions and user-friendliness. Before computer was invented many of the human force and time was being consumed to carry out one particular task. It was mechanical calculator which motivated inventor to think over the invention of computer with binary system and storage facility. With the passage of time new and newer innovation toke place and first and foremost computer was being former with giant side almost equal to room along with vacu um tube as their electronic elements (encyclopaedia, n.d.) which advances in 1951, first commercial computer was formed followed by entry of IBM- international business machines in history of computer (bellis, n.d.) than transistor based computer was formed with high speed and cheaper price. Integrated circuit technology and creation of microprocessor changes the total outlook of computer technology. 1st program language was formed in 1954 by John Backus IBM (bellis, n.d.). Along with such development a peak time in the history of computer was being observed by acceptance of personal and home computer. The original internet invention in 1969 followed by invention of networking in 1973 changed the stance of computer and computer industries. This creation made a world a global country. Today application of computer is found in each and every field of society. In other words we can say that society is running on computer and computer application. Every single sector and every individual human activity include use of computer. Now a days computer is being use for banking by which you can make your transaction and maintain record of all banking information on tip of your figure. Education is broadly developed with the application of computer. E-learning, E-Classes and E-teaching are enhanced with on-going technology. One can write more effectively by means of a computer. There are tools like spelling and grammar checker, thesaurus and dictionary, installed in the computer. Thus, it takes less time to proofread a written document and also, there is no need to open up a dictionary book to look for meanings of words. Typing is much faster than writing on a paper. If there is a need for reorganizing the sentences or paragraphs, one can cut and paste and make the necessary changes. Thus, overall a computer allows the user to create documents, edit, print, and store them so that they can be retrieved later Computer prove to be good entertainment device, high graphic games and high definition video quality can be experience with that small manoeuvre. Current affairs and latest happening around the globe can be privileged from one click of computer. One of the remarkable achievements is in the field of communication and education. These fields have found a great diversification with the funding of computer and internet. Some of the impossible works in an organization are now possible with bless of computer, production process become fast and accurate. Intranet made transactions fast and prove to be convenient for work force. Weather forecast and future prediction relating to weather are being done by computer and other supporting equipments. Militaries development, safety of life and less healthy issue are being resulted with use of computer. Study of m icro organization and research work for new invention and innovation with advance modification are now possible. Every means of transportation from roadways to railways along with sae way enrich them self with computer technology for more speedy and safe transportation. Cure for diseases and new medicines are formed after doing calculation of computer. Computer has made us life easy and convenient. Social impact of computer on society is really at positive side. Computer affected commerce and it took it to new end. Now production process is being carried out with the help of computer robotic technology is use and accuracy is experienced along with much utilization of time and man force. Even at job level accountability of work by an individual increases speedy and fast out come and much big calculation are done in fraction of seconds. Production capacity increases and cost of production is decreased to a remarkable point. With online messenger and social website now to communicate with any one in any part of the world is really easy. Prior sending and receiving mails from one place to another was taking half and month but now possibility of live chats are practised and this made a world a small country social community website and group are being formed which give freedom to chat and interact with each other and to understand one another society and culture. Effect on environment of computer is among remarkable note. New innovation is being done for preserving environment and its resources, use of paper is being reduced by E-filling and E-mails. Instrument and computer operated engines are formed to control pollution and whether for casting or climatic is being monitored and observed. With the help of computer best affected fields is medicine, as now some of the serious disease and injuries are cureable with the help of computer technology. Heart transplant, bypass surgery, X-rays, CT scan, different diagnosis, heart rate, pulse rate etc. all is being monitored with help of computer (dhavele, 2010). Nowadays, computers are widely used for education and training purposes. In schools, computer education has been made compulsory to spread awareness about computers. As a matter of fact, computers have become a learning tool for children. Also, there are many universities that provide  online degrees, which is very advantageous for those pe ople staying in the remote areas and for the disabled. In fact,  online education  is one of the most flexible and convenient forms of learning. One can take the benefit of such  online degree programs  staying at home without the need of relocation. Computers are also used for training purposes. Many companies use them to train their staffs. With the help of computer has also become cheaper, quicker, and more efficient. We can now communicate with anyone around the globe by simply text messaging them, or sending them an email, for an almost instantaneous response. The internet has also opened up face-to-face direct communication from different parts of the world, thanks to the help of video-conferencing (majja, n.d.). Computer is such a device which help and human being in each and every field in most possible way. Computer is such a gadget which is being found in every one home now. Some of the data showing current computer application brought out by conduct of American Research Company are 65% of Americans spend more time sitting in front of their PC than with their wives and husbands   84% of them are already addicted to computers,  52% of PC users take their PC system failure as their personal failure; Computer has changed out life of whole society and has created many convenient facility along with bless type technology in our day to day life. With all the positive effect of computer we can say those computers are BOON to whole mankind and to surrounding society! X=X=X

Effects Of Tourism In Africa Outweigh The Negative Effects Tourism Essay

Effects Of Tourism In Africa Outweigh The Negative Effects Tourism Essay Ecotourism is responsible travel to perfect and usually protected areas. With the purpose to teach the traveler, supply capital for ecological conservation and ensure economic development and political authorization, it also promotes value for different cultures and for human rights. Countries in Africa are now focusing on tourism as a cause of growth and diversification, but with limited policy guidance from most donors, despite the sectors potential. Ecotourism has become one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourism industry, growing annually by 10-15% worldwide (Miller, 2007). One definition of ecotourism is the practice of low-impact, educational, ecologically and culturally sensitive travel that benefits local communities and host countries (Honey, 1999). South Africa as one of the countries in Africa is obtaining considerable economic remuneration from ecotourism, although negative consequences including removing people from their homes, infringement of fundamental rights, and environmental hazards which according to Miller far outweigh the medium-term economic benefits (Miller, 2007).A great amount of money is being exhausted and human resources are continually being used up for tourism in spite of the negative effects, and a larger amount of money is put into public relation campaigns to dissolve the criticism from the locals and public. Tourism directs resources away from other schemes that could possibly supply maintainable and realistic results to pressing social and environmental tribulations. The money tourism can generate often ties parks and managements to eco-tourism (Walpole et al. 2001).However there is worry concerning the changes in land-use rights, false hope in the delivery of community benefits, damage to the environment and plenty other social impacts. Indeed its an argument to consider eco-tourism as neither ecologically nor socially beneficial, but it is still a strategy for. Indeed many argue repeatedly that eco-tourism is neither ecologically nor socially beneficial, this is somewhat true but it too persists as a strategy for preservation and growth. WTTC/WEFA forecast that tourism and travel would account for over 11% of GDP in Sub-Saharan African countries in 1999 and has a growth rate of over 5%. The tourism system has tremendous financial and political influence. It is said that Funding could be used for field studies aimed at finding alternative solutions to tourism and the diverse problems Africa faces in result of urbanization, industrialization, and the over exploitation of agriculture (Kamuaro, 2007). Tourism has has become the source of conflict regarding the control of land, resources and profits made. It has therefore caused harm to the locals and the topic of profit distribution is one thats not desired as it leads to At the local level, ecotourism has become a source of conflict over control of land, resources, and tourism profits. In this case, ecotourism has harmed the environment and local people, and has led to conflicts over profit distribution. In a perfect world more efforts would be made towards educating tourists of the environmental and social effects of their travels. Very few regulations or laws stand in place as boundaries for the investors in ecotourism. These should be implemented to prohibit the promotion of unsustainable ecotourism projects and materials which project false images of destinations, demeaning local and indigenous cultures. Tourism is often considered volatile. As a global industry, all destinations face the heightened risk of terrorist attacks, which, together with civil strife, war and natural disasters, can terminate demand for the product for a prolonged period. Crime and poor public health standards in a specific destination can greatly reduce demand for an indefinite period after it is evidenced. There are some advantages to Tourism. Tourism is labor intensive with some two employees required per hotel room in developing countries, depending on the type of hotel and local skill levels. Comparisons of investment costs per job in tourism compared with manufacturing, presuppose that countries have a free choice between these alternatives, as well as comparable market entry for each activity. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that tourism is more labor intensive than manufacturing and employs a higher proportion of the low skilled and women. Only in a few small, resource-rich developing countries will the opportunity cost of such labor equal the wages payable in tourism. An often-neglected facet of employment in the sector is that tourism, in fact, creates good jobs. Physical working conditions are healthier and safer than in sugar cane, mining, logging and, often, manufacturing, among other economic activities. But, also, hotels and tourist services create jobs such as waiters, maintenance engineers, and drivers, which are relatively well paid, particularly when supplemented by tips. Finally, it appears that tourism can generate more than sufficient taxes to compensate for public investments. Although, it is said that the negative effects of tourism outweigh the positive ones. There seems to be a lot of resentment and feelings of inferiority amongst the locals. The government should have to choose one over the other (and the priority should be the culture and the people over financial revenue). Even if it means less money will be received from tourists by portraying a culture like that of the Philippines. The government cannot attempt to do both. One of the real issues in tourism everywhere in developing countries is how to extend the benefits to the poor and to local communities. Although ecotourism is intended for small groups, even a modest increase in population, however temporary, puts extra pressure on the local environment and necessitates the development of additional infrastructure and amenities. The construction of water treatment plants, sanitation facilities, and lodges come with the exploitation of non-renewable energy sources and the utilization of already limited local resources. Aside from environmental degradation with tourist infrastructure, population pressures from ecotourism also leaves behind garbage and pollution associated with the Western lifestyle.[17] Although eco-tourists claim to be educationally sophisticated and environmentally concerned, they rarely understand the ecological consequences of their visits and how their day-to-day activities append physical impacts on the environment. Ecotourism is now also considered to be playing a role in this depletion. While the term ecotourism may sound relatively benign, one of its most seri ous impacts is its consumption of virgin territories (Kamuaro, 2007). These invasions often include deforestation, disruption of ecological life systems and various forms of pollution, all of which contribute to environmental degradation. In some cases, the resentment by local people results in environmental degradation. As a highly publicized case, the Masai nomads in Kenya killed wildlife in national parks to show aversion to unfair compensation terms and displacement from traditional lands.[ One of the most powerful examples of communities being moved in order to create a park is the story of the Masai. About 70% of national parks and game reserves in East Africa are on Masai land (Kamuaro, 2007). The first undesirable impact of tourism was that of the extent of land lost from the Masai culture. Local and national governments took advantage of the Masais ignorance on the situation and robbed them of huge chunks of grazing land, putting to risk their only socio-economic livelihood. Ecotourism often claims that it preserves and enhances local cultures. However, evidence shows that with the establishment of protected areas local people have illegally lost their homes, and most often with no compensation (Kamuaro, 2007). Pushing people onto marginal lands with harsh climates, poor soils, lack of water, and infested with livestock and disease does little to enhance livelihoods even when a proportion of ecotourism profits are directed back into the community. The establishment of parks can create harsh survival realities and deprive the people of their traditional use of land and natural resources. Ethnic groups are increasingly being seen as a backdrop to the scenery and wildlife. While governments are typically entrusted with the administration and enforcement of environmental protection, they often lack the commitment or capability to manage ecotourism sites effectively. The regulations for environmental protection may be vaguely defined, costly to implement, hard to enforce, and uncertain in effectiveness. The increased contributions of communities to locally managed ecotourism create viable economic opportunities, including high level management positions, and reduce environmental issues associated with poverty and unemployment. Because the ecotourism experience is marketed to a different lifestyle from large scale ecotourism, the development of facilities and infrastructure does not need to conform to corporate Western tourism standards, and can be much simpler and less expensive. There is a greater multiplier effect on the economy, because local products, materials, and labor are used. Profits accrue locally and import leakages are reduced.[19] However, even this form of tourism may require foreign investment for promotion or start up. When such investments are required, it is crucial for communities for find a company or non-governmental organization that reflects the philosophy of ecotourism; sensitive to their concerns and willing to cooperate at the expense of profit. In conclusion, Ecotourism and Tourism in Africa as a whole should be reconsidered. The depletion of natural resources and cultures is a drastic change thats most of the time now worth the finance and is irreversible. The bad outweighs the good and Tourism should be accepted and its effects should be reduced.

Founding Fathers Of The Usa :: essays research papers

There are many people who can be considered the indirect founding fathers of The United States. Such people are The Christian Crusaders, Marco Polo, Cortez, Pizarro, and Martin Luther. The Crusades were a series of holy wars fought to win the holy land of Christianity from those who follow Mohammed. Even though these wars failed in the respect of winning the land back, they did triumph in another aspect. The crusaders introduced a lifestyle to the Europeans in the Holy Land that was more appealing than they knew before. Following the wars the Europeans returned and they created a market to deliver the desirable goods they came accustomed to in the Holy Land. This was one reason for the beginning of exploration, and ultimately led to the discovery of America. Marco Polo was a great explorer of his time. He wrote a manuscript on his voyage entitled, "The Voyage of Marco Polo." In this manuscript it said how the Kahn of China lived in riches, used fine china, decorated with gold, and used spices. When the manuscript reached the people of Europe they realized how life could better if they had the materials as did the Khan. This discovery encouraged people to find new places to find these riches. Cortez founded the city of Tenochtitlan, which was created by the Aztecs in central Mexico. He said how the people of this town lived with the riches of a Khan. They city was advanced further than any European had seen in the New World. The ruler of this land, Montezuma, lived in huge room filled with "jewels, precious stones, silver, and an astonishing amount of gold." Soon after his arrival the Aztecs rebelled. Cortez had Indian and Spanish allies and won the battle against the Aztecs. News of the conquest of Mexico created a rush of Spanish to America and led to further settling of the continent. Francisco Pizarro found the empire of the Incas in the Andes Mountains region. This empire, like the Aztec Empire, was advanced and rich in gold and silver. Inca, the head of the Empire and was considered a God, was killed by Pizarro. This lessened the spirit of the Incas and made it easier for Pizarro and his men to succeed among them. This success, again, encouraged the Europeans to settle their own area. One of the best known reformers, Martin Luther, can be considered a founding father of The United States. Luther tried to reform the Church of England, and rid it of Catholic ways.

Basic Techniques of Managing Deviance :: essays research papers

There are 5 basic techniques of managing deviance. There is secrecy, manipulating the physical setting, rationalizations, change to non-d`eviance, and joining deviant subcultures. The act of secrecy is easily defined as the word itself. The deviant keeps secrets from those around them. The thought behind it being that if nobody ever knows about their deviant behavior there is no one who can place negative sanctions upon the deviant. Next, manipulating the physical setting, the deviant chooses to avoid negative sanctions by appearing to be legitimate in their reasons for taking part in the act or situation. For example a prostitute may work under the guise of being an escort or masseuse. Another technique of managing deviance is rationalizations. An example of a rationalization would be a shoplifter who justifies their actions by saying that the store has insurance and can afford to suffer the loss. A fourth technique of managing deviance would be to make a change to non-deviance. Fo r example, criminals will refer to the technique as â€Å"going straight.† The fifth and final technique of managing deviance is to join a deviant subculture. Joining the subculture makes the deviant feel like they are less deviant because they are surrounded by their deviance. Using the example of a married man who cross-dresses at the bars after he gets off work, there are several techniques that he might employ to manage his deviance. One technique that he might use would be secrecy; he would attempt to keep his â€Å"normal† life and his â€Å"cross-dressing† life separate. His wife may not even know about his alter-ego of sorts. Another technique he might employ would be joining a deviant subculture. By assimilating with fellow cross-dressers at a bar he may feel that the act is less deviant, or even â€Å"normal.† The third technique I would imagine the man would use would be manipulating the physical setting. By only cross-dressing when he is at the bar, away from his co-workers and family he aids in the secrecy of his deviance. He may say that the cross-dressing is just a gimmick or comical act and not admit to doing it for his pleasure.

Cross Cultural Relationships

As the world becomes more and more internationally connected, the need to understand people from different cultures and how to interact appropriately with them also increases. Managers and leaders need to develop intercultural competences that can help them be more aware of their own culturally-based perceptions, norms, and patterns of thinking, and consequently adapt their behaviors according to specific cultural contexts. Managing people across cultures offers solid theoretical frameworks and practical insights to handle the cultural challenges in managing people in a globalized workplace. Cross cultural management addresses topics including cross-cultural communication and understanding at both interpersonal and inter-organizational levels, leading multicultural and global virtual teams, cross-cultural leadership, managing cross-cultural joint ventures, transferring managerial practices across cultures, and managing international assignments. To understand what is cross cultural relationship, we first need to understand what culture is. Culture : Culture is the philosophy of life, the values, norms and rules, and actual behavior – as well as the material and immaterial products from these – which are taken over by man from the past generations, and which man wants to bring forward to the next generation – eventually in a different form – and which in one way or another separate individuals belonging to the culture from individuals belonging to other cultures. Cross-cultural organizational behavior (OB) is the study of cross-cultural similarities and differences in processes and behavior at work and the dynamics of cross-cultural interfaces in multicultural domestic and international contexts. Any relationship at a workplace has its pros and cons. However, when it comes to cross cultural relationships, the advantages and challenges faced are different compared to a domestic workplace, which can be seen below. Advantages Of Cross Cultural Relationship At Workplace : Managers who have worked in foreign locations acknowledge that understanding the culture in those locations is necessary if one is to manage effectively. Some of the advantages of a cross cultural relationship at workplace are as follows :- * Learn the skills required to overcome the potential hurdles embedded in cultural differences and to leverage. * Attain the competencies to manage truly global teams. * Become a leader and motivate people at both interpersonal and organizational levels. Disadvantages Of Cross Cultural Relationship At Workplace : However, there are some challenges that one faces in such a diverse work environment :- * Communication is the key in workplace and when a person is in charge of across cultural team that can present him/her with many unique challenges in terms of language, dealing with accents and the different meaning of words in different countries. * In case of an organization rolling out a new tool or application that will require training, they need to consider how to provide training for people that are located in different countries and different time zones so that they all get the same message and are able to use the tools in the same way. One might also be subject to discrimination due to race, gender, language, etc. due to difference in opinion among various cultures. Why is it Important : Many different places or areas in which cross-cultural management occurs and in which cross-cultural or intercultural communication plays a large role: a) Management of organizations based in countries w ith different cultures to one's own, e. g. Danish companies operating in Japan, Vietnam, South Africa or elsewhere. Danish companies took up the cultural stereotype method. A cultural stereotype is a widely held, generalized and simpli?ed conception or image of a speci?c group of people. Stereotypes may be divided into stereotypes of self (auto-stereotypes) or stereotypes of others (Heterostereotypes). (The construction of stereotypes often serves as a way to create a group identity by establishing a positive image of self (in-groups) against less positive images of others (out-groups) . Stereotypes of national cultures and people, such as the Japanese, are group-oriented may be created and perpetuated through historical accounts and media representations. ) Management of organizations employing people from different cultures, e. g. IBM, Shell, Volvo. IBM has addressed these challenges with Shades of Blue, a blended training program involving both e-learning and a face-to-face learning lab using IBM-specific case studies and TMC-developed self-awareness tools (the Cultural Orientations Indicator)Line, etc. IBM firmly believes that cross-cultural compete nce is the glue that enables cohesiveness and collective performance. Culture is the seedbed for performance. In a high-performance environment of the global marketplace, culture is a strategic skill-set of leaders and managers. As IBM continues implementation of Shades of Blue, the power of multiculturalism will emerge as a key to its competitive superiority in the global marketplace. c) Management of international organizations, e. g. , United Nations, European Union, World Health Organization, etc. cross cultural communication competency can only be truly achieved through cross cultural awareness training, language acquisition, foreign travel and cultural immersion there are some guidelines that can enhance your cross cultural communication skills. Conclusion : In a world that offers global opportunities as well as global threats, understanding and managing cultural differences have become necessities. Mankind is faced with the dilemma of either sacrificing cultural diversity on the altar of globalisation or using intercultural dialogue to enrich the mutual knowledge of different cultures, a fundamental step towards guaranteeing the possibility of a fair world, in peace and harmony, making full use of some of the instruments that globalisation has developed. Within the business context, cross cultural communication refers to interpersonal communication and interaction across different cultures. This has become an important issue in our age of globalisation and internationalisation. Effective cross cultural communication is concerned with overcoming cultural differences across nationality, religion, borders, culture and behaviour. Cross cultural communication is critical to the business world. The diversity of people in cities and countries means an element of cross cultural communication will always be needed whether it is between staff, colleagues, customers or clients. Awareness of cultural differences can favourably impact the success of a business. Improved staff interaction, better customer relations and effective client management are all areas that will reap benefits through cross cultural understanding. In today’s global business environment, more and more of us are required to understand people who come from countries and cultures different from our own. While there is no short and easy way to learn about a given culture in any depth, there are some general principles that lead to success in communicating and conducting business with people of backgrounds unlike our own. Flexibility, adaptability and open-mindedness are the route to successful cross cultural communication. Understanding, embracing and addressing cross cultural differences leads to the breaking of cultural barriers which results in better lines of communication, mutual trust and creative thinking.

Legislation and Guidelines for Schools Essay

This agreement was opened for signature on March 30th 2007 at the United Nations head quarters, in New York. There are 82 signatures to the convention, the UK being one of the first to sign it. The agreement sets out what countries that have signed have to make sure disabled people have the same rights and opportunities has non-disabled people. Although they are covered by normal human rights the UN convention on the rights of disabled people clearly states what these rights are. These cover disabled peoples rights in all areas of life, such as * The right to be educated. * The right to participate in activities. * The right to be employed and not to be discriminated against. * The right to equal justice. * The rights to health. Everybody in society has to respect disabled people as ell as respect their dignity and to ensure they have all their rights that are known to them but of course age and level of understanding also have to be considered. To have an equal chance has everybody else in society as well has given all the opportunities that are open to them and to be able to grow and develop without fear of discrimination. They have the right to be respected and their opinions listen too as well as been valued person The right to have free supported education even in mainstream schools in which schools have to make reasonable changes to accommodate a disabled child. An education provider has a duty to make reasonable changes to their setting to accommodate a disabled person to ensure they have the same opportunities has a non-disabled person, such as * Providing ramps to enter and leave. * Access to outdoor areas. * Provide extra support such as, teachers and or equipment. * Wider walk ways for ease of access for people in wheelchairs and or crutches. * Move the room around for ease of access if need be. * Quite time area for relaxing or time for their selves. Providers are not expected to pay costs beyond what their business can take but are expected to make reasonable changes to the surrounding areas to meet the needs of a disabled child. In July 2009 the government approved UN convention and agreed to be bound by conventions stated written agreed terms. This means when developing a new policy or a programme to help aid disabled people the UN convention has to be taken into account and looked upon when doing so. As well as involving disabled people in the programme that will involve them. In 2011 the government agreed to review the UN convention to see how it was being applied and used through out schools and work today. The UK have achieved much, in 2010 the equality Act 2010 was adopted. Which protects disabled people from discrimination in the work place, schools and in society altogether. It is unlawfully for a provider this does include private and independent providers to discriminate between disable people and non-disabled people, such as * Race. * Gender. * Sexual Orientation. * Religion. * Disability. The aims of these acts are to eliminate any kind of discrimination against disabled people and to improve their rights and as well as their well-being. It does also help to aid society’s knowledge and understanding of disabilities. Typically in historic past people with disabilities have been stereotyped in many, many ways. Some of those stereotypical labels are still used in today’s society most of this is down to, * Missing or incomplete information. * Mistaken ideas. * Not so much accessible knowledge. * Television. * Internet. Some of these stereotyping comes from television, such as * Hunch back on Notre Dame, he was outcast from society and lived hidden away he was also called ugly. * The film, Rain man he was misunderstood and was sent away to live and was also called an idiot. * Charles Dickens, The Christmas Carol, tiny Tim was called a cripple. * Forest Grump, was ignored and laughed at, was out cast from mainstream school because he had below average IQ and was called the local idiot. In today’s society although labels and stereotyping does still happen it is not so much now. This is thanks to more information, prompting, legislation and guidelines that’s are now in place in schools, work place’s and every day today life giving people with disabilities more opportunities more self worth And to be accepted into today’s society. Showing the right attitude towards disabled people, non-disabled people and each other along with the right and respectful terminology used are also very important has it makes people feel listened too, respected and helps build confidence, friendships and more settled environment to work in. Legislation and the SEN code of practice are in place for disabled babies, children and young adults. They act has guidelines and are there to protect people with disabilities but also protect the people that work with them and around them. The SEN code of practice (2001) came into practice on January 1st 2002 all local Authorities, schools, providers including health and social services are obliged to refer to this. It was issued by the department of education it helps give guidance to providers in early settings, schools and local authorities and many, many more. It also sets out guidelines of what procedures that can be followed and carried out within reason and to meet the needs of the child involved. It believes in partnership with parents and other outside agency’s to ensure that the needs are being meet for the child and that all opportunities that can be and will be excused. It is good practice to identify early has possible for early intervention is the best possible affect and gives the child more of a chance. The age and level of the child also has to be taken into consideration.

Sephora Direct: Investing in Social Media Essay

Summary The company Sephora since 2008 through the creation of a new group has moved into direct marketing and digital initiatives, namely in the social networking world, initially through Facebook. Entering a new world where there are no clear rules or similar experience to help you make the best decisions in this area has been a real challenge. After more than two years in this new digital environment, Sephora are conducting the 2011 management planning requires a greater investment by the president of the company who is willing to provide the necessary funds and always when the company generates a higher return . Factors Innovations introduced in the beauty business with no major products beauty companies, Sephora implement two new ways to offer their products to customers: Allow test their products without obligation. Business Model inexpensive. The client has many products you want to buy in stores, through offering other cosmetics (about 288 brands of products priced almost equal to that of large businesses). With all that Sephora has turn into the largest retail chain of cosmetics medium enterprises but with wide market presence, which was a determining factor for the industry recognized manufacturers offered their produce factor which initially were denied. Vice President Julie Bornstein, whose main objective is to find a reason to justify further investment in the area of social media, the goal is to quantify the return on investment and justify the requirement for increased budgetary allocation for his department. The problem Determine how to measure the ROI that allows the fulfillment of the objectives planned. Analysis of innovations Direct Marketing Their loyalty program customer called Beauty Insiders, started in 2007, created with the intent to learn more about their customers, was strengthened with the inclusion of the idea not only provide discounts but provide benefits to their most frequent customers and the idea to unite the customers buying in store or online posting only your email address and date of birth, by e company was sending new one or even twice a week and the most frequent buyers sent them samples new products, and customers earned one point for every dollar spent on a purchase that could be redeemed for a product according to customer accumulate. Beauty Insiders Another innovation was the identification of customers who had an average annual purchases, which were known as clients VIB (Very Important Beauty Insider), who on the website had a distinctive icon, they were invited to special events at stores, and they are delivering gifts â€Å"Luxury,† and quick access to new products. The website Sephora.com Through the Web site www.sephora.com 2009 the company ventured into a new business model, sales online, which quickly became a very important business for Sephora because of its low costs and high margins generating revenue compared to a typical store. The company saw the need to promote their website and the best alternative was to invest heavily in attracting visitors through the purchase of thousands of keywords (Google AdWords) for brands, products and beauty-related terms, which represent the source most important new traffic to your website. Sephora stimulated offering online purchase including shipping on purchases over $ 50 plus free sample three products per order. This brings them to have 3 million visitors per month and 310,000 visits each day. Social Networks Program reviews and classification of Goods In 2008 the company made the decision to include in their website an application that allows customers to give their reviews even though this initiative was considered high risk, one study showed that most people were connected to the products instead of criticizing. This was promoted via email to Beauty Insiders, and in the first 24 hours had more than 32000 specifications and reviews and although initially the company sought to respond to customers, they decided that they are the same users who answer questions to others. Facebook After the positive experience of receiving reviews and ratings of products through its Web site and its Bazar Voice platform, Sephora decided to venture into other areas of social networking as it is Facebook, the 2009 created the fan page Sephora for customers to contact the company and also serve as a means of direct advertising campaigns, managing to be a channel that greatly influenced the sales. In just two years tripled its audience to 900,000 registered fans and thus Sephora partnered with Facebook to be part of a new feature of the service that allowed people to indicate â€Å"they like†, which allowed detecting the inclinations of their customers, conduct surveys about their products. Given the disadvantage of Facebook not to store questions and that clients all the information of a product, I took the initiative to insert into your website, a forum for questions and storing responses and allowing through an engine sophisticated search, consult them in a safe, private what they called Beauty Talk environment. Additionally allowed classifying people that offered their product knowledge to answer questions of others, establishing a standings in 35 different levels. Analysis of advantages and disadvantages Estimate the return on investment based on past experience – Determine the ROI based on the measurement of customer satisfaction through social networks, blogs, mobile applications and more. Advantages: Increased certainty of the return value of investment will contribute to a better analysis for decision-making. He has experience in the use of social networks and benefits achieved.

Service Request Sr-rm-022

Hugh McCauley, COO of Riordan Manufacturing has submitted service request SR-rm-022. The service request is to integrate existing variety of human resource (HR) tools into a single integrated application (Apollo Group, Inc. 2011). The new system will provide the organization with a more sophisticated, state-of-the art, information systems technology than what they currently have to better assist the HR department. Before the approval of the project funding, Hugh McCauley will need a detailed project plan that provides some guidance. Completion of the project will complete in six months so utilization of the new system can begin in the second quarter of next year (Apollo Group, Inc. 2011). BackgroundInstalled in 1992, Riordan Manufacturing’s current HRIS system is part of the financial systems package. It keeps track of employee’s personal information; pay rates, personal exemptions for tax purposes, hire date, seniority date, organizational information, and vacation hou rs. Changes to an employee’s information is done through a written change and submitted (on special forms) by the employee’s manager and entered by the payroll clerk. Training and development records are kept in an Excel worksheet by training and development specialist (Apollo Group, Inc. 2011). Applicant information for open positions is maintained by each recruiter. Resumes get stored in a central storage area. An excel spread sheet is used to track the status of applicants.A third party provider manages worker’s compensation. They keep their own records. Individual managers keep employee files because there is no central employee file area. Managers are also responsible for tracking FMLA absences and any requests for accommodation under the ADA. The results of job analyses, salary surveys, and personnel compensation decisions are kept in an excel spreadsheet by the compensation manager. Complaints, grievances, harassment complaints, etc. are tracked by the em ployee relations specialists and are in locked files in their offices.Information GatheringThe information gathering techniques used to development the requirements of the new system will be done through interviews and joint application design  (JAD). Interviews will be conducted on individuals informed about the operation and issues of the current system and needs for systems in future organizational activities (Valacich, George, & Hoffer, 2012). In order for the interviews to be effective certain guidelines must be met. The guidelines that will be included in the interview process are as follows: Plan the interview- Prepare interviewee by making an appointment and explaining the purpose of the interview. Prepare a checklist, an agenda, and questions. Be neutral- Avoid asking leading questions.Listen and take notes- Give your undivided attention to the interviewee and take notes or tape-record the interview (if permission is granted).  Review notes – Review your notes wi thin forty-eight hours of the meeting. If you discover follow-up questions or need additional information, contact the interviewee. Seek diverse views- Interview a wide range of people, including potential users and Managers.  (Valacich, George, & Hoffer, 2012).Interviews will be conducted on employee managers, the training and development specialists, recruiters, and the third-party provider that handles the worker’s compensation, compensation manager, and employee relation specialists. The questions that will be asked during the interview process are as follows:1. What is your name, job title and the department you work?2. What do you need and why do you need it, what system functionality do you need (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?3. What results do you wish to accomplish with this effort (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?4. What work processes do you wish to change through this selection and what should t he new processes look like (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?5. What are the business drivers for the new system, how does this system support the overall needs of the business (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?Once the interviews are completed by the analyst team, the interviews will be asked to participate in a joint application design (JAD). The joint application design team will consist of the analyst team, employee managers, the training and development specialists, recruiters, and the third-party provider that handles the worker’s compensation, compensation manager, and employee relation specialists.The primary purpose of using JAD in the analysis phase is to collect systems requirements simultaneously from the key people involved with the system (Valacich, George, & Hoffer, 2012). The JAD will be held at an off-site location in Atlanta, Georgia. Once the team is settled in, the discussion can begin. The in formation that needs to be discussed and agreed on is as follows:1. What type of application are you looking for, standalone PC, networked client/server, or mainframe (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?2. What operating system does it need to run on — Windows NT, UNIX, etc. (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?3. If it's a database application, what database does your company support, SQL, Oracle, DB2 (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?4. How will it connect to remote offices? Does it need to be web deployable (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?5. Does it make a difference what language the application is programmed in such as C++ or Visual Basic (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information System, 2002)?6. Is your IT department planning a major change in technology platforms in the next year (18 Steps to Selecting a Human Resource Information Syste m, 2002)?Project scope is a project management term for the combined objectives and  requirementsnecessary to complete a project (Project Scope, 2013). Project scope is important because it allows the system analyst team to estimate costs and the time required to finish the project. A plan is created for the proposed project for the team to follow. This baseline project plan customizes the standardized SDLC and specifies the time and resources needed for its execution (Valacich, George, & Hoffer, 2012).The team analyst believes that it is in the best interest of Riordan Manufacturing to discontinue the use of their old HRIS system and implement a new one. The old system requires paperwork to be filed and stored in unprotected areas. There are several managers responsible for the safety and protection of pertinent employee information that should be kept in a locked and secure area. ConclusionRiordan Manufacturing has taken the correct steps in implementing a new HRIS system. The g uidelines have been set and a team has been formed to discuss what the new system should include. The next step is to decide on what system to use and how the design should be. What security controls should be set and the tools that will be applied in the terms of data, processes, interfaces, and network.

Alone Together by Sherry Turkle Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alone Together by Sherry Turkle - Research Paper Example Forming social networks is an inherent trait, rather an inherent need, of all human beings. Such social networks may include our family, our friends and our colleagues. Today we can share any kind of information with our social network using social networking websites such as Face book, Twitter and YouTube through blogs, forums, video, audio, photos, online profiles and status updates. In the last few years social networking and social media sharing has gained immense popularity amongst millions of users worldwide. (Kaplan, 2010) The presence of IT has revolutionized each and every aspect of our lives. Not a single aspect of modern man’s life has been left untouched by the sweeping presence of IT in the form of the computer, the internet and the social media. Despite the uncountable gifts of the IT age, the over-involvement in the use of IT as a social ambassador has a flip side to it, which has been discussed at length in Alone Together, a remarkable work by MIT technology specialist Sherry Turkle. The work sums up the author’s fifteen-year-long study of human lives in the digital age. The arguments presented by the author are based on her interviews with hundreds of children and adults regarding their use of technology and its impact on their interpersonal relationships. The book discusses the instabilities that have crept into the modern day relationships owing to digitization and how they have modified the aligned concepts of privacy, relationship and community. The thesis of this paper is that Sherry Turkle is convincing in her argument that our growing dependence on social media technology has eventually led to the destruction of our humanity. In the first half of her book, Turkle talks about social robots, or the sci-fi machines that apparently possess all human-like qualities required to facilitate our day-to-day chores. But the author

Tragic Flaw in Sophocles' Oedipus the King Essay

Tragic Flaw in Sophocles' Oedipus the King - Essay Example That way the audience can experience a proper moral fear that badness always brings forth bad result. In the case of Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus the King†, the character that passes out as â€Å"tragic flaw† in the Oedipus is no doubt his pride and arrogance. In this paper we will be looking at the principle of â€Å"tragic flaw† as postulated by Aristotle in the context of Sophocles’ play â€Å"Oedipus the King†. The idea of tragic flaw that became synonymous to Greek tragedy was postulated by Aristotle, which might explain why this principle featured prominently in almost all his poetics. Tragic flaw basically describes a hero in a story making some fundamental mistakes that are mostly triggered by pride or hubris, which forms his main flaw in an otherwise perfect character, thereby marking his downfall. There is strong evidence to suggest that the development of the principle of tragic flaw was informed by the need to respond to the principle of tragedy which despite dominating Greek plays for so long was being challenged by the likes of Plato on moral grounds. In this regard, the principle of tragedy was attacked ostensibly for corrupting the audience by alluding to the futility of being virtuous. According to Plato, tragedy corrupts the audience by showing good and virtuous people perishing instead of emerging triumphant. It is, therefore, extremely disheartening to see them falling by the wayside primarily because of their virtues and goodness. It was in response to this challenge that Aristotle decided to add some flaw to an otherwise heroic character so as to explain his downfall on moral ground. By so doing Aristotle had offered a solution to the principle of tragedy as presented by Plato and other Greek writers and playwrights. In the play the Oedipus the King Oedipus commits a number of mistakes that can be blamed on his pride, which forms the tragic flaw in his character. One of such mistakes is his impatience with Creon after embarking in a journey to Apollo’s temple to plead with him to save the city of Thebes from the plague that has destroyed crops and livestock while rendering women sterile. After the arrival of Creon from Apollo’s temple we see Oedipus commanding Creon to tell him what Apollo has to say concerning the plague despite Creon’s protestation on spilling the information in front of his subjects. This offer from Creon to do it in private should have awaken Oedipus to the reality that whatever he was about to hear was not good to be spilt in the midst of his subjects. However, in total disregard of Creon’s advice he stood his ground and received the information in the presence of his subject, something that smirk of extreme pride. A careful analysis of the play will show a keen reader that this is a dangerous mistake that Oedipus has made because the answer that comes from Creon set the stage for his downfall. It is also important to note that ha d he agreed to receive the message from Apollo in private, things would not have gone out of hand as they eventually did. King Oedipus curiosity for truth is arguably the worst trait that contributes to his downfall in this play. If only he had decided to forget about where he came from and concentrated on resolving issues surrounding the plague, then

Business and Managerial Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business and Managerial Economics - Essay Example Trace the evolution of the rent and the quantity traded over time (in the long-run) (20 marks) An earthquake will affect not only the supply side but also the demand side of the housing market. On the supply side, the earthquake will reduce the supply of housing and, assuming that demand remained unchanged, the earthquake will lead to increases in rentals. However, demand does not remained unchanged in a major earthquake that caused significant damage to housing. Aftershocks take place and these sent jitters to consumers. City services like transport, electricity, and water are affected as well. Schools and workplaces may not be able to operate for some time. Thus, a major earthquake can send consumers to an exodus to locations safer from earthquakes and their aftershocks. In short, demand is affected as well. For this reason, it can happen house rent can remain unchanged or landowners may offer discounts to consumers. If demand is significantly reduced, house rent can even decrease and this seems to be the short-term effect in a strong earthquake everywhere. In the medium te rm as a location recovers from the earthquake, city and other services are restored and school/workplace operations normalize. But because supply is unable to respond quickly, housing supply may be fixed as demand is restored back to normal. Therefore, in the medium term, rentals may be higher than the immediate pre-earthquake levels. In this case, economic profit can be higher than normal and investors are encouraged to go into the housing sector. More housing units are built and the prices of house rentals decrease. The trend continues until the situation is normalized. This means that either house rentals are restored back to the pre-earthquake levels or the prices of rentals are back into the situation where economic profit is zero or â€Å"normal†. This discussion is similar to Varian (2005, p. 9). Restaurants that charge reasonable prices for food but

Answer Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Answer Questions - Essay Example There is hope in her revelation, but she says it as explained to her by Jesus. Both revelations and experiences preach the love of God, and the need to have a strong belief in him. Perpertua’s revelation shows God’s love and power, she saw a sign of victory over the devil. Julian’s revelations are also explanations of God’s love. She explains that irrespective of suffering caused by sin, God has a reason for it, and that reason is love. In one of her revelations, she explains how God loves us, and HE knows it is not our fault to sin, but he knows that sin brings pain, and so warns his people against sinning, but all is well for people will rejoice when they will understand the purpose of sin. They both understand human nature as having the body different from the soul and the spirituality of human beings. The body is considered the weak feature which leads humans to sin. St. Augustine for example, indicates that the sins committed by humans are of the flesh, but they corrupt the soul. Paul also indicates that flesh is the weak and powerless feature, therefore vulnerable to sin. Transformation in the human heart and soul comes from interaction between the features of human nature. Pauls believes that living by the Spirit is living a life free of sin. Augustine considers himself, a fully grown person spiritually, for he was no longer driven by ambition which was accompanied by â€Å"heavy servitude in the hope of wealth and reputation† They include; the excessive adoration of saints, corruption within the church, the justification that one must be saved through the church and faith, and the low intellectual and moral standards of the ordained priests, and that the scripture and tradition are of the same inspiration in Christianity. The prologue describes Jesus the person, and his ministry. In his interaction with Nicodemus, Jesus is shown as the son of God, and the teacher. The son of God is through

Caracass Current Sanitation and Energy Problem Essay

Caracass Current Sanitation and Energy Problem - Essay Example According to the findings, it can, therefore, be said that the concern by scientists that the combustion of fossil fuels has resulted in surplus carbon dioxide gives a reason for examining this problem so that a quick solution can be found and that no devastating effects are created in Caracas. An additional significance for looking into this problem is that, by researching on it, a recognizable power generation technology that is environmentally friendly, mechanically reasonable, and economically profitable can be discovered so that the city can experience a real option for builders of fresh capacity. Further, energy policy can be formulated, basing on a high degree of energy proficiency and more use of renewable energy. This paper will, therefore, look at the problem chronologically, outlining the body in terms of the record of the earlier problems facing the city for a deeper understanding; a collection of possible ideas and solutions; and finally to link the whole research to the energy problem as well as brainstorm suggested improvements for the welfare of the  city.