Cosmopolitanism and People Essay

The Internet is playing a very important role in the evolution of digital technology, but although it has seen remarkable growth over the last few years, its dispersion remains highly asymmetric. It is widely believed that the so called information age will bring radical change and improvement, and countries all over the world are busy with constructing the necessary infrastructure, the â€Å"information superhighways,† in order to meet the challenges of the information society of the twenty-first century. Kwame Anthony Appiah’s essay â€Å"Making Conversation† tell us about human’s conversation is better expressing themselves in person. Marshall Poe said in his article â€Å"The Hive† talks about the evolution of Wikipedia and how people are interacting online. The internet serves a purpose for research, schoolwork, and connections. However, the result from the internet age is loosing communication,lack of social interaction, and the unreliable nat ure of websites. First, Communication is key with success, however because of the internet age the ability to communicate face to face is dwindling.â€Å"Making Conversation† by Appiah is an idea on the expression cosmopolitanism and the feeling people in any nation have to take in order to achieve cosmopolitanism and globalization. Appiah wants to be citizen in the world not to separate by culture because people can learn each other different culture from other countries. Appiah said â€Å"One is the idea that we have obligations to others, obligations to others, obligations that stretch beyond those to whom we are related by the ties of kith and kind, or even the more formal ties of shared citizenship. The other is that we take seriously the value not just of human life but of particular human lives, which means taking an interest in the practices and beliefs that lend them significance† (Appiah 69). People learn from other cultures, with communication and with having an open mind. If People are closed off to new ideas from other cultures and we we will never grow. Communication is the  most important one topic because people communicate no matter what we need communication to express ourselves to others. Appiah said it is more important to communicate one another in person instead of using other networks. The conversation is the first important step to understand others. People of other cultures will then learn to accept the beliefs of others and by â€Å"changing our minds†, Appiah makes it clear that conversing with people does not often begin with agreeing on a set of principles, but rather exchanging our ideas and learning from another one. Eventhough, the internet can be helpful with education, it can also be unreliable. However, â€Å"The Hive† by Marchall Poe, was the openness of Wikipedia. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that anyone can use it. This might work for some people specially that ones who attend school or college. This is very helpful for them because in Wikipedia you can search or find anything you would like. Since anyone can write, or delete or use information off of Wikipedia, it makes it less controversial because anyone can put their input into the website. If don’t agree with something, that’s alright because you can add your own opinion. Poe describes how authors of certain wiki pages write with a bias to support their facts. Facts become opinions when feelings and emotions of bias get involved. â€Å"Instead of relying on experts to write articles according to their expertise, Wikipedia lets anyone write about anything† (Poe 349). It means people are free to write whatever they want and they feel so others could see and write their opinions. This concept is important because it allows the author to give a good explanation on why this kind of group could work well with society. Wikipedia was created to help with learning. This is important because the people behind Wikipedia want us to learn more and to have better knowledge. The whole idea of Wikipedia is so people can post whatever they want and when they want. Every single day people are posting and reading others comments and having opinions. Wikipedia is so successful. Lastly, when working on a research project, using these websites can add some quick insight at hand. â€Å"The cathedral â€Å"and â€Å"The Bazaar† are the biggest difference between Nupedia and Wikipedia is how the information is edited. With Nupedia, people who would submit articles would have to wait for it to be published because it what is reviewed by editors. The process took loads of  time. People behind Wikipedia, can post something and it is reviewed by a never ending amount of people and therefore because of the sites popularity, posts can easily be weeded out. Nupedia was designed to be more professional and they tried to find knowledgeable scholars to oversee the site, and all the entries would be written by experts and those pieces would be read and revised by another group of scholars. Wikipedia is for anyone who wishes to add an article for something they specialize in. It could be something as simple as a definition or a more extensive article. They are posted and then other readers can edit the pieces if they discover incorrect information. This difference helps us understand why Poe named his subheadings the Cathedral and the Bazaar. A cathedral is very organized and has very district, intelligent leaders who oversee the operations. â€Å"There was simply no question in his mind that Nupedia would be Guided by a board of experts, that submissions would be largely written by experts, and that articles would be published only after extensive peer review† (353) This means only post that are actually true would be seen by an editor and be publish. Nupedia has very neat guidelines, and is overseen by professionals. A Bazaar, is much more casual and is usually a market that contains a large variety of items. Wikipedia has very few guidelines and has lots of types of information on millions of subjects. In summary, the result from the internet age is loosing communication,lack of social interaction, and the unreliable nature of websites. Wikipedia is helping the humanity to express their feeling and be seem by others and have opinions. Nupedia is seemed by experts where they can see if it’s true or not to be published. The information has to have credibility to be valid without sacrificing human interaction. Anthony Appiah. â€Å"Making Conversation. The Primacy of Practice.† Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers. Ed. Barclay Barrios, Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 66-82 Print. Poe, Marshall. â€Å"The Hive†. Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers. Ed. Barclay Barrios, Boston, MA: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2010. 349-363. Print.

History of the Fornication Pants Essay

Jeans today are much more than a simple item of clothing; they are a staple, a comfort and an identity. They are not a piece of clothing that is unique to one culture or society; jeans are jeans no matter where you are. Jeans have transcended nationality, race and even war, and yet they are still one of the most ordinary parts of our lives. What many people take for granted is that Jeans have become such a part of their everyday lives that they never stop to think about where they come from, and what they have done for people. Jeans had a humble beginning, a colourful and influential life and have a bright future. They are a part of North American history and culture and have defined many people’s lives. Cotton denim started being produced in North America in the eighteenth century and with the American cotton industry came slave labour. Plantation owners relied on slaves to keep prices down, and in 1860 there were almost four million slaves in the southern United States. (Kyi p.10) Denim got its name from a French fabric woven of silk and wool. The fabric was made in Nimes, France, and as a result it was dubbed â€Å"serge de Nimes†, but when the fabric began being stocked in English stores, it was shortened to â€Å"deNimes† or â€Å"denim†. (Sullivan p.12) At the time, denim was the strongest fabric and was even thought to have been the fabric of choice for the sails of the ships that Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World. (Sullivan p.14) Jean manufacturers buying denim from mills requested dark blue cloth rather than the pale beige offered as it was a colour that would show less dirt and wear. So denim cloth began to be dyed using indigo, but because of the time needed to make the dye it was one of the most expensive dyes in the world. That changed in the 1880’s, when a German scientist by the name of Johann von Baeyer discovered a way to create the same colour in a lab. The colour blue was now much more accessible and cheaper to achieve using the new synthetic indigo dye. (Kyi p.10) There are two Jean companies that played a major part in the production and distribution of the pants at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Levi Strauss & Co. and Lee Company. Levi Strauss was born Loeb Strauss in 1829 in Bavaria. After immigrating to the San Francisco, he opened up a whole sale business selling high quality fabrics. He struck it rich during the California gold rush in the 1860’s, but not by finding gold, but by selling his heavy duty work pants. (Kyi p.15) Around the same time in Nevada, a tailor named Jacob Davis, an immigrant from Latvia, was trying to figure out how to make his work pants stronger. Miners were constantly ripping the seams of their denim work pants. Finally while in his barn Davis realised that the copper rivets that were used to reinforce the seams of horse blankets could be used to reinforce pants as well. (Kyi p.18) His pants were a hit, so he contacted his denim supplier, Levi Strauss, to see if he would consider going into business with him and help him purchase a patent. Strauss was convinced and the two applied for a patent in 1873. This was the birth of blue jeans, although they were not called jeans yet. They were still being called high waist overalls or waist overalls. (Kyi p.21) The first cloth called â€Å"jean† was made in Genoa, Italy, and was worn by sailors. In Italian, Genoa is pronounced â€Å"Genes†, but Strauss did not use the Italian fabric and his pants were not worn by sailors so he never used the term â€Å"jeans†. It was not until years after his death that Levi Strauss & Co. Began using the word. (Contini p.158) It did not take long for the riveted jeans to catch on, and production began to soar and Strauss invited Davis to move to San Francisco, where the two hired dozens of seamstresses to work in their new factories. To distinguish which pants were his and to demonstrate how strong they were, Strauss had a leather label designed for the back waistband, that showed a pair of jeans tied between two draft horses going in opposite directions. The horses were trying to rip the jeans apart, but the fabric was too strong. The label worked so well that for decades the jeans were known as the Two-Horse brand. (Kyi p.23) In the 1890’s a pair of Levi Strauss’ jeans cost about one dollar US, about the equivalent of twenty dollars US today, which was enough to make Strauss rich. (Sullivan p.18) When he died in 1902, his company was left in the care of his three nephews, who were eager continue the company’s success, but they were facing competition. The patent on riveted pants expired in 1891, and in the early 20th century, a new clothing manufacturer appeared, Henry David Lee. Lee opened H.D. Lee Mercantile Company in Kansas City in 1899, selling fabric and furniture. Soon he opened up his own factory and began producing what would today be recognized as overalls. (Kyi p.25) He then came up with the idea to sew a denim shirt onto a pair of jeans to form a denim coverall. The Lee Union-All was first marketed to men who loved cars as it could be worn over other clothes to keep them clean. In 1913 it was popular with farmers, engineers, and factory workers, and soon became available for women and children. When the American Army was preparing to join WWI, thousands of Lee Union-Alls were ordered for the soldiers as they were found to be more durable than any other clothing. (Kyi p.26) In 1926, the Lee Company revolutionized jeans, by putting a zipper in place of the buttons in the fly to â€Å"ease access†. During the depression Lee Company managed to convince people that Lee jeans would last twice as long as other pants, making them a good investment. The Company even opened up a new factory in 1936. (Kyi p.31) During WWII, wartime rationing led to shortages of blue jeans, and owning them became a status symbol. At that time jeans were only available in North America, but when soldiers set sail for Europe and Asia, jeans were introduced to the rest of the world. (Kyi p.35) For women working in factories during the war, jeans or coveralls with a bandanna became their dress code, partly because of the famous portrait of Rosie the Riveter proclaiming â€Å"We Can Do It† while wearing a denim shirt. (Sullivan p.70) After the war, the young soldiers who came home became the first teen rebels. They no longer wanted coveralls but pants that fitted snugly around the waist more suited to motorcycle riding than farming. (Kyi p.39) This developed a style that was popularized by Hollywood and stars such as James Dean in Rebel without a Cause. (Sullivan p.92) Marilyn Monroe began wearing hip-hugging jeans that became popular for women in the 1950’s, making jeans sexy for women as well as men. (Sullivan p.96) Jeans were now something that you could wear while hanging out with your friends; they were no longer just for working on the farm or in a factory. Parents began to worry that their children were running wild, and jeans were banned in US schools and in churches in England. (Kyi p.41) It seemed as though Brigham Young could see into the future when in the 1830’s he called jeans the â€Å"fornication pant†, appalled at the button fly. (Sullivan p.9) Denim had left behind its army reputation and had become the newest style trend. Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Bridget Bardot began wearing them for press appearances and parties, and that’s when the worldwide love affair with denim began. (Sullivan p. 98) Jeans are now a staple of pretty much everyone’s wardrobe in the 21st century. No matter what ethnicity or social class, everyone wears jeans. You see them on movie stars, your teachers, Presidents and Princes, and when you see news footage of a peace rally in Israel; the protestors are wearing jeans. They now come in over 200 sizes and countless styles and washes, with some made for wear on the farm and others perfect for a date on a Friday night. In the 19th century a pair of Levi’s would set a buyer back about $1.50 US, but today the sky is the limit. Jeans vary in price (for adults) from around $20 US at Wal-Mart to a pair of diamond and gold studded jeans that were sold in 2001 in Italy for $500,000 US. (Kyi p.13) Light wash or dark wash, boot cut or flare, diamond studded or embroidered, jeans are jeans, and are a North American icon. Jeans are one of the only pieces of clothing that have survived over ten decade’s worth of styles, and have always looked pretty much the same, and will be around for many more years to come. Works Cited 1.Kyi, Tanya Lloyd. The Blue Jean Book: The Story behind the Seams. New York, New York: Annick Press, 2007. 2.Sullivan, James. Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon. New York, New York: Gotham Books, 2006. 3.Contini, Mila. 5000 Years of Fashion. Secaucus, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, Inc., 1977.

Career Preference

Career is a job or occupation regarded as a long-term or lifelong activity, the general path or progress taken by somebody where he is trained in a particular occupation for his entire working life while preference is the selection of something rather than other choices, it’s the power to choose on what you desire or what is desirable in your part. Socio means society, human society is a best example to understand its meaning because you can understand easily what you observed on it.Socioeconomic is relating to or involving money or financial matters. The above mentioned are the factors affecting the students who aren’t able to finish Bachelor of Science in Criminology in its allotted duration in to finish it. The Bachelor of Science in Criminology or Criminal Justice is a 4-year college degree program intended for individuals who wishes to have a career in the fields of law enforcement, security administration, crime detection and prevention or correctional administrat ion.It aims to foster the values of leadership, integrity, accountability and responsibility while serving fellowmen, community and the country. BS Criminology does not require any special skills, except general skills for the course. Many students would classify the field of study as interesting and not too difficult at all but the course includes several intriguing subjects, even the Practicum is highly anticipated by the graduating students due to its social relevance.Practicum is a non-academic performance; it is performed outside the school, from the time the interns are turned over to the different agencies and offices particularly on PNP divisions and sections they are divided into groups and do the activities they were required to do. They will apply what they learned on the major subjects like when they’re are assigned on traffic section they will apply what they learned on traffic Management and Accident Scene Investigation a major subject of the course.On HPG unit they are lectured to acquire knowledge on patrolling techniques, on BJMP they will learn more about Jail Management and apply some of what lessons on Institutional Correction Administration also a major subject, on the other hand they are also assign on offices like in Mountain Province Police Provincial Office (MPPPO) and in Bontoc Municipal Police Station wherein they observe the jobs/works of officers assigned on offices. The group performs their duty 8 hours a day excluding weekends which is the requirement of the practicum.After accomplishing all the above mentions the graduating students can apply for graduation. Our country suffers from multicrisis such as socioeconomic and financial crisis which is greatly affected by global economic crisis, despite of all this crises, Filipinos are imaginative, creative and courageous to surpass these obstacles of everyday life. Every one of us has a great responsibility lies on our acquired knowledge and skills when we engage into a job an d acted as one of the enforcement in industry that would further improved the depleting economy of the country.All of these come first from wishes and aspirations that arises during childhood years that someday we will become a professional to ascend into poverty. This factors that serves as preference of student in choosing a career in college includes childhood aspiration, family and relatives, peers or friends an anticipated problems they encounter are presumed to affect the student preference of their career. Career preparedness will help the student become more effective and successful in life with his chosen job but there is an external factor such socioeconomic status which changes their aspiration in life.Such when a student wants to become a law enforcer which he always dreamed to be but because of his family’s economic status he has to change his aspiration and take another course, his interest get less concentrated because it’s not suitable for him. Some gra duated high school students gradually stop in pursuing their college career because they lack money, financial sustainability plays a major role in alterations of career life. Some students need to work in order to sustain their studies, as well to help their family about expenses.Another prime factor is attitude, the personal view of something, opinion or general feeling about something which either promote or demote academic performances among students, for example a student says, â€Å"I study hard on examinations but I don’t try hard during quizzes, I cheat on my notes during quizzes in order to get a passing grade â€Å", clearly a bad attitude that a student has already practiced to do which when he don’t do the same in some times he will fail other activity. Attitude plays a major role in attaining ones aspirations because it affects our performances. Review of LiteratureAccording to Webster, career preference is free opportunity to select a desired career. It is also a decision-making in a confusing situation which occurs during the senior year (3rd and 4th) of high school level. According to Tiedeman, career development unfolds within general process of cognitive development as one resolves ego- relevant crisis. He cited the factors in choosing a career e. g. , when one is confused in choosing a career, he relies on his friends and relatives, he was confused in the sense that he cannot make his own decision because he’s not yet ready to get into a college.External factor such as parents’ choice of what course their child to study, this affect s the child’s interest to study, they may go to school but it’s for compliance because they are not interested on the course they are studying. He further noted out that decision-making is a continuous process in which individuals will change their courses of career action, generally by leaving an environment such as when a student is dis-oriented in his course he have been taking that will result in decreasing eagerness on that particular field.He decides to transfer in another school or to shift another course that he thinks it will fits his own interest. Another is, when one is unstable in making decision, these dis oriented strategy may be repeated until he achieve a bachelor’ degree but it took a long time which is supposed to achieve in four years. Based on Ap- apaway (Official Student Publication of MPSPC Main Campus) Bachelor of Science in Criminology in MPSPC Bontoc campus, the course has the highest population in the institution highest number of enrollees contributing 37.63 percentage of the total population of the institution, a total of 1,519 criminology students.The department has increased its population by 8. 29% from 1,393 of the previous semester SY 2013-2014 and being the highest number of enrollees it has also the highest number of graduates during graduation, even on October, end month of the first semester there are no t less than 100 students who take their practicum, termed as criminology internship. According to its population it is the most preferred course of student of the Mountain Province and other nearby province who came to study here.As mandated by CHED (CMO no. 37 series of 2010) normally the course takes 4 years to complete. On the job training/ internship takes 1 semester or 540 hours. Graduating students are required to take practicum for 1 semester on the fourth year of the program. It is designed to provide practical experience for graduating students to work on the five pillars of the criminal justice system. During these periods, the students taking practicum are allowed to observe and assist, but not to perform actual operations that may compromise their safety.Conceptual Framework This study researches on the three basic factors that affect the students who aren’t able to finish the four years duration of the course. Career preference as previously explained is one majo r factor which affects the performance of the student, the selection of course to study rather than other course, the students should enroll the course they prefer because they are the only one which is aware of their capabilities and what profession they want to have in the future as their life-long activity.Some students choose to enroll the course because they are interested but they are not good in performing the activities and requirements of some subjects of the course, which will affect the students’ interest to continue their study. Some students thought criminology is very interesting but as they start to study they found out the hardship of some subjects and they will tend to drop the subject and enroll it to the next semester or summer which will make the time of studying longer.Economically, parents tends to let their child to stop studying for a while or let them shift into another course if they came into a point that they no longer afford to pay the course†™ fees. In the other hand, attitude of the student a prime factor on the cause of not finishing the course in the allotted duration, it affects how the students behaves and perform required activities. In this study it conceptualized that the student can overcome the factors affecting the problem. The college needs effective, competent and full time instructors that can balance the applications of some subjects.The course can be understood more if we have adequate facilities and equipment in the institution, especially in our department it must require that all faculty members be actively involved in criminology research in their respective field of interest in order to deliver enriched learning through their practice. Statement of the Problem This study aims to help criminology students to finish the study on the allotted duration of the course. Specifically the study seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What are the possible actions of the students that they can do that m ay lessen the effects of the factors affecting the problem?1. 1 Can the students avoid the factors affecting the problem? 2. Scope and delimitation of the study Importance of the study Operational definitions of terms Career-a job or occupation regarded as a long-term or lifelong activity, the general path or progress taken by somebody where he is trained in a particular occupation in preparing for his entire working life. Preference- the selection of something rather than other choices, it’s the power to choose on what you desire or what is desirable in your part. Socioeconomic- relating to or involving economic and social factors

Current and Projected Situation in Bosnia- Herzegovina Essay

Current and Projected Situation in Bosnia- Herzegovina - Essay Example The armed conflict in Bosnia between 1992 and 1995 is rather long and arduous to explain, but an attempt will be made here. Basically, Serbians were funding their own armed forces, which the Croats were doing as well. Bosnian government forces were also involved. The three opposing sides switched loyalties several times during the course of the war. Since friction had been brewing for a long time in the area, there was much unrest over whether this conflict could be considered a civil war or not. Research suggests that there were at least 100,000 people who were killed. Not only this, but there were almost 2 million people who were displaced as a cause of this war. The casualties that were recorded by percentages included Bosniaks, or Bosnian Muslims, at roughly 65%. Serbs constituted about a fourth of those killed, while Croats only represented about 10% of those killed. Obviously, the Muslims were those who were most affected. Systematic rape was common, which happened to several thousand people, a third of whom were women and children. According to intelligence figures, an almost overwhelming majority of the war crimes committed in this conflict were done by Serbian people. Genocide was committed both by the Serbs and the Croats, while Bosniaks were charged with the lesser crime of breaking rules in the Geneva Convention. The war in Bosnia started as a result of the disintegration of the Republic of Yugoslavia. Slobodan MiloÃ… ¡ević, who was elected President of Serbia in 1989, was originally born in Yugoslavia. He is widely thought to have incited violence through the proffering of Serbian nationalism. However, at the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia), it was often debated as to what crimes he should have been prosecuted for, as it was argued by some writers and reporters that he hadn't really had as significant a role in the war as some people argued. Some people argued that Miloevi was a butcher, that he incited the wars that were in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and the disputed territory of Kosovo. Others yet claim that Miloevi did not do anything more wrong than some of the other people at fault for similar crimes in the Bosnian War. This is what is going to be analyzed forthwith, is what the roles of each ethnic group in the conflict were. Obviously, they probably would change several times during the course of the war. It is also obvious that this war was filled with genocide. Although Noam Chomsky wrote a scathing report about people who are "worthy victims" and

Americana Group Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Americana Group - Research Paper Example Marketing Analysis Marketing environment analysis Marketing environment has major influence on a business. Trend in marketing environment is one of the most important factors to consider for a business or marketer. There are some important factors of marketing environment of business. These are political, economical, social and technological. So, detailed analysis of each of these environmental factors is needed to assess the current overview of marketing environment of Americana Group. Marketing environment has major influence on American group and changes of each of these areas leads to change in the strategic decision with respect to marketing of the products and brands operated by the company in Middle East and North Africa region. Therefore, PEST analysis would provide detailed overview of this market. Political Factors American Group deals with the franchisee business of leading international restaurant chains and manufacturing consumer food products. Generally, political and g overnmental factors impact on food business in any country in a higher extent because food business deals with the most important needs of human beings. This business also has higher risk with respect to hygiene factor. Governments of Middle East countries have several food policies applicable for food businesses and they need to strictly adhere to policies. Apart from the specific food policy, there are several rules and regulations imposed by different countries for domestic as well international business. It is very important for any company operates in this market to comply all concerned rules and regulations of different governmental agencies for successful operation of business... The paper stresses that the company needs to buy stake of the foreign businesses or make partnership with the foreign franchise holders of leading food brands like KFC, Pizza Hut etc to enter into target market. Then it should do partnership business for limited period of time to understand the market potential and the consumption trend of the customers of those businesses. Finally, the company can select the best potential market among the targeted markets and start both manufacturing and selling their own products along with the franchisee business. This would be the best cost effective strategy for the company to diversify into foreign markets. Risk of foreign investment would be minimized through this market testing strategy. Development of effective marketing strategy is also very essential with new product development. So, it needs to invest good amount for promotion of each of new product development. The company can also redesign its old products and introduce them with the n ew product. it can push a new product with the existing popular product line up to minimize the risk of lower demand. This report makes a conclusion that market development strategy will help the company to boost its product development strategy through new product launch in a new market. Economies of scale will also increase through new product launch in the existing market as cost of production and cost of promotion will not much increase. Therefore, both the strategies will be most beneficial for future growth of Americana Group.

Event Study - Rethinking Corporate Governance Essay

Event Study - Rethinking Corporate Governance - Essay Example Inbev is a giant brewer which is based in Belgium and Anheuser Busch is also a brewer that is based in the United States of America. Inbev acquired Anheuser Busch-Inbev and the first announcement on the acquisition was made on 11th June 2008 as mentioned above. The paper shall first carry out an analysis of the data and techniques used to carry out the event study, secondly the paper shall carry out an event study for an event window of 21 days around the event announcement day which is made up of 10 days before the even t and 10 days after the event, thirdly, the paper shall summarize the findings obtained after carrying out the event study and finally the paper shall interpret the results and offer a conclusion on the event study. Data and techniques The data used for this event study is the daily adjusted closing stock prices for Anheuser Busch-Inbev for the period between 9th August 2007 and 25th June 2008 and the daily adjusted closing prices of the Euronext BEL-20 Index for the same period of time. The adjusted closing prices for both the company and the index were obtained from yahoo finance database (Yahoo finance 2012a and Yahoo finance 2012b). The adjusted closing prices were then used to calculate the daily returns on the company’s share price and the daily returns on the index which represents the return of the market. This is done by using the formula P1/P-1-1where P1 is the adjusted closing price of the stock or the index in day 1 and P-1 is the adjusted closing price of the same stock or index in the previous day. The returns of the Anheuser Busch-Inbev for the 200 days before the event window which is the period between 9th August 2007 and 26th of May 2008 were regressed on daily returns of the index between the same period to arrive at the value of beta and alpha for the company which were then used to calculate the expected returns of the stock during the event window using the market model method. The cumulative abnormal returns during the event window were then analyzed to determine if the event resulted into a significant change in the stock price during the event window (Lee 2001). Event study results The daily returns of both the Anheuser Busch – Inbev stock and the Euronext BEL 20 index were calculated using the formula explained above. The regression of the daily returns of the stock on the returns of the index for the 200 days before the event window resulted into a beta of 0.09 which is the risk of the stock in relation to the market. The regression also resulted into an alpha value of -0.004%. The alpha and beta for Anheuser Busch – Inbev is then used to calculate the expected returns of the stock for window period which is 10 days before the announcement of the merger the date of the merger announcement and 10 days after the announcement of the merger. The actual returns are then subtracted from the actual returns to arrive at the abnormal returns as shown in the event window table

Discuss how Neil Gaiman's 'The Graveyard Book' (winner of the uk Essay

Discuss how Neil Gaiman's 'The Graveyard Book' (winner of the uk carneagie prize) along with Louisa m Alcott's 'Little Woman' an - Essay Example In looking at three novels from three different time periods, the examples of how children’s literature have both evolved and stayed surprisingly the same can be appreciated. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott provided a template for society during the 19th century, the efforts of the sisters in her story framed by the social construction that defined the culture of the time. In Swallows and Amazons, by Arthur Ransome, the stories are based upon the adventures of children as two groups meet and interact, one group in a dinghy named Swallow, and the other group in a dinghy named Amazon. The stories were written in the early 20th century creating a reflection of the moral discourse and the nature of perceived childhood of the time period. The last novel, The Graveyard Book, written by Neil Gaiman, was published in 2008 and reflects the darker aesthetics that have emerged in the last decade. The three novels provide rich insight into the changing nature of children’s litera ture, while also providing context for the similarities that exist within the genre that have transcended time. Childhood and Children’s Literature The history of children’s literature is long and filled with imaginative methods in which the world was interpreted for the younger mind. Through stories that granted a message of morals, ethics, politics, sexuality, gender, or social construction, children have been instructed on how to understand many of the complex issues of life. According to Lerer (2008, p. 1), â€Å"The history of children’s literature is inseparable from the history of childhood, for the child was made through texts and tales he or she studied, heard, and told back†. The nature of children’s literature is within its ability to transform thought, to define a topic that will influence the way in which that topic is experienced and framed by the child who has been exposed something specific within a story. Stories provide context fo r the many experiences that seem too large or beyond the scope of a child’s ability to comprehend. A story can break something into smaller pieces that will be more easily digested, thus creating a broader and more developed understanding. Childhood has been framed throughout history, although its modern concept is a relatively new idea. Furthering the nature of modern childhood, the child is now considered for investment, through both economic and emotional considerations that in previous societies were not nurtured. Children became important as they proved their importance. Marx Wartofsky, a twentieth century philosopher, stated that a child is â€Å" what they are taken to be by others and what they come to take themselves to be, in the course of their social communication and interaction with others† (Lerer 2008, p. 2). Therefore, the way in which the communication between literature and the child is developed is through the nature of the social connection that is made between society and childhood. As children rose in viability as a consumerist segment of society for which advertisers could focus their wares, the nature of engaging the imagination began to evolve to a higher level. Stories such as Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll are were conceived in that late 19th century time period as

Consumer behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Consumer behavior - Essay Example Bargh (2002) explains that motivations are inner forces that cause consumers to take action towards satisfying their needs. When a marketer understands the motivating factors that trigger a consumer to visit a show room or actually recognize a need to buy a car, he can get a competitive edge in the industry. Motivation is an important factor especially for Sunny Nissan as the marketing team of the car should understand the motivational factors that will cause the consumers to pay attention to the brand and actually become motivated enough to purchase the car (Nissan 2009) . However, Michael and Dann (2007) point out that recognizing these motivating factors are essential so that the marketers can use these factors in the advertisements or the sales personnel can use these motivating cues to make the consumer want the brand more and encourage him to buy the car. Folkes (1988) adds that knowing about these motivational factors will give Sunny an edge and the marketing efforts will be p roductive as they will affect the consumers. For example featuring a family in the advertisement and how a better looking car resolves family commuting issues and gives the owner a social acceptance will make the viewer relate it to his own personal needs and he may actually be motivated enough to go pout and buy the car. Motivation as Bagozzi and Dholakia (1999) describe therefore is an attempt to recognize the consumer behavior at a micro level. It is when the marketer tries to understand the consumer at an individual or personal level which is very difficult to assess and gauge. The main motivation theory is based on the need factor. With Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory, the categories of need can be recognized as physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self actualization needs. As per the theory, Bargh (2002) explains that the need for Sunny will lie under the social need category. This is

Stepfamilies with Adolescents - Counseling Interventions Pertaining to Case Study

Stepfamilies with Adolescents - Counseling Interventions Pertaining to Communication and Discipline - Case Study Example Parenting is the most difficult aspects of a stepfamily. It is more difficult to form a stepfamily with adolescent children compared to forming a family with younger children. The main cause could be because of developmental stages. Research indicates that children who are between the ages of 10 and 14 may have a hard time in adjusting into a stepfamily. However, both children above the age of 15 and under the age of 10 may need to have a stepparent. The older or the children who are over 15 may need little or less parenting and will be less involved in the family. Finally, the children who are under 10 may be willing to have another adult in the family. Family structure has recently transformed due to both demographic and social changes. According to the Office of National Statistic, marriage rates have drastically while the number of divorce cases has remained constant. In recent years, people become parents and have their first child easily in a cohabiting union rather than within a marriage. Moreover, between 1975 and 2004, non-marital childbirth has drastically increased, from 9% to 43%, in which two-thirds is of unmarried parents. Several factors may affect how a child adjusts to a stepfamily this include, gender of the child. Girls attend to be more difficult than boys are and they may take time in adjusting in a stepfamily. For instance, stepfamilies that include the natural mother and a stepfather, the girls are more likely than boys to oppose the new male figure. In divorced families, where there is only a single parent that is involved, mother-daughter relationships tend to be extremely close. Consequently, girls may see the stepfather as a threat to the relationship with her mother when the mother decides to remarry. Alternatively, boys would quickly adjust since they yearn for a masculine figure.  

Bordo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bordo - Essay Example have transformed from historical social beliefs that male relevance and beauty are a product of having massively-muscular bodies and ultra-masculine personas while women are depicted primarily as sexual objects for scrutiny and desire as a result of exposing their genitalia. She believes, essentially, that male beauty, today, is being depicted by more feminine posturing which both confuses the author and also seduces her at the same time. Bordo seems to be seeing a shift in cultural preferences that now have men being advertised as sex objects for visual delight and enchantment which defies historical connotations of masculinity. Bordo’s perspective would seem to be aligned with feminist ideology, with socially-driven viewpoints of sexuality now favoring equality as men are being transformed into artifacts with the same sexual characteristics as women. She questions biology as a contributing factor to what constitutes male beauty, however it seems this is just allegorical. She seems to understand fully that what compromises exciting male sexuality is culturally

Chinese fiction Essay Example for Free

Chinese fiction Essay â€Å"No Longer Human† is a Japanese novel written by Osamu Dazai. It is considered as Dazai’s masterpiece and categorized as the second-best selling novel in Japan, whereas â€Å"To Live† was written by Yu Hua is a Chinese fiction. â€Å"No Longer Human† is describe as a labor of fiction, the novel is recited in the first person and have several elements which laid down an autobiographical source, such as suicide, a recurring theme in the author’s life whereas, the story of â€Å"To Live† started some time in the 1940s. The main character of this sotry is Xu Fugui who is a local rich mans son and habitual gambler, who lose his family property to the tricky Longer, driving his father to his grave in the process. His attitude also causes his long-suffering wife Jiazhen to leave him with their daughter, Fengxia and their unborn son, Youqing, the same thing with Oba Yozo in â€Å"No Longer Human†. The novel â€Å"No Longer Human† covers the portrayal of the life of Oba Yozo, who is a trouble soul not capable of revealing his true self to others and who is instead forced to uphold an impression of worthless jocularity. This story tells the emotional and interesting story of a young man who is caught between the disintegration of the traditions of a northern Japanese aristocratic family and the impact of Western ideas. The novel is made up of three chapters which narrate the life of Oba Yozo from early childhood to late adolescence. In the first chapter of the novel, it deals on how the overcome by an extreme feeling of alienation and finding it nearly impossible to socialize with those who besiege him, Oba Yozo can but resort to buffoonery in order to ascertain an interpersonal relationships and fit into place in a vain effort to disregard the furious sexual abuse he was subjected to by a couple of servants during his childhood. In the second chapter, Oba Yozo becomes more and more troubled over the potential penetrability of his cheerful impression, which, together with the pressures of academic life, leads him into a violent cycle of drinking, smoking and harlotry, ending in a one-night stand with a married woman with whom he planned to commit double suicide. Though he survived, the woman passed away, leaving him with nothing but an unbearable feeling of guilt. In the this chapter, several years later, Oba Yozo is dropped out from High School and commits into a relationship with a destructive woman, who immediately betrays him with another man. Oba Yozo is once again driven to the edge of committing suicide, but was not able to do so because he becomes an alcoholic and a morphine addict. The story comes to a close with Oba Yozos confinement in a mental institution where he finally assumes he is no longer human, neither happy nor unhappy, but merely a man of excesses. The story of â€Å"To Live† is somewhat similar to the novel â€Å"No Longer Human† in a sense that both the main characters of the novels were engaged into alcoholism, drug addiction and losss of their families. However, in the novel of â€Å"No Longer Human† the main character’s story ended upon his confinement in a mental insitution, while in the story of â€Å"To Live† the main character after he loses his entire family fortune, eventually reunites with his wife and children, but is forced to start a shadow puppet troupe with partner Chunsheng to support his family. The story of â€Å"To Live† during the Chinese Civil War is in full swing, and both Fugui and Chunsheng are forcibly enlisted into the Kuomintang forces during a performance. After a heavy battle, Fugui and Chunsheng are captured by the communist side, where they quickly become entertainers for the troops. Eventually Fugui is able to return home, and once there, finds out that Fengxia has become mute due to a fever. The story of â€Å"To Live† gives emphasis to the peak of the Great Leap Forward. During this period the local town chief enlists Fugui and Jiazhen to donate all scrap iron in their possession to the national drive to produce steel and make weaponry for liberating Taiwan. As an entertainer, Fugui performs for the entire town, which has been devoted entirely over to producing steel. They enter this work with great passion, and the movie devotes some time to portraying the familys unity and happiness. For example, the young boy Youqing defends his sisters from bullies picking on her for her muteness. Aside from the Great Leap Forward period, the novel also give attention to the period of Cultural Revolution. The village chief advises Fuguis family to burn their shadow puppet drama props, which have been deemed as counter-revolutionary as they are traditional cultural elements. Also, Fuguis daughter is now grown up. Her family arranges for her to meet Wan Erxi, who is a local leader of the Red Guards, a worker with a salary, and also a kind-hearted and caring man, but lame in one leg. They fall in love and marry. During Fengxias childbirth, her parents and husband accompany her to the county hospital, where they find out that nurses are in charge as all doctors have been sent to do hard labor for being reactionary academic authorities. The nurses assure the family that they have nothing to fear, but the family is skeptical, and manages to retrieve a doctor from confinement to oversee the birth, under the pretext of making the doctor see his revolutionary mistakes. As the doctor has not eaten for several days, the family purchases for him seven steamed buns. However, the young woman begins to hemorrhage, and the nurses panic, admitting that they are only students and do not know what to do. The frantic family and nurses seek the advice of the doctor, but it is found out that he has overeaten and is semiconscious. The family is helpless, and Jiazhen can only hold the hand of her daughter as she slowly dies. The story ends several years later, with the family now consisting of Fugui, Jiazhen, their son-in-law Erxi, and grandson Mantou. The family visits the graves of Youqing and Fengxia, where Jiazhen, as per tradition, leaves dumplings for her son. Erxi buys for his son a box full of young chicks, which they decide to keep in the puppet drama prop chest, now empty of its contents. â€Å"To Live† such is not the same as â€Å"No Longer Human† because as you can see the character of the novel â€Å"No Longer Human† is more on of being useless to the family and to the society because Oba Yozo just ended up in confinement because his woman had another man. Another distinction between the two stories was that the character of â€Å"To Live† realized and did something good for himself and for his family, whereas in the novel â€Å"No Longer Human† the main character shows no changes in his life. â€Å"No Longer Human† on the other hand is basically autobiographical, founded on events from Dazais own life. He was a literary rock star, but a deeply unhappy guy, attempting suicide several times before finally succeeding. There is in fact a monument at the spot where he killed himself that is, along with his mistress. The book is uncommon from what we think of as autobiography, in that the reason for writing is not so much to tell a story there is no real employment, beginning, middle, and end in the traditional sense, but rather, the text is a sort of rambling exploration of the self. There is no forced form, instead, an effort to create a straightforward relation between author and reader, to explain a precise point of view. The book itself is very fascinating. It makes the reader want to learn Japanese, for beginners, because no matter how talented the translator, there is no getting throughout the fact that the grammatical structure of Japanese is completely different from that of English in that it is completely possible, and even ordinary, to compose a sentence in Japanese with no subject. Clearly, the entire book is written in this form, which would be particularly appropriate to the work itself. The book is the related story of a very unhappy guy who is essentially chronicling his downward spiral. Nevertheless it is hard to say if it is really a downward spiral, that is, though he does identify a moment at which he came to an end to be human, it is not totally clear that he was ever really human, through his own definition, to begin with. One question is what it means, in his eyes, to be human. . Oba Yozo’s character is raging against rationality, and the way, in which it dehumanizes people, so in a sense, though he calls himself a mouse, etc, he could be seen as claiming that he is really the only human. Dazais character, Oba Yozo in the novel, sees himself as inhuman, primarily, it seems, because he lacks certain fundamental human character. He maintains for instance, that he has in no way felt starving. On the other hand, there is also a certain issue of domination at play like; he is not capable to say no to anyone, to refuse permission for anything. In this sense, one could say that he is entirely determined by the outside world. Notwithstanding the fact that he has an inner life, he maintains it hidden from the outside world. As a matter of fact, his behavior is entirely, he claims, an act, he plays the clown for the pleasure of others, declining to let his own emotions reveal. The main characters of the novel have a clear similarity to notes from deeply unhappy men who are convinced of their own uniqueness, but there are definitely differences the way they choses to end up their stories. References: Dazai, Osamu. No Longer Human. New York: New Directions, 1973. Yu Hua. To Live: A Novel. (1993). Trans. Michael Berry. New York: Anchor-Random House, 2003.

Business and Management Personal Statement Examples Essay Example for Free

Business and Management Personal Statement Examples Essay Since my early years, I have been naturally introduced to the world of Business and Economics. Growing up near Central London and Canary Wharf I had always been intrigued by my surroundings and the mechanics of business, and was introduced into the world of Economics further on in my life. My childhood was filled with mini business ventures as well as supporting the start-up businesses of my family’s confectionary store and a technology store, which became the catalyst of my passion for the subject. Recently, I have taken up the initiative to read ‘The Economist’ to broaden my subject knowledge and keep up-to-date with current affairs. I believe a degree related to economics will help me excel in many different fields of work such as business, management, and marketing. I believe that Economics at A-Level and Business at GCSE, equip me with the invaluable skills needed for a degree. The skills I have acquired from studying Business include calculated decision-making as well as learning the ways of raising finance, motivation strategies, and promotional methods. Economics at A-Level has broadened my understanding of economies, firms, and government policy-making as well as making me grasp the importance of finance in society. In my A-Level study of Information Technology, I created an IT-based solution for a business-related problem. This enabled me to develop problem-solving abilities, as I had to evaluate several possible ways of achieving the required solution. Geography requires extensive research and the gathering and creating of information from various sources. I am excited about the challenges that I may face at University, and the chance to advance my skills further. During the summer, I had a work experience placement at Deloitte. I was required to organize and create solutions to different situations in risk advisory, financial services, and technology. This enabled me to apply my skills gained from business such as intense decision-making into a situation. The aim was to analyze each situation and be able to easily identify areas of improvement. I currently have a part-time job at Gadget Converters. Working as a Sales Advisor has helped me to become more confident as I am required to socialize with people from different backgrounds and ages and to handle situations in a professional manner, which I can transfer to a University environment. I also learned about bookkeeping, organizing cash receipts, creating expenditure spreadsheets, and selling platforms. My decision to study a degree related to business was reinforced because of the enjoyment and success I gained in my work experience and current work. Watching documentaries on current affairs ignited my curiosity about the economy and what factors shape it. This degree will allow me to gain wider knowledge and help challenge my theories. I thoroughly enjoy reading; particularly the news and the articles that stem from certain stories. I have also published an article on an upcoming football site called the ‘Liverpool Transfer Room’. This opened the door of publishing articles through the WordPress platform and has given me the opportunity to write to an audience. Furthermore, I regularly take part in activities in my local youth club such as table tennis and FIFA competitions. I have been involved in Young Enterprise scheme, in which students were tasked with brainstorming a product, creating a unique selling point and deciding the target market amongst other factors. The workshop provided me a unique insight into the decisions and running of a business. These activities also strengthened my abilities to lead and comm unicate effectively within a team. I look forward to becoming involved in all aspects of university life, not only academically, but also socially and I feel that I would benefit greatly from a place in university as this will help me to pursue my career in Economics.

Competitive Advantage And Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

Competitive Advantage And Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay The idea of stakeholder approach to strategic management suggests that managers must formulate and implement processes which satisfy all and only those groups who have a stake in the business. The main task in the process is to manage and integrate the relationships and interests of shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, communities and other groups in a way that ensures the long-term success of the firm. Stakeholder approach suggests that we repaint our picture of the firm. For good or ill, there are myriad groups who have a stake in the success of the firm. Many traditional views of strategy have ignored some stakeholders, marginalized others and consistently traded-off the interests of others against favoured stakeholder groups. Such an approach may well be appropriate in relatively stable environments. However, changing world the limitations of traditional approaches to strategic management become increasingly apparent. The interests of key stakeholders must be integrated into the very purpose of the firm, and stakeholder relationships must be managed in a coherent and strategic fashion  [1]  . 2. Porter, M. E., Kramer, M. R., (2006). Strategy and society: The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. (2006, December) (Harvard Business Review), 84(12), p. 76-92. Although businesses have become increasingly aware of stakeholder pressure to demonstrate a commitment to their corporate social responsibilities (CSR), this does not necessarily mean the adoption of an integrated and strategic approach to CSR. Rather, as Michael Porter (Harvard Business School, Boston) and Mark Kramer (John F Kennedy School of Government, Massachusetts) have recently argued in the Harvard Business Review (December 2006), current approaches to CSR are fragmented and disconnected from business goals. This has resulted in disparate and reactive initiatives designed to mollify vocal stakeholders or deflect attention from questionable business practices, and these have justifiably been criticised as feel good marketing campaigns which have failed to generate bottom line benefits. Porter and Kramer suggest a new approach to CSR which both (i) acknowledges the interdependence of companies and the broader community, and (ii) enables companies to develop a tailored, rather than generic, CSR strategy. In this way, companies will make the most significant social impact and reap the greatest business benefits. This note provides a summary of Porter and Kramers article, giving particular attention to the practical issues of creating a tailored corporate social agenda. 2.1 Background Companies which have responded to their CSR have usually done so for one, or a combination, of the following four reasons/principles moral obligation, sustainability, compliance or reputation. Moral obligation refers to the compulsion for companies to be good citizens and do the right thing. The sustainability argument emphasises the need for companies to have regard to the natural environment from which resources are drawn. The compliance or licence to operate argument reflects a pragmatic response to agendas set by Government regulators, and the reputation impetus is all about creating a positive impression on consumers, staff and shareholders. Porter and Kramer identify the individual deficiencies of each of these principles as a sufficient justification for CSR (e.g. they argue that the sustainability school of thought raises questions about balancing long term objectives against short term costs, but offers no framework for resolution). Fundamentally however, Porter and Kramer argue that there is an inherent weakness in all four school of thought, namely they focus on the tension between business and society, rather than their interdependence. Further each strategy creates a generic rationale that is not tied to the strategy and operations of any specific company or the places in which it operates. Porter and Kramer argue that the deficiencies in approach to CSR have resulted in unco-ordinated and non-strategic activities that neither make any meaningful social impact nor strengthen the firms long-term competitiveness. Having set the scene, Porter and Kramer suggest a new approach to CSR to achieve these outcomes. 2.2 A new approach Porter and Kramers new approach has two key elements. Firstly, they suggest that a CSR strategy should be predicated on an acceptance of the interdependence of business and society, i.e. successful corporations need a healthy society and a healthy society needs successful companies. Porter and Kramer suggest that the points of intersection between companies and society are both inside-out linkages (i.e. internal activities which affect the external environment such as hiring practices, emissions and waste control) and outside-in linkages (i.e. social conditions which affect a companys capacity to conduct business, e.g. rules and regulations, local education and health supports). This platform of understanding implies that both business decisions and social policy have shared values, and lifts CSR from a nice to do (which is reminiscent of the moral obligation argument or philanthropic approach to CSR) to the have to do (which, although not acknowledged by Porter and Kramer, is an ext ension of the sustainability argument). Secondly, and this is the real benefit of Porter and Kramers thesis, they argue that each company should create a tailored (rather than a generic) corporate social agenda, and provide a practical tool to chart that agenda i.e. to identify those areas of social context with the greatest strategic value. 2.3 The practice of developing a new CSR strategy Porter and Kramers practical tool to developing a new CSR strategy encompasses the following steps: Choosing which social issues to address. The essential test that should guide CSR is not whether the cause is worthy, but whether it presents an opportunity to create shared value that is, a meaningful benefit for society that is also meaningful to the business. Porter and Kramer argue that companies should sort social issues into three categories (i) generic social issues which affect all companies; (ii) value chain social impacts which have a direct affect on the companys ordinary course of business; and (iii) social dimensions of competitive context which significantly affect the underlying drivers of a companys competitiveness in a specific location. Once the social issues have been categorised they should be ranked, i.e. prioritised, for action Creating a corporate social agenda. The selected social issues should be identified in an explicit and affirmative corporate social agenda. This agenda will reflect an approach to CSR which is both  responsive  to stakeholder concerns and anticipated risks, andstrategic  (i.e. integrates inside-out and outside-in linkages) Organising for CSR. The corporate social agenda should be integrated into affirmative business practices, i.e. to ensure that operating management is engaged in processes that identify and prioritise social issues based on their salience to business operations and their importance to the companys competitive context. Further, Porter and Kramer suggest that measurement of outcomes is critical to the agenda, and that value chain and competitive context investments in CSR need to be incorporated into the performance managers with PL responsibility. In particular Porter and Kramer argue for the measurement of the CSR initiatives in terms of social impact (although omit to discuss what those measures might be). Conclusion Porter and Kramer offer a new approach to CSR which focuses on identifying the shared values between a particular company and its social context, and developing a tailored and strategic response. Using Porter and Kramers tool to map social opportunities, and practical steps to identify, develop and organise for CSR, companies now have a new CSR framework to enhance business and social outcomes. If companies are able to successfully use this model (and Porter and Kramers article provides numerous case studies to that effect) then the benefits will be reaped in terms of both a competitive advantage and social enhancement. 3.An Empirical Analysis of the Strategic Use of Corporate Social Responsibility by Donald S. Siegel and Donald F. Vitaliano In a recent insightful survey of CSR, The Economist (2005, 8) identified four varieties of CSR based on whether this activity raised or lowered profits and raised or lowered social welfare. This paper constitutes the first empirical test of recent theories of strategic CSR. Specifically, we focus on the importance of the type of product or service sold by a firm as a determinant of managements decision to invest in CSR. This decision could represent a signaling device regarding the quality of the firms output. Consistent with these theories of strategic CSR, we find that firms selling durable experience goods or credence services are much more likely than comparable firms to be socially responsible. Ceteris paribus, our results imply that a firmselling financial services (a credence service) is more likely to opt for CSR by about 23 percentage points (compared to firms selling search goods). Similarly, a firm producing durable experience goods, such as automobiles or software, is mor e likely (than a firm selling search goods) to be socially responsible by about 15 percentage points. Firms selling experience services or nondurable experience goods, by contrast, are no more likely to adopt CSR than a firm whose product is a search good. While additional research is needed to pin down the diverse reasons why firms adopt a CSR stance, the evidence presented here supports a view that it is consistent with strategic theories of CSR and rational, profit-seeking management decision making. Others may view the same evidence as proof that CSR is a fraud or smokescreen to disguise the same behavior, which they abhor. Regardless of interpretation, we hope that this exploratory paper stimulates additional empirical research on the strategic use of CSR. Several caveats should be mentioned. The first is that our empirical analysis is based on a single cross section of data. It would be useful to test theories of strategic CSR using panel data, which would enable us to better control for unobserved firm heterogeneity and changes in CSR behavior and its determinants over time. A second concern is the possibility that our econometric analysis is subject to omitted variables bias; in contrast to ordinary least squares estimation, the estimated Co-efficients in a probit model would be inconsistent even if the omitted variables are uncorrelated with the included regressors (see Greene, 2000, p. 828). It is impossible to assess the importance of this effect on our estimates of the impact of good type on the propensity of firms to engage in CSR. It is also difficult to classify a company cleanly into selling search, experience, or credence goods and service. Although we eliminated conglomerate firms from our sample and relied on the firms primary products or services for our industry classification, we recognize that many firms are diversified, which introduces a certain amount of measurement error in our empirical analysis. In an ideal world, the division or perhaps, the plant or establishment would serve as the unit of analysis, rather than the firm.

Techniques Bronte Uses to Evoke Sympathy from the Reader in Jane Eyre E

Techniques Bronte Uses to Evoke Sympathy from the Reader in Jane Eyre The essay looks at ways and especially the people that evoke sympathy for the reader in Jane Eyre’s younger life. Bronte uses many ways to provoke the reader’s empathy and compassion. People and techniques used to do this, are shown in the following. Sympathy is evoked in the reader through Mrs Reed. Although we are given no details on Jane’s childhood before she comes into Mrs Reeds care, we may presume it was a happy one. The contrast is shown when Mrs Reed kept and held Jane separately from her own children. Jane knows that â€Å"She (Mrs Reed) regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance†. Also â€Å"She must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented, happy little children†. Jane is trying to empathise with Mrs Reed and understands that she does not belong with the family, and therefore feels lost and unhappy. Many adults in the novel dislike Jane because she is an outspoken individual. She is a non-conformist and goes against the grain of the typical female child of her time. She was told to do as she was told and not to think for herself. Today she would be more accepted by having her own views. She is told that â€Å"There is something truly forbidding in a child taking her elders in that manner, be seated and until you can speak pleasantly remain silent. Jane hides and reads behind some curtains to escape what she perceives as her captors. Her favourite book is Bewicks History of British Birds. She dreams she is visiting islands and far off shores as she travels the globe. The reader can almost visualise her journey and also longs for her freedom. As she reads it is noted that outside the weather is dull... ...l to cut her beautiful locks off, she remonstrates and passes a hanker chief over her lips as though she is trying to hide or brush away her feelings of the stupid accusations. Jane is humiliated in front of the whole school because of Mr.Brocklehurst for false accusations. Mrs.Temple later announces to the school and reassures Jane and everyone that she is a good girl and that what Brocklehurst said was not true, the reader feels vindicated for Jane. Bronte describes her characters knowingly and with insight. The reader is drawn into the sad unjust world of an orphan, especially the female orphan in Victorian England. I feel that Jane is a determined young woman someone who I would like to become friends with, not because we would have much in common but that her life philosophies are wise and she is the product of a well experienced short life time.

Careers: Florist Essay -- essays research papers

I chose floral design for my career. A florist does a variety of things in a retail flower shop. The main thing is arranging flowers. They prepare bouquets, corsages, funeral pieces, dried floral arrangements, and decorations for weddings, parties, and events. Depending on how much the owner asks of them, some florists are in charge of ordering flowers, ribbon, giftware, and other hard goods. Some also do the bookkeeping. I Chose this career because when I was little I used to go to Garden Gazebo and my Aunt Linda would give me scrap flowers to play with. Then when my grandma bought it I would come up during the summer and watch the girls work. A year and a half ago I started working there. When I started it was just bookkeeping, but I spent a lot of the summer learning design. It’s fun working at the flower shop, that’s the main reason I chose this career. Also, I already know a lot about the business between working in the office and out in the store.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There isn’t much schooling needed for this job. An eye for color, design, and depth are most important. Most florists learn on the job. Working part time and summer jobs in flower shops and nurseries is extremely helpful. They must have a knowledge of flowers and plants. In some instances even the giftware part of a retail shop. One of the girls I work with started hanging around her mom’s shop in Jr. High, and worked there during high school and college. Then she went to a floral design scho... Careers: Florist Essay -- essays research papers I chose floral design for my career. A florist does a variety of things in a retail flower shop. The main thing is arranging flowers. They prepare bouquets, corsages, funeral pieces, dried floral arrangements, and decorations for weddings, parties, and events. Depending on how much the owner asks of them, some florists are in charge of ordering flowers, ribbon, giftware, and other hard goods. Some also do the bookkeeping. I Chose this career because when I was little I used to go to Garden Gazebo and my Aunt Linda would give me scrap flowers to play with. Then when my grandma bought it I would come up during the summer and watch the girls work. A year and a half ago I started working there. When I started it was just bookkeeping, but I spent a lot of the summer learning design. It’s fun working at the flower shop, that’s the main reason I chose this career. Also, I already know a lot about the business between working in the office and out in the store.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There isn’t much schooling needed for this job. An eye for color, design, and depth are most important. Most florists learn on the job. Working part time and summer jobs in flower shops and nurseries is extremely helpful. They must have a knowledge of flowers and plants. In some instances even the giftware part of a retail shop. One of the girls I work with started hanging around her mom’s shop in Jr. High, and worked there during high school and college. Then she went to a floral design scho...

Effects of Industrial Age on Wildlife :: essays research papers

Effects of Industrial age on wildlife   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As humans continue to advance in technology and increase in population it seems to have possible negative effect on the echo system. I am looking at two specific species, The Ivory-billed woodpecker ( Campephilus principalis), believed to already be extinct until resent sightings, (James Owen for National Geographic News April 28, 2005) and Coyotes (Brian Handwerk for National Geographic News June 7, 2005) Animals are forced to adept to changes in there environments or the life cycle will no longer be able to exist. This possibly is a living example of Evolution in progress. What is the long term effect of the continued destruction of natural habitats? This is a good example of how organisms can evolve due to changes in their ecosystems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am talking about two different species of animals first being a bird and the second one the coyote. What I have found in my research on this is that an majestic bird, the Ivory-Billed woodpecker that inhabited the lowland forest of southeastern U.S. between 1880 and the 1940s was believed to have become extinct due to the logging which destroyed their habitat. For sixty plus years the Ivory-Billed woodpecker that was thought to be extinct was once again spotted in 2004. While the data has been authenticated on the sightings, more observations are in the planning. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is identifying funds for recovery efforts. This rediscovery has spearheaded efforts to save 550,000 acres of bayous in the Big Woods of Arkansas. The Nature Conservancy has conserved 18,000 acres in The Big Woods. Coyotes are another animal that is adapting to the rapid changes in their natural habitat. Coyotes which live in a wide verity of environments from desert, mountainous, open country and grasslands, seems that they are also become urbanites. These very smart animals are becoming habituated to are urban environment, changing there behavior to adapt to ours. In California and New York State Coyote’s are becoming more aggressive. This subsidized environment is artificially high in food for these adaptable animals. At Cornell University wildlife biologist Paul Curtis and his team are starting a five years study of coyote ecology and behavior.

Bank of America Corp Essay

Bank of America Corporation supplies banking and non-banking financial services and products to individual customers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the form of retail banking, larger corporations and government of the United States and even to international arena. The bank generates the savings accounts, money market savings accounts, checking accounts from the deposits segment. The Global Card services segment allows the US consumers with business cards, consumer lending and international debit card services. The Home Loans and Insurance segment offers it consumers with products and services related to real estate such as mortgage and home equity loans. The Global banking segment gives commercial loans, leasing, short-term loans, capital management and treasury solutions. The Global Markets solution provides advisory services, custody services and securities clearing. The bank’s Global Wealth and Investment Management segment caters to estate management, brokerage services, credit and banking expertise. The profit margin for the bank was 7. 05 percent in the past year. Bank of America has a $1. 5 trillion goal for community development lending focusing on affordable housing, SMEs, consumer financing and economic development in general. Global Consumer and Small Business Banking is the largest segment of the bank and focuses mostly on credit card issuance and consumer banking. This division has over 6200 retail branches and over 18700 ATMs over the US. The bank is also a member of Global ATM alliance- initiative taken by many banks to that enable the customers to use the ATM or check card with no fees. The organization also supplies its employees to buy hybrid vehicles and has an eco-friendly tower in Manhattan and even gives mortgage loan breaks to consumers whose homes pass as being energy efficient. The bank has even donated money for the health centers in Massachusetts and to the homeless shelters in Miami. JP Morgan Chase and Company: JP Morgan Chase provides a variety of financial services across the globe. There is the Investment bank segment for corporate strategy and structure, capital raising in equity and debt markets, risk management and provides the financial institutions, governments and corporations with institutional investors. There is Commercial banking segment that does lending, treasury services, cash management, trade and whole sale cards to SMEs and multinational companies. The Asset management segment provides wealth and investment management services to institutions as well as retail investors. Global investment management in equities, real estate, hedge funds, fixed income, money market instruments and banking deposits are also offered by the bank. The company has Retail financing services segment that caters to retail banking for the consumer through checking and savings accounts, mortgages, home equity and business loans and online banking and telephone banking. The Card Services segment provides the credit cards and keeps track of the credit payments processes. The profit margin for the latest fiscal year has been 19. 52 percent. Its consumer functions involve more than 3000 branches, 8500 ATMs and 270 mortgage offices. JP Morgan and Chase fared well compared to its peer in the credit crunch of 2007 and even though investment banking unit suffered and the bank even increased its loan reserves losses by $4. 3 billion. And even then the net income of the bank was 25 percent due to the growth in strong earnings of the bank’s credit card and commercial banking units. After the survival of the bank in such a tough scenario it has proven the effectiveness with which it has been offering the diverse array of financial services businesses. Citigroup and Inc: The company has two distinct segments: Citicorp and Citi Holdings. Citicorp is the global bank for the businesses plus the consumers and is divided into two main businesses namely: Regional consumer banking and institutional clients group. The regional consumer banking provides the conventional services of retail banking, cards and commercial banking on small-scale in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Catering to the securities and banking services such as investment banking, advisory services, lending, debt and equity sales, foreign exchange, institutional brokerage and treasury and trade solutions is the institutional clients group. Whereas the segment Citi Holdings has three businesses to look at: brokerage and asset management, local consumer lending and special asset pool. The brokerage and asset management division in a joint venture with Morgan and Stanley and provides retail brokerage and asset management services. The local consumer lending provides mortgage loans, personal loans, student loans, commercial real estate loans and even western European card. The special asset pool is a portfolio of securities, loans and other assets. The profit margin for the latest year has been negative 0. 84 percent. Citigroup is the sixteenth largest political campaign donator in the US according to Centre for Responsive politics. Citigroup even obtained naming rights as Citi Field to the home ballpark of the New Major League Baseball team in 2009. Recommendation: After research of the three banks, Citigroup has been the one to be involved in many scandals; ranging from financing Enron and alleged money laundering facilitation and even conducting biased research on the customers. Citigroup even disrupted the European bond market by selling a large amount of bonds and then buying them back a cheaper price. The organization has also been alleged of stealing money from its customers especially the poor and the recently deceased with an improper â€Å"sweep† feature in its computers. Hence it can be said that Citigroup has to go a long way in clearing its image with the consumers because now with the internet, they’re aware of everything and already Citigroup faces a lot of competition from its competitors. Reference: Winkler, Rolfe (August 21, 2009). â€Å"Big banks still hold regulators hostage†. Reuters, via Forbes. com (Retrieved August 21, 2010)

Restrictions on Imports of Agricultural/Horticultural Products into the UK:

Agriculture, horticulture and fisheries sector constitute a vital part of the economy of the country of UK. Contributing â‚ ¤.6.6 billion in a year to the economy and employing more than half a million people, agricultural sector is predominant in the development of the UK economy.In the recent years economic, environmental and consumer pressures have a very strong influence in the development of these sectors of the economy. The key consumer drivers of agricultural and horticultural sectors have been identified as the rising prices and the growing demand for the ‘organic’ products.In spite of consumer resistances, Genetic-Modification technologies are also taking active part in the development of new varieties of products. However the sector remains one of the most regulated in the UK and also internationally.There have been numerous import restrictions including licenses and duties to control the movement of agricultural and horticultural products into the UK.This p aper brings out a short report on the prevailing regulations on the imports, reasons for such regulatory measures and the possible ways of overcoming such restrictions to boost up the import of agricultural and horticultural commodities.2.0 Restrictions on the Import of Agricultural and Horticultural Products into UK:According to the web page of Business Link, there are no restrictions for importing agricultural and horticultural products from any other member countries of the European Union, however subject to the payment of applicable VAT and Excise duties.For importing these products from other countries it is necessary to comply with the import licensing requirements and common customs tariff of the EU.2.1 Import Licenses:Import restrictions on the Agricultural and Horticultural products are exercised through the import licenses. The import licenses may be product-specific or trade-specific. Detailed and exhaustive provisions have been made for the standards to be maintained in respect of different products.Similar provisions have been made for imports to be supported by applicable certificates, licenses and other documentary requirements. In addition to the requirements of certificates and other documents, quantitative restrictions and anti dumping duties have been imposed in respect of the import of certain commodities.Department of Trade and Industry is the regulatory authority governing the imports.The plants which carry a high risk of serious pests or diseases require a ‘plant passport’ to move the products within the EU. Another requirement is the production of a phytosanitary certificate for the import of plant products from outside the EU.The imports of Agricultural products form nations other than the members of the EU countries are governed by the Common Agricultural Policy. The products covered under the policy require a ‘CAP import license; and other items need to be covered by a ‘tariff rate quota’ depending on the origin of the respective goods.In order to ensure that the wood used for packaging of the agricultural products are treated to the international standards and also to prevent the pest infestation and diseases the shipments of the products packaged in wood containers also need a phytosanitary certificate.3.0 Reasons for Restriction on Imports:Severe restriction have been imposed on the import of agricultural and horticultural products in to UK mainly with a view to ensuring the health and safety of the people of the country as these products are susceptible to contaminations and may cause the passing of multifarious diseases.Besides the heath and safety there are other reasons also which attribute to these stringent measures of import restrictions and control. They are:To maintain the quality of the products entering the country so that they meet with the domestic business standards prescribed for the agricultural and other products. To have a very tight control on the quantity o f the agricultural and horticultural products entering the country. These are in addition to the qualitative restrictions. This is mainly to protect the domestic agricultural sector as it contributes heavily to the economy of the country To ensure that the ultimate consumers get the commodities with adequate quality standards and sub standard produce is not dumped into the country To maintain the rules and regulations in conformity with those of the other countries of the world with whom UK has bilateral trade agreements or other understandings To impose an effective control on the packaging of the goods so that the goods are delivered to the ultimate consumers in a perfect shape and quality in such a way that the consumer gets the maximum for what he is paying

Comparre and Contrast Essay

Over the years the U.S had underwent tremendous changes socially, politically, and economically making the U.S what it is today. Many classes began to develop with industrialization. Rich factory owners were able to set themselves out from the rest of the group by growing in wealth, and there were many lower-class unskilled workers who took jobs where ever they could find them. By 1800, many political leaders were convinced that slavery was undesirable, and should eventually be abolished, and the slaves returned to their natural homes in Africa. Women had no rights at all men had the upper hand in everything , women couldn’t even get an education they had to stay home cleaning , cooking , and taking care of the kids but eventually a law was passed and women could participation in politics, get an education , and get a job just like men. With various inventions such as the typewriter, the mechanical reaper, the oil drill, and the light bulb, work was able to be done at a much faster and efficient rate, which made things cheaper, which then in turn helped the economy because people were able to buy more things. The Federal Reserve was established. Early American currency went through several stages of development in the colonial and post-Revolutionary history of the United States. Because few coins were minted in the thirteen colonies that became the United States in 1776, foreign coins like the Spanish dollar were widely circulated. Many political machines were run through tenant owners where immigrants were able to sign up for a job in a factory if they vowed to vote for a candidate of the land lord’s choice. Ratification of the 14th amendment was established standardizing what an American citizen was. The 13th amendment was established abolishing slavery. The 15th amendment was passed after the Civil War that guaranteed blacks the right to vote. This amendment affected not only freed slaves in the South, but also blacks living in the North, who generally had not been allowed to vote. As you can see the U.S had underwent a lot of socially, politically, and economically changes. If it wasn’t for all these changes being made the U.S wouldn’t be where it is today.

My Dad My Hero

My hero is my dad. He is always caring and is always helping my family in every which way he can. Another thing that makes him so good is that he always wants us to try new stuff. When we have sports stuff he will go out of work now and then and take us there and will watch us play. Lastly, he is a really good Dad, and I love him. One thing that he has taught me to do is how to trim a house. He would take every weekend so that I and he could go to the old house we used to live at.We would get snacks and or there all day. It is very hard to do and can also be very annoying to do at times. He is the master right now at it and I am basically his apprentice. Whenever my little brother needs help with something my dad will put aside everything to help him because he knows that my little brother needs it. He is also trying to make our family better and is making our family all together better. Another thing is that he knows a lot about computers and he always wants me to work on things tha t aren’t working yet.Also, he knows how to fix a lot of other things and is always trying to make all of us learn new things. My dad is as really good dad. In conclusion he encourages us to learn new stuff and loves us all. He will always look out for us no matter the circumstances. Also, he does not really hate anyone and he basically never yells or screams at anyone or anything. So by writing this essay, I have shown how much I love my dad and how good he is at being it. He is a good dad and always will be. The End. My Dad My Hero My hero is my dad. He is always caring and is always helping my family in every which way he can. Another thing that makes him so good is that he always wants us to try new stuff. When we have sports stuff he will go out of work now and then and take us there and will watch us play. Lastly, he is a really good Dad, and I love him. One thing that he has taught me to do is how to trim a house. He would take every weekend so that I and he could go to the old house we used to live at.We would get snacks and or there all day. It is very hard to do and can also be very annoying to do at times. He is the master right now at it and I am basically his apprentice. Whenever my little brother needs help with something my dad will put aside everything to help him because he knows that my little brother needs it. He is also trying to make our family better and is making our family all together better. Another thing is that he knows a lot about computers and he always wants me to work on things tha t aren’t working yet.Also, he knows how to fix a lot of other things and is always trying to make all of us learn new things. My dad is as really good dad. In conclusion he encourages us to learn new stuff and loves us all. He will always look out for us no matter the circumstances. Also, he does not really hate anyone and he basically never yells or screams at anyone or anything. So by writing this essay, I have shown how much I love my dad and how good he is at being it. He is a good dad and always will be. The End.

Heroism Beowulf and Sir Garwain

Beowulf and Gawain are both presented as heroic figures in their respective cultures. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrogar, who is the king of Danes. Beowulf explores his heroism in two separate phases- youth and age- and through three separate and increasingly difficult conflicts- with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. His youth heroism as an unfettered warrior and his mature heroism as a reliable king. In his youth, he is a great warrior, predominantly by his feats of strength and courage, which reflected by his fabled swimming match against Breca.His defeat of Grendel and Grendel’s mother validates his reputation for bravery and establishes him fully as a hero. In the combat with Grendel and Grendel’s mother, Beowulf completely shows his fearless and bravery. He makes his battle with Grendel more than a simple slay-the-monster task. By announcing that it will be a hand-to-hand combat, he gains extra glory for himself and the Geatis h king, Hygelac, turning the contest into a feat of strength as well as a fight against evil. He also perfectly embodies the manners and values dictated by the Germanic hero code, including loyalty, courtesy and pride.He shows enough respect and loyalty to king which can be seen from the poem, â€Å"Let whoever can /win glory before death. When a warrior is gone/ that will be his best and only bulwark. †Ã‚  (1387-1389). In the second part of the poem, through a series of retrospectives, I can recover much about how Beowulf comports himself as a king and warrior. Instead of rushing for the throne himself, he does not do what Hrothulf did in Denmark, he supports Hygelac’s son, the right heir, which proving his gesture of loyalty and respect. As Beowulf matures, becomes the king.The poet reflects further on how the responsibilities of king, during the encounter with the dragon, he acts for the good of the people and not just for his own glory differ from those of the hero ic warrior. Even through, Beowulf’s moral status becomes somewhat ambiguous at the poem’s end, he is still deserved as a great hero and leader. Sir Gawain is a humble knight of King Arthur’s court, which can be indicated in the poem, â€Å"I am weakest of your warriors and feeblest of wit/ loss of my life would be least lamented† (354-355).His modest claim to inferiority and his high status at court- he is Arthur’s nephew and one of Camelot’s most famous knights- testify to both his humility and his ambition. Loyalty and bravery are also the significant characteristic of Gawain, he is the only knight who steps out to save King Arthur, he takes the challenge from Green Knight, even though the Green knight essentially tricks Gawain by not telling him about his supernatural abilities before asking Gawain to agree to his terms, Gawain refuses to back off the deal.He stands by his commitments absolutely, even when it means jeopardizing his own li fe. Honest is another valuable virtue of Gawain. In the part 3 of the poem, he conceals from host the magical green girdle that the host’s wife gives him, revealing that, he values his own life more than his honest. He confesses his sin to the knight and begs to be pardoned and he voluntarily wears the green girdle as a symbol of sin which is a fully Christian idea. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both very brave characters.There are many similarities between the two, and the differences between the two characters are also like night and day. The most significant similar is that both Beowulf and Sir Gawain are symbols of loyalty in their cultures. They also have their share of significant differences in this, but the theme of loyalty is so strong in both characters that it would be dishonest not to mention the similarities. Beowulf maintains his loyalty to his original leader, King Hygelac, while, at the same time, taking on another oath of loyalty to Hrothgar.Similarly, Gawain ta kes on an additional oath of loyalty when stays with the lord. Sir Gawain also shows his loyalty by challenging the Green Knight in place of King Arthur. One contrasting quality that can also be considered a comparative quality is pride. Sir Gawain appears in the beginning of the story as a humble knight. Later in the story Gawain gains more pride as he strays from his faith. Beowulf, on the other hand, has pride in himself throughout his story.In the story it is described how Beowulf makes boasts, and how in one occurrence, he has a swimming race with another man and has to stay in the water for seven full days, wearing his battle armor and fighting off water monsters. One of the biggest differences between Gawain and Beowulf are their faiths. Gawain is an obvious Christian. He celebrates Christmas and New Years. He also attends mass every morning, or so it seems. Conversely, In Beowulf s story, references to Christianity are made, but none of the characters seem to be tied to this faith.