Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Financing The short Term Obligations of the Business (BMW vs Mercedes) Assignment

Financing The short Term Obligations of the Business (BMW vs Mercedes) - Assignment Example Since these finances are obtained for short terms, therefore they are required to be paid back to the lenders earlier in comparison with the long-term finances. Thus obtaining short term finance for business gives rise to short term obligations, and these short term obligations may include short term loans, amounts owed to the suppliers of the business, amounts owed to other parties to whom payments have to be made but have not been paid yet, accrued expenses which also include payments to be made to third parties for their services provided to the business entity. The payment of the short-term obligations is an area of concern for every business enterprise. Considering the available resources of liquid cash reserves, a business entity may opt to finance its short-term obligations by releasing some cash, which serves the purpose. On the other hand, if the cash reserves available with the company are not considered to be sufficient for the purpose of paying of short-term obligations, the company may chose to consider other options for financing such obligations (Besley and Brigham 2005). This report presents an analysis of the financing of short-term obligations for BMW and Mercedes. ... BMW’s short term liabilities comprise of provisions for different obligations for personnel and social expenses, short term income tax liabilities, financial liabilities which include bonds, commercial papers, liabilities towards banks, assets backed financing, derivative instruments and others. In addition to this, other liabilities include short-term obligations relating to advance received from customers, amounts payable to customers and to other companies and social security (BMW 2010). On the other hand, the short term obligations for Mercedes include short term notes, bonds, commercial papers, payables to financial institutions, liabilities from ABS transactions, liabilities arising from finance lease and other short term loans or financing facilities (Daimler 2010). There is no particular disclosures made by both the companies in the financial statements and the related notes, nor there is any other information through which it can be predicted that what are the financi ng techniques being used by the companies under consideration to pay off their short term obligations. However, it can be argued that the financial statements of both the companies do not show any particular financing source which may regarded to as meeting the short term obligations. Therefore, it can be stated that in order to pay off their short-term obligations, both the companies are making use of the cash held by them and through the finance obtained by sources mentioned under current liabilities head. Liquidity and Efficiency Analysis Considering the financial information presented in the financial statements of BMW and Mercedes, following liquidity and efficiency ratios are calculated: Company BMW Mercedes   Liquidity Ratios 2010 2009 2010 2009 Current Ratio 1.08 1.08 1.07 1.14 Quick

Monday, October 28, 2019

60s America Through Images Essay Example for Free

60s America Through Images Essay The 1960s proved a tumultuous time for the United States in how there were so many historical developments in the mere space of a decade. Throughout the 60s Americans experienced and witnessed many events such as war, civil rights campaigns and protests, assassinations, technological developments and the emergence of a popular culture and counterculture. Photography came to the fore at the start of the 20th century and a huge emphasis was put on the visual to experience culture. The historical developments of the 60s can be seen clearly through the visual culture as they portray the historical events of the time through the medium of imagery. With the growing popularization of television, imagery could be rapidly distributed to each home and this is one of the main reasons that visual culture had such a profound effect on those who witnessed the events portrayed. â€Å"By the end of the decade 90% of Americans had access to television sets† this staggering amount of led to a high level of influence though reception of imagery. For instance when we look at the portrayal of the typical American family one would often see an image of a close-knit family sitting together watching television. In the space of a decade from the 1950s television was incorporated in the American family (see fig. 1. ). Pictures such as this defined the family of the late 50s early 60s and incorporated the television into American families. With the television being a vital part of family life there was a constant flow of imagery available for the family to view. We can clearly see through images such as this that the US population began to regularly consume what the television provided. The photograph captures the importance television as a family pastime and how it gradually became the main focus of family time. Therefore we can see that the visual culture through the media such as television, newspapers and the images they provided to the population had a serious impact on historical developments of the 1960s. Information was constantly received by the population usually alongside images of events and the visual culture affected the historical developments of the 60s in how it influenced reactions to events. It is also evident that visual culture heavily influenced the 1960s due to the amount of images and videos from the time that are still available for viewing today. Figure 1. Everett F. Baumgardner. Family watching Television. 1958. Photograph. Nation Archives and Records of Administration. http://web. archive. org/web/20071226081329/teachpol. tcnj. edu/amer_pol_hist/thu mbnail427. htm One of the most important events to happen in the 1960s which greatly affected the US was its part of was the Vietnamese War. The war had a vital part in the 60s decade as it spanned through the whole of the 60s up until 1975. The war was the first of its kind as it was reported in great detail through television and newspapers. Essentially the Vietnam War and visual culture of the time went hand in hand as the relationship between the two was constant throughout the 60s. For over a decade people could get a visual insight into the war which had never been available before and many believe this is one of the main reasons that the US lost the war. President Lyndon seen this and argued that â€Å"if the previous wars had been televised, the United States would not have preserved in fighting them. Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman would have lost support for their policies even as he lost support for his, forcing the abandonment of his campaign for his re-election. † It was due to the constant visual bombardment of the ugly realities of war on the US people that turned them against the war and forced many to protest the war (fig. 2 and fig. 3). Figure 2. Horst Faas. A father holds the body of a child. 1964. Photograph. Available at Photographer Collection: Horst Faas http://blogs. denverpost. com/captured/2012/05/15/photographer-collection-horst-faas-vietnam/5689/ . Figure3. Horst Faas. Lt. Col. George Eyster of Florida. 1966. Photograph. Available at Photographer Collection: Horst Faas http://blogs. denverpost. com/captured/2012/05/15/photographer-collection-horst-faas-vietnam/5689/ Photographers such as Horst Fass gained their reputation for showing the horrors of the Vietnamese war through their photographs. Faas captured some of the most controversial photographs that showed the suffering of both sides of the war. When we look at these photos we can see the influence of the Vietnamese War on the visual culture of the United States. Pictures such as these were received on a daily basis and they dominated the decade visually becoming some of the most well known images from the 60s and the war itself. The graphic pictures show the ugly side of the Vietnamese War and photographs such as the father clutching his daughter’s body in front of soldiers dealt with the death of civilians while the photo of injured soldiers showed frailty of US troops. At the time these photographs seen showed the truth about the war and Fass would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for his work in Vietnam. When we look these images it is clear that both reflect on the dark chaos of the war and the ugly realities which the civilian population had never seen before. The visual culture greatly affected the population’s war morale as it provided frail images of US soldiers either dead or wounded something which was not shown in previous wars. The reporting of the Second World War and the Korean War was different in that it was filtered with most hearing reports through radio broadcasts and newspapers which were controlled by the government. By the 60s there had been major developments in media reporting in that they had become more liberated. By the 60s multiple channels were emerging with their own news reporters providing multiple stories and recounts of different parts of the war. Therefore there was a vast increase in the amount of broadcasts and images being sent into the American homes greatly influencing a majority of the population. With photographers such as Faas working in Vietnam and capturing images showing innocent civilians being killed the United States population saw an unseen side to its army throughout the Vietnamese war as the army was shown in a very negative view. It can clearly be seen that photographers such as Faas greatly influenced the visual culture of the US throughout the 60s and these images had a significant impact in historical developments leading to the war effort becoming unpopular and encouraging anti war efforts. Figure 4. Ron Haeberle. My Lai Massacre. 1968. Photograph. Available at Life Magazine. Vol. 67. No. 23 . The negative view of the US army was perhaps most emphasised in the My Lai massacre in 1968. Throughout past wars the US army was seen as a symbol of justice and a manifestation of the good in that they were fighting to save the world but with the emergence of images and reports of events such as the Mai Lai Massacre there morality and ethics were questioned. Some even compared the US army to the Germans of World War Two in their way of psychologically thinking. â€Å"Two researchers concluded that Americans were deflecting the responsibility with the same defence mechanism the Germans used to rationalize the Holocaust. † The photography which emerged from the massacre by Ron Haeberle shocked the world and spurred many of the US into protesting against the war. (Fig4. Here we can clearly see why many considered comparing the US army’s actions to that of the German holocaust, the brutality and graphic detail which Haeberle’s photos captured had never been so widely distributed before. The terror on the faces or the sheer number of bodies appearing in some of the images had not been captured on camera before and these pictures were seen by thousands when they were published in magazines such as Life and greatly affected the visual culture intake of the American population. These particular photos had a huge influence on historical developments later in the war such as the protests and the investigations into what happened in the war. From looking at images such as photographs taken from the 1960s we can clearly see that the Vietnam had a huge influence on visual culture at the time and visual culture that would later emerge in the 70s. This was due to the fact that the war took up so many aspects of American life as it was a constant through the entire decade of the 60s. Regular exposure to the ugly realities of battle is thought to have turned the public against the war, forcing withdrawal of American troops and leaving the way clear for eventual Communist victory. †The visual culture was hugely influenced by the Vietnam War in the 60s it was mostly through photography and videos shown to the public by the media but later it influenced visual culture through art such as sculpture and painting. After the war ended in 1975 countless memorials were erected and many artists were inspired by the photographs this is evident in the sculpture The Three Soldiers Memorial sculpted in 1984 by Frederick Hart displayed in Washington. From looking at the Vietnam War throughout the 60s it is evident that it influenced the future of the visual culture as much as the visual culture influenced the developments of the war. The 60s decade can be defined as a decade of social revolution within the US. Many different causes gained strength and a massive following through their protests to further their cause. During this decade many protested for different reasons such as anti-war campaigners and those looking for the equal rights. There were movements for many different causes such as the African American civil rights movement, Hispanic and Chicano movement and the Gay Rights movement. For example with the Vietnamese War came protests against the war throughout the 60s. Those who were influenced by the atrocities shown in reports and images sent from Vietnam protested avidly throughout the 60s hence we can say the visual culture of the US had a great influence on the historical developments of the 60s, However although in the 60s protesting became very popular it was introduced through the Civil Rights movements in the late fifties early 60s and its idea of peaceful protesting. The 60s became a time associated with protest due to the vast amounts of protests staged for different reasons throughout the 60s. One of the major protest movements of the 60s was the Civil Rights Movement. These protests initially started in the late 50s but peaked in the 60s and were a catalyst of many other protests in the 60s. Those who protested for civil rights did so in a peaceful way and this greatly influenced the other protests such as the anti-war protests. Once again we can see that the visual culture through the medium of photography greatly influenced the development of these protests. Once again the population of the US was provided with images shocking to behold. The most influential case is perhaps the protest in Birmingham Alabama in 196 where the police reacted with unneeded violence. â€Å"Many argue that the dramatic clashes between nonviolent civil rights demonstrators and southern law enforcement in Birmingham and Selma were the principle impetus behind the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, respectively. † Photographers of the time captured the violence of the police force and once again widely distributed and impacted on the community causing widespread support for the movement. When we look at what photographers such as Bill Hudson and Bob Adelman captured in their photographs we can see why the visual culture had such an impact on the historical developments regarding the Civil Rights Movement (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6). The image of the youth being attacked by the police dog is very harrowing and controversial, through this image the US seen the severity of racism and its unneeded violence. This photo became a huge part of the visuality of the Civil Rights Campaign’s attempt to gain support from the rest of the US population due to the severity of the photo and how controversial it was. Meanwhile Hudson’s photo of the protestors grouping together to take cover from water cannons can be seen as a symbol of unification of the protestors against the oppression of the police force and the city of Birmingham. There are countless images such as these two that were taken from the Birmingham Campaign This protest was a rally point for the Civil Rights Campaign and the images taken from Birmingham united and encouraged other people to protest in the south. The visual culture greatly influenced the outcome of the Civil Rights Movement as the Birmingham protest was captured in photography and gave the rest of the US an insight into what was happening in the South. These images had a significant impact on 1960s America and provided a major boost for the campaign as it received national attention leading to desegregation and equal opportunity for the coloured population. This protest was a rally point for the Civil Rights Campaign and the images taken from Birmingham united and encouraged other coloured people to protest in the south. The visual culture greatly influenced the outcome of the Civil Rights Movement as the Birmingham protest was captured through the photographers and gave the rest of the US an insight into what was happening in the South. These images had a significant impact on 1960s America and provided a major boost for the campaign as it received national attention leading to the gradual desegregation of the US and eventual equal opportunity for the coloured population. Figure 5. Bill Hudson. Birmingham Protest. 1963. Photograph. Available at Iconic photos http://iconicphotos. wordpress. om/2010/06/26/birmingham/. Figure6. Bob Adelman. Ingram Park Birmingham. 1963. Photograph. Available at J. Paul Getty Museum. http://www. getty. edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails? artobj=258562 . The Civil Rights Movement provided an example of peaceful protest which became a popular way of protesting throughout the 60s. The social group which held a majority of the protests at the time were third level students . â€Å"From the civil rights demonstrations of the early sixties, students have turned to protest both the war in Vietnam and the policies of their schools. It is no exaggeration to give college students credit for making Vietnam a national issue. †They were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and based their protests on the same ideology in peaceful protests. The 60s were a time of constant protest for students. The issues of the student protest movements range from racial discrimination, the war on poverty, and the war in Vietnam, to particular policies of the universities. However it was the anti- war protests that spurred the most conflict between the students and the authorities. The visual culture made impressions in developing the protests through the use of printing presses as seeing photos such as Faas’ or Adelman’s spurred the student bodies into action. With the emergence of the My Lai massacre and other such atrocities protests escalated to a climax at the end of the 60s with the Columbia University protests of 1968. Students discovered that the university was secretly affiliated with the Department of Defence’s weapon research and openly protested this affiliation with occupying university buildings and this eventually led to their violent removal. However it was this violence by the authorities that increased support for the protestors. â€Å"In his study of the Columbia Crisis in the spring of 1968, Barton (1968) found that the use of excessive police force against demonstrators had the effect of increasing the sympathy of faculty and students for the tactics (a sit-in and a general strike) employed by the demonstrators. † This violence recorded through the news and photographs once again captivated the US and encouraged many to take part in the protests (Fig. 7). The imagery taken from the by photographers such as Morris captured the harsh measures the authorities and when these pictures were published in newspapers and magazines people began to empathize with the protestors. It is evident in each movement that the media greatly influenced the historical developments through imagery such as photography. Through photography and the media it can be said that the visual culture impacted the outcome of many movements such as the African-American civil rights movements, the anti-war protests and the gradual end of the war. Figure 7. Larry C. Morris. Police forcing Columbia Students out. 968. Photograph. Available at The New York Times. Imagery was a huge part of protests throughout the 60s through photographs of the events but other visuals emerged with the protestor’s use of posters. With the gradual growth of homemade printing presses simple yet colourful posters began to emerge at protests. At protests there was a constant bombardment of simple yet very controversial. The poster entitled ‘it’s the real thing for S. E. Asia’ was simple, eye catching and precise the bright colour of the posters caught bystander’s eyes and presented its argument outwardly in the face of the public (Figure 8. . Posters such as the ‘it’s the real thing for S. E Asia’ were a common site at protests against Vietnam and mocked capitalism and the military tactics that were employed during the time. These protests were against the stupidity and brutality of the war emerged in the early 60s with controversial posters such as this one becoming a more common sight. Anti-war protests provided the majority of the controversial posters as they attempted to highlight the problems with the war. By nature these posters

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Internet Predators Essay -- Internet Predation

Internet Predators In recent years, the Internet has become the number one choice for doing research. A person can find information on just about anything. There are websites devoted to cooking recipes, musicians, schools, and pornography. Many schools will even allow students to apply for admission over the Internet. Schools such as California State University, Northridge give students an option to register for classes through the school website, making it quick and easy to get classes. The Internet is truly the "information superhighway." Not everyone who accesses the Internet uses it for research. Many people, especially young people use the Internet for e-mail and chatting. Chat rooms and instant messengers are becoming more prevalent on the Internet. Internet service providers such as America Online (AOL) have chat rooms where people from all over the world can chat about almost anything. AOL has chat rooms for teens, singles, religious groups, sports, and many other topics. If a person in a chat room likes what someone else in the chat room is saying, he or she can send a private message. If the two people get along, they can add each other to their buddy list so they can always talk when both are online. However, a problem may arise if a person does not use this way of chatting responsibly. After all, does anyone really know whom they are talking to unless they know the person personally? Common sense must be used at all times. The Internet can be very deceptive. A person needs to use extreme caution when giving out personal information to a person they are chatting to. Many people forget about the dangers of Internet chat. People can be too trusting. The people who use chat rooms and instant messengers sometimes... ...rsonal Interview. Pennsylvania. 26 April 2002. Dean, Katie. "The Epidemic of Cyberstalking." Wired News. May 1, 2000. http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,35728,00.html (April 24, 2002). Hartman, Rachel R. "Cyberstalking and Internet Safety FAQ." http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,35728,00.htm (April 24, 2002). Magid, Lawrence J. "Teen Safety on the Information Highway." Safeteens.com. http://www.safekids.com/safeteens/safeteens.htm (April 24, 2002). Talton, Trista. "Internet Predators Subject of Meeting." Wilmington Star. August 23, 2001. http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/news/stories/3084newsstorypage.html (April 24, 2002). Tarbox, Katie. Oprah. Television Program. ABC, Chicago. 17 April 2002. Turkle, Sherry. "Who Am We?" Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Rusziewicz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 442-458.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Anytime Fitness and the Jetts Essay

As the living quality has been continuously improved in recent years,together with the widely spread sense of keeping fit,fitness clubs are becoming more and more popular in Australia.Among all those fitness companies,the Anytime Fitness and the Jetts are the most rapidly growing ones ,which both offer the 24/7 access to all clubs they own. I’ll compare the model of these two company using SWOT analysis. Company overview According to the Anytime Fitness AU(2014),Anytime Fitness is a fitness club which started in Minneapolis,USA in 2000.The 2115 clubs around the world make it the biggest fitness chain in the world.In year 2008,Justin McDonell and Jacinta McDonell-Jimenez open the first Anytime Fitness club in Australia.The next 6 years witnesses the rapid expansion of the Anytime Fitness with 344 clubs. On the contrary,as can be seen from the website Jetts Fitness Australia(2014),the Jetts is a local fitness company which started in 2007 in the Gold Coast by the couple Brendon and Cristy Levenson.Soon,the expansion to the whole country and the New Zealand makes the Jetts a fitness company with over 200 clubs. SWOT analysis Anytime Fitness Strengths Weaknesses 1. Leadership in the global market gives the company the advantage of its brand name and supply chain(Anytime Fitness AU 2014) . 2. Having the most clubs in Australia allows most Australians to come to the club within 10 minutes(Anytime Fitness AU 2014) . 3. Investment from the US capital market is available.For example,the capital injection from the Roark Capital Group would help expediting the growth(Roark Capital Group 2014).Also, the company had partnerships with THL Credit Opportunities,L.P. and the Partnership Capital Growth so as to achieve a recapitalization in 2010 (PCGA.Transaction Announcement 2010). 4. An online medical center called Anytime Health is offered ,which can bring health information to the customers. 5. The business model which is convenient for franchiser as flexibility and profit can be got at the same time helps the rapid expansion of the company (Anytime Fitness AU 2014) .The 2014 Top Franchise from Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 List(2014) claims that the company gets NO.1 in this list. 6. The company has comparatively low price with acceptable environment and 24/7 access . 7. Private restroom and bath room can give people more privacy. 1. Low culture consistence do the clubs have, due to the distance from the US.For example,the price of each club in Australia is different(Anytime Fitness AU 2014) . 2. Lock-in contract makes customs uncomfortable. 3. Bad fame of one club such as low quality of customer service and cleanliness may influence other clubs although the franchisers are different. 4. No staff during nights may cause security concern (Anytime Fitness AU 2014) . 5. Facilities are lacked during peak times. Opportunities Threats 1. The 12 million overweight people in Australia according to the Overweigh and Obesity(AIHW)(2013)are the potential customs. 2. More sessions and classes can be offered. 3. Introduce new facilities to the clubs may provide differentiation from the Jetts. 4.The company should promote more about the facilities and services. 1. Competitions from Jetts and other fitness clubs are growing. Jetts Strengths weaknesses 1. The Jetts has enough clubs to serve most Australians.Meanwhile, with the projected 250 clubs,80% of Australian can go to Jetts within 8 minutes(Sunshine Coast Daily 2010). 2. It’s a domestic fitness company,which means that it can provide a suitable environment for local people. Also,the staff can get more education and feedbacks from the headquarter so the company culture will be consistent. 3. No contract rule which gives the customers freedom of choice makes them comfortable(Sunshine Coast Daily 2010). 4.The price is quite low as people only need to pay $11.95 per week and are free to stop at any stage.But people can still get 24/7 access and ‘clean, convenient workout facilities providing the equipment that members use on a regular basis’(Tilbury, Alex 2011). 5.The Jetts has an experienced team to help new clubs get started (Davies,Adam 2012).It helps the growing of the Jetts together with the efficient franchiser system. 6.The Jessts has a good fame of high customer satisfactory.It got No.1 in the Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customer Award in Australia in 2012 and 2013 (Jetts Fitness Australia 2014). 1.The clubs lack advanced equipments due to the low price strategy. 2. No staff during nights may cause security concern(Jetts Fitness Australia 2014). 3.Facilities are lacked during peak times. Opportunities Threats 1. The percentage of overweight people in Australia is high. 2. The oversea market is still waiting to be exploited. 3.The Jetts should promote more about its low price and simplicity. 1.Competitions from Anytime Fitness and other fitness clubs are growing. Conclusion In summary,although the Anytime Fitness has advantages in many aspects,I still consider the model of the Jetts is better as it makes customers feel satisfied,which is much more important than other elements in this customer-oriented age. Reference List Anytime Australia Pty Ltd 2014,Anytime Fitness AU,viewed 19 March 2014, Jetts 2014,Jetts Fitness Australia,Brisbane,viewed 18 March 2014, Roark Capital Group 2014,Anytime Fitness Receives Investment from Roark Capital Group,media release,3 March ,viewed 22 March 2014, PCGA.Transaction Announcement 2010,Partnership Capital Growth,viewed 22 March 2014, 2014 Top Franchise from Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 List 2014,Entrepreneur Media, Inc.,viewed 22 March 2014, Overweigh and Obesity(AIHW) 2013,Australia Institution of Health and Welfare,viewed 22 March 2014, Sunshine Coast Daily 2010,‘Jetts Fitness blasting off: movers & shakersBrendon Levenson’,Sunshine Coast Daily ,5 October 2010,viewed 22 March 2014 Davies,Adam 2012,‘Jetts on a winner with new club’,The Chronicle,27 May,viewed 22 March 2014 Tilbury, Alex 2011,‘Jetts wins fight with the giants’ï ¼Å'The Courier – Mailï ¼Å'4 Juneï ¼Å'viewed 22 March 2014,

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Organizations group jobs and work functions into groups Essay

1. Chapter 7 addresses organizational structures (how organizations group jobs and work functions into groups). For example, a hospital may have hundreds or thousands of employees while a private physician’s office may have just a few employees. For the organizations below, describe which organizational structure they would likely use and why: †¢ A small physician’s office Smaller hospitals tend to have much simpler organizational structures. small business can use one of three primary organization structure options: functional, divisional or matrix. Essentially, the organizational structure creates a business hierarchy to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the business operations. Different small businesses operate in different ways, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution every small business should choose for an organizational structure. You can, however, determine which of the most common structures works for your business. Functional When you establish a functional organizational structure, you are building a hierarchy based on the job role of each employee. Functional organizational structure groups together employees who work toward a common goal. For example, all of your marketing employees would be in the same group. Even if you only have two or three employees who fulfill the marketing role of your small business, you would structure it so one person is in charge, such as the vice president of marketing. His team would consist of a marketing manager and a public relations manager. The functional structure provides focus to the employees, because they know they are working toward a common goal. In this example, the common goal is marketing and promoting the business. Divisional Divisional organizational structures decentralize the functional  organizational structure because the roles of the employees are divided by product or region, rather than function, within your business. For example, you could divide the United States into four divisions: north, east, south and west. Each division would then have its own employees. This provides each region with specialist in each area for that region. If your business sells different products, you can also separate roles by the product under a divisional organizational structure. Matrix Matrix organizational structures combine the characteristics of a functional and divisional organizational structure. The matrix organizational structure works more like a team. Instead of department heads, each team has a leader. Matrix organizational structures bring together employees who focus on a project, but fill different roles from across your business. The matrix organizational structure has the most decentralization, which means it can confuse employees about who is in charge. The matrix organizational structure is appropriate if your business operates on an international level, or serves different geographic regions. Trial and Error Many small business owners start off by structuring the business by trial and error, or in a haphazard manner. You could start the business with just you and an assistant until you learn more about the roles employees must fill within the organization. Changing Structures When your business starts small and then grows, it is not uncommon to start with one organizational structure and then transition to another structure. For example, if your business starts out by only serving the local city where the business operates, but eventually serves the state, you might start with one structure and change to another one to better fit the needs of your business and its customers. †¢ A hospital with one large facility in a city Large hospitals have complex organizational structures The organization structure of the HR department should comprise of the Director as head, HR manager, Assistant Managers and a number  of HR executives looking after recruitment; training;safety, security, general administration, labor, vigilance , government regulations and legal issues. The health care organizations also need to have a strong grievance redresal mechanism both for the staff and users of the facilities. This should be built inbuilt in the HR policy.Human Resource Management is the process of bringing people and organizations together sohe medical staff is a formally organized unit within the larger hospital organization. The president or chief of staff is the liaison between the hospital administration and members of the medical staff. Typically, the medical staff consists primarily of medical physicians, but it also may include other doctoral-level professionals, such as dentists and psychologist that the goals of each are met. The nursing division usually comprises the single largest component of the hospital’s organization. It is subdivided by the type of patient care delivered in the various medical specialties. These nursing units are composed of a number of patient beds grouped within a certain area to allow centralization of the special facilities, supplies, equipment, and personnel pertinent to the needs of patients with particular conditions. †¢ A major, nationwide insurance company The right structure and leadership to drive success. They are fortunate to have strong and committed leaders to help us deliver on their priorities and achieve their long-term vision for success as one company serving the needs of the members and business partners.† They can aid in decreasing the insurance coverage charges and support the person to figure out every single possible way to minimize premiums and increase protection. Most insurance businesses offer bundled deals where a person can merge more than 1 kind of coverage collectively so as to receive a discounted quality volume. The advantages include a one insurance policy service provider to make contact with and pay, as well as an reasonably priced plan for all your needs. If a person isn’t asking the questions they feel ought to be answered, then the person is not actually getting the aid they want. When working with an agent or broker, take the time to satisfy that the agent or broker is experienced in a variety of kinds of insurance. Most states need licensing examinations and continuing education for  insurance producers. Question about these accreditations, knowledge in the discipline and any other variables that are crucial to you. 2. Chapter 17 addresses communication and information technology management. One of the common issues in any workplace is the quality and effectiveness of communications. Email is a form of personally addressed written communication that is common in nearly all work places. While people like using email, there are also drawbacks. Explain the pros and cons of using email messages. The pros of email are: It demands attention,which helps ensure that the receivers pay attention. Has enabled many workers and managers to become telecommuters, people who are employed by organizations and work out of offices in their own homes. Able to reach large numbers of receivers. The cons of email are The growing abuse of email. Employees sexually harras coworkers through email, and divorcing spouses who work together sometimes sign their spouse’s name to email and send insulting or derogatory messages to the spouse’s boss. Top managers also complain that sometimes their email is clogged with junk mail. Problems with email systems also happen alot. Unlikely feedback. Information overload.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The History of Black Videos Aired on MTV

The History of Black Videos Aired on MTV When MTV launched in 1981, viewers struggled to find videos featuring black artists. The network so sparingly showcased African Americans in its early days that Rick James and David Bowie publicly took it to task.  Despite the channels embrace of black musicians such as Beyonce,  Jay-Z  and  Kanye West  today,  theres no denying  MTVs  rocky history with  black music. So, how did MTV shift from shutting African American musicians out in the early 1980s to routinely spotlighting their contributions decades later? A brief history of the channel’s progress regarding race helps to answer that question. Did MTV Exclude Black Videos?   When MTV debuted on Aug. 1, 1981, at least one black face on the network was a mainstay. It belonged to J.J. Jackson, the sole African American on MTVs roster of video jockeys, or VJs as they became known. Despite Jackson’s presence on MTV through 1986, the network faced allegations of racism for giving scant airtime to videos featuring people of color. MTV executives have denied that racism was at the root of the network’s â€Å"blackout,† saying that black artists received little airplay because their music didn’t fit the channel’s rock-based format. â€Å"MTV was originally designed to be a rock music channel,† said Buzz Brindle, MTV’s former director of music programming, to Jet magazine in 2006. â€Å"It was difficult for MTV to find African American artists whose music fit the channel’s format that leaned toward rock at the outset.† With so few black rockers, adding African Americans to MTV’s roster proved difficult, according to the network’s co-founder Les Garland, whom  Jet also interviewed. â€Å"We had nothing to pick from,† Garland explained. â€Å"Fifty percent of my time was spent in the early days of MTV convincing artists to make music videos and convincing record labels to put up money to make those videos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One artist needed no convincing. He’d even made a video for â€Å"Dont Stop ’Til You Get Enough,† a cut from his 1979 album Off the Wall. But when approached by Michael Jackson’s  record label, would MTV agree to play his  music videos? How the King of Pop Changed MTV It took major prodding to get MTV to play â€Å"Billie Jean,† the second track from Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller. Released Jan. 2, 1983, the single would go on to top the Billboard 100 chart for seven weeks, but Walter Yetnikoff, president of CBS Records Group, reportedly had to threaten to remove all other CBS videos from MTV before the network agreed to air the video for â€Å"Billie Jean.†Ã‚   Garland  denied such a confrontation occurred, telling Jet that the network began playing the video on its own. â€Å"There was never any hesitation. No fret,† he said. Based on his account, MTV aired the video the same day that executives screened it. However â€Å"Billie Jean† ended up on the network, there’s little doubt that it changed the course of MTV. The first video by a black artist to receive heavy rotation on the network, â€Å"Billie Jean† opened up the door for other artists of color to be featured on MTV. â€Å"Billie Jean† also paved the way for Michael Jackson to star in the 14-minute music video â€Å"Thriller,† the most expensive music video ever made at the time. â€Å"Thriller† debuted Dec. 2, 1983. It proved so popular that it was released as a home video that  went on to become a record-breaking bestseller. Rock Music Takes a Backseat Black recording artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince and Whitney Houston dominated the pop and RB charts in the 1980s. During the same period, however, another urban art form was commanding the music industry’s attention- hip-hop. The films Beat Street  and Krush Groove  paid homage to hip-hop in the first half of the decade. By the second half, MTV had taken notice. It debuted its hip-hop-centered program â€Å"Yo! MTV Raps† on Aug. 6, 1988. According to USA Today, the show was the first ever to exclusively focus on hip-hop. (BETs Rap City premiered the following year.) â€Å"Yo! MTV Raps†Ã‚  aired on MTV for seven years. The program opened the door for â€Å"MTV Jams,† a program with an urban music focus that premiered in 1996. Although MTV began with a rock format in mind, the popularity of pop music, hip-hop, and RB among the general public left the network no choice but to diversify its playlists. By the late 1990s, rock music received increasingly less airplay on the channel as boy bands, Disney starlets, and rappers gained ground with audiences, and rock music recovered from the death of grunge. Black VJs MTV may have been criticized for failing to showcase black recording artists from the outset, but it has always included African American VJs among its staff, starting with the late J.J. Jackson. Other notable MTV VJs of color include Downtown Julie Brown, Daisy Fuentes, Idalis, Bill Bellamy, and Ananda Lewis. On shows such as the long-running â€Å"Real World,† MTV makes a point to showcase cast members from diverse backgrounds, albeit often stereotypically. Cartoon Controversy Although MTV has made considerable gains in diversity over the decades, the network has suffered race-related controversies in the 21st century. In 2006, it drew backlash for airing a cartoon that featured black women as canines - tethered, squatting on all fours, and defecating. The networks then-president, Christina Norman, defended the cartoon, calling it a parody of an appearance rapper Snoop Dogg had made with two black women wearing neck collars and chains. Black activists found this response unacceptable. But as they lobbed their accusations of racism and misogyny at the network, they had to take into account one major development at MTV: A  woman of color ran the channel. That’s right; Christina Norman is black. She served as president of MTV from 2005 to 2008. The cartoon controversy reveals that  during Norman’s tenure, MTV still had much-needed lessons to learn about race. But her rise to the top also indicated that the network accused of shutting out black recording artists now welcomed  diversity both on its airwaves and in its boardroom. Programming That Challenges Racial Bias In 2014, through a partnership with David Binder Research, MTV conducted a study of bias among the millennial generation. Soon after, it launched the website Look Different, a resource for young people wishing to fight for greater equality among marginalized peoples.  Ã‚   A year later, MTVs vice president of public affairs, Ronnie Cho, announced that MTV would create and sponsor ongoing programming designed to  change attitudes and behaviors around racial bias.  Included in that programming was MTVs July 22, 2015, premier of the documentary  White People, in which Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas traveled across the country speaking to white millennials about topics like privilege and race relations.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Inferno & Canterbury Tales

The openings to both Dante’s Inferno and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales trace religious journeys; Dante’s narrator explores the afterlife while Chaucer’s characters begin a traditional pilgrimage from London to Canterbury. Both journeys occur during spring, a time of year often associated with growth and rejuvenation. Chaucer begins by describing the season; he writes, â€Å"Whatn that April with his showres soote/The drought of March hath perced to the roote/ And bathed every vein in swich licour†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 1-3). Dante’s narrator hints at the setting when he says â€Å"†¦so I was encouraged to face with better hope the beast†¦by the time of day, the sweetness of the season.† (lines 41-44). Despite these common elements, the journeys have different natures, giving each story a distinct tone; one seems eerie and haphazard while the other is light and straight forward. Unlike Chaucer’s pilgrims, who are equipped with a schedule and established path, Inferno starts with chaos and uncertainty. The narrator describes himself â€Å"astray in a dark wood where the straight road had been lost sight of. How hard it is to say what it was like in the thick of thickets, in a wood so dense and gnarled the very thought of it renews my panic.† (lines 2-6). This physical description of the path and forest parallels his fear. Virgil’s offer to show him â€Å"an eternal place where you will†¦see those long-lost spirits in torment† followed by those â€Å"among the blessed,† provides the narrator with direction and he quickly accepts. Accepting this offer forces the narrator to surrender control of his own future. Like the narrator of Inferno, the pilgrims in Canterbury Tales are also followers; others have already completed the journey they are about to commence. Although one trip is planned and the other quite unexpected, the shared component of trusting a prescribed path reflects the basis of religion, which requires its follow... Free Essays on Inferno & Canterbury Tales Free Essays on Inferno & Canterbury Tales The openings to both Dante’s Inferno and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales trace religious journeys; Dante’s narrator explores the afterlife while Chaucer’s characters begin a traditional pilgrimage from London to Canterbury. Both journeys occur during spring, a time of year often associated with growth and rejuvenation. Chaucer begins by describing the season; he writes, â€Å"Whatn that April with his showres soote/The drought of March hath perced to the roote/ And bathed every vein in swich licour†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 1-3). Dante’s narrator hints at the setting when he says â€Å"†¦so I was encouraged to face with better hope the beast†¦by the time of day, the sweetness of the season.† (lines 41-44). Despite these common elements, the journeys have different natures, giving each story a distinct tone; one seems eerie and haphazard while the other is light and straight forward. Unlike Chaucer’s pilgrims, who are equipped with a schedule and established path, Inferno starts with chaos and uncertainty. The narrator describes himself â€Å"astray in a dark wood where the straight road had been lost sight of. How hard it is to say what it was like in the thick of thickets, in a wood so dense and gnarled the very thought of it renews my panic.† (lines 2-6). This physical description of the path and forest parallels his fear. Virgil’s offer to show him â€Å"an eternal place where you will†¦see those long-lost spirits in torment† followed by those â€Å"among the blessed,† provides the narrator with direction and he quickly accepts. Accepting this offer forces the narrator to surrender control of his own future. Like the narrator of Inferno, the pilgrims in Canterbury Tales are also followers; others have already completed the journey they are about to commence. Although one trip is planned and the other quite unexpected, the shared component of trusting a prescribed path reflects the basis of religion, which requires its follow...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

When to Use Dear and Deer

When to Use Dear and Deer The words dear and deer  are  homophones: they sound alike but have different meanings.As an adjective or adverb, dear means greatly loved or valued, high-priced, or earnest. (Dear is used with a name as a polite form of address.) As a noun, dear refers to a person who is loved or whos endearing. As an interjection, dear is used to express surprise, sympathy, or distress. The noun deer refers to a hoofed, ruminant mammal. (Plural, deer.) Examples It was hard to say goodbye to such dear friends.My family paid a terrible price, perhaps too dear a price for my commitment.(Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, 2008)Her dear students were gaping like guppies, their eyes unblinking and their little mouths opening and closing silently.  (Joan Hess, Dear Miss Demeanor, 2007)She took the fall bravely, whacking her thigh painfully on the dressing-table corner. Oh dear, she gasped. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.  (Kate Morton, The Distant Hours, 2010)The deer is a remarkably adaptable animal, one that can live almost anywhere.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Four Paired Stocks Worth Watching This Week Essay

Four Paired Stocks Worth Watching This Week - Essay Example However, at least three things mitigate this news. One is that the FDA is not compelled to heed the advice of its panels. Two is that pronouncements by spokespersons of the FDA point out that the recent panel recommendation summarized above is not likely to have an impact on existing applications for drug approval. This means that the applications for approval. Three, consensus wisdom from insiders is that at any rate, the two companies already have in their possession a wealth of existing, prior to approval clinical data on human trials involving measuring the impact of their respective medications on strokes and heart ailments, and can comply with the recommendations of the FDA panel if necessary, without resorting to new, pre-approval clinical trials. All these taken together means that while on the surface, the FDA panel recommendation seems to be somewhat of a drag on the approval train for Vivus and Arena, the reality, especially with the announcements of the FDA spokespersons hinting that the approval processes have a slim chance of being derailed, is that both companies are probably in for a rosy future as far as the approval process is concerned, at least at the moment. Indeed, in reaction to the news on the recommendation of the FDA panel, the stock prices of both Vivus and Arena rose (Edney and Larkin; The Fly on the Wall). This joint rise in the stock price underscores market perception and underlying market and research dynamics that couple the two stocks and make of the two a stock pair worth watching. Moreover, the two are locked in a tight race for billing and for first-mover, as well as for the corollary financial rewards, to get to market with their respective medications for obesity. It is interesting, looking at the stock price charts over the last six months, how in recent weeks the fate of the two stocks seem to have coupled even more tightly. Vivus shares spiked fifty percent in early February of 2012, and has plateaued at a level of arou nd US 20 dollars a share. Following this trend, Arena shares spiked 50 percent in early March, plateauing so far at around US 3 dollars a share. It is interesting to see how further milestones and market development for the two firms will reflect on their respective share prices (Edney and Larkin; The Fly on the Wall; Google Finance (a); Google Finance (b)). The market is on a keen lookout for key approval milestones for the two competing medications from the two firms. The drug Qnexa by Vivus seems to be ahead of the pack, with positive news coming from an FDA panel on February 22 of this year which weighed risks against benefits and found that the drug's risks were dimmed by its benefits. The FDA may or may not heed that panel finding, and at any rate come up with a decision on Qnexa by April 17 of this year. Lorcaserin, which was developed by Arena, is set for an FDA panel scrutiny by May 10. The FDA will then, by the 27th of June of this year, make its decision on the latter dru g. The consensus is that positive news for Qnexa/Vivus ought to translate to positive news for lorcaserin/Arena,

Friday, October 18, 2019

Irish Pub in rome Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Irish Pub in rome - Case Study Example Another essential step in the process would be identifying potential suppliers of refurbishing materials as well as bar and kitchen supplies, so that the bar can be well stocked up before it opens. Cost assumptions would need to be made on the basis of estimations about the prices of materials available from suppliers. The last stage of the project would involve the promotional activities associated with setting up the Irish bar in Rome and based upon the list of activities as identified above, the Work break down structure has been derived below: At the outset, the scope of the project needs to be defined. This is to be followed up by a plan of action whereby three steps must be executed at the same time, namely (a) liaising with authorities to procure the necessary licenses (b) determining the team members to form a part of the core team and (c) finding out the local suppliers of building materials and supplies. Each of these tasks links to related tasks, as shown in the WBS chart below: The Work breakdown structures are used to make complex projects more manageable by breaking them down into work segments that can be more effectively estimated in terms of costs and time frames and also supervised effectively (www.brighthub.com). The WBS has the advantage of listing out all the tasks that need to be completed in connection with the project and arranging them in a framework that allows the facility of viewing the entire project in an encapsulated form , wherein each sequence contains a list of tasks that fall into that particular category. The objective of this project is to set up an Irish bar in Rome, which not only offers food and drinks but also provides music and entertainment. The proposal seeks to develop this pub within premises that will be leased or purchased; however in either case, it would be necessary to make some structural and design changes in order to transform it

Introduction to art theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to art theory - Essay Example The lack of realism, knowledge of perspective in art and understanding of the human figure were lost with the fall of Rome. But the historians at that time claim that medieval artist concerned simply trying to send a religious message. Byzantine art culture comes next, which is often referred as one of the finest art of Middle Ages in terms of quality of material and workmanship. The Gothic art, which appeared around 13th century (art and architecture) was unique. Gothic art merged with Renaissance art at different times in different places making internationally renowned. Renaissance art culture led to many changes in both technical aspects of painting and sculpture, as well as their subject matter. Renaissance enhanced realism in the work, such as three dimensional perspectives in more authenticated manner. Tone contrast of Titan’s portrait and sfumato and chiaroscuro by Leonardo da Vinci are notable. Art has gone through evolution as the centuries passed. The idea of renaissance emerged to sculptor Donatello who classical techniques included David as a free-standing bronze nude created in Europe since the Roman Empire. Following him, High Renaissance artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti and Raffaello Santi emerged. They exhibited astounding mastery both technical and aesthetic. As the time passed many artists were repulsed by the ornate grandeur of the artistic styles and sought to revert to earlier which created intellectual movement known as Enlightenment or Neoclassicism culture. Eugene Delacroix, Francisco Goya attempted centrist approaches of Neoclassicist and Romanticist styles. The middle of 19th century marked the industrial revolution across Europe. The European art as well became radically altered by industrialization. 1860s artistic styles were more of Neoclassicist and romanticist type. In the latter year’s poverty, squalor, and desperation were the theme of the art. The fate of the working class has

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Information and knowledge in technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Information and knowledge in technology - Essay Example Such information flow cannot be regulated by the government. Search engines have evolved into very efficient machines today. The first search engines did not meet the needs of the average person. Searches yielded irrelevant information. Companies paid search engine companies to show their websites whenever a customer searched for a certain word or group of words. For example, when a person searched in Yahoo for the word â€Å"car," BMW was among the first websites to appear even before a website that defined the word â€Å"car" (Battelle, 2005). While such advertising models were beneficial to businesses, customers hoped that an efficient search engine would be created. People wanted a tool that would help them get information fast. When Google was created, it answered most of the customer’s needs. First of all, the philosophy that drove the creation of Google was to organise all the information of the world so that people could easily search and get it. The company refused to follow the model of Yahoo and other search engines. In fact, it took some time before Google thought of a way of monetising the search engine. Deep down their hearts, they wanted to help people out. It is the reason Google is the number one search engine on the planet. Other companies followed the model set by Google, so included Microsoft with Bing. Google and other modern search engines earn money through advertising. They use pay per click model whereby all the adverts that appear after the customer searches for information depends on what the customer has looked. It is not a random system. Social media is another method through which people get information. Human beings are social and they do not live in isolation. The fact that people can connect and communicate with loved ones post photos and content such as music and video have revolutionised the way we live. Companies such as Facebook and Twitter facilitate massive transfer of information for people who have signed up for

Research paper on Marie Curie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

On Marie Curie - Research Paper Example Marie spent most of her entire life in France, married scientist Pierre Curie, got two kids (Irene and Eve), and devoted her life to scientific research that led to her discovery, and two Nobel prize awards in physics and chemistry. She was a woman subjected to humiliation and discredit because of her affair after the death of her husband. This was associated to her scientific work and was an effort to bring her reputation down. Today, most of her work and discoveries are subjects to reference in medical fields, and have contributed a lot to the evolution of cancer treatment, X rays, and development of nuclear weapons. Keywords: Marie Curie, Pierre Curie, Discoveries, Radium and Polonium, Russian Government, Warsaw, Paris, Sorbonne, Nobel Prize, Radium Institute, Science, Research , Laboratory, X Ray, Nuclear Introduction Marie Curie is one of the greatest role models for women in the contemporary world. She was confronted by numerous plights that continue to impede women’s su ccess in workplace domains to this day. Her life, character, actions, and decisions were shaped up by her experiences as she grew up, the people she interacted with in her early life, and the motivations she had to change people’s ideologies, and prove capable of contributing into the scientific revolution. Women have for a long time been left out in important factors of development. Their perceptions are still ignored to certain extents in the society, which makes them feel that they can only accomplish with the help of great men by their side. Marie broke off from that stereotypical ideology and demonstrated her great intuition and tenacity to succeed in scientific evolution, even in the trying times and circumstances that linked her personal life with her work. Marie Curie passed through difficult and tempting moments, ranging from loosing some her family members at a young age, rejection in studies based on the existing law in her country, catering for her education and h er family when she moved to Paris, not to mention the hard decisions she had to make to strike a balance between her work, desires, and family. She confronted her situations with determination and perseverance, despite lack of recognition to her efforts in scientific discoveries, but tactically used any available opportunity to defend her course till she convincingly earned it. The Early life of Marie Curie Marie Curie was originally born in Poland at a time of political difficulties in a place called Warsaw. Marie was the last among five children in her family, and lived between 7th November 1867 and 4th July 1934 (â€Å"Polish Girlhood,† n.d.). Her original name was Maria Sklodowska and her childhood nickname was Manya. Numerous wars between the existing European monarchs and the local Poland’s revolts, the resulting treaties, political issues and instabilities had led to disintegration of Poland, which ended up affecting Warsaw’s economic and social structure s. The communities and reds of Poland at the time had made numerous attempts for revolution against the dictatorship monarchs, who had deprived them for a long period. Marie was born when Poland was under the Russian government. Russian governors had been placed in charge of different regions of the land, and continued to execute their repressive rule on the people. Warsaw, Lithuania, and Ruthenia were the major active locations in former Poland, whose populations exhibited political demonstrations and uprisings to challenge the Russians. Russian rule gained strength

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Information and knowledge in technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Information and knowledge in technology - Essay Example Such information flow cannot be regulated by the government. Search engines have evolved into very efficient machines today. The first search engines did not meet the needs of the average person. Searches yielded irrelevant information. Companies paid search engine companies to show their websites whenever a customer searched for a certain word or group of words. For example, when a person searched in Yahoo for the word â€Å"car," BMW was among the first websites to appear even before a website that defined the word â€Å"car" (Battelle, 2005). While such advertising models were beneficial to businesses, customers hoped that an efficient search engine would be created. People wanted a tool that would help them get information fast. When Google was created, it answered most of the customer’s needs. First of all, the philosophy that drove the creation of Google was to organise all the information of the world so that people could easily search and get it. The company refused to follow the model of Yahoo and other search engines. In fact, it took some time before Google thought of a way of monetising the search engine. Deep down their hearts, they wanted to help people out. It is the reason Google is the number one search engine on the planet. Other companies followed the model set by Google, so included Microsoft with Bing. Google and other modern search engines earn money through advertising. They use pay per click model whereby all the adverts that appear after the customer searches for information depends on what the customer has looked. It is not a random system. Social media is another method through which people get information. Human beings are social and they do not live in isolation. The fact that people can connect and communicate with loved ones post photos and content such as music and video have revolutionised the way we live. Companies such as Facebook and Twitter facilitate massive transfer of information for people who have signed up for

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Strategic HR Mgmt - Article Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic HR Mgmt - Article Summary - Essay Example Thus to harness this possible collapse of one’s organization, HR specialists have advised against the use of conventional strategies. Instead they have recommended a number of avant-garde approaches, namely, open communication systems, flexibility, new compensation packages and ‘more interesting work, for the older workers. Consequently, in order to maintain and attract the ‘best’ employers would be wise to utilize these recommendations of the HR specialists and change their modus operandi. Hence, organizations may turn their entire company around by ensuring that there is always an open door for these aging workers to relate to their managers. The managers therefore must keep abreast of the requirements of these workers by having continual discussions with them. Another HR strategy is the necessity of flexibility in this modern work environment. Flexibility in terms of duration of work, allotted time/days for work, place of work, compensation packages and the like are extremely important in the life of the aging worker. As a result managers must take these factors into account when developing their HR plans. ‘Phased retirement’ which refers to a gradual process rather than an abrupt end of employment is a new concept that will begin to play a major role in the HR life of an organization. A third strategy is that of empowering the ‘baby boomers’ in the workplace. Employees feel empowered when they have a sense of autonomy in their job function. Further, these employees are motivated to remain with the company that demonstrates the importance of the workers’ role to the overall functioning of the organization. What is more, aging workers want a chance to ‘learn new things.’ Thus, an organization can incorporate training in their daily program to accommodate the needs of their workers. Finally, a high

One Machine in Cement Production Industry Essay Example for Free

One Machine in Cement Production Industry Essay The cement packing machine is mainly used for packing cement in bags, or other fluit powdery materials bagging work. Except manual sidekick, baggs cant fall off unless the bulking load reach centain amount. The machine can stop immediately when bag happens to fall of suddenly. It can charge load without compressing air, which reduces the packer damadge caused by damaged pneumatic components. Most of the cement packer is divided into fixed and rotary. The work of running processes 1). Start the operation steps: The circular telegram starts the belt fastener start the packer start the feeding engine to insert the bag to fill installs measurement fall the bag . 2). Engine off step: Closes the feeding engine emptying the cement in the packer switch off the total power source . Entire operation and routine maintenance When the operation appears failure ,emergency stopping maintenance , cutting off power supply, , listing alerts or the specialist care. 6). Packer of grounding protection wants safely reliable,and regularly test ground resistance . 7). When the belt suddenly stop , they should immediately cut off the cement packer rotary power to scratch-resistant package

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Critical Response Teen Magazines A Critical Analysis English Language Essay

Critical Response Teen Magazines A Critical Analysis English Language Essay Magazines aimed at the young teenage women market may give the impression of being a girls best friend. Of course, like everything, they have their strengths and weaknesses but do the strengths outweigh the weaknesses? It seems more likely for the negative effects of teenage magazines to be more prominent than the positive effects but is this really the case? This response reviews the way teenage magazines address issues relevant to young women today, especially from the point of view of promoting healthy body image, safe sex and leading social justice issues. All these aspects are emphasised by techniques used in the composition of these magazines with article structure, visual collages and informal language being the most common. Are the issues they cover and the extent to which they cover them appropriate for their readers? Teenage magazines, such as Dolly and Girlfriend, are often the first place teenagers turn when they have a problem and that is when segments like Dolly Doctor  [1]  are most commonly used. This reinforces the need for the magazines content to be appropriate for their readers; however, this is not always possible. Magazines, such as Cleo and Cosmopolitan, are in a difficult position; whilst they are aimed at the young adult market, 18 to 35-year-old women, a large proportion of their readers are between the age o f 14 and 17. As reported in the respective magazines readership profiles, 35.16 per cent of Cosmopolitan readers  [2]  are aged between 14 and 17 and 29.11 per cent of Cleo readers.  [3]  How does this effect the teens who read these magazines? It appears that these effects are positive, such as encouraging their readers to exercise, as well as negative, for instance lowering their self-esteem. Why are teenage magazines so popular? Issues facing teenagers Teenage magazines play an important role in the average female teenagers life. They provide a wide range of information, from social issues such as smoking and drinking, to issues of a less important nature, such as what to wear to the formal, or how to talk to boys.  [4]  It is, therefore, important that they address the relevant issues teenagers face in society today. One of the biggest issues addressed in teenage magazines is sex, and more importantly, safe sex. The impression you acquire when you pick up a teenage magazine is that they assume that if girls are not sex savvy then they want to be.  [5]   One teenage reader asked the question concerning Chik  [6]  magazine: wheres all the sex stories?  [7]  This simple question supports the theory that teenage magazines are not necessarily successful for the correct reasons. Amongst some groups in society, such as the Christian churches, such articles are often perceived as immoral. It also makes these acts seem more common in society, which is not necessarily true. In fact, 80 percent of 16 year-olds have not had sexual intercourse but by the age of 18 theres a 50 per cent probability that they have.  [8]  Being a virgin is generally criticised by other teenagers. Despite the fact that magazines promote safe sex, research has shown that safe sex does not exist unless two virgins are having sex for the first time and remain with each other for life.  [9]   On the other hand, these magazines run articles on what their readers want to know. If Dolly magazine receive a letter asking for help about not wanting to have sex, they will run an article about abstinence. Or if they receive a letter about date rape, they will run an article about date rape and what to do about it. In the same respect, if a reader asks Dolly, what is masturbation? they will respond with an appropriate article.  [10]   There seems to be a common perception that reading teenage magazines has contributed heavily to readers low self-esteem. As a result of this perception, today teenage magazines seek to promote a health body image. Dolly magazine has a specific section in every issue called the Body Confidence Club  [11]  that is dedicated to motivating teenagers to be content with their body. This ranges from advice on exercising and meditation to healthy eating. Often it will include real-life stories to help teenagers to believe if it worked for them, it can work for me! The deputy editor of Dolly magazine said: We never publish diets or ever say that a girl should lose weight, its only ever about toning up if thats what you want to feel better about yourself.  [12]   The Body Confidence Club is a reader forum where Dolly talks about a body issue and does it in a way that is inspirational. Stories will reflect the problem and show solutions, stimulating teenagers to think that they can change too. Publishing articles on healthy body image next to fashion spreads glorifying all that is tall and skinny  [13]  can have a negative effect. What girls need to remember is that Marilyn Monroe was a size 14 and she was still considered beautiful.  [14]   Even Cosmopolitan has dealt with the issue of body image, introducing the Body Love Initiative in October 2001. This policy states that Cosmopolitan will use models from size 6 to size 16 in every issue, as well as all races. Alongside the models, Cosmopolitan will not publish a diet and has not done so for around seven years. They also ensure that their advertisers do not place unnecessary emphasis on the need to be skinny and consistently publish articles to help readers feel more confident and love the skin they are in. These guidelines were put into place after readers became outraged over a photo shoot, Lingerie Gets Real, featuring women in their underwear.  [15]  Cosmopolitans philosophy is: Healthy eating, healthy body image but being within your healthy body weight range all about feeling good in your own skin.  [16]   Another issue addressed by these magazines concerns popularity amongst peers. This is an important issue in the minds of teenagers, especially in the school environment. The common perception that you have to be cool to obtain the attention of a boy increases the pressure of becoming popular. To quash this assumption Dolly magazine focuses on the fact that popularity is not as important as being confident. Therefore they run stories about how to talk to people, both boys and girls, and how to be more confident in different situations.  [17]  However, confidence is just one part of it. If a teenager does not feel popular she is less likely to be confident. So it is important to address popularity as an issue of concern. Mental health and wellbeing are important issues to address for teenagers. They need to gain understanding of the causes, occurrences and management of these disorders. Without this knowledge there are often misconceptions about disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. Suicide, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and self-harm are all common topics of discussion in Dolly magazine because of the many letters received requesting information about certain mental illnesses. The deputy editor of Dolly states that: In all of those stories we do talk to experts about the issue and get information that the girls can use.  [18]   Cosmopolitan, on the other hand, always runs feel-good articles in the magazine each month to help their readers overcome their own anxiety and stress  [19]  but they do not run articles to increase the awareness of mental illnesses. Illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are rarely mentioned in Cosmopolitan. Physical impairment is another issue that needs to be dealt with. This is to ensure that teenagers acknowledge that people with physical impairments are not different. Dolly often publishes articles on the life story of someone with a physical impairment to show the readers that despite this impairment and the obstacles in their life they still live normally and they are like any other person. However, Cosmopolitan and Cleo fail to cover issues about physical impairment. How magazines are composed How do magazines persuade people to read so many articles and view the visual images constructed in each monthly issue? This is achieved through the language and visual techniques that are used and accentuated to capture the attention of the reader. These include structure, interviews, language features, pull-quotes, rhetorical questions and visual texts. Firstly, the structure of most feature articles is changing. They are beginning to be separated by many sub-headings. By using sub-headings it allows the reader to go straight to the part of the article they are particularly interested in. For example in the Dolly article, The Rise of the Straight Edgers,  [20]  if a person knew what a Straight Edger is, but was wondering where the name came from they can go to the sub-section, Whats with the name?  [21]  Or if they wanted to find out more, they are directed to the section, Wanna know more?  [22]  This means that a person can get what they want out of the article quickly without having to read the entire article. The types of articles also vary from stories, interviews and notes. Stories are effective in entertaining as well as informing. The investigation into the statistic that 1 in 5 women will experience violence during pregnancy  [23]  is informing the reader about the risks of violence during pregnancy as well as telling the stories of women who lost their lives at the hand of the father of their unborn child. The use of interviews creates the impression that the reader is communicating with the interviewee, and not reading it second hand. An interview, such as Tammin Sursoks subtitled, The first time I ,  [24]  gives the reader the feeling of having a conversation with your best friend about the first time you kissed a boy had sex fell in love à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [25]  This creates the effect that the reader is getting to know the celebrity personally, instead of just reading a magazine interview. The use of first person also emphasizes this in the mind of the reader. This approach is taken in most interviews in magazines in an attempt to personalize the article for the reader. Notes allow the reader to go straight to short bits of information. In Rags to Riches  [26]  the reader can quickly obtain small pieces of fact from the spreadsheet of information. These text formats allow different readers to access the information that is of specific interest to them. The language used amongst teenage magazines is informal, conversational and full of jargon and slang. This is because these magazines try to speak to the reader, not speak at them. You could imagine that if one of these magazines happened to use formal language it would appear as though the magazine is a text book and very serious. Informal language creates a much more carefree approach to topics of discussion positioning the reader to relate more easily. For example, if this sentence: When you look at Jade, she strikes you as just another spunky chick, in miniature  [27]   was written formally it would say something along the lines of: Upon viewing Jade, your first impression of her would be, a short but fashionable woman. Instead, using informal language helps to keep the teenagers interested and they are more likely to read and understand what is being said. It also fits in with each magazines philosophy  [28]   to be the readers friend and adviser. Jargon and slang reaches the teenagers on their level. In this particular sentence slang is adopted strongly and still manages to communicate its message: You probably heard Paris [Hilton] threw a tanti when she saw her porn vid being sold by her local newsstand owner  [29]   Words such as tanti and vid are slang for tantrum and video. The purpose of this language is to relate to the teens by communicating to them using their own jargon. Emotive language is used to create a response in the reader and is present in sections like Dolly Doctor  [30]  and Sex, Body and Friends Advice  [31]  . Its intention is to convey the message that the writers at each magazine truly care about the issues people are asking about and they offer genuine advice to help their reader. When Girlfriend Advice was questioned about bullying, their response was: All of us here at GF [Girlfriend] feel very strongly that you have a right to feel totally safe at school.  [32]   The expression of concern for the girl being bullied helps the girl to believe that they really care. Dolly magazine also does the same thing. When Dolly counsellor, Louise Redmond, was asked about whether there is something wrong with a girl who keeps being excluded from her friendship groups plans she responds: Theres absolutely nothing wrong with you! Hard as it is, dont take it personally.  [33]   As a result of this expression of kindness and concern the person asking the question then feels compelled to follow the advice handed out to them by the magazine. The use of second person addresses the reader. Its inclusiveness embraces each readers concerns. Pull-quotes are used within articles to compel you to read an article. A pull-quote is a quote from the article that is selected and highlighted amongst the text in a different coloured and larger sized font. This device is used to draw the readers eye to the page. The quote is chosen on its strength and whether or not it is interesting, funny, exciting or riveting.  [34]  For example, in the article titled, Im a teenage mum of three,  [35]  the pull-quote, All of my friends lost their virginity before me, but I wanted to wait until I felt ready to have a baby  [36]   interests the reader into reading the article to find out why this teenager has three children by the age of seventeen. This is effective in attracting interest and attention to the article. However, other pull-quotes can seem completely irrelevant to the story. For example, an article titled My parents are both blind  [37]  with a pull quote: If someones playing kickball I run off coz Im scared about it hitting me  [38]   This pull-quote seems completely out of context, however, by causing confusion about the article teenagers are more likely to read the article. If only to find out how that pull-quote relates to an article about something perceivably different. Rhetorical questions invoke thought about the issue being addressed. If the issue is not a well-known topic questions such as: Does he love it? Hate it?  [39]   strategically placed at the beginning of the article encourages readers to engage in reading and contemplating the article. The composers of the magazines have, therefore, reached its purpose to persuade people to read their publications. Emphasised questions help to make the reader focus on what an article is addressing. The majority of the questions asked are answered within the body of the article. What can you do to stop the symptoms?  [40]   is answered, Learn new and better ways to deal with stress. Eat a varied diet and avoid foods that have a high fat content  [41]   This allows the reader to gain closure on the topic of discussion. If you were to pick up the latest Dolly magazine to find that there were no pictures at all, what would you think? Without images these magazines would have no appeal, people would just walk straight past them in a shop. The problem begins at the appropriateness of these visual images. Often an article would not survive without images or be overlooked if it was not for the suggestive images surrounding the text. The most prominent visual technique is a collage, especially on the front cover. It is the most effective way of putting a lot of information into a small space. A collage is used in Dollys Style section  [42]  and presents to the reader four celebrities, their fashion style, and the clothing articles and accessories they can obtain to achieve the same fashion style. Some articles, such as How Old Is She?  [43]  , could not exist without pictures. How do you demonstrate that a person looks young or old for their actual age without images? These pictures, however, seize the readers attention and intrigue them to find out how old these girls really are. Other pictures are used to tease the reader into reading the article. Images such as the one in Great Places To Kiss  [44]  catches the readers eye and provokes them to read the article. Even the image for the article Stop Texting Me!  [45]  provokes the reader. They see a girl with a mobile phone and quickly examine the article to see if it is of any interest to them. In Cosmopolitans fashion workshop  [46]  visual images are essential to explain why you should not wear certain types of underwear for different body shapes. However, Cosmopolitan has taken some poetic licence. In the images showing the reader what not to wear they place the model in an unflattering pose and appearing self-conscious. This creates the effect that it is not something the reader would want to wear. Of course, when the model is wearing what ultimately looks better she appears to be happy and confident, posing with a smile. A recurring way of presenting photos is in the notice board style. Each photo has a thick white border and a paper clip or thumb-tack in the corner, giving the effect that the photos are up on a notice board, attached to a personal profile or even part of a personal notebook.  [47]  Personalising these photos involves the reader in the magazine and creates a carefree atmosphere. Consequently, the combination of these techniques makes a teenage magazine intriguing to the reader. This results from being positioned by the composer in a location easily accessible to read or view the text. By making these magazines intriguing and easily accessible allows the magazines to sell many copies of each monthly issue. Magazines and Appropriateness Many people tend to focus on the negative aspects of what teenagers are reading in magazines. Christopher Bantick, The Age journalist, wrote: Besides the heavy emphasis on sex and problematic sex at that teenage girls magazines capitalize on adolescent insecurity.  [48]   Although this is accurate, Bantick could be optimistic and, instead of reinforcing common beliefs about magazines, he could address the fact that these magazines do aim to reach out to teenagers at their level and help them with their insecurities, whether that would be about sexual intercourse or not. Magazines have implemented sections within the magazines where their readers can write in to ask for advice  [49]  about something they feel uncomfortable asking their parents or even their friends. Many parents do not like what their daughters are reading in these teenage magazines, as evident by the Your Say section of The Age,  [50]  but many more are actually dejected that their daughters are growing up too fast and interested in such topics of discussion. Articles regarding Sex Exotica  [51]  would seem inappropriate for a 14-year-old female to be reading. Such an article may be appropriate for Cosmopolitans market audience, 18 to 35 year olds. However, the editors should take into account that a large percentage of the readers, 35.16 per cent  [52]  to be exact, are aged between 14 and 17. However, if Cleo and Cosmopolitan were to change their content to suit the younger readers than they may lose readers and they would not be aimed at the 18 to 35 year old market any longer. It seems, with these two magazines in particular, they are mostly focused on topics such as sexual intercourse. Parents feel these magazines are not appropriate because of a perceived breach of moral standards. Cosmopolitans morals were questioned when a monthly issue was on sale in a Woolworths store. They received many complaints about a headline regarding a guide to a mind-blowing blow-job.  [53]  Cosmopolitan were forced to place stickers over this headline as it was inappropriate for the consumers in a supermarket. Many critics consider it inappropriate for young teenagers to be reading material such as that in Cosmopolitan and Cleo, and it is just as inappropriate for pre-teenagers to be reading Dolly or Girlfriend with the content they represent. Magazines have the potential to influence young minds about what is acceptable and unacceptable in society as well as altering their way of thinking about sexual intercourse and gender roles. There are other reasons why teenage magazines appeal to a young audience. Firstly, there are the striking colours, secondly, the famous boy or girl splashed across the cover page and thirdly, the desire to be cooler and mature for their age. These magazines reveal little about the value of academic achievement and intellectual challenges. It is fair to say that the brain is not the hot organ at the centre of the teenage magazine world. This lack of concern about formal education is reflected in Dolly and Girlfriend with less than 20 per cent  [54]  of articles focused on education and/or intelligence. Only Cosmopolitan and Cleo frequently publish articles about careers. However, of the articles published in each magazine, less than 5 per cent  [55]  of the articles are based on careers. The effects of these magazines Teenage magazines can affect teenagers in many ways, both positively and negatively. However because people tend to focus on the negatives it appears as though most of these effects are, in fact, negative. A study by the British Medical Association  [56]  has shown that: The media are a significant and pervasive influence in modern society, and provide information about gender roles, fashion and acceptable body image which may be particularly influential on those young children and adolescents who are heavily exposed to its content  [57]   And: Young women may compare themselves to extremely thin models à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and perceive themselves as fat in comparison, rather than healthy and attractive  [58]   This sort of influence on an already insecure teenager could result in social and psychological problems. These include eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, anxiety problems, depression and low self-esteem in susceptible personalities. Such problems are not healthy for the individual and restrict their quality of life. These problems, especially anxiety and low self-esteem, may arise from viewing the cover of any teenage magazine. This visual imagery may cause teenagers to feel insecure about their own body image, out of touch with the latest trends and even confused. Positioned on the cover of Dolly  [59]  magazine, April 2005, is an image of singer, Jessica Simpson, who is thin, toned, tanned, blonde, beautiful and in public view is her tight stomach and ample bust. For any girl who is not one hundred per cent comfortable with her outward appearance that image can be disheartening and depressing. Those who do not recognise the name or face of the latest guys youd sell your best friend for  [60]  can feel as though they are not up with the latest gossip or workings of, so to speak, girl-world. Those who do not understand the headline Stuck in Bloat Town?  [61]  can become confused even before opening the magazine. All of these thoughts and feelings occur before the person has even open ed the magazine. Once the magazine is opened, however, the feelings may continue or cease, it all depends on what part of the magazine the reader focuses on. The advertisements tend to send a completely different message than the articles they are placed next to and results in vulnerable teenage girls feeling uncertain about what message the magazine is trying to send. This mainly occurs when an article about healthy body image is placed next to image displaying a perceivably flawless, thin model.  [62]   Another impact on teenagers is caused by the fashions that models are seen wearing in magazines. These fashions influence the readers preferences. Teenagers will believe that if they wear that brand of clothing and that style of clothing they will look better and impress. This is not always the case, the clothes in magazines are often suggestive and send the wrong message. It could be interpreted that shes asking for trouble and a rebel when she is only following trends being fed by the magazines. Males can also be affected by these magazines, as well as females. It is a widely known fact that these images misrepresent the ideal body image for females but: There is growing awareness regarding the pressure men and boys are under to appear muscular.  

Saturday, October 12, 2019

More Than A Grandfather :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More Than A Grandfather   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My grandfather has had such a huge impact on my life. Why, you ask? It’s because of the kind of person that he is, and all of the things he has accomplished in his life. He has been successful at every thing he has ever done and has never failed at anything he has ever tried. He worked so hard for everything that he has and at one point he had to work two jobs to support his wife and four kids. He has always been a great provider for his family. I can only hope to be half the person he is. My grandfather has been my strength and inspiration throughout the years. His kindness, love and good examples were stepping stones for me to follow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John B. Martinez was born to John Martinez Sr. and Dora Martinez on November 11, 1929. My grandpa was born and raised in the wild and rugged terrain of Colorado Springs, Co. He was the youngest of five children, and was raised during a tough time in our history, the Depression Era. However, his family was rich in other ways, they had each other and they had the land they lived on, which was filled with magnificent aspen groves that blanketed the many slopes. To my grandfather their land was like his playground and his jungle where he could do as he pleased. His playground was as broad as his imagination and as a child he had many adventures in his jungle. During the summer, he and his friends spent countless days at a near by watering hole, diving in and swimming to escape the hot summer days. In the spring they would run through the wildflower filled foreground, as he described it I could see the light violet Showy Daisies, lemon yellow Sunflowers, baby Blue Bells, and the pink Mountain Dandelions. In the winter when the water would freeze over, they would ice skate and have snow ball fights.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My grandfather was a very successful man in life. When he was seventeen years old he started work picking cotton in the local farms and would bring every cent he earned home for his parents. He shortly enlisted in the Air Force on November 20, 1946 where he trained to be a fire fighter. Even though he was away from his family he still sent money every month. Later he

Friday, October 11, 2019

Microeconomic

What has been happening to the exchange rate of the US$? Give reasons. How is the exchange rate of a currency determined? If the value goes down will that help or hurt the trade deficit?This year, the US dollar continued its long-expected slide. The Economic Intelligence Unit (2007) reported that the dollar had shown substantial resilience in recent months, even though investors were convinced that the Federal Reserve would not raise short-term interest rates again during this cycle. But interest rate and growth differentials are moving strongly against the dollar and investors are again shifting their attention to the US’s massive external deficits.This will result in the dollar losing further value, averaging US$1.36: â‚ ¬1 and Y105: US$1 in 2007. We then expect a moderate and gradual recovery of the dollar against the euro as the US economy emerges from its weakness in 2007. Nevertheless, room for appreciation will be limited by the current-account deficit, the share of GDP of which will be reduced only gradually. The dollar should continue to weaken against the yen in 2008.As an exchange rate is the rate at which one country’s currency can be traded for another country’s currency, the U.S. exchange rate is influenced country’s income, a country’s prices, the interest rate in a country, and the country’s trade policy. That means that changes in a country’s income, changes in a country’s prices, changes in interest rates, and changes in trade policy can cause the supply of and demand for a currency to shift (Colander 2004).If the exchange rate of the dollar continues to go down, it will definitely help to diminish the trade deficit. This means the United States’ demand for imports will be lowered and foreign countries’ demand for U.S. exports will become higher because of the low dollar exchange rate. After years of having large trade deficits, the US now experienced a lowered exchange r ate because a trade deficit often leads to a global excess supply of that country’s currency. With everything else equal, the exchange rate should undergo pressure to depreciate because of this excess supply; with freely floating rates, it can do so. Then the exchange rate change passes through to affect the relative prices of imports and exports.2. What has been happening to the price of oil on international markets? Discuss the different impacts that this has on the economy, the producers, consumers, pollution, alternative fuels etc.Oil price increases over the past years have been an issue is closely watched and debated because of its huge impacts around the world. For example, a report by the International Energy Agency (May 2004) deemed that â€Å"higher oil prices since 1999 – partly the result of OPEC supply-management policies – contributed to the global economic downturn in 2000-2001†. Another result of which is that â€Å"current cyclical uptur n† lagged behind because the â€Å"world GDP growth may have been at least half a percentage point higher in the last two or three years had prices remained at mid-2001 levels†.The IEA report (May 2004) pointed out that â€Å"higher prices are contributing to stubbornly high levels of unemployment and exacerbating budget-deficit problems in many†¦ oil-importing countries†. It furthered that the continued increase in oil prices will be deadlier to developing countries because â€Å"their economies are more dependent on imported oil and more energy-intensive and because energy is used less efficiently†. The report informed that â€Å"oil-importing developing countries use more than twice as much oil to produce a unit of economic output† and when oil prices are high, their efforts in development will surely be affected.However, in the closer analysis, higher oil prices could do more good than bad in the world economy. The Economist Intelligence Un it ViewsWire (May 2006) deemed that although higher oil prices directly worsen a developing country’s trade balance and its current-account deficit that could also reduce corporate profitability and disposable income†, this reduction in domestic demand (the painful part), combined with a depreciation in the exchange rate, should be helpful in boosting exports and cut imports. In the end, higher oil prices are helping restore a country's current-account to its previous position. This is the reason why some developing countries in Asia have been hardly hit by higher oil prices in the recent years.With continued oil price increases, it will also lessen pollution because people will naturally look for alternative fuels which will be more environmentally-friendly. This will distribute the income from alternative fuels and oil-producing countries, which will eventually stabilize in the future, if the demand for oil will become lower. Car manufacturers will also try their hand in making their products more efficient with the use of fuel. All these improvements will serve up to the benefit of everyone, whether oil exporting or importing countries, because the oil resources are not limitless and should be conserved for the future generation.3.   How equally is income distributed in the US? What are the reasons? Should the government interfere? If so how and what would be the consequences? How important is social pressure in CEO pay?Income distribution in the United States has a wide disparity. This means that, in 2000, the top 5 percent highest income earners has incomes 19 times higher than the incomes of the bottom 20 percent (Bernstein, 2003). Moreover, according to Swann (2005), the average personal income fell by 0.1 percent in August 2005, depressed by weak wage growth and the effects of hurricane Katrina on income in the affected states. Wages rose by just 0.2 per cent – failing to keep pace with a 0.5 per cent rise in prices. Meanwhile the savings rate remained in negative territory, but improved slightly from -1.1 per cent to -0.7 per cent.However, a recent study entitled â€Å"Changes in the Economic Resources of Low- Income Households with Children† conducted by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported that from 1991 to 2005 an average household incomes among families that had children under age 18, the average household income for the lowest quintile of families with children increased from $12,400 in 1991 to $16,800 in 2005. These figures reflect inflation-adjusted dollars and are expressed in 2005 purchasing power. That 14-year change represented a total real increase of 35.5 percent, which reflects a yearly average of 2.2 percent (Washington Times, 10 June 2007).The government should interfere if there is a wide income gap because the general public will exhibit perplexity and annoyance to the growing pay gap between CEOs and other workers. However, organized resistance has been largely confined t o groups with direct financial interests, such as pension funds. When the business community has deemed it necessary to justify executive pay, it has couched explanations in terms of contributions to shareholder profits rather than involving itself in income disparity issues. Its stance has been that if the public could only be helped to understand the role of the executives in enhancing the wealth of the corporation, controversy would evaporate.Works CitedBernstein, Jared. The Hierarchy Income Inequality in the United States. Multinational Monitor, 24.5 (May 2003). Retrieved June 14, 2007Colander, David C. Economics, 5th ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2004.EIU ViewsWire. Asia Economy: Do High Oil Prices=Low Growth? May 11, 2006.EIU ViewsWire. USA: Currency Forecast, May 24, 2007.International Energy Agency. Analysis of the Impact of High Oil Prices on the Global Economy, May 2004. Retrieved June 14, 2007.Swann, Christopher. USA Economy: US Personal Income and Spending Sli ps, EIU ViewsWire, September 30, 2005.The Washington Times. News on Family Incomes, June 10, 2007, p. B02.