John Lewis and Marks and Spencer Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

John Lewis and Marks and Spencer - Case Study Example One of the policies was that items can be refunded back to customers as long as they had receipts even if the products had been purchased a long time ago. The Company recorded a profit of slightly over half a billion pounds in the year 2006. M& S also boasts of having a large employee base-it has close to seventy one thousand staff members under its wing. John Lewis was a company is also another retail chain of stores that is slightly smaller than the former mentioned Company. John Lewis (JL) has one hundred and twelve super markets and twenty six stores under its name. There are sixty eight thousand employees working for the Company. JL is well known for the way it shares profits and partners Legislations have been passed that regulate developments which take up green areas; this has limited expansion of M& S stores. The European Commission is working on laws that are related to how M& S closed stores in France especially the way it handled its employees. (www.euractiv.com) lastly, the government requires adherence to high standards in the food industry; M&S has to comply with those standards in its food section. M&S has changed its supply management from Chain management to inventory management. Storey et al (2003) ascertain that this is the reason why M&S is thriving in the retail sector. The company has to face stiff competition from other retailers who also have international markets; it has to incorporate knowledge management and outsourcing to stay ahead. M&S also faces renewed competition from new retailers following the introduction of the European Union. Legal M&S has to perform internal controls and assessments in compliance with the Turnbull report (2007). Also, the company has to follow government regulations that affect corporate governance. Social According to Mellahi et al (2002), the company faces resistance from staff members who may not want to comply with changes in the organisation. M&S also has to make a lot of changes in relation to factors affecting consumer behaviour. Some of these factors are health consciousness causing increased preference for organic foods, rejection of sweatshop labour and products that are safe, preference for products that can be micro waved. Technological The company has to consider internet shopping. It has come up with new products in line with technological advancements like laser scanning. Technology has brought a shift in the retail market to a diffuse international market. Environmental According to the annual report (2007), M&S has adopted Eco plan A, which affects the way the company manages its waste. The company has engaged in campaigns that promote animal welfare. Lastly, the company has introduced use of bags that can be recycled. John Lewis Political A modification has been introduced by the EU Aerosol Dispensers Directive that limits filling to 90%; JL has to comply. The company's name has been tarnished after it sold Unite- a Union. This showed that it does not reward loyal members of staff. Economic The company is facing competition from international markets; it also has to deal with the challenge of credit markets. In light of these factors, the company has decreased its operating costs and may get profits in the future. JL has a strong position in the organic market

Statistical Analysis Paper Essay Example for Free

Statistical Analysis Paper Essay The article was a cross- sectional, non- experimental case study of social worker’s perceptions of bullies at the workplace and the social worker’s ability to create coping responses to workplace bullying. To collect quantitative information a mail questionnaire was gathered, and individuals’ semi-structured interviews were assessed. The qualitative sample included 111 male and female social worker’s from Washington D.C. the final outcome result were three to five social worker’s reported that he or she were recipients of rude, unpleasant, and unfavorable workplace environmental interactions within a year. The bullies’ targets generally worked in military and mental health outpatient organizations or government agencies. About 35% of the targets held a discreet service role, and 29% held a management or administration role. The results outcome from the study provided evidence that in the social working profession the agencies and organizations need guidelines or tools to help discover, confront, and stop bullying behaviors in the workplace ( Whitaker, T., 2012). See more: how to write an analysis of a research paper Statistical Analysis in the Article The article incorporates tables, descriptive statistics that helps with the understanding of the data, it also provides five tables of illustrations. Table one is about the demographic characteristics of the targets of the workplace bullies, it displays the characteristics of social workers ranging by age, gender, and demographics (Whitaker, T., 2012). Table two is about organizational settings and roles of target, it displayed supervisors, colleagues, subordinates, and clients were all identified as bullies. It showed that women were more than twice as likely (65%) to be identified as bullies as were men 33% (Whitaker, T., 2012). Table three is about the most troubling bullying behaviors, showing that verbally, and covertly hostile  actions were the most troubling bullying behaviors in the workplace. In addition, being treated with disrespect and having work de-valued as the hardest aspects of being bullied at the workplace. Table four was the summary characteristics of bullies, the study showed characteristics were either passive or assertive by the coping scale. The passive behavior ranging score of 24 and assertive score of 60. The median and mean scores were 42.5, and a multiple modal score. The last table, which was five was the classification of Reponses to the coping scale as passive or assertive coded in the same direction the table explained coping strategies and responses (Whitaker, T., 2012). Descriptive Statistics and Inferential Statistics In the article several questions were asked in a questionnaire. The more passive the response, the lower the value assigned to it, the more assertive the response, the higher the value was assigned to it. The targets had a range of coping strategies, the biggest response strategy was talking about the bullying with someone he or she trusted, 93% used this strategy more than once, 66% used the strategy of confronting the person more than once. However, only 17% used formal complaint (Whitaker, T., 2012). The data supported the research problem of workplace bullying. It was noteworthy and explained that three out of five social workers were recipients of rude, unpleasant, and unfavorable workplace environmental interactions. However, the article did not provide inferential statistics. The data was collected through questionnaire and based on actual results to determine the statistics (Whitaker, T., 2012). Conclusion In conclusion, this article explored the issues of workplace bullying of social workers and the coping responses, it included a number of concerned issues for the social working profession. Among these issues included the characteristics of workplace bullies, and coping Reponses. The article suggests that workplace bullying is a serious issue for social workers and needs to create guidelines and tools to help stop bullying behaviors (Whitaker, T., 2012). References Whitaker, T. (2012). Social workers and workplace bullying: Perceptions, responses and implications. Work, 42(1), 115-123.

No United States without Mexico :: essays research papers

No U.S. without Mexicans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a Mexican American in the United States I can honestly say that Spanish colonialism plays a crucial role in understanding the history of Mexicans in the United States. Spanish colonialism brought forth many factors that shaped the Mexican. One huge factor is religion. The Spanish brought a unified form of religion, we know it as Christianity. Secondly, with its priority of converting the indigenous people to Christianity, they migrated and created pueblos in what is now part of South Western United States. With its expansion and creation of Haciendas and Ranchos, the Spanish created a new style of culture, which is important in the shaping of the Mexican in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most influential aspects of the Mexican in the United States is his religious beliefs. If not for the Spanish and their devotion to convert people to Christianity, life would be differently for the average Mexican. Spiritually, the Mexican looks to god for guidance and support. Growing up in a Mexican household, I can say that religion played an enormous role in my life. As a family, we would attend church every Sunday. I also attended catechism through the course of my childhood, which shaped me into the individual that I am today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With its expansion of Christianity, the Spanish Colonialism created Haciendas, Ranchos and pueblos in the Southwestern United States. With these Haciendas and ranchos the Spanish brought a unique form of architecture. This Spanish Style architecture as it is now known is evident throughout the southwestern United States today. Large portions of Chicanos live in homes that are influenced by the expansion of Spanish colonialism. Spanish style architecture, with its enormous archways and brick cultured construction is one of the most elaborate and popular forms of architecture found today. Within these haciendas lies a cattle cultured economy which is extremely important now in the United States. The Spanish brought horses, cows, goats, and sheep to the United States. Cattle play a role on just about every person in the United States, for the United States thrives as a meat eating country. With the creation of haciendas a new style of culture would be created from th ese flourishing communities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexican culture is extremely important in the lives of a Mexican. Religion, food, folklore as well as community contribute to the culture of a Mexican. The Spanish culture is well and alive throughout the United States.

Ek Bharat- Unity In Diversity

India is a multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic society. It is a land of diversity. People of different creeds, customs, cultures and traditions live here. They have their different festivals, manners and lifestyle. Their religions and beliefs are also different. Despite all these, there are certain common visit able bonds that link them together. This is a distinct feature of India and it is popularly known as unity in diversity.Basically, Indian culture is tolerant and absorbing. Its nature is assimilating. Democratic set up facilitates the process. The diversity in every aspect of society serves as a source of strength and wealth. The different ways of worship and belief represent underlying uniformity. They promote a spirit of harmony and brotherhood. This is beyond all considerations of religious, regional, linguistic and sectional diversities. India is proud to have a rich cultural heritage.We are inheritors to many grand treasures in the field of music, fine arts, dance, drama, theatre and sculpture. Our spiritual tradition, piety, penance and spiritual greatness are common. Our seers and sages are the same they are held in high esteem in every section of society alike. Our scriptures are the storehouse of spiritual wisdom. Indian yogis, rishis, maharishis, etc are equally popular in every community. They are revered by them all. India is abundantly rich in dialects and languages.Twenty- two languages constitutionally enjoy the status of official language but Hindi is recognised as the lingua franca of the nation. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Nagaland to Mumbai, Hindi is understood as the national language of India. Though different regions have their different regional affiliation they all are Indians. People call themselves Bihari, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Marathi, Gujarati, but they feel proud to say that they are the Indians. Indian dance and drama are the brilliant examples of unity in diversity.The country abounds in triba l dances, folk dances, as well as classical dances of great virtuosity. They are regarded as the mode of aesthetic expression but they all symbolise one India. The expression is different but the theme is the same. We are proud of our cultural distinctiveness. We are proud to be the inhabitants of India. It is our responsibility to maintain its unique feature. We should think beyond the petty interests and work for the broader goals of bringing prosperity and progress in society.

The Tempest as a Power Struggle Between the New and the Old World

To what extent do you agree that The Tempest is a power struggle between the old and the new world? Shakespeare’s Plays II Assignment 1 Rocio Corral Garcia 119042576 It is generally accepted that Shakespeare’s Play The Tempest is complex in many senses, but it cannot be denied that it is especially rich in terms of interpretation. A huge variety of critical analyses have been written about Shakespeare’s last play suggesting different possible approaches to it, such as human salvation, magic, colonisation and power.This essay will focus on the struggle between the old and the new world, which is one of the major themes in this play and that can be easily applied to politics and conspiracy in their more broad sense. Prospero is a European who dominates the island on his own and he is able to do so because he has magic powers. In this way he controls the island and its inhabitants by combining threats of force, promises of freedom and all kind of techniques characte ristic of a proper dictator. He takes charge of the island which does not belong to him and exerts his power over the inhabitants, forcing them to serve him as slaves.It is almost impossible to draw a parallelism between this situation and the European colonial power in North America during the XVII century. Thus, it may be assumed that the old world stands for Europe and all its common practices and customs while the new world is represented by the uncivilised island. Throughout the whole play the reader is able to find several occasions in which the struggle between the new and the old world is very noticeable. In the first scene of the play, for example, we find the exchange between Prospero and Miranda talking about what has been left in the old world: dukedom and serving women.For them, living in the island means abandoning all these things and implementing facets of the new world. Miranda has been educated by her father following the old world rules but at the same time she ha s learned the secrets of the island by Caliban. Caliban is a native of the island who rails against language and is forced to submit. He reveals against all those things related to the old world, since he belongs to the new one. This fighting is constant along the play. Then, on the second act Shakespeare presents the difference between the new and the old world in terms of appearance.That is to say, the green and the light of the new world contrast with the European world. The new world is wild and uncivilised. Gonzalo has his own dream which is labelled as a utopian view of the island. He portrays it without order and hierarchy. In his new world there would not be chaos because everyone will be happy: I' the commonwealth I would by contraries Execute all things; for no kind of traffic Would I admit; no name of magistrate; Letters should not be known; riches, poverty, And use of service, none; contract, succession, Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none; No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;No occupation; all men idle, all; And women too, but innocent and pure; No sovereignty; The reader may acknowledge this as the internal fight men had in this era. Following this scene we find the metaphor of the drunken servant men that come to the island and they imagine that they are able to rule it, thinking that they will secure the loyalty of a native through gifts and the promise of benevolent ruling. This metaphor is made on the basis of a strong parallelism with the real accounts of the colonisation. So, there cannot be any reading of The Tempest without considering it as a study of colonialism.During the colonisation the struggle between the colonizers and the colonized world was a constant feature, so this view support the idea that The Tempest is a clear example of the struggle between the old and the new world. The English colonial project is on Shakespeare’s mind throughout the play, as almost every character, from Gonzalo to Stephano, imagines h ow he would rule the island if he were its king. Shakespeare seems as well to be influenced by Montagne’s essay â€Å"Of the Cannibals† since the name of Prospero’s servant is Caliban could be an anagram of â€Å"cannibal†.Prospero stands for the dominant part in his relationship with Caliban and his allusions to him are most the time is contemptuous. Prospero describes Caliban as: â€Å"Devil, a born devil on whose nature, Nurture can never stick† This description of Caliban is quite similar to those descriptions of the â€Å"savages† by Captain John Smith who set the first English settlement in Jamestown, or to those descriptions given by Mary Rowlandson later in the XVII century.These descriptions fit perfectly with Prospero’s concept of Caliban, so maybe Shakespeare’s intention here is to make a direct link between the current accounts of the colonisation process and the situation of the play. Again, this makes a clear inst ance that the play wants to portray the confrontation between the old and the new world. This clear struggle in the play between the new and the old world may be emphasized by political themes associated with Caliban’s conspiracy and Prospero’s colonialist control of the island. This essay will focus now on the political issue of the play.On the one hand, it may be clear that usurpation is the main political theme pervading the play. The possibility of usurpation is precisely what allows Prospero to legitimise and sustain his totalitarism on the island. Paradoxically, he was first usurped from his throne and it is him who repeats that behaviour in the island. Prospero’s power is proved by Caliban’s resistance. Caliban stands for the main dissident voice in the play. His threatening integration of Prospero’s rhetoric makes him a dangerous insider to the established system: â€Å"You taught me language, and my profit on ’tIs I know how to cur se. The red plague rid you For learning me your language! † Caliban’s use of language illustrates perfectly the potential to resistance contained within power. , and Prospero’s response to Caliban consists in violent outbursts of rage: â€Å"Hag-seed, hence! Fetch us in fuel. And be quick, thou ‘rt best, To answer other business. Shrug’st thou, malice? If thou neglect’st or dost unwillingly What I command, I’ll rack thee with old cramps, Fill all thy bones with aches, make thee roar That beasts shall tremble at thy din. Prospero’s violence hardly hides his terror at Caliban’s appropriation of his language. On the other hand, the play deals perfectly with the topic of conspiracy, being Caliban its maximum exponent. Caliban resists to Prospero’s authority, but this authority may be called into question, since Prospero gets it by means of usurpation. Anyway, Caliban’s role is essential in terms of resistance; h owever, by depriving Prospero by his unique discourse, he represents the existence of alternative voices in the island.He exposes three different versions of the past in the island: Caliban’s, Ariel’s and Prospero’s, although it is the latest the one who succeed. Prospero appropriates the past of the island, and he rewrites history according to his own standards, in order to construct a credible narrative. Caliban shows his resistance: â€Å"This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother, Which thou takest from me† Prospero manages to make his version the one to be trusted. He describes Sycorax as the malevolent witch, a chaos and evil, which contrasts with him, the balance.This is another actual clue that asserts the play as the struggle between the new and the old world. Prospero assures that it was Sycorax who imprisoned Ariel and it was him who released Ariel. It seems that Sycorax is dead, since she does not appear on stage, but her presence lurks o minously in the background. Despite her physical absence from the play Sycorax has great importance. In the politics of the play she serves an ideological function as she is constructed as the evil witch, the ‘other', through which Prospero's ownership of the island is legitimised.She is constructed as being the antithesis to Prospero – female, non-European and evil – and Prospero uses her to justify his acts of dispossession. Prospero shapes the past on his own way. However, the presence of other rivals frightens Prospero, and his anxiety increases as it is shown with his irrational outburst of anger at Caliban’s command of language. Besides, in the island there are different ideological ways of thinking, such as Gonzalo’s political manifesto mentioned above â€Å"No sovereignty† (2. 1, 156). Indeed, Gonzalo’s utopia is likely to the real hierarchy in the island, ince there is a king but without sovereignty. Another aspect of the play that may be related to politics is the marriage between Miranda and Ferinand, since it serves as an agreement between the old world, here represented by Ferinand, and the new world, embodied by Miranda. In this way the marriage stands as a peace treaty between both worlds. It might represent a political marriage, which were very common during the Elizabethan period. The reader may find another political marriage in the play, since in Act II Alonso’s daughter marries the king of Tunis against her wishes.But this is not the case of Miranda, since she falls in love to Ferinand at the first glance. However, this marriage is a sort of business because Miranda is a political tool in Prospero’s plan. Besides, it is very interesting that Miranda is the only female character on an island full of men. She makes possible the reconciliation and redemption of both, Prospero and Alonso. The most important value of Miranda is her chastity which enables the marriage. Virginity is a m atter of politics in the play, since with Miranda being not pure the marriage would not be possible.But Prospero makes sure that her daughter is virgin and emphasizes Miranda’s purity linking her to her mother: Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father Was Duke of Milan, and his only heir And princess no worse issued. Finally, it may be concluded that The Tempest presents different instances of the struggle between the old and the new world, and that Shakespeare draws a strong parallelism with the issue of colonisation and the plot of the play. It might be also acknowledged that there is a final reconciliation between both worlds which is sealed by Miranda and Ferinand’s marriage.Although this play was composed in the XVII century, there are several timeless topics that Shakespeare portrays like political usurpation, conspiracy and struggle for power, that occupy a first place in present day life. Bibliography Primary texts: S hakespeare, William. The Riverside Shakespeare, ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1974 Secondary texts: Free Tempest Essays: â€Å"Relevance of The Tempest Today† Retrieved February 26, 2012 from: http://www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=7486 Gibson, Rex. The Tempest. Cambridge Student Guides. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2006.Hamilton, Donna B. Virgil and The Tempest: The Politics of Imitation . Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1990. Montaigne, Michael de, The Complete Essays. London: Penguin,2003. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Gonzalo’s speech. (2. 1,123-32) [ 2 ]. Montagne, Michael de. The Complete Essays. Trans. M. A. Screech. London: Penguin, 2003 [ 3 ]. Prospero’s description of Caliban (4. 1,188-9) [ 4 ]. Caliban’s speech (1. 2,369-70) [ 5 ]. Prospero’s speech (1. 2,371-76) [ 6 ]. Caliban’s words (1. 2,334. 5) [ 7 ]. Prospero’s speech (1. 2,56-59)

Balanced Literacy Literature

Balanced Literacy Literature Pennypacker, S. (2006). Clementine. New York, NY: Hyperion Book CH. The book entitled Clementine is written by Sara Pennypacker. It dwells upon the life of the girl, Clementine, who is very active, resourceful, helpful, creative, responsive and kind. It is possible to state that Pennypacker (2006) depicts an average child who is trying to find her way in the world (performing at school, developing relationships with peers and adults). Adults try to make Clementine follow their rules.Advertising We will write a custom annotated bibliography sample on Balanced Literacy: Literature specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, this girl has her own logic. Pennypacker (2006) uses first person singular which makes the book very intimate. The author tells the story in the way Clementine (a little girl) sees it. Admittedly, this book can be regarded as a great reading for 3-graders. Students will eagerly read the book to find out more about the girl who is just like them. Apart from being a good book for practicing reading and writing skills, the book is also didactic. Students can associate themselves with the cheerful girl and learn many important lessons. Thus, students will be able to develop their reading and writing skills and, at the same time, they will be able to develop appropriate behavioral patterns. Haddix, M.P. (2007). Dexter the Tough. New York, NY: Simon Schuster Children’s Publishing. The book written by Margaret Haddix (2007) and entitled Dexter the Tough is concerned with quite a difficult period in the life of Dexter, the protagonist of the book. Dexter has to handle many difficulties. Thus, his father is getting some cancer treatment and his mother has to spend a lot of time in the clinic. Dexter has to live with his grandmother and has to attend a new school. Of course, Dexter sees everything in the worst light as he is overwhelmed by quite serious problems. Even the cheerful teacher evokes ra ther negative feelings in him. Haddix (2007) tells a story of a child who faces certain problems. Thus, the book will be a good treat for children who find themselves in similar situations. The book provides certain answers which can help children find their own ways to overcome their difficulties. Thus, Dexter understands that his behavior is quite inappropriate. He also learns to develop proper relationships with his peers. He also finds a friend. This friendship helps Dexter to change his outlook. The book is a good source to use in the 5th grade. Students will be interested in the plot and at the same time they will develop their reading and writing skills. The two books mentioned above can be used in a balanced literacy classroom. As far as Clementine is concerned, this book can be used to practice all components of a balanced reading program. Thus, the teacher can read some passages aloud to make the students acquainted with a model of fluent reading. The book is suitable for developing vocabulary as well.Advertising Looking for annotated bibliography on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, such topics as home, classroom, school, etc. can be developed. It is also possible to develop silent reading. The teacher can ask the students to read some passages aloud for the class. It is also possible to act out some passages: a student reads Clementine’s words, a student reads Margaret’s words and so on. Furthermore, the students can practice retelling. Thus, the teacher can ask the students to read some parts of the book at home. The students will retell these parts during the next class. Finally, the teacher can ask the students to write short essays on the book. For instance, the students can write what it means to be attentive. They can also write about Clementine. They can try to reflect upon her behavior and her relationships with Margaret. They can also try to com pare Clementine with someone they know (or with themselves). As far as Dexter the Tough is concerned, the book can also be used to develop reading and writing skills. In the first place, the teacher can ask some students to read passages aloud for the rest of the student. Furthermore, the students can be asked to scan certain passages to retrieve the major idea of the passage. The book can also be used to work on vocabulary. Thus, while working on a particular part of the book, the students can be asked to write out all adjectives or verbs they can find in the passage. It is also possible to practice saying synonyms and opposites. Thus, the students can try to replace all adjectives with their opposites, or they can try to put as many adjectives to a particular word as they can. As for writing skills development, the book can be very helpful. For instance, the teacher can ask the students to evaluate Dexter’s actions at school or focus on his thoughts. The students can reflec t upon Dexter’s problems and the ways he chooses to cope with his problems. They can try to express their opinion and suggest the best solutions. The teacher can also ask the students to reflect upon their difficulties and the ways to overcome them.Advertising We will write a custom annotated bibliography sample on Balanced Literacy: Literature specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Haddix, M.P. (2007). Dexter the Tough. New York, NY: Simon Schuster Children’s Publishing. Pennypacker, S. (2006). Clementine. New York, NY: Hyperion Book CH.

Writing Academic Paragraphs Essays

Writing Academic Paragraphs Essays Writing Academic Paragraphs Paper Writing Academic Paragraphs Paper then that paragraph probably lacks coherence. Coherence in a paragraph depends chiefly on ordering the sentences according to a logic that is easy to follow. One sentence should logically, sensibly, grow out of the preceding sentence, as if the writers thoughts are flowing on and on. Often the plan of development is so easy that readers may be unaware of it. Order of Importance Order of importance is a way of organizing ideas according to the degree of their value, power, authority, interest, or quality. A paragraph may begin with the least important item and progress to the most important (ascending order), thus building the readers interest. Alternatively, the most-toleast-important order (descending order) may be used if the writer wants to arouse the readers attention immediately. AUTUMNTENSA- 2008 8 Source: Internet University of Dalat – Department of Foreign Languages WRITING ACADEMIC PARAGRAPHS Order of Generality Order of generality is a way of arranging ideas according to their breadth or scope. When a paragraph is organized from the general to the particular, ideas are presented that are increasingly narrow or specific. The paragraph might begin by identifying a major issue, continue by focusing on just part of the issue, and conclude by giving examples of the part. On the other hand, when a paragraph is organized from particular to general, increasingly broad ideas are presented. Such a paragraph might begin with a concrete observation, expand the observation to an idea, and enlarge the idea to a rule or general statement. Comparison and Contrast Comparison and contrast are useful methods for developing a topic that consists of two or more similar items. When items are compared, the writer shows how they are alike. When items are contrasted, the writer is able to show how the items differ. A paragraph may be developed through comparison, or contrast, or both. There are two main ways to develop a paragraph by comparison or contrast. One way is to alternate details, following each point about one item with a corresponding point about the other. The pattern of this kind of development is AB AB AB. The second way is to present all of the details about one item before taking up the other. This pattern is AAA BBB. Whichever approach is selected, make certain that the treatment is balancedthat every point of comparison or contrast is applied to both items. Cause and Effect When a paragraph is organized by cause and effect, the writer is providing an explanation of the relationship between two items. A cause produces a result; an effect is a result of a cause. To claim that one event or condition causes another is to say that the first brings about the second. Organizing a paragraph by cause and effect can be accomplished in two ways: (1) Begin the paragraph with an effect and then follow with the causes of the effect. 2) Begin with a cause and follow with its effects. If the writers objective is show why something exists or occurs, then effectsto-causes is the better choice. If the writers goal is to show consequences, then the causes-to-effects order is more appropriate. Paragraph Coherence The three qualities by which a paragraph is evaluated are unity, development, and coherence. We have alr eady discussed unity and development, leaving only coherence. However, coherence is a quality which many writers have trouble achieving in their paragraphs. In fact, coherence may be the most difficult quality for most students to achieve in their writing. Coherence refers to how well the contents of a paragraph hang together. Achieving unity in your paragraphs is a good start on coherence as is having the substantive supporting detail that helps you to achieve paragraph development. However, coherence goes beyond achieving unity or avoiding digressions. Coherence refers to how the individual sentencestheir order within the paragraph and their individual structuresrelate to one another in shaping the paragraph. In order to achieve paragraph coherence, you must look at a number of different elements in your paragraph: AUTUMNTENSA- 2008 9 Source: Internet University of Dalat – Department of Foreign Languages WRITING ACADEMIC PARAGRAPHS the organizational pattern the use of transitional devices the repetition of key words or related terms, including pronouns the occurrence of parallel syntactic structures Connections Between Sentences by S. Marques, Kentridge High School A good paragraph has unity: All the sentences have a relationship to one another and to the main idea. The connection between sentences in a paragraph can be shown in several ways, but principally by the use of transitional words and phrases. Transitional words and phrases may be conjunctions, such as and, but, and however, or explanatory expressions, such as for instance, on the other hand, and so on. Transitional words and phrases act as signals. They give directions. They tell where the paragraph is going. In this sense, transitional words and phrases also act to hold sentences together, achieving unity. Here are some of the most commonly used connecting words and phrases and the purposes they serve. Purpose Connecting Word/Phrase To add another idea furthermore, in ddition, also, moreover, likewise, similarly first, finally, meanwhile, eventually, next, subsequently, To arrange ideas in order or time ultimately, at the same time To add an illustration or for example, for instance, in other words explanation hence, therefore, thus, accordingly, in brief, in conclusion, To conclude or sum up consequently To connect two contrasting ideas; on the other hand, however, yet, conversely, nonetheless, to differeniate ideas nev ertheless, rather, although, on the contrary indeed, naturally, of course, certainly, undoubtedly, admittedly, To emphasize or confirm plainly Logical Connectives Additionally, the logical development chosen for the paragraph can be made very clear to the reader by the words used to connect one sentence to the next. These words are often referred to as logical connectives because they make clear not only the order but also the meaning of the writing. Each organizational pattern has its own logical connectives. Order of importance may be emphasized with transitional words and expressions such as first, a second factor, equally important, furthermore, of major concern, finally, least important, and most important. Transitional expressions such as equally, similarly, just as, however, on the other hand, despite, and otherwise may be used to emphasize comparison or contrast. Words particularly suited to writing about causes and effects are as a result, because, consequently, and therefore. AUTUMNTENSA- 2008 10 Source: Internet

Facts and History of Kuwait

Facts and History of Kuwait Kuwaits government is a constitutional monarchy headed by the hereditary leader, the emir.  The Kuwaiti emir is a member of the Al Sabah family, which has ruled the country since 1938; the current monarch is Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait City, with a population 151,000 and with a metro area population of 2.38 million.   Population According to the US Central Intelligence Agency, the total population of Kuwait is about 2.695 million, which includes 1.3 million non-nationals.  Kuwaits government, however, maintains that there are 3.9 million people in Kuwait, of whom 1.2 million are Kuwaiti.   Among the actual Kuwaiti citizens, approximately 90% are Arabs and 8% are of Persian (Iranian) descent.  There are also a small number of Kuwaiti citizens whose ancestors came from India. Within the guest worker and expatriate communities, Indians make up the largest group at nearly 600,000.  There are an estimated 260,000 workers from Egypt, and 250,000 from Pakistan.  Other foreign nationals in Kuwait include Syrians, Iranians, Palestinians, Turks, and smaller numbers of Americans and Europeans. Languages Kuwaits official language is Arabic.  Many Kuwaitis speak the local dialect of Arabic, which is an amalgam of Mesopotamian Arabic of the southern Euphrates branch, and Peninsular Arabic, which is the variant most common on the Arabian Peninsula.  Kuwaiti Arabic also includes many loan words from Indian languages and from English.  English is the most commonly used foreign language for business and commerce. Religion Islam is the official religion of Kuwait.  Approximately 85% of Kuwaitis are Muslim; of that number, 70% are Sunni and 30% are Shia, mostly of the Twelver school.  Kuwait has tiny minorities of other religions among its citizens, as well.  There are about 400 Christian Kuwaitis, and about 20 Kuwaiti Bahais.   Among the guest workers and ex-pats, approximately 600,000 are Hindu, 450,000 are Christian, 100,000 are Buddhist, and about 10,000 are Sikhs.  The remainder are Muslim.  Because they are People of the Book, Christians in Kuwait are allowed to build churches and keep a certain number of clergy, but proselytizing is forbidden.  Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists are not allowed to build temples or gurdwaras. Geography Kuwait is a small country, with an area of 17,818 sq km (6,880 sq miles); in comparative terms, it is slightly smaller than the island nation of Fiji.  Kuwait has about 500 kilometers (310 miles) of coastline along the Persian Gulf.  It borders on Iraq to the north and west, and Saudi Arabia to the south. The Kuwaiti landscape is a flat desert plain.  Only 0.28% of the land is planted in permanent crops, in this case, date palms.  The country has a total of 86 square miles of irrigated cropland. Kuwaits highest point doesnt have any particular name, but it stands 306 meters (1,004 feet) above sea level.   Climate Kuwaits climate is a desert one, characterized by hot summer temperatures, a short, cool winter, and minimal rainfall.  Annual rainfall averages between 75 and 150 mm (2.95 to 5.9 inches).  Average high temperatures in the summer are a toasty 42 to 48 °C (107.6 to 118.4 °F).  The all-time high, recorded on July 31, 2012, was 53.8 °C (128.8 °F), measured at Sulaibya.  This is also the record high for the entire Middle East. March and April often witness large dust storms, which sweep in on the northwesterly winds from Iraq.  Thunderstorms also accompany the winter rains in November and December. Economy Kuwait is the fifth richest country on Earth, with a GDP of $165.8 billion US, or $42,100 US per capita.  Its economy is based primarily on petroleum exports, with the major recipients being Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, and China.  Kuwait also produces fertilizers and other petrochemicals, engages in financial services, and maintains an ancient tradition of pearl diving in the Persian Gulf.  Kuwait imports almost all of its food, as well as most products from clothing to machinery.   Kuwaits economy is quite free, compared with its Middle Eastern neighbors.  The government is hoping to encourage the tourism and regional trade sectors to reduce the countrys dependence on oil exports for income.  Kuwait has known oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels. The unemployment rate is 3.4% (2011 estimate).  The government does not release figures for percent of the population living in poverty. The countrys currency is the Kuwaiti dinar.  As of March 2014, 1 Kuwaiti dinar $3.55 US. History During ancient history, the area that is now Kuwait was often a hinterland of more powerful neighboring areas.  It was linked with Mesopotamia as early as the Ubaid era, beginning roughly 6,500 BCE, and with Sumer around 2,000 BCE.   In the interim, between about 4,000 and 2,000 BCE, a local empire called the Dilmun Civilization controlled the bay of Kuwait, from which it directed trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilization in what is now Pakistan.  After Dilmun collapsed, Kuwait became part of the Babylonian Empire around 600 BCE.  Four hundred years later, the Greeks under Alexander the Great colonized the area. The Sassanid Empire of Persia conquered Kuwait in 224 CE.  In 636 CE, the Sassanids fought and lost the Battle of Chains in Kuwait, against the armies of a new faith that had arisen on the Arabian Peninsula.  It was the first move in Islams rapid expansion in Asia.  Under the caliphs rule, Kuwait once again became a major trading port connected to the Indian Ocean trade routes. When the Portuguese muscled their way into the Indian Ocean in the fifteenth century, they seized a number of trading ports including the bay of Kuwait.  Meanwhile, the Bani Khalid clan founded what is now Kuwait City in 1613, as a series of small fishing villages.  Soon Kuwait was not only a major trade hub but also a legendary fishing and pearl diving site.  It traded with various parts of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century and became a shipbuilding center. In 1775, the Zand Dynasty of Persia laid siege to Basra (in coastal southern Iraq) and occupied the city.  This lasted until 1779 and greatly benefited Kuwait, as all of Basras trade got diverted to Kuwait instead.  Once the Persians withdrew, the Ottomans appointed a governor for Basra, who also administered Kuwait.  In 1896, tensions between Basra and Kuwait reached a peak, when the sheik of Kuwait accused his brother, the emir of Iraq, of seeking to annex Kuwait. In January 1899, the Kuwaiti sheik, Mubarak the Great, made an agreement with the British under which Kuwait became an informal British protectorate, with Britain controlling its foreign policy.  In exchange, Britain held off both the Ottomans and the Germans from interfering in Kuwait.  However, in 1913, Britain signed the Anglo-Ottoman Convention just before the outbreak of World War I, which defined Kuwait as an autonomous region within the Ottoman Empire, and the Kuwaiti sheiks as Ottoman sub-governors.   Kuwaits economy went into a tailspin in the 1920s and 1930s.  However, oil was discovered in 1938, with its promise of future petrol-riches.  First, however, Britain took direct control of Kuwait and Iraq on June 22, 1941, as World War II erupted in its full fury.  Kuwait would not gain full independence from the British until June 19, 1961. During the Iran/Iraq War of 1980-88, Kuwait supplied Iraq with massive amounts of aid, fearful of Irans influence after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.  In retaliation, Iran attacked Kuwaiti oil tankers, until the US Navy intervened.  Despite this earlier support for Iraq, on August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion and annexation of Kuwait.  Iraq claimed that Kuwait was actually a rogue Iraqi province; in response, a US-led coalition launched the First Gulf War and ousted Iraq.   Retreating Iraqi troops took revenge by setting fire to Kuwaits oil wells, creating enormous environmental problems.  The emir and the Kuwaiti government returned to Kuwait City in March of 1991 and instituted unprecedented political reforms, including parliamentary elections in 1992.  Kuwait also served as the launchpad for the US-led invasion of Iraq in March of 2003, at the start of the Second Gulf War.

What were the major provisions of the 1954 Geneva Accords, and what Essay

What were the major provisions of the 1954 Geneva Accords, and what international pressures influenced these accords - Essay Example The strategies laid in this issue had a directed effort in controlling trade and other interests. America on one hand wanted to kill communism in the south eastern Asia while the French colonized Vietnam and invested heavily in the region. No one was willing to let go of the loose end of the string as economic and political factors acted as the drivers of events. France never wanted to leave Genà ¨ve after signing the Genà ¨ve accord after investing and gaining influence over the nation (Ives 27). The prime minister kept on with the ties and culture in the northern part. The reassurance of French supports to Vietnam after independence and guarantee it an election in the 1956 hence a transition from a master outlook to equals. The domination of the French compromised the independence of the southern Vietnamese. This influenced the political scene in the nation in that politicians had to be anti French. Ten months after the accord, there was a French American cooperation that saw the French mismatch their action with words. As the Geneva conference approached closure, the US began to review its policies towards Indochina. This consideration came as a result of communist in Chinese gaining avenues to spread to south eastern Asia. This would mean that the free world in these regions would come to an end as restrictions had to gain grounds originating from the communist. Sought to alternative French policies took center stage. The French and the US had to part ways over Vietnam as the policies regarding Viet by the US got subject to withdrawal. The US on its perception felt that the French could have taken a little bit longer in Vietnam before offering it independence. America had two avenues of getting involved in the Indochina war. The most conspicuous one involved the efforts of France attempting to keep its colony as the other included the Vietnamese civil war. The main cause of this involvement by the

Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management - Coursework Example The definition of management is viewed in varied perspectives. Initially, it was viewed as an art of getting the work done. But this view has evolved in course of time as management is seen as something more than just getting things done. It was strongly believed that a good management should pave the way for the growth and development of the organization rather than merely focusing on job done by the employers. Harold Koontz sees "management as the art of getting things done through and with people in formally organized groups." (Akrani 2011). It is an art of creating an environment where employees perform their allocated tasks optimally as separate individuals yet cooperate among themselves with a view of attaining the organizational objectives. Later, management was seen as a process by which managers create, direct, maintain and operate purposive organizational goals through systematic coordination and cooperation. It is the distinct process by which managers plan and carry out a ll the activities of the organization in order to accomplish the goals by the efficient use of the manpower and other resources in hand. When we refer to the management, we not only refer the group of managers who organize and plan, but also the continuous set of processes that aids the managers to develop different strategies for the organization. Although, Steve Jobs was not alive when iPhone 5 was released this year, the pre-set processes developed by him and his management only facilitated its launch. Better handling of the process with cooperation will ensure better management. At the same time, strategy formulation is not the end of the task of the management, they have to aptly implement or operationalize it. This indeed improves the organizational as well as the managerial abilities of the concern. â€Å"The failure to balance the tensions between strategy and operations is pervasive: Various studies done in the past 25 years indicate that 60% to 80% of companies fall short of the success predicted from their new strategies.† (Kaplan and Norton 2008). A complete analysis of the strategies as well as its implementation process by the management will bring out better operational goals by the organization. Overall, management brings together all the resources of any business concern such as the manpower, money, machines, methods and market as a whole, and uses it optimally for success. Thus optimum utilization of the resources by the management will ensure better results in achieving the organizational objectives. In short, the term management is concerned with the goal determination, policy formulation, strategic planning and overall control of the organizational activities. Characteristics of Management â€Å"Management is the art of getting things done through and with people in formally organized groups, the art of creating an environment in such an organized group where people can perform as individuals and yet cooperate toward attainment of group goals† (Koontz 1961). Thus, management consist of a group of individuals or an individual who keenly analyze all the resources, formulate ideas, utilize the existing abilities and take the strategic decision that would serve for the betterment of the organization. Thus managerial ability is not a technical skill to be attained but involves a

Internal Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internal Analysis - Essay Example Weaknesses of Stilsim: The determination of the internal strengths and weaknesses will help in the analysis of the firm and in identifying the value chain activities. There are a plethora of weaknesses that strike the company's internal processes and some of major ones are mentioned here. There are some basic problems with the leadership of the company. The higher level of the company is faced with lack of communication and information dessimination. Although, Bill Simmons, the CEO of the company is extremely competent and experienced, the rest of the leadership is the contrary. Due to the lack of communication, other business processes are affected as information is not circulated on time. There are three offices that function in three different areas, the information between the three locations are not circulated. This lack of information makes the branches work independently with hardly any synchronization. Adding to the weakness is with the corporate culture of the company. There issue is with the absence of focus among the employees of the company. There is no investment over the development of employees and their skills, there are no trainings provided. The company works on old-fashioned work practices and the employees perform repetitive tasks without any variations or enrichment. Employee guidelines and their job descriptions are not formally documented. As a result of these factors, the employees are not well motivated and satisfied. They do not feel a sense of belonging to the company and have rare understanding of the business value. The lack of employee loyalty also creates demoralization and rivalry among the employees. With the passage of time and the advent of information technology, businesses have to keep up to date with the technological evolutions and maintain their systems in accordance with the advancements in technology in order to gain and maintain a competitive edge. One of the significant weaknesses found with Stilsim was with its techn ological implementations. Most of the systems were old and obsolete. The company does not have temporary methods of work and management which makes causes a great hindrance while competing with other companies. Strengths: The major strength of Stilsim lays in its vast experience of two and a half decades in the industry. Despite the weaknesses, the fact remains that Stilsim has been around for the longest time and by the nature of the business, this is a significant strength. There are loyal customers that have been seeking services from Stilsim and refer the company to others. The experience has led Stilsim to develop a vast network in the industry and even though the employees are not fully satisfied, they are highly experienced as they have been serving the company for a long time. Value Chain Analysis As described before, the value chain comprises of the activities that add value to the end product of the company and help it develop a competitive advantage. According to Porterâ €™s Generic value chain, the primary activities in the value chain of an organization include inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing & sales and service respectively. The support of the activities is through the infrastructure of the firm, the human

Thesis that dicusses immigrant life in the United States in the time Essay

Thesis that dicusses immigrant life in the United States in the time period spanning US History between the end of the Civil War - Essay Example Other misfortunes befall the family – including sexual abuse by a predatory employer, prostitution, imprisonment, embezzlement, exposure to criminal elements until Jurgis becomes a criminal himself, alcoholism, political opportunism. Jurgis finds himself from being a loving husband and father, to a grief-ravaged and embittered man, to an exploited worker, to an unfairly imprisoned convict, to a hardened criminal, to an alcoholic, to a union member, to a vagabond, and finally to a socialist who believes that if people heed the call of social...ism, â€Å"Chicago will be ours†. The most famous misfortune and the one oft-discussed is his experiences in the meatpacking plant, which was fraught with dangers and labor rights violations. The description of the meatpacking plant and its sorry conditions were very graphic and shed light on the plight of the workers whose rights were routinely and wantonly violated. There are two themes running within the text: the American dream and how it has failed scores of immigrants who come to the United States, and second, the evils of Capitalism. The failure or the hollowness of the American dream is apparent from the very start of the text, with the festive but overly-expensive wedding celebration being used as a metaphor to describe a dream that is ornate in appearance but is, upon closer look, empty and will only bring more problems in the future, such as debt. The Lithuanian family initially entered America brimming with hope and promise, believing that America will be their salvation from poverty. The series of unfortunate events and tragedies that befell them have proved this belief to be wrong. The other theme is the indictment of capitalism and it is apparent in the way that the author Sinclair describes how the workers are being abused and how their rights are

Acting out-Tranference and Countertransference Research Paper

Acting out-Tranference and Countertransference - Research Paper Example The notion of acting out has been imposed with various orientations and connotations. The thirty-year old precise definition, which was thought to be a rightful and analyzable form of resistance, has now been extended to make room for delinquent behaviors and pathological and impulsive actions. The expression is now used by various psychoanalysts and others to include a variety of antisocial, impulsive and unsafe actions, often without keeping in mind the context in which the action arose. It is also sometimes used in derogatory sense to indicate dissatisfaction in the actions of patients. The present puzzlement around the phenomenon basically starts from the time when Sigmund Freud translated the term. In 1901, Freud used the informal term handeln meaning ‘to act’ to describe faulty actions, which according to him had unconscious importance. However, in 1905, he used a less informal term, agieren which also meant ‘to act’, but with a more forceful connotation. Freud initiated the expression in agieren as ‘Remembering, repeating and working through’ (1914). Agieren was then translated as ‘acting out’ and it is most likely that it is the translation that had lead to uncertainty in the psychological literature. Acting out basically refers to the release through actions, rather than verbalization, of conflicted mental substance. Even though there is a difference between act and word, both types of liberations are answers to a return of the repressed; repeated in the case of actions and remembered in the case of words. Another difference sometimes drawn is between acting out and acting in, used to differentiate between actions that occur outside the psychoanalytical treatment and actions that take place within treatment. The concept of acting out is strongly related to the theory of the transference and its advancement. Even though Freud treated the transference as the source of acting out and as a hindrance to the treatment

Thesis that dicusses immigrant life in the United States in the time Essay

Thesis that dicusses immigrant life in the United States in the time period spanning US History between the end of the Civil War - Essay Example Other misfortunes befall the family – including sexual abuse by a predatory employer, prostitution, imprisonment, embezzlement, exposure to criminal elements until Jurgis becomes a criminal himself, alcoholism, political opportunism. Jurgis finds himself from being a loving husband and father, to a grief-ravaged and embittered man, to an exploited worker, to an unfairly imprisoned convict, to a hardened criminal, to an alcoholic, to a union member, to a vagabond, and finally to a socialist who believes that if people heed the call of social...ism, â€Å"Chicago will be ours†. The most famous misfortune and the one oft-discussed is his experiences in the meatpacking plant, which was fraught with dangers and labor rights violations. The description of the meatpacking plant and its sorry conditions were very graphic and shed light on the plight of the workers whose rights were routinely and wantonly violated. There are two themes running within the text: the American dream and how it has failed scores of immigrants who come to the United States, and second, the evils of Capitalism. The failure or the hollowness of the American dream is apparent from the very start of the text, with the festive but overly-expensive wedding celebration being used as a metaphor to describe a dream that is ornate in appearance but is, upon closer look, empty and will only bring more problems in the future, such as debt. The Lithuanian family initially entered America brimming with hope and promise, believing that America will be their salvation from poverty. The series of unfortunate events and tragedies that befell them have proved this belief to be wrong. The other theme is the indictment of capitalism and it is apparent in the way that the author Sinclair describes how the workers are being abused and how their rights are

Analyze a passage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Analyze a passage - Essay Example The reasons provided to support the main idea do enough to justify the insights. Surely, when the element of voluntary action disappears and it becomes requisite for livelihood, it is an example of forceful subscription or attachment to any work. They are reasonable and relevant in that there is no choice that is left especially when the labourer depends on labour to sustenance. It is true to say that this case is prevalent in the world which makes just about anyone who works for a living an enslaved person. The passage is important in guiding the efforts of people and their attributes towards labour. It promotes acceptance since it addresses the fact that humans need to do what they do. It is somehow a natural order and something that ought to be embraced in the quest for survival. Generally, the passage communicates important information for any person who engages in an activity and is concerned about

God bless Essay Example for Free

God bless Essay The novel WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST by Gregory Maguire focuses upon an evil soul of a witch, the dialog, One never learns how the witch became wicked, or whether that was the right choice for heris it ever the right choice? p. 231 explains how the wickedness of the witch cannot be truly explained or her personality assessed by the writer, it is up to the reader to decide on a conclusion regarding the motivations behind it. The four travellers Dorothy, Scarecrow Nick Chopper, Cowardly Lion’s discussion of the rumours about the witch while she herself listens to their talk decides to confront Dorothy next time. The writer also writes in detail about the birth of the witch as well as her family background, relating religion with the evil characters. Its people who claim that theyre good or anyway better than the rest of us, that you have to be wary of. (Maguire p. 357). The readers are being warned about the different natures of the characters in the end the domination of good against evil by stating, In the life of a Witch, there is no after, in the ever after of a Witch there is no happily; in the story of a Witch, there is no afterward. (Maguire P. 406) Thesis: In this society when we encounter evil, it is not only due to person’s own act but whole of the society is involved in the evil act. Every person has something good and bad in his character but sometimes society creates circumstances that a person is forced to become evil. Body 1 [Plot] This story begins with the birth of Elphaba the daughter of Frex and Melena, Melena was alone at the time when she give birth to Elphaba, as despite of being with his wife at the birth of their first child Frex had traveled to preach, specifically, the Clock of the Time Dragon. Melena give the birth to the daughter with green skin color which was very odd, for many years they hide this secret but when Elphaba grown up she was sent to the schools and college. Galinda was Elphaba first roommate but Galinda always ignore her, later on they become friends Galinda was working with Dr Dillamond, he was killed in this story from this point the sad part starts, Elphaba blame Madame Morrible and her robot-like assistant, Grommeti. But later on Fiyero comes into Elphaba life’s’ he, as she was alone they both had the affair but after few time he consider that Elphaba has murdered Madame Morrible, Fiyero was as well killed, and later on she was known as the witch of town as she did not fights against rumors about her and at last she died because of bucket of water which was throw on her to save her from fire. â€Å"The funeral was modest, a love-her-and-shove-her affair† (Maguire, p 154) The main character of this novel is Elphaba, an individual who was born with distinct features personality. The appearance is mocked by others living around her, A green child will be an open invitation for scorn and abuse. (Maguire P. 48). The interesting feature is the transformation of this person from a naive girl to the one seeking revenge thus attains the nickname WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST thanks to her malevolence. However this is justified by the extreme love the suffering in result she feels for her family friends. Another character Dorothy a young innocent girl, along with her escorts Scarecrow, Nick Chopper, Cowardly Lion is the opponent of the witch, but loved by the other people. She is also responsible for the witch’s death in the end of the novel.

Objectives And Functions Of Materials Management Construction Essay

Objectives And Functions Of Materials Management Construction Essay Site material management is a scientific technique. Materials Management is the process of planning, implementation and control of field and office activities in construction. The materials management goal is to ensure that building materials in their perspective when you need to.Materials management system attempts to ensure that the correct quality and quantity of material is appropriate, purchase, delivery and on-site processing in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.Materials management system attempts to ensure that the correct quality and quantity of material is appropriate select , purchase, delivery and on-site processing in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.So Materials management is an important element of project management. The material shows a major cost in the construction, thus reducing procurement costs to improve the opportunity to reduce the cost of the entire project. Construction projects, building materials fees accounted for 60 to 70% of the project cost. A reasonably organized planning, supply and use of building materials, construction materials from the production companies enter a construction according to the variety, quantity, quality, duration, reducing the transfer of part ofprevent the backlog of waste, shorten the construction period, accelerate the construction speed, reduce the cost of the project is important. 2.1 Scope of Materials Management It was referring to the various functions of materials management of the materials management coordination of various departments of manufacturing enterprises. Once the material procurement and brought by the organization, its value continues to increase other costs of materials required for the sorting, carrying materials in inventory, maintenance and management costs must be allocated to the cost of materials before entering into a product or converted to other form. In order to save the cost of all the materials management company has taken a clear method to determine the amount of material is ordered, the number is stored as inventory and in-process inventory. In order to reduce the cost of materials and other costs, there must be effective and efficient management of materials technology, it must be dynamically adjusted with changes in demand and production. 2.2 Objectives and Functions of Materials Management Primary objectives Which can be classified as: (i) Efficient materials planning (ii) Buying or Purchasing (iii) Procuring and receiving (iv) Storing and inventory control (v) Supply and distribution of materials (vi) Quality assurance Secondary objectives there can be several secondary objectives of materials management. Some of them are given below: (i) Efficient production scheduling (ii) To take make or buy decisions (iii) Prepare specifications and standization of materials (iv) To assist in product design and development (v) Forecasting demand and quantity of materials requirements (vi) Quality control of materials purchased (vii) Material handling (viii) Use of value analysis and value engineering (ix) Developing skills of workers in materials management (x) Smooth flow of materials in and out of the organization Achieve all these goals, it is necessary to establish harmony and good coordination between all employees of the materials management department. 2.3 Components of material management 2.3.1 Material supply and management Through market research, and look for the qualified materials The scope of inspections, investigations should first production and management vendors. One is the audit inspection material production and operation of the main body of all kinds of production and operation procedure is a complete range; The second is on-the-spot investigation enterprise production scale, management concept, sales and after-sales service, etc; The third is mainly studies the enterprise of quality control system, whether it has national and industry product quality authentication, material quality in the similar products is to belong to the general, intermediate or high-grade, etc. Another study visits range is building industry. Through the understanding of the building industry, information obtained a more accurate, more careful, more comprehensive. Generally speaking, really good quality materials will get architectural recognition, inferior quality of materials will be people spit on. By understanding building industry, can be more accurately master the material manufacturer enterprise reputation, product quality, price condition, the post-sale service, etc. The material the approach test Acceptance warehousing must ask the supplier of building materials security record to prove. The material inspection units must have the appropriate testing facilities and capabilities. Materials management in the construction process The central task is to check the use of the materials management process to ensure the quality of the material entering the construction safekeeping of materials approach, strict, reasonable use of a variety of materials, reduce consumption, to ensure the realization of the management objectives. 2.3.2The price of materials management 1. Control of the market, reduce the price of materials Control of the market, the market price is the extensive collection of materials. Material price information-gathering process, price information collection is in the building materials market, the material origin, the course of the investigation. The acquisition price information must be appropriate to the actual situation of the market to reflect the general level of prices of materials. Investigation and collection of price information for engineering materials, covers a wide range, heavy workload, is a complex information system. 2.Make full use of the market, reasonable arrangements for transportation Freight expenditures are important factors that constitute material procurement costs, save on shipping costs, reduce material procurement costs. Therefore, to consider the following aspects should consider the problems of the transport distance transportation cost savings: material when ordering. In the case of material quality, performance can meet the material procurement program, and almost equal to the price of materials, it should go to the nearest location away from the construction site procurement; material as a transport in place, to reduce secondary unlucky and handling costs. Take reasonable mode of procurement Doing so supply, storage, integration, reducing both parties arguing back and forth; owner can reduce material prices, reduce the project cost; course reasonable supply mode according to specific circumstances. 2.3.3 Material storage issue management Specifically the Treasury, proper storage. Identified clearly, classified storage In addition to the release of the material, whether by the Ministry branch or the issuance of project department warehouse supplies, should implement the principle of first-in, first-out project materials consumed should be read in conjunction with the segment and sub-project accounting, strict implementation of quota / fixed picking system must be opened by the project construction personnel before construction sign limits pick lists limit pick lists must fill part requirements essential items. Valuables and a larger amount of items, multiple payment based on usage, with picking small ticket points. Easily damaged goods, the material need for more detailed experience exchange members issued by the recipients of the two sides to sign off on the certificate. Material need generated from site Material ordered in the store Indents is generated Check availability in the store Check for the balance items Vendor selection from the approved list of vendors from the client Material inspection from the received stock Rejection of the unacceptable stock Issue of material to the concerned department Fig.1 process of material management Sources: National Conference on Recent Trends in Engineering Technology 2.4 Advantages of Materials Management Materials management to create a niche in many organizations, which have achieved a comprehensive materials management. These organizations often enjoy the following advantages: The better accountability part of the material, as well as other departments and no one can blame others. As materials management by a single authority, which can lead to better coordination, because it became the central point of any substance-related problems. Materials management departments to ensure a better quality materials provide a request in a timely fashion department. This can lead to a better performance of the organization. A materials management system is usually controlled through a system, therefore, can help decision-making related to the material in the organization. An indirect use of materials management is the development of good quality material, ethical and moral standards in an organization. Comment and evaluate the existing site layout relation to the positioning of the material on the construction site and identify possibles Construction site materials should be placed according to the requirements of safe and civilized construction program to be trimmed and decorated. Temporary construction water, electricity, roads, completed construction requirements of the standard. For field use reasonable construction plane layout should be structured to minimize occupied by construction land, the layout is compact and reasonable, and at the same time do field capacity neat and clean, the roads are wider, in line with the requirements of fire safety and civilized construction. The construction process to avoid multiple trades in the same venue, the same area for construction and mutual restraint, mutual interference. à ¢- ª Keep work areas free from rubbish and obstructions à ¢- ª Maintain all floor surfaces safe, suitable and free from slip or trip hazards à ¢- ª Ensure floor openings covered or otherwise fenced off à ¢- ªMaterials are properly stacked and stored safely Keep all passageways in good conditions à ¢- ª Unobstructed and clearly defined à ¢- ª Provide adequate lighting à ¢- ª Ensure clear sightline at breaks and corners Stacking of all materials: à ¢- ª Ensure the proper heights and correct stacking à ¢- ª Allow sufficient space for moving stock à ¢- ª Store materials in racks/bins à ¢- ª Keep shelves free of rubbish à ¢- ª Keep floors around stacks and racks clear à ¢- ª Check drums and ensure pallets in good repair à ¢- ª Heavier items stored low and without danger of falling objects à ¢- ª Avoid sharp edges and provide safe means of accessing high shelves Site manager may face the following problems: Construction site temporary building (office) located in work area and near the waste materials faced with many unsafe factors and noise pollution. The area of construction waste, stored waste can not be transported out of the site.such as all solvent waste, oily rags, and flammable liquids,Scrap wood or chips, saw dust waste, and paper bags or cartons. If you accidentally cause a fire, then there will be heavy casualties. Most construction workers are exposed to excessive construction noise. One can get tinnitus, a ringing sound in the ears, or a temporary loss of hearing. Exposure to longer period can cause tiredness and nervousness. Concrete batching plant away from the material stores. It should be set in a near vertical transport machinery, as much as possible to reduce the concrete, mortar horizontal transport distance. Reduce transportation costs and save time. Store setting Concrete store should choose the higher ground, drainage, close to the batching plant. Inflammable and explosive materials shall not be mixed with other material. Inflammable and explosive materials warehouse layout should comply with the fire and explosion safety distance requirements. Proposed new site layout to improve the existing site layout mess hall temporary building (office) Workers Dormitory toilet Water Supply Site Entrance Double storey terrace Semi-detached houses Power supply Site exit Timber store Reinforcement Steel store Scaffold store Cement store Concrete batching plant Material store Waste material Suggestion/recommendation that will give strong impact on the material management process in the future based on the case study Responsibilities: Provide guidance, interpretation and direction to Major Projects staff regarding the Major Projects Procurement material standards and procedures Assist in Procurement orientations and on-boarding of Major Projects staff Review and provide improvement recommendations for Project Procurement Strategies and Plans Lead the development, implementation and management of policies, procedures and templates supporting the continuous improvement of material management within Major Projects Collaborate with Business Unit Procurement, Project Controls, Accounting, Construction, Engineering and Project Execution personnel to accurately understand capabilities in terms of systems and processes Outline material management procedures through the development of process flow maps Prepare draft and final assessment reports of material management findings First, the general requirements 1. Stacking of construction material should be based on the amount of size, duration, supply and transportation determine dosage, use a long time, supply transportation is convenient, it should be phased in. approach to reduce the yard and warehouse space; 2. Construction site of a variety of tools, components, materials piling must be placed in accordance with the provisions of the position of the planar four Figure; 3. Position should select appropriate, easy to transport and handling, minimize secondary transportation; 4. Higher ground, solid, flat, backfill compaction in layers, have drainage measures to comply with the requirements of safety, fire; 5. Should be stacked according to the varieties, specifications, and set up the obvious signs to indicate the name, specification and origin; 6. Various material items must be stacked neatly.   Second, the main material semi stacked 1. Large tools, should one side alignment put; 2. Reinforced should be neatly stacked, square wooden paving should not be placed in a wet and exposed to rain shower; 3. Brick should be small code into the stack, are not allowed to ultra-high from trench not less than 0.5m, to prevent collapse; 4. The sand piled cube, stones should be different diameter sizes are stacked into a cube; 5. Various templates should be stacked neatly classified according to specifications, the ground should be flat solid, stack height generally should not be the ultra-high 1.6m; the large template stored specifically designed to save shelf should be placed two large template should be used for face-to-face storage when stored floor construction, shall meet the homeostatic angle and reliable anti-dumping measures; 6. Concrete component stacking space should be solid, smooth, specifications, models stacked skids position to be correct, to be up and down to align the the multilayer components of skids, the pile position are not allowed to ultra-high; the concrete blocking plate should be established insertion of frame interpolation put frame to be welded or lashing firmly to prevent collapse. Conclusion Construction site materials management is one of the important link. To strengthen the management of the site layout, according to the different construction stages, materials and supplies changes, design changes, and adjust the position of the stockyard site in a timely manner, and keep the roads open, reducing the second out of luck. Strict accordance with the arrangement of stacked material with a flat-screen piles into the line, always clean up debris and garbage, and maintain the site, roads, tools and containers clean. The construction site must be carried out by the allied materials on-site materials management, material must pass the examination certificates; member of the staff of the material running configuration to enable the production and management of working prevail. Materials management for the enterprise has an extremely important significance.In a certain period of time, material resources and funds are always wired, good materials science management can promote cost reduction.Which time the minimum material consumption, to the maximum economic benefits.

Damn Near Everything There Is To Know About Cells: Essay -- essays res

Damn Near Everything There Is To Know About Cells: Biology Cell Report There are many parts of a cell, they all have specific duties, and are all needed to continue the life of the cell. Some cells exist as single-celled organisms that perform all of the organism's metabolism within a single cell. Such single-celled organisms are called unicellular. Other organisms are made up of many cells, with their cells specialized to perform distinct metabolic functions. One cell within an organism may be adapted for movement, while another cell carries out digestion. The individual cells no longer carry out all life functions, but rather depend on each other. Many-celled organisms are called multicellular. When a group of cells function together to perform an activity, they form a tissue. The cells of a human are organized into tissues such as muscle and nerve tissues. Plant tissues include those of the stem and root. Many cells in tissues are linked to each other at contact sites called cell junctions. Cell junctions help maintain differences in the internal environment between adjacent cells, help anchor cells together, and allow cells to communicate with one another by passing small molecules from one cell to another. Groups of two or more tissues that function together make up organs. An organ system is a group of organs that work together to carry out major life functions. Eukariotic Cell Structure: Boundaries and Control: Plasma Membrane - The plasma membrane is sometimes called the cell membrane, or the cellular membrane. It is the outermost part of the animal cell, and it's purpose is to enclose the cell, and change shape if needed. The cell membrane is capable of allowing materials to enter and exit the cell. Oxygen and nutrients enter, and waste products such as excess water leave. The plasma membrane helps maintain a chemical balance within the cell. Cell wall - The cell wall is an added boundary to the cell. It is relatively inflexible, and surrounds the plasma membrane. The cell wall is much thinker than the plasma membrane and is made of different substances in different organisms. The cells of plants, fungi, almost all bacteria, and some protists have cell walls. Animal cells have no cell walls. Plant cells contain cellulose molecules, which form fibers. This fibrous cellulose of plants provides the bulk of the fiber in our diets. Chitin, a nitr... ... pigments, molecules that give color. Structures for Support and Locomotion: The cytoskeleton is a network of thin, fibrous elements that act as a sort of scaffold to provide support for organelles. It also helps maintain cell shape in a manner similar to the way poles maintain the shape of a tent. The cytoskeleton is usually composed of microtubules and microfilaments. Microtubules are thin, hollow cylinders made of protein. Microfilaments are thin, solid protein fibers. Microtubules and microfilaments make up most of the sytoskeleton. Cilia - Cilia are only contained in some cells. They are short, numerous, hairlike projections out of the plasma membrane. Cilia tend to occur in large numbers on a cell's surface, and their beating activity is usually coordinated. Flagella - Flagella are longer projections that move with a whiplike motion. Cells that have flagella only have one or two per cell. In single-celled organisms, cilia and flagella are the major means of locomotion. Sperm cells of animals and some plants move by means of flagella. Organisms that contain many cells, including humans, have cilia that move fluids over a cell's surface, rather than moving the cell itself.

John Locke on Property Essay

In the Second Treatise of Government by John Locke, he writes about the right to private property. In the chapter which is titled â€Å"Of Property† he tells how the right to private property originated, the role it plays in the state of nature, the limitations that are set on the rights of private property, the role the invention of money played in property rights and the role property rights play after the establishment of government.. In this chapter Locke makes significant points about private property. In this paper I will summarize his analysis of the right to private property, and I will give my opinion on some of the points Locke makes in his book. According to Locke, the right to private property originated when God gave the world to men. Locke makes the argument that when God created the world for man, he gave man reason to make use of the world to the best advantage of life, and convenience. What he means by that is, that God made this world for man, and when he made it he gave man the right to use what is in this world to his benefit. Locke explains that every man has property in his own person, and that nobody has any right to that property but that person. The author states that â€Å"whatsoever then he removes out of the state of nature hath provided, and left it in, he hath mixed his labour with, and joined to it something that is his own, and thereby makes it his property (Locke pg. 19)†. What Locke means by that statement is that once a person removes something out of its original state of nature that something becomes that persons property. After someone gains this property are there any limitations on that property? Locke believes that there are limitations on that property. Locke believes that God has given us all things richly, and that man may use those things as long as he takes what he needs. Men can have property as long as they obtained it rightfully, and as long as they use discretion. If those limitations were overlooked when the person was getting the property the property was not obtained rightfully. In the chapter the rights of property, Locke tells the role that the invention of money plays in property rights. Money was invented because people were abusing their property rights. With the creation of money things were given value, and this invention prevented people from taking more than they could afford. Money was an invention that men could keep without spoiling. Men could exchange money for truly useful, but perishable supports of life. This invention plays a big role in the property rights. Now that there is money people have to use that money to get what they need instead of taking whatever they want as was the case before the invention of money. According to Locke, individual property rights change after government was established. He believes that in governments, the laws regulate the right of property, and the possession of land is determined by positive constitutions. Before the establishment of government Americans had the rights to property as long as they used it before it spoiled, and as long as they didn’t take more than they needed, and as long as they obtained it rightfully. After government, there were laws and restrictions pertaining to property. These laws and restrictions were established to secure protection of those who had property. I believe that some of Locke’s views on the rights to private property are right. I agree with his thoughts of the way property rights originated, the limitations he said were placed on property rights, and his thoughts of why money was invented. I also agree with his take on the role property rights played after government was established. I think that government plays a very important part in the protection of property. Without the laws that are made by the government there would be many problems with property rights. People still have the right to have any property they want as long as they can afford it and as long as it is obtained properly. The points that Locke makes in the chapter Of property are very important and pertain to North American society today. I feel that he was extremely accurate in some of his views and he is an important figure in world history.

Nordstrom Financial Statement Analysis

NORDSTROM (JWN) I. Nordstrom’s overview Nordstrom is classified as an Upscale Independent Department Store Chain and is noted as one of the largest department stores of its type. Nordstrom is founded in 1901 by two partners, John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. It’s headquarter is in Seattle, Washington area. Nordstrom carries a wide variety of merchandise and specialty goods, which includes apparel, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, handbags, accessories, and in some locations, home furnishings. Nordstrom is dealing with competition on many different levels.It is competing with higher end stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. In addition, it is also competing with second tier stores such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Bloomingdale’s. Dealing with diverse competition, upscale retailer Nordstrom has been famous for superior customer service for over 100 years and has been recognized on every 100 Best Companies To Work For list publishe d in Fortune magazine since 1998. Nordstrom operates over 200 retail locations across the country with worldwide revenue $10. 9 billion in 2011.It has two reportable segments: Retail and Credit. The Retail segment includes 115 ‘Nordstrom’ full-line stores, 89 off-price ‘Nordstrom Rack’ stores, two ‘Jeffrey’ boutiques, and one clearance store that operate under the name ‘Last Chance. ’ Nordstrom full-line stores and online store are substantially integrated to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience across channels. The Nordstrom Rack stores purchase high-quality name brand merchandise directly from vendors and also serve as outlets for clearance merchandise from Nordstrom stores.The Credit segment includes wholly owned federal savings bank, Nordstrom FSB, through which Nordstrom provides a private label credit card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. The credit and debit cards fe ature a shopping-based loyalty program designed to increase customer visits and spending. Although the primary purpose of our Credit business is to foster greater customer loyalty and drive more sales, Nordstrom also generate revenues through finance charges and other fees on these cards.In retail department stores, consumer’s purchases are made within each department because each department is treated separately to achieve economies in promotion, buying, service, and control. Instead of categorizing departments by merchandise, Nordstrom created fashion departments that fit individual lifestyles. The retailer's best customers benefit from Nordstrom's â€Å"Perpetual Inventory† initiative, which provides the â€Å"right product, at the right place, at the right time. Nordstrom’s customer service is superior in that they put maintaining a customer relationship their top priority. It‘s main goal is to provide outstanding service every day, one customer at a time, and support the employees who deliver service to those customers. Each Nordstrom employee has a business card, which he or she gives to customers, to encourage them to reach back directly if they need anything. In addition, Nordstrom spends much less on traditional advertising than its competitors do, and to Nordstrom, â€Å"satisfied customers are much more persuasive than an ad†.Its legendary customer service is a competitive advantage that can't be easily duplicated, and the company spends a lot of time, money, and effort training employees to maintain that distinction. Even in times of economic distress, Nordstrom still maintains an unwavering commitment to making choices that are in the best interest of the customer. Therefore, Nordstrom keeps growing and maintains a great financial result in comparison with other department stores. Nordstrom business strategies are: 1. Maintaining good relationship with vendors and consumers 2.Maintaining good relationship with em ployees and providing effective training to them to develop future leaders 3. Expanding into new markets, technological investments, acquisitions and the timely completion of construction associated with newly planned stores, relocations and remodels. 4. Having effective inventory management; efficient and proper allocation of capital resources; successful execution of information technology strategy; and effective cost control in advertising, marketing, and promotion campaigns. 5.Managing debt levels to maintain an investment grade credit rating as well as operate with an efficient capital structure for its growth plans and industry II. Company financial ratio analysis: 1. Liquidity: Liquidity:| 2011| 2010| 2009| 2008| 2007| Current Ratio| 2. 16| 2. 57| 2. 01| 2. 01| 2. 06| Cash Ratio | 0. 73| 0. 80| 0. 39| 0. 04| 0. 22| Cash Flow from Operations Ratio| 0. 46| 0. 63| 0. 62| 0. 53| 0. 19| Overall regards to liquidity ratios, the higher the number the better; however, a too high also indicates that the firms were not using their resources to their full potential. Current ratio of 1. or greater shows that a company can pay its current liabilities with its current assets. JWN’s ratio increased from 2. 06 in 2007 to 2. 57 in 2010, and slightly decreased to 2. 16 in 2011. JWN’s cash ratio increased significantly from 22% in 2007 to 80% in 2010. JWN has a cash ratio of 73% in 2011, which is useful to creditors when deciding how much debt they would be willing to extend to JWN. In addition, JWN also has moderate CFO ratio of 46%, indicating the companies’ ability to pay off their short term liabilities with their operating cash flow. There was a great improvement in JWN’s liquidity ratios over the past 5 years.In general, JWN has efficient liquidity ratios which allow the company to cover its seasonal cash needs and to maintain appropriate levels of short term borrowings. 2. Activity: Activity| 2011| 2010| 2009| 2008| 2007| Inventory Turno ver| 6. 20| 6. 29| 5. 93| 5. 84| 5. 66| Avg. # of Days Inventory| 58. 83| 58. 03| 61. 59| 62. 53| 64. 50| Receivables Turnover| 5. 06| 4. 51| 4. 16| 4. 60| 7. 35| Working Capital Turnover| 3. 67| 3. 89| 4. 52| 5. 13| 5. 98| Fixed Assets Turnover| 4. 54| 4. 25| 3. 70| 4. 08| 4. 86| Total Assets Turnover | 1. 36| 1. 38| 1. 35| 1. 52| 1. 74| Length of Operating Cycle| 130. 9| 138. 87| 149. 38| 141. 93| 114. 18| I Inventory turnover shows how efficient a firm can keep its inventory turning at a steady flow from the manufacturer to the store and out to the consumer. Therefore, the higher the better because this means the firm is getting its inventory out to consumers at a more efficient pace. JWN’s inventory turnover is approximately the same in 2011 than in 2010, 6. 20 and 6. 29 respectively, which has slightly higher the number of days inventory from 58 days to 59 days. Same as inventory turnover ratio, AR turnover show how efficient a firm is at collecting its receivable.The fa ster a firm can collect its receivables, the better. JWN’s AR turnover has increased from 4. 78 in 2010 to 5. 36 in 2011. An increase in both inventory and AR turnover reduces the Length of Operating Cycle from 139 days to 131 days. In addition, there is also a good sign when JWN’s fixed asset turnover and total asset turnover increase. In general, JWN has ability to predict or respond to changes in fashion trends, consumer preferences and spending patterns, and to match its merchandise levels, mix and shopping experience to sales trends and consumer tastes, significantly impacts its sales and operating results. . Profitability: Profit| 2011| 2010| 2009| 2008| 2007| Gross Margin | 0. 39| 0. 39| 0. 36| 0. 37| 0. 39| Return on Sales| 0. 06| 0. 06| 0. 05| 0. 05| 0. 08| ROA | 0. 09| 0. 09| 0. 07| 0. 07| 0. 14| ROE | 0. 34| 0. 34| 0. 32| 0. 34| 0. 44| Upon evaluation of the operating efficiency, Gross profit margin, Return on sale, ROA, and ROE, JWN did a pretty good job du ring the fiscal year ended Jan 28th 2012. Gross profit margin, the net profit margin, ROA, and ROE have the same rate for 2011 and 2010, which are 39%, 6%, 9%, and 34% respectively. By evaluating JWN’s profitability ratio, JWN once again is upward looking.ROA is a comprehensive measure of profitability, taking into account how a firm’s assets and profits are used to create future profit. ROE is a profitability measure and is influenced by the affiliation between a firm’s debt and its owner’s equity. JWN has done an extraordinary job at maintaining moderate ROA and ROE ratio over 5 years period. Analyzing JWN’s profitability ratio shows that JWN should continue being profitably in the future. 4. Leverage: Leverage| 2011| 2010| 2009| 2008| 2007| Total Liabilities / Total Equity| 3. 34| 2. 69| 3. 19| 3. 68| 4. 02| Total Liabilities (BV) / Equity at Market| 0. 7| 0. 48| 0. 44| 0. 39| 0. 39| Times Interest Earned| 9. 61| 8. 80| 6. 04| 5. 95| 16. 85| As firm’s debt grows larger, debt to equity ratio in turn increases. Debt to equity ratio is an important factor in considering a firm’s credit risk. JWN’s debt to equity ratio increases 25% from 2. 69 in 2010 to 3. 34 in 2011. If this ratio decreases, there is less leverage within the firm. The increase in debt to equity ratio is due to the increase in long term debts and the decrease in total stockholder equity. Times interest earned ratio is a coverage measure; an increase has a positive impact on the firm.There was a significant decrease in Time interest earned ratio from 16. 85 in 2007 to 5. 95 in 2008. However, this ratio increased slightly over years. JWN’s Times interest earned has increased from 8. 80 in 2010 to 9. 61 in 2011. Ultimately, JWN generate more than enough income before interest and tax to cover for its interest expense. 5. Market related statistics: Like many luxury stores, Nordstrom has seen its sales rebound since late 2009 as well-he eled shoppers have become more comfortable with spending, despite volatility in the stock market.Nordstrom also has worked hard to make it easier to shop by adding Wi-Fi access for shoppers at all of its full-line department stores, offering free shipping on most items without any minimum purchase in September 2010, and fusing its online and in-store inventory systems so shoppers can find out online what's in stock at any given store in the chain. Nordstrom said it expects revenue at its stores open at least a year to rise 4 percent to 6 percent in the current full fiscal year, and it expects to earn $3. 30 to $3. 45 per share.JWN analyzes its dividend payout ratio and dividend yield, while taking into consideration its operating performance and capital resources, and plans to target a 25% to 30% dividend payout ratio in 2011. JWN has increased its dividend payout ratio and its dividend yield in 2011, 29% and 1. 9 % respectively. JWN paid dividends of $0. 92 per share in 2011, $0. 7 6 per share in 2010, and $. 64 per share in each of 2009 and 2008. 6. Quality of financial information Nordstrom uses a more moderate strategy when it comes to its accounting policies.It basically uses similar basic standards as other firms in the industry. Management and select employees of Nordstrom receive stock options and bonuses based on how profitable and how much growth the company is, which may lead to intentional accounting distortion to increase these benefits. Although distortion would be beneficial to management, the standards used by Nordstrom to account for stock issued to employees seem well disclosed and straight forward. Compared to the accounting policies and estimates used in the past five years, Nordstrom has not significantly changed any of its accounting standards.Estimates such as returns are based on past returns and performance and have not altered much in recent years. Nordstrom’s uses its historical data to estimate future performance for the use o f the inventory account. Nordstrom’s accounting policies and estimates seem to have no significant distortions. The changes in policies are well recorded and explained in the footnotes, leaving no concern about their accounting policies. The changes in policies accounting standards and estimates all seem to be legitimate. The manner in which Nordstrom discloses their financial information to the public is of extremely high quality.Nordstrom exceeds their expectation of providing customers and shareholders with an adequate explanation for nearly every element of their finances. After the presentation of each financial statement, Nordstrom provides a detailed clarification concerning each component listed in a manner that could be easily interpreted by the common inquirer. In general, Nordstrom effectively communicates their activities with their investors and are relatively free of unpredictable or unexplainable transactions. III. Comparison to the industry average and another store (Dillards)Liquidity:| JWN| DDS| Industry| Rating-JWN| Current Ratio | 2. 16| 1. 83| 1. 15| 8| Cash Ratio | 0. 73| 0. 26| 0. 12| 8| Cash Flow from Operations Ratio | 0. 46| 0. 58| -| -| Leverage|   | Total Liabilities / Total Equity| 3. 34| 1. 10| 1. 33| 4| Total Liabilities (BV) / Equity at Market| 0. 57| 0. 72| 0. 17| 4| Times Interest Earned| 9. 61| 5. 83| 7. 41| 7| Activity|   | Inventory Turnover | 6. 20| 3. 12| 6. 14| 6| Avg. # of Days Inventory | 58. 83| 117. 12| 59. 45| 6| Receivables Turnover | 5. 06| 232. 73| 22. 91| 3| Working Capital Turnover| 3. 67| 8. 88| 40. 9| 3| Fixed Assets Turnover| 4. 54| 2. 54| 6. 06| 4| Total Assets Turnover | 1. 36| 1. 47| 1. 91| 4| Length of Operating Cycle | 130. 98| 118. 69| 75. 38| 3| Profit|   | Gross Margin| 0. 39| 0. 37| 0. 29| 6| Return on Sales| 0. 06| 0. 07| 0. 06| 5| ROA| 0. 09| 0. 11| 0. 11| 5| ROE | 0. 34| 0. 22| 0. 25| 6| Both JWN and DDS maintained an efficient liquidity ratio which allowed them to cover their season al cash needs and to maintain appropriate levels of short term borrowings. DDS do not generate as much profit as JWN but it also has much lower leverage ratio than JWN.JWN has much higher debt to equity ratio than the industry average. However, its Time Interest Earned ratio is better than the industry. JWN’s activity ratio seems to be better than DDS, but below the industry average. JWN’s Beta is 1. 57 which theoretically indicates 57% more volatile than the market. DDS’s Beta is 2. 53 which is . 96 higher than JWN’s Beta and also means more volatile than the market. A beta of greater than  1 offers the possibility of a higher rate of return, but  also poses  more risk. In addition, JWN also has much higher dividend payout ratio and dividend yield than DDS.In general, JWN has higher rate of return and less volatile than DDS. JWN has higher dividend yield and lower dividend payout ratio than industry average. The growth and income pick pays an indus try-leading dividend yield of 1. 90%. Its ROE and Net profit margin are also higher than the industry average. Nordstrom clearly has a higher return than its competitor and is likely to be more profitable than its competitor and industry. In comparison with DDS and the industry average, it is apparent that there are no concerns with the accounting for the components of JWN ratios.JWN was consistently somewhat outperformed its competitor and the industry average. In its industry, JWN is apparently a leader in utilizing its capital to create value for the firm, creating profits, and increasing shareholder value IV. Growth in revenue and income Year| Revenue| Net income| 2011| $10,877| $683| 2010| $9,700| $613| 2009| $8,267| $441| 2008| $8,573| $401| 2007| $9,080| $715| 2006| $8,666| $678| Statistics|   | JWN| YoY growth in revenues | 2011| 12. 13%| YoY growth in net income| 2011| 11. 42%| YoY growth in revenues| 2010| 17. 33%| YoY growth in net income| 2010| 39. 00%|YoY growth in re venues| 2009| -3. 57%| YoY growth in net income| 2009| 9. 98%| YoY growth in revenues| 2008| -5. 58%| YoY growth in net income| 2008| -43. 92%| YoY growth in revenues| 2007| 4. 78%| YoY growth in net income| 2007| 5. 46%| YoY growth in revenues| (Average)| 12. 13%| YoY growth in net income| (Average)| 11. 42%| Nordstrom generates revenues from its credit segment, which consists of a wholly-owned federal savings bank that offers Nordstrom VISA credit and debit cards, and a private label card. Nordstrom also profits from its Faconnable boutiques located in France, Portugal, Belgium and the U.S. The remaining revenues are brought in by the retail store segment; the stores specialize in high quality apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories. Nordstrom also sells direct via the internet at www. nordstrom. com. JWN’s revenue for 2011 increased 12. 7% compared with 2010 driven by the strength of Nordstrom full-line stores, rapid growth in its online business and improving results a t Nordstrom Rack. JWN opened three Nordstrom full-line stores, eighteen Nordstrom Rack stores and one Treasure & bond store, relocated two Nordstrom Rack stores, and acquired HauteLook during the year 2011.These additions represented 4. 0% of its total revenue for 2011. Same-store sales increased 7. 2%, with increases of 8. 2% at Nordstrom and 3. 7% at Nordstrom Rack. Nordstrom’s revenue was in a range of $8 billion to 11 billion from 2007 to 2011. There was a slightly decrease or increase in revenue over 5 years period. Nordstrom’s net income was in a range of $401 mil to $715 mil. There is a significant decrease in 2007 net income. It went from $715 mil to $401 mil, which is approximately 44% decrease in net income.However, its net income increased dramatically in 2010, from $441 mil in 2009 to $613 mil in 2010, which is nearly 40% increase in net income. In order to predict an accurate forecast for Nordstrom’s Income Statement, Statement of Cash Flows, and Ba lance sheet, a sustainable growth rate is needed. After examining Nordstrom’s past performance and computing past growth rates on Nordstrom’s financial, Nordstrom has an average growth in revenue and net income 12. 13% and 11. 42% respectively. V. â€Å"G† Growth rate Risk free rate |   | 3. 10%| Market rate|   | 10. 00%| Beta|   | 1. 58|Rate of return| Rf + B(Rm-Rf)| 14. 00%| # of share outstanding|   | 208| EPS|   | 3. 15| P/E ratio|   | 17. 48| Book value per share|   | 9. 42| Equity| Book value/share x # of share| 1959| Forecasted Net Income| EPS x # of share | 655. 2| Required Income| Equity x rate of return| 274| Residual Income| Forecasted NI – Required income| 381| Market price per share| P/E ratio x EPS| 55| Market capital| market price x # of share| 11453| Unrecognized intangible value (UIV)| market capital – equity| 9494| Growth rate| [(UIV *rate of return)-residual income]/UIV| 10%| With a risk free rate of 3. 0%, market r ate of 10%, and JWN’s Beta 1. 58, Nordstrom has a rate of return of 14% and growth rate of 10%. The growth rate 10% is slightly lower than the forecasted growth rate 11. 42% in net income and 12. 13% in revenue, based on the its past 5 years financial information. With the growth rate of 10%, the discount rate 14% from CAPM model is high enough for Nordstrom. Without the growth rate, discount rate 14% is too low because the capital market and market price per share will be $4679 million and $22. JWN’s market capital and market price per share are actually $11,453 million and $55/ respectively.With growth rate of 10%, JWN will have 14% in rate of return. VI. Recommendation about stock After evaluating Nordstrom’s past performance and forecasted its future growth, there should be a â€Å"BUY† in Nordstrom stock. Nordstrom has established itself as a high-end apparel retailing company. Nordstrom has founded itself upon excellent customer service and an unmat ched reputation. Its main competitors are Saks, Dillard’s, and Neiman Marcus. Nordstrom’s accounting policies are moderate and very well disclosed; they leave no room for any potential red flags to be raised. Nordstrom’s transparent accounting olicies show that the managers have confidence in the firm and its ability to perform. No distortion is used in their statements proving the firms high integrity standards. Upon completion of Nordstrom’s ratio analysis it is apparent that there should be no concerns as to how Nordstrom compares to its competition. In most cases Nordstrom was either average or stood above the competition. There were very few cases where Nordstrom fell behind in its market. Nordstrom would grow at an average 10% percent per year. This is shown through increasing sales and expansion of new stores.Nordstrom has $10,877 million net revenue, $683 million net income, EPS $3. 15, and dividend $. 90/share in fiscal 2012. Nordstrom is expecte d to have $11,705 Million net revenue, $735 million net income, EPS $3. 48 and dividend $. 90 per share during fiscal year 2013. JWN recently acquired online private sale leader HauteLook Inc, which will help the company in building its multi-channel retail format. The acquisition will facilitate Nordstrom to increase its direct business capabilities, implement an enterprise-wide inventory management system, direct sales to online customers and enhance customer service.JWN’s operations are based on a variable cost business model and about 40% to 45% of selling, general and administrative expenses are variable in nature. This flexible cost structure not only helps the company to mitigate the impact of sluggish sales trends on margins, but also enables it to quickly capitalize on the emerging opportunities when market conditions recover. Consequently, Nordstrom can expect a steady improvement in profitability moving forward. Nordstrom has 8. 6% increase in same-store sales for the five week period ended March 31st 2012 compared with the five week period ended April 2nd 2012.Total retail sales of $1. 03 billion for March 2012 increased 14. 7% compared with total retail sales of $897 million for the same period in fiscal year 2011. In addition, Nordstrom has a 7. 1% increase in same-store sales for the four-week period ended April 28th, 2012 compared with the four-week period ended April 30th, 2011. Preliminary total retail sales of $802 million for April 2012 increased 10. 5% compared with total retail sales of $726 million for the same period in fiscal 2011. First quarter same-store sales increased 8. 5% compared with the same period in fiscal 2011.First quarter total retail sales of $2. 53 billion increased 13. 7% compared with total retail sales of $2. 23 billion for the same period in fiscal 2011. In addition, JWN also invests 16. 4 million USD in Bonobos, an exclusive brand of men? s clothes that sells pants and other clothes online. Nordstrom will al so sell Bonobos products through its online store and through more than 100 brick and mortar stores. This move is one of Nordstrom? s efforts to capitalize on the growth opportunities and innovation potential that the web provides, which reflects a smart decision from a dynamic management team.