What Is a Good Persuasive Speech Thesis Like

What Is a Good Persuasive Speech Thesis Like? Writing a thesis is the most important stage in the preparation of your persuasive speech once you have chosen its topic. Its aim is to express your stance on the issue, present the strongest argument in its favour as well as grab your listeners’ attention. Therefore, allow yourself plenty of time for formulating the thesis, as it will help you organize your thoughts and ideas. Firstly, when you are formulating a thesis for a persuasive speech, decide on the aim that you want to achieve at your presentation. In most cases the objective of the persuasive speech is to trigger off some response on the part of the audience, namely to make them feel in a certain way about the issue. Your next step would be to define your view of the situation clearly and directly and give reasons you base your opinion on. You are not supposed to present all your arguments in the speech thesis, so just opt for the most convincing ones. Remember that it should only summarize the points you are going to dwell on in a detailed way, but make sure it engages your listeners and holds their interest. What makes a speech thesis compelling for the audience? It has to be easy to understand and remember and show that your research raises an important up-to-date issue that affects their lives. Lastly, do not be afraid to reconsider and reformulate your thesis if it does not live up to your e xpectations, as only practice makes perfect! All in all, approach developing a thesis seriously, as it is the cornerstone of your speech and will assist you in constructing the outline of it. Clear, concise and compelling – these are the three ‘C’s of a successful persuasive speech thesis!

Review Of Nights On The Weekend - 1639 Words

nights on the weekend. These short sessions lasted roughly an hour to two and a half hours and took place during times when The Bar was very busy. These short periods of observation acted as snapshots and were important for gauging the perceived demographics of The Bar’s customers as well as aiding in determining trends in times when the activity at The Bar peaked or decreased. Analysis Reviews As noted above, the number of printed materials from official media sources that contain information on The Bar are negligible. While The Bar is mentioned in travel guides geared towards gay tourists, there is generally only one short sentence to describe the business. The language is extremely sterile and outside of the address there is no†¦show more content†¦The official website for The Bar has a sleek, modern, design. In comparison to the official websites for similar businesses in the area, The Bar’s website is cleanly organized and easy to navigate. The Bar’s website lacks the advertisements that clutter the other businesses’ websites. The websites brightly colored and there is a large emphasis on the visual experience both while interacting with the website and in The Bar’s design. The largest portion of the website is photographs. These photographs are of the interior and exterior of The Bar, as well as The Bar’s management team. S everal of the photos display text when you click on them and the photos of the employees contain hyperlinks to the team member’s contact information. Outside of a handful of well-placed quotes dealing with progress and looking to the future, he wording of the text on the website is minimal and to the point. The tone of the text on the website is positive and in-line with The Bar’s focus on looking to the future rather than the past and being optimistic about progress. There is not a section on the website for customer reviews or testimonials, and the â€Å"photo gallery† section of the website is currently empty. While The Bar is listed as a gay bar on search and discovery websites as well as in the text in the â€Å"tab† of the web browser window, The Bar’s website gives no other indication that the business is intended for the LGBT community. This is different than the

What Matters Most free essay sample

Every day, every month, every year, I come across people who shape me. We all start off as a blank canvas and to me, it seems as if I am molded, and tainted by the people around me. One of the most influential people I have ever come across happened to be closer to me than imagined, especially coming from such a different ethical background than I. A person who has influenced me regardless of differences would be one of my old friends. She came to Granbury from India, hardly able to speak English. She was ostracized for being â€Å"different† or â€Å"foreign† in the way she spoke, looked, and even by her walk. Speaking Hindi, walking low, hair to her knees, she valued her family’s wishes over her own. I found it interesting that Corra took on the challenge of the modern American high school coming from such a heavily induced cultural country such as India. We will write a custom essay sample on What Matters Most or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Corra and I met in junior high school. She had just moved to Granbury with her family in wanting of finding the true â€Å"American dream† through being entrepreneurs. She told me how she had travelled with her entire extended family as well, cousins, grandparents, and all, to live in a small shack-like home. This, to me, was much different than the traditional American family, besides the fact that she was the only one of her relatives whom could actually speak (for the most part,) the English language. I was also informed that her entire family was unemployed other than her father, who owned and managed a simple general store on the corner. . The â€Å"American dream† is not always what it seems. I, like many other people in the United States have encountered financial issues in my family, but upon meeting Corra and learning of her family’s intuitions, I was astonished. Not only was she completely satisfied with all that she had in life (which by far, was not much), but she also seemed to give what little she had to others. I believe she taught me how to enjoy the smaller things in life, and to ignore the differences we may have from other people. The clothes on your back or words from your mouth do not shape you, your willingness does. â€Å"It’s what’s inside that truly matters† we have all probably heard the saying in our lives at least a thousand times, but it is a completely valid statement.

Learn How to Write a Descriptive Essay

Wondering how to write an impressive descriptive essay? Writing a descriptive essay is both fun and challenging. You need to describe the main topic in detail and by engaging the five senses of the readers. Scary? Dont be and continue reading to learn how to write a descriptive essay. Quick Links 1. What is a Descriptive Essay? 2. How to Start a Descriptive Essay 2.1 Analyze 2.2 Physical Settings 2.3 Physical Features 2.4 Create Drama 2.5 Focus On Your Feelings 2.6 Use Of Specific Vocabulary 2.7 Psychological Aspects 2.8 Ask Yourself, WHY? 3. How To Write A Descriptive Essay? 3.1 Descriptive Essay Introduction 3.2 Descriptive Essay Thesis Statement 3.3 Descriptive Essay Body Paragraphs 3.4 Descriptive Essay Conclusion 4. Descriptive Essay Topics Ideas 4.1 Living Beings 4.2 Non-living Beings 5. Descriptive Essay Topics 6. Descriptive Essay Examples Students usually get these essays in high school and college. Writing a descriptive essay is different than any other assignment as you need to focus on describing a certain person, place or event. It is somewhat like a narrative essay because it explains the senses of touch, smell, vision and taste through words. Descriptive essay writing focuses on the details, emotions, sentiments, and feelings that are not found in other essay types. This makes it both interesting and difficult to write.1. What is a Descriptive Essay? A descriptive essay is a detailed paper that describes a place, person, situation, an object, or emotions. Different people have different points of view and your job is to explain yours in detail. For a compelling essay, using adjectives and adverbs, details, and figurative language is fundamental. Without proper usage of words, you will not be able to invoke the readers' emotions. 2. How to Start a Descriptive Essay A strong start for your descriptive essay is essential. Analyze your topic from every angle and document the following details: 2.1 Analysis Analyse the main subjects in detail and observe minute things. Start with observing all the possible aspects of the subject. Don't just observe the object but also its surroundings. Focus on details and features of the subject and develop opinions about them. Be thoughtful; this first step will be the basis for the essay. 2.2 Physical Settings Describing the physical settings is a must in a descriptive essay. When describing, keep the following points in mind. Focus on the subject's position and observe nearby objects Note the time of day and kind of lighting: natural or imitated Physical settings: all the basic and decorative elements The position and shape of the objects Alignment and any other observable information 2.3 Physical Features When describing the physical features of the subject, living or nonliving, consider the following points. Living or nonliving; describe the features in detail The subject's skin color, texture, smoothness, expression, and age The features of inanimate objects in the picture, color, surface and texture 2.4 Create Drama Storytelling and drama is the life and blood of a good descriptive essay. It turns your essay into an exciting and interesting piece of writing. However, be subtle about adding drama to your sentence structure and add it to complement your story only. 2.5 Focus On Your Feelings Focus on how you feel about the particular topic or person and stick to it. It is easy to get involved when working on the essay. But, focus on your own feelings and write an essay based on it. 2.6 Use Of Specific Vocabulary Vocabulary is important. Select the best words for describing an action or object. Don't always use the first word that comes to mind. Write slowly and thoughtfully, and use specific words to convey your thoughts. Here is a brief vocabulary guide that demonstrates this: 2.7 Psychological Aspects Writing about a certain situation or behavior of a person, focus on the mental aspects and emotions involved in them. For Example, describe your emotions when your friend misplaced your notes right before the exam. You may have several emotions in that incident. Maybe you were prepared for exams, but this situation put you under pressure and made you feel frustrated and hurt. Explore those emotions and describe the feelings they aroused. Describe the body language also, if relevant. 2.8 Ask Yourself, WHY? This is the most valuable tip for students. When you are looking at a particular subject, and having difficulty analyzing its aspects, ask yourself "WHY". Why is the subject the way it is? Why the person you are describing has such deep set and cold eyes? Why the animal is so wounded and terrified? Why the particular place is famous? It is a good practice and after some time you will do it naturally. Knowing the why is important if you want to describe your topic properly.3. How To Write A Descriptive Essay? When you write a descriptive essay, you help your readers visualize an event, a person or story. It is written to make your readers feel what you feel about the respective subject. A descriptive essay seeks to appeal to some or all of the audience's five senses. Some key things to consider are: Discussing your subject thoroughly Focusing on details and adding them in your essay Sharing your personal feelings and experience about the subject Observing and describing all sensory details of your subject Before starting, it is important to create an outline. Following are the fundamental elements of your descriptive essay outline: 3.1 Descriptive Essay Introduction Start the essay in an easy to understand way and language. Provide the background information on your topic so they can understand it and its importance. To make sure the reader feels your emotions and decides to continue reading further, incorporate the following points in your introduction. Attract the reader's attention with an interesting fact, phrase, or quote Don't bombard them with information Include enough information to introduce the topic and its significance. Summarize the argument and the main topic and craft your thesis statement 3.2 Descriptive Essay Thesis Statement A thesis statement is an integral part of your essay. It focuses on the argument and the writer's main idea, that is to be discussed in the essay. This statement also provides the writer with a chance of explaining the purpose and scope of the topic. It is intriguing and engaging. 3.3 Descriptive Essay Body Paragraphs Usually, an essay consists of three body paragraphs but you can add more if needed. Don't add more than one central ideas in one paragraph. Fusing different ideas will confuse the reader. Build your paragraphs according to the thesis and introduction. Start each body paragraph with a main sentence Use transitions to move between paragraphs smoothly Each paragraph should be five to six sentences long 3.4 Descriptive Essay Conclusion The concluding paragraph is the last part of an essay, and probably your last chance to impress your reader. To make it interesting and thought provoking, include the following points: Restate the thesis statement Summarize the main points Add an intriguing closing statement 4. Descriptive Essay Topics Ideas Descriptive essay topics are often related to physical settings, locations, living beings and objects. Make sure that your essay includes the five senses, touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing, or at least one of them. It depends on the topic and the kind of feeling that you want to arouse. Below are some descriptive essay ideas and ways to achieve them. 4.1 Living BeingsHumans When you want to write about a person, consider the following elements: Gender, age, complexion, and expressions Physical features Height, body type and approximate weight Posture Kind of clothes These details will add depth to the description and your readers will actually see your narrative. 4.2 Animals When animals are the subject, you can add the above points plus the following details: Species and animal Size, weight, color Behavior patterns Temperament Trained or wild? Real or fictional? 4.3 Inanimate subjects Geographic locations and structures When your subject is a place or a building, add the following points: Research about the place and its historical background The color and the building's type A famous place or landmark to draw a comparison and inspire interest 4.4 Behavior Human behavior and psychology is a compelling descriptive essay subject. When writing about it: Describe the consequences of a particular behavior Discuss the emotional dimension of the topic and how you perceive it personally 4.5 Event Or Travel Experience A travel experience makes a good descriptive essays, since you have experienced the event first hand. Give a detailed description of the place, people at the venue and atmosphere of the location. Idea, Concept, or Occupation When writing on such topics, focus on how an idea or concept affects the society and its different aspects. 5. Descriptive Essay Topics Choosing a topic for your descriptive essay is quite interesting. You get to choose something that you have an emotional connection with. When writing a descriptive essay about a person or place, adding their personal traits will be helpful. Some examples of descriptive essay topics include: Compose a detailed descriptive essay about your best friend. Describe a fancy place that you have created. Describe your dream vacation destination. Describe your favorite mall or store. Describe your childhood home. Descriptive essay about nature. Descriptive essay about a place you visited. Describe the personality of your Maths teacher. Discuss the main characters of your favorite movie. Descriptive essay about chocolate. For more descriptive essay writing topics, visit our blog and get 100+ descriptive essay topics. 6. Descriptive Essay ExamplesStudy these descriptive essay samples to understand the main idea, structure and purpose of descriptive essays. To help you understand how to write a great descriptive essay, we have a whole blog post dedicated to it. We know that talking about something is one thing and demonstrating it is completely different. To get helpful examples of writing a well thought descriptive essay, please head on to our descriptive essay examples blog. Having a descriptive essay assignment with a short deadline? 5StarEssays academic writing professionals are ready to help you. They read the essay details before writing and make sure that they incorporate all the details in it. Get 100% plagiarism free content at affordable prices. Order your essay now.

Executive Summary of Coral Diving Resort Essay Example

Executive Summary of Coral Diving Resort Essay Example Executive Summary of Coral Diving Resort Essay Executive Summary of Coral Diving Resort Essay Executive Summary Let us assume that all 3 possible strategies are implemented and we can evaluate their pros and cons through tools analyses provided in this summary. First, efficiency strategies: The advantage of improving efficiency on operations is status quo, which generates no further costs or investments. However, the disadvantages are obvious as follow: 1. As a small-size resort and known for its flexible and personalized services, Coral’s cost efficient operation could cause losses from current guest-flow more than costs saved from squeezing current low number of staff or facilities and services; 2. By maintaining status quo, Coral Diving Resort would not be distinguished as unique from other resorts in the Bahamas, which is going farther away from the common success of resorts based on strong identities and reputations for quality service; 3. The limit in cost efficiency and uncertainty of maintaining status quo means it hardly serves as an effective strategy for the continual decline of revenues over the last three years. So, this option is definitely not a good one to be implemented. Then we take a look at Adventure Diving: The advantages of adventure diving are as follow: . Adding additional diving attractions could raise both resort and dive business for Coral, fulfilling the growing market of adventure diving; 2. Bahamas’ legal status on some controversial diving such as shark-feed diving could attract some more American scuba divers, who as well are major forces world divers; 3. It is easily practicable for Coral Diving Resort to add adventure diving However, the d isadvantages of adding adventure diving are obvious as well: 1. Purchasing related adventure diving equipments adds to the cost of Coral’s 2. Although easy recruitment for adventure diving staff might be an advantage, the lack of interest and commitment from all current Coral staff which means adding adventure diving could cause complete staff replacement, hampering the stability and continuity of operations and services in Coral Diving Resort; 3. These Additional diving attractions are still widely served by hotels and resorts around Bahamas, meaning a growing competitiveness on adventure diving market. The other shark operators’ unhappy attitude towards potential new entrant can support this point; 4. It requires a minimum of divers on a trip at regular rates to cover the cost, but the additional new and return business of adventure diver is yet to be certain; 5. Some controversial type of diving such as shark-feed diving is facing growing pressure from environmental associations or even future regulation by government as U. S. did before, and is raising public awareness regarding the safety of it. Obvious disadvantages of adventure diving seem to outnumber its advantages. So adventure diving does not seem like an very effective strategy in the short-run and uncertain in the long-run. Finally, when it comes to family diving resort strategies, the only and biggest concern or disadvantage that comes into our mind is its cost burden, because of required renovation, adding staff and cooperative fees for Rascals in Paradise. However, based on the professional experiences and highly successful rate on various diving resorts that demonstrated by Rascals, we have every right to believe that: 1. Rascals can raise the annual bookings of Coral to the ideal level of 90% that has been desired by Greywell, not to mention the following long-term revenues generated by family guests; 2. The demographical characteristics of diving provide steady guest flow for Corals. The age-level and the growing market of family resort diving sufficiently support a long-term business for Corals; 3. Based on the current family friendly service and facilities, it is easily practicable for Coral to focus on upgrading its family-oriented diving business; 4. The high costs of renovation can be hugely offset soon after an established steady new flow of family guests; 5. Steady long-term revenues growths provide the grounds for other additions of service, such as adventure diving. 6. By the turnaround of Rascal’s effort and presence in diving resort industry, Coral Diving Resort can maintain and further develop its own brand of uniqueness. All pros and cons considered, family diving resort strategy is the most effective and prospective one that I strongly recommend to Coral Diving Resort. (Note tables of related tools for your reference) SWOT: STRENTHS -Solid reputation -Safety and knowledgeable in scuba diving -Unique well-regarded, not crowded location and quietness -Family friendly -Personalized services -Flexible accommodation -Prudence -Ties with diving associations WEAKNESSES Family run -Seasonal -Size (a very small-scaled resort) -Relatively simple facilities provided -marginally profitable -small number of staff -Low commitment or interest showed in staff for shark diving -High renovation costs OPPORTUNITIES -Steady increases of divers -Growing market of family diving vacations -High average income of divers and strong consumption -Cooperation offe r from experienced Rascals with its highly successful rate -Relatively small physical modification into a family diving resort -Easy recruitment of relevant staff for family resort -Cash-flow brought from the co-op with Rascals Easy addition of adventure diving -Legal shark feeding -Growing market of shark feeding THREATS -Competitiveness of family diving business -Adventure diving services widely adopted by resorts around Bahamas -Climate change impact on coral reefs -Difficulties surrounding air travel after 911 -Environmental pressure on shark feeding -Safety concern about shark feeding -unwelcome emergence in other shark diving among other shark dive operators -Steady guests flow required for the conduction of adventure diving -Subject to Rascals PEST: Political-Legal Forces -Possibility of law banning shark feeding soon High tax on imported goods Economic Forces -High income level of divers -Easy employment Technological Forces -Low technological requirements for scuba diving - Specific environments for diving resorts -Experienced and licensed staff for scuba diving -Provisions of various activities and services -Facilities and amenities within the resort Socio-cultural Forces -Pursuit of distinctive experiences from diving -Seasonal demands for diving resorts -High education level of divers -Strong consumption capabilities -Concentration of population of young and middle-class -Trends of increasing family diving Gradual safety awareness of certain adventure diving Porters: Threat of New Entrants Low, because the profit is marginal and growth rate has slowed. Rivalry Among Existing Firms High number of diving resorts, diverse family diving program and various types of diving provided by different diving resorts Threat of Substitute Products or Services Low, scuba diving is unique Bargaining Power of Buyers Low Bargaining Power of Suppliers Low Relative Power of Other Stakeholders Medium, ties to diving associations, possible future governmental regulation on shark feeding, protest of environmental groups safety awareness TOWS : INTERNAL FACTORS EXTERNAL FACTORSStrengths (S) -Solid reputation -Safety knowledgeable -Unique location -Family friendly -Personalized services -Flexible accommodation -Ties with diving associationsWeaknesses (W) -Family run -Seasonal -Small size -Simple facilities provided -marginal profit -small number of staff -Low commitment showed in staff towards shark diving -High renovation costs for family resort Opportunities (O) -Steady increases of divers -Growing family diving demand -High income of divers and strong consumption -Offer from Rascals -Small modification into a family diving resort Easy recruitment -Cash-flow brought from Rascals’ plan -Easy addition of adventure diving -Legal shark feeding -Growing demand for shark feedingSO Strategies -Use Rascals’ offer to consolidate and promote the reputation and uniqueness of Coral in U. S. market. -Utilize the conveniences in and out of Coral’s to convert itself into a family diving resort. WO Strategies -Expand Coral’s sales during off-season through the co-op with Rascals. -Use prospective cash-flow from the co-op with Rascals to offset high renovation costs. -Replace current staff who show no interest in shark diving Threats (T) -Competitiveness of family diving -Adventure diving services widely adopted in this area -Climate change impact -Difficulties surrounding air travel after 911 -Environmental pressure on shark feeding -Safety concern about shark feeding -Unwelcome emergence in shark feeding among other shark diving operators -Steady guest flow required to fulfill shark diving -Subject to RascalsST Strategies -Emphasize Coral’s uniqueness -Retain Cora’s reputation WT Strategies -Stay away from those controversial activities. Replace current staff who show no interest in shark diving

Boston Creamery Essays

Boston Creamery Essays Boston Creamery Paper Boston Creamery Paper RECOMMENDATIONS Management needs to determine which costs can be controlled and which costs cannot be controlled. The variance analysis simply showed that there was an unfavorable variance for manufacturing (99,000 U). Manufacturing Cost of Goods Sold must be evaluated individually because of the underlying facets from just a number. This unfavorable number could be caused by either an increase in price or a waste in using the number of unit materials. The materials variance should be broken down into the price variance and the usage variance. Exhibit 1 shows that variable cost and fixed cost were separated and variance was computed. Variable cost was the main culprit of the increase in cost. Here, we can identify that the increase may mainly be due to the price variance of milk and sugar. Cooperation between John Vance, the corporate controller and Frank Roberts in preparing the variance analysis must exist. Figures to be provided will be free from bias and management can easily detect areas that need to be addressed immediately. Management will obviously not be interested in going through the whole variance analysis process. They can highlight areas which are to be addressed urgently. As per the case, they only wish to see the items that need their concern so that action can be taken the next year, 1974. Boston Creamery must increase advertisements of their products to address the increase in market size. Boston Creamery, Inc. lost 1. 0% market share – from 50% to only 49%, despite the favorable increase in market size variance of $ 167,610. 00 (See Exhibit 2). This was highlighted from the unfavorable result of $ 55,266. 00 of market share variance. This means that the increase in market share did not benefit the Company, and the increase in sales was mainly due to the increase in the price of their products. Company must probe on the competitors, looking into how they were able to gain the increase in market share. For example, if competitors were able to provide better ice cream or were aggressive in advertising their products as opposed to Boston Creamery. The Company must be able to increase advertising efforts and evaluate means to gain the increase in market share. Management must provide a more comprehensive sales mix, breaking down each sales to clearly see which ice cream flavors are selling or not. Use of sales mix variance compares the actual mix sales to the forecasted; we can easily analyze which items have higher profit than the other. As a result, Boston Creamery may want to re-evaluate the contribution margin for the items which are unfavorable. Introducing new flavors which may sell better, or change in selling price, can be done in order to sell the product. Looking at Exhibit 3, we can see that despite the favorable outcome of the sales quantity, this did not translate to a favorable sales mix. This can be attributed to the loss of popularity of the basic flavors (e. g. vanilla and chocolate). BASES FOR RECOMMENDATION One of the factors that contributed to the unfavorable variance in manufacturing cost of goods sold is the increase in labor- cartonizing and freezing (increase of $34,400). Carton handling workers sort daily production each day onto pallets grouped by delivery truck, based on the next day’s sales orders. As stated in the case, the change in the truck loading system lowers cost of factory labor in exchange of a higher cost driver labor for loading the trucks and also frees up some driver time each day. Also, the greater part of the variable unfavorable variance is due to milk and sugar price variances ($57,300 and $23,400 respectively). This should not be held against the manager; rather, it should have been adjusted in the budget. Looking into the items on the schedule for manufacturing cost of goods sold, the uncontrollable costs were Milk and Sugar. A professional relationship can exist between John Vance and Frank Roberts, wherein they can benefit from one another. The fluctuating costs of sugar and milk might not be subject to control by Boston Creamery if the suppliers or even the market raises the price. Modification can be made when purchasing raw materials, such as buying in high volume and supplier will lower prices per unit. The fixed costs of sales salaries could be controlled by increasing or decreasing the size of the sales force. They need to explore economies of scale, engineering processes, product mix, and so forth. The controllers’ report of sales variance analysis will be more interesting with the help of Frank Roberts; or else the technicality of the computation may affect the management decision – report too boring. Market size increased from the forecasted market of 11,440,000 to 12,180,000 (actual), but was not translated equally to the market share for Boston Creamery. The actual size increased by more than 6%, however, Boston Creamery’s actual market share decreased by 1%. Problem with the forecast was that the Company was complacent on using the same estimate of 1972 actual gallon sales. As stated in the case, 1973 budgeted share was done in October of 1972, since final figure was not available yet. Though sales volume increased from 5,720,329 gallons budgeted to 5,968,000 gallons actual, it did not serve the company well. Boston Creamery must conduct a more accurate market research. Frank Roberts is asked by Jim Peterson to make a short presentation at the next management meeting commenting on the major reasons for the favorable operating income variance of $71,700; problem arises from the operating income variance as it does not show the breakdown of each product the company is selling. Based on the result of the sales mix variance analysis, the management could see the effect of change in the number of units sold from the number of units budgeted to be sold. Company must understand the seasonality of each product and proposed other alternatives to forecast sales, such as a more comprehensive market research. Exhibit 1. Manufacturing Cost of Goods Sold |Â   |Actual |Flexible Budget |Variance | |Variable Costs | |Â   |Â   |Â   | | Dairy Ingredients | 3,679,900. 00 | 3,648,500. 00 | 31,400. 00 |U | | Milk price variance | 57,300. 00 | | 57,300. 0 |U | | | |- | | | | Sugar | 599,900. 00 | 596,800. 00 | 3,100. 00 |U | | Sugar price variance | 23,400. 00 | | 23,400. 00 |U | | | |- | | | | Flavoring (Including fruits and nuts) | 946,800. 0 | 982,100. 00 | (35,300. 00) |F | | Cartons | 567,200. 00 | 566,900. 00 | 300. 00 |U | | Plastic wrap | 28,700. 00 | 29,800. 00 | (1,100. 00) |F | | Additives | 235,000. 00 | 251,000. 00 | (16,000. 0) |F | | Supplies | 31,000. 00 | 35,000. 00 | (4,000. 00) |F | | Miscellaneous | 3,000. 00 | 3,000. 00 | |Â   | | | | |- | | | Subtotal | 6,172,200. 0 | 6,113,100. 00 | 59,100. 00 |U | |Fixed Costs |Â   |Â   |Â   |Â   | | Labor cartonizing and freezing | 425,200. 00 | 390,800. 00 | 34,400. 00 |U | | Labor other | 41,800. 00 | 46,000. 00 | (4,200. 0) | F | | Repairs | 32,200. 00 | 25,000. 00 | 7,200. 00 |U | | Depreciation | 81,000. 00 | 81,000. 00 | |Â   | | | | |- | | | Electricity and water | 41,500. 00 | 40,000. 0 | 1,500. 00 |U | | Spoilage | 31,000. 00 | 30,000. 00 | 1,000. 00 |U | | Subtotal | 652,700. 00 | 612,800. 00 | 39,900. 00 |U | |Total | 6,824,900. 00 | 6,725,900. 00 | 99,000. 00 |U | Exhibit 2. Market Share and Market Size Variance Actual market size | 12,180,000 |Â   | | | | |Budgeted market size | 11,440,000 |Â   | | | | |Actual market share |49% |Â   | | | | |Budget market share |50% |Â   | | | | |Actual sales | 5,968,000. 00 |Â   | | | | |Budgeted sales | 5,720,329. 00 |Â   | | | | |Budgeted contribution margin per unit|0. 530 |Â   | | | | |Â   |Â   |Â   |Â   |Â   |Â   | |Market share variance = |Actual market size in units x |x |(Actual market share budgeted |x |Budgeted contribution margin | | | | |market share) | |per unit | |Â   | (55,266. 00) |U |Â   |Â   |Â   | |Market size variance = |(Actual market size budgeted |x Budget market share |x |Budgeted contribution margin | | |market size) | | | |per unit | |Â   | 167,610. 00 |F |Â   |Â   |Â   | Exhibit 3. Sales Mix and Sales Volume Variance |Actual Sales |Forecasted Sales |Actual Sales Mix |Forecasted Sales Mix |Standard Contribution Margin |Sales Mix Variance |Sales Quantity Variance | |Vanilla | 2,458,212. 00 | 2,409,854. 00 |0. 4119 |0. 4213 |0. 4329 | (24,300. 74) |U | 45,234. 92 |F | |Chocolate | 2,018,525. 00 | 2,009,061. 00 |0. 3382 |0. 3512 |0. 4535 | (35,214. 33) |U | 39,506. 26 |F | |Walnut | 50,124. 00 | 48,883. 00 |0. 0084 |0. 0085 |0. 5713 | (501. 4) |U | 1,210. 93 |F | |Buttercrunch | 268,839. 00 | 262,185. 00 |0. 0450 |0. 0458 |0. 4771 | (2,249. 29) |U | 5,423. 91 |F | |Cherry Swirl | 261,240. 00 | 204,774. 00 |0. 0438 |0. 0358 |0. 5153 | 24,521. 52 |F | 4,575. 41 |F | |Strawberry | 747,049. 00 | 628,560. 00 |0. 1252 |0. 1099 |0. 4683 | 42,725. 00 |F | 12,763. 40 |F | |Pecan Chip | 164,377. 00 | 157,012. 00 |0. 0275 |0. 0274 |0. 5359 | 298. 42 |F | 3,648. 48 |F | |Total | 5,968,366. 00 | 5,720,329. 00 |1. 0000 |1. 0000 |0. 4539 | 5,278. 64 |F | 112,363. 30 |F | |

The Theorist Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Theorist - Research Paper Example Her only goal as a college student is to be able to have a secretarial job, thus, he enrolled in the London School of Economics (LSE) with a major in sociology and social anthropology. This is where she met his husband William Smith with whom she had two children but the relationship ended up in divorce during the time she was finishing her doctoral degree in the University of California, Berkeley. She returned to England for a few years but when she got a faculty position in the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada in 1969 where she settled with her children (Dillon 316; Scott 202). In 1977, she transferred to the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (Scott 202). It is during Smith’s faculty years in the universities in Canada that she made her important contributions in sociology specifically through her research and critical writing works. During the 1970s, she started publishing her works that exhibited her critical skills and perspectives. Through her works she had been recognized as a feminist, a theorist and an activist (Campbell 3). Contributions of Dorothy Smith Dorothy Smith contributed greatly to the contemporary feminist view in the society. This had been exhibited in her books and researches. Dawning of Smith’s Feminist Views The view of Smith in sociology had been initially expressed during her early works specifically the critical essays. These works explored the field of sociology through her logical and clear arguments. It had been noted though that she had difficulties in explaining the situations of women in the society. This led to her interest in researching and finding answers to the questions regarding the role of women. By exploring the said field, Smith became known as a feminist who contributed greatly to the feminist sociological views. Included in early papers that became the onset of Smith’s contribution to sociology are â€Å"Women, the Family and Corporate Capitalism,† â€Å"The Soc ial Construction of Documentary Reality,† â€Å"Women’s Perspective as a Radial Critique of Sociology, Feminism and Methodology,† â€Å"The Ideological Practice of Sociology† and â€Å"K Is Mentally Ill: The Anatomy of a Factual Account.† In addition to her own published works, she collaborated with other authors who were also inspired by the concept of feminism. Included in her works were â€Å"Women and Psychiatry,† â€Å"The Statistics on Mental Illness: What They Will Not Tell Us about Women and Why† and â€Å"A Feminist Therapy Session† (Scott 202). Ideology on Relations of Ruling Smith had a strong perspective regarding the society ruled with men. Her ideology regarding the double victimization of women in the society had been considered both radical and unprecedented. She expressed that not only women are excluded in leading the government but also they are eliminated from the social structure. In the 1980s, the increasin g influence of Smith had been observed in the sociological discipline through the popularity of her works. â€Å"The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology† which was published in 1987 criticized the structure of the society that is ruled by men and presented through the perspective of the male population. It is in the said book where she presented one of the concepts she was known for which is referred to as the ‘relations of ruling.’ It was defined as the ‘

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 18

Case study - Essay Example Some of his character traits that contributed to his recognition as a unique leader are compassion, forgiveness and humility. On his first day in office, Mandela gathers his staff for a meeting to express his expectations of his staff. Mandela takes charge and develops a plan to accomplish goals to show his duty as a leader. Integrity is portrayed when Mandela’s staff expects him to retaliate for decades of apartheid but instead he shows compassion and gives them the option to stay and rebuild the country. To show respect, Mandela leaves his body guards out in the hall because he wants to face everyone on an even level. Throughout Mandela’s speech the body language of the staff changes from expecting to be fired to realizing that they are welcome to stay on and work for a common goal. Mandela interrupts the meeting of the National Sports Council to persuade them to rescind their vote on changing the name of the Springboks, their uniforms and their emblem. He go es ahead and asks the captain about leadership, "How do you make them better than they think they can be?† in this case Mandela tries to practice the job of a leader in which it is to make the followers in believing that they are capable of doing more than they think it’s possible (Carlin, 2009). In order the organization to achieve its noble quest, the leader is required to not only see the horizon but also make what is over the horizon tangible. Mandela wanted to use the rugby team to reconcile the country and bring them together instead of resorting to petty revenge. Mandela’s actions demonstrate integrity by choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong. Transformation is one of the contemporary theories that is seen being applied to Mandela’s leadership. Mandela acts as a transformation leader for example in an individualized consideration. Mandela greets each player by his or her names, showing he respects each one individually.

Military Strategies of of the I.R.A. During the Anglo Irish War of Independence, 1919-21 Essay Example for Free

Military Strategies of of the I.R.A. During the Anglo Irish War of Independence, 1919-21 Essay At the outbreak of hostilities it was apparent that the I. R. A. could not hope to win a traditional stand up military fight against a modern, well equipped army with the financial backing of The British Empire. In order to engage the crown forces in a guerrilla war, weapons and ammunition were required in large numbers. General Head Quarters (G. H. Q. ) authorized smuggling operations and had sent volunteers abroad to procure arms. G. H. Q. sold arms to the individual units, many of which were hampered in their operational status due to lack of funding to purchase weapons and ammunition. As the war progressed many Royal Irish Constabulary (R. I. C. ) barracks and the Crowns Tax Offices were attacked and burned. GHQ issued a general raid order in September of 1920. The primary objective the Volunteers attacks on isolated R. I. C. barracks were to obtain arms and ammunition. Many of these barracks were poorly defended and usually consisted of terraced houses. In order to disrupt the governance of rural areas, tax offices were targeted. These targets allowed collection of funds from the local populace that were to be appropriated to the Crown. These tactics were adopted by many units when news of the initial successes of these barracks and tax office attacks filtered out, throughout the country. The volunteers embarked on a campaign of Intimidation of R. I. C men and their families, and members of the general public who supported the crown forces, many of which were shot. This tactic was extremely effective at reducing the morale of the R. I. C. Recruitment dropped and resignations increased in the organization The R. I. C. retreated to larger towns after it was decided to evacuate may rural barracks. This tactic led to large parts of rural Ireland becoming ungovernable. This allowed the Dail to implement their much heralded Courts System, collect taxes and implement civil control. Most units at the start of the war appeared to act independently without central command control. Attacks on Crown Forces were sporadic in nature and were badly planned. Inexperience of many of the men in these units led to many failed operations Many units operations amounted to sabotage by digging trenches in roads, de-railing trains, cutting of communications lines, snipping at barracks and personnel. Even the most poorly equipped and inactive units could engage in many of these tactics. The effectiveness of military actions conducted varied widely accordingly to geographic location. Areas like South Tipperary, East Limerick and Cork were particularly active, while areas such as Wexford, Mayo and Waterford had low turnout and low activity. Cite. Meeting and Drilling after the day’s work was done, amounted to the extent of some volunteers actions for the duration of the war cite The willingness of volunteers to risk their safety was also another factor which hindered operations in many units. Volunteers who possessed weapons especially rifles were usually picked to partake in operations over volunteers who did not. The men who possessed guns gained experience on active operations and were given higher status within units. In many areas this led to a cycle of a select group of men getting more and more experience on active service, while men who had no weapons remained inactive were not gaining any such experience. To alleviate this some units introduced rotational systems were guns and ammunition were stored in a central weapons dump. Access to weapons dumps could only be gotten after permission from the units Quarter Master was given. Activity of units depended largely on the membership and the professionalism of their commanding officers. Traditionally commanding officers were elected and appointed by their members. Electoral decisions appeared to be based on the social standing of the officers, family traditions and whether the men liked them or not. Many units were hampered in their operations as officers would not authorize actions as they feared for their own safety or were incompetent in planning and action. To instil discipline and a sense of military professionalism G. H. Q. sent organizers out to instruct and train these officers and units that they commanded. Training camps were set up to properly instruct officers and volunteers. The military discipline in these camps was strictly enforced and the training was particularly gruelling. When men returned to their units, they were expected to instil similar discipline within the rank and file. Discipline was to be rigorously introduced by commanding officers and military punishment meted out for infractions. Formal reporting structures were introduced and all commanders were expected to submit reports to the central authority of G. H. Q. on a regular basis. These reports were analysed by G. H. Q. and orders were issued to individual units. This strategy led to a more centralized planning and intelligence apparatus. Ultimately G. H. Q. decided to set up divisions with respective commanders, in attempt to coordinate the activities of the volunteers within bordering brigade areas. These attempts at introducing a modern military structure into the different units were mostly successful, although highly active units such as South Tipperary maintained a more independent existence until the end of the war. Initially the volunteers had a very high tolerance to violence and did not want to be involved in operations that led to murder. This tolerance was eroded of the course of the war as reprisals by the crown forces, led to many civilian atrocities throughout the country. As the casualties list rose, public opinion turned against the British Government. This was galvanized by reports that started to appear in newspapers internationally and in London G. H. Q. published the details of many of these reprisals in their publication their political journal t-Oglach. The publications also included details of military tactics and so also functioned as a training manual for the volunteers. After the introduction of The Restoration of Order Act in August 1920 the and the introduction of martial law in the South in 1921, attacks and reprisals against the civilian population increased. The arrival of the much hated quais military/police forces which later became known as the Black and Tans in March 1920 and the Axillaries the following July exasperated the situation and led to increased militancy in the volunteer force and the general population. Support for the volunteers steadily grew and the general population assisted them with funds, safe houses and intelligence. As a result of police crackdowns and further arrests of suspected volunteers, the continued raids on civilian houses, many volunteers went on the run. By mid 1921 there were over 4,000 suspects interned. Many men who were on the run went on to form the celebrated flying columns. These columns consisted of 20 highly armed men, who would attack patrols by laying ambushes on roads, and then melting back into the countryside. Tom Barry was commanding officer of the 3rd (West) Cork Brigade, which was a particularly effective flying column. They were responsible for many successful attacks on military personnel. On 28th of Nov. 1920 they wiped out an Auxiliary regiment in Kilmicheal, Co. Cork killing nearly a whole platoon. In reprisals the Black and Tans burned the City of Cork on 11th of Dec. There were many other tactics used by the I. R. A. during the war, examples include targeting prominent members of the British Establishment and Intelligence for assignation, it is beyond the remit of this short essay to explore these in their entirety. The ultimate goal of these operations and tactics were to disrupt and demoralize the administration of British Rule. After Bloody Sunday the British Intelligence Network was effectively non-existent which the I. R. A. took full advantage of, by actively engaging Crown Forces in the capital while sending out their own armed patrols in select parts of the city. As we can see at the start of the war the Volunteers were a highly disorganized and poorly equipped force. Through the use of guerrilla hit and run tactics, they made the most of their limitations to disrupt and demoralize the crown forces. After G. H. Q. exerted a central command and military structure the volunteers became a more ruthless and successful in active operations. Ultimately the British Establishment appeared to have overestimated the numbers of active members and their access to weapons. If their intelligence apparatus had not been infiltrated and disrupted by the I. R. A. the Crowns military campaign may have been more effective, and they may have continued the war which would have pushed the I. R. A, to the limits of their abilities and resources. G. H. Q. played a pivotal role in forming public opinion through their domestic publication t-Oglach and releasing accounts of civilian casualties and atrocities to foreign correspondents, effectively winning the propaganda war. It is doubtful whether the isolated regional active units would have been as effective without the co-ordination and leadership of G. H. Q. The organization of operations and centralization of command by G. H. Q. , may have been the deciding factor in the War, although many units remained in a state of disarray and were badly equipped for the duration of the war. As a measure of the success and effectiveness of operations conducted, I. R. A. guerrilla tactics became a blue print for many revolutionary forces around the World.

Barn Burning :: Literary Analysis, William Faulkner

Sarty's betrayal of his father in William Faulkner's story "Barn Burning" is justified. The reader is introduced to Sarty's father as he is being tried for burning the barn of Mr. Harris. Lacking evidence, the Justice of the Peace drops the charges against Abner Snopes, Sarty's father, and he is ordered to leave the country. A harsh image of Sarty's father is presented in the line, "he [Sarty] followed the stiff black coat, the wiry figure walking a little stiffly from where a Confederate provost's man's musket ball had taken him in the heel on a stolen horse thirty years ago" (2177). The reader is given insight into Snopes' shady past and learns he has never been a law-abiding citizen. Sarty's inner turmoil centers around his sense of loyalty to his father and his own conflict with knowing his father's actions are wrong. Through Faulkner's use of stream-of-consciousness narration, the reader is aware of Sarty's thoughts. In one instance, Sarty alludes to Mr. Harris as "his father's enemy (our enemy he thought in that despair, ourn, mine and hisn both! He's my father!)" (2176). Upon hearing the hiss of someone accusing his father of burning barns, Sarty feels "the old fierce pull of blood" and is blindly thrust into a fight, only to be physically jerked back by his father's hand and his cold voice ordering him to get in the wagon. As the Snopes' family leaves town, Sarty consoles himself with the hope that this will be the last time his father commits the act that he cannot bring himself to even think of : "Maybe he's done satisfied now, now that he has" (2177). Deep down, Sarty knows his father is not going to end his destructive rampage. Ten-year-old Sarty cannot understand the true reasons for his father's actions: "that the element of fire spoke to some deep mainspring of his father's being," and, even more importantly, the fire served as "the one weapon for the preservation of [his] integrity" (2178). Sarty's thoughts when he realizes he might be questioned regarding the barn burning reflect the fear and despair he experiences: "He aims for me to lie. And I will have to do hit" (2176). Later, Sarty's father violently reminds him that blood is thicker than water when he accuses Sarty of being ready to betray him.

Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 15

Maggie shuffled behind Chamber-pot Emptier,heading back toward the castle. She was carryingpiles of folded linen sheets given to her by Laun dress, and she was doing her best to look like a slave. Laundress had smudged her face artisticallywith dirt to disguise her. She had also sifted ahandful of dust into Maggie's hair to dull the auburn into a lifeless brown, and when Maggie bowedher head over the sheets, the hair further obscuredher features. The only problem was that she wasconstantly afraid she was going to sneeze. â€Å"Those are the wild animals,† Chamber-pot Emptier whispered over her shoulder. She was a bigboned girl with gentle eyes that reminded Maggieof the calves tethered by Laundress's hut. It had taken Laundress a while to make her understandwhat they wanted of her, but now she seemed tofeel obligated to give Maggie a tour. â€Å"They're brought in from Outside,† she said. â€Å"And they're dangerous. Maggie looked sideways at the wicker cageswhere Sylvia and Gavin had walked earlier. Fromone a brown-gray wolf stared back at her with afrighteningly sad and steady gaze. In another a sleek black panther was pacing, and it snarled asthey went by. There was something curled up inthe back of a third that might have been a tigerit was big, and it had stripes. â€Å"Wow,† she said. â€Å"I wouldn't want to chase that.† Chamber-pot Emptier seemed pleased. â€Å"Andhere's the castle. It's called Black Dawn.† â€Å"It is?† Maggie said, distracted away from theanimals. â€Å"That's what my grandpa called it, anyway. Helived and died in the courtyard without ever goingin.† Chamber-pot Emptier thought a moment andadded, â€Å"The old people say that you used to be ableto see the sun in the sky-not just behind theclouds, you know. And when the sun came up inthe morning it shone on the castle. But maybethat's just a story.† Yeah, maybe it was just a story that you couldsee the sun in the sky, Maggie thought grimly.Every time she thought this place couldn't surpriseher anymore, she discovered she was wrong. But the castle itself was impressive †¦ awe inspiring. It was the only thing in view that wasn't dusty brown or pallid gray. Its walls were shinyand black, almost mirror-like in places, and Maggie didn't have to be told that it wasn't built of anyordinary human stone. How they had gotten it tothis valley was a mystery. Delos lives here, she thoughtasEmptier led herup a stone staircase, past the ground floor which was just cellars and storage rooms. In this beautiful, frightening, impressive place. Not only lives init, but commands it. It's all his. She got just a glimpse of the great hall, whereshe'd seen slaves setting a long table yesterday. Chamber-pot Emptier led her up another floor andinto a series of winding corridors that seemed to go on for miles. It was dim in this internal labyrinth. The windows were high and narrow and hardly let any ofthe pale daylight in. On the walls there were candles in brackets and flares in iron rings, but theyonly seemed to add wavering, confusing shadowsto the twilight. â€Å"His bedroom's up here,† Emptier murmured finally. Maggie followed her closely. She was justthinking that they had made it all the way withouteven being challenged, when a voice sounded from a side corridor. â€Å"Where are you going? Who's this?† It was a guard, Maggie saw, peering from underher hair. A real medieval guard, with, of all things,a lance. There was another one in the opposite cor ridor just like him. She was fascinated in the middle of her terror. But Chamber-pot Emptier of the not-so-quickwits reacted beautifully. She took time to curtsey, then she said slowly and stolidly, â€Å"It's Folder fromthe laundry, sir. Laundress sent her with the sheetsand I was told she could help me. There's morework because of the guests, you know.† â€Å"It's Chamber Maid's work to spread sheets,† theguard said irritably. Chamber-pot Emptier curtsied again and said just as slowly, â€Å"Yes, sir, but there's more work because of the guests, you see-â€Å" â€Å"Fine, fine,† the guard broke in impatiently. â€Å"Whydon't you go and do it, instead of talking about it?†He seemed to think that was funny, and he turned and elbowed the other guard in the ribs. Chamber-pot Emptier curtseyed a third time and walked on, not hurrying. Maggie tried to copy the curtsey, with her face buried in the sheets. There was another endless corridor, then a doorway, and then Emptier said, â€Å"We're here. Andthere's nobody.around.† Maggie lifted her face from the sheets. â€Å"You're absolutely wonderful, you know that? You deservean Academy Award.† â€Å"A what?† â€Å"Never mind. But you were great.† â€Å"I only told the truth,† the girl said placidly, butthere was a smile lurking in the depths of her gentle cowlike eyes. â€Å"There is more work when guestscome. We never had them before three years ago.† Maggie nodded. â€Å"I know. Look, I guess you'd better go now. And um-Emptier?† She couldn't bring herself to say the entire name. â€Å"I really hope you don't get in trouble because of this.† Chamber-pot Emptier nodded back, then went toreach under the bed and retrieve a ceramic container. She walked out again holding it carefully. Maggie looked around the room, which was verybig and very bare. It was somewhat better lit thanthe corridors, having several bowl-shaped oil lampson stands. The bed was the only real piece of furniture in it. It was huge, with a heavy wooden frameand carved bedposts. Piled on top of it were quiltsand what looked like fur coverlets, and hanging allaround it were linen curtains. I'm probably supposed to take all that stuff off and put the clean sheets on, Maggie thought. Shedidn't. The rest of the furniture seemed to be largechests made of exotic-looking wood, and a fewbenches and stools. Nothing that offered a hidingplace. But on one side there was a curtaineddoorway. Maggie went through it and found a small anteroom-the wardrobe Jeanne had mentioned. It wasmuch bigger than she'd expected, and seemed tobe more of a storeroom than a closet. Okay. So I'll just sit down. There were two stools beside a figure thatvaguely resembled a dressmaker's dummy. Maggie dropped her sheets on a chest and pulled one ofthe stools close to the doorway. Through the spacebetween the linen curtains she could see almost theentire bedchamber. Perfect, she thought. All I have to do is wait untilhe comes in alone. And then She stiffened. She could hear voices from somewhere beyond the vast bedroom. No, she couldhear a voice, a musical girlish voice. Oh, please, she thought. Not her.Don't let him come in with her. I'll have to jump out and hit herwith something; I won't be able to stop myself†¦ . But when two figures came in the room, she hadno desire to jump out. It was Sylvia, all right, but she wasn't with Delos.She was with Hunter Redfern. Maggie felt ice down her spine. Now, what werethese two doing in Delos's bedroom? Whatever itwas, if they caught her, she was dead meat. Sheheld herself absolutely still, but she couldn't tear herself away from the curtain. â€Å"He's out riding, and he won't be back for another half hour,† Sylvia was saying. She was wearing a dark holly-green gown and carrying a basket.†And I've sent all the servants away.† â€Å"Even so,† Hunter Redfern said. He gently movedthe heavy wooden door until it was almost shut.Not all the way, but enough to screen the bedchamber from anyone outside. â€Å"You really think he's spying on our rooms?† Sylvia turned in a swirl of skirts to look at the tallman. â€Å"He's brightmuch smarter than you give himcredit for. And these old castles have spy-holes and listening tubes built in; I remember. It's a stupidprince who doesn't make use of them.† He remembers, Maggie thought, for a moment too full of wonder to be scared. He remembers thedays when castles were built, he means. He's reallybeen alive that long. She studied the handsome face under the bloodred hair, the aristocratic cheekbones, the mobile mouth-and the quick flashing eyes. This was thesort of man who could fascinate people, she decided. Like Delos, there was a sort of leashed tension about him, a reserve of power and intelligence that made an ordinary person feel awed. He was a leader, a commander. And a hunter, Maggie thought. All these peopleare hunters, but he's the Hunter, the epitome ofwhat they are. His name says it all. But Sylvia was talking again. â€Å"What is it that he'snot supposed to know?† â€Å"I've had a message from Outside. Don't ask how,I have my ways.† â€Å"You have your little bats,† Sylvia said demurely.†I've seen them.† There was a pause, then Hunter said, â€Å"You'd better watch yourself, girl. That mouth's going to getyou in trouble.† Sylvia had her face turned away from him, butMaggie saw her swallow. â€Å"I'm sorry. I didn't knowit was a secret. But what's happened?† â€Å"The biggest news in your short life.† Hunter Redfern laughed once and added with apparentgood humor restored, â€Å"And maybe in mine. Thewitches have seceded from the Night World.† Maggie blinked. It sounded impressive the wayhe said itbut more impressive was the way Sylviafroze and then whirled breathlessly. â€Å"What?† â€Å"It's happened. They've been threatening for amonth, but most people didn't believe they'd reallydo it.† Sylvia put a hand to her middle, pressed flatagainst her stomach as if to hold something in.Then she sat on the fur-covered bed. â€Å"They've left the Council,† she said. She wasn'tlooking at Hunter Redfern. â€Å"They've left the Council and everything else.†Ã¢â‚¬ All of them?† Hunter Redfern's fine red eyebrows went up. â€Å"What did you expect? Oh, a few of the blackestpractitioners from Circle Midnight are arguing, butmost of them agree with the liberals in Circle Twilight. They want to save the humans. Avert thecoming darkness.† He said it exactly the way Maggie had heard lumberjacks say, â€Å"Save the spotted owls. Ha!† â€Å"So it's really beginning,† Sylvia murmured. Shewas still looking at the stone floor. â€Å"I mean, there'sno going back, now, is there? The Night World issplit forever.† â€Å"And the millennium is upon us,† Hunter said,almost cheerfully. He looked young and†¦personable, Maggie thought. Somebody you'd vote for. â€Å"Which brings me to the question,† he said smoothly, looking at Sylvia, â€Å"of when you're goingto find her.† What her? Maggie's stomach tightened. Sylvia's face was equally tight. She looked up and said levelly, â€Å"I told you I'd find her and I will.†Ã¢â‚¬ But when?You do understand how important this is?† â€Å"Of course I understand!† Sylvia flared up. Herchest was heaving. â€Å"That's why I was trying to sendher to you in the first place-â€Å" Hunter was talkingasif he didn't hear her. â€Å"If it gets out that Aradia, the Maiden of all the witches,is here in the valley-‘ Iliknow!† â€Å"And that you hadher and let her slip throughyour fingers-â€Å" â€Å"I was trying to bring her to you.I thought thatwas important,† Sylvia said. She was bristling and distraught. Which was exactly what Hunter wantedher to be, Maggie thought dazedly. He really knows how to play people. But the analysis was faraway, in the shallowestpart of her mind. Most of her consciousness wassimply stricken into paralyzed amazement. Aradia. The Maiden of all the witches. So it wasn't Arcadia at all, Maggie thought. She might have mentioned that,after I've been calling her Cady for days. But then she hasn't been conscious much, and when she was we had more urgent things to talk about. Aradia. Aradia. That's really pretty. The name had started an odd resonance in hermind, maybe bringing up some long-forgotten mythology lesson. Aradia was a goddess, she thought.Of†¦ um, sylvan glades or something. The woods.Like Diana. And what Maiden of all the witches was, she hadno idea, but it was obviously something important.And not evil, either. From what Hunter was saying, it was clear that witches weren't like other NightPeople. She was the maiden Bern and Gavin were talkingabout, Maggie realized. The one they were supposed to deliver. So Sylvia was bringing her toHunter Redfern. But Cady herself told me-I mean, Aradiatold me-that she was already coming tothis valley for a reason. Before she could even properly phrase the question, her mind had the answer. Delos. In a coincidence that lifted the hair on Maggie'sarms, Sylvia said, â€Å"She won't get to Delos.† â€Å"She'd better not,† Hunter said. â€Å"Maybe you don't realize how persuasive she can be. An ambassador from all the witches, coming to plead her case †¦ she just might sway him. He has a despicable softspot-a conscience, you might call it. And we know he's been in contact with the human girl who escaped with her. Who knows what messages the little vermin was carrying from her?† No messages, Maggie thought grimly. Not withthis vermin anyway. But I would have carried themif I'd known. â€Å"Gavin said Aradia was still unconscious fromthe truth potion-that she was practically dead,†Sylvia said. â€Å"I don t think she could have given any messages. I'd swear that Delos doesn't know she'sin the valley at all.† Hunter was still brooding. â€Å"The witches have oneWild Power on their side already.† â€Å"But they won't get another,† Sylvia said doggedly. â€Å"I've got people looking for her. All the nobles are on our side. They won't let her get toDelos.† â€Å"She should have been killed in the beginning,†Hunter mused. â€Å"But maybe youhave a soft spotfor herlike you do for that human boy.† Behind the linen curtains, Maggie stiffened. Like you do.Not like you did.And who else couldthe human boy be? She gritted her teeth, listening so hard she couldhear the blood in her ears, willing them to talkabout Miles. But Hunter was going on in his smooth voice,†Or maybe you still have some loyalty to thewitches.† Sylvia's pale face flushed. â€Å"I do not! I'm finishedwith them, and you know it! I may be a spellcaster, but I'm not a witch anymore.† â€Å"It's good to see you haven't forgotten whatthey've done to you,† Hunter said. â€Å"After all, youcould have been a Hearth-Woman, taken yourrightful place on the witch Council.† â€Å"Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like your grandmother and her mother beforeher. Theywere Harmans, and so was your father.What a pity the name isn't passed through the maleline. You ended up being just a Weald.† â€Å"I wasa Harman,† Sylvia said with muted ferocity. She was staring at the floor again, and sheseemed to be speaking to herself rather than toHunter. â€Å"I was. But I had to stand there and watch my cousins be accepted instead of me. I had towatch half humansbe accepted-be welcomed.They took my place-just because they were descended through the female line.† Hunter shook his head. â€Å"A very sad tradition.† Sylvia's breath came raggedly for another minuteor so, then she looked up slowly at the tall man in the center of the room, â€Å"You don't have to worryabout my loyalty,† she said quietly. â€Å"I want a placein the new order after the millennium. I'm through with the witches.† Hunter smiled. â€Å"I know it,† he said, lightly and approvingly, andthen he started pacing the room. He got what hewanted out of her, Maggie thought. Almost casually, he added, â€Å"Just be sure thatDelos's power is kept in check until everything's decided.† Sylvia bent and lifted the basket, which Maggiehad forgotten about. â€Å"The new binding spells will hold,† she said. â€Å"Ibrought special ingredients from one of the oldestMidnight witches. And he won't suspect anything.† â€Å"And nobody but you can take them off?† â€Å"Nobody but me,† Sylvia said firmly. â€Å"Not eventhe Crone of all the witches. Or the Maiden, forthat matter.† â€Å"Good girl,† Hunter said, and smiled again. â€Å"Ihave every confidence in you. After all, you havelamia blood in you to balance the witch taint.You're my own eighth-great-granddaughter.† Maggie wanted to punch him. She was confused and frightened and indignantand furious, all at once. As faras she could tell,Hunter Redfern seemed to be manipulating everybody. And Delos, Delos the prince and Wild Power,was just another of his puppets. I wonder what they plan to do if he won't join their new order? she thought bleakly. After a few minutes, Hunter turned in his pacingand walked by the door. He paused brieflyasiflistening, then glanced at Sylvia. â€Å"You don't know how happy it makes me just to think about it,† he said, in a voice that wasn't strained, or overly cheerful, or too loud, or anything that rang false. â€Å"To finally have a true heir.A male heir of my own line, and untainted by witchblood. I would never have married that witchMaeve Harman if I had known my son was still alive. And not only alive, but out having sons! Theonly true Redferns left in the world, you mightsay. Maggie, with her teeth set in her lower lip, didn'tneed to guess who was on the other side of thedoor. She watched tensely. And Delos came in, right on cue.

Pericles Funeral Speech and Jefferson Declaration of Independence Essay

September 11, 2001, two planes crash into the World Trade Center, people diving out windows to their deaths, a plane crashes into the Pentagon, hijackers overtaken by passengers and crash the plane into a field in Pennsylvania. December 2003, mass graves uncovered in Iraq, compliments of Saddam Husayn. May, 2004, a web page shows terrorists cutting off the head of Nick Berg. August 2004, over 350 children are executed by terrorists in a school in Russia. Democracy is being threatened by enigmatic zealots all over the world. The United States have fought for Democracy as far back as the Revolutionary War, and both World Wars. Once again our military is being asked to make the ultimate sacrifice in the attack on democracy against these zealots. Fighting for democracy has been the cause of wars since the days of Pericles. Pericles states that â€Å"Our constitution does not seek to copy the laws of our neighbors; we are an example to others, not imitators of them†. During his time there was usually one ruler that had the power over life and death, the mass of people did not matter. In Athens this was far from the case. Athens created its own government, one that was for the people, and benefited the people. Pericles said with conviction, â€Å"As far as public life is concerned, we live as free men†. The people of Athens had a government that supported them; they were all equal in the eyes of the government. The city of Athens stood by itself; it needed no others to help it. She left her gates open to all and did not concern herself with excluding foreigners. Her military stood alone. Athens never advanced into another territory with Allies; she did it alone. He also marvels in the fact that Athens does not live for the fear of war. He states that they live free, but are always ready if in danger. He even goes so far to say that his enemies are happy with a victory over a small part of the army. Pericles praises Athens for her form of government – democracy – because it is only in a democracy that citizens are encouraged to contribute and participate in self-rule. Democracy brings equality, merit brings public success, social and economic mobility is encouraged, and the law protects all: â€Å"We alone consider the man who refuses to take part in city affairs useless,† Pericles announces. And he gets in a  dig at Sparta by proudly proclaiming that â€Å"rather than look upon discussion as a stumbling-block in the way of action, we think it is an indispensable preliminary to any wise action at all.† Pericles encourages his audience â€Å"to realize the greatness of Athens† and enjoy everything the city has to offer: â€Å"Further, we provide many ways to refresh the mind from the burdens of business. We hold contests and offer sacrifices all the year round, and the elegance of our private establishments forms a daily source of pleasure and helps to drive away sorrow. The magnitude of our city draws the produce of the world into our harbor, so that to the Athenian the fruits of other countries are as familiar a luxury as those of his own.† What Pericles talks about in his speech is almost dimmed in importance by how he delivers the message. It is Pericles’ rhetoric that makes this speech famous and the model for so many others in the course of history. Throughout his speech, Pericles holds up glory as the incentive for men to rush to battle for their freedom: Athens is a glorious city because of the sacrifices of previous generations of men, and this generation, too, must shoulder its burden. And while fighting for your country can help bring about a victory, it also has the benefit of bringing you personal glory, something Pericles believes can be gained in no other way than by dying for your country: â€Å"Realize for yourself the power of Athens, and feed your eyes upon her day after day, till you become her devoted lover. Then, when all her greatness breaks upon you, reflect that it was by courage, sense of duty and a keen feeling of honor in action that men were enabled to win all this, and that no personal failure in an enterprise could make them consent to deprive their country of their valor, but they laid it at her feet as the most glorious contribution they could offer. By this mutual offering of their lives made by them all, they each of them individually received that renown which never grows old. For a sepulcher they have won not so much that tomb in which their bones are here deposited, but that noblest of shrines wherein their glory is laid up to be eternally remembered upon every occasion on which deed or story shall fall for its commemoration. For heroes have the whole earth for their tomb.† Pericles’ speech is certainly persuasive. Its passion is based in reality. It is a powerful to see a nation mourn its war dead. In the end Pericles  accomplishes his goal to inspire a city in mass mourning for its lost warriors. Woodrow Wilson was faced with a call to arms when in 1917 he proclaimed American entrance into World War I a crusade to make the world â€Å"safe for democracy.† Pericles, in his funeral oration, talks of valor as being very honorable. He comments that â€Å"Choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting† is a bold and courageous act and it deserves praise and glory. He says the soldiers â€Å"fled only from dishonor, but met danger face to face†. Abraham Lincoln was faced with a similar task. The Gettysburg Address was delivered on November 19, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery. Lincoln’s speech is more humble than Pericles, but just as passionate. He is careful in not mentioning either side of the war; he only speaks of the nation as a whole. â€Å"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether the nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as the final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live.† Lincoln pays tribute to not only the Union army, but the Confederate as well, by saying â€Å"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.† There are obvious parallels between Pericles’ and Lincoln’s speeches. They both set out to accomplish the same thing just in different ways. Another famous writer and scholar with a similar view of Athenian society, Sophocles, chose to voice his opinion through playwright. Specifically in his two great tragedies Oedipus the King and Antigone. Pericles and Sophocles, although coming from different ends of the spectrum (the aforementioned oratory or rhetoric and the latter fictional), both consider the individual and the state in their works and come to similar conclusions with some exceptions. Pericles expresses his views in his â€Å"Funeral Oration†,  where he boasts of the great qualities of Athens, its citizens and soldiers. Sophocles injects his thoughts and ideas into his two masterpieces, Oedipus the King and Antigone. In the following paper, I will compare the men’s ideas and views on the subject of the individual and the state. In particular, their thoughts on the importance of military excellence, honor, courage, and views on women. Both men considered loyalty in battle and involvement in public matters very important. According to Pericles, military achievements and honor make up for anything wrong one does as a citizen (for example, refusing to take part in city affairs). The Greeks obviously looked upon excellence in the military very highly. of all our neighbors, we alone consider the man who refuses to take part in city affairs as useless†¦.For there is justice in the claim that steadfastness in his nation’s battles provides a cloak to cover a man’s other imperfections; the good action blots out the bad, and his merit as a citizen more than outweighs his faults as an individual (Pericles 58-59, 60). Sophocles expresses similar views on the matter in his play Antigo ne, Creon talks of loyalty to the state as having utter importance: As I see it, whoever assumes the task, the awesome task of setting the city’s course, and refuses to adopt the soundest policies but fearing someone, keeps his lips locked tight, he’s utterly worthless†¦.But whoever proves his loyalty to the state – I’ll prize that man in death as well as life (Antigone 48-49). Creon backs up his words with actions. He goes on to talk of Eteocles and Polynices, the two sons of Oedipus: Eteocles will be given a proper burial, since he went down fighting for Thebes, being loyal to his city; Polynices, on the other hand, committed treason and went against everything Creon stands for and believes in, therefore â€Å"he must be left unburied, his corpse carrion for the birds and dogs to tear, an obscenity for the citizens to behold! These are my principles. Never at my hands will the traitor be honored above the patriot† (Antigone 49). As examined, patriotism was held very highly by the Greeks, as seen in Pericles’s oration and Sophocles’s plays we again come across an intersection in both statesmen’s ideas, this time on the subject of courage. Pericles, in his funeral oration, talks of valor as being very honorable. He comments that â€Å"Choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting† (Pericles 60) is a bold and co urageous act and it deserves praise and glory. He says the soldiers â€Å"fled only from  dishonor, but met danger face to face† (Pericles 60). Do these characteristics bring anyone we know to mind? The answer is yes, and two people come to mind: Antigone and Oedipus. Sophocles’s heroin (Antigone) is the ultimate example of the subject Pericles discusses. True, Antigone was not a soldier, but she went against her uncle’s beliefs and commands, and did what was right according to the gods. In burying her brother and then announcing her actions to the world, she â€Å"fled only from dishonor, but met danger face to face.† Antigone questioned Creon and proudly stated she was the offender, and did not regret her actions. Oedipus, instead of giving in to fate, battled it for as long as he could until fate finally beat him. Although it seems that Sophocles writings parallel Pericles views on women’s inferiority, certain excerpts provide a basis that Sophocles’ views contradict those presented in the Funeral Oration. Pericles states, â€Å"if I must say anything on the subject of female excellence†¦.Great will be your glory in not falling short of your natural character; and greatest will be hers who is least talked of among the men whether for good or for bad† (Pericles 61-62). In an excerpt from Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, it is seen that Oedipus gives great weight to Jocasta’s opinion. Oedipus compares stories with Jocasta on the death of the king. He listens to Jocasta’s side of the story, not putting her in a subordinate position or looking at her as inferior (Oedipus the King 23). In Summation, Pericles and Sophocles (although coming from different ends of the spectrum) both consider the individual and the state in their works and come to similar conclusions with some exceptions on the different aspects of the relationship. They both praise loyalty, involvement in state affairs, and honorable death. To note, in my research I found more expression of Sophocles’s views which correlate with Pericles’s in Antigone and not so much in Oedipus the King. All three of three of the pieces were written in times when the definition of freedom, independence, democracy were still new and not well defined in their respective societies. But still in each piece the message is similar and very clear. That message is that it is necessary and good for people to sacrifice themselves for their beliefs and the good of their society.

Thats What Leaders Are Made Of essays

Thats What Leaders Are Made Of essays A major role in the continuation of modern society is our leaders and the roles they play. They are the ones who will show us the way, so to speak. But who will these people, these leaders, be? What qualities and characteristics do leaders possess? And why is it we the people follow these leaders? But first, what is leadership? Leadership is a process whereby one group member influences and coordinates the behavior of other members in pursuit of the groups goals. This specific group member, the leader, provides guidance, specialized skills, and environmental contacts that help obtain the goals of the group. Some activities, or responsibilities, of the leader are planning, organizing, and controlling group activity (DeLamater and Michener 373). More specific responsibilities will be discussed later in the paper. Now that we know what leadership is and some of what a leaders responsibilities are, lets find out what it takes to be a leader. Think about someone you know whos in a leadership position. What are some characteristics they possess that make them a leader? There are many qualities that make a good leader, but there are four main ones: the leader has a goal and knows what to do to achieve it, the leader is a good decision-maker, the leader is honest, trustworthy, and respectful, and the leader is confident with what s/he does. Lets look at these one at a time. First, the leader has a goal and knows what to do to achieve it. This should be almost self-explanatory and go without saying, because what are you going to do if you have nothing to strive for? There as to be a goal to keeping working for, that way the group continuously moves forward. So say we have a goal. Great!! Now what? What are you going to do to achieve it? Every goal has to have a plan, or blueprint, as to how to accomplish it. A goal without a plan is like trying to cross the ocean without a boat. It do...

Elasticity of Demand Practice Problem

Elasticity of Demand Practice Problem In microeconomics, the elasticity of demand refers to the measure of how sensitive the demand for a good is to shifts in other economic variables. In practice, elasticity is particularly important in modeling the potential change in demand due to factors like changes in the goods price. Despite its importance, it is one of the most misunderstood concepts. To get a better grasp on the elasticity of demand in practice, lets take a look at a practice problem. Before trying to tackle this question, youll want to refer to the following introductory articles to ensure your understanding of the underlying concepts:  a beginners guide to elasticity and using calculus to calculate elasticities. Elasticity Practice Problem This practice problem has three parts: a, b, and c. Lets read through the prompt and questions. Q: The weekly demand function for butter in the province of Quebec is Qd 20000 - 500Px 25M 250Py, where Qd is quantity in kilograms purchased per week, P is price per kg in dollars, M is the average annual income of a Quebec consumer in thousands of dollar, and Py is the price of a kg of margarine. Assume that M 20, Py $2, and the weekly supply function is such that the equilibrium price of one kilogram of butter is $14. a. Calculate the cross-price elasticity of the demand for butter (i.e. in response to changes in the price of margarine) at the equilibrium. What does this number mean? Is the sign important? b. Calculate the income elasticity of demand for butter at the equilibrium. c. Calculate the price elasticity of demand for butter at the equilibrium. What can we say about the demand for butter at this price-point? What significance does this fact hold for suppliers of butter? Gathering the Information and Solving for Q Whenever I work on a question such as the one above, I first like to tabulate all of the relevant information at my disposal. From the question we know that:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyWith this information, we can substitute and calculate for Q:Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyQ 20000 - 500*14 25*20 250*2Q 20000 - 7000 500 500Q 14000Having solved for Q, we can now add this information to our table:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 14000Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyNext, well answer a  practice problem. Elasticity Practice Problem: Part A Explained a. Calculate the cross-price elasticity of the demand for butter (i.e. in response to changes in the price of margarine) at the equilibrium. What does this number mean? Is the sign important? So far, we know that:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 14000Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyAfter reading using calculus to calculate cross-price elasticity of demand, we see that we can calculate any elasticity by the formula: Elasticity of Z With Respect to Y = (dZ / dY)*(Y/Z) In the case of cross-price elasticity of demand, we are interested in the elasticity of quantity demand with respect to the other firms price P. Thus we can use the following equation: Cross-price elasticity of demand (dQ / dPy)*(Py/Q) In order to use this equation, we must have quantity alone on the left-hand side, and the right-hand side is some function of the other firms price. That is the case in our demand equation of Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py. Thus we differentiate with respect to P and get: dQ/dPy 250 So we substitute dQ/dPy 250 and Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py into our cross-price elasticity of demand equation: Cross-price elasticity of demand (dQ / dPy)*(Py/Q)Cross-price elasticity of demand (250*Py)/(20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py) Were interested in finding what the cross-price elasticity of demand is at M 20, Py 2, Px 14, so we substitute these into our cross-price elasticity of demand equation: Cross-price elasticity of demand (250*Py)/(20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py)Cross-price elasticity of demand (250*2)/(14000)Cross-price elasticity of demand 500/14000Cross-price elasticity of demand 0.0357 Thus our cross-price elasticity of demand is 0.0357. Since it is greater than 0, we say that goods are substitutes (if it were negative, then the goods would be complements). The number indicates that when the price of margarine goes up 1%, the demand for butter goes up around 0.0357%. Well answer part b of the practice problem on the next page. Elasticity Practice Problem: Part B Explained b. Calculate the income elasticity of demand for butter at the equilibrium. We know that:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 14000Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyAfter reading  using calculus to calculate income elasticity of demand, we see that (using M for income rather than I as in the original article), we can calculate any elasticity by the formula: Elasticity of Z With Respect to Y = (dZ / dY)*(Y/Z) In the case of income elasticity of demand, we are interested in the elasticity of quantity demand with respect to income. Thus we can use the following equation: Price Elasticity of Income: = (dQ / dM)*(M/Q) In order to use this equation, we must have quantity alone on the left-hand side, and the right-hand side is some function of income. That is the case in our demand equation of Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py. Thus we differentiate with respect to M and get: dQ/dM = 25 So we substitute dQ/dM 25 and Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py into our price elasticity of income equation: Income elasticity of demand: (dQ / dM)*(M/Q)Income elasticity of demand: (25)*(20/14000)Income elasticity of demand: 0.0357Thus our income elasticity of demand is 0.0357. Since it is greater than 0, we say that goods are substitutes. Next, well answer part c of the practice problem on the last page. Elasticity Practice Problem: Part C Explained c. Calculate the price elasticity of demand for butter at the equilibrium. What can we say about the demand for butter at this price-point? What significance does this fact hold for suppliers of butter? We know that:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 14000Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyOnce again, from reading  using calculus to calculate price elasticity of demand, we know that we can calculate any elasticity by the formula: Elasticity of Z With Respect to Y = (dZ / dY)*(Y/Z) In the case of price elasticity of demand, we are interested in the elasticity of quantity demand with respect to price. Thus we can use the following equation: Price elasticity of demand: (dQ / dPx)*(Px/Q) Once again, in order to use this equation, we must have quantity alone on the left-hand side, and the right-hand side is some function of price. That is still the case in our demand equation of 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py. Thus we differentiate with respect to P and get: dQ/dPx -500 So we substitute dQ/dP -500, Px14, and Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py into our price elasticity of demand equation: Price elasticity of demand: (dQ / dPx)*(Px/Q)Price elasticity of demand: (-500)*(14/20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py)Price elasticity of demand: (-500*14)/14000Price elasticity of demand: (-7000)/14000Price elasticity of demand: -0.5 Thus our price elasticity of demand is -0.5. Since it is less than 1 in absolute terms, we say that demand is price inelastic, which means that consumers are not very sensitive to price changes, so a price hike will lead to increased revenue for the industry.

Integrated Enterprise System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Integrated Enterprise System - Essay Example There are various benefits that are associated with the implementation of ERP system by a business, which include improved network management, enhanced resource sharing, improved data accessibility and reduced infrastructural costs (Ray, 2011 p544). The implementation of ERP may take several models, which could be the workflow ERP implementation model that focuses majorly on the improvement of the channels through which information flows within an organization, or the partial ERP implementation model, which seeks to fix the areas of weakness in the information management system of a business, while retaining some of the traditional methods and approaches to information management, at the expense of overhauling the whole system (Glenn, 2008 p82). The successful implementation of the ERP system requires adherence to certain critical success factors, such as the top management commitment, selection of a competent project and technical team, as well as clear budgeting and goal setting. N evertheless, there are some factors that accounts for some companies tending to successfully implement ERP, while others experience failure. Such factors include the corporate culture of different organizations, inadequate training and the failure to plan properly and set realistic objectives by some organizations (Lam, 2007 p63). Table of Contents Clear budgeting and goal setting 6 Constituting a good team 6 Change management 7 Business process re-engineering 8 ERP implementation models 8 Workflow model 8 Partial implementation model 10 Why some companies tend to successfully implement ERP while others experience failure 11 Inadequate training 11 Corporate culture 12 Inadequate planning, budgeting and unrealistic expectations 12 The benefits of deploying ERP systems 13 Improved data accessibility 13 Saving on infrastructure costs 13 Resource sharing 14 Improved network management 14 Conclusion 14 Appendix 15 References 17 Introduction Information is the fundamental resource for any successful business, considering that it is through the access and use of the available information regarding the product, the customers’ needs, markets, the suppliers and the competitors, that a business is able to strategize its operations, so that the operations will suit into the existing business environment, and thus allow the business to thrive and overcome the challenges posed by the business environment, as well as the competitive forces. The modern business environment has become increasingly competitive, owing to the advancement in technologies, changing customer needs and preferences, stringent legal requirements controlling the business environment, as well as the improved modern infrastructure that allows for easier accessibility to products and services (Leon, 2008 p57). Therefore, the modern business strategies are focused on surviving in the face of stiff competition, through the application of information as the main business resource to meets the needs of the customers, while also fitting into the current business environment. This necessitates the need for a suitable information management system, which allows the business to operate smoothly internally, while also relating productively with the external business environment. It is this need that has seen the emergence and dominance of the

Institutional Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Institutional Investment - Essay Example The discussion will, however, start by providing background information on the two plans. These plans are abstractly simpler and involve the employer (and in some cases the employee) making regular contributions to the retirement account of the employee. The amount of contributions is predetermined, usually a specified fraction of the salary. This fraction is, however, subject to alterations in the course of the employee’s career. In this plan, the both contributions are tax-deductible although the investment income accumulates tax-free. In most cases, the employee decides on his/her choice of account investment. This may include investing in stock markets, bonds or any security that pleases them. At retirement, the employee can either receive an annuity or a lump sum, and the size of this money depends on the value of the accumulated funds in the employee’s retirement account (Poterba et al., 2007). The employee bears the risk of their investment and thus the employer has no any extra obligation beyond contributing to their employee’s retirement pla n account. The valuation of defined contribution plans is simple and involves measuring the market value of the assets created in the retirement account. In most cases, the employee is guided in their personal financial planning by their defined contributions plan’s sponsor (Clark 1999). Unlike the defined contributions plan which focuses more on the value of retirement account’s created assets, defined benefits plan focuses on the flow of benefits received by the employee at retirement. Typically, a defined benefits plan uses the employee’s wage history and the years of service as the determinants of the value of the benefit (Huberman, Iyengar & Jiang 2007). Upon retirement, the employee receives a defined monthly amount that is guaranteed for their life and that of their spouse. In some cases, the plan allows room

Family Law and the various areas that are involved in the legal Essay

Family Law and the various areas that are involved in the legal processes - Essay Example Another very detrimental part of this research is in the concept of domestic violence and how it is perceived in society. This is an issue that often goes unreported and therefore many cases are left with unanswered questions as to how and why it happens. The laws surrounding it are also included in this research. The main goal is to provide more insight into what laws are set up to assist families and protect their rights in various situations. Also, what new reforms are taking place and how they are being implemented and carried out to improve the quality of life for families The Family Law Act that was approved and passed in 1996 radically changed the way a lot of legal issues involving family related areas were previously handled. It has had a tremendous impact on specific views of divorce proceedings, consultations for marital breakdowns, the welfare of children, marriages that are of the same sex; and a mass variety of other family related areas. ... king a divorce are especially affected by the new legislation as instead of granting a quick divorce to a couple, the legalities have become stricter and now function in a slow and systematic process to allow for time to consider the well being of the children involved and the effect the divorce proceeding might have on both parties with consideration to finances and living accommodations. Now, more than ever before within the UK, marriage is being considered as a top priority. This specific area that unites a family is considered to be deserving of extra attention and efforts to maintain it and keep it from becoming a problem that disintegrates and deteriorates the whole family structure. Therefore, a good variety of legal implementations are being made in the family courts that have already been introduced to persuade couples from divorcing but rather seek counsel and evaluate their relationships thoroughly before opting to dissolve of them altogether. Marriage is a highly valued principle of life so there are certain steps that have to be taken before a petition for divorce will even be looked upon by the court system and achieve any form of consideration. Some of these phases of the family legal process have been placed in the following outline: The institute of marriage should be supported more so than divorce Any and all applicable steps to save the marriage should be utilized by the couple whether it be marriage counseling or by alternative means such as living apart for a specified period of time If the marriage is found to be unsalvageable it should be absolved with the least amount of stress possible to both parties and with respect for the children's welfare Consideration should be given to the children's needs and wants as well as their rights entitle