Evaluate the Society of Homeopaths Code of Ethics and Practice and Essay

Evaluate the Society of Homeopaths Code of Ethics and Practice and discuss its value within the profession - Essay Example urn in order to treat patients they employ the use of five different models with the homeopath discerning which model will bring the most benefit to the patient (Owen 2007 p.1-12). In order to morally appraise the employment of such alternative techniques, questions both scientific and philosophical are raised. It is only through such discussion and debate that we come to a set of moral rules and guidelines which can define when and how the practice of homeopathy can be pursued. They not only preserve the reputation, dignity and integrity of the practice but also allow the practitioners to take responsibility for their actions. These are the Society of Homeopaths Code of Ethics and Practice and this paper will provide an assessment of its value within the profession (Owen 2007 p.1-12). As mentioned before these guidelines are of course based upon philosophical principles. It is through these principles that these procedures are decided and debated upon. Two of the parameters which have been used to decide whether or not the guidelines are ethical or unethical are the principles of moral relativism and utilitarianism. Moral relativism works on the principle that in a society most of its members consider certain actions to be either morally conscionable or unconscionable. Given that each society holds a different moral value for each action it stands to reason that each member of the society will have a different moral standard for each action. This brings us to the second philosophical tenant known as utilitarianism. According to this principle the result of taking an action defines its morality. Thus in this principles value is given to the consequences of the action taken rather than individual opinion of the action taken. Thus the true purpose of this principle is to maximize the advantage of the action taken (Driver 2006 p.11-21 & p.40-60). The reason why these parameters are mentioned above is because the ethical guidelines rather than being rigid and

Educational psychology Essay Example for Free

Educational psychology Essay 1. Understand the principles and requirements of assessment. 1. 1. Explain the function of assessment in learning and development. Lambert and Lines (2000) define assessment as â€Å"the process of gathering, interpreting, recording, and using information about pupils’ responses to educational tasks. † While this is an acceptable definition of assessment (as regards an educational definition), Graham Butt (Into Teaching: Part 2) expands on this definition by proposing that assessment has four main roles within teaching and learning. Firstly, it provides feedback to teachers and students about each child’s progress in order to shape their future learning (a formative role). This is very similar to the diagnostic role of assessment in pin-pointing the precise cause of a child’s difficulty. The second role of assessment is that it provides information about the level of students’ achievements at a particular point, for example at the end of a school year or at the end of a Key Stage (a summative role). The third role of assessment is as a tool by which selection by qualification can be achieved (a certification role). Finally, assessment helps people to judge the effectiveness of the education system as a while (an evaluation role). Prior to the work of Black and Wiliam (1998) very little was known about the formative role of assessment within teaching and learning, and it was clear that by 1997 the assessment emphasis within England and Wales was clearly focused on the function of assessment in learning and development is primarily to provide a measurable barometer for the students’ progress. see more:explain the importance of gaining consent when providing care or support The key to effective practice is to be able to work out what a child’s specific needs are at one time, and to find ways of creating opportunities for them to succeed (Moyles and Robinson, 2002:281). Assessment is carried out through formative (checks throughout the course), impassive (to test against previous marks), and/ or summative (at end of course) activities to help the learner see their development whilst allowing the Assessor to give valuable feedback when appropriate. Its purpose is to measure the learners understanding of the subject against the anticipated outcomes set by the criteria. For example, assessment provides clear measurement and recording of achievement during a course that provides identification of individual achievement or learners’ needs. I have found that by creating quizzes on socrative. com and/ or google forms that I can capture formative evidence of learners understanding of a task prior to the assessment deadline so I can intervene to give extra help. It is widely recognized that the form and content of student assessment strongly influence students’ attitudes to study and quality of learning (Ramsden, 1997; Shepard, 2000). The learner’s development is typically measured using formative or summative assessment that meets criteria in a fit-for-purpose Assignment and consequently reflects the required standards and performance/ assessment criteria in any given course. The purpose is to monitor development via evidence that can be quantified and used as performance review/ targets/ benchmarking throughout a course. From an Assessors point of view it is essential to ensure that assessment decisions are consistently reviewed and internally/externally verified where possible so as to contribute to the awarding institutions quality assurance and on-going development of best practice. 1. 2. Define the key concepts and principles of assessment. Principles are rules and functions of assessment which are based upon the concepts. (Gravells A. 2011, Principles and practice of assessment in Life Long Learning Sector). The key concepts and principles of assessments include: Continuing professional development At all times maintaining currency of knowledge and competency to ensure assessment practice is up to date. Equality and Diversity- all assessment activities embrace equality, inclusivity, and diversity and respect all aspects of society. Ethics: ensuring the assessment process is honest and moral, and takes into account confidentiality and integrity. Fairness –activities should be fit for purpose, and planning, decisions and feedback justifiable. Health Safety- ensuring these are taken into account throughout the full assessment process, carrying out risk assessments as necessary. Assessment methods must be suitable for the candidate’s needs. For example, a learner must have an option for an alternative whereby a mental or physical threat to their well-being could be presented by the assessment. Motivation- encouraging and supporting my learners to reach their full potential at an appropriate level. Quality assurance- this is an integrated process ensuring assessment decisions meet the qualification standards, and assessors are carrying out their role correctly. Record Keeping- ensures accurate records are maintained throughout the learning and assessment process, communicating with others for example and awarding organisation. SMART- ensuring all assessment activities are specific, measurable, achievable, time bound and realistic Standardisation- ensuring the assessment requirements are interpreted accurately and that all assessors are making comparable and consistent decisions. Reliability – The assessment decisions must be by an assessor with competence in the discipline the work relates to so as to ensure a judgment that is informed by a professional perspective. Risk assessments of locations my media student’s film in serve both to extend the learners understanding of health and safety whilst helping them help me make our learning space everyone’s responsibility. VACSR- is another important principle ensuring all assessed work is Valid: all the work is relevant to the assessment criteria. Decisions must be justified with clear referencing of assessment criteria stated by the examining body. Another Lecturer should be able to award the same grade for the piece of work as the same standardisation method is the barometer NOT the opinion of the assessor. Authentic: the work has been produced solely by the learner. Current: the work is still relevant at the time of assessment. Sufficient: the work covers all the assessment criteria. Reliable: the work is consistent across all learners, over time and at the required level. (Gravells A. 2011, Principles and practice of assessment in Life Long Learning Sector). All the subjects (theory or practical) the assessment is carried on the basis of assessment cycle. http://www. gillpayne. com/2014/01/guide-understanding-the-training-cycle/ Purpose. The aim, reason, and purpose of assessment is to help the learner track their progress, provide feedback, and inspire them to achieve. The trainer gains evidence of learning from assessment which can in turn be measured clearly against a criteria. This continuous assessment learning/ training cycle is designed to recognise prior learning and improve it with each assessment. The assessor grades the work so the trainer (if someone different from the assessor) can see the distance travelled on the course when compared to grades throughout the programme. The organisation can use this quantitative data to track a class, department, and/ or, entire organisations performance in relation to peer organisations so employers can often assess their own staff’s performance. COGNITIVE The cognitive domain relates to the more traditionalist assumptions of academic/ intellectual learning. In this domain Bandler and Grinder counted ‘knowledge, comprehension/ understanding’ as well as ‘application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation’. Cognitive assessment should focus on the application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation rather than towards only the acquisition of knowledge and understanding. To this end any theory in lectures must be made applicable in a video/ practical task that puts in to practice the idea/ terminology/ argument we have discussed – which in turn serves to consolidate and validate the learning. This domain relates to objectives concerned with knowledge and intellectual skills and there are six categories which can be used in lecturers: Knowledge: Asking learners to recall specific and general items of information (e. g. media terminology) and also information about methods (‘how do you add this effect? ’), processes and patterns (using software such as Photoshop). Comprehension: Encouraging recognition of items of information settings similar to but different from those in which they were first encountered e. g. relating theories and debates to contemporary issues such as Laura Mulvey’s Feminist theory of female objectification in mainstream cinema. Application: I actively build my learners understanding of our culture so they can explain previously unseen data or events by applying knowledge from other situations e. g. using simile, analogy, and metaphor in my verbal explanation/ articulation of concepts during lectures so they will do the same in their work. Analysis: Learners are presented with problems to break down the blocks of information into elements for the purpose of clarification. This can be in the form of a provocative discussion, essay question that asks them to show comprehension of ideas in a structured essay with a clear conclusion. Synthesis: Learners are constantly asked to combine elements to form coherent units of information in their responses whether it be a Vlog, Podcast, or Written piece for Assessment. Evaluation: Throughout Assessments the learners are asked to make judgements about the value of information, materials, or methods for given purposes. This is a common feature of each Edexcel Units as it demands reflection and growth on the part of the learner. AFFECTIVE The affective domain for Bandler and Grinder includes objectives which describe changes in interest, attitudes and values, and the development of appreciations. There are different levels of understanding: According to the theory the lowest level is where the learner is merely aware of the fact that other people have particular attitudes and values. As a learner progresses on our courses it is essential to develop this through their personal experience so they slowly develop affective ideas which are uniquely their own. While some values are indoctrinated – respect for others’ rights, honesty, media law, understanding of morals/ ethics, the key is to enable the learner to come to this plane of understanding through a process of development and clarification in lectures. The Affective domain for Bandler and Grinder relates to objectives concerned with interest, attitudes, and values. The five levels of the affective domain from the simplest to the most complex are as follows: Receiving: Sensitivity to certain stimuli and a willingness to receive or attend to them e. g.students receiving information from Lecturers about Media issues. Responding: Involvement in a subject or activity or event to the extent of seeking it out, working with it or engaging in it eg Twitter debates about contemporary issues such as engaging in discussion about the Woolwich attacks in 2013 using the hashtag #bcotterror Valuing: Commitment to or conviction in certain goals, ideas, or beliefs e. g. constructing and arguing a point in an Assignment such as an essay in which the learner shows the pros and cons of existing theorists’ approaches to their Assignment subject. Organisation: Organisation of values into a system, awareness of relevance of and relations between appropriate values and the establishment of dominant personal values e. g. constructing an essay that demonstrates structure and engaging with complex levels of conjecture, statement, and fact with objective, rigorous, scholarly approaches to balance in their argument beyond opinion. Characterisation by a Value Complex: Integration of beliefs, ideas, and attitudes into a total philosophy of world view e. g.  a learner composing a project based on their own interests/ perspective informed by values acquired on course. PSYCHOMOTOR This is largely defined as Physical and Motor skills. We work to develop key social and employability skills through what Bandler and Grinder categorise in to define as 6 categories: ‘Reflex Movements’ are developed with the use of equipment such as cameras and complex editing software to develop the involuntary motor responses to stimuli which in turn form the basis for all behaviour involving any movement. ‘Basic Fundamental Movements’ are developed by doing this as movements of using lighting, microphones, cameras etc. involve movement patterns which help the learner become more ambulatory. ‘Perceptual Abilities’ are tied in to this as they help learners to interpret stimuli so that they can develop their perception of visual and auditory risks, hazards, logistics to adjust to their environment and demonstrate coordinated abilities of eye and hand, eye and foot. Similarly the ‘Physical abilities’ of the learner are utilised and developed in our practical tasks as they are essential to efficient motor activity. Due to the nature of a Creative Media professional the vigour of the person is tested by activities designed to measure the individual and how they meet the demands placed upon him or her in and by the environment. ‘Skilled Movements’ are a necessity in terms of storyboarding, engaging with complex editing software, and other tasks which ask the learner to efficiently perform complex movements. The learning targets are negotiated after gathering diagnostic information from the learner to gauge the potential/ possibility e. g.  all skilled movement activities are based upon some adaptation of the inherent patterns of movement described in the ‘Physical Abilities’ demonstrated by the learner. ‘Non-Discursive Communication’ manifests itself relatively organically in our subject through interviews, debates, video-logs, discussions, podcasts, and any other form of media that captures a range of evidence of the developing communication skills from facial expressions to highly sophisticated choreography/ directing/ blocking of entire sets. [Source: Planning for Pre-Service Primary Teachers Prof Experience Unit, face of Education, QUT, Qld, 1998 (pp11-13)].

A Pestel Analysis Of Australia Economics Essay

A Pestel Analysis Of Australia Economics Essay Australia is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the northeast and New Zealand to the southeast. For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians who belonged to one or more of roughly 250 language groups. After discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606, Australias eastern half was claimed by Britain in 1770 and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales, formally founded on 7 February 1788 (although formal possession of the land had occurred on 26 January 1788). The population grew steadily in subsequent decades; the continent was explored and an additional five self-governing Crown Colonies were established. On 1 January 1901, the six colonies became a federation and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since Federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and is a Commonwealth realm. The population is 22 million, with approximately 60% concentrated in and around the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. The nations capital city is Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory. A prosperous developed country, Australia is the worlds thirteenth largest economy. Australia ranks highly in many international comparisons of national performance such as human development, quality of life, health care, life expectancy, public education, economic freedom and the protection of civil liberties and political rights. Australia is a member of the United Nations, G20, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, OECD, APEC, Pacific Islands Forum and the World Trade Organization. PESTEL ANALYSIS There are many factors in the macro-environment that will effect the decisions of the managers of any organisation. Tax changes, new laws, trade barriers, demographic change and government policy changes are all examples of macro change. To help analyse these factors we can categorise them using the PESTEL model. Political factors. These refer to government policy such as the degree of intervention in the economy. What goods and services does a government want to provide? To what extent does it believe in subsidising firms? What are its priorities in terms of business support? Political decisions can impact on many vital areas for business such as the education of the workforce, the health of the nation and the quality of the infrastructure of the economy such as the road and rail systems. The federal government is separated into three branches: The legislature: the bicameral Parliament, comprising the Queen (represented by the Governor-General), the Senate, and the House of Representatives; The executive: the Federal Executive Council, in practice the Governor-General as advised by the Prime Minister and Ministers of State; The judiciary: the High Court of Australia and other federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Council. Business in Australia has a high degree of certainty Australia is a safe destination for investment. The countrys political and regulatory environment is stable, open and progressive, providing investors with a high degree of confidence and certainty. Australias strength as an investment destination stems, in part, from a political system that has been assessed as being highly effective in responding to economic challenges and policy direction. The adaptability of Australian government policy to changes in the economy has been ranked in the top two countries in the region. Similarly, the transparency and effectiveness of government are also rated highly . Efficient and transparent legal framework Australia also has an open, efficient and transparent legal framework. Corruption levels are judged lower than those in the US, the UK, Canada and most regional countries . These results can be attributed to a strong system of checks and balances, and a highly respected judicial and law enforcement system. Stable political environment The benefit to companies of a stable political environment can flow right through to the bottom line. Australia is one of the most important markets for MNCs in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia hosts a growing economy; a stable political and business environment; a skilled, well educated and multi-lingual workforce; a strategic time-zone and a competitive cost base. These factors provide a sophisticated market and the right environment enabling various MNCs to drive innovation and technology. ECONOMIC FACTORS Property prices are generally high in relation to income levels in Australia, creating a great demand for rental properties. In fact this demand is so high in some major cities that rental prices are firmly set to increase, making any purchase into a buy-to-let property market potentially profitable. While the population grows and incomes rise, the demand for housing now outpaces supply, causing prices to continue rising. Capital Growth Australia still has certain areas offering great investment opportunity. For example, in 2006 Perth property prices rose by between 36.6% and a staggering 42% and commercial properties in cities such as Brisbane and Perth are also currently offering many excellent returns on investment. Off-Plan Pure investment strategies are viable options in many areas, enabling you to purchase off-plan property in Australia at the best possible prices. Investors purchasing as early as possible with a minimum money-down payment and then selling prior to completion are gaining substantial profits. Low-cost Commercial Property Australias cost-competitiveness has led to a growing number of foreign companies using Australia as a headquarters for their Asian operations. Between January 2002 and March 2003, 54 foreign companies established or relocated their operating centres in Australia, making it one of the most successful countries in the world in attracting such investment. Today Australia consistently emerges as a low cost base amongst developed nations. Currency Exchange Currency exchange rates against euros, dollars and sterling are very favourable in Australia today, making property investment an attractive option to foreign investors who avoid losing vast amounts of money in their exchange transactions against the Australian dollar. In addition, foreign purchasers are generally able to buy much more for their money than back home. Cost of Living The cost of living in large cities such as Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth is dramatically less than that of the worlds most expensive cities. At the same time, Australias major cities are all ranked among the worlds top 30 cities in terms of quality of life. Economic Stability Australias strong economic growth rates are higher than in most OECD countries including the US and UK. Currently the countrys GDP is higher than that of the UK, Germany and France for example. There is a low degree of risk in the Australian economy while it boasts consistently strong GDP growth, stable interest rates, rising exchange rates, relatively high levels of employment and a low rate of inflation. In the main cities unemployment is relatively low and on average the national unemployment figures stand at around 5%. The country receives many applications each year from those wishing to immigrate to Australia and enjoy the high standard of living and general opportunities the country has to offer. Mortgages Repayment mortgages are available to purchase property in Australia, covering 75-80% of the valuation or purchase price (whichever is lower) and they are available for a period of between 5 and 30 years. Interest only mortgages are widely available in Australia and are on offer for 5 or even 10 year periods. SOCIAL FACTORS Changes in social trends can impact on the demand for a firms products and the availability and willingness of individuals to work. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION Classes and Castes. The three main social classes are the working class, the middle class, and the upper class, but the boundaries between these groups are a matter of debate. The wealthiest 5 to 10 percent are usually regarded as upper class, with their wealth derived from ownership and control of property and capital. The growing middle class is defined as individuals with nonmanual occupations. Nonmanual workers typically earn more than manual workers, although upper-level manual workers such as tradespeople earn more than those in sales and personal service positions. The professions, which include such occupations as accountants, computing specialists, engineers, and medical doctors, have been one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. Since the 1980s the number of manual workers has been in decline. Manual workers form the nucleus of the working class; 20 to 40 percent self-identify with this category. Class consciousness includes the acknowledgment of class divisions, but there is also a broad commitment to an ethic of egalitarianism. Australians commonly believe that socioeconomic mobility is possible and exhibit a basic tolerance and acceptance of inequality associated with social class. Symbols of Social Stratification. The upper-class can be signified by expensive clothes, motor vehicles, and homes. In particular, the economic value of housing and other real estate properties varies greatly across different suburbs in all cities. However, class is not always evident from clothes, cars, and living circumstances. Middle-class people from economically wealthy backgrounds may mask their prosperity according to fashion, choice, or participation in particular subcultures. Young people such as students may dress to mimic imagined styles valued for their symbolic rejection of wealth, and some working-class families go into debt to purchase expensive cars and other commodities. Patterns of speech, consumption patterns associated with entertainment and the arts, and participation in certain sports may be useful indicators of class. SOCIALIZATION Infant Care. Child rearing varies considerably with the country of origin, class background, the education and occupation of the parents, and the religious group to which a family belongs. While most practices are aimed at developing a responsible and independent child, Aboriginal and many migrant families tend to indulge young children more than do most Anglo-Celtic parents. Some ethnic groups supervise their young more strictly than the dominant Anglo-Celtic population, encouraging them to mix only with family and friends, be dependent on the family, and leave decision making to the parents. Child Rearing and Education. Mothers are the preferred primary caretakers, although fathers are taking increasing responsibility for child care. In the past mothers were not as isolated in their child care responsibilities, receiving help from older children, extended kin, and neighbors. The reduction in family and household size in recent years has meant that the burden of care falls largely on mothers. There is significant variation in ideas about good parenting, reflecting the diverse cultural values and traditions of parents ethnic background. Higher Education. Higher education is considered to offer the best employment opportunities. Consequently, tertiary education has become more widely available and is undertaken by an increasingly larger proportion of the population. It is available in two forms: universities and institutions of technical and further education (TAFE). In 1992, 37 percent of women and 47 percent of men received post-school qualifications, and 12.3 percent of the labor force held university degrees in 1993. Universities also attract substantial numbers of overseas students. The government is responsible for funding most universities and institutions, with increasing contributions being made by students in the form of fees and postgraduation tax payments. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS New technologies create new products and new processes. Technology can reduce costs, improve quality and lead to innovation. These developments can benefit consumers as well as the organisations providing the products. Two organizations support most of Australian government research and development. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), headquartered in Melbourne and founded in 1926, is an independent government agency that supports research and development in all fields of the physical and biological sciences except defense science, nuclear energy, and clinical medicine. The Defense Science and Technology Organization (DSTO), headquartered in Canberra, supports military research and development by providing scientific and technological assistance to the Australian Defence Force and Department of Defence. Several issues dominate current Australian science and technology policy: the concentration of research and development in national research centers; tensions among and between university researchers over allocation of research and development funding resources; effective communication between industry, government, and university researchers; the growing role which industry is playing in support of national research and development; and the role which Australia is playing in international science and technology collaboration. High-technology exports totaled $1.5 million in 1998. Government funds about 55% of all research and development and industry about 40%. In 1996, there were 73 agricultural, medical, scientific, and technical professional associations and societies, the foremost of which is the Australian Academy of Science, founded in 1954 by royal charter. The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering was founded in 1976. The Australian Science and Technology Council (ASTEC) provides an independent source of counsel for the Australian Prime Minister; its role was augmented in 1986 by the creation of a post for a Minister Assisting the Prime Minister with portfolio for science and technology. Environmental factors: Environmental factors include the weather and climate change. Changes in temperature can impact on many industries including farming, tourism and insurance. With major climate changes occurring due to global warming and with greater environmental awareness this external factor is becoming a significant issue for firms to consider. The growing desire to protect the environment is having an impact on many industries such as the travel and transportation industries (for example, more taxes being placed on air travel and the success of hybrid cars) and the general move towards more environmentally friendly products and processes is affecting demand patterns and creating business opportunities. The Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act of 1974 establishes procedures for ensuring that environmental impact is considered in governmental decision making. The Whale Protection Act of 1981 prohibits killing, capturing, injuring, or interfering with a whale, dolphin, or porpoise within Australias 200 mi economic zone or, beyond the zone, by Australian vessels and aircraft and their crews. The Environment Protection (Nuclear Codes) Act of 1978 mandates the development of uniform safety standards for uranium mining and milling and for the transport of radioactive materials. The Protection of the Sea (Discharge of Oil from Ships) Act of 1981 and the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act of 1983 prevent or limit pollution from oil or noxious substances. Water being a scarce resource in Australia, problems of water quality and availability are a constant concern. As of 2001, the country had only 352 cu km of renewable water resources, although safe drinking water was available to all urban and rural dwellers. A cause for concern has been the increased salinity in the Murray Valley, caused by diverting water inland from the coast for irrigation, as well as the rise in saline water tables in Western Australia, due to excessive land clearing for dry-land farming. Another significant environmental problem is inland damage due to soil erosion. The quality of the soil is also affected by salinization. As of 1993, Australia had 145 million hact. of forest and woodland and had the third most extensive mangrove area in the world, covering over one million ha. LEGAL FACTORS These are related to the legal environment in which firms operate. The introduction of age discrimination and disability discrimination legislation, an increase in the minimum wage and greater requirements for firms to recycle are examples of relatively recent laws that affect an organisations actions. Legal changes can affect a firms costs (e.g. if new systems and procedures have to be developed) and demand (e.g. if the law affects the likelihood of customers buying the good or using the service. Contractual issues Contracts do not have to be in writing on a formal document and signed to be legally binding. The major elements of formation of a contract are offer and acceptance; consideration; intention to create legal relations and certainty of terms. Thus, provided these elements are met, a contract may be construed via exchange of e-mails, scribbling on the back of a docket or even verbal exchanges. Compliance with government sanctions and regulations Exporters should be aware that Australia maintains United Nations Security Council sanctions and bilateral sanctions in respect of a number of countries. These sanctions require Australian organisations and individuals to comply with a range of measures and, in general, also apply extraterritorially to Australian nationals overseas. Sanctions may include export and import restrictions, prohibitions of technical assistance, training and financing, travel sanctions, and financial sanctions against specific persons and entities. Dealings with terrorists what the Australian business community should know   The Government has passed laws making it a criminal offence to hold assets that are owned or controlled by terrorist organisations or individuals, or to make assets available to them, punishable by up to five years imprisonment. In addition to the Consolidated List, the Australian Government also maintains a list of groups that are proscribed as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code. Australian companies need to ensure that they have checked the credentials of overseas partners and buyers. Australian companies also need to be aware that there are scam operations working in some markets and again this emphasises the need to conduct background checks. Before signing or accepting contracts, it is in your interests to seek professional legal advice from legal firms specializing in international work. PORTERS DIAMOND MODEL Porters Diamond Factor Model (DFM) is a theoretical framework that achieved prominence in Australian economic policy development since its inception in 1990. Despite its widespread adoption, however, Australia has remained significantly below the OECD average in terms of its industrial clusters contributions to innovation and real wealth creation. In order to conceptualise the specific role that Porters DFM might play in the Australian policy development context, this paper analyses the 25-year history of the interaction between the Tasmanian state government and the Tasmanian Light Shipbuilding Industry cluster. This analysis provides an insight into the set of government roles that facilitated the development of one of Australias most internationally competitive industry clusters, and proposes a reconceptualisation of Porters DFM that will potentially increase its value as a predictive tool for regional economic development Factor conditions: These are the economists traditional factors of production: land, labor, capital, and infrastructure. Demand conditions: The characteristics of the domestic market, including the size, demand, value, and sophistication. Related supporting industries: The presence of suppliers and supporting industries that are equally competitive and of high quality. Firm strategy, structure, and rivalry: The regulatory and other governmental environment in which companies are created, organized, and managed, including the nature of the domestic competition. Since the 1970s, the onrush of globalisation in Australias markets has presented significant economic policy challenges to the countrys federal and state governments. A major concern for Australian legislators was the question of making a nation previously protected by a fortress of tariffs and subsidies more productive and competitive in world markets. One theoretical framework that achieved prominence in Australian economic policy development was Porters Industrial Cluster Theory (ICT). Porters ICT proposes that for a region to increase its innovative capacity and export earnings, its government must interact to develop a sustainable array of internationally competitive industry clusters . Porters ICT argues that a nations industry clusters will likely be internationally competitive if a synergistic interrelationship exists between four Diamond Factor variables (i.e. Factor Conditions, Local Demand Conditions, Related and Supporting Industries, and Firm Strategy, Structure and Riva lry) and the two influencing roles of Chance Events and Government for a discussion of the Diamond Factor Model (DFM) that underpins ICT. The role of government in the stage of cluster life cycle: The first was the state governments initial non committal stance towards the development of the states burgeoning shipbuilding industry. At the time, the governments policy focus was primarily on the macro-economic restructuring of the states economy away from its dependence on hydro-industrialisation , and not the growth requirements of the potential industry cluster. The second key role was the state governments development of the regions reputation within the broader domestic maritime market as a national centre for maritime research. The Tasmanian government implemented a series of lobbying initiatives that resulted in the federal government providing additional funding to the Australian Maritime College and relocating its national maritime research institute (the CSIRO) to Hobart. These state government lobbying efforts were largely aimed at the federal government rather than the private sector, but their success had implications for the regions Factor Conditions, Related and Supporting Industry, and Local Demand Conditions. The regional economys factor conditions were advanced by developing the regions supply of human capital through both the generation of specialised employment and education within the broader industry. The Tasmanian governments enhancement of the regions reputation helped to develop the demand conditions faced by the private sector shipbuilding firms, most significantly in the from of customers ready to import their products from interstate. Competitive advantage of Australia: Instant access to high technology Given the proven track record of Future Materials partners, together with our highly skilled, experienced team of professionals, Australian companies now have easy access to the kind of services and equipment previously difficult to attain. For instance: Materials characterization and evaluation Problem solving, such as investigating contaminants and materials failures. Studies and testing on coatings, thin films and surface modifications. Expert and independent opinion in litigation and IP matters. Collaborative research aiding the development of new products and processes. Also, The governments policy focus was primarily on the macro-economic restructuring of the states economy away from its dependence on hydro-industrialisation , and not the growth requirements of the potential industry cluster.

Farming Essay -- Personal Narrative Agriculture Papers

Farming "Beep , beep, beep, " the alarm clock sounded. "Shoot another day at work" I thought. It is 5:30 and time to head off to work. I go into the shoe room and throw on my once worn set of clothes, which consist of a tee-shirt, sweatshirt, long johns, pants, and some winter boots. I also grab a coat on the way out. I opened the door and the cold wintry blast hit my pale face. "Damn it's cold", I thought to myself. I trudged through the two feet of crusty snow and hop into my 87' Ram 50 pick-up truck. "rue, rur, rur, whiinee " the engine started. "Yes" I thought, "I don't want to jump my truck this cold morning". I started down the road into what seemed like a dark oblivion with only my headlights to guide me through. I came to the first stop sign and almost slide through it. "Whew that was close!" I shouted to myself . I start up again, a little slower this time as hoping not to slide through another stop sign, I then realize my heater is starting to kick in. It's getting warm in my truck. ,it's comfortable though. I finally arrive at work and walk in. "Good afternoon" my boss states sarcastically. It's 6:00 in the morning and its still cold in the barn. I go into the silo room and start to fill up the corn cart. The room is off to the side of the barn so it is also freezing in this part of the barn. I roll the full cart onto the cement lane ,it seems really heavy in these early morning hours. I pull in front of the first cow and think "Oh yea only 59 more to go." I get done feeding corn and move on to feeding the mineral; this only takes about five minutes because I don't have to feed as much. Next I move on to feeding protein out of the cart this takes a little more time than mineral, b... ... turn the first bolt and my wrench slips. "Ouch", I scream. "Whadidchya do?" my boss asks. " Hit my damn finger", I say. " Well don't slip off the burr and that won't happen." He instructs me. " Thanx" I said. We get the girder replaced and go in for a late afternoon dinner. I sit down and think, "warmth, ahh". Feeling begins to come back into my hands and they hurt from banging them several times on things. I eat the prepared meatballs and boiled potatoes with peas and carrots with rigorous vigor. "Will you pay me today please", I ask. "Sure", my boss says. I get my check and tell my boss and his family I'll see the tomorrow. I hop into my truck and finally start to go back home. I arrive home to find that my family has gone some where so I go in take a shower and proceed to call my buddy up on the phone to see where the party is at.

Communication with Children Essay

In every aspect of life, at work and at home, our communication with those people around us influences and underpins our relationships with them, so developing positive attitudes and communication is essential to develop positive relationships. Getting to know people and showing interest in them and what they have to say is important to building respectful relationships. Remembering names, listening to what people have to say, being considerate of people and their views, all add up to positive relationship building. We work with adults where effective communication and trust will ensure the safety and well-being of the children we are caring for. It is essential that any information regarding any child is passed to the correct person especially if there is any cause for concern. Communication with an adult may be verbal only, but if there is a genuine concern for an aspect of learning or social or personal safety of a child, it will be backed up by written evidence. Discussions with our peers are important to build relationships of respect and trust. A teacher may have concerns about a child and might discuss this with her teaching assistant who may back up her concerns with her own observations. Being friendly and approachable will help encourage communication with children, young people and adults and always acting with honesty and fairness will develop positive relationships and respect. Communicating with your peers at work is likely to be quite different to how you would communicate with them in a social situation. Whilst at work it is important to be professional, however that doesn’t mean you can’t have a sense of humour! Quite often the person you need to speak to isn’t available so it may be that you will have to leave them a note, either in their pigeon hole or on their desk, and then it can be discussed in more detail when you are both available. We communicate in many different ways to many different people at work, we communicate with teachers about the children and what different resources are needed in the classroom, we communicate with parents  sensitively about their children, we communicate with the office staff regarding stationary supplies and resources, we communicate with the kitchen staff regarding lunch and the caretaker regarding repairs that we may have observed that need attending to or some other instructions. All these communications are important to get the best results and each may be approached differently. It is important to understand the correct approach to ensure the most positive outcome in each situation. Cultural differences may affect communication as misunderstandings can occur so it is important that when communicating with people from different cultural backgrounds you make yourself understood and be respectful of their culture. When communicating with children it must be remembered that children do not have the same understanding as adults and will take everything as it is said and will not interpret signals or things unsaid or assumed. Not all children will understand humour, although some will, so it is important to speak clearly to children and maybe repeat what you have said. It is also a good idea to ask them to repeat back to you what you have said if it is important that they have understood you, this way there will be no room for confusion. Also, get down to their level; they will feel more comfortable talking to you and not so intimidated. The age of a child is important to take into consideration. Very young children may not respond to humour as they may not understand. However an older child may respond positively to humour as it can relax them. Always adapt your language to the age of the child and speak clearly. The context of the communication may hugely influence how you might communicate. If the child has done something well or positive, just a big smile and thumbs up from across the classroom can communicate very effectively. Equally, a disapproving look and firm shake of the head may communicate across a classroom when a child has done something wrong. Tone of voice is important to portray your communication too. If what you are telling them is serious it must be delivered with a serious voice, equally praise should be delivered with an excited and happy tone and expression. In  general communication with children, they respond best to happy, excitable voices, so unless the message is serious, that is the tone I think is best to stick with! When communicating with children there are other things that may have to be taken into consideration. It may be that English is not their first language so extra care will be needed to ensure they have understood you. The child may have a sensory impairment, so you may have to speak facing them, slowly and clearly and using your hands where able. The child may have a speech, language or communication impairment so again you would have to speak to them in much the same way, speaking clearly and slowly and repeating instructions and asking them to repeat back to you so that you know they have understood instructions. Their cognitive abilities may be poor so you may have to adapt your communication to take into account their concentration span and focus or coordination. Also, if a child is sad you must be sensitive to that and be reassuring and comforting. A child may be agitated or angry and then you must be calming. If a child has cultural differences those differences must be taken into account and treated respectfully. Communication with adults may include body language and gestures that may go unobserved by children. Adults will also interpret nuances in tone of voice that children may not pick up on. Therefore it is more important to explain exactly what you are saying to children. You may not have to be as direct with adults. When managing disagreements with children it is important that the child believes he/she is being listened to and treated fairly. When I’m dealing with playground disputes I always listen to both sides of the story and get the whole picture. We then talk it through and decide what would have been a better way of dealing with their conflict and either or both apologises and we have a clean slate and fresh start. When dealing with disagreements between young people a similar approach can be taken but with a higher language level. Disputes may arise at work where  adults have differing opinions; it is important to listen to an alternative point of view and consider where there is common ground. Talking things through thoroughly and being open to an alternative approach is vital. If there is total disagreement and no solution can be found then a manager or head teacher will have to be involved.

How to optimize your job listings for Google searches

How to optimize your job listings for Google searches By now, you’re probably pretty familiar with terms like â€Å"search engine optimization† (SEO), and have been working toward getting the most keyword bang for your buck in your organization’s job posts. As a rule, Google has made us all think more about how to get what we want out of a search, or how to make sure our content is near the top of the list. Now Google is unleashing the next phase of that: Google for Jobs, a dedicated search tool for job seekers.lWhat is Google for Jobs, exactly?Google for Jobs is a search tool first rolled out in 2017, continually growing and expanding as Google adds new features. It’s an enhanced search algorithm that aggregates active job listings from career sites and job boards, cherry-picking them to match your search criteria. Users can filter jobs based on the job category, location, date posted, and the company information. The search function doesn’t (yet?) have the capability of helping the user to apply for said jobs, but instead directs the user to apply through either job sites (where one might already have an account/saved resume) or directly at the company itself.Google for Jobs gets updated job listing information through â€Å"crawls,† or automated searches conducted by Google. The crawl searches company career sites directly, as well as job boards and other recruiting forums.How can organizations optimize their listings?If you want your jobs to feature prominently in user searches, that means more than maxing out your SEO keywords.Be visible.The first step is making sure that Google’s webcrawling robots can find your job listings to include them in users’ search results. One way to do this is to integrate directly with Google, if your company has its own Careers site. You should make sure that your site is not protected by a robots.txt file or robots meta tag, and that Googlebots can crawl your site.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973 c5', {});Make sure you have enough information in your listings.At a minimum, Google for Jobs requires the following info in a job listing in order to include it in search results:Company nameSpecific job title (like â€Å"Waiter† or â€Å"Feline Aerodynamics Engineer†)Job description, at least one paragraph in length and formatted in HTMLJob locationPosting dateExpiration date of the posting (if applicable)Without that information, your listing is not going to make the cut. If you want to take your listings to the next level, best practices should also include:Type of employment (full-time, part-time, contract basis, etc.)Salary range or a specific number, including currency typeThe job’s requisition number in your Application Tracking System (ATS)Check your reputation.Google is rolling out new Google for Jobs features all the time, and recently that has included pulling company reviews from sites like Glassdoor. If you haven’t already, it’s time to do a survey of what people are saying about your company on employment review sites. Poor reviews can affect your Google for Jobs performance, and discourage potential applicants as well.Standardize your logoThis is especially important if you’re going through third-party sites. You want to make sure that you’re uploading consistent, high-quality images of your logo to any sites that are going to be included in Google for Jobs crawls. Big, clear logos look much better in search results than small and/or blurry ones, and you want to stand out for all the right reasons.If you’re looking for a way to boost the visibility of your job listings, Google for Jobs is a great way to do that. By making some minimal tech tweaks and investing time in your recruitment narrative, this is a feature that will help you reach the applicants you want.

Ac202 Chapter 18 Notes Essay Example

Ac202 Chapter 18 Notes Essay Example Ac202 Chapter 18 Notes Paper Ac202 Chapter 18 Notes Paper Chapter 18 Cost Volume Profit Analysis Prof. Baick 1. Cost-Volume Profit Analysis A technique that examines changes in profits in response to changes in sales volumes, costs, and prices 2. Components of Graphing CVP Analysis Relationships $ D C B A units where: F = Total fixed costs P = Price per unit of product (goods or services) Profit = Targeted profit level Q = Quantity of product sold (goods or services) TR = Total revenue TVC = Total variable costs V = Variable cost per unit 1 3. Assumptions Made in CVP Analysis Number of output units only revenue driver and only cost driver Total costs can be separated into the primary categories of variable costs and fixed costs Total revenues and total costs are linear within the relevant range (and time period) Unit selling price, unit variable costs, and fixed costs known and constant Single product or constant sales mix Time value of money effects ignored 4. Basic Formula and Terminology Assume that: U = Number of Units Produced and SOLD SP = Selling Price per Unit VC = Variable Cost per Unit FC = Total Fixed Costs Sales Variable Costs Fixed Costs = Profit Breakeven The level of sales whereby total profits are equal to zero. Contribution margin Sales Revenue – Variable Costs Contribution margin per unit Selling price per unit – Variable cost per unit Contribution margin ratio = Total Sales Revenue – Total Variable Costs Total Sales Revenue OR: Selling price per Unit – Variable costs per Unit Selling price per Unit 2 5. Breakeven Analysis Breakeven sales Breakeven units 6. Target Profit Target sales Target units 7. Margin of Safety 8. Margin of Safety Ratio 9. Product Mix Decisions 10. Leverage and Cost Structure Definition Increasing sales by a given percent and increasing profits by an increasingly larger proportion. Operating leverage Financial leverage 11. Primacy of Contribution Margin 3 CVP Graphical Analysis 4 IMPORTANT FORMULAS: SP VC FC U = = = = Selling price per unit Variable cost per unit Total Fixed costs Units sold Revenue Expenses Variable Fixed FC = Net Income SP(U) VC(U) = NI BREAK EVEN MEANS REVENUES = EXPENSES OR NET INCOME IS 0 Contribution Margin Ratio = Break-even (Units) = FC __ SP VC FC____________ Contribution Margin Ratio Break-even (Sales) = Target Profit (Units) =FC + TP SP VC Target Profit (Sales) = FC + TP Contribution Margin Ratio = Actual (Expected) Sales – Break 1. If sales are $80,000, variable costs are $50,000, and fixed costs are $20,000, the contribution margin ratio is: Sales – Variable Costs Sales 80,000 – 50,000 80,000 = . 75 or 37. 5% Example 2. A firm with fixed costs of $61,500 per month sells three products with the following characteristics: Sales Mix Contribution Product Percentage Margin P 25% $48 Q 50% 50 R 25% 52 How many total units must be sold to breakeven? First Compute the Weighted 3. The Pierson Co. has the following unit and mix data: Do Dah Unit sales price $5. 00 $4. 00 Unit contribution margin 0. 75 1. 20 Sales mix ($) 80% 20% Fixed costs Target profit How many units of Dah must be sold at the breakeven point? = $ 99,000 ($0. 75 x . 80) + ($1. 20 x . 20) = $99,000 $0. 84 = 117,857. 143 4. Baldwin’s Bagel Shop had the following activity for December: Total bagels sold Total revenues Total fixed costs Total variable costs 17,000 $595,000 99,000 357,000 What was Baldwin’s margin of safety, in dollars? Contribution Margin Ratio = $595,000 $357,000 $595,000 Breakeven Sales = $99,000 . 40 Margin of Safety = $595,000 $247,500 = $347,500 = $247,500 = . 40 What was Baldwin’s margin of safety ratio? = $347,500 $595,000 58. 4% = 8 Example 5. The Nunn Co. produces a single product. Its cost structure is: Fixed Cost $35,000 60,000 Variable Cost Per Unit $15 10 Manufacturing costs Non 6. Smith Co. has a contribution margin ratio of 40% and a breakeven point of $200,000 in sales. If the firm reports net income of $50,000 after taxes of 50%, what were total sales for the year? 0 = Sales – Variable Costs – Fixed Costs 0 = Contribution Margin – Fixed Costs 0 = $200,000(0. 4) – FC FC = $80,000 $50,000 = 0. 5[(. 4 x Sales) $80,000] Sales = $450,000 Example 7 Sales Variable costs Contribution margin Fixed costs Net income Old $2,000,000 1,400,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 New $2,000,000 600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 200,000 Note in this example that both Old and New have the same level of Sales and Net income. This means that the total costs for both Old and New are the same. However, the cost structure for each is different. This means that the breakeven point and profitability after breakeven are different for Old and New. In particular, Old and New have different Degrees of Operating Leverage (DOL). 10 Strategic Decision Making Candice Company has decided to introduce a new product, which can be manufactured by either of two methods. The manufacturing method will not affect the quality of the product. The estimated manufacturing costs of the two methods are as follows: Method A $5. 00 $6. 00 $3. 00 $2,440,000 Method B $5. 60 $7. 20 $4. 80 $1,320,000 Direct materials Direct labor Variable overhead Fixed manufacturing cost Candice’s marketing research recommends a selling price of $30 per unit. The fixed selling costs are $500,000 plus $2 per unit sold, regardless of manufacturing method. A. Calculate the estimated break-even point in annual unit sales of the new product if Candice Company uses: 1) 2) Manufacturing Method A Manufacturing Method B B. Which production technology should the firm use? In particular, discuss the range for the level of output that would make Method A preferable and the range for the level of output that would make Method B preferable. 11 Extra Problem The following information pertains to ABC Company: 2004 $1,020,000 240,000 2005 $960,000 210,000 Sales Net Income Determine the breakeven sales for ABC Company. 12

How Jane Yolen’s perspective on personal discovery is conveyed in Briar Rose Essay Essay Example

How Jane Yolen’s perspective on personal discovery is conveyed in Briar Rose Essay Essay Example How Jane Yolen’s perspective on personal discovery is conveyed in Briar Rose Essay Paper How Jane Yolen’s perspective on personal discovery is conveyed in Briar Rose Essay Paper Jane Yolen topographic points strong accent on the impression of personal find which becomes the cardinal message in the text ‘Briar Rose’ . Yolen sets the supporter. Rebecca Berlin on a pursuit of personal find. a pursuit which is strongly connected to the yesteryear. a past which takes its roots in the holocaust. Yolen captivates the respondent through the use of the sophisticated linguistic communication techniques: fable. narrative construction. and multiple narrative voices to convey the significance of personal find. Yolen embedded personal find as a nucleus subject in the text to convey strong positions on personal find through the usage of fable to drive the narrative along giving it a sense of pragmatism. Gemma’s stating and retelling of the fairy narrative is a changeless characteristic in the text. â€Å"I expletive you Briar Rose. I curse you† This quotation mark demonstrates Rebecca’s deficiency of comprehension of the fairy narrative. a fairy narrative Becca grew up listening to as an grownup. it embarks on a journey which takes its roots in America and leads to Poland and enables Becca to unveil the fairy narrative. It is through her solemn pledge that Becca commences her personal find and pursuit for her individuality. As she commences her pursuit to personal find she begins to unveil the faery narrative which is Gemma’s fable of the hideous events in the Judaic holocaust that impacted 1000000s of Jews. who suffered at the custodies of the Nazi’s. Yolen has successfully interwoven the allegorical construction in the narrative to convey the significance of personal find. Yolen has successfully demonstrated the technique of multiple narrative voices to exemplify her strong positions on personal find. It is through the intertwining of the voices of Gemma. Josef Potocki and Rebecca that the truth behind Gemma’s yesteryear is unveiled. In peculiar the narrative of Potocki brings the horrors inflicted on the Jews to the head of the personal find. â€Å"It was tremendous. full of shadows: shadows of weaponries. of legs. of caputs thrown back. oral cavities unfastened in silenced shrieks. † Yolen captures the horrors expounded on the Jews efficaciously and makes the respondent tremble with fright at the evil enaxed by the Nazi soldiers. Potocki’s voice/narrative brings Becca closer to unveiling the enigma of Gemma’s non-existent yesteryear. Josef’s history explicitly detailing the horrors of the holocaust is juxtaposed against Gemma’s fairy tale. touching to the fact that such horrors are difficult to joint by the victims. In Briar Rose. Yolen has strongly conveyed personal find through impact and importance of one’s cognition of household history to understanding an individual’s individuality. Yolen has basically embedded insistent duologue to positively convey personal find. Becca’s journey on persona find is initiated by her resolute promise on Gemma’s decease bed to happen the palace in the quotation mark where Gemma recites â€Å"Promise me you will happen the palace. â€Å"Promise me you’ll find the prince. Promise me you will happen the shaper of the enchantments. † The repeat of â€Å"promise† is bewitchingly utilized to underscore and enable the respondent to understand the significance of the pledge. The composer efficaciously portrays this through Becca’s tone when she says â€Å"I’m traveling to work out it†¦ The conundrum and the mystery†¦ I’m traveling to happen the palace and the prince and repossess our he ritage. † It is the resoluteness with which Becca makes the pledge that the respondent comes to gain the significance of the pledge and that it is a cardinal message to the novel and through this individual event that personal find is set into gesture. This pursuit of personal find is reinforced and intensified by Becca’s finding and strong bond with her grandma and allows the respondents to admit that it is the driving force behind her aspiration and digesting doggedness to detect the truth within the mystery of the fairy narrative. Yolen establishes the close connexion through Gemma’s congratulations of Becca’s devotedness to the fairy narrative when she says â€Å"you ever understand† a trait that makes the respondents find Becca appealing. This has significantly influenced her picks and actions. as she embarks on the pursuit of personal find with the given secret wooden box that has ‘briar’ and a rose carved on its palpebra ( symbolism and repeat of the rose ) and filled with Gemma’s ownerships indoors in order to repossess Gemma’s heritage. Yolen has successfully demonstrated personal find through the usage of repeat in the text Briar Rose. Yolen has purposefully made Becca the heroine more appealing than her sisters Shana and Sylvia. Yolen has efficaciously demonstrated the importance of personal find in the text Briar Rose by implanting legion sophisticated linguistic communication techniques in her novel. The personal find undertaken by Becca. leads her to the nucleus of the holocaust. and brings to the head the experience of Gemma ; Yolen uses the fairy tale to make a sense of good versus bad. good versus immorality. Yolen through Becca makes the respondent gain the significance of personal find. The words of Stan competently sum Yolen’s positions on personal discovery- ‘What is past is prologue’

Discussion question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion question - Essay Example Assuming there are 1 billion writers, is it not possible that there are exactly two the same sentences There have been some records indicating exactly look alike in images, what more with written lines when writing has been here since time immemorial Is not plagiarism a simple commerce hiding behind the facade of protecting the rights of others, while prejudicing the rights of some 3. Excellent grammar is every tyro's dream. And, precisely, perfect grammar is crucial to every written document. However, some schools under-emphasized the study of grammar especially in vocational, technical, or mechanical areas, but, some also over-emphasized the same because of the need to be precise and accurate. For example, in the Law school or in journalism schools where accuracy is necessary. Consistently, to be articulate is also my aspiration and the challenge that drives me on. 4. I am very thorough with my work in life and in school. But, I am not necessarily the first to finish and turn a very accurate work. Nonetheless, I take my time and usually turn in a polished final product. I have done editing which is also called revising. It is centered on surface quality. Some would call it technicality of the written piece. Others would say it is more of corrections on the presentation rather than the content. It is commonly known as enhancement.

How US & European Union Sanctions Impact Russia Essay

How US & European Union Sanctions Impact Russia - Essay Example They majored on this sector because they had background information that Russia’s domestic budget relied heavily on the sales of this product. The result from terrible double sanctions together with sliding oil prices, in November 2014 the Russian economy decreased by 0.5 percent that was that decline experienced over the period of five years. To the Russian economy, some adverse effects were experienced because of these sanctions and drifting of oil prices (Cotella). As per the trading record, the value of the dollar against the Russian currency dropped by about 20 percent on December 26, 2014. The exchange market had reached 80 rubles for one US dollar. Since the year 1998, this was the highest recorded rate, and this ventured the country to a debt default after the disarray from the previous crisis. In the initial rise of the dollar price, seemed ineffective. The later staged its way and staged its biggest rally in the duration of 16 years, and this prompted to scramble so that they could meet the tax deadline. The Russian government wanted to put this into practice by forcing the exporters to convert their foreign exchange into Russian currency (Jones and Whitworth). The Russian central bank found itself in unexpected and vast scrambling rates, and this was targeting to rectification in giving a ruble a hand. Currency speculation and crushing blow were another meaning of the experienced higher rates. The potential spark of massive short covering was an anticipation of turnaround of the ruble to maintain the position that it was holding. The consumers and corporations also faced the tragedy of higher rates of interest when was a havoc (THE MONTH IN BRIEF: IS Oil Installations Attacked, Libyan Output Recovers And EU And US Prepare More Sanctions Against Russia). The combinations of sanctions and reduced oil prices lead to depression and rises. The Russian central bank said that in a the circumstance where crude oil averages 60 dollars per barrel on

Introduction to Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Introduction to Business - Essay Example This is indicated as improved performance of the organization. Internal communication channels such as face-to-face communication are essential in maintaining employee relationship. For instance, face-to-face communication enables managers to build corporate teams within an organization. However, this is possible when an organization has effective communication channels. Positive attitude and effective corporate relations promote effective face-to-face communication. Effective communication channels ensure sustainability of business in the modern competitive world. This is because communication stands out as a significant competitive advantage that businesses can use to enhance their sustainability. Effective communication channels within an organization ensure that it benefits from a piece of information before its competitors take advantage of the information. This relates to effective internal and external communication. In this case, effective internal communication enables employees to respond to certain business information within minimal time. On the other hand, effective external communication channels enable businesses to have a significant influence on the market. This effectiveness builds the competitive advantage of a business. The growth of a business depends on effective communication channels. Organizational growth is both a strategic management and an objective aspect. Organization growth enables a business to withstand changes affecting its business environment. This includes changes that affect its market and production units. Effective communication channels create links between an organization and its environment. This enables organizations to have timely response to changes within its business environment. Timely responses towards a business environment enable a business to withstand competitiveness within an industry. For instances producers of mobile phones requires an

The Novel John Cheever Bullet Park and John Cheever, The Essay

The Novel John Cheever Bullet Park and John Cheever, The Five-Forty-Eight - Essay Example g the absurdity of the surroundings’ and pointlessness of their behaviors and actions, his stories hold out the hope of redemption in love and sense of revenge and unforgiving attitude Such as in the story â€Å"Five-forty-Five† and his novel† The bullet park†. John Cheever was a complex person himself and during the course of his life he was saddled by the habit of alcoholism and infidelities but he presented himself so earnestly as a Man in Brooks’ brother suit, his life was as contradictory as his characters and so his writing is not neat and raises so many questions and answer’s very less.(The guardian,2009).  Cheever rightly described himself near the end of his life, in a heartbreaking sentence: "I am one of those old men; I am like a voyager who cannot remember the streams he has travelled." (Gottlieb,2002). In the novel â€Å" The Bullet Park†, author portrays an array of well kept houses and more than well mannered people of the town the Bullet Park but Cheever’s characters always has a double meaning to them and an unobserving reader might fail to see the crouching beast dangerously hidden behind those well kept houses. The story unfolds as a fateful intersection of two men the innocent Eliot Nailles and his nemesis, Paul Hammer, whose object is to murder his neighbors son, takes place. The novel has an aura of retribution from the beginning. For example the chosen names for the characters are Hammer and Nailles, which show the exact opposite of each other and every quality of hammer is lacked in a nail. It is the first impression of reckless and conflicting situation between the two characters and the author tried to expose their rivalry for each other by his blunt, quite witty and creative writing.(Shannon,1998) Cheever’s view of rivalry and revenge is also seen in the description of his characters as the two main characters’ were exactly opposite of each other, in short the characters are also in the state of conflict, not just in their

IT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

IT - Essay Example Affect-based Trust is related to the the benefits that the client would get directly like quick and improved services whilst Cognition-based services relates to those advantages that a client would see and have evidence of like reduced cost of transactions and access to money without queuing and the like. Jointly, these two add up to the satisfaction a client would gain by patronizing e-commerce products of a bank. In this research, we therefore ask, what are the important factors that affect e-banking in UAE? What are the main consumer attitudes towards e-banking services in UAE? What is the effectiveness of e-banking services rendered by banks to individuals and organizations in UAE? The research seeks to add up to the stock of knowledge on the effectiveness of e-banking services rendered in UAE and the customer attitudes to e-banking services in UAE. ... The research would provide a background for the study of trends and matters pertaining to e-banking. This can enable banks, consumers and potential consumers to get a good understanding of the reaction of consumers to e-banking products and services that are offered in the UAE. Literature Review Online banking is the â€Å"process that allows a consumer to perform banking functions online. Online banking can be accomplished through the internet with specific account information and a consumer password† (Sam, 2008: 7). Online banking refers to an electronic form of carrying out traditional banking processes and transactions through the Internet and other forms of computer software systems. This implies that online banking enables a consumer to complete a banking activity using the internet and other related electronic tools like mobile phones and other sophisticated computer systems. This is also referred to as e-banking, which encompasses banking carried out in an electronic f ormat. In a bank, e-banking a typical e-banking department consists of groups responsible for marketing and sales, internet activities, electronic commerce, call center services, ATM operations and mobile phone bank services (Hlupic, 2003: 109). In other words, e-banking combines the operations and activities of several related departments in a bank to ensure that the clients of the bank get the opportunity to undertake normal banking services through electronic means. This requires the co-operation and combined efforts of several units to ensure that customers get prompt attention about their transactions, reduce fraud and get a good understanding of the internet banking

One question to answer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

One question to answer - Assignment Example According to the research, family-centered service also known as Family-centered care promotes prominently context and child health is an aspect that is taken into consideration here. Due to childhood chronic conditions and the diverse changes of the surrounding environment, anticipation to admit the comings of family health care services is at the top gear as far as living a good life becomes an instrument of home in our lives (Nies 10). An educational class is the core principal that forms part of family health services. This includes health, nutrition, oral health, and parenting skills. In the presence of heath care coordination, the norm help one to keep records of accomplishment of their children as far as immunizations activities is of concern. Moreover, playing a role of a parent ensures that one provides maximum parenting care to his or her child through family nutrition and support. Family health services is of useful to us since it enables one to deliver parenting services, health education to their children as well as nutrition and when all this is met life become fun rather than

The Novel John Cheever Bullet Park and John Cheever, The Essay

The Novel John Cheever Bullet Park and John Cheever, The Five-Forty-Eight - Essay Example g the absurdity of the surroundings’ and pointlessness of their behaviors and actions, his stories hold out the hope of redemption in love and sense of revenge and unforgiving attitude Such as in the story â€Å"Five-forty-Five† and his novel† The bullet park†. John Cheever was a complex person himself and during the course of his life he was saddled by the habit of alcoholism and infidelities but he presented himself so earnestly as a Man in Brooks’ brother suit, his life was as contradictory as his characters and so his writing is not neat and raises so many questions and answer’s very less.(The guardian,2009).  Cheever rightly described himself near the end of his life, in a heartbreaking sentence: "I am one of those old men; I am like a voyager who cannot remember the streams he has travelled." (Gottlieb,2002). In the novel â€Å" The Bullet Park†, author portrays an array of well kept houses and more than well mannered people of the town the Bullet Park but Cheever’s characters always has a double meaning to them and an unobserving reader might fail to see the crouching beast dangerously hidden behind those well kept houses. The story unfolds as a fateful intersection of two men the innocent Eliot Nailles and his nemesis, Paul Hammer, whose object is to murder his neighbors son, takes place. The novel has an aura of retribution from the beginning. For example the chosen names for the characters are Hammer and Nailles, which show the exact opposite of each other and every quality of hammer is lacked in a nail. It is the first impression of reckless and conflicting situation between the two characters and the author tried to expose their rivalry for each other by his blunt, quite witty and creative writing.(Shannon,1998) Cheever’s view of rivalry and revenge is also seen in the description of his characters as the two main characters’ were exactly opposite of each other, in short the characters are also in the state of conflict, not just in their

One question to answer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

One question to answer - Assignment Example According to the research, family-centered service also known as Family-centered care promotes prominently context and child health is an aspect that is taken into consideration here. Due to childhood chronic conditions and the diverse changes of the surrounding environment, anticipation to admit the comings of family health care services is at the top gear as far as living a good life becomes an instrument of home in our lives (Nies 10). An educational class is the core principal that forms part of family health services. This includes health, nutrition, oral health, and parenting skills. In the presence of heath care coordination, the norm help one to keep records of accomplishment of their children as far as immunizations activities is of concern. Moreover, playing a role of a parent ensures that one provides maximum parenting care to his or her child through family nutrition and support. Family health services is of useful to us since it enables one to deliver parenting services, health education to their children as well as nutrition and when all this is met life become fun rather than

To What Extent Do You Think That Conditioning Essay Example for Free

To What Extent Do You Think That Conditioning Essay Both Pavlov and Skinner have proven that animals can be trained to expect a result coming from a type of condition due to past experiences. However, it may not be the same for human beings, as they have much more complex minds than any other species on Earth. Classical and Operant conditioning may work only on some humans but it may not work on some other humans. Operant conditioning is when a living being experiences punishment or any consequences when committing a particular act, it will often stop doing the same thing next time, as it doesnt want to experience the consequence again. However, some human beings are an exception to the laws of Operant conditioning. For instance, a teenager may continue stealing even though he/she has been caught and punished. The reason behind it is because it might be the only way to survive, or it could be a habit the teenager cannot get rid of, similar to smoking. In some more scarce occasions, the teenager might feel that it is right to steal, as if the world owes him/her, which motivates the teenager to continue committing his/her crime. Nonetheless, there are under some circumstances that fit into the criteria, such as if a person almost got crushed by a car when crossing a road, he/she would be much more careful in the future, as the person doesnt want to die. Classical conditioning is training a living being to respond to a specific stimulus, such as a dog salivating if a ringing bell is heard. This type of condition may work on more people than on Operant condition. The reason is because Classical conditioning is more on the persons advantage whereas Operant conditioning is mostly on consequences. Human beings tend to commit acts that at least benefit themselves before benefiting others; therefore Operant conditioning will sometimes not work because it might affect the persons benefit. It is only on some situations that Operant conditioning will work as it helps prevent consequences happening to the person again. Human nature is a very complex system that enables human beings to be different from the theories of response and stimulus. They will not just think if one thing happens, another result will follow. Some people will think of other possibilities, which makes the whole situation extremely complex. Classical and Operant conditioning may work on toddlers as they still have very simple thinking, but as humans grow older their minds will also become more advanced as well as complicated, making their thinking not as straightforward as the theories suggest. Classical and Operant conditioning may not be 100% efficient on analysing human behaviour, but if it is used on other animals or on human toddlers, it will be quite effective.

Market analysis for cadburys

Market analysis for cadburys Cadbury  was a British  confectionery  company, the industrys second-largest globally after the combined  Mars-Wrigley.[2]  Headquartered in Cadbury House in the Uxbridge Business Park in  Uxbridge London Borough of Hillingdon,  England  and formerly listed on the  London Stock Exchange, Cadbury was acquired by  Kraft Foods  in February 2010. The company was an ever-present constituent of the  FTSE 100  from the indexs 1984 inception until its 2010 takeover.[3][4] . What products or services does it offer customers? At what price(s)? Products Main article:  List of Cadbury products Cadbury plc manufactures chocolates and sweets such as the popular  Cadbury Dairy Milk. Notable product introductions include:   Cocoa Essence  Easter Eggs   Milk Chocolate Cadbury Fingers   Dairy Milk   Bournville  Chocolate   Milk Tray Flake Creme Egg Crunchie   Roses   Fudge   Dairy Milk Buttons   Picnic Curly Wurly   Wispa  (relaunched 2007)   Boost Twirl Time Out   Fuse Brunch Bar,  Dream  and  Snowflake Cadbury dairy milk silk  (richer, finer milk chocolate) and  Wispa Gold Prices of sme of its products Boost High Protein Nutritional Energy Drinke:  $35.955 Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar of Plenty Berry Fruit and Vanilla Shortcake 140g.  Price:  Ã‚  Ã‚ £2.34   Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar of Plenty Toffee Apple and Roast Hazelnut 140g.  Price:  Ã‚  Ã‚ £2.34   boost High Protein Energy Drink, Vanilla, 8 oz, 6 pk $10.69 Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, a brand priced at Rs 49 for 69 grams and Rs 99 for 160 grams available in Milk chocolate, Roast Almond and Fruit Nut variants. The company aims to position Silk as smoother, creamier and chunkier. Who are its customers and what do they want? Its main customers are children and youngsters especially girls. They want Cadbury chocolates to be Very creamy delicious taste and widely available.   it still smells nice. One Pound for one hundred grams is good value, Nice box Presentation reasonable price yummy . Who are its competitors and how does the company differentiate itself from its competitors. Within Chocolate, its interesting that Cadbury is a very small player outshone by Nestle, MM Mars (now called Masterfoods) and Hershey. Cadbury is a distant 4th. But, in Canada Europe, Cadbury is a huge player perhaps #2. This is because Cadbury Schweppes is British based and hence has a much larger presence in Europe, Canada Australia. Within Confections (e.g. gum, hard candy), competitors would include Wrigleys. Within Soft Drinks, Cadbury Scheppes is a distant 3rd, with Coke in the lead, followed closely by Pepsi. Interestingly enough, I think that 7-Up, one of Cadburys products, is actually sold by Pepsi outside the US. Within Juices Juice Drinks, competition is w/ Coke (e.g. Minute Maid, Hi-C) and Pepsi (e.g. Tropicana, Gatorade, Brisk Iced Tea), Ocean Spray, Welchs and many smaller players. Within Fruit Snacks, Dole Del Monte are the largest competitors. the corporate site has a lot of stakeholders: shareholders, potential investors, journalists, job-seekers, employees, analysts financial and sustainability, suppliers, partners, customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ There needs to be somewhere that at least the core facts about the company can be found by all these people, for convenience as well as for legal reasons.  adbury monitor the production process by using total quality   management to ensure that the chocolate/products that are produced are   of a high quality and meet the needs of the customers, this is vital   for Cadbury because they produce chocolate products mainly which has a   lot of substitutes, this means that customers could loose interest in   Cadbury products if their demands are not met or thought about.  An alternative quality assurance method that Cadbury could use is   benchmarking. Benchmarking is a method for comparing the performance   of one business against another, this would of an advantage to Cadbury   because they could compare their sales figures, production figures etc   against a major competitor (Nestle for example), the comparisons would   help Cadbury to set aims and goals for the business itself and once   the aims have been met it may almost be certain that Cadbury is   outperforming its competitor.   However the competitor that Cadbury choose has to be near enough the   same size business as Cadbury, this is to make the benchmarking fair.   As well as the above benchmarking will help Cadbury to do better than   their competitor(s).   . How do they communicate with customers and how do they sell their product to customers? Cadbury have continued their innovative work but off the corporate site. The Cadbury approach seems to be to maximise the brand benefits they can get from their customer-facing social media outposts, while retaining the static and more corporate information on the corporate site. There are hundreds of thousands of fans of Cadbury fans on Facebook. These are mostly brand pages (Dairy Milk: two pages with over 400,000 fans; Creme Eggs: two pages, with over 500,000 fans; Mini Eggs: two pages with over 300,000 fans à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and thats just on the first page of results). But there is also a corporate page with over 248,000 fans, and even a page for their recent Eyebrows advertisement campaign with nearly 225,000 fans. That is more than a glass and a half of customer loveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Cadbury is clearly doing something very right here; Facebook works well for them, and they are making the most of their advertising successes, and welcoming the mashups and spoofs that their loyal customers create. (Youll no doubt remember the  Mars/Snickers  episode from a few months ago). But it isnt just Facebook: there are many Cadbury inspired videos on YouTube, and theres at least oneCadbury channel. There also seem to be several Cadbury-owned Twitter accounts (such as  @ButtonsFOTF,@haveyouearnedit,  @Cadbury_Gorilla  and  @GoingFairTrade). These are the only ways through customers get attracted towards their different brands of chocolate and they sell their products.

ONeill Cylinders Essay -- physics space

Science fiction authors for many years have written book after book exploring, as Star Trek described space, "the final frontier". While many people focus on the exploration side of space, there are some who believe that space is our next refuge. Stephen Hawking has said " I don't think the human race will survive the next thousand years unless we spread into space". While some speak of moonbases, or planet-side bases, one of the most intriguing ideas is the O'Neill Cylinder. Gerard K. O'Neill created the O'Neill Cylinder in his book "The High Frontier". An O'Neill Cylinder consists of two cylinders which counter-rotate around each other, each one has a two mile (3 kilometer) radius, and a 20 mile (30 kilometer) length. The two cylinders counter-rotate to create simulated gravity by centripetal force: everything is pushed to the outer wall due to that force. However, some design choices stem from this, some to combat the negative effects, and others to take advantage the centripetal force. Due to the nature of artificial gravity, many people might experience nausea and dizziness. To combat this, the speed of rotation would need to be decreased to about two revolutions per minute. To take advantage of artificial gravity, different parts of the O'Neill Cylinder can rotate at different speeds. In the middle of the cylinder, the artificial gravity will be smaller than everywhere else in the cylinder, and manufacturing facilities would be placed here to take a dvantage of that fact. The cylinders themselves would have six sections on them, half of them are windows, the other half is the ground. Behind each window would be a mirror so they could direct the sunlight into the cylinder, while night could be simulated by simply moving ... ... an object is at a Lagrange Point, it acts much the same as a satellite that is in geosynchronous orbit with a planet. Things at a Lagrange point are at a "fixed" place in space, which is quite an advantage for O'Neill Cylinders. Bibliography Books: O'Neill, Gerard K. The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space 1997. Webpages: Cornish, Neil J. Lagrange Point http://www.physics.montana.edu/faculty/cornish/lagrange.html Hall, Theodore Wayne:The Architecture of Artificial-Gravity Environments for Long-Duration Space Habitation http://www.artificial-gravity.com/Dissertation/FrontMatter.htm/ Dyson, Freeman J. Life of Gerard K. O'Neill http://ssi.org/?page_id=11 Baez, John. Lagrange Points http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/lagrange.html Heppenheimer, T.A. Colonies in Spae: Chapter 2. http://www.nss.org/settlement/ColoniesInSpace/colonies_chap02.html

Religious Controversy During the Time of Karl Marx Essay -- Karl Marx

Religious Controversy During the Time of Karl Marx Religion in Europe before and during 1848, the year the Communist Manifesto was written, was full of trials and tribulations. This is not a new thing for religion, ever since the creation of religion there has been problems. Religion is the one uncertainty that has caused disputes even wars in the past and in the present. Religion is discussed briefly in the Communist Manifesto. However, There is enough content about religion to see Karl Marx’s views on the matter but he does not go into depth on those views. Religion around the time of the Communist Manifesto was very unstable; two events prior to this time that contributed to this instability are the Separation of Christianity into Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic, and the Protestant reformations that took place. One of the most significant turning points in the history of European religion was the separation of Christianity into western and eastern religions. The Western Church became the Roman Catholic Church while the Eastern Church became the Eastern Orthodox Church. There was no formal split, the bishops of each church recognize each other as being genuinely Christian just a little odd in their beliefs. The Great Schism shows the difference between the two religions, and they are not all theological. One difference is that Eastern Orthodox priests are allowed to be married. Only monks in the Eastern Orthodox Church must remain celibate. This differs from the Roman Catholic Church where all priest must be single and chaste. [1] A major reason for the Schism was lack of communication. The two Churches grew so far apart in their mindsets and attitudes they could no longer understand each other. They... ...ring the time of the Communist Manifesto. Notes 1. Roger E. Olsen, The Story of Christian Theology, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity press) 290-91. 2. John H. Smith, The Great Schism, (New York: Weybright And Talley) 236-39. 3. Olsen, 291. 4. Alister E. McGrath, Reformation of thought, 2nd ed. (Oxford: Blackwell, 1993) 2-12. 5. McGrath, 2-3. 6. Discovery and Reformation, 1996,

Stimulant Drugs and Its Effects

Not only does the phrase ‘Robbing Peter to pay Paul’ apply to Ponzi schemes, but it clearly applies to the use of stimulant drugs as well. According to the book Uppers, Downers, All Rounders, while stimulant drugs provide extra physical strength, added confidence, motivation and feelings of well-being, the continuing use of stimulants in the body may lead to ‘subsequent withdrawal symptoms, and severe depression can last for days or weeks or occasionally months. (Inaba, 2003) Without stimulus drugs, the human body releases the chemicals epinephrine and norepinephrine associated with the extra energy, confidence, and other feelings, among others.However, the normal release of these chemicals are reabsorbed by the body, and re-released again when needed. In the case of stimulant drugs, the release of these chemicals are forced on the body even before the need arises, thus, providing the body with extra energy. (Inaba, 2003) The result of this release of extra energy is then manifested by talking, uneasiness, hypervigilance and physical activity. Inaba, 2003) What is most concerning however, is the effect of strong stimulant drugs on the natural re-absorption of these chemicals, because drugs like these purposely prevent the re-absorption of these chemicals and een its metabolism. (Inaba, 2003)Having stated this, the robbery made by stimulant drugs is due to the dire health effects it causes in the long-term, such as ulcers, spasms, the constriction of heart vessels, hypertension, insomnia, paranoia, aggression, violence, psychosis, proneness to miscarriage, among others. Inaba, 2003) Thus, while it gives a short-term benefit to stimulant drug users, the long-term health toll must never be taken for granted, because it may prove to be fatal as well. It is a good thing, however, that many states are now implementing Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIP), best practices guidelines for the treatment of substance abuse disorders. (Rawson, 1999)

Nickel And Dimed Essay

You must create a dialectical journal with fifteen (15) entries. I want five (5) entries for each section. I expect a thorough analysis of the devices/strategies identified in the text. Points: 90 Part II Create a monthly budget for a single parent with one child household living in the DMV area making minimum wage. You are to research the necessary information. You must include the current minimum wage, living accommodations, child care, grocery, transportation, and any luxuries (jewelry, dinners at restaurants, a night on the town, etc.). I expect you to find an actual place to live and include their rental rates. If your expenditures exceed your income, you must compute what it would cost for only necessities and calculate the minimum amount of money you must earn to meet those needs. Your research information may be submitted in chart or graph form. You must cite your sources using APA style!! Points: 40 Part III Choose one of the following prompts to write an effective 2 full page double spaced 12† font AP level essay. 1. In â€Å"Evaluation,† the final chapter of Nickel and Dimed, Ehrenreich observes: Some odd optical property of our highly polarized and unequal society makes the poor almost invisible to their economic superiors. The poor can see the affluent easily enough-on television, for example, or on the covers of magazines. But the affluent rarely see the poor or, if they do catch sight of them in some public space, rarely know what they’re seeing, since-thanks to consignment stores and, yes, Wal-Mart- the poor are usually able to disguise themselves as members of the more comfortable classes.

Business Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Analysis - Research Paper Example According to Bruce (2011), Wal-Mart is given the top ranking in terms of the total sales that are made by the store alone. The retail offers variety of products that comprise of family apparel, electronics, household needs, electronics, fabrics, jewellery, shoes, crafts, health and beauty products and lawn and garden accessories along with pharmacy store, Photo processing centre and Tire and Lube Express (Walmart Stores, 2012). Wal-Mart is operating in four retail divisions that are called as Sam’s Club warehouses, neighborhood markets, Super centres and Wal-Mart stores. Wal-Mart stores and Super centres are one-stop shopping centres for the families; Sam’s Club in the members only club for warehouse purposes and neighborhood markets offer convenience shopping to the customers for general merchandise, groceries and pharmaceutical companies (Basker, 2007). Currently, Wal-Mart has about 10,185 stores and also location of clubs in almost twenty-seven countries; it is emplo ying more than 2.2 million people who are serving approximately 176 million numbers of customers every year (Walmart Stores, 2012). ... Advancements in information technology have helped the store to ensure that inventory level is properly maintained (Freeman, 2006). Investing in Wal-Mart: A good choice or not? Before making a final decision about investing in Wal-Mart for a mutual fund, it is important to look at the SWOT Analysis of the company. Strengths Wal-Mart has a strong powerful brand name in the market especially in the retail industry. It offers value for money, convenience of shopping from one place and diverse range of products at one place (Bruce, 2011). The growth of the store has been at an exponential rate and it has become a global brand. Wal-Mart has the strongest logistics system even at the international level; hence, the procurement of Wal-Mart is excellent and it gives it a core competence in using IT for supporting its logistics system. It has talented people and Human Resource department has a focused strategy for the training and development of all the employees working for Wal-Mart; hence, the workforce of the store is competent and loyal (Jenna, 2012). Weaknesses: Since Wal-Mart has become global and it has a huge span of control, so controlling such a huge empire becomes difficult for the management. The retail store might lack flexibility as compared to its competitors as it is selling products across various sectors such as food, stationary, clothing and etc. Although, the store has become global but it does not have a strong presence worldwide (Elkins, 2005). Opportunities Wal-Mart can merge or form strategic alliances with some well-reputed retailers at a global level that focus on specific markets such as Greater China or Europe region. In the countries, the stores are present as trade in only and have many opportunities for