Horniman Horticulture Essay

Horniman Horticulture is a whole-sale nursery business that has been owned by Maggie and Bob for three years. They have seen an increase in business and number of plants grown at the nursery and are expecting demand to continue to grow. In 2005, the business’s profit margin was expected to grow to 5. 8% up from 3. 1% in 2003. This projected growth seems accurate considering Maggie’s conservative approach with the companies cash balance. Handling the finances, Maggie dislikes debt financing because of her fear of holding too much inventory and thus not being able to make interest payments. Since the business relies on good weather conditions with some mature plants taking years to grow, severe weather can destroy this inventory. The family has high hopes for the future, since changing their business strategy; they now are acquiring more mature plants in response to the demand for â€Å"instant landscape† customers and are seeing positive signs of economic strength. Because of Maggie’s accounting policies, the business has started to see a decrease in cash balance which falls below their target of comfort. Projection for 2006 Looking at Exhibit A, we have given the projection for 2006. Due to the local economy growing, demand is also going to continue to grow in their business. Most of their inventory will be ready for customers, since it has been maturing over the last 2 to 5 years resulting in their revenue growth to be estimated 30% higher in 2006 to $1,360,000. In order to have opportunities for growth, Maggie and Bob want to buy the neighboring 12 acres of farmland. Because of this plan to buy the parcel of land, their capital expenditures are estimated to be $75,000 which they do not plan to finance. Case Issue Revenue growth over the past 3 years has surpassed the industries benchmark and could indicate that Horniman can take an aggressive competitive advantage early on. Some financial ratios prove the company is performing above industry norms solely due to the fact of their decision to not pay interest on debt, causing few additional expenses. An issue that this company may see due to their determination in paying suppliers under 10 days which can be seen in the Payable Days ratio (Exhibit C). They do benefit rom a small discount of making payments early, but comparing this to the benchmark; Horniman takes an average of 50 days to collect from outside customers and vendors. This indicates that they are making payments five times faster than they are receiving them, which poses the question of whether the small discount is truly beneficial to their company. This exhibit also points out the fact that inventory are not being turned over as often and has actually continued to increase since the start of the business. In addition in 2005, they didn’t reach their target balance of 8% cash balance of total revenue; they fell to a low of . %. In summary, they are very good at driving revenue up and exceeding profits higher than the industries average, but are experiencing a cash flow problem because of the way they are running their business. If it is not dealt with now, there is potential for bankruptcy in the future, especially with their future acquisition of land for $75,000 which they do not plan to finance. Financial Statement Analysis When analyzing the financial statements, in Exhibit A we can see that Horniman has done a decent job by increasing their revenues. They increased their revenues by 33% in 2002 being at $788,500 to 2005 at $1,048,800. They have stabilized their depreciation as it only rose 20% from 2002 to 2005 ($34,200 to $40,900). Also, their tax expense did not increase dramatically by staying around 34 to 39%. After looking at the free cash flows in Exhibit D you can see that increases in net working capital is a problem with the business. In the first year their net working capital was $44,800 which is 1. 4x the net income of $32,600. In 2004, there was an improvement in net working capital but on the other hand there was a big capital expenditure of $88,100 which reduced their cash. Past 2004, net working capital in 2005 was $97,200 which is 1. 6x the net income of $60,800. If they continue to increase their net working capital like they have in the past, the projected net working capital for 2006 would be -$235,900 which would cause them a negative cash balance of -193,000. When you look at the balance sheet in Exhibit B we can see that the current assets have increased 19% and total assets increased 14. 4%. This is due primarily to the increase in inventory and accounts receivable. In the four years from 2002 to 2005 inventory has increased 8. % and accounts receivable has increased 16. 4%. Due to this, the cash balance has decreased from $120,100 all the way down to $9,400. In addition in 2005, the cash balance went below their comfort level of $10,000 down to $9,400. This is not meeting their expectation of their 8% minimum of total revenue target. Financial Ratio Analysis Even though their business was growing significantly, and they were experiencing a steady increase in revenues, they were seeing a huge decrease in their cash. The reason for this is because of their recent change to an increase in business from small nurseries. By looking at the financial ratios, even though they are increasing in sales, you can tell that they are relaxed on their accounts receivable and credit terms. Each year it takes them longer to collect their money. This is due to the fact that the carrying cost of inventory is harder for the smaller customers to endure. To add to this, Bob has to put a bigger investment in his inventory because of the more mature plants that take 2 to 5 years to grow, because of the increased demand for instant landscape. Finally, they are paying out cash significantly faster at 9 days than the benchmark of 27 days in order to receive their 2% discount. To summarize it, they are holding their inventory longer, collecting on payments slower, and paying out cash faster which in essence is destroying their cash balance. By looking at the ratios in Exhibit C, you can see the evidence of this in Receivable Days increasing from 41. 2 to 50. 9, and the Inventory Days ratio increasing from 424. 2 to 476. 3. Due to the way their business is being run, the consequences are shown in the liquidity ratios in Exhibit E for 2002 to 2005 and the projected ratios for 2006, all of their liquidity is diminishing. You can see that every ratio is steadily declining throughout the years. Analyzing them all, their cash has significantly decreased the most, diminishing an astonishing 70% from years 2002 to 2005. Compensating for Growth With larger growth coming in 2006, Maggie and Bob need to look at their cash balance and figure out what they will need for financing to avoid a negative cash balance which could put them into bankruptcy. With Revenues increasing every year, and dramatically increasing from 2005 to 2006 by 30%, they need a compensating cash balance. Since they do not pay out any cash dividends, their rate of growth is the ROC ratio. In Exhibit A, the return of capital has been an average of 4. 0% in the four years. The un-proportional increase in revenue from 15% to 30% will most likely not be supported for much longer. The need for financing, to counterbalance this significant growth is needed to avoid bankruptcy. Accounts Payable Analysis In 2002, Horniman’s cash balance was a respectable $120,100, a number which represented 11. 64% of total assets for that year. As shown in Exhibit F, a common-size cash balance of 11. 64% hardly poses any threats of short-term liquidity risk. However, the following years tell a different story where Horniman’s cash balance steadily decreases. In 2005, just 0. 80% of Horniman’s total assets were held in cash—a drop of $110,700 in just three years! Keep in mind, Horniman has displayed positive revenue growth through each of these periods negating the idea that these declining cash balances are represented by lack of growth (Exhibit C). In the case write up it was mentioned that Maggie (who controlled the financials) avoided borrowing at all costs, and would take any trade discount her suppliers would offer. To an ordinary individual this would sound like a financially responsible plan, but taking a trade discount isn’t always the best decision to make. When taking a discount, certain factors should be looked at to determine whether or not it is worth it. In Horniman’s case, Maggie accepts the discount from her supplier every time it is offered. The footnotes state that most of Horniman’s suppliers provide 30-day payment terms, with a 2% discount for payments made within ten days (2/10 net 30). This is a fairly common discount offered by suppliers to entice the buyer to make timely payments. Horniman has always had the cash on hand to make these payments within the terms of the discount, but in the long run it is hurting them. The most important factor to look at when making this decision is the current interest rate. Interest rates will help to determine whether it is practical to take the discount or to delay payment till the final day it’s due. The rule is simple: if the borrowing rate offered by a bank is greater than the annualized rate earned by taking a discount, then pass on the discount and delay your payment until it’s due in full. The rule remains true if the scenario is reversed. Maggie’s overall issue is she isn’t timing her cash inflows with outflows. Her outflows are made within 10 days of receiving the invoice, but she isn’t collecting from customers every ten days which is creating a short-term liquidity issue. Our Recommendations As you can see the business as a whole is running pretty strongly and their main problem is just the diminishing cash flow. There are quite a few ways that Bob and Maggie could attempt to raise the amount of cash that they have on hand and even stop this problem all together. In the case it says that Maggie doesn’t want to use much if any debt financing for their business because if they were to have a dramatic loss (i. e. drought, frost, etc†¦ ) they could find themselves struggling to keep up with the interest payments on the debt loans that they would have taken out, but using just equity financing can put an unnecessary strain on your business. By simply using equity financing Bob and Maggie are reducing the amount of cash that they could possibly have on hand dramatically. If Maggie were to try and find a happy medium between equity and debt financing, an amount of loans that couldn’t bankrupt them if they had a catastrophic loss of inventory but an amount that would help them with their cash inflow problem then they could see a reduction of the large negative free cash flow that they are seeing now. In reference to their huge capital expenditure they are planning on acquiring the next year, they should think about taking out a mortgage loan on it for the 6. 5%. If they took out a 30 year mortgage loan to finance the $75,000 acquisition, the payment would be $474 monthly, which would save them a huge amount of savings in 2006 instead of paying it with cash that they don’t have. Another option is for them to not always pay their suppliers in the 10 days to obtain the 2% savings. As stated earlier in the paper the 2% savings looks and sounds good to the normal person but when a business is having cash problems like Horniman Horticulture is at this time it isn’t always the smartest thing to do. Their biggest problem is that their cash outflows are being paid 5 times faster than their cash inflows are coming into their company. If they were to figure out a system to find a way to occasionally get the 2% discount offered to them by their suppliers to save some money but also hold on to their money some of the time and pay at the 30 day due date they could see a massive change in their short term liquidity problems that they are seeing and that could really help reduce their cash on hand problem. They could also adopt some form of payment reward plan like their suppliers have for customers that buy rather large quantities of inventory and take a percentage off of the amount owed for payments that are before a certain date. Another option would be to have a preferred customer policy for customers that either have large orders consistently throughout the year or for customers that always pay early on the amount that they owe. For instance they could either chop off a percentage of the price for early payments as stated before or they could offer some of their more unique plants to the preferred customers before they let anyone else have the opportunity to buy them. The final option that we discussed that could help them with their cash problem is to stray away from their new business strategy, and simply calm down on their mature plant inventory since they take so long to be able to sell and actually bring in any profit on them. From the case it sounds like this could be a profitable business but with the way that they are getting payments in and the possibility of a complete loss if the worst happened to their inventory it seems like it is somewhat of a risky move for them. This could be a much better idea once they figured out their cash problems and fixed their accounts receivable turnover so that they are closer to the 8% that Maggie feels comfortable with having as an emergency fund.

Tracking & Measuring Crime

In Chapter 3 of our text we learn how about the different tools to track crime, criminal behaviors, measure crime, and crime rate. Discuss and define the different types of measuring tools used such as the UCR, National Incident-based reporting, victim surveys, and self-reported survey. Discuss both the positives and negative of each of the methods used to measure crime. Then respond to at least two peer posts. 1. Discuss and define the different types of measuring tools used such as the UCR.The Uniformed Crime Report; (UCR): This is a report used by the Federal Bureau of Investigations; this report aids the FBI by giving them an indication as to criminal activities her in the United States. The FBI collects its data of information from all the Law Enforcement Agencies here in the USA. Upon receiving all the current activity throughout the USA, the FBI is able to generate with almost complete accuracy as to the type of crime, as well as what, when, where, and why a type of incident m ay occur. The (UCR) is based on three parts. (a) The accurate number of people arrested. b) The number of Crimes reported by Victims, witnesses, or the police themselves. (c) The number of Law Enforcement Officers. Upon the FBI receiving all the required data, the data is then compiles the information and it is then presented in two important ways: 1a. I have read that in according to our learning material, class book. (â€Å"Criminal Justice in Action†). By, Larry K. Gaines, & Roger Leroy Miller if you look back at the year 2010, it was composed of people totaling 100,000 individual, the Crime rate was reported to be 3,346 reports over all in the United States.These reports were considered Part I class offences, as these types of criminal activity are the more serious type crimes one can commit, as they range from Murder, Bank Robbery, Forcible Rape, Aggravated Battery, Robbery, B&E, Larceny / Theft, Auto Theft, and even Arson (Fire) not naturally caused, caused by mankind. 1b. Now there is also Part II Offenses which consist of all other criminal activity from Loitering all the way to Vagrancy and any other laws that go against one State, County, or Municipal City level.These types of crimes happen often and because of their commonality with every day Society the percentage usually will usually out way Part I Criminal Offenses. 1C. I truly believe that this system was a great way to pinpoint criminal activity for this period of time, when first placed into effect this was an exceptional system for the Law Enforcement Agencies to be able to apply common sense criminal activity, whereas a prediction of what type of crime may occur.Now one must realize that this tool was only effective as the Officers who filed reports willingly and timely, as crime rate would rise reporting would dwindle. This could be due to pride, as each agency and the officer that belonged to its organization. The many Local Law Enforcement Agencies frowned upon the interference of the FBI creating errors in the actual percentage of active crime in any given period of time. This was not an error in the Tool reporting, but Human error over jealousy between Local, State, and County Law Officials against Federal direction involvement 2.Discuss and define the National Incident-Based Reporting System. The (NIBRS) has come into play because the (UCR) was with flaw. The FBI and several State Law Enforcement agencies are currently operating under the National Incident Based Reporting System as it was introduced since the 1980’s. The (NIBRS) was found to be a more productive way in pinpointing Criminal Activity. It was required that each Local Law Enforcement Agency were to call in all Criminal Activity within twenty-two different offences categories.The (NIBRS) is made up of forty-six specific crimes classified as Group Offenses, all these offenses are recorded on a computerized record system on a daily basis which is provided though not fully financed by the F ederal Government. The (NIBS) was introduced to the local agencies in 1989 and has take twenty-two years to reach 36 States, allowing on average of up to 40% of all agencies within those States to utilize the new system. Thought the system is limited, criminologists have acted out enthusiastically because how the new system can provide information.The system provides about for data sets that include Offenses, Victims, Offenders, and daily arrestees. This newer system has truly outweighed the Uniformed Crime Report, aka; (UCR). 3. The NIBRS is a new methodology for the Uniform Crime Report. It is stronger than the UCR because it collects more detailed information about the crimes. One of the strength is the recording of relationships between the victim and offender, another is the use of 22 categories of crime, and another is the fact that multiple crimes can be reported in one incident. http://wiki. answers. om/Q/Strengths_of_NIBRS: (Bing. com Search Web – Link). 4. Discuss a nd define the victim surveys. The victim survey is just what it says. The survey was performed by our own government in order to find out who and how many individuals suffered by becoming a victim of a crime. These victims who responded were innocent of crime, as the criminal act was against them by the hand of another. The actual definition of Victim Survey is: A method in which gathering information which requires a participant that is anyone willing to open up to Government Law Enforcement whether it be Local or Federal.Participants; participants must be willing to reveal in detail any incidents of a criminal activity brought against them or any criminal act they may have committed. I truly believe that if given the opportunity to feel safe, many individuals would come through in order to clean up their community and keep the rest of society thankful. It is truly sad, however; I believe that less if not any would want to either testify against another anymore. Since 1989, many ha ve come to fear repercussion for opening up to the Law unless they truly feel safe guarded by the chances of being reduced to ash. 5.Discuss and define the self-reported survey. The principles are nearly the same, however; it only focuses on offenders. Offenders are individuals who have committed crimes and never were arrested, nor even cited for the crime they have committed in the past. I truly find this to be an informative way to create better laws within a society it is like we use to say in the Marine Corps, â€Å"It’s to keep an honest person honest. † I believe that if in the right situation and at the right time a survey should conducted again just to see what crimes even though they me be petty ones are being conducted by the populous.I also believe that there unintentional crime that every person may be guilty of a good example of a small petty crime that many never catch onto is the taken of a Government ink pen that was purchased with government funds. I w as guilty of this numerous times as I would remove the pen from my desk off the base without any knowledge until I was already off the base in route to home. 6. Well, I want to state that there are many positive factors when you come right down to it. I believe that both the (UCR), as well as the (NIBRS) re very useful because it truly provides a better means to track crime and one can use this information to create a better means in reducing crime, All it takes is for each officer to make sure that their reports are finished and that everyone that has been detained is placed into the report process. Crime is always going to exist and if tracking each Part one Offense is quickly placed into the system an accurate report can be generated. Now, nothing is ever flawless and there are many factors that bring out the negative perspective in the failure of these two systems.One each agency needs to share and at time sharing information between each agency is like telling a deaf dog to fet ch. What I am stating is that if an agency is not willing to open up and share information then there will be definite negative accountability in the accuracy in the percentages of these tools they use to generate the percentage of crime. I also believe that News agencies also report thing wrong more often than none, only because of inaccurate reporting due to human error.All Law Enforcement Agencies no matter if they are State or Federal, as each agency needs to operate as a team. Each Division when compiling data and criminal trends. Need to reflect and show exactly whether they are Part I, or Part II Offenses. I also believe that as a society we should be given surveys to be answered every eight to ten years like that of the Population Census Report. I honestly believe that if this were a tool used often we could narrow down crime and fight back to win over a Nation at odds with issues of Law.As I have mentioned earlier, many will willingly open up to self surveys as long as no r epercussion is given to the ones who answer honestly. Many feel fear when it comes to reporting crime and this is another factor in misrepresentation of percentage of actual crime committed. 7. Let’s take a look at what has been recently placed on world news by Good Morning America about the FBI investigation that has been taking place here in Albuquerque, NM for the first two weeks in March, 2013 an Officer is on trial for the wrongful Shooting Death of a Marine Corps Veteran.Now if the individual’s mental health status had been placed into a shared system I honestly believe the Officer would not have shot this Marine who had suffered with PTSD and had done Crack Cocaine and was apprehended several months ago. I bet this was a Part I level offense, however along the line this was never reported properly and when these two had their confrontation well a sadden event had already occurred. This is the flaw that I mentioned and lately well after 911 all the agencies have started to revert back to their old habits and that keeping one another in the Dark.I honestly find situations like this when listening on a police scanner. It is as if one hand is not aware of the other. Uniform Crime Reports and Index of Crime in Albuquerque in the State of New Mexico enforced by Albuquerque from 1985 to 2005 Number of Violent Crimes Reported by Albuquerque by Year and Total| Year|   Population| Murder/ Man- slaughter| Rape| Robbery| Aggravated Assault| Total Violent Crime| 2005| 490,631| 53| 285| 1,150| 3,182| 4,670| 2004| 479,074| 44| 235| 1,238| 3,206| 4,723| 2003| 468,764| 52| 263| 1,080| 3,045| 4,440| 2002| 457,488| 54| 293| 1,295| 3,250| 4,892| 2001| 451,098| 36| 219| 1,610| 3,396| 5,261| 000| 448,607| 38| 239| 1,547| 3,317| 5,141| 1995| 419,714| 56| 296| 1,623| 2,763| 4,738| 1990| 384,736| 35| 222| 1,030| 3,835| 5,122| 1985| 357,051| 43| 238| 1,247| 2,578| 4,106| 1980| 328,837| 52| 217| 914| 1,630| 2,813| | New Mexico Counties| In 1930, the FBI assumed re sponsibility for managing the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, collecting data from 400 cities. By 2006, over 15,000 law enforcement agencies submitted crime reports to the FBI, but since not all jurisdictions provide reports there is a possibility that you won't find complete data on some of our agency crime report pages.In every case where the FBI has assigned a population to a jurisdiction, we are providing a page even though it may be blank. When a city located in a county starts submitting its own reports, the population assigned to the county is reduced to reflect that fact. Number of Property Crimes  Reported by Albuquerque by Year and Total. UCR Crime Statistics prepared by the: The Disaster Center in association with the: Index of the State of New Mexico Uniform Crime Reports Index of United State's  Crime Reports Year|   Population| Burglary| Larceny Theft| Vehicle Theft| Total Property Crime| 2005| 490,631| 5,744| 20,703| 3,796| 30,243| 004| 479,074| 5,243| 20 ,469| 3,845| 29,557| 2003| 468,764| 5,543| 19,663| 4,088| 29,294| 2002| 457,488| 5,452| 21,371| 4,050| 30,873| 2001| 451,098| 6,585| 23,535| 4,162| 34,282| 2000| 448,607| 7,120| 22,842| 4,349| 34,311| 1995| 419,714| 8,362| 23,461| 4,995| 36,818| 1990| 384,736| 9,497| 22,130| 1,973| 33,600| 1985| 357,051| 9,186| 17,935| 1,932| 29,053| 1980| 328,837| 7,469| 15,805| 1,338| 24,612| | The UCR can be presented here because of the hard work of law enforcement statisticians who must classify and score each crime according to the strict criteria developed for the UCR.Some agency's crime reports do not have a population associated with them, these may include: the highway patrol, state police, a drug enforcement agency, an environmental enforcement agency, transportation utility, colleges, and others. Areas may have many agencies performing the same or different law enforcement functions, and a population can only be assigned once, so it is not possible to formulate a crime rate for every age ncy. The UCR does not include a record of every crime reported to law enforcement, and every agency does not submit data in the form that the FBI requests.The most accurate number of crimes reported are those involving death. The least  accurate is  the number of rapes that are reported. The number of case of rape reported does not include attempted rapes. Aggravated Assault does not include cases of simple assault, (which are the largest number of assaults reported to police) and so constitutes only a portion of the total number of reported assaults. The number of Aggravated Assaults used here was arrived at by subtracting the number of Simple Assaults from  the Total Assaults reported by each agency.For a few agencies, this process resulted in the generation of a negative number (their UCR report wrongly indicates that there were more simple assaults  than the total number of reported assaults). The magnitude of a threat/risk is measured by its frequency and effect. By thi s definition crime may well constitute the  single greatest risk/threat we face today. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please see our  FAQ page  first at:  http://www. disastercenter. com/UCR. html  and feel free to post a message to  [email  protected] com. National Criminal Victimization Survey, 1996 estimate that only   37% of rapes are reported to policeThe Disaster Center  provides online coverage of disasters in the United States, compiling and providing links to disaster related statistics and studies:  US Crimes  Data from 1960  Ã‚  Tornado,  Illnesses, Fatal  Motor Vehicle Traffic Injury and Fatality Data,  Ã‚  Child Nursery Equipment and Toys: Accident Rates by Age,  Sports ; Recreational Equipment: Injuries by Age and Sex,  Home, Heating, Plumbing, and Appliance: Injuries by Cause, Age, and Rate,  Furniture, furnishings, household, and personal use items: Accident injury rates by Age,  Home, Work Tools and Misc.Items: Accident Injury rates by Age. US Cause of Death Data  ,  US Anti–terrorism Threat/Risk Policy prior to September 11, 2001,  Ã‚  US Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Terrorism Policy prior to 9–11  Ã‚  Atlantic Hurricane pages and index. Total student, Number of school–associated Violent Deaths and Number of Homicides and Suicides of Youth Ages 5–19, by Location: 1992–2002  Ã‚  Crimes and Indexes for USA Metropolitan Statistical Areas   Violent Crime Index base upon 100,000 People. Year|   Population| Murder/ Man- slaughter| Rape| Robbery| Aggravated Assault| Total Violent Crime| 2005| 490,631| 10. | 58. 1| 234. 4| 648. 6| 951. 8| 2004| 479,074| 9. 2| 49. 1| 258. 4| 669. 2| 985. 9| 2003| 468,764| 11. 1| 56. 1| 230. 4| 649. 6| 947. 2| 2002| 457,488| 11. 8| 64. 0| 283. 1| 710. 4| 1,069. 3| 2001| 451,098| 8. 0| 48. 5| 356. 9| 752. 8| 1,166. 3| 2000| 448,607| 8. 5| 53. 3| 344. 8| 739. 4| 1,146. 0| 1995| 419,714| 13. 3| 70. 5| 386. 7| 658. 3| 1,128. 9| 1990| 384,736| 9. 1| 57. 7| 267. 7| 996. 8| 1,331. 3| 1985| 357,051| 12. 0| 66. 7| 349. 2| 722. 0| 1,150. 0| 1980| 328,837| 15. 8| 66. 0| 277. 9| 495. 7| 855. 4| Property Crime Index per 100,000 People. | | | | | Year|   Population| Burglary| Larceny Theft| Vehicle Theft| Total Property Crime| 2005| 490,631| 1,170. 7| 4,219. 7| 773. 7| 6,164. 1| 2004| 479,074| 1,094. 4| 4,272. 6| 802. 6| 6,169. 6| 2003| 468,764| 1,182. 5| 4,194. 6| 872. 1| 6,249. 2| 2002| 457,488| 1,191. 7| 4,671. 4| 885. 3| 6,748. 4| 2001| 451,098| 1,459. 8| 5,217. 3| 922. 6| 7,599. 7| 2000| 448,607| 1,587. 1| 5,091. 8| 969. 4| 7,648. 3| 1995| 419,714| 1,992. 3| 5,589. 8| 1,190. 1| 8,772. 2| 1990| 384,736| 2,468. 4| 5,752. 0| 512. 8| 8,733. 3| 1985| 357,051| 2,572. 7| 5,023. | 541. 1| 8,136. 9| 1980| 328,837| 2,271. 3| 4,806. 3| 406. 9| 7,484. | This report was provided by: (Google Search – (URL); Http://www. disastercenter. com/newmexic/crime/8543. htm). This link will take one to view an act ual published (UCR); provided by Albuquerque, New Mexico City Law Enforcement. Now, currently have a much broader reason why this report even though more accurate still is with Flaws as Rape Victims especially Female are more likely to not report their encounter after suffering from unwanted sexual activity that was consensual.Now, as we are aware natural disasters occur around the United States. I find it true that it is actually impossible to provide a true accurate account of class type of crime whether it be Offense I, or Offense II type. This is why during a Disaster it is up to each and every person Moral obligation of duty to report any and all crime, however; just because it is the ethical approach, not all in Society would report such crimes. Then there are the crimes that gone not unseen just unreported by the many in Society that believe, â€Å"See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil! means safety from the criminal elements as they Reported no wrong against themselves a nd others. We, as a notion of laws that are governed by both Federal and State need to put the word out in a manner that truly allows one to be safe of retaliation of others. Then there is the elderly who have and are today being abused as they are an easy target every walk of life. The elderly fear retaliation like any other person who fears the fact that they are unprotected because there are more people committing crime than preventing crime

A Discussion of the Romantic Element in Austen’s Persuasion

A Discussion of the Romantic Element in Austen’s Persuasion [A] persuadable temper might sometimes be as much in favour of happiness as a very resolute character. (Persuasion, Ch. 12) Persuasion seems to draw on the deep divide in the two then contemporary forms of the novel one based on Augustan values, in which the rational precedes the irrational, and the second based on Romanticist taste, in which the inner world of imaginings precedes the outer world of evidence. While Austens earlier novels had consistently affirmed an Augustan taste, in Persuasion she seems to concede some validity to the Romantic view, and at least leaves the reader to ponder an ambivalent response to the question of whether Anne Elliot acted correctly in succumbing to Lady Russells persuasion, when her initial, instinctive desire for a relationship with Captain Wentworth remained ultimately unchanged. Broadly, the issue becomes whether Anne was correct in letting herself be led by seemingly well-intentioned caution, or whether she would have been better advised to take a risk and follow the dictates of her heart. And though Austen makes an attempt to chart out a middle course between these two options, this debate is nowhere more manifest than in the closing chapters, where Austen registers a final judgement on the question of romance versus prudence, leaving its readers somewhat puzzled. Anne says, as she had earlier in Chapter IV, that she was right in being guided by a quasi-maternal friend, even though the advice was wrong, and that in a similar situation she may never have given it (Chapter XXIII): But I mean, that I was right in submitting to her, and that if I had done otherwise, I should have suffered more in continuing the engagement than I did even in giving it up, because I should have suffered in my conscience. This, and the whole context of earnest assertion, come from a person of the finest moral sensitivity and integrity, yet it seems to be directly opposed to what had also been an earlier conviction, that while defending Lady Russell and herself, she should yet have been a hap pier woman in maintaining the engagement, than she had been in the sacrifice of it. The final capitulation to natural instinct is, however, an image of Anne that is distinctly different from the one presented at the start of the novel. (It will also prove significant later in her rejection of William Elliot.) Indeed, Anne had even been willing to reject Lady Russells advice two years after she had taken it: in Chapter XXIII, Wentworth asks whether when he returned to England in 1808 with a few thousand pounds, she would have renewed the estrangement then. He says of her response, Would I! was all her answer; but the accent was decisive enough. He regrets the hurt pride which had kept him from such a move, and takes the blame on himself. This benevolent gesture on Wentworths part, however, overlooks the fact that, ultimately, it is only when Anne takes recourse to the natural propensity of her heart to lead her to true love that she manages to salvage her relationship with him. The error in Lady Russells judgment of character (which in turn led her to counsel Anne imperfectly) is made explicit in Chapter XXIV, when the narrator says, There is a quickness of perception in some, a nicety in the discernment of character, a natural penetration, in short, which no experience in others can equal, and Lady Russell had been less gifted in this part of understanding than her young friend. It is this same quickness of perception that leads Anne to reject William Elliot, even before Mrs. Smith reveals the full truth about him: Mr. Elliot was rational, discreet, polished, but he was not open. There was never any burst of feeling, any warmth of indignation or delight, at the evil or good of others. This, to Anne, was a decided imperfection. She prized the frank, the open-hearted, the eager character beyond all others. Warmth and enthusiasm did captivate her still. She felt that she could so much more depend upon the sincerity of those who sometimes looked or said a careless or a hasty thing, than of those whose presence of mind never varied, whose tongue never slipped. Evidently, Anne comes to realize the value of listening to human impulse (She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning). It is this gradual realization that causes her to repeatedly recall feelings for Wentworth. This is the most obvious evidence of her ability to lend herself to the Romanticist exaltation of emotion over reason and of the senses over the intellect. Significantly, Annes most intense exertions are also to understand and live with her feelings, which are frequently held in check by ruling manners. Often, when Anne argues against what she is feeling, the particular reason turns out to be wrong. When Anne begins to reason with herself or when she hopes to be wise and reasonable in time, reason means not being in love with Wentworth. But this is arguably not a novel in which feelings are wrong and reasoning is right. Annes reasoning is a process of giving herself time. In a sense, throu gh these exertions, Anne aims to be able to feel. She desires to transform her senseless joy, not into sense, but into sensible joy. This gradual alteration in Annes character and in the treatment of her own feelings toward Wentworth implies a certain Romanticist bipolarity that each represented initially (and which, to an extent, Anne continues to maintain perhaps even flaccidly in the d? ©nouement: I have now, as far as such a sentiment is allowable in human nature, nothing to reproach myself with). While Anne relies to a great extent on the advice given to her persuadable temper and believes her adherence to it to be her duty, Wentworth is shown to be a man of a very resolute character with complete faith in himself and in his powers to realize his own destiny. Having made his money as promised in two years, but only after having been turned down by Anne for marriage, Wentworth begrudged the fact that Anne did not demonstrate the same degree of confidence in him, or the courage to defy her elders, know her own mind or trust her own will. She had shown a feebleness of character in doing so, which his own decid ed confident temper could not endure. When he returns to the neighbourhood and Anne has to listen to snatches of his conversation with Louisa on their walk to Winthrop, she hears him reiterate his faith in the self. Louisa states that she would rather be overturned by the man she loves than be driven in the carriage by anyone else, and Wentworth exclaims with enthusiasm, I honour you! Later, when Anne overhears their conversation within the hedge, she hears him use words from a conspicuously Romanticist lexicon as he praises resolution, decision, firmness, spirit, and powers of mind. As Marilyn Butler notes, Wentworths personal philosophy approaches revolutionary optimism and individualism and he is impatient of, or barely recognizes, those claims of a mentor which for him can be dismissed in the single word persuasion.' Inevitably, Wentworth compares his reckless faith that love overcomes all with Annes cautious retreat into security eight years previously. Lady Russell draws a general moral from Sir Walters embarrassing case of financial difficulties; his entrenchment will conform to what many families have done, or should do: There will be nothing singular in his case; and it is singularity which often makes the worst part of our suffering, as it always does of our conduct. This distaste for singularity and uniqueness of circumstances is very much in keeping with the Augustan taste, which would have prevailed during Lady Russells formative years. The Romantic taste of Austens period, on the other hand, sought out the singular, the abnormal, and the strange (The principle object was to chuse incidents and situations from common life, and to throw over them a certain colouring of imagination, whereby ordinary things should be presented to the mind in an unusual way. Wordsworth, Preface to Lyrical Ballads, 1800). Anne shares Lady Russells inclination to project a general case from a particular instance, such as in Chapter X, where she attempts a detached analysis of the burgeoning relationship between Wentworth and the Musgrove sisters. (Anne longed for the power of representing to them what they were all about, and of pointing out some of the evils that they were exposing themselves to.) It seems that after the trauma of her broken engagement, she has devoted herself to reach a rational understanding of the rules which might govern love affairs, and is set up as something of an authority on matters of the heart, despite her limited experience. But if Anne possesses some of Lady Russells Augustan sagacity, she is also a reader of Lord Byron, and at crucial moments in the novel (such as her cancellation of an appointment with Mrs. Smith) subordinates social obligations to the dictates of her passion for Wentworth. (This also keeps her from appearing like an idealised Richardsonian paragon.) If Austen poses an argument between rational decorum and a heightened examination of human personality, the novel culminates in a tone more in favour of Romanticism than Augustan ideals. During her walk in the countryside in Chapter X, in the discomforting presence of Wentworth, Annes pleasure must arise from the last smiles upon the years upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges. In Chapter XIII Anne likens herself to the surroundings once more when musing on the prospects of the Great House at Uppercross following Louisas full recovery: A few months hence, and the room now so deserted, occupied but by her silent, pensive self, might be filled again with all that was happy and gay, all that was glowing and bright in prosperous love, all that was most unlike Anne Elliot! It is rare to see any character in this novel in physical isolation, but here Anne assumes the familiar role of the solitary figure in Romantic literature a guise that is further accentuated by the use of the pathe tic fallacy. Ultimately, it isnt so much having a persuadable temper as it is adopting a very resolute character and in turn realizing that Lady Russell must learn to feel that she had been mistaken that helps Anne to break loose from an outworn, half-spurious social pattern. By leaving convention she achieves freedom and fulfillment (it is, after all, Lord Byron and Sir Walter Scott, not Samuel Johnson and Alexander Pope, who form the basis for Annes literary discussions with Captain Benwick) in a different world that she and Wentworth help to create.

US Population Growth and its demands on the enviroment, economy and Research Paper

US Population Growth and its demands on the enviroment, economy and national healthcare - Research Paper Example Background The population growth of the United States is ever increasing by about 3 million people per year (Hinde, 1998). Indeed, the overpopulation issue does not exist in the vacuum. The main reason for overpopulation is not because people do not know the main ideas on birth control processes; however, it is due to the immigration of people from other foreign countries (Alejandro & Rumbaut, 1990). In fact, almost 50 percent of the United States population is due to immigration. Worldwide, the main reaction to carrying capacity setbacks would be to migrate to regions where the carrying capacity does not seem to be pushed beyond the maximum level, or it is perceived to provide opportunities. In most cases, much of the United States’ immigration is fueled by this conception, but the immigrants tend to forget that the United States does not possess endless resources. Such wrong perceptions of immigrants do not only cause injustices to the carrying capacity of the many states in the country, but also many other overpopulation components, including environmental damage, social disruption, and even unemployment (Regoeczi, 2002). Demands on the environment Perhaps, the main devastating demands of overpopulation could be seen in the United States’ environs. ... le that the Americans keep on producing a lot of air pollutants that perhaps one day could become hazardous and even get to other regions in the world. Apart from pollution, there exist reasons for concerns regarding the farmland, wildlife, and forestry. It is because of overpopulation that United States has lost a lot of its wetlands, old-growth forests, and on a routine basis go on loosing many miles of land to developments. While a lot of factors such as forests, pollutants, energy, etc. could be those chosen to demonstrate the limitations of overpopulation on the carrying, reflection of striking example is water. Indeed, many areas within the United States, be it the central, west, and even southwest states, mostly those experiencing the rapid growth in population are inflicted either with shortages of water or contaminated water due to pollution. The demand on resources that lead to damages of forestry has caused many states in the United States face limited rainfall. Other natu rally occurring water sources have also been limited resulting in serious depletion and even pollution of the ground water. Clean water is essential to the people of the United States. Carrying capacity of such limited water areas that extend many states is really a threat to the human life. It is notable that, the outcomes of overpopulation demands on the environment are negative. Resources get depleted that the environment becomes disregarded to a certain point that, many regions in the United States lose most of their capacity to support a dense population. Whenever the carrying capacity becomes exceeded, the damage to the environment is normally very severe that the carrying capacity of population for upcoming generations is highly reduced. The chains of the events regarding

Chinese Female Customers Attitudes by Shopping Online Research Paper

Chinese Female Customers Attitudes by Shopping Online - Research Paper Example The Internet is rapidly becoming commercialized. It is swamped with online shopping and â€Å"shopping malls†. Customers can browse on their favorite online store viewing products (like 360buy) and food items (like Taobao). People describe it as â€Å"impossible is our thinking, but not what we can buy.† Electronic-commerce began in 1984 in North America when it was introduced as an application of Internet technology. The rapid growth of e-commerce proved immensely successful in the business world. China was a little late in entering the e-commerce business but after its arrival, it has shown tremendous growth potential in all of the Internet-related industries. Many people consider the term commerce as something that describes transactions between business partners. To many, this concept is very narrow. They preferred using the term e-business. E-business is a broader definition of e-commerce as it includes the service industry along with the retail business. It also r epresents collaboration with business partners and electronic transactions in an organization. Electronic business is a relatively new field on the Internet but since its inception, the growth has been remarkable. Experts believe that international e-commerce will be leading the economy in the coming years. The global economy has changed after the introduction of digital technology. Many business terms have been redefined to better suit the needs of the economy. For instance value creation now does not rely on physical goods anymore. It focuses on services, intelligence, and information as the chief sources for creating value for the customers. The researchers have identified certain stages or attributes in e-commerce. Exchanging digital information between parties is the primary stage.   

Analyzing Criteria on Online Reporting Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analyzing Criteria on Online Reporting - Article Example On the other hand, the website (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304898704577482650368103084.html) has employed the art of short sentences that nail the case to the bone (Maher, 2012). In other words, website information is easy and quick for understanding than other media forms in information dissemination. Furthermore, the avoidance of what people said in unlike in the latter website is an indication of a narrative writing technique that appeals to a mass readership. On that note, if compared to print media, there are some differences. For instance, the reportage of the sex abuse case in local papers delved into the smaller details of the case that did not feature in the online articles in the aforementioned websites. In conclusion, this means that information included in the websites are not always comprehensive as compared to print media (Craig, 2010). Alternatively, I think websites enhance a story with its visual information such as the websites described above. Additionally, the hyperlinks they provide give an element of human touch because of its visual

US government mngement budget plnning nd control Essay

US government mngement budget plnning nd control - Essay Example Budgeting describes whÐ °t governments do by listing how governments spend money. Ð  budget links tÐ °sks to be performed with the Ð °mount of resources necessÐ °ry to Ð °ccomplish those tÐ °sks, ensuring thÐ °t money will be Ð °vÐ °ilÐ °ble to wÐ °ge wÐ °r, provide housing, or mÐ °intÐ °in streets. Budgets limit expenditures to the revenue Ð °vÐ °ilÐ °ble, to ensure bÐ °lÐ °nce Ð °nd prevent overspending. Most of the work in drÐ °wing up Ð ° budget is technicÐ °l, estimÐ °ting how much it will cost to feed Ð ° thousÐ °nd shut-ins with Ð ° MeÐ °ls-on-Wheels progrÐ °m or how much revenue will be produced from Ð ° 1 percent tÐ °x on retÐ °il sÐ °les. But public budgets Ð °re not merely technicÐ °l mÐ °nÐ °geriÐ °l documents; they Ð °re Ð °lso intrinsicÐ °lly Ð °nd irreducibly politicÐ °l. The efficiency of budgeting is determined by the wÐ °ys it is plÐ °nned Ð °nd control. The following pÐ °per described the wÐ °ys thÐ °t US budget is cÐ °rried out, how scÐ °rce resources Ð °re Ð °llocÐ °ted Ð °nd the choice between potentiÐ °l objects of expenditure is chosen. Ð ll budgeting, whether public or privÐ °te, individuÐ °l or orgÐ °nizÐ °tionÐ °l, involves choices between possible expenditures. Since no one hÐ °s unlimited resources, people budget Ð °ll the time. Ð  child mÐ °kes Ð ° budget (Ð ° plÐ °n for spending, bÐ °lÐ °ncing revenues Ð °nd expenditures) when she decides to spend money on Ð ° mÐ °rshmÐ °llow rÐ °bbit rÐ °ther thÐ °n Ð ° chocolÐ °te one, Ð °ssuming she hÐ °s money enough for only one rÐ °bbit. The Ð °ir force mÐ °y choose between two different Ð °irplÐ °nes to replÐ °ce current bombers. ... For exmple, I my look t the min course nd sk bout the mount of protein for the dollr. I my compre the desserts in terms of the mount of cholesterol or the clories. Budgeting often lloctes money, but it cn llocte ny scrce resource, for exmple, time. student my choose between studying for n exm nd plying softbll nd drinking beer fterwrd. In this exmple, it is time tht is t premium, not money. Or it could be medicl skills tht re in short supply, or expensive equipment, or prtment spce, or wter. Government progrms often involve choice of resources nd sometimes involve combintions of resources, ech of which hs different chrcteristics. For exmple, some federl frm progrms involve direct csh pyments plus lons t below-mrket interest rtes, nd welfre progrms often involve dollr pyments plus food stmps, which llow recipients to py less for food. Federl budgets often ssign gencies money, personnel, nd sometimes borrowing uthority, three different kinds of resources. (Blnd, Rubin, 1997) Budgets hve to blnce. pln for expenditures tht pys no ttention to ensuring tht revenues cover expenditures is not budget. Tht my sound odd in view of historiclly huge federl deficits, but budget my techniclly be blnced by borrowing. Blnce mens only tht outgo is mtched or exceeded by income. The borrowing hs to be pid off. Borrowing mens spending more now nd pying more in the future in order to mintin blnce. It is blnce over time. Budgeting cnnot proceed without some kind of decision process. The process determines who will hve sy nd t wht point in the decision mking, nd frmes the decisions tht hve to be mde. Budget process typiclly involves estimtes of revenues nd limits on expenditures, structures the comprisons mong lterntives, nd regultes the flow of

M- Assignment for Action Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

M- for Action Research - Assignment Example This is the same reasoning that can be applied in this case, It makes sense that data summaries can act as prompts for people to better retrieve in their minds and from the data what is valuable and useful about the data set. The text gives us a few guiding questions to be able to perform this exercise of data summaries creation properly, and to good and useful effect. One set of questions has to do with the context of the data collection. What is the reason and context for collecting the data? What is the rationale for the place and for the method of collecting data? Another set of questions relate to the data's importance. Why is the data important and what are the surprising aspects of the data? The third question set relates to the issues that the data impacts most. What new viewpoints, ideas and questions does the data spawn? What does the data say or not say about future courses of action, next steps, and future analyses to be made regarding the data? The idea is that in answer ing these questions, a person or group accessing the data in the future will be able to make sense of the data, which would not otherwise be possible if the data is just left hanging without these qualifying summaries. The summaries are useful in the current sense too, for me and my data collection exercise (Data Analysis, n.d., p. 168). II. Why I Chose M32 I chose this technique precisely for the way the summaries provide me with the context for my data collection, especially when I have to retrieve the data at some future time. It is human nature to forget sometimes the context and the reasons for collecting things in everyday life and even in the academic life. The artifacts of my teaching, for instance, can readily be buried by my daily cares, and just by the sheer volume of new inputs that I have to attend to in my daily life and in my daily experiences as a teacher. The summaries are a way for me to very easily catalog and to make sense of the data that I collect. This is simi lar to creating folders and folder labels for things like pictures, before they are stowed away in the filing cabinets, or in the picture galleries on Facebook for instance. The summaries provide me with likewise my understanding of the data in some way, and by creating the summaries just after I am able to finish the data collection, I am able to offer my fresh take and a fresh snapshot of the understanding of the data, the reason for the data collection exercise, the outstanding and surprising data points and analyses, and any other special circumstances that can guide me when recollecting about the process and the nature of the data later on. Hopefully, when the summaries are done right, with care to answer all of the guide questions that have been discussed in the text, the future analyses and uses of the data will likewise be done very well, lending themselves to distilling new insights, and lending themselves and the data to be used in the proper way. The context of the data c ollection, for instance, can inform future analyses and research about the right way to analyze and to make use of the data, and the limitations of the data collected by way of the limits of the data's applicability and the limits of the analyses that can be undertaken with the data as well (Data Analysis, n.d.. p. 168). III. How I Used M32 My primary mode of data collection is my daily interactions with my class

The Third Sector and Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Third Sector and Public Policy - Essay Example 375). According to Kendall and Knapp (2000, p. 12), the term the Third Sector can also be defined as the range of institutions that occupy the space between the private sector and the government or State; they are neither private sector nor public sector. The third Sector includes registered charities, trusts, social co-operatives and enterprises, voluntary groups, and the local community among others. Even though the Third Sector organizations exist in varying dimensions and entities, there are three main characteristics that unite the Third Sector (Alcock, 2010, p. 7). The first characteristic is that these organizations are value- driven; that is, certain desires motivate them to achieve social, economic and political goals such as the environment well- being, public welfare improvement, and economic well- being. It is noteworthy that this characteristic rarely seeks to distribute profit but seeks to improve the overall welfare of the society. The second characteristic is that the se organizations usually reinvest any generated surpluses in order to facilitate the pursuit of their goals. That is why they are considered not- for profit organizations. The last main characteristic of these organizations is that they are independent from the government explaining why they are mostly referred as non- governmental organizations (Keane, 2001, p. 18-19). The Third Sector differs from the state and the market in a number of ways. Anheier, et al (2001, p. 24) note, their differences arise fundamentally from how Third Sector organizations are formed, their values, the scope of their activities, source of funding, and their objectives. To begin with, this essay will focus on what distinguishes the Third Sector from the State. The first distinction between the two entities is in regard to their range of provision; the state has a wide range of provisions while the Third Sector organizations have limited range of service provisions. For instance, whereas the state can offe r numerous public services, the Third Sector organizations can offer specific services such as social housing and personal social care. It should also be noted that in some cases, the services offered by the Third Sector organizations are usually outsourced to them by the state. The state seeks to provide more space to the Third Sector so as to increase the Sector’s capacity to provide services that were previously provided by the public sector (Kramer, 2000, p. 20). Towards this end, the Third Sector is seen to have potential in making contribution in the following areas; social and health care services, educational services, children services, and correctional services among others. The second distinguishing factor between the Third Sector and the state is the scale of funding. It is an undisputable fact that the state has far much funding for its services compared to the Third Sector. This can be attributed to the fact that the state collects revenues in form of taxes whic h is usually in large amounts which help it to fund its expenditure in regard to provision of services (Anheier et al, 2001, p. 13). This is totally different from the scale of funding that the Third Sector has; the Sector has small amount of financial resources to provide the required services. This problem is heightened by the fact that the Third Sector is not- for- profit organizations hence limiting their amount of revenues.

Mobile Application for City Target Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mobile Application for City Target - Case Study Example E-commerce is an area that has grown tremendously. People can carry out transactions online. Various businesses have gone online for a number of reasons. First and foremost, e-commerce provides one with a platform to reach a larger customer base. A customer can purchase items from a different country from the comfort of their couch. This is made easier by the fact that internet users can access the internet from their mobile phones. For this reason then, it is crucial for businesses to create an online mobile application system that will ensure quality service provision to the customer. City Target is a state street store that deals with a range of products amongst them food, clothes and other household items (ABC, p.1). Through an online business system, the store is set to increase its profit margin. Through the use of a mobile application system, the store stands a better chance of easily reaching more of its customer. Specifically, looking at the professional clothes sale, the st ore can implement several options that can contribute to better service delivery. Online clothes shopping can prove to be challenging since a shopper has to take into considerations many things. Unlike physically shopping for clothes, with online shopping, a customer cannot try out the clothes to see whether they fit well or determine the material’s texture and whether it is to their liking. ... e anytime and anywhere, directly sending advertising and promotional information, better in-store navigation and enhancing customers’ ability to browse order and pay for products using their mobile phones (GS1 MobileCom 9). In shopping for clothes online, web applications have managed to support only basic functions. Some of the problems that a customer experiences include poor fit, mismatch of color and bad drape. This has an adverse effect on the business since the customer will be hesitant to buy a product next time because of dissatisfaction (Beck, p.1). Physically, these problems are catered for through the use of mannequins. Thanks to technological advancement, web applications have been manipulated to counter this problem. These applications cater for garment design, sizing and pattern derivation (Cordier 1). One such application is the 3D graphics technology. This technology offers a range of interactive operations. A shopper is able to adjust a 3D mannequin according to their body’s measurement, select and try different garment items and resize the garment to a mannequin. Furthermore, the application offers real time simulation with respect to garment movement. One store that has successfully used this application is Fits.Me clothes store. Through the store’s virtual room, shoppers are able to create a robotic mannequin with their dimensions and use it to fit clothes (Apparel, p.1). As a result, the company has increased its new customers’ sales by 57% (Fits.Me, p.1). By integrating such an application, City Target is assured of increasing its market base as it offers quality service to its customer. Secondly, City Target could also apply artificial intelligence systems. These systems are created to operate as human intelligence. They are similar to

The Just Versus Unjust Essay Example for Free

The Just Versus Unjust Essay Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Sophocles were three men who tried to show the world that unjust laws hurt all of society, and all three tried what they thought would be the remedy to such injustice.   King even gave his life to the cause of overcoming unjust laws.   I feel that all of them made good points and should be remembered for their great works, but I think that Antigone by Sophocles is the most effective because she actually gives her life for the cause that she feels is unjust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the start of the play, Antigone states that she will die young. Leave me and my ill counsel to endure This dreadful doom. I shall not suffer aught So evil as a death dishonourable. (Sophocles Ll. 109-111) Antigone’s brother, Polynices  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   , has been killed while at war with his brother for the controlling power of Thebes.   Creon, Antigone’s uncle and now the king of Thebes, has decreed that Polynices cannot have a burial, unlike his brother, Eteocles.   His body must lie out in the open where the birds and the elements take a toll on his remains, and anyone who tries to burry him will be stoned.   Antigone is distraught, not only because of her brother’s death, but by this dishonorable deed decree which is now law.   Therefore she knows from the start that she will receive the ultimate punishment for what she knows that she has to do.   As Antigone explained to her sister, Ismene, while trying to convince her that she should also help with the burial, she must answer to higher powers than the king.   This is much like Dr. Martin Luther King’s philosophy. But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their thus saith the Lord far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I. compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid. (King)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antigone and King suffered from injustices bestowed on them by birth.   Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, who were not only man and wife, but mother and son.   She was cursed at birth for the atrocity of her parent’s sin.   King was born an African American during the time when prejudice was at the heart of the moral fiber in southern America.   They could not escape their trials.   Henry David Thoreau was born into privilege.   The few sufferings he endured were self imposed.   That does not mean that he was less of an honorable man.   He did choose to stand up for the injustice he saw in the laws of the land. He had never been a slave, and yet he went to jail because he refused to pay taxes to a government that would uphold the hideous institution of slavery.   Like Antigone, he made a conscious decision to break the law that he knew in his heart to be unjust.   If others pay the tax which is demanded of me, from a sympathy with the State, they do but what they have already done in their own case, or rather they abet injustice to a greater extent than the State requires. If they pay the tax from a mistaken interest in the individual taxed, to save his property, or prevent his going to jail, it is because they have not considered wisely how far they let their private feelings interfere with the public good. (Thoreau)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antigone, despite the order from her king, uncle, and future father-in-law, decides to give her brother an honorable burial even though her Ismene has declined to help her and to obey the law.   When it is discovered by Creon who the culprit of this crime is, she willingly admits to what she has done as do King and Thoreau when they are charged for their unjust crimes.   The major difference is that Antigone will face certain death.   She sees this as an act of love. There is no baseness in the act which shows our reverence for our kindred.(Ll. 564-5) King was martyred for his beliefs, however, he did not know with certainty that would be the outcome.  Ã‚   Thoreau knew that jail was inevitable, but death was never an issue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Creon, after a fight with his son, decides not to stone Antigone, but to entomb her alive so that she will suffer a slow death.   This sentence is unjust because she only buried her brother.   Creon does not see it as only a burial, but as a treasonous act because she has broken his law.   With all societies, the reason for the punishment of a crime is not for justice, but to make an example of the condemned and to strike fear in all who would seek to follow that same course. Antigone willingly takes her punishment.   She is adamant that her sister, Ismene, will not suffer the same fate as Creon has declared, not because she is concerned for Ismene’s well being, but she feels that Ismene does not deserve to die a martyr’s death since she did not help Antigone in the burial.   Creon decides to spare Ismene, and Antigone readily accepts her fate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the soothsayer of Thebes, warns Creon of the wrath from the gods that he will bring down on Thebes, he refuses to listen, and instead curses the old man.   He truly does not want to hear that he might not be in the right.   Many times in today’s society leaders are the same way.   They would rather go down and take a country down with them than admit that they were wrong. Creon, out of fear, orders that Antigone be released.   The sentry return only to tell him that Antigone has killed herself by hanging and that Haemon was also in the tomb mourning her.   Creon goes to the tomb himself and finds Haemon wailing about Antigone’s death.   He strikes at his father, but misses.   Then he turns the sword on himself and takes his own life.   Eurydice, Creon’s wife and Haemon’s mother, hears of her son’s suicide and stabs herself.   Creon is then told of his wife’s suicide and her body is brought before him.   He is so grief stricken that he prays for death. Woe! woe! alas! I shudder in my fear: Will no one strike   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1496 A deadly blow with sharp two-edgà ¨d sword? Fearful my fate, alas! And with a fearful woe full sore beset. (Ll. 1495-99) There are two major themes in Antigone as well as several minor ones.   One of the themes is that when an unjust law is permitted to exist, there are tragic results for all of the citizens of that society.   Many will pay the price for the atrocity.   Millions of slaves paid the price of slavery while thousands paid the ultimate price for civil rights in the nineteen sixties.   The other major theme is that it takes a brave soul to turn around the injustices of the law.   Antigone paid for the wrong done to her brother, but she also brought forth the sympathy of the citizens of Thebes. This gave them courage in the face of adversity.   Thoreau had only a few followers when he introduced the idea of civil disobedience but it has survived the test of time.   Since it was first published, numerous individuals and groups have looked to his teaching as an example of making their voice heard.   Of course King’s work brought the idea for civil rights for all people to the forefront.   The freedoms that all Americans hold dear today are possible in part because of his actions. Lead me, then, forth,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1524 vain shadow that I am, Who slew thee, O my son, unwittingly, And thee, too—(O my sorrow)—and I know not Which way to look. All near at hand is turned   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1528 Aside to evil; and upon my head There falls a doom far worse than I can bear.(Ll. 1524-30)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All three men, Thoreau, King, and Sophocles left their mark on the world when it came to resistance to unjust laws of society.   Over time they have inspired many to do the same.   Sometimes these ideas have been met with success, and other times they have been unsuccessful.   However, when a life is lost for a cause, the results are eternal and it is hard for the martyr to be forgotten.   That is why Antigone is the most effective example as the response to the unjust law. Works Cited King, Martin Luther, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail. April 16, 1963, Nobel Prizes. June 7, 2007, http://www.nobelprizes.com/nobel/peace/MLK-jail.html Sophocles. Antigone. 1909-14. Bartleby Harvard Classics. June 7, 2007, http://www.bartleby.com/8/6/1.html Thoreau, Henry David. Civil Disobedience. 1849, The Art Bin Origo. June 7, 2007, http://art-bin.com/art/odisob.html

Life Cycle Assestment Essay Example for Free

Life Cycle Assestment Essay The automotive industry is major component of the American economy, but also is a very devastating one, which consumes in large quantities natural resources and generates a lot of waste. This industry contributes pollution with toxic substances and fossil fuels. By knowing the Life cycle implication of a specific design materials are the key point for managing and being able to have decision making strategy .The results of the Life cycle analysis of cars provide information on n environmental impact issues. The evaluation of automobiles fueled, new technologies such as electricity and gas units can prove the benefits and decrease the environmental impact. Although none of these alternatives is a clear winner, lowering emissions and improving sustainability is a priority of this industry. Companies such as the Ford Motor Company need future regulation, government priorities and technological developments in order to achieve sustainability. For understanding the end-of-life on a Ford Motor Company vehicle we must define the life cycle concept. By material life cycle I refer to Consecutive and interlinked stages of a product or service system, from the extraction of natural resources to the final disposal.   , as written in the International Organization of Standards (ISO) norm 14040.2. With the knowledge of the life cycle path we can define the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?which is also stated under the same above ISO regulation as This concept he ?Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is A systematic set of procedures for compiling and examining the inputs and outputs of materials and energy and the associated environmental impacts directly attributable to the functioning of a product or service system throughout its life cycle. 1. Life Cycle Assessment is a process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or activity by identifying the quantity of energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment; and being able to assume the damage it causes to the environmental issues. Ford might make use of this tool for making a compression and to better understand their environmental, social and economical impact. Ford is actively developing and applying life cycle assessment methodologies that can be applied in the vehicle industry supporting Fords Design for Environment approaches LCA is a powerful decision making tool, which identifies the factor that will be used in his process to accomplish a great  decision. This is used as an aid from the industry. The criteria may depend on who is making the decision. This tool is used for tracking system performance for a diversity of criteria like: emissions, energy use, and financial costs, among others. This tool can also ev aluate environmental impacts from the process or the production of a product; it also helps to compare options between competition and consumers. The aluminum, plastic and steel industries are developing new ideas and technologies with automakers in order to study the environmental impact of vehicles. By using the ?life cycle inventory (LCI) (The first step of the LCA the one that uses methods to estimate the environmental performance of a product or process over its entire life cycle) . have studied the energy flows and its uses in extraction of the raw material from the original source , emissions, amount of fuel consumed and the end-of-live of the waste disposal . The average of aluminum has increased in the past decade, as an example is the ?increase from 64 kilograms to 113 per vehicle in 1999. ?The aluminum, steel, plastics and auto industries are cooperating in developing a credible, authoritative database of information that the auto companies can use to meet their customers requirements and enhance the environmental performance of their vehicles, said David Parker, president of the Aluminum Association. 2 As an example of the above explained issue I can make an explanation trough the aluminum use in vehicle assembly. Aluminum saves an equivalent of 20 kilograms of carbon dioxide emission over its lifetime. Due to the reduction of the weight, its recycling properties ( ?In North America, 96 percent of automobiles enter the recycling process,? said Andrew Sharkey, the American Iron and Steel Institutes chief executive officer and president. 2) and energy sources. The energy consumption for aluminum productions are non pollutant and it is very easy material to recycle. No additional scrap exists in aluminum recycling process. Aluminum reduce 10 % of the weight and with it, there is a fuel economy improvement between 6-8 %. Ford itself has reported a 4% improvement in fuel reduction from the 10% weight reduction. Ford produces 24 million cars and truck per year imagines how much they can save not only in an economical area but also  the environmental benefit for not exhausting the natural sources and preserving the planet. In 1999, Ford used about 88 million pounds of recycled non-metallic materials in its products and has set a goal to use more than 132 million pounds of recycled non-metallic material by 2002. A solution for this problem that nowadays it has been a little bit more taken in consideration is the use of alternative fuels and electric vehicles. Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) use internal combustion engines but run on fuels like compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, ethanol and many others. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) use electric motors for propulsion. The motors run on electricity stored on board the vehicles in batteries.? With projects like Hybrid vehicles Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) combine conventional internal combustion and battery electric powertrains to take advantage of the capabilities of each and the synergies between them and lightweigthing steels material the industry will make a huge contribution to reach sustainability. Full cost accounting is a tool that tries to assign values to all of the society costs, but it is very difficult to apply it properly. Issues like Health management might be useful to understand better this tool. In a free-market society such as the American decisions are not done by a central planning organizations that optimizes the social costs or criteria for society issues , but on the basis of market prices of alternative products and technologies . Ultimately, comparisons between new technologies should be done based on lifecycle assessments for achieving sustainability or at lest an improvement on it.

Lockes Effect On Liberal Constitutionalism And Democracy Politics Essay

Lockes Effect On Liberal Constitutionalism And Democracy Politics Essay As a political thinker Locke may be regarded as a precursor of liberal constitutionalism and even, to a limited extent, of liberal democracy Discuss this statement. John Locke, an English philosopher was born in Somerset on the 29th of August, 1632 and died on the 28th of October, 1704. Locke is considered as one of the great British political philosophers, his ideas had enormous influences on the development of epistemology. Locke is widely regarded as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers of the modern century and hence contributors to liberal theory of democracy. His writings influenced Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau and many other thinkers including the American revolutionaries. This influence is reflected in the American Declaration of independence. John Lockes Two Treatises were published in 1689 despite that the work celebrity has rested to a considerable degree on its supposed relationship to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. It is apparent that the Two Treatises did eventually become very successful and influential achievements. They came to be regarded as containing the Principles of 1688 and, as David Hume indicated, they provided the Whig party of the mid-eighteenth century with its philosophical or speculative system of principles. Yet the immediate reaction to the works is rather startling to the twentieth century observer. Lockes work did not immediately become the principal authority of the Whigs. In fact, Locke did not introduce any strikingly new ideas into political debate. Locke was so far from occupying the front place among Whig authorities in the House of Commons. The Two Treatises seems to indicate the elevated modern view of Locke and importance as a political writer during the late seventeenth and early eight eenth centuries (Dyson, 2003: 63-5). The aim of this essay is to reassess the historical writings of John Locke into the discourse of political theory and his religious views. It is apparent that Locke is continually relevant for current politics. For instance, I would like to set some tasks in which Locke based his account in writing. The first is to provide an account of Lockes thought that is historically accurate and why Locke wrote it. The second is to establish that Lockes thought is relevant to politics in modern society, thirdly to assess these ideas and their influence in the latte liberal thought. Despite Lockes political thought, he was later recognised as one of the British intellectuals of his time due to his epistemology, ethical theory, philosophy of religion and his political philosophy. Locke established a considerable work on his Essay and the Letter Concerning Toleration and the Two Treatises on Government. The theory contained in these works has a consistent architecture of the late liberal philosophy, it constitutes a major theory of thought that could be recognised as a set of mutually consistent arguments that fit together to form a Liberal constitutionalism. Richard Ashcraft stated that Lockes masterworks were the political manifesto of this moment (Jones, 2002: 68). During the time he was writing these works Locke had an overriding political project, which was to unite members of different religious groups into a single political community. Locke believed the only way to do this was by establishing a moral consensus, a set of shared normative convictions and commitments which will justify the coercive rules that are seemingly the only hope of keeping a multi-religious society from falling apart. Locke attempted in his works to construct a moral theory that c an accomplish his goal (Thomas, 2005: 37).It is true that Locke is regarded as a precursor of liberal democracy, thereby he made a major and lasting contribution to liberal thought, and this contribution was mainly on his work of the two treatises of Government, especially through the second treatise.   By means of this work, Locke defended the proposition that government rests on popular consent and rebellion is permissible when government subverts the ends the protection of life, liberty, and property for which it is established. For many years, it was argued that the treatises were written in defence of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Hence the first treatise was written in response to the version of the divine right of king theory developed by the Royalist author Sir Robert Filmer. This was seen as a systematic and more or less laboured attack in detail on Sir Robert Filmer, and particularly on Patriarcha, a work published in 1680. Patriarcha was a sustained attack in protection of divine monarchy. Locke seemingly was not interested in Filmer, rather he was using him as a crossing bridge to attack the monarchy (Ibid: 41). Locke clearly presented his main ideas in the second treatise, which presented his belief that individuals are born into society and they learn the laws of society.   Each person is by birth a sovereign, but nature inclines man toward seeking happiness, it is a law of nature and presents his assertion that political institutions should protect and preserve what the law of nature implies for human community. Thereby, he started by pointing out his first reason to establish the first treatise that no one by nature or by the divine will subject to anyone else. All men are born equal; each individual is, as it were, the sovereign ruler of his own person. From this it follows that no one can become subject to anyone else, or to any law save by his own consent (Adams, 2003: 63).   Lockes Second Treatise is his most influential work; he set forth his theory of natural law and natural right; in it, he shows that there does exists a rational purpose to government and one need not rely on myth, mysticism, and mystery. Against anarchy, Locke saw his job as one who must defend government as an institution. Lockes objective was to insist not only that the public welfare was the test of good government and the basis for properly imposing obligations on the citizens of a country but also that the public welfare made government necessary. Locke argued the liberty of man in society is to be under no other legislative power but that established by consent in the commonwealth, nor under the dominion of any will or restraint of any law, but   what the legislative shall enact, according to the trust in it (Ibid: 67).It is possible that Lockes writing is viewed as one the influential works that contributed in foundation of the Liberal constitutionalism, especially on his Second Treatise of Government which was effectively excellent and had outlined some of the familiar futures of our currently government. This includes the foundations of the United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution claims for human liberty, for the separation of powers and for the sanctity of private property. Thus, the influence of others is also marked in the liberal states constitution, for example writers such as Languet and Bodin, Hooker and Grotius but the fundamental influence is Lockes Treatise, the very quarry of libera l doctrines(Ibid:69). A veritable quarry of liberal doctrines is The Second Treatise of Government. Through this Locke outline the cause of human liberty, the principle of separation of powers, and the inviolability of private property, thus, all three are the major doctrines of American constitution. John Locke was a politician as well as a thinker that made him capable in creating the philosophical foundations of liberalism. Locke tried to draft a pre-emptive constitution of the state; the states makes the law which is binding to it citizens, such a contract between citizens and the states, this will act on the behalf of the citizens living in that territory, however Locke maintained that the original state of nature was happy and characterised by reason and tolerance. He further maintained that all human beings, in their natural state, were equal and free to pursue life, health, liberty, and possessions, and that these were unchallengeable rights (Jones, W, 1947: 188). Locke thought pre-social man as a moral being and as an individual contracted out into civil society by surrendering personal power to the ruler and magistrates, and did so as a method of securing natural morality more efficiently According to Locke, natural justice exists and this is so whether the state exists or not, it is just that the state might better guard natural justice. The rights of individuals will continue to exist even within absence of the state or government, for example in many failed state countries the human rights organisations still monitoring the behaviour of each group so that human rights can not be abuse, such as in Iraq or Somalia. And also the Human rights will continue to exist even within absence of the state government because in democratic states the government changes while the people remain the same (Ibid: 189).   Locke finds the state with a significant monopoly scope authority and gives to it a legitimate right to use the force when needed, a sta te can maintain peace and order, provide common defence, protect property rights of individuals, and establish jurisdiction systems. The state like society is a hope of an extent evolutionary process and not the work of the one generation. The state does a positive role in preserving culture and order and is upholding the interest of the community above individuals. Lockes views on democracy were such as precursor of liberal constitutionalism, hence did not mention a word democracy, but he stated civil limited Government in which the power of government was bound by a set of laws or constitution. By doing so he gave rise to the liberal constitutional themes such as laws and the distinction of powers between legislative and executive. He pointed out the superiority of the legislative over executive. By doing so he developed the idea of a strong parliament where the majority consent would prevail in the key decisions and directions of the civil government. Democracy according to Locke is supposed theoretically to be the rule of majority. It seems to the implied, therefore that in a democracy every citizen shall consent to, and approve of, the acts which the community as a whole does, but if a democracy has to wait upon the free consent of every one of its members, it is no democracy or indeed any government at all; it simply lapses into anarchy. O n the other hand, if democracy be the of a majority, many men no longer rule themselves and this kind of government is quite compatible with the most brutal and cruel of tyrannies, but consent to the will of the majority. Therefore, if they really wanted to leave the state of nature and to enter a political society we may assume that they must have meant to give up their liberty to do whatever tacitly implied in their original contract unless the whole community abides by the decision of the majority, even when it disapproves of that decision, the state will disintegrate. Since, in a word we can never or only very rarely achieve unanimity, if the state is to act at all, it must conform to the will of the majority. Neither of these arguments is very satisfactory, it is because he thinks no society is a political society unless it is founded upon the consent of its members. Democratic societies are founded upon consent, just as much as in other societies, minorities are compelled. Loc ke definitely affirms that states have been founded by contract. By contract Locke meant the constitution of the civil government(Adams,2003:p141). The traditional liberal views regarding democracy derived from Locke, they wanted more freedom from the state, demanding that some individual freedoms, or rights, should be protected from the state and the majority decisions. Such as John Locke said that the government is established to protect individual rights and the consent of the governed is required to legitimize government and limit its powers. Locke is also the first major thinker to give a prominent place to the right of private property as an extension of individual rights and liberty (Thomas, 1995 p: 53). As the image of the individual in liberal thought has shifted from that of the state authority, that rise up they believe with the ideology of liberal democracy, which was found to be the best way to defend freedom. Many see Locke as the first thinker to defend the image of the individual in liberal thought from that of state authority, that rise up they believe with ideology of liberal democracy, which was found to be th e best way to defend freedom. The modern state has been designed within the context of liberal democracy which started in western world spreading throughout the world. The concept of democracy meant the rule of the citizen body as opposed to rule of the aristocracy of the monarchy (Ibid, p: 166). Lockes religious believes seems to be ultimately in his acceptance of the existence of God, Locke was a dualist and while only barely  he did not consider man to be a divine creature fixed with ideas on coming into this world. Locke was an empiricist; all knowledge comes to us through experience. No mans knowledge here can go beyond his experience. There is no such thing as innate ideas; there is no such thing as moral precepts, we are born with an empty mind, with a soft tablet (tabula rasa) ready to be writ upon by experimental impressions. Beginning blank, the human mind acquires knowledge through the use of the five senses and a process of reflection. Not only has Lockes empiricism been a dominant tradition in British philosophy but it has been a doctrine which with its method, experimental science, has brought on scientific discoveries ever since, scientific discoveries on which our modern world now depends. John Locke argued that land should be owned by the people who live on it and/or work it. Lockes ideas were applied in Ireland in the 1870s today much or rural Britain is in the hands of aristocratic landlords. We have only really had land reform in urban Britain. So Locke speaks to the modern condition. Perhaps we can call Locke the primeval Liberal (Gray, 1995.p:268). Finally, the value and importance of Lockes theory rests on how it has been translated to the societies, if rights do not exit than treatise should obviously be ignored as meaningless nonsense. However, if there are rights we have to take Lockes work into high consideration whether Locke has covered all particulars about list of rights which he assigns to men. The importance of his work is that he recognises that human is a moral being and that the state, hence should be an institution for moral. Through this he expressed some kind of ambiguous notion of a contract between free men to form a political society for their convenience and mutual advantage, is simple the acknowledgment that the individual man and his well-being are the end of the state that not merely desirable.

Fridgiaire Case Analysis :: Business Marketing Case Studies

Frigidaire Case Analysis Problems/Issues Introduction of the front loading washing machine was confronted with a number of problems/issues. Besides the obvious technology differences between the front loading and top loading machine the big difference for a consumer is the price. The advantages such as tumble wash, energy efficiency, space saver, and about 8,000 gallons of water saved a year are overshadowed by the high price. There were other perception problems technologically speaking, however these are all minor. The major problem is the price of one unit and the lack of price savings from this energy/water savings over time to compensate for this higher price point. Consumer interest did not significantly increase according to focus groups until the price came down to $599 from the target retail price of $799. Case Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kenmore in 1996 had 29% of washing machine marked share. The initial sales for the new front loading washing machine dropped below forecast mainly due to failure to get Sears Kenmore brand in the mix. The expected DOE regulations were delayed indefinitely, therefore decreasing the demand for energy efficient machines.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The management team wanted to provide incentives to consumers, dealers, and Frigidaire. The research showed that close personal attention would be key in gaining market share, as well as highlighting the advantages of the front loading washing machine over the top loading washing machine to not only consumers but to dealers. Alternatives   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Invest more money (allocation of resources) in research to get the price point of the top loader down to $599. This will set the company back a bit, however if more research and development can produce lower production costs this will increase market share significantly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Accelerate negotiations with Sears (sources of synergy) to take advantage of their section of the market. This will increase the front loading market share as well, based on the fact that Kenmore has the largest percentage in market share as of 1996.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase marketing efforts (sources of competitive advantage) to the target groups to stir up more interest in the advantages of the front loading washing machine. This will increase demand if you start a buzz about the advantages, focusing on all or one of them.

The Limitations of Gender Roles and Gender Equality :: Equality Feminism Discrimination Essays

The Limitations of Gender Roles and Gender Equality Just how different are men and women? Everyone acknowledges that there are significant differences between males and females, even if they are only physical. Others see not only the physical but also the social, emotional and intellectual differences between male and female. Gender roles by definition are the social norms that dictate what is socially appropriate male and female behavior. In early American culture it was common for a women's job to be a submissive homemaker in clear contrast to the males aggressive breadwinner role. The seventies marked the beginning of the Woman's Movement and the end of the ideals we held on what it is to be a "man" and what it is to be a "woman". Women were no longer like the stereotypical homemaker, always offering a hot meal for her family, but were instead out burning bras and protesting inequality. No one disputes that the Women's Movement began but there is a disagreement on whether or not it should come to an end. One of the Women's Movement primary goals was to invalidate gender roles in the sense that women were secondary to men. The fact that gender roles exist is indisputable. Gender roles influence women and men in virtually every area of life including family and occupation. Early into childhood girls and boys are treated differently in families, schools and other institutions. Girls are encouraged to play with dolls and playhouse type of toys while boys will often play with trucks and army toys. Boys are played with in a rough manner and told to "tough it out" when they get hurt. Girls are taught to be more passive and expressive with their feelings. Whether these gender roles are fair or not, is where the argument begins. Does the fact that we are treated differently based on our sex prevent us from reaching equality or are we treated differently because we are different by nature? We are indeed raised differently, but does the fact that a boy is given a blue room and a girl is given a pink room mean that a girl is being sleighted? The outdated, sexist gender roles that dehumanize women are extinct, the ones that presently exist are the ones that are true. "Males are better in math while females are better in English.

Tennyson’s The Lady of Shalott Essay -- Tennyson Lady Shalott essays

Tennyson’s The Lady of Shalott What used to be a simple home is now a sacred sanctuary, a refuge from all the filth of the world, a place to trap and stifle beauty, adventure, and passion. What used to be a simple woman is now an angel, a pure and domestic celestial being. I live in an era where women are considered most beautiful when isolated, helpless, and even dead; where a lady with passion is scarier than a bitter hag; where feminine is now a synonym for pure, selfless, and submissive; where sexism has put on the fancy dress of romance. And Alfred, Lord Tennyson is a man of his era, grabbing romantic sexism by the hand and enchantingly twirling her around the dance floor. Tennyson’s poem The Lady of Shalott has created a great tension within me, within my mind and heart. He plays into the public’s hands, trapping a beauty in a high tower and keeping her there with the threat of a curse: There she weaves by night and day A magic web with colors gay. She has heard a whisper say, A curse is on her if she stay To look down to Camelot. She know not what the curse may be, And so she weaveth steadily, A little other care hath she, The Lady of Shalott. Not only is she trapped and isolated, but also this lady sits weaving, apparently cheerful and content. Protected, pure, even angelic she sings her melodies and weaves and weaves. A beautiful woman weaving in her faraway room, only seeing the world through shadows and reflections: Tennyson pitifully feeds off of stifling social expectations, weaved deep into our culture (with frail Snow White laying helplessly poisoned in a glass case and with dear Repunzel combing her long hair in a high fortress†¦in a land far, far away). In other words, at the beginning o... ... not trying to say anything as much as he is capturing the national mood and developing languages and images that haunt, move, and affect. At some point writers, readers, characters, and people must put aside their intentions and desires for social criticism and take part in the magic, even if it isn’t the wisest choice. I must refer one last time to my own writing as Jane brilliantly describes this unwise, tension-filled, passionate choice: I looked, and had an acute pleasure in looking—a precious yet poignant pleasure; pure gold, with a steely point of agony: a pleasure like what the thirst-perishing man might feel who knows the well to which he has crept is poisoned, yet stoops and drinks divine draughts nevertheless. (173) So sing on talented Tennyson. I’ll sway to the rhythm of your music. Bibbity, bobbity, boo. †¦and they lived happily ever after.