Advantages and Disadvantages of A Single Sex Education

Why would anyone want to go to an all girls' school? This is a question I have often pondered. Can you imagine school without the obnoxious comments from boys, football games, and gossiping about boys? This doesn't sound like a lot of fun, does it? You girls may think about this and decide there are no advantages to an all girls' school, but in reality, all girls' schools have many. Believe it or not, having boys around is not the most important factor in our education. In fact, boys in the classroom are actually a setback. All girls' schools are more advantageous than coeducational schools because there are fewer distractions, you will have a higher self esteem socially and academically, and you will be more successful academically. Let's face it, we are obsessed with boys. We act and dress with only a boy's opinion in mind. Boys not only preoccupy our minds in a social setting, but in the classroom as well. We know that we know the answers to the questions in school, but we often avoid raising our hand in class. Why? We are afraid that the answer might be wrong, and the boys will laugh at us. Even worse, we might be right, and then they will think we are nerds! We also must confess that we tend to space out during lessons and daydream about the star quarterback two seats over. These distractions could be eliminated if boys are removed from the setting. Without them, we could focus on education rather than what they think of us. Self-esteem is another issue that will improve with the absence of the male species in the classroom. In high school, there is an extreme amount of pressure to fit in. Some may not fit in, and some prey on others in order to fit in and increase their own self esteem. Usually it is the boys who will tease us, whether it's because they like us or they want to get a laugh out of their friends. This teasing can crush our confidence and cause us to become very self-conscious. Without boys, we can confidently walk down the hallway without dodging annoying boys who relentlessly torture us. Some may say, â€Å"What about other girls? † Girls can definitely be cruel and catty, but usually this bitterness towards another girl sprouts from a boy, whether she stole your boyfriend or he likes her better. How many times have you found yourself gossiping with your friends about how you are much prettier than the girl your crush likes? Girls would get along better if there were no boys around to fight about. Boys will not get in the way of friendships, which are far more important than relationships, making the high school experience much better for a girl. A single sex atmosphere will also increase our self-esteem academically. Studies prove that women do better in single sex schools and have higher self-esteems (Cooner, Knight, and Wiseman 90). In coed classrooms, boys receive more attention, whether it is criticism or praise, than we do (Cooner, Knight, and Wiseman 91). How often does a teacher stop a class to yell at a typically obnoxious boy? We therefore feel ignored by our teachers. This has a dramatic effect on our confidence in the classroom. In an all girls' school we can receive our teacher's attention more frequently and ask questions without feeling embarrassed. More attention means more praise, which we clearly deserve. The increase in attention from our teachers will help to increase our academic self-esteem. The most important advantage of an all girls' school, however, is academic success. Did you know that coed schools are structured around the development of male students? Writing, reading, and math concepts, such as long division, are introduced to us when a boy's mind is ready to process and understand the information (Cooner, Knight, and Wiseman, 90). The fact that we were developmentally ready to understand this information a few years ago is ignored. I find that completely unfair and I'm sure that you can agree. Girls develop math and verbal skills faster than boys do, so we rarely experience any challenges in the classroom. No wonder we are so bored! Our boredom can negatively affect our achievement. I reiterate the fact that the teachers often ignore female students, even high achieving females. This discourages us from exerting ourselves in their schoolwork. Why bother pulling an all-nighter preparing for a presentation when a boy is going to receive more attention for his presentation anyway? An all girls' school is structured around our development, which poses an academic challenge to us. We will then strive to succeed and in turn receive praise from our teachers. Our increased interest in our schoolwork improves our attitudes as well as our grades, which will help us in the future. Better grades will increase our opportunities to attend good colleges and get good jobs. Our increase in confidence will prepare us for these jobs that we will be able to get with a good education. You still may not be convinced that an all girls' school is better than a coeducational school because you are wondering how it's possible to meet boys if they are not in school. Don't worry girls! There are tons of places to meet boys. There are boys everywhere (except in all girls' schools of course) including the mall and your neighborhood. Let's consider another fact. If an all girls' school exists in your town or nearby, chances are an all boys' school is not far off. If not, where would all of the boys go? Trust me, the boys are looking for us girls as much as we are looking for them. Clearly, this issue is not an obstacle in your social life. Life without boys? It sounds worse than it really is. You can now see that having boys in the classroom is a setback for us girls. Without them around, we can focus on our valuable education. We will have all attention focused on our work and our needs, which is very beneficial to receiving an effective education. We can also focus on forming friendships with other girls in the school without worrying about them stealing our boyfriends. Catty gossip can be eliminated from everyday school life, allowing us to fully concentrate on our education. Our education should be our first priority in life, and an all girls school in turn makes us their first priority, improving the quality of our education.

A World of Critical Thinkers

The world is becoming more competitive thus, there is an need to make decisions that would matter. In formulating intelligent decisions, the individual should not only think individually but holistically. It is through collective thinking that he is able to see the real impact of a certain act. In this day and age, there are is a need to look beyond the facts and analyze things deeper. As much as possible, all details should be taken into consideretion. The paper contains a discussion of critical thinking and how it could help in the formulating intelligent decisions.It enumerates the characterisitics of a critical thinker and the instances whhere this form of thinking can be applied. A World of Critical Thinkers Many educators are concerned with the way their students process information. There are those who exhibit confusion and doubt their understanding of the lessons while there are those who feel confident about it and can answer any question related to the topic. This variance that educators get from their students places them in doubt whether or not they are able to reach out to the needs of their students.In most instances, the teacher is the provider of the information while the student is the receiver; seldom does it happen that process is reversed. This is the reason why many students exhibit dependence to their teachers. However, this should not be the case as it is like spoon feeding them. Learning is not merely about absorbing the information that are provided, it is about understanding, analyzing and thinking critically the subject matter presented. The level of understanding of the students do not actually depend on their mental capacity but on their capability to think critically.Critical thinking is a form of reflective, skillful and responsible thinking. It is going beyond the facts and finding reason for the existence of those facts. It is the ability of an individual to take charge of his own thinking by developing criteria and standards fo r assessment (Elder and Paul,1994). Critical thinkers are not contented with what are merely presented to them, they exert effort to understand and reason out through gathering additional information. They analyze holistically and not individually. Through this collective analysis, one can interconnect the details and see the real impact thereof.Good conclusions are not simply formulated from a simple set of facts; they are based on research and critical analysis. A good critic ignores his biases and tries to understand things as they appear. He uses evidence impartially and skillfully. He is someone who is willing to let go of his hypothesis and formulated conclusions in case the results do not come out right. He is open minded and expects a lot of possibilities. He does not limit himself with what he knows; instead he explores to understand and learn.He also understands the difference between logically valid and invalid inferences and can distinguish the variance betweem reasoning and rationalizing. Most of the designers of critical thinking programs are social scientists. They create these designs mainly to improve thinking in the fields of social studies and the humnanities (Schafersman, 1991). Critical thinking can be applied in lectures, laboratories, making of homeworks, quantitative execises such as solving mathematical and word problems, making of term papers and most importantly answering questions during examinations.These activities encourage the students to understand better and apply inquisitive and reasoning skills (Schafersman, 1991). Critical thinking skills should be developed as early as possible because once this is established, it will be easier for the individual to make intelligent choices. The reason why many people commit mistakes is not because of mere ignorance or frailty of mind. They commit mistakes because they fail to think intelligently and analyze the facts involved before they act or make decisions.Hard decisions in life are m ade after careful thinking and analysis. All aspects of the issue is viewed and all possible effects are expected. A critical thinker is able plan ahead and provide remedy for any anomaly that may happen in the execution of his task or in the realization of the decision that he made. At work, the application of critical thinking is inevitable. Proper decisions must be made in order for the company to function better. Any unintelligent decision may create serious repurcussions.Every move must count and the effects thereof be combatted easily. I was once assigned to make a proposal regarding the expansion of the market of the company that I work for. In making the proposal, I did not simply rely on what I know instead I conducted research and surveys. First I listed the interests of the company and its main goals then I made a list of competitors and analyzed their profile. I studied their strengths and weaknesses as well as the business interetsts that they have.Through this process, I was able to figure out on which aspect can the company can develop an edge over the others. When I have determined the aspect to concetrate on, I researched for possible markets for the new undertaking. I conducted surveys to determine its profitability and the people who will patronize it. Knowing the class of people who are interested in the undertaking will help the company in creating products and giving services that they need and want. A company exists to provide services and products for the consumption of the people.They exist to serve and gain profit thus, in formulating decisions, they make sure that the needs of their clients are addressed. After generating data for the new business and the market thereof, I also made an analysis on how to go about with it. The advantages and disadvantages were laid out as well as the probability of the success of the business. Analyzing the data as well as the results of the surveys was a difficult task since these were not seen as th ey are. There was a holistic analysis of the issues presented to better understand the impact of the project.Taking them piece by piece may not necessarily yield to the results that the company needs. I had to look beyond the facts and think for the future. I also opened my mind to several possibilities that may happen and prepared back up plans in case the initial plan fails. The result generted from all of these facts were collated to form the proposal. It was after completing the job that I realized the importance of critical thinking. There is a need to think out of the box to be able to list down endless possibilities and ways of exploring those possibilities.Through the activity,i realized that critical thinking is a tedious process, however the results generated from it makes the effort worthwhile. Through critical thinking, the world becomes more colorful and exciting. References Elder, L. and Paul, R. â€Å"Critical thinking: why we must transform our teaching. † Jou rnal of Development Education, Fall 1994. Schafersman, S. (1991). An Introduction to Critical Thinking. Free Inquiry. Retrieved 14 October 2008 from, http://www. freeinquiry. com/critical-thinking. html

Case Study: Creedence Clearwater Revival

Case study: Creedence Clearwater Revival Introduction Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s (Lyrics Freak, 2010). â€Å"The group consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary lyricist John Fogerty, his brother and rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty, bassist Stu Cook, and drummer Doug Clifford† (Lyrics freak, 2010). The foursome began early on as young teenagers and grew together. Throughout their time together there were many issues that arose that in the end led the group to disband. Cause of Demise CCR began their downward spiral that ended in disbanding in 1970; by 1972 the group had come to an end (Lyrics Freak, 2010). The cause of demise for the group entailed a lot of different factors. John Fogerty had taken business control of the group by 1971 and felt that a democratic vote would only cause problems, however the other band members felt they should have a say in things (Lyrics Freak, 2010). Cook and Clifford were not thrilled with the decisions that Fogerty was making, but ended up accepting what Fogerty offered (Lyrics Freak, 2010). Despite the differences that the members had with how things were going they continued on recording and touring. â€Å"Finally, on October 16, 1972 – less than six months later – Fantasy Records and the band officially announced the disbanding of Creedence Clearwater Revival† (Lyrics Freak, 2010). Legal Issues Each went their separate ways. John began a solo career as a one-man band, but still was under contract with Fantasy to finish eight more records (Lyrics Freak, 2010). John was not thrilled with the way Fantasy was handling the contracts and was upset that they had the copyright to his work. In order for him to break the contract and be free John signed over his rights to Creedence’s songs to Zaentz, the owner of Fantasy (Lyrics Freak, 2010). John fought with Zaentz over this and many other issues. One legal issue much that affected the whole group was that much of the money earned by Fogerty and Creedence was â€Å"lost in an offshore tax-shelter deal arranged by Fantasy† (DeCurtis, 2005). The group took Fantasy to court and after much trial and tribulations CCR won a considerable judgment (DeCurtis, 2005). After John Fogerty left CCR and Fantasy he created an album in 1985 â€Å"Centerfield,† which had the song â€Å"The Old Man Down the Road† on it (DeCurtis, 2005). Zaentz, from Fantasy, felt that he owned the copyright to that song because he felt it â€Å"was an illegal remake of Creedence's ‘Run Through the Jungle’† (DeCurtis, 2005). Zaentz sued Fogerty for $140 million â€Å"for plagiarizing himself† (DeCurtis, 2005). The battle between Fogerty and Zaentz became childish with lashes back and forth. Fogerty began to create songs about Zaentz that were disrespectful and rude. After many arguments and legal battles Fogerty won. Cook and Clifford formed Creedence Clearwater Revisited and decided to sing some of the old songs. They had asked for John Fogerty to join them, but he refused (Lyrics Freak, 2010). Lawsuits between the band members began to ensue because John felt the others had no right to use the names of the band and songs (Lyrics Freak, 2010). Financial Issues Financial Issues were always a problem for the group since the beginning. Although there were a few years where they had financial gain overall the group struggled. When CCR disbanded Cook made a statement to the press saying, â€Å"Over the years John Fogerty has done everything he could to devalue Creedence Clearwater Revival†¦He owes the rest of us a fiduciary duty to protect, enhance and help [the band] grow on a business level. And we believe that he has violated that† (Rolling Stone, 1997). Fantasy had made a deal with an offshore tax shelter, and according to Lyrics Freak (2010) the other members were not aware that John had signed off on this. This deal led to a downfall of finances for all of the members. The negativity that occurred between all parties led to distrust and the inability to work together. This negativity affected their work and before they disbanded the albums put out was not received well by the public, which brought in less revenue then desired (Lyrics Freak, 2010). Management Issues In 1964 CCR, formerly known as The Blue Velvets, signed with Fantasy Records (Lyrics Freak, 2010). From 1964 to 1970 the band had a good run of success under Fantasy, however dissension began to settle in the band and Fogerty took the reigns as business leader for the group (Creedence Online, 2009). Fantasy was the group’s management, but Fogerty began making the main decisions for the group. Eventually the group decided to run as a democracy, which turned into chaos because everyone had their own ideas on how to manage the band (Creedence Online, 2009). Band Interpersonal Issues Dissension arose amongst the band members. Success was something they all sought after, but could not handle. Each had their own ideas on what should be done, but it was rare that all were in agreement in how things should play out. Tom Fogerty became upset at how the band was reacting to situations and in 1971 left the band for good (Creedence Online, 2009). This left John Fogerty, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford, the trio continued on but could not get along enough to keep the band going. They tried by putting together the album Mardi Gras and had also decided to attempt a U. S. tour (Lyrics Freak, 2010). â€Å"Hecklers reportedly pelted the band with coins at the final stop of the tour on May 22 in Denver. Finally, on October 16, 1972 – less than six months later – Fantasy Records and the band officially announced the disbanding of Creedence Clearwater Revival. † (Lyrics Freak, 2010). Conclusion The many issues of the demise of CCR should be learning points for other bands and managers. If I were the one who had discovered CCR and became their manager things would have been different. It is important to understand how each band member reacts to situations and as the manager to make sure everyone is on the same page. It seems that Fantasy did not do this and that John Fogerty had his own agenda as well. Although a democracy is needed and good sometimes, a fine line must be drawn in order to effectively manage a band. First off I would have made it very clear that as the manager I am working for CCR and that everyone does get an equal say, however what is best for the band should always be taken into consideration above what each person desires for themselves. Secondly conferences would have been held to ensure that everyone is on the same page. This is extremely important during long hours of recording and touring. People tend to get tired and do not always think clearly during stressful times, so a re-hashing of the goals the band has is important to keep peace. Thirdly when it comes to the bands money all should have a clear understanding of how the finances are allocated. Every member should have the right to viewing statements. So decisions like the offshore account would not occur. Contracts to protect the members would have this stated in them to offer fairness to every party. By being honest, communicative and having legal protection for all parties I feel that CCR may not have disbanded in such a terrible way. It is shameful that the group could not remain working together after the split. However in 1980 the four did play together for Tom’s wedding lawsuits once again created an end of relationships amongst the group (Lyrics Freak, 2010). Even after the death of Tom John could not let bygones be bygones and still refused to play with former members Cook and Clifford (Lyrics Freak, 2010), References Lyrics Freak. (2010). Creedence Clearwater Revival: Biography. Retrieved March 4, 2010, from http://www. lyricsfreak. com/c/creedence+clearwater+revival/biography. html Creedence Online. (2009). Creedence Clearwater Revival History. Retrieved March 4, 2010, from http://www. creedence-online. net/history/ DeCurtis, A. (2005). John Fogerty Is Closer to Peace With a Label. The New York Times. Published: November 1, 2005. Retrieved March 4, 2010, from http://www. nytimes. com/2005/11/01/arts/music/01foge. html? ei=5088=a96cbcb6483ce99c=1288501200=1=rssnyt=rss=1182985952-kKlgvwEFB+csZpVxoY0czw

Printmaking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Printmaking - Essay Example This painting shows a variety of things and affects the reader’s emotion in a variety of ways. The ability of the painter to incorporate simplicity and complexity all at once, or peace and hostility simultaneously, movement and stillness in the same piece make this piece highly admirable and equally impressive.The painter merely used paper and charcoal as opposed to using other preferable and durable media. Thirdly, the piece is also highly inspirational since it connects the audience with the emotions of the painter. Viewing such a painting, one would argue that the painter was in a state of emotional confusion, or experience mixed feelings with a deep urge to be at peace. As such, the depiction of the painting using diverse emotions and a key purpose in mind presented just the perfect piece of work. As such, the most intriguing aspect of the printmaking project by Nelligan is the fact that the painting is a metaphorical oxymoron. The depiction of two sides of an emotion in t he same picture, two opposing themes and two opposing features of a painting is the key reason that this painting is the perfect selection. The simplicity holds in it, from the media to the subject or overall theme of the painting is also admirable. The painter focused on a set of values and this thus shows a significant aspect about the exceptionality of the painter, a feature that any printmaker or painter would love to possess as a skill set. As such, the selection of this piece is based on one main conclusion; it is spectacular.

Johnson and Johnson Sun Care Product Competitor and Consumer Analysis Essay

Johnson and Johnson Sun Care Product Competitor and Consumer Analysis - Essay Example The long term success of the company in the marketplace is predicated upon its ability to react to, anticipate, and even create needs. Johnson & Johnson is a large corporation with 16.929 Billion of operating income. Total assets of the company are about 84.912 Billion and net income is 12.949 Billion (2008). Johnson & Johnson specializes in pharmaceutical products, medical devices, healthcare products, soaps, shampoos, toiletries, etc. Still, sun care, skin care, health and beauty products, OTC and drug products occupy a large market share. The famous brands of Johnson & Johnson are Johnson's Baby, Coach, Gynol, REACH, etc (Johnson & Johnson Annual Report 6). The company was founded in 1886 as a manufacture of ready-to-use surgical dressings. Robert Wood Johnson was the first president of Johnson & Johnson. The uniqueness of this company is diversification. The first consumer goods were manufactured in 1920s, toiletries were added in 1970s, and at the end of the 21st century the company developed a new division for medical and biopharmaceutical products (Johnson & Johnson Home Page). For Johnson & Johnson, the mingling of value construction and communication that occurs in businesses in which the customer enters the system is worth striving toward in manufacturing firms as well (Burke 3). In Johnson & Johnson, strategic marketing is based on strategic thinking which can be seen as a unique vision of the problem. The subject of decision making raises the larger issue of the planning organization's strategic thinking; specifically, the question is about prerogative and responsibility. Although most "professionally managed" organizations now subscribe to "participatory" decision making, there is nowhere any uniform understanding of exactly what that means. According to the company's annual report, "international sales were 10.3%, 9.6% and 11.2%, respectively 10.8% over 2007 with 8.3% of this change due to operational growth"" (Johnson & Johnson Annual Report 35), The opportunities of Sun care products include high potential to growth and profitability, professional management team and unique corporate culture, customized order system and discounts. There is a great opportunities for ssupermarkets in this field, because specialized shops, throughout the world are interes ted in goods produced in the environmentally friendly manner. "The Skin Care franchise sales grew by 10.8% to $3.4 billion in 2008. The sales growth was primarily due to the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, NEUTROGENA and JOHNSON'S" (Johnson & Johnson Annual Report 35). The company's market share is about 18 %. As for sun care products, the market share is about 11% of the total US market. For sun care products, the opportunities include high potential to development and expansion, professional approach to management and wider product range. Retail service assesses the areas in which the organization can benefit the most from greater emphasis on creativity and innovation. Competitive advantage serves both as a way of identifying what creative and innovative things competitors are doing as well as finding out for each of the areas requiring imagination and innovation who is the best. "Worldwide demand for products using natural ingredients continues to drive growth for the AVEENO brand, which uses a

Living with a long term condition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Living with a long term condition - Essay Example She was doing well under the care of her daughter, but after two years at home, many of her symptoms recurred including her hallucinations, paranoia, delusions of grandeur; she was also manifesting disorganized speech and thought processes. She was hearing voices and was often heard talking to her hallucinations; she also insisted she was a Queen and must be treated as such; and she was easily distracted and had trouble organizing her thoughts. She was also refusing to take her medications. After appropriate evaluation, she was admitted to the mental health unit. I met the patient after being assigned to her care as a mental health nurse. In evaluating her condition, she has been schizophrenic for six years now with her symptoms being manageable for the better part of four years, but due to an untoward incident – the death of her husband, her symptoms have become unmanageable again. Angela is now 56 years old, has had two grown children, and has been recently widowed. She has worked as a school teacher up to the time when her initial symptoms manifested. She has since opted for early retirement due to her condition. When she was brought home after four years in the mental institution, she has had a limited social history. She has opted to not engage in any social interactions because she felt ashamed of her condition. Her family members have remained supportive of her and they have done their best to maintain social interactions with her. Within the mental health unit, she is a shy and socially awkward person. At times, she can also be gregarious with other people, especially when her delusions of grandeur are manifesting. However, she also tends to be suspicious of everyone including the health staff and the patients. This makes her resistant to interactions and to the medical interventions which the health staff are administering. Long term conditions are those conditions which basically require prolonged medical care (London Health Observatory, 2011). The World Health Organization (Department of Health, 2005) describes that long-term conditions or chronic conditions are health issues which call for continuous care over a period of years or even decades. It includes conditions like cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, hypertension, and mental disorders including schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer’s disease (London Health Observatory, 2011). The patient’s mental illness is considered a long-term condition because it would require continuous management. In short, it is a life-long disease which would require constant supervision and treatment. The patient would have to take medications for the rest of her life to manage her symptoms and she would have to be monitored in order to ensure that her symptoms would not endanger her life and the life of other people. 2. PLANNING THE CARE a. What interventions were planned – what is the evidence based for this? Interventions which were planned primarily included the administr ation of antipsychotic medications. The management of schizophrenia most often includes antipsychotic medications (Brown University, 2012). The patient was to be placed on Risperidone (Risperdal) which is an atypical antipsychotic. Risperidone is currently preferred as an antipsychotic because it does not cause agranulocytosis, which is commonly seen in clozapine, another antipsychotic (National Institute of Mental Health, 2012). Risperidone however can increase a patient’s risk to diabetes and hypercholestolemia; as a result, regular monitoring of the

Growth and Expansion of the Nazi Party 1933 - 1934 Essay

Growth and Expansion of the Nazi Party 1933 - 1934 - Essay Example This research tells that on November 9, 1918, just two days before the end of World War I, the German Emperor, William II abdicated and signed the armistice that ended the war. This was followed by major reparation payment demands and other reforms that caused massive hardships for Germany in the interwar period. Elections were held in January 1919 which elected a national assembly that was to draft a new constitution. The Weimar constitution gave way to much more liberal methods of governance as opposed to the authoritarianism and militarism of the previous regime and government. The constitution also gave way to the formation of two houses of parliament. This included the lower house, the Reichstag which was to be constituted by elected parliamentarians chosen by the German people through a universal adult suffrage. The model of the constitution was such that small parties were guaranteed seats in the parliament and it was virtually impossible for any single party to control the Re ichstag. This created cracks in the constitutional system of Germany which gave rise to the Nazi party and ultimately, the rise of Hitler as the supreme authority of Germany. The Weimar Republic’s constitution made it imperative for the President to appoint the Chancellor and the Reichstag had the power to interrogate the chancellor candidate and could pass a vote of no confidence in such a candidate. The President could also dissolve the Reichstag in emergency situations through Article 48. In 1930, there had been numerous situations where the German President, Paul von Hindenburg had bypassed the Reichstag in making numerous decisions. This set a precedent in which the German parliament was seen as a weak body that did not have its own will or own position in matters and situations. This created cracks that Hitler could exploit in order to take up a position in the government. After winning the most seats in 1932, Hitler had won the election and was in line to become chance llor in January 1933. Paul von Hindenburg, the German President moved to dissolve parliament and asked for new elections. This is because Hindenburg did not like the ideologies of Hitler. He, therefore, dissolved the Reichstag and asked for fresh elections.

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Operations Management - Essay Example 2). This paper seeks to analyze the structure of the business and establish key performance measures for introducing changes to achieve the corporate objectives. Structure of the business Currently, the twelve holiday centers operate on a standalone basis and produce quarterly reports for HQ manually. The company’s decision to automate this process for exercising control on daily basis based on the data from A2, A3 & A4 continuously is a step in the right direction. Performance Key Measures Wangoway et al (2010) state, â€Å"Performance of an organization has traditionally been measured by looking at the revenues or the profit made at the end of the year, or using key financial ratios† (p. 859). However, non-financial measures are also important. The centres need to send weekly performance report covering all the key performance measures to HQ. Key Performance Evaluation measures 1. Profits Formula (Net profit / Sales) x 100, i.e. net profit as a percentage of sale for the period. Target 2% increase over the profit during the previous can be kept as a target. For instance, if it was 10% during ’10 for restaurant business, the target is 12% for ’11. Purpose Profit is the ultimate measure for success in any business. 2. Sales growth Formula Increase in sales during the current year expressed as a percentage of sales during the previous year. Target Fixed as in the case of net profit. ... Target Industry average could be the target if the company lags behind it. Otherwise, fixation of target is a management task as it is related to capital investment or expansions apart from improving efficiency in the operations. However, improvement over the previous year needs to be the guiding factor. 4. Customer base Formula Increase in the total number of customers serviced expressed as a percentage of the total number of customers serviced during the previous year. Target Fixed as in the case of net profit and sales. Purpose Increase in the customer base is the key to growth in business. 5. Room occupancy rate Formula (n/164*) x 100 Where ‘n’ is the number of days booked. (* 90% of 3-1/2 days in a week) Target Room occupancy depends upon various factors such as climate and general economic conditions, and the range could be 80 to 95%. Purpose This measures the performance in room booking. 6. Food and beverage sales Formula Increase in sales during the current year expressed as a percentage of sales during previous year. Target Fixation of target depends upon trends and targets in room occupancy. Purpose It could be affected due to several factors such as efficiency and pricing, and variance analysis would reveal the causes. 7. Log time in games, fitness and recreation facilities Formula Increase in utilization in terms of hours during the current year expressed as a percentage of hours during the previous year. Target The target needs to be fixed based on the conditions of the equipments and need for repairs and overhauling. It could be related to room occupancy as in the case of food and beverage sales. Purpose The decrease in utilization may mean poor working conditions of the equipment. Also, old model equipments and facilities may not attract

Philosophy - Five faces of oppression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Philosophy - Five faces of oppression - Essay Example Young also offers a comprehensive understanding of oppression in its restricted appreciation since the existence of the oppressed does not necessarily imply the simultaneous existence of an oppressor. These five faces: Exploitation, Marginalization, Powerlessness, Cultural Imperialism and Violence are the main focus of the article. Exploitation can most vividly be designated in a Capitalist environment where labor is a means to propagate dominion. The evident injustice in the distribution of wealth among social classes is the main thrust of this category but it does not end there since social rules in work also define the inequality (Young, p.6). Defined as the most dangerous, Marginalization is best manifested with the material deprivation of one group over the others. Society has addressed this issue mainly by providing welfare dole outs and services to repress unrest among these people (ibid, p.9). Powerlessness is the lack of opportunity and respect that the oppressed suffer. â€Å"the powerless are situated so that they must take orders and rarely have the right to give them† (ibid, p.10). The imposition of dominance of one group over the others result to Cultural Imperialism since culture variations become a source of oppression through intolerance (ibid, p.10). Violence is an outward manifestatio n of systemic oppression where by the sole reason of belonging to a marginalized group, the members suffer this face of oppression. This is a recurring social practice and suggests degrees of perpetration (ibid, p.13). These five faces can be used as a gauge and as a way compare the level of oppression among the oppressed groups and the presence of any, as the author suggests, positively equates to

Pinnacle Pictures Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Pinnacle Pictures - Case Study Example Pinnacle Pictures has been able to dominate the regional market on the basis of its job quality and 'value for money' services. With a staff of about fifty people, the company has been able to break even and earn profits with a respectable turnover of 5,000,000. Now that the digital photography, personal computer printing, instant photography and transmission picture/ video transmission on the net has taken over the traditional photography, Pinnacle Pictures also feels the need for going digital and an upgrade in technology to retain its customer base as well as to gain more customers. Though there are still patrons of the traditional rolling film type photography and the technique is still very much in use, digital photography is steadily been gaining more ground and acceptability. Increasing use of smaller versions of digital cameras with personal computers and advanced ways of printing technology has almost necessitated the requisite changes in the marketing strategies of the comp any. In this paper an effort is being made to suggest appropriate strategies and steps that Pinnacle can adopt to take on the competitors and increase its market share. A marketing plan for Pinnacle forms an integral part of its broader business plan implying in words and numbers how, where and to whom Pinnacle proposes to roll the film and photography, outlining the company's approach in attracting potential customers to its printing and development. 2.0 Situation Analysis 2.1 Macro environment: Film photography appears to be fighting for survival amongst the range of digital technologies that are available as a formidable alternative. So far the company has been able to maintain its profitability with its customer oriented 'value for money' approach. To venture into the digital field with field in such a manner that Pinnacle can take the course gradually without totally abandoning its existing operations. To analyze the factors influencing this decision, PEST analysis proves to be a very helpful tool. PEST analysis: This type of analysis is done analyze the new venture, new location, new country or new business. It gives a fair idea about the favorable and unfavorable factors of the business venture that the company intends to go into. Accordingly the company can plan out strategies, take a review of its decision or may prepare itself vigorously to jump into the fray. PEST analysis involves four main factors. Political: Under the globalization and liberalization scheme of things, the political factors in general have been quite supportive of business ventures. Governments are opening up newer avenues for growth within the country. Therefore the political environment on the macro level appears very much conducive towards growth in the photographic market. Since the management and top bosses of the company too appear to convinced about the change in attitude and business strategies, therefore the inner politics too is favorable towards the business. Economic: Since the economic prosperity of a nation or state is one the prime concerns of the respective governments. These governments prefer more business activities, so that governments can get more taxes for development of infrastructure and other social welfare schemes. The import duties, customs duties, excise and other forms of taxes are being put at bare minimum for the latest digital age gadgets and

Religion in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Religion in Canada - Essay Example So, are Canadians picking and choosing when it comes to their religions and religious practices? Using examples from different religions, here it will be examined how Canadians think of religion, what the trend of religious practices are in Canada, and what the future of religion is in Canada. Much like the U.S., Canada is somewhat divided over religion. Depending upon where one goes, there may be more Catholic than Protestant influence. For the most part, Christianity remains one of the religions that plays a major role in Canadians’ lives. Since Canada is close to the U.S., Canadians share many of the same Christian values that Americans do—although perhaps not to the extreme that Americans do. The Canadians that this writer knows—who happen to be Christian—tend to be very choosy with the way they practice their Christianity. Basically, their services are boring. Their music is boring. In fact, there is not really too much to celebrate when worship rolls around on Sunday morning. Canadians live in somewhat of a glass bubble. Canadians are sheltered from the world. Usually, their personal views are very narrow. Anyone who does not share these narrow views is considered an outsider. Canadians treat outsiders to their religious practices much the same way that they treat Americans-usually with an odd stare and a disdainful glance. This is not particularly unusual-after all, who wouldn't react the same way The Other is usually considered taboo wherever one goes, and outsiders are almost never welcomed with completely open arms. Let us go back to this notion of closemindedness within Canadian Christianity. Canadian culture in general is very guarded. This is possibly due to the fact that Canada is so close to the U.S. that it competes very fiercely for recognition on many levels. Canadians in general feel that they have been left out of the sociocultural landscape of North America due to their unique position in the world. On one hand, Canada is very isolated. Thus, its people are in many ways sheltered from the world. Unless a Canadian travels outside his or her own country, he or she will not have the kind of cultural experiences that make good breeding ground for a mind rife with religious diversity. Christians in Canada think that basically everyone is out to scam somebody. Canadian Christians generally don't believe in the inherent goodness of people. However, they are skeptical of people who are genuinely in need. Part of this inability to comprehend how people can be in need of goods and services is because Canadians are highly self-reliant. Even if a person is religious, that does not necessarily cut the mustard with Canadian Christians. Generally, Canadian Christians are well-read and well-informed about their faith, in terms of knowing the history behind it. They are very concerned with how their faith evolved over time with regard to their particular religion. Trends of religious practices in Canada include a move towards more inclusion of those with religious differences. For example, Canada is moving towards the inclusion of other religious traditions, especially Islam. Normally Canada might be thought of as an unusual place for Muslims to settle. However, many Muslims are just like their Canadian Christian neighbors-they want to have good home lives with no trouble. Canada has been a good place for Muslims to settle because of the relatively benignly neutral state of the country. Canada in the past has recused itself from getting involved in foreign wars, and has been largely neutral with regards to various wars having been fought. Muslims generally feel more or less accepted moreso in

Local Law Enforcement Essay Example for Free

Local Law Enforcement Essay Stages/Steps in the Hiring Process: First step is the applicant processing division to identify the most qualified applicants. Second step is the Pre-hire interview, next is a medical exam and then take a written psychological test. Next one will take a job standard test and an oral psychological interview. Last but not least a character investigation and any other additional requirements under exceptional circumstances. Specific Requirements: Applicants must be at least 17 ½ years of age by the last day of filing of the exam they are applying for. . Those applicants who are 35 and over and have active United States military service may deduct up to six years from the age requirement. If by mail: Applications must be submitted/postmarked by the filing deadline of the exam they are applying for. Candidates must be at least 21 years of age on or before the day of hire. Candidates must be a United States citizen on or before the day of hire. On or before the day of hire, candidates must have successfully completed either: Sixty (60) college credits with a 2.0 G.P.A. from an accredited college or university, or Two (2) years of full-time, active military service in the United States Armed Forces with an honorable discharge and have a high schools diploma or its equivalent. Candidates must reside either within one of the five boroughs of New York City or one of the surrounding counties of New York City; Suffolk, Westchester, Orange, Rockland, Nassau or Putnam Counties on the day of hire. Candidates must possess a valid, unrestricted New York State Driver’s License on the day of hire. Candidates must pay a $75.00 fee for fingerprinting as part of the investigation process. Candidates must pass a drug/alcohol screening. Candidates must pass a character and background investigation. Pay Scales: Police Academy 44,744; after 6 months 46,288; after 1.5 years 48,173; after 2.5 years 53, 819; after 3.5 years 58,786; after 4.5 years 62,455; after 5.0 years 69,005; after 5.5 years 90, 829. †¢Candidates must compete in the required written examination and pass additional screening procedures. †¢Candidates must be legal residents of Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester County or one of the five boroughs of New York City at time of appointment and maintain residency. †¢Candidates must be at least 17 but less than 35 years of age on the date of the written exam; provided, however, that time spent on military duty or on terminal leave, not exceeding a total of 6 years, shall be subtracted from the age of any applicant who has passed their 35th birthday, as provided in subdivision 10-a of Section 243 of the New York State Military Law. †¢Candidates must be citizens of the United States at time of appointment. †¢Candidates will be required to submit to a background investigation prior to appointment. †¢Candidates must possess a valid New York State driver’s license at time of appointment. †¢Appointments are determined on an individual basis by the Nassau County Civil Service Commission, however, anyone with a felony conviction may be excluded from being a Nassau County Police Officer. †¢No college education is required to take the written examination; however, 32 credits of college education are required for appointment. Those candidates who have not attained that level of education but are otherwise eligible for appointment will remain on the eligible list and will become eligible for appointment after they have obtained the necessary college credits. Pay Scales: Get paid while you train in the Police Academy;$34,000 starting salary;$107,319 after 9 years;12% shift differential; Education incentive pay Title of Agency (3): City of New York Department of Correction Web Address: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doc/html/home/home.shtml Stages/Steps in the Hiring Process: The primary responsibility of the Applicant Investigation Unit is to ensure the New York City Department of Correction hires the most qualified candidate to join the uniform members of service. The candidates are investigated, evaluated medically, inclusive of an agility test, and physically to determine their fitness for duty in all aforementioned areas. The New York City Department of Correction investigates thousands of candidates; however, only the most qualified for the position are selected.

Effects of Fossil Fuels

Effects of Fossil Fuels Every year, 5.5 million people die prematurely because of air pollution (Lelieveld et al 367). In fact, that number is more than the deaths caused by malaria and HIV/Aids combined. By 2050, the number is projected to double if the problem cannot be tackled properly (Carrington). When asked how to address this problem, a common answer is to reduce our fossil fuels productions. But how can we the world together solve this problem? In the recent book This Changes Everything, the author, Naomi Klein describes how the world is struggling to reduce carbon emissions, and we are approaching the point where climate change is soon to be out of control. The author expresses her indignation about the machinations of big polluters and their collaborators, and concludes with a hope of a revolution when societies suddenly decide they have had enough (Klein 464), so only mass social movements can save us now (Klein 450). To do so, she urges people to act and apply comprehensive boycotts, divestments , and penalties against lobbied politicians, parties, countries and corporations that are destroying our resources and future. One of the remedies she mentions is the divestment movement which can stop the intention of pushing the planet beyond the boiling point of big oil companies (Klein 354). Divestment def: Divestment is considered as one of the few remaining practical strategies likely to awaken organizations and individuals around the world to the powerful necessity of massive and immediate action to fight against climate change and extractivsm because it is morally, strategically and financially important. Greenhouse gas emissions in the world are continuing to increase rapidly, yet the climate is worse than anticipated. Scientific evidence suggests that, with the absence of significant progress to slow emissions, the climate of the earth will warm up at least 3 degrees Celsius, if not more. Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change conclude that if future temperature increases two or three more degree, one-sixth of the worlds population would face floods or droughts and reduce crop production in Africa enough to put several hundred million people at risk of starvation (Lockwood). In order to keep the world safe, international commitments based on scientific evidence have committed to keep warming around 2 °C of the pre-industrial baseline. However, the earth is currently at about 0.8 °C above this pre-industrial level (IPCC). Without strong and meaningful solutions to slow down emissions, the dangers of warming at higher levels such as 3 °C or 6 °C wi ll likely result in the sea level rise up to three feet by 2100 and ten feet by 2300 (World Bank). Hundred millions people will have to seek for new settlements. Catastrophic fires will take place in Amazon forests more often, which is responsible for ten percent of the worlds oxygen supply. Yet, the Himalayan ice sheet will melt, causing 2 billion people in Asia losing water supply for drinking and farming. However, fossil fuel extraction companies rely on extracting resources that are incompatible with the 2 °C warming threshold. Carbon budget has been estimated at 565 gigatons of carbon dioxide in 2012, but fossil fuel companies hold reserves that are estimated at 2795 gigatons which is five times as much compared to the carbon budget. In other words, only 20 percent of their reserves can be exploited and burned without exceeding the 2 °C warming threshold, and the other 80 percent must be kept intact in the ground. Despite the truth that burning fossil fuel will ca use the world to reach the limit of warming, they continue to extract and also pour billion of dollars every years into finding new resources, about 674 billion in 2012. Furthermore, they have spent billion on exploring unconventional fossil fuels which are more harmful to the environment such as coal seam gas and tar sand. These activities are considered as unscrupulous behaviors, regardless of whether these extraction and exploration companies are putting money into research and development methods related to cleaner harnessing methods and alternatives, and alsotheir activities have contravened local laws or jeopardized indigenous peoples health by causing water contamination and releasing emissions during the exploitation process. To smoothen those exploitation processes, fossil fuel companies have funded climate change deniers and influenced politicians to ensure legislations that limit environmental rules can be passed. They also advertise campaigns against proposed initiatives , exaggerating the potential job losses and imbalance of energy security. Therefore, fossil fuel companies have shown a lack of integrity and accountability, so continuing to invest in these companies does not fit social morality any more. As in Bill McKibbens words, If its wrong to wreck the planet, then its wrong to profit from that wreckage. However, fossil fuel companies and opponents argue that the world is so dependent on fossil fuels, and any abrupt change will impact on the poorest countries and communities because only fossil fuels can lift them out of poverty. In fact, the world has seen that alternative energy has brought benefits to the worlds poor. For example, in Bangladesh and Mongolia, more than 3.5 million solar homes systems have been installed in rural Bangladesh, creating 70,000 direct jobs (World bank). The solar homes system has been changing their lives by not only lighting up their homes with low-cost energy, but also provide a safer energy source to cook rat her than burning coal and wood because indoor air pollution is one of the main causes of death in these countries, due to the use of dirty oil or coal plant to cook (Varma). If we perceive that destroying the climate in which humanity evolved by promoting fossil fuel emissions is wrong, then making profit from investing in these companies is also unethical. Divesting may not prevent fossil fuel companies from continuing their activities. It will, however, put the pressure on them to behave responsibly and make them not to continue acting with impunity. Although there is a widespread agreement that institutional investors leaving their funds will not directly harm fossil fuel companies, there may be a direct financial impact on the areas where funds are reinvested. Renewable energy and other clean technology companies are widely recognized as under-capitalized, meaning that greater investment in these sectors could help push the development of alternative and renewable energy. In a report in 2014, the IEA confirms that global financial support for fossil fuels in which exploration is only a portion, was estimated at $ 550 billion in 2013. That was four times the subsidies for renewable energy. Because of the huge costs for exploring reserves and the fluctuation in prices of coal and oil, these generous public subsidies are deemed uneconomic, holding back investment in renewable. But if billion of dollars are withdrawn from fossil fuels companies, what are the sectors where the investments could yield high returns and also facilitate the transition to renewable and clean energy system? A recent report from the Sustainable Conservation Alliance found that colleges investing in lighting and heating energy efficiency at their facilities earned an average return on investment of 28 percent. Renewable electricity generation such as wind, solar and biomass, not only reduces emissions but also creates jobs. Some investors argue that fossil fuels companies promise to make fossil fuels become a cleaner source of energy, so divestment is not necessary. The fact that large fossil fuel companies often have some activities in the field of renewable energy makes the divestment movement become complicated. Some observers also argue that shareholder involvement may motivate fossil-fuel companies to convert into renewable energy providers. However, renewable energy accounts for only a small proportion of activities, reaching a peak of 6% by 2015), and there is currently no sign that the transition will occur. As Klein asserts, And even as the demand for renewables increases, the pe rcentage the fossil fuel  companies spend on them keeps shrinking by 2011, most of the majors were spending less than 1 percent of their overall expenditures on alternative energy, with Chevron and Shell spending a deeply unimpressive 2.5 percent. New reserves are still being exploited and explored although in most cases further development is incompatible with the limits of safe climate change. Historically, companies and industries that have not been able to grow fast enough to transform their underlying business operations tend to become outdated and then replaced by new ones. Divestment can facilitate the transition to clean economy. That a massive global transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energies, led by solar, also means that there are and will continue to be competitive investment returns earned from carefully selected investment exposure to renewables. The movement is criticized when it gets more attention. It is described as an empty strategy: When you sell your shares, new investors will take your spot. They also have the same influence. Therefore, some investors claim that the divestment from fossil fuel companies is a symbolic act. But what the emergence of this networked, grassroots movement means is that the next time climate campaigners get into a room filled with politicians and polluters to negotiate, there will be many thousands of people outside the doors with the power to amp up the political pressure significantly with heightened boycotts, court cases, and more militant direct action should real progress fail to materialize. And that is a very significant shift indeed. (Klein 355) History shows that divestment campaigns do work by removing the social license of the companies and casting them as social pariahs that run counter to social values. This results in a country or industry running into serious difficulties. As Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu have insisted, the divestment campaign in the 1980s was critical to the overthrow of apartheid in South Africa. In the 1990s a divestment helped bring major changes in the tobacco industry after decades of denial. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ As a recent Oxford University study has shown,1 even when divestment has no direct, substantial financial impact on companies, it helps to remove the social license of companies pursuing highly destructive practices. In doing so it helps build a movement that harms the public image of these companies, reduces their political support, and thus impacts their financial interests. Such a campaign can thus help convince the companies to act in a more socially and environmentally responsible way. The campaign can also help convince governments to restrict the GHG emissions of the fossil fuel industry. True, fossil fuel is not in itself a social evil the way apartheid or tobacco addiction are. However, the impact or global warming caused by fossil fuels is far more extensive than apartheid and tobacco. And that impact will be hardest for developing countries and the poor, and the devastating social injustice that will result outstrips the terrible consequences of apartheid. Similarly, the health impacts of global warming will be more deadly than tobacco addiction. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fossil fuel companies are aware of the devastating harm they are causing and will cause. Yet they are working very hard to continue profiting from the use of fossil fuels and they are fighting against the promotion of renewable energy that we need. While the production of energy itself is a social necessity, to knowingly continue the production of energy that will cause vast pain and destruction for the financial gain of a few is indeed evil. If you own fossil fuels you own global warming. You own the most likely cause of global economic and possibly even civilization-level failure, and moreover, you own a power source that is having an increasingly tough time competing economically. The human community has never faced such certain and devastating consequences if action is not taken. Apart from nuclear war, climate change dominates all previous threats to humanity in its scope and extent. The magnitude of the threat in itself represents a powerful argument in favor of divestment. The movement will send an important message to the world that climate change is happening and immediate actions are needed through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and shifting rapidly to the carbon-free world. Such changes can be considered disruptive and difficult, but necessary and will benefit human health and wellbeing in the short run and in the years and decades to come.  There are strong moral and financial reasons for organizations an d individuals to divest from fossil fuels. Also, divestment is an opportunity for organizations to align their investments with their values and show leadership on climate action. It is not only a political issue or something to be handled by big organizations. Anyone can do something to contribute and to convince institutions to divest. Maybe there is a local divestment group you could join or simply support the international campaigns of 350.org. Ask your bank if they are still investing in fossil fuels. It is up to us to decide where our money is working for.

The Ethics Of Poverty

The Ethics Of Poverty I will begin this delicate topic with some information about poverty and then I will explain the differences between those who believe it is not our duty to provide support to the impoverished and those who do. Regardless of who is morally right or wrong or who is responsible for helping the poor, poverty will always be a part of life in this world. There will always be wealthy people and there will always be poor people. It is a fact of our life struggles that corresponds with Darwins theory, only the strong survive. With the economic condition of the world today poverty is a concern that is becoming a greater issue; despite its being overlooked around the world for many years. Most people would rather turn their heads and ignore the fact that there are millions of individuals who live in some state of poverty every day. It is easy for those who are well off to ignore the realization that poverty does exist; because those who choose to remain ignorant about poverty are not worried about where they will sleep that night or where they will get food from. They are also not forced to live in extreme conditions every day or wonder where they can get a shower or clothes, because they have their basic necessities in life. Maybe if they understood what those poverty stricken people were going through, they might reconsider their outlook on poverty. In the United States, poverty is measured by poverty thresholds and poverty guidelines. (Wikipedia, 2011) According to numerous surveys at one time or another, over forty percent of Americans have had to deal with some type of poverty caused by hardships, such as job loss, financial strains, natural disasters, death, divorce, poor economic conditions, and even war. According to the United States Census Bureau, poverty in the U.S. has spiked to an all-time high surpassing fourteen percent. (CNNMoney.com, 2010) According to National Public Radio online, poverty has not been the main issue for many Americans and in fact it has slowly faded from the headlines. (NPR, 2001) So with all that information; I will pose some questions that are always being asked about who are actually responsible for the lack of attention the poverty issue has received. Is the U. S. Government to blame? Do we blame Globalization? Who in the world can be the sole individual to blame? Do we blame Americans because our nation is more advanced than those third world countries? Whose duty is it to help those in need? These questions are the ones that many human rights supporters and their opponents are quarreling over. Despite this information and the questions I presented; there are Americans who believe poverty is a big problem and they are all in consensus that something should be done about it. Many of those individuals also agree that any aid our government/country gives to those in need is only done because it is in the best interest of our national government and not because the government feels they have to. If our government felt it was their duty as a nation to give continuously to the impoverished, then we wouldnt have poverty stricken people or homeless individuals here in the United States. The worlds poverty numbers would diminish extremely if our government felt it was their duty to help all those in need. There are many philosophers like Peter Singer, Ayn Rand, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky and numerous Human Rights Activists such as Thomas Pogge and Simon Caney as well as other humanitarian organizations that believe wealthy people have a moral obligation or duty to help those who are severely destitute. If the well-to-do opt not to help those who live a life of severe poverty, they are considered human rights violators and the same Activist protest there should be some kind of condemnation for ignoring those who are suffering from poverty. (Saddia, 2010) For example, Peter Singer suggests that if the well off have abundance and are well to do then it is their moral responsibility to assist those in need. (Wikipedia, 2011) Helping those in need comes down to ones beliefs and moral values. It really is up to individuals to decide for themselves as to whether or not they want to help the needy. If they feel bad for those in need, then the answer would be yes, those individuals should help the poor. But, if there are no deep feelings of sorrow, then the answer to whether they should help, would be no. Like I previously stated, it is what the individual believes in their mind and heart. Their moral judgment will give them the answer they are searching for as to whether they are wasting their time and money in trying to help the needy or if they feel helping the needy would make them feel better as a person. In the case of poverty, I believe an individuals morals are based off emotions, reflexes and what they feel in their hearts. Most individuals depend on these emotions, reflexes, and feelings to help them make decisions. There is a possibility the world could benefit from those who help the needy; the total number of impoverished families and people in the world might be reduced with help from the wealthy. But there are too many poverty stricken people in this world to help, that it would take much longer than we have on this earth to see the positive changes. All individuals have a right to basic necessities such as food, water, clothing, and shelter; however, providing the basic necessities to the needy should not be the sole responsibility of those who are better off. An individual who is well off can only do so much for so long and after helping those in need, individuals begin to assume they are being taken advantage of and they start providing less and less assistance to the needy. They tend to find a mindset of why am I the only one helping these people and why should I help them. Other individuals have concerns as to where their monetary assistance is actually going. People who help out by donating money to those charity organizations that support the impoverished, wonder if their monetary support is actually making it to those in need in a third world country or if some organization leader is keeping a majority of the donated money to help cover costs of that organization. Like me I wonder the same thing, because I know there are millions of people and charity organizations who are helping the impoverished, but we cannot assume that all the aid is going to those needy because nothing is really changing for those who are poor. It seems those who support the poor are fighting a losing battle. On the other hand, there are many people world-wide who believe the well-to-do do not have a moral duty or obligation to provide support or provide assistance to those who desperately need it. Individuals who think this believe they have worked too hard to for what they have, that they shouldnt have to just give it away because someone else in another country is not working hard enough to alleviate their plight. They also believe that it is not their concern or their fault that people in other countries are so poor. Forcing the well-to-do to share their wealth with the poor would be considered a violation of their rights since they are not being allowed to choose whether to give or not. If we continue to just provide assistance instead of resources for them, to the impoverished we are just causing more problems down the road, because those who are poor will continue to expect support instead of using the resources to better themselves. Needless to say, the poor continue to reproduce at a greater number than the rich. So those third world countries are practically doubling in population and if we continue to provide some sort of safety net in the form of support from the wealthy, then how can the poor population ever recover. I dont want to venture into religious opinions, but the Bible does state there will always be poor amongst us. Yet many Archbishops state, the rich should help the poor. Garrett Hardin a philosopher as well was opposed to Peter Singers theory that the rich should be influenced to help the poor. There are many well-to-do individuals who claim they have no responsibility for the millions of poor people across the world, because it was not their fault the poor people ended up in that situation. Yet there are those who believe we have several options: we may be tempted to try to live by the Christian ideal of being our brothers keeper, or by the Marxist ideal of to each according to his needs. (Hardin, 2003) Those who believe we should not supp ort the poor are said to have more of an individual egoism (Philosophy Basics, ) which means they are more inclined to act in their self-interest. So with all that being said, what is the morally right thing to do and whos duty is it to help those in need? There is and always will be different views on who is to blame and who should help the impoverished. The absolute fact is that there will always be poverty stricken people in this world no matter if we as individuals feel it is our duty to help those in need or not. From the beginning of time to the present day, people have fallen into two categories, they are either hunters or they are gatherers. Those who fall into the hunter category or have the hunter persona are individuals who fight hard to ensure their families have the basic necessities and more if possible. Then you have those individuals who fall into the gatherer category or have the gatherer persona; they expect others, particularly the hunters to feed and take care of them. There are several reasons as to why people are severely poor and those people who are capable of helping would probably make the better decision and help those who fell into poverty because of a natural disaster, job loss due to businesses downsizing, or even medical related problems which keep people from working. Extreme reasons like that affects individuals differently and they are more inclined to help those who fell into poverty. But for someone to say we should help those in need because they fall victim to drugs or violence is not a severe enough reason to entice someone to help. People are not sympathetic to those kinds of reasons. I however, dont believe it is the rich mans responsibility to take care of the poor simply because we choose our own path in life and there is always room for change. Staying in a state of poverty just because there is a small amount of help is not a justifiable reason to avoid changing their situation. I also dont if someone who was extremely poor suddenly became rich, that they would turn around and give their money to the poor. I believe they would possibly donate some of their money to certain charity organizations or maybe give a little money to friends or family who helped them through the tough times. But how long would they continue to give their earnings to the poor is unknown, because they possibly would become tired of having to continuously support those who have less. So in the end, who is really to blame for the poor being poor? I believe their governments should rise up and do more to alleviate the poverty issues in their respective countries. For example, Africa is known for being a continent with a majority of the population being impoverished and not having basic necessities. Yet they export oil, diamonds, and other goods which would increase their Gross National Product and they could use the increase to help the poor. If the country where those needy live has a failing economy, then who is responsible or who do we blame? Do we blame it on Globalization? I believe the American welfare system does not help the poor or improve their situation, it merely allows them to get by and because of this they do not put enough effort into improving their status. It is true to this day, the rich get richer and the poor, poorer.

Fuel Systems :: essays research papers

Fuel Systems In this report I will explain the fuel systems in an automobile. I will cover different parts and how they work. First thing to do is explain how the fuel system works. The purpose of the fuel system is to store and supply fuel to the cylinder chamber where it can be mixed with air then vaporized and burned to produce energy. The fuel, which can be either gas or diesel is stored in a fuel tank. A fuel pump draws the fuel from the gas tank through lines and brings it through a fuel filter. Next it goes to either a carburetor or fuel injector and then delivered to the cylinder chamber for combustion. We will start with the fuel tank. A fuel tank comes in many different sizes depending on how much space is available. Most cars and trucks have only one tank but some trucks have two. Fuel tanks can be made of 3 different things. These are pressed corrosion-resistant steel, aluminum, or molded reinforced polyethylene plastic. The fuel tank has internal baffles or surge plates to prevent the fuel from sloshing back and forth. If you hear splashing in the tank on acceleration or deceleration, this means that the baffles could be broken. All tanks have a fuel filler pipe, a fuel outlet line to the engine and a vent system. All catalytic converter cars are equipped with a filler pipe restrictor so that leaded fuel, which is dispensed from a thicker nozzle, cannot be introduced into the fuel system. All modern fuel tanks include devices that prevent vapors from leaving the tank. All fuel tank designs provide some control of fuel height when the tank is filled. This is achieved by using ve nt lings within the filler tube or tank. With this design only 90% of the tank is ever full, leaving 10% for expansion. Some vehicles have a over filling limiting valve to prevent overfilling of the tank. Fuel is drawn from the tank by an in-tank or chassis-mounted fuel pump. The fuel pump is the device that draws the fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel lines, to the fuel filter and then to the engine’s carburetor or injectors. There are two types of fuel pumps: mechanical and electrical. The mechanical fuel pump is bolted on the side of the engine block or on the side of the cover of the timing gear.

School Project :: essays research papers

Introduction from the principal†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Students and Parents: We welcome you all here to Hard Knock High School. High school experiences offers learning opportunities that will provide skills to prepare you for post high school choices. Our staff at HKHS is here to help you through your high school career, and with anything else you need. We are open to the public, which means anyone can go here. We are all here to work with you, not against you, as most of you would like to think that we throw you in school to punish you. That is not true. If you try, just a little, then your high school experience at HKHS will be the best you will ever have. I wish you success in all your endeavors as a student at Hard Knock High School. Sincerely, Jessica C. Lynch Principal Rules of School 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Respect your peers as well as Teachers 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No Weapons 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No Drugs 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No Drinking 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No Sexual Contact 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No Beat boxes 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No Profanity ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS CREDIT REQUIREMENTS In order to graduate from Hard Knock High School, a student shall be required to earn the following:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  70 credits (based on 72 possible in grades 9-12) One credit will be given to each class passed with a D+ or higher for each term. REQUIRED COURSES ENGLISH – 14 CREDITS SOCIAL SCIENCE – 12 CREDITS SCIENCE – 8 CREDITS HEALTH – 2 CREDITS COMPUTER LITERACY – 4 CREDITS ATHLETIC ELIGIBILTY All students that wish to play school sports must keep a GPA of 2.00 or higher. No excuses. COLLEGE PREPARATORY FRESHMAN  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  SOPHOMORE  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  JUINOR  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  SENIOR English 9 U.S. History Math Science Health Electives: Keyboarding, modern language fine arts, life skills, etc.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  English 10 Am. History Math Biology Phys. Ed. Electives: Modern language, fine arts, business, life skills.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  English 11 Government Electives: Math, Chemistry, etc.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economics English Math Science Social Sci Modern Lang. Course Selection Index BUSINESS EDUCATION †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Keyboarding †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Basic Economics 1 & 2 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business Math †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Accounting 1 & 2 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Computer Applications †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Web Publishing †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Word Processing and Advanced †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business Management †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Work Experience †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  School to work Mentorship and Internship FINE ARTS †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drama and Theater †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drawling †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Painting †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ceramics †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sculpture †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Set Design †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chorale †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chorus †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Band †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Art Seminar 1 & 2 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Computer Design †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dance ENGLISH †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Journalism †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Speech †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yearbook Publications †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  English 9th †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  English 10th

A Semiotic Analysis of the Battle Fo Algiers

The Battle of Algiers, which was produced in 1966 and directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, is a film which explores the Algerian struggle for independence between 1954 and 1962. The film is constructed using a documentary style and was filmed on the actual locations where events unfolded. The Battle of Algiers is an example of neorealist filmmaking which purports to give an objective, realistic account of the battles waged between the FLN (National Liberation Front) rebels and the French military. The formal elements of style which create the narrative can be examined using semiotic theory in order to better understand how the viewer can be interpellated into particular ideological positions. Interestingly, the ideal viewing position is not easily recognisable, which is why the film works well in striking a balance in presenting the points of views of combating sides. Semiotics refers to the study of and meaning created by ‘signs’, which are composed of ‘signifiers’ and their ‘signifieds’. Semiotic systems are culturally contingent; they appeal to and are informed by ideology (O’sullivan, Hartley, Saunders, Montgomery & Fiske, 2004). Therefore, it may be significant to note that The Battle of Algiers is essentially a European production as the â€Å"key creative positions in the production of the film were occupied by Italians† (Wayne, 2001, p. 9). With this in mind, it would appear that the characterisations which are constructed through the combination of formal filmic conventions can be seen to position the viewer into considering the futility of continued political control over a colonised state, regardless of the viewer’s ideological point of view. Ostensibly, the characterisations of the combatants from the FLN and the French military are polarised opposites. The FLN rebels are less organised, poorly funded, less literate and rely on deception and terror to further their cause. Opposed to this, the French paratroopers are well organised, disciplined, calculating, brutal, and use torture and modern weaponry to counter the rebels. The character of Ali La-Pointe can be read as the embodiment of the FLN, whereas Colonel Philippe Mathieu can be read as the embodiment of the French military. La-Pointe is played by non-professional actor, Brahim Haggiag, â€Å"a real life petty criminal† (Odeh, 2004). On the other hand, Colonel Mathieu is played by the only professional in the cast, Jean Martin (Odeh, 2004). La-Pointe is presented as being poorly educated and disenfranchised. His poor education is signified in the scene where he asks the boy messenger, Petit Omar, to read him a communication from FLN leader, Jaffar. Other signifiers of his poor education and low socio-economic status are his tatty clothing, unkempt appearance and lack of paid employment. La-Pointe is characterised as being ill-disciplined and short-tempered. This is signified clearly by La-Pointe punching a young Frenchman after he is called a ‘dirty Arab’. His past crimes, albeit petty, are signified by voiceover. La-Pointe is also impulsive in his role as a rebel leader. He is impatient to fight the French military and does not see the sense in the more measured approach suggested by Jaffar. Whilst La-Pointe is not a model citizen and is not easy to sympathise with he is, however, characterised as being a strong leader, courageous and loyal to his cause. La-Pointe’s characterisation perhaps works to interpellate the viewer into a position which favours a bourgeois ideology, because La-Pointe’s rise to eminence within the FLN is seemingly more out of vengeance and revenge, rather than any political manoeuvring or prowess. Ironically, this lack of political power which results in violence and terror adds authenticity to La-Pointe’s character and in so doing, his character positions the viewer to understand that the French hegemonic ideology is the root cause of the Arabs’ disenfranchisement. In contrast to La-Pointe, Colonel Mathieu is characterised as being intelligent, charismatic and disciplined; he is the embodiment of the French military and by extension the French culture. Mathieu is the most developed character in the film and this can be read as being metaphoric of the French culture’s supposed sophistication. The mise-en-scene when Mathieu is parading down a large street along the seafront after being recruited to command the offensive against the FLN rebels is significant. Matheiu, a tall, sturdy, middle-aged man looks resplendent in full military uniform amidst cheering ‘French’ locals and is presented as the messiah like character. Tellingly though, it is the dark sunglasses, rolled up sleeves and unbuttoned shirt which give him an authentic and individual appearance; he appears to be a man of action and experience. The viewer is immediately positioned to sense that Mathieu’s arrival will coincide with a significant change in events in Algiers. As the viewers’ expectations are played out they are positioned to sympathise with Mathieu’s point-of-view. When Mathieu first arrives in Algiers, he sets about systematically dismantling the resistance, however, he points out to his colleagues that not all of the Arabs are terrorists and that most do not present a threat at all (Odeh, 2002). This is signified by Mathieu saying: There are four hundred thousand Arabs in Algeria; are they all enemies? We know they are not. But a small minority hold sway by means of terror and violence (Pontecorvo, 1966). He describes the organisational structure of the FLN, how they recruit members and why they are a considerable threat. This signifies Mathieu’s knowledge of military tactics and strategy, as well as his respect of the enemy. This respect for his enemy is also signified through the following quote: â€Å"It’s a dangerous enemy†¦ using tried-and-true revolutionary methods as well as original tactics† (Pontecorvo, 1966). Although Mathieu is presented as being respectful of his adversaries, he is, on the other hand, ruthless and actively condones the use of torture. His is an attitude of ‘win at all costs’ and the ‘end justifies the means’ approach. Mathieu euphemistically uses the word ‘interrogation’ for torture in order to gain intelligence to dismantle the FLN pyramid structure. As he emphatically puts it, the interrogation will be â€Å"conducted in such a way as to ensure we always get an answer† (Pontecorvo, 1966). When questioned about these tactics in a press conference, Mathieu justifies his tactics as being the lesser of two evils, and the only way to counter clandestine tactics such as setting off bombs in public places. He is fully aware of the creation of a vicious cycle of terrorism and counterterrorism which highlights the complexity of the situation and the necessity for decisive actions. The viewer is positioned to sympathise with Mathieu’s persuasive rhetoric not only through his words but also because of the camera angles in this scene. The use of a low camera angle from the journalists’ perspective reinforces Mathieu as the dominant figure in the room and adds weight to his profound rhetoric. Mathieu is also belligerent towards the hypocritical journalists who want the FLN defeated, but are critical of the methods employed. The mise-en-scene during the press conference shows the dominant figure Mathieu standing slightly in front of three military colleagues who are wearing stern expressions in a show of solidarity with their leader. They are flanked by a blackboard which shows a line graph with an upward trend. This could be read as signifying an upward trend in terrorist acts or bombings. Throughout the press conference, Mathieu is in the centre of frame and stands bolt upright in a dominant fashion with hands on hips. The positioning of Mathieu as a powerful figure with courage and vigour sets him up as being a metaphoric representation of French pride. Mathieu sits down in a more relaxed fashion as he appeals to the journalists’ sense of pride. He states, â€Å"We’re neither madmen nor sadists† and reminds them of the â€Å"role many of us played in the resistance† (referring to WWII; Pontecorvo, 1966). In this powerful scene Mathieu is juxtaposed with the captured FLN commander Benjamin M’hidi. M’hidi is questioned by a journalist about the use of terror tactics and is asked, â€Å"isn’t it cowardly to use your women’s baskets to carry bombs which have taken so many innocent lives? † (Pontecorvo, 1966). M’hidi replies by comparing these actions with the even more devastating effect from use of bomber planes and napalm, and suggests that he would swap the baskets for the bombers. This comment highlights the difference between the resources of the French and the FLN and by extension the difference between the wealth and infrastructure of the French Algerians compared with the much poorer and disenfranchised Algerian Natives. The camera angles are higher when M’hidi is in shot and the reader is positioned to view him as less powerful than Mathieu; what’s more most of the journalists are also standing, making the camera angle similar when they are in view which works to present them as being equally important as M’hidi. The journalists and photographers are also rowdier and jostle for position signifying less respect for him. However, M’hidi who is clearly surrounded by such adversity is defiant; when asked if he thinks the FLN can defeat the French army, he poignantly suggests that they have a better chance of victory than the French have of changing history. While M’hidi’s argument is compelling, it is Mathieu’s charisma which is most memorable in this scene as it is in most others in which he is involved. With this in mind, it could be argued that it is most likely that the viewer will be interpellated into the ideological position of bourgeois subject. The Battle of Algiers is very complex in its viewer positioning however, and while on the one hand it positions the viewer to respect Mathieu as an indomitable character with admirable intentions, this is somewhat countered by some negative racist traiting. Shortly after Mathieu’s arrival, it becomes clear that he has a racist attitude. This is signified by his description of the Arabs as being â€Å"like rabbits in a cage† and is reinforced by the smirk on his face. When asked by the General, what he is calling the operation, he whimsically looks through a pair of binoculars and sees a sign by the shipping dock which says â€Å"drink Champagne. † He then informs the general that he will call the operation ‘Champagne’. This use of the word ‘champagne’ is metaphoric of the hegemonic rise of the French culture being imparted upon the Algerians, especially given the fact that the sign is at a dock yard symbolising the foreign influence being transported from abroad. However, Mathieu’s racist attitude is somewhat tempered throughout the film. This is signified in the scene where FLN commander, Jaffar, is captured in a seemingly inevitable fashion as the FLN are being systematically destroyed by the French paratroopers; while Mathieu escorts Jaffar in a vehicle he admits that he’d â€Å"have hated to have blown you all up† (Pontecorvo, 1966). Mathieu explains that he has had Jaffar’s picture on his desk for months and he felt like he knew him a bit. He also signifies his admiration in a subtle manner by telling Jaffar: â€Å"You don’t strike me as the kind for empty gestures† (Pontecorvo, 1966). Mathieu does not demonstrate any animosity towards Jaffar and the only satisfaction he finds in his capture is through the achievement of his military objective. This complex traiting is significant, given that Mathieu works, in a broad sense, as a metonym of the French military and government; it shows that even the most admirable of characters is not truly existential in nature. He is still a subject of the French ideology, and therefore when surrounded by colleagues he assumes the racist persona. However, when he is interacting on a one-on-one basis with Jaffar, he is able to express empathy for his prisoner. What this highlights is the difficulty in effecting political change as a subject of the dominant ideology. It is significant that the film works to develop the character of Mathieu while neglecting the development of any other ‘French’ characters. In contrast to this, several Arab characters are at least partially developed, albeit not as well crafted or nuanced in their presentation. This can be seen as symbolic of the opposing ideologies at work. Mathieu who represents the force of the dominant ideology is an empowered character who is allowed to express himself and has the support of the educated, wealthy French colonialists. In contrast, the main Arab characters including FLN Leaders La-Pointe, Jaffar, M’hidi and boy messenger Petit Omar are less developed, but in so doing appear to be more ‘archetypal’ and representative of typical characters who inhabit the poverty-stricken Casbah. This sets up an ‘us versus them’ dichotomy in terms of ideological positions. The less-dominant Arabic ideology is becoming more powerful and is reflected in more characters performing a powerful role for change. In contrast, the dominant French ideology is lessening in strength as the French colonialists are seen to be more ambivalent towards change. This is understandable as they are wealthier and have more political power. The French military finally win the battle in 1957 by capturing or killing all the FLN leaders. Ultimately though, it is the native Algerians who win their independence. The film finishes by depicting the large scale demonstrations which occurred two years later, which (according to the French press) appeared unexpectedly and originated in the mountains. Many unarmed Arabs are killed by the French military during the demonstrations but the Arabs continue to demonstrate and march for ten days, chanting and waving flags. The flags are an obvious signifier of unity, pride and a hope for independence. The film ends with one of the more powerful images of the film; an Arab woman is holding a flag whilst dancing and yelling at the French military in obvious defiance. She has a determined, almost hypnotised expression on her face. This powerful mise-en-scene with the woman being backed by hundreds of demonstrators defiant in the face of powerful suppression foreshadows an inevitable change of politics after another two years of struggle. The words of Benjamin M’hidi seem even more profound by the end of the film: you cannot change the course of history (Pontecorvo, 1966). References http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/46/algiers.htm

Harley Davidson †Strategies Essay

Harley Davidson Company is a largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world. It has a wide range of vision and mission that makes Harley-Davidson apart from the competition and why their brand strength is legendary. The United States customers for example, have come to trust the name Harley-Davidson, which gives the company a competitive advantage over their competitors. The company strives to improve growth and increase demand for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Today the Harley Davidson Company takes the leading position in the business world, when demand exceeds supply this allows them to increase the prices of productions and stock. They have become a force to be reckoned with in the motorcycle industry, while continuing to maintain existence through either booming or recessive markets. The external matrix indicates that the Harley-Davidson company is above average when it comes to being perceptive and responsive in regards to opportunities and threats. Based on the weighted score of 3.  58, the major and minor strengths dominate the weak opportunities and threats. Besides from advantage of the company to the rest of the competitors, Harley-Davidson’s company looking at the other companies as a whole competitor, the hybrid expansion could generate a great deal more revenues (Datamonitor, 2006, p. 14). The competitive matrix indicates that Harley-Davidson holds a strong position among its competitors. Through brand image, customer loyalty, and a relatively stable financial position, the company can work towards growth in the global markets. One avenue is to purchase the 20 million shares of stock that the company has been authorized to buy back. Harley Davidson’s opportunity to buy back their shares is their opportunity to tell the world that they are still a financially stable company. This answer the question on how can Harley-Davidson improve its 2005 stock performance. Harley-Davidson, Inc TOWS Matrix The Matrix would give the best strategies in which Harley –Davidson Company motivates the customer heart and becoming a great tool of the company’s success as well. Under this matrix strategies developed were as follows with coded letter; Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (O), Threats (T), Strengths & Opportunities ( SO) strategy, Weaknesses & Opportunities(WO) strategy, Strength & Threats (ST) Strategies, and Weaknesses & Threats (WT) Strategies. Under which noted that the strengths were comprises with at least factual description namely, 1. Brand Loyalty 2. Commanding Market share in heavy weight segment 3. Offering Cross Segments 4. Extensive Distribution Network 5. Strong Operating Performance and 6. Customers Loyalty. Furthermore, it is also noted from the list, the three listed weaknesses: Weak European business performance, Rising dealer inventory and decline in value of pre-owned vehicles and the SEC inquiry over production plants. While on the other hand, there are three opportunities offered by the company namely; SEC inquiry over production plants, Improvement in efficiency and Chinese Market. Plus other thing the company has to dealt with and made some direct action complied is the list of threats the company cannot avoid to tackle it efficiently. The threats were Intense Competition, Increase in raw material cost and Regulatory Issues. With such matrix strategies of the company, other new strategies can be developing that also of great used in the new company. From there, we can design a Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) strategies, SPACE, BCG, IE, Grand Strategy, and QSPM matrices that’s is also valuable to use in order to improve the business progress and development. Conclusions The company’s current strategies appeared to following, the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) strategies, that is, in addition to the previous existing strategies which are SWOT originated. Thus it gives the company big booms of success. That is, based on the financial and analytical data, Harley Davidson is a strong financial organization that has been in business for over 100 years and if they continue in the way they are working, they could remain in business another 100 years. The underlying grand strategy or strategy theme of the company is that, company uses an aggressive strategy, because it would be in the upper right, aggressive quadrant. The Explanation to this would be graphing the change of FSIS in the plane of CAIS versus FSES, the result would be increasing change of FSIS was found. Hence with these amazing results, the  Company gained the financial strength & industry strength (FSIS) increasing as the financial Strength positively overcome as well as the industry strength also positively reached. Stating the immediate and future strategy recommendations for the company will be , taking into accounts that competitor continuously becoming at large and introduces more vivid product assurance , the company can still compete more effectively if the continuous studies about how to gain trust among customers and also continuous seeking more effective strategies that will fits the need of the customers. Thus for sure the more the company blooms up to the highest level among the rest of the competitors. Providing a selection rationale and financial justification about the company’s financial strength will be Harley-Davidson, Inc has developed strategies in line with their aspirations to grow within a Global Market. The company prides itself on having brand recognition and customer loyalty. In the terms of generating revenues, the company has dominated the domestic market versus their competitor’s ability. Harley-Davidson is comprised of four segments (Datamonitor, 2006, p.  28). This enables them to focus on different targeted customers. The segments consist of standard, performance, touring and customized motorcycles (Datamonitor, 2006, p. 28). Other strengths include strong operating performance and distribution network. Harley products are sold by over 1,300 dealers globally (Datamonitor, 2006, p. 29). The ability to market and promote a brand name product to people all over the world, through various networking capabilities, provides the company will a stronger market position. The strong operating performance can be based upon the growth of the company. Looking at revenues from 2003 to 2005, the company has increased funds by almost 14. 5 percent within two years (Income Statement: Forbes. Com). According to the quarterly reports on Forbes, it appears that for 2006, the company will exceed the previous years’ revenues. Therefore, the company is continually growing and making their presence known in the industry.