Public Affair class summary -- Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Affair class summary -- - Essay Example To be successful in the media relations a complete understanding of different media types such as print, broadcast and online media is essential. Moreover, the message is not always delivered as intended so to deal with the criticism an appointed spokesperson must have an authoritative, factual and credible way of approaching things. The criticism should be dealt with logical reasoning and denial is not an appropriate way of dealing. Moreover, the communications person must have a strong grip on all the media parameters with written plans, various options and deep investigative period to control the crisis and leaks (Lee, Neeley and Stewart). This chapter is well focusing on the media relations. Fitch in the chapter suggests that a person should choose to work in an organization or with the boss who shares the similar values because it will make that person a stronger advocate of his missions. Before starting up with any organization a proper research should be done on its history, previous records, their stated goals, missions and strategies and the long term plans. Clashes of interests in this line can lead to failure so using the strategic positioning is mandatory. After completing the research and acquiring information about resources get familiarized with the media itself. It could be done by analyzing the perspectives of all communicators such as reporters and then by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of those potential partners and looking up for all opportunities and threats. The most important asset is the press list so it should be built and updated on time. Further there should be an emphasis on internal environment and timely strategies for the control of politics are essential. Other than that, the communication strategies should be developed so that all the criticisms and reviews of people could be handled intelligently (Fitch and Holt). The major focus of the chapter is on explaining

The Kennewick Man Essay Example for Free

The Kennewick Man Essay When we think of prehistoric bones and fossils we think of dinosaurs and creatures of huge amount of size, but the findings of Kennewick Man changed the very thought of prehistoric beings. So exactly who is the Kennewick Man and why is he so important? Why is he given such a name as to Kennewick Man? Why would anyone want to fight and file lawsuits on each other to for a pile of old dusty bones? Well that’s what is found here on the case of â€Å"Kennewick Man. † Scientist and Native Americans just can’t keep their hands off this precious specimen. Why does one deserve Kennewick Man over the other? What values does he hold for them? Can Kennewick Man do anything to help either the Native Americans of scientist? Even though Native Americans deserve the rights to the Kennewick Man, scientist have just as much rights to study Kennewick Man because the science that they will perform could uncover much truth of the past and scientist discoveries from this specimen could even help us human beings in the future to come. Who exactly is the Kennewick Man? Thousands of years ago Kennewick man lived and hunted in what is now Washington State. His tribe was among the first to cross the land bridge into North America. He had a hard life and lived with many serious injuries, including a spear point embedded in his pelvis. He later died in his forties and was buried by his kinsman. Scientist has the rights to study Kennewick Man. In previous centuries archeologists were content simply to find objects. Today, armed with computer, laboratory analysis, theories about society and culture, and a wide range of questions about human development and migration, scientist now have the tools to shed light on the origins of the first Americans. In other words- we have the tools and the technology, so why not use them? Archeology is especially important and useful in helping us to understand people and events about which little or nothing has been written. The past would be surely lost unless we defend out right to learn about the heritage of all Americans. This evidence must be preserved, and scientist must be allowed to study it, if we hope to indentify and understand the lives of the earliest Americans. Science offers the process to test hypotheses using factual  evidence. We must keep our country free for exploring and expressing all views and explanations of our past. We must insist that good scientific methods be practiced, free of political motives. Is the Kennewick Man really a part of the Native American tribe or is this just a story that’s known upon the Indians to tell? If Kennewick Man were actually Caucasian, it would be a startling discovery. So far, all of the oldest North American skeletons have been of Asian descent, although features on a few skulls have been controversially interpreted as Caucasoid. Another possibility is that the first Americans and their Asian ancestors had features that were Caucasoid. The real test of these theories would be DNA, which can pinpoint which modern populations are most closely related to the skeleton and so help identify the ancestors of early Americans and perhaps give clues to their migration patterns. Kennewick Man resembled the South Asians and the Ainu people of northeast Asia. The Ainu migrated to North America over eight-thousand years ago and died out some eight-thousand years later. â€Å"The story that unfolded was unexpected; his bones seemed to say that he belonged to no Native American group†¦Ã¢â‚¬  stated by Glover. This revealed that Kennewick Man was of no descent of the Umatilla Indians and therefore NAGRA does not apply. What the scientists say about the importance of the Kennwick Man stated by a Dr. Bonnichsen, professor of anthropology as OSU â€Å"Only through scientific study of important discoveries such as Kennewick Man can objective knowledge of America’s rich and diverse past be developed and fully appreciated by all communities who have stake in the past.† â€Å"He [The Kennewick Man] is going to continue to reshape our thoughts about how the world was populated.† Doug Owsley is forensic anthropologist for the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. We all share the past and not one person owns it, thus, science should be conducted to uncover the truth for all people for all time. The Native Americans believe that digging up their ancestor’s graves is the wrong way to go. With the act in effect, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA. NAGPRA states that anything, especially religious burial items (this including peoples’ remains), that is affiliated with a modern tribe is referred to as their property. As the Nez Perce, Yakima, Wannapum and Colville Indian tribes had given up their claims to the skeleton, the Umatilla tribe continued their court proceedings. To determine if the skeleton showed any relation to a Umatilla Indian’s skeletal structure, further examination was done to compare the two. Science vs. Sacred Rights, which of the two outweighs the other? Now ask yourself this, from what has happened from the same case scenario of the Kennewick Man how would you carry it? A recent flood washed your grandmother’s casket into a riverbed. Since her remains have been disturbed anyway, local scientist want to study them. Should they be allowed to? Why or why not? What about your great-grandmother? What about your great-great-grandmother? What about your great-great-great-grandmother? (etc.) What if studying her remains could benefit mankind? I believe that yes as disturbing as that may seem to have your grandmother’s remains to be studied upon by strangers (scientist), If it would be better for humanity to learn from her past and to even have discovered something that she had that could change life itself, then yes I would be okay for scientist to do their test on her. Scientist discoveries could make a great outcome for our future. Now, let’s look at Sir Issac Newton who does just that. Even though he may not be a â€Å"scientist† but he does share the same motives and goals as one. Issac Newton’s discoveries had many effects on the world without them we wouldnt have gotten far we would still be wondering what is motion, gravity and light is and what it’s there for. His discovery has opened doors for many people and also science. In the future we would have made much better things because of these amazing discoveries and know and understand more about it and why it’s there for us. If we let scientist to continue their studies on the Kennewick Man, who knows what lies under the soil remains on him. There could be a cure or something that kept him immune from diseases thousands of years ago. Also used by scientists to determine the where, what, why, when, and how of ancient organisms. Answering these questions will help in determining the environment and climate in which the organisms existed, adaptations made by the organisms to the environment and climate, type and  amount of energy requirements of organisms, feeding habits, reproduction techniques, nesting habits, digestion methods, type of respiration, method of locomotion, hunting techniques, timing and cause of extinction events, and the progression of evolution. Fossils are also key indicators of possible fossil fuel deposits which are of great interest to humanity. The study of fossils also leads to discoveries and understanding of Earths processes which can benefit mankind. Study of the Cretaceous Tertiary extinction event eventually led to the hypothesis that a large asteroid impacted Earth. Some astronomers are currently seeking out and cataloging possible impact asteroids in an attempt to predict such a future cataclysm and help in preventing it. Do you believe that the Native Americans rights to Kennewick Man are stronger than that of the scientist? The confederated tribes of â€Å"The Umatilla, made up of Yakima, Nez Perce, Colville, and Wanapum. All five of these tribes have potential ties to Kennewick Man. These tribes share very similar religion, oral histories and traditions going back over 10,000 years as such, and remain are ancestral. The Native Americans call this ancestor, â€Å"The Ancient One†. Their people have been a part of this land since the beginning of time, all though scientists tell otherwise that Native Americans have migrated to this continent. With the fight between Kennewick Man’s ownership, Native Americans have a strong argument for his reburial. The confederated tribes agree that the ancient one should be reburied as soon as possible. Stated by the Native Americans, once a body is buried under ground, it is meant to stay and not to be tampered with until the world is no more. Having the Ancient One unburied and out of the area is a disturbance to their ancestors. But science may not get the opportunity to make the desired DNA tests. The local Umatilla Indians insist that the bones of Kennewick Man be surrendered to them for immediate reburial, as stipulated by the North American Graves Protection Act of 1990. But if the bones are truly those of a Caucasian, does the Act apply? And when does the scientific value of a skeleton outweigh native tradition? Ironically, the Umatilla Indians scoff at the idea of Asian diffusion across the Bering Strait. They claim that they have always lived in the Pacific Northwest!  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Scientists have dug up and studied Native Americans for decades. We view this practice as a desecration of the body and a violation of our most deeply-held religious beliefs.† -Armand Minthron The Native Americans had a law passed in 1990, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). This act protects all Native American cultural and burial resources from tampering. This act has required the return of artifacts and human remains that scientists have been digging up for years. With the law suits that scientist have placed on the Native Americans of Kennewick Man, this act gives the Native Americans the right to file a claim to have the Ancient One’s remains reburied based of their beliefs that he is their ancestor. These tribes are expecting that the Federal Government will uphold to the NAGPRA and return the Ancient One. Scientist argues that there is a Wide range of interest in examining the Kennwick Man. In conclusion, although Native Americans find this to be desecrating to their ancestors, scientist should study Kennewick Man for two main reasons. First, studies could have solutions for present illnesses. But most importantly, studies could reveal a better future for humanity. Work Cited -Gibbons, Ann. â€Å"DNA Enters Dust Up Over Bones† JSTOR. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. -Dr. Robson Bonnichsen,† Mystery of the First Americans† PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2012. -Glover, William. â€Å"Kennewick Man and the Story of the Settlement of the New World.† Conversation for Exploration. January 1, 2000. May 14, 2009. -Armand Minthorn. Ancient One / Kennewick Man. Ancient One / Kennewick Man. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. -Lemonick, Michael D. Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews. Time. Time, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.

The Deterioration of Romero in El Tonto Del Barrio Essay -- Tonto Del

The Deterioration of Romero in El Tonto Del Barrio  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   After reading Jose Armas’s story, "El Tonto Del Barrio," I was greatly touched by this simple yet effective story of how the village idiot is used to teach a lesson to the audience. However, after researching the topic, I found that there had been no literary discussion concerning Armas or "El Tonto del Barrio." I was shocked to find this out, and I believe this is an interesting and important story which should be looked into. "El Tonto del Barrio" is not just a story about a college-bound young man named Seferino who tries to help the community "idiot" Romero, but it is also a story about a man who slowly deteriorates when his pride is taken away and his dignity not acknowledged. First, to understand how Romero deteriorates, we must look at how life for Romero was before Seferino tried to pay him wages for sweeping. Romero seemed happy, and he was always whistling and singing. In the first line of the story Armas even states, "Romero Estrado was called El Cotoro (The Parrot) because he was always whistling and singing" (1137). Armas at first makes no obvious remarks that Romero was a moron who should be avoided; in fact, the story discusses only the respect that people of the town had for Romero. Romero is even called "a respected citizen" (1138). It is interesting to note that Armas mentions that "Not even the kids made fun of him. It just was not permitted" (1138). This point lets the audience know that Romero was respected enough that even parents taught their children to respect him despite his faults. It is apparent that the town knew Romero was a little "touchy" (1138), but the citizens choose to overlook his faults. The citizens of the town and Romero... ...nd Kathleen Wilson. Cumulative Index. Michigan: Gale Research, Inc., 1998. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Index. Michigan: Gale Research, Inc., 1991. Critical Survey of Short Fiction. Ed. Frank N. Magil. Cumulative Index. California: Salem Press, 1993. Frenandez, Roberto G. Bibliographical Index of Cuban Authors. Miami: Edidones Universal, 1983. Hispanic Writers. Bryan Ryan. Vol. 1. New York: Gale Research, Inc., 1991. Modern Latin America Literature. Ed. David William Foster. Vol. 2. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1975. Reference Guide to World Literature . Ed. Lesley Henderson. Vol. 2. New York: St. James Press, 1991. Short Story Criticism. Ed. Shelia Fitzgerald. Cumulative Index. Michigan: Gale Research, Inc., 1989. , World Literature Criticism. Ed. James P. Draper. Vol. 6. Michigan: Gale Research Inc., 1992.      

Media and the Idea of Beauty Essay

Elizabeth Rosales Cultural Anthropology-A18: Yi,Zhou April 21, 2011 Response Paper: Killing Us Softly Who are we? Who am I? With the average American exposed to approximately 3,000 ads a day they all remind us of who we are not and who we should be. The images we are constantly bombarded with by the mass media don’t just sell products they â€Å"sell values, images, concepts of love, sex, and normativity†, standards to which we so often compare ourselves to. Ads reinforce gender binaries, all making a statement about what it means to be a woman in this culture of thinness stressing a particular importance on physical beauty. Jean Kilbourne’s film Killing Us Softly explores and exposes the detrimental effects of the objectification and dehumanization in the representation of women in the popular culture, specifically advertisements. With only less than five percent of women of the entire population that reflect the images of the women advertised, the majority of women are left to feel ashamed for not trying hard enough. Women’s bodies are increasingly subjected to strict scrutiny under a magnifying glass by our superficial culture, these actions bring forth and further feed the shame and embarrassment women associate with their bodies, their sexuality, their size, and their weight. Spending self-conscious days, weeks, months, and even years in front of a mirror and scale, inspecting our bodies in front of a mirror comparing ourselves to the images spread over magazine covers as women we are repeatedly reminded that our bodies are home to imperfections and there is always room for improvement whether that be through exercise, plastic surgery, dieting, or over the counter â€Å"beauty and health† products. Rosales 2 Is this self-improvement or self-destruction? Today, 1 in 5 women are likely to develop an eating disorder and cosmetic surgery is more popular than ever before. More and more women each day are going under the knife for breast enhancements losing all sensation in their breasts. Such procedures dehumanize and objectify women transforming them from â€Å"subjects to objects†, all because as women we are conditioned by the dominant culture to want to feel desirable and seek the approval of men. The breasts, therefore, become a source of pleasure for the men and not the women who undergo the procedure. These internalized feelings drive many to strive to obtain an unattainable beauty and live up to certain impossible expectations whether it’s consciously or not. We fail to recognize that most of the images we are exposed to are computer generated, they are not real women they have been photo shopped and manipulated to look like that and yet we continue to perpetuate these images as the standards for beauty. Much more, the standards that women are expected to live up to is a paradox of ideas, we are to be both â€Å"innocent and sexy, virgin and experienced† child/doll-like and sex objects simultaneously. Can that be any more absurd? Gender is a performance that the mass media is largely responsible for defining, if we are not thin or beautiful enough then we are not feminine enough. The oppression and misrepresentation of women is not limited to gender though, race plays an active role in the representation of women. Asian women for example, are depicted as docile and passive lovers, whereas black and Hispanic women are hyper sexualized and portrayed as exotic promiscuous â€Å"creatures† dressed in animal prints. The perfect ideal woman was manufactured and it’s time we recognize this, she is an illusion that doesn’t exist outside of caricature. Instead of altering our Rosales 3 bodies to fit those Barbie doll like measurements we need to start portraying the large diversity of women accurately and stop condemning those who are not thin enough, tall enough, light enough, as not being beautiful because they aren’t trying hard enough to fit those categories.

History Study Notes Essay

Topic 1 Investigating History †¢ interpret and construct time lines †¢ define the terms that describe historical periods of time †¢ the terminology and concepts of historical time, including year, decade, generation, century, age, BC/AD, BCE/CE †¢ sequence societies and events within specific periods of time †¢ ask historical questions †¢ distinguish between fact and opinion †¢ draw some conclusions about the usefulness of sources including a website †¢ examine differing historical perspectives and interpretations †¢ explain cause and effect †¢ identify significant people of the past  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ examine the motives for people. s actions in the past †¢ the process of historical inquiry: . Fact and opinion . †¢ the usefulness of sources as evidence including a website . †¢ differing perspectives . cause and effect . history as the study of people †¢ explain the consequences of people. s actions †¢ describe some aspects of family/community heritage †¢ heritage issues †¢ appreciate the value of preserving and conserving our heritage Ancient Egypt †¢ the origins of the society or period †¢ identify the origins of the society or historical period †¢ daily life of men and women in the society or period  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ describe how both men and women lived in the society or period †¢ Civics and citizenship in the society or period †¢ describe the way in which the people of the society or period were governed †¢ describe the rights and freedoms of different groups in the society or period †¢ beliefs and values of the people of the society or period †¢ explain the beliefs and values of the society †¢ impact of significant people and/or events †¢ explain the impact made by significant people and/or events on the society or period †¢ contacts with other peoples †¢ outline the contacts that the society had with other peoples.

Compare and Contrast the Chinese and Russian Revolutions Essays

Compare and Contrast the Chinese and Russian Revolutions Essays Compare and Contrast the Chinese and Russian Revolutions Paper Compare and Contrast the Chinese and Russian Revolutions Paper China and Russia had various similarities and differences during the early 20th century. They were different in the aspect of goals as Russia was highly concerned in making everyone literate to experience the works of Marx, Lenin and Stalin personally while neither the Chinese communist party nor the Kuomintang cared much about literacy for the masses. Another differences was the characterization of the Russian revolution by World war 1 leading to the revolt against a ruling Tsar while China, was not affected by the war was more of a civil war between the nationalists and Mao’s peasants. Even so, both nations ended up with Communist revolutions, following the proletariat ruling belief. During the early 20th century, the Russian revolutionaries wanted all its people to be literate as to experience by reading the works of Karl Marx, Lenin and Stain first hand. Overall they were very successful in increasing the literacy rate in general. This was possible because immediately after the revolution, education was greatly overhauled in the spending on popular education. Free eduction was ordered for all children from the ages of three to sixteen years old as well as the duplication of schools within the first two years. Coeducation was also imposed as to get rid of sex discrimination and for the welfare of the whole society. However in China, the revolution did not really care about teaching and education for their citizens but rather focused primarily on replacing the existing system of government and its ruler with one headed up by the leader of the revolution, Mao Ze Dong. Another difference between the Russian and Chinese revolution was that the Russian revolution was influenced a lot by the first world war, while the Chinese revolution was untouched by it and still fought for the same beliefs as the Russian revolution. The Russian revolution was highlighted by the overthrow of Nicholas II which was brought on by the end of the first world war. Differently, the Chinese revolution was not affected by the first world war and was sparked by the Marxist ideas of the working class being able to rule. Even though the first world war was not a cause of the revolution, Mao Ze Dong’s peasant army and Chiang Kai’s nationalist army still fought until Mao’s forces defeated the nationalists in 1949. The major similarity between the Russian revolution and the Chinese revolution would be that both revolutions made the path for the nations to become Communists. They were both led by charismatic leaders Lenin and Mao Ze Dong, who were able to unite the people into the revolution. Both had similar goals and outcomes as they both aimed for the working class, Proletariats, to rule against the ruling class. Both revolutions also aimed to establishing a state ownership in their countries as well as removing any kind of inequalities within the nation. Both ending up as communist nations, the Russian revolution and the Chinese revolution were shaped by different sparks and aimed to reach its goals through different methods but strived for a similar goal inspired by the Marxist ideas of the Proletariat class to rule.

A Guide to Using MLA Citations

A Guide to Using MLA Citations A Guide to Using MLA Citations MLA referencing is common in the humanities. And if you are studying on a literature or language-based course, you may need to use MLA citations in your written work. To help you get this right, then, we have prepared a guide to using MLA citations in an essay. This will cover basic citations, citing multiple authors, and other tricky situations. 1. Basic MLA Citations Basic MLA citations use an author surname and a page number in brackets. Typically, you would give this before end punctuation: Bad news travels fast (Hawkins 201). Here, for example, the citation points to page 201 of a source by Hawkins. You would then give the full source details in the list. The main variation on this format occurs when you name an author in the text: Hawkins claims that bad news â€Å"travels fast† (201). As shown here, when the author’s name appears in the text, there is no need to repeat it in the citation. Instead, just give the page number after the quote. 2. Citing Sources with Multiple Authors When a source has two authors, name both in the in-text citation, using â€Å"and† as a connector (not the ampersand symbol): The exact speed of bad news is a mystery (Ptaszynski and Schreiber 14). Here, for example, we’re citing page 14 of a text by Ptaszynski and Schreiber. However, for sources with three or more authors, you should use the first name plus â€Å"et al.† in citations: Harkin et al. argue that good news is equally fast (101). â€Å"Et al.† here means â€Å"and others,† showing the reader you have left some names out. The same rule applies if a source has three or more editors or translators in the list. 3. Citing More than One Author with the Same Surname To cite more than one author with the same surname, you will need to adapt your citations. In MLA referencing, this means giving a first initial: News moves slower in water (A. Smith 32) than in air, but it moves much faster in a vacuum (Z. Smith 412-414). In the list, however, you should give the authors’ full first names and surnames as usual. 4. Citing Multiple Works by the Same Author Rather than using a year of publication to distinguish between citations of sources by the same author, MLA referencing uses the source title in place of the author’s name. For example, imagine that an author called Hawkins had written both a book called A History of Bad News and an article called â€Å"The Pace of News: A Comparative Study of Communicative Speed.† To cite both in the same document, we would need to include their titles in the citations: Bad news travels fast (Hawkins, A History of Bad News 201). Its speed seems to be increasing, too (Hawkins, â€Å"The Pace of News† 1136). We can learn two things about using titles in MLA citations from the examples above. In particular, you should always: Format titles according to the source type (e.g., italics for books and quote marks for shorter pieces such as articles). Shorten long titles (e.g., changing â€Å"The Pace of News: A Comparative Study of Communicative Speed† to just â€Å"The Pace of News†). In the list, meanwhile, you should organize sources by the same author alphabetically by title. In addition, use three hyphens in place of the author’s name for each entry after the first: Hawkins, Justin. A History of Bad News. London, PME Publications, 2007. . â€Å"The Pace of News: A Comparative Study of Communicative Speed.† The Journal of Alternative Telecommunications, vol. 9, no. 3, 2015, pp. 1124-1139. 5. Citing More than One Source at Once Finally, to cite more than one source in the same place, separate each citation with a semicolon. For example: Bad news moves faster than light (Hawkins 198; Smith 22). Here, we’re citing both Hawkins and Smith to support one same point. This can be useful for showing that many people share an idea or theory.

How To Get Started With Historical Reenacting

How To Get Started With Historical Reenacting Have you often wondered what it might have been like to actually live in the past? Historical reenacting gives you that chance. Becoming a historical re-enactor requires an unquenchable thirst for history and abiding patience with uncomfortable accommodations and ridiculous outfits. Short of actually traveling back in time, however, there is no better way to learn about history than by living it first-hand as a reenactor. What Is a Reenactor? Reenactors recreate history by portraying the look, actions, and lives of a person from a particular time period of history. Who Can Become a Reenactor? Just about anyone with an interest in reenactment can become a reenactor. Children can usually even participate, although most reenactment groups have a minimum age (12 or 13 is common) for children to be allowed in more dangerous roles, such as on the battlefield. Most reenactment organizations also wont allow children under 16 to bear arms. If you choose an active reenactment role, youll need to be in good health, capable of the physical activity and lack of everyday comforts that are inherent in reenacting. Most reenactors are everyday people from all walks of life, with ages ranging from 16 to people in their sixties. What to Expect From Reenacting Reenacting for many is a serious, but fun, event. Most people take their roles seriously and pride themselves on representing history as accurately as possible. Some people do take the authenticity to an extreme, but most groups welcome anyone with an interest. Reenacting does require a commitment, however, in both time and resources. Reproduction clothing can cost several hundred dollars, and reproduction period rifles as much as $1000. Reenactment, appropriately called living history, also means living under the same conditions encountered during the past. This can mean everything from uncomfortable clothes and terrible food to inclement weather and a poor excuse for a bed. Hard-core reenactors give up all amenities of modern life, from deodorant to modern wristwatches. Reenactment also takes time, but this can be as little as a 2-3 hour event once or twice a year, to a half-dozen three-day weekend encampments. How to Get Started With Reenacting Youve probably thought to yourself that reenacting sounds like fun, but youre just not sure about committing yourself due to time, money, and lack of know-how. Dont let that stop you! Most reenactment groups are very welcoming to new people and will show you the ropes and even outfit you until you can gradually acquire your own kit. In other words, you can try it out and see how you like it. Choose a Time Period and Location What period of history most grabs your interest? Did you have ancestors who participated in a particular war? Do you have a passion for Ancient Rome, medieval fashion, or Colonial America, and the Salem Witch Trials? Find a Reenactment Group Time and place generally work together, so while youre picking your time period, you will generally have a certain location in mind as well. Most people choose a reenactment group that operates fairly close to home - at least within a days drive. Reenactment groups and societies can be found all over the world, although they are especially active in the U.S., UK, Germany, Sweden, Canada, and Australia. Check your local newspaper or reenactment Web sites for listings of upcoming reenactment events in your area. Most large re-enactment events take place outdoors, so spring through fall are very active times of the year for the majority of these groups. Attend a few such reenactment events and talk to members of the involved groups to learn more about their reenactment focus and activities. Choose a Persona In a reenactment, a persona is a character and role that you choose to portray. The persona is sometimes referred to as an impression. Depending upon your reenactment scenario, this may be a real individual or a fictional one who could have lived during your time period of interest. Think about who you are in real life,  or the person you secretly want to be, and translate that to an individual who lived during your time period of interest. The majority of reenactors choose to be soldiers, but even in a military reenactment group, there are other characters, such as wives, camp followers, surgeons, tinkers and sutlers (merchants). The persona you select should have some personal significance to you. Research Your Persona Once youve chosen a time period and character, you need to learn everything you can,  from the way they dressed and ate, to their manner of speech, cultural beliefs, and social interactions. Immerse yourself in the time period by reading books and primary source documents related to the area, and the type of person youve chosen to portray. Assemble Your Kit Reenactors refer to their clothing and equipment as their  kit. Whether youve chosen to be a fur trapper, a soldier or a medieval princess, this clothing and accessories you select for your kit should match your persona. If youre portraying a poor farmer during the Revolutionary War, then dont purchase a fancy rifle that would have been out of his financial grasp. Take the time to fully research your character and period, considering where your  persona  lives, his age, his  occupation, and his social status, before purchasing items which may or may not be authentic or appropriate. If you have the time, it can even be fun to learn to make some of your clothing or items yourself, just as it was done in the past. Final Tips   Most reenactment groups have extra clothing, uniforms,  costumes, and props that they are willing to loan to newcomers. By joining such a society, youll have time to try out your persona before committing to any major purchases for your own kit.

Introduction to Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Introduction to Business - Essay Example This implies that Potz’s assets are more likely to be converted into cash beforehand to that of the Wannabees. It is therefore believed that Potz possess lesser risk to the banks and thus suits more to their requirements to pay-off the loan. (Brigham, 1985) The calculations of the acid test ratio have only confirmed our opinion. It can be observed from the calculations above that Wannabee has too much cash entrapped in inventories which takes time to liquidate. (Brigham, 1985) On the other hand Potz, whose acid-test ratio is 5.7 times larger than that of the Wannabees, is more likely to attract the bank due to its ability to liquefy itself. Therefore, it is expected that the Potz is more likely to receive the loan due to its capacity to turn its assets into cash, which can be reflected in the calculations of their acid-test ratio. Despite the fact that liquidity plays an important role in the bank’s decision to grant the loan but one cannot ignore the impact of the profitability, efficiency and leverage ratios in the process. However, if the best decision is to be based on the ratios given in the exercise then Potz is likely to succeed in the

Managing people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing people - Essay Example 246-250). In this scenario, an important element is to figure out during what time there is more record of absence, since it could be due to more excessive working hours, no offs per week, working extra hours, more work and less encouragement causing employees to feel the motivated and demoralized. It is important for the organization to assess the situation and design strategies to bring back the presence of its employees on a daily basis. And this also brings a lot of responsibility and looks upon the efficiency of the HR human resource management to skillfully design ways to encourage employees to come to work on time daily and be more productive for themselves and the company (Preece, 2010). A few interesting trends that follow absence in employees are as follows: When there is an air of downsizing in any company, related to its economic instability and productivity stress (McPheat, 2011). Surprisingly absentees are more common in youngsters than older employees. Analysis on a we ekly basis there is absence mostly on Fridays and Mondays. Earlier and even organizations are now following the Draconian Policies that just push away the employees and burden them psychologically. Instead if they understand the employee’s needs and follow a flexible off time from work schedule, including sick leaves, casual leaves, vacation such can be very helpful in the reduction of unscheduled days off (cipd.co.uk, 2013). According to a few HR Experts, they say â€Å"If a Company fails to give their workers a sense of their â€Å"Importance and Value to the Organization† such results in less motivation and dedication resulting in absence (Baker-McClearn et al., 2010)† Reputed organization consists of many bases in which management is the primary function at all. Without a tremendously functioning management, no organization can acquire an eminent position. Therefore, management requires several competent and credible employees to attain a good position. As w e find many organizations undoing and the critical problem behind their failure is the absence management (Preece, 2010). Absence management happens mostly due to sickness, unprofessional and immoral employees, and leniency in the policies. The foremost is the lenient policy gives an extra margin to recruits by which they get fearless of being off. Another chief reason of destabilized management highlights lack in the proficiency of the HR team brings immature employees into the company. What can be the effective approaches in the transformation of absence Management? In every state we find a military department as the most powerful and well being, functioning properly and accurately. The prime reason behind their success indicates proper training, maintenance of discipline, and the methodology in each act. They do the entire task with complete dedication without losing concentration on their work. This is the key which every organization has to grasp and implement it on employees b efore giving permit for the job. Therefore, training criteria must be created firm and even tougher than the actual job so it evidently determines the compatible employee. It also enables the organization to accurately evaluate the tendency of personnel rather than to judge credibility during ongoing job. Thus, it is the best approach in reckoning employees practically rather than to do blind trust on employees at

Financial and accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial and accounting - Essay Example Second, in financial accounting, financial statements are deemed important while users of management accounting focus on accounting reports as the most important products (Stolowy & Lebas 2007). Third, in financial accounting, the IFRS or IAS determine what is supposed to be included in financial reports and statements while in management accounting, managers determine what they want captured in accounting reports. Fourth, financial accounting focuses on historical information whereas management accounting basically utilizes forecasts or focus on future information (Rajasekaran & Lalitha 2011). Fifth, while financial accounting put emphasis on data reliability and objectivity, management accounting emphasizes on relevancy of data. Sixth, financial accounting yields reports about the entire company while management accounting yields reports that suit the needs of the management. Seventh, financial data are usually subject to audit verification while management data are no subject to a uditing process (Rajasekaran & Lalitha 2011). Companies are required to prepare financial statement at the end of their trading periods to disclose information that is deemed crucial for various users of financial statements. 1) Potential investors: Potential investors require financial statements to help them assess financial viability of putting their investment in a company. Based on the information disclosed in the financial statement, for instance profits in profit and loss account, investors are able to forecast future dividends. Also, potential investors may use financial statement figures to gauge the risk associated with investing in a particular company (Gibson 2009). For instance, investors may use high fluctuation in the reported profits of a company as an indication of high risk. Consequently, financial statements assist prospective investors in making investment decisions. 2) Shareholders: Financial statements assist

The topic will be in the instruction plus the attached file Essay

The topic will be in the instruction plus the attached file - Essay Example In the U.A.E, and indeed across the world, the problem should be tackled before the situation gets worse. Tackling the obesity issue effectively demands the appreciation of the root causes of the problem. Experts agree that the main factors behind rising obesity prevalence levels across the world are sedentary lifestyles (lifestyles devoid of exercise) and poor eating habits. In respect of eating habits, it is worth noting that the consumption of too much fatty, sugary, junk, and salty foods easily lead to obesity. To this effect, individuals should eat less of junk foods, consume more vegetables, and exercise more as ways of preventing and dealing with obesity. As a way of dealing with obesity in schools, the ministry of health plans to introduce physical exercise (P.E.) lessons as part of the school curriculum. By having three lessons of P.E. a week with each lesson taking 40 minutes, school children will become more active and burn excess fats in their bodies that would otherwise lead them to become obese. Secondly, the ministry plans to regulate the kinds of foods that children are given in school and those that are available in school canteens. The ministry will work toward ensuring that schools offer balanced diets and that canteens stock no junk foods. Cleland E. (June 16, 2013) â€Å"Obesity is a growing problem in the UAE, says health expert†. The National. http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/health/obesity-is-a-growing-problem-in-the-uae-says-health-expert Saberi Mahmood (July 6, 2012). â€Å"UAE the fifth most obese country in the world†. Gulf News. Retrieved from

A Marketing Plan for the Cadbury Chocolate Company Case Study

A Marketing Plan for the Cadbury Chocolate Company - Case Study Example under this, the management ensures that, before the product is promoted into the market, the characteristics of the products should be well defined to meet the needs of the consumers, the packaging of the products should be attractive to entice the customers to buy the product, the quality of the product should be perfect, that is it should have the quality that matches with the prescription of the product in the market so that it can maintain our consumers. Under this, we see that Cadbury uses its business intelligence to change the market position of its products by shifting product sizes, package designs keeping in mind the changes of its customer's tastes for this reason most of the Cadburys products, are made from real chocolate in which the ingredients include; cocoa butter and a glass and a half of cream dairy milk in every 200 grams of Cadbury dairy milk chocolate. This is used to show the good quality of Cadburys products which makes it a good factor in influencing the consu mers to buy the products. Marketing is also known to be a core leader into a successful business therefore; one should have more than a good idea of producing a nice product. So before launching a product in the market, one should be able to identify his markets and carry out research, to find out if consumers share the same desire to invest in the production. Here, Cadbury uses wholesalers and retailers to collect information about its consumers behaviors that is possible to affect its manufacturing and distribution goals, the company gets information from the warehouse, through which they make decisions to deliver the precise quantity of brand new products to retailers when in need. Cadbury uses data warehouse to calculate the impact of its trade expenditure activities. Therefore, the research methods should depend on the size and scope of the business. This may be done by examining ones own behavior, with that of the other companies, spend time in stores that promote cooking products and do some reading o n magazines, books and literature focusing on various chocolate products manufacturing. One should be encouraged to talk and listen to the potential consumers, thus enabling one to know the issues that will be faced and the encounters he will face while carrying out the business. One is also advised to hire researchers who will help him define and understand the market, if the product he intends to start is larger. The other factor that one should look into before making a decision on a particular market segmentation or what is referred to as the environments, these factors include; geographical factors, location, gender and also age of the consumers of the products, this is basically used to give the products a marketing opportunity. 2 The competitors will not be able to have the same opinions like the company's, since marketing opportunities increase when customer groups with varying needs and wants are recognized. Markets can be segmented or targeted on a variety of factors including age, gender, location, geographic factors, demographic characteristics, and family life cycle, desire for relaxation or time pressures. Segments or target markets should be accessible to the business and large enough to provide a solid customer base. Therefore, a business must analyze the needs and wants of different market

The topic will be in the instruction plus the attached file Essay

The topic will be in the instruction plus the attached file - Essay Example In the U.A.E, and indeed across the world, the problem should be tackled before the situation gets worse. Tackling the obesity issue effectively demands the appreciation of the root causes of the problem. Experts agree that the main factors behind rising obesity prevalence levels across the world are sedentary lifestyles (lifestyles devoid of exercise) and poor eating habits. In respect of eating habits, it is worth noting that the consumption of too much fatty, sugary, junk, and salty foods easily lead to obesity. To this effect, individuals should eat less of junk foods, consume more vegetables, and exercise more as ways of preventing and dealing with obesity. As a way of dealing with obesity in schools, the ministry of health plans to introduce physical exercise (P.E.) lessons as part of the school curriculum. By having three lessons of P.E. a week with each lesson taking 40 minutes, school children will become more active and burn excess fats in their bodies that would otherwise lead them to become obese. Secondly, the ministry plans to regulate the kinds of foods that children are given in school and those that are available in school canteens. The ministry will work toward ensuring that schools offer balanced diets and that canteens stock no junk foods. Cleland E. (June 16, 2013) â€Å"Obesity is a growing problem in the UAE, says health expert†. The National. http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/health/obesity-is-a-growing-problem-in-the-uae-says-health-expert Saberi Mahmood (July 6, 2012). â€Å"UAE the fifth most obese country in the world†. Gulf News. Retrieved from

Evaluating a Website for Credibility Guidelines with Scoring Rubric Assignment

Evaluating a Website for Credibility Guidelines with Scoring Rubric - Assignment Example The website is quite simple to access because it only requires individuals to type the name of the government website in order to access (GOV.UK, 2014). In order to gain full entry right to access the website, the websites only require that an individual only type gov.UK as the search engine when accessing the website. The website being owned by the government, it provides reliable information of health that the citizens can apply in the daily activities whenever they develop symptoms that persist for quite some time. In this regard, the website endow with information to its citizens regarding the public health, social care, National Health Service, and public and emergency. The government web address is provided as: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health. In the same context, the link provides an easy path when an individual’s access the website. This website is under the UK government, and this plays the role of ensuring that information regarding health matters is well-handled (GOV.UK, 2014). In addition, the website offers information relating to the public health; giving tips on staying healthy and shielding them against threats to their health. In the same context, the website offers information regarding social care; a few individuals require extra care and support which the government provides the tips on how to handle such issues. It is made quite easy to get the information of national service; this is because it is the command requirement to deliver to the people better results. The government owes the citizens the duty to offer quality public safety and emergency, funding and support for the local emergency service such as the police, fire, and ambulance service information is offered in the government website (GOV.UK, 2014). Content on the internet is unfettered, and anyone is allowed to

The nature of crime Essay Example for Free

The nature of crime Essay The nature of crime embodies the offences made against the state representing society and the population. Within this concept is the operation of principles going to the rights of the victim and the accused in the criminal law process. This process encompasses the commission and elements of the crime going to the actus reus (action of the accused), mens rea (intention of the accused) and causal link to make out the crime; the criminal investigation by the police; the criminal trial process under the adversarial system; the standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt; and the verdict to sentencing options available to the judiciary. This can be illustrated in the case of R v Munter (2009) NSWSC whilst demonstrating the causation in the death of a man assaulted by Munter acting on the mistaken belief that this man was breaching water restrictions, but showing that his intention to kill was absent whilst his actions contributed to the outcome. In this case, Munter received a custodial sentence for manslaughter. Summary and indictable offences Criminal conduct is categorised by summary and indictable offences under the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) and the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) respectively according to their severity. A summary offence is a less serious matter heard in the Local Court (before a magistrate generally resulting in a bond, fine or a jail sentence of up to two years. By contrast, indictable offences are more serious matters heard at trial in the District Court (most serious offences of manslaughter, murder and aggravated sexual assault being heard in the Supreme Court) following a committal hearing in the Local Court and before a judge and jury. Offences can be committed against people and property but fundamentally these offences breach the law of the state with sentencing imposed by the state but not necessarily in the interests of the victim. From homicide (murder and manslaughter) to, assault (common or aggravated) and sexual assault these can be contrasted with property and economic offences involving larceny, robbery or ‘break and enter’ or white-collar crimes involving  embezzlement, tax evasion and as can be seen in the case of R v Rivkin (2003) ALR, insider trading in which the accused used confidential stock market information in relation to Qantas shares for personal gain in which he was sentenced to nine months periodic detention. The different categories of crime Categories of crime are branded by the type of offence, jurisdiction (NSW or Cth), the seriousness of the offence (summary or indictable) and the parties to a crime. This can include offences against the person which is reflected as being a serious crime (homicide, assault and sexual assault). The case of Boughey v The Queen (1986) where a doctor strangled his wife during a ‘sex game’ allegedly should have known that the act constituted a ‘reckless indifference to human life’ and therefore was convicted for murder clearly demonstrates this category of crime. Offences against the Sovereign refer to the main offences of sedition and treason within this area. The Vietnam War ‘draft-card burning’ is an effective example which demonstrates the crime of sedition where thousands of American men protested based on the involvement of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. This led to the case of United States v. O’Brien where both parties argued before the Supreme Court in relation to the concept of sedition where O’Brien was burning his draft-cards at a rally. (Does this have any relation to the Anti-Terrorism Act No.2 (Cth) 2002? and was introduced after 9/11) Economic offences is another area of the criminal law and more significantly, is the largest area of criminal law as it encompasses most common types of crime. This includes crimes against property (larceny, robbery and ‘break and enter’); white-collar crimes (embezzlement, tax evasion and insider trading; and computer offences (hacking, unauthorized accessing, or modification of data). The media article – Fear in the Fast Lane (ABC, 2009) demonstrates a situation of an economic offence and more specifically, hacking. It was based on the Alice Springs Turf Club where hackers accessed the online gambling system and brought it down. Main drug related offences include the possession of a prohibited drug; use of a prohibited drug; cultivation (the growth of plant drugs i.e. cannabis) and the supply of a prohibited drug. Such legislation which has been passed to assist with the enforceability of keeping these types of crimes minimal include the Drug Misuse and  Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW); the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW); and the Customs Act 1901 (Cth). Driving associated offences are some of the most commonly committed offences in NSW. Many of these offences will relate to the strict liability offences concept such as speeding. The most common driving related offences include: exceeding the speed limit; driving without a license or while disqualified; ignoring road signs; and driving above the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.05. Public order crimes are offences that relate to acts that are deemed to disturb the public order in some way; i.e. disturbance in public. Some of the most common public order offences can include: obscene, indecent or threatening language in public; possessing a knife in public (with no reason); obstructing traffic; and damaging public fountains or protected places. Preliminary crimes are offences split into two main categories of attempts of an offence and conspiracy. The concept of conspiracy occurs when two or more people plot to commit a crime together. In addition, the failure of an attempted crime can result in the equal possible length of sentence for that particular crime which is demonstrated in Section 344 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) where ‘a person who attempts an offence can be liable for the penalty’. Parties to a crime The concept of parties to a crime relates to the fact that other people can be involved in the act, either before or after the crime. This can effectively be reflected within the preliminary offence of conspiracy. The level of punishment is usually determined by that person’s level of involvement in the crime and indeed there are four main categories of ‘parties to a crime’ which are: principal in the first degree (this is the principal offender); principal in the second degree (present at the crime i.e. encourager); accessory before the fact (someone who helped before the crime); accessory after the fact (someone who helped after the crime i.e. driving a getaway car). A range of factors that may lead to criminal behaviour A range of situational and social crime prevention techniques There are many significant factors which affect criminal behaviour. The scientific study of crime and criminal behaviour is known as criminology. This covers many aspects of why people might become criminals. Firstly, the psychological  factor is relevant during the drug rehabilitation process and particular sentencing programs. Secondly, social groups that people associate with will often influence a person’s attitude and views of acceptable behaviour. For example, an abusive home environment may impact on one’s future life. Thirdly, the economic factor is extremely significant as people from disadvantaged backgrounds (i.e. Sydney’s western suburbs) are more likely to commit crimes. This relates to the impact of poor education and lack of skills. Fourthly, politically, offences against the sovereign or against the state are likely to have some political factors influencing their commission. For Example; the G8 Summit protest or the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference are both a major influence. Essentially, it is vital to understand the factors and motivations behind crime as it related to the possible impact of crime prevention (situational and social). Situational crime prevents usually involves one of the two following approaches: firstly, planning and architectural design, which focuses upon the influence of physical environments upon crime; and seconly, focused (situational) approaches, which rest on rational choice theory. Basically, situational crime prevention aims to make it more difficult for criminals to carry out a crime and therefore stop the crime before it is committed. Social crime prevention relates to the prevention of some of the social and economic factors that might contribute to a person committing an offence. This includes the prevention of a poor home environment/parenting; social and economic disadvantage; poor school attendance; early contact with the police and other authorities. Fundamentally, it is progressively being fixed as such youth programs are run to teach dispute resolution skills and social skills that will encourage potential offenders to make better choices about their actions and their futures.

Using Punctuation in English Language

Using Punctuation in English Language The word ‘Punctuation’ has come from Latin word ‘punctum’ which means ‘a point’. It is the right use of symbols for pauses or stops in writing. We understand and communicate better with use of punctuations. The list below gives the punctuation symbols used in English language. 1 capitalization The bird sang. 7 exclamation mark [!] 2 full stop [.] 8 apostrophe [] 3 comma [,] 9 hyphen [-] 4 semicolon [;] 10 inverted commas- single [ ] 5 colon [:] 11 inverted commas- double [ ] 6 question mark [?] 12 brackets ( ) Capital letter A sentence begins with a capital letter. Example; They want some water. Proper nouns also begin with capital letters. Example; Sunil Chhetri, Anamika, Kanpur The pronoun ‘I’ is always capital. Certain words are always capitalized. For example; God, The Bible, The Bhagwat Gita Period or full stop It is used at the end of an assertive or imperative sentence. This is Anandi Joshi. (assertive) Do a project report about her. (imperative) After abbreviations and initials. M.A.N.C.CP.M (Prime Minister) Dec. (December) 2011 A.D. 8 p.m. The Comma(,)It indicates the shortest pause. It is used to ; separate three or more words of the same part of speech Madhu stuck the beads, shells and sand on the project paper. (nouns) Sunita sorted, washed, dried and pickled the mangoes. (verbs) mark off phrases in apposition (two words or phrases, referring to the same thing, placed in a sentence without any connecting word, is known as an ‘apposition’.) The Emblem of India, the adaptation of Asoka’s Lion Capital has the motto ‘Satyameva Jayate’. Kerala, the land of coconut trees, is a state in South India. separate each pair of words connected by conjunctions and to separate words or group of words in a sentence. Are mother and aunt, visiting her friend or will they join us for the movie? address a person or when sentence starts with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Vishaka, please come here.Yes, I shall come in a minute. Semicolon (;) It indicates a longer pause than the comma. It is usually followed by conjunctions like ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’. It is used to: to separate many groups of words of a sentence, when they contain a comma Girish, come and lift this; and then you can go and sit with uncle. Renu promised to make some ladoos; but she had to leave suddenly. to separate units of a series when the series contain commas Vittal is from Paithan, Maharastra; Vani from Kadappa, Andhra Pradesh; whereas Bondi is from Dispur, Assam. To reduce or narrow the gap between two thoughts or closely linked sentences I paid the bill on time; I expect all services to resume with immediate effect. The unit was ready; with shining swords; waiting for a signal from their commander. Colon (:) The colon indicates a longer pause than the semicolon. It is used to; To introduce an explanation, or statement The main idea was this: to first make them fill the forms, then pay the fees and collect the materials. To introduce a quotation The leader said: ‘We must stand united and negotiate.’ To introduce a list Children, bring the following things for tomorrow’s assignment: A4 size paper, pictures of wild animals, glue, craft paper, crayons. The Interrogation mark or the Question mark (?) It is used after a question Little bird, do you want some grains to eat? Where is your nest? The question mark is not used after an indirect question, or polite request or submission. We requested the manager for another room. The clerk asked if I wanted to meet the manager. The Exclamation mark (!) It is used after exclamatory words, phrases or sentences expressing sudden emotions or wish. Hurrah! We won.b. It’s a shame! He Cheated!c. Marvelous! I got an A+. Apostrophe (’) The apostrophe comma is used sometimes with s as ‘s to make possessive nouns (something belongs to someone) Jane’s coat Mansi’s house the cat’s dish the milkmaid’s pail to show that a letter(s) is/are missing, when the word is made shorter.Only ( ‘) is used. We’re travelling in Jahan’s car. It’s a ‘ 90 (1990) Maruti 800. Hyphen (-) It is used in compound words apple-piebullock-cart sweet-toothsugar-free To indicate break-up of words, prefix and suffix inter-citypre-planex-ministerdis-couragemis-spelt Inverted commas- single (‘ ’) Single quotes or single inverted commas are used to; indicate the title of books, poems, stories etc. and to draw attention to a word. ‘The Alchemist’ is written by Paulo Coelho. ‘a’ is an indefinite article. indicate a quotation within a quotation. The man said, â€Å"I would like to know, ‘where is Mr.Diwan now’?† â€Å"She always tells me, ‘do this, do that’ and continues to knit!† exclaimed Bunny indicate direct thoughts in a story, thought, dreams. The lady thought, ‘Let me bargain and get a better deal,’ and spoke to the salesman. Inverted commas- double (â€Å" †) Double quotes or double inverted commas are used to indicate quotationin a sentence. It shows the exact words of the speaker. It is used in direct speech. â€Å"We are closed from 1 pm to 2 pm for lunch†, said the woman. American civil rights activistMartin Luther King, Jr.gave the famous speech I Have a Dream. Parentheses / Brackets [ { ( ) } ] These are widely used to give additional details, to refer to previous sentences, objects, names, abbreviations, to link other parts of a chapter or book. If only few words, phrases are used inside brackets, then we need not punctuate inside the brackets. For example; Anita (my eldest sister) and my aunt (from Goa) where selecting our dresses. Exercise 1; Punctuate where necessary he wants to give up the habit of biting his nails however he is facing some difficulties ______________________________________________________________________ oh god please make me handsome rich and happy said mannu god replied I can make you handsome and rich but happiness is a state of mind ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ i please get us three sandwiches four plates of pav bhaji and six banana milkshakes said gaurav to the waitress yes sir will you pay cash or through credit card said the lady ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ my brother the younger one and our neighbour the doctor are going to be partners for the chess competition they are representing our society club ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ daddy said I am going to drop mr seth at the railway station mukesh informed his mother ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ isnt that vera standing by the telephone booth why didnt she come for the debate ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ idli chutney masala dosa or medu vada from the simply south stall dhokla surti undhio kachchori from the gujarat green stall missal pav vada pav thalipeet from the me marathi stall delicious so yummy oh what shall i eat im so confused sighed mukesh â€Å"Idli-chutney, masala-dosa or medu-vada from the Simply South stall; dhokla, surti-undhio, kachchori from the Gujarat Green Stall; missal-pav, vada-pav, thalipeet from the Me Marathi Stall! Delicious! So yummy! Oh what shall I eat? I’m so confused!† sighed Mukesh._____________________________

The Relationship Between Katherine and Bianca in The Taming of the Shre

The Relationship Between Katherine and Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew   Ã‚   William Shakespeare is considered the greatest playwright of all time.   His gift for developing characters is one major aspect that accounts for this lofty acknowledgement.   Shakespeare created various characters from drunks and fools to kings and generals.   The characters are so human and so real that the audience can see aspects of their own personalities represented on stage for better or worse.   Inadvertently, Shakespeare's ability to characterize any type of person demonstrates his holistic education and knowledge of everything from military strategy and open sea sailing to music and religion.   As a result of Shakespeare's true-to-life characters, the relationship between Katherine and Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew is completely realistic, reflective of every aspect of the ever-present phenomenon of sibling rivalry.      Some people believe that sibling rivalry is nothing more than a series of petty disputes between hyperactive adolescents, a childhood trauma that most people outgrow. However, sibling rivalry also encompasses much more serious cases, like the permanent enmity between adult siblings. This phenomenon was studied extensively in the nineteenth century, when Charles Darwin presented his theory of evolution.   At that time, he said that one of the major causes of sibling rivalry is natural, and it occurs in nature when the competition is usually for food.   Specifically, whenever two individuals that consume the same type of food co-exist in the same area, they fight with each other until one of them manages to kill or drive the other out, leaving the winner with the exclusive use of the food resources a... ...es and further contributing to Shakespeare's reputation as the greatest dramatist and finest poet that the world has ever known.    Works cited:    Barton, Ann.   "The Taming of the Shrew." The Riverside Shakespeare 2nd ed. Ed. Dean Johnson et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.   138-141.    Daniel, David. "Shakespeare and the Role of Women." The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies.   Ed. Stanley Wells. Cambridge:   Cambridge UP, 1987.    Darwin, Charles.   Descent of Man.   New York: Prometheus Books, December 1997.    Fox, Levi, ed.   The Shakespeare Handbook. Boston:   G.K. Hall & Co., 1987.    Newman, Joan.   "Conflict and Friendship in Sibling Relationships: A Review."   Child Study Journal, 1994: 119-143.    Shakespeare, William.   The Taming of the Shrew.   New York: Simon and Schuster Trade, April 1991.

Little Field

After the initial observations of demand for littlefield labs (day 52), one of the first steps we took was to identify the bottleneck in the production chain. This was determined by looking at the rate of utilization of the three machines and the number of jobs in the queue waiting for these machines. It was quickly determined that the machine 1 was our bottleneck, as it was the only machine with 100% utilization and excess number of jobs in the queue. This meant that machine 1 was not able to keep up with the incoming demand and lacked the proper capacity.We knew that we needed to increase capacity and the decision was made to purchase another machine 1. Following the decision to purchase a machine, our focus shifted to the inventory level and the reorder point. It was obvious that the old reorder point was not going to keep up with the incoming demand level, especially considering the four day lead time. Our initial thinking was to set the reorder point to a level where the invento ry would have sufficient level of safety stock to avoid stocking out before the next batch of order came.Also we needed determine the quantity of inventory to order, making sure to take into account the ordering cost of $1000 as well. One of our initial goal for day 52 was to make sure our system was clear of any bottleneck and to have sufficient level of inventory to last us until day 73. This strategy was in part due to the fact that we did not have much time to analyze and properly forecast the future demand (initially meeting took place at midnight due to the long commute), but also to allow us to have more data about the incoming demand.To determine the proper level of order quantity and reorder point, we did a simple forecasting of incoming demand by using a simple linear regression analysis of observed demand for the first 50 days. Using this data we determined that the reorder point must be increased to 45 and the order quantity should be set at 250 kits. When we did meet th e following day, our focus was to forecast the demand out to day 120, since we had the knowledge of demand increasing and leveling out after day 120.Using the excel spreadsheet and looking at the linear regression line, we determined that the approximate level of demand on day 120 would be about 18 kits per day. This number was critical to our overall strategy going forward. Since we knew the demand would average around 18 kits a day, we wanted to have enough capacity in the machines to handle the demand. We figured to calculate the demand capacity of each machines by looking at the level of utilization of each machines on day 1, when the very first order arrived.Using the percentage of utilization and the actual number of job coming in for the first time, we were able to calculate the capacity of each machine with relative accuracy. It was determined that machine 1 had the capacity of 4. 5 jobs per day, machine 2 with capacity of 12. 5 jobs per day, and machine 3 with capacity of 1 2jobs per day. This meant that in order for us to accommodate the expected level of demand, we needed to have five units of Machine 1, two units of Machine 2, and two units of Machine 3.We wanted to have five units of Machine 1 because we did not want to have just 4 and have 100% utilization, causing a bottleneck situation. We also wanted to figure out the optimal reorder point and order quantity using the forecasted average demand of 18 jobs per day. We set the number of reorder point to 95 kits, accounting for the four day lead period and the level of safety stock we wanted to have. Then we determined the order quantity should be set at 500 kits, which would be sufficient level of inventory to last for full day.Finally, with the changes already made to improve our capacity and production lead time, we set out to maximize our profit margin for each job coming in. We agreed that contract three would be most profitable for us since we predicted out lead time to be cut under half a da y, and would not exceed one day with reasonable fluctuation of demand. Also, figuring that we wanted to move out any jobs ready for final processing, we switched the priority of Machine 2 to give priority to step 4.

Home Depot Case Essay

1. On the basis of Home Depot’s response to environmentalist issues, describe the attributes (power, legitimacy, urgency) of this stakeholder. Using the Reactive Defensive-Accommodative-Proactive Scale in Chapter 2, assess the company’s strategy and performance with environmental and employee stakeholders. In 1990 Home Depot began to work off a basis of environmental principles. People in the community pushed for the company to become more eco-friendly. These principles help to guide a number of different programs to help minimize the company’s and shopper’s impact on the environment. 2. As a publicly traded corporation, how can Home Depot justify budgeting so much money for philanthropy? What areas other than the environment, disaster relief, affordable housing, and at-risk youth might be appropriate for strategic philanthropy by Home Depot? Home Depot volunteers many hours to help the needy. They contribute money and help with disaster relief efforts. They also contribute money to charities to help the less fortunate. Home Depot can justify budgeting so much money because they do not see it as a loss. They believe they are placing money back into the local community and back into the economy. These actions build trust with customers and stakeholders. 3. Is Home Depot’s recessionary strategy of eliminating debt and halting growth a wise one? What would you recommend to the CEO? In 2007, Home Depot foresaw an economic recession coming. This recession made them pull back money from opening new stores. The basis for pulling their money back was to ensure they would be able to pay their bills without having to borrow money from the government. I wouldn’t recommend the CEO to do anything because I believe they are doing what they can to be economically responsibly for their stakeholders.

Operational management Essay

1. Viking Sewing Machines ltd, a large company, was engaged in manufacturing and marketing household sewing machines including electronic models and low priced mechanical models. Sale of domestic sewing machines was declining all over the world in view of the increasing popularity of readymade garments produced by companies using industrial sewing machines. At this stage there was a change in the ownership of Viking in 1997, when the CEO resigned and a new CEO took charge. Under his leadership, Viking considered the following mission statements for the company: a. To develop, produce, market and sell sewing machines and related products which enhance the joy of creative sewing; b. To be consumer driven company ensuring growth, profitability and success by providing superior satisfaction to the consumers and our dealer partners by continuously adding value to the Viking brand; c. To be recognized as the leading premier sewing machine company in the world; and d. To expand our business by creating demand for more creative uses of sewing. Which one of the above mission statements should the company adopt and why? Answer Every business had to be managed and operated with a long term seted goal. So, they need to forecast about the upcoming future of the company and that forecasting should be done in such a way so that it can be more effective and efficient for the organization in the long run. Here, the competitors had already beat the Viking Sewing Machine ltd. So to stay in the competitive market, Viking Sewing Machine ltd should adopt such a policy so that they can be sustainable in the market. Therefore, in order to be sustainable Viking Sewing Machine ltd should follow the second mission statement â€Å"to be a consumer driven company ensuring growth, profitability and success by providing superior satisfaction to the consumers and our dealer patter and by continuously adding value to the Viking Brand.† Because, consumers are the key assets for every company. When consumers will be satisfied with the product they have purchased, they themselves will repeatedly buy the products and they will promote the product by themselves to their close persons. Thus the company would gain some valued customers which will help them to be stable in the market. Again, when Viking will  maintain a good relation to their dealers (supply chain management is very important for every organization), they will be very glad for working with such a company. They will also be loyal with the company and will do for the betterment of the company always. 2. For more than ten years till 1995, Laboni stores ltd was successfully running a a number of retail stores selling cosmetics and skin care products. From 1996, sales were stagnating and now after a year had started declining. The general manager of the company made enquiries from stores in charge at various locations of stores. All of them reported that ladies, particularly the younger generation, were found to be highly discriminating about choice of products. Demand for certain branded items widely fluctuated due to movie artists’ preferences shown on the TV. Also there is a marketed tendency to equate quality with rice. The general managed decided to have environmental analysis carried out with a focus on changes in social and cultural factors among urban ladies On that basis he even thought of recommending to the board of directors a complete change in the product lines to be decided. Do you think the GM was right in his approach regarding environmental scanning? What other factors in the environment needed analysis? If there was a clear change in tastes and preferences of buyers of certain products, is it essential for the company to switch over to a different product line? Answer Every organization in the world needs to modify their business model in some context. When the demand for their products starts to decline due to the change in tastes and preferences of their customers and their competitive pressure keep increasing, they should grab a new policy for their company just to be sustaining in the competitive market. Here, considering the above mentioned fact, I would say that yes, the general manager was right in his approach regarding environmental scanning of the product. Because by scanning the environment, the company would able to know the actual demand of their products and some other factors which are hampering their market such as the quality of their competitors product, what new demand exist in  the market, what their customer wants, which innovation should they bring . As there was a clear change in the tastes and preferences of their customers of certain products, the company should switch over to a different product line based on the result s they have found from the scanning of the environment. 3. Avik industries ltd was a family owned conglomerate with diversified business activities including consumers’ durables, switchgears, batteries and both toilate and washing soapes. For a number of years the company prospered with growth in volumes and market share. But its performance had setback in 1999, when the net margins in switchgears, the most profitable product, declined from 12 to 11%, while in consumer durables it had halved to 6%, the batteries business was under pressure, and the ailing soaps division had just started looking up. The chief executive of the switchgear unit observed that the results would have been worse but for the focus on operational efficiency. For years, Avik had been organized along four divisions as independent profit centres. Except for HR and finance, all other functions were decentralized. The advantage was that each of the businesses had a strong focus. It also facilitated customer focus. The flipside was that divisions became insular and inward looking. Each division had its own ad budget even separated ad agencies. The sales force was pushed to look at short term product promotions in the face of competitive pressure. The cost of sales was rising much faster than rate of growth in sales. It seemed divisional autonomy had been pushed too far down the line. Should the divisional set up be disbanded? Or, should the divisions be converted into SBUs and spun off into separate companies? Is there any other alternative structure possible? Answer Decentralization makes all individual more creative as their decisions get more valued from the top level of the organization. So they get more encouraged to take all the decisions of the company very carefully as they know that they will be treated well for a better decision in future. Now  considering the mentioned fact, my suggestion would be neither the divisional set up should be disbanded nor a single division should be converted in to separate companies. Rather,  Avik industries ltd should disbanded their decision of decentralizing their all other departments. I would say that the decentralization would be very better for the company. And altogether, the SBUs must be added into all their separated departments. Henceforth, the decentralization will allow all other departments to make their own decision and the SBUs will put all the information of the organization from all the separated departments together. Thus, the management board and all others can look for every decision of their organization that had taken in separated departments and would be able to make any correction if they needed in future. So, the decision would mostly come from the top level of the company which will bring the betterment for the company.

Reflective reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Reflective reports - Essay Example Since that time, I learnt to improve my communication skills through several means. In most of the cases however, my learning in communication happened on the job. This means that different work situations presented different ways in which I had to approach communication. For example there was one time when a 46-year-old female was transported in her bed to the Minor Injury Unit at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, as the physician requested a lumbar spine X-ray for her after she fell down the stairs. The radiographer and I had difficulty communicating with the patient because she has aphasia, which is defined as a loss of language function and which is a result of injury to the language centres in the brain (Ehrlich and Coakes 2013). Before I started positioning the patient for the lumbar spine X-ray procedure, I asked the nurse who accompanied her about the way that she communicated with the patient. The nurse revealed that the patient was able to read and write and so she wrote what she wanted to say to the patient on a piece of paper and gave it to her so she could read it. Based on this, I brought a piece of paper with me and wrote down what would happen during the procedure as well as some instructions for the patient. I then gave her the piece of paper so she could read what I wrote. The patient read what I gave her and she wrote that she understood what I was trying to tell her and she felt more comfortable after having received this written explanation. As a result of this communication, we successfully carried out the examination. Alder and Carlton (2010) and Watkins (2001) note that good communication and compassionate care also have a great impact on the practitioner. In radiography, good communication with the patient helps him/her understand what the radiographer is expecting from him/her during the procedure, which will

International Trade Administration of North America Term Paper

International Trade Administration of North America - Term Paper Example When we look at the old pattern where how the US economy works, that is, the population also grows along with US economy, the job fulfilment is reached. When we check the business-peak cycle from January 1980 to July 1990 we can observe the total U.S employment grow by 151,000 net new payroll jobs in a month. And it increased at a rate of 178,000 at the business- peak cycle from July 1991 to March 2001, but around the turn of millennium the situation began to change in U.S. than before (Lenain, et al., 2012). Due to the weak employment growth in the beginning of the millennium the economy fell into recession and began to shed jobs at the end of 2008 and this lasted till the president signed the American recovery and reinvestment act. The recession made a large and continuing negative impact on the state and local governments, however with the help of recovery act and by the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance extensions contained in the tax relief, unemployment insurance reaut horisation and job creation act of 2010, the U.S. economy had added jobs in every month from February 2010 (Lenain, et al., 2012). The economy of whole North America includes 528 million people in its 23 sovereign states and 15 dependent territories. It is marked by a sharp division between predominantly English speaking countries of Canada and united states , which are among the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world, and the countries in central America and Caribbean the less developed.

Worldview as it Relates to Philosophy Research Paper

Worldview as it Relates to Philosophy - Research Paper Example Through experience and education individuals develop these perspectives and implement them as a means of living their daily existence. When considering myself I recognize that my worldview has changed drastically over the course of my life and has been greatly influenced by experience and philosophy. This essay considers my current worldview and the way my past worldview has been influenced and changed through philosophy. Before taking this course my worldview was strongly rooted in religious doctrines. Throughout the formative periods of my life I grew up in an environment that was strictly Christian. Within this environment my parents and most of my peers believed in the major tenants of the Christian religion. Growing up in this environment I learned to adopt most of the religious principles that are espoused by the Christian religion. In terms of the creation of the world I believed that Earth and the universe had been created by God. I believed in morals as they related to the c oncept of good and evil as established by the Bible. In these regards, morality was presented as an easily understandable concept – if an individual adhered to the law and the tenants of the Bible then they were a moral and good person. I also embraced a concept of the afterlife. If individuals adhered to the Biblical principles and allowed God into their life then I believed they would go to heaven. Conversely, if they disregarded these aspects, they would go to Hell. My relation to science and logic were complex. While I embraced the principle of science in an overarching sense, I came to believe that oftentimes science could be wrong or mistaken. Specifically, in terms of evolution and cosmology I believed that while scientists had approached the concepts of existence and biology with their greatest ability, they were ultimately flawed in their findings. I understood that that ultimately their current scientific investigations would be proven wrong and they would ultimatel y discover that God and Biblical principles were the true reality of existence. When I look back on my worldview during this period of my life I recognize that I was greatly influenced by my personal surroundings and parents’ influence. As I gradually became more exposed to new ideas and new people my worldview drastically changed. In large part, the philosophical ideas I was exposed to in this course shaped and sharpened my worldview in a variety of ways. One of the major notions that I came to recognize through my research in philosophy emerged in terms of Christian morality. While Christianity noted that there were easily understood concepts of good and evil, my exposure to philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche in Beyond Good and Evil led me to understand that moral actions couldn’t easily be broken down into concepts of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ but often involve a complex number of philosophical implications (Nietzsche 1993). Another profound such changes that I experienced occurred in my understanding and eventual embracement of scientific principles. As I previously indicated that I had believed science did not properly understand Christian understandings of the world, as I became exposed to more scientific thought I came to understand that in large part the principles behind such concepts as evolution are supported by substantial scientific research. In these regards, I learned to increasingly embrace the notion that many of the claims made in the Bible may be wrong. As I became exposed to earlier notions of mythology, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, which contains a flood story, I further came to recognize

Critically analyse the relative merits of the Capital Asset Pricing Assignment

Critically analyse the relative merits of the Capital Asset Pricing Model and empirical approaches to Asset pricing (such as FAMA and French model) - Assignment Example The basic essence of the model is that it determines the amount of return that an investor is going to earn for putting their money at risk. It would be helpful to have a brief and basic idea about the concept of CAPM with the intention that the understanding of relative merits of it becomes easy. According to the model and ultimate derivation, it can be said that the return which an investor expects to earn by investing on a security or a portfolio is the rate on a risk-free security and a risk premium. The formula for this finding is written like: The basic concept behind the above model is that the investors are required to be compensated in two ways: risk and time value of money. The compensation for time value of money is represented by the risk-free rate which an investor earns by putting his money on investment over a period of time. The other part of the formula on the right hand side is a factor of risk and it determines the compensation the investors should get for taking an additional amount of risk. This amount is calculated by a risk measure (beta). There are certain implications of the model: According to Michailidis (2006), an examination of the emerging Greek Securities market was done based on the CAPM by considering weekly stock returns of 100 companies that were listed on the Athens Stock Exchange for the period 1998-2002. The findings of the test did not support the basic statement that higher risk (beta) means higher levels of return. However the model explains excess return and ultimately supports the linear structure of the CAPM equation (Michailidis & Et. Al., 2006). The model considers reality in explaining risk factor where it assumes only systematic risk associated with the investment options. The unsystematic risk can be removed since there are diversified options for investors and thus can be eliminated. CAPM derives a theoretical relationship between return and

Communication in Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication in Economics - Essay Example It is quite apparent that currencies and stock markets in emerging economies particularly in countries such as South Africa, India, Turkey and Indonesia among others got affected as several investors are starting to pull back their funds from the emerging economies due to financial fluctuations. According to the report, the US Federal Reserve has scaled back nearly US$85 billion from the developing nations during the period of August’ 2013 (Catan, Anand and Murphy, â€Å"In Turmoil, Emerging Markets Raise Rates†). It can be apparently observed in this recent times that India’s Rupee, Brazil’s Real, Turkey’s Lira and Indonesia’s Rupiah have fallen considerably against US Dollar. In this regard, the investors are presently hastening to purchase dollar because of the expectation that the US will start to cut the monetary stimulus. Due to this reason, emerging markets or economies are increasing the interest rates with the intention that this might assist in stanching the massive outflow of funds through making the assets of the developing nations more attractive especially for the investors (Akhtar, â€Å"Pressure Building on Emerging Markets†). Catan, Thomas, Shefali Anand and Tom Murphy. In Turmoil, Emerging Markets Raise Rates. The Wall Street Journal, 2013. Web. 01 Sep. 2013

The part of the film Essay Example for Free

The part of the film Essay In the opening scene of the film there is an important camera shot going on, a point of view shot of a creature flying over the water, which eventually leads into a and if you listen very carefully you can hear a drum beat that could relate to a heart beat, this could make the audience become jumpy or scared because it could make them feel as if they were there. That camera shot is effective because it begins to involve the audience. The camera shot continues over the water and up until you have a point of view of Santa Carla and the rides, because it is night time have is a slight horror element because most villains and monsters get their prey at night. Straight after that we go into a close up of David and his gang and the people he fights with on the carousal, this is when we get our first glance of who David is and makes the audience ask questions like, Is that the vampire? When David attacks the man on the carousel we get to see what he is going to be like throughout the film. In the camera shot after this we can hear flapping and laughing of the creatures suggesting that it is a vampire of some sort. This part of the film, this would make the audience jumpy because it goes from a close up on the guard to show his fear and a point of view shot from the creature to show its getting closer. When the creatures finally get the guard we see the door been ripped off and screaming of the guard, the cameras very cleverly disguise is to the audience can not see what is been ripped apart. This would build tension because the audience would want to known what is happening and what the monster is meaning they will have to wait until further in the film. The camera shots that are filmed in the day part of the scene also bring the horror element to the film. At the very start of the day scene it is a similar camera shot to the start of the night scene, due to it looking like a point of view shot over the water, yet again. When entering into Santa Carla on the back of the welcome sign it says Welcome to the murder capital of the world in a red paint. This is a moment of iconography because the colour red is the same colour as blood and gore. At this time the Mother says I know what we have been through over the last couple of years. This is ironic because of what has happened so far suggests that this will not be much different from what they have had before. All the characters in the car are completely oblivious about it and do not know what will happen and what is happening. During the next scene we get a camera shot of a close up, on the people of Santa Carla with inter cut ups of missing posters suggesting that Santa Carla is a weird place going with that and the weird people. This shows quickly that Santa Carla is a weird place and has some strange problems. That part of the film links to the song that is going on at this point, People are strange, the part of the film fits in with the song because the people of Santa Carla are actually acting very strange.

Development of Corporate Governance in Nigeria

Development of Corporate Governance in Nigeria   Literature Review The code of corporate governance Over the years, Nigeria has experienced rapid development with regards to corporate governance. This can be noted in the 2003 Code of Corporate Governance (SEC Code), the 2006 mandatory Code of Corporate Governance for Nigerian Banks post consolidation (CBN Code) and most importantly the 2007 Code of Conduct for Shareholder Associations in Nigeria (SEC Code for shareholders). {(now revised in 2011) update the dates for the different codes}. According to Grienenberger (1995), corporate governance can be defined as The legal and practical system for the exercise of power and control in the conduct of the business of a corporation, including in particular the relationships amongst the shareholders, the management, the board of the directors and its committees, and other constituencies. The main issue with corporate governance is that it is often viewed as the separation between ownership (shareholders) and control (managers). Jensen and Meckling (1976) state that managers will only be as incentivized to add value to shareholders in proportion to what they stand to personally gain. Schacht (1995) then argues that corporate governance represents the friction that managers and owners of public companies face in the involvement of the productive level of shareholders in corporate policy and administration. Nigeria was a British colony therefore it adopted the corporate governance system of the British and its history of corporate governance stems from the colonial times when the private sector was dominated by British companies (Okike 2007, Ahunwan 2002). After she gained her independence in 1960, there was a great economic liberation and the government developed domestic ownership and control of the Nigerian private sector (Akpotaire 2005). The framework of corporate governance adopted was still that of the British. For instance, there was the replacement of the Companies Ordinance of 1992 by the 1968 (how can the 68 replace the 92) Companies Act but the biggest influence was the UK corporate law (Adegbite and Nakajima, 2010). It is not unimaginable that since the corporate governance of Nigeria mirrors that of the British so closely, the effectiveness would be somewhat guaranteed. Unfortunately this has not been the case. It could be easily explained by the fact that the corporate la ws and regulations in the UK are not complementary, reflective or applicable in the Nigerian business environment (Adegbite and Nakajima, 2010). Okike (2007) states that though the framework of the corporate governance in Nigeria mirrors that of the UK, the same cannot be said in terms of application or ingrained principles. Ultimately, it seems the legal or corporate governance codes governing corporations have not been developed with the peculiarities of Nigeria in mind. The issues that are specific to the cultural and political environments have also been ignored (Okike, 2007) and these are of utmost importance especially when considering the unstructured and informal nature of the Nigerian economy (Yahaya, 1998). In the years that follow, I believe this error was trying to be corrected by making codes to reflect Nigeria as a country and her corporate environment. According to Adegbite et. al (2012) The primary statute empowering shareholders in Nigeria to intervene in a companys affairs is the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990 (as amended). In addition to this as stated above was the 2003 Code of Corporate Governance (SEC Code). Adegbite et. al (2012) goes on to state that this code has as one of its core focuses to promote the rights and responsibilities of shareholders. It expressly states that the company or board should not discourage shareholder activism whether institutional or by organised shareholders groups. It further states that the annual general meetings (AGMs) should be an avenue for shareholder participation in the governance of the company. Furthermore, there should be a director who represents the interests of minority shareholders who occupies a seat on the board. Okike (2007) believes that these are all efforts of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to promote shareholder activism as well as the rights of minority shareholders in the Nigerian corporate governance code. As a result of all these developments, there have now been an emergence of many private initiatives which have been encouraged by the government such as The Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), the Nigerian Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), the Proactive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PROSAN), the Association for the Advancement of the Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS) amongst other shareholder associations. These have developed mainly to give minority shareholders a chance in a sector that has been dominated by majority shareholders when it comes to block voting. The issue of Politics and its impact on Shareholder Activism In a recent study, Adegbite et. al (2012) state that an environment of unhealthy and vast politicking is created when shareholder activism is used as corporate governance mechanism in Nigeria. It is believed that this is as a result of the countrys brand of politics, in other words expressing that this is a challenge that is quite peculiar to Nigeria. It denotes that though shareholder activism is somewhat a universal practice, certain characteristics of different regions warrant an understanding before said practice can be carried out correctly. Most literature on shareholder activism is based on the Anglo-Saxon construction of markets as prior to independence from the British, the Anglo Saxon-based system of corporate law and regulations was in place in Nigeria (Adegbite and Nakajima, 2010). This is founded on the neo-liberal conception of democratic politics where there is freedom and rights within legitimate institutional boundaries. Also, under the same umbrella of this ideology is shareholder activism, as it is an essential characteristic to the financial markets (Adegbite et. al 2012). This has led to little thought being given to the effect that the post-independence stage of political democracy has on the way in which different things are practiced and in particular, shareholder activism. Given these points, lets look further into the democratic political state of Nigeria. Nigeria gained her independence on October 1, 1960. In the 56 years of her independence, she has been vastly ridiculed with the plague of corruption. This has been evident in the politics of the nation, the way business is conducted both local and international and the general way of life of her people. Unfortunately, we follow this through many years of various scandals such as Cadbury 2014 and infamously Shell 1990 to present. It would be almost obvious that this corruption tremendously affects the business environment and by extension, shareholder activism. This can be evidenced by looking at independent corruption indexes. In appendix 1, we see extracts from various reports from the Transparency International (2013) which is a non-governmental organisation. These reports show Nigeria ranking 136 out of 178 countries (178 being the most corrupt country) in the corruption index as well as having a score of 26 (100 being corrupt free). More importantly, in the index of corruption b y political parties, Nigeria scored 4.7 out of 5 (5 being extremely corrupt). This data is one that cannot be ignored in the analysis of the political environment of the country having a direct/indirect effect on shareholder activism. Adegbite et al. (2012) also compare the World Bank index which is based on six broad measures: (1) voice and accountability, (2) political stability, (3) government effectiveness, (4) regulatory quality, (5) rule of law and (6) control of corruption. Three countries are examined namely Nigeria, Denmark and the United Kingdom. The latter mentioned countries score very low on the corruption index in the Transparency International reports and so its no surprise that in the World Bank Anti-Corruption and Governance Index, the same results are observed with Nigeria scoring less than 28% in all 6 categories while Denmark and the United Kingdom score higher than 80% across the same categories. These results all highlight the same issue. It is the implications of the Corrupt and greed driven Nigerian politics and political culture on business conduct, corporate governance and shareholder activism in particular (Adegbite et. al 2012). In light of all of this, it would be unfair not to mention that there are steps taken to mitigate this issue of corruption especially in the attitude towards corporate governance. Only a few years ago, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) dismissed the Chief Executive Officers and Executive Directors or eight Nigerian banks on charges of corruption, fraud and bad corporate governance (Adegbite and Nakajima, 2010). These steps are definitely in the right path to getting the country to where it needs to be but the fact still remains that this is a serious consideration when addressing corporate governance and shareholder activism in Nigeria. As this has been established, the different matters around shareholders associations and institutional shareholders have been discussed below. Institutional shareholders and Non-institutional shareholders (shareholder associations) The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has been in existence for about 46 years. It has over 260 listed securities including 10 Government Stock, 55 industrial loans (Debenture/Preferences) stocks and 195 equity/ordinary shares of companies with a total capitalisation of about 875.2 billion naira. Shareholding in Nigeria has grown rapidly to an estimated 10 million (Amao and Amaeshi, 2008). There have been a series of events such as the privatisation programme in Nigeria that has massively impacted the share ownership. In the early stages of the programme, the privatised companies offered over 1.3 billion shares for sale to the public. There was a huge influx of first time buyers as well others amounting to over 800,000 shareholders. Between 1989 and 2005, over forty government-owned companies were privatised (Tanko II, 2004). Small individual shareholders coming together to form shareholders associations and large individual shareholders are categories of Non-institutional shareholders. (Crespi Renneboog, 2010; Poulsen et al., 2010; Song Szewczyk, 2003; Uche, C., Adegbite, E. and John Jones, M. 2016). The way in which shareholder activism is carried out and achieved by small and large individual shareholders is mainly attributable to their shareholdings (Connelly, Tihanyi, Certo Hitt, 2010; Crespi Renneboog, 2010; Johnson, Schnatterly, Johnson, Chiu, 2010; Uche et al., 2016). Due to the amount of shareholdings that small individual shareholders possess, they are at a disadvantage in the matter of having influence over management. In order to combat this, small individual shareholders often combine voting rights with that of other shareholders thus increasing their influence when engaging in shareholder activism. By doing so, they bypass the need for large block holding. Coordination by small individu al shareholders is then achieved by using organizations such as shareholders associations. While this teamwork doesnt result in the influence of corporate strategy or board nominations, Strickland et al. (1996) states that it brings about certain advantages such as successful shareholder-initiated proposals documented in countries such as the United States of America. Shareholders associations are a registered group mainly consisting of small individual shareholders while Institutional shareholders is a term for entities which pool money to purchase securities, real property, and other investment assets or originate loans. Institutional shareholders include banks, insurance companies, pensions, hedge funds, REITs, investment advisors, endowments, and mutual funds. In this section, the relationship between these two will be analyzed as well as the effects their union or otherwise has on shareholder activism. According to Uche, Adegbite and John Jones (2016), prior literature has shown how beneficial collaborations between shareholders associations and institutional shareholders have been in shareholder activism. Examples of this is institutional shareholders using their proxy votes to support shareholder proposals. However, there has been little work done in this area regarding a developing country as well as the effect that activism carried out by shareholders associations has on institutional shareholders (Uche, Adegbite and John Jones, 2016). According to Mulgan (2000) and Uche et al., (2016) Accountability is considered to be an activity that requires the accountee to engage in questioning, assessing and criticizing when holding the accountor to account. It is believed to be a two way conversation between accountee and accountor. Uche et al., (2016) notes that the accountability relationship theory isnt discussed in a corporate environment by Mulgan (2000) but similar characteristics have been identified in the relationship between the board members and management. These characteristics were identified by Roberts et al., (2005) as questioning, probing, discussing, informing and encouraging. In addition, it is evident that shareholder activism share these same features. This is because Institutional shareholders and shareholders associations involve in discussion, probing and questioning management at AGMs and other private meetings (Uche et al., 2016; Roberts et al., 2006; Solomon and Darby, 2005). These conversations with shareholders associations and institutional shareholders also allow companies to gain insight into different issues on social, ethical and environmental issues which in turn aids in promoting corporate matters aime d at the public (Solomon and Darby, 2005; Amao and Amaeshi, 2008; Johed and Catasus, 2015). As mentioned in earlier sections, Nigeria is home to many shareholders associations. There are more than thirty organisations unlike other more developed countries such as the United Kingdom which usually has only one association engaging in shareholder activism (Amao Amaeshi, 2008; Adegbite, Amaeshi Amoa, 2012). Uche, Adegbite and John Jones (2016) importantly highlights the importance of the structure of shareholders associations in Nigeria. These associations are made up only of small individual shareholders. The reason this is important to note is because of the impact it has on strategies carried out by the organisations. It also indicates the amount of influence or lack thereof that these organisations may have on the management of companies and thus shareholder activism. In shareholder activism, the expectation is that the shareholders are able to exert a certain level of influence over management of a company which will allow them to facilitate change in strategic outcome or managerial decisions (Ryan and Schneider, 2002). This influence is much easier when there is an independence between the activists and management of the company involved. This can be seen in the analysis between institutional shareholders, shareholders association and management within the boundary of shareholder activism (Uche et al., 2016; Becht et al., 2008; Catasus and Johed 2007; Crespi and Renneboog, 2010; Ingley and Van der Walt, 2001; Johed and Catasus 2015). The independence noted in relationships between shareholders associations and managements of companies allow for the association to have an increased influence over management (Uche et al., 2016; Poulsen et al., 2010) A lack of independence is noted in easily pressured institutional shareholders. This causes these type of investors to rather guard the relationships formed with managements of the company involved for their own benefits .This type of behavior is usually noted in passive institutional shareholders than active institutional shareholders (Uche et al., 2016; Almazan, Hartzell and Starks, 2005; Brickley, Lease and Smith 1998; Marler and Faugere, 2010). Prior literature has shown that there is a difference in the way various institutional shareholders carry out shareholder activism. This allows them to benefit in different ways from the way others carry out their activist activities (Uche, Adegbite and John Jones, 2016). Active institutional shareholders will benefit from things such as coordinated voting with other institutional shareholders or shareholders associations while the same may not be the case for institutional shareholders that are passive. Passive institutional shareholders as the name suggests, have a more laissez-faire attitude towards shareholder activism. They prefer to avoid any direct activist activities while benefiting from that which active shareholder institutions and shareholders associations have fought for (Brav, Jiang, Partnoy, Thomas, 2008). These passive institutional shareholders in Nigeria are usually hedge funds or pension funds who focus on short term benefits and dont want to disrupt the business relationships built with these companies. It is argued that shareholders associations dont experience this same dynamic between them and management of any company in questions regarding shareholder activism (Uche et al., 2016; Stratling, 2012). However, according to Uche et al., 2016, Adegbite et al., 2010 and Yakasi, 2001, it has been reported that some shareholders associations in Nigeria develop relationships with management because of financial benefits obtained outside of the business relationship. This then leads to a lack of independence and hinders the shareholders associations from acting as accountees and holding the accountors (management of the company in question) to account. Prior research notes that different shareholder groups have different agendas that they pursue and though these may be similar in multiple cases, they can also differ. This is as a result of their interests and time horizons being different (Uche et al., 2016; Goranova Ryan, 2014; Ingley Van der Walt, 2001). Individual shareholders usually invest smaller stakes over a short period of time while institutional shareholders such as pension funds will invest massively over a long period of time. Fundamental differences such as these cause conflicts between the groups in shareholder activism. For instance, hedge funds prefer short term pay puts thus are more short term oriented (Uche et al., 2016). Ultimately, in Nigeria, institutional shareholders do not participate enough in shareholder activism especially in comparison to shareholders associations. As noted in earlier paragraphs, due to the small holdings of individual shareholders who make up shareholders association they are not able to practice shareholder activism as effectively as they should (Uche et al., 2016; Amao Amaeshi, 2008; Okike, 2007; Yakasai, 2001). Despite this, it has been noted that shareholders associations have been of great help in holding management of companies accountable by resisting the fraudulent sale of corporate sales and sacking of poorly performing corporate executives through shareholder activism (Uche et al., 2016; Aderinokun, 2003; Chigbo, 2000). The Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) code (both 2003 and the revised code in 2011) avidly encourage institutional shareholders and organised shareholders groups to actively engage in shareholder activism so as to improve practices (SEC Code, 2003; SEC Code 2011). While institutional shareholders are not there to usurp the role of monitoring agencies, they are in a better position to pressurise companies to take shareholder accountability and interest more seriously (Chung Talaulicar, 2010; Roberts et al., 2006). In the face of previous scandals and governance and accountability problems in Nigeria, institutional shareholders now have another opportunity to fight for improved governance practices so as to create better shareholder values (Ahunwan, 2002; Bakre, 2007; CBN, 2006). According to Yakasai (2011) and Ajogwu (2007), Institutional shareholders are in a better strategic position than small shareholders to engage with corporate managers. Their influence can bridge the gap of communication between shareholders and really have an impact on corporate governance practices. All of this highlights the importance of both institutional shareholders and shareholders associations to practice shareholder activism (together and independently) independent of management of companies so as to relinquish all forms of bias in order to improve the effectiveness of shareholder activism in Nigeria. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Introduction This chapter illustrates the methodology used in this research to achieve my results. Research methodology is crucial to any research as it highlights the reasoning behind methods chosen to achieve the aims and objectives of this research (Kothari, 2004). The purpose of this paper is to clearly state what Shareholder Activism is and take a closer look into Sub-saharan Africa, more specifically Nigeria. It will also highlight three main areas that grossly affect the practice of shareholder activism in Nigeria as well as offer suggestions that could make the experience a much more efficient and effective one. To achieve this, this chapter has been divided into various sub sections namely, research philosophy, approach, strategy, time horizons, data collection and data analysis. Research Philosophy Research philosophy is an over-arching term relating to the development of knowledge and the nature of that knowledge. (Bandaranayake, 2012). According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003), research philosophy is dominated by three main views namely Positivism, Interpretivism (Social Constructionism) and Realism. Positivism as described by Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003), is a view that often adopts the philosophical science of the natural scientist. This research perspective is one of utmost objectivity, completely independent from the researcher and unaffected by the research or its results. Interpretivism/Social Constructionism views reality as based on human practices formed by human interactions with others and the world in which they live in, developed within a social context (Crotty, 1998). The intent of this approach is to understand the subjectivity of reality of the people being analyzed in order to deduce the background and reasoning of their motives in a way thats applicable to them. (Ramanathan, 2008). The key differences between Positivism and Interpretivism (Social Constructionism) are highlighted in the table below by (Ramanathan, 2008). Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003) state that Realism is applied to the study of human subjects, recognizing the importance of understanding peoples socially constructed interpretation and meaning, or subjective reality, within the context of seeking to understand broader social forces, structures or processes that influence, and perhaps constrain, the nature of peoples views and behaviours. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2003), it will be misleading to think of any research philosophy as better than the next. Ultimately, all three philosophies serve different purposes depending on the objective of the research. Nonetheless, business situations such as shareholder activism are complex and unique to different individuals circumstances and environment. Shareholder activism in Nigeria cannot be discussed without addressing the corporate governance environment of the country. According to Grienenberger (1995), Corporate governance can be defined as the legal and practical system for the exercise of power and control in the conduct of the businessof a corporation, including in particular the relationships amongst the shareholders, the management, the board of the directors and its committees, and other constituencies. This definition highlights two things that are very important. This is the fact that this is a legal and practical system. Every country has its own legal system that may derive its origin from many things such as the country which it was colonized by to the general way of life of the people. This in fact is the same for how business is conducted as well. Therefore, it is without doubt that an understanding of the countrys systems and the way in which things are done is essential for any well informed analysis to be made. This has therefore led me to choose interpretivism/social constructionism as my research philosophy as I believe that the characteristics of this philosophy such as aiming to increase the general understanding of the situation, gathering rich information from which ideas are induced and including stakeholder perspectives are all exactly the approaches I need to undertake in order to appropriately understand all the drivers involved in shaping shareholder activism in a developing country such as Nigeria. Research Approach When considering what research approach to use in research, there are two theories available. These are: Deduction (Testing theory) and Induction (Building theory). Deduction approach as the name implies involves the researcher having a proposed theory (usually involving two or more variables) which they then collect data against, analyse and draw conclusions in support of or opposing the original thesis (DeGracia et al., 2014). Induction approach on the other hand involves observing different cases or scenarios and then developing a general hypothesis around ones findings (DeGracia et al., 2014). This approach allows for a less rigid methodology and openness to varying explanations of what is going on (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2003). The table below shows the differences between Deduction and Induction approaches to Research by (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2003). Box 4.1 Major differences between deductive and inductive approaches to research Deduction emphasises Scientific principles Moving from theory to data The need to explain causal relationships between variables The collection of quantitative data The application of controls to ensure validity of data The operationalisation of concepts to ensure clarity of definition A highly structured approach Researcher independence of what is being researched The necessity to select samples of sufficient size in order to generalize conclusions Induction emphasises Gaining an understanding of the meanings humans attach to events A close understanding of the research context The collection of qualitative data A more flexible structure to permit changes of research emphasis as the research progresses A realisation that the research is part of the research process Less concern with the need to generalise The induction approach will be taken as this research looks into human behaviours and social construct within a certain environment. Furthermore, I will be making use of qualitative data alone to suit the approach adopted by Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, (2003). This is because my research is looking into the problems associated with the lack of effectiveness of shareholder activism in Nigeria. This means that I am looking into the issues surrounding application, human behavior towards corporate governance and shareholder activism. Therefore, the induction approach as well as the use of qualitative data is the best way to get the different stakeholder perspectives and gather the right information within a less rigid structure that will enable the appropriate analysis to be conducted. 4.4 Research Strategy According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, (2003), there are different research strategies namely: Experiment Survey Case study Grounded theory Ethnography Action research Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies Exploratory, descriptive and explanatory studies. For the purpose of this research, grounded theory will be used. This is because it is mainly used in the inductive approach and will allow for a more thorough insight into the issues associated with the objectives set in this research by using interviews (Corbin and Strauss, 1990). My source of data will be interviews and archival records as it allows me to capture insights into events associated with shareholder activism through the personal accounts of individuals experiences (Hendry et all., 2007; Useem et al., 1993). As this research paper is focused on Nigeria, I have limited access to data as I am currently in the United Kingdom. Therefore, I have conducted telephone interviews with seasoned individuals practicing shareholder activism because it was more cost and time efficient to do so. I believe using these will give me a well-rounded view of the issues that need to be identified. Time Horizons There are two types of time horizons focused on by Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, (2003) namely Cross-sectional studies and longitudinal studies. Cross- sectional studies have to do with research on a particular hypothesis at a particular time, while longitudinal studies involve researching a certain phenomenon over an extended period of time. This research focuses on Shareholder Activism in Nigeria, over the years there has been very little written on this subject matter. My aim is to add to the body of knowledge which exists in current times. In this case, I will be applying cross-sectional studies and focusing on the periods from the early 2010 to present day 2016. Data Collection The main research method in this paper will be the interviews conducted with persons that are knowledgeable on the subject. As I am not very conversant with the subject matter, speaking with these people will aid in expanding my knowledge. It is quite expensive to travel to Nigeria from the United Kingdom therefore, telephone interviews will be conducted as it will save time and costs. I also plan on using archival records as I believe this will provide context to my research thus allowing me to form a well-rounded grounded theory. Data Analysis Various solid articles and books will be used to aid in my coding and analysis of the intervi